Things that wiggle.

Even though I love silly hats and themed socks and going overboard for the holidays, I've never been overly in to animated decor. They always seem cheesy and/or creepy.

However, my boss has a knack for finding some brilliant ones. And more than being amused by the toy, it's so amazing to watch his presentation and reaction when he first brings it in to the office. He's like a 5 year-old showing you his new toy.

I love it.

I was hoping for silly hats...

Sooo...I might have received a ticket some time back and I might have opted for community service instead of paying the silly government.

I also, in true Pontius-fashion, waited until the very last minute to start putting in my hours. So I've been spending my evenings this week at the Santa Monica Moose Lodge.

There's minor cleaning to do, but never enough for the 5 hours each night I need to be there.

Tonight, there was a pot luck and after offering to help an elderly lady grab cookies out of her car, I ended up at the bar chatting with her all night. Her name is Brenda. She's been a member for 64 years, drinks VO and water (easy on the water) and has buried 2 husbands, 3 lovers, 1 son and 1 sister...and she warns, "Be careful around me, I seem to be the only one left in my little circle."

I learned so much about this woman and I couldn't get over how saucy she was for being 88 and hanging at the moose lodge. At some point she sashayed past the pool table teasing the 20-somethings about checking her out and even stopped to do a turn to give them a second look. She complained about bitter step children and gossiped about men in the bar.

I mostly listened.

And then we commiserated/puffed our feathers about being Scorpios and how the world needed to watch out.

Of course she talked about the "good old days" at the lodge and the crazy Friday nights she had there. And she did a fabulous job at trying to convince me to be a Woman of the Moose.

I could go on, but I won't.

The whole experience -- the smells, the oddly mismatched crowd, the fancy jewelry -- it was all my sunshine.

It's always the little things.

I pulled up to my favorite drive-thru coffee kiosk today and through the window I could see my boss in his car on the other side.

We laughed and waved and then I started shuffling through my bag for cash.

When I looked up, the barista handed me my coffee and said, "You're all set. That gentlemen over there paid for your coffee."

My boss had already pulled away and I smiled all the way to my office.

Flowers of the Sun Variety

I was taking Mark home the other day and drove up on some HUGE sunflowers. They immediately caught my eye and I thought..."Wow, those are awesome...and right here where it could use a little color."

As we drove slowly past and I was ogling them, I realized it was one of OUR Guerrilla Gardens..."Wait a minute...WE did that!"

(Extra special thanks to our friend who lives down the street and has been making sure they're not thirsty)

Washington Pl & Centinela

BEFORE (June 2009)


AFTER (Dec 2009)

Saving Lives

This morning at Boot Camp, our coach (Adam) was making conversation and said, "So what do you think Tiger Woods was doing at 2 o'clock in the morning?"

Someone immediately answered, "Fighting with his wife."

Adam laughed and said, "Yea, maybe. Or he could have been out saving someone. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt."

He was half kidding, but there was something so sincere about it. Like he genuinely would give anyone a chance that they might be doing something for good.

Refreshing, really.

Yay, technology!

Best surprise ever.

I was arguing with AT&T on the phone and staring at my bill online when I my Gchat started ringing and someone wanted to chat.

I assumed it was one of a handful of standard chatters and was going to give it a second while I finalized my argument with AT&T. Then I realized Gchat was singing a different song and it wanted me to VIDEO chat. I clicked over and OH MY GOODNESS, it was my friends in Ghana who are adopting a child right now.

When they left for Africa, I kind of assumed I wouldn't get to talk to them (via email or anything) until they returned. And THERE THEY WERE, on my computer screen; their cute faces and their new little boy!!

I forget how rad technology really is.

Its Fun To Be In Charge

We hosted the Beverly Hills Lighting Ceremony this weekend and I had a moment that is still lingering with me today. Sort of in the pit of my stomach, just stewing.

There were balloon artists.
There were insanely long lines.
And a woman with two 10 year old girls and a crazy-eyed rat woman.

As I came over to shut the line down so we could open the street back up for traffic, said woman started yelling at me about "older child discrimination" and that the balloon artist was partial to younger children and let them cut the line.

I wish I had recorded our interaction. She was one of the most entitled people I've ever met. She continued to throw a fit while I mustered up every ounce of Disney-trained customer service tricks I had left in my sleep-deprived, aching body. I offered her apologies and free trinkets as she gave me tips on how to better run a company and to LET Santa get mauled by children because "if you're going to volunteer to be Santa, you're gonna have to learn to take it." She made me write down my name and my boss's contact info so she could make sure "people like me get a talking to."

The two 10 year old girls were on the entitlement train as well. One of them pointed her finger at me while she cocked her head back and forth explaining that "she came to have a good time and it was ridiculous that the event was being run by inexperienced people." Her cohort crossed her arms, glared at me and vigorously tapped her foot.

I'm pretty sure I had steam coming out of my ears...but mostly I was in awe of these people. WHO ARE YOU?!

As I walked away in shock and frustration, a woman walked by with a child completely passed out in her arms. She came right up to me and said, "That was the best event I've ever been to in my entire life. You guys did such an amazing job. Seriously, just wonderful. Thank you so much."

That woman and her sleeping child saved the lives of two Beverly Hills women who could have gone home with black eyes and aching shins. And she completely made my night.