Send Off

Tonight, it's drinks with co-workers for a fellow co-workers depature to a new agency. It seems to be that adertising is a lot of drinking to celebrate comings, goings, new accounts, and if things have gone badly, you drink too. Just after hours.

We're going to pub crawl in my neighborhood, so that's good news for me. It means that I can drink and walk with no problems. Will it be gin and tonic or microbrewed beer?

Can't say. Don't know yet. I do know the last time I was drinking in Royal Oak, my friend refused to leave the bar, so I walked home. Luckily it was only a few blocks.

In other news, I forgot my wallet today. No money, no ID, nada. I do have a mini can of diet coke, coffee, and a magazine, so all hope isn't lost. :)

Rain Boot Extravengza

Spring is almost here in Michigan. Technically, I think yesterday was springs calendar debut, but it is hard pressed to tell with the 35 degree weather just yesterday.

But, I did notice sprouts of grass and plenty of rain this morning. Which leads to my new obsession: Rain boots. I saw a pair of rain boots of the Kate Spade variety a few months back and suddenly thought, " I need rain boots."

I'm am at times a bit impulsive. I once took a photo of Hallie Berry to the salon and had the girl cut my hair like Hallie's. She can pull it off. Me, you could see my scalp when I turned sideways.

I played golf on the spur of the moment for work when I was a property manager for a HUD property. When I tried to protest, explaining I'd never played golf, they told me, I'd get the day off with pay, drive around in a cart, eat free steak dinner, and subside the meat with free beer. Well, how can one argue with that?

After said golf outing (I was awful), I decided to take up golf so I took lessons. Then I wanted golf clubs for Christmas. My dad told me to wait to see if I really, really liked golf.

Turned out I didn't. Which brings me back to my rain boots. The Kate Spade ones were classic stylish and expensive, but they lacked the fun of a rain boot. They were more for ladies that take the train to work, carry attache cases and never spill their coffee, or smear their lipstick.

Me though: I'm a puddle jumping mess. I drag a ratty tote bag into the office every morning, with my homemade lunch in an old Target Bag. I never have lipstick on, and I've dropped my coffee mug and watched it roll across the parking lot more than once.

So, I hunted online and found rain boots that were cheaper and more me. These were fun and not to pr icy, so I won't have to feel guilty if I don't wear them 800 times.

But I love boots. I used to have a pair of red boots that I apparently loved so much I insisted on wearing even in summer. And it's then that I decided rain boots are not impulsive for me, they're a rite of passage.

Quote This

A few quotes from a few movies that resonate with me.


What is your name?
Butch: Butch.
Esmeralda: What does it mean?
Butch: I'm American, honey. Our names don't mean shit.

Pulp Fiction

Was one of those movies that left me changed to the point where it hasn't left me, even 13 years later. Every time I hear the music, it brings me back to a summer of drinking, being young and carefree.


You're not like my other teachers, Professor Tripp.
Grady Tripp: You're not like my other students, James.

Wonder Boys

A movie about writing that is very funny, but subtle funny. The sort of movie that gets funnier every time I see it.

Is that what you call giving cover?
Sundance Kid: Is that what you call running? If I knew you were going to stroll...

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

One of the best movies of all time. Hands down. Redford and Newman are great actors who started the buddy movie trend. Love, love love this movie!

I know there are many more, but this is the kind of post that will require future updates.

Half Optimist

I watched the movie, Half Nelson last night. The subject matter was a tad depressing, (teacher addicted to crack), but it was a good story in that it wasn't all down-trodden and the story didn't wrap up in some neat little bow at the end. The teacher was played by Ryan Gosling who did a great job in my opinion.

He had a line in the movie about, every time the sun comes up we're blessed with a new day." While that idea isn't new, it was nice for me to be reminded of that once in a while. Today is better than yesterday for me, and maybe tommorow will be even better.

Maybe it's cause I went to the gym, or because the sun is out, or because I got a haircut. Who knows?

I'm just looking forward to feeling good for the rest of the day, minus the tiredness.

I consider myself a cynical optimist. It fits me most of the time.

The Quinlan O Family

Happy St. Patrick's Day on this soon to be Irish revelery weekend.

It seems that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day and I'm ok with it. A friend just asked if I was feeling any more Irish today. I'm sure he was joking, but in fact I don't feel any more Irish today than I will next week.

Probably because I don't know how it feels to be anything else. I love to celebrate my heritage but that has meant green beer in the past. Now, it just means that I love my huge family. I love that I may go months or weeks between family gatherings, but as soon as I see one of my cousins, aunts or uncles we hug like it was yesterday. We pick up in the middle of the same joke, laugh about the next installment of certain family stories, all while drinking, laughing and sharing.

My Aunt Pat has started collecting all of the family history into wonderful movies on dvd for us all to enjoy. I love pictures too and seeing all of my uncles, aunts and grandparents when they were young. I look forward to my generation and seeing where me and all my cousins end up. Some things I have learned from growing up Irish.

1. Irish people like to love. We welcome all friends like they're family. If you come to a party, expect to be interrogated and then welcomed with wide open arms.
2. Yes, there is the drinking.
3. I know that I will always be a fighter. I'm a kind and gentle person who often gets mistaken as meek. Go ahead, underestimate me or talk down to me. You won't do it twice.
4. Pride- Irish people in general and it seems my family especially are full of pride. Our last name is revered, tattoted, printed on shirts, and even when the women in the family marry they often keep Quinlan.
5. You can't just leave a family party unannounced, unless your Uncle Tony. He's scooted away a few times. But the tradition is to hug everyone and spend at least 30 minutes saying good-bye. If one has somewhere to be, you better plan for the goodbye to get out on time.
6.We're not a flashy family. I'm sure we all do fine in our respective jobs, but no one is going to suck up to you because you dress in fancy clothes or have a big career. We love our tree-trimmers with as much vigor as our professional althetes. We also have a few teachers, an undertaker, a copywriter, an accountant, speech therapist, marketing person, copywriter, artist, canoe livery operator, producer of a quilting show on PBS.

But as soon as somebody gets a big ego, you'll get knocked down on your ass.

I miss my family but I take comfort in knowing they're all a family party away and if I ever get in trouble, they will be there, which brings me to 7.
7. We show up. When my brother Shane was hurt in a tree accident, the whole family came down by the van-ful to pile into Shane's hospital room.

When my dad was sick with cancer and chemo treatments his brothers and sisters came down in shifts to visit and help me my brother and my mom out. When my cousin Travis died last year, my dad came to the wake even though he was pretty sick, he wanted to be there for his brothers, sisters, neices and nephews.

Well, Irish people like to talk and since I'm finally out of steam, I'll leave you to have your Irish memories, I'm late for a potluck lunch here at the office.

Happy St.Patrick's Day to one and all.

Be Safe.

Apples are not Oranges

I felt like I had to take hand to keyboard today and get something down. Have been under a work cloud lately and haven't been able to pay my blog too much attention.

Did I get my free Starbucks coffee this morning? Yes, I did. I usually make coffee at home most mornings, and I did this morning, but some days there just isn't enough of it.

After work I'm going to the Apple store to buy a new bag for my laptop. I tried to cheap out and buy one at Walmart, but that simply won't too. My computer is too skinny and slides too and fro. So, it's off to Apple I go.

I realize I spent enough money on the computer so I might as well pony up the money to carry it around, or there isn't much of a point in buying a laptop.

No Takers on the Death Express

This morning during my morning commute, I discovered something even more unsettling and nerve inducing than having a cop drive behind you.

A hearst. Yes, a hearst followed me all the way to work and I kept feeling like the Grim Reaper was out for a joy ride and wanted company.

Sorry buddy. Not today. How come he didn't follow me yesterday when I was feeling a bit down, defeated and depressed?

No, he waits till today when I'm rather tired, but in a better mood.

Ah well. I made it to work without taking a turn on the death cab.

So, things are looking up.

Giant Button of Grace

This morning was a good sleeping morning. The kind of morning where the covers are just warm enough, snuggled just so that I was full cocooned and could have slept for days.

But as is custom for those of us who need money, I had to get out of bed to go the gym, and then on to work.

And here I am. But I often trick myself, promising myself if I get up I'll be able to take a nap later. This is a lie I'll tell myself, but I fall for it every morning.

I do notice that the only time I'm an excellent mathematician is when my snooze button is involved. I can calculate to the second, how much longer I get to sleep if I push it, and how many times I can do it, till I've run out of snooze time.

If only we'd cover snooze button math in Algebra rather than FOIL (First, Outside, Inside, Last), I'd have gotten an A+. My snooze button is my magic genie, my granter of sleep in seven minute increments.

I couldn't live without it. Or coffee. Or showering. Or chocolate. Or rambling.

Land Of Oz

For those of you who may have seen the news yesterday, the tornado that hit Enterprise Alabama, is the town where my cousin Colleen and her son Patrick live.

Patrick goes to the high school, but luckily he wasn't in school yesterday and is fine.

So is Colleen, and I'm so glad. Our big family doesn't talk or gather every day, but that doesn't mean we don't care about each other. In fact, it's been a rough week and year for the family.

My cousin Travis died a year ago this week at 28. I was reminded of this and how life is so precious especially again after yesterday, and I'm grateful that we won't be facing another tragedy today.

Not much other news. I'm just feeling grateful this morning that my big huge Irish clan are all doing ok and I take comfort in knowing that even if I don't talk to them all everyday, there are all only a phone call away.

Stop the Maddness

Anna Nicole Smith.

Small town girl dreamed of making it rich.
Got pregnant young and had a son.
Outfitted herself in big hair and fake boobs.
Became a stripper.
Married an old, old man.
Become a Millionaire.
He died.
She lost her money.
Fought, fought and fought again to get it back.
Used drugs.
Got fat.
Lost the weight.
Got pregnant.
Gained weight.
Had Baby Girl.
Son died.
Lost weight.
Did drugs.
She died.


Now please, can we stop? I don't need to hear one more story, one more entertainment show dedicated to Anna Nicole. The amazing part is how little information anyone has, but yet they dedicate weeks and weeks to her death, while she was alive these same shows helped make fun of her.

I wasn't an Anna Nicole Smith fan, but I'd hoped she'd turn her life around. Sadly she didn't, but the news media really needs to stop reporting her every move, lack of move, burial plan etc.

There is a war going on, thousands of young men and women fighting for our own good living are dying and we gloss over that to skip ahead to see where Anna Nicole will be buried.

Listen, I'm no saint. I read gossip magazines. I read because it helps me forgot how sad and unforgiving the world can be. But I also try and keep up on current events and I'm not talking about how a stripper spent her last day on earth.

I pray that between all these handlers, one of them will be looking out for the best interest of her daughter, so that she may grow up in a world where we spent at least some of our energy on things that matter.