Looking back on the year that was 2008, I have to say that I had an amazing year! I almost don’t want it to end! Then again, maybe 2009 will be even better?
Some of the 2008 highlights:
*Two week trip to Maui with CP. Exploring places with funny names such as Haleakala National Park and Wai’anapanapa State Park. Learning the basics of scuba diving while watching huge sea turtles and bright fish swim by and listening to the whale sounds while underwater. Traveling as high as 10,000 feet to the top of the Haleakala Crater, to the bottom of the 400 foot Waimoku waterfall. Relaxing by the pool with fruity tropical drinks. Ahhhh it was the life.
*My final spring break as a law student. My law school friends, their significant others and I were able to score a sweet ski condo for the week- I even had two friends come over from Sweden! The skiing was amazing. Before we head up to the mountains, CP (ever the engineer) came up with an “alco-rhythm.” Basically, it was a formula that he made up to gauge how much alcohol we needed for the week. And it was DEAD ON. I have a smart man!
*A long weekend with CP in Puerto Rico. I happened to be out in DC for a job fair and CP was stuck in Puerto Rico for work (usually you wouldn’t say that you were “stuck” in PR, but CP was working very long hours- even weekends- and didn’t have anyone around that he knew). It had been two weeks since we had seen each other, so CP asked his boss to fly me out to PR from DC on the company’s dime. Amazingly enough, his boss said yes! We spent the weekend exploring the San Juan National Historic Site, El Yunque National Forest , going to yummy restaurants, and even kayaking in a bioluminescence bay (AMAZING!).
*Getting an offer for my dream job right during finals.
*Graduating from law school. ‘Nuff said.
*Getting a kayak as my graduation present from CP. I was able to justify a few hours away from studying for the bar for kayaking because it was exercise and time with CP this summer.
*Surviving a summer studying for the bar 12+ hours a day and living with CP at my future mother-in-law and her fiance’s house. The future MIL was great….the fiancé? A different story. At least I had an excuse (studying) to get away from silly conversations with him.
*Getting engaged! With a beautiful ring! In a way that is very “us.” Speaking of which, this is what CP wants to write on our wedding webpage about how he proposed: I like surprises. NSC likes ruining my surprises. Tactically this needed good execution. No dressy dinner, no get away weekends, nothing that was going to arouse suspicion. How was it that I was going to propose without any warning? My solution: choose a random day and deliver the ring via bivalves! With a little help from my hard-shelled friends, I was going to deliver a sparkling diamond ring on the underside of a oyster on an otherwise uneventful Wednesday evening. First problem is that NSC doesn’t like oysters (don’t worry, I am working on this issue). My solution was a dish of mussels steamed in a broth of herbs and fume blanc. Second problem, diamond rings have all sorts of prongs and crevices that seem to snag onto food. My solution was to wrap the ring in plastic wrap, which had the appearance of a bottle cap. Also, mussels don’t comfortably fit a full ring. Needless to say what I envisioned was a romantic delivery of a ring. What resulted was that NSC almost became ill from eating a mussel that had mysteriously swallowed its body weight in bottle cap. So, where I failed in romantic execution, I at least passed in catching her off guard. Success!” CP amuses me.
*Passing the god forsaken bar!!! Then getting sworn in last month.
*Doing my part to help Obama win the presidency!! Does anyone else want time to speed up so that he can just become president already????
*The joy of continuing my streak of seeing one Eagles game in person per year. So the game against the Redskins wasn’t very good….at least they made up for it last weekend!
*Getting to see CP during the week instead of just on the weekends starting halfway through the year. Although CP is not very happy with his job right now, at least he hasn’t had to travel since June. It’s nice to sleep next to him every night….even if he does snore sometimes!
*Getting back into an exercise routine. I was exhausted yesterday at work, but still willed myself to go to the gym because I didn’t exercise as much as I would have liked while in Chicago. I feel better….even if I have only lost 2.5 pounds.
*My family and my friends. This year they have helped me through freak-outs over why CP hadn’t proposed, if I was going to find a job, if I was going to pass the bar, moving across the country for a BOY, etc.
I hope that everyone has a SAFE and FUN New Years! See ya in 2009!
12.31.2008
12.30.2008
Registering is like hard 'n stuff
While CP and I were in Chicago, we decided that a nice activity to share with my parents would be to register for the wedding. CP and I are clueless as to what you need when hosting a nice dinner party,* so we figured that bringing my parents would be a good bonding experience and that they would be able to give us some good advice. What resulted was an all day excursion to a department store. I thought that registering was supposed to be fun?
Thank goodness my parents are just going to give us china because then we didn’t have to deal with finding a pattern that we both agreed upon. However, it did mean finding glassware that matched. This took a good hour and a half because the store did not have all of the glasses set out in the same area. CP and I did find a pattern that we liked, but then subsequently found out (via the scanner) that the glasses were going to be discontinued. *Sigh* After consulting with the bridal registry lady, she found us new glasses that were even better in all of 10 minutes. Which made us question why we didn't just grab her in the beginning??!!
After a couple of hours of registering, we met up with my sister and broke for lunch. Then, it was back to the store for more registering. This time, we went to the kitchen and appliance section, where CP and I were a little more comfortable.
After zapping all of the stuff we needed, my parents had me go up to the bridal salon “just to take a look.” I was already somewhat cranky from the long day and going up to the bridal salon to see overly-beaded dresses didn’t particularly help. Let’s just say we were in and out of that area pretty quickly.
Next, CP, my mom, and I headed to the coat section of the store because my winter coat is just not cutting it in MA. The following conversation ensued:
Non Sequitur Chica: What do you think of me in this coat? (see picture example)
CP: I think that it looks like you are wearing a sleeping bag.
Non Sequitur Chica: Oh come on it is not that bad.
CP: You know that I never give you an opinion on any of your clothes. If I am telling you that it looks bad, then you know that I must feel strongly about it.
Non Sequitur Chica: Fine. I will just freeze to death this winter then! (stomps away)
Yes folks, my cranky pants were on! Needless to say, we ended up leaving the store afterwards.
Let’s hope the next time we register it goes a bit smoother…..
*CP and I frequently have people over (or….well, we did out west where we had friends!) and we simply don’t DO fancy. We always cook scrumptious meals, but end up sitting on the couch eating with friends because we are watching a sporting event or the like.
Thank goodness my parents are just going to give us china because then we didn’t have to deal with finding a pattern that we both agreed upon. However, it did mean finding glassware that matched. This took a good hour and a half because the store did not have all of the glasses set out in the same area. CP and I did find a pattern that we liked, but then subsequently found out (via the scanner) that the glasses were going to be discontinued. *Sigh* After consulting with the bridal registry lady, she found us new glasses that were even better in all of 10 minutes. Which made us question why we didn't just grab her in the beginning??!!
After a couple of hours of registering, we met up with my sister and broke for lunch. Then, it was back to the store for more registering. This time, we went to the kitchen and appliance section, where CP and I were a little more comfortable.
After zapping all of the stuff we needed, my parents had me go up to the bridal salon “just to take a look.” I was already somewhat cranky from the long day and going up to the bridal salon to see overly-beaded dresses didn’t particularly help. Let’s just say we were in and out of that area pretty quickly.
Next, CP, my mom, and I headed to the coat section of the store because my winter coat is just not cutting it in MA. The following conversation ensued:
Non Sequitur Chica: What do you think of me in this coat? (see picture example)
CP: I think that it looks like you are wearing a sleeping bag.Non Sequitur Chica: Oh come on it is not that bad.
CP: You know that I never give you an opinion on any of your clothes. If I am telling you that it looks bad, then you know that I must feel strongly about it.
Non Sequitur Chica: Fine. I will just freeze to death this winter then! (stomps away)
Yes folks, my cranky pants were on! Needless to say, we ended up leaving the store afterwards.
Let’s hope the next time we register it goes a bit smoother…..
*CP and I frequently have people over (or….well, we did out west where we had friends!) and we simply don’t DO fancy. We always cook scrumptious meals, but end up sitting on the couch eating with friends because we are watching a sporting event or the like.
12.29.2008
Holiday season= useless at work
I don’t know about you guys, but I am personally useless today at work. Once again, there are only a few of us and no one seems to be doing much of anything. I can barely keep my eyes open as the trip to Chicago had CP and me running around town the entire time.
Good things from the holiday break:
*CP got to meet 3 cousins, their spouses and my aunt and uncle. He fit in very well with them (as I knew he would) and seemed to have a good time on Christmas.
*CP and I worked out Christmas Day before eating all of the bad food at my aunt’s house. I think that the trainer overdid the amount of abs we did last Tuesday though….for two days I was walking around Chicago thinking that I had a hernia or something. I don’t think that my abs have ever been that sore! Hopefully we do not do the decline ab workout any time soon….
*Despite the bad food on Christmas night, CP and I ate fairly healthy for the past 5 days. Lots of fruit in the mornings and fish at restaurants led to me not gaining any weight over the holiday weekend. Score!
*Laying on the couch yesterday watching the Bears and Bucs lose AND the Eagles kill the Cowboys which means the Eagles snuck into the playoffs despite the horrible game they played against the Redskins the week before. YAY!!!! Here's hoping the Eagles from yesterday show up against the Vikings in the first round of the playoffs!
Bad things from the holiday break:
*Having to wake up at 6:30am after getting to bed at 3am Sunday morning to catch our flight back east. I passed out in the car on the way to the airport, and was praying that I didn’t puke on the plane. I was sitting next to two kids and didn’t want them to be exposed to a traumatic experience such as that. They were really well behaved the entire time and it was a joy to sit next to them, even in the awful state I was in.
*My parents said that my 30th birthday present was going to be waiting for me when I got home for Christmas. When I asked about it, my mom realized that she had forgotten and felt horrible. I made a joke about it when we were at my aunt’s house on Christmas and after we got home, my mom started crying because she felt so bad. Yikes. I felt awful that my mom felt so bad when I was just joking around about the omission. :-(
*Although I did work out on Thursday, my muscles were extremely sore and not wanting to work while on the treadmill. Despite shaving two minutes off my five mile time at the race in Baltimore on the 20th, I was struggling to run two miles only days later. And then my knee started to hurt. *sigh*
Good things from the holiday break:
*CP got to meet 3 cousins, their spouses and my aunt and uncle. He fit in very well with them (as I knew he would) and seemed to have a good time on Christmas.
*CP and I worked out Christmas Day before eating all of the bad food at my aunt’s house. I think that the trainer overdid the amount of abs we did last Tuesday though….for two days I was walking around Chicago thinking that I had a hernia or something. I don’t think that my abs have ever been that sore! Hopefully we do not do the decline ab workout any time soon….
*Despite the bad food on Christmas night, CP and I ate fairly healthy for the past 5 days. Lots of fruit in the mornings and fish at restaurants led to me not gaining any weight over the holiday weekend. Score!
*Laying on the couch yesterday watching the Bears and Bucs lose AND the Eagles kill the Cowboys which means the Eagles snuck into the playoffs despite the horrible game they played against the Redskins the week before. YAY!!!! Here's hoping the Eagles from yesterday show up against the Vikings in the first round of the playoffs!
Bad things from the holiday break:
*Having to wake up at 6:30am after getting to bed at 3am Sunday morning to catch our flight back east. I passed out in the car on the way to the airport, and was praying that I didn’t puke on the plane. I was sitting next to two kids and didn’t want them to be exposed to a traumatic experience such as that. They were really well behaved the entire time and it was a joy to sit next to them, even in the awful state I was in.
*My parents said that my 30th birthday present was going to be waiting for me when I got home for Christmas. When I asked about it, my mom realized that she had forgotten and felt horrible. I made a joke about it when we were at my aunt’s house on Christmas and after we got home, my mom started crying because she felt so bad. Yikes. I felt awful that my mom felt so bad when I was just joking around about the omission. :-(
*Although I did work out on Thursday, my muscles were extremely sore and not wanting to work while on the treadmill. Despite shaving two minutes off my five mile time at the race in Baltimore on the 20th, I was struggling to run two miles only days later. And then my knee started to hurt. *sigh*
12.25.2008
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas everyone!
I hope that everyone has a lovely day with friends and family! Do you have a favorite tradition that you will do today (or that you did yesterday)?
My family has an odd tradition. We wake up on Christmas morning, open presents, have brunch and then head to the gym. We know that we will be eating highly caloric foods at my aunt's house later tonight so in order to not feel bad about stuffing our face with oh-so-yummy things like pigs in a blanket and ice cream sundaes, we work out at the gym. This is the first time that CP will be partaking in the tradition AND the first time he will be meeting my three step cousins, their spouses, aunt/uncle, and other assorted family so I hope that he has fun!
12.24.2008
Warning: this is a rant
So, I think that some of my college friends are mad at me. I have been trying to hang out with my friend E who just had her second kid recently because she only lives 30 minutes away from us. I understand that she is busy with the kids but I have given her 3 or 4 open dates and she never responds. However, she is all excited about getting together with people in NYC the first weekend in Jan.
When we first started discussing getting together in NYC, I said that I was a maybe. Last week as they solidified plans, I told the girls that I probably couldn’t as CP and I are trying not to spend money. My thinking is that even if we try to do cheap things, it’s freakin NYC so it is automatically going to be expensive!
Now my other friend C is sending me emails for flights from Boston to NYC for $29. I told her that it’s not even the travel costs that I am worried about (not to mention we live nowhere near Boston)- it is when I get to NYC. How much is parking? How much will we spend on food? We are going to go out drinking, etc. She responded with “well, you know that I am a $2 beer girl.” But is that what the other girls are going to want to do if we are in NYC? Not likely. People are not going to want to save money and eat in- because they are in NYC. People are not going to want to go to a hole in the wall bar- they are going to want to get nice wine and martinis. That’s fine for them, but right now that is not something I can do right now.
In addition to the whole money aspect, I just left CP alone this past weekend. He is a big boy and can handle it, but because of the big snow storm that hit, he was literally housebound all weekend long. I don’t particularly think that it is fair that I go off gallivanting in NYC two weeks later without him.
The problem is that C just doesn’t get it. Not all of us make $200K/ year to be able to do whatever we want. It’s just frustrating. I don’t normally have money issues or I just make it work, but now it is not just me that I have to think about. With the wedding, high commute costs, the price of everything going up, my student loan payments starting next month, etc. things are different.
Sorry. /rant over
Can you guys believe that it is Christmas Eve already??? Hopefully we get let out early from work today so that CP and I can make our flight to Chicago!
When we first started discussing getting together in NYC, I said that I was a maybe. Last week as they solidified plans, I told the girls that I probably couldn’t as CP and I are trying not to spend money. My thinking is that even if we try to do cheap things, it’s freakin NYC so it is automatically going to be expensive!
Now my other friend C is sending me emails for flights from Boston to NYC for $29. I told her that it’s not even the travel costs that I am worried about (not to mention we live nowhere near Boston)- it is when I get to NYC. How much is parking? How much will we spend on food? We are going to go out drinking, etc. She responded with “well, you know that I am a $2 beer girl.” But is that what the other girls are going to want to do if we are in NYC? Not likely. People are not going to want to save money and eat in- because they are in NYC. People are not going to want to go to a hole in the wall bar- they are going to want to get nice wine and martinis. That’s fine for them, but right now that is not something I can do right now.
In addition to the whole money aspect, I just left CP alone this past weekend. He is a big boy and can handle it, but because of the big snow storm that hit, he was literally housebound all weekend long. I don’t particularly think that it is fair that I go off gallivanting in NYC two weeks later without him.
The problem is that C just doesn’t get it. Not all of us make $200K/ year to be able to do whatever we want. It’s just frustrating. I don’t normally have money issues or I just make it work, but now it is not just me that I have to think about. With the wedding, high commute costs, the price of everything going up, my student loan payments starting next month, etc. things are different.
Sorry. /rant over
Can you guys believe that it is Christmas Eve already??? Hopefully we get let out early from work today so that CP and I can make our flight to Chicago!
12.23.2008
Finally done with Christmas shopping!
Searching for a last minute gift for a parent that is especially hard to buy for? I have the same problem with my dad because he is not a “typical” dad. He doesn’t golf. He doesn’t barbeque (my mom does all the cooking). He really needs to get a hobby other than work. The one thing that does interest him? Knowing about our family history and where we came from. So, CP and I found an interesting gift that we thought he might like- to participate in the National Geographic Genographic Project.
Basically, you get a kit and swab your cheek to sample your DNA. For a male, you can either test your mother’s ancestry or your father’s ancestry (because females don’t have a Y chromosome you can only test your mother’s ancestry). The results do not show where your great-grandparents are from, but where your African ancestors came from and where they migrated to. CP’s dad already did and his results were really interesting. The more people they get to participate in the project, the better the results.
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After I order the kit for my dad, I am officially done with Christmas shopping for the year! And let me say, THANK GOODNESS. Spending all of that money was stressful because I know that we simply don’t have it right now. Our credit card is going to love us while we try to pay down the oh-so-high balance right now. :-(
Basically, you get a kit and swab your cheek to sample your DNA. For a male, you can either test your mother’s ancestry or your father’s ancestry (because females don’t have a Y chromosome you can only test your mother’s ancestry). The results do not show where your great-grandparents are from, but where your African ancestors came from and where they migrated to. CP’s dad already did and his results were really interesting. The more people they get to participate in the project, the better the results.
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After I order the kit for my dad, I am officially done with Christmas shopping for the year! And let me say, THANK GOODNESS. Spending all of that money was stressful because I know that we simply don’t have it right now. Our credit card is going to love us while we try to pay down the oh-so-high balance right now. :-(
12.22.2008
Voy a visitar Mexico!
Yes readers, I am asking for your help again. What can I say, I like to get people's opinions! Today I would like to know what there is to do in Cancun, Mexico. Yes, I know you can get drunk and party 24/ 7 there, but we will be down there with my parents and sister and I don't expect us to be doing body shots every night (maybe just Saturday!). *
Since I know that I just had a post on not spending money, I'm sure that you guys are wondering how CP and I are suddenly heading down to Mexico! A few months ago I was pretty sad when CP and I came to the realization that we couldn't spend $400 a plane ticket to head down to Mexico to spend time with my family in January. We just couldn't justify spending the money because between plane tickets, the dog kennel, airport parking, etc. etc. as we would be spending over $1000. Looking back on it, I am glad we waited.
CP couldn't decide what to get me for my birthday. I suggested that a plane ticket somewhere would be just fine with me....I was thinking a plane ticket to see our friends from law school out west....he thought laying by the pool in Mexico sounded just as good. Tickets to both places were very inexpensive ($200! And CP had a $200 voucher from getting bumped earlier this year), so after a quick discussion we decided that the beach sounded fantastic (the ice storm we just had might have helped with our decision). Frankly, we won't have to spend much money when vacationing with my parents. But if we flew out west we would want to go skiing, go out drinking heavily with friends, go out to eat, etc. It would have been very expensive.
As I have written about before, my parents and CP don't have the closest of relationships. Maybe spending more than an hour or two at a time with my parents on this trip will help with their relationship?
Anyway, this is where you guys come in. I am wondering what there is to do in Cancun. If you went there for spring break, you might not remember anything! But if you have been there on a semi-sober trip, I want to hear from you! I remember Bret Michaels on Rock of Love 2 took two of the girls down to Cancun and they went to Xcaret. Is this place really cheesy or pretty cool? I mean, you can swim with dolphins there so it has to be cool. Right? Right?
Any recommended restaurants? Do you need to rent a car? Are the ruins worth it? I want all the information you can give me! Thanks in advance!
*My sister sent me a invitation to do a self.com "reach your goal" to get ready for Cancun. I'm hoping to get some good recipes and maybe some extra exercises for the days CP and I aren't with the trainer.
Since I know that I just had a post on not spending money, I'm sure that you guys are wondering how CP and I are suddenly heading down to Mexico! A few months ago I was pretty sad when CP and I came to the realization that we couldn't spend $400 a plane ticket to head down to Mexico to spend time with my family in January. We just couldn't justify spending the money because between plane tickets, the dog kennel, airport parking, etc. etc. as we would be spending over $1000. Looking back on it, I am glad we waited.
CP couldn't decide what to get me for my birthday. I suggested that a plane ticket somewhere would be just fine with me....I was thinking a plane ticket to see our friends from law school out west....he thought laying by the pool in Mexico sounded just as good. Tickets to both places were very inexpensive ($200! And CP had a $200 voucher from getting bumped earlier this year), so after a quick discussion we decided that the beach sounded fantastic (the ice storm we just had might have helped with our decision). Frankly, we won't have to spend much money when vacationing with my parents. But if we flew out west we would want to go skiing, go out drinking heavily with friends, go out to eat, etc. It would have been very expensive.
As I have written about before, my parents and CP don't have the closest of relationships. Maybe spending more than an hour or two at a time with my parents on this trip will help with their relationship?
Anyway, this is where you guys come in. I am wondering what there is to do in Cancun. If you went there for spring break, you might not remember anything! But if you have been there on a semi-sober trip, I want to hear from you! I remember Bret Michaels on Rock of Love 2 took two of the girls down to Cancun and they went to Xcaret. Is this place really cheesy or pretty cool? I mean, you can swim with dolphins there so it has to be cool. Right? Right?
Any recommended restaurants? Do you need to rent a car? Are the ruins worth it? I want all the information you can give me! Thanks in advance!
*My sister sent me a invitation to do a self.com "reach your goal" to get ready for Cancun. I'm hoping to get some good recipes and maybe some extra exercises for the days CP and I aren't with the trainer.
12.19.2008
Down to DC again
This morning I am leeeeeaving ooooooooon a jet plane- to DC! J has planned a busy weekend.... including a 5 mile race*, a belated birthday dinner, and the EAGLES- REDSKINS GAME on Sunday (YAY!). I also get to run around DC on Friday and Monday being a tourist with friends. Needless to say, I will probably be very exhausted when I get back to MA on Monday night. At least I only have a day and a half of work before heading off to Chicago for Christmas!!
*Hopefully I will be able to replicate my performance from the 5 mile run on the treadmill Tuesday night!
*Hopefully I will be able to replicate my performance from the 5 mile run on the treadmill Tuesday night!
12.18.2008
FAIL
Tuesday I was fine with simply eating (drinking) two smoothies and fruit before eating dinner. Yesterday afternoon? FAIL. I was (and still am) craving all of the salt that is currently on the roads.
In the four months I have been at work, I have resisted the urge to go on the internet (at least for long periods of time. Checking weather.com doesn’t count). Partly because I can’t access favorites such as Hotmail or Perez Hilton, partly because it looks bad. Yesterday? FAIL. I spent a good hour and a half perusing the internet, including reading everyone’s blogs and commenting. Yay for productivity!
I was hoping to get all of my Christmas shopping done last weekend as I am in DC this coming weekend and fly home Christmas Eve. Again, FAIL. CP and I still can’t figure out what to get my parents and my aunt.
I was hoping that I could convince CP to do a joint Christmas/ holiday slideshow, but he doesn’t want any part of it. FAIL. BTW, if anyone doesn’t want to spend money on cards, stamps, etc. AND doesn’t want hand cramps, go to www.photobucket.com where you can put together a slideshow of pictures from 2008 and send it out as your Christmas card! It saves money AND is good for the environment!
I was hoping to lose weight after taking the bar and before my 30th birthday. FAIL. Hopefully I am now on the right track though.
I was hoping that CP and I would have met at least one new person or couple to hang out with from our area. FAIL. We never spend any time at local events in our small town….which makes meeting people hard.
Yesterday I was so excited about running 5 miles on the treadmill. However, all of that pounding on the treadmill has aggravated the tendonitis in both of my knees. FAIL.
I was hoping to stop spending lots of money. Actually, this is a PASS. We can’t spend as much money on food because we are eating smoothies for two meals out of the day. So to buy more food would just be silly. We actually took an inventory of what we have already prepared in our two freezers so that we can start defrosting things after getting home late from the gym. After I felt better on my birthday I was tempted to go shopping, but I turned away from the mall, thinking better of the idea. Next month I will also be able to pay off one of my credit cards and cancel it. Of course I have another credit card with a huge balance, but at least it is one down.....
In the four months I have been at work, I have resisted the urge to go on the internet (at least for long periods of time. Checking weather.com doesn’t count). Partly because I can’t access favorites such as Hotmail or Perez Hilton, partly because it looks bad. Yesterday? FAIL. I spent a good hour and a half perusing the internet, including reading everyone’s blogs and commenting. Yay for productivity!
I was hoping to get all of my Christmas shopping done last weekend as I am in DC this coming weekend and fly home Christmas Eve. Again, FAIL. CP and I still can’t figure out what to get my parents and my aunt.
I was hoping that I could convince CP to do a joint Christmas/ holiday slideshow, but he doesn’t want any part of it. FAIL. BTW, if anyone doesn’t want to spend money on cards, stamps, etc. AND doesn’t want hand cramps, go to www.photobucket.com where you can put together a slideshow of pictures from 2008 and send it out as your Christmas card! It saves money AND is good for the environment!
I was hoping to lose weight after taking the bar and before my 30th birthday. FAIL. Hopefully I am now on the right track though.
I was hoping that CP and I would have met at least one new person or couple to hang out with from our area. FAIL. We never spend any time at local events in our small town….which makes meeting people hard.
Yesterday I was so excited about running 5 miles on the treadmill. However, all of that pounding on the treadmill has aggravated the tendonitis in both of my knees. FAIL.
I was hoping to stop spending lots of money. Actually, this is a PASS. We can’t spend as much money on food because we are eating smoothies for two meals out of the day. So to buy more food would just be silly. We actually took an inventory of what we have already prepared in our two freezers so that we can start defrosting things after getting home late from the gym. After I felt better on my birthday I was tempted to go shopping, but I turned away from the mall, thinking better of the idea. Next month I will also be able to pay off one of my credit cards and cancel it. Of course I have another credit card with a huge balance, but at least it is one down.....
12.17.2008
Go me!
So I am going to brag a little bit now....last night I went to the gym with the intention of seeing how far I could run. I was a little worried about the 5 mile run my friend J signed me up for on Saturday (I am heading down to DC to see her this weekend). I mean, I finally ran a mile under 10 minutes on Friday, but that is different than running 5 times that distance!
I was a little tired at work and had trouble staying awake on my drive home, so I wasn't expecting much. Plus, my hamstrings were pretty tight from the training session on Monday night. I started out walking .25 of a mile to warm up. The first mile at a 12:00 minute mile pace wasn't too bad....so I went on to do another mile. Fairly normal breathing (i.e. no huffing and puffing) and a steady heart rate of 150. I then decided to walk .5 of a mile to make sure that I still had gas left in the tank to run some more.
I then went on to do two more miles, running at a 12:00 minute mile pace or faster. CP came into the gym with 4 minutes left on my run and to show off I turned up the pace to 6.0. All in all, I ran 4 miles and walked 1 mile. It took me a total of 65 minutes, with the treadmill telling me I burned 780 calories!* Needless to say, I had no idea I had it in me. Now I am actually looking forward to the race on Saturday!
*When I got home I weighed myself before I jumped in the shower and I was down 2.5 pounds. I'm pretty sure that it was just water weight as I was sweating buckets, but still. It is a start!
I was a little tired at work and had trouble staying awake on my drive home, so I wasn't expecting much. Plus, my hamstrings were pretty tight from the training session on Monday night. I started out walking .25 of a mile to warm up. The first mile at a 12:00 minute mile pace wasn't too bad....so I went on to do another mile. Fairly normal breathing (i.e. no huffing and puffing) and a steady heart rate of 150. I then decided to walk .5 of a mile to make sure that I still had gas left in the tank to run some more.
I then went on to do two more miles, running at a 12:00 minute mile pace or faster. CP came into the gym with 4 minutes left on my run and to show off I turned up the pace to 6.0. All in all, I ran 4 miles and walked 1 mile. It took me a total of 65 minutes, with the treadmill telling me I burned 780 calories!* Needless to say, I had no idea I had it in me. Now I am actually looking forward to the race on Saturday!
*When I got home I weighed myself before I jumped in the shower and I was down 2.5 pounds. I'm pretty sure that it was just water weight as I was sweating buckets, but still. It is a start!
12.16.2008
Winter help
Dear readers,
Now that I am 30 years old, I feel as though my winter accessories simply do not cut it anymore. I no longer live in a "young" town and I am supposed to be taken seriously at work. So when I show up at work in a hat like this?
Now that I am 30 years old, I feel as though my winter accessories simply do not cut it anymore. I no longer live in a "young" town and I am supposed to be taken seriously at work. So when I show up at work in a hat like this?
And wear gloves that look like this?
Needless to say.....it just doesn't scream "professional." So readers, are you more stylish than me (believe me, it's not hard)? Can you help me find some more professional attire?
I do have some stipulations. My ears get cold REALLY quickly. So any hat that I buy needs to have ear flaps or some kind of contraption that covers my ears. My fingers are the same way. The gloves that I buy need to be warm.
Help me be more professional!!!
Love,
Non Sequitur Chica
12.15.2008
On why my fiance is so cute
Most of you probably heard of the lovely storm we got here in New England Thursday night.... the one that produced ice all over the place and knocked out power to 500,000+ people in MA. Although many people in my area lost power, we were lucky enough to miss out on that fun. However, CP got the day off on Friday because his work didn't have power (of course MY work was fine). That gave him enough time to prepare for my birthday dinner......
I headed to the gym after work, willing myself to run a mile in under 10 minutes. And I did it....with 5 seconds to spare! After the rest of my workout, I arrived home, sweaty and tired, to CP. He had a fire roaring in the tv room, a bottle of wine set out on the kitchen table, and a big kiss for me. As I showered, he prepared the lobster and the steak (a surprise!).
Before dinner CP pushed three wrapped presents over to me. I was a little sad on my birthday when I didn't have anything to open* so CP bought me a few small things. One of the gifts? Kraft Macaroni & Cheese because I had been craving it for a few days. He is so silly.
The funniest thing of the night? His birthday card (see below). It totally made me crack up (and yes, I do realize that I am easily amused).
Front of the card
Back of the card**
*My parents are waiting until we get to Chicago for Christmas to give me my birthday present(s?). CP hadn't really figured out my present just yet.....
**Koda= Fuzzy britches. FB is just one of her many nicknames.
12.12.2008
I hate losing
Earlier this week I went to the ear, nose and throat doctor to see why the test results for my middle ear were so different from the rest of my hearing results. Well, it turns out that my middle ear is fine and the woman just read the test results incorrectly. Thanks for needlessly making me worry and use some of my sick time to go to an appointment lady! The doctor did say that maybe I have a “listening” problem and that is why I have to ask people to repeat things so often. CP just laughed after I told him….and then promptly agreed with the doctor’s assessment. Grrrrr.
The doctor couldn’t explain why I had ear pain or why things sound muffled because my ear pressure was normal. He mentioned that it could possibly be my body adjusting from the move from the west coast, but that doesn’t make much sense to me since it was seven months ago! Overall, good news that there is nothing wrong with my ears.
However, last night the trainer had CP and I try to run a 10 minute mile again on the treadmill. Once again, I missed making it by .04 of a mile (to be fair, in the last minute the trainer had me slow down because she wanted me to be able to do the exercises that she had planned later on), while CP made it this time (jerk). While his heart rate went down 10 points, my heart rate was still high at 178. Is this something I should be worried about? The trainer seems to want to watch that number and is confused as to why mine did not go down at all.
Oh and boys suck. CP has already lost 4 pounds and has now moved to a tighter belt hole. He did concede that the belt was 10 years old and it probably stretches, but still. I know that I shouldn’t compare myself, my weight loss, etc. to his, but that is virtually impossible with my competitive nature.
The doctor couldn’t explain why I had ear pain or why things sound muffled because my ear pressure was normal. He mentioned that it could possibly be my body adjusting from the move from the west coast, but that doesn’t make much sense to me since it was seven months ago! Overall, good news that there is nothing wrong with my ears.
However, last night the trainer had CP and I try to run a 10 minute mile again on the treadmill. Once again, I missed making it by .04 of a mile (to be fair, in the last minute the trainer had me slow down because she wanted me to be able to do the exercises that she had planned later on), while CP made it this time (jerk). While his heart rate went down 10 points, my heart rate was still high at 178. Is this something I should be worried about? The trainer seems to want to watch that number and is confused as to why mine did not go down at all.
Oh and boys suck. CP has already lost 4 pounds and has now moved to a tighter belt hole. He did concede that the belt was 10 years old and it probably stretches, but still. I know that I shouldn’t compare myself, my weight loss, etc. to his, but that is virtually impossible with my competitive nature.
12.11.2008
No more whining!
Thanks for the birthday wishes yesterday....and sorry for the whining. I *hate* when people whine. I especially hate when people whine about something, but then don’t do anything to change the situation. So no more whining. CP and I are doing something about our situation….we just can’t do it for at least another year!
Anyway, I’m pretty sure that because of my whining, Karma decided to make me sick Tuesday night. As I said, I was a scrooge for the company’s holiday party…now I understand why I was feeling so tired and rundown. Early Wednesday morning I woke up with a fever and an awful sore throat. After downing Tylenol like it was my job, I called out of work and slept until 11am. Being sick on your birthday? Not so much fun. But I think that the combo of the Tylenol and the sleep worked a miracle as after 11am I felt weird lying around in bed. If I was to be home from work, I might as well be productive!*
So, I did four loads of laundry, cleaned the kitchen, booked our wedding photographer, dropped off dry cleaning, went to the post office, cleaned the basement, vacuumed the house, and still did 40 minutes on the Wii Fit. Phew. I chalk it up to needing a “mental health day” on my birthday.
Friends on Facebook worried that my employer might wonder why I was “sick” on my birthday. I assured them that no one knew that it was my birthday yesterday….which is true. We have too many employees to do cakes or the like for people’s birthdays and I didn't shout it from the rooftops that it was my birthday.
Speaking of Facebook, has anyone noticed that friends now just post “Happy birthday” on Facebook instead of calling or sending cards? I still send cards to friends on their birthday, but only call close friends (along with a card)….otherwise I do the Facebook message thing. I did get a phone call from the Mary Kay lady wishing me a happy birthday AND reminding me that I have 15% off any purchases made this month because of my birthday! Ha. Lady, I already spent enough money last month.
I don’t feel any older today…but I’m sure that I will be good and sore after the training session tonight!
*I really must be getting old to think this way instead of sitting in front of the tv on a sick day.
Anyway, I’m pretty sure that because of my whining, Karma decided to make me sick Tuesday night. As I said, I was a scrooge for the company’s holiday party…now I understand why I was feeling so tired and rundown. Early Wednesday morning I woke up with a fever and an awful sore throat. After downing Tylenol like it was my job, I called out of work and slept until 11am. Being sick on your birthday? Not so much fun. But I think that the combo of the Tylenol and the sleep worked a miracle as after 11am I felt weird lying around in bed. If I was to be home from work, I might as well be productive!*
So, I did four loads of laundry, cleaned the kitchen, booked our wedding photographer, dropped off dry cleaning, went to the post office, cleaned the basement, vacuumed the house, and still did 40 minutes on the Wii Fit. Phew. I chalk it up to needing a “mental health day” on my birthday.
Friends on Facebook worried that my employer might wonder why I was “sick” on my birthday. I assured them that no one knew that it was my birthday yesterday….which is true. We have too many employees to do cakes or the like for people’s birthdays and I didn't shout it from the rooftops that it was my birthday.
Speaking of Facebook, has anyone noticed that friends now just post “Happy birthday” on Facebook instead of calling or sending cards? I still send cards to friends on their birthday, but only call close friends (along with a card)….otherwise I do the Facebook message thing. I did get a phone call from the Mary Kay lady wishing me a happy birthday AND reminding me that I have 15% off any purchases made this month because of my birthday! Ha. Lady, I already spent enough money last month.
I don’t feel any older today…but I’m sure that I will be good and sore after the training session tonight!
*I really must be getting old to think this way instead of sitting in front of the tv on a sick day.
12.10.2008
I am officially OLD
I haven’t been looking forward to today for a while now. Honestly, I think that it is why I have been a little depressed lately. You see, today is my 30th birthday. I am not one of those people that care that I am turning 30. Age really is just a number. Plus, I am the youngest person in both my high school and college classes so most everyone I know is already 30.
No, the reason that I am sad is that CP and I still don’t have friends that live near us. Yes, we have a bunch of friends that live near Boston, but that’s over an hour away from us. I seriously believe the median age in our town and the surrounding towns is 50. The towns haven’t quite “turned over” to the younger generation in their late 20s and early 30s yet.
So while I see friends post pictures on Facebook of big parties at fun bars for their 30th birthdays, I won’t have any of that. I know that I am not 10. I know that it is not a competition to see how many people you can have at your birthday. But when the only person coming to your birthday is your fiancé (who is required to be there)? It stinks. I like bringing friends from different times in my life together for my birthday. I will also enjoy doing that for my wedding.
You are probably thinking, woe is her. That’s all she has to worry about? And I agree. I am very lucky in other aspects of my life. There could be so many other things that could be going wrong in my life. But I hate being lonely. I’m glad that I have CP to hang out with, but living in the middle of nowhere still sucks.
Tonight we don’t have anything planned. What! It is a weeknight and I am now officially old. ;-) We will probably go to the gym and then head home for a night of healthy food and relaxing on the couch. Since I gave up on my birthday a few weeks ago and we are trying not to spend too much money, on Friday CP is going to steam two lobsters and we are going to open a bottle (or two, or three!) of wine. No pictures of a drunken night at the bar….and we will probably head to bed before 11pm.
To try to cheer myself up, here is my list of things to look forward to in the next 365 days:
*Getting married!
*Going on an awesome honeymoon to Ecuador & the Galapagos (we haven’t booked anything yet…hopefully soon)
*Looking forward to moving back west
*A pay raise in mid-February
*My rotation down in DC for work. Although I will be away from CP for three months, I will get to see a bunch of friends for longer than a weekend every year or so!
*Eagles/ Redskins game later this month. My sister works with Donovan McNabb’s agent….so although I will be going into enemy territory for yet another year, I will continue my streak of seeing the Eagles in person at least once every year.
No, the reason that I am sad is that CP and I still don’t have friends that live near us. Yes, we have a bunch of friends that live near Boston, but that’s over an hour away from us. I seriously believe the median age in our town and the surrounding towns is 50. The towns haven’t quite “turned over” to the younger generation in their late 20s and early 30s yet.
So while I see friends post pictures on Facebook of big parties at fun bars for their 30th birthdays, I won’t have any of that. I know that I am not 10. I know that it is not a competition to see how many people you can have at your birthday. But when the only person coming to your birthday is your fiancé (who is required to be there)? It stinks. I like bringing friends from different times in my life together for my birthday. I will also enjoy doing that for my wedding.
You are probably thinking, woe is her. That’s all she has to worry about? And I agree. I am very lucky in other aspects of my life. There could be so many other things that could be going wrong in my life. But I hate being lonely. I’m glad that I have CP to hang out with, but living in the middle of nowhere still sucks.
Tonight we don’t have anything planned. What! It is a weeknight and I am now officially old. ;-) We will probably go to the gym and then head home for a night of healthy food and relaxing on the couch. Since I gave up on my birthday a few weeks ago and we are trying not to spend too much money, on Friday CP is going to steam two lobsters and we are going to open a bottle (or two, or three!) of wine. No pictures of a drunken night at the bar….and we will probably head to bed before 11pm.
To try to cheer myself up, here is my list of things to look forward to in the next 365 days:
*Getting married!
*Going on an awesome honeymoon to Ecuador & the Galapagos (we haven’t booked anything yet…hopefully soon)
*Looking forward to moving back west
*A pay raise in mid-February
*My rotation down in DC for work. Although I will be away from CP for three months, I will get to see a bunch of friends for longer than a weekend every year or so!
*Eagles/ Redskins game later this month. My sister works with Donovan McNabb’s agent….so although I will be going into enemy territory for yet another year, I will continue my streak of seeing the Eagles in person at least once every year.
12.09.2008
Although some of my favorite bloggers have left the blogosphere recently, I am happy to report that The Dateable Dork has decided to come back! If you were not reading her before, start now!
Today, I am scrooge
Sorry for the crappy posting yesterday. It was a tiring day yesterday and I couldn’t think of anything exciting.
Today I am once again exhausted. Although CP and I are trying to save money, not spend it, we have made a decision that the trainer is a worthwhile thing and will start going two times a week. Last night we had a session and before we even started any of the different squats, lunges, work on the bosu ball, etc. she had us run a mile. Now, CP and I have been running on the treadmill recently, both doing about two miles (I don’t want to run much more for fear of aggravating my knee). I have been running at a 12 minute mile pace, which I KNOW is slow, but it doesn’t hurt my knee….at least for right now.
The trainer had us start at a 4.5 pace which I am used to, then move up to run at a 7.5 pace in order to try to finish the mile within 10 minutes. I have to tell you, I looked like I was on the Biggest Loser when Jillian is making her people run on the treadmill and then jump off! I missed making the 10 minute mile by .04 of a mile. Maybe next time…..
When I have a really hard workout the night before work, I tend to be exhausted and not super friendly the next day. Today is our holiday party. I should be having a smoothie for lunch, but I already paid for lunch so I might as well eat it. But today? I am not feeling the holiday spirit. A fellow coworker has dressed up as Santa and the different divisions are taking pictures with him. I didn’t particularly want to be IN the picture for a few reasons:
*I am not wearing holiday attire.
*The sweater that I am wearing is not super flattering.
*Because I was sweating so much after the training session yesterday I showered last night and decided to sleep in instead of showering this morning. So my hair is not done and I forgot to put on makeup.
*I look exhausted.
Today? I feel like kind of a scrooge. :-(
Today I am once again exhausted. Although CP and I are trying to save money, not spend it, we have made a decision that the trainer is a worthwhile thing and will start going two times a week. Last night we had a session and before we even started any of the different squats, lunges, work on the bosu ball, etc. she had us run a mile. Now, CP and I have been running on the treadmill recently, both doing about two miles (I don’t want to run much more for fear of aggravating my knee). I have been running at a 12 minute mile pace, which I KNOW is slow, but it doesn’t hurt my knee….at least for right now.
The trainer had us start at a 4.5 pace which I am used to, then move up to run at a 7.5 pace in order to try to finish the mile within 10 minutes. I have to tell you, I looked like I was on the Biggest Loser when Jillian is making her people run on the treadmill and then jump off! I missed making the 10 minute mile by .04 of a mile. Maybe next time…..
When I have a really hard workout the night before work, I tend to be exhausted and not super friendly the next day. Today is our holiday party. I should be having a smoothie for lunch, but I already paid for lunch so I might as well eat it. But today? I am not feeling the holiday spirit. A fellow coworker has dressed up as Santa and the different divisions are taking pictures with him. I didn’t particularly want to be IN the picture for a few reasons:
*I am not wearing holiday attire.
*The sweater that I am wearing is not super flattering.
*Because I was sweating so much after the training session yesterday I showered last night and decided to sleep in instead of showering this morning. So my hair is not done and I forgot to put on makeup.
*I look exhausted.
Today? I feel like kind of a scrooge. :-(
12.08.2008
Snow!
This weekend MA finally got snow. It wasn't very much...Sunday we woke up to maybe an inch on the ground, with another inch coming throughout the day. Sunday morning was nice enough for a hike so CP and I took Fuzzy Britches to a local state park.
Isn't she adorable? :-)
Isn't she adorable? :-)
12.05.2008
Weight loss smoothies!
So I got a few emails about the smoothies the trainer is having CP and I eat for breakfast and lunch. Here is the recipe CP and I have been using:
1 banana
Handful of ice
2 heaping tablespoons of plain low-fat yogurt
1 cup of skim milk*
1 scoop of vanilla soy protein**
Handful of frozen fruit like blueberries, strawberries, cherries, mango, etc.
*The trainer suggested using Bolthouse carrot juice, but we found that we didn't like it.
**We found our soy protein at Walmart.
The recipe should make two cups or even two and a half cups of a yummy, delicious and healthy smoothie. There are tons of combinations so have fun with it! CP and I thought that we would be starving after only having a smoothie for breakfast, but so far it has easy to not eat anything until lunch. Watch...I say that now and then next week my body finally realizes that I am not feeding it very much!
1 banana
Handful of ice
2 heaping tablespoons of plain low-fat yogurt
1 cup of skim milk*
1 scoop of vanilla soy protein**
Handful of frozen fruit like blueberries, strawberries, cherries, mango, etc.
*The trainer suggested using Bolthouse carrot juice, but we found that we didn't like it.
**We found our soy protein at Walmart.
The recipe should make two cups or even two and a half cups of a yummy, delicious and healthy smoothie. There are tons of combinations so have fun with it! CP and I thought that we would be starving after only having a smoothie for breakfast, but so far it has easy to not eat anything until lunch. Watch...I say that now and then next week my body finally realizes that I am not feeding it very much!
12.04.2008
Money troubles
Yesterday CP and I came to a realization that we have been spending way too much money recently. We finally uploaded Quicken to figure out where most of our money was going. Turns out, it is mostly going towards food. We haven’t been eating out that much (partly because there isn’t anywhere exciting to go), but we freely put grocery tabs on our joint credit card without even thinking about it. Not to mention the $300 we just spent at Whole Foods for Thanksgiving….
So with our new smoothie diet (we will be now be having smoothie for breakfast AND lunch to try to maximize weight loss), we will hopefully curb our food spending. We have a lot of frozen meals in our two freezers so we will start to chip away at that food for a while before buying any new food. We don’t want to have debt hanging over us when we are on our honeymoon because we know that we will be spending a bunch while in Equator/ the Galapagos. Plus, we are planning to definitely move back to our west coast city sometime in 2010 so that CP can get his MBA.
I also took a look at my personal credit card and realized that I can’t use it anymore. Right now I am paying just over the minimum and not putting much of a dent in the balance. This is not good. I am pretty sure that I am simply going to take it out of my wallet so that I don’t even think of using it. No more clothes, shoes, etc. for a couple of months because my work wardrobe is fairly new. I kept pants that I wore for law school internships in case I lost weight so I don’t have to worry about buying more when I do start to lose this weight. Plus, that might be a while before I move down a size because all of my current pants fit well….that is until I eat something.
So with our new smoothie diet (we will be now be having smoothie for breakfast AND lunch to try to maximize weight loss), we will hopefully curb our food spending. We have a lot of frozen meals in our two freezers so we will start to chip away at that food for a while before buying any new food. We don’t want to have debt hanging over us when we are on our honeymoon because we know that we will be spending a bunch while in Equator/ the Galapagos. Plus, we are planning to definitely move back to our west coast city sometime in 2010 so that CP can get his MBA.
I also took a look at my personal credit card and realized that I can’t use it anymore. Right now I am paying just over the minimum and not putting much of a dent in the balance. This is not good. I am pretty sure that I am simply going to take it out of my wallet so that I don’t even think of using it. No more clothes, shoes, etc. for a couple of months because my work wardrobe is fairly new. I kept pants that I wore for law school internships in case I lost weight so I don’t have to worry about buying more when I do start to lose this weight. Plus, that might be a while before I move down a size because all of my current pants fit well….that is until I eat something.
12.03.2008
More random musings
On Saturday CP’s mom got married to a man that she has been dating for five years. After the reception CP and her new husband had a small party back at their house for most of the guests. Because they had food leftover, CP’s mom handed us cookies, brownies, and other assorted desserts to take back to CP’s dads house. On the way back to his dad’s house, CP and I both agreed that it would be really weird to bring desserts to his dad from his mom’s wedding reception. I was surprised that she would even think to give them to her ex husband. I don’t think that she meant it in a mean way, but was it a small in-your-face to her ex? We decided to leave them in the car and bring them into work this week.
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Poor CP can tolerate his new stepfather, but both he and his sister reported that the new man in their mom’s life was trying to get touchy-feely with them. Saying that now that they are family, that he wants to have a better relationship with them. *Awkward* Both CP and his sister are not huge fans of the guy, but are nice to him because their mom loves him. Although my parents might not have a perfect relationship, I am thankful that they are still together. Divorced parents make everything so difficult. CP and his sister are both over 30 years old so a stepparent is not really necessary….not to mention their father is still alive and well so they also don’t need a fatherly figure in their life.
I think that CP is going to want to keep his interaction with the stepfather to a minimum while we still live on the east coast and hopefully it is just his mom that comes to visit after we move back out west!!
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Poor CP can tolerate his new stepfather, but both he and his sister reported that the new man in their mom’s life was trying to get touchy-feely with them. Saying that now that they are family, that he wants to have a better relationship with them. *Awkward* Both CP and his sister are not huge fans of the guy, but are nice to him because their mom loves him. Although my parents might not have a perfect relationship, I am thankful that they are still together. Divorced parents make everything so difficult. CP and his sister are both over 30 years old so a stepparent is not really necessary….not to mention their father is still alive and well so they also don’t need a fatherly figure in their life.
I think that CP is going to want to keep his interaction with the stepfather to a minimum while we still live on the east coast and hopefully it is just his mom that comes to visit after we move back out west!!
12.02.2008
Random musings
This holiday was the first time I had seen CP’s sister, husband and two kids since CP and I got engaged. Everyone thought it was hilarious to have the kids (ages 4 and 6) call me “Aunt Non Sequitur Chica” instead of “Miss Non Sequitur Chica” as they have been calling me. I have to admit- it sounded VERY weird. Not to mention hearing my future mother-in-law introduce me as her “future daughter-in-law.” Why do I think that it is so weird? Why do I giggle every time I think of my parents having a son-in-law?
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Yesterday I got a call from the local NPR station thanking me for my gift this year. The woman asked if she could ask a few questions about why I gave, why I think that it is important, why I listen to NPR, etc. so that she could record it to play during the next pledge drive. I personally think that I said “umm” too many times, but I guess they can edit it out. If they end up playing my tape that is going to be WEIRD hearing my voice on the radio!
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Yesterday I got a call from the local NPR station thanking me for my gift this year. The woman asked if she could ask a few questions about why I gave, why I think that it is important, why I listen to NPR, etc. so that she could record it to play during the next pledge drive. I personally think that I said “umm” too many times, but I guess they can edit it out. If they end up playing my tape that is going to be WEIRD hearing my voice on the radio!
12.01.2008
In need of a job?
Is anyone in need of a full time or part time job? The US Census Bureau is starting to hire for the 2010 Census. While it might not be the most exciting job in the world, if you are looking for some extra cash you know that you won’t get canned by the Federal government! Check out www.census.gov or www.2010censusjobs.gov for more information.
But what about me???
For the past week our trainer has suggested eating a protein smoothie for breakfast and lunch in order to maximize weight loss. CP and I decided that a smoothie for lunch was too difficult so a couple of nights we have had a smoothie for our dinner after having a regular lunch. We both thought that having just a smoothie for breakfast would leave us hungry around 10am- but they are actually really filling.
Because we have been having smoothies and not regular breakfast food, our stomachs have probably gotten a little smaller. That is probably why I did not have any seconds on Thanksgiving. That is probably why eating after CP mom's wedding caused my stomach to ache on Saturday. That is probably why eating at CP dad's house yesterday also hurt my stomach. I couldn't wait to make a smoothie this morning for breakfast.
So although my jeans felt a little bigger on Friday, after eating this weekend they no longer feel big. All of CP's family members commented on him looking skinnier, but didn't say the same about me. CP tried to make me feel better by saying that the first place that he loses weight is in his face, but it didn't really help. I am obviously going to have to work a little harder to work off the food I ate this weekend. Thank goodness we have the trainer tonight.
Because we have been having smoothies and not regular breakfast food, our stomachs have probably gotten a little smaller. That is probably why I did not have any seconds on Thanksgiving. That is probably why eating after CP mom's wedding caused my stomach to ache on Saturday. That is probably why eating at CP dad's house yesterday also hurt my stomach. I couldn't wait to make a smoothie this morning for breakfast.
So although my jeans felt a little bigger on Friday, after eating this weekend they no longer feel big. All of CP's family members commented on him looking skinnier, but didn't say the same about me. CP tried to make me feel better by saying that the first place that he loses weight is in his face, but it didn't really help. I am obviously going to have to work a little harder to work off the food I ate this weekend. Thank goodness we have the trainer tonight.
11.28.2008
Why does anyone go to work today?
It is like a cemetery here at work today. Driving in was a breeze. We have 60 people that work here; I have seen 5 people so far. No one in the office means I can either (a) get a lot of work done or (b) goof off all day. Hopefully I will choose (a).
Getting up this morning was difficult as CP got to stay in bed to sleep and will hang out with his family all today. Meanwhile, I will slave away at the office (ha), have to rush home, pack a bag to drive up to CP dad’s house. CP and I will be staying there all weekend long as CP’s mom does not have enough room for everyone in her house. She is getting married on Saturday and I still have no idea what I am going to wear. Sunday will be another in-law family day.
Unfortunately this means that I will not be able to get a long workout in at the gym because we are not going to be home at all this weekend. I hope that I am able to put on a happy face for all of the family festivities as this hasn’t been the best week (something I alluded to on Wednesday).
Let me explain. I had my hearing test on Monday. For the most part, my hearing is excellent. However, I had problems with one tone in both ears which points towards something being wrong with my middle ear. I have an appointment to see an Ear, Nose & Throat person in a little over a week.
On top of that my birth control pill has decided to screw with my body so my doctor switched me to another one. I spent most of the day hunched over in pain at my desk on Wednesday with neither Tylenol nor Advil doing anything to help. I read some online reviews of the new pill and let’s just say that I am not expecting the next month to go well. Hopefully my body will be different.
Then I am just depressed about my lack of friends in our new area, but that is a different post for another day.
Getting up this morning was difficult as CP got to stay in bed to sleep and will hang out with his family all today. Meanwhile, I will slave away at the office (ha), have to rush home, pack a bag to drive up to CP dad’s house. CP and I will be staying there all weekend long as CP’s mom does not have enough room for everyone in her house. She is getting married on Saturday and I still have no idea what I am going to wear. Sunday will be another in-law family day.
Unfortunately this means that I will not be able to get a long workout in at the gym because we are not going to be home at all this weekend. I hope that I am able to put on a happy face for all of the family festivities as this hasn’t been the best week (something I alluded to on Wednesday).
Let me explain. I had my hearing test on Monday. For the most part, my hearing is excellent. However, I had problems with one tone in both ears which points towards something being wrong with my middle ear. I have an appointment to see an Ear, Nose & Throat person in a little over a week.
On top of that my birth control pill has decided to screw with my body so my doctor switched me to another one. I spent most of the day hunched over in pain at my desk on Wednesday with neither Tylenol nor Advil doing anything to help. I read some online reviews of the new pill and let’s just say that I am not expecting the next month to go well. Hopefully my body will be different.
Then I am just depressed about my lack of friends in our new area, but that is a different post for another day.
11.26.2008
Pre-turkey crappy-ass day
I was all set to write a nice, happy post about everything that I am thankful for, but I have had a really crappy day. And don't particularly feel like writing anything.
I hope that everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving tomorrow. Hopefully I will have a better day as we have a lot of CP's family coming in and I need to be in a good mood.
I hope that everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving tomorrow. Hopefully I will have a better day as we have a lot of CP's family coming in and I need to be in a good mood.
11.25.2008
Procrastination
This morning I have to give a presentation at work to the entire staff. I always get butterflies when talking in front of people, but I actually pull off whatever I am doing and don't look TOO nervous doing it.
So one would think that having just finished three years of law school and then taking the bar that I would prepare for this presentation in advance. Well, technically I should have been preparing for this presentation at work, but I haven't had enough time because I have been trying to finish up things for the old division so that I could start with the new division yesterday. So I took the information home this past weekend and told myself that I would work on the presentation.
Friday night? I completely forgot about it. Saturday? I watched a pie making class at William Sonoma and went shopping for Thanksgiving with CP. Sunday? Totally forgot about it because I was busy bringing wood into the garage, doing four loads of laundry, baking banana bread, cleaning the house, etc. Forgot about it until at 8:30pm when I was exhausted from all of the household tasks and the gym workout. I TRIED to make myself read the reports but I just couldn't.
So, I then crammed during lunch yesterday and after work last night. This wasn't a required project and my boss even said that I could put it off until next month's staff meeting but I wanted to make a good impression and show her why I deserve the raise in a few months. Hopefully I will do a good enough job in about an hour!!
So one would think that having just finished three years of law school and then taking the bar that I would prepare for this presentation in advance. Well, technically I should have been preparing for this presentation at work, but I haven't had enough time because I have been trying to finish up things for the old division so that I could start with the new division yesterday. So I took the information home this past weekend and told myself that I would work on the presentation.
Friday night? I completely forgot about it. Saturday? I watched a pie making class at William Sonoma and went shopping for Thanksgiving with CP. Sunday? Totally forgot about it because I was busy bringing wood into the garage, doing four loads of laundry, baking banana bread, cleaning the house, etc. Forgot about it until at 8:30pm when I was exhausted from all of the household tasks and the gym workout. I TRIED to make myself read the reports but I just couldn't.
So, I then crammed during lunch yesterday and after work last night. This wasn't a required project and my boss even said that I could put it off until next month's staff meeting but I wanted to make a good impression and show her why I deserve the raise in a few months. Hopefully I will do a good enough job in about an hour!!
11.24.2008
Feeling old
I feel very old today. No, it's not my birthday but I will be turning 30 in less than three weeks. No I am feeling old because my body is telling me that I am getting older.
Was I super sore after the workout with the trainer on Thursday? Yep. You know when you are so sore in your hamstrings, butt, calves, etc. that sitting down on a toilet hurts? Yep that was me on Friday and Saturday.
Am I super sore today after my workout yesterday with CP? Yep. We both ran about two miles on the treadmill and while he went off to shower, I continued punishing my body with lunges, squats, and other various types of torture when your body is already sore. Yes, this is great, blah blah blah. But when I groan every time I get on and off the couch like an old man? Not so sexy.
Am I going to see someone about my hearing later today? Yep. For a while now I have noticed that when in crowds or when there is background noise I have a problem hearing people. It seems like more people mumble than they used to. This is not good. So, since I have health insurance I have decided to get this potential problem checked out. Hopefully it's all in my mind....
Did I go see an eye doctor and my prescription was upped? Yep. Last week I went to my first eye doctor appointment in four years. I was running out of my contacts and noticed that I was squinting a lot, along with getting glare coming off the road when driving at night. While I am happy that my prescription only went up one power in four years, I became even "blinder." I would love to think about LASIK but not until after the wedding. I have to legally bind CP to me before I can become handicapped (JUST KIDDING).
I guess I can't complain though. Other than my weight and my stomach problems, I am a fairly healthy person. Things could always be worse.....
Was I super sore after the workout with the trainer on Thursday? Yep. You know when you are so sore in your hamstrings, butt, calves, etc. that sitting down on a toilet hurts? Yep that was me on Friday and Saturday.
Am I super sore today after my workout yesterday with CP? Yep. We both ran about two miles on the treadmill and while he went off to shower, I continued punishing my body with lunges, squats, and other various types of torture when your body is already sore. Yes, this is great, blah blah blah. But when I groan every time I get on and off the couch like an old man? Not so sexy.
Am I going to see someone about my hearing later today? Yep. For a while now I have noticed that when in crowds or when there is background noise I have a problem hearing people. It seems like more people mumble than they used to. This is not good. So, since I have health insurance I have decided to get this potential problem checked out. Hopefully it's all in my mind....
Did I go see an eye doctor and my prescription was upped? Yep. Last week I went to my first eye doctor appointment in four years. I was running out of my contacts and noticed that I was squinting a lot, along with getting glare coming off the road when driving at night. While I am happy that my prescription only went up one power in four years, I became even "blinder." I would love to think about LASIK but not until after the wedding. I have to legally bind CP to me before I can become handicapped (JUST KIDDING).
I guess I can't complain though. Other than my weight and my stomach problems, I am a fairly healthy person. Things could always be worse.....
11.21.2008
Cookies!
So I made this chocolate chip cookie recipe for work and my cookies sold out like hotcakes! Three different people asked for the recipe. I did try one of my cookies and it was seriously delicious. If you are in need of a good cookie recipe for holiday parties, I would recommend this one!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
· ¾ cup sugar
· ¾ cup packed brown sugar
· 1 cup butter
· 1 large egg
· 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· ½ teaspoon salt
· 2 cups milk chocolate chips
· 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix sugar, brown sugar, butter and egg in a large bowl by hand. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt and vanilla. The dough will be stiff. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. The centers will be soft.
Let cool for one minute and then move cookies to a wire rack to finish cooking.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
· ¾ cup sugar
· ¾ cup packed brown sugar
· 1 cup butter
· 1 large egg
· 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· ½ teaspoon salt
· 2 cups milk chocolate chips
· 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix sugar, brown sugar, butter and egg in a large bowl by hand. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt and vanilla. The dough will be stiff. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. The centers will be soft.
Let cool for one minute and then move cookies to a wire rack to finish cooking.
11.20.2008
Work work work
Three updates on work-related topics:
1. I finally got my badge which means that I can head down to the FREE gym at work. Which is fantastic…..except that I just heard that all three treadmills are broken and have to be sent back to the manufacturer. There are still weights, a bike, and an elliptical machine but I was thinking that I would just walk for 30 minutes during lunch a couple times a week to supplement my workouts at night.*
2. I start my new rotation next week. I am very excited as it is in one of the areas I am most interested in. The division is woefully understaffed, so it looks like I am going to have A LOT to do which is great. I’m always up for learning new things!
3. Yesterday I met with my boss and during our conversation she mentioned my upcoming possibility of a promotion as if it was a given! As in, come the middle of February, there is no question in her mind that I will be getting a promotion AND a huge pay raise. WOO HOO!
*We start the trainer tonight which should be interesting. We decided to go with once a week because as soon as we booked 8 sessions with her, the club raised the price to $50 a person per session (jumping an astounding $30 a session!). :-( Obviously something we can't afford right now so we are going to have to make the most out of these 8 sessions!
1. I finally got my badge which means that I can head down to the FREE gym at work. Which is fantastic…..except that I just heard that all three treadmills are broken and have to be sent back to the manufacturer. There are still weights, a bike, and an elliptical machine but I was thinking that I would just walk for 30 minutes during lunch a couple times a week to supplement my workouts at night.*
2. I start my new rotation next week. I am very excited as it is in one of the areas I am most interested in. The division is woefully understaffed, so it looks like I am going to have A LOT to do which is great. I’m always up for learning new things!
3. Yesterday I met with my boss and during our conversation she mentioned my upcoming possibility of a promotion as if it was a given! As in, come the middle of February, there is no question in her mind that I will be getting a promotion AND a huge pay raise. WOO HOO!
*We start the trainer tonight which should be interesting. We decided to go with once a week because as soon as we booked 8 sessions with her, the club raised the price to $50 a person per session (jumping an astounding $30 a session!). :-( Obviously something we can't afford right now so we are going to have to make the most out of these 8 sessions!
11.19.2008
Blog Secret
I’m sure that all of my lovely readers already read Nilsa’s blog, but she put together something called Blog Secret yesterday and it turned out amazing. 80 different bloggers decided to pour their hearts out in anonymous posts on other people’s blogs. The entries that I have read so far are heart wrenching, courageous, and fascinating. I can’t wait to read the rest of them! So hats off to you Nilsa! Maybe you could make it a yearly thing….and maybe next year I will have the courage to participate.
An explanation of yesterday's post
Sorry for the cryptic first post (re: moving west again) yesterday. I heard from a colleague at work that my company wants to keep us from moving to another company so badly that even if they do not have an open position, but have work for us to do, we can ask to transfer to another region. I immediately told CP about the opportunity. At first he was kind of annoyed at even the suggestion of me transferring to the Boston office because we had made up our minds that I would stay at my current office for a few years after my fellowship ends. However, a day later, his tune totally changed.
The new plan is to move back out west. While it would be SUCH A PAIN TO MOVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY YET AGAIN I immediately got excited about the idea. We moved out to the east coast for CP’s job. They wanted him to move out to MA for the past two years….he stayed out west waiting for me to graduate (and almost got fired in the process) and we worked through CP having to travel every week for work. Along with the move to MA came a pay raise and a promotion. The pay raise came….the promotion and the new job duties? Didn’t. So CP’s company is paying him MORE for the same job he was doing before he moved out to MA. Not only did the boss that CP like go into semi-retirement (leaving the son that tried to FIRE CP in charge), but the company seems to be moving in a different direction….away from what CP does. In a nutshell, this doesn’t make CP happy.
So….CP’s argument is that if the reason that we moved out to the east coast is not working out, then why are we staying? We both agreed when we moved out to MA that we would eventually like to move back to the west coast city where we met. We both loved it out there and CP’s sister would only live an hour and a half away, thus allowing CP to be closer to his niece and nephew. Then when we start having kids CP’s mom and dad could fly out and see all of the grandchildren at the same time. My parents are still stuck in Chicago, but whether we lived in MA or lived on the west coast, they would still have to fly to see us. We still have a lot of friends there. We love the weather. We love the outdoors. It is less expensive to live there. Why not move now since we know that is where we are happy as opposed to 20 years down the road?
If we were able to pull my transfer off, I would be bringing home the bacon while CP went to school. He is going to start studying for the GMATs, with hopes of getting his MBA.* Unfortunately, getting into an MBA program is ridonkulously hard right now what with the recession (when the economy slumps, people head back to school). CP is a very smart guy, but his engineering grades from college are not the best so he will have some stiff competition. His work experience should help. We figure that he should get school out of the way before we start to have kids so that we can both be bringing home the bacon once again in order to be more financially stable.
My plan is to call tomorrow to find out the scoop on transferring to another office. It wouldn’t be for at least a year, but I want to make sure that it is an option. I am already getting nervous thinking about it. I mean, I technically have the power in this relationship because they want to keep us with the company…but still. There are so many variables and I don’t want to get my hopes up too much…..
*I keep joking that he thinks he needs to get an advanced degree because I have one and he doesn’t.
The new plan is to move back out west. While it would be SUCH A PAIN TO MOVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY YET AGAIN I immediately got excited about the idea. We moved out to the east coast for CP’s job. They wanted him to move out to MA for the past two years….he stayed out west waiting for me to graduate (and almost got fired in the process) and we worked through CP having to travel every week for work. Along with the move to MA came a pay raise and a promotion. The pay raise came….the promotion and the new job duties? Didn’t. So CP’s company is paying him MORE for the same job he was doing before he moved out to MA. Not only did the boss that CP like go into semi-retirement (leaving the son that tried to FIRE CP in charge), but the company seems to be moving in a different direction….away from what CP does. In a nutshell, this doesn’t make CP happy.
So….CP’s argument is that if the reason that we moved out to the east coast is not working out, then why are we staying? We both agreed when we moved out to MA that we would eventually like to move back to the west coast city where we met. We both loved it out there and CP’s sister would only live an hour and a half away, thus allowing CP to be closer to his niece and nephew. Then when we start having kids CP’s mom and dad could fly out and see all of the grandchildren at the same time. My parents are still stuck in Chicago, but whether we lived in MA or lived on the west coast, they would still have to fly to see us. We still have a lot of friends there. We love the weather. We love the outdoors. It is less expensive to live there. Why not move now since we know that is where we are happy as opposed to 20 years down the road?
If we were able to pull my transfer off, I would be bringing home the bacon while CP went to school. He is going to start studying for the GMATs, with hopes of getting his MBA.* Unfortunately, getting into an MBA program is ridonkulously hard right now what with the recession (when the economy slumps, people head back to school). CP is a very smart guy, but his engineering grades from college are not the best so he will have some stiff competition. His work experience should help. We figure that he should get school out of the way before we start to have kids so that we can both be bringing home the bacon once again in order to be more financially stable.
My plan is to call tomorrow to find out the scoop on transferring to another office. It wouldn’t be for at least a year, but I want to make sure that it is an option. I am already getting nervous thinking about it. I mean, I technically have the power in this relationship because they want to keep us with the company…but still. There are so many variables and I don’t want to get my hopes up too much…..
*I keep joking that he thinks he needs to get an advanced degree because I have one and he doesn’t.
11.18.2008
Why is everyone taking my vendors???
Remember how I was excited about the three vendors that I found at the bridal show on Sunday? Well I received an email from the guitarist (GP) last night and even though he thought he was free, he has something booked that afternoon so he won’t be able to play at our ceremony and cocktail hour. L He did give me suggestions of some other classical guitarists that he knows and recommends, but I checked one guy’s rates and instead of $475 (what GP would charge), this other guy would cost almost $1000 to play both the ceremony and the rehearsal. YIKES! So now CP and I are back looking for a musician….
The other potentially bad news is that the cake maker also has something the same day of our wedding. WTF? Hopefully we are able to work something out with him though. The vendor is a husband and wife so maybe one of them can go to the other event and the other can drop off the cake at our wedding.
This is getting frustrating!!! And we haven’t been able to find a photographer that we love just yet either. *Sigh*
The other potentially bad news is that the cake maker also has something the same day of our wedding. WTF? Hopefully we are able to work something out with him though. The vendor is a husband and wife so maybe one of them can go to the other event and the other can drop off the cake at our wedding.
This is getting frustrating!!! And we haven’t been able to find a photographer that we love just yet either. *Sigh*
11.17.2008
Thoughts on my first bridal shower
Yesterday I went to my first bridal show with CP and his mom. To all of you planning weddings out there, I would highly recommend going to at least one bridal show. There were a total of 40 vendors: photographers, florists, musicians, cake makers, DJs, etc. It was nice to compare DJs against one another, photographers against one another, etc.
Not only did I gain 5 pounds from eating cake from the different vendors, but they had women in different wedding dresses standing awkwardly on little pedestals, limos parked out front, and even served flavored martinis!
While CP and I didn't get any ideas for things like the set up of our tables or my dress, we did pick three vendors. The first vendor we loved is a florist. The centerpieces she had displayed were imaginative and different. One used kale as the center flower. Very cool.
The next vendor we will be booking is a classical guitarist. While he was a little crazy- artist looking, we listened to the CD that he gave us on the way home and we were not only impressed by his talent, but amazed at his reasonable prices for the ceremony and cocktail hour.
The final vendor we decided on is the cake maker. We had gone out to brunch before heading to the bridal show- that might have been our first mistake. As soon as we walked in the door, we were offered cake. Yummy chocolate cake with some kind of cinnamon mousse stuff in the middle with butter cream frosting. Holy crap it was good. And WELL within our budget which is great.
After leaving the bridal show we stopped by the jeweler to get my ring checked out for loose prongs (we have to go every six months in order for my ring to continue to be insured) and cleaned. While we were there, CP tried on wedding rings which was an odd experience. He has NEVER worn a ring in his life so it felt very foreign on his finger. I thought that he might be the type of guy that would fight to NOT wear a ring. Thankfully, we don't have to have that discussion. That doesn't mean that he is not weirded out by having a ring on his finger though. He will get used to it...or maybe I will just super glue it onto his finger. ;-)
Not only did I gain 5 pounds from eating cake from the different vendors, but they had women in different wedding dresses standing awkwardly on little pedestals, limos parked out front, and even served flavored martinis!
While CP and I didn't get any ideas for things like the set up of our tables or my dress, we did pick three vendors. The first vendor we loved is a florist. The centerpieces she had displayed were imaginative and different. One used kale as the center flower. Very cool.
The next vendor we will be booking is a classical guitarist. While he was a little crazy- artist looking, we listened to the CD that he gave us on the way home and we were not only impressed by his talent, but amazed at his reasonable prices for the ceremony and cocktail hour.
The final vendor we decided on is the cake maker. We had gone out to brunch before heading to the bridal show- that might have been our first mistake. As soon as we walked in the door, we were offered cake. Yummy chocolate cake with some kind of cinnamon mousse stuff in the middle with butter cream frosting. Holy crap it was good. And WELL within our budget which is great.
After leaving the bridal show we stopped by the jeweler to get my ring checked out for loose prongs (we have to go every six months in order for my ring to continue to be insured) and cleaned. While we were there, CP tried on wedding rings which was an odd experience. He has NEVER worn a ring in his life so it felt very foreign on his finger. I thought that he might be the type of guy that would fight to NOT wear a ring. Thankfully, we don't have to have that discussion. That doesn't mean that he is not weirded out by having a ring on his finger though. He will get used to it...or maybe I will just super glue it onto his finger. ;-)
11.14.2008
I can't wait
After two 12+ hour training sessions the past two days, I can't wait for today to be over. After hopping on the shuttle bus back to DC, I will get to see my best friend and maid of honor! Okay, so it is only for a few hours before my flight leaves to take me home, but still. I haven't seen her in about a year and it will be nice to catch up (even though we talk weekly on the phone).
J was very excited about my move to the east coast (she says it's the "right" coast for me to be on) as it will be easier for us to see each other. Whenever work and I am able to figure out my three month rotation down in DC we are going to be like two peas in a pod. As much as we can be at least. :-)
Having her down in DC will be nice because hopefully she can help me out with a lot of wedding stuff. She thinks that she is slacking on the MOH duties, but I said that she doesn't really need to be doing anything right now. (right?) One of our family friends (they are not related, but are so close that we call the parents aunt and uncle) has already offered to throw me a wedding shower. She was going to fly out to Chicago to host the shower, but if we have it in DC then maybe more friends can come.
I love my "aunt" but know that she will take over the shower. My MOH is more than happy with that as she won't have to do as much. Everyone wins! :-)
Come on 5:30pm!!!!!!!!!
J was very excited about my move to the east coast (she says it's the "right" coast for me to be on) as it will be easier for us to see each other. Whenever work and I am able to figure out my three month rotation down in DC we are going to be like two peas in a pod. As much as we can be at least. :-)
Having her down in DC will be nice because hopefully she can help me out with a lot of wedding stuff. She thinks that she is slacking on the MOH duties, but I said that she doesn't really need to be doing anything right now. (right?) One of our family friends (they are not related, but are so close that we call the parents aunt and uncle) has already offered to throw me a wedding shower. She was going to fly out to Chicago to host the shower, but if we have it in DC then maybe more friends can come.
I love my "aunt" but know that she will take over the shower. My MOH is more than happy with that as she won't have to do as much. Everyone wins! :-)
Come on 5:30pm!!!!!!!!!
11.13.2008
Emotional intelligence
Yesterday at training we went over an Emotional Intelligence test that we took last week in preparation for this conference. Have any of you taken this test? It is "intended to help people better understand their emotional and social functioning."* According to the instructor, people with a high EQ (emotional quotient) are more likely to be successful than people with lower EQs but higher IQs.
A high EQ is supposed to show leadership ability. As my program is supposed to prep us for leadership positions in our future, we take the test and work on the areas that are weak. Some of my results were expected, some of my results were a surprise. My lowest areas were in:
1. Self-regard. I am somewhat hard on myself or self-critical and there is a dissatisfaction with my physical appearance. To all of you that have been reading this blog, you already know that I am not currently happy with my body. This was NOT a surprise.
2. Emotional self-awareness. While my score was average, the report said that I sometimes have problems expressing my attitudes towards others. I would also agree with this. Sometimes I am not very in tune with my feelings and make silly decisions because of it.
3. Stress tolerance. My results indicated inconsistency in effectively withstanding adverse events and stressful situations. Ummm really? I survived law school and the bar exam and I have problems with stress? Yes I do get butterflies and anxious in certain situations, but I don't freak out. No one can TELL that I am anxious on the outside.
4. Optimism. My results say that at times I feel pessimistic. "It is likely that she assesses prospects of the future by keeping expectations relatively low." I was really surprised about this result. I think that I am a pretty optimistic person.....but I guess that at times I try to set the bar on expectations low so that I am not devastated by bad results.
My highest areas were:
1. Assertiveness. I have no problem voicing my beliefs or opinions. No surprise there. I'm not exactly someone who "holds back." :-)
2. Self-actualization. Basically this is that I am achieving what I want to achieve. This is definitely correct as I am working right where I have wanted to work since I started law school.
3. Empathy, social responsibility, and interpersonal relationships. I am able to appreciate the feelings of others, I actively contribute to the community at large (at my job, volunteer, etc.), and that I am able to form agreeable relationships and alliances. This is not a surprise.
4. Problem solving. Yeah, ummm I went to law school so I better have these skills!
5. Happiness. Yep, I would say that I am pretty happy and satisfied with life.
Want to take the test yourself? I found a free EQ test online that is a bit different from the one that I took, but it should work: http://www.myskillsprofile.com/questionnaire.php. Let me know if you have any surprises!
*According to the introduction of the report.
A high EQ is supposed to show leadership ability. As my program is supposed to prep us for leadership positions in our future, we take the test and work on the areas that are weak. Some of my results were expected, some of my results were a surprise. My lowest areas were in:
1. Self-regard. I am somewhat hard on myself or self-critical and there is a dissatisfaction with my physical appearance. To all of you that have been reading this blog, you already know that I am not currently happy with my body. This was NOT a surprise.
2. Emotional self-awareness. While my score was average, the report said that I sometimes have problems expressing my attitudes towards others. I would also agree with this. Sometimes I am not very in tune with my feelings and make silly decisions because of it.
3. Stress tolerance. My results indicated inconsistency in effectively withstanding adverse events and stressful situations. Ummm really? I survived law school and the bar exam and I have problems with stress? Yes I do get butterflies and anxious in certain situations, but I don't freak out. No one can TELL that I am anxious on the outside.
4. Optimism. My results say that at times I feel pessimistic. "It is likely that she assesses prospects of the future by keeping expectations relatively low." I was really surprised about this result. I think that I am a pretty optimistic person.....but I guess that at times I try to set the bar on expectations low so that I am not devastated by bad results.
My highest areas were:
1. Assertiveness. I have no problem voicing my beliefs or opinions. No surprise there. I'm not exactly someone who "holds back." :-)
2. Self-actualization. Basically this is that I am achieving what I want to achieve. This is definitely correct as I am working right where I have wanted to work since I started law school.
3. Empathy, social responsibility, and interpersonal relationships. I am able to appreciate the feelings of others, I actively contribute to the community at large (at my job, volunteer, etc.), and that I am able to form agreeable relationships and alliances. This is not a surprise.
4. Problem solving. Yeah, ummm I went to law school so I better have these skills!
5. Happiness. Yep, I would say that I am pretty happy and satisfied with life.
Want to take the test yourself? I found a free EQ test online that is a bit different from the one that I took, but it should work: http://www.myskillsprofile.com/questionnaire.php. Let me know if you have any surprises!
*According to the introduction of the report.
11.12.2008
Yes PLEASE kick my ass!
On Monday night I had a date with a trainer at the new gym. It was an assessment on where I am physically before we can start training. CP warned me before going that it was going to be difficult and that I was going to be really sore. Actually his words were "good thing you didn't work out today because she is going to kick your ass tomorrow. Good luck!" Funny boy.
As soon as I met the trainer, I thought that I would like her. She could quickly tell that I used to be an athlete, unlike the woman that I took the class from last week. She was able to work around my injuries and gave me a good workout while also assessing what I needed to work on. She also does more functional exercises, as opposed to just having someone go on the treadmill and then do some weights. I have worked with trainers that have done that before and it doesn't work.
As with any trainer, there is money involved. But for CP and I to work with the trainer together, it is only $20/ person for an hour session. That is pretty inexpensive if you ask me. And CP and I are willing to make the commitment to get our bodies back in shape.
In the beginning we are going to go twice a week. She will also provide us with recipes and eating tips. After a while we will start going once a week. Cross your fingers for me!
As soon as I met the trainer, I thought that I would like her. She could quickly tell that I used to be an athlete, unlike the woman that I took the class from last week. She was able to work around my injuries and gave me a good workout while also assessing what I needed to work on. She also does more functional exercises, as opposed to just having someone go on the treadmill and then do some weights. I have worked with trainers that have done that before and it doesn't work.
As with any trainer, there is money involved. But for CP and I to work with the trainer together, it is only $20/ person for an hour session. That is pretty inexpensive if you ask me. And CP and I are willing to make the commitment to get our bodies back in shape.
In the beginning we are going to go twice a week. She will also provide us with recipes and eating tips. After a while we will start going once a week. Cross your fingers for me!
11.11.2008
Free stuff
So I have already complained a lot on this blog about the wedding industry. One thing that I won't complain about? The free things that vendors want to give you because you are a bride. Who doesn't like free stuff?
On Sunday Mary Kay had a bridal makeover event at a local hotel. My best friend (and maid of honor) was a Mary Kay rep a few years ago so I decided to go. She still uses the products, but simply decided that she didn't want to put the time and effort into selling the brand anymore.
While it kind of feels like listening to a time share presentation, the Mary Kay reps weren't too bad. As you guys already know, I am not very girly so I don't have much of a skin care regimen. For a while now, I have been thinking that I need to do more for my skin. I will be 30 in a month- it is high time I start taking care of my skin. Since all of the skin care products were inexpensive, I drank the Mary Kay kool-aid.
So this morning I started my new skin care regimen. The 3-in-1 daily cleanser, moisturizer, day & night cream, etc. Here's hoping that I start to see results- if not, there is a money-back guarantee!
Do any of you wear Mary Kay products? What do you think of them?
Sidenote: The saddest thing I heard at the Mary Kay event? One of the brides saying that she was contemplating BOTOX because she was unhappy with the frown lines she has on her forehead. She looked all of about 25. Now THAT is crazy.
On Sunday Mary Kay had a bridal makeover event at a local hotel. My best friend (and maid of honor) was a Mary Kay rep a few years ago so I decided to go. She still uses the products, but simply decided that she didn't want to put the time and effort into selling the brand anymore.
While it kind of feels like listening to a time share presentation, the Mary Kay reps weren't too bad. As you guys already know, I am not very girly so I don't have much of a skin care regimen. For a while now, I have been thinking that I need to do more for my skin. I will be 30 in a month- it is high time I start taking care of my skin. Since all of the skin care products were inexpensive, I drank the Mary Kay kool-aid.
So this morning I started my new skin care regimen. The 3-in-1 daily cleanser, moisturizer, day & night cream, etc. Here's hoping that I start to see results- if not, there is a money-back guarantee!
Do any of you wear Mary Kay products? What do you think of them?
Sidenote: The saddest thing I heard at the Mary Kay event? One of the brides saying that she was contemplating BOTOX because she was unhappy with the frown lines she has on her forehead. She looked all of about 25. Now THAT is crazy.
11.10.2008
It is now WAR
So remember how I talked about the mouse problem that we had? The humane traps that I set out with the natural, organic peanut butter? And then how the mice ended up dying anyway for no apparent reason?
Well, the mice are back in our garage and CP and I have decided that it is war. Oh that's right- we brought in the kill traps. In one day this past weekend? We caught FOUR MICE. FOUR! That is ridonkulous! Once again I am happy that CP is willing to empty out the traps because I don't want to get near the mice even if they are dead. Why are they so attracted to our garage and to our basement? Is it the delicious meals that CP cooks up in the kitchen? Shouldn't Fuzzy Britches scare the mice away?
I simply don't understand. And I am super grossed out.
Programming note: I will be away on a business trip tomorrow through Friday. I have no idea what my internet connection is going to be like or if I will have any time whatsoever to post. But I will do my best!
Well, the mice are back in our garage and CP and I have decided that it is war. Oh that's right- we brought in the kill traps. In one day this past weekend? We caught FOUR MICE. FOUR! That is ridonkulous! Once again I am happy that CP is willing to empty out the traps because I don't want to get near the mice even if they are dead. Why are they so attracted to our garage and to our basement? Is it the delicious meals that CP cooks up in the kitchen? Shouldn't Fuzzy Britches scare the mice away?
I simply don't understand. And I am super grossed out.
Programming note: I will be away on a business trip tomorrow through Friday. I have no idea what my internet connection is going to be like or if I will have any time whatsoever to post. But I will do my best!
11.07.2008
My body lies
Last night I took a class at my new gym* and thought that I did well in it. It was a combination of 20 minutes of step, 20 minutes of weights, and 20 minutes of stretching/ yoga/ pilates. I really enjoyed it and although I haven’t worked out in two weeks or so, it certainly didn’t kill me. My legs are sore, but after all of the step moves and squats we did I am not surprised.
After the class, the teacher came over and told me that I did well for my first class. She then said something about “when you are first getting into exercising” and it hit me. I am no longer looked at as an athlete in this body. My current body lies to people all day long- they can’t tell that I played two Division 1 sports and at times spending up to 5 hours a day practicing, that I was 17th in the nation my final year of college, or that I won the Female Athlete of the Year award for my college. No one can tell that I played women’s professional football after I graduated from college.
That statement made me very sad. Oh I understand why she made it. I saw a picture of my butt this week and I knew that it was big but in this picture it was HUGE. So it is perfectly reasonable for her to assume that I am just getting into exercising. I wanted to let her know that I was an athlete- that my serve used to be 100 mph, that I used to play basketball, softball, soccer, flag football, volleyball and that I could throw things really far. But I didn’t. Because I know that is in the past. And currently? I am like a big pile of poop. And I don’t want to look like a big pile of poop on my wedding day.
It is time to bring out my competitive nature (even if it just against myself) to get the body that I once had back!
*It is near our house instead of being near work- and it is $20/month cheaper!
After the class, the teacher came over and told me that I did well for my first class. She then said something about “when you are first getting into exercising” and it hit me. I am no longer looked at as an athlete in this body. My current body lies to people all day long- they can’t tell that I played two Division 1 sports and at times spending up to 5 hours a day practicing, that I was 17th in the nation my final year of college, or that I won the Female Athlete of the Year award for my college. No one can tell that I played women’s professional football after I graduated from college.
That statement made me very sad. Oh I understand why she made it. I saw a picture of my butt this week and I knew that it was big but in this picture it was HUGE. So it is perfectly reasonable for her to assume that I am just getting into exercising. I wanted to let her know that I was an athlete- that my serve used to be 100 mph, that I used to play basketball, softball, soccer, flag football, volleyball and that I could throw things really far. But I didn’t. Because I know that is in the past. And currently? I am like a big pile of poop. And I don’t want to look like a big pile of poop on my wedding day.
It is time to bring out my competitive nature (even if it just against myself) to get the body that I once had back!
*It is near our house instead of being near work- and it is $20/month cheaper!
11.06.2008
It is sh*t or get off the pot time
Yesterday was certainly a kick to the stomach. I had two doctor appointments, one right after another. The first, with a gastroenterologist; the second, with the oh-so-fun gyno. Both doctors ended up telling me to lose weight (for different reasons). The stomach guy said that because my acid reflux started a few months after I began law school, it was probably a combination of stress and weight gain. The reflux is probably continuing because I have not lost weight, even though my stress level has decreased. The gyno said that my birth control pill might not be able to slow down the flow of my periods as well as it should because of my weight. Awesome.
I definitely felt like a big blob of fat yesterday after the appointments. However, instead of going to McDonalds and eating gross food, I ended up getting a small soup and half of a tuna sandwich on wheat bread. CP and I had salads with lean steak on top for dinner last night.
Needless to say, CP and I need to stop saying that we are going to lose weight and just do it. No making excuses because we have long commutes because a lot of people have long commutes. Fuzzy britches can wait until 7 or 7:30 to eat dinner at night- she certainly is not going to die if we don’t feed her exactly at 6pm because we are at the gym. And yes, I realize that I posted on this before……but now I am embarrassed that two doctors told me to lose weight.
I hated standing up as an attendant at the wedding this past weekend and fretting as to whether people could see my stomach sticking out. I hated the fact that I spent most of dinner at the wedding with a shawl around my shoulders even though I wasn’t cold because I didn’t want anyone to see my stomach roll. I hated getting in my airplane seat and feeling the sides of the arm rests touching my hips. My bridesmaid says that I hide it well, but I am sick of hiding it. It is either sh*t or get off the pot time dammit.
I definitely felt like a big blob of fat yesterday after the appointments. However, instead of going to McDonalds and eating gross food, I ended up getting a small soup and half of a tuna sandwich on wheat bread. CP and I had salads with lean steak on top for dinner last night.
Needless to say, CP and I need to stop saying that we are going to lose weight and just do it. No making excuses because we have long commutes because a lot of people have long commutes. Fuzzy britches can wait until 7 or 7:30 to eat dinner at night- she certainly is not going to die if we don’t feed her exactly at 6pm because we are at the gym. And yes, I realize that I posted on this before……but now I am embarrassed that two doctors told me to lose weight.
I hated standing up as an attendant at the wedding this past weekend and fretting as to whether people could see my stomach sticking out. I hated the fact that I spent most of dinner at the wedding with a shawl around my shoulders even though I wasn’t cold because I didn’t want anyone to see my stomach roll. I hated getting in my airplane seat and feeling the sides of the arm rests touching my hips. My bridesmaid says that I hide it well, but I am sick of hiding it. It is either sh*t or get off the pot time dammit.
11.05.2008
Hopeful
Today, I am hopeful that:
*our standing in the world will be restored
*our economy will get back on track
*elected officials will pay attention to the needs of young voters as we are a huge voting block (side note: am I still considered a "young" voter at 29?)
*everyone will finally have access to health care
*gay marriage will be legalized
*the government will stay out of a woman's right to choose
*we will finally leave Iraq, a war that should have never started
*we will have an eloquent president, one that doesn't make rash decisions
*Sarah Palin will go far, far away
I am hopeful for many things today. Our country has a long way to go. Hopefully last night was the just the beginning.
*our standing in the world will be restored
*our economy will get back on track
*elected officials will pay attention to the needs of young voters as we are a huge voting block (side note: am I still considered a "young" voter at 29?)
*everyone will finally have access to health care
*gay marriage will be legalized
*the government will stay out of a woman's right to choose
*we will finally leave Iraq, a war that should have never started
*we will have an eloquent president, one that doesn't make rash decisions
*Sarah Palin will go far, far away
I am hopeful for many things today. Our country has a long way to go. Hopefully last night was the just the beginning.
11.04.2008
YES WE CAN!
I am SO proud of America right now. What an amazing moment in our country's history. Not only that, but I am so proud of all of the young voters who got their asses off the couch to vote! This was truly an amazing election and I hope that the country can come together to work on all of our problems.
OBAMA!
OBAMA!
Scrutinizing weddings
I think as a future bride, I now view weddings very differently after this weekend. Not only was I an attendant in the wedding, but after starting to plan my own wedding, I think that I scrutinized the vendors instead of not paying attention like I usually would.
For instance, 20 minutes before the ceremony was supposed to start, the DJ had yet to show up. One of the attendants started to call him, leaving nice messages, then not so nice messages. Finally FOUR minutes before he is supposed to show up, the DJ finally answers his phone and says that he is “in traffic.” Needless to say, the bride and groom were relieved, but also frustrated because the DJ promised to show up early so that he wouldn’t make a lot of noise setting up while the ceremony was going on.
Not only was the DJ late, but he brought with him a woman who seemed like she was on drugs. Awesome.
In addition to that, I noticed that none of the older guests were dancing because the DJ was playing rap and dance songs. The groom asked me to talk to him about playing slower songs…which I did. But instead of playing something that everyone knew like “Brown Eyed Girl” the DJ just SLOWED down the tempo on the rap song. SERIOUSLY??? I could have shot him.
Of course, the photographer was absolutely lovely and she does travel…..
For instance, 20 minutes before the ceremony was supposed to start, the DJ had yet to show up. One of the attendants started to call him, leaving nice messages, then not so nice messages. Finally FOUR minutes before he is supposed to show up, the DJ finally answers his phone and says that he is “in traffic.” Needless to say, the bride and groom were relieved, but also frustrated because the DJ promised to show up early so that he wouldn’t make a lot of noise setting up while the ceremony was going on.
Not only was the DJ late, but he brought with him a woman who seemed like she was on drugs. Awesome.
In addition to that, I noticed that none of the older guests were dancing because the DJ was playing rap and dance songs. The groom asked me to talk to him about playing slower songs…which I did. But instead of playing something that everyone knew like “Brown Eyed Girl” the DJ just SLOWED down the tempo on the rap song. SERIOUSLY??? I could have shot him.
Of course, the photographer was absolutely lovely and she does travel…..
11.03.2008
How to forge a deeper relationship
Sorry for the lack of posting on Friday- I kept meaning to do it at work but then I had to finish up a project before I left for the airport. This past weekend CP and I flew out to Chicago for a friend’s wedding. We had a fairly good weekend, but I am still disheartened with the relationship between CP and my parents….
I will admit that my parents are a little hard to get to know. They are both a bit more “formal.” Sure, my dad will tell off-color jokes sometimes, but at 6’4” he is intimidating. And with CP and my dad not having a lot of the same interests, sometimes it makes conversations a bit….well, lacking. My mom and CP can at least talk about cooking, but CP doesn’t have an interest (and neither do I) in architecture like my dad.
My parents, for fear of asking an inappropriate question, simply don’t ask CP a lot about himself or his family. I know that it is not for lack of curiosity, but they feel the need to ask ME the questions instead.
Maybe it is because my sister and I freely talk with my parents about anything and everything. So without talking to CP, my parents already know a lot about him from what I say. Maybe it is that my parents are so used to my sister and I giving them information that they don’t really ask questions anymore. But that is not a good excuse. CP is not as vocal as the members of my family so to get to know him you would think they would ask MORE questions.
I think that what frustrates me the most is that my parents should want to get to know their future son-in-law better. They should ask him questions, even if they are questions which I have given them answers to already. Maybe he has a different answer? It makes me sad that the man that I love and the parents that I love have more of a surface relationship.
Do any of you have problems between your significant other and your parents? I guess “problems” is the wrong word…it is just that the relationship lacks depth. I am tempted to lock the three of them in a room for hours until they start really talking. Since this isn’t the best option, does anyone have any suggestions?
I will admit that my parents are a little hard to get to know. They are both a bit more “formal.” Sure, my dad will tell off-color jokes sometimes, but at 6’4” he is intimidating. And with CP and my dad not having a lot of the same interests, sometimes it makes conversations a bit….well, lacking. My mom and CP can at least talk about cooking, but CP doesn’t have an interest (and neither do I) in architecture like my dad.
My parents, for fear of asking an inappropriate question, simply don’t ask CP a lot about himself or his family. I know that it is not for lack of curiosity, but they feel the need to ask ME the questions instead.
Maybe it is because my sister and I freely talk with my parents about anything and everything. So without talking to CP, my parents already know a lot about him from what I say. Maybe it is that my parents are so used to my sister and I giving them information that they don’t really ask questions anymore. But that is not a good excuse. CP is not as vocal as the members of my family so to get to know him you would think they would ask MORE questions.
I think that what frustrates me the most is that my parents should want to get to know their future son-in-law better. They should ask him questions, even if they are questions which I have given them answers to already. Maybe he has a different answer? It makes me sad that the man that I love and the parents that I love have more of a surface relationship.
Do any of you have problems between your significant other and your parents? I guess “problems” is the wrong word…it is just that the relationship lacks depth. I am tempted to lock the three of them in a room for hours until they start really talking. Since this isn’t the best option, does anyone have any suggestions?
10.30.2008
Help me!!!
No one has any work for me to do today, so I am doing a training on the CONSTITUTION. Obviously law school was not enough training (it's a required training- even if I wrote the document I would still have to take the training). BUT STILL. It is ridonkulous.
I have eaten very bad things today and I can't stop. This morning was a donut (mmmmm donut) with sprinkles on top at the staff meeting. At the Halloween party it was pizza, a small piece of cake (mmm cake) and half of a cookie. I obviously have come down off my sugar high and now find myself eating Swedish Fish for the sugar content. Send help!
I have eaten very bad things today and I can't stop. This morning was a donut (mmmmm donut) with sprinkles on top at the staff meeting. At the Halloween party it was pizza, a small piece of cake (mmm cake) and half of a cookie. I obviously have come down off my sugar high and now find myself eating Swedish Fish for the sugar content. Send help!
10.29.2008
Whenever you think your life is bad.....
Whenever I start to worry about what is going on in my life, something always reminds me of how lucky I am. I was casually talking to a co-worker today in the lunch room and she mentioned that losing weight has been hard because she never gets enough sleep. I thought to myself, “hmm I wonder why she doesn’t get any sleep? She looks almost sixty years old which would make me think that she is not going out to the clubs every night…”
It turns out that she is taking care of her eight-month old grandson. Back in June her son died and suddenly, the mother of the child got on a bus and left….leaving my co-worker and her husband to take care of the infant. My co-worker does have one day where she can work from home, thus helping her sick husband raise the child, but can you even imagine? You are done raising your children, excited about being grandparents, and BOOM, suddenly you are now parents again. This co-worker will be eligible to retire in two years and she is looking forward to that. But children get more expensive the older they get. How are they going to care for and pay for this grandchild? It is an awful predicament to be put in.
It turns out that she is taking care of her eight-month old grandson. Back in June her son died and suddenly, the mother of the child got on a bus and left….leaving my co-worker and her husband to take care of the infant. My co-worker does have one day where she can work from home, thus helping her sick husband raise the child, but can you even imagine? You are done raising your children, excited about being grandparents, and BOOM, suddenly you are now parents again. This co-worker will be eligible to retire in two years and she is looking forward to that. But children get more expensive the older they get. How are they going to care for and pay for this grandchild? It is an awful predicament to be put in.
10.28.2008
Where to honeymoon?
Yesterday we stopped by a Barnes and Noble to try to get a better idea of where to go for our honeymoon. We have been brainstorming for a while, but we had to discard a lot of our ideas because of various reasons.
Thailand/ Vietnam/ etc- October is during monsoon season. No fun.
Europe- I have already been to a bunch of European countries (Spain, Sweden, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, England, Belgium, etc.), it would be really expensive, and too crowded.
Caribbean- I did a cruise of many of the islands right after college.
Hawaii- we were just in Maui for two weeks in January
Japan- too cold in October
Mexico- I have already been….and it’s so easy to fly down there.
South Africa- we thought a safari would be fun, but recently realized that it was going to be too expensive
Fiji/ Tahiti/ etc.- CP originally REALLY wanted to go to a place where we could stay in an overwater bungalow. However, after checking out prices? Ha ha ha ha.
New Zealand- October would be their spring, so not quite warm enough for a honeymoon. Would still love to travel here at some point though.
Australia- CP says that he thinks that it is going to be like he is in Canada, just with funnier accents. I tend to disagree as I could hang out with kangaroos and koalas (which you can only find in the zoo in Canada) but the honeymoon is supposed to be about US, not just me. Plus, the country is so big that we would have no idea where to focus our two weeks!
After looking through a travel book on Ecuador/ the Galapagos Islands I think that we have made our decision. Ecuador has all kinds of stuff we are looking for- volcanoes, ruins, mountains, jungle (including MONKEYS and other fun animals), interesting food, etc. Plus, it has a Marriott in Quito (the capital city) so we can use CP’s reward points from traveling so much and stay for free. Then we are thinking about doing a tour of the Galapagos with a local company which should be fun. The country is moderately-priced, safe, and the weather will be nice and warm (80 degrees) the entire trip.
Has anyone had the pleasure of traveling down to Ecuador and/or the Galapagos? If so, have you enjoyed yourself? Or, are there any other places that we should be looking at?*
*We haven’t taken Costa Rica or Belize off the list, but think that those countries are the new “hot spots” to go to. While we know that either of them would be amazing, we want to go somewhere off the beaten path.
Thailand/ Vietnam/ etc- October is during monsoon season. No fun.
Europe- I have already been to a bunch of European countries (Spain, Sweden, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, England, Belgium, etc.), it would be really expensive, and too crowded.
Caribbean- I did a cruise of many of the islands right after college.
Hawaii- we were just in Maui for two weeks in January
Japan- too cold in October
Mexico- I have already been….and it’s so easy to fly down there.
South Africa- we thought a safari would be fun, but recently realized that it was going to be too expensive
Fiji/ Tahiti/ etc.- CP originally REALLY wanted to go to a place where we could stay in an overwater bungalow. However, after checking out prices? Ha ha ha ha.
New Zealand- October would be their spring, so not quite warm enough for a honeymoon. Would still love to travel here at some point though.
Australia- CP says that he thinks that it is going to be like he is in Canada, just with funnier accents. I tend to disagree as I could hang out with kangaroos and koalas (which you can only find in the zoo in Canada) but the honeymoon is supposed to be about US, not just me. Plus, the country is so big that we would have no idea where to focus our two weeks!
After looking through a travel book on Ecuador/ the Galapagos Islands I think that we have made our decision. Ecuador has all kinds of stuff we are looking for- volcanoes, ruins, mountains, jungle (including MONKEYS and other fun animals), interesting food, etc. Plus, it has a Marriott in Quito (the capital city) so we can use CP’s reward points from traveling so much and stay for free. Then we are thinking about doing a tour of the Galapagos with a local company which should be fun. The country is moderately-priced, safe, and the weather will be nice and warm (80 degrees) the entire trip.
Has anyone had the pleasure of traveling down to Ecuador and/or the Galapagos? If so, have you enjoyed yourself? Or, are there any other places that we should be looking at?*
*We haven’t taken Costa Rica or Belize off the list, but think that those countries are the new “hot spots” to go to. While we know that either of them would be amazing, we want to go somewhere off the beaten path.
10.27.2008
Your questions answered
Christina asked: What is the best wedding planning advice you have received so far?
The best wedding advice I have received so far is to have a sweetheart table during the reception. Some people may not like this idea as it does attract a lot of attention towards the couple, but married friends told me that it was their best decision. The wedding day is a whirlwind; having a sweetheart table allows the couple 10 or 15 minutes of time together before pulled in 20 different directions. It might also give us a chance to have a quick bite of food!
Libby asked: What is your favorite place? Why do you like to go there?
I am in a travel mindset right now as CP and I are trying to figure out where to go on our honeymoon, so I will answer this question two ways. First up- my favorite place that I have traveled. I have been lucky to have traveled a lot in my 29 years. There is one place in the world that I have been awe-struck and unable to form complete sentences because of the beauty that surrounded me. That place was Perito Moreno glacier in Calafate, Argentina. It is one of the only glaciers in the world that is advancing, not retreating. Friends from my study abroad program and I were supposed to have gone on a boat trip right up to the glacier, but unfortunately we hit bad weather on the flight out from Buenos Aires so we missed the tour. Instead, we hired a cab driver, woke up really early, and drove out to the glacier in time for sunrise. I can’t even explain the amazing-ness of it all as the sun started to rise and hit the mountains that surrounded the glacier. Although it was winter time in June (remember, south of the equator= opposite season), every once in a while you would hear a thundering sound as ice broke off from the glacier and fell into the water.
The other way of answering this question is to tell you my favorite place that I go to regularly. I could go the sappy route and say “home” because that is where I get to spend time with CP and Fuzzy Britches…..but I do not want to induce vomiting on the part of my readers and home is not always my favorite place to be because it means having to do the dishes, laundry, etc. Because we just moved to our area two months ago, I still do not have a favorite place in MA. I suspect that it will end up being a park (either local or state) close by to our house where we can take the dog hiking and get some exercise.
The best wedding advice I have received so far is to have a sweetheart table during the reception. Some people may not like this idea as it does attract a lot of attention towards the couple, but married friends told me that it was their best decision. The wedding day is a whirlwind; having a sweetheart table allows the couple 10 or 15 minutes of time together before pulled in 20 different directions. It might also give us a chance to have a quick bite of food!
Libby asked: What is your favorite place? Why do you like to go there?
I am in a travel mindset right now as CP and I are trying to figure out where to go on our honeymoon, so I will answer this question two ways. First up- my favorite place that I have traveled. I have been lucky to have traveled a lot in my 29 years. There is one place in the world that I have been awe-struck and unable to form complete sentences because of the beauty that surrounded me. That place was Perito Moreno glacier in Calafate, Argentina. It is one of the only glaciers in the world that is advancing, not retreating. Friends from my study abroad program and I were supposed to have gone on a boat trip right up to the glacier, but unfortunately we hit bad weather on the flight out from Buenos Aires so we missed the tour. Instead, we hired a cab driver, woke up really early, and drove out to the glacier in time for sunrise. I can’t even explain the amazing-ness of it all as the sun started to rise and hit the mountains that surrounded the glacier. Although it was winter time in June (remember, south of the equator= opposite season), every once in a while you would hear a thundering sound as ice broke off from the glacier and fell into the water.
The other way of answering this question is to tell you my favorite place that I go to regularly. I could go the sappy route and say “home” because that is where I get to spend time with CP and Fuzzy Britches…..but I do not want to induce vomiting on the part of my readers and home is not always my favorite place to be because it means having to do the dishes, laundry, etc. Because we just moved to our area two months ago, I still do not have a favorite place in MA. I suspect that it will end up being a park (either local or state) close by to our house where we can take the dog hiking and get some exercise.
10.24.2008
Family weekend #2
This weekend is the second weekend of three straight weekends of FAMILY! Last weekend CP’s dad, dad’s girlfriend, aunt, and uncle all came down to our house for a visit. We went to a small town festival before making a huge and delicious Indian food feast. Everyone was very impressed with CP’s saag paneer-making abilities because how many people do you know make saag paneer from scratch? I was supposed to make naan, but didn’t get a chance during the week to test out the recipe, so we used store-bought stuff. Then we proceeded to drink a lot of wine. Old people are fun when you drink wine with them!
Sunday we went to Quabbin Reservoir with them and walked around for 2.5 hours with Fuzzy Britches. The fall foliage was great and the weather turned out to be really nice for a walk.
Tonight we will be driving down to Jersey to visit my aunt and uncle. When I lived in Philly I used to regularly drive to see them, but it has been five years since I lived within driving distance- way too long in my book! Fuzzy Britches gets to come along and will hopefully play nice with their dogs. My aunt has promised cider-making fun tomorrow, along with a dinner party that night. They always have ridiculously amazing food and wine….so I suspect that the time spent at the gym this week will be for naught. But completely worth it!
I know that my aunt is excited to see the ring (she was a jeweler) and hear about all of our wedding plans. The problem is….we haven’t done anything or made any new decisions.
Sunday we went to Quabbin Reservoir with them and walked around for 2.5 hours with Fuzzy Britches. The fall foliage was great and the weather turned out to be really nice for a walk.
Tonight we will be driving down to Jersey to visit my aunt and uncle. When I lived in Philly I used to regularly drive to see them, but it has been five years since I lived within driving distance- way too long in my book! Fuzzy Britches gets to come along and will hopefully play nice with their dogs. My aunt has promised cider-making fun tomorrow, along with a dinner party that night. They always have ridiculously amazing food and wine….so I suspect that the time spent at the gym this week will be for naught. But completely worth it!
I know that my aunt is excited to see the ring (she was a jeweler) and hear about all of our wedding plans. The problem is….we haven’t done anything or made any new decisions.
10.23.2008
DC is a no-go....at least for now
I am so frustrated right now! I just got word that I did not get the rotation down in DC starting in December. Don’t these people know that my wedding is next October and I have to do my three months down there as soon as possible? *Sigh* My boss was SURE that I was going. I was going to be very busy, I was going to escape the MA winter, and I was going to part of a very important project. Instead? The next chance I will probably have will be in April which is around cherry blossom time but much closer to the wedding. Grrrr.
The gift of giving
Note: Thank you for the questions. I will answer them on Monday. And if you haven't asked me a question that you are DYING to know the answer to, ask it in the comments!
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What charities are important to you? As the holiday season approaches, charities will be asking for our donations, whether it is money, food, clothing, or something else. Do you normally give money to charities? Will you be giving less this year because of the economy?
All last week my local NPR station was in the middle of its fall fundraising drive. I have to admit- I hate when NPR has its drives. While in law school it was especially annoying because I didn’t have any money to donate…so I would just turn to other stations. However, NPR is the only thing I listen to during my commute to and from work every day. So I broke down and donated so that the fundraising drive would hopefully end soon. I don’t have a problem donating to NPR- I have done it in the past when I have been employed and think that it is an important thing to donate to. But a fundraising drive when the election is less than two weeks away???? I guess I just wish that once you donated, they would give you a secret station number so that you could get back to listening to the news and programs instead of listening to them beg for money!
My company is also doing its annual charity campaign for the next month. We can have money taken out of our bi-weekly paychecks to go to local, national, or international charities. These are the charities that I have decided to give to so far:*
1. A local homeless shelter because I already know that finding funding this year is going to be very difficult.
2. National Park Foundation. http://www.nationalparks.org/. As you can see from one of my earliest posts here, I am a big proponent of National Parks and believe that they are very important to preserve.
3. Heifer International. http://www.heifer.org/ I first heard of this charity a few years ago when my mom couldn’t decide what to get her siblings for Christmas. So, she “bought” them each a goat. According to the website:
Goats can thrive in extreme climates and on poor, dry land by eating grass and leaves. The gift of a dairy goat can supply a family with up to several quarts of nutritious milk a day - a ton of milk a year. Extra milk can be sold or used to make cheese, butter or yogurt.
Families learn to use goat manure to fertilize gardens. And because goats often have two or three kids a year, Heifer partners can lift themselves out of poverty by starting small dairies that earn money for food, health care and education.
Heifer teaches the family how to care for their animal, how to cultivate their land in sustainable manner, etc. Goats are not the only thing you can buy for a family- the list includes cows, geese, trees, baskets, etc.
The point of this post is not to brag about the charities I am giving to. The point was to hopefully inspire others to give during this difficult economic time, even if it is just a little. Also, it was to find out from you guys what charities you hold near and dear to your heart. I have already decided on how much money to give in total, but could possibly add your favorite charity (if they are on the large list). So let me know in the comments what charity is important to you and why.
*I might add an animal charity to the list, but I would want it to be a local shelter and I don’t know enough about any of them in this area just yet. Also, I would usually give to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer foundation, but I plan on raising money when I run/ walk one of the races next year.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What charities are important to you? As the holiday season approaches, charities will be asking for our donations, whether it is money, food, clothing, or something else. Do you normally give money to charities? Will you be giving less this year because of the economy?
All last week my local NPR station was in the middle of its fall fundraising drive. I have to admit- I hate when NPR has its drives. While in law school it was especially annoying because I didn’t have any money to donate…so I would just turn to other stations. However, NPR is the only thing I listen to during my commute to and from work every day. So I broke down and donated so that the fundraising drive would hopefully end soon. I don’t have a problem donating to NPR- I have done it in the past when I have been employed and think that it is an important thing to donate to. But a fundraising drive when the election is less than two weeks away???? I guess I just wish that once you donated, they would give you a secret station number so that you could get back to listening to the news and programs instead of listening to them beg for money!
My company is also doing its annual charity campaign for the next month. We can have money taken out of our bi-weekly paychecks to go to local, national, or international charities. These are the charities that I have decided to give to so far:*
1. A local homeless shelter because I already know that finding funding this year is going to be very difficult.
2. National Park Foundation. http://www.nationalparks.org/. As you can see from one of my earliest posts here, I am a big proponent of National Parks and believe that they are very important to preserve.
3. Heifer International. http://www.heifer.org/ I first heard of this charity a few years ago when my mom couldn’t decide what to get her siblings for Christmas. So, she “bought” them each a goat. According to the website:
Goats can thrive in extreme climates and on poor, dry land by eating grass and leaves. The gift of a dairy goat can supply a family with up to several quarts of nutritious milk a day - a ton of milk a year. Extra milk can be sold or used to make cheese, butter or yogurt.
Families learn to use goat manure to fertilize gardens. And because goats often have two or three kids a year, Heifer partners can lift themselves out of poverty by starting small dairies that earn money for food, health care and education.
Heifer teaches the family how to care for their animal, how to cultivate their land in sustainable manner, etc. Goats are not the only thing you can buy for a family- the list includes cows, geese, trees, baskets, etc.
The point of this post is not to brag about the charities I am giving to. The point was to hopefully inspire others to give during this difficult economic time, even if it is just a little. Also, it was to find out from you guys what charities you hold near and dear to your heart. I have already decided on how much money to give in total, but could possibly add your favorite charity (if they are on the large list). So let me know in the comments what charity is important to you and why.
*I might add an animal charity to the list, but I would want it to be a local shelter and I don’t know enough about any of them in this area just yet. Also, I would usually give to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer foundation, but I plan on raising money when I run/ walk one of the races next year.
10.22.2008
Did Sarah's appearance on SNL help?
Okay so I must be an open book or something because you guys didn't have ANY questions for me.....that or else no one loves me. *tear*
Alright so show of hands- who watched or DVRed Sarah Palin’s appearance on Saturday Night Live this past weekend? (raises hand) What did you guys think of it?
My thoughts:
The skit in the beginning was just okay- she really didn't do much. Tina Fey was great (as always) and having Mark Walberg show up was also hilarious. I haven’t watched SNL in a long time and noticed Lorne Michaels has gained some weight. The rap by Amy was funny, but again, Palin didn’t do much except look very, very white with her dancing.
I would say that kudos for SNL getting her to come on the show. However, if I was an independent or anyone else on the fence, I don't think that Palin going on SNL would help sway me to vote Republican. The criticism is that she hasn't given any media interviews to credible journalists other than Katie Couric (which everyone knows was a disaster), and Sean Hannity (Fox News is not fair & balanced). She doesn't take questions from reporters. Her appearance probably just solidified the people that were already going to vote for her- not the people that want to know if she is qualified for the job.
Alright so show of hands- who watched or DVRed Sarah Palin’s appearance on Saturday Night Live this past weekend? (raises hand) What did you guys think of it?
My thoughts:
The skit in the beginning was just okay- she really didn't do much. Tina Fey was great (as always) and having Mark Walberg show up was also hilarious. I haven’t watched SNL in a long time and noticed Lorne Michaels has gained some weight. The rap by Amy was funny, but again, Palin didn’t do much except look very, very white with her dancing.
I would say that kudos for SNL getting her to come on the show. However, if I was an independent or anyone else on the fence, I don't think that Palin going on SNL would help sway me to vote Republican. The criticism is that she hasn't given any media interviews to credible journalists other than Katie Couric (which everyone knows was a disaster), and Sean Hannity (Fox News is not fair & balanced). She doesn't take questions from reporters. Her appearance probably just solidified the people that were already going to vote for her- not the people that want to know if she is qualified for the job.
10.21.2008
You gots anything for me?
So I have now been blogging since mid-July. Some of you have been reading since then, others may have just stumbled upon my blog today. Is there anything you want to ask me? I will answer most anything!
10.20.2008
Another recipe
CP and I made this easy recipe last week and it was DELICIOUS! I would highly recommend it!
Turkey and Spaetzle Soup
1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cans (14 oz each beef broth)
2 cups water
3/4 cup apple cider
1 large apple, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
spaetzle (see below)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Spaetzle
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1/4 cup milk or water
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
Recipe:
In a medium bowl, mix turkey, egg, bread crumbs, sage, salt and pepper. Shape mixture into 1-inch meatballs. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Cook meatballs in oil 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently, until brown; drain.
Stir broth, water, apple cider, apple and salt into meatballs. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Heat meatball mixture to boiling. Make spaetzle batter. Use spoon to drop batter into soup. Stir once or twice to prevent sticking. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until spaetzle rise to surface and are tender. Stir in parsley.
Turkey and Spaetzle Soup
1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cans (14 oz each beef broth)
2 cups water
3/4 cup apple cider
1 large apple, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
spaetzle (see below)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Spaetzle
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1/4 cup milk or water
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
Recipe:
In a medium bowl, mix turkey, egg, bread crumbs, sage, salt and pepper. Shape mixture into 1-inch meatballs. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Cook meatballs in oil 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently, until brown; drain.
Stir broth, water, apple cider, apple and salt into meatballs. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Heat meatball mixture to boiling. Make spaetzle batter. Use spoon to drop batter into soup. Stir once or twice to prevent sticking. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until spaetzle rise to surface and are tender. Stir in parsley.
10.17.2008
Updates
Sometimes on my blog I don’t think that I remember to follow up on topics (which makes sense because I often have no idea what I was doing 10 minutes ago). So, here are updates on the following posts:
Getting engaged
When I look back on how CP proposed, I think that it was almost perfect. Just like I had said here, I didn’t want him to have to spend any extra money going away for the weekend and I didn’t want him to do it in public. Even though he really didn’t have much of a plan, it was great. Just the two of us, hiding in the ring in a meal that he had made for me. I even love the fact that he was so nervous when he did it- even though he knew I would say yes! I wish that he had thought of a few words to say other than “uhhh I really didn’t plan a speech” but saying romantic things isn’t quite his forte. He *is* an engineer. Ever since we have gotten engaged I actually think that he has become a bit sweeter? Maybe it is due to not worrying about having the ring underneath the passenger seat of his car anymore!!!
Bridesmaids
My maid of honor and all three of my bridesmaids said yes! Okay, so two of them thought that my email to them was spam, another one never got the email, and my maid of honor said that she would have preferred chocolate (she was kidding….kind of), but whatever. The one bridesmaid that I was worried about accepting the job and I did have a discussion about money and what she would be expected to do as a bridesmaid. I reassured her that if she couldn’t make it to the bachelorette party (which contrary to her belief I didn't want to have it in Vegas) or the shower it wouldn’t be a big deal. I know that she is busy herself, planning her elopement, trying to find a job that she actually likes, etc. And I wouldn’t want to be the one that prevents her from not going on a nice honeymoon with her future husband simply because she had to spend the money on a plane ticket out to my shower. She was also the person most surprised by my invitation. “Really? Me? But you have so many friends! Are you sure?”
Another bridesmaid has a ton of ideas (which is great) because she basically planned her cousin’s wedding this summer. I personally thought that making your cousin plan your own wedding is pretty crappy- if you are that lazy hire a wedding planner to do it for you! But, whatever floats your boat. I assured my bridesmaids that I probably won’t be asking them to do too much over the coming year.
Dinner salad
CP and I have been doing pretty well with the small salads with dinner every night. I would say we have a side salad at least three times a week with dinner. The two reasons we don’t have a salad every night? CP plans on making too much food (a meat, a starch, and a veggie side plus a salad would be too much) or I am simply too lazy to wash lettuce that night. I would like to continue this through the winter as I am hoping to keep the extra pounds from holiday grazing away.
New hair color
I still love my new hair color. My mom mentioned that going with a darker color means being vigilant in keeping up the dye job, but I think that I would still have to dye it just as often if I did a lighter color. Either way my grays love to show themselves off to the world!
Leaving for DC?
These decisions apparently take a long time to make…so even though I was supposed to hear two weeks ago, I have yet to hear anything. The sooner I hear, the sooner I can figure out where to live, if I am taking my car down, how often I will come back up to MA, etc. Plus I have friends that are dying to have me for three months straight after being on the other side of the country for so long!
Makeup remover
I went with Neutrogena wipes because I didn’t have to wash my face off after using them. They seem to be working out okay so far. They don’t get all of the eyeliner powder off my eyelids so when I take a shower in the morning I come out with dark smudges underneath my eyes, but I remedy that with a quick towel wipe and I am good to go.
Attempting to make new friends
We have made it to one event....and haven't had time to make it to another one. We are busy for the next three weekends....then come the holidays...so I have no idea when and if we are going to make new friends in this area any time soon.
My new phone
In two words? It sucked. Thankfully, Verizon has a 30 day return policy, so I ended up getting the LG enV2. It is much better. I am hoping to have it for two years...maybe by then the IPhone will have crossed over to Verizon.
Joint bank accounts
So far, having a joint bank account is going okay. We haven't fought about bills and neither of us have put weird things on the credit card.
Getting engaged
When I look back on how CP proposed, I think that it was almost perfect. Just like I had said here, I didn’t want him to have to spend any extra money going away for the weekend and I didn’t want him to do it in public. Even though he really didn’t have much of a plan, it was great. Just the two of us, hiding in the ring in a meal that he had made for me. I even love the fact that he was so nervous when he did it- even though he knew I would say yes! I wish that he had thought of a few words to say other than “uhhh I really didn’t plan a speech” but saying romantic things isn’t quite his forte. He *is* an engineer. Ever since we have gotten engaged I actually think that he has become a bit sweeter? Maybe it is due to not worrying about having the ring underneath the passenger seat of his car anymore!!!
Bridesmaids
My maid of honor and all three of my bridesmaids said yes! Okay, so two of them thought that my email to them was spam, another one never got the email, and my maid of honor said that she would have preferred chocolate (she was kidding….kind of), but whatever. The one bridesmaid that I was worried about accepting the job and I did have a discussion about money and what she would be expected to do as a bridesmaid. I reassured her that if she couldn’t make it to the bachelorette party (which contrary to her belief I didn't want to have it in Vegas) or the shower it wouldn’t be a big deal. I know that she is busy herself, planning her elopement, trying to find a job that she actually likes, etc. And I wouldn’t want to be the one that prevents her from not going on a nice honeymoon with her future husband simply because she had to spend the money on a plane ticket out to my shower. She was also the person most surprised by my invitation. “Really? Me? But you have so many friends! Are you sure?”
Another bridesmaid has a ton of ideas (which is great) because she basically planned her cousin’s wedding this summer. I personally thought that making your cousin plan your own wedding is pretty crappy- if you are that lazy hire a wedding planner to do it for you! But, whatever floats your boat. I assured my bridesmaids that I probably won’t be asking them to do too much over the coming year.
Dinner salad
CP and I have been doing pretty well with the small salads with dinner every night. I would say we have a side salad at least three times a week with dinner. The two reasons we don’t have a salad every night? CP plans on making too much food (a meat, a starch, and a veggie side plus a salad would be too much) or I am simply too lazy to wash lettuce that night. I would like to continue this through the winter as I am hoping to keep the extra pounds from holiday grazing away.
New hair color
I still love my new hair color. My mom mentioned that going with a darker color means being vigilant in keeping up the dye job, but I think that I would still have to dye it just as often if I did a lighter color. Either way my grays love to show themselves off to the world!
Leaving for DC?
These decisions apparently take a long time to make…so even though I was supposed to hear two weeks ago, I have yet to hear anything. The sooner I hear, the sooner I can figure out where to live, if I am taking my car down, how often I will come back up to MA, etc. Plus I have friends that are dying to have me for three months straight after being on the other side of the country for so long!
Makeup remover
I went with Neutrogena wipes because I didn’t have to wash my face off after using them. They seem to be working out okay so far. They don’t get all of the eyeliner powder off my eyelids so when I take a shower in the morning I come out with dark smudges underneath my eyes, but I remedy that with a quick towel wipe and I am good to go.
Attempting to make new friends
We have made it to one event....and haven't had time to make it to another one. We are busy for the next three weekends....then come the holidays...so I have no idea when and if we are going to make new friends in this area any time soon.
My new phone
In two words? It sucked. Thankfully, Verizon has a 30 day return policy, so I ended up getting the LG enV2. It is much better. I am hoping to have it for two years...maybe by then the IPhone will have crossed over to Verizon.
Joint bank accounts
So far, having a joint bank account is going okay. We haven't fought about bills and neither of us have put weird things on the credit card.
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