Monday, March 9, 2009
Up Up and Away
A blustery day in Seattle. Monica drew the short straw. Get the balloon bouquet. Sure. No problem. Except for the bluster. Picture Monica...holding her hat, skirt dragging in the snow puddles..floating Mary Poppins style up fifteeth barely keeping up with the balloons. Picture Monica. Stuffing balloons into the backseat of silver civic, muddy skirt blowing in the wind. Picture Monica fighting with one balloon after another as they tried to escape their fate. Picture Monica driving silver civic through Capitol Hill with absolutely no rear view mirror capabilities. Monica Buttercup battles balloons. And wins.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Changing the Clock
Monica is not in favor of clock changing. She keeps her mind agile and her friends frustrated. Look at her clocks and know instantly: either add or subtract one hour...or trust the hour. Then add or subtract a range of 10 to 17 minutes. No problem.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
So Cheer up Sleepy Jean.....
Monica is reading a book, eating carrots, watching a movie and sending emails all at the same time. After four days of being snowed in, Monica has had a revelation. OMG: Retirement could be like being snowed in. IT"S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY!!
Before Retiring, Monica will:
1. Stock up on ingredients for cookies - never be without eggs, flour, sugar or walnuts
2. Let there be popcorn!
3. Own a four wheel drive vehicle
4. Remember where she put her slippers
5. Always have at least one book (in the house) that she is dying to read
6. Buy snowboots
7. Find a life companion...(or rent a room)
Monica needs to get busy.
Before Retiring, Monica will:
1. Stock up on ingredients for cookies - never be without eggs, flour, sugar or walnuts
2. Let there be popcorn!
3. Own a four wheel drive vehicle
4. Remember where she put her slippers
5. Always have at least one book (in the house) that she is dying to read
6. Buy snowboots
7. Find a life companion...(or rent a room)
Monica needs to get busy.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Triple Play
Three snow days = Three slow days.
The working every day for forty years Monica often dreamed of:
1. Sipping morning coffee, and a leisurely observing of the unfolding day,
2. May Sartonesque journaling of brilliant thoughts
3. Solitary walks in nature.
Three days off, inside and alone, Monica is rapidly rethinking the plan based on the following:
1.Television: Monica quickly notices that Regis and Kelly, The View, Ellen and Oprah regularly repeat themselves!
2.Internet: Monica googles until the brain is fried with useless information and hours/days of life have disappeared.
3.Entitlement: Monica eats hourly. On the dot.
Monica will not be quitting her day job.
The working every day for forty years Monica often dreamed of:
1. Sipping morning coffee, and a leisurely observing of the unfolding day,
2. May Sartonesque journaling of brilliant thoughts
3. Solitary walks in nature.
Three days off, inside and alone, Monica is rapidly rethinking the plan based on the following:
1.Television: Monica quickly notices that Regis and Kelly, The View, Ellen and Oprah regularly repeat themselves!
2.Internet: Monica googles until the brain is fried with useless information and hours/days of life have disappeared.
3.Entitlement: Monica eats hourly. On the dot.
Monica will not be quitting her day job.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Well The Weather Outside Is...........
Monica Buttercup lives in a great and beautiful city in the Northwest. A city that gets too much rain and not enough sun for Buttercups. Wintertime is full of fog, rain, freezing rain, a few inches of snow, and every shade of gray. Monica does not thrive in GRAY. So it would seem a bit ironic that today MB has spent many hours wishing.. PRAYING for SNOW. All because MB has partial responsibility for determining whether scores of people will travel to the place of work during inclement weather. This, dear friends, is a huge responsibility - particularly for Monica who does not relish gray...and has no stomach for driving on slippery roads.
Decisions about closures must be made by 6AM in order to inform the media.
At 5:30 this morning there was no snow, no rain...just some two day old ice and at least twenty TV weatherpeople brushing snow off their parkas kicking flakes off their boots and warning of a "nasty commute both morning and afternoon.
Monica remembers a December storm ten years ago when no one could leave and folks spent the night at work. Most uncomfortable for everyone. The colleagues conferred - many phone calls and failed conference calls. The colleagues considered - "damned if you do...damned if you don't" - The colleagues turned on the news....the list of closings was daunting. The colleagues eventually joined the leagues of others who closed...no work today! The media was informed, the phone tree was activated and Monica went back to bed relieved that she would not be joining the nasty commute.
At 8:30 AM there was no snow not a trace...nor at 9:30, 10:30,11:30...in fact, it didn't even seem gray. The colleagues called each other .."whose idea was this?'' "I knew we shouldn't close!" "What a waste!" "What a way to lose/misuse client confidence!" "I grew up in the North East...this is embarrassing!" Blah..Blah..Blah...
Well dear friends. It is now 5PM and there is a lovely light blanket of snow outside the Buttercup abode. Monica's prayers have been answered. A bit late.
Decisions about closures must be made by 6AM in order to inform the media.
At 5:30 this morning there was no snow, no rain...just some two day old ice and at least twenty TV weatherpeople brushing snow off their parkas kicking flakes off their boots and warning of a "nasty commute both morning and afternoon.
Monica remembers a December storm ten years ago when no one could leave and folks spent the night at work. Most uncomfortable for everyone. The colleagues conferred - many phone calls and failed conference calls. The colleagues considered - "damned if you do...damned if you don't" - The colleagues turned on the news....the list of closings was daunting. The colleagues eventually joined the leagues of others who closed...no work today! The media was informed, the phone tree was activated and Monica went back to bed relieved that she would not be joining the nasty commute.
At 8:30 AM there was no snow not a trace...nor at 9:30, 10:30,11:30...in fact, it didn't even seem gray. The colleagues called each other .."whose idea was this?'' "I knew we shouldn't close!" "What a waste!" "What a way to lose/misuse client confidence!" "I grew up in the North East...this is embarrassing!" Blah..Blah..Blah...
Well dear friends. It is now 5PM and there is a lovely light blanket of snow outside the Buttercup abode. Monica's prayers have been answered. A bit late.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Forget all your troubles, forget all your cares ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GVE7lRZuFM
Monica enjoyed breakfast with LD at Etta's http://www.tomdouglas.com/
near the famous Pike Place market before a whirlwind tablebuying trip to West Seattle. She maneuvered silver civic through the streets, across the WS bridge and back to Eastlake to drop off LD before rushing back to meet new cranky friend at the Fifth Avenue Theater for the 1:30 matinee: The Drowsy Chaperone http://www.drowsychaperone.com/. The place was packed and Monica was acutely aware of her good fortune at being able to have great seats in the ornate and historic theater. The show (a play about a play) was corny and cute. the music upbeat and silly and Monica thoroughly enjoyed herself! NCF cracked a smile or two as well.
Monica enjoyed breakfast with LD at Etta's http://www.tomdouglas.com/
near the famous Pike Place market before a whirlwind tablebuying trip to West Seattle. She maneuvered silver civic through the streets, across the WS bridge and back to Eastlake to drop off LD before rushing back to meet new cranky friend at the Fifth Avenue Theater for the 1:30 matinee: The Drowsy Chaperone http://www.drowsychaperone.com/. The place was packed and Monica was acutely aware of her good fortune at being able to have great seats in the ornate and historic theater. The show (a play about a play) was corny and cute. the music upbeat and silly and Monica thoroughly enjoyed herself! NCF cracked a smile or two as well.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Filling Up and Spilling Over
Monica Buttercup loves the music at FO's shop!
Market studies must say that Norah Jones sells stuff. Why else would every retail establishment and most elevators play constant Norah Jones? There must be a connection between the impulse to buy and Norah's Noises. Monica was one of the first fans...an early Norah adopter of sorts. But face it: it's just like the salivating dog, play Come Away With Me.. and Monica begins itching with primal retail longing. Too bad Norah..no longer the dark divine diva- you are now the musical muse of merchandising.
FO has her own approach. No market studies for her! Nope. FO personally picks all the music for her shop. Every single tune. A little bit blind opera singer, a little bit country Sara kicking Evans and a little bit Kate Smith Climbing Every Mountain. A little bit God Bless America on any day Obama is elected president! Throw in a very little bit Norah Jones and some YMCA and you have a very happy FO, and customers who are buying like crazy! Once she gets them shopping FO lets loose: KD Lang, Chris Williamson, and Joan Baez. Amazing. Amazing. Grace. Monica likes it all. FO's music Rocks!
Monica is in bliss. And she is getting paid! To listen to music. By the hour.
Wake Me Up Before you Go Go.
Market studies must say that Norah Jones sells stuff. Why else would every retail establishment and most elevators play constant Norah Jones? There must be a connection between the impulse to buy and Norah's Noises. Monica was one of the first fans...an early Norah adopter of sorts. But face it: it's just like the salivating dog, play Come Away With Me.. and Monica begins itching with primal retail longing. Too bad Norah..no longer the dark divine diva- you are now the musical muse of merchandising.
FO has her own approach. No market studies for her! Nope. FO personally picks all the music for her shop. Every single tune. A little bit blind opera singer, a little bit country Sara kicking Evans and a little bit Kate Smith Climbing Every Mountain. A little bit God Bless America on any day Obama is elected president! Throw in a very little bit Norah Jones and some YMCA and you have a very happy FO, and customers who are buying like crazy! Once she gets them shopping FO lets loose: KD Lang, Chris Williamson, and Joan Baez. Amazing. Amazing. Grace. Monica likes it all. FO's music Rocks!
Monica is in bliss. And she is getting paid! To listen to music. By the hour.
Wake Me Up Before you Go Go.
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