Reporting the Beat

Good morning friends. It's been a few days huh? Shall I make excuses for where I've been? Nah, there aren't any good ones--I've just been out and about. Are you ready for a brain dump? Well why not, Tuesdays are as good as any other day.

• I recognize that my hair looks shorter in the photo from last Friday's post. Contrary to Julie's comment, I have not cut my hair. Nope, it's still the horse mane it has been the last few years. It does look short though--I'll admit to that.
• Also on Friday, I wrote that I hoped to get a photo at the Celtics/Jazz game with the court in the background. Mission accomplished. This is our view from the handicapped seating--the Celts have lost both times I've sat up there. Maybe I should take one for the team and climb the stairs.
• Brenda and I got picked-up on in the elevator on the way down from the halo seating. Should we have so desired, our evening could have been filled with firefighters in town from LA for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations. Instead, we had McDonald's ice cream and giggled the whole way home.
• Our experience prompted a discussion about men and women inside and outside the LDS church and the funniest quote of the week from KC re: guys who think overarchingly highly of themselves: "I mean, do you know what your actual street value is?"
• I may not have cut my hair, but the process of lightening it has begun. Four and a half rather traumatic hours in the salon on Saturday and my hair has lightened quite a bit -- I affectionately call it "Goldenrod." No photos yet, I'm still adjusting.
• I cut my own bangs.
• Needing to release nervous energy, I started baking cupcakes. And kept baking. As I usually do, I went a little overboard. The hierarchy of favorites went as follows: strawberry-cheesecake filled, chocolate mint, chocolate death, white pudding filled, apple spice, grab bag.
• If you haven't figured out yet, I'm a HUGE Celtics fan. I'm pretty sure I read every article about them on several websites and watch most of the away games while I'm cleaning my room or lounging around. I'm not going to lie, being a winning team definitely makes it easier to watch (and to the naysayers, I'm just as involved in all other NBA news. The Rockets 22-game win streak? CP3? The Wild West? But I digress.). The team is on a five-game Western roadtrip, including the Texas Triangle, right now that will really test the team. 2-0 to start with a huge game in Houston tonight. I can't wait for 8:30 tonight.
• Can you believe the NBA this year? Loved this article about ESPN finding the NBA more exciting than March Madness.
• The woman I can't stand was at the Celts/Spurs game last night cheering on her hubby. Had Cameron Diaz and Monica Geller seasons 2-5 been there, the who's-who of Nat's all-time annoyers would have been complete.
• Yesterday, I almost cried while I was walking home. Why? About a half-mile from the bus stop and my house I realized I was walking at my natural pace. My foot hardly hurt, and it was a real personal triumph. I still won't be in the gym or running anytime soon, but this is as huge event. Eight weeks from the day of the break...
• I can't stop listening to my "Country Cache" playlist. The love affair has been going on for months and months now. I keep expecting to get sick of the playlist (see "Melancholy Girl" and "Summer Movin' 2007") but it never gets old. In fact, I think I shall try to add to it today.
• The other song I can't get enough of? The slowed-down, acoustic Brooke White version of "Love is a Battlefield." I may have purchased it from iTunes. Shoot me a line if you want me to email the mp3 to you. I love love love it.

Well that should do it. I covered my usual beat, right? Hair, Celtics, Food, and American Idol. My job is complete.