Touchdown San Francisco!

Wahoo - left my boss and coworkers behind for world's cutest almost 4-year old and she was so happy to see me, she unbuckled her carseat and did a little dance in the backseat! Man, is she adorable!

So I am at home (close enough) and happy to be here. My belly is full with a home-cooked meal and I am ready for sleep...but first, I must allow Maggie to pick out my PJs for the evening and a book or two for me to read to her. Then the sleep will come in a nice cozy bed in a temperate climate (did I mention it's 50 degrees here...AHHHH).

Not sure I will have time to write the next couple of days, but I will do my best for a longer post sometime during the week, folks!

Thanks for being patient!

What Day is It, Anyway?

Okay, I think I am losing my mind. I have no idea what day or time it is, just that we are getting on a plane in a few hours...I think.

So I get a couple hours to sleep (man I hope I can) and then we are going to have dinner and then head for the airport. After a 16-hour flight (I think), I will be in San Francisco and world's most fabulous niece will meet me at the airport...honestly, that's all that matters right now!!

Shopping - what a trip. For $161 US, I left with 3, super nice, strands of pearls. One for my mom for Christmas...SHHHHHH, and the other two for me. Now, this was after I spent 45 minutes helping my boss pick out pearls for this new girlfriend that he won't cop to...MEN!

Anyway, most of the conversations were him asking me how I knew what was good and what wasn't - c'mon, man...I'm a chick! We are raised this way (some of us are, anyway). It was comical and I think I may lord it over him for a while. Then, I had to help him pick out "sparkly shoes" (they are beaded slippers) for a coworker and again, the man was lost. I just hope Jen likes what I picked out!

Then we did the sleazy thing - we met a guy in a parking garage and looked through his pirated DVDs...and they aren't worth a crap, but they are only $1 a piece...a waste of 30 minutes, if you ask me.

Anywho, I'm catching some Z's before dinner and the airport - not sure when I will have time to write again...not that these are even posted yet :)

Pearls Before Swine

I'm operating on no sleep and am about to embark on a shopping spree. We have the hook up for great pearls and I, for one, am going to take full advantage!

We are heading to a local mall to a friend of a friend who has a booth to sell her jewelry. Plus, I'm sure we will buy a pirated DVD or two on the trip...

I'll fill you in when I get back :)

Are We Done Yet?

I am SO ready to go home (well, to SFO anyway).

Another rousing success today, but the sleep deprivation is killing me. I am still under the weather and ready for my own bed.

The big boss is gone, and so is my boss' positive attitude. I knew he couldn't hold out forever. I need a vacation from this trip!!!!

One work-night left and it promises to be a short one. Is it Saturday yet???

2 Call Centers Down...1 To Go

So last night was a success. Not only did the meetings go well, but I think I may have impressed the new grandboss of my abilities. Nice.

However, I am getting sick of all the fish. I am ready for a real meal and one free of fishy smells.

I have nothing in me tonight folks - sorry to say. I gotta get some sleep.

More tomorrow :)

A Trip to Wonderland?

Believe it or not, I am now back in Manila. After work, we headed to the airport (and frankly, saw a sight that has scarred me for life) and caught a plane back here for days 3, 4, & 5. This was an interesting journey as it was me, Clay, Kevin, my boss, his boss and 2 other VPs (Kyle and Scott). This trip was insane as no one was on their best behavior...how fun!

So let me explain the game that lead to this disturbing bus ride. Jessee (my co-worker) commented the last time we were here that he was looking forward to counting the pee-ers...Cebu is very rural and people (mostly men) often relieve themselves on the side of the roads. Jessee, being the odd duck that he is, likes to count these people for sport. Our boss kept telling Jessee that he would not see as many as 3, however women count as 2 points and anyone taking a dump (pardon my bluntness) would count as 3 points. Jessee insists he has seen a 3-pointer before, but I cannot imagine that to be true...

Well, I spoke too soon. We are driving along and Clay cries out "OH MY GOD" and burries his head in the carseat. Of course, we all turn. And there, leaving up against a tree...well, let your mind do the rest. 3 points! Like I said - SCARRED FOR LIFE!

Enough about bodily functions.

After we checked into the hotel in Makati, some of us were hungry so we went to the buffet at the restaurant called Circles. Well, they had just transitioned from breakfast to lunch, which was a thrill! So we dug in. The boys got alcohol and I stuck with Coke (it is hot enough in this country, I need no alcohol to raise my body temperature at all)!

Well, the madness began. So my boss, has recently stayed in a great mood, which we all have determined means he has a girlfriend. Not sure how that happened, but he has dropped many a hint concerning dates, cooking dinner for someone, etc. I have a theory that this woman works with us, but my team does not buy it one bit. I'm actually determined to confirm my suspicions on this sojourn.

After a scotch or two (including my giving him crap for mixing a single malt with water and ice), he drops her name. Huzzah! I knew it. Victory is mine. Now, while you may not think this is evidence, it isn't. However, after he said her name, Kyle looked right at me and winked - there was my proof! I'm not done, but I know I am on the right track.

After a few more drinks, I found myself falling asleep at the table and decided I should head to my room (where it should be close to 5 degrees by now) and catch some Z's. Apparently, I was not the only one who felt this way as quickly the other 4 followed me out...

So here I sit, awake, looking for something to lull me into sleep...maybe the iPod will do the trick.

Goodnight all!

Only the Goofy Must Rule

Day 2 in Cebu, Philippines and I got to spend it with my new Senior Veep. Can I just say, he is a crazy man. Trading barbs with his direct reports and making light of just about everything, was so entertaining...it didn't hurt that my boss was a butt of a few jokes. I can get used to this!

So there was a big celebration here this morning - a real live pig roast. Okay, well the pig was really roasted elsewhere, but they hacked up that puppy right outside.

The reps put together a video and did a dance all to celebrate an award they won (plus it didn't hurt that the bog bosses were in town)!

We are about to head for the airport and I have to power down. Later gators!

Just Another Day at the Beach

So day one has come and gone. It was a long day in the training room teaching the new kids how to do something new. It was nice to show up at the office and have my name on an office door all my own...I feel so special :)

It can be nerve-wracking to stand in front of a bunch of people and try to teach them - I never really thought I had the knack for it. But today was easy as tomorrow comes the harder part.

Tomorrow, the grand-boss arrives and I get to attend all-day, high-level meetings and try to show I am worth my salt. The guy seems cool, but I think this may be the TRUE test for me.

So far the boss has been cool. The tempers have stayed pretty even and I don't want to kill him yet, but stay tuned, folks!

Sleep is coming early tonight!

30 Hours to Anywhere

So after worlds longest trek - even moreso since I am dying from a sinus infection - scary, but it feels true - and I finally get to the hotel and they put me in a smoking room...I already have a hard enough time breathing.

So they moved me - thank god! After an exhausting trip and a couple of fevers, it's nice to have a comfy bed and air conditioning once again!

My trip was not that exciting except for a run-in with a flight attendant who just kept insisting on putting raw seafood in front of me...it took me 5 tries and then showing my Medic-Alert bracelet to get him to take it away. However, not before me told me not to be hostile! How rude! Life or death, man...

So it is time for sleep...my long week begins with me trying to sleep during the daylight. At least I slept for 10 hours on the plane. Thank goodness for iPods!

More to come...

Missing the Left Coast

I have been back in Georgia for 15 months and it is about that time that California starts to beckon me home...

Granted, I was pretty much raised in Georgia and all of my friends and half my family is here, but the most important part of my family today is in San Francisco. The main problem is that while I love it here for all it's quirks, I get a lot of benefits from being here - most of all, cost of living. So what is the draw to SFO, you ask?



This is what one would call the sweetest faces of all time! And they are calling to me day and night.

Here is my dilemma...first, these kids are my life...my family. I have discussed with my brother my need for involvement and he is toally on board (it doesn't hurt them to have a babysitter living nearby). What I think it really comes down to is figuring out what works best for me and for them. So there are a couple of choices:

1) Stay here and earn my sabbatical (261 days) and during my sabbatical, go stay in SFO and find a job to move me back out.

2) Stay with EarthLink and find a job in Pasadena (this puts me 4 hours away)

3) Scrap it all and go live like a bum on my brother's couch :)

We'll see. Nothing is going to happen today...or tomorrow. It's just active thoughts in my head. I get pictures and I start to think about how close Maggie and I are and a lot of that has to do with my being around so much early-on. Will doesn't have that I and sincerly hope that Maggie talks to him about me all the time!

Decisions, Decisions

So this week has been dragging along quite annoyingly and this morning is no different. At least today I get my snazzy new brain (aka Treo 650).

My boss has been particularly rude and cruel and driving me up the fucking wall!

Luckily, yesterday was a short day at work as I had to run some errands to get prepared for the trip to the Philippines. Basically, going to my 2 doctors to get stocked up on my meds and get medical authorizations to carry needles on the planes. No big deal, but time consuming and $40 a pop!

Then, thank god for Vessi, I chopped off my hair! It was over 2 inches too long and I had had no time to get it cut. It was like an enormous weight had been lifted and I feel much better now...and hopefully look better too!

I did get to talk to my sweet Maggie last night when she called me and said she needed helping making Zucchini Boats (stuffed zucchini) and then explained that eventhough she would make them (and she described to me how to scoop out the seeds, spread them out (sauté) and then putting "stuffing" in them), she wouldn't eat the stuffing as it was spicy and meant she would need to drink even more milk than she does already!

Now I ask you, how can your day not improve after such a sweet phone call? It's not possible :)

So here I sit, exhausted with a killer headache, having too much work to do and no time to do it in, completely hating my job, but loving it all the same...and even though it seems that someone is throwing me a lifeline, I will most likely say thanks but no thanks as I have not yet begun to fight and am not really ready for big change.

Sorry to ramble and not make too much sense here...it's been a rough few months!

Nothing Like a Boring Weekend

Have I ever mentioned how much I detest the phone...ironic really since I work in call centers, but I did do my best to get off the phones rather quickly? I am, however, quite good on the phone, I just hate it. At least if I have to talk on the phone, let it be with someone I want to talk to :)

So this weekend was pretty dull and boring from the outside looking in, but I loved every minute of it. It was laundry, cooking, cleaning, stitching, watching movies and mindless TV and not having to be anywhere at any time...it was fabulous! The OLN is showing Survivor reruns and even though I think I have seen most episodes (okay, except for that crappy season or 2 in the middle), I am sucked right back in. It's much better storing up 8 episodes before you watch...fast forwarding over eating of disgusting creatures and naked Richard Hatch. It makes for a mindless weekend, for sure!

Then, there was an interruption...the phone. ARGH! So much for the silence. Now who would call and ruin my perfectly perfect weekend? An Ex, of course. So it's been enough months that the bad penny has decided to turn up yet again. Now actually, that isn't really fair. He is a really good guy and he cares for me deeply, but each time my phone rings, I know it is him, usually defeated by life and looking for love again and wanting to get back with me.

Don't get me wrong, I care for him very much, but I just am not in love with him...believe me, I wish I was. He has family issues and therefore has grown up all screwed up and I have picked up the pieces enough for anyone in a lifetime. His parents would rather have me as their daughter than him as their son - how f-ed up is that, I ask you?

Anyway, we had a good conversation and I was not too harsh. He asked me to meet him for coffee, which was a repeat of the last time he called me. This time, I said no. Now honestly, I would love to say that it was will-power talking, but I was in grubby shorts and a t-shirt with my hair on top of my head with no particular order to it and absolutely NO makeup on at all...and my legs weren't shaved! My saving grace :)

So we ended up talking for quite a long time as I, for once, had lots of things to catch him up on...people moving out west, crazy turns in my job, a new nephew, etc. He wanted to fill me in on his current cheffing job and how he misses all his old friends. He said nothing about his dad, step mom or mom, but did talk about his sisters (which was nice as I know them all and had been seriously lacking for news). Then it started...why can't we try again?!

It is exhausting to have this conversation every six months, and I seriously considered changing my phone number. I love him; I'm just not in love with him. He will always be young and think that things will just miraculously work out no matter what the problems are. I need more maturity than that (I say this having drooled over 20-somethings in meetings the last 3 weeks). I just need to find him the right woman so he and I can remain friends. Problem being, I can't seem to find a man of my own, so I should probably work on that instead of helping other people's love lives.

Anyway...the hunt continues...without any time for hunting. I'm back at work, putting in my 60-hour weeks and wishing for a vacation or maybe just a little trip to Neverland!

A Basic Lack of Time

Sorry it has been an entire week, but my time has not been my own for at least that long. Between this major project at work and helping organize and throw my friend Vanessa her baby shower, I really have not sat at a computer for more than 20 minutes at a time in the past 7 days.

In order to stay ahead of the curve, I took Friday off to make a baby shower cake and help my mom with her personal chef tasks for the week. The day was pretty long, but very successful.

Saturday was the shower and it seemed to be a big hit! We had great food, fun activities and great girl-time. Most importantly, the guest of honor seemed to be very happy and after all, that was the main goal of the day :)

Sunday was putting finishing touches on the cooking and deliver the personal chef food to the client. I have the Jeep, so it makes it very easy to deliver. After a very long weekend, I was almost happy to go back to work on Monday...until it was Monday and I was back in all day meetings.

So here it is Thursday morning and I am headed back to work for more meetings (luckily, I think I may get out halfway through the day). I do actually have another job I have been absent from for over 3 weeks. I'm supposed to travel to Manila/Cebu in a couple of weeks and I really do not have the time to spare...not that my boss gives a shit. Apparently, I don't already have enough to do so he keeps giving me more responsibility - not that my 2005 goals reflect ANY of them. I gotta get a new gig. Anything away from the nightmare that is my boss these days.

The bright side of travel to Manila is that it appears we are travelling through San Francisco...Maggie and Will time!!!! I made a pronouncement to my boss last week that said, if we travel through the SFO airport, then I am staying a couple days to see my family...honestly, it is the least he can do and he should NOT make me use vacation time for it...yeah, that won't happen! I'll deal - it will be happy Maggie and Will time and therefore it will be worth a little pain...note - I said little...

Well - I'm off to work and another long day and more exhaustion. I barely have time to breathe these days, much less sit at my desk...and unfortunately, there is not an end in site for 6 months...(sigh)

My Own Lex Luthor...and Other Yummy Men

So this week has sucked! You have all been privy to my bitching about the hours I am putting in at work, but honestly, I hit 40 hours after I was at work about 90 minutes today...that is sad, even for me. Thank god I took tomorrow off! More about that in a minute...

In all these meetings I am in, I am sitting within view of many hunky and/or cute men. There are men from my own company, and men from a consulting firm. Some speak with accents (and I prefer that they do) and some are just pretty to look at. As Hugh Grant would say, I am this shallow!

The meetings have gone by pretty quickly; it is just the running around from meeting to meeting that really killed me yesterday. I had a 3 hour break from this project so I could meet about another project (outsourcing the last bit of call center folks). This project kills me as it means the end of having a lot of old friends here at work and I feel like I haven't really had the time to let this idea truly sink in. I think when these folks aren't here anymore that I will really dislike this place. It makes me want to cry.

When I went to this other meeting, I wasn't expecting to have Lex Luthor sitting across the table from me. I mean, don't get me wrong, but I have never really been attracted to bald men (expect on the big or small screen), but it was a pleasant surprise. So that meeting was cool and it ended up not being at all stressful as I was worried it might be so I sauntered down to the meeting on my other project, where there were no cute men yesterday…such a disappointment. At least I had some Lex time.

So this morning should prove to be interesting. I have no project meetings and can actually sit at my desk all day and get the work for my real job done. Nice thought, eh?

My boss seems to think that I am invincible and can do the work for 3 or 4 people and not crack under the pressure...the positive feedback I get is great, but I would like to be able to get home before 9pm and actually attend the screenings I have passes for. I would like to have a life outside of work and find someone fun to hang out with and I dunno...date!?

My boss is lucky right now that I don't march in his office and tell him to shove it and walk right out the door. I think about it multiple times daily and if I didn't work with such fabulous people who are sympathetic and see what I go through on a daily basis (plus my countdown clock on my monitor), I would have said some horrible things to him more than once in the last couple of weeks. Having a boss that doesn't trust you in the least is crap - especially when he continues to pile up the work on you and gives you a hard time when his own boss gives you kudos.

Byte me!

Off to work and another day of hell...I need to just walk around and look at the pretty men some more...and find the cute consultants and make them talk to me, just so I can listen! This will help me escape in my own world for a while 

Fred Has Lost His Touch (Movie Spoilers Ahead)

Hello, my name is Lindy and I am 32 and a Harry Potter addict...deal with it!

Let me fill you in on an interesting set of developments on the local Atlanta radio scene this past weekend. I listen to the morning show on 99X - I enjoy the show quite a bit - most days - but I mostly listen because a friend of mine is on it (Leslie has been previously praised on this blog quite a bit). Anyway, I listen to the show starting at 5:30 each morning until I get into work around 7:00 - sometimes 7:30, sometimes 8:00. Some days when Leslie isn't on, I will tune to NPR instead, depending on how entertaining the show may be.

So Friday, I'm driving into work and listening to the show. Leslie does her news brief and mentions some girl from Kansas or something who was disappointed in the ending of Harry Potter Book 6. 'Nuff said...move on. Not for Freddy Toucher - oh no! He has to start making fun of Harry Potter and this 13-year-old girl from middle-America. Anyway, some jackass caller says he read the book and threw it down at the end he was so upset with the ending. Leslie jumps in and says, don't ruin it! But no, not enough for Fred - before I realize it, he asks "What happens?". I hear 2 words. I can't turn off the radio fast enough - I even swerved the car. I decide to just switch the station, but I can't with the power off.

I turn the radio on soon enough to hear the cast talking about how the adults that read these books are parents of kids, but truly guys, many adults without kids read these because they are so entertaining! So I switch to NPR and let that be that.

I get home and get my mail and there is my Entertainment Weekly with Daniel Radcliffe on the cover. I start flipping through and find disclaimers warning of book spoilers, so I put the magazine under something heavy and move on. I spend all weekend avoiding any media so the ending cannot be ruined. All I know is someone dies, which the author had released a couple of months back. Crisis averted!

Day 4 of Pottergate and I am stupid enough to listen to 99X again this morning. They decide they are going to replay what happened on Friday so Harry Potter fans beware...then he says it...3 little words (and actually, Jimmy may have done that, but I cannot be sure). Before I could switch the channel, they blurt out (clearly on purpose) the 3 words that spoil the ending for me. I yelped as I could not get to the other room to turn off the radio fast enough...assholes!

So since it is ruined (I'm only 1/3 of the way through the book), I continue to listen. 2 blocks from work, Toucher is reading one of the 200+ nastygrams he got over this fiasco and reads "if you want to really piss off listeners, the culprit is..." So NPR it was, and will be until I complete the book.

Look, I do my best to support the station since they do keep me well supplied with movie passes and I only end up paying for half of my yearly flicks, but this time he went too far!

So Fred - let me just throw out a few for you:
The Crying Game - She's a MAN!
The Sixth Sense - Bruce Willis is really dead!
The Usual Suspects - Kevin Spacey is Keyser Soze
Fight Club - Ed Norton is really Tyler Durden!
Psycho - His mother is dead!
Vertigo - She was already dead and was being impersonated by a twin!
Gosford Park - The maid did it!
Presumed Innocent - The wife did it!
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back - Darth Vader is Luke's father!
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi - Luke and Leia are siblings (ewww....they kissed)
Planet of the Apes - It's Earth!
Identity - All the people are in John Cusack's head - he's crazy!
Vanilla Sky - It's a dream!

Divorced White Female Seeks a Box Office Success

Movie Review: Must Love Dogs

I have to say that romantic comedies still get me to the theatre, despite past flops that had me considering otherwise. This movie made me glad that I keep trying, even if my expectations are considerably low.

Let me start by saying that John Cusack still does a great job playing the romantic lead, even if that lead is as oddball as his Jake is. Diane Lane is equally enthralling as someone so vulnerable that she will even throw her rulebook out the window (even I have been there!)

So just a quickie review here - preschool teacher recently divorced is wallowing in self-pity has a family who meddles and a love life that is non-existent. Meanwhile across town, recently divorced boat craftsman seeks Doctor Zhivago loving female who is neurotic and off the wall just like him. Oh yeah - they both Must Log Dogs. Now, ladies and gentlemen, let the fun ensue!

This is a decent date movie with a few laughs and an almost too honest look at what the dating world is like out there, single or divorced. I was sufficiently entertained for close to 2 hours and it didn't feel like close to 2 hours. I wasn't sorry to spend the $7 and see this before most of the world - one less thing to get seen!

Surf's Up!

Yesterday was a full-day meeting on this major project I mentioned earlier in the week. Not that I mind an entire day away from my email, but now I am just 1 day behind in everything else.

I ended up having to give a presentation on all our tools and systems with no notice...the only positive was that cute boys were trapped in the room with me all day...I enjoy suffering when I am not alone and have something to look at! These meetings seemed productive, only time will tell.

Unfortunately, this meeting identified me as needing to be in today's all day meeting and a half day meeting on Monday (sigh).

Something I didn't mention as part of my movie-going experience on Wednesday was that I finally met some of the crazy people. By that I mean the group of Usual Suspects (US) Angie and I always saw at all the screenings - this is what happens when you don't take a partner in crime with you. So, it's all Angie's fault.

So I get there really early - I had no idea how the crowd and/or traffic would be, so I got there 2 hours before it was going to start - this is not unusual. Anyway, the only other person in line was this guy, Jeff, one of the US's. Since it is just 2 of us in line, the small talk began and it was all downhill from there. Don't get me wrong, Jeff is a nice guy, but it's all just weird. And here I was complaining about taking Ryan with me...again, I blame Angie...and she knows it.

As time dragged on, Jeff introduced me to a few other US's and they were nice enough - I think they thought of me the same Angie and I thought of them. The biggest difference here is they like to sit on the front row of the Stadium section, and I prefer a few rows back (whew).

I really need to find a permanent movie-buddy... one that isn't shopping screenplays in Hollywood. Yeah, yeah...poor pitiful me :)

The Attire of the Clones

Movie Review: The Island

This movie must take place in a perpetual state of "before Labor Day." Apparently, our future is full of clones wearing fancy white jumpsuits with Nike shoes - but if they look like Ewan McGregor.

Where to begin...the premise of this movie is that in 14 years, the rich and elite of the future can purchase a clone of themselves to be created in case they need organ transplants as an insurance policy...ewww creepy. The trick is, the clones have to idea what their purpose is. They live in this highly controlled world, or should I say bunker, being told they are the only survivors of a fatally contaminated Earth, where they have an ultimate goal of getting to The Island where they can live free, in the only remaining pathogen-free environment.

The action in this movie was somewhat enjoyable, but the sci-fi side was a little much. This movie boiled down to a few great moments surrounded by filler materials including some of the most insulting product placement I have ever seen...Scarlet Johansson plays a clone of her Calvin Klein persona??? C'mon Hollywood, couldn't you have shot some of your own material instead of making us look at the already overused print and TV ads for Eternity? I guess this way Calvin Klein PAID you and therefore it cost you nothing to include it, eh? There were some other obvious placements, but they weren't nearly as annoying.

Ewan did shine for one part of the movie when he got to play against...wait for it...HIMSELF! But overall, I think this movie played the role of "if we aren't careful, this could be come a reality." Basically, this is not that much of a stretch of raising our clones to standby for a liver or kidney should we want to live forever, but personally I would rather we spent money on finding cures instead of ways to cheat death with no regard for the moral consequences.

What humors me most about this entire experience is that the least used actor in this movie, Michael Clarke Duncan (who admits he worked only 2 days and is on screen for maybe 7 minutes total), is doing the press tour of talk shows and I have yet to see the stars scheduled for anything.

Save your $8 to $10 and pop this one in your Netflix queue today so you don't forget about it as soon as it leaves the theatres for oblivion. However, if you just want a couple of hours of mindless entertainment, or to get out of the rain and you have seen everything else, feel free to waste the time.

The View From the Back

This post will be short and sweet since my day today is completely booked...I have one open 30 minute slot, but knowing my luck, it we be filled before lunchtime.

Yesterday was world's biggest and most useless kick-off meeting of a project ever. We did get a free lunch and I did get to leave the building for a few hours (never a bad thing). However, the rest of the meeting was just a rehash of previous meetings and a complete snooze-fest.

The only redeeming quality this meeting had, was the view. We were at a local hotel in one of their ballroom/conference rooms and it was set up with like 12 tables. My team and I (being such good strategists) picked one on the far side of the room and in the middle (so we weren't avoiding the front, but not being nerds by being in the front).

Did I mention there are some very yummy men on this project - some of them work for us, and some work as consultants, but there seemed to be a memo that the cute ones should sit in the table smack-dab in the middle of the room. This accomplished two things - 1 - I could zone out looking at this table, yet it looked like I was consentrating hard on the meeting and 2 - I could just stare and be stealthy about it. Some days, my job doesn't suck :)

Anyway, I think we all agreed that this meeting was not what we were expecting at all and we now have like 10 more of these through the next week and a half...can I go on vacation, please??? Otherwise, assign me to "surfer-boy" and he can keep me interested in this project :D

Rule #7: Rated-R Makes for a Better Movie

Movie Review: Wedding Crashers

What can I say except that combine Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson with an R-Rating and some good, old fashioned nudity and raunchy jokes and you have yourself a hit!

Not since the original American Pie has there been such a flick that marries humor and a little bit of a love story to make something so funny and entertaining as Crashers.

The premise of this flick is that two best friends, Jeremy (Vaughn) and John (Wilson) spend their evenings and weekends crashing strangers' weddings in order to pick up (and bed) hot, single, vulnerable chicks - c'mon ladies, you know we all get stirred up at weddings and keep our eyes out for eligible men!). The go to every kind of wedding and follow some simple rules (I lost count, but it sounds like there are over 100 of them).

Basically, if you act like a wallflower you are more likely going to look out of place than if you make an ass out of yourself and be a spectacle. Well, they certainly succeed - all the way to Treasury Secretary Cleary's (adeptly played by Christopher Walken) summer home for the weekend.

The quite Kennedy-esque family has a couple of single daughters ripe for the picking. One is a crazy and obsessed girl who has latched onto Jeremy much to his dismay and the other has her head on straight but is marrying the wrong guy. Of course, John is ready for the challenge, but this time, he has really fallen in love with the prey.

The daughters, played by Isla Fisher and Rachel McAdams, keep up with the true match-made-in-heaven couple Vaughn and Wilson. Fisher plays crazy well, and she and Vaughn created some of the funniest moments in the film (handjobs at the dinner table and slapping him one minute and then straddling him the next). McAdams and Wilson have a great chemistry as well, but it isn't hard to root for Wilson to win the girl when they make her fiancé world's biggest, sleaziest, maniacal ass (well overplayed by hunky Bradley Cooper from "Alias" fame.

Take the time, go to the theatre and see this movie if you are looking for some laughs - even the 70+ old guy sitting next to me was laughing throughout the film. This movie makes me want to take Owen Wilson home with me once again.

Someone quick, sign these two up for another movie...while the iron is HOT!