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I Gotta Get Me One of These!!

"The Perfect Hawaii Chair combines the ancient art of the Hula with patented 2,800 RPM Hula motor to create an easy-to-use waistline slimming and fat burning aerobic workout exercise machine that take the work out of your work."

*Many thanks to JDobbs for the tip!

London Day 3

Tonight, we PUB!!!

Oh, and Big Ben still stands.

That is all my pretties. That is all.

I Fear I am Starting To Bore You People

I mean seriously - I am just kicking along, living my famous lifestyle - but is it all that interesting? I think not. Am I becoming a bore?!?!

Couple of things I forgot about London bathrooms:

• The Bathtub: What is the fascination with taking a bath in this country?. It's 2008. Who bathes anymore? When was the last time any of us took a bath? And why is the tub so skinny? Apparently the UK is the fattest country in Europe, yet there is no way any normal size human (let alone a fatty) would be able to bathe in that bath.
• European Showers: Almost begrudgingly they give you a showerhead that only hangs about 1/2 way up the tub. And what's up with the half glass wall that is supposed to act as a shower curtain but doesn't really work? Water all over the floor!
• European hotel hairdryers: So low powered they might as well just be a room fan that I point at my wet head. One of these days I am going to time the hairdryer vs. just letting it air dry. I am honestly not sure which one would win.
• The light switch outside the bathroom: Apparently there is actually a law that says the light switches and power outlets must all be lovated outside the bathroom in the UK. This means some idiot at some point screwed it up for the rest of us and now I have to thank the lord there is a mirror outside the bathroom in order to dry my hair with the fan.

At least there isn't carpet in the bathroom...

London = Surreal

Just arrived in London this afternoon. Spent the last part of the trip into the hotel trapped in traffic from Kosovo independence celebrations (which I am sure have not stopped traffic in American cities) then headed out to wander around the city that I love.

And I do still love it. Regardless of the fact that it doesn't give a rip where I've been or what I think. It's still my fabulous city but I gotta tell you, being here - it's SURREAL.

I don't know if it's because I wasn't planning on being back so soon or jet lag or what. Maybe its because I came and went so often when I lived here - but it really feels like I never left. I mean REALLY. I almost got on the tube to go to Belsize Park when I was walking back from dinner. Then as I turned to face Trafalgar Square and began to question if the last 6 months in Seattle had even happened.

And then I really wanted to be back in Seattle more than anything.

Go figure.

Valentine Mixed Tape

While struggling with the appropriate gift to give to my Valentine yesterday, I was inspired by 5of9er and realized that the mixed tape (cd) was the perfect mix of corny, cute, and safe while still expressing that I took the time to make some effort. I share the playlist below.

At some point I will get back into my groove of Friday You Tube clips (I have some great ones lined up) but today you get my mixed tape playlist cause I really like it. It's loved up without being heavy on the corny sentimentality (kinda like me) and it's something I would likely listen to even not on VDay.

And yes, he's new and no, I didn't tell all of you.
Sometimes I KEEP THINGS TO MYSELF OK?!?!

1. Somebody to Love: Queen
2. You Sexy Thing Hot: Chocolate
3. Let My Love Open the Door: Pete Townshend
4. Let's Get It On: Marvin Gaye
5. No Tomorrow: Orson
6. Your Song: Elton John
7. Bubbly: Colbie Caillat
8. Waiting for That Day: George Michael
9. Love Will Come Through: Travis
10. Brighter Than Sunshine: Aqualung
11. Mushaboom: Feist
12. Better Together: Jack Johnson
13. All I Want Is You: U2
14. Come Away With Me: Norah Jones
15. It Takes Two: Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
16. Lovesong: The Cure

(For the record, he was prepared with nuthin, not even a flower, although I did get a nice dinner in return so that's something I guess. Oh well, maybe next year. )

Happy Valentine's Day!

Soul Mates?

My cute cute cousin has asked the question about soul mates on her blog and it got me thinking...in the interest of the pending Valentine's Day I decided to write a blog about it.

Hers is a question of faith. Do you believe in a soul mate?

My first thought was a quick and easy: "NO." Followed with a: "How silly."

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it's not a quick, easy answer. It all depends on how you define it. So I broke it down. First of all, you need to believe in the soul.

Which I do.

Then you need to believe that you have a perfect soul partner and you have somehow become separated from them and some how, some way, in this world of a billion people, you may become reconnected.

Why do you need to become reconnected? I don't know. Because my soul is not complete without them? Because they are the perfect compliment to me? Does that therefore mean I've wasted my life up to this point because I am not being half of someone else's whole? Because I am incomplete myself?

I think not.

It's a romantic notion though isn't it? And I DO think different people bring different things to your life. I think I have lots of people in my life that my soul needs to be complete but not just one person can ever be all things to another.

That's just not healthy.

But other people add to my existence and my happiness. We're social creatures. People need people. It's as simple as that.

In which case I would like to revise previous statements. Maybe I do believe in soul mates and it turns out, I have lots of them.

They're called 'friends'

BUT if you'd still like to know if they're your SOULMATE you can take this quiz ok?

Don't say I never gave ya nuthin!

Getting (kind of) Political

We're caucusing in Washington state on Saturday. While I rarely tend to pay attention to any election until the post-primary dust has settled, now that I am back in America, and it's been clearly proven that things go to hell in a handbasket when I leave, this year I am getting into the swing of things early.

Call it a sense of urgency to make sure we don't let any more good old frat boys near the White House for at least another 8 to 16 years.

I am America people...and so can you.

The conflict comes in when I realize that ultimately, I don't think rockstars or actors should get involved in politics (I mean look at what happened with Regan and Schwarzenegger) so, as a top global rockstar, I can't in good conscience spout off what I think you should do politically.

Except for that gay marriage thing. (but that's obvious, right?).
Oh, and the point on legal abortion. (but then we all agree here already)
And um, the semi-automatic weapons, immigration, health care and America's role in global energy policies. (but again, I don't need to state the obvious)
Oh, and Iraq. (puh-leeze!)

But like I said, since we are all obviously in agreement, I won't go repeating what we all already agree on. However, if you're like old Reckenroll, you got lots of opinions but not a lot of time to listen to speech after speech after political analysis after speech.

(Let's be honest, you just watch the Daily Show and Colbert Report and snicker from the sidelines while Comedy Central helps you decide your opinion on national policy then you repeat the funniest lines at cocktail parties and pass the points off as your own.)

So given that I haven't really invested a lot in the pre-game so far, I wasn't convinced who my candidate should be...until a friend pointed me to a cool little tool that can help you find your candidate (or gut check the candidate you've already picked).

You take a quiz on your existing opinions and the results will tell you who is closest to your opinions, how close they were and how/why you differ and on what points. I also love that I can see how the individual candidates compare to my opinion and then link directly to their position on the points where I disagree and find out what they think exactly.

Check it out HERE.

So while I won't be endorsing my candidate here (now that I know who he is, love that his name rhymes with Yo mama), I will say you should all get involved. Take the quiz. Take a stand.

Yes, we can.

And in other news...

For those among the audience who doubted that Reckenroll would be able to maintain her famous lifestyle from the cold rainy shores of the Pacific North West, we have a news bulletin:

London Tour Dates have been confirmed: 16-27 February, 2008

So break out the party panties and book your seats now!!!

This show WILL sell out!!

Are you ready?

*I'm Reckenroll, and I approve this message.

R.I.P. to the Baileyman

Danielle called me on Saturday morning. She told me that she wanted to talk to me before we all met up for lunch.

Apparently, the coolest cat on the planet, our Bailey, had passed away in his sleep on Friday night.

Sadcakes.

Bailey was a joint project. Danielle let me adopt him when we first moved in together. We were always good about "no joint purchases" - so I picked Bailey. He was my responsibility. He had kennel cough when I brought him home. Our first job as new parents was to drag him out from under the bed by his neck every night and wrap him in a towel so we could give him his medicine via eye dropper and not get scratched to death.

He hated it.

So needless to say, it took a while to win him over.

But in the long run, he was the coolest cat around. He was chatty, he liked to have a chat when you got home...he'd tell you about his day and sometimes he would even sit to listen to you talk about your day. He was a lover, he liked to have his belly rubbed, he'd get you to follow him across the room...on your knees...as he continually rolled away from you and you scooted to follow and keep rubbing the belly. He loved a good nap (but not with me cause I moved too much) and he'd power nap with Danielle like nobody's business. But most importantly for the Reckenroll, he was a rockstar...he had his own thing going on (like any good cat) and he didn't care if you partied with him or not.

When I moved to London I couldn't take him with me. I wasn't willing to put an 8 year old cat in quarantine for the 6 months the UK govt required. Regardless of the fact that Zak and I hadn't lived together for a year, I always secretly thought he liked Danielle better... so it was a logical conclusion that he should stay with her.

So he did.

When I came back 3 years later, it didn't make sense to take him back. He had a good thing going on. He was 13 years old and had a yard, a family, and a kitten to hang with. I couldn't offer him any of that. So he stayed on with Zak, and when I'd come to visit I'd get a cuddle and a passing confirmation that I still ranked (but not as high as I used to).

And on Saturday morning/night, it was Danielle who found him after he'd decided to check in to the kitty heaven in the sky. Unlike any other pet passing in my life, he was curled up in a sleeping type pose and completely at peace. He lived to be almost 15 years old. He wasn't sick, or hurt, or in any type of pain. He was happy. He was vibrant. He lived a big full life and I can't even be sad that he's gone except that I am sad I'll never get another cuddle.

Thanks for everything Baileyman. You rocked.

I'm Back (kinda)!!

But I am ever so busy. I posted a *few* photos but there are many more...for now, I leave you with a good feeling, a very good feeling. The feeling you know that:

I'll be back,
when the day is new,
and I'll have more ideas
for you
and you'll have things you'll want to talk about,
and I
will
too.

More soon neighbors!