Last year, I watched the Super Bowl at the US Embassy in Tashkent!

http://www.xanga.com/private/yourhome.aspx?user=lakim40&nextdate=2%2f4%2f2007+23%3a59%3a59.999

This year, I watched the Super Bowl in my NY apartment, with my youngest sister.  It's actually really good that we weren't in a public place.  We were going CRAAAAAZY, especially during the last 30 seconds of the game.  Oh.my.stress.

Even though Tom Brady went to Michigan, I rooted for the Giants because they came SO FAR and worked REALLY HARD to get to this point. Of course, the Pats did, too, but they were *kind of * dominating the entire season.  I always root for the underdog, and sometimes, I get rewarded for that!

We had an office pool where we could potentially win up to $1,000.  I won't explain how it worked here, except to say that it's totally random AND I would've won only if the Patriots score ended in 8 (?!?!?!) and the Giants score ended in 5 (!@#$).  After the game ended, I chirped (via Nextel) my boss and told him "JOE, are you ready for tomorrow?" (many of our staff are involved in preparing for the ticker tape parade on Tuesday)... and his response?  "DID I WIN THE MONEY?"

What a fabulous game.  I'll remember looking forward to the defensive line breaking through to tackle Tom Brady (who is so cute, by the way!); the agony of watching the Pats march down the field methodically for a touchdown; the amazing Eli escape + throw + Tyree catch; and of course, the beautiful TD.  I would venture to say that even if the Giants lost, I would've been really proud of them!

But they didn't - sooo - GOOO GIANTS!  (If I get to go to the ticker tape parade tomorrow, I'll post pics later!)

... that way, I wouldn't want to eat them.

http://www.asaltandbattery.com/

SO good.

And I loved the guy taking our order. I couldn't understand a word he said.

I think I'm in the wrong business

I love my job for many reasons - great boss; great coworkers; good pay; great benefits, etc, etc.. but these days, I'm feeling a bit.. over my head, since I work with mostly architects and engineers.  Here's something I had to read this morning in a contract:

"Each fitting shall be computed as a part of the duct with equivalent length measured  from outside to outside for elbows/ size of transition piece based on larger dimension/ equivalent length of raise measured as aggregate of length and change in elevation".

Riiight.

HAWAII

I haven't been to Hawaii since 1979 when we stopped there on the way to the States...for our immigration.   Seriously.  Looking forward to going in April!  ("Almost paradise... we're knocking on heaven's door...")

$240

My friend and I were actually considering a meal at Thomas Keller's restaurant until we learned that it cost $240.  !!!!!!!!! 

The Cosby Show

I had a gift card from Circuit City so I ordered season 4 of The Cosby Show.  That show is so good, clean, and funny.  Just like my other favorite show, The Golden Girls.

I try not to spend too much time at the movies in NYC because: 1) it's expensive; and 2) there are so many other things to do!

But there were TWO movies I did want to see, and I am glad I saw both of them. 

First, Persepolis on New Years Day.  The movie is based on a graphic novel written by an Iranian woman on her experiences growing up in Iran.
The movie was animated, but not in a Pixar way... here's how it looked:

It was funny, sad, interesting, eye-opening, and in French with subtitles! (they are coming out with an English voiceover version, but I am glad I saw it in French)

The second movie was There Will Be Blood, which I just saw Saturday night with 10 people.  6 out of 10 people DID NOT enjoy the movie at all. I was not one of them; I thought it was absolutely brilliant. I just heard that Daniel Day-Lewis won a Golden Globe for this acting - he was excellent in it. The movie is dark and disturbing; beautifully shot; and the soundtrack  - Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead wrote it - is really amazing.

A few people balked at the negative portryal of Christianity in this movie, but I think both main characters - the oil man AND the preacher - had very incorrect worldviews. One wanted to save himself; the other wanted to save others - but both thought they could be saviors.

If you liked the Triplets of Belleville , you will probably like Persepolis.
If you like dark, depressing movies of great beauty, you will probably like There Will Be Blood.

And if you don't think you'll like either of these movies, you can always always watch one of my favorites:

http://www.mgm.com/title_title.do?title_star=CUTTINGE

Spent time with family in DC.  It's a good place to be for Christmas. Lots of free things and the weather was decent.

We especially enjoyed our visit to the Hirshhorn museum.

Here's my dad and sister, making art:

Here I am, next to art:

I am so camouflaged, here, I know - that you can't see me - which is also art:

My sister, being entranced by art:

Monuments and such:

I bet noone's ever done this before!

Hello, Lincoln:

Wise words, indeed:

Spectacular at night:

We like your house, Mr. President:

My cousin, her hubby, and their baby - get the trick?

And it was all way too much for my cousin and my dad:

Good times with good peeps...

Just a few minutes before this, these girls were "terrorizing" a group of us...

And look at them now...

High School girls and mentors...

A great group of people!

And our fearless leader... GANGsta!

Between 2004 and now, almost every single married couple that I know had kids:

Presenting... Isabella Modisett...

... and Ella Fendler!

These two girls are only a month apart and have COMPLETELY different personalities.

Ouch. Ouch.Ouch.

Get in shape, GIRL!

I had my first session with a personal trainer today. I didn't think I was SO out of shape.. but oh.my.goodness... I am.  Am looking forward to gettin' in shape with this guy... he's a pretty big guy, but very gentle.  He pushed me, but not super duper hard.  I got dizzy at some points and he let me rest. It's very personal, working out with a personal trainer... since you're huffing and puffing away... your fat jiggling everywhere... your body in all sorts of weird positions...

Ham

My friend H.Wolfe pointed out that you're supposed to eat TURKEY on Thanksgiving, not ham, and that I shouldn't be so Oriental. Ha ha.  My two sisters and I had a nice dinner - just the three of us. The best part of the meal was the rustic apple tart that my sister prepared from Jacques Pepin recipe. It's so simple and SO good.  We had ham, green beans with shallot butter, brussels sprouts hash, cornbread stuffing, and mashed potatoes.

Ate the leftovers for lunch and then dinner tonight.

Google

Is it weird to admit to your coworker that you did indeed google him?  He seemed unfazed, but inside, was he thinking "why is this girl stalking me?"

Firefly

I bought this TV series on sale at Borders.  An excellent series that was cancelled WAY too early.  The guy in the movie is the love interest in the movie Waitress.

I believed.

Up until there were 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter.

Still love ya Blue.  But you's GOT to shape up.

Hart - you're still the best.