The Wonderful (and Wacky) Washington Weather

This morning I was sitting at my desk and the light filtering through the colorful Easter eggs decals that I had put on my window last week kept distracting me from the papers in front of me. It was so cheerful and spring-like that I just couldn't help but smile every time I turned and gazed outside. Finally I decided that I would take a picture of the pretty colors and hope it would inspire me for some creative project later down the road. A few hours later, I looked out the window and suddenly got the inspiration. But it wasn't what I thought it would be.

The weather in Washington can be fickle. People joke that if you don't like the weather around here, just wait 5 minutes and it will change. I finally have proof of that theory:

11:53 am -


1:54 pm -






















2:30 pm -


3:52 pm -


And just before I left work at 4:58 pm -


I've heard rumor that there are places on the planet that don't have surprises when it comes to the weather. The people who live in those places know how to dress at all times and know what can be expected when they walk outside. I say, what's the fun in that?

Dinner Theater

Those of you who knew me at Lee will probably remember how much I really loved going to see the theater productions that they put on. I went to every one while I was there and enjoyed each one. There's just something about college productions that I find very interesting. I'm not sure if it's the slight lack of pure professionalism or the sometimes familiar faces on the stage, but there is just little else that I would rather do than attend the latest play at whatever college is nearby.

One of the nice things about now working on a college campus is the easy access and constant knowledge of what the theater department is working on. My mom tries to get tickets to see as many of the plays that she can. We have a group that goes together whenever possible. The list of usual suspects include Mom, Don, my aunt Colynn, her husband Bill, me and my friend Barb.


Every year they do one big musical. Lee had a spring musical too. But the fun thing about Clark's musical performance is that it is also dinner theater. Which makes it my favorite performance of the year. This year's production was "The Sound of Music". Usually the Culinary Arts Department does the food for the dinner theater, but due to unfortunate budget cuts, this year they couldn't do it and we had to go with an outside source for dinner. It was good anyway. Yum!

It was a very good performance. One of the best that we've been to. Sometimes Clark likes to choose plays that are a little ... well, let's just say "controversial" in theme. But this was a nice, happy, family-friendly play with no hidden political statement buried within. And we had a great time. I especially loved the scenes with the Von Trapp children. The kids were way cute!

Bill wasn't able to make the play this time, so we brought grandma. Don was one lucky man, surrounded by a bunch of beautiful women. We jokingly referred to ourselves as his harem.

And The Award For "Best Picture"....

I love scary movies. Suspenseful, creepy, thrilling, ghostly; I really enjoy sitting in a dark room and letting these sensations wash over me. But I'm extremely picky about what I consider a "good" movie. Most of them have great potential but fail in the execution. It's sad really.

For me, it's all about the ending. You can have a great movie with a very well written plot, but if the ending isn't right, the movie tanks. But take an average movie with a decent storyline and add a plot twist that no one was expecting and suddenly you've got a movie worth watching.

My other problem with scary movies is that I never have anyone to go see them with me. Most of my friends don't care much for the scary or creepy or gory (actually, I don't care for the gore. I tend to pass on the "slasher" flicks and stick mainly to "thrillers" or ghost movies). I don't care much for going to see a scary movie alone, so I usually wait for them to come out on DVD and watch it alone at home.

But it turns out my aunt also enjoys thriller movies. And since her daughter recently moved to Arizona, she's in need of the occasional "girl time", so I'm filling in.


Tonight we went and saw The Uninvited. It was a pretty good movie. We both really enjoyed the story and REALLY enjoyed the ending (which makes it better than just a "pretty good" movie). If you like thriller movies and interesting surprises, I highly recommend this one.

Colynn and I enjoyed hanging out together. We've decided that we need to do it more often. Perhaps we'll make a monthly date of it.

A Single Girl's Valentine's Day

I didn't have someone special to spend Valentine's Day with this year (no different from every other year) so I decided to drive north and spend the weekend with a whole family of special someones.

I think I made the right decision.

I got here last night around 8:30. Before sending the kids off to bed, we decided that we would watch a movie. So, the kids piled on the couch around me and we watched the movie Wall-E. It was a great way to end the week.

Today, we thought it would be fun to take the kids to the zoo. I was really excited, as was Shea (the youngest). There's something so fun about being around all the animals. It took us awhile, but we finally got everyone dressed and ready for the outing and we were off.

The drive to the Seattle zoo was about 20 minutes. From the back of the van came the constant flow of kid chatter with the occasional thump then "Mo-om!". I'm so in awe of my friend's patience and calm demeanor.

We drove into Seattle and got to the zoo area where we realized there were an awful lot of people there today. In fact, there was no parking spots available. As we were beginning to drive around the block to find a place to leave the van that wouldn't be TOO far to walk from, we noticed a long, long line snaking from the entrance. It seems that we were not the only ones to decide on a Valentine's Day trip to the zoo. Guess we'd have to save it for another day. Bummer.

So, we headed back to Steph's house where we dropped off a few of the kids with their dad and Steph, Autumn, Sean, and I went shopping. We got shoes for everyone (not me), a new suit for Cody, and took me in for a new hairstyle.













Before and After. What do you think???

After shopping, Steph and I played a rousing game of DDR. I'm so out of shape, it's not funny! When I get home, it's time to start doing something about that. Then came dinner. At my request we had enchiladas (also knows by the Crane family as "Super Cheesy Yums"). For dessert we made cookie pizzas. And a very gooey mess.Right now, Steph and I are watching a girly movie. We ran the kids and her husband out of the room and we are watching Sydney White, which is my new favorite movie for now.

I'd say it was a pretty good Valentine's Day, even if I wasn't spending it with the man of my dreams. I'm happy, I'm loved, and I still have a couple of days left to play!

Don't Waste the Pretty

There's an episode of Sex and the City where Carrie's current boyfriend is subjected to a batch of girl talk with Carrie and her friends. The girls are discussing recent dates and trying to interpret the meanings behind the actions of the men while Burger (the boyfriend) quietly listens intently. Suddenly Miranda looks over and asks for his opinion. Burger clears his throat and says, "If you ask me, it sounds like the guy is just not that into you." The girls are appalled that he would say such a thing! "What about...?" they ask, rattling off excuses that might mitigate his less than ideal behavior (he's scared, he has a lot going on, he doesn't want to hurt the friendship....) "Yeah, that's all code for 'not into you'." Burger informs them. Miranda is intrigued by this information and realizes that she could have saved herself a lot of time and energy (not to mention money on shrinks) if she had known this earlier.

The episode garnered such interest and intrige from the viewing women that a couple of the writers got together and wrote a book about it. The book became a best seller almost immediately.

My mother felt I could learn something from it, so she bought me a copy. I'm currently reading it, just like all the other hopeless women in America.

Apparently, most women who read this book find the information empowering and liberating; I find it depressing and sad. Not only does it shine a harsh and glaring light onto what a pathetic mess I've become over a certain someone of the recent past, but it continues on to inform me that, in fact, NONE of the guys I've been involved with have ever really been "into" me. How's that for a self-esteem buster?

Blah, who needs them anyway?

I am learning some positive things from the book, too. Like how to stop wasting my time on guys who just don't appreciate the wonderful that I am (I've made it a couple of weeks without initiating communication from the Heartbreaker I once followed like a puppy). Now if I can just convince myself that I really am as wonderful as the book seems to think I am....

The theme of the book, the mantra that I will continue to repeat until I know, believe, and am able to live: Don't waste the pretty! Don't waste the pretty! Don't waste the pretty!!!
See how pretty? Why would I want to waste it???

And while I wait for a guy who recognizes what a great catch I am, I'll just have to content myself with the world in my head, the alternate reality that I created where I am the woman to be desired and the world runs according to my personal whims. Check out my other blog, Deema's Wonderful World of Pretend, for a peek inside my imagination.