on the whovian calendar: it's the year of the eleven

Happy 2011, everyone!



This makes me so happy!!!

one song a day: song nine | song that you can dance to

Back from San Diego! That's a post in itself.. but for now, the list continues.

This song has been dancing in and out of my head since May for some unknown reason. I kept hearing it on the radio, it was covered at my high school reunion and then it showed up here:



And if the Doctor can dance to it, so can I. Plus, <3 Freddie Mercury!



Day 01. Your favorite song: Frank Turner - Photosynthesis
Day 02. Your least favorite song: Joe - Don't Wanna Be A Player No More
Day 03. A song that makes you happy: The Hold Steady - Slapped Actress
Day 04. A song that makes you sad: Spring Awakening/Johnathan Groff - Left Behind
Day 05. A song that reminds you of someone: The Weakerthans - The Reasons
Day 06. A song that reminds you of somewhere: Rooney - Blueside
Day 07. A song that reminds you of a certain event: Weezer - The Good Life
Day 08. A song that you know all the words to: Descendents - When I Get Old
Day 09. A song that you can dance to: Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Day 10. A song that makes you fall asleep
Day 11. A song from your favorite band
Day 12. A song from a band you hate
Day 13. A song that is a guilty pleasure
Day 14. A song that no one would expect you to love
Day 15. A song that describes you
Day 16. A song that you used to love but now hate
Day 17. A song that you hear often on the radio
Day 18. A song that you wish you heard on the radio
Day 19. A song from your favorite album
Day 20. A song that you listen to when you’re angry
Day 21. A song that you listen to when you’re happy
Day 22. A song that you listen to when you’re sad
Day 23. A song that you want to play at your wedding
Day 24. A song that you want to play at your funeral
Day 25. A song that makes you laugh
Day 26. A song that you can play on an instrument
Day 27. A song that you wish you could play
Day 28. A song that makes you feel guilty
Day 29. A song from your childhood
Day 30. Your favorite song at this time last year

where did june go?

As I sit here watching neighborhood fireworks through the front window, I can't believe we're already three days into July.

So what happened in the fleeting month of June? A heck of a lot, actually.

HOW DESIGN CONFERENCE

So, back in January (at least I think it was January) I found out that I was going to be one of three designers from work sent to the annual HOW Design Conference. While that was exciting on its own—the fact that his year's conference was in Denver added to the thrill. It was my first time visiting the city and I do love me some urban exploring.

Denver is an amazing city. It's incredibly easy to get around sans-automobile and outside of conference time—there was a lot to see and do. Taking a cue from my foodie husband, I looked up some places to check out meal-wise before we left. My favorite (which we visited twice during those 4 days) was Steuben's. I almost felt bad eating there without Matt because it's the kind of place he dreams about opening.

A Rockies game, a free pedicab ride, a near-empty Coyote Ugly franchise on a Monday night and an accidental stumbling into a dueling piano bar—Denver nightlife served us well.

The conference? A blast. Like Comic-Con for graphic designers. It was a creative gut-check and kick in the pants to get busy making things. In fact, most of the lessons/inspiration I took home with me related to things to do outside of work to be a happier creative sort overall. I was a bookshop fiend and used my SDCC skills to load up on awesome swag in the resource room.

DOGS

Maggie, Clark and I spent a Saturday morning walking for a good cause—the Rochester Animal Services shelter. It was a fun day in the park near Verona Street followed by an interesting walk around the area about Frontier Field. Maggie, who is still a work in progress when it comes to socializing with strange dogs, did incredibly well.

Clark is an agility superstar. The day after the walk, we went to Amherst for his second agility trial and he placed 1st in all three events and earned his Novice title, moving up to Open in Standard and JWW. His therapy work has been wonderful as well. Because of some scheduling conflicts, we had to skip one of our regular visits and got to go to a new place. He loves it and people respond well to him. Like any good athlete, he has his charity work. Hah.

TRICERABRATION

MAMA's house continued it's excellent party throwing streak, celebrating not just Halloween this year, but the 17th anniversary of Jurassic Park with their Tricerabration picnic.

My favorite dino-themed dishes were Anna's mom's dino egg (a hollowed out melon with lemon and vanilla pudding) and the idea of Eric's dino-nugget and tater tot diorama (only existing as an idea, as putting it together would have involved touching everyone's food).

We brought over the firepit and as the sun went down, MAMA's house broke that out. I love campfires, the building of them and the socializing around them. Especially on those perfect summer nights where it's just chilly enough for the fire to be comfortable.

iPHONE

I usually don't like to facebrag (or since this is a blog and not facebook... I guess it's blogbrag?)... but I've been looking forward to this since the first speculation of a new phone.

My iPhone 4, I loves it.

HIGH SCHOOL REUNION

Ten years? Already. GTFO. But apparently it has been. I originally was dead set against going, mainly because there was apparently some folks butthurt about not having prom on a boat, so they were making up for that by booking the reunion on some river-faring vessel. But Ali and Jen tempted me with the promises of much laughter... and I went.

Since the river booze cruise wasn't everyone's cup of tea, we put together a picnic the afternoon of at my dad's house. What a great time! Saw people I hadn't seen in ages, got to meet significant others and offspring and catch up with old friends.

The boat... surprisingly fun! Former nay-sayers changed their mind at the picnic and our group took over the top deck. Got to see more folks I'd all but lost touch with and drank my $50 in liquor at least. We followed up the boatride with a few drinks at The Steel House and Mariners (oh, camp memories) and then Ali, Tom, Claire, Matt & I retired to Michael's Diner until we called our DD.

TELEVISION

Summer TV, endings and beginnings.

June brought the end of the new season of Doctor Who and it was so bloody brilliant. Matt Smith is my favorite Doctor, hands down. There's a Tennant episode of WXXI right now and while it's a great one (Silence in the Library), he's just not as fun as Smith. Look at him dance!

I can't wait for the Christmas episode. However, there is something to fill the gap. True Blood is back and so are the odd theme nights that go along with them at the Austin house. Matt found a cake weck at Tops that we passed off as an AIDSburger cake. True Blood is fantastic and over the top, never taking itself too seriously. Though, I could have done without the end scene of the third episode. Some things you just can't unsee, I suppose.

And July? It's going to be the best month yet. I don't have a full week of work until August due to things like 4th of July, my birthday shenanigans and, of course, Comic Con. This year Matt & I and the boys are all flying out together. Matt took me to see Tron at the Dryden tonight to properly prepare me for the awesomeness all over San Diego that is Tron Legacy and Anna and I have agreed to celebrate our birthdays proper in the Gaslamp Quarter (saving our birthday wishes for Comic-Con week).

i always thought he was mister who and just happened to be a doctor.

Spoilers for Doctor Who: End of Time ahead. Consider yourself warned.

Christmas and New Years were a bit weepy on the count of the end of David Tennant as Doctor Who. I didn't like the first part of the holiday special, but the second wrapped things up allright and I'll give Russell T. Davies a pass on the whole "Doctor's reward". It's incredibly convenient; but I can't say I didn't love the Doctor getting a chance to see everyone again. Though, I still don't like the Star Wars cantina scene they threw Captain Jack in. However, allons-y Alonzo.

I always feel bad for Sarah Jane. I've never even seen an episode when she was a proper companion —but the idea of travelling with the Doctor, then getting left, stuck in a normal life again is just heartbreaking. As terrible as it is in it's own right, at least Donna can't remember. She doesn't know what she's missing. But I'll miss Donna a whole lot. Wilf too.

I didn't think I'd cry, but the final Ten and Rose scene pushed me over the edge.



It's incredibly unfair that David Tennant's run on Doctor Who has come to an end. This is compounded by the fact that we have to wait until the spring to see Matt Smith in action.

We did get this:


Matt found an interesting bit of trivia, as it seems to be that "Geronimo" is going to be this Doctor's catch phrase. There's an old WWII paratrooper's chant that goes:

Down from Heaven comes ELEVEN

and there's HELL to pay below

shout "GERONIMO" "GERONIMO"

Is it spring yet?

there's no way this is a good idea.

In preparation for the MAMA's House Halloween party, Matt and Anna have been concocting a plethora of shots, trying to tie them in via color or any stretch of the imagination to Doctor Who (in honor of Anna's Dalek Dress). So.. drinking ourselves silly on a Monday night. Go team!


And down we go...


My kitchen turned into a bar with Anna at the helm.


What the hell is in this thing?

A winner, maybe? Anna seems to think so.

Oh shit.. we better write this down. That was awesome.