DANCE!

...even if it's by yourself, alone in your room in an empty townhouse on E Ermina Ave....DANCE! That's what Fridays are for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DANCE!

Seriously LOL. Seriously.

I've had two moments in the past 24 hours of seriously LOL-ing. The first was last night when watching "race walking" on the Olympics. Had I known that this was an Olympic event I would have started training for Beijing years ago! Fast walking is pretty much what I am known for. Last fall I nearly beat Alex Gorohoff in a fast walking competition and his legs are almost double the length of mine. This is what had me, alone in the townhouse, gufawing at the TV for a good three minutes (until I got bored and changed channel):

The second LOL moment occurred just minutes ago when I watched this clip of Brit Brit from dlisted.com. I know it's common knowledge that she doesn't have a great voice- her strength was always dance/performance. BUT STILL- listen:

Things are lookin' up

I went home for the weekend- fantastic decision. Anna and Jody had planned a camping trip in the south sound and so I joined them for some canoeing, foil-dinner-making and drive-through movie viewin'. 

Last night we hosted an Argentinian themed dinner as a farewell to Willem before he heads to South America for the semester. I made Ranger Cookies for the occasion. I think I am going to dedicate an entire post to cookies, so I'll save my love of Ranger Cookies/the recipe for that moment. Keep an eye out for it.

Top 5 reasons to be happy about my return to Spokane tomorrow morning:

1. My new ipod awaits me!!!!

2. I have more stuff to put up on my walls....world map, ouija board, campaign signs from around Kenmore

3. Whole wheat cinnamon raisin bagel, sliced into quarters, triple toasted with margerine.

4.  New episode of Project Runway tomorrow night.

5. Buying Francie and Bobby an address book and filling it out and mailing it to Ireland as their belated wedding/thanks for housing me for 2 months present.

I listened to three different "This American Life" podcasts today while I walked/ran Greenlake. One was titled "Break-Up" and I found it quite amusing and relatable considering my current relationship status. Plus, it distracted me through my run better than the worn-out old "work-out mix" is able to. 

Since lists are going to be a reoccurring theme in my blog from now on, here's one more for ya:

Things I need to do that I just haven't gotten around to yet:

1. Create an itunes account

2. Get my heinous eyebrows waxed

3. Establish good credit 

4. Buy new vacuum filter 

5. Sign  up for a Yoga class

6. Get HPV vaccine

7. Read all the "classics"

8. Send Cyprus friend her shirt that I accidentally took home

9. Loose 15 lbs/repair my damaged metabolism 

10. Write in my journal (just in case this whole "internet" thing turns out to be unreliable and I need a backup)

I haven't had a diet coke in 12 days because diet pops with artificial sweeteners are horrible for you and I've finally said enough is enough, 

Madge

HONK SHOO

I went to a movie by myself yesterday- Batman: The Dark Knight, on Imax. It was an all around fantastic experience. I went to a 12:30pm showing, got a small popcorn, sat in the back near the aisle, and watched a great flick. Clare told me going to the movie theater by yourself is "very freeing" and now, having done so, I must agree.

As an earlier b-day/cheer-up present, my mom is getting me an ipod nano!! Now you can get an engraving in the back of your ipod free of charge. I spent about an hour racking my brain trying to think of the perfect words. For some bizarre reason, all I could think of was when Harry says "Give it here Malfoy!!" but that did not seem fitting at all. Martha suggested some other possible HP quotes...Dumbledore's "It is our choices Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." Then I called Anna and she told me that a lot of people just get their name and e-mail address. That seemed much more practical, so I went with: Margaret Kay mkay@gonzaga.edu

snooze.......

I walked to the Spokane Public Library downtown today and got a library card. According to the Spokesman Review, library usage has increased significantly as the economy has gotten worse.

um........what else do I have to report....

My restless leg syndrome is back! Yes, my compulsion to flex my calves every 30 seconds has returned, after taking some time off while I was in Cyprus. Maybe it knows it's back in familiar territory....my old flexing grounds. Who knows?

boring!

Ah! The Olympics are great, aren't they!?! Clare and I were both very impressed with the opening ceremony and with Michael Phelps winning all his gold medals. There has been some debate about whether or not the female Chinese gymnasts are really 16 and older. According to their passports, they all are....but some of them look about 9. I think they're lying! Just gonna say it. What are the Olympics w/out a little controversy?

I now use a night cream- Oil of Olay regenerist,

MADGE

Back Home! Just as I left it...but not really.

There are some very secure feelings that emerge when standing on American soil for the first time in 6 months- Knowing that wherever you may be...Seattle, Yakima, Kenmore....it's guaranteed that a Starbucks is no more than 5 minutes away (even with the recent closures). The abundance of free, clean, public restrooms where no one tries to give you paper towels, toilet paper or guilt-inducing stares. Being able to buy a bag of goldfish crackers at 3:00 am on a Sunday. A working cell phone with unlimited text messaging and free verizon-to-verizon calling!! AHHHHH, what a glorious place we live in!

For the most part, things in Seattle are just as I left it. A lot of trees, water, hills and people in northface fleeces. I never realized how fantastic this city is. Of all the places I went last semester, nothing compares to the clean, intelligent, active, natural vibe Seattle has. I may travel around after college and live abroad for a year or so, but I don't see myself permanently residing anywhere but the Pacific Northwest.

Though the city remains the same, some things have changed around these parts:

Francie and Bobby got married!!! The wedding reception was a ginormous American, Irish, Fitzpatrick, Padden, dance party- complete with appearances from the King himself (Matt Breysse as Elvis) and a good ol' sing-song to end the night. Having all of Bobby's friends and family over for the week was INSANE and sooo much fun. Rafting, Mariner's games, BBQ at our place, spontaneous house party at Anna's, going out on the Sea-Padden's boat....it was one fun activity after another.

The Sonics are no longer (I'm pretending to care....shhhh, don't tell)!!! :( :( :(

It's illegal to simultaneously drive and talk on a cell phone. Does this include texting too???

Pretty soon we're going to have to pay 20 cents for grocery bags! Max thinks this is a one-way ticket to socialism and that the government needs to mind it's own beeswax. I don't mind it...in Europe you have to pay for bags so I got really really good at carrying things in my arm pits, in the fold of my arms, and under my chin while making a mad dash to the car.

My Grandpa Kay is now living in Yakima. Char, William and I went to visit him. He seems decently happy in his new place, which is MUCH MUCH better than that dump Colonial Vista in Wenatchee. This is a house, with a yard, cats, and a lady who cooks home-made apple pie filling in a cute country-style kitchen. His memory is all over the place, sometimes he's in the present, but more often his brain is back in the '40s, '50s or '60s. Still cracking jokes though. "They're diggin' the hole for me" he told us and chuckled.

It's been really nice getting to see my friends again. The gang from high school is always ready to fill my in on all the gossip I missed out on. Willem and I went to camp (Gallagher) to visit for the day...wish I could have stayed longer (aka: the rest of the Summer).

I'm flying back to Spokane Wednesday morning. It'll be good to be back in the "lilac city". Eat a bagel, go to Safeway and Yokes, walk along centinneal trail. It seems like years since I fed the garbage-eating-goat scraps of trash from my purse!! I can hear the creepy carousel music now! I can taste the strawberry fro-yo from Diddier's!!

I miss Cyprus, but remembering all the crazy fun I had makes me feel better. I smile and laugh at pictures of my friends and I on the beach with tans the British tourists could only dream of. My friend Liz warned me that when I got back I would sometimes think "Did that even happen???" Facebooking my Cyprus friends and watching our Cyprus slideshow reminds me that it did happen and it was unbelievable, life-changing, eye-opening- FUN. I am ready to get back to Spokane, my routine. Move on. I wish that was the way it always was...where the memories of what was could be enough. It makes it much easier to go forward. When they're not enough, the only thing you can do is try to forget they ever happened. UGH, depressing!!!


LOVEEEEEEE,

Madge

I seriously do nothing all day

I love this song:


This part of My Life on the D-list where Kathy goes to her assistant Tiffany's hometown of Tracy, California was one of the funniest scenes of the show I've ever seen (about 2 mintues in...until 4:36):


I was thinking today about how I like my food pipeing (or is it piping?) hot or extremely chilled, or frozen. That made me wonder- Is there anything I like luke warm???

I can't think of anything, can you??????????????????????

Love,

Madge

Euro Life

Germany plays Turkey tonight in the European soccer semi-finals. As mad as I am at Turkey for invading and occupying 37% of Cyprus, I would like to see them win tonight (I can't help but root for the underdog). I want Russia to win the whole tournament though. Spain could win and I wouldn't mind.

On to a more serious subject- I am addicted to gum (gross). Gum is pretty much disgusting...you chomp on a rubbery minty wad, smacking and popping it until all the flavor has been drained out. Ususally there isn't a garbage can around so you find something to stick it in (an old receipt, napkin, orange peel...) and throw it in the bottom of your purse where it will stay for at least a month. My problem, though, is not simply that I chew gum (a bad habit as is), but that I chew an entire pack in one sitting. One pack of Orbit lasts me an hour...at the most. SICK. Help me!

Madge

Daytime TV

GOD, I forgot how good the Riki Lake show was! In today's episode they took couples had each person go on a date with a sexy single- ya know, to test if their relationship was strong enough to withstand temptation. Quality television.

Anyyyyyhoo, yesterday was Bobby's birthday- 26 years old!! I made chicken enchiladas and Bobby's fam came over to celebrate. For dessert we made a strawberry rhubarb crisp. DELICIOUS.

Francie and I have our hip-hop dance class tonight. It's our 4th class, so we SHOULD be at Beyonce level by now. Unfortunately, every time we learn a dance we forget it the next day. Guess we won't be performing a routine at the wedding like I had envisioned. Oh- and speaking of dancing, I never saw "Step Up 2" and I am just sick about it. Renting it tonight.

Oooh, Sabrina the Teenage Witch is on! Melissa Joan Hart has a lazy eye.

Celebs w/ weird/lazy eyes ("wonk eyes" as Michael K of dlisted would say):
1. Shannon Dougherty
2. Melissa Joan Hart
3. Paris Hilton
4. Keri Russell
5. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez


I youtubed the first episode of season 4 of Weeds and watched it this morning. So good!

Ok, BYE.

Madge

Another blog???!?! I'mmmmmmmm BACK!

I love the TLC show "Little People, Big World" and was so happy to see that it is on during the day in Ireland. Woo hoo! I was watchin it yesterday while I surfed the net (I'm bringin back that phrase) and I stumbled upon this Roloff Farm (They, the Roloffs, live on a farm in Oregon) sweatshirt. It's $25 and I really want it. Should I get it??? It would be about 1/4 of my current funds.


I mentioned Francie's hen night in my last post, but here is a pic of the star hen herself, courtesy of Debbie's bebo. Lookin good Frank!

Francie had 2 free passes to her gym (which is actually a health spa, golf course and gym all in one) so Bobby and I went with her after work (them, not me) yesterday. It was one of the best workouts of my life! The machines all have their own tv on them, so we watched the Aussie soap "Home and Away" while we sweated it out on the elipticals. After that we relaxed in the hot tub (can't write that word without hearing Will Farrell in that SNL skit saying it), the steam room (until someone farted and we had to get the H out), and took showers with the fabulous body wash they provide. I felt like a queen.

I have been a big fan of Michael Buckley's "What the Buck" show on Youtube for a while now. He may seem a wee bit annoying at first, but watch a couple of episodes and you will be laughing hysterically.

Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day,

Madge

Any Craic?

I come to you, my faithful readership, with my head bowed, my tail between my legs, begging for your forgiveness of my inconsistant blog updating.

The only excuse I can come up with is lazyness, because it definitely isn't for lack of time and oppertunity. In fact, all I do is sit on the internet day after day, repeatedly clicking "refresh" on the Dlisted window while I drink tea and watch the hours tick by until Francie and Bobby come home from work. Also, I seem to have misplaced my camera cord (and by "misplaced" I mean forgot it in Cyprus because I left packing until the extreme last minute in my refusal to accept that it was all over and I had to leave) and I am ashamed to post a pictureless blog.

Though I was sad to leave Cyprus, Ireland has been grand and I couldn't be more pleased to be in the company of soon-to-be-wed lovebirds B-bop and F-dogg. I was also able to make it over to Edinburgh for a weekend with Char. Last weekend was Francie's "Hen" night (they're a big deal over here...like a bachelorette party, everyone has one when they get married). Char came over for the occasion and we went out to dinner & dancing afterword. Francie had a tiara that said "bride" and wore a bright pink feather boa. So cheesy and hilarious.

Wow, the lack of pictures in this post is making me want to treat this entry like a diary...really pour my heart out. It could also be my current lack of social interaction with humans (I do talk to their dog Booter a lot) but I really want to just spill my feelings into this text box for the world to see!!!! Hmmm, maybe I will share them High Fidelity-style through a top 5 list:

Top 5 things I'm currently thinking about:

1. Whatever song is running through my head (right now it's "Simply the best")
2. Dinner (maybe soup and crackers...it's kind of blustery outside)
3. Boys- some more than others, whether or not to call Scooter and attempt communication for the millionth time (don't worry he doesn't read this and never will), how they are the inferior gender in most aspects, whether there really exists a guy who will peel an orange for you...
4. Post-graduation plans...working, traveling...
5. The Fitz/Kay wedding- what's left to do for it, how much fun it's going to be, bridesmaid hair/shoes

Well, that list makes me look a little shallow and self-obsessed, but I swear if there was a number 6 it would be the Iowa Flooding, Global Climate Change, The Lisbon Treaty or Gay marriage in California. I do find time to read nytimes.com and idependent.ie in between checking facebook and dlisted.

I will work on getting pictures up soon (probably an empty promise),

Madge

P.S. My "condition" in the previous post has been cured!! Who knows what did the trick, but thanks to all who wrote advice and knock on wood that I never go through such a struggle again!!

Cairo, Vienna, Prague!

I am about to sit down to a delicious breakfast of Lipton "Smooth Digestion" tea, all bran/hot water mixture, and prunes!! Today is especially exciting because it kicks off the official Kay sister Cyprus reunion. I am heading down to the airport around 3 to go meet Anna.

Honestly, traveling has been the most amazing experience of my life (cliche)...but all I can think about at the moment is how I have been CONSTIPATED for FIVE months. It's seriously a problem- mainly because my stomach is hard and round as a basketball and I have tried my derndest to loose weight but I am retaining it instead! So frustrating that all the days of running for 45 min every night on nothing but salad and bran have done NOTHING. Plus, not pooping is PAINFUL. It hurts! The only relief I get comes from frequent farting and one heinous experience with a laxative in Prague. I am at the end of my rope. I am aware that this whole blog has been an overshare thus far...but who better to discuss digestion with than the random 8 or so people that occasionally check this blog?


I am SUCH a complainer! Here are some pictures of things I have to be grateful for.

Cairo, Egypt






Vienna, Austria







Prague, Czech Republic






More later...maybe.

By the way, I am really excited for Portarlington this Summer...talked to Francie yesterday and now I can't wait.

Cyprus Schmyprus (worst blog title yet...can't think creatively anymore.)

Egads! Cyprus has a way of sucking all the motivation- normally used for homework, reading the newspaper, exercising and blog-updating- out of you and redirecting it toward things like napping in the sun, bbq-ing, dancing, searching tirelessly for weird techno songs on the internet (even though you only maybe know one word that's in it)and creating your own home-made madlibs. A lot has happened since my last post. Here's a list of the most important:

1. We went to Protaras and took a lot of pictures of us jumping in front of the sunset.




2. We threw a very successful "nerd" theme party.



3. We went to Limassol for Carnival.



4. We went back to the beach- Ayia Napa this time.


5. We went to an Irish pub in Nicosia for St.Patty's day.


6. We booked our flights for Spring Break (Vienna and Prague!!).

7. Booked our flights to EGYPT for this weekend!!!!!!!!!! Camel rides, pyramids, the Nile, Alexandria....pics to come.

That's not all we've done, but I think I covered the main events of the last month or so.

I am already starting to get sad when thinking about leaving this place. It seems like we are just now really getting into the groove of things here. I will miss the people I have met here most of all. At some point in my life I am DEFINITELY coming back to Cyprus.

The island is going through the worst drought in seven years. They've had to limit the amount of water people can use. We only get to have water on Tues, Thurs and Sat now! It's like God doesn't want me to work-out. I mean, you can't go running unless you can shower afterward. What to do?

TTFN!

Oh- almost forgot! Scotty broke up with me over facebook and I got bangs. Here is a pic (of the bangs).