Let's Get Ready to Rumble!

Kudos to Kate for snapping this awesome picture as she was out and about this morning. As part of the Cinco de Katie celebration, Dan and I will be joining the Murphy's to run the Berwyn Victory Run, benefitting the Berwyn Veterans Memorial.

The real victory will be me finishing the race. But after last night's 3 mile run, I'm feeling good that victory will be mine!

Bane of My Existence

This is my subway exit. It is closed until further notice. That means I have to exit at the other end. So what, you say?

So that means four extra blocks of walking!!! On every day that I go home and don't go to the gym. UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!!! WTF, MTA???

And it's not like there is going to be an escalator up in there once they finish. Or one of those chair-lifts that old people put in their homes. Unacceptable.

I Went to the Suburbs and All I Got Were Moldy Buns

For the second weekend in a row, I went to the suburban oasis known as Casa de Los Fitzes. It really is super fabulous there. I sleep the sleep of the dead, Max is always ready to cuddle and there is shopping and good food. Pretty much everything I love in a weekend.

On Friday night, Andrew was out so Christine and I took the opportunity to go a favorite restaurant of suburban girls everywhere (or at least the Northeast) - Friendly's. We salivated over the menu. We hemmed and hawed about which delicious thing to order. Initially I was going to get a salad, then maybe a wrap. I finally settled on the Kickin' Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and Christine got the Crispy Chicken Salad with ranch dressing. I made a fatal error and she ended up the winner.

Scene from a Friendly's Restaurant

Melanie: Mozzarella sticks are good.
Christine: Yes.
M: French fries are good. Would you like one?
C: Oh, sure. If you are offering. Tasty.
M (halfway through sandwich): Oh no. My bread has mold on it.
C: What? WTF?
M: WTF?
Waitress: Oh my goodness. That is disgusting. I'm going to take that off. (Editor's Note: I think she means off the bill, Christine thinks she means maybe just off the plate.)
C: Do you want some of my salad?
M: No, thanks.
C: Are you sure? I'm done.
M: Oh, maybe just a few bites. (Editor's Note: It is delicious.)
W: I'm so sorry. That is so gross. Would you like anything else?
M & C: Oh, that isn't going to stop us from ordering ice cream. Two sundaes, please.
W: Okay, here is your bill. I took off the sandwich and the ice cream. I am sorry again. That is disgusting. Your sundaes are in the freezer.
M & C (in stunned disbelief): Wow. Thank you.
M & C (after waitress walks away): That is awesome. We have to leave a good tip.
Manager: I hear there was a problem with your food.
M: Yeah, the bread was moldy.
Mgr: I'm very sorry. I don't know why she didn't catch that. (Editor's Note: Why didn't the cook catch it? The waitress should be able to assume the bread isn't moldy.) I believe you (Editor's note: uh, thanks?). I'm really surprised not just because I work here, but because this is the only place I've worked where the food was fresh. (Editor's Note: Christine wants list of every where else he's worked so she can stay away.) Can we get you anything else?
M & C: No, thank you.
Mgr: Next time you are in, ask for me. I will make your dinner myself and give you free dessert.
M & C: Uh. Thanks.

Christine and I get our sundaes out from the freezer (so awesome) and die laughing the entire way home. We let our tummys rest for a while, then assault them with delicious ice cream.

End scene.

Saturday was spent shopping, where I got a killer dress for Maureen's wedding at Lord & Taylor and Christine and I refrained from getting any matching clothes at Old Navy. I was so exhausted by the time we got back to the house that I ended up staying another night.

La Casa de Los Fitzes es muy bueno!

Song Obsession: Poker Face

So, I've been mocking Molly for a little while now because she seemed to be a little too invested in Lady Gaga. Not that she's a fan, per se, but she certainly knew an awful lot about Ms. Gaga.

Well, all that has come back to haunt me because I am OBSESSED with song, Poker Face. Behold:



Try and tell me that shit isn't catchy.

Music to My Ears?

I was treated to the musical stylings in the video below on my way home from the 'burbs this weekend. I found it mildly enjoyable. Similar acts can sometimes fill me with instant rage - particularly when I'm commuting to/from work. That time of day is no time for impromptu music on the train.

Also, the video quality kind of sucks. I didn't want to be obvious that I was recording the guy, because then I would have felt compelled to give him money.

Suburban Fun (Part Deux)

So I tried to do a mobile upload of this video on Friday night, but it didn't work. Anyway, here it is now, so you can see Max REALLY is the cutest.

April 20 is a Good Day

It's a big day for the Musings extended family.

Happy Birthday, Lorraine! (and check out her kicky new Locks of Love haircut! So pretty!)


And Happy 7th Anniversary to the Murphy's!

A New Addition to the Musings Family

Please help me welcome Fred Thompson, the Big Red fish. He came home with me today!

Suburban Fun

Max is the cutest!

Culture Corner: Review of Desire Under the Elms

Last night Jason and I went to see Desire Under the Elms, starring Brian Dennehy, Carla Gugino and Pablo Schreiber. We easily came to a consensus on the review. Behold:

1. It's not their fault it sucked.
2. Where's the sheriff?

The show only began in previews this week, so maybe it's still going through some growing pains. But, oh my, was it EVER painful.

Mel C. Runs (Some More)

I'm still learning how to use my Nike+ SportBand and have been trying like heck to get a calibration run. To get a calibration run, you are supposed to run at a fixed pace for a known distance. So, that's what I've been trying. I did two miles tonight, but did the first mile at a steady running pace. I came home, all psyched that I'd finally gotten it. Only to find out, not so much. No usable runs were found. So sad.

At any rate, I ran for the first mile straight and did a run/walk combo for the second mile and finished in about 30 minutes. I only "tracked" the first mile on the Nike+ SportBand, so that's all you'll see in what I hope is my Nike+ widget here.

Culture Corner: Review of Mary Poppins

By now you probably realize that I love a giant Broadway production. So when Jason, Kristen, Kara and I went to see Mary Poppins, I thought we'd at least get that. It's effin Disney, for heaven's sake! I mean, does it get any better than that? Turns out, it kind of does. Young Frankenstein was better. Wicked was better. Many simpler productions were better.

I expected more. I wanted more. I should have gotten more.

Don't get me wrong - some of it was great. The cast was super talented, particularly the kids who were so adorable they practically made my ovaries hurt. The sets and costumes were amazing. And the couple of big numbers were great - but they could have done more. They should have done more. More big dance numbers!

I don't remember the movie all that well, but if felt as though some things were added (probably to make it "fresh") but those scenes didn't actually add anything. The show didn't do enough and yet, oddly, at the same time - the play was too long. There was a horribly scary number and some pretty boring numbers too. I'd been lukewarm abt seeing this show from the start. Maybe I should have trusted my instincts.

Jason says: Let's - go - fly - a - kite...I mean, I LOVE Mary Poppins, but I almost would have preferred to go fly a kite that Wednesday night. The company I saw it with was enjoyable. It was an ok play. A few scenes were very cool (Supercali....for example). Otherwise, I'd say see it if you have the time and nothing else to do one night, as long as the tickets are cheap.

New Shows This Week

Mid-season is upon us and our television viewing habits. Here are some highlights.

Cupid (ABC) - a couple weeks ago - I was going to watch, but then decided not to do it. I just think it'll get yanked just as I'm getting attached.

In the Motherhood (ABC) - a couple weeks ago - Cheryl Hines, Megan Mullally and Horatio Sanz are all in this not-so-great show.

Surviving Suburbia (ABC) - this past Monday - Bob Saget, but I'm not watching.

Rescue Me (ABC) - last night - Supposed to be a great show but I've never seen it. Someday I'll work my way through the show on DVD.

The Unusuals (ABC) - April 8 (yeah, tonight) - A cop show with Amber Tamblyn (from Joan of Arcadia, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and back in the day, General Hospital)

Parks and Recreation (NBC) - Amy Poehler's new show that I'm super excited about and that was before I started following her castmate Aziz Ansari on Twitter.

Harper's Island (CBS) - April 9 - I'm excited about this one because we know it's only a 13-week commitment. No more. No less. Perfect.

Southland (NBC) - April 9 - Another cop show, but with Benjamin McKenzie (The O.C.)

Prison Break (Fox) - April 17 - new night for this show. I think it's the beginning of the end, as I think I saw that the season finale will also be the series finale. It had a great run and I'm looking forward to seeing how it ends.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent (USA) - April 19 - Jeff Goldblum joins the cast!

In Plain Sight (USA) - April 19 - Second season of this great series.

Adjust your DVRs accordingly!

My Baby Turned One and I Forgot

My how time flies. It's been nearly 13 months since I started this mess. I'm still not sure it's interesting, but I am sure I'm having fun. My baby and I have really grown a lot over this past year and we've learned a few things too.

Click here to see how it all began.

Thanks to y'all for sticking by us. I hope we can continue to entertain you for many more to come.

The Heat is ON!

I've been talking for a year about how I hope to run the 2009 Boilermaker, scheduled for July 12. Or, roughly 96 days/13.7 weeks from now. I mean, if my 61-year-old father can run it, what's my excuse? No offense, Dad. So, I've been meaning to start training. I've been to the gym twice in the past two weeks, sidelined temporarily by 1. a hangover (week one) and 2. the flu (week two). But I'm hopeful that this week I can really get a plan in motion.

Kate's had good success with Hal Higdon's training plans, so I started there. And then I found a modified (slower) version of his plan here, so I think I'm on the right track.


No choice now. Registered. Crap. Time to do this, bitches.

First milestone? A 5K on May 9 as part of the Cinco de Katie celebration. Or as Shirtless Dangordit has started calling it - Cinco de 5Katie. It's going to be so good.