Friday Randoms

• On the way to work one day I saw a guy brushing his teeth in his car.  I was really curious about where he would spit so I kept checking him out in my rear view.  He opened the door, spit in the street, checked his teeth in the mirror and then did a little bit more brushing.  I also saw a girl putting on make up in her car.  I put on my juicy tube lip gloss every day in the car on my way to work and I've done a few touch ups in the past but she did the whole nine yards.  Sitting there in traffic on the freeway I watched her put on foundation, blush, eye shadow, mascara and then whip out a brush and start brushing her hair.  Very entertaining.

• I saw a guy at the gym wearing flip flops.  I've never been able to figure that one out.  What kind of work out are you planning to do in flip flops?  And if you drop a weight on your foot you are in big trouble.  I think it should be a rule that you can't wear flip flops...or a tweed suit.  Yep.  I saw a guy in a tweed suit on the exercise bike.  He even had a hat on.  You know those cool ones with the brim?  And while I'm at it why would anyone want to work out in denim?

• I've been getting unsolicited junk mail at work.  That's weird in and of itself because I don't use this address for anything but even weirder is that it's from Camel.  The cigarettes.  I love coupons and if I smoked these would be awesome but considering I've never even thought about smoking, getting them at work is just annoying and offensive.

• Have you seen the new Splenda Essentials adds?  It's Splenda with added Vitamin B, Anti-Oxidants and Fiber.  I use Splenda and plenty of it because I need flavor in my coffee and am not willing to take in the calories of "real" sugar even though I have read all kinds of warnings that it could be hazardous to my health.  I'll gladly take the Vitamins, it just strikes me as strange to put Vitamins in a food product that has no nutritional value and could actually hurt your health.  It's like putting Calcium in Donuts. Hey, I wish they would!!  Then, I could feel better about eating them.

•  We had five people over to our house to hang out and watch a pay per view fight over the weekend.  All five of them had i phones and you know we got 'em too.  The i Phone is pretty catching.

I LOVE the idea long sleeved dresses because I'm always cold

• I've been a bit of a shopaholic lately.  I purchased 4 pairs of boots since last month!  The last two are Audrey Brooke here and BCBG here from DSW.  Are DSW and Aldo gonna pay my bills?  No.  So why do I keep giving them my money?  I also have bought 2 sweaters and a bunch of long sleeved shirts for Fall.  I'm done!  I swear.  At least I thought I was until a fellow blogger Natalie turned me onto this gem of a website.  Thanks Natalie!!  My original intention was to strike it from the record book and pretend I'd never seen it but instead here I am posting about it and saving the link on my very own blog.  Francesca's Collections has the kind of pieces I've been looking for and can't seem to find in the stores and they even put together outfits for you and set it up so you can easily buy every piece in the outfit to complete your look.  It's perfect for a style challenged person like me.  Just look at that adorable dress; speaking of which I have hardly any dresses.  The prices aren't bad and it turns out they even have a store near where my sister lives.  I MUST resist this store until after the new year.  I've done enough damage already.   

Thanksgiving is in the air!  We are going grocery shopping this week to get everything we need.  We are going to a big 3-0 birthday party on Saturday night so thank goodness the rain isn't going to start until Sunday when I will be at home all day recovering.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Time Flies

My goodness.  The last two weeks have literally flown by.  Work has been very busy so my days there fly by and then fitting in schoolwork, the gym and house work outside of working hours has left me utterly exhausted and wondering where my time has disappeared to.  There simply isn't enough of it.  Then, the long awaited weekend comes and I still feel like I didn't have too much time for relaxing.  Two weekends ago was packed with activity.  It was a fun weekend but busy.  Saturday was spent shopping and running errands.  On Saturday night we met up with friends of mine I haven't seen since my wedding for a nice dinner out downtown.  How does that happen?  How do you go over a year without seeing people that live 30 minutes away?  They have two children and one of them is pursuing a Master's degree full time.  Life is just busy.  Then Sunday I spent the day at my mom's to spend some time with my older sister and my nephew, while Mj went over to his friend's house to finally see their new baby.  That was that.

Monday my dad finally got his kidney transplant.  My mom called me while I was at work and I went and spent most of the night waiting in the hospital with her.  I was almost falling asleep in my chair.  Then Tuesday I was back to the hospital to see my dad as part of an extended lunch break then straight to class after work.  We didn't get out until 10:00pm.  I squeezed in a gym work out on Thursday at 5:30am before work and I was tired all day long.  I know I'm busy when it takes me almost a whole week to watch America's Next top Model.  When do I get a chance to just sit on my butt for hours and clear out my DVR?   Friday night we watched a movie.  Saturday morning I woke up and cleaned house and then we did a bunch of errands all day long then visited my dad in the hospital.  He's doing well.  He should be out of the hospital by tomorrow or Tuesday.  We picked up dinner on the way home and watched another movie.  We do love our movie nights.

Today I woke up and had to do homework.  Ugggg!!  I actually got really tired and had to take a nap.  Once I woke up it seemed that half the day was gone.  I did more homework and then I FINALLY got a chance to sit on my butt and chill.  Sad as that may sound, I live for that when I haven't had a chance to do it in a while.  I'm clearing some shows out of my DVR and getting my House Hunters fix.  This is the first day that I've felt like I could actually put together a coherent blog post.  If I didn't have to spend 40 hours a week at work I'd have plenty of time, but I wouldn't have much of anything else! So I guess that means I better brace myself for another busy week ahead.

Where were you on 9/11?

A pic I took of the towers years before 9/11 on a trip to NYC

I had just gotten to work.   An unusually large number of people were gathered in the break room staring at the TV in silence.  I walked in and could hardly believe what I was seeing and hearing.  Airplanes crashed into high rise buildings in New York City?  That sounds like the climax of an action movie, not something that could ever happen in real life.  As I watch I am sickened by the knowledge that even as these buildings are burning and tumbling down right before my eyes there are people inside who cannot get out.  I was in disbelief but it was true.  Airplanes crashed into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon.  Thousands of people were killed. 

Mj was actually at an Army base in D.C. when it happened.  He heard the crash of the planes and then someone told them that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon so he went outside and saw smoke coming out from the building.  His unit was actually one of many assigned to go in and recover the deceased and their belongings. 

Such a horrible act of violence and evil is almost inconceivable, but it happened.  I can't believe that those massive buildings are just gone.  And all of those innocent people who lost their lives.  It changed everything.  It makes me sad angry that someone would purposefully mastermind something so terrible.  I can't believe it's been 10 years.  I don't know anyone who died in the 9/11 attacks or even anyone that knows someone who did but my heart goes out to them and I will never forget.

Tomatoes & Exercise

Home Grown

The tomato plant we planted in April is thriving.  The leaves have started to wilt a bit but it's gotten so big and the tomatoes started to grow in earlier this month.  Still no oranges on the orange tree but we expected that and the herbs are doing well too.  Mj put me on plant patrol and I'm in charge of the watering since he's been gone.  I'd be in big trouble if anything dies on my watch.  I don't really eat tomatoes although these are so bright and pretty it almost makes me want to!! I plucked all the red ones off and took them to my mom's house for her to enjoy.  There are plenty of little green ones that haven't quite matured yet that will be ready for Mj to have when he gets home. 

My little nephew is walking now!  He'll be 1 years old next month, has five teeth and is still just the cutest thing ever.  I had him to myself at my parent's house for a couple hours on Sunday and took him outside and watched him go.  We had lunch at a friends house then my sister and I went and got our favorite yogurt from Golden Spoon.  It's all Non Fat and Fat Free soft serve and I got my three favorite flavors Coffee, Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter Cup.  Next time, I'll try do something different and get the Red Velvet.  I had a great time with my family.  There was lots of fun, wine (what else is new) and lots of eating. 

Which led me to this sudden and quite unusual desire to go out running on Sunday night when I got home.  I don't do this very often ever and I know my endurance is pretty low so I started out doing 5 minutes running then 5 minutes walking and so on.  By the end I ran 8 minutes straight which is pretty good for me.  After 40 minutes I ended up doing 24 minutes of running and 16 minutes of walking.  Even though it kinda sucked when my legs felt like lead and it seemed like I was running so slooooow it kinda felt good to do it.  I'm basically an Elliptical junkie so it was good for me to do something different and with a higher impact.  I should probably keep my running on the treadmill though.  The next day I was painfully reminded of why I don't run on the unforgiving concrete too often.  My left hip felt like it was going to snap off!!   I'm definitely not in running shape.  My hip got better as the day went on but my legs were so sore I could barely walk myself into the gym.  I am proud of myself for slogging my way through my 1 hour Elliptical work out anyways.  I have successfully managed to work out twice a week (or more if I'm feelin' it) all year so far which is a huge victory coming from someone who refused to go for well over a year.  I'm even going again today after work.  Le Sigh. Burning 500 calories in one shot gives me this huge sense of accomplishment, which is part of the reason that I stick to the Elliptical and haven't done Pilates or anything else in a while.  Building muscle helps speed up metabolism so I'm trying to get myself to branch out into using the weight machines.  Plus, it's probably a good idea to mix things up so I don't get too bored.  I'm such a creature of habit.

Since Mj has been in Australia we've only gotten to talk here and there for about five minutes at a time.  There is a 17 hour time difference and he's usually asleep while I'm in the middle of my work day.  He FINALLY comes back Saturday and I'm really looking forward to having him home again.  The week is almost half way over and I'm glad!  Hope everyone is having a good week so far. 

Weight of the World

When I was a kid my best friend and I were gymnasts.  Her mom was a stay at home mom to three and most of the other parents had to work so she always ended up being the carpool go to person.  She picked us up, and dropped us off at daily practice and hosted many a slumber parties and camping trips.  We seemed to spend a lot of time in the car.  I'm not sure why I remember the things that I do but I still have this image of her driving with one hand on the wheel and the other hand holding up her head while her arm rested on the door with her elbow just slightly sticking out of the window.   She sighed a lot and often looked sad and tired.  Just looking at her like that you got the sense that the weight of the world was on her shoulders.  I remember clearly thinking to myself with the innocence of a child that I would never be that way.  As a kid sitting in the back seat chatting with my gym buddies I had no comprehension of the menagerie of worries she could possibly be struggling with and simply could not understand what could make someone appear so beaten down.  How could I?  Childhood is such a wonderful little bubble of joy.  I was young, full of energy and had no responsibilities beyond household chores and going to school.  My biggest worry was if I would get my back handspring on beam or if my dad would let me go to Disneyland with the other girls. 

As an official adult for the last sixteen years I know better now.  I can think of a million things that could have caused the sadness in her eyes and the weariness in her face.  I often times find myself assuming that same pose with my head in my hand on my way home from a long day of work.  A worried head racing with thoughts of this or that.  Funny how that is.  I know now what I couldn't begin to know back then.  As we grow older our world broadens and along with that comes a million other things that make us grow up and make us grown ups.  Some things we like, and some we don't but we don't get to pick and choose.   I remember the excitement of going off to college, the thrill of ordering my first drink in a bar and the pride of moving out into my first apartment on my own after college.  I remember how excited and responsible I felt when I got my first "big girl" job with salary and benefits.  Along with each step comes things that need resolving, bills that need to be paid and obligations that need to be tended to.  It goes on and on with each new milestone.

Life can be as hard as it is rewarding.  I know that I've not seen the worst it has to offer and can't complain too much but there are days when I just can't see that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel and my inner demons threaten to knock me down.  Moments where I feel tired and worn out by the day to day struggle of making it and figuring out where I fit in.  Times that I wonder where I went wrong and what, oh what can I do to fix it now. 

So what do we do?  We keep going because as grown ups that's what we are supposed to do.  We hold on tight to the good things and do our best to fend off the bad.  We gather strength and joy from the ones we love.  We keep working, growing, and learning.  We bask in delight wherever it finds us, because surely and thankfully it will.  We do this because life can be hard but it is still good.

I hate bugs

I know, I know...I really need to get over this phobia

I'm laying on the couch watching TV and minding my own business when I catch the sight of a disgusting pincher bug slowly crawling across the carpet.  Instead of grabbing a shoe like a normal person would do I stand there frozen in one spot staring at it before racing downstairs to grab a cup from the kitchen.  I could have tried the vacuum method but I didn't think I had time to lug the vacuum all the way upstairs and get it plugged up.  The worst thing that can ever happen is for a bug to totally disappear on you.  Granted, it was anywhere before I spotted it and could have been hanging out for a while but that was before I knew it was there.  Once I know it's in my space and I can't see it...well that's really scary.  The last time I tried the trapping method it didn't work.  With the loving support of my sister I picked up the shoe that I had put the leg of one chair on top of and one week later the offending spider had escaped.  I'm too chicken to kill this bug so I feel I have no other option but to try it again.  Uggg...I hate being afraid of something so small and harmless.  It makes no sense, but I guess that's why it's called a phobia.  So, I put the cup over the bug and then look around for something heavy to weigh it down. Ridiculous as it is that cup will likely sit there all week until Mj comes back as it is doubtful that I will ever find the courage to pick it up.  By the way, why do they always show up when he is gone??  It may or may not escape but as long as I don't KNOW for sure that it is NOT under that cup I will be comforted by the knowledge that it can't get me.  Even though it sucks that I will have to look at that sitting on the floor day after day.  It does absolutely nothing for the decor.

Thursday Thoughts

Just some random and mostly unrelated thoughts for the day.

• Is anyone else having a hard time with the time change?  I know it has to be mental because there is no way that an hour lost on Sunday is still actually affecting me on Thursday.  If it ever did that is.  It's just so dark.  I can barely drag myself out of bed and barely give myself 20 minutes to get out of the house.  I couldn't even be bothered to wear green today.

• There is a huge proliferation of shows focusing on the drama that is weight loss and eating disorders lately. In addition to the shows on Discovery Health and TLC about the struggles of the morbidly obese other recent shows are I Used to be Fat, One Big Happy Family, Freaky Eaters, What's Eating You?, Dance Your Ass Off, Heavy, Too Fat for 15, Ruby, Shedding for the Wedding, The Biggest Loser, Thintervention, and Heavily Ever After just to name a few.  There is a new one coming up later this month called Addicted to Food.  I watch most of them.

• I love Teen Mom 2.  I really love it that I turned Mj into a fan and it's become one of our shows that we watch together.  I'm not sure what it is about that show but I am totally engrossed and look forward to the drama of each episode every week.  Jenelle's mom is so harsh and annoying but Jenelle does makes the worst decisions so she brings a lot of that wrath upon herself.  Everyone should have yelled "I told you so" and rubbed it in hard after Chelsea took her jerk of a boyfriend back and the relationship went down in flames again.  Duh.  What the hell was she expecting?  I love Leah and I hope she realizes what a great guy she has.  Chelsea would do anything to have her baby's father actually get a job to support the family AND want to marry her.  I'm glad Kailin got out of Joe's house.  What a totally awkward and uncomfortable living situation that was.  With the exception of Jenelle, they all wear way too much eye make up.

• Yesterday I dropped $680 bucks to replace the carpet in my condo/rental property.  Yikes!  It's a really good thing I'm a natural born saver or else this could have been devastating.  Well, it's still devastating but at least I have the money.  I put it on my Capital 1 card for the points and I'll pay the sucker off when the bills comes.

• I have always been somewhat obsessed but being able to track calories on my phone so easily has taken it up a notch.  It sure beats writing it all down and trying to add everything up.   I love picking out a cute little food symbol for my custom foods and watching my net calories rise and fall with the addition of new foods and exercise.  I like seeing how much over or under my calorie budget I am at the end of the day and planning out what I want to eat.   I have not missed a single day since I started in December.  It's like a game and needless to say, I am having way too much fun with it.

• I am hanging onto my motivation to keep going to the gym.  Just barely!  But I'm hanging in there and have continued to go at least twice a week.  I so badly wanted to drive right on by today and head for home instead but I'm afraid if I miss even one week it will send me back to the couch every day after work for good.

• I drive down the street that has all the frat and sorority houses on it.  I can't help but notice how young and carefree they look as they walk energetically and laughingly down the street in groups wearing their party frocks on their way to some Greek event.  Meanwhile, I'm driving home from a long day at work and can't wait to get into my jammies so I can get some rest and then do it all over again the next day.  Oh to be young.  I have a much better sense of myself now then I did at that age so I don't know that I'd necessarily want to go back but I certainly miss the ease and bliss of youth and all of the possibilities that it brings.

Fall Down Go Boom



*Scene of the accident*

There I was yesterday at 5:03pm power walking down the hallway that leads to the office lobby at work and out the door.  When I got outside to the stairs something went wrong with the traction in my boots and my foot slipped out from under me.  It happened so fast.  One second I was taking a step down the stairs and the next I was forward cartwheeling down the hard concrete steps.  It took half a second for me to realize that this wasn't just a slip and fall on your butt kind of thing.  I actually pitched forward and the only thought I can remember having before it was over is, "Oh no, this isn't going to stop."  I couldn't tell you what actually happened but somehow I managed to hold onto my purse, lunch bag and keep my i phone clutched in my left hand.  No worries.  The i phone is fine.  Thanks to my hard case there is only a black dig in the corner that will always be a reminder of this hilarious incident.  And yes, it is funny so if you are laughing right now I understand that you are laughing with not at me.  If I can't laugh at myself I certainly wouldn't be posting this here for anyone to read laugh about.  Once my body stopped flailing down the stairs I brought myself to a sitting position for a minute and looked around to see if anyone actually saw what just went down.  Pun intended.  There was a gal sitting in her car parked in the 1st spot at the bottom of the steps but she was so into her phone I think she missed it.  Thank goodness.  But the kid in the back seat sure didn't.  I could see him craning his neck to take a look at me as I limped by after sitting there to compose myself.  Oh boy did my scraped up knee ever hurt on the way home.  I rolled up my jeans to prevent any blood transfer.  Gotta protect the Seven's.

"Hi...." I replied to Mj's hello as I walked in the front door.  "What's wrong with you?" he immediately said even before he saw me.  My pain was acutely obvious of course even in my voice because I'm such a wimp when it comes to stuff like this.  It was my night to make dinner so hurting or not the show must go on.  I covered up my knee and got to cooking.  After falling down the stairs I didn't exactly feel like stopping at the store to pick up broccoli so I omitted that from the recipe and got on with it.

Twice Baked Potatoes 

Dinner was delicious and Mj raved about that even if a couple hours earlier I was referred to as his "Clutso the Clown."  I redeemed myself.  Even as I type this now I have a little smile on my face and it turns into a giggle when I try to visualize how I must've looked.  Falling as an adult is so embarrassing, not to mention at work!  We've been walking way too long.  We are not supposed to fall and being so much higher from the ground makes it even more comical when we do.  Chances are I'm still going to rush out of work like a lightning bolt today especially because it's Friday and there is another warm sunny weekend that I can't wait to get started on.  I'm wearing my flat brown boots today instead of the heels and I'll just have to make sure I stay on my feet this time!

Tuesday Tidbits [01/11/11]

• Bridalplasty is down to just a few brides!!  I'm hoping they all get together and put Jenessa in her place.  OUT!  I Can't believe I watch this show.  It's a little embarrassing actually.
• Still debating over The Bachelor.  I quit many seasons ago when it stretched to two unnecessary hours.  I half watched it while making Chili on Sunday and the new one is in my DVR.  Do I really want the time commitment?
• Hubby LOVED my Chili!  I know this because he went back for seconds AND took some for lunch the next day and said it tasted even better.
• My tenant was served eviction court documents last month the week of Christmas.  I know, way harsh-but she's the one not paying rent.  Anyhow, it's supposed to take about 6 weeks to evict.  I'm scared to see what the place looks like.
• Last Friday I went to happy hour with some friends.  I had a blast, drank a bundle and ate way too much yummy cheese.  It's the only time and place that we seem to get together.  So much fun! 
• I love hanging with my family.  Mj had drill last weekend so I went to mom's on Saturday.  My big sis did too.  We literally just "hung" out.  We went to the grocery store, picked up Subway for dinner and took turns holding DJ. 
• Poor hubby got his iPhone stolen on Saturday night.  He JUST bought the sucker too.  Without contract prices it's $500 bucks!  Nasty.  He spent about $900 in iPhones within the last two months between his, mine and the replacement.  I would have been an inconsolable wreck but he just bought the new one and moved on.  No whining or crying involved.
• Speaking of which.  Is it possible to be in love with a phone?  If so then consider me smitten.  I really didn't know what I was missing until I got it.  I love my i phone! 
• It looks like I'm "back" in the gym now.  Hopefully for good!  I went twice last week and yesterday after work.  600 calories burned last night and I'm going back for more tonight. 
• Fiber 1 is the bomb!  I've been eating just 1/2 cup of the original dry or in yogurt for only about a week now and let's just say that I feel like a "regular" girl for the first time in...well EVER!   The side perk is that it is actually filling.  I eat it at lunch and I'm not rooting around in my desks for junk to get me through the rest of the day.
• My wedding album is FINALLY done.  I kept staring at it and changing things excessively but I am going to order it from Shutterfly tonight because their current sale ends on the 12th.
• My new job is going well.  It's been about 2 1/2 months and I manged to make the transition without completely freaking out...which is what I usually do because new jobs tend to scare the hell out of me.  I guess that's what happens when you stay at your first job out of college for 7 years.  I may still get confused in meetings and there is still a lot I don't know but I think I'm right on track and that they don't regret picking me.
• I am just on week 2 after a 12 day break from work.  Why do I feel like I need the upcoming 3 day weekend so badly?

Get To Know Me-Pass It On

Jacin-who happens to be getting married in less then a month-over at She Said Yes honored my blog with a mention and a tag to answer eight questions of hers then create eight  more to pass on to eight of my favorite blogs.  I've been meaning to do a get to know you post like this so the timing couldn't be better.  I never feel like I have any "good" or interesting answers so I normally don't like this sort of thing but here goes!  Thanks Jacin and here are my answers to your eight questions.

1. if one song were to describe your life, what song would it be? Wild Horses, by Natasha Bedingfield.  I don't have nor do I want a horse although I do find them beautiful.  I find the lyrics very meaningful and relevant to my life and the journey I have taken. 



2. if you could be another person for a day, who would you be? Nastia Liukin!  I have to wonder what it would be like to be a person determined and talented enough to be an Olympian.  To have the guts to do gymnastics at the Elite level just boggles my mind.  Now that she won her gold medal she gets to do all kinds of cool stuff.  Stuff that I would much rather be doing then sitting here in my cubicle.

3. what has been your favorite aspect of wedding planning?  Almost everything!  It was so, so much fun!  Getting to have control and pick everything was awesome!  When you plan a wedding it really is your party and it's so much fun to have a chance to pick what you like and put it all together.  Who knows when or if I will ever throw a party again?  I lived it up!

4. if you had one wish, what would it be? To be wealthy.  I know money doesn't by happiness but neither does poverty.  I always say it can certainly help.  And I know the question said ONE but I would also like to eat whatever I want and not gain a pound.  It's really a toss up between those two.

5. what is your favorite movie?  There are so many.  One that just really sticks out in my head right now is Black Snake Moan with Christina Ricci, Samuel L Jackson and Justin Timberlake.  It just spoke to me.  She and her love were so emotionally damaged yet they wanted and deserved love like just anybody else.   The story line was so unconventional-risque even.  The acting was great for all three including JT and Christina managed to look hot in a pair of plain white cotton panties.



6. what is your guilty pleasure? (not thinking in the gutter here, girls)  French fries and molten chocolate lava cake.  If I order either one of those I am splurging big time!! Can't happen very often.

7. if the whole world were listening, what would you say?  Uhh....no clue.  I try not to say too much in front of too many people so this is hard!  Ummm....

8. what's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?  "Let yourself be happy."  It didn't come naturally or easily for me at all.  It was such a long hard struggle but to finally be able to do that has made all the difference in the world for me.

Now, for eight of my favorite bloggers.  I can count-I did 9 instead of 8 because I wanted to mention Dancy even though I know she will not be playing along because of the whole getting married any day now thing!

Faith at Life, Love & Marriage

Chelsea at A Colorado Cupcake

Silly Girl at Notes From The Voices

Leslie, A Blonde Ambition

Dawn at Happy Nappy Bride

Natalie, Miss Brightside

Ameena at Fancy That...Fancy This

Steph at Watching Airplanes
Dancy at Beer Budget Bride Musings 

My eight questions that I lovingly pass on to you are below.  No pressure if you don't want to do the questions.  Just consider yourself tagged.

1.  If you could have one wish granted what would it be?

2.  Do people in your real life know about your blog or do you keep it to yourself?

3.  If you could change one part of your body or appearance what would it be?

4.  If you became a billionaire would you quit your current job?

5.  What do you like best about your body or appearance?

6.  What is something that people might be surprised to know about you?

7.  If you were forced to give up one of your 5 senses which one would it be?

8.  If you could have any superhuman power what would it be?

Thank goodness it's a 3 day weekend.  The cleaning and laundry got done last weekend and we are having the best weather right now which we didn't really get during the Summer.  I plan on doing something fun every day.

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend everyone!!!!

Limbo Champ

The Thrill of Victory

We went to Mj's company picnic today.  It was a Hawaiian Luau theme.  I did my exercise video in the morning and hadn't eaten a thing all day so by 1:30 pm I was starving and there was plenty of good food to be had once we got there.  The sun finally pushed through the gloomy skies and warmed me up as we were sitting there relaxing and eating.

I am kinda shy.  I am never going to be the first one up to volunteer to participate in a contest if at all.  It didn't look like we were going to win any of the raffle ticket prizes so we had to take matters into our own hand.  Mj couldn't get me to go so he walked up there and got in the limbo line himself.   I paused for a few seconds and then went on up there too.  As that bar got lower and lower I couldn't quite figure out how I was supposed to get my body under there.  Not too many adults participated and when it got down to 4 they said whoever makes it under is the winner.  The first guy made it under but fell at the end.  Mj went right before me and did pretty good until he collapsed at the end. When it was my turn I took my time and arched back as far as I could and inched forward until all but my head had made it underneath.  I was sort of suspended in this backwards position taking my time so I wouldn't fall.  I turned my head to the side and made it.  The last person made it under but fell also so I won-and not some janky prize either.  It was a $50 gift card to Walmart.  Who can't use that? Guess my old gymnastics flexibility, what little I have left that is, came in handy.

The Agony of defeat

Speaking of gymnastics, it's coming on tonight.  USA Nationals!!  Rebecca Bross is poised to take the title this year and Alicia Sacramone begins her comeback.  It's my favorite sport in the whole wide world and gets way less TV time then it deserves.  It is the premier sport of the Olympic games and obviously way more impressive then football but is only televised about 3X per year max so when it's on I get really excited.  I get two wonderful hours of it tonight.  When I'm watching gymnastics I have eyes and ears for nothing else.  The laptop stays shut and I don't want to miss a single minute. You can expect to be totally ignored when I'm watching it.  Don't bother me, I'm watching gymnastics.  Come to think of it, I'm actually way worse then Mj is when my sport is on.  I can justify it though for a couple times a year unlike Baseball and Football which is on practically year round.  If he ignored me every time a game was on...well let's just say there would be trouble but I can totally get away with it.  Right?

Just Wanna Go Home

I'm a creature of habit. I like to stick to my routine, I like things to make sense and I really value my time at home after I get off work considering it is so limited. So that's why I was hugely annoyed when I learned there would be a scheduled training for a promo job that I agreed to work this week. By the time I get home it's about 5:30 pm and I like to come home, shower, put on my comfy casuals watch a little bit of TV and relax. Needless to say I was really put out when I found out the training would be on Tuesday on 7:30 pm for 45 minutes. You mean to tell me that my entire evening is now spoiled for a training that we probably don't really need in the first place?

This is already a busy week for me. A 7:30 pm training downtown means that I don't have time to zig zag back and forth across town and go home. I am stuck without anything to do for a couple of hours after I get off work when all I wanna do is go home. Wednesday I have a hair appointment so I won't get home until close to 8pm and then Thursday the promo job runs until 10:30pm. That's three long days in a row and I don't like it one bit. I know. I'm such baby when it comes to this and I know I should just get over it but for some reason I couldn't and I was just so mad.

When I really think about it I am lucky that I get to do this kind of work at all. It's a better paying part time gig then anything else I can think of. I don't get to model much anymore and doing promos kind of keeps me involved and maintains my relationship with my agency. I can't always do these considering I work full time but the general rule I have with myself is that if the agency gets me booked for a promo job I will do it if I can work it into my schedule. I could use the money and I enjoy it so to do otherwise would just be lazy. Fine. But a training? What's the point?

It's not like promo jobs are all that difficult. We are paid to look good and promote a brand. I don't consider it "real" modeling but they pay well and goodness knows I could use the extra money. The jobs range from boring, awful or exhausting to fun and easy.  Often a lot of back breaking standing on your feet.  You usually never know what you are doing until you show up. One of my fav's was years ago when I got to watch Beyonce in concert for free and get paid for it! I feel a little old for the alcohol promo's but not too much of that comes through the agency anyways. I am usually one of the "older" girls which is fine by me because despite my creaky knees I can pass for younger and no one really notices that I'm probably a good 10 years older then the youngest!

Resigned to my fate I drive downtown and manage to find free parking. I sit in my car for about an hour or so reading a magazine and wishing I was at home. I decide to venture out to kill more time and trip on something in the sidewalk to the point where I almost break my sandals. Irritated, I walk towards the hotel where the training is and realize that it's right across from this little tourist spot with shops and restaurants right by the Marina. I take a little walk by the water and take in the smells of the different restaurants. I was disgruntled and not expecting any photo ops.  I didn't have a camera with me and my phone is a million years old so I couldn't take a picture of all of the pretty boats bobbing up and down in the water or the cool horse drawn carriage waiting for customers to carry downtown. I wander into a few shops. The light breeze feels good on my face. I live in a beautiful place and I don't take it for granted but I do sometimes forget that all of this is right here in my backyard.

The pic I would have taken if I'd had a "real" phone. Courtesy of google images.

Suddenly my mood has lifted and I am no longer upset about this whole change in my routine. I got to lay my eyes on the pretty marina and take a nice walk. It was refreshing. Just walking through the hotel was an experience because it was so grand and beautiful. I couldn't help but wonder how much a wedding there would cost! Then, I actually enjoyed meeting the event organizers and the other models-two of which I have worked with before years ago.  Yeah, we probably didn't really need this kind of prep but the marketing company running the event is really organized and wanted to go that extra step. We picked out our sizes and found out a little bit about what we would be doing. I'm actually really excited about working Thursday's event.

Sure, I'd rather have been at home in my jammies watching the latest episode of "If I can Dream" on hulu and I'm tired now because I didn't get home until 9:30pm and got to bed late but it wasn't so bad. I wasted so much energy being angry. I can be so set in my ways sometimes. It just goes to show you that sometimes no matter how hard you try to disregard that silver lining sometimes it hunts you down and taps you on the shoulder anyways.

The Day After The Wedding

The day after the wedding I was still flying high.  The ladies went off to Vegas for the night so we had Sunday to ourselves.  We hung out with my family at hotel  for a little bit then checked out at 1pm and went to breakfast.  We came home to a pile of gifts on the kitchen counter.  It's funny, but I kinda forgot about this part.  I didn't think we'd have so many presents.  Yes, you spend a lot to have a wedding but you do get something back in the way of gifts.  We jumped right in and opened them and organized receipts and wrote down who bought what right then.  No time like the present-excuse the pun!  I was tired and other then watch a movie we didn't do much else.

I knew I wanted to post about my wedding but there was just so much that happened and so much to say that I didn't know where to start.  All of a sudden I got inspired and found myself tapping away at my lap top for hours.  Seriously-my intention was not to do a 4 part saga about my wedding day but once I got started I was on a roll and it kept going and going and that's what it turned into.  I couldn't seem to stop until I got it all out.  I wanted it all written down so I will always have it to look back on.  With my bad memory I am certain that some of the details will start to fade.  but I have every detail and thought and feeling of that special day preserved forever now.

I took Monday off and we used that day to take our cash and gift cards to Bed Bath & Beyond and pick up a few things we wanted off our registry AND get curtains.  I really didn't think that we would be out getting curtains 2 days after our wedding but hubby was motivated to finally get this done so I went with it.  We got 10% off of everything we bought that day-not just registry items which was nice.  We got the other half of our dinnerware set and some towels I really wanted for the downstairs 1/2 bath.  On our way home we stopped at Hooters since hubby had a craving for their wings.  It was my first time there.  We totally disagreed over which Hooter Girl had the best bod.  Then we went home unpacked our bags, put away our wedding gifts and installed curtains.  Hubby pitched right in with helping me re organize some things in the kitchen.  There are only a few items we will need to return.  At some point I planned to lay down and take a nap but that never happened.

His aunts and mom came home around 7:00 pm and I stayed up pretty late with them chatting about their trip and the wedding.  Mj wasn't going back to work until Wednesday and they all tried to convince me to take one more day but as much as I wanted to I couldn't bring myself to do it.  Mj spent hours trying to get the pics out of his aunts camera but with 3 laptops, 2 memory disks and a power cord nothing seemed to work.  We just couldn't get the computers to read the camera.  I was so disappointed because I got hardly got any pics with my camera.  I was wishing I had assigned someone to take pics with it.  My mom got some but it could be weeks before I get them from her and I was anxious to have them NOW.  When hubby came to say goodnight I stuck out my lip and whined a little that I wanted those pictures really bad.  He said, "Baby, I tried-it wouldn't work." 

"But I really, really want them.  I have no pictures.  She took some great shots and I'll be really, really sad if I don't have them."  

"Do you want me to try one more time?" 

"Yes...please."  And so he did.  He was up until 2 am working on it and still doesn't know how he got them out but he did.  Bless his heart.

Saying good bye to the ladies Tuesday morning as I went off to work was so sad.  They were all part of this amazing wedding experience and I really enjoyed having them there with us and getting to know them.  Going back to work sucked of course but I was still on cloud 9 so I got through it OK.  The atmosphere at work seemed oddly festive that day for some reason.  Everyone was really chatty and wanted to hear about the wedding.  My co workers got us an awesome gift of a picnic backpack complete with tiny wine glasses, plates, and a cheese cutting board.  They also got us a blanket in a bag and two bottles of wine to go with it.  We had something similar on our registry.

Part of the week was spent catching up on TV shows and blogs and just hangin' out-no frantic running around included.  We have left over wedding cake that we took home and we are trying to eat a little  bit every day so it doesn't go bad.  Now, it's Saturday and I am looking forward to the weekend to get some rest in and clean house.  The weather has turned HOT.  It looks like we are finally catching up with the rest of the country and getting our summer over here.  It's about time.

I still can't stop thinking about the wedding.  I thought I would just be relieved that it was over but I have this sense of loss instead.  I am actually sad that it's over and when I read about other bloggers still in the planning process I am jealous!!  I want to do it again!! I never ever thought I would feel that way. 

I am actually glad that our honeymoon isn't until October.  It gives us a chance to re group and settle in.  Mj got back in November 09.  In December we started hunting for wedding locations and in January we started house hunting.  The wedding planning was ongoing.  We closed on a house, moved in May and had our wedding two months later.   Needless to say it's been a super busy year for us and finally we have completed everything we set out to do.  There is this sort of "now what" feeling but it's nice to still have our 7 days in Oahu, Hawaii to look forward to.  I can get back into house decorating and having a life that revolves around things other then home buying, moving and wedding plans.

I don't feel that much different.  We already live together so now that it is official not too much changes-except my last name.  Married life begins and just like the words in our ceremony it's important to keep doing the same things that got us here in the first place.

Pretty Pot Goes Boom

We got our first two wedding gifts on Thursday.  Fun, fun, fun!  One of them just so happened to be a very nice set of red stoneware cooking pots with no evidence whatsoever of who sent them.  We searched the box for a packing slip or invoice but there was nothing. You know those expensive registry items you add to your list because you want it even though you don't think anyone will get them for you?  Or just because the store offers 10% off un purchased registry items so you figure you can just buy it yourself after the wedding if you really want it?  Well, these pots were one of those items.  Mj was so excited about them in fact that as he was commenting on how nice and heavy they are he actually dropped one of the lids on our newly purchased coffee table.  The coffee table that is covered in glass and just so happens to be the one single appliance/furniture we purchased that did not offer a warranty or protection plan.  "Yep, baby the pots sure are heavy.  Thanks for demonstrating."  The lid crashed into the table and we looked on in stunned silence as it shattered the glass into a spiderweb of wreckage and sprayed glass chunks all over the carpet.  As we stood there frozen taking in the mess around us we could hear this cracking sound as the glass continued to break even as it already seemed shattered into a million pieces.

Good thing the other gift was a comforter.  I lovely SOFT down comforter.  I stood there with my eyes wide and my mouth open not really knowing where to start with clean up until Mj bent down and started picking up the large chunks one by one so I did too.  Then we got out the brush and pushed glass shards from the table into the box the pots came in.  Then out came the vacuum.  Our coffee table no longer has glass over the top of it but it was actually removable anyways and still looks ok. 

Mj looked at me, put his arms out and asked me if I forgive him for breaking the table.  I replied, "Yes of course" as I gave him a big old hug and kiss.  We can replace the glass later but I can never ever replace Mj.  Accidents happen.  The glass is cleaned up and all is forgiven. 

The only question that remained was...who in the heck sent us these fantastic heavy pots and how will we ever thank them if we don't know who they are?  Then I discovered the tab on our online registry titled "Gift Purchaser."  Thank You Aunt Cindy!!

Class Action Payday

You know those class action lawsuit notices that you get in the mail?  You half read them then throw them away and pretty much forget about it because you still can't figure out exactly how you have been wronged and you already know that whatever your particular piece of the pie is to compensate for your alleged pain and suffering probably won't even be enough to buy lunch at Applebee's Denny's.

I am bound by the terms of my confidential settlement agreement so I can't name names but I have been the triumphant recipient of four lawsuits since we moved to our new house which was less then a month ago.  The first settlement award came just days before we moved and I actually threw it in the trash by accident because I was in the middle of sorting and organizing at the new house.  I think it has to do with some sort of breach of privacy but I honestly can't remember.  It was a voucher for an upgrade on my gym membership for only $5 which means I can actually go to the brand new one by our house that Mj uses and not be relegated to their 2nd tier locations.  Never mind that I haven't been to said gym in a long time I am entitled to my damages and so I plan to collect because I really do plan on going back.  "Just wait until I get my lawsuit" I'd tell Mj when he would question harass me about not going to the gym.  Now I really don't have any excuse aside from the other ones I normally use.  

The next lawsuit was from a very popular online travel company.  I have absoloutely no idea what this one was for.  I got a whole $1.11 cents credit to use at my leisure.  That won't even get me downtown on a city bus so I'm not sure exactly what I'll do with that one.

Let's just say I hit the big time with the next two.  Cash money!  So big that I can afford to decorate my house any way my heart desires, add on all the bells and whistles to my wedding and am seriously considering quitting my job.  Well, one can dream right?  Last weeks check was a settlement from a work at home inbound call center I worked for briefly when I quit working full time about five years ago.  I was modeling so I was looking for something flexible that could earn me some extra money.  I completed their training modules and once I was a bona fide certified agent I signed up for time slots so I could wait for incoming calls via my computer and earn money from the comfort of my home.  I got to take orders from people in places like Skokie, Illinois who wanted to order things like the Heel-Tastick heel renewal system with the bonus grooming kit that they saw on late night TV watching reruns.   The only time slots available were often at odd hours and in 2 hour increments.  I'd set my alarm for 1:30 am so I could wake up only to sit there at my desk in my pajamas and only take 1 call while trying desperately not to fall asleep.  You got paid by the minutes spent on the phone so even if you "worked" for 4 hours you'd only get paid for maybe 35 minutes.  I think that's why they got hit with the lawsuit.  Nobody could make any money!  Needless to say, I think my $30.00 settlement check is more then I ever actually earned while working for them.

The settlement I got yesterday was from a major online dot com corporation that most of us have used at one time or another.  I have no clue on how I was wronged on this one but I will happily cash my $35 check anyways thank you very much.

The very first weekend of June as soon as I got paid I ran out and spent almost my entire budget for the month on things for the house and a few things for the wedding so I was flat broke just days into this month.  I get paid once a month so there isn't anything else comin' in but thanks to my lawsuits I have $65 more dollars to work with.  I was part of a cell phone company lawsuit years ago and a couple others that I only vaguely remember.  My oh my we have become such a litigious society.  Just living your every day life you can be unknowingly wronged, become part of a lawsuit AND collect damages without doing a thing. 

I'm not really sure how the lawsuit gods knew that this has been a really tight month for me.  When I check the mail every day I'm secretly hoping that there might be even more that I have long since forgotten about rolling in.

Easter Earthquake

We were over at Mj's friends house chatting, eating and having a good old time at 3:40pm when all of a sudden everything on the table started shaking. Then, I noticed I could feel the floor shaking too and everyone was kind of looking at each other with a puzzled look on their face. Usually, by the time it hits you that there was an earthquake and not just your imagination it's over but this one was different. It lasted much longer. I actually had time to process and analyze the situation and say, "Yep this is an earthquake and it's still going." A few people ran to the two open doorways. Even though, apparently that safety measure is outdated and you are supposed to jump under a table.

I just kinda sat there waiting for it to stop. I wasn't too scared for some reason. I have felt them before although they usually don't last for this long. But, for a split second when it didn't stop it got my mind thinking, "What if this is the big one?" Thankfully, it was not. Within minutes everyone was on their phones or laptops looking it up and we found out it was a 7.2 out of Baja Mexico. Usually, I am the only one that seems to feel these things. I felt the 5.5 out of Rosarito on February 1 when nobody else did and barely heard anything about it in the news but this one has got everyone talking. It seems unbelievable that this earthquake was only .2 less powerful then the one in Haiti and there were only 2 reported deaths. One of them was indirectly related when a man ran outside and got struck by a car and killed while trying to run for safety. How sad is that?

There was an aftershock this morning while we were still in bed. I felt the bed shaking but Mj only heard it. Apparently those are supposed to go on for about the next couple weeks.

It makes me wonder if the earth is mad at us. It also makes me wonder if Mj and I should go ahead and get earthquake insurance on our new home. We weren't going to but it might be better to be safe then sorry.

In Ten Years.....

And now for the hard part. Where do I want to be in 10 years? It's kind of ironic that I of all people would receive an award with this as a topic because I seriously have no clue. I have always been sort of aimless and confused when it comes to my future. This has always bothered me and yet I still have not managed to figure out a way to change it.

The only thing I know for sure is that I want to be happy and loving life. Whatever keeps the happiness coming is what I want for the future. When you have gone through years and years of your life without that you really realize just how precious and priceless it is. I also want for Mj and I to be celebrating our 12Th anniversary together and still be as happy and in love as we are right now. Yes, those are obvious answers but when it comes to concrete future predictions....I got nothin'.

I still haven't decided if I want children. I could say that I would like to have a career, which I do, but without any ideas or direction on my part that is not likely to happen. Careers may appear out of thin air for some but thus far I have not found that to be the case for me. It would be a dream come true to be a published author because I love writing so much. Aside from modeling that is the only other thing I have ever really wanted to do.

I have to admit that I really hate my answer. It is formless and without direction. How can I not know this at my age? I am a self proclaimed planner but apparently only when it comes to short term projects. The only thing I seem to know for sure is that I don't know. I am slowly learning acceptance of this purely out of necessity so that I don't drive myself mad with frustration.

"Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)...The future's not ours to see Que Sera, Sera"

Or something like that!!

Call Of The Jammies

I have such a difficult time breaking myself out of my work week ritual of home, shower, eat, TV, random internet surfing, bed and usually in that order. I do want to go out for Tapas with Mj to celebrate his friends B day but I also want to go home and jump into my pajamas. When I make plans with friends to do anything after work it has to be at 5:30pm so I can go straight there and then get on home so I am not out too late. Logistically, that's best too because I work towards the center of town and live about 14 miles east. I'm not about to zig zag back back and forth across town or be stuck waiting with nowhere to go. Besides, most happy hours end by 7pm. If we can't coordinate our schedules for 6:00pm at the latest and/or meet at a mid point it just 'aint happening. Once I walk through the front door after a long day of work the call of jammies and relaxation is usually just too strong for me to resist.

Tonight we are meeting up at 7pm. Instead of running through all of those excuses like "I'm tired, it's a work night and I have to be at work an hour early tomorrow" I am going to step out of my stainless steel comfort zone and go. There is really no good reason not to. It's Spring so we have an extra hour of daylight and it's a nice 70 degrees out. It'll be fun, I can finally find out what the heck Tapas are and I really need to stop acting like I'm 70 years old.

She Hates Your Wedding Website

Article: Slate, I Hate Your Wedding Website

The author of this article pokes fun at wedding websites and refers to them as yet another way for people to "...celebrate their daily existence....Instead of being tasteful, utilitarian affairs, these sites inevitably turn into showcases for unbridled narcissism—and open the couple up to a great deal of mockery from friends and strangers alike." Her and her girlfriend spent hours laughing at different websites and forwarding the links to other friends to laugh about too. "Pretty soon everyone had seen "Jane" and "Tim's" site, on which they treated their impending nuptials with all the pomp that preceded Princess Diana's wedding."

"The vibe is perhaps meant to be "classy," but it's very hard to achieve an understated aesthetic when the message you most want to telegraph is LOOK AT ME."

"There are a grand total of 651 pictures featured—from baby photos to Solo-cup-filled college dorm-room shots to shots of their four—count 'em—engagement parties."

Personally, I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with having a wedding website and I'm not just saying that because I have one right now. No, I do not think my wedding is the most important thing in the world but it is important to me and so I'm going to share it. The Internet along with face book, twitter, and everything else is here to stay so why not make it fit your needs? Why not utilize it to share a special day in our lives and as a tool to share useful wedding information with guests? People hardly use stamps anymore because we pay bills, send letters, and almost everything else online. Now, guests can RSVP online directly from a web page-no stamp required. It's just a sign of the times. There is a website for everything now.

I do agree that these days the need to publicize every single little thing has become very widespread and a little annoying. You need only take one look at your face book news feed to see this. People are posting everything from "I got a new job," "running errands" to "going out for sushi" to "I lost my keys." And, they are doing it all day every day. I'm thinking about posting something like "picking my nose" just to see what people might say and to make a point. Some people really do feel the need to track their every little move on the Internet. It doesn't bother me too much, I just happen to not be one of them.

When you are in love you want to shout if from the roof tops but that might cause a scene and/or bodily injury. So, we make a website instead. I love ours. It was fun to make and there is nothing on there I would be embarassed about 20 years from now. I used mywedding.com. I did not post 500 pictures of the two of us walking into the sunset and staring lovingly into each others eyes, but so what if I did? There is nothing wrong with being happy, in love, and wanting to share that with friends and family. That's what we do at weddings and that's what we do on wedding websites.

A Saturday Wedding

view of the sun setting from the ceremony location

On Saturday we went to Mike's friend's wedding. It's been so so long since I've been to one so I was really looking forward to going as soon as we got the invitation. I did go back and buy The Limited pants for $39.50 with my coupon AND ended up buying a dress for the wedding. It was so cold that I could not bring myself to put on a halter although I saw plenty of halters, strapless, open toed shoes paired with no jackets and no tights all night. Nope not me! I am always cold to begin with so I found a short sleeved billowy sleeved dress at Kohl's for $24.00 earlier that day and wore black tights and black pumps. I wore a scarf, my black pea coat AND had a sweater underneath that for good measure. It didn't dip much below the 60's but that is COLD for me. This brings my total shopping expenditure for the month to $69.00 which for a nice top, pants, and a dress is not bad at all.

Kimono Dress from Kohl's $24.00

The wedding was beautiful. The ceremony was on a grassy area overlooking the ocean and the reception was just inside. They really lucked out because it had been raining all week and that morning but come ceremony time the sun was shining and although a bit chilly the weather was otherwise perfect. The bride was almost in tears (of happiness) throughout the ceremony and they looked really, really happy together. They had about 75-80 guests which is probably about what we are going to have. The centerpieces were a lovely fresh flower bouquet in a nice large square Vase. The decor was simple, the food was good and we danced the night away. It was a good group of people and everyone had a great time.

It was a good reminder to me again that I should not sweat the small stuff in my wedding planning. Guests that care about us are just going to be happy to be there with us. I will put on a great event for my guests within my budget and not worry about the rest. There simply isn't any need to stress out doing otherwise or trying to do too much. What will be remembered 6 months down the road has less to do with how their colors were incorporated into the decor and more about how much fun everyone had dancing to Michael Jackson's Thriller. Oh, and the girl who couldn't handle the open bar, dirty danced with everyone including the girls, and threw up in the bathroom....we'll remember that too but of course there is little that even the most organized of brides can do about that!!