Hollywood Takes the Cake

I'm sure if you read my blog, you know how much I rave about my mom and her business partner Jessa's fabulous cake shop called Yum Bunnies. But, did you know they are currently doing the wedding cakes for Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner's romantic comedy called "The Ghosts of Girlfriends' Past"? These cakes will actually be props in the film. How exciting! They also got to the set and watch filming. Today, The Boston Globe did a little blurb about it. I'm so proud of my favorite ladies!

You can reach them at Yum Bunnies Cakery in Belmont, MA @ 617.484.3300

FROM THE BOSTON GLOBE:

"Props? Piece of cake
As makers of custom cakes, Jessa Sahakian and Michelle Ryan would be mortified if something happened to one of their confections. But when they were asked to whip up five towering wedding cakes to be used as props for the new Matthew McConaughey film, "The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past," well, that seemed just fine. "Something happens to the cake," Ryan said. "We can't say what, but you wouldn't want it to happen to your wedding cake." The owners of Yum Bunnies Cakery in Belmont were called by the film's special effects department and asked to make the 5-foot-tall cakes for a wedding reception scene that shot a few days ago in Wellesley."

Woman Spends 2 Years on a Toilet

I know men say women take forever in the bathroom, but this is ridiculous!

WICHITA, Kansas (AP) -- A 35-year-old woman who sat on her boyfriend's toilet for so long that her body was stuck to the seat had a phobia about leaving the bathroom, the boyfriend said.

"She is an adult; she made her own decision," said her boyfriend, Kory McFarren. "I should have gotten help for her sooner; I admit that. But after a while, you kind of get used to it."

The case drew nationwide attention after Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple said it appeared the Ness City woman's skin had grown around the seat in the two years she apparently was in the bathroom.

"We pried the toilet seat off with a pry bar and the seat went with her to the hospital," Whipple said. "The hospital removed it."

McFarren, 36, said he can't be certain how long Pam Babcock stayed in the bathroom because "time just went by so quick I can't pinpoint how long." He said beatings she received in her childhood caused her phobia.

"It just kind of happened one day; she went in and had been in there a little while, the next time it was a little longer. Then she got it in her head she was going to stay -- like it was a safe place for her," McFarren said.

But McFarren said she moved around in the bathroom during that time, bathed and changed into the clothes he brought her. He brought food and water to her. They had conversations and had an otherwise normal relationship -- except it all happened in the bathroom.

McFarren said he finally called police February 27 after he became worried because Babcock was acting groggy -- like she didn't know what was going on, except she was awake.

What emergency responders found when they went into bathroom has left residents of this small western Kansas town buzzing, and law enforcement officials incredulous.

Police found the clothed woman sitting on the toilet, her sweat pants down to mid-thigh. She was "somewhat disoriented," and her legs looked like they had atrophied, Whipple said.

"She was not glued. She was not tied. She was just physically stuck by her body," Whipple said. "It is hard to imagine. ... I still have a hard time imagining it myself."

She initially refused emergency medical services, but was finally convinced by responders and her boyfriend that she needed to be checked out at a hospital.

"She said that she didn't need any help, that she was OK and did not want to leave," he said.

Whipple said the county attorney will determine whether any charges should be filed against McFarren.

McFarren, who works at an antique store, said he has been taking care of Babcock for the 16 years they have lived together. He insisted that he tried to coax her out of the bathroom every day.

"And her reply would be, `Maybe tomorrow,"' Whipple said. "According to him, she did not want to leave the bathroom."

She was reported in fair condition Wednesday at a hospital in Wichita, about 150 miles southeast of Ness City. Whipple said she has refused to cooperate with medical providers or law enforcement investigators.

Babcock has an infection in her legs that has damaged her nerves, and there is a possibility she may wind up in a wheelchair, McFarren said.

James Ellis, a neighbor, said he had known the woman since she was a child, but that he had not seen her for at least six years.

"I don't think anybody can make any sense out of it," Ellis said.

Babcock had a tough childhood after her mother died at a young age and apparently was usually kept inside the house as she grew up, he said.

"It really doesn't surprise me," Ellis said. "What surprises me is somebody wasn't called in a bit earlier."

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Now, if my boyfriend locked himself in our bathroom for more than 1 hour, I would be concerned. By hour 2, I would be knocking down the door and by hour 3, I would have the little men in white coats taking him away. Why didn't her boyfriend seek help before 2 years went by???!!!! That's some quick reaction on his part. Good Lord! Where was he going to the bathroom??!! It's a trailer; I'm sure it has only one bathroom. Was he going in front of her or waiting until he got to work or going to McDonald's to take a shit??!! Were they having sexual relations in the bathroom too??!! This story is so bizarre! I think my head is going to explode with all the questions.

Client #9 Resigns!

"God, I hate you."

This poor woman finds out her husband is a lying cheat who frequents whores, and then she's forced to appear next to him to show her support. Screw that! If I were her, I'd be halfway across the world by the time he resigned. I wouldn't want to be in the same room as him after the disgrace he had caused me and my family. My heart to goes out to this woman. I hope she gets a good divorce lawyer and gets rid of this poor excuse for a man.

Viva Las Vegas!

We came back from our fabulous vacation a little over a week ago, and we can't wait to go back. It was a blast. We stayed at the Bellagio, which is a gorgeous hotel/casino; I would highly recommend it there. The rooms are lovely, although a little dark, and the service is top-notch. Our beds were turned down every night. We squeezed in as much as possible. We went to lavish buffets, 5 star restaurants, Cirque du Soleil's "O" (breathtaking), and hit the slots at several different casinos. My boyfriend and I went with my mother, stepfather, my brother, and his girlfriend. It was a great trip, and it was a much needed break from reality. I feel refreshed and rejuvenated by it. Next time, I would like to take advantage of the nightlife a little more. I was lame. Usually, we got up around 7:30 every morning and all meet up for breakfast around 8:30 and then walk around the casinos/Strip throughout the day. By 11:00 at night, I was ready to pass out! Next time, I will take a nap some time during the day, so I have more energy at night. One night, my boyfriend and I had tickets to a club, and we wussed out and didn't even go. I'm ashamed of myself!

The weather was perfect, about 70 degrees and sunny every day. I would've liked to walk around the Strip and a little more, and I plan on doing it when we go back. Also, I would like to take advantage of the shopping, but with my boyfriend not working, that was probably a bad idea. I think the whole crew will do it again next year.

Reality has kicked in finally, and it's back to the daily grind. This past week has been ridiculously busy at work. I couldn't wait for the weekend. I enjoy my work very much, but there was just too much going on and not enough time to do everything. I went from playing the slots at the Bellagio to being stuck behind a desk, tearing my hair out. It all happened so fast. The vacation flew by. We went from walking around in gorgeous weather to braving the cold and rain at home. I have to admit it's nice to be home; I missed my beloved cat Peter terribly. However, it will be wonderful to be back on the Strip, hitting the slots and drinking $.99 margaritas.

On a side note: one of the funniest parts of the trip was my stepfather trying to find the big waterfall from the TV show, Las Vegas. We went to the Wynn, and he was expecting to see a huge waterfall coming off the building!

Ziggy Stardust Has Left the Building

I have been going to the same hair stylist for over 8 years now. Last Saturday, I went to my hair appointment along with my mom and my mom’s friend. We love to book our appointments together, so we can make a day out of it. We usually spend the majority of the day getting our hairs did, and then we always go out for a late lunch or early dinner. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s become a great ritual for the 3 of us.

My hair was in that awkward growing out phase from my summer “posh spice” bob. I needed something cute and sexy. I brought in a picture of a girl with above the shoulder length hair and lots of layers. As soon as we arrived, I could feel something was awry in the salon. There were several girls sitting in chairs, each of them waiting around with wet hair or foils in their hair. Our hair stylist was swamped, and he was not ready to take on all of us. My mom wanted to cover up the grey, add some blonde highlights, and a trim; I wanted a haircut, and my mom’s friend wanted a haircut as well. He was finally able to tackle my hair around 5, which had been a couple hours after our set appointment.

I got in the chair, and I remember he looked at the picture of my haircut at a funny angle. The magazine was sitting on a window sill, and he looked at it briefly as he stood above it. I should’ve been worried then. In a cautionary tone, he asked me if I blow dried my hair on a regular basis, and I lied and said yes. There are some days I do, but on the whole I do not. I’m a late riser, and I don’t usually have the time. I’m okay with that. I’ve learned to accept that my laziness has taken priority over my hair in the morning. He started cutting my hair, really chopping it. I didn’t think anything of it because I’ve been going to him for 8 years, and I’ve never had a bad hair style. Then, he was flat ironing it, and cutting it some more. Now, I asked him to keep the length in the back, which was right above the shoulders. I wanted to start growing it out. Finally, my hair was straight as a stick, and he was putting on the last minute touches. When he was finished, I stared at myself in the mirror, slightly stunned. My hair style resembled nothing of the picture, and if I had to compare myself to a celebrity, I would have to say David Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust phase. I had a mullet. There were no two ways about it. I was all rock n’ roll in the back and business in the front.

I’m pretty sure outside the backwoods of Arkansas, mullets are not in. Nobody is going into a hair salon with an old picture of Billy Ray Cyrus and asking to look like that. It’s not a good look. I couldn’t decide if I looked more like David Bowie, Joan Jett from the I Love Rock N’ Roll video or a man-hating lesbian. I think it was a combination of the three. It was bad. I was horrified. I didn’t want my boyfriend to see it. My first thought was there goes my sex life, and my second thought was maybe I should invest in a wife beater, some jean shorts, and a pair of work boots.

I ended up going to a reputable salon on Newbury Street in Boston and getting it fixed. The woman who re-shaped it was amazing, and she really deserves kudos for what she did. However, she couldn’t perform miracles, and there are some pieces that are just too short to do anything with. If I don’t blow dry and style it just right, then it resembles a cancer survivor’s hair as they slowly grow it back. I hate seeing people at work because they ask if I got my hair cut, and I want to say no. I don’t want anybody to notice, and I definitely don’t want people thinking I went into the salon and asked for the boy’s regular. This weekend before I go on my vacation to Vegas, I’m investing in some hats and lots of make-up. I’ve never had a haircut where I had to “femme” myself up before. Hard times. Things could be worse, I could still have my mullet.

Some People Are Assholes

taw·dry (tôdr)
adj. taw·dri·er, taw·dri·est
1. Gaudy and cheap in nature or appearance. See Synonyms at gaudy1.
2. Shameful or indecent: tawdry secrets.
n.
Cheap and gaudy finery.

I just logged into my Blogger account for the first time since my New Orleans trip, and I saw that there was a comment on my latest blog, The Woes of Packing. Some rude individual left me a rather derogatory comment, calling me "vapid and tawdry". Does this person know what the word "tawdry" means? I always thought "tawdry" connoted something indecent or improper. So, I actually looked up the word, and it has several meanings, all of which do not apply to me or my blog. This person also labeled me as "vapid", which if this person actually knew me would know I am the furthest thing from.

So, my question is why is there so much negativity? I have never read somebody else's blog and felt compelled to insult the blogger or their writing. I don't understand it. I left the posted comment because I want everybody to see it. I want everybody to see this person's unnecessary and rather mean-spirited comments. If you don't like my blog, then don't read it. My blog is not for everybody. If you are a man, then you will most likely not enjoy it. That's okay. There are blogs about cars and gadgets that I wouldn't get any pleasure out of reading. If you start reading my blog, and you think I suck as a writer or you think my writing is as entertaining as watching paint dry, then close the window and move on. I've always believed if you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all.

The Woes of Packing

This week has flown by! I am super busy, preparing for my trip to New Orleans on Monday. It’s for work, so it’s less fun than it sounds. I’m leaving Monday morning around 11 AM. Oh, and I have I mentioned I hate packing? I didn’t. Well, I hate to pack. Hate it, hate it, hate it. I can’t stand planning outfits. I like to just throw my outfits together, not spend a week meticulously planning them out. Because of this, I usually end up over-packing. My mother is the same way, only worse than me. The last trip we took to Vegas together, she packed a whole suitcase full of shoes. Okay, not a small carry-on bag filled with shoes, a large suitcase full! Then, she spent most of the trip buying more shoes because she was either sick of the ones she had packed, or they were uncomfortable to walk in. I’m not that bad. However, I will bring 10 days worth of clothes for a 3 day trip. When I went to Miami for the Winter Music Conference a couple years ago, I brought about 12 tank tops, 6 skirts, 4 pairs of jeans, and a bunch of shoes, heels, and sandals. I was only there for a few days, but I packed like I was moving there. I think I ended up wearing a couple of tank tops, the same sandals, and I might’ve rocked a jean skirt one of the nights. When I came home, I unpacked still folded piles of clothes. I hadn’t worn them, nor had I taken them out of my bag.

I was complaining to my girlfriend that I hate packing, and she sent me her trusty packing list. I started filling it out, and I have to say it’s easing my luggage frustrations a bit. We’ll see how it is when I start packing though. I can just imagine myself checking off the list, and then thinking that maybe I should pack an extra pair of shoes or some more cute tops to wear out if I decide to go out for a couple of drinks with some co-workers. I know that by the end of it all, the list will be discarded somewhere, and I will be trying to find extra pieces of luggage for the additional 6 pairs of heels I want to bring.