THON 2009 TOTAL: $7,490,133.87

This year, THON raised an INCREDIBLE $7.49 MILLION dollars for the Hershey Medical Center and the 4 Diamonds Fund!

And you guys, dear readers, raised an awesome $80.25 via your comments.  One generous and awesome reader decided to match what you guys raised so the total donation from The Strict Shenaniganist readers was $160.50!!

I really want to thank all of you guys for totally rallying around a great cause.  You guys took to your blogs and to Twitter and brought THON, 10 cents at a time, closer to curing pediatric cancer.  I want to thank each and every person who commented during the past 100 days.  For the new readers who stopped by to help out, THANK YOU! and welcome to the blog!  For the daily readers but first-time commenters who took this opportunity to comment and say “hey”, THANK YOU!! and feel free to keep commenting!  And to my loyal, every day readers/commenters who really went above and beyond to help reach that $100 goal that we had, THANK YOU!!!  you guys really are the best!

One reader took this challenge and commented more than any other reader, so, to Matt, thanks for your 64 comments all FOR THE KIDS!

Everyone, congratulations on the awesome job you did commenting to raise money!  And to the dancers, moralers, videographers, and EVERYONE who was involved with THON this weekend, congratulations on an AMAZING weekend!

I am 7.49 MILLION kinds of proud to be a Penn State alum today :)

Photo from thon.org

One day we will dance in celebration, until then we will dance for a cure!

Today is THON!!!!

So far, you guys and your comments have raised $74.75 (I already added in this week’s comments!)

That’s an incredible number for an incredible cause.  I promised I’d donate up to $100 so let’s see if we can get there with comments by midnight tonight!  Remember, it’s 10 cents for every comment!

And now, to really get you in the THON spirit, I want to show some of my favorite THON videos from throughout the years:

THON 2008 Line Dance

THON 2007 Line Dance

Don’t Waste One Minute (if you pick any video to watch, make it THIS one!)

Coincidentally, consider this my 20sb Vlog–because this weekend, this event, these kids–THIS is what I love!

Don’t forget–if you want to watch THON online to see what it’s really all about, check out the live feed on thon.org–from the first moment they stand up until the dancers sit down on Sunday night you can watch it all!

So come on guys–let’s make this happen!  Let’s get to that $100 goal–FOR THE KIDS!!!!!!

He IS my sweet baboo!

Today is my 2-year anniversary with Boo!

This picture was taken exactly 1 year after we met. 2 years after this picture was taken and we're still going strong!

Happy Anniversary Boo–here’s to many many more!

la

*And yes, that’s all you get today b/c it’s the day before THON and that’s where we met and I just need to remind you all to COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT b/c tomorrow is the last day to raise money via comments!  10 cents for EVERY SINGLE COMMENT!!  Get typing!  And get excited–tomorrow will be some of my favorite THON pics and vids from the years!

The day after effect

Getting back to real life the day after a sick day, or a vacation day, or even a snow day, is the worst.

That day off is never enough.

Think back to elementary school sick days (in fact Lauren just talked about this yesterday)–you spent the whole day camped out on the couch, watching cartoons, The Price is Right, and maybe a couple of movies.  Your parental units pumped you so full of orange juice, water and/or gingerale, depending on your particular ailment, that you were up on every commercial break to pee.  You ate soup and took naps and swallowed whatever grape flavored medicine you were given (I used to LOVE Dimetapp) and then, shortly after dinner, you sensed it.  The thermometer was on the counter and you knew that if your fever had broken you’d be on that big yellow bus first thing in the morning.  And you panicked.  You didn’t want to go back there.  Oh sure, you were fine.  You weren’t technically contagious and were barely sniffling anymore but by the time you realized it was back to school or back to back episodes of Doug, you knew what you had to do.

You started whining.  Complaining about your head hurting and your stomach hurting and your little pinky toe hurting–anything you could think of to buy another day at home.  As long as you had a parent’s note, what could your teachers do?  A whole lot of nothing, that’s what.  As you got older you started to really understand the “illnesses”–started to calculate how to play the days off.  If you spent Thursday at home, did you REALLY want to take Friday too?  Sure, it would be wise to not push yourself and to take another day to recover, but if you did that, could you go out Saturday night?

The day after effect is felt on non-sick days as well.  You know that dread you feel Sunday nights?  That “oh my gosh, I can’t believe I have to set an alarm…and actually get out of bed when it goes off!” feeling? Try it on a Monday.  Most of us spent this past Monday sleeping in, shopping, watching The O.C. on SoapNet–doing anything but things that could fall under the category of “productive.”  And then around 5 you started to notice how dusty your bookshelves were.  So you got out your Swiffer and fixed that.  Then you took out the trash.  And you finally put away the jeans that had been sitting on the floor since you threw them there after work on Friday.  And you realized that CRAP!  you could have been cleaning this whole time!  You could have done something useful with your day.  So you go into hyper-drive.  You de-clutter, disenfect and generally get down and dirty cleaning.

And suddenly it’s 9:30 and you’re as wired as if you just chased a No-Doze with an espresso.  And the day after effect hits.  The thought of re-entering the real world freaks you out.  You start to dread having to be awake at 7.  You think you can’t possibly fall asleep.  You pout when you realize that now you’ll NEVER see the episode where Seth and Summer finally get together after he gets dumped by Anna.

Currently Rachel is at home with a strep-like something or other.  After today, she’s no longer contagious.  But then, tonight, it’s going to strike.  The day after effect is going to hit her like a ton of bricks and she’s going to start thinking that, well, maybe one more day won’t hurt.  Maybe it would be safer not to push herself.  To just sleep in and wake up naturally and play it by ear, and just see how she feels.

Unfortunately for Rachel…and for all of us…the only way to break the day after effect is to just power through it.  To wake up when that alarm goes off, jump in the shower and then get the biggest, baddest coffee we can find.

But…if we aren’t ready…I mean, one more day won’t hurt us, right?  Just to be safe?  Isn’t one day now better than 2 days later if we get sick again?

Yeah…that’s what I thought.  What time is the Price is Right on again?

We’ve got singers! Or, my sort of live blog from the train Sunday night*

When you get on a train it’s always a crap shoot–who will you end up next to?  Will it be some creepy fat guy who basically sits on you?

That is a TOTAL line cross

Note how dude fell asleep...angled...toward me...ick.

Or will it be a fratty group of dudes who are overly impressed with themselves?

Or will you like, totally luck out and get the girls who, like, totally think they are in a band.

Oh what if we try this arrangement instead?

I can’t go that high, can we bring it down an octave?

You don’t even have to try any longer…to make me want to kill myself–AND YOU!

Why?  Why could it possibly be necessary to practice on a crowded Metro North train? As soon as I realized who I was stuck behind–the cover band from hell–I looked to the guy next to me to try and get a sympathy eye roll.  I wanted to ask them, “excuse me will you be doing this for the whole trip? If so I’ll put my headphones on.” I don’t really want to hear you sing the same 3 lines over and over for the next 2 hours. I mean,  I just can’t take it. It’s bad enough that the dude behind me has managed to somehow get his feet almost in my lap but if I have to listen to the Doublemint twins in front of me jamming to the same bad Corinne Bailey Rae song the whole way, I’ll freaking lose it.

Damn.  The dude next to me is bouncing at Fairfield.  I’m losing all backup! At least he seems equally annoyed so I know it’s not just me. They haven’t made it further than one verse and they’ve spent most of their time on the same 4 lines:

I thought that I was stronger
When you gonna realise, that you don’t even have to try any longer?
Do what you want to.
Girl, put your records on, tell me your favourite song

Oh here we go; to make matters worse I am in the bathroom car AND I am facing the backwards car and a creepy middle aged man is making this weird pursed duck lips face at me.  Sir…that’s gross.  Please stop. I’m not looking at you,  you just happen to be in my line of vision. Now at least I can chat with Blondie who looks like my ex and my neighbor had a baby–weird–but he’s out soon and then I lose my backup.  And my buffer zone–that’s even worse. Knowing my luck on this train I’ll get an even weirder seatmate which I just can’t risk.  But how to make it look like someone’s here? Put my bag down and hope for the best I guess.

Oh this should be good.  A girl just got on the train and busted up their little practice nook.  It’s quiet.  But for how long?  What’s this?  THEY ARE STILL SINGING!  Ah, and this is fun–one of them is chewing gum. Now I stopped singing years ago but I do remember that gum is a no-no whilst doing one’s scales.  You don’t think Shower Singer is chomping away when he belts out his arias do you?

I can’t believe this–35 minutes on one verse. And it’s not even your own song– someone has already worked out the key changes and the beat and, oh yeah, THE WORDS so what about this is so hard for you?!  Could it be the acoustics on the train? Yeah I bet it could.  That’s why trains are generally no singing zones!!   Augh!

I wonder if they’ll take requests.  Maybe a little Beyonce or some Brit Brit? All my singles ladies, now put your hands up, you, you you are a womanizer!

Fortunately Milli and Vanilli got off the train at Stamford.  Ah…some peace and quiet–finally.  Unfortunately the train has slowed and now stopped and lost all power just outside New Rochelle.  At least they aren’t here to serenade us in the dark.

la

*Yes, I did actually spend my trip typing this post out and no, they never made it past that one verse and yes, the girl who sat through their rehearsal deserved a medal by the end of the night b/c just before Harlem some guy fell over and crushed her box of Special K–don’t feel bad for him, he lost his balance and tried to blame a leg cramp so he wouldn’t look quite so goofy.

THON Update: 2/9-2/16

THON is this Friday!!!  Which means that there are only 5 more days to make your comments count*!!!

For those of you who may just be stumbling on this site, click here to read about what I’m doing.  5 cents for every comment on every new post b/w November 12 and February 20, up to $100.  I’m not counting pingbacks or my own comments either.  I’ve decided to switch things up a bit.  You guys have been great with the comments so from now until THON weekend, I’ll be donating 10 cents per comment i/o just 5!

The total for the past week is:

$14.20 (plus the poll results!)

The total so far is:

$69.45

Keep up the comments!!!  ForTheKids!!

This is the final push–make it count you guys!  EVERY comment is worth 10 cents so let’s reach our $100 FOR THE KIDS!!!!!

*Comments will be counted until midnight on 2/20!

The day Big Teddy blew away

It was a windy November day.

I was nearly 4.

And I was clutching that bear for dear life as the wind whipped by me.  To be honest, I was lucky I had him to weigh me down.

I’ve been thinking about Big Teddy this week.  The wind…oh the wind.  It’s been unbelievable.  Whipping around no matter which direction I walk.  I head west, I’m walking into it.  I turn the corner, I’m somehow STILL walking directly into it.

My commutes for the past few days have consisted of me, head down, eyes barely open, struggling to take even one step forward.  This wind has literally blown me backwards.  How am I supposed to battle that?

There’s no cure for wind.  If it’s cold, you put on a hat.  If it’s raining, you grab an umbrella and put on some rain boots.  But if it’s windy?  Nothing.  You’ve got nothing.  Forget protecting your hair–a hat will blow off and a hood won’t stay up.  You can kind of protect your eyes w/sunglasses but what are you supposed to do on the walk home, pull a Corey Hart?

I know I’ve obsessed about the wind before, but it’s out with a vengeance this week and I just can’t  handle it!  I mean, we just got a break from the seemingly endless frigid spell we were in; the sun started shining, the temperature rose, and then WHOOSH!  All ruined by the wind.  The first non-freezing day in weeks and we can’t even enjoy a walk around the block w/o getting blown away (and let me tell you, trying to eat ice cream while the wind is gusting right in your face is NOT an easy feat).

But thankfully it’s Friday.  And all I have to do now is hope that the wind is on my side when I hit the train to Connecticut.

Best in show my ass

This week was the Westminster dog show.  Now, I know some of you may have heard that this dog won:

photo courtesy of L.A. Times

Bravo Stump.  Now it’s time for the real competition.

In August, Rachel’s family got a new puppy–Suzie.  Since August I’ve watched this awkwardly adorable puppy grow up and let me tell you, the dog is damn cute.

But lately, someone has been doubting, nay denying that cuteness.  Rachel’s colleague, Colin, has not only been hating on Suzie but he’s been saying that his pup, Bailey, is cuter.

And quite frankly, I can’t handle this anymore.

So I’m doing the only logical thing I can do.  I’m putting it to a vote.  I’m going to leave it up to you, my loyal, puppy-loving readers.

Bailey or Suzie?

Bailey photo courtesy of Colin

Suzie photo courtesy of the roominator

Okay readers, let’s get to it.  To settle this battle once and for all, vote below (poll closes at 5pm!):

UPDATE: I’m not smart enough to figure out how to actually close this poll but as far as this contest is concerned, the poll was closed at 5pm and Suzie won with 31 votes, 6 comments and 2 emails from non-commenters!  YAY SUZIE!!!  But well played Bailey, well played.  You were in the lead for awhile but it’s official: Suzie is cuter.

Thank goodness we can put this to rest!

To compare my hair

Last night I finally got a haircut.  I needed to let it grow out a little after the Beyond incident.

Deva was great but I wanted to try someplace else.  It’s not that I don’t like shelling out the bucks for a great haircut, it’s just that I’d prefer to shell out a few less bucks, that’s all.

So, I consulted w/my curly friend in the office and we both decided that for our next cuts we’d try Bumble and Bumble.

The results?  Well, for HALF the price of the Deva cut I got hair that was the same length as the Deva cut but with a shape that was 10 times better.  That means I got curls that were sproingier and happier and all around cuter.

What do you think?

The Bumble Cut

Vs…

The Devachan Cut

Seriously…it’s the same length.  I can pull it into a ponytail and everything!

And yes, for the record, I do realize that I’m wearing the same tank in both pictures.  Apparently this is my haircuttin’ shirt?

PC load letter is just a cruel joke

This season, The Office aired an episode called “Surplus.”  The surplus would allow Michael’s team to get new chairs or a new copier.  Throughout the course of the episode, various employees were seen using, or attempting to use, the copier.

I was on Team Copier.

At every office I have ever worked in, there have always been printer/copier issues.  It’s out of ink.  The toner exploded and someone is trailing little blue footprints through the office.  The paper jammed and there’s no way to follow the “illustration” to unjam it.  Mainly becase the doors that the illustration are pointing to aren’t, in fact, on this particular model.

And so every day it’s a guessing game.  Every day it’s “is that printer working today?” And every day the answer is either “ha! no” or “Yes–wait–it just crapped out.”

What’s this all about?  My theory, and this is a bare bones theory at best, is that the printer/copier conglomerates are planning to avoid needing an economic bailout by providing printers/copiers that only mostly work.  Sure, you can get a few good print jobs about them.  Maybe a few Excel spreadsheets or a couple of emails.  Maybe a few color palettes or runway shots from Fashion Week.

But then, just when you are least expecting it, disaster strikes and you’re left staring, dumbfounded, wondering which paper tray is “empty” when you just filled each tray with paper.  And then, inevitably, a coworker will walk in and assume that either A) you’ve caused the problem or B) you’ll be fixing the problem.  Even if there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that you can even begin to detect what’s wrong because after reading instruction pages 1-7, you still can’t depict which flap needs to be opened.

On second thought, maybe I’m Team Chair.  I mean, if I can’t beat the system, I might as well be comfortable while I’m fighting it.