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Posts from 2005


dec 05

A New Year  •  In an impressive display of karma, I’m in bed this evening with some kind of virus. You don’t even want to know what my day … 31 dec, 11:29 p.m.

some data 2005  •  So, 2005 wasn’t my favorite year. Here’s the breakdown of good days versus bad days. Here’s a breakdown of how I spent my time in … 30 dec, 9:44 p.m.

More 2005 stuff  •  Awesome things I bought iPod nano red couch my baby digital camera Colors Pink Red Olive green Favorite posts by month comment spam (a really … 29 dec, 7:15 p.m.

Music 2005  •  I thought long and hard about making an end of the year music list, because it generally ends in tears and is usually a rehash … 28 dec, 11:50 p.m.

tears  •  So, yesterday was a pretty rough day for me. I could not believe after all the buildup, all the shopping, and all the baking, Christmas … 27 dec, 10:35 p.m.

Joyeux Noël  •  I hope Santa was good to you, if you’re into that sort of thing. What did I get for Christmas? Lots of love. Audra was … 25 dec, 11:08 p.m.

may your days be merry and bright  •  24 dec, 10:17 p.m.

beer  •  I was by the beer case at Super Target tonight (I got lost on my way to the breakfast freezer for waffles), and I noticed … 21 dec, 11:37 p.m.

Christmas presents  •  And… I’m done. I’m pretty pleased with my Christmas gifting this year. I got really excited and spent a bit more than I planned, but … 20 dec, 11:03 p.m.

cold and dark  •  It’s gotten almost winter-like in Tennessee lately, and the days are growing shorter. I have flannel sheets on my bed and warm socks on my … 19 dec, 11:20 p.m.

pencils with my name on them  •  Look what I got today! 18 dec, 11:14 p.m.

Winn  •  Winn throws one bitchin’ holiday party. 16 dec, 8:32 p.m.

clap your hands!  •  Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: it’s pretty bandwagon-y, but I flipping love this album. The two songs they make available on their website are really … 14 dec, 11:57 p.m.

Audra love  •  Maura: Audra’s getting a [removed] for Christmas. Emma: From who? Maura: Santa Emma: ?? Maura: Claus? And, later… Maura: Emma’s mad that Audra’s getting a … 13 dec, 7:29 p.m.

A list of things I actually like about Knoxville  •  In December, lots of trees made of lights pop up on the roofs of buildings downtown. We have a Super Target. There’s a theater just … 12 dec, 11:11 p.m.

The Rules  •  I cannot believe I have never posted my Christmas light decorating rules. Seriously. I’ve done several searches on my archives and have come up empty. … 11 dec, 5:48 p.m.

quiet  •  I had a really quiet day today. And I bought a lot of chocolate. Most of it is for Christmas baking. Feel free to come … 10 dec, 11:48 p.m.

Wondering  •  Although you couldn’t pay me to buy this album (no, really), am I the only one wondering what the red light on her back is? … 08 dec, 10:33 p.m.

Unintentional napping  •  When I got home from work today, I did something out of the ordinary: I read a book. I haven’t read any books for pleasure … 07 dec, 10:57 p.m.

squeamish  •  Something apparently not everyone knows about me is that I’m a total wuss. I have a really hard time with blood and insides (guts, if … 06 dec, 10:48 p.m.

Mauras (IMotD)  •  Discussing the other Maura in the race I ran on Thanksgiving, in my age bracket nonetheless, and how my goal is to beat her next … 05 dec, 11:06 p.m.

Downtown West  •  I was so glad only the crappy Aeon Flux came out this weekend because it gave me the opportunity to catch up on a couple … 04 dec, 10:48 p.m.

And it’s here  •  As I write this, it is practically 4.00am, and I am just thankful this whole launching thing is over. I’m sure a couple of minor … 03 dec, 3:51 a.m.

new design  •  …is having a very annoying flash of unstyled content issue. So annoying. Check back this weekend. 01 dec, 11:59 p.m.


nov 05

slacker  •  This is Brandon’s blog. Brandon updates…sporadically. However, I’d like to draw your attention to the “Daily Muse” and “Haiku” on the right sidebar. The haiku? … 30 nov, 11:12 p.m.

on being a girl  •  I’d rather be smart than pretty any day. 29 nov, 10:06 p.m.

cookies  •  I’m planning my Christmas cookie baking schedule, and now would be the time to make requests. So far: Oatmeal chocolate chip (for Winn) M&M cookies … 28 nov, 11:27 p.m.

the tree  •  I put up my Christmas tree today. Want to see it? Yeah, you do. I couldn’t quite justify the hassle of a real tree for … 27 nov, 9:51 p.m.

Ice Hockey  •  This year, the National Hockey League board of governors approved a series of rule changes , generally designed to boost scoring and increase the speed … 26 nov, 4:03 p.m.

Happy Thanksgiving!  •  I woke myself up this morning with a 5K walk/run. I’m caffeinated, I’m watching the parade, and I’ve got Predators tickets for later. (Thanskgiving hockey? … 24 nov, 11:10 a.m.

i love chandler  •  Reason #39376 why I love Chander: in the episode “The One Where joey Speaks French,” Monica makes fun of Chandler for “moo-ing” when he’s being … 22 nov, 11:06 p.m.

Sweet but Non-obvious Songs for a Girlfriend Mix CD  •  This began with a conversation with a friend and the song “Secret of the Sea” by Wilco (by way of Woodie Guthrie and Mermaid Avenue … 21 nov, 11:16 p.m.

harry potter walks the line  •  I saw Harry Potter and the Flaming Goblet of Homosexuality Goblet of Fire and Walk the Line this weekend. Of course. I can’t deny it: … 20 nov, 10:45 p.m.

cyberstalking  •  AOL used to (maybe still does, not sure) have a feature where if you sent an email to another AOL user it would tell you … 17 nov, 11:37 p.m.

kicking television  •  I bought Wilco’s live album, Kicking Television, today. It came out yesterday. My first thought: why did I wait so long? Anyway, it’s really good. … 16 nov, 10:16 p.m.

bad habits  •  I have horrible habits, and because I’m in a self-deprecating mood, I’m going to share them with you. I love looking at wedding stuff. Rings, … 15 nov, 11:54 p.m.

allen  •  Today is my brother Allen’s birthday. He is 22. You bet your sweet ass he’s single. And you know you want to be my sister-in-law. … 14 nov, 10:54 p.m.

the drive  •  Today my normally three-hour trip from Franklin, TN, to Knoxville, TN, took five hours. Traffic was backed up on I-40 pretty much from Crossville to … 13 nov, 10:37 p.m.

the obligatory “yay it’s my birthday so spam my comments” post  •  XOXO 11 nov, 12 a.m.

design stealing  •  My design never gets ripped off anymore. This makes me sad. My last design got ripped off a lot (the big N, if you’ve been … 10 nov, 10:37 p.m.

semi-recent purchases  •  I bought Booq’s Vyper laptop sleeve not long after they came out with the XXS for 12” Powerbooks. It’s lovely and fits my computer like … 09 nov, 10:13 p.m.

the i  •  Shouldn’t exclamation (as in exclamation point) be spelled like exclaim, with an I? 07 nov, 10:34 p.m.

the tipping fairies  •  Emma and I are good tippers. She works in a restaurant, and I know too many people who do or have not to be. We … 06 nov, 8:57 p.m.

David Larsen  •  Today is David Larsen’s 25th birthday. You don’t know David Larsen, and I doubt David Larsen reads this, but it’s his birthday. I only remember … 04 nov, 11:09 p.m.

file formats: good and bad  •  File formats I’m into: GIF—clean and light PNG—clean and light, better than GIFs, just need some support for alpha channels in IE PDF—works for everyone, … 03 nov, 6:45 p.m.

weightless  •  I love the feeling when you go to pick an item up, and it’s much lighter than you anticipated, so your hand kind of flies … 02 nov, 9:50 p.m.

archives  •  I freaking love my archives: silly Jason pictures cam fun 143 hits - the day maura.nu was linked on Kottke. 143 would be a really … 01 nov, 11:57 p.m.


oct 05

using names  •  Something I suck at is using a person’s name in conversation. I’m actually pretty okay with remembering them, but something about using them I find … 31 oct, 11:14 p.m.

my weekend  •  I spent the weekend in football stadiums. I went to a marching band competition on Saturday (yeah, I know), and I discovered flutes (and flute … 30 oct, 11:11 p.m.

too wide  •  I’m sick of layouts made for screens greater than 1024x768 because they scroll horizontally on my 12” Powerbook. 28 oct, 12:19 a.m.

turkey wrap  •  For lunch lately I’ve been having a turkey wrap. I thought I’d share my “recipe.” wheat tortilla thin-sliced turkey shredded lettuce sliced red onion cucumbers … 26 oct, 11:17 p.m.

annoyance  •  In URLs, they’re not (nor are they referred to as) backslashes; they’re just regular slashes. Slash: / Backslash: \ 25 oct, 11:32 p.m.

losing my edge  •  I’ve had a lot of typos in my blog posts lately, and shame on most of you for not noticing. (They’re fixed now. At least, … 24 oct, 10:41 p.m.

user reviews on iTunes  •  When iTunes added user reviews, everyone said “finally,” and “They should have had them all along.” You know what? I totally disagree. When they added … 23 oct, 9:52 p.m.

holidays  •  After work tonight, I went to Target to check on their progress of getting Christmas stuff out. No, really, I did. You can’t make me … 20 oct, 9:38 p.m.

word nerd  •  Something I do constantly (and much to Stephen Colbert’s dismay) is look up words. I have an above average vocabulary (I hope) for someone my … 19 oct, 11:27 p.m.

5 things it sucks to do when you’ve got a cold  •  Answer the phone at work. This actually ends up being kind of funny, because people don’t recognize my voice. Laugh. It ends up in a … 18 oct, 11:10 p.m.

no, it’s not the avian flu  •  I have to complain: I have a cold. I’m congested and achy and it’s not attractive. Someone bring me some soup. Or leave a comment … 17 oct, 8:59 p.m.

breakfast food  •  Five things the Comfort Inn and Suites in downtown Little Rock, AR, could add to take their deluxe continental breakfast to a super-deluxe continental breakfast: … 16 oct, 8:45 p.m.

memphis  •  Dear Graceland, I’ve seen you, and now I can check that off my to-do list, permanently. Too much waiting. Well, if they open your second … 14 oct, 11:36 p.m.

the bill  •  I’m in Arkansas. No, really. Bill is quite a guy. But you knew that already. His library is lovely. Need a good laugh? Watch The … 13 oct, 10:58 p.m.

name that tune  •  I signed on to AIM a moment ago, and these were the away messages I was greeted with: “I’m in the sky tonight / There … 11 oct, 8:24 p.m.

the Aeron  •  Today, I embarked on a journey of good posture. Okay, I’m half-lying, half-sitting on the couch right now, but earlier today, there was good posture. … 10 oct, 10:43 p.m.

west wing  •  The West Wing has already been ruined for me tonight, because Emma told me they don’t reveal who the leak in the White House is. … 09 oct, 10:40 p.m.

square  •  Whenever I watch Full House, I think, why oh why wouldn’t they let Dave Coulier unbutton the top button on his shirts? 08 oct, 8:02 p.m.

smart  •  When I worked at Best Buy, there were plenty of times when I was not taken seriously by customers because I am a girl. This … 06 oct, 10:26 p.m.

elevator  •  My office building has these really quirky elevators. When one reaches your floor, there is this excrutiating fifteen-second pause where it decides whether to open … 05 oct, 10:48 p.m.

favorites  •  When I was in college, my favorite day of the week was Thursday. It was just close enough to the weeekend but not quite the … 04 oct, 9:16 p.m.

ocd, maybe  •  I did laundry yesterday, and for the first time ever I saw other people in the laundry room. A fellow launderer and I had the … 03 oct, 9:43 p.m.


sep 05

IMotD  •  Shaun: how come you’re only ever online at crazyasslate:00 pm? Speaking of which, unless you are in my immediate family or work with me, I’ve … 30 sep, 11:34 p.m.

Alias  •  Asking Sydney Bristow to marry you = death wish. (Spoilers, smoilers. It was no secret Michael Vartan wanted off the show.) 29 sep, 11:38 p.m.

Installing Movable Type  •  I’m going to make a statement: the Movable Type Installation Instructions suck. First of all, they recommend installing Movable Type (MT) in the cgi-bin directory. … 28 sep, 11:05 p.m.

blind carbon copy  •  Hello friends. I’d like to introduce you to my friend BCC. You know those emails you get/send with 50-100 people listed under To or CC? … 27 sep, 11:36 p.m.

cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger  •  I have this theory that no one actually cares for the taste of pumpkin, but rather it is only a medium for the delicious accompanying … 26 sep, 11:27 p.m.

ahhh  •  Some deeply satisfying things: Finishing a book Getting into a made bed The sound of the shutter on a real camera Getting a haircut Lighting … 25 sep, 11:37 p.m.

sleep and comfort  •  When you live alone, as I do, after you have a really bad nightmare, as I did last night, there is no one around to … 24 sep, 11:30 p.m.

new fall shows  •  Not so good so far. 22 sep, 11:45 p.m.

Driving  •  It’s no secret I’m not fond of driving. I don’t get excited about cars. For me, it’s pretty dull, and there’s always the chance of, … 21 sep, 11:28 p.m.

upcoming movies I won’t be missing  •  Serenity I’ve never even seen Firefly, but you can’t ignore the excitement from the Buffy camp. Shopgirl By Steve Martin, starring Steve Martin. Sold. Harry … 20 sep, 11:49 p.m.

microwave  •  I don’t have a microwave. People think this is weird. I could have a microwave. I make a couple of bucks, and they aren’t that … 19 sep, 11:54 p.m.

just like mediocre  •  Just Like Heaven? Eh. Just okay. Coldplay cancelled their Wednesday and Friday night shows due to illness. (“Martin was felled by a virus.”) We’ll see … 18 sep, 2:16 p.m.

shriek  •  If I wanted to watch a movie to scare myself, and I mean really scare myself, what should I rent? 15 sep, 10:52 p.m.

digital camera  •  So I’m in the market for a new digital camera. I’ve gone back and forth between getting an ultracompact point-and-shoot or possibly splurging on a … 14 sep, 10:51 p.m.

The (Red) Couch  •  My couch finally arrived today. At 7.30 AM. I was in my pink pajama pants and tshirt. (I was awake, but I didn’t want to … 13 sep, 10:14 p.m.

pressing on  •  I finally forced myself to finish Nick Hornby’s A Long Way Down. I don’t recommend it. Seriously. I didn’t enjoy it. This, of course, begs … 12 sep, 10:45 p.m.

awkwardness  •  I haven’t met anyone from the internet in a while. You game? 10 sep, 10:45 p.m.

Dogs  •  In a surprising and inconceivable turn of events, I have decided to become a dog person. It will be a long process, so you will … 08 sep, 11:05 p.m.

Winn  •  Dear Winn, Yesterday was your birthday, and I let it pass unnoticed. Thus, I issue this public apology: happy belated birthday, Winn. I’m sorry I … 07 sep, 11:07 p.m.

danger  •  I hung my large and gorgeous mirror tonight. If you don’t hear from me tomorrow, the 30 pound drywall anchor was not enough, and I … 06 sep, 11:53 p.m.

Dane Cook  •  I spent much of my road trip this weekend with Dane Cook. Even though Emma completely stiffed me on the first disc of Retaliation, Dane … 05 sep, 11:17 p.m.

the beach  •  For my Labor Day weekend, even though gas prices are insanely high, I decided to drive out to Raleigh, NC, to visit Stacey. (I made … 03 sep, 9:28 p.m.


aug 05

check  •  I did a truly heinous thing today: I wrote a check. Okay, on rare occasions I do write checks: for rent, for piano lessons. But … 31 aug, 10:15 p.m.

commitment issues  •  I’m having trouble decorating my apartment because I can’t decide where everything should go. I did put up two shelves above my desk, which was … 30 aug, 11:51 p.m.

liquid  •  For reasons I won’t disgust you with here, I decided to try liquid band-aid. (It’s actually another brand called New Skin, because Liquid Band-Aid is … 29 aug, 11:02 p.m.

I know  •  When the guy took our tickets today for Undiscovered, I wanted to say, “Yes, I know we’re going to see the worst movie ever.” 28 aug, 9:36 p.m.

my 2nd favorite barista  •  “Good morning. Thank you for choosing Starbucks. This is Josh. How may I help you?” Nice voice, I thought. I ordered. He gave me the … 27 aug, 11:34 p.m.

upgrade!  •  I upgraded to Movable Type 3.2 about fifteen minutes ago, and, well, wasn’t that nifty. It’s been changed now so all you have to do … 25 aug, 9:48 p.m.

and they have star sprinkles  •  Tonight’s baking adventure: cupcakes in ice cream cones. Lindsay, with whom I work, has a fascinating affinity for flat-bottomed cones, so I figured this would … 23 aug, 11:35 p.m.

two movies  •  The 40 Year Old Virgin was funny and actually pretty sweet, but not in a chick flick way. Many of the jokes are in the … 21 aug, 11:55 p.m.

hungry (I am not)  •  So I don’t want to get into much detail, but my mom had surgery on Thursday (she’s fine), and since then, people keep dropping by … 20 aug, 11:39 p.m.

princess  •  My mom just got a new car, a Chrysler Pacifica, named “the Princess.” Strangely enough, she and my father have not let Emma drive it, … 18 aug, 11:48 p.m.

weddings  •  Even though I am completely disenchanted with the whole marriage thing, personally, I love going to weddings. It’s actually great I am now at the … 17 aug, 11:06 p.m.

changing  •  I sent myself a FutureMail about six months ago, which I received the other day. In it, I mentioned two things I hoped would be … 16 aug, 9:40 p.m.

superficial  •  I have only a superficial understanding of the following things, and I admit it. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict Stocks Rocket science Brain surgery How cars work … 15 aug, 11:33 p.m.

priorities  •  Once the moving is over, my priorities fall in the following order: Make sure the internets are working. Make sure TiVo is working. Unpack boxes. … 14 aug, 8:53 p.m.

and everyone we know  •  I just got back from seeing Me and You and Everyone We Know, which is the director’s, Miranda July, debut (as well as for writing … 13 aug, 11:53 p.m.

not quite enough  •  When I was in college and hadn’t gotten enough sleep, I would get myself to go to class by promising myself a nap when I … 12 aug, 6:54 p.m.

bte  •  I’ve decided to divulge the following secret: I have been listening to Better Than Ezra pretty much constantly lately. Yeah, they’re B-list mid-90s pop/alt-rock, but … 10 aug, 11:56 p.m.

Absorbent and yellow and porous is he!  •  I wore a Spongebob Squarepants Band-Aid on my arm all day today, and nobody noticed. 08 aug, 9:30 p.m.

pretend  •  The other night, Stacey and I talked about junior prom versus senior prom, and how much better senior prom was. This got me to thinking, … 07 aug, 10:33 p.m.

home equity  •  Dear Bank of America, Over the past several months, I have received numerous offers from you in the mail, most of which have been for … 05 aug, 5:22 p.m.

girly-girly sister-sister crap  •  I’d like to respond to the “girly girly sister sister crap” part of the comment I got from Jason today. First, besides our love for … 04 aug, 10:30 p.m.

word to Emma  •  Dear Big Ho, It’s hard to believe you are eighteen years old. Seems like just yesterday Allen and I agreed another child was pretty much … 03 aug, 12 a.m.

girlfriend  •  I’ve talked a few times before about how I consider myself to be living the good life, all by myself, no boyfriend or roommate to … 01 aug, 8:18 p.m.


jul 05

aunt  •  Emma and I have talked this over at length, and we’ve decided we’re ready to be aunts. Why? Well, basically, we want babies to play … 31 jul, 10:30 p.m.

good things  •  Today I tried the shaken green tea and lemonade at Starbucks. It is a shame I did not discover it until the 30th of July, … 30 jul, 8:41 p.m.

a happy list  •  Here’s a happy list for this week. Diet Sprite. Always. Sleep. Lots of sleep. Yankee Candle’s rice milk candle, because you can’t quite put your … 29 jul, 11:51 p.m.

the girl card  •  Something I try hard not to do is play the girl card. For me, it’s not about not needing a man, it’s about not being … 28 jul, 11:56 p.m.

genius  •  Dinner. Stacey and I have just gotten our credit card slips back. Stacey: Okay, how much are you leaving? Maura: Well, 15% is 1.47$ and … 27 jul, 10:40 p.m.

no glue gun  •  This is what I posted one year ago today This is what I posted three years ago today. I’m still watching Full House and drinking … 26 jul, 11:44 p.m.

hey man  •  I love how when guys greet each other it’s always “Hey, man,” whether they’ve known each other for years or minutes. Or, it may be … 25 jul, 9:29 p.m.

boredom  •  I did all of the things I wanted to do today (including scrubbing the tub—fun) and I just didn’t know what to do with myself … 24 jul, 11:39 p.m.

cloy1  •  Something no one knows about me (until now) is I like wandering around craft stores and looking at fabric and patterns. I am not much … 23 jul, 11:32 p.m.

calories  •  Tonight Stacey and I devoured a large pizza and had two scoops each at Baskin-Robbins. And it was so good. 20 jul, 11:42 p.m.

views  •  I got more comments/emails than I expected over my offhand “I don’t even like Democrats!” comment in my post confessing my love for Bill Clinton. … 19 jul, 11:59 p.m.

cereal  •  I’ve gotten pretty hooked on cereal lately. I frequently have it for dinner because it’s fast and full of vitamins and minerals, and I don’t … 18 jul, 11:32 p.m.

evenings  •  Last week or so there was a question on Ask MeFi about what (married or unmarried) childless people do in the evenings after work (besides … 17 jul, 11:59 p.m.

harry potter and the half-blood prince  •  After debating going out and getting this book after midnight last night, I fell into a very restful sleep, even waking up late, before I … 16 jul, 10:04 p.m.

reminder  •  Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince comes out this Saturday. 14 jul, 11:49 p.m.

cleanup  •  Here are some things I had on my stickies widget to post about. Stacey and I saw Mad Hot Ballroom last night, and it was … 13 jul, 11:08 p.m.

stuffed animals  •  I seem to have a lot of stuffed animals left over from high school (and some college). Nothing makes me feel like a child more, … 11 jul, 10:32 p.m.

detour  •  Today did not go as planned. My intentions were to get up reasonably early, do my grocery shopping at Target in a timely manner, then … 10 jul, 9:18 p.m.

conspiracy theory  •  Something weird that I like to do is freak myself out. Scary movies, roller coasters, Unsolved Mysteries—I love this stuff. Recently I discovered the Urban … 07 jul, 10:27 p.m.

primer  •  I’m exhausted from covering my living room, kitchen, and dining area walls with primer. Just the bedroom and bathroom to go. I get to live … 06 jul, 11:44 p.m.

buy this  •  You should run out and by the Mr. & Mrs. Smith soundtrack asap, because besides the pretty that is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, it … 05 jul, 11:07 p.m.

fifty something  •  I think the Fourth of July is all about going through fifty something sparklers. While at the stand, I noticed many of the fireworks have … 04 jul, 11:04 p.m.

bill clinton  •  Okay, I admit it: I have a huge crush on Bill Clinton. First of all, he’s a total hottie. Secondly, he was a wildly popular … 01 jul, 11:56 p.m.


jun 05

customer service  •  Everyone seems to like to bitch about their cell phone company and their received level of customer service. While I am not saying they are … 30 jun, 8:20 p.m.

random entry  •  Don’t you think it’s funny the day after I post about Odeo, iTunes launches 4.9 with podcasting? Yes. My Magic Widget seems to be right … 28 jun, 11:43 p.m.

odeo  •  Sometime last week, I got an invitation to try out Odeo in beta. Odeo is basically the “missing link” between podcasting (audio content + rss) … 27 jun, 11:12 p.m.

wedding crashers  •  Dear Hollywood, Thank you for making a movie with my two favorite hot and funny actors (Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn) in the leading roles. … 26 jun, 11:20 p.m.

emergency contact  •  This morning my father emailed me and asked if it was okay if he listed me as his emergency contact on his passport application. For … 24 jun, 10:25 p.m.

die  •  If no one ever, ever played the following songs again, I wouldn’t cry. Where is the Love by Black Eyed Peas Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm … 22 jun, 9:22 p.m.

minor regrets  •  If I had to go back and do it all again: musical instrument choice Flute? What was I thinking? I would pick trombone. If I … 21 jun, 11:29 p.m.

treats  •  Since I have been doing this a little while, I often search my archives before I make a post to make sure I haven’t said … 20 jun, 10:54 p.m.

effing walmart  •  It never ceases to amaze me how much being in Walmart (and most especially the Walmart in Knoxville off Gallaher View) makes me want to … 19 jun, 11:39 p.m.

adventures in haircolor  •  Last night, my friend Hilary and I highlighted our hair with Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Multi-Lights. We had a difficult time deciding which kit to go … 18 jun, 11:01 p.m.

How I feel about  •  Runaway Bride sells her “story” You’re kidding, right? Why we continue to eat this crap is beyond me. The “progress” on the Natalee Holloway case … 16 jun, 11:37 p.m.

birfday  •  Happy Birthday, Mom! 16 jun, 7:09 p.m.

batman  •  I saw Batman Begins tonight, and I thought you should know this movie wastes no time getting right to business. And, although I do not … 15 jun, 11:52 p.m.

minor disappointments  •  I thought you should know the Cheez-Its in the Star Wars box are shaped like regular Cheez-Its. They are not mini Death Stars or Vader … 13 jun, 11:41 p.m.

some thoughts on albums  •  Albums that improved greatly upon further review: Dave Matthews Band - Stand Up Favorite track: “Smooth Rider” Barnaked Ladies - Maroon Favorite track: “Off the … 12 jun, 10:42 p.m.

irony  •  I watched Reality Bites for the first time in a while, and here’s a short list of why it’s the greatest movie ever: Steve Zahn … 10 jun, 11:57 p.m.

Chandler  •  I’ve thought about this a lot, and I’ve decided I want to marry Chandler Bing. You know, from Friends. I like him the most in … 08 jun, 10:33 p.m.

two books  •  Tonight I finished The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I started to write a fantastic summary of this book but failed. It is fiction, set … 07 jun, 11:19 p.m.

restless and paranoid  •  I’ve had a prescription for Allegra for some time now, but I didn’t fill it until yesterday. Claritin and I haven’t really been getting along, … 06 jun, 10:48 p.m.

the non-design  •  Something I have wanted to do on my site for a long time but have never been able to pull off to my satisfaction is … 05 jun, 11:07 p.m.

down the drain  •  Of the things I hate spending money on, toilet paper has quickly skyrocketed to the top of the list. Like food, it’s something I have … 04 jun, 9:44 p.m.

actually writing better css  •  I have read a lot about hacking CSS rules, using different style sheets for different browsers, or using PHP to serve the appropriate rule for … 02 jun, 11:59 p.m.

one of these  •  I considered talking about how it’s June already, how the years just seem to fly by when you get older, yet how the beginning of … 01 jun, 9:34 p.m.


may 05

effing merlot*  •  Sunday, at Emma’s graduation party, I was contemplating my next drink. Available wines were white zinfandel (my grandmother’s favorite—not mine), something white (also not my … 31 may, 10:06 p.m.

summertime  •  Although we haven’t reached the solstice yet, I have decided summer is here. This summer, I’m going to: Move. Ride a roller coaster. See a … 30 may, 10:32 p.m.

party  •  Tonight was Emma’s graduation party, which was fun, and a whole lot of people I like showed up. Whenever a family arrived I said, “Hey, … 29 may, 11:59 p.m.

graduation  •  This morning was Emma’s high school graduation. To its credit, it didn’t last forever, and the speeches were okay. Here’s the thing for me about … 28 may, 11:51 p.m.

why I haven’t stopped watching Alias  •  Alias was, well, uneven this season, but I stuck with it and plan to next season, and here is why: JJ Abrams is good at … 27 may, 6:35 p.m.

reasons my tivo is a little like a woman  •  It’s a bit temperamental. Mountains were moved in order to get it set up. It was cheap (ha!)… …but requires money constantly. It has a … 25 may, 10:52 p.m.

the rodeo  •  Every May my normally yuppie town is overrun with horses and cowboys for the Rodeo. Yes, it’s good, old-fashioned, country fun. Actually, I wouldn’t know; … 24 may, 11:48 p.m.

advertising  •  The New York Times announced they will begin a paid content program called TimesSelect in September. Bloggers are taking the news as a kick in … 23 may, 11:52 p.m.

batons  •  It’s that meme all the A-list bloggers did! I have been passed the musical baton! Thanks, Rich! Total volume on music files on my computer: … 22 may, 7:42 p.m.

post star wars  •  As I expected it was. It had its moments. I loved how Obi-Wan was a complete badass in this movie. I am so hot for … 19 may, 6:57 p.m.

pre star wars  •  I am going to see Star Wars tonight, and I thought I would document some of the thoughts and questions I have beforehand and see … 18 may, 6:40 p.m.

chaotic  •  Dear Britney, Your life is like train wreck, and I can’t help but watch. Love, Maura 17 may, 11:33 p.m.

movable type  •  Dear Six Apart. I think we’re all ready for you to spend some time on your Movable Type default styles. You’ve created quite the system … 16 may, 10:15 p.m.

just a sunday  •  Got coffee, shopped for groceries, napped, did two loads of laundry. Watched Star Trek: Insurrection. Upgraded to Movable Type 3.16. Upgraded Emma to 3.16 and … 15 may, 10:53 p.m.

pink  •  Pink is my new favorite color. I have no idea when I became a girly-girl, but it happened. Pink. Seriously. 14 may, 11:51 p.m.

Chick-fil-A  •  Things I love about living in Tennessee: Chick-fil-A Okay, there are more, but that’s a big one. Those of you who live in areas without … 13 may, 11:45 p.m.

spring day  •  Emma called me in the middle of the day today, which I thought was odd, until I found out she skipped school today. Later on, … 12 may, 10:59 p.m.

productivity pr0n  •  I admit it: I’ve jumped on the productivity pr0n bandwagon. Efficiency delights me. (Am I speaking Greek to you? You haven’t been reading any good … 11 may, 10:24 p.m.

informal poll  •  I know I do this a lot, but… Current favorite artist, album, and/or song? Me? Wilco, of course. 10 may, 11:59 p.m.

songs for silverman  •  Dear Ben, I can’t put my finger on exactly why, but I can’t get into your new album, Songs for Silverman. I tried, really, but, … 09 may, 9:55 p.m.

I <3 Franklin  •  I went to see an R-rated move tonight, and I got carded. I’m 23. I don’t get carded to buy beer. 07 may, 11:40 p.m.

a change  •  I took the plunge today and had my maura at notmyself dot com email address forwarded to my Gmail address. I’ve had the notmyself address … 05 may, 10:52 p.m.

mom  •  What are you getting your mom for Mother’s Day? 04 may, 10:34 p.m.

life without the Powerbook  •  We are on day five (!) of the Powerbook outage. I pretty much lost my will to live on day three. I did order a … 03 may, 10:19 p.m.

critics  •  I consider myself a reasonably well-informed consumer, especially when it comes to movies and music. Rarely do I see a film or buy an album … 01 may, 11:05 p.m.


apr 05

war on war  •  Earlier this week, I finally listened to the Lawrence Lessig/Jeff Tweedy talk entitled “Who Owns Culture?” at the New York Public Library. You can stream … 28 apr, 10:50 p.m.

Happy Birthday, Audra!  •  Dear Sunshine, Happy twelfth birthday! I remember the day you were born—it was take your daughter to work day, and I was one of the … 28 apr, 12 a.m.

no kidding  •  Does it bother anyone else that the number four (4) is spelled f-o-u-r, but the number forty (40) is spelled f-o-r-t-y? 26 apr, 10:42 p.m.

How I feel about…  •  Adobe to acquire Macromedia. Great! Die, Freehand, Die! Star Wars: Episode III. Excitement. I can’t help it. The Michael Jackson trial. Put this man in … 25 apr, 10:54 p.m.

allergies  •  Over the last few days, it’s become increasingly apparent to me that I have developed allergies. To what? Well, I’m guessing it’s just your run-of-the-mill … 24 apr, 1:22 p.m.

things I promise never to post about (in some cases, from now on)  •  Significant others. I don’t have one (thank God), but if I did you wouldn’t know, because I won’t tell you. Bodily functions. Specific work details. … 22 apr, 11:38 p.m.

revelations  •  Today was Thursday not Friday, even though it felt like the latter. I have a whole other work day this week. Score. I said score … 21 apr, 11:37 p.m.

struggle to find your skin  •  I need this post right now. Today sucked. How are you? 20 apr, 11:22 p.m.

less obvious types I find attractive  •  Teachers. Working in a thankless and underpaid job because you believe education is important? That’s hot. Teaching elementary schoolers? Even hotter. Geeks. Intelligent? Know your … 19 apr, 7:44 p.m.

funny?  •  Bumper sticker seen on the drive home from work today: Guns don’t kill people Radical pro-lifers kill people 18 apr, 9:59 p.m.

bees  •  Yesterday, a colony of bees took up temporary residence in a tree in my parents’ yard. It was quite the spectacle, and Emma even had … 17 apr, 10:23 p.m.

david duchovny  •  David Duchovny is SO hot this week. I know this because I just watched him on several different talk/variety shows. It’s all because of his … 14 apr, 10:56 p.m.

alias  •  Okay what the hell just happened? 13 apr, 10:33 p.m.

so annoying  •  Dear Comcast or whoever is causing the problem with my internet, Cut it out. Seriously. Love, Maura P.S. Oh my gosh that worked! P.P.S. Spoke … 12 apr, 11:45 p.m.

alt + f4  •  In high school, before we could drive, all of my friends would get on AOL after school and in the evening. We’d all get in … 11 apr, 9:58 p.m.

initials  •  Whenever I have to use my initials, I always use all three: MLC. I can trace this back to third grade: My teacher had a … 10 apr, 4:11 p.m.

more target love  •  Because it was a day that ends in y, I went to Target this morning. I sampled a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie, a piece … 09 apr, 10:04 p.m.

panic  •  Last night, my internet was out. No big deal: I can live one night without internet. Today, I find out: DNS issue hobbles Comcast. Anyway, … 08 apr, 8 p.m.

It’s Wednesday night, so it’s a West Wing post  •  I totally cried. I admit it. Like you didn’t know Santos was going to be the nominee, though. Leo? I love Leo, but it’s SO … 06 apr, 9:56 p.m.

dumb  •  Do you ever sit down to write a post, erase the whole thing, and think, “This is the dumbest post EVER!” Happens to me ALL … 05 apr, 10:11 p.m.

samples  •  I love going to Super Target in the mornings on the weekend. They always have people giving out samples. So far I have received a … 04 apr, 10:27 p.m.

fictional tv characters I have crushes on  •  Josh Lyman, The West Wing Josh is an elitist from Connecticut, a product of Ivy-league universities, and has a receding hairline. He’s funny and smart … 03 apr, 11:19 p.m.

recovering picky eater  •  Things I used to hate, but in my old age will now eat (some of which I even enjoy): Onions (especially red ones) Tomatoes (on … 02 apr, 11:01 p.m.


mar 05

Daylight Saving Time  •  This Sunday, we celebrate my favorite holiday, the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. I think there are some misconceptions about this blessed event, as people … 31 mar, 10:46 p.m.

West Wing  •  Uh-oh… Is it going to be Alan Alda next season? Most importantly, when are Josh and Donna getting together? “I meant Will.” Nice. </esoteric post> 30 mar, 9:59 p.m.

the links page  •  I’ve given this some thought, and I’m thinking about getting rid of my links page. I don’t maintain it, I read way more blogs than … 29 mar, 9:14 p.m.

prayer in school  •  For some reason, today I feel the need to tell everybody how I feel about prayer in school. It’s as good a time as any. … 28 mar, 9:20 p.m.

Happy Easter and Happy Birthday!  •  Happy Easter! It’s also my dad’s birthday today, so happy birthday, Dad! Audra and I dyed some eggs. Glitter! Pretty! 27 mar, 1:44 p.m.

the grudge  •  Emma and I watched The Grudge last night. I don’t know why we missed this one in the theater, as Emma is a huge Buffy … 26 mar, 9:46 p.m.

next time  •  I’m in a gas station in Cookeville, TN (halfway between Knoxville and Nashville), and I am wearing my gum wrapper bracelet made of red and … 25 mar, 9:04 p.m.

time sinks  •  The following websites are, for me at least, black holes of time. Ask MetaFilter From the relevant to the, well, completely irrelevant, ask and ye … 24 mar, 8:49 p.m.

four thousand comments  •  My four thousandth comment was left by Eric, so in honor of this event, I’d like to tell you all about Eric. Eric has a … 23 mar, 11:20 p.m.

mod rewrite  •  Instead of a fake post, I’ll go ahead and let you know what I’m actually thinking about. Now that I have unleashed the power of … 22 mar, 10:08 p.m.

a monday  •  I had a Monday today. I’m pretty lucky because I don’t dread Mondays—I don’t have school or a job I dislike to go to. With … 21 mar, 7:30 p.m.

spring break  •  So my family (minus Allen and I) left for Orlando this morning. That’s right, for spring break they’ll be at Disneyworld with the rest of … 20 mar, 10:55 p.m.

two reviews  •  All the girls in my family saw Ice Princess last night, because, well, I’m a sucker for ice skating movies as well as crappy teen … 19 mar, 11:49 p.m.

the o.c.  •  I want to live in the Cohens’ pool house. 17 mar, 11:30 p.m.

cookeville  •  So Emma is here for the next couple of days. I’ll let her tell you why. My mother and I met halfway between Knoxville and … 16 mar, 10:04 p.m.

clean  •  You know, for someone as absurdly anal as I am, you would never believe the disheveled condition my apartment is in most of the time. … 15 mar, 9:36 p.m.

vacuum  •  Tonight, I almost died. I was vacuuming, actually using the “cleaning tools” on my vacuum, and somehow the bottom regular vacuuming part sucked up the … 14 mar, 11:48 p.m.

sixes  •  I watched six vintage (first season) episodes of Sex and the City today, and I did six loads of laundry. Coincidence? I think not. 13 mar, 11:48 p.m.

He’s Just Not That Into You  •  So I finally read He’s Just Not That Into You this afternoon. I was at Barnes & Noble today to buy my next book (I … 12 mar, 10:19 p.m.

lower back  •  Last night I sprained my lower back. I was at the gym, doing weights, working, of course, my back. Thus ended my vigorous fifteen-minute workout, … 11 mar, 6:39 p.m.

random list of things I like  •  My love of these things knows no bounds: Wilco Matthew Perry on the West Wing Peach salsa Grande nonfat lattes with two Splendas My car … 10 mar, 9:45 p.m.

celebrity  •  Although I think I would mostly hate it, it would be nice to be a celebrity if just so someone else would drive me around … 09 mar, 11:23 p.m.

tuesday, in numbers  •  States: 4 Miles: close to 500 Hours spent sleeping prior to trip: 5.5 Minutes in which I traveled through three states on I-275 (Cincinnati): less … 08 mar, 11:56 p.m.

fort wayne  •  I am leaving this morning to drive to Fort Wayne, IN, to visit Meredith for her birthday (Monday). I’ll be back Tuesday night. Comments and … 05 mar, 7:31 a.m.

firefox plugins  •  I find the following plugins Indispensable with a capital I. Gmail Notifier I’m a little obsessed with Gmail. ForecastFox Got to know what the weather … 03 mar, 11:05 p.m.

reese’s puffs  •  Have you tried Reese’s Puffs? These things are AMAZING. I can’t believe they’re passed off as breakfast for children. Favorite cereal? 02 mar, 9:39 p.m.

things I splurge on even though I don’t make a million dollars  •  bread Yeah, sliced bread is full of preservatives and will keep for quite a while, but I have had to throw out portions of those … 01 mar, 10:44 p.m.


feb 05

Why I’ll (probably) never buy another PC  •  In honor of my one-year anniversary of being a Mac owner (which was recently, I don’t know the exact date), I thought I’d tell you … 28 feb, 9:41 p.m.

oscars  •  As of Friday night, I have seen all of the best picture nominees. I have also seen much of the other movies nominated for various … 27 feb, 10:16 a.m.

bleh  •  I realized/was informed today the reason my blog sucks right now and no one comments is because work is draining the life out of me. … 24 feb, 9:31 p.m.

parking space  •  You know what cracks me up? I love it when people try to get the best parking spot at the gym. They’ll drive around for … 23 feb, 10:11 p.m.

fried  •  See this? This is my comb. See how the teeth are deformed? Yeah. It got melted. I think it’s time for a new hair dryer. 22 feb, 11:35 p.m.

pancakes and paris  •  For dinner tonight I had pancakes and eggs. It was a regular little IHOP in my kitchen. I made the pancakes with skim milk and … 21 feb, 9:58 p.m.

Pilot EasyTouch  •  The Pilot EasyTouch is my favorite pen. It doesn’t smear, it’s cheap (less than 2$ for two—hey, two for two!), it’s retractable (so I can … 20 feb, 11:54 p.m.

grande  •  It always amuses me when I go to Starbucks with people and they order tall drinks. For those of you who live under a rock, … 19 feb, 8:38 p.m.

posts  •  I’ve been keeping a running list of potential post topics in my Moleskine for those nights when I’m drawing a blank…like tonight. I’ve got a … 17 feb, 11:16 p.m.

justified  •  No, I’m not talking about the fantastic Justin Timberlake album. Text justification on the web is something I have gone back and forth about. As … 16 feb, 10:14 p.m.

public  •  One of the weirdest things about having a blog is that everyone can read it. I know, you’re saying, “Duh, Maura,” but bear with me. … 15 feb, 9:26 p.m.

cupid can suck it  •  Happy Singles Awareness Day, my friends! I actually spent a great deal of thought today on whether “Singles” requires an apostrophe, but then I lost … 14 feb, 9:02 p.m.

direct your anger  •  I really, really hate it when people direct their anger at the wrong person. (I’ll admit, I do have the tendancy to overreact (it’s the … 13 feb, 11:59 p.m.

DIE HARD!  •  I watched Die Hard today. I haven’t seen this movie since those good old days when I lived with a boy. I didn’t see it … 12 feb, 10:30 p.m.

the ipod slot  •  This is the center console area in my car. There are two cupholders, and then there is this strange rectangular slot. I’ve always wondered what … 10 feb, 10:16 p.m.

blah  •  I’m boring tonight. I’m sorry. I think Splenda is made with crack. I’m addicted. On Alias tonight, when Vaughn found the antidote, he conveniently found … 09 feb, 11:55 p.m.

lent  •  Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and thus the beginning of Lent. I must remember to pack tuna for lunch. This Lenten season, I have decided to … 08 feb, 9:48 p.m.

one space  •  Friends, I may be cranky for the next few weeks, and I need you all to bear with me. It’s finally time: I’m kicking the … 07 feb, 9:42 p.m.

superbowl  •  Did you catch the Paul McCartney halftime show? Man, that was…safe. 06 feb, 11:59 p.m.

act stupid  •  I’ve got a hot tip for you nerds out there: if you know anything about computers keep it a secret. Sure, it may get you … 04 feb, 10:04 p.m.

ads in blogs  •  I’ve noticed many of my favorite blogs have started including ads (mostly Google Adsense). What do we think about this? On the one hand, I … 03 feb, 11:03 p.m.

hot women + verizon  •  Tonight I watched NBC’s Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Model Search for the first (and probably last) time. You know what? This show is just one big … 02 feb, 9:10 p.m.

yikes  •  It’s hard to believe it’s February already. 01 feb, 10:41 p.m.


jan 05

tabbed browsing  •  It’s really encouraging that so many of you view my site using Firefox. I really can’t say enough about how great it is. I use … 31 jan, 9:40 p.m.

comment spam (a really long post about)  •  If you don’t have a blog, and especially a Movable Type (MT) blog, you may want to skip this post. A lot of people seem … 30 jan, 9:55 p.m.

snowglobes  •  I liked how in the movie Unfaithful, Diane Lane and Richard Gere’s characters collected (really nice) snowglobes as souvenirs from all of the places they … 29 jan, 10:19 p.m.

one of those random entries  •  My body hates me right now. I don’t know why. I’m going to feed it pizza and Cheez-Its and peanut butter and C2 all weekend. … 27 jan, 10:59 p.m.

Alkdfglfdglksdfgjsflg  •  I may have told you this before, but I despise the local news here. It always makes Knoxville look like the biggest hick town and … 26 jan, 9:09 p.m.

highlights  •  This morning, to pass time while waiting for the doctor, I read Highlights for the first time in many, many years. It’s somewhat comforting that … 25 jan, 8:36 p.m.

avp  •  Don’t forget, friends, that tomorrow the cinematic masterpiece, Alien Vs. Predator, comes out on the DVD. It even includes a new beginning! It’s got Lance … 24 jan, 8:37 p.m.

stupid  •  You know how everywhere you go now you can slide your own credit card through? The Target checkout, movie tickets, gas pumps, ATMs. None of … 23 jan, 10:40 p.m.

answers part 1  •  “Why do Doggett and Reyes suck so much?” from Hilary Dogget and Reyes suck because they are not Mulder and Scully. Actually, Dogget is not … 21 jan, 9:04 p.m.

scrambled  •  For dinner tonight I made myself scrambled eggs. I haven’t had eggs in some time—not sure why—but I had been craving scrambled eggs on wheat … 20 jan, 7:04 p.m.

why not?  •  Ask me anything. I’ll try to answer. 19 jan, 9:09 p.m.

conversation of the day  •  I have just sent out an email including the interjection “Yipee!” Me: Hmm… I think I might have spelled that wrong. Two Ps? I consult … 18 jan, 10:40 p.m.

boston legal  •  Why you should be watching Boston Legal, if you aren’t already: James Spader James Spader James Spader Okay, fine, Rhona Mitra James Spader That’s all. … 17 jan, 9:30 p.m.

good and bad  •  Today was kind of a yucky day. I didn’t do much because I wasn’t feeling well, although I am pretty sure I wasn’t feeling well … 16 jan, 10:02 p.m.

saturday  •  I almost lost my scarf tonight. It is green and beautiful, and my grandmother made it for me. I left it at the restaurant, and … 15 jan, 11:41 p.m.

food coloring  •  You know what has always bothered me? Food coloring. Really. Customarily, food coloring is sold in packs of four: red, yellow, blue, and green. Why … 13 jan, 10:01 p.m.

cell phone  •  I spent tonight playing around with my cell phone. It does some cool things that I didn’t know about before. Also, I set up my … 12 jan, 11:52 p.m.

house of flying daggers  •  This Friday, I will be forced to see House of Flying Daggers. Is it just me, or is the same exact movie put in the … 11 jan, 11:07 p.m.

the quarters  •  Midway through last week, I was desperate for clean laundry. This requires quarters, so I obtained a roll from my friendly Kroger customer service desk … 10 jan, 7:28 p.m.

exciting news in the world of maura  •  I have moved up from children’s multivitamins to real multivitamins. Yeah okay, you got me, they are still chewable. I had an insatiable craving today … 09 jan, 11:12 p.m.

target therapy  •  Immediately after work today I headed over to Target. It had been at least a week since I was there, and I was going through … 07 jan, 6:19 p.m.

january is the birthday month  •  Happy birthday, Liz! 06 jan, 11:48 p.m.

things i’ve learned from alias  •  In honor of tonight’s season premiere, here are some very important things I have learned from Alias. If you have a top secret document or … 05 jan, 10:56 p.m.

peanut butter and music  •  I love when you open a new jar of peanut butter and the top is all smooth. Then I love ruining it with a knife. … 04 jan, 9:57 p.m.

boaring  •  One of my New Year’s resolutions is to read more books. When I graduated from high school and again when I graduated from college, I … 03 jan, 9:50 p.m.

OLD MAN  •  Happy Birthday to Brandon! He’s an old, old man today. 02 jan, 2:33 p.m.

by month


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