nakedjen

BBC Apprentice Scoop!

So I don't know how many of you are watching the BBC's Apprentice, but I do know I have quite a few readers who do happen to live across the pond in my most favorite city of all.  Anyway, I've got a bit of juicy gossip about one of the contestants, Michelle.  We all know I like to scoop and snark with the very best of them and it just so happens that one of my best mates happens to be Michelle's neighbor.  I just got this bit straight from him:

The lady that lives above us is called Michelle. She walks like a little baby elephant (ie noisily). But that is not the point. She is on the BBC’s version of the Apprentice. And not only that, she is in the final… She told me… She currently works for the company she hopes to be employed in… (Amstrad)… Anyhow, the show is a moderately big deal here (4 million or so watch)… My work colleagues said I should tell one of tabloid newspapers what I know… I also know she “shagged” one of the other contestants. But I don’t want to say anything about that because that is her private life. Whereas working early for the company is just plain silly and anybody at that company could see that… So I rang up the paper and they offered me £500 for the info (they offered me “thousands” for the shagging story, but I said no)… So now I am waiting to see if they publish the story. But I feel reeeeeeally bad… And I am praying they don’t mention me (they promised they wouldn’t). All the stress I put myself under is not worth the money. And I also realise the paper won’t leave me alone if they do publish the story… But they have to prove what I said is right first… And if they can prove it, they could have worked it out themselves. Plus she has told lots of people. But I still feel bad!

So there you have it, folks.  An Apprentice scoop.  Shagging other contestants and working early for her intended employer!  You heard it here first, folks.  Don't say that Nakedjen doesn't have her finger on the pulse of pop culture.  Or at least she has friends who do.  Har!

There Are Two Realities

If you had been a fly on the wall today at our couples counseling session, this is what you may have witnessed:

sobsobsob.
tell him what you feel. 
sobsobsob.
what can you give?
sobsobsob.
there are two realities.

I walked out of there feeling very fragile and not particularly hopeful even though the therapist told us both that we should be hopeful.  It wasn't that anything mean or spiteful was said.  It was just that hearing Dave say, again, how there were so many parts of himself that had been squashed and stuffed and were no longer alive, but that came alive when he interacted with people other than me...well...that was really hard to hear.  It made me very much think that perhaps it was very much not fair of me to even ask that we continue on this path. 

Dave doesn't deserve to be squashed or stuffed or not to live his life genuinely and completely.  If he is unable to do that with me, then it really isn't at all fair of me to ask him to stay married to me simply because he is dear and he is sweet and he is Dave and because I love him best and more than all the rest. 

Is it?

How To Make Me LOL!

Realize that Nakedjen is the very first response when you google this!

And then notice that people are actually searching for "kerplunkt video" and getting Nakedjen as their first response, as well.

I'm so glad I can fulfill the wishes of so many. 

Har!

By the way, the ticker counter is going a little bezerk these days.  7500 hits a day?!  Who are you people??  Why are you here?   Pull up a chair and stay a while.  I'm happy to have you join the party.

How To Make Me Really Smile

woolf camp
Originally uploaded by Liz Henry.

From WoolfCamp. Which I missed because of the evil sickness that knocked both me and DearSweetDave off of our feet and onto the couch for the entire weekend.

I can't believe I wasn't there. Look at those gorgeous goddesses.

Thank you. You really put a perma smile on my silly face.

The State of Our Union Address

There hasn't been much talk around here about the state of our union lately.  I'm sure that many of you are already thinking, "Ho, hum, here she goes again.  Whine. Whine. Whine.  Why haven't they just called it a day, already?"

Well, the truth is, I just won't give up.  I hate to lose.  Even in love.  Especially in love.  Perhaps, I hate to lose most when it comes to love and the commitment I made when I married DearSweetDave.

We're moving forward.  We're definitely not moving backwards.  I'm such an optimistic person, that I want to believe that we both love each other just enough to continue "this", whatever this is.  I say that because when I married DearSweetDave I said in my vows that I was not very good at love, unsure of what it really was or how to properly describe it, but that I knew that whatever this was between us, THIS was it.

Valentine's Day, as you know, was this past Tuesday.  DearSweetDave and I are not Hallmark Holiday people.  We don't really ascribe to the notion that we need to be told what day in the year to celebrate our love for one another.  Usually on Tuesdays, I am at my friend Gail's house watching Gilmore Girls.  Go ahead and laugh, but it is my guilty pleasure.  And Emily Gilmore reminds me so much of NakedMom that I am often found in absolute FITS screaming at the television.  We won't even discuss Rory's most recent boyfriend.  It will be sufficient to tell you that should Amy Sherman-Palladino need an extra writer for that show, she could just call me.  I have lived Rory's life with Logan.  Amy is writing it perfectly.  Right down to the Birkin Bag, per-fect-ly.

When I mentioned to DearSweetDave that I would be at Gail's watching Gilmore on Tuesday night, he said, quite emphatically, that it was Valentine's Day and I should know better than to make plans on Valentine's Day.  But I reminded him that last year he didn't even get me a card.  He reminded me that for me, that was the most perfect thing.  And it was!  But given that we're not Valentine's people and the recent State of Our Union, well, how was I supposed to know I would be busy on Valentine's Day?  I asked Gail to tape the show so we could watch it next Tuesday and I wondered just what my DearSweetDave had up his sleeve.

Tuesday dawned and he told me that he was going to try to make a reservation at Aqua Bleu.  It's a hot new asian/fusion restaurant here in town.  I reminded him that it was Valentine's Day and it probably wasn't going to happen.  Later that day he called and just told me to be downtown at 7:00 p.m.  Okay! 

I still was unsure exactly what he had planned, but I was deeply touched that he was going to any trouble at all for Valentine's.  In fact, he said that while we don't need a special day to celebrate our love, it was a great opportunity to celebrate our love so we should do it.  That was just about as sweet as a heart shaped box of Godiva chocolates and well, since I don't eat chocolate, I'll take that instead!  Still, I stressed over whether or not to get him a card.  There were definitely things I wanted to say, but a card?  From the store?  They all seemed so overly sweet or overly corny or just not right this year.  I was most definitely perplexed.  There was no card that said, "I'm glad you're STILL my husband and I hope you always will be.  I love you.  Always will.  Forever times infinity."  So since that card just didn't exist, I made him one.  That said just that.  Because, well, that's how I felt and if I know anything I know that it is always best to be honest.  Always.

At 6:30 DearSweetDave came home.  There were no reservations at Aqua Bleu (didn't think so), but he said that they were holding a few tables for walk-ins so he was going to just go sit and wait for a table.  And when I was ready, I should come and join him.  Which is exactly what I did.  I tried my best to actually "dress up" for the occasion.  It's been so long since I've put on absolutely ANYTHING other than dog walking clothes, that I was shocked that my clothes actually fit.  Operation Get Thee To A Gym must be working.  At least a little bit.  I even managed to squeeze into my tiny black jeans (which I haven't squeezed into in over two years) but then decided NOT to wear them because while I did manage to squeeze all my self into them, it wasn't a comfortable squeeze.  More like a stuffing the too large sausage into the too small casing squeeze and I was sure I would burst the seams as I sat in the restaurant making my best attempts at being romantic. 

So donning a flirty black silk skirt and vintage cashmere sweater (how can you go wrong with silk and cashmere?) I met DearSweetDave, whom I am still very glad is my husband, at Aqua Bleu.  We shared a really delicious meal of sushi and crab cakes and a salmon pineapple stack.  The food there is really top notch for Santa Cruz.  And we exchanged cards.  Yes, cards.  DearSweetDave got me a card this year.  I told him I was going to blog about what he wrote, well, because that's what I do.  Internet, I give you DearSweetDave's Valentine's sentiments:

Some days I'm a prince
And some days I'm a frog
Some days I say things
That make you want to blog.

Some days I get naked
Most days I wear clothes
Some days you get naked
(There's many more of those).

Some days were together
Some days not so much
Some days we feel right in sync
Others we lose touch.

Some days I make lots of sense
Some days I'm confused
Some days I make you feel great
Some days more abused.

Some days I'm excited
Some days I get blue
But every day no matter what
Still know that I love you.

Now, what's missing from that poem are his illustrations.  Which were these very cute little drawings for each stanza.  I was so touched.  And immediately told him that of course I was going to blog about it.  Har!  I suppose he's used to it, but we do live a very public life. 

But dinner and the poem were not all.  After dinner we went for a walk down Pacific Avenue, stopped to get me a coffee at Peet's Coffee (where I exclaimed that the coffee really WAS much better than Lulu's) and then we went to the Kuumbwa Jazz Center.  DearSweetDave had gotten us tickets to see Tuck and Patti!  I had no idea that they were even playing that night, but I absolutely love them.  I hadn't seen them in nearly 20 years.  So it was a real treat.  They didn't disappoint.  They put on a really terrific show filled with love songs. 

I truly felt so loved by DearSweetDave, my husband.  And that's the crux of all of this, I think.  That I do still feel so very loved by him.  Every day, whether it's a Tuesday or a Valentine's Day or just a day like today when we're both too sick to get off the couch and hope the other one will make some tea. 

The future of us may still be unclear, but I can't help but feel just, well, yes, hopeful that it's all going to be okay.  Or even better than okay.  That it's all going to be good.  Very, very, good.

Continued Procrastination

This is really cool.  And here's what my blog looks like!

If You Need To Procrastinate

Go here, please, and choose five or six words that you feel describe me, Nakedjen.  This is something that I'm always thinking about, folks.  How I am perceived by others.  I know the person I believe that I am.  But it always surprises me at how others actually perceive me.  What they think of when they think of me.  Who they believe me to be.

Who do you think I am?

I'll let you answer that.  And I really would like to know. 

Santa Cruz Real Estate May Cost Us Millions

But days like this make it all worth it.  These were taken today at the dog beach in Santa Cruz.

My apologies to those of you who are snow bound.  I'd tell you to move here, but I don't think we have any more room!

By the way, I've colored my hair. 

What do you all think?  The purple and teal highlights are rather subtle, I think.  I was going for a more "goth" look, but you know, this will do for now.

Oh.  And Happiest Valentine's Day to each of you.  I encourage each of you to spend a little bit of time just being you and being naked and loving the body that you have and the very unique you that you are. 

Your body is beautiful and so are you.

Nakedjen Is A Geek!

This is what happens when you give Nakedjen a cellphone that takes video.  And it happens to be a day when global warming has certainly given her cause to take her lovely Buddha to the beach. 

Enjoy.

And remember, folks, it was my cellphone.  We're not shooting some fancy dance documentary. 

Yet.

Super Bowl Halftime Wardrobe Malfunction

This is for those of you who really missed the "nipple action" during the halftime show in yesterday's Super Bowl.  I know you're out there.

By the way, my favorite advertisement last night?  The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.  That was an ad worth watching and a campaign Nakedjen will definitely support.  We all know I'm all about body and self acceptance and encouraging all women to love themselves.

My other favorite advertisement was certainly the streaking sheep running through the Budweiser Clydesdale football game.  Because, yeah, a little nakedness never hurt anyone. 

And that magic fridge spot was pretty darn cute, too.