10 on Tuesday

Another Tuesday, another 10.

1. Life is a Highway. Sweet Jesus, I love my car. There are moments when I can't believe it's mine. I have wanted a Jeep Wrangler soft-top my entire adult life. There's something about them that just speaks to me. Maybe it's the way they seem unafraid of the elements. Maybe it's the way they can shimmy out of their tops to welcome in the sunlight. Or maybe it's just the simple spirit of fun they seem to embody. But now, it's mine. When I get behind the wheel, I feel oddly untethered. There's a simple, pure freedom about this car. It is even more fun than I imagined it would be. I can't imagine what I'll say when the warm weather comes!
2. I Saw Her Standing There. I had a bit if an altercation at the gym last Saturday. My Saturday workouts begin at 8:15 with strength training under the direction of the Magnificent Pam. She guides the class through a gruelling hour of weightlifting, muscle toning and endurance. It's a great way to begin a weekend. Salsa/Funk with Laura comes next, at 9:30, and it's the easiest hour of hard work you can imagine ... unless a woman comes into class 12 minutes after it's started and stands literally right next to you. The class is always crowded, and this woman, whoever she was, made it so crammed that I couldn't really move, much less work out. So, I collected my belongings and addressed her, to let her know that if her workout was that much more important than mine, she was welcome to it. "Thank you," she said. Anyhoo, I went out onto the cardio floor and finished my hour on an elliptical trainer. But damn I was pissed! If it weren't for the fact that I think one of us was going to get hurt, either accidentally or passive/aggresively on purpose, I would've stayed to protect my turf. I think I made the awesome choice, and I'll be back this weekend. With a taser.
3. Hooray for Hollywood. Oh, Oscar, I love you so. Not the awards; I never watch. But I do love the nominations, and making an effort to see the nominated films.
4. Crazy for You. I'm ready for Lady Gaga's 15 minutes to be up. Now, hear me out. I think she has a phenomenal voice, and she's a talented musician, but there's so damn much production behind her, you'd never actually know it. Get a clue, Ga; Madonna did it before you, and she did it better. Cher did it before Madonna, and pretty much wrote the book. Madonna and Cher made it work. Ga, on the other hand, has created a scenario in which people consistently talk about what she wore, but never the vocal quality of her music. And there is quality there ... you'd just never know it. I wish she'd go away for awhile, and re-invent herself as singer rather than spectacle.
5. Kung Fu Fighting. After a tough (albeit interrupted) Saturday workout and a Monday night return to Ninja school, I am in serious knead of a massage. Just sayin'.
6. What's Your Name? The Jeep doesn't have an official name yet. Why, you ask? Because there are two things I generally don't do without the help of Mike Rice. 1) Buy sunglasses. He's the best judge of what fits my big head. Left to my own devices, I end up with things that are less than perfect. Over the last few years, I've had to do that, with less-than-stellar results. 2) Name my cars. I have never named my car. He first named my car back in college, when he christened my old Ford Probe "Lolita," because she had a little shimmy in the front end. So until I get a visit from Clan Rice Tucson, the Jeep will go by it's interim name, "El Grillo" (Spanish for "The Cricket.") My friend Shakespeare gave it this temporary name when we went for the first-ever joyride in El Grillo on Friday night. So El Grillo it shall be, until Mike drives it.
7. Drive South. Shakespeare is in a production of "Steel Magnolias" at the Geneva Underground Playhouse. The Southern-twang infused play opens mid-February. I'll be going; care to join me? (Yes, Bex, I know you're coming along!)
8. Doctor, My Eyes. I just want Taylor Swift to open hers all the way. She always looks like the sun is blinding her.
9. Workin' for the Weekend. Last weekend was pretty jam-packed, while this weekend appears to be blissfully open. Which is good, because the weekend after that is President's Day Weekend, and I've got lots going on! Heading up to Lake Geneva on Saturday night to hang out with Amber, and coming home on Monday, in time to make it to Kathleen's for a potluck Fab Four dinner. (The Four being me, Kathleen, Tony and Eric. Shawn and Millie round out the group.) I'm bringing cheesecake, and already looking forward to the extended weekend.
10. Home. On Saturday night, my little apartment was filled to the brim with girlfriends (and a work dude) all crowded together for a lia sophia Show. Yes, I work for the company, but I really do love the jewelry, so why not invite friends over and try on some of the pieces I rarely see in person? We had a blast, and it served as a sweet reminder that my place may be small, but it seems to expand to fit in as much love as anyone has to share.