You can all tell me how insane I am - personal opinions and tastes are personal opinions and tastes.

That said, I <3 the Joker. Heath Ledger did the best acting of his career in this movie. It's tragic we'll never see anything like that again.

The story, also compelling. Very Gothic.

I like how the storyline is progressing.

Spoilers allowed in the comments - if you don't want to know, don't read them.

If you want to know more about the world of Tina's brain - Hellboy 2 is the closest thing to a perfect movie I've ever seen.

I'm not saying it's perfect for everybody. Just for me. It had amazing visuals, good plot to action ratio, excellent acting, and a compelling bad guy. Prince Nuada was one of the best bad guys I have seen in years. You really do understand his reasoning, and that makes him sympathetic. Which always makes a more compelling story.

It's required watching for anyone wanting to play or run a changeling game. That's for certain.

I'd say more but anything else would be spoilery.

Lessee, I got:

3 dreams
A shadow for a day
2 things that were already lost
4 points of Glamour
A memory
$17.00
New Relationship Energy
Fear of boots

All from PC's.

I think that was a pretty good day's work.

1) worked on a Scrabble game with Janet
2) Emailed my sister
3) Signed up on an Air Ship crew
4) Surfed Ebay
5) Did some work
6) Ate some lunch
7) did more Scrabble
8) thought about doing more work

Yeah. It's been a good day.

So, I have randomly decided to make August "sugar free" month for me. No refined sugars, corn syrups, et al. pullthestars agreed to do this with me, and I thought I'd invite people to play along at home.

I'm going to journal about this of course, but I'll LJ cut anything longer than a couple of paragraphs, for courtesy sake of course.

Naturally, I'm going to have to replace that sugar with other things - so that will be included in the journaling.

We're starting August first. Yes, it's a Friday. It's a shame, but maybe I'll start things off right with a lovely sushi dinner.

Oh, and alcohol is right out as well, as that converts into sugar pretty rapidly. I do want to lower my starch intake, as that's pretty much like dumping white sugar into your bloodstream as well. If you don't want to be that intense, by all means, don't.

I am going to be using Splenda, honey, agave nectar, and stevia for sweetening. Can't give up everything sweet, that would make this challenge too hard.

So, if you're with me, comment here.

I love the Highland Games.

I love the cops in kilts, I love the border collies, I love all the random dogs people bring with them (this year's winner - pharoh dogs.) I love the random, fucked up ways that they prove how strong they are. I love how kind people are - Kris lost her keys (Toby lost her keys) and we went to the lost and found - and they were there. We'd only lost track of them for about half an hour.

I love the vendors. http://www.allwickedthings.com/HomePage.html -> I got the coolest resin box from these guys. I also loved the gentleman running the booth - he was quite informative. Oh, and very cute. He also had a quite excellent arm twisting service. It's been a while since anyone's twisted my arm to buy something.. it was refreshing.

And you know, tragedy could have struck - I forgot the bloody diaper bag, and we didn't realize it until we were 35 miles from home. Fortunately, Toby's old enough that we can feed him normal food, rather than needing bottles. Janet was a doll and had Cheerios and raisins, and Kris offered her water bottle, so Toby was all taken care of. Diaper wise, I always have an emergency one in my glovebox, and we just weren't going to be staying all that long anyway.

I also got to meet Annah Sophia's boyfriend Brennen (I hope I spelled that right.) I got a very good vibe off of him right away. He was very mellow and funny. I liked him. Annah, of course, was her sweet, bubbly self, and it was good to see her.

I didn't get nearly as much bagpipes in this year as I would have liked, but you can't have everything. Where would you put it?

So, I managed to wrangle some babysitting for more Summer Movie Madness!

The trouble now is the budget. No matter how good the movies are, I can only afford so many $9 tickets - especially when the DVD will be the cost of the two of us seeing the movie ONCE in the theater.

I disparately want to see Wall-E, but I have a kid. Chances are, I'm going to see Wall-E 97 million times. I'm not in a hurry.

I really, really want to see Hancock. It is *everything* I love about superheroes. Also, I love Will Smith as an actor, I really do. This is a recipe for being one of the best movies this summer.

However, HELLBOY! I love Ron Perlman, I love comic books, I love that genre in specific, and Del Toro promises a feast for the eyes that would lose something on a smaller screen.

So, Will Smith.. don't be sad, I will buy your DVD. I really do want to see your movie.

However, I've got me a date with Big Red.

Act 1:
Yesterday I went to pick up Toby from daycare. This isn't my normal job - I normally drop him off and Luke normally picks him up. However, I got off work early, and I didn't want to wait for my baby.

I walked into the baby room, and there was a little girl there that I hadn't seen in 3 months. She was a true infant when she was there last - her mother worked at the daycare, just another branch. They didn't have room for her infant in that branch, so Jacqueline stayed at my branch. I got down on all fours, and Toby saw me. I started talking to Jacqueline, because dammit, she's tiny and adorable He grinned big behind his binky, and then he threw himself against me and snuggled for all he was worth.

I've never seen my son jealous before. It was too adorable for words.

So, I told him that I knew Jacqueline was not my baby, and I wasn't going to trade him for anyone. He seemed fine with that.

Act 2:
I went to Pet Smart, to get some cat litter. While I was in the checkout line, there was a couple with an 8 week old Boston Terrier named Brutus. Almost all puppies are adorable, but this one was working it - he was running around, sniffing everything, chuffing that puppy laugh, and being friendly to everyone. Also, the owners seemed fine letting people pet him, so I took my turn. I got a dozen kisses and a good wiff of puppy breath. I don't know what it is about puppy breath - it doesn't smell good, but yet.. it does. I left and called Luke and told him I was never coming back to Pet Smart again, because now I want a damn dog.

Act 3:
Last night Toby seemed to have a rough time sleeping. Normally he doesn't, so this was a little odd for him. I went in and picked him up, and he stopped crying - which means he wasn't in pain. No fever, he wasn't warm at all. Just a bad night, I guess. Anyway, he was in an excellent mood once he had my attention. I made him a bottle and held him while I fed him (normally he holds his own bottle.) I rocked him a bit, but he just seemed too wired to sleep yet.

So, we started playing a bit - nothing too energetic, just something to keep him occupied and let his mind get settled. He was putting his fingers in my mouth, and just fascinated by my teeth. I don't remember how it got started, but he popped his binky in my mouth - and laughed and laughed.

(Yes, being a parent can be gross. You either are on board with that, or you shouldn't have kids.)

There we were, passing the binky like a pipe - puff, puff, pass. Sometimes he'd miss and hit my cheek, and he'd still laugh every time. And that is the reward for participating in silly baby games. Baby laughter. Probably one of the best sounds on the planet.

Finally I put a stop to the games and put him back down to bed. Obviously, whatever I did worked, because he didn't cry when I put him down to bed, and he was quiet when I got back to my chair.

So, there you have it folks. Tina the Mom stories.

I was buying gas yesterday, when an older gentleman started talking to me. "I'm from Louisiana," he said. "Our gas is $3.65 a gallon."

I stared at him open-mouthed, and he continued. "We have a refinery. Gas is always cheaper where there's a refinery." Then he paused. "Bellingham has a refinery. How come your gas is so expensive?"

"Canadians," I replied. "We're inches from the border, and they're paying per liter prices."

"Ahhh," he said. "That don't seem fair."

"No, it sure doesn't." I agreed. "I also hear they keep a chainsaw in the back, for when you're done filling up. Then they ask which arm and leg you want to give them."

He laughed, and went along his way.

Obviously there is some nutrient I am missing right now.

Because if I don't get some good chocolate in the next twenty minutes, I'm going to have a conniption fit.

I usually save those for special occasions.

Almost too much happened this weekend to post about, really. The important parts are of course, three day weekend. That's very, very important. Evie came up on Friday at about 4 pm, and we made dinner of scallops and steak and garlic kale and rice. Mike came over and we offered him dinner as well. We hung out and talked for a few hours, then it was time to go out to find a place to watch the fireworks. Last year wasn't a good year for fireworks, but this year was. Luke didn't want to go, so he had to stay home and watch the baby.. who was asleep. Quite the sacrifice.

Eve and I found a space on the ground, dug out the carrot cake that she had thoughtfully provided, and got down to some serious girl talk. It was lovely to have that kind of talk - the kind of talk you know you could have with many of your friends, but has to happen at a specific time in a specific way. For us, it was being outdoors, surrounded by strangers, occasionally interrupted by fireworks. We said a lot of important things to each other, and I think that we directly affected each others lives with our words. Sometimes, that has to happen.

Saturday was a whirlwind of driving, shopping, eating, and talking. While not as deep as our earlier conversations, there were extensions of those thoughts in everything we did. Finally, we went to the Boxx Berry Farm and bought delicious treats.

Sunday I spent with Allie. We took Toby to the park, where he at first disdained the grass, then accepted and loved the grass. He definitely wandered off, but I rescued him before he got to the bark. Allie and I had a picnic lunch on the table, as the grass was wet and I didn't bring a blanket. We had peanut butter sammiches and watermelon and peaches. It was quite nice.

It's been a while since I've had that much female company over the course of a weekend. I have to admit, it was quite nice.

Toby is now walking.

It started on Saturday at Cody's apartment. Two steps - but very important steps.

Today, he walked fourteen steps from a chair to me.

We're DOOMED.

Nick: "You're kind of the Sherlock Holmes of Dining, aren't you?"

July has hit like a belly flop into a 50 degree swimming pool. I'm trying to catch my breath and get my bearings, and it feels like the month is over because I already have so much planned.

July 4th weekend: Evie is coming up to visit. She's going to be here on Friday night, to watch the fireworks. We still haven't figured out fireworks, as we have a one year old child who should be sleeping by then, but won't be if we take him somewhere. Maybe he'll sleep in? (I wouldn't bet on it.) The 5th will be dinking around in Bellingham, enjoying all of the shopping opportunities and wonderful eateries.

July 12th weekend: Will be going to the Skagit Highland Games with Carly, Erin, Kris, Luke, and Toby. Other people may or may not show, but that's who I'm counting on at this point. We will be watching the dogs, drinking strange Scottish soda (curse you, Bryce!) and listening to the bagpipes. Mmm, bagpipes.

July 18th weekend: Be still my heart. Evie and Kris will be coming down from Seattle, and joining Janet and I in a decadent wine-tasting array. We're going to hit the Honey Moon, as well, to get some mead in. This day will go down as truly epic, in my opinion. There will definitely be good times - and hopefully we'll all remember to eat along the way. Oh, and not to mention, we got babysitting, so Luke and I can go catch The Dark Knight on opening night!

July 26th weekend: Is Luke and I's anniversary weekend. We already have day-long daycare set up.. now the decision is what to do with our day? Maybe we'll go to Vancouver and go to the Aquarium. Maybe we'll stay in town and catch a film. Whatever we pick, I'm sure it'll be fun.

I'm really psyched for this month, I just wonder when I'll have time to breathe!

Take a moment to remember Firefly. The scene where Kaylee opens the wooden box, and pulls out a red, ripe strawberry. She sniffs it, bringing it up to her nose, savoring its aroma. When she bites down, her face is nigh-orgasmic, as if she has experienced pleasure few have ever known.

Imagine, for a moment, having an entire pint of strawberries that taste that good.

I did, on Sunday.

There is a local berry farm, not 15 miles away from my house, and they grow all manner of berry. They grow blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and other produce. They have little festivals to encourage people to come out to their farm and show them a little bit of the magic of how it's done.

Carly and I went to the Boxx Berry Farm, and ended up on a blanket, stretched out in the sun, Toby people watching and banging on the cooler like a drum. We had simple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and complimentary ice cream offered by the owners of the farm. We watched the tractor rumble by, behind it cars and cars linked together, offering rides to the young children who were done waiting in line for a balloon animal or a face painting.

It was a really simple festival, but everyone there was smiling and enjoying themselves. That's what it's all about.

That, and the strawberries. Oh, my god. I bought a quart for $4.00, and that may be the best $4 I've ever spent in my life. These berries took the berries sitting in the grocery stores, beat them up, and took their lunch money. These berries were red, all the way through. To describe the taste would be like describing red to a blind man. You could try, but you'd never quite capture it.

Carly too, fell in love with these berries. In fact, she's the one who made the original Firefly reference.

I have now been a part of a CSA, and had farm fresh strawberries. I will tell you right now, the decision to buy local? Oh, it's a tasty one.

Am now entering week 3 of Ultra Busy Face Melting Work. It's not that I mind working hard, but zero to sixty and then keeping on going is just hard on you after a while. I like work days where I can take a breath.

I have managed though. I don't have everything done the way it needs to be, but I've worked myself into a standstill on one project, and am desperately trying to finish the second project before Ira gets here.

I want my new boss to start, so I can fob my troubles off on someone else's shoulders.

Can I just say how much I enjoyed the last two episodes of this season? Silence in the Library and Forest of Shadows were *epic* in how well they were done. I loved the acting, the story, and I felt it really had that perfect Dr. Who feel to it.

It was almost as creepy as the stone angels one.

I have broken the 200lb mark! Of course, if I eat a potato chip, I'm screwed, but I've broken it!

I've lost 18 lbs, looking at hitting 20 as soon as I can.

I still have 30 to go, but that's better than 50.

From the Irabot: "Tina, I admire you and appreciate you. Never lose sight of that."

I'm speechless.

So, to try to rein in my outrageous spending habits of late, I have decided that for the summer months, I would have a $10.00 free spending limit.

This has been met with a lot of success - I haven't blown all my free cash from my last paycheck, which is a definite improvement. I *have* spent more that $10.00, but in my defense, my favorite boss ever was leaving, and I had to attend a going away party for her, and I didn't feel right about not donating to the pot for her goodbye gift.

So, that all said, I also managed to wrangle a credit back from a company that well.. made it difficult, to say the least.

I ended up spending $25.00, but I also ended up getting credited for $25.00, so it came out to be a wash.

And, since I decided that any unspent funds would roll over to next month.. I have $20.00 to spend for July.

Considering everything I have planned for July - I'm going to need it!