casa jen

Am I 36?

Yes.  Although I still feel this old.

Thanks to all that helped me celebrate and said the nicest things about me.  I love you all.

A birthday haiku:

Am I 36?

I will accept it soon

Ask me in April

PS:  Happy B-day to my girls; Gretchen, Jacqueline, Trisha and Kory, where ever you may be!

Rapid-fire Grammy performance thoughts....

The Police:  Goose bumps and chills.  I was never a huge fan, but I feel like I just got to see something magical.

Justin Timberlake:  I was on-board until the extreme close-up camera. 

Shakira:  I loved the Moroccan set and dancing.  Was she live?

Beyonce:  eh.

Gnarles Barkley:  Loved them and their gimmicky costumes, but most importantly, they sounded amazing. 

John Legend:  I think I am in love.  Better late than never.

Corrine Bailey Rae:  The purest, sweetest voice I have ever heard.  Beguiling.  Downloading her songs as we speak.

John Mayer:  eh.

Lionel Richie:  Looked great, sounded great.

Christina Aguilera:  I am eternally envious of her ability to belt it out like that.  I am turning green as I type.

Thoughts on the Dixie Chicks; you say whatever you want about what ever you want.  Good for you.

Red Hot Chili Peppers:  Loved it...although did Al Gore question your plans to recycle all that confetti?

The Casa Jen Empire is Expanding

After attending many craft and art fairs throughout the years and thinking to myself "I could do that!".  I now have to put up or shut up.  I actually established a tax ID number with the State of Minnesota a few years ago, so I had everything I needed when I applied...except, of course, any crafts to sell.

I have been accepted as a vendor at the St Paul Craftstravaganza at the the State Fair Grounds on 4/28/07.   Which means I have exactly 95 days to go nuts in my craft room and come up with some inventory to sell.  I am slightly worried about the volume of items I should/can make.

Stay tuned for another Casa Jen website with pics of projects and finished items that will be featured at the sale.

*Update - click here for some old and new crafts

Best of Last Week: 12/31 - 1/6/2007

Best TV Show:  Everything is a rerun these days, so I am into “Campus Ladies” on the Oxygen Network.  It is high-larious hijinx of two unaware late 30s ladies that go back to college and live in the dorms.  It is not for the easily offended.  Luckily, it takes more than a basic cable sitcom to ruffle my feathers.

Best Movie:  I watched “The Devil Wears Prada” again.  Meryl Streep is amazing.  I think Anne Hathaway is fine, she was so out of character and brilliant in “BrokebackMountain”.  However, I am still on the fence about her.  I can not stop looking at Simon Baker’s eyebrows.  (he is the blonde-ish lothario trying to get Anne Hathaway in the sack).  Maybe he is competing with Adrien Grenier for biggest eyebrows.  I don’t know, there is something wrong with them, as in they were faux eyebrows glued on after a being accidentally burned off in a freak fondue accident.  Watch it, you’ll see.

Best Accomplishment:  Completed Phase I of II in Spring Cleaning.  Closets?  Spotless.  Trash?  Full of crap I don’t like, need or want.  Chi?  Flowing!  Phase II consists of only one room…the office/craft room.  Oy Vey!  I am dreading the day or two I need to spend in this room cleaning, filing and organizing. 

Best Website:  www.getfittwincities.com I am on Team Bringing Sexy Back.  We are signed up to increase our activity over the next four months.  Go team! 

Best TV Channel:  Although I have some issues with Comcast cable, I am ever so happy with the Karaoke On Demand channel.  There are only about 20 songs, but I did get to practice my “Ode to Billy Joe” holding my remote control as my microphone.  Love it!

Best Historic Happening:  Nancy Pelosi becomes the first female Speaker of the House.  She is second in line for the Presidency.  This is a moment to remember, my friends.  “I am woman, hear me roar….”

Shake It Off

I am so over 2006!  On to new adventures and experiences in 2007, right?

The moon yesterday was pretty amazing.  About an hour before sunset, it was a round, perfect chinese lantern in the sky.  After dark, it hung in a dark blue sky, like a single headlight.  It was breathtaking.  It wasn't just any moon, it was full of promise for the new year, a clean slate, the beginning of a new cycle...an invitation to exhale and take a deep breath.  "In with the Love, and out with the jive", as Montgomery Burns once said.  Indeed.

It's The End Of The Year As We Know It

Hello my little chickadees - I can't believe it is time to close the books on another year.   Well, starting January 1st, we get to try to make 2007 everything 2006 wasn't.

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Hits and Misses of 2006

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Hit:      Getting Laid Off J

Miss:    Getting Laid Off L

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Hit:      Going to Mexico for Kara and Fred’s wedding in May

Miss:    Sun burn that made me a cave-dweller for 3 days of said vacation

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Hit:      Britney gets rid of that loser, K-Fed

Miss:    Britney loses her underwear and the mystery is gone

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Hit:      Movies “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Sweet Land ” rock my world

Miss:    The new Scissor Sisters CD is so-so and they cancel their tour stop in my town

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Hit:      The Annual Halloween Party is a big success and lots of fun, as is the Santa Crawl

Miss:    New Years Eve is shaping up to be a B-U-S-T

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Hit:      “Project Runway: Season 3” is delicious in every way

Miss:    Comcast takes over my cable system and I learn to hate

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Hit:      The Mid-term elections make some much needed changes in Congress

Miss:    “The Gilmore Girls” make unwelcome changes with disappointing results

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Awards for 2006

Movie That Made Me Cry 4 Times Award:  “DreamGirls” (the tears are possibly PMS-related, but a very inspiring movie and Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy KILL IT)

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I Just Don’t Get it Award:  “A Prairie Home Companion” (I always enjoy Robert Altman films, but this one did not do it for me)

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I Totally Get And Want More Award:  Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack”

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Worst/Best Website Award: PerezHilton.com (I can’t help but check it about 20 times per day.  Celebrity Gossip + Boredom = Addicted! )

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The Movie Was Better Than The Book Award:  “The Devil Wears Prada”

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The Book Was Better Than The Movie Award:  “Running with Scissors”

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Any Hits, Misses or Awards of your own to add?  Please leave a comment.

Giving Thanks

I am a little late here, but my readers (all 8 of you) have wanted to hear more from me and my blog.  I feel like I don't have much to say, except thanks.  Thanks to friends and family, thanks to Bravo for making Project Runway 3, thanks to my iPod for working even though I dropped it really hard several times, thanks to all the voters who helped make a much needed change in Washington this year, thanks to all the service men and women, thanks to Drs. and pharmacuticals that have helped my loved ones get better this year, thanks to places like the Outsiders and Others Gallery (outsidersandothers.org) for keeping life intersting, thanks to my new personal trainer, Jessica (she is helping me bring "sexy back") and thanks to my readers: you know who you are.

Check out these blogs from people I like:

http://fredandkara.typepad.com/kfred/ (be sure to click and increase Freddie's ego/click thrus)

http://www.myspace.com/toddbeeson  (listen to Todd's new music for free)

In December --- J Lo's Year in Review Extravaganza --- Hits, Misses and My Favorite Things

halloween 06 - Rock Star!

What's better than pretending to be a Rock Star all night at the coolest bar in America?  Nothin'.

Miss Lily 1989 - 2006

Lovaas, Lily; 17 formerly of Overland Park, Kansas died Friday, July 28, 2006 in the arms of her care-taker, Jennifer Lovaas. Lily was born and raised in Kansas, after being adopted from a pet store, where she was marked at $10...half off.  She retired in Minneapolis, MN at the age of 16.  Preceded in death by her sibling, Herman and distant cousins, Jasmine, Tish, Cilly, Crib and Meesh. She is survived by her loving owner Mary and her Caretaker Jennifer, as well as many friends from Kansas and Minnesota.  Lily was known for her natural talent in playing with ribbons and her need to fluff indentations left in carpeting by furniture.  She was also a good napper, enjoyed drinking from the bathroom sink faucet and laying in a laundry basket of clean clothes.  She will be missed by all.

get laid-off, like, right now

Seriously!  Tell your boss that your position could be eliminated, take your pink slip and run.

Now, this is a poor long term plan, but couldn't you convince upper-management that they do not need you in the office this summer, but would be remiss not to hire you back in the fall?

Okay, so it's not possible, but if you do get laid-off, I'll show you the ropes.

1. Wake up when you feel like it
2. Make some eggs and toast
3. Do some job searching
4. Run errands
5. Get back in time for Days of Our Lives
6. Make lunch
7. Maybe take a nap
8. Have meetings for "freelance" work
9. Go shopping or go to a movie or get a pedicure
10. Call your friends that didn't get laid-off
11. Be thankful that you did not get left behind
12. Make something crafty

Add in lake time, cleaning house, car detailing, filing and garage sales as needed.