Lisa’s Friends

Just for the Record, My Other Next Door Neighbors Rock.

nobody@vox.com(annaliisa) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:04:30 -0700

A few readers know where I live, but they don't necessarily know which next door neighbor I am talking about when I refer to "Mr. Crankypants." So, to make sure these readers don't get the wrong idea about my other next door neighbors, I hereby publicly proclaim that my other next door neighbors are awesome.

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Mr. Crankypants Molests My Tree Again

nobody@vox.com(annaliisa) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:02:09 -0700

As I promised to do in the past, every time my evil next door neighbor does something illegal, unethical, or just plain annoying in his endless pursuit to harass me into moving away, I will publicly blog about it here.

So today I get home from work and notice that, as is his usual custom, Crankypants has broken off branches of my crepe myrtle tree that overhang his front yard and unceremoniously dumped the debris over the fence into my yard. He does not seem to understand that universal neighborly etiquette that dictates if you cut something down in your yard zone, even if it grew out of the neighboring yard zone, it is your duty to bag it up and haul it away. Instead, Mr. Crankypants believes that anything overhanging or blown into his yard must then be dumped over the fence into my yard. I am supposed to just peacefully ignore this.

Yes, even after 5 years of this incessant rude bullshit and property damage from him, I am supposed to just shut up and take it, and I will. Because ultimately I am the better person. And ultimately I am also the younger person, so I know I am gonna be here a hell of a lot longer than he is.

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Why Anna Liisa Has Not Been Blogging as Much

nobody@vox.com(annaliisa) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:12:19 -0700

Well, even though I am down to just one full time job, it is definitely full time. Even when I'm in the bathtub taking a nightly relaxation bath, I am typically reading a business magazine and brainstorming ideas for the biz.

I'm not complaining--I enjoy being a new business owner and learning more and more on a daily basis--but now I have less time for blogging, checking in with my compatriots on the stepmom chat sites, and the like.

When I am not working or doing something associated with work like Googling answering servcies or reading Inc. Magazine, I'm trying to get better at some of the things I am bad at, such as cleaning and organizing papers in the house, cutting down the jungle in the back garden, writing thank you letters by hand, or paying more attention to my (step)son's daily homework assignments.

2008 has been my fastest year yet--the days feel like quick blips and I can't remember much about what I have been doing. At least the work has in a general sense been enjoyable, enriching, and exciting. Even when I am stressed out, it is better stress than I used to feel, because it's my own business now, so I have control when problems occur, and I can take immediate action to address the problems.

I just miss some of the blogging time I used to have. Every day I see exciting things I want to share. Every day I witness beautiful sights on my drives. Every moment I am more and more grateful I live in Frederick County, where life truly feels rich, no matter what I have in my pocketbook on a daily basis. I wish I had more time to blog about this stuff and share it with others.

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Bath and Body Product o' the Month: Miss Oops Pedicure in a Bottle

nobody@vox.com(annaliisa) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:04:25 -0700

Those who read my (now occasional rather than monthly) reviews of bath and body products know already how much I loathe greasy lotions. I should add that I find greasy lotions for the feet to be even more loathesome than greasy lotions for the hands and body, so it's hard for me to find a foot cream that I like. Strangely, as the mid-Atlantic summer humidity has started to fizzle out and the air around here has become more dry, so have the soles of my feet, a most unusual condition, considering the fact that the top side of each foot and most of skin feels just fine. Perhaps like the gray hair I started sprouting this year, this is just a sign of aging. Well, whatever it is, my feet were feeling shriveled up and dry and were calling out for relief. I was skeptical about the Miss Oops Pedicure in a Bottle at first, when I received a free tube along with another Miss Oops product I purchased. But I gave it a try and I am so glad I did! This hydrating product, whoich contains shea butter, lavender oil, tea tree oil, and other natural goodies, manages to soothe and moisturize my feet without leaving behind a yucky residue, so I can nearly immediately walk around or wear socks after applying the lotion. Having never had a pedicure myself, I cannot tell how accurate the product name is, but I'm just overjoyed that my feet have been restored to normalcy. You can get your own Miss Oops Pedicure in a Bottle here: Miss Oops Pedicure in a Bottle

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Brunswickians, Check out Lowry's in All its Autumn Splendor!

nobody@vox.com(annaliisa) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 15:53:57 -0700

I was so excited to shop at Lowry's Farm Market recently, where I picked up some lush orange chrysanthemums (only $10 for four 8-inch pots, which really are taller and thicker than a mere 8 inches), vivid purple perennial asters (hurry up--they are almost gone), some gourds for 50 cents apiece, and some of autumn's last local peaches, nectarines, and pears. You can also pick up mini haybales and dried cornstalks for fall decorating, pumpkins in a variety of colors and sizes, and many other local autumn treats at low prices. Lowry's Farm Market is the one that is located on the main drag into the old historic downtown, on your left before you hit the auto repair shops and the traffic circle. Every autumn their asters sell out quick, so if you want some of those, go there now before they sell out and you have to wait another year to get some.

Also, while you are there--and this is important--please donate your spare change into the collection jar for the two families who lost their homes and pets when their duplex on Virginia Avenue burned down about 2 weeks ago. Better yet, plan ahead and buy them some gift cards--even $5 gift cards help--to donate into the collection jar.

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Smoky the Cat Says "Happy Fall, Y'All!"

nobody@vox.com(annaliisa) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 15:42:57 -0700

Smoky the Cat enjoys an autumn nap in the front porch window box:

DSCN1200

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Finland Portrayed in American Pop Culture Recently...

nobody@vox.com(annaliisa) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:04:36 -0700

I was recently amused by the farfetched AT&T commercial about a business meeting gone awry in Finland for two reasons--

1.) Finns are known for being quiet and polite in business and would never vault over a table during a business meeting; and

2.) The first human being I ever saw using a cell phone was a child in Finland, and it was years before I ever saw a cell phone being used in the United States. There's always bars in Finland! Even driving through the remote countryside last month I had bars nearly everywhere we went. But incidentally AT&T happened to screw up the international plan on my phone, so I had to keep using my mom's AT&T phone instead.

Then, tonight I saw a commercial preview for the upcoming Confessions of a Shopaholic movie, in which the title character lies on her resume about being fluent in Finnish. When confronted with a man named Janne at a party who sticks out his hand and says "It's nice to meet you," she slaps him in the face and yells "It's men like you that were the reason I left Finland!" It was sorta funny to me because I could actually understand what the Janne character was saying, and how often do you get to hear Finnish on television in America? But yet again the portrayal of the Finn is way off. I mean, a Finn actually talking to someone at a party? OK, OK, OK, I am joking now myself, Finns do have parties and they do speak to strangers...sometimes.

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My New Favorite: Bravery

nobody@vox.com(annaliisa) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:43:47 -0700

I bought this on a whim after hearing just one song, and now I am really happy I did, because I like almost everything on this 2-disc set. Bravery's lyrics are deceptively simple, but they describe tricky emotions, like feeling homesick for a place you have never been to before, and tricky people, like those kinds of girls who like emotional abuse because it brings them sympathy and attention. The sound is like a fusion of old U2 mixed with some Franz Ferdinand, Gang of Four, and other new wave elements. It sounds like green places and Northern Europe to me, although frankly I have no idea about where this band comes from, I'm just enthusiastic to have new driving music to shout to!

The Sun And The Moon Complete [2 CD]

The Bravery

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Cupcake Goodness in Leesburg

nobody@vox.com(annaliisa) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:56:03 -0700

I've been searching for a local supplier of fresh cupcakes with innovative flavors for quite some time, and I have finally found one: Lola's of Leesburg, Virginia. Lola's cupcakes are piled high with luscious frosting and baked daily on the premises (along with an assortment of cookies and other yummy treats). Current cupcake flavors include ginger, coconut, and my personal favorite: S'mores. Graham cracker crumbles, a gooey chocolate center, and thick frosting make this cupcake one of the best desserts in Leesburg, if not the best.

Although Lola's has been at its current location for about 2 years, I didn't find the place myself until a few weeks ago, and now I am a devotee--although I have to be careful about my cupcake consumption levels, lest I need to go out and buy new pants.

You, too can indulge yourself on this cupcake goodness by visiting Lola's online or in person at:

http://www.lolacookies.com/

109 S. King St
Leesburg, VA 20175
(703) 669-6970

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nobody@vox.com(annaliisa) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:48:17 -0700

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