Onthesamepaige…finally

I have attached a picture of what happens to your stuff in life when you go from buying a 3 bedroom home at 22 years of age, to living in a 700 sq ft apt years later.  Did somebody say downsizing FTW? LOL.   I can’t decide if I’m actually going to keep this in my kitchen from now on and buy a potrack to hang it from or move it to the bedroom I guess its true what they say…chicks dig bikes!

I promised some of you I would post up this picture in all its shame.  Enjoy.

~Cheers

Bike in the kitchen (pic)

In April, over my birthday, I went to Paris and Rome.  I always thought I was a wanna-be Italian, but it turned out to be Paris that captured my heart.  Some describe Paris as a feminine city and I agree in a lot of ways.  Its everything I think a city should be (aside from the purse snatching I witnessed LOL)…ascetically pleasing, easy to navigate, people use all forms of transportation to get around but mostly walk, there is a beautiful river flowing smack dab through the middle of town, and people live for everything important in life…good food, great friends, and true love. 

I’ve found myself missing it tremendously over the past couple weeks and honestly can see myself retiring there.  I’ve attached some pictures of my short venture of the city.  I love to talk about it so if you have questions…ask away!  Until then… peut votre vie etre benie avec amour!

~Cheers

Arch at the Louvre (pic)
Nike at the Louvre (pic)
Venus de Milo (pic)
Notre Dame (pic)
Inside the Notre Dame (pic)
View from the top (pic)
Sitting in a cafe (pic)

Last night was my official last day/night of work at my second job.  I’ve had two jobs for the last year and half.  I’ve worked an average of 50-80 hours a week (seven days a week) between the two since March of 2006.  I almost don’t know what to do with all my new founded free time. 

Tonight is my first official ‘night off’ LOL.  I think I’m going to celebrate by having a glass of wine, talking with people I love, and going for a well deserved jog outside in this beautiful weather today. 

I must admit that the change (although created by my own hand) is making me a little uneasy these days.  Since when did I start to become afraid of change?  I still advocate there is no reward without risk so cheers to hard decisions!  I’m sure I’ll snap back in a couple days…or after a glass of wine LOL.

As you know I’m a news junkie.  I read the BBC online like its the bible.  However yesterday I cheated on my lover with CNN and I feel dirty about it.  Sometimes though, I love CNN for stories like this one. 

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/worklife/08/27/woman.pirate/index.html

In case you are too lazy to actually read it, its about a woman who became the most influential and powerful pirate of the south seas ever to live (even more than her male counterparts).  My favorite quote from this whole article about what she did with female prisoners:

“Ugly women were returned to shore, free of charge. Attractive captives were auctioned off to the crew, unless a pirate personally purchased the captive, in which case they were considered married. Of course, if that pirate cheated on his new bride, Cheng I Sao had him killed”

I’m feeling very womanly today so now I’m off to conquer the world!

~Cheers

What is the fascination you men have with Christian Bale?  I’ve heard all kinds of theories…’he’s the non-action superhero’, ‘he’s the greatest actor of our generation’, ‘two words…the Machinist’.

It seems to me that Mr. Bale is a man’s man.  You men certainly cannot get enough.  Now I realize every man wants to be Indiana Jones…but wanting to be Christian Bale??…It makes me question my sexuality quite frankly LOL.

Now I will confess, Christian had my little girl unmentionables wanting more in the movie Little Women, but honestly…he played each character with exactly the same mannerisms in that movie as he did in Batman, the Prestige, the Machinist…need I say more. 

Christian I’m sorry, I’m sure you are a wonderful person but you only can play one kind of character…which apparently brings all the boys to your yard ;)~

~Cheers

Your hero gentlemen:

Normally I don’t post twice in the same day but this issue is to important to leave un-discussed.

There seems to be an epic battle surrounding which movie was overall the better movie…300 or Transformers.  As much as I love ya Michael Bay….I gotta go with 300.   Anyone who can go from Dawn of the Dead to creating the most graphically pleasing movie I’ve ever seen deserves all my adoring praise.  The cinematography in that movie is amazing…and the 300 men…well HOT ;)  Transformers, although epic as well and enjoyable, still comes in a close second. 

Don’t question this…I am the smartest woman alive.

~Cheers

Recently my motherhood abilities came into question during some friendly banter.  I’ve been informed that there are some people in this world who tend to think that my brash demeanor and lack of compassion wouldn’t serve well in the child rearing process.  Psh I say to you!  I will have  you know that for the first time in my life I am responsible for something greater than just myself.  I have something that relies upon me for water, shelter, and some good old fashioned TLC….and I’ve done a damn good job at keeping it alive. 

Behold my plant:     My baby (pic)

Notice the growth of the branch off the left side…notice how it is cascading down to my desk at work…notice how green and supple the leaves are.  This plant didn’t look like this a few short months ago when I bought it….oh no no no.  Therefore I am deeming myself ‘the greatest mother alive’….even if the thought of having children still makes me shutter.

~Cheers

Today I spent the whole day out on the lake sailing.  I swear if I could grow gills and a mermaid fin I would.  Although there wasn’t much wind out today, the sun was shining, the water was warm, and I was in high spirits.  We sailed a 34 ft catamaran today which is always fun for speed.  It’s amazing how calming the water is to my soul.  I’m in awe at how just looking at water can take an average day and turn it into an amazing one for me.  If you ever wonder where I am and what I’m doing….check the lake first.

~Cheers

Yesterday after work I mounted up on my white horse (or Chevy truck) and rode (or drove) off into the sunset of western Kansas.  Kansas is the perfect place to get away from it all…sometimes you have no choice but to be alone actually LOL.  For as much grief as we Kansans take for living on farms and naming our dogs Toto…Kansas can actually be quite a charming and beautiful place to be. 

I needed some solitude and decided to go to my favorite little place in the great Sunflower state….Clinton Lake.  The entire time I was there I never saw a single person except on the lake.  I attached some pics from my westward journey for your viewing pleasure.  I was even surprised by a more-than-friendly state police officer while pulled off on the side of the highway taking my sunset picture.  She informed me that my headlight was out and even viewed my pictures as she handed me my citation LOL.  Here’s to you lady officer of the law!

~Cheers

The Lake Entrance (pic)
Clinton Lake (pic)
My favorite spot (pic)
View from my spot (pic)
Vista Point (pic)
The Sunflower State (pic)
Sunset (pic)

I am a news junkie.  I read online newspapers everyday with my morning fix of caffeine I call coffee.   Just so you know though, I abhor United States news media in general.  I barely ever gander at their websites since I started traveling outside of the states a few years ago.  My favorite news-site atm…BBC online.  It’s a goodie, and you might just pick up an English accent while reading it quietly from your desk…always sexy.

Anyway, yesterday I ran across this article and I found it extremely interesting.  If you haven’t heard of it yet then let me welcome you to the new and improved Google with a twist…Google Sky.  http://earth.google.com/sky/index.html .  I wish I was getting a kickback from Google for promoting this…but maybe I’ll just invest in Google before this posting LOL.

I’ve dabbled in Google Sky a bit since yesterday but haven’t checked out all the features yet.  Let me know what you think!

~Cheers

This morning I have been reflective on all the good friends I have in my life right now…and most of them are men :)  Sometimes being a single woman is hard (even if you are the smartest woman alive) and my guy friends have really been there for me over the past couple years.  So here’s to you boyz!

I’m getting into taking pictures more lately so I’m attaching one from last night’s festivities of putting together my entertainment center and office desks with some of my new favorite friends.  Thanks again Jeff and Mike.

~Cheers to men

Jeff and Mike (pic)
Will it hold my heavy ass TV? (pic)

Bad day = go to your happy place…..

 Welcome to my happy place.  This is my new future home site, my new future retirement villa, and my new future honeymoon destination.  Actually at the moment it’s none of those things…but it will be. 

I watched a Discovery channel special on this place a couple days ago, and then I saw something about it on the news too the other night…I’m so hip LOL.  Welcome to….

My world:
http://www.theworld.ae/

I want to visit, live, retire, and most importantly, sail here someday.  It’s in the Arabian sea so I’m already shopping for my sheer veil and silk wrap to hide my vicious female face…and OMG why aren’t we building something like this off the coast of Florida??? 

~Cheers

Tonight was our annual…we kick ass and won some ‘Donald Trump Steaks’ so we decided to grill night.  Oh that’s right…I said Donald Trump Steaks. 

Now as much as I seriously protested selling this horrific product of all things corporate America….the beef was actually quite amazing.  I have to say it once and for all…Donald Trump has some tasty meat LOL.

I went with the crew I work with but in a couple weeks will be no longer…Jeff, Victoria, Kyle, and Brandon…I wish you all much success!  Enjoy the pics!

~Cheers

The Park (pic)
Our Dinner table (pic)
Our after dinner snack (pic)
Jeff (pic)
Victoria (pic)
Kyle (pic)
Brandon (pic)
Gangstas (pic)
What’s life without a little rain (pic)

So I had my bi-annual dental checkup yesterday afternoon.  Like all things in life, it was another good news/bad news story.  Good news!, for your age you have healthy teeth! (sigh).  Bad news, your grinding at night has caused irreversible gum resuscitation.

I am…a grinder when I sleep when provoked, upset, emotional, but mostly during times of high stress.  For those of you who don’t know what ‘grinding’ is…its a horrid little habit of clinching your teeth together very tightly and moving them back and forth on each other with intense friction.  Now I’m no dentist but I do know that usually it makes you wake up with an epic headache LOL. 

Solution?  Meditation or relaxation of some form.  As if I wasn’t stressed out enough…now I’m worrying that I’m not de-stressing enough before the 6 hours at night I call sleep.  I’m going to have to start up my evening running routine again (sigh).

~Cheers

Despite the fact that I have a degree in Economics, aside from the fact that for the past two years I have been addicted to World of Warcraft, never mind the fact that I own more computer equipment replacement parts than shoes (so sad for any female), and forget the fact that I used to co-own an internet company….yesterday I officially received my geek acceptance letter.

I enrolled and started an online SQL course through the local college.  For those of you who don’t know what SQL is…don’t ask me to explain it, I just started the class.  All I know is, never before have I felt so intimidated to carry my purple purse around.  It’s like the ultimate symbol of all things not technologically advanced (in a geeks opinion) and somehow in one day it made my IQ drop 50 points.  Overnight I became the ’Legally Blonde’ of technology by trying to become a programmer/DBA (database administrator…told you I was a geek).

I’ll keep you posted with my progress through this six-week course.  It’s got 12 lessons and I’m going to continue to refer to it as my 12 step program and wear my high heels. 

~Cheers

So for those of you who don’t know, I’ve recently become addicted to on-line fantasy stock trading.  And when I say addicted…I need professional help.  I’m like a crazy, mad woman now researching stocks and companies to pretend to invest my fake money in.  I’ve bought magazines, I signed up for an investing class from my local community college, I have a real-time stock ticker scrolling across the bottom of my work laptop now, I’m bothering random strangers asking advice…I need to be stopped.  LOL

So my new founded vice is called ‘FSX’ (fantasy stock exchange) if you want to check it out on the web, but I urge you to use caution in browsing…its more addictive than WoW.  You can find me by typing in my name ‘Paige Tanner’. 

I’ve got about 35-40 stocks so far, everything from Apple computers and Chinese manufacturing corporations to Krispy Kreme doughnuts and Heelys :)  This little lady is diversified!  Check it out and let me know what you think!  (or send me stock suggestions to feed my addiction :)~

I work for one reason…to plan and take trips to new destinations.  I’m a “I want to see it all before I die” type.  I’ve never been big on settling for living in one place or in one city for very long.  Traveling has alleviated the ‘itch’ I get for constant change in my life.  Over the last year I have been collecting small souvenirs (magnets) at each new city I have graced and experienced.  Its gotten to be quite the collection and my co-workers have grown to enjoy moving them around on my cabinets as a quasi-stress reliever LOL.  I attached a picture of what I have collected so far, and below a list of the cities they belong to.  Hope you can figure out where they are all from! 

~Cheers

Rome, Italy
Toronto, Ontario
Paris, France
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Atlanta, Georgia
Denver, Colorado
Phoenix, Arizona
Boston, Massachusetts
Chicago, Illinois
Washington, DC
Dallas, Texas
Charlotte, North Carolina
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cleveland, Ohio
New York City, New York
Detroit, Michigan
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

TravelLog (pic)

So I’ve found, the best way to start something is just to start.  Welcome to my new piece of the virtual universe.  You never know what new activities will bring to your life and I’m excited to see where this one will take me.

 I have no specific plan for my on-line space, but I do know this;  today is the first day.  All the events and actions that have let me to this point today have made me who I am and therefore will remain where they belong, unwritten.  I may occasionally refer to them while blogging but I’m considering today as a new season.

 I hope you enjoy whatever ranting or discussion comes from this adventure.  Please comment or write me as often as you can.

~Cheers