In other news...

...the unfinished portion of our basement still looks like a scene straight out of "Hoarders."

This weekend the madness ends and the organization begins.  Our new couch is scheduled for delivery tomorrow morning and after it's in place I'll begin the Great Stuff Migration back to that side of the basement.  Yep, only the great stuff will be moving.  I'm sensing a yard sale in our near future.

Justice in an informal setting.

One of the things I love about where I work is that we often have interesting/influential people come speak to the students...and the staff, too.

Justice Sotomayor came and spoke at an informal, off-the-record forum on Tuesday morning and I scored a seat up close.  It was a fairly small crowd- probably 150 of us in all - and Justice Sotomayor sat and talked for about half an hour and then answered questions for another half hour. 

I was surprised to see how much older she looks in person than she does in the news.  Also, I was struck by what an amazing public speaker she is.  She brought no notes with her and spoke eloquently, with nary an "umm" or pause for a full thirty minutes. 

She talked about the differences between the district, circuit and supreme courts, how it is to work with 8 other strong-willed people, how she got her start in law, and even about her time spent judging a dispute for Elmo on Sesame Street.  It was absolutely fascinating. 

When questioned about normative issues and the law, she called attention to a specific footnote on an opinion (not written by her, mind you) of three years ago.  Who has a memory that recalls that kind of detail!?  Incredible!  All politics aside, who wouldn't be impressed by that?

My favorite moment of the session was when a student got up to ask the Justice a question.  With tears streaking her face with mascara and a voice cracked with emotion, she preceded her question by heaping praise and admiration on Justice Sotmayor.  And Justice Sotomayor looked more than a little uncomfortable about the show of emotion.  Good stuff.

Decadent

Yesterday I did something I'd never done before.

I went to the nail salon and got a pedicure.  And it was SO luxurious.

The only problem was that I had no idea what to do.  Everyone else in the salon acted like they'd been there a million times - they were having all sorts of things done: nails, feet, eyebrows, makeup...and looked like regulars doing it. 

Wait.  You want me to test that water?  Ok.  reaches down and puts hand in water.

No no.  With feet.  Put feet in water to test.

Sheepishly.  Ok.  Yeah, feels good.  By the way, I have never had a pedicure before.

Looks at me blankly.  Sit here.  Put feet in water. 

So I sat there in the massage chair with my feet in the tub.  Watching the weather channel and flipping through a few smutty magazines and feeling uncomfortable without knowing what else to do.

After a few minutes, though, I gave in and let myself relax to the mechanical kneading of my back and the bubbling around my toes.  This is what I've been missing all this time?!

Twenty minutes later the massage and soaking part was done and I resumed my tin-man-like movements as the (what are they called?  nail technician? cuticle specialist?) lady maneuvered my stiff feet up and down, in and out of the water. 

Move up.  Tilt foot up.  Cut?  Add six dollar calming tablets to the water? 

No thanks.  Just the regular.

Eyes me like the cheapskate that I am.  No deluxe?  No french tips?  Move down.  Tilt foot down.  Back in water.

Nope, just the regular pedicure.  Please stop trying to up-sale me...I can't understand you and am worried I'll agree to something I don't want.

So I left with a bill for the regular pedicure and clean, callus-free feet, and sparkly cherry-red toes.  Oh, and a deeper understanding of why nail salons are always full despite the horrid chemical smell.

Project oriented

I wish I were more of a process-oriented person.  But I'm not.  I'm most definitely a project-oriented person.  I mean, I'm all about the details, but nothing pleases me more than checking off an item from my to-do list.  Some may call this OCD.  I just call it being organized.

So when staring down Saturday's errand list, I saw not only chores, but sparkling opportunity for project completion:

- Have oil and other fluids changed in the car.
- Drop off dry cleaning and pants for hemming.
- Investigate the new Martha Stewart organizational line at Staples for possible office clutter solutions.
- Return cracked frame at Michael's.
- Peruse Tuesday Morning for deals and a long-sought-after pie server (it's the little things in life that please me the most...)
- Cash a check at the bank.
- Have new anniversary watch fitted at Macys.
- Grocery shop.
- Put together and install our new garden arbour.

I was tickled pink when we'd finished the entire list by 5:00 p.m. and still had time/energy for a movie and dinner with friends. 

There's nothing better than a productive Saturday (especially one with beautiful weather and outdoor chores).

Sneak Peak

It's been so busy at work and the weather has been so beautiful lately that I've completely focused on those two things and almost forgot to post the "nearly done" photo of the basement.

We've still got a bunch of paint touch-ups to do and we still haven't moved furniture back in, but it's looking beautiful, no?  We're hoping our couch will be delivered in the next couple weeks and then we'll have a real christening party.  As for now, well, we're just enjoying the floors, the higher ceilings, the lighting and everything else by pumping up our iPhones on various Pandora channels and rocking out.