Living With Picasso

Do you remember that four year-old girl who stunned the art world with her incredible abstract paintings? Marla Olmstead's works are for sale on her own website and hang in many prestigious galleries. She was featured on 60 Minutes and in a documentary. Her father is an artist and the question has been brought up many times if it is really Marla who is doing the painting. Maybe...maybe not. I can tell you that her bank account is probably bigger than mine.

My cat is a modern artist. I have submitted her most recent work above for your review. I think she is a genius and I would be happy to bring her over to your house any time to your convenience where for a nominal fee she can create a custom installation in your home that will bring you years of enjoyment. Or frustration...depending on your point of view -- sitting or standing -- at the time.

I couldn't be more proud.

Balls!

I woke up this morning covered in wet balls. Before you admonish me to keep my blog populated with family content, I should tell you that it's because Roxy likes to play fetch. She likes to play fetch 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I have a hard time sleeping through the night. I always have, but it's a little worse now than ever. If I show signs of life in the middle of the night, Roxy leaps onto the bed and drops a ball on me. Her little cat toy balls are made out of a rubber material that's like a sponge. Sometimes, I'm awake long enough to throw it a few times, much to her delight. She leaps into action. But Roxy is also a multi-tasker. She likes to stop off for a bite of chow and a sip of water while she's running back and forth retrieving. So her balls get a dunking when she goes by the water dish. I understand. If I were her, I wouldn't want to put down my toys either.

When I was dressed and ready to go to work I went back into my bedroom to make my bed. There were balls at the foot of the bed, down the hallway into the bathroom, scattered across my pillow and the down comforter. I was laughing the whole time I was making up the bed. Every time I found another one and tossed it her way, Roxy made this little chirping noise that seemed to say, 'oh, that's where I put the purple one. I'm so glad you found it.' She's just so silly and cheerful. I'm more than willing to play fetch with her 24/7. I consider it an honor.

Beleagured, Bothered & Bedragled

I often dress to match my hair.

At first glance, this little habit doesn't seem like a big deal. But I think that we can all agree that nothing can make a bad hair day worse faster than a bad outfit. That's really bad.

Yesterday, my hair didn't turn out well. I ended up with big poufy 80s bangs and I didn't know what to do with it. So I pulled it back into a ponytail. By the time that I was done, I looked fairly casual. So I dressed like I would've when I was in high school in a T-shirt, jeans, low-heeled shoes and cardigan sweater. There is no need to ask what color. It was black. I can always count on it to match. As my mom says when she looks in my closet, "Who died?" I claim that purple is my favorite color, but black is the one I wear most. It's slimming and versatile. It's become such a household standard that I think you can wear it to weddings as well as funerals these days. I know I do.

Anyway...back to yesterday.

I was dressed in my casual black high school outfit all day. I felt so underdressed. I sat in the old train car on the way home -- the new one was too good for me. And by the time I got home -- I looked pretty bedragled.

In the department I used to work in there was a young man who started wearing ties to work because he said his car was such a clunker that he was getting stopped by cops on the way to work who thought he had been living out of his car. He bought ties. His girlfriend bought him a bowtie and we all fussed over how great he looked everyday when he came to the office. I just heard that he's being promoted.

I need to rethink my dress to match my hair theory.

There's No Business Like Show Business...

Just a few quick notes after a holiday weekend. Yes, a birthday is a holiday. And this year was one of my favorites. Not only did I dine with the Handsomest Man Alive at a fancy schmancy steakhouse...I also became the owner of an Amazon Kindle. I have dreamed of being a Kindle owner for quite some time, but since the Kindle falls into the category of a want rather than a need, I didn't think I would become a Kindle owner for quite some time. I asked for Ugg boots and a Timex watch. This is much better. Many fun free ebooks available at Manybooks.net.

Two stories on my mind today...Ricky Gervais has been selected as the host of the Golden Globes...as if that award ceremony could be any more fun. Why doesn't AMPAS learn to take themselves slightly less seriously? And it's a hard-knock life being a funny girl. Yeah, I had an idea that might be true.

Happiness is a Warm Puppy

Live video chat by Ustream Do you remember last year when we all got caught up in watching Puppycam? Hours went by and I couldn't tear my eyes away from watching little balls of fur wrassle and tussle. Those puppies all went to happy homes...but now there's a new litter...and they look just as rascally as the first bunch.

Supermarket Musical

It's been sweeping the internet, but just in case you haven't seen it, here's a spontaneous little musical that broke out in a grocery store in Queens. I've been keeping it a secret, but for most of my life, my deepest darkest desire is that my life will suddenly become a musical...just once. I hope someday to have something to sing about. What about you? What's your secret?

On the road in a hand basket

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If you believe everything you read or hear on the news, the world has gone to Hell in a handbasket. People are miserable, unemployed and homeless. Con artists are stealing the front page headlines. And then there's a little town in South Carolina, where its a privilege to join the Volunteer Fire Department and be the first one down the hole to rescue a little girl's pup. Some stories are better when they're true.