get me off this crazy thing

Yesterday, as I was leading my lesson horse back to his stall, I noticed a hot guy and his cute daughter struggling with their lesson horse. They had come back from their lesson and were in the cross ties [1] and had the bridle completely off and strewn on the ground and were trying to put the halter on but were failing pretty spectacularly, putting it on backwards and upside down. :D Naturally, being A) a helpful sort of person and B) a working student at the barn, I went over to help them out. Luckily the mare in question was just standing there wondering vaguely when she would get some carrots. Not all of our horses would have done that. A few would decided to make a break for it. haha.

Well, so, I go in and rescue Pumpkin (that's the horse's name, not some scary pet name for the hot guy or anything), and look over to this attractive dad and promptly realize it's Kevin McKidd! You should all be very impressed with how smooth and casual I was, with nary a hiccup in my haltering skills. haha. We get the odd celebrity here and there at the barn, but rarely are they super hot. Because Kevin McKidd? Is crazy attractive in person, I'm not even joking. And he spoke to me in his scottish accent, which is highly unfair. lol. It's like a secret stealth weapon. Everyone who was in the know at the barn was like, oh yeah, he's the actor from Grey's Anatomy, and I was like WHAT?? Are you people blind, HE IS VORENUS! WHERE IS MARK ANTONY??? lol.

It was amusing. Although, one would think Lucius Vorenus would know how to halter a horse. *snicker*

Wasn't he supposed to be the new Highlander?? Whatever happened to that idea.

~~~

In others news, I finished my hlh_shortcuts fic, yay! And I somehow forgot to sign up for Yuletide this year. I sort of did this on purpose but the sign ups really did happen when I wasn't looking, which is my fault. I knew they were coming up but then forgot and then it was over. I'm sort of sad, but also very relieved.

~~~

Whoops, gotta run. I miss you guys!!

[1] for you non horsey people, this is where you tie up your horse while tacking and untacking.

I don't know much about British politics, but I know enough to be very interested in how this new coalition goverment with Cameron and Clegg is going to work out. NPR was alive with clips from several press Q&As from yesterday which were all very chummy chummy, so at the moment everyone is giddy with excitement, but that probably won't last too long. I dunno, it's sort of the exact thing someone would pitch as a sitcom or a wacky reality TV show. haha. Joking aside, I wish the new coalition government all the luck, 'cause they're gonna need it.

~~~

Speaking of British politics, as I'm driving around Los Angeles, I keep seeing signs for the new HBO movie The Special Relationship, which I swear is being marketed like it's about their secret love affair or something -- which quite honestly wouldn't surprise me in the least. It amuses me. With those two actors it's a much more palatible pairing (for me, I should say) than the real Clinton and Blair. ;)

*As seen on a bumper sticker this morning.

Well, my college scenic design professor would have been impressed:

Check out this insanely accruate miniture replica of Bag End.

This weekend, I had pilates (@ Hutch's apartment, wheee! Not sure I'm ever going to get over that...), followed immediately with a Western riding lesson, and then a bareback riding lesson the next day. I was rather worried I wouldn't be able to walk today. haha. But, aside from being a little sore all over, it's not nearly as bad as the first days after starting horseback riding.

Here's the crazy thing I'm considering: buying a twelve pack of riding lessons, which I would need to use up in one month, plus a four pack of pilates. That's 3 lessons plus one reformer pilates in one week, for four weeks.... why, yes, that is kind of crazy. But, here's the thing, western is really not that strenuous. Bareback can be a bit hard on the thighs, but it's really more about learning balance, and after this weekend's lesson, I feel like having that class on a regular basis at least for a while would be very beneficial. And then, I want to add in a training dressage class, as well.

There's no way I could possible pay for this for more than one month. :D

~~~~

Meanwhile, I have notes for edits on the book that are percolating, while I hammer out a synopsis. woo!

~~~~

No, no, I admit it. I have a problem allowing myself to do nothing. Inevitably, the busier I get the more productive I am. When I have nothing to do, I get nothing done. Is that weird? Seriously, I actually have a tendency to panic if I have nothing to do, and immediately look for ways of getting busy again, doing *something* even if it's just going to a cafe with my computer and a book, or taking a walk. *twitch*

~~~~

So, am I the only one that' seriously disturbed by the prevalence of the use of the word "cougar"?? I want to stab people each time I hear it being used, which is ALL THE TIME it seems.

~~~~

Dare I get excited for Doctor Who? Also, Ashes to Ashes is almost here, right? WHEEE. I am so looking forward to more Gene Genie.

Despite the added complication of having to declare gain/loss from the selling of shares that were gifted (oy *headdesk*), I filed my taxes today and am getting a v. healthy return. \o/ And I couldn't have done it without the intarwebs. Cost Basis Calculators!.

~~~

Also, this will be of no interest to any of you, but within the treasure trove that is YouTube (seriously, it's the gift that keeps on giving) one can find the complete game play, including cut scenes!, of such video game atrocities as WANTED: Weapons of Fate (link goes to playlist).

Yes, I really did have to watch the whole thing. O.O And then, like, actually try and figure out what the plot of the game was, not to mention tracking character development IN A VIDEO GAME. DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO FIGURE OUT THE PLOT OF A VIDEO GAME??? As Spock would say, it's like trying to engineer with stone knives and bearskins. Needless to say my boss thinks I'm a genius for all this. hahaha.

~~~

I'm going to pilates at Hutch's apartment again tomorrow. HAHA.

~~~

Hey Pippi Langstrumpf.

~~~

In other news, I had a lovely, although short, Escapade this year. It was great to see people. And then I have a friend in town who was demanding my attention, and then she bribed me (okay not really) into going with her to be in the studio audience for Craig Ferguson. Who I like, mostly, and the main guest was Michael Sheen, who I also like quite a bit (fabulous actor. seriously. Frost/Nixon? Best understated movie of 2008), but can't say I will ever want to repeat the experience. omg the pressure! if you don't laugh YOU WILL BE SHUNNED.

It's going to rain! again! this means yet another weekend with no horseback riding. this does not please me.

Meanwhile, I have a lot of work to do on the book, so I should go do that.

You know, sometimes Overheard in NYC really knows how to brighten my day.

20-something girl correcting her friend's text message: No, you don't need an apostrophe there. It's "hos," plural, not "of or pertaining to a ho."

--M15 Bus

~~~~

In other knews, for reasons that are too ridiculous to discuss, for work, I have had to read the Wanted comic book, watch the film, read the friggin' script, and also play the video game. THIS DOES NOT PLEASE ME.

I gather the point of the comic book was to be as insulting as possible, but I've rarely encountered something more distasteful. The film hardly resembles the comic book, however; I don't know why they even bothered saying it was based on the comic book. Not that I care, because I most decidedly DO NOT CARE, it just makes my job a little bit more annoying than it already was.

And then I had to play the stupid game. urg. People envy this part of my job, and it's a shame that I, who is at best indifferent to video games and at worst actively dislikes them, is stuck doing it. lol.

~~~~

Thanks to linerys, I'm feeling very Wiseguy at the moment. mmmmm, Vinnie.

~~ ugh. I have a cold! Not only do I have a cold, but I had a cold and then it went away and then it came back. This is outrageous, and unnaceptable. Also, I'm so generally a healthy person that the cold hovers just at annoyance instead of a real cold. I mean, if I'm going to get sick, I might as well get sick enough to be sick, instead of this twilight level of ickiness.

~~ One of the interesting things I'm learning as I volunteer at the barn in exchange for cheaper riding lessons, are low level equine veterinary skillz. Like taking a horse's temperature (ew) and hot compressess on an oozing absesss (GROSS). Joy? lol. My instructer keeps threatening me with sheath cleaning. O.o

~~Pilates in Hutch's apartment was totally lovely. And the wacky part is that, unbeknownst to me until I arrived there, I went to college with one of the owners. Talk about small world. In fact, we did a show together. So, there I was taking a pilates class from an old college friend in Hutch's apartment. Actually, I completely forgot where I was while I was there. The studio specializes in reformer pilates. It's like doing pilates with a rowing machine, basically. Totally fun. All the strength I've built up from horseback riding made most of the excercises relatively easy, although the ab work nearly killed me.

~~ My roommate was like, how crazy is it that for love a random tv show you decide to go to a pilates class and meet an old college friend? heh.

~~ I'll tell you what Dorothy would do. She'd call in sick. Why am I at work? bah.

All right, folks, I just had the most surreal dinner celebrity encounter ever, breathing the same air as Paul McCartney, and Woody Harrelson, and isn't that the weirdest duo to be seen out and about the town having dinner together? Bizarre.

Let me tell you, I was calm and mostly deeply amused by the whole thing, while my inner 14-year-old was pretty much swooning big time and totally having a moment. I mean, Paul McCartney! There was a period of my life where my main focus was studying the Beatles like it was a viable career choice.

My dinner partners were hilarious. Especially my friend E, who didn't know who was sitting behind him until I kicked his leg and he stopped to listen to Paul talking and E's eyes went wide when he heard that distinctive accent and voice. heh.

~~ In this town, it's hard to ignore/avoid the brouhaha over Jay Leno and Conan O'Brian. Quite frankly, I don't give a hoot but it's being commented on everywhere. And I can't help but complain because didn't we already go through this with Letterman and Leno when Carson stepped down? When's the tv movie about this one coming out? (and yes I did see that movie, don't ask me why, because it was horrible) I mean, srsly, ppls. So, it's slightly different this time, but still basically the same. WHATEVER.

~~ Okay, so, I admit it, I have a total crush on Jay Smooth. Have to thank cesperanza for introducing me to him. Jay Smooth, on Haiti:




~~ ( Sherlock Holmes )

~~ So, wonder of wonders, I actually sat down and turned my TV on and watched an hour of live TV the other day. That would be Leverage, yes indeed. And it was delightful. ( slight spoilers )

Words cannot express how much I love Kiefer Sutherland this morning. I needed a laugh.