This week of vacation after Christmas has been nice. I have a lot to blog about, but that is going to have to happen in 2011!!
Our plans are to lay low tonight. We have a magnum bottle of Prosecco, cheese, crackers, fruit and shrimp. We may not even make it to midnight. We'll see.
Tomorrow we will have to continue cleaning as CP's dad and girlfriend are coming down for the rest of the weekend.
I hope that you all have a safe and fun New Years Eve!
12.31.2010
12.27.2010
My (non) belief
First, three quick stories:
I was working from home recently when I heard the doorbell rang. I opened the door to two ladies who asked if I had God in my life. I replied that I did not as I was not religious. They made a face and then asked, “well have you always been that way?” Umm yes.
Freshman year of high school I remember being in science class. Somehow the fact that I was an atheist came up and some guy then told me that I was going to hell. I didn't think that was quite appropriate as I think that I am a good person, despite being a non-believer. He kept saying it to me, over and over, until our teacher had to come over and tell him that I wasn't going to hell simply because I didn't believe in God. Around this time I realized that maybe I should keep my (non)beliefs to myself.
One of my best friend's mothers in high school remarked, "Oh, Non Sequitur Chica is so nice, but I wish that she would join a church."
---------------------------
I'll let someone else help me explain my (non)belief.
A Holiday Message From Ricky Gervais: Why I’m an Atheist
Originally posted on the Wall Street Journal Blogs
Why don’t you believe in God? I get that question all the time. I always try to give a sensitive, reasoned answer. This is usually awkward, time consuming and pointless. People who believe in God don’t need proof of his existence, and they certainly don’t want evidence to the contrary. They are happy with their belief. They even say things like “it’s true to me” and “it’s faith.” I still give my logical answer because I feel that not being honest would be patronizing and impolite. It is ironic therefore that “I don’t believe in God because there is absolutely no scientific evidence for his existence and from what I’ve heard the very definition is a logical impossibility in this known universe,” comes across as both patronizing and impolite.
Arrogance is another accusation. Which seems particularly unfair. Science seeks the truth. And it does not discriminate. For better or worse it finds things out. Science is humble. It knows what it knows and it knows what it doesn’t know. It bases its conclusions and beliefs on hard evidence -- evidence that is constantly updated and upgraded. It doesn’t get offended when new facts come along. It embraces the body of knowledge. It doesn’t hold on to medieval practices because they are tradition. If it did, you wouldn’t get a shot of penicillin, you’d pop a leach down your trousers and pray. Whatever you “believe,” this is not as effective as medicine. Again you can say, “It works for me,” but so do placebos. My point being, I’m saying God doesn’t exist. I’m not saying faith doesn’t exist. I know faith exists. I see it all the time. But believing in something doesn’t make it true. Hoping that something is true doesn’t make it true. The existence of God is not subjective. He either exists or he doesn’t. It’s not a matter of opinion. You can have your own opinions. But you can’t have your own facts.
Why don’t I believe in God? No, no no, why do YOU believe in God? Surely the burden of proof is on the believer. You started all this. If I came up to you and said, “Why don’t you believe I can fly?” You’d say, “Why would I?” I’d reply, “Because it’s a matter of faith.” If I then said, “Prove I can’t fly. Prove I can’t fly see, see, you can’t prove it can you?” You’d probably either walk away, call security or throw me out of the window and shout, ‘’F—ing fly then you lunatic.”
This, is of course a spirituality issue, religion is a different matter. As an atheist, I see nothing “wrong” in believing in a god. I don’t think there is a god, but belief in him does no harm. If it helps you in any way, then that’s fine with me. It’s when belief starts infringing on other people’s rights when it worries me. I would never deny your right to believe in a god. I would just rather you didn’t kill people who believe in a different god, say. Or stone someone to death because your rulebook says their sexuality is immoral. It’s strange that anyone who believes that an all-powerful all-knowing, omniscient power responsible for everything that happens, would also want to judge and punish people for what they are. From what I can gather, pretty much the worst type of person you can be is an atheist. The first four commandments hammer this point home. There is a god, I’m him, no one else is, you’re not as good and don’t forget it. (Don’t murder anyone, doesn’t get a mention till number 6.)
When confronted with anyone who holds my lack of religious faith in such contempt, I say, “It’s the way God made me.”
But what are atheists really being accused of?
The dictionary definition of God is “a supernatural creator and overseer of the universe.” Included in this definition are all deities, goddesses and supernatural beings. Since the beginning of recorded history, which is defined by the invention of writing by the Sumerians around 6,000 years ago, historians have cataloged over 3700 supernatural beings, of which 2870 can be considered deities.
So next time someone tells me they believe in God, I’ll say “Oh which one? Zeus? Hades? Jupiter? Mars? Odin? Thor? Krishna? Vishnu? Ra?…” If they say “Just God. I only believe in the one God,” I’ll point out that they are nearly as atheistic as me. I don’t believe in 2,870 gods, and they don’t believe in 2,869.
I used to believe in God. The Christian one that is.
I loved Jesus. He was my hero. More than pop stars. More than footballers. More than God. God was by definition omnipotent and perfect. Jesus was a man. He had to work at it. He had temptation but defeated sin. He had integrity and courage. But He was my hero because He was kind. And He was kind to everyone. He didn’t bow to peer pressure or tyranny or cruelty. He didn’t care who you were. He loved you. What a guy. I wanted to be just like Him.
One day when I was about 8 years old, I was drawing the crucifixion as part of my Bible studies homework. I loved art too. And nature. I loved how God made all the animals. They were also perfect. Unconditionally beautiful. It was an amazing world.
I lived in a very poor, working-class estate in an urban sprawl called Reading, about 40 miles west of London. My father was a laborer and my mother was a housewife. I was never ashamed of poverty. It was almost noble. Also, everyone I knew was in the same situation, and I had everything I needed. School was free. My clothes were cheap and always clean and ironed. And mum was always cooking. She was cooking the day I was drawing on the cross.
I was sitting at the kitchen table when my brother came home. He was 11 years older than me, so he would have been 19. He was as smart as anyone I knew, but he was too cheeky. He would answer back and get into trouble. I was a good boy. I went to church and believed in God -– what a relief for a working-class mother. You see, growing up where I did, mums didn’t hope as high as their kids growing up to be doctors; they just hoped their kids didn’t go to jail. So bring them up believing in God and they’ll be good and law abiding. It’s a perfect system. Well, nearly. 75 percent of Americans are God-‐fearing Christians; 75 percent of prisoners are God-‐fearing Christians. 10 percent of Americans are atheists; 0.2 percent of prisoners are atheists.
But anyway, there I was happily drawing my hero when my big brother Bob asked, “Why do you believe in God?” Just a simple question. But my mum panicked. “Bob,” she said in a tone that I knew meant, “Shut up.” Why was that a bad thing to ask? If there was a God and my faith was strong it didn’t matter what people said.
Oh…hang on. There is no God. He knows it, and she knows it deep down. It was as simple as that. I started thinking about it and asking more questions, and within an hour, I was an atheist.
Wow. No God. If mum had lied to me about God, had she also lied to me about Santa? Yes, of course, but who cares? The gifts kept coming. And so did the gifts of my new found atheism. The gifts of truth, science, nature. The real beauty of this world. I learned of evolution -– a theory so simple that only England’s greatest genius could have come up with it. Evolution of plants, animals and us –- with imagination, free will, love, humor. I no longer needed a reason for my existence, just a reason to live. And imagination, free will, love, humor, fun, music, sports, beer and pizza are all good enough reasons for living.
But living an honest life -– for that you need the truth. That’s the other thing I learned that day, that the truth, however shocking or uncomfortable, in the end leads to liberation and dignity.
So what does the question “Why don’t you believe in God?” really mean. I think when someone asks that they are really questioning their own belief. In a way they are asking “what makes you so special? “How come you weren’t brainwashed with the rest of us?” “How dare you say I’m a fool and I’m not going to heaven, f— you!” Let’s be honest, if one person believed in God he would be considered pretty strange. But because it’s a very popular view it’s accepted. And why is it such a popular view? That’s obvious. It’s an attractive proposition. Believe in me and live forever. Again if it was just a case of spirituality this would be fine.
“Do unto others…” is a good rule of thumb. I live by that. Forgiveness is probably the greatest virtue there is. But that’s exactly what it is -‐ a virtue. Not just a Christian virtue. No one owns being good. I’m good. I just don’t believe I’ll be rewarded for it in heaven. My reward is here and now. It’s knowing that I try to do the right thing. That I lived a good life. And that’s where spirituality really lost its way. When it became a stick to beat people with. “Do this or you’ll burn in hell.”
You won’t burn in hell. But be nice anyway.
----------------------------
My (non)belief doesn't stop me from celebrating Christmas though. It's a time for my family to get together and enjoy some time off from work. I hope you enjoyed your holiday break, no matter what you believe!
Thoughts? Let's aim for a thoughtful and respectful discussion in the comments.
I was working from home recently when I heard the doorbell rang. I opened the door to two ladies who asked if I had God in my life. I replied that I did not as I was not religious. They made a face and then asked, “well have you always been that way?” Umm yes.
Freshman year of high school I remember being in science class. Somehow the fact that I was an atheist came up and some guy then told me that I was going to hell. I didn't think that was quite appropriate as I think that I am a good person, despite being a non-believer. He kept saying it to me, over and over, until our teacher had to come over and tell him that I wasn't going to hell simply because I didn't believe in God. Around this time I realized that maybe I should keep my (non)beliefs to myself.
One of my best friend's mothers in high school remarked, "Oh, Non Sequitur Chica is so nice, but I wish that she would join a church."
---------------------------
I'll let someone else help me explain my (non)belief.
A Holiday Message From Ricky Gervais: Why I’m an Atheist
Originally posted on the Wall Street Journal Blogs
Why don’t you believe in God? I get that question all the time. I always try to give a sensitive, reasoned answer. This is usually awkward, time consuming and pointless. People who believe in God don’t need proof of his existence, and they certainly don’t want evidence to the contrary. They are happy with their belief. They even say things like “it’s true to me” and “it’s faith.” I still give my logical answer because I feel that not being honest would be patronizing and impolite. It is ironic therefore that “I don’t believe in God because there is absolutely no scientific evidence for his existence and from what I’ve heard the very definition is a logical impossibility in this known universe,” comes across as both patronizing and impolite.
Arrogance is another accusation. Which seems particularly unfair. Science seeks the truth. And it does not discriminate. For better or worse it finds things out. Science is humble. It knows what it knows and it knows what it doesn’t know. It bases its conclusions and beliefs on hard evidence -- evidence that is constantly updated and upgraded. It doesn’t get offended when new facts come along. It embraces the body of knowledge. It doesn’t hold on to medieval practices because they are tradition. If it did, you wouldn’t get a shot of penicillin, you’d pop a leach down your trousers and pray. Whatever you “believe,” this is not as effective as medicine. Again you can say, “It works for me,” but so do placebos. My point being, I’m saying God doesn’t exist. I’m not saying faith doesn’t exist. I know faith exists. I see it all the time. But believing in something doesn’t make it true. Hoping that something is true doesn’t make it true. The existence of God is not subjective. He either exists or he doesn’t. It’s not a matter of opinion. You can have your own opinions. But you can’t have your own facts.
Why don’t I believe in God? No, no no, why do YOU believe in God? Surely the burden of proof is on the believer. You started all this. If I came up to you and said, “Why don’t you believe I can fly?” You’d say, “Why would I?” I’d reply, “Because it’s a matter of faith.” If I then said, “Prove I can’t fly. Prove I can’t fly see, see, you can’t prove it can you?” You’d probably either walk away, call security or throw me out of the window and shout, ‘’F—ing fly then you lunatic.”
This, is of course a spirituality issue, religion is a different matter. As an atheist, I see nothing “wrong” in believing in a god. I don’t think there is a god, but belief in him does no harm. If it helps you in any way, then that’s fine with me. It’s when belief starts infringing on other people’s rights when it worries me. I would never deny your right to believe in a god. I would just rather you didn’t kill people who believe in a different god, say. Or stone someone to death because your rulebook says their sexuality is immoral. It’s strange that anyone who believes that an all-powerful all-knowing, omniscient power responsible for everything that happens, would also want to judge and punish people for what they are. From what I can gather, pretty much the worst type of person you can be is an atheist. The first four commandments hammer this point home. There is a god, I’m him, no one else is, you’re not as good and don’t forget it. (Don’t murder anyone, doesn’t get a mention till number 6.)
When confronted with anyone who holds my lack of religious faith in such contempt, I say, “It’s the way God made me.”
But what are atheists really being accused of?
The dictionary definition of God is “a supernatural creator and overseer of the universe.” Included in this definition are all deities, goddesses and supernatural beings. Since the beginning of recorded history, which is defined by the invention of writing by the Sumerians around 6,000 years ago, historians have cataloged over 3700 supernatural beings, of which 2870 can be considered deities.
So next time someone tells me they believe in God, I’ll say “Oh which one? Zeus? Hades? Jupiter? Mars? Odin? Thor? Krishna? Vishnu? Ra?…” If they say “Just God. I only believe in the one God,” I’ll point out that they are nearly as atheistic as me. I don’t believe in 2,870 gods, and they don’t believe in 2,869.
I used to believe in God. The Christian one that is.
I loved Jesus. He was my hero. More than pop stars. More than footballers. More than God. God was by definition omnipotent and perfect. Jesus was a man. He had to work at it. He had temptation but defeated sin. He had integrity and courage. But He was my hero because He was kind. And He was kind to everyone. He didn’t bow to peer pressure or tyranny or cruelty. He didn’t care who you were. He loved you. What a guy. I wanted to be just like Him.
One day when I was about 8 years old, I was drawing the crucifixion as part of my Bible studies homework. I loved art too. And nature. I loved how God made all the animals. They were also perfect. Unconditionally beautiful. It was an amazing world.
I lived in a very poor, working-class estate in an urban sprawl called Reading, about 40 miles west of London. My father was a laborer and my mother was a housewife. I was never ashamed of poverty. It was almost noble. Also, everyone I knew was in the same situation, and I had everything I needed. School was free. My clothes were cheap and always clean and ironed. And mum was always cooking. She was cooking the day I was drawing on the cross.
I was sitting at the kitchen table when my brother came home. He was 11 years older than me, so he would have been 19. He was as smart as anyone I knew, but he was too cheeky. He would answer back and get into trouble. I was a good boy. I went to church and believed in God -– what a relief for a working-class mother. You see, growing up where I did, mums didn’t hope as high as their kids growing up to be doctors; they just hoped their kids didn’t go to jail. So bring them up believing in God and they’ll be good and law abiding. It’s a perfect system. Well, nearly. 75 percent of Americans are God-‐fearing Christians; 75 percent of prisoners are God-‐fearing Christians. 10 percent of Americans are atheists; 0.2 percent of prisoners are atheists.
But anyway, there I was happily drawing my hero when my big brother Bob asked, “Why do you believe in God?” Just a simple question. But my mum panicked. “Bob,” she said in a tone that I knew meant, “Shut up.” Why was that a bad thing to ask? If there was a God and my faith was strong it didn’t matter what people said.
Oh…hang on. There is no God. He knows it, and she knows it deep down. It was as simple as that. I started thinking about it and asking more questions, and within an hour, I was an atheist.
Wow. No God. If mum had lied to me about God, had she also lied to me about Santa? Yes, of course, but who cares? The gifts kept coming. And so did the gifts of my new found atheism. The gifts of truth, science, nature. The real beauty of this world. I learned of evolution -– a theory so simple that only England’s greatest genius could have come up with it. Evolution of plants, animals and us –- with imagination, free will, love, humor. I no longer needed a reason for my existence, just a reason to live. And imagination, free will, love, humor, fun, music, sports, beer and pizza are all good enough reasons for living.
But living an honest life -– for that you need the truth. That’s the other thing I learned that day, that the truth, however shocking or uncomfortable, in the end leads to liberation and dignity.
So what does the question “Why don’t you believe in God?” really mean. I think when someone asks that they are really questioning their own belief. In a way they are asking “what makes you so special? “How come you weren’t brainwashed with the rest of us?” “How dare you say I’m a fool and I’m not going to heaven, f— you!” Let’s be honest, if one person believed in God he would be considered pretty strange. But because it’s a very popular view it’s accepted. And why is it such a popular view? That’s obvious. It’s an attractive proposition. Believe in me and live forever. Again if it was just a case of spirituality this would be fine.
“Do unto others…” is a good rule of thumb. I live by that. Forgiveness is probably the greatest virtue there is. But that’s exactly what it is -‐ a virtue. Not just a Christian virtue. No one owns being good. I’m good. I just don’t believe I’ll be rewarded for it in heaven. My reward is here and now. It’s knowing that I try to do the right thing. That I lived a good life. And that’s where spirituality really lost its way. When it became a stick to beat people with. “Do this or you’ll burn in hell.”
You won’t burn in hell. But be nice anyway.
----------------------------
My (non)belief doesn't stop me from celebrating Christmas though. It's a time for my family to get together and enjoy some time off from work. I hope you enjoyed your holiday break, no matter what you believe!
Thoughts? Let's aim for a thoughtful and respectful discussion in the comments.
12.23.2010
Early Christmas gift
I got an early Christmas gift yesterday- I received notice from my boss that I got promoted! The promotion comes with a 20% raise- this is fantastic news as it should really help CP and I pay off bills. AND it means that this spring we will be getting the anniversary puppy that we put off getting this fall!! YAY!
In addition to my excitement over my promotion, I am actually excited about Christmas. Last year I was sad as it was the first time I wouldn't see my parents over the holiday in my 31 years. It just didn't feel like Christmas. This year though, my parents and sister arrive tomorrow and will be here until Tuesday. I can't wait to show them our house and town.
CP and I have planned a big meal for Christmas dinner (would you expect anything less?):
*Beef roast. CP has been dry aging it in our fridge for the past couple of days. It's from our beef CSA. :-)
*Lobster bisque
*Pear and goat cheese salad
*Squash puree
*Rolls
*Apple pie and homemade vanilla ice cream
What are you doing for the holidays? Do you have family coming in? Are you going somewhere?
In addition to my excitement over my promotion, I am actually excited about Christmas. Last year I was sad as it was the first time I wouldn't see my parents over the holiday in my 31 years. It just didn't feel like Christmas. This year though, my parents and sister arrive tomorrow and will be here until Tuesday. I can't wait to show them our house and town.
CP and I have planned a big meal for Christmas dinner (would you expect anything less?):
*Beef roast. CP has been dry aging it in our fridge for the past couple of days. It's from our beef CSA. :-)
*Lobster bisque
*Pear and goat cheese salad
*Squash puree
*Rolls
*Apple pie and homemade vanilla ice cream
What are you doing for the holidays? Do you have family coming in? Are you going somewhere?
12.22.2010
My new favorite thing
Let me tell you about my new favorite thing: my Nook. CP gave it to me for my birthday and I LOVE IT.
I wasn’t sure how I would feel moving from real books to an e-reader. But CP and I dropped into a Barnes & Noble last month and were able to play around with a store Nook.
The Nook has no back light, which means no strain on my eyes after a long day of looking at my computer/Blackberry/iTouch/etc. That also means that I will have no problems reading it in the sun.
Because the book has already downloaded to the device, there is no lag time when I turn the pages of the book. I haven't used the dictionary, highlighting or other features just yet- my first book was a fast and easy read. :-)
I can also get newspaper or magazine subscriptions on the Nook. I haven't entered my subscriptions into my account just yet, but that will be nice for vacations. Then I'll only have to take my reader with me!
The biggest feature that the Nook has over the Kindle is that I can download books from my local library. I already love reading books for free from the library- now I can just download the e-books straight to my computer (then transfer them onto the Nook)! My library has over 430 e-books right now and will only be adding to that collection. Yay free! Not to mention I don't have to worry about bringing back the books on time= no late fees!
Barnes & Noble also has “free book Friday”- a free download. While I don’t expect any of these books to be on the best seller list, it may be a good way to find new or up-and-coming authors.
Last but not least, I was able to find the cutest case for my Nook from Free Moment on Etsy!
Do you have an e-reader? If not, are you thinking about getting one? Are you worried that you will miss out on the "feel" of books?
Note: B & N did NOT contact me to talk about the Nook.
I wasn’t sure how I would feel moving from real books to an e-reader. But CP and I dropped into a Barnes & Noble last month and were able to play around with a store Nook.
The Nook has no back light, which means no strain on my eyes after a long day of looking at my computer/Blackberry/iTouch/etc. That also means that I will have no problems reading it in the sun.
Because the book has already downloaded to the device, there is no lag time when I turn the pages of the book. I haven't used the dictionary, highlighting or other features just yet- my first book was a fast and easy read. :-)
I can also get newspaper or magazine subscriptions on the Nook. I haven't entered my subscriptions into my account just yet, but that will be nice for vacations. Then I'll only have to take my reader with me!
The biggest feature that the Nook has over the Kindle is that I can download books from my local library. I already love reading books for free from the library- now I can just download the e-books straight to my computer (then transfer them onto the Nook)! My library has over 430 e-books right now and will only be adding to that collection. Yay free! Not to mention I don't have to worry about bringing back the books on time= no late fees!
Barnes & Noble also has “free book Friday”- a free download. While I don’t expect any of these books to be on the best seller list, it may be a good way to find new or up-and-coming authors.
Last but not least, I was able to find the cutest case for my Nook from Free Moment on Etsy!
Do you have an e-reader? If not, are you thinking about getting one? Are you worried that you will miss out on the "feel" of books?
Note: B & N did NOT contact me to talk about the Nook.
12.21.2010
Drinking
On our way to a friend’s holiday party on Saturday, CP and I stopped at a liquor store to grab some beer. Four Loko advertisements were plastered all over the refrigerator display. We joked that we should bring some Four Loko to the party. We even went as far as to ask the cashier if they had Four Loko anymore. CT banned it about a month ago, but the cashier was willing to sell us a case on the side….otherwise the cans are headed back to the manufacturer.
CP and I demurred because the transaction sounded sketchy….along with the fact that we only wanted to ruin our livers with ONE can of Four Loko- not an entire case!
Have any of you tried Four Loko? It’s disgusting, right?
----------------------------------------------
Speaking of drinking, I can finally show you guys what STUMP is. For those that have been reading for a while, if you remember after our wedding last year, we had a game of Beirut and a game of stump going on after our reception. (What else were we expected to do in the middle of nowhere NH? :-) )
Anyway, there is a Wiki entry about the rules of the game AND there is a video of Elijah Wood teaching Jimmy Fallon.
(Note: we don’t play the behind the back and under the leg tricks. Also, Elijah and Jimmy are cheating by “cocking” the hammer back before trying to hit the nail. Elijah clearly doesn’t play that often. Hee hee.)
CP and I played this weekend after the holiday party. Good times. Good times.
CP and I demurred because the transaction sounded sketchy….along with the fact that we only wanted to ruin our livers with ONE can of Four Loko- not an entire case!
Have any of you tried Four Loko? It’s disgusting, right?
----------------------------------------------
Speaking of drinking, I can finally show you guys what STUMP is. For those that have been reading for a while, if you remember after our wedding last year, we had a game of Beirut and a game of stump going on after our reception. (What else were we expected to do in the middle of nowhere NH? :-) )
Anyway, there is a Wiki entry about the rules of the game AND there is a video of Elijah Wood teaching Jimmy Fallon.
(Note: we don’t play the behind the back and under the leg tricks. Also, Elijah and Jimmy are cheating by “cocking” the hammer back before trying to hit the nail. Elijah clearly doesn’t play that often. Hee hee.)
CP and I played this weekend after the holiday party. Good times. Good times.
12.20.2010
Random stories
Do you go on a crazy cleaning spree during your period too?
In college, my boyfriend’s roommate joked about inviting women over while they were visited by Aunt Flo so that they would clean their room. I laughed at the idea at the time…but now that I am off the pill? It is TOTALLY is true with me. CP enjoys these monthly cleaning sprees because I get a little crazy about deep cleaning our house.
Does this happen to anyone else?
---------------------------------------
Last week I get a text from my Mom:
“What is a woody? I think that I know what it is, but I’m just making sure. I would ask your father, but he made fun of me for asking him what flashbacks are a few weeks ago.”
My mom is what you would call naïve. And the nicest woman around. She is not up on slang, television shows, pop culture, or the like (but is on Facebook!).
I was at work at the time and was simultaneously laughing and wondering how I would respond to her. So I texted my sister and CP telling them the story instead. In the end, I gave her the answer….but instead of having to answer potentially awkward questions (“what is a Cleveland steamer?”), I instead bought her the Urban Dictionary as a stocking gift.
In college, my boyfriend’s roommate joked about inviting women over while they were visited by Aunt Flo so that they would clean their room. I laughed at the idea at the time…but now that I am off the pill? It is TOTALLY is true with me. CP enjoys these monthly cleaning sprees because I get a little crazy about deep cleaning our house.
Does this happen to anyone else?
---------------------------------------
Last week I get a text from my Mom:
“What is a woody? I think that I know what it is, but I’m just making sure. I would ask your father, but he made fun of me for asking him what flashbacks are a few weeks ago.”
My mom is what you would call naïve. And the nicest woman around. She is not up on slang, television shows, pop culture, or the like (but is on Facebook!).
I was at work at the time and was simultaneously laughing and wondering how I would respond to her. So I texted my sister and CP telling them the story instead. In the end, I gave her the answer….but instead of having to answer potentially awkward questions (“what is a Cleveland steamer?”), I instead bought her the Urban Dictionary as a stocking gift.
Here’s hoping no more odd questions to come while I am at work now that she will have a reference guide….
Do you get weird questions from your parents?
---------------------------------------
Poor Fuzzy Britches. CP was in our backyard throwing her new FAVORITE BALL around and he somehow got it stuck in one of the gutters on top of our sunroom (and he says that I don’t have any aim!).
So what did Fuzzy Britches do? She sat down in front of the gutters and looked up. Wishing that somehow her FAVORITE BALL would drop down and that she would be reunited.
Why are they TORTURING ME?
Please drop. Please drop. Please drop.About an hour later CP cleaned the gutters and reunited her with her ball, but that dog has some patience!!
---------------------------------------
Did any of you watch the Eagles/Giants game yesterday? I was so bummed that the Eagles were playing like crap for the first three quarters. Down 21 points with less than 9 minutes left- I didn’t think that we would have much of a chance. The Eagles are such an explosive team, but we hadn’t exactly showed that side so far. However, with some lucky plays, we were suddenly tied at 31 with 14 seconds left the Giants punter inexplicably punts directly to our amazing wide receiver/sometime punt returner. And if you haven’t seen this yet, here is the amazing return.
LOVE this video. E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
LOVE this video. E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!
12.15.2010
Christmas tree FAIL
This past weekend CP and I learned that we are still novices when it comes to Christmas.
With some room in our new house we bought a few more Christmas items (stockings, garland and lights for our outside lamp pole, etc.), but have tried to not go TOO crazy. I mean, we still have CP’s mother who will try to shove a lot of holiday decorations our way. She means well, but sometimes her taste is a little iffy…
On Saturday CP and I headed out to find our Christmas tree. The first place was weird. It was a house in the suburbs that had a long and narrow plot of land. Instead of using the land for a play area for kids, a garden, etc., they planted a ton of Christmas trees. All of the good ones were taken so we headed to another farm.
Growing up in NH means that CP wants to cut down the Christmas tree himself. So when the guy at the next place handed us a saw and gloves and told us that we would have to lug the tree back ourselves, CP was fine with it. However, we picked a REALLY heavy tree. And then we had to lug it about half a mile back to our car. While holding onto Fuzzy Britches’ leash. And a bag of her poop. Needless to say, we got to our car with sap all over our clothes and cranky.
Well, we should have thought about our small living room. Because we came home with this:
Whoops
FAIL. The branches haven't even dropped yet.
However we were kind of in a rush that night because we needed to get ready for a holiday party, so we leaned the tree against the wall and figured that we would deal with it the next day.
On Sunday CP took an electric hedge trimmer to our tree. What a disaster. Sap everywhere. Tree branches everywhere.
More manageable.
At least we came out with a more symmetrical tree…..
Where did you get your Christmas tree?
With some room in our new house we bought a few more Christmas items (stockings, garland and lights for our outside lamp pole, etc.), but have tried to not go TOO crazy. I mean, we still have CP’s mother who will try to shove a lot of holiday decorations our way. She means well, but sometimes her taste is a little iffy…
On Saturday CP and I headed out to find our Christmas tree. The first place was weird. It was a house in the suburbs that had a long and narrow plot of land. Instead of using the land for a play area for kids, a garden, etc., they planted a ton of Christmas trees. All of the good ones were taken so we headed to another farm.
Growing up in NH means that CP wants to cut down the Christmas tree himself. So when the guy at the next place handed us a saw and gloves and told us that we would have to lug the tree back ourselves, CP was fine with it. However, we picked a REALLY heavy tree. And then we had to lug it about half a mile back to our car. While holding onto Fuzzy Britches’ leash. And a bag of her poop. Needless to say, we got to our car with sap all over our clothes and cranky.
Well, we should have thought about our small living room. Because we came home with this:
Whoops
FAIL. The branches haven't even dropped yet.However we were kind of in a rush that night because we needed to get ready for a holiday party, so we leaned the tree against the wall and figured that we would deal with it the next day.
On Sunday CP took an electric hedge trimmer to our tree. What a disaster. Sap everywhere. Tree branches everywhere.
More manageable.
At least we came out with a more symmetrical tree….. It’s not like this is our first Christmas tree. We have had at least four other Christmas trees and they were just fine. Chalk it up to not being used to our house yet?
Things we learned this year:
*We have a very small living room.
Things we learned this year:
*We have a very small living room.
*We need more ornaments.
*We don’t need to cut down the Christmas tree ourselves.
*Maybe buying a Christmas tree from a lot isn’t such a bad idea.
Please remind me of these things next year. :-)
*We don’t need to cut down the Christmas tree ourselves.
*Maybe buying a Christmas tree from a lot isn’t such a bad idea.
Please remind me of these things next year. :-)
At least we haven't killed our wedding plant yet. Nor is it taking over the living room.... :-)
Where did you get your Christmas tree?
Winner!
Thank you to everyone for entering my Christmas Giveaway! And thanks again to CSN Stores for the $35 gift card!
And the winner is.......
*dramatic drum roll*
And the winner is.......
Result: 5
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Congratulations Ashley!
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12.14.2010
Christmas shopping
Poor CP. Last night I decided to head to the mall to try to finish up my Christmas shopping. CP didn’t have anything else to do after dinner so he decided to come with.
My mom had suggested getting her a nightgown for Christmas (amongst other things). So we trudged around the various department stores looking for one that she would like.
Needless to say, trying to find a nightgown for his mother-in-law traumatized CP. Then I joked about getting her a sexy nightgown and he just walked away. Ha ha.
Parents are just so hard to shop for. :-)
Today is the LAST DAY for your chance to win a $35 gift card to CSN Stores. Get your entries in before 11:59pm EST!!
My mom had suggested getting her a nightgown for Christmas (amongst other things). So we trudged around the various department stores looking for one that she would like.
Needless to say, trying to find a nightgown for his mother-in-law traumatized CP. Then I joked about getting her a sexy nightgown and he just walked away. Ha ha.
Parents are just so hard to shop for. :-)
Today is the LAST DAY for your chance to win a $35 gift card to CSN Stores. Get your entries in before 11:59pm EST!!
12.10.2010
Happy birthday to me!
Today I turn 32. After work tonight CP and I plan on heading out for a lovely dinner at the highest-rated restaurant in our town.
My outlook on this 32nd year is hopeful.
The more people talk about feeling happy with themselves in their 30s, the more that I agree. Despite being unhappy body-wise with myself right now, I have fewer doubts in the rest of me (other than the nagging doubts of running a half marathon next year I talked about yesterday).
CP, while sometimes frustrating, is an excellent husband. Although last Friday he did let me know that he hid my present somewhere in our house and if I found it before today I could have it early. I have checked drawers, closets, and everywhere inbetween and couldn't find it. He thought it was hilarious. Jerk! But as I say jerk, I think that it is hilarious that he hid the present.....so I can't be too mad at him. :-)
I have great friends and family. In addition, I have already met some great ladies through my town’s Newcomers Club and feel that the friendships that I have started will continue to grow.
Despite the lack of anything growing in my belly yet, I am hopeful that our luck will change soon. If nothing happens, at some point we will head to a fertility specialist to find out if there is something wrong. If there is? Well, I guess we will plan a grand vacation (Galapagos maybe?) and hope for a miracle.
Work? Well, I wish that work was better, but for now I am happy to have a stable job (and a promotion/pay increase that should be coming at the end of this month!).
Our house is great. I love painting and making it ours. It was a great decision to move to CT. Despite the house purchase, our debt load is growing smaller. CP’s car will be paid off in two months and then we can put even more money towards credit cards and student loans.
Fuzzy Britches is healthy, despite being almost 7 years old. We haven’t gotten the puppy playmate for her just yet, but maybe that too will come in this next year.
Yep. This could be a very good year.
My outlook on this 32nd year is hopeful.
The more people talk about feeling happy with themselves in their 30s, the more that I agree. Despite being unhappy body-wise with myself right now, I have fewer doubts in the rest of me (other than the nagging doubts of running a half marathon next year I talked about yesterday).
CP, while sometimes frustrating, is an excellent husband. Although last Friday he did let me know that he hid my present somewhere in our house and if I found it before today I could have it early. I have checked drawers, closets, and everywhere inbetween and couldn't find it. He thought it was hilarious. Jerk! But as I say jerk, I think that it is hilarious that he hid the present.....so I can't be too mad at him. :-)
I have great friends and family. In addition, I have already met some great ladies through my town’s Newcomers Club and feel that the friendships that I have started will continue to grow.
Despite the lack of anything growing in my belly yet, I am hopeful that our luck will change soon. If nothing happens, at some point we will head to a fertility specialist to find out if there is something wrong. If there is? Well, I guess we will plan a grand vacation (Galapagos maybe?) and hope for a miracle.
Work? Well, I wish that work was better, but for now I am happy to have a stable job (and a promotion/pay increase that should be coming at the end of this month!).
Our house is great. I love painting and making it ours. It was a great decision to move to CT. Despite the house purchase, our debt load is growing smaller. CP’s car will be paid off in two months and then we can put even more money towards credit cards and student loans.
Fuzzy Britches is healthy, despite being almost 7 years old. We haven’t gotten the puppy playmate for her just yet, but maybe that too will come in this next year.
Yep. This could be a very good year.
Have you entered my CSN Stores giveaway yet??
12.09.2010
How do you push aside doubt?
I am mulling something over in my mind. I am mulling over trying to run a half marathon in the spring.
Every time I think about it, doubt creeps in.
You are not in shape for 13 miles.
You will start to train and will get injured somehow….and will then have to drop out of the race, thus wasting money.
You can’t run 13 miles!
You don’t have the time to train for that.
What about your Plantar fasciitis? It hurts after you run 3 miles, let alone TRAIN for 13.1!
The reasons against trying to run a half continue to swirl around in my head.
BUT.
I was watching the Biggest Loser on Tuesday night. These are people that are 300+ pounds that have turned their life around and were shown running marathons. I am not 300+ pounds, nor do I have Jillian and Bob helping me. But I was a Division 1 athlete (ahem….10 years ago) and know how to push myself.
I have never built up a good base before trying to run something- nor have I ever really “trained” that much for a 5K or longer race. Most of time I just decide that I am going to run something a few weeks in advance and then do it (see 5K this past Sunday). That is most likely why I end up getting hurt.
What if I was to really train? What if I was to ice knees and other body parts down? What if I pushed myself to believe that I COULD and WILL do it?
Fleet Feet has a Half Marathon training program at their nearby store. I would like the schedule of a program, but the ability to run with my iPod on and not have to talk to a training partner.
J has already said that she would come up and run any half that I would want to do (Half marathons are simple for a girl that has already run five marathons. Crazy lady). There is a half in June in a nearby town that sounds doable (especially because I wouldn’t have to travel anywhere). The only potential obstacle would be if I were to get pregnant….then I would definitely have to drop out of the race because my heart rate gets too high when I am running.
How do you deal with doubting thought that creep into your head?
Have you entered my $35 CSN Stores giveaway yet??? What are you waiting for??
Every time I think about it, doubt creeps in.
You are not in shape for 13 miles.
You will start to train and will get injured somehow….and will then have to drop out of the race, thus wasting money.
You can’t run 13 miles!
You don’t have the time to train for that.
What about your Plantar fasciitis? It hurts after you run 3 miles, let alone TRAIN for 13.1!
The reasons against trying to run a half continue to swirl around in my head.
BUT.
I was watching the Biggest Loser on Tuesday night. These are people that are 300+ pounds that have turned their life around and were shown running marathons. I am not 300+ pounds, nor do I have Jillian and Bob helping me. But I was a Division 1 athlete (ahem….10 years ago) and know how to push myself.
I have never built up a good base before trying to run something- nor have I ever really “trained” that much for a 5K or longer race. Most of time I just decide that I am going to run something a few weeks in advance and then do it (see 5K this past Sunday). That is most likely why I end up getting hurt.
What if I was to really train? What if I was to ice knees and other body parts down? What if I pushed myself to believe that I COULD and WILL do it?
Fleet Feet has a Half Marathon training program at their nearby store. I would like the schedule of a program, but the ability to run with my iPod on and not have to talk to a training partner.
J has already said that she would come up and run any half that I would want to do (Half marathons are simple for a girl that has already run five marathons. Crazy lady). There is a half in June in a nearby town that sounds doable (especially because I wouldn’t have to travel anywhere). The only potential obstacle would be if I were to get pregnant….then I would definitely have to drop out of the race because my heart rate gets too high when I am running.
How do you deal with doubting thought that creep into your head?
Have you entered my $35 CSN Stores giveaway yet??? What are you waiting for??
12.08.2010
Christmas giveaway!
*UPDATED* Congratulations entry #5 ASHLEY for winning the CSN gift card!
Anyone else struggling to find presents for loved ones and friends for Christmas? Or have you been wanting to buy something for yourself but feel guilty? Well, maybe a $35 gift card (in the form of a promotional code) to CSN Stores will help! CSN stores has over 200 different online shops where you can find everything from leather messenger bags, cookware, outdoor furniture or toys!
Sadly this giveaway is not for me. But if it was, here are a few things that I would purchase with the $35:
A new dog bed for Fuzzy Britches. Ever since I started to work from home, she now sleeps in the office with us while we work. She loves her dog bed in our bedroom…now she could have one in the office instead of sleeping on the hardwood floors!I'll take the dog too. :-)
A lavender wreath for our downstairs bathroom. Mmm I love the smell of lavender!
A big thanks to CSN Stores for supplying the gift card for this giveaway!
How to win:
MANDATORY ENTRY:
A comment on how you will spend your $35 at CSN Stores
EXTRA ENTRIES:
* Become a follower of my blog or comment if you already are (1 entry)
* Become a fan of CSN on Facebook (1 entry)
* Blog about this giveaway and leave me a comment with a link (3 entries)
Giveaway ends December 14, 2010 at 11:59EST. Be sure to leave a valid email address otherwise I won't be able to contact you if you win. Winner will be chosen via a random number generator.
GOOD LUCK!
12.07.2010
Results
Sunday I ran my first 5K in over a year and it went better than expected. :-) Saturday night we went to a holiday dinner party at a friend’s place in MA two hours away. We didn’t get home until midnight, so it was a good thing that the race didn’t start until 10:30am!
It was maybe 30 degrees out when CP dropped me off a couple blocks away from the race. I ran around trying to find safety pins before the gun went off. I am always nervous before the start of a race which is extremely silly. I mean, I am only competing against myself (since, let’s face it, I’m a slow mofo).
I was probably only 50 feet or so from the start line so I didn’t have to walk too much before hitting the actual start of the race. I felt good and my race playlist had started on my iTouch. I told myself that I would run the entire race, no matter how slow. But by the third hill, I decided that I had to walk. Booo for me. CP was hoping to get back from Whole Foods in enough time to watch me run by (as part of the race took me only a few blocks away from our house), but sadly he didn’t. It sounds silly, but I would have liked to have seen him, even though it was only a 5K.
I had to walk only one more time during the race.
As soon as I saw the finish line, I started to sprint. As I passed a guy in his late 30s about 20 feet before the finish line, he started sprinting so that I wouldn’t beat him. Too bad because I ended up crossing the finish line before him! YES!
My time? 33:51, which is 10:54 per mile. Yes it is probably one of my slowest times, but I’m owning it and I am proud of it. :-)
What did you do this weekend?
It was maybe 30 degrees out when CP dropped me off a couple blocks away from the race. I ran around trying to find safety pins before the gun went off. I am always nervous before the start of a race which is extremely silly. I mean, I am only competing against myself (since, let’s face it, I’m a slow mofo).
I was probably only 50 feet or so from the start line so I didn’t have to walk too much before hitting the actual start of the race. I felt good and my race playlist had started on my iTouch. I told myself that I would run the entire race, no matter how slow. But by the third hill, I decided that I had to walk. Booo for me. CP was hoping to get back from Whole Foods in enough time to watch me run by (as part of the race took me only a few blocks away from our house), but sadly he didn’t. It sounds silly, but I would have liked to have seen him, even though it was only a 5K.
I had to walk only one more time during the race.
As soon as I saw the finish line, I started to sprint. As I passed a guy in his late 30s about 20 feet before the finish line, he started sprinting so that I wouldn’t beat him. Too bad because I ended up crossing the finish line before him! YES!
My time? 33:51, which is 10:54 per mile. Yes it is probably one of my slowest times, but I’m owning it and I am proud of it. :-)
What did you do this weekend?
11.30.2010
Painting
After my in-laws left Saturday morning and the thermostat was turned down to a manageable 62, CP and I headed to the nearest Benjamin Moore paint store. Our goal- to paint the dining room.
Before pictures:
Fuzzy Britches is sad that the dining room looks like this
Our white serving pieces get lost in the white hutches
I head back to the store and grab a can of Cocoa Butter, two shades lighter than Chocolate Mousse. We start painting that and it looks MUCH better.
Cocoa butter looks good above the chair rail
The hutches now stand out!
Forgive the messy table, but at least the serving pieces we got as wedding gifts are now noticeable in the hutches (see soup tureen)
Before pictures:
Fuzzy Britches is sad that the dining room looks like this
Our white serving pieces get lost in the white hutchesAfter some discussion at the paint store, we decided to go with a basic white (Acacia White) above the chair rail, Chocolate Mousse below the chair rail, and then Firewood on the back walls of the hutches (we have two built-ins that face each other in the corners).
CP starts to patch all of the holes in the wall while I tape up the room. We start with the Acacia White, but realize quickly that it is so similar to the color of the chair rail and crown molding that the nice touches blend in too much with the walls. FAIL. There goes $57.
CP starts to patch all of the holes in the wall while I tape up the room. We start with the Acacia White, but realize quickly that it is so similar to the color of the chair rail and crown molding that the nice touches blend in too much with the walls. FAIL. There goes $57.
I head back to the store and grab a can of Cocoa Butter, two shades lighter than Chocolate Mousse. We start painting that and it looks MUCH better.
Cocoa butter looks good above the chair railSunday we painted below the chair rail and then the hutches.
Everything looked good…..except that the damn people that painted the blue color below the chair rail didn’t do a great job. As in, it looked like they didn’t use painters tape and the blue spilled out onto the white railing along the floor. We had done a fantastic job of taping and painting, but the blue was noticeable all over the room. I broke out a tiny brush and started the tedious work of painting over the blue with either the Chocolate Mousse or the Acacia White.
Everything looked good…..except that the damn people that painted the blue color below the chair rail didn’t do a great job. As in, it looked like they didn’t use painters tape and the blue spilled out onto the white railing along the floor. We had done a fantastic job of taping and painting, but the blue was noticeable all over the room. I broke out a tiny brush and started the tedious work of painting over the blue with either the Chocolate Mousse or the Acacia White.
The hutches now stand out!
Forgive the messy table, but at least the serving pieces we got as wedding gifts are now noticeable in the hutches (see soup tureen)SUCCESS! Personally, I think that the room looks fantastic! The lighter color really brightens up the room. Now we just have to put our china and serving pieces back into the hutches and stuff back on the walls and we are back in business. Woo hoo!
I went to order curtains that we found at Restoration Hardware but realize that they sell them in separate panels- which means that we would have to spend over $500 to cover three windows. YIKES. Sooooo we will be looking for a different set of curtains. :-)
I went to order curtains that we found at Restoration Hardware but realize that they sell them in separate panels- which means that we would have to spend over $500 to cover three windows. YIKES. Sooooo we will be looking for a different set of curtains. :-)
11.29.2010
Paradise City Arts Festival
Recently CP and I went to the Paradise City Arts Festival. I had never heard of it, but CP’s dad and girlfriend have been going for years and thought we might enjoy it.
There were a lot of really nice things there (especially ones that we couldn’t afford), but we left with a few things for the house.
First we bought two watercolors from Greg Stones. We walked past his booth a couple of times and thought that his stuff was pretty funny. CP suggested that we get a couple and hang them up in the bathroom or something. It was mainly to have people do a double-take to make sure what they are looking at was really what was in the watercolor.
We ended up getting the following watercolors and buying two black frames at Michaels:
"3 Penguins, 3 Sock Monkeys"
I have a special affinity for the sock monkeys and penguins, but Greg also has stuff with zombies, clowns, monsters and women flashing in the distance. Good stuff. And already the watercolors puzzled my MIL when she came to Thanksgiving. WIN!
We also ended up buying candlesticks (although we didn’t find suitable candles before Thanksgiving- FAIL) from Winnepesaukee Forge. http://irontable.com/ Ours are a little different from the ones shown on their website, but you can make all kinds of cool patterns from the candlesticks.
As always at an arts festival there were definitely some “interesting” things. CP and I don’t claim to be creative and so knowing what goes on in some of these minds? Well, who knows. One of the time consuming, but very odd things we saw at the festival? This:
There were a lot of really nice things there (especially ones that we couldn’t afford), but we left with a few things for the house.
First we bought two watercolors from Greg Stones. We walked past his booth a couple of times and thought that his stuff was pretty funny. CP suggested that we get a couple and hang them up in the bathroom or something. It was mainly to have people do a double-take to make sure what they are looking at was really what was in the watercolor.
We ended up getting the following watercolors and buying two black frames at Michaels:
"Sock Monkey vs. Penguin"
Yes, that is a sock monkey yielding an axe and a penguin with a gun.
"3 Penguins, 3 Sock Monkeys"We like to consider this one the aftermath of the battle above.
I have a special affinity for the sock monkeys and penguins, but Greg also has stuff with zombies, clowns, monsters and women flashing in the distance. Good stuff. And already the watercolors puzzled my MIL when she came to Thanksgiving. WIN!
We also ended up buying candlesticks (although we didn’t find suitable candles before Thanksgiving- FAIL) from Winnepesaukee Forge. http://irontable.com/ Ours are a little different from the ones shown on their website, but you can make all kinds of cool patterns from the candlesticks.
As always at an arts festival there were definitely some “interesting” things. CP and I don’t claim to be creative and so knowing what goes on in some of these minds? Well, who knows. One of the time consuming, but very odd things we saw at the festival? This:
Yeah. Weird animals made of felt. WTF?
Picture from here
Meanwhile my FIL and his girlfriend were looking at wedding rings (they had some high end jewelry at this festival) which is exciting news. I guess my FIL actually proposed years ago and they came to a family party and told everyone…..and then they got cold feet/decided that they never wanted to be married again so it never happened. They have been talking about it for years, so maybe they are finally going to take the plunge?
11.26.2010
Thanksgiving
Yesterday’s meal consisted of:
Squash soup
Salad
Turkey
Mashed potatoes with parsley and chives
Stuffing
French bread (made by me!)
Candied parsnips
Peas, carrots and mushrooms
Sweet potato casserole
Cranberry sauce
Gravy
CP tried to cut down on the number of dishes he made this year, but couldn’t help himself and added candied parsnips because the parsnips looked too good at the store on Sunday.
Dessert consisted of:
Pecan pie
Apple pie
Squash pie
(Yes, my MIL went a little crazy in baking for the day- considering there were just FIVE people at our house.)
It’s great having family in town, but you also get really used to your own house and how you keep it….so sometimes it is hard to have guests. CP’s grandmother is like most older folks- she gets cold easily. We usually keep our house at 62 degrees. Not only are we using less energy, but I hate when it is stifling hot. I am usually freezing at 62 so I walk around with a sweater on and if we are watching tv I am usually under a blanket.
Yesterday however, I ended up walking around in a t-shirt because we bumped up the temperature to 68. Between eating a lot, doing dishes, the hot kitchen, etc. the 68 degrees was way too hot. Not only that, but CP and I like it cold when we sleep. Snuggling under the covers is much better than just a sheet on your body when it is cold outside. That just seems….unnatural.
Halfway through the night I only had a sheet covering my body. I’m surprised Fuzzy Britches wasn’t panting in our room. It was time to open up the window and let some cool air in. It was glorious. I’m (almost) happy to be at work today so that I don’t have to be in our hot house.
While I am thankful to have family down for the holiday, I can’t wait until the heat can be turned back down to 62. :-)
How was your Thanksgiving?
Squash soup
Salad
Turkey
Mashed potatoes with parsley and chives
Stuffing
French bread (made by me!)
Candied parsnips
Peas, carrots and mushrooms
Sweet potato casserole
Cranberry sauce
Gravy
CP tried to cut down on the number of dishes he made this year, but couldn’t help himself and added candied parsnips because the parsnips looked too good at the store on Sunday.
Dessert consisted of:
Pecan pie
Apple pie
Squash pie
(Yes, my MIL went a little crazy in baking for the day- considering there were just FIVE people at our house.)
It’s great having family in town, but you also get really used to your own house and how you keep it….so sometimes it is hard to have guests. CP’s grandmother is like most older folks- she gets cold easily. We usually keep our house at 62 degrees. Not only are we using less energy, but I hate when it is stifling hot. I am usually freezing at 62 so I walk around with a sweater on and if we are watching tv I am usually under a blanket.
Yesterday however, I ended up walking around in a t-shirt because we bumped up the temperature to 68. Between eating a lot, doing dishes, the hot kitchen, etc. the 68 degrees was way too hot. Not only that, but CP and I like it cold when we sleep. Snuggling under the covers is much better than just a sheet on your body when it is cold outside. That just seems….unnatural.
Halfway through the night I only had a sheet covering my body. I’m surprised Fuzzy Britches wasn’t panting in our room. It was time to open up the window and let some cool air in. It was glorious. I’m (almost) happy to be at work today so that I don’t have to be in our hot house.
While I am thankful to have family down for the holiday, I can’t wait until the heat can be turned back down to 62. :-)
How was your Thanksgiving?
11.23.2010
Yelping
Last night I was walking Fuzzy Britches around the neighborhood when she suddenly fell down onto a pile of leaves. I stopped, confused. She then started yelping at a high pitch which broke my heart and made me want to burst into tears. The pile of leaves were hiding a grate and her paw had gotten stuck in one of the holes.
Fuzzy Britches NEVER yelps in pain. If one of us accidently steps on her tail or paw, she doesn’t say anything. So hearing that sound was one of the worst sounds I had ever heard.
I was able to quickly remove her paw from the grate, but then I didn’t know what to do. I was still a few minutes from home and I didn’t have my cell phone on me. Could she walk home? I’m not sure I could carry her…..she is 70 pounds.
She gingerly held out her paw for me. Poor girl. I couldn’t see anything wrong with it, but then again it was kind of dark. I kept reassuring her that everything was okay.
She put her paw down and started to try to walk on it, but ended up limping instead. I cursed myself for not seeing the damn grate. There was a light on in the house across the street- should I ask to use their phone and call CP to have him pick me and FB up?
Her walk got a little better and I eased up a bit. I was still unsure of what to do, deciding to wait a few minutes to see if we could walk home on our own. In the end, that’s what we ended up doing. As soon as I got in the house I checked her paw to make sure that I didn’t see anything wrong (I didn’t). The rest of the night we watched her to make sure that she wasn’t favoring the paw or not putting any weight on it.
Despite the fact that she won’t walk in puddles (what a princess), FB is one tough dog. Thank goodness she seems to be doing fine. I might leave her home on my runs the rest of this week though….and will probably bring my cell phone on future walks.
Fuzzy Britches NEVER yelps in pain. If one of us accidently steps on her tail or paw, she doesn’t say anything. So hearing that sound was one of the worst sounds I had ever heard.
I was able to quickly remove her paw from the grate, but then I didn’t know what to do. I was still a few minutes from home and I didn’t have my cell phone on me. Could she walk home? I’m not sure I could carry her…..she is 70 pounds.
She gingerly held out her paw for me. Poor girl. I couldn’t see anything wrong with it, but then again it was kind of dark. I kept reassuring her that everything was okay.
She put her paw down and started to try to walk on it, but ended up limping instead. I cursed myself for not seeing the damn grate. There was a light on in the house across the street- should I ask to use their phone and call CP to have him pick me and FB up?
Her walk got a little better and I eased up a bit. I was still unsure of what to do, deciding to wait a few minutes to see if we could walk home on our own. In the end, that’s what we ended up doing. As soon as I got in the house I checked her paw to make sure that I didn’t see anything wrong (I didn’t). The rest of the night we watched her to make sure that she wasn’t favoring the paw or not putting any weight on it.
Despite the fact that she won’t walk in puddles (what a princess), FB is one tough dog. Thank goodness she seems to be doing fine. I might leave her home on my runs the rest of this week though….and will probably bring my cell phone on future walks.
11.22.2010
5K
This weekend I did a 3 mile run (well....mostly running) with Fuzzy Britches. As I ran around the neighborhood, I noticed a sign for an upcoming 5K in my town. Thinking that I need to jump start a real running plan instead of just doing it once a week (and having my heel hurt tremendously afterwards), I went home and signed up.
I will now be running a 5K on December 5th. I haven’t run a 5K in over a year.
I hope to run at least four more times before the race.
My time is still going to be super slow. I kind of don’t care. At least I will be out running.
I will now be running a 5K on December 5th. I haven’t run a 5K in over a year.
I hope to run at least four more times before the race.
My time is still going to be super slow. I kind of don’t care. At least I will be out running.
11.19.2010
Hunks of beef
I got a call yesterday from the general manager from the Holiday Inn Express (the one that has been ridonkulous). She said that they will refund the $148.75 charge on my credit card. I bet that it wasn’t the customer complaint that I filed with the Holiday Inn headquarters. I bet it wasn’t the disputed charge claim I filed with my credit card. I believe that it took filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau to get this refund (which I should have gotten WEEKS ago, but I don’t want to dwell). So thank you to those who suggested that I file a complaint with them!
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This weekend is our first pickup of our beef CSA. I don’t think that I told you guys about it yet, did I? Well, CP found an article about local farms providing organic meats and cheeses for downtown restaurants. He did some internet searching and found that one of the farms does a beef CSA! For six months we will be picking up 20 pounds of beef (12 pounds of ground meat, bone marrow, stew meat, etc. and then 8 pounds of whatever is the “special”- filet mignon, roast, various steak cuts, etc.).
This experiment should be interesting. CP and I don’t eat a ton of beef. But when we had the chance to jump on grass-fed, organic beef? Well, we decided to try it out. The cost per pound is DRASTICALLY less than the same products at Whole Foods and we can store it downstairs in the freezer. I imagine that it will last all year long.
So will we get sick of eating beef a lot more than usual? Hopefully not. On Sunday some of the ground beef will go into chili that we will have until turkey day. The “special” for next month is a 5lb roast which we have already decided will be our Christmas meal when my family is in town. :-)
Do you eat a lot of beef? Do you have a good recipe using beef for us?
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This weekend is our first pickup of our beef CSA. I don’t think that I told you guys about it yet, did I? Well, CP found an article about local farms providing organic meats and cheeses for downtown restaurants. He did some internet searching and found that one of the farms does a beef CSA! For six months we will be picking up 20 pounds of beef (12 pounds of ground meat, bone marrow, stew meat, etc. and then 8 pounds of whatever is the “special”- filet mignon, roast, various steak cuts, etc.).
This experiment should be interesting. CP and I don’t eat a ton of beef. But when we had the chance to jump on grass-fed, organic beef? Well, we decided to try it out. The cost per pound is DRASTICALLY less than the same products at Whole Foods and we can store it downstairs in the freezer. I imagine that it will last all year long.
So will we get sick of eating beef a lot more than usual? Hopefully not. On Sunday some of the ground beef will go into chili that we will have until turkey day. The “special” for next month is a 5lb roast which we have already decided will be our Christmas meal when my family is in town. :-)
Do you eat a lot of beef? Do you have a good recipe using beef for us?
11.17.2010
Stories
Before we left for Chicago, my mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law showed up to check out our house. We needed to take two cars so CP went with his grandmother and I drove with my MIL. Usually when we are together, but without CP in the room, she tends to tell stories of CP growing up. They are always glowing stories (as only a mother could tell), but almost always end with, “and that’s how I know CP is going to be a great father.”
This happens ALL THE TIME.
At first it was funny. I would tell CP the story, he would laugh and then claim to not remember doing whatever his mother said he did.
Now it’s bordering on…well, I don’t want to say annoying….maybe weird is a better term? She has no idea that we are trying to conceive, so I guess it is her way of pushing us towards that point in our life? If she only knew. Not to mention the fact that she doesn’t need to sell me on CP- I already walked down the aisle with him!
The latest story was actually not about CP. It was about when she gave birth to CP’s sister (who is older), her MIL came to the hospital and wouldn’t leave. How at that point, all she wanted was her mother with her, helping her- not her MIL. And then she told me that whenever I am going to give birth that she is not going to insist on being there because she remembers how she felt.
Ummmmmm okay.
I told CP the story later on and he was like WTF? Which is precisely how I felt. I kind of clammed up and thought to myself “please let this car ride end soon.” I KNOW that she not doing it maliciously, but it would be nice to not discuss it once in a while.
So while we were in Chicago, the only comments I got from my family were the following:
*From my aunt (one cousin has 4 kids, one cousin has 1 kid and my other cousin is about to give birth next week): “So when are you two getting pregnant?” My response? “I’m still drinking right now, aren’t I?” while holding up my glass of wine.
*My mom said something jokingly after we had all had way too much to drink (which is why I don't remember the precise statement! Ha!) and I was able to reply with the same response from above.
That’s it. Even if my parents are DYING to ask, they will never come out and ask because they don’t want to seem overbearing. The only reason my mom joked about it was because she had a bit too much to drink (which she never does).
So yeah. My MIL, her husband, and GIL will all be joining us for Thanksgiving next week. Here’s hoping I don’t get any more stories…..
This happens ALL THE TIME.
At first it was funny. I would tell CP the story, he would laugh and then claim to not remember doing whatever his mother said he did.
Now it’s bordering on…well, I don’t want to say annoying….maybe weird is a better term? She has no idea that we are trying to conceive, so I guess it is her way of pushing us towards that point in our life? If she only knew. Not to mention the fact that she doesn’t need to sell me on CP- I already walked down the aisle with him!
The latest story was actually not about CP. It was about when she gave birth to CP’s sister (who is older), her MIL came to the hospital and wouldn’t leave. How at that point, all she wanted was her mother with her, helping her- not her MIL. And then she told me that whenever I am going to give birth that she is not going to insist on being there because she remembers how she felt.
Ummmmmm okay.
I told CP the story later on and he was like WTF? Which is precisely how I felt. I kind of clammed up and thought to myself “please let this car ride end soon.” I KNOW that she not doing it maliciously, but it would be nice to not discuss it once in a while.
So while we were in Chicago, the only comments I got from my family were the following:
*From my aunt (one cousin has 4 kids, one cousin has 1 kid and my other cousin is about to give birth next week): “So when are you two getting pregnant?” My response? “I’m still drinking right now, aren’t I?” while holding up my glass of wine.
*My mom said something jokingly after we had all had way too much to drink (which is why I don't remember the precise statement! Ha!) and I was able to reply with the same response from above.
That’s it. Even if my parents are DYING to ask, they will never come out and ask because they don’t want to seem overbearing. The only reason my mom joked about it was because she had a bit too much to drink (which she never does).
So yeah. My MIL, her husband, and GIL will all be joining us for Thanksgiving next week. Here’s hoping I don’t get any more stories…..
11.16.2010
Cat is out of the bag
One of the best parts about the trip to Chicago was hanging out with our friends from law school. They got married two years before us, but have known each other since freshman year of college. During our marathon day of drinking on Thursday, CP casually asked how the pregnancy thing was going. (Sidenote: They have been talking about trying to get pregnant for a while- basically just waiting until he got a full time job. He got one in June.)
I had thought about what (if anything) I was going to say before our trip. If she wasn’t drinking, I wouldn’t outright ask her because if she was still less than 12 weeks she might not want to come out and say anything. I would quietly say something to her without the guys around.
However, she was drinking so she clearly wasn’t pregnant. They admitted that they were trying, but with no results so far. Informally trying since January (i.e. off the pill), formally trying (as in making sure to jump into bed around ovulation time and charting) for the past three months. Amazingly, CP copped to the fact that we had been trying too.
But as soon as the cat was out of the bag, it was nice to talk to a friend going through the same thing. Like REALLY NICE. I mean, CP doesn’t want to know about the different cycles and all of the crazy things that run through my head….but another female and a good friend completely understands.
I was shocked that CP said anything. Later I asked CP why he said something to them about us trying as he was the one that was dead set against us saying anything. He said that they probably figured that we were trying anyway.
I now know of someone going through the same situation we are. Obviously I hope that both of our situations change soon. But it’s nice to be able to turn to a friend and talk about it with her.
I had thought about what (if anything) I was going to say before our trip. If she wasn’t drinking, I wouldn’t outright ask her because if she was still less than 12 weeks she might not want to come out and say anything. I would quietly say something to her without the guys around.
However, she was drinking so she clearly wasn’t pregnant. They admitted that they were trying, but with no results so far. Informally trying since January (i.e. off the pill), formally trying (as in making sure to jump into bed around ovulation time and charting) for the past three months. Amazingly, CP copped to the fact that we had been trying too.
But as soon as the cat was out of the bag, it was nice to talk to a friend going through the same thing. Like REALLY NICE. I mean, CP doesn’t want to know about the different cycles and all of the crazy things that run through my head….but another female and a good friend completely understands.
I was shocked that CP said anything. Later I asked CP why he said something to them about us trying as he was the one that was dead set against us saying anything. He said that they probably figured that we were trying anyway.
I now know of someone going through the same situation we are. Obviously I hope that both of our situations change soon. But it’s nice to be able to turn to a friend and talk about it with her.
11.15.2010
Time to detox
We are back! Back from our mini vacation to Chicago that is. I’m pretty sure we waddled instead of walking out of the airport last night. :-) I’ll try to keep my summary of our awesome trip brief:
Wednesday
*Walked around Michigan Avenue for part of the day. CP got a pair of khakis that have flannel lining and I am SO JEALOUS. He says they feel like sweatpants. We also stopped by Tiffany’s because we had a gift certificate from the wedding. Because it wasn’t really enough money for anything in the store, CP said that I could use it on a piece of jewelry. Yay! So I ended up getting this hammered sterling silver necklace. I love it!
*Food: CP tried the sausage pancake bites at Dunkin Donuts for breakfast. He said that he specifically ordered them because he knew I would be grossed out (and I was). Ewww. For lunch we went to Foodlife which is an awesome restaurant with 14 different stations to choose from of different items: stir fry, pizza, comfort food, soups, salads, etc. I always go to the stir fry station. Yum! That night we went to Mon Ami Gabi, a French restaurant in Lincoln Park with my parents. Their French onion soup was good (not amazing), but my beef bourguignon was to die for. CP’s skate was also very delicious.
*Bonus: That night was probably a breakthrough in the relationship between CP and my parents. Conversation was flowing, everyone was having a good time, etc. And it lasted all weekend long (yay!). At times CP has felt like he didn’t have a ton in common with my parents- especially my Dad- and it was nice to see the awkwardness evaporate.
Thursday
*This day was a bit rough. We knew that we were going to hang out all day with our friends from law school/out west, but didn’t really plan too much. We met up around 11:30 and because no one wanted to really make a decision, we ended up heading to a bar to talk about what we wanted to do. Well, we just kept drinking. For TWELVE HOURS. We did eat lunch and attend a charity function for Gigi’s Playhouse (a Down Syndrome Awareness Center). All you can drink with cupcakes and appetizers! We then went to our first Top Chef restaurant for a late dinner.
*Food: We had a quick breakfast at Corner Bakery. (Sidenote: they are not just in Chicago. If you go for lunch I would HIGHLY recommend the Chicken Pomodori.) Lunch was kind of odd due to the drinking. We had wings at Finn McCool’s (simply because that is where we started drinking) before taking a cab over to Big Star and having a pork belly taco. We knew we had late dinner reservations at The Girl and the Goat, so after the charity thing, we headed over.
The restaurant’s head chef is Stephanie Izard from Top Chef Season 4. The menu is a bit all over the place, but appealed to CP’s off the wall tastes (thank goodness our friends aren’t picky eaters!). We had a roasted beet salad with anchovies and a crème fraiche dressing (good but I wanted more beets), pig face (a little greasy- also just ODD), goat liver pate (ewww- but CP loved it), lamb merguez sausage wrapped in calamari (yum) and skirt steak (boring). We finished the meal with their bourbon apple dessert. I’m not sure what they put into it but it was like crack. I wasn’t hungry, but wanted more of it’s deliciousness. The restaurant just opened this summer and it seems to be doing well- the place was packed at 10pm on a Thursday night!
Friday
*Due to our 12 hour drinking spree the day before, Friday morning was a little rough. Luckily we didn’t have too much to do. Lunch with friends, then helped my Mom shop and prepare for the surprise party the next day. That night we went to my sister’s boyfriend’s birthday party- bowling and then karaoke. I won all three games (woo hoo!) and then CP and I bailed after only a little bit of karaoke. Just not our scene.
*Food: Every time I go home to Chicago I HAVE to have Edwardo’s. The most amazing stuffed pizza ever. CP and I met up with another law school friend and her husband who just happened to be in town. The pizza was, as always, super delicious. Before heading out to kick everyone’s butt- whoops I mean, bowl- CP and I had salads from PJ Clarke’s with my parents. I would highly recommend their brunch if you are ever in town. They bring out mini muffins before your meal which are awesome (along with their pancakes). Late night we went to Five Faces- a great greasy/drunk food place. There we saw Tony Siragusa- drunk, unshaven and generally looking like a bum, with his handlers. I suspect he wore his FOX NFL hat to try to pick up chicks (which is hilarious because the bars on that street cater to very young people).
Saturday
*Saturday was my biggest test. CP and I were going to have to get my Dad out of the condo and keep him out for 5 hours. Because we just bought a house and my Dad likes to help with interior decorating, we decided to hit up every single furniture/home furnishings store. CP and I lingered on some of the stupidest things, even making up things that we needed for our house in order to draw out the day. Four hours into it my Dad was tired and we had to do a quick switch-off with my sister. CP was convinced that my Dad knew that something was up, but as friends and family gathered at the condo and yelled “SURPRISE” when he opened the door, his reaction was priceless. Of course there was plenty of wine and champagne flowing, so we drank too much (again).
Sunday
*Once again we were hungover, so when my sister suggested heading to a bar to watch the Bears game, we agreed. Unfortunately, the bar we headed to catered to young 20-year-olds or meatheads. Despite the fact that most people around us were in their late 20s/early 30s they brought out numerous beer funnels and drinking accessories. In my heyday, I love a good beer funnel and CP and I did shotgun a beer recently. However, I don’t think that I ever brought any of those things into a bar and really, I’m a bit old for it now.
Some guy pounded half of a pitcher of beer in a few seconds using some kind of tube contraption that you pushed towards the person and I swore he was going to puke it up all over me (amazingly he didn’t). There was also a water gun that shot liquor into a person's mouth. For the most part we were able to put up with the silly antics, but right as the game was ending and we were about to leave one of the guys popped open two bottles of champagne and started squirting them everywhere. That was pretty awesome (not) because CP and I already had on our clothes for our plane trip home. We were WAY too old and hungover for that crap. After hanging out at my friend’s place in Wrigleyville for a while, it was time to catch our plane.
*Food: The only good thing about The Stretch Bar was their burgers. I had a burger with BBQ pulled pork on top and it was delicious (not to mention super duper healthy I’m sure).
To conclude, we ate and drank WAY too much. CP and I will subsist on salads, stir fries and water for at least a week. But boy did we have a good time. :-)
(Note: Blogger is not currently uploading pictures which is extremely frustrating. I had a few to put in this post, but I guess not today.)
Wednesday
*Walked around Michigan Avenue for part of the day. CP got a pair of khakis that have flannel lining and I am SO JEALOUS. He says they feel like sweatpants. We also stopped by Tiffany’s because we had a gift certificate from the wedding. Because it wasn’t really enough money for anything in the store, CP said that I could use it on a piece of jewelry. Yay! So I ended up getting this hammered sterling silver necklace. I love it!
*Food: CP tried the sausage pancake bites at Dunkin Donuts for breakfast. He said that he specifically ordered them because he knew I would be grossed out (and I was). Ewww. For lunch we went to Foodlife which is an awesome restaurant with 14 different stations to choose from of different items: stir fry, pizza, comfort food, soups, salads, etc. I always go to the stir fry station. Yum! That night we went to Mon Ami Gabi, a French restaurant in Lincoln Park with my parents. Their French onion soup was good (not amazing), but my beef bourguignon was to die for. CP’s skate was also very delicious.
*Bonus: That night was probably a breakthrough in the relationship between CP and my parents. Conversation was flowing, everyone was having a good time, etc. And it lasted all weekend long (yay!). At times CP has felt like he didn’t have a ton in common with my parents- especially my Dad- and it was nice to see the awkwardness evaporate.
Thursday
*This day was a bit rough. We knew that we were going to hang out all day with our friends from law school/out west, but didn’t really plan too much. We met up around 11:30 and because no one wanted to really make a decision, we ended up heading to a bar to talk about what we wanted to do. Well, we just kept drinking. For TWELVE HOURS. We did eat lunch and attend a charity function for Gigi’s Playhouse (a Down Syndrome Awareness Center). All you can drink with cupcakes and appetizers! We then went to our first Top Chef restaurant for a late dinner.
*Food: We had a quick breakfast at Corner Bakery. (Sidenote: they are not just in Chicago. If you go for lunch I would HIGHLY recommend the Chicken Pomodori.) Lunch was kind of odd due to the drinking. We had wings at Finn McCool’s (simply because that is where we started drinking) before taking a cab over to Big Star and having a pork belly taco. We knew we had late dinner reservations at The Girl and the Goat, so after the charity thing, we headed over.
The restaurant’s head chef is Stephanie Izard from Top Chef Season 4. The menu is a bit all over the place, but appealed to CP’s off the wall tastes (thank goodness our friends aren’t picky eaters!). We had a roasted beet salad with anchovies and a crème fraiche dressing (good but I wanted more beets), pig face (a little greasy- also just ODD), goat liver pate (ewww- but CP loved it), lamb merguez sausage wrapped in calamari (yum) and skirt steak (boring). We finished the meal with their bourbon apple dessert. I’m not sure what they put into it but it was like crack. I wasn’t hungry, but wanted more of it’s deliciousness. The restaurant just opened this summer and it seems to be doing well- the place was packed at 10pm on a Thursday night!
Friday
*Due to our 12 hour drinking spree the day before, Friday morning was a little rough. Luckily we didn’t have too much to do. Lunch with friends, then helped my Mom shop and prepare for the surprise party the next day. That night we went to my sister’s boyfriend’s birthday party- bowling and then karaoke. I won all three games (woo hoo!) and then CP and I bailed after only a little bit of karaoke. Just not our scene.
*Food: Every time I go home to Chicago I HAVE to have Edwardo’s. The most amazing stuffed pizza ever. CP and I met up with another law school friend and her husband who just happened to be in town. The pizza was, as always, super delicious. Before heading out to kick everyone’s butt- whoops I mean, bowl- CP and I had salads from PJ Clarke’s with my parents. I would highly recommend their brunch if you are ever in town. They bring out mini muffins before your meal which are awesome (along with their pancakes). Late night we went to Five Faces- a great greasy/drunk food place. There we saw Tony Siragusa- drunk, unshaven and generally looking like a bum, with his handlers. I suspect he wore his FOX NFL hat to try to pick up chicks (which is hilarious because the bars on that street cater to very young people).
Saturday
*Saturday was my biggest test. CP and I were going to have to get my Dad out of the condo and keep him out for 5 hours. Because we just bought a house and my Dad likes to help with interior decorating, we decided to hit up every single furniture/home furnishings store. CP and I lingered on some of the stupidest things, even making up things that we needed for our house in order to draw out the day. Four hours into it my Dad was tired and we had to do a quick switch-off with my sister. CP was convinced that my Dad knew that something was up, but as friends and family gathered at the condo and yelled “SURPRISE” when he opened the door, his reaction was priceless. Of course there was plenty of wine and champagne flowing, so we drank too much (again).
Sunday
*Once again we were hungover, so when my sister suggested heading to a bar to watch the Bears game, we agreed. Unfortunately, the bar we headed to catered to young 20-year-olds or meatheads. Despite the fact that most people around us were in their late 20s/early 30s they brought out numerous beer funnels and drinking accessories. In my heyday, I love a good beer funnel and CP and I did shotgun a beer recently. However, I don’t think that I ever brought any of those things into a bar and really, I’m a bit old for it now.
Some guy pounded half of a pitcher of beer in a few seconds using some kind of tube contraption that you pushed towards the person and I swore he was going to puke it up all over me (amazingly he didn’t). There was also a water gun that shot liquor into a person's mouth. For the most part we were able to put up with the silly antics, but right as the game was ending and we were about to leave one of the guys popped open two bottles of champagne and started squirting them everywhere. That was pretty awesome (not) because CP and I already had on our clothes for our plane trip home. We were WAY too old and hungover for that crap. After hanging out at my friend’s place in Wrigleyville for a while, it was time to catch our plane.
*Food: The only good thing about The Stretch Bar was their burgers. I had a burger with BBQ pulled pork on top and it was delicious (not to mention super duper healthy I’m sure).
To conclude, we ate and drank WAY too much. CP and I will subsist on salads, stir fries and water for at least a week. But boy did we have a good time. :-)
(Note: Blogger is not currently uploading pictures which is extremely frustrating. I had a few to put in this post, but I guess not today.)
11.09.2010
Tuesday bullets
Only bullets today…..
*Remember the “party house” neighbors only two doors down? Well, we finally met them and ended up hanging out with them both Friday and Saturday night. They were nice, but CP and I agreed that despite being the same age as us, they are in a different place in their lives. Not that we won’t hang out with them, but they are engaged and partying like they are in their early 20s. If I get knocked up I’m sure they are not going to be banging down our door to hang out. :-)
*I used a Groupon on Saturday to get a much needed pedicure and manicure. I hadn’t had either since my wedding over a year ago! It was three hours (yes THREE HOURS) of bliss. I wish that I could do that more often….
*The ridonkulous problem with the Holiday Inn Express has not been resolved. Despite calling the customer service line and filing an official complaint, the general manager refuses to refund our money. I have now called my credit card company to dispute the charge AND filed a BBB complaint AND posted a review on Trip Advisor. I simply don’t understand why they are not refunding our money! I will certainly never stay at a Holiday Inn Express again!
*I read a lot of blogs and Facebook postings complaining about infants not getting the point of daylight savings time (i.e. not letting their parents sleep in the extra hour). Well, I can say the same thing about Fuzzy Britches. With the lighter mornings, she has been waking up earlier than my alarm to nose us because she thinks that it is time to eat and go out NOW. Not cool FB!
*CP has been receiving a subscription to Parenting magazine lately. At first we thought that it was one of his groomsmen sending it to us as a joke. When asked, the groomsman denied any knowledge of the gift subscription. We can’t figure out the culprit…..
*The rest of this week I will be relaxing in Chicago. I can’t wait to hang out with friends and family! It has been over a year since I have seen my parents and that is simply unacceptable. It is my Dad’s 60th birthday so we are throwing him a surprise party on Saturday night. CP and I are the ones that have to get him out of the condo and keep him occupied while food gets made and the guests arrive. *Crossing my fingers that the surprise does not get ruined!*
*Relaxing in Chicago= no blog posting because I won’t be near a computer. Have a great rest of the week and weekend!
*Remember the “party house” neighbors only two doors down? Well, we finally met them and ended up hanging out with them both Friday and Saturday night. They were nice, but CP and I agreed that despite being the same age as us, they are in a different place in their lives. Not that we won’t hang out with them, but they are engaged and partying like they are in their early 20s. If I get knocked up I’m sure they are not going to be banging down our door to hang out. :-)
*I used a Groupon on Saturday to get a much needed pedicure and manicure. I hadn’t had either since my wedding over a year ago! It was three hours (yes THREE HOURS) of bliss. I wish that I could do that more often….
*The ridonkulous problem with the Holiday Inn Express has not been resolved. Despite calling the customer service line and filing an official complaint, the general manager refuses to refund our money. I have now called my credit card company to dispute the charge AND filed a BBB complaint AND posted a review on Trip Advisor. I simply don’t understand why they are not refunding our money! I will certainly never stay at a Holiday Inn Express again!
*I read a lot of blogs and Facebook postings complaining about infants not getting the point of daylight savings time (i.e. not letting their parents sleep in the extra hour). Well, I can say the same thing about Fuzzy Britches. With the lighter mornings, she has been waking up earlier than my alarm to nose us because she thinks that it is time to eat and go out NOW. Not cool FB!
*CP has been receiving a subscription to Parenting magazine lately. At first we thought that it was one of his groomsmen sending it to us as a joke. When asked, the groomsman denied any knowledge of the gift subscription. We can’t figure out the culprit…..
*The rest of this week I will be relaxing in Chicago. I can’t wait to hang out with friends and family! It has been over a year since I have seen my parents and that is simply unacceptable. It is my Dad’s 60th birthday so we are throwing him a surprise party on Saturday night. CP and I are the ones that have to get him out of the condo and keep him occupied while food gets made and the guests arrive. *Crossing my fingers that the surprise does not get ruined!*
*Relaxing in Chicago= no blog posting because I won’t be near a computer. Have a great rest of the week and weekend!
11.04.2010
Ridonkulous
Update on yesterday's post. To my surprise, one of our friends did respond to the email (not me though! Silence was my tactic as to not stir up trouble/add to her attention-seeking ways.). Her response basically said that he should leave his wife before starting a new relationship. If he is not going to leave her, then CS should move on.
Right now I am hopping mad at Holiday Inn Express. Their customer service is ATROCIOUS. Here is the story….I made a hotel reservation for my 10 year reunion at HIE. After talking to J, we realized that she was probably going to arrive a few hours before me. I called the hotel to add her to the reservation so that she could get into our hotel room before CP and I arrived. I was told she was added to my reservation.
That Friday she arrived and was able to check in with no problems. Because she showed up first, she had to put her credit card down. We spent the weekend there and we decided to leave the room on her card and I would send a check.
I check my credit card balance yesterday and oddly enough, there is a charge for half of the hotel room. J informs me that the entire balance showed up on her credit card.
Okay well this should be simple enough to get taken off, right? I called the hotel and informed the woman that we had been double billed. She then informed me that we had two different reservations and that I was a no-show for my reservation. That is why I got charged for the first night. Ummm but we didn’t book two rooms. I called and added J to my room. She was able to see the note in the computer adding J to my reservation. I informed her that I never made a second reservation and that I shouldn’t have to pay for a room I never reserved. I also informed her that I never received a second reservation number. How was I to know about the second booked room? It was clearly the hotel’s fault. She said there was nothing she could do about it. I asked to speak to her manager, she said that she was the general manager.
I wasn’t going to get anywhere with the woman. I then called up HIE’s customer service line to complain. The guy on the phone sympathized with me, wrote up the complaint and said that they have to send it down to the owner and general manager of the hotel to try to get a resolution. So now I am waiting to hear from the hotel to see if they are going to do anything about it. If they haven’t reversed the charge by tomorrow afternoon I will be calling my credit card company to dispute the payment.
*sigh* REALLY? Is Holiday Inn Express really THAT hard up for money that they have to make up reservations and then refuse to refund bogus charges?????
----------------------------------------------------
Right now I am hopping mad at Holiday Inn Express. Their customer service is ATROCIOUS. Here is the story….I made a hotel reservation for my 10 year reunion at HIE. After talking to J, we realized that she was probably going to arrive a few hours before me. I called the hotel to add her to the reservation so that she could get into our hotel room before CP and I arrived. I was told she was added to my reservation.
That Friday she arrived and was able to check in with no problems. Because she showed up first, she had to put her credit card down. We spent the weekend there and we decided to leave the room on her card and I would send a check.
I check my credit card balance yesterday and oddly enough, there is a charge for half of the hotel room. J informs me that the entire balance showed up on her credit card.
Okay well this should be simple enough to get taken off, right? I called the hotel and informed the woman that we had been double billed. She then informed me that we had two different reservations and that I was a no-show for my reservation. That is why I got charged for the first night. Ummm but we didn’t book two rooms. I called and added J to my room. She was able to see the note in the computer adding J to my reservation. I informed her that I never made a second reservation and that I shouldn’t have to pay for a room I never reserved. I also informed her that I never received a second reservation number. How was I to know about the second booked room? It was clearly the hotel’s fault. She said there was nothing she could do about it. I asked to speak to her manager, she said that she was the general manager.
I wasn’t going to get anywhere with the woman. I then called up HIE’s customer service line to complain. The guy on the phone sympathized with me, wrote up the complaint and said that they have to send it down to the owner and general manager of the hotel to try to get a resolution. So now I am waiting to hear from the hotel to see if they are going to do anything about it. If they haven’t reversed the charge by tomorrow afternoon I will be calling my credit card company to dispute the payment.
*sigh* REALLY? Is Holiday Inn Express really THAT hard up for money that they have to make up reservations and then refuse to refund bogus charges?????
11.03.2010
What to do?
Thanks for all of your supportive comments yesterday. And life continues…
This morning I received an email from someone I have talked about before. A formerly very good friend that, well, I just don’t know where we stand right now. We still have many mutual friends, she came to my wedding, but I think that she is harboring ill feelings towards me because I am blunt with her. For the most part, that is just my personality. If I think that you are living in a dream world, I point it out. I like to think that although the person doesn’t want to hear it at the time, that they will appreciate it at some point.
So my problem is this. I, along with seven other people in the email chain, get an email this morning that reads the following:
The short is that I've been carrying on with this one guy. We had a long talk about our feelings towards each other last week. I spend nearly every moment with the guy- gym before work, drinks on the weekend, constant emails, etc. He's smart, funny, hot, and sweet. Ok, so what's the problem? We're coworkers...and he's married... I know, I know. I'm telling this to a bunch of married people. Trust me, I almost didn't for that reason. It's bad and it's wrong, and I keep telling him that we can't carry on. Only, we can't seem to keep away from each other. I'm so conflicted. His marriage isn't the best, but I don't want to be "that girl". I'm so conflicted. I know he's crazy about me, but he's also not available. FML. HOW do I always find myself in these situations?!?!?! We've had an ongoing flirtation for a year, but we broke not too long ago after we worked out together and then had drinks. Oh ladies. As if my life isn't complicated enough. No judgment please!
She is writing this to seven women that are married, four of the seven have kids (one is pregnant with her third kid). AND one of the seven had her husband cheat on her about a year ago.
Ummm how can I not judge? CP suggested telling her to see a therapist because she obviously needs help, but I can’t be that blunt. I want to point out that she ONLY goes for guys that are unavailable. I pointed it out with her last “boyfriend” and it didn’t go over too well.
I don’t want to condone this behavior at all. I want to tell her that she needs to figure out why she goes for unavailable men. That this guy probably wouldn’t be interested if he wasn’t married (then there is no sneaking around). That even if he left his wife for her, why would she want him? Wouldn’t she be worried that if he got bored with their relationship that he would start cheating on her too? That she should break it off with him and pull away. If he is still interested, then have him get separated/divorced from his wife and then starting dating him.
But at this point is it even worth it to say something?
This morning I received an email from someone I have talked about before. A formerly very good friend that, well, I just don’t know where we stand right now. We still have many mutual friends, she came to my wedding, but I think that she is harboring ill feelings towards me because I am blunt with her. For the most part, that is just my personality. If I think that you are living in a dream world, I point it out. I like to think that although the person doesn’t want to hear it at the time, that they will appreciate it at some point.
So my problem is this. I, along with seven other people in the email chain, get an email this morning that reads the following:
The short is that I've been carrying on with this one guy. We had a long talk about our feelings towards each other last week. I spend nearly every moment with the guy- gym before work, drinks on the weekend, constant emails, etc. He's smart, funny, hot, and sweet. Ok, so what's the problem? We're coworkers...and he's married... I know, I know. I'm telling this to a bunch of married people. Trust me, I almost didn't for that reason. It's bad and it's wrong, and I keep telling him that we can't carry on. Only, we can't seem to keep away from each other. I'm so conflicted. His marriage isn't the best, but I don't want to be "that girl". I'm so conflicted. I know he's crazy about me, but he's also not available. FML. HOW do I always find myself in these situations?!?!?! We've had an ongoing flirtation for a year, but we broke not too long ago after we worked out together and then had drinks. Oh ladies. As if my life isn't complicated enough. No judgment please!
She is writing this to seven women that are married, four of the seven have kids (one is pregnant with her third kid). AND one of the seven had her husband cheat on her about a year ago.
Ummm how can I not judge? CP suggested telling her to see a therapist because she obviously needs help, but I can’t be that blunt. I want to point out that she ONLY goes for guys that are unavailable. I pointed it out with her last “boyfriend” and it didn’t go over too well.
I don’t want to condone this behavior at all. I want to tell her that she needs to figure out why she goes for unavailable men. That this guy probably wouldn’t be interested if he wasn’t married (then there is no sneaking around). That even if he left his wife for her, why would she want him? Wouldn’t she be worried that if he got bored with their relationship that he would start cheating on her too? That she should break it off with him and pull away. If he is still interested, then have him get separated/divorced from his wife and then starting dating him.
But at this point is it even worth it to say something?
11.02.2010
Post for future months
Thursday I woke up expecting my period. Every time I went to the bathroom I expected to see blood. Nothing. An entire day went by. I began to get excited. I kept checking the calendar to make sure that today was the today that I should have gotten my period.
I couldn’t sleep that night. When I woke up Friday I again expected to see blood. Nothing. My temperature was still high. Could this be it? Could I really be pregnant? I casually mention to CP that I am two days late. To him I am casual…in my mind I am already thinking of how and when we will tell my parents (their first grandchild) and CP’s parents. The stuff that I wasn’t going to be able to eat for the next 9 months. What lies we could tell our friends when we saw them in two weeks. They would definitely notice if I wasn’t drinking (mainly because they are trying themselves). I head to the DMV to get my drivers license and the entire time waiting I am trying to focus on my book, but every once in a while smiling to myself.
This could really be the month! I didn’t feel any cramps so I was positive this was the month. I didn’t feel pregnant, but at this point it is still dividing cells right? I wouldn’t feel that anyway. I didn’t see any implantation bleeding, but most women don’t so that wasn’t a big deal.
On the way home, I decided that it was safe enough to buy a pregnancy test. I knew that I was going to take it as soon as I got home, despite the fact that it was not the first time I went to the bathroom that morning. It just couldn’t wait. Not surprisingly, it was negative. I dismissed it and told myself that I would take another one the next morning.
That night I again told CP that my period had not shown up yet. He said that I should wait a few more days to take another pregnancy test because I might just be a little late this month. I was adamant and told him that in the past six months since getting off birth control I have been on a strict cycle. He said that he didn’t want me to get my hopes up too much.
In the end, CP was right. I woke up the next morning to my period before I could even take another pregnancy test. I hate the CP was right. Mostly because it means that we are not pregnant, but also because he was right about the fact that MY cycle was simply late. As CP woke up, I told him the news before I headed off to work.
Note to self for future months: wait longer than two days late to take a pregnancy test. Also, try not to get hopes up for the first few days you don’t have your period.
Another note: These two things will be VERY hard to do.
I couldn’t sleep that night. When I woke up Friday I again expected to see blood. Nothing. My temperature was still high. Could this be it? Could I really be pregnant? I casually mention to CP that I am two days late. To him I am casual…in my mind I am already thinking of how and when we will tell my parents (their first grandchild) and CP’s parents. The stuff that I wasn’t going to be able to eat for the next 9 months. What lies we could tell our friends when we saw them in two weeks. They would definitely notice if I wasn’t drinking (mainly because they are trying themselves). I head to the DMV to get my drivers license and the entire time waiting I am trying to focus on my book, but every once in a while smiling to myself.
This could really be the month! I didn’t feel any cramps so I was positive this was the month. I didn’t feel pregnant, but at this point it is still dividing cells right? I wouldn’t feel that anyway. I didn’t see any implantation bleeding, but most women don’t so that wasn’t a big deal.
On the way home, I decided that it was safe enough to buy a pregnancy test. I knew that I was going to take it as soon as I got home, despite the fact that it was not the first time I went to the bathroom that morning. It just couldn’t wait. Not surprisingly, it was negative. I dismissed it and told myself that I would take another one the next morning.
That night I again told CP that my period had not shown up yet. He said that I should wait a few more days to take another pregnancy test because I might just be a little late this month. I was adamant and told him that in the past six months since getting off birth control I have been on a strict cycle. He said that he didn’t want me to get my hopes up too much.
In the end, CP was right. I woke up the next morning to my period before I could even take another pregnancy test. I hate the CP was right. Mostly because it means that we are not pregnant, but also because he was right about the fact that MY cycle was simply late. As CP woke up, I told him the news before I headed off to work.
Note to self for future months: wait longer than two days late to take a pregnancy test. Also, try not to get hopes up for the first few days you don’t have your period.
Another note: These two things will be VERY hard to do.
10.29.2010
Running alone
On Wednesday a woman running in my town was sexually assaulted by a man who jumped out of the bushes. It happened at 7am, so just as it was getting light out. That same night I went to a dinner with a bunch of ladies in the new-to-town club that I joined two months ago. It came up in conversation as we were talking about running.
Most of the women involved in the conversation agreed that they wouldn’t run anywhere by themselves. I was surprised to hear that. Now that I have started running again I have been running by myself or sometimes with Fuzzy Britches. I have never felt nervous or wary. At least while it has been warm there have been plenty of other people around and I haven’t been worried about someone jumping out of the woods and raping me. My general thought is that you can't worry about every.single.thing. that could happen to you- you simply have to go out and live your life.
Perhaps when the weather starts to cool down and there aren’t very many people around I would feel differently. Perhaps I should not wear headphones to listen to my crappy music and instead have the ability to hear everything around me (I generally keep the music low, but still).
Is their fear a CT thing?
Is their fear a suburban thing?
Is their fear a mother thing (a lot of the women have recently become mothers)?
Should I also be worried? I used to run by myself all the time in Chicago, Denver and Philadelphia. I was never worried for my safety. I never ran with Mace or anything else that could be used on a potential attacker. Frankly these days I am so slow that I probably wouldn’t be able to outrun anyone either.
The police do not think that it was a serial rapist. Why he chose that poor woman to pull aside is unknown. I hope they catch him.
What do you think? Do you make it a habit to never run alone?
Most of the women involved in the conversation agreed that they wouldn’t run anywhere by themselves. I was surprised to hear that. Now that I have started running again I have been running by myself or sometimes with Fuzzy Britches. I have never felt nervous or wary. At least while it has been warm there have been plenty of other people around and I haven’t been worried about someone jumping out of the woods and raping me. My general thought is that you can't worry about every.single.thing. that could happen to you- you simply have to go out and live your life.
Perhaps when the weather starts to cool down and there aren’t very many people around I would feel differently. Perhaps I should not wear headphones to listen to my crappy music and instead have the ability to hear everything around me (I generally keep the music low, but still).
Is their fear a CT thing?
Is their fear a suburban thing?
Is their fear a mother thing (a lot of the women have recently become mothers)?
Should I also be worried? I used to run by myself all the time in Chicago, Denver and Philadelphia. I was never worried for my safety. I never ran with Mace or anything else that could be used on a potential attacker. Frankly these days I am so slow that I probably wouldn’t be able to outrun anyone either.
The police do not think that it was a serial rapist. Why he chose that poor woman to pull aside is unknown. I hope they catch him.
What do you think? Do you make it a habit to never run alone?
10.28.2010
Extra expenses
Owning a house is expensive. CP and I knew that the first few months would be expensive and, as is normal in our household, we made a list of things that we needed to do/buy and the timeframe. Things like:
*Buying firewood
*Buying yard tools (rake, shovel, lawn mower, etc). Yard tools were something that our landlord left for us at our place in MA so that we could take care of his house.
*Buying chairs for our dining room table. Instead of buying expensive chairs, CP and I ended up going to IKEA and getting chairs there. Our rationalization is that they are MUCH cheaper than what we wanted to get, but we needed them before Thanksgiving and Christmas…or else we would be renting chairs for the holidays! Plus if we have kids we won’t care as much if crayons/markers/whatever else are used on them. We can always get something nicer down the road. For now, they look fine and are good enough.
*Getting the chimney swept
Despite our planning, extra expenses have cropped up:
*New fireplace glass doors because both the house inspector and the chimney sweeper said that the old one was unusable. Did you know how expensive these things are? Thank goodness for a good looking one at Home Depot! Otherwise we were looking at spending $750!! YIKES.
*A leaking dishwasher.
*Then yesterday I headed downstairs to take Fuzzy Britches out and see a small pool of water in our sunroom. Annnnnnd now we have a leak in the roof above the sunroom. Fanf*cking tastic.
We knew that we would need a new roof in 2-3 years and had already started to plan ahead for it (by putting it on our radar screen). But if the leak continues every time it rains or snows, we may need to think about a new roof next spring, which is a HUGE expense.
What does this mean? Well, the extra expenses have convinced CP and I that it is not quite time for a puppy. It pains me to say that, but if additional expenses continue to crop up, we will not be able to put aside the money that we need to in order to not only buy the puppy, but also continue to take care of it.
Stupid homeownership.
10.27.2010
Natural
As my monthly “day of reckoning” approaches later this week, the more months that go by without me getting pregnant, the more I worry that it will never happen for us.
Before CP and I started trying, we made the decision that we were not going to use any artificial means to try to get pregnant. While we do not judge other couples and are extremely happy for people if they get pregnant using drugs or in vitro fertilization, we made the decision that it was not for us. We didn’t want to inject anything into my body and decided to take a “whatever happens, happens” approach to getting pregnant. Adoption? We both believe that while there are thousands (millions?) of kids out there that need stable and loving homes, we are not interested in going that route either.
This approach was a lot easier to swallow when I had high hopes that we would get pregnant the first month of trying. In the spectrum of people trying to conceive and having difficulty, five months is nothing. I realize that. But for someone without any known fertility problems, it is frustrating. My body has always performed well the rest of my life- why is it failing me now? Am I one of those people that needs artificial help in order to get pregnant? If so, then we will need a miracle.
We still are planning on a future with kids. We are staying on a strict budget to try to pay down as much debt as possible before a possible pregnancy. We are not planning any expensive or long trips in the near future. I am saving up vacation and sick time so that if I do get pregnant, I can take as much maternity leave as possible. I have started charting in case January rolls around and I have my annual lady exam with no bun in the oven.
We have the house. It has enough room for kids. We have a fenced in yard that is great for Fuzzy Britches, but will also be helpful for kids. We live across the street from an elementary school and one block away from a middle school. It is a perfect location for good number of years. I have a job that allows me to stick to a pretty stable schedule and CP has not been traveling that much. In essence, we are in a good place right now.
All we need is the pregnancy.
(I hope that no one is offended by this post. Everyone’s journey to getting pregnant is different.)
Before CP and I started trying, we made the decision that we were not going to use any artificial means to try to get pregnant. While we do not judge other couples and are extremely happy for people if they get pregnant using drugs or in vitro fertilization, we made the decision that it was not for us. We didn’t want to inject anything into my body and decided to take a “whatever happens, happens” approach to getting pregnant. Adoption? We both believe that while there are thousands (millions?) of kids out there that need stable and loving homes, we are not interested in going that route either.
This approach was a lot easier to swallow when I had high hopes that we would get pregnant the first month of trying. In the spectrum of people trying to conceive and having difficulty, five months is nothing. I realize that. But for someone without any known fertility problems, it is frustrating. My body has always performed well the rest of my life- why is it failing me now? Am I one of those people that needs artificial help in order to get pregnant? If so, then we will need a miracle.
We still are planning on a future with kids. We are staying on a strict budget to try to pay down as much debt as possible before a possible pregnancy. We are not planning any expensive or long trips in the near future. I am saving up vacation and sick time so that if I do get pregnant, I can take as much maternity leave as possible. I have started charting in case January rolls around and I have my annual lady exam with no bun in the oven.
We have the house. It has enough room for kids. We have a fenced in yard that is great for Fuzzy Britches, but will also be helpful for kids. We live across the street from an elementary school and one block away from a middle school. It is a perfect location for good number of years. I have a job that allows me to stick to a pretty stable schedule and CP has not been traveling that much. In essence, we are in a good place right now.
All we need is the pregnancy.
(I hope that no one is offended by this post. Everyone’s journey to getting pregnant is different.)
10.25.2010
10 years of changes
It’s amazing how something can change so much in 10 years. This past weekend CP and I went down to our alma mater for my 10 year reunion (we didn’t go to his 10 year last year). As we were driving down, we told each other stories about our time at school. We both had very different experiences- which is probably why we never met each other back then!
After we arrived Friday night we met up with J and another friend who drove up from DC. They allowed me to drag them to a track and field party held at a new local bar. I was the oldest alum to show up but got to say hi to my head coach and my former throws coach. It was great seeing former teammates, although there were A LOT of people there that were too young for me to know. CP and my friends were nice enough to allow me to run around the room saying hi and talking to people before we left and went to our favorite bar from college.
When we arrived we were shocked. The bar was half-full with heavy metal playing. They had karaoke going in the other room- something that NEVER would have occurred in our day. It would be too packed with people dancing. The smoking killed all of our throats- at least the alcohol was still cheap! I guess our bar of choice was no longer the “cool” bar for the school. We headed over to one of the hot spots in our day to get late night drunk food- and were shocked to find out that it had been replaced! So sad.
The next morning we got up to tailgate. A large number of girls from my sorority showed up- three of them were pregnant! I think that this event was my favorite part of the weekend because a large number of people attended and the music wasn’t too loud to talk to people and catch up. The actual football game was fun (we won!), but it was definitely more interesting back in college when I knew all of the guys on the team.
First up on Saturday night was a cocktail party for people that graduated in 2000. I was disappointed that more people didn’t show up, but then again we are in our early 30s so everyone might have been resting up for actual party. Once the younger alumni showed up, the dance party music came on and it was hard to talk to people over the loud music. A few girls and I went down to the dance floor for a while, but then it started to get too hot. Around 1am we decided it was time to leave.
Overall, I’m glad that we headed down for the reunion. It was nice to see people that I hadn’t seen in many years and that I only saw on Facebook. CP and J agreed that I was more excited about this weekend than I needed to be. If I had wanted to stay better friends with the people that I saw this weekend I could have. But there is a reason that when I head down to DC or NYC or wherever I don’t contact them to hang out. I have kept in touch with the people that I wanted to stay close with; Facebook is just a nice way to see what others are up to. In the end, I agreed with them. But it was still nice to see the changes in the campus, even if I wasn’t always sure they were good ones. The current students sure have a different experience than we did!
Do you go back for your reunions?
After we arrived Friday night we met up with J and another friend who drove up from DC. They allowed me to drag them to a track and field party held at a new local bar. I was the oldest alum to show up but got to say hi to my head coach and my former throws coach. It was great seeing former teammates, although there were A LOT of people there that were too young for me to know. CP and my friends were nice enough to allow me to run around the room saying hi and talking to people before we left and went to our favorite bar from college.
When we arrived we were shocked. The bar was half-full with heavy metal playing. They had karaoke going in the other room- something that NEVER would have occurred in our day. It would be too packed with people dancing. The smoking killed all of our throats- at least the alcohol was still cheap! I guess our bar of choice was no longer the “cool” bar for the school. We headed over to one of the hot spots in our day to get late night drunk food- and were shocked to find out that it had been replaced! So sad.
The next morning we got up to tailgate. A large number of girls from my sorority showed up- three of them were pregnant! I think that this event was my favorite part of the weekend because a large number of people attended and the music wasn’t too loud to talk to people and catch up. The actual football game was fun (we won!), but it was definitely more interesting back in college when I knew all of the guys on the team.
First up on Saturday night was a cocktail party for people that graduated in 2000. I was disappointed that more people didn’t show up, but then again we are in our early 30s so everyone might have been resting up for actual party. Once the younger alumni showed up, the dance party music came on and it was hard to talk to people over the loud music. A few girls and I went down to the dance floor for a while, but then it started to get too hot. Around 1am we decided it was time to leave.
Overall, I’m glad that we headed down for the reunion. It was nice to see people that I hadn’t seen in many years and that I only saw on Facebook. CP and J agreed that I was more excited about this weekend than I needed to be. If I had wanted to stay better friends with the people that I saw this weekend I could have. But there is a reason that when I head down to DC or NYC or wherever I don’t contact them to hang out. I have kept in touch with the people that I wanted to stay close with; Facebook is just a nice way to see what others are up to. In the end, I agreed with them. But it was still nice to see the changes in the campus, even if I wasn’t always sure they were good ones. The current students sure have a different experience than we did!
Do you go back for your reunions?
10.22.2010
Reunion
Off to my 10 year college reunion this weekend.
I can’t believe that it has already been 10 YEARS since I graduated.
First time CP and I will be going back to the college we both attended….despite having mutual friends, we never met in the three years we overlapped.
Can’t wait to see some people that I haven’t seen since graduation. Even though I see them on Facebook and know what is going on with their lives, it will be fun to see them in person.
Hoping I don’t see my ex boyfriend because CP likes to pretend that I am the first person that he dated ever (silly boy) and even though it has been 10+ years since we broke up, it would still be awkward.
I hope my liver survives.
I can’t believe that it has already been 10 YEARS since I graduated.
First time CP and I will be going back to the college we both attended….despite having mutual friends, we never met in the three years we overlapped.
Can’t wait to see some people that I haven’t seen since graduation. Even though I see them on Facebook and know what is going on with their lives, it will be fun to see them in person.
Hoping I don’t see my ex boyfriend because CP likes to pretend that I am the first person that he dated ever (silly boy) and even though it has been 10+ years since we broke up, it would still be awkward.
I hope my liver survives.
10.21.2010
Current loves
Things that I am currently loving:
The friction block stick from Band-Aid. (Note: I have NOT been asked to review this product, nor was I sent a free sample.) Because it is no longer flip-flop season in the Northeast, I have had to start wearing shoes with backs once again. Booooo. Usually this time of the year is very painful and I do whatever I can do to either wear sneakers or backless shoes. However, after finding this product, I no longer have blisters on the backs of my feet. WIN!
Speaking of shoes, I am currently loving these babies that I picked up from an L.L.Bean Outlet store. I don’t usually go for pink, but they are SO COMFORTABLE. And now I want to add more brown to my wardrobe just to wear them all the time!
Pay no attention to the boats that I call feet....
The friction block stick from Band-Aid. (Note: I have NOT been asked to review this product, nor was I sent a free sample.) Because it is no longer flip-flop season in the Northeast, I have had to start wearing shoes with backs once again. Booooo. Usually this time of the year is very painful and I do whatever I can do to either wear sneakers or backless shoes. However, after finding this product, I no longer have blisters on the backs of my feet. WIN!
Speaking of shoes, I am currently loving these babies that I picked up from an L.L.Bean Outlet store. I don’t usually go for pink, but they are SO COMFORTABLE. And now I want to add more brown to my wardrobe just to wear them all the time!
Pay no attention to the boats that I call feet....
Chai tea. CP and I are both sick and we have so far resisted turning the heat on (despite the fact that we are starting to dip into the 30s at night). So chai tea, with a splash of milk and some honey is the perfect drink!
My taste is music is varied. Recently I have been purchasing music for my runs. There are three songs right now that I am currently digging:
Taio Cruz- Dynamite
Enrique Inglesias f/ Pitbull- I Like It
I can’t believe that I actually purchased an Enrique Inglesias, but this song is just so CATCHY. And Pitbull? He just can’t stop making songs that I want to run to. The man is genius. OH NO I just found out that this song is on the Jersey Shore soundtrack. (hangs head in shame) And why is Enrique styling his hair like Justin Bieber in the video??
My taste is music is varied. Recently I have been purchasing music for my runs. There are three songs right now that I am currently digging:
Taio Cruz- Dynamite
Enrique Inglesias f/ Pitbull- I Like It
I can’t believe that I actually purchased an Enrique Inglesias, but this song is just so CATCHY. And Pitbull? He just can’t stop making songs that I want to run to. The man is genius. OH NO I just found out that this song is on the Jersey Shore soundtrack. (hangs head in shame) And why is Enrique styling his hair like Justin Bieber in the video??
Flo Rida f/ David Guetta- Club Can’t Handle Me
Oh god. And this song is from Step Up 3D? (hangs head even lower)
I swear that I am not a teenybopper, but any song that makes this white girl want to get down on the dance floor (when I am NOT one for the clubs)? Is good for running.
The other song that I can’t get enough of?
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros- Home
It is such an odd song for the NFL to pick for a commercial seeing as the band members are the biggest hippies I have seen in a while, but still. LOVE this song. If you watch the video, it is from Letterman so you can see their tree-hugging, no showering ways. :-)
What are you loving these days?
Oh god. And this song is from Step Up 3D? (hangs head even lower)
I swear that I am not a teenybopper, but any song that makes this white girl want to get down on the dance floor (when I am NOT one for the clubs)? Is good for running.
The other song that I can’t get enough of?
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros- Home
It is such an odd song for the NFL to pick for a commercial seeing as the band members are the biggest hippies I have seen in a while, but still. LOVE this song. If you watch the video, it is from Letterman so you can see their tree-hugging, no showering ways. :-)
What are you loving these days?
10.20.2010
Cheating husbands
For those of you that have been reading long enough, one of my first posts was about how much I love Brett Favre. How manly he is. How sexy he is. Etc. But lately? His butt is getting a little saggier. He is a GRANDFATHER when I am not even a mother yet. And now….sending pictures of his penis to a Jets sideline reporter (I saw the pictures and little Brett? Ehhh). Sidenote: I was talking to J and she and I both agree that we don’t understand why guys think that sending a penis picture to a woman is sexy. I’ve never seen a picture and have instantly been turned on.
After I saw the video I immediately texted my sister “BRETT FAVRE’S PENIS!!” And she’s all like “I KNOW!!!” (We are very mature, I assure you).
What was he thinking??? And the phone messages? Just scream desperation. So Brett? You are no longer sexy to me. You put your wife through this scandal. She stood by you through rehab. Did you try to cheat on her while she was fighting breast cancer too? Time to retire Brett. And take your penis pictures with you.
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Speaking of cheating husbands, last week I had a dream that I was at a cocktail party with CP and we started to talk to some random woman. She was prettier than me and after a few minutes I was pushed out of the conversation. Meanwhile, CP is trying to bed the woman RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! When I woke up I was instantly mad at him….which is always hilarious because he has no idea what I am talking about until I realize that it was just a dream and there is no real reason to be mad at him. His sarcastic comment to the dream, “Wait. So you are saying that I am not allowed to do that?” Jerk.
Then two nights ago I had a dream that one of our friends won a trip to Europe. It was kind of a last minute thing, but they invited us and we took them up on the offer since the trip was free. I was trying to check in to the flight at the grocery store (huh? Yeah I didn’t get that either) and ended up missing the flight. CP ended up getting on the flight with our friends without me. I told CP about the dream….he now thinks that I am crazy. And then he commented that I have been having a lot of dreams about him leaving me lately. What is up with that? I don't actually think that he wants to leave me, but something is going on in my subconscious. Hmmm.
I don’t really have a good ending for this post. So….THE END.
After I saw the video I immediately texted my sister “BRETT FAVRE’S PENIS!!” And she’s all like “I KNOW!!!” (We are very mature, I assure you).
What was he thinking??? And the phone messages? Just scream desperation. So Brett? You are no longer sexy to me. You put your wife through this scandal. She stood by you through rehab. Did you try to cheat on her while she was fighting breast cancer too? Time to retire Brett. And take your penis pictures with you.
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Speaking of cheating husbands, last week I had a dream that I was at a cocktail party with CP and we started to talk to some random woman. She was prettier than me and after a few minutes I was pushed out of the conversation. Meanwhile, CP is trying to bed the woman RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! When I woke up I was instantly mad at him….which is always hilarious because he has no idea what I am talking about until I realize that it was just a dream and there is no real reason to be mad at him. His sarcastic comment to the dream, “Wait. So you are saying that I am not allowed to do that?” Jerk.
Then two nights ago I had a dream that one of our friends won a trip to Europe. It was kind of a last minute thing, but they invited us and we took them up on the offer since the trip was free. I was trying to check in to the flight at the grocery store (huh? Yeah I didn’t get that either) and ended up missing the flight. CP ended up getting on the flight with our friends without me. I told CP about the dream….he now thinks that I am crazy. And then he commented that I have been having a lot of dreams about him leaving me lately. What is up with that? I don't actually think that he wants to leave me, but something is going on in my subconscious. Hmmm.
I don’t really have a good ending for this post. So….THE END.