I am on the next-to-last day of my Christmas vacation back in New York. It was wonderful and ... worrying I guess. I mean, everyone is getting older. My parents, Blake's parents, everyone's parents.
My grandparents seem old, like ... old. My mother's mother looked so thin and pale this holiday and no one told me that my other grandma has become more confused. It's really scary, but she still has a positive attitude and recognizes everyone (for the most part).
But I had a great Christmas. I decided that this holiday I would be the person I've always wanted to be, openly grateful for time together and helpful and positive. A big crack in my plans occurred when my brother decided he wasn't coming down for Christmas. He worked in the morning, so we watched my niece and nephew and they had dinner with us. By presents time, both he and his wife were out of work. She came down and he did not.
I know it's not that he didn't want to see any of us. He just lets his worries completely engulf him. Then he feels bad for taking it out on other people. Anyway, I did end up seeing him and hugging him twice. We did convince my grandma to come for Christmas, but he couldn't be persuaded.
Anyway, Blake and I did have a great Christmas vacation. I got to spend time with my parents, his parents and got to see the French family and spend time with a dear friend of mine, Lorae.
It was very sad, saying goodbye to my parents yesterday. So I'm watching The Office to cheer myself up. The British version, because I could use some dirty humor.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
So Weird
I have never woken up so disoriented in my life. I think it was because it was hot last night and I had two drinks before I went to sleep... I tell you, alcohol is the devil.
Anyway, my dreams were a series of very random places and people from every conceivable part of my life, all smashed together, interacting and looking the same as they did when I knew them, but different somehow. It was so weird.
It all started with Blake and I going back to Vermont for something. We were going to a specific inn that we had gone to when we were in college and at first we were in separate cars. I led and missed our exit. Then we were together and going up the Sugarbush Access Road. This road actually exists and people, it is beyond a dirt road. It has ruts and holes that make it look like a giant cheese grater. It wasn't raining, but it had been the night before and water was running down the road, making it muddy. I asked Blake if we would be okay using this road and he acted like it was a stupid question.
So, we arrived and things just deteriorated so fast. It was winter and almost everyone at the inn smoked. I would see them each of them outside at one point or another, smoking in the snow. But the most disturbing thing was that Blake was cheating on me and (be prepared to laugh) the woman was a grey-haired, overweight, elderly (but very nice) lady. But though she was old and chubby, I knew that when the door was closed, she was young and hot. The thing is, Blake kicked me out of the room to be with her. So, that's the gist of the dream. There were a lot more, even stranger, details.
The second dream was of me telling Blake about my first dream.
The third dream was the disorienting one. I was going home for Christmas and decided to fly into NYC to see my dear friend, Lorae. I knew she was going to be at a place called The Writing Center (yes, like the one in college). So, I headed over there, went in, and it's set up kind of like the pit of a newsroom. Lots of desks and papers and extremely noisy. So, I know she's going to be there around 10:00. I go to the front desk, gave them my name and the receptionist said I had an appointment for that very minute, with the guy at desk #17. So I took this as an opportunity as I actually had some of my writing in my backpack with me. But the guy at the desk wasn't ready for me and he was very rude.
Here is where it starts to be confusing. As I was going out to the waiting room, a guy called out to me. He was my Victorian Lit professor in college. I waved back and as I sat down in the waiting room, my high school Earth Science teacher came bursting in the door. He was frantically explaining to me how sorry he was that he had given me the wrong information about health insurance. I told him I already had health insurance, but he kept going on and on about it. Lorae came in, but was late for her appointment. I told her to call me when she was done.
Then I went outside. There was a bench around a tree and sitting on it was one of my friends from high school, a girl I used to work with and a girl I met in Pensacola. It was getting dark, but my watch said it was only 10:30am. We all chatted, my dad called on the phone (and I could see his end of the conversation). Then, this really strange, Clockwork-Orange-like parade of ten people went by. Then, a funeral with no less than six coffins being carried by policemen in turn of the century uniforms. Then, three weddings ended and the people came crowding into the street from three different churches up and down the street. Some of the groomsman came over and among them were Henry Winkler, a guy from TV and my old gymnastics teacher.
It was getting dark out and I still didn't have a place to stay because I was hoping Lorae would let me stay with her. So, the recepionist came out and told us how cold it was and that we should come inside. So, I did. But she wasn't just offering a warm place until they closed, she was offering a place to crash for the night. She takes me to this small room, filled with homeless people. I said thanks, but I hoped to have somewhere else to sleep that night. She looked at me like she'd heard that story before.
I went back outside and Lorae finally came out of the center. She was wearing a very silver, puffy, dress, ankle boots and had hair straight out of the 70s. She told me she had to get across town and I asked if I could walk with her. She didn't seem to care so we walked. As we walked, the city kind of melted away into countryside, which confused me. I asked what area of the city we were in, but she only mumbled incoherent answers. Two women caught up with us. They had getups like Lorae's and they looked like back-up singers for Donna Summer or something. I realized that these women were two of my friends from high school. So, we caught up and all walked together.
Lorae told me she had to get to the Mattel theme park for therapy. I didn't know why you would need to go to a toy park, but I told her it was probably good to get all that anger out. Then, I realized that's why she wasn't enthusiastic to see me. She didn't want to admit she was in therapy. So, she went off in her own direction and I picked up my phone to make a call only to find that I was picking up a conversation.
It was two men and I immediately realized it was between one of my uncles and Lorae's scumbag ex-boyfriend (two cheating jerks). They were talking about my uncle's girlfriend. It was completely surreal. So, I took the train home even though it was so late.
Home was awesome. Beautifuil snow, Christmas decorations, cookies and my parents (of course). My mom had a huge stack of magazines that had been sent for me. It was late so I went to sleep.
Then, I woke up, literally and I did not know where I was. Thinking it was still a dream, I discarded Syracuse and home as locations and finally realized it was Pensacola. I reached for Blake and he wasn't there. I thought maybe he went to pick me up at the train station or that he was downstairs (at my house) having breakfast. Then, I realized he was at muster. That's when I realized it wasn't a dream. It was the strangest feeling ever.
Anyway, my dreams were a series of very random places and people from every conceivable part of my life, all smashed together, interacting and looking the same as they did when I knew them, but different somehow. It was so weird.
It all started with Blake and I going back to Vermont for something. We were going to a specific inn that we had gone to when we were in college and at first we were in separate cars. I led and missed our exit. Then we were together and going up the Sugarbush Access Road. This road actually exists and people, it is beyond a dirt road. It has ruts and holes that make it look like a giant cheese grater. It wasn't raining, but it had been the night before and water was running down the road, making it muddy. I asked Blake if we would be okay using this road and he acted like it was a stupid question.
So, we arrived and things just deteriorated so fast. It was winter and almost everyone at the inn smoked. I would see them each of them outside at one point or another, smoking in the snow. But the most disturbing thing was that Blake was cheating on me and (be prepared to laugh) the woman was a grey-haired, overweight, elderly (but very nice) lady. But though she was old and chubby, I knew that when the door was closed, she was young and hot. The thing is, Blake kicked me out of the room to be with her. So, that's the gist of the dream. There were a lot more, even stranger, details.
The second dream was of me telling Blake about my first dream.
The third dream was the disorienting one. I was going home for Christmas and decided to fly into NYC to see my dear friend, Lorae. I knew she was going to be at a place called The Writing Center (yes, like the one in college). So, I headed over there, went in, and it's set up kind of like the pit of a newsroom. Lots of desks and papers and extremely noisy. So, I know she's going to be there around 10:00. I go to the front desk, gave them my name and the receptionist said I had an appointment for that very minute, with the guy at desk #17. So I took this as an opportunity as I actually had some of my writing in my backpack with me. But the guy at the desk wasn't ready for me and he was very rude.
Here is where it starts to be confusing. As I was going out to the waiting room, a guy called out to me. He was my Victorian Lit professor in college. I waved back and as I sat down in the waiting room, my high school Earth Science teacher came bursting in the door. He was frantically explaining to me how sorry he was that he had given me the wrong information about health insurance. I told him I already had health insurance, but he kept going on and on about it. Lorae came in, but was late for her appointment. I told her to call me when she was done.
Then I went outside. There was a bench around a tree and sitting on it was one of my friends from high school, a girl I used to work with and a girl I met in Pensacola. It was getting dark, but my watch said it was only 10:30am. We all chatted, my dad called on the phone (and I could see his end of the conversation). Then, this really strange, Clockwork-Orange-like parade of ten people went by. Then, a funeral with no less than six coffins being carried by policemen in turn of the century uniforms. Then, three weddings ended and the people came crowding into the street from three different churches up and down the street. Some of the groomsman came over and among them were Henry Winkler, a guy from TV and my old gymnastics teacher.
It was getting dark out and I still didn't have a place to stay because I was hoping Lorae would let me stay with her. So, the recepionist came out and told us how cold it was and that we should come inside. So, I did. But she wasn't just offering a warm place until they closed, she was offering a place to crash for the night. She takes me to this small room, filled with homeless people. I said thanks, but I hoped to have somewhere else to sleep that night. She looked at me like she'd heard that story before.
I went back outside and Lorae finally came out of the center. She was wearing a very silver, puffy, dress, ankle boots and had hair straight out of the 70s. She told me she had to get across town and I asked if I could walk with her. She didn't seem to care so we walked. As we walked, the city kind of melted away into countryside, which confused me. I asked what area of the city we were in, but she only mumbled incoherent answers. Two women caught up with us. They had getups like Lorae's and they looked like back-up singers for Donna Summer or something. I realized that these women were two of my friends from high school. So, we caught up and all walked together.
Lorae told me she had to get to the Mattel theme park for therapy. I didn't know why you would need to go to a toy park, but I told her it was probably good to get all that anger out. Then, I realized that's why she wasn't enthusiastic to see me. She didn't want to admit she was in therapy. So, she went off in her own direction and I picked up my phone to make a call only to find that I was picking up a conversation.
It was two men and I immediately realized it was between one of my uncles and Lorae's scumbag ex-boyfriend (two cheating jerks). They were talking about my uncle's girlfriend. It was completely surreal. So, I took the train home even though it was so late.
Home was awesome. Beautifuil snow, Christmas decorations, cookies and my parents (of course). My mom had a huge stack of magazines that had been sent for me. It was late so I went to sleep.
Then, I woke up, literally and I did not know where I was. Thinking it was still a dream, I discarded Syracuse and home as locations and finally realized it was Pensacola. I reached for Blake and he wasn't there. I thought maybe he went to pick me up at the train station or that he was downstairs (at my house) having breakfast. Then, I realized he was at muster. That's when I realized it wasn't a dream. It was the strangest feeling ever.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Christmas
Let's take stock of the first adult Christmas I've ever had, shall we? The apartment looks ... bare. I have a collection of ornaments, but Blake forgot his box of his ornaments at his parents' house. It's a pitiful display. We have two strings of lights and a holiday wreath. Christmas is my favorite, but you wouldn't know it to look at the apartment. The shame I feel is weighing me down like cement blocks chained to my ankles as I'm kidnapped and rowed into the middle of a lake. Then this guy named Tony tosses me in and I'm swimmin' with the fishes. Except I can't swim because of the blocks. Yeah.
But that will all change when Blake and I go home on Saturday. I think that this whole "all grown up" thing has had the complete opposite effect on my mother. She got a real tree, has been baking Christmas cookies like it's going out of style and bought a whole truck load of holiday-themed stuffage. Like cookie platters and... I don't know... Martha-type stuff. Presentation is key.
It's going to be a different world when I go to NY. First of all... can I tell you that it's in the upper 60s today? No need for a coat or pants or a hat. So, there will be snow. But that's only the tip of the changes-iceberg.
-My niece Sadie is a person now. She's about one and a half now and was really dragging her A on saying real words. I leave for Florida and a week later, I kid you not, the kid has entire sentences to say. Figures, right? I hope she remembers me.
-Also, my parents have a new dog. A golden lab named Sunny. He is a typical lab. Which is to say he's big, clumsy and kind of dumb. Should be interesting.
-I'm married. This is my fifth Christmas being with Blake and each year before, we spent Christmas Eve/morning with our respective families and Blake came over for Christmas lunch at my house. So, this will be the first Christmas night we'll be together. Except Blake doesn't believe in Santa Claus. But that's okay because I believe enough for both of us.
I love Christmas. I can't wait to see my family and friends (that means you, Lorae). I am so so thankful to God for all He has done this year. It's been so full of changes. Good and bad ones. But I'm happy and Blake is happy and so, I suppose all is right with the world.
But that will all change when Blake and I go home on Saturday. I think that this whole "all grown up" thing has had the complete opposite effect on my mother. She got a real tree, has been baking Christmas cookies like it's going out of style and bought a whole truck load of holiday-themed stuffage. Like cookie platters and... I don't know... Martha-type stuff. Presentation is key.
It's going to be a different world when I go to NY. First of all... can I tell you that it's in the upper 60s today? No need for a coat or pants or a hat. So, there will be snow. But that's only the tip of the changes-iceberg.
-My niece Sadie is a person now. She's about one and a half now and was really dragging her A on saying real words. I leave for Florida and a week later, I kid you not, the kid has entire sentences to say. Figures, right? I hope she remembers me.
-Also, my parents have a new dog. A golden lab named Sunny. He is a typical lab. Which is to say he's big, clumsy and kind of dumb. Should be interesting.
-I'm married. This is my fifth Christmas being with Blake and each year before, we spent Christmas Eve/morning with our respective families and Blake came over for Christmas lunch at my house. So, this will be the first Christmas night we'll be together. Except Blake doesn't believe in Santa Claus. But that's okay because I believe enough for both of us.
I love Christmas. I can't wait to see my family and friends (that means you, Lorae). I am so so thankful to God for all He has done this year. It's been so full of changes. Good and bad ones. But I'm happy and Blake is happy and so, I suppose all is right with the world.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Faith
Faith is one of my favorite words. There are others, related, like hope and trust. Like optimism. But faith is key.
I have been running low on faith lately. I've had an empty optimism, a false front.
But, after lots of thought and long prayers, I'm getting my faith back. Thanks to my family. My dearest friend, Lorae. Most of all, God.
I have been running low on faith lately. I've had an empty optimism, a false front.
But, after lots of thought and long prayers, I'm getting my faith back. Thanks to my family. My dearest friend, Lorae. Most of all, God.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Christmas Trees
My whole world is topsy-turvey. My parents bought a real Christmas tree this year... they haven't had one of those since before I was a teenager. The issue's always been somewhat of a hemorrhoid on my Christmas-behind, but I'm willing to let bygones be bygones... as long as they save a few decorations for me! My brother has always been a huge proponent of going all out for Christmas. He drags his family through our woods and in search of the perfect (and often gigantic) Christmas tree. You know what he did this year? He went out and bought a 6-foot, white, plastic monstrosity and he has the gall to call it a Christmas tree. I suppose I shouldn't judge before I see it, but I scoped out a similar model at Wal-Mart yesterday. Let's compare, shall we?
This....
versus this....
Seriously, Jason. What are you thinking?
Blake and I aren't getting one this year because we're going home. We are going to buy one after Christmas, though, for next year. He's become quite the bargain hunter. It's heart-warming, really it is.
I didn't know what to expect out of Christmas in Florida. There are a surprising number of cut-your-own-tree farms around. It's really awesome. My great-grandfather had a Christmas tree farm and we still have his hand-saw. The lights around the city are kind of sad, though. It's not anyone's fault. Everyone means well enough, but Christmas lights don't look the same without snow. I put up a couple strings (one blue, one white) around the apartment. Plus there is one on the Christmas wreath.
Christmas things make me happy.
This....
versus this....
Seriously, Jason. What are you thinking?
Blake and I aren't getting one this year because we're going home. We are going to buy one after Christmas, though, for next year. He's become quite the bargain hunter. It's heart-warming, really it is.
I didn't know what to expect out of Christmas in Florida. There are a surprising number of cut-your-own-tree farms around. It's really awesome. My great-grandfather had a Christmas tree farm and we still have his hand-saw. The lights around the city are kind of sad, though. It's not anyone's fault. Everyone means well enough, but Christmas lights don't look the same without snow. I put up a couple strings (one blue, one white) around the apartment. Plus there is one on the Christmas wreath.
Christmas things make me happy.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Zoo Update
Just had Tiegen forward me this from our zoo trip today. So... here's the story. The three of us were standing around in the safari-type exhibit. They had those machines you can look through to zoom in on things off in the distance. Blake asked if I had a quarter for it and I gave him one. Well, I expected him to offer me a look-see, but he didn't so I asked if I could... by "ask" I mean "told him." So I look through the viewfinder and see this:
'nuff said.
'nuff said.
Gulf Breeze Zoo
Went to the zoo today. This is one of the first animals we saw, a black swan. Beautiful, right? Except it had a serious attitude problem. At first we thought it wanted the animal food we'd bought. So, we gave it a few pellets, but the swan didn't want the pellets... it was out for blood. It pecked my fingers and tried to get our toes.
It reminded me of that "Gilmore Girls" episode where Jess came into the diner with a black eye and everyone automatically assumes he's gotten into a fight (because he's a bad-boy, as if you couldn't tell from the leather jacket and angsty-intense stares). Finally, Luke gets the truth...
This is one of my favorite moments in "Gilmore Girls" and I laughed hysterically when I first heard it. Now, it rings true. Seriously, people. Swans can be vicious and dangerous. Watch out.
So, the Gulf Breeze Zoo is confusing. A lot of it is being remodeled (which it definitely needs) and maybe because it's the "off season" the grounds aren't kept quite as neat as in the summer. The animals were nice though and there were lots of chickens, roosters and peacocks roaming around randomly. Plus... I saw a chimpanzee play with himself.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Obligatory List
It's obligatory to write a Thanksgiving post about how thankful you are.
I am currently digesting a ginormous meal and generous slice of raspberry pie (with homemade whipped cream, thank you very much). I ate my turkey, etc, etc, and a few hours later we brought out the pie. It turned out to be a meal unto itself and pushed me over "comfy full" and into "bloated full." Oh well.
Here is what Thanksgiving consisted of at my
-Turkey & gravy
-Celery stuffing
-Cheesy vegetables
-Crescent rolls
-Cranberry relish (which turned out amazing, thank you Tyler Florence)
-Super-rich mashed potatoes (sour cream & cream cheese)
-White wine
-Raspberry pie & whipped cream
Being my first Thanksgiving, I tried to keep it simple. It turned out great! I was really, really happy and made it known. I am a very effusive person... emphasis on the 'very.' Blake isn't, but that's okay because I force him into excitement (he's kind of a Scrooge at heart, whereas I am a complete child). Tiegen, Blake's sister, is like him. She gets excited about things, but unlike me, doesn't feel the need to say so. In fact, I think the jumping around and hand-clapping freaked her out... just kidding... I don't get that excited. I'm just naturally expressive and I've been around small kids my whole life and the excitement of children is contagious. So, I turned on holiday music and we had dinner.
Okay, so what am I thankful for? My husband, number one and forever n' ever. He is the best thing in my life. Family, of course. This year has been rough for my family and they're having Thanksgiving at my grandparents' house, so everyone can be around my grandma. I'm sorry to miss that, but am looking forward to Christmas, which I'm sure will be a big affair this year. We've all spent this year being thankful for the time we get to spend together. Friends. But really, my family is my base of friendship and I don't have a lot of 'casual' friends so my good friends are family, which is something to be thankful for in itself.
Blake's parents are spending this holiday alone, just the two of them. I don't know if that's sad for them, or a relief. Blake lives down here with me. Tiegen is visiting us. Chelsea is in Egypt. Plus, my mother-in-law has lyringitis. Well, at least they're having a nice meal.
I, for one, am looking forward to tomorrow. Some call is Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year. My Aunt Sherri used to get up at 5a.m. to go shopping and get deals. For me, it isn't so much Black Friday as it is... Leftovers Day, a day which makes me super happy. I love leftovers. This year, I made 5lbs. of potatoes for the three of us. Yes, I did, no joke. You know why? Because mashed potatoes with a ton of extra fat make the best leftovers ever and I am always soooo sad when they're gone. I will now have mashed potato leftovers until my third child is graduated from college. yay.
Friday, November 14, 2008
A Souvenir
Today is my last day here. I've only temped for four days, but I got settled in really fast. It was probably because the people are so friendly. I hope their new receptionist isn't a snarky old lady. Anyway, as a nice going away present, one of the girls here gave me her cold. Wasn't that nice of her?
I'm not a cleanliness freak, but I like to keep my office space equipped with anti-bacterial wipes for all the gear. Unfortunately, there were no Lysol wipes in sight. Said cold-infested-coworker sat at my station numerous times and I could just feel her germs spreading over my workspace. I wanted to be like, "Get out of my nook!" (a la Kelly last week on The Office. Hilarious by the way. William F. Buttlicker. ha!... anyway) Yesterday my sinuses were stopped up like this morning's traffic (unbelievable this morning). Today, I am officially with cold. Kind of like being with child, except instead of a big belly you get a runny nose and instead of the miracle of life you just want to shoot yourself in the face.
I'm not a cleanliness freak, but I like to keep my office space equipped with anti-bacterial wipes for all the gear. Unfortunately, there were no Lysol wipes in sight. Said cold-infested-coworker sat at my station numerous times and I could just feel her germs spreading over my workspace. I wanted to be like, "Get out of my nook!" (a la Kelly last week on The Office. Hilarious by the way. William F. Buttlicker. ha!... anyway) Yesterday my sinuses were stopped up like this morning's traffic (unbelievable this morning). Today, I am officially with cold. Kind of like being with child, except instead of a big belly you get a runny nose and instead of the miracle of life you just want to shoot yourself in the face.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Dishy
Good story from work. This morning, I get a call from XYZ Company. The lady doesn't sound to happy. Well, it's Thursday so I put on some extra friendliness and go about my business transferring the call to Chris. So... a few minutes Chris comes out with this look on his face, which, even in the three days I've been here is easy to recognize. It's the face that says, "it's share time." So... turns out XYZ fired their CFO in a "out-of-the-blue axed" kind of way. A few days go by, but no one calls the IT department here so we can shut off her access to their secure site. Well... Axed Ex-CFO goes home, logs onto the site, and deletes four years of files stored on the server.
Corporate America, people
Corporate America, people
Gobble Day
Wow. Thanksgiving is only a couple weeks away. I've planned out the meal. It's weird... my own Thanksgiving. I'm used to helping my mom. The kitchen is crammed with kids and my mom, grandma, sister and me are usually all stuffed into the kitchen trying to finish dinner by 1 or 2. We're all sneaking bits of food, the dogs are underfoot trying to get their own scraps. It smells amazing and there's a lot of laughter.
Thanksgiving will be 100% different this year. Blake and I aren't going home and we'll be having our own Thanksgiving. Blake' sister is coming down for the week. What will it be like? Thanksgiving with three people. Will it be loud and chaotic? I don't know how to have a Thanksgiving without a billion kids running around and yelling.
Thanksgiving back in New York will be extremely different. Since her stroke, my grandma doesn't travel well so my aunt and some uncles are bringing Thanksgiving to my grandparents' house. Since my parents live right next door, they'll be going. I'm guessing it will be pot luck mostly. Our family never does a huge Thanksgiving. I'm sorry to miss it. We have a lot to be thankful for. It's good that they're having Thanksgiving at my grandparents'. A lot of tears and prayers took place there in the last six months.
I'm going to call my mom this weekend and chat about Thanksgiving. Get a recipe I need. See how her plans are coming.
Blake and I are buying a table this weekend. We've been eating on a folding table, but it doesn't seem right to have Thanksgiving on a card table.
And this weekend is the Blue Angels Homecoming show which we're both looking forward to. The weather on Saturday should be nice.
Tomorrow is Krispy Kreme day.
Today is the birthday of an awesomely awesome woman, Lorae. She's 24. Which is an adult age. Whoa. It's sad when friends are so far away on birthdays. E-mail will never replace hugs, but I guess that's growing up, eh?
Thanksgiving will be 100% different this year. Blake and I aren't going home and we'll be having our own Thanksgiving. Blake' sister is coming down for the week. What will it be like? Thanksgiving with three people. Will it be loud and chaotic? I don't know how to have a Thanksgiving without a billion kids running around and yelling.
Thanksgiving back in New York will be extremely different. Since her stroke, my grandma doesn't travel well so my aunt and some uncles are bringing Thanksgiving to my grandparents' house. Since my parents live right next door, they'll be going. I'm guessing it will be pot luck mostly. Our family never does a huge Thanksgiving. I'm sorry to miss it. We have a lot to be thankful for. It's good that they're having Thanksgiving at my grandparents'. A lot of tears and prayers took place there in the last six months.
I'm going to call my mom this weekend and chat about Thanksgiving. Get a recipe I need. See how her plans are coming.
Blake and I are buying a table this weekend. We've been eating on a folding table, but it doesn't seem right to have Thanksgiving on a card table.
And this weekend is the Blue Angels Homecoming show which we're both looking forward to. The weather on Saturday should be nice.
Tomorrow is Krispy Kreme day.
Today is the birthday of an awesomely awesome woman, Lorae. She's 24. Which is an adult age. Whoa. It's sad when friends are so far away on birthdays. E-mail will never replace hugs, but I guess that's growing up, eh?
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The best husband ever
Blake is the best husband ever. I always knew it and now I have proof. Last night was the most romantic-est, awesome-est night ever. It was my first day back at work in about 2 1/2 months. Working 8-5 is draining if you're not used to it.
It was dusk when I got home and I was ready to just chill on the couch and eat dinner. I walked into the apartment and immediately, something on the floor caught my eye. It was red and my first thought was, "Oh no, there's a trail of blood on the floor." Yeah, I'm sick. It wasn't blood though, it was mini Kit Kats, a trail of them. So I put down my stuff and took off my coat and followed them through the bedroom and into the bathroom where a mini Kit Kat heart was set up on the floor. The lights were off and candles were burning. A bubble bath was halfway filled and the all of my shower stuff was neatly placed within arms reach. I love that man.
So I had a bath with TONS of bubbles. Blake brought me a glass of wine and we chatted for a while. When I was ready to get out, he heated up dinner and put my towel and robe in the dryer so they would be nice and warm when I was ready for them.
It was the best thing ever.
:)
It was dusk when I got home and I was ready to just chill on the couch and eat dinner. I walked into the apartment and immediately, something on the floor caught my eye. It was red and my first thought was, "Oh no, there's a trail of blood on the floor." Yeah, I'm sick. It wasn't blood though, it was mini Kit Kats, a trail of them. So I put down my stuff and took off my coat and followed them through the bedroom and into the bathroom where a mini Kit Kat heart was set up on the floor. The lights were off and candles were burning. A bubble bath was halfway filled and the all of my shower stuff was neatly placed within arms reach. I love that man.
So I had a bath with TONS of bubbles. Blake brought me a glass of wine and we chatted for a while. When I was ready to get out, he heated up dinner and put my towel and robe in the dryer so they would be nice and warm when I was ready for them.
It was the best thing ever.
:)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Must Post
Back at work. It's a quiet office. Cold. Temperature-wise, not people-wise. I'm only here for four days so I can't screw it up too badly. The computer setup is dual screen. I've never worked with two before and I wish I'd never had the opportunity. I can feed my internet addiction twice as much. Blogger in one window, Slate in another. CNN in one window, Fox on the other. E-mail on one window so I can constantly, obsessively monitor it.
I've definitely toned down my e-mail and internet reliance since Blake joined me in Florida. The two of us are more inclined to sit in the living room and watch TV, game or read. My love of just hanging out with him outweighs my need to check my e-mail. Plus, my mom's computer is down right now so we don't e-mail once or twice daily anymore.
My neices and nephews are sending me good old-fashioned letters. I love it. I wrote them letters because I absolutely LOVED getting mail as a kid. Even now I like getting mail. So, instead of calling them (which would result in many awkward silences), I write letters. It's awesome and is always informative and hilarious. I love kids. Probably because I am one. I mean, I act like one... but I guess I also look like one.
Oh, that reminds me of a story.
Last week I went with Blake to muster and then we went and looked at futons for Tiegen's Thanksgiving visit. The base is open, but the exchange isn't open until 9. So we're sitting in a parking lot filled with old people. The refill prescription place is next to the NEX so at 9 a ton of people got out of their cars to get their stuff. It was like a mass migration of the elderly. Anyway, Blake and I were crossing the parking lot and there was an old man walking towards us in the other direction. Some people, you can just tell are going to talk to you and this guy definitely had that vibe.
He was very... weathered looking, kind of hunched over in that old man sort of way. He said hello and stopped right in front of us, literally blocking our bath. He was a very close talker. He looked at me and looked at Blake and smiled and said to him, "You have a very beautiful wife." To which I thought, thank you, but, I'm standing right here. Then he said to Blake, "I can tell from looking at her, you didn't get her from here." Whoa. Seriously?
Blake said, "yeah, I just got her from China. She looked a lot hotter on the internet, but she was on sale, ya know?" Just kidding. Both of us gave an awkward laugh. I know you're old, mister, but don't assume someone doesn't speak English or is a mail-order-bride. So I told him that actually Blake and I grew up together, though I was adopted. But I think his hard-of-hearing-ness made him believe I was speaking in a foreign language because he continued addressing Blake as if I was speaking Klingon. Then, he turned to me and said, in that slow tone people use with people who don't speak English, "I can tell you, you are now in the best country in the world." Then he smiled as if he'd just told me the secret of life and hobbled away.
Now, I find it very hard to be mad at that guy. If it was someone my age, you can bet I would be angry, but he was old. My grandparents are old-fashioned like that. They never had a problem with me being another race, but just from their tone of voice and choices of words when speaking about another race, you can tell they were raised in another time. Nothing really offensive, just... slightly awkward.
Also, I can't be mad for another reason. There are quite a few couples around that are foreign wife/American husband. I guess I can't blame the guy for assuming, though it's not generally a great thing to go around doing. I know, Blake and I look like those other couples, but I was raised in America and frankly, I have a better handle on the English language than he does (sorry honey). When you think about it, he only had about a year more in America than I did, so we're on pretty even footing. Yes, we do have a running joke that I am high-maintenance because I am "imported goods," but really, I'm not high maintenance (more like medium maintenance). I am, however, imported goods, and sometimes it's hard to keep that in mind, being raised in an entirely caucasian family and having no memories of Korea.
So, to you old man, I say this: thanks for the compliment. I'm just going to forget the rest of that conversation.
I've definitely toned down my e-mail and internet reliance since Blake joined me in Florida. The two of us are more inclined to sit in the living room and watch TV, game or read. My love of just hanging out with him outweighs my need to check my e-mail. Plus, my mom's computer is down right now so we don't e-mail once or twice daily anymore.
My neices and nephews are sending me good old-fashioned letters. I love it. I wrote them letters because I absolutely LOVED getting mail as a kid. Even now I like getting mail. So, instead of calling them (which would result in many awkward silences), I write letters. It's awesome and is always informative and hilarious. I love kids. Probably because I am one. I mean, I act like one... but I guess I also look like one.
Oh, that reminds me of a story.
Last week I went with Blake to muster and then we went and looked at futons for Tiegen's Thanksgiving visit. The base is open, but the exchange isn't open until 9. So we're sitting in a parking lot filled with old people. The refill prescription place is next to the NEX so at 9 a ton of people got out of their cars to get their stuff. It was like a mass migration of the elderly. Anyway, Blake and I were crossing the parking lot and there was an old man walking towards us in the other direction. Some people, you can just tell are going to talk to you and this guy definitely had that vibe.
He was very... weathered looking, kind of hunched over in that old man sort of way. He said hello and stopped right in front of us, literally blocking our bath. He was a very close talker. He looked at me and looked at Blake and smiled and said to him, "You have a very beautiful wife." To which I thought, thank you, but, I'm standing right here. Then he said to Blake, "I can tell from looking at her, you didn't get her from here." Whoa. Seriously?
Blake said, "yeah, I just got her from China. She looked a lot hotter on the internet, but she was on sale, ya know?" Just kidding. Both of us gave an awkward laugh. I know you're old, mister, but don't assume someone doesn't speak English or is a mail-order-bride. So I told him that actually Blake and I grew up together, though I was adopted. But I think his hard-of-hearing-ness made him believe I was speaking in a foreign language because he continued addressing Blake as if I was speaking Klingon. Then, he turned to me and said, in that slow tone people use with people who don't speak English, "I can tell you, you are now in the best country in the world." Then he smiled as if he'd just told me the secret of life and hobbled away.
Now, I find it very hard to be mad at that guy. If it was someone my age, you can bet I would be angry, but he was old. My grandparents are old-fashioned like that. They never had a problem with me being another race, but just from their tone of voice and choices of words when speaking about another race, you can tell they were raised in another time. Nothing really offensive, just... slightly awkward.
Also, I can't be mad for another reason. There are quite a few couples around that are foreign wife/American husband. I guess I can't blame the guy for assuming, though it's not generally a great thing to go around doing. I know, Blake and I look like those other couples, but I was raised in America and frankly, I have a better handle on the English language than he does (sorry honey). When you think about it, he only had about a year more in America than I did, so we're on pretty even footing. Yes, we do have a running joke that I am high-maintenance because I am "imported goods," but really, I'm not high maintenance (more like medium maintenance). I am, however, imported goods, and sometimes it's hard to keep that in mind, being raised in an entirely caucasian family and having no memories of Korea.
So, to you old man, I say this: thanks for the compliment. I'm just going to forget the rest of that conversation.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Back to life
I've let my life become lazy and completely unproductive. In college and at my job after, I was keeping track of things, you know, using my planner, looking to future projects and keeping fairly busy. For the past few months, I have been doing very little.
Have you ever read or seen the moving About a Boy by Nick Hornby/with Hugh Grant? The main character doesn't work, doesn't have to. His father wrote a song called "Santa's Super Sleigh" and the character lives off the royalties. Anyway, he measures his time in 30-minute units because he thinks a whole hour of time is too intimidating and most things can be done in 30 minutes (reading the paper, taking a bath, watching TV). So, in that fashion, here is how I have been living my life.
Breakfast (1 unit)
Job hunting (4 units)
Cleaning up (4 units)
Lunch (2 units)
Check job boards (1 unit)
TV (2 units)
Reading/writing (2 units)
Dinner (2 units)
TV (2 units)
Bed
Life looks so ... cookie-cutter like that. Anyway, those days are over. I'll be temping at a CPA firm this week (16 units per day). I'll be working in the IT department, which is great. IT people are... well, a breed all their own. They're very, very knowledgeable about computers and software, but working in an office setting doesn't challenge them because most of what goes wrong is born of simple misunderstanding or ignorance. As a result, they have this edge... not exactly derision for the common office worker, but more like... hmmm, not pity... well, they're tech snobs. I mean that in the nicest possible way and not as a derogatory term at all. I like IT guys, mainly because I like computers and one can learn SO MUCH from being around computer people all day.
I'll be handling their phones and scheduling. Now, this is puzzling to me. The CPA firm is a large, well-known one in the Pensacola area. Their IT department needs help just this week. So what gives? Maybe someone is on vacation or something, but frankly, I've never heard of an IT department with its own receptionist. Swanky. Maybe they're doing a big upgrade this week of something. Or maybe the IT people are fiercely anti-social. Maybe they hire help on a weekly basis because no one will stay more for a week for reasons dastardly and nefarious. I hope the office has windows... I wonder if they'll let me eat at my desk. Will I have a desk?
Temping is an adventure.
Have you ever read or seen the moving About a Boy by Nick Hornby/with Hugh Grant? The main character doesn't work, doesn't have to. His father wrote a song called "Santa's Super Sleigh" and the character lives off the royalties. Anyway, he measures his time in 30-minute units because he thinks a whole hour of time is too intimidating and most things can be done in 30 minutes (reading the paper, taking a bath, watching TV). So, in that fashion, here is how I have been living my life.
Breakfast (1 unit)
Job hunting (4 units)
Cleaning up (4 units)
Lunch (2 units)
Check job boards (1 unit)
TV (2 units)
Reading/writing (2 units)
Dinner (2 units)
TV (2 units)
Bed
Life looks so ... cookie-cutter like that. Anyway, those days are over. I'll be temping at a CPA firm this week (16 units per day). I'll be working in the IT department, which is great. IT people are... well, a breed all their own. They're very, very knowledgeable about computers and software, but working in an office setting doesn't challenge them because most of what goes wrong is born of simple misunderstanding or ignorance. As a result, they have this edge... not exactly derision for the common office worker, but more like... hmmm, not pity... well, they're tech snobs. I mean that in the nicest possible way and not as a derogatory term at all. I like IT guys, mainly because I like computers and one can learn SO MUCH from being around computer people all day.
I'll be handling their phones and scheduling. Now, this is puzzling to me. The CPA firm is a large, well-known one in the Pensacola area. Their IT department needs help just this week. So what gives? Maybe someone is on vacation or something, but frankly, I've never heard of an IT department with its own receptionist. Swanky. Maybe they're doing a big upgrade this week of something. Or maybe the IT people are fiercely anti-social. Maybe they hire help on a weekly basis because no one will stay more for a week for reasons dastardly and nefarious. I hope the office has windows... I wonder if they'll let me eat at my desk. Will I have a desk?
Temping is an adventure.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Losing touch
I spent a few minutes on Facebook today and I estimate that I have "lost touch" with probably 85% of those people who are my "friends." Some don't count because I worked on one project with them for one class freshmen year. Some don't count because they were a grade or two behind/ahead of me in high school and we're only friends because we had band together for a year. But that still leaves a lot of people I have forgotten or who have forgotten about me.
I'm not complaining or super sad that some of these people have only been passersby, but there are a lot of good people I'm missing out on or who are missing out on me (ha ha ha). I kind of feel like I live in a Florida-induced bubble. It's Blake and me and that's great, don't get me wrong. We're both very much about each other, and there is NO ONE I would rather spend day after day with. But all of our friends are other places. Other states, other countries, just... gone. With the internet, wouldn't you think we would keep in touch? But I think it's exactly the opposite. It's so easy to keep in touch that we just don't because technically, we can do it whenever we want... so we put it off for ten years.
You know, maybe it's not so bad to lose touch with people. That 25% that I'm still in contact with... they're awesome. Maybe it's taken me this long to weed out who my real friends are... maybe I'm just to lazy to get in touch with old friends.
I'm not complaining or super sad that some of these people have only been passersby, but there are a lot of good people I'm missing out on or who are missing out on me (ha ha ha). I kind of feel like I live in a Florida-induced bubble. It's Blake and me and that's great, don't get me wrong. We're both very much about each other, and there is NO ONE I would rather spend day after day with. But all of our friends are other places. Other states, other countries, just... gone. With the internet, wouldn't you think we would keep in touch? But I think it's exactly the opposite. It's so easy to keep in touch that we just don't because technically, we can do it whenever we want... so we put it off for ten years.
You know, maybe it's not so bad to lose touch with people. That 25% that I'm still in contact with... they're awesome. Maybe it's taken me this long to weed out who my real friends are... maybe I'm just to lazy to get in touch with old friends.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Duke it out
A week and a few people, and it will all be over. I don't mean that in a universal doomsday sense (it will all be over soon muahahahaha), but rather with a sigh or relief.
It's been interesting living in Florida for this election. I'm from New York State where no one campaigns too hard because well, we're pretty much a sure thing. Now, Florida on the other hand, well, Florida is one of the most popular girls at the dance. And everyone wants to dance with Florida and woo Florida and la di da di da. So every day, every commercial break is filled with ominous voices, "John McCain says this?" "Barrack Obama says this?" "Florida just can't afford John McCain." "Obama isn't experienced enough." and on and on and on it goes. Frankly, it's hard to watch TV anymore. As someone who has made it a point to try to educate herself on the election, I am sick of the tripe these political ads force-feed Floridians.
So I'm excited for the election because I'm sick of hearing about it. I already voted so get off my back.
It's been interesting living in Florida for this election. I'm from New York State where no one campaigns too hard because well, we're pretty much a sure thing. Now, Florida on the other hand, well, Florida is one of the most popular girls at the dance. And everyone wants to dance with Florida and woo Florida and la di da di da. So every day, every commercial break is filled with ominous voices, "John McCain says this?" "Barrack Obama says this?" "Florida just can't afford John McCain." "Obama isn't experienced enough." and on and on and on it goes. Frankly, it's hard to watch TV anymore. As someone who has made it a point to try to educate herself on the election, I am sick of the tripe these political ads force-feed Floridians.
So I'm excited for the election because I'm sick of hearing about it. I already voted so get off my back.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A Big, Fat Sigh
I'm tired of being angry... about the economy, the election, the candidates... about all of the depressing news stories that feed off people's fears, sensationalizing the "end of the world" mentality instead of giving people hope for the future. Yes, it's true, America is kind of in the crapper right now. But I am an optimist. Things are surely not so bad that the only thing we can focus on is the nastiness we face. So...
There is a lot of value in seemingly 'stupid' articles, polls and relationship advice columns. I read them. Do I really care about an article on having good manners or reupholstering your office chair? Well, no. But I read them because they help me focus. Note: I did not say 'escape' I said focus. It's easy to lose focus and drown in all of the murky sadness.
So, in the spirit of lightening things up, I will first direct you to Cute Overload!, a regular haunt for several years now. I know people who think that the time I spend on this site is time wasted. But no, 'tis not true I say! It makes me smile. It makes me laugh.
Here is a list of things I am happy about today:
-I made awesome rice for lunch. It was super tasty and didn't need any extra salt or butter and therefore, was good for me too.
-It's nice and cool outside. There is a really great breeze blowing through my bedroom window.
-I did two loads of laundry today. I love freshly washed clothes and sheets.
-Dinner will be yummy tonight. Baked spaghetti. Deceivingly simple and completely delicious.
-Blake will be home soon and we will have the rest of the day, just the two of us. As always, lots of laughter and kisses will ensue.
-I downloaded the new Ben Folds album and I really like it... it's very... Ben Folds.
-I am going to buy Halloween candy today or tomorrow and c'mon, who doesn't like candy?
That's all for now. Be off with you... and smile!
There is a lot of value in seemingly 'stupid' articles, polls and relationship advice columns. I read them. Do I really care about an article on having good manners or reupholstering your office chair? Well, no. But I read them because they help me focus. Note: I did not say 'escape' I said focus. It's easy to lose focus and drown in all of the murky sadness.
So, in the spirit of lightening things up, I will first direct you to Cute Overload!, a regular haunt for several years now. I know people who think that the time I spend on this site is time wasted. But no, 'tis not true I say! It makes me smile. It makes me laugh.
Here is a list of things I am happy about today:
-I made awesome rice for lunch. It was super tasty and didn't need any extra salt or butter and therefore, was good for me too.
-It's nice and cool outside. There is a really great breeze blowing through my bedroom window.
-I did two loads of laundry today. I love freshly washed clothes and sheets.
-Dinner will be yummy tonight. Baked spaghetti. Deceivingly simple and completely delicious.
-Blake will be home soon and we will have the rest of the day, just the two of us. As always, lots of laughter and kisses will ensue.
-I downloaded the new Ben Folds album and I really like it... it's very... Ben Folds.
-I am going to buy Halloween candy today or tomorrow and c'mon, who doesn't like candy?
That's all for now. Be off with you... and smile!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Florida in the fall
Can we talk for a second? Good. I'm sitting on the couch (you know the ones...) and I've been going over my blog. I haven't blogged in a long time. I have little things to say, just not big things, things I can write posts about. My husband is sitting close to me (really close) and he's watching the Speed channel. Not Keanu Reeves, but the channel about racing and cars and... man things I guess. idk.
Next topic.
I can't wait for trick or treating here at the apartment complex. Kids+Costumes=cuteness. Our apartment is kind of on the back side of one of the buildings so we're not really at the epicenter of candy goodness. But who knows? When there are kids and free candy involved, you can't make educated guesses. I'm excited. Either I get to see kids dressed up all cute and stuff or I get to eat a lot of candy. WIN WIN
Next topic.
I can't wait for trick or treating here at the apartment complex. Kids+Costumes=cuteness. Our apartment is kind of on the back side of one of the buildings so we're not really at the epicenter of candy goodness. But who knows? When there are kids and free candy involved, you can't make educated guesses. I'm excited. Either I get to see kids dressed up all cute and stuff or I get to eat a lot of candy. WIN WIN
Marriage isn't a competition
NOTE: This is an old post, from an old blog. I'm moving it here. (Thursday, Aug. 7 2008)
I'll admit it. When we were invited to have dinner and a chat with our friends, part of the appeal was the opportunity to see how they were doing it. Being newlyweds, I mean. I know how I handle it . . . make it up as I go along. But Adam and Sharon have plans. Not like my plan, which is to pick up dinner at Waterbury Wings tonight. No, like 'buying a house' plans. They're already house hunting.
My husband and I play rock, paper, scissors over the Xbox 360.
House hunting. Video games. House hunting. Video games.
To each their own.
But we four are alike in other ways. Like... only getting married once, which sounds a lot easier than it is, but is worth it in the end. Also, we all agreed that getting married is better than going to parties every night. Old before our time perhaps. It is occassionally lots of fun to get liquored up and bring down your barriers. But I've got to tell you... it's a lot more fun with my husband around. He knows what I'm like sober so it's extra entertaining for both of us when I'm not. Plus, I wake up with him next to me, which means two things, 1) I am happy and 2) I am still venereal-disease free.
I'll admit it. When we were invited to have dinner and a chat with our friends, part of the appeal was the opportunity to see how they were doing it. Being newlyweds, I mean. I know how I handle it . . . make it up as I go along. But Adam and Sharon have plans. Not like my plan, which is to pick up dinner at Waterbury Wings tonight. No, like 'buying a house' plans. They're already house hunting.
My husband and I play rock, paper, scissors over the Xbox 360.
House hunting. Video games. House hunting. Video games.
To each their own.
But we four are alike in other ways. Like... only getting married once, which sounds a lot easier than it is, but is worth it in the end. Also, we all agreed that getting married is better than going to parties every night. Old before our time perhaps. It is occassionally lots of fun to get liquored up and bring down your barriers. But I've got to tell you... it's a lot more fun with my husband around. He knows what I'm like sober so it's extra entertaining for both of us when I'm not. Plus, I wake up with him next to me, which means two things, 1) I am happy and 2) I am still venereal-disease free.
The Backseat Boogie
Let's talk about this article. It's full of helpful tips on how to have sex in a car. First of all, half of her tips are about making it seem like you're not having sex in a car. So why bother?
Second of all, and most importantly, this is sex in a car we're talking about. I'm guessing a classic Mustang, Impala, or Thunderbird and not a Prius. Sex in a classic car does sound kind of sexy, but the idea of a big stain in the back of a Toyota Camry is just gross.
I'm putting out my own helpful tips.
Second of all, and most importantly, this is sex in a car we're talking about. I'm guessing a classic Mustang, Impala, or Thunderbird and not a Prius. Sex in a classic car does sound kind of sexy, but the idea of a big stain in the back of a Toyota Camry is just gross.
I'm putting out my own helpful tips.
- You must have a sexy car. Though sex in a mini-van may be more convenient, it's still a mini-van. About a year or so after we started dating, my husband drove a big, white mini-van. He took it with him to college his sophomore year. And his friends still make fun of him.
- You must be sexy. Because no one wants to think of two ugly people going at it.
- It must be night and it must be raining. Because it just must be.
- Make an appointment with a car detailer before the deed. Two words my friends, stains and odor. You know that the next week, your boss's car will break down and he will be like, "You, insignificant peon over there, I have a lunch meeting with the CEO of Big Global Conglomerate Inc. Co. You will drive me!" And you will be like, "um... shit."
- Bring a bottle of water and Excedrin. Especially for the ladies, because you will cramp in places where you thought there was no muscle. Think about clowns in a clown car. Now picture those clowns trying to do the Macarena. Ouch.
And most importantly........... - Do Not have sex in a car. Don't you remember what it was like in high school, trying to just make out in a car? You were worried about getting busted all the time. Something was always jabbing you in the hip/arm/torso/everywhere else. It was impossible to find a safe spot to park.
Okay, so doing it in the bed is old news. Try the kitchen or the living room or the shower. Spend the night in a nice hotel. But, for the love of God, don't come crying to me when you try to have sex in a car and you come out looking like Quasimodo with a $2000 fine and a court date.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
It's just you... and me
Ryan moved out today. It's just me and Blake . Like a married couple... oh wait, we are a married couple. This is the second place we've lived together and the first time we're alone. It kind of felt like moving in again. Out of storage came decorative things, utilitarian things, things we didn't need because Ryan brought one. I rearranged the cupboards, pantry and drawers. It was therapeutic, as organizing usually is for me.
Last night Blake and I stayed up until 2 in the morning watching "The Fly" and it was... horrific. He'd never seen it before and I had never wanted to see it again. Basically, Jeff Goldblum (the old, better-looking one, not the new, kind of weird one) turns into a fly, Brundlefly. He looks like a grotesque mess until he cocoons and bursts out of his human body and literally looks like a big-ass fly. Trust me, it's gross. The kind of imagery that stays with you for a long, long time. Blake kept going "bzzzzt" to me and he told me he thought that the fly was standing in the corner of our room. HaHaHa. NOT funny. I am easily frightened. So I didn't get to sleep for another 30 minutes. Good thing for him I'm a good sport. I'm not the type of wife to spit in his food.
Last night Blake and I stayed up until 2 in the morning watching "The Fly" and it was... horrific. He'd never seen it before and I had never wanted to see it again. Basically, Jeff Goldblum (the old, better-looking one, not the new, kind of weird one) turns into a fly, Brundlefly. He looks like a grotesque mess until he cocoons and bursts out of his human body and literally looks like a big-ass fly. Trust me, it's gross. The kind of imagery that stays with you for a long, long time. Blake kept going "bzzzzt" to me and he told me he thought that the fly was standing in the corner of our room. HaHaHa. NOT funny. I am easily frightened. So I didn't get to sleep for another 30 minutes. Good thing for him I'm a good sport. I'm not the type of wife to spit in his food.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Sailing (part 2)
I am alive. No capsizing. No out of control-ness. In fact, I had fun. And I saw dolphins. Three of 'em.
Blake is a good sailor. We took out a Hunter sailboat and even though Blake doesn't know any sea shanties, we had a good time. Imagine, a sailor not knowing any sea shanties. I'd say there's something lacking in the way the Navy is training its sailors.
I was scared at first, with my traumatic first experience. But after awhile it wasn't scary. Granted, when I took the rudder and main line I was still scared, but by the end of the three hours, I was a lot more willing to learn. I liked being out on the water, seeing the pelicans, dolphins and seagulls.
Then we went grocery shopping at the Commissary.
Then I came home and made some dinner and then made cupcakes. Only problem is, I don't have any confectioners' sugar. So I'm going out for frosting.
A good day.
Blake is a good sailor. We took out a Hunter sailboat and even though Blake doesn't know any sea shanties, we had a good time. Imagine, a sailor not knowing any sea shanties. I'd say there's something lacking in the way the Navy is training its sailors.
I was scared at first, with my traumatic first experience. But after awhile it wasn't scary. Granted, when I took the rudder and main line I was still scared, but by the end of the three hours, I was a lot more willing to learn. I liked being out on the water, seeing the pelicans, dolphins and seagulls.
Then we went grocery shopping at the Commissary.
Then I came home and made some dinner and then made cupcakes. Only problem is, I don't have any confectioners' sugar. So I'm going out for frosting.
A good day.
I had Yoga and Seafood
Wednesday I took a yoga class on base. Awesome. I always knew I would love yoga, but I was too cheap to pay for class... well, this one's free. yay. It was SO relaxing and I love that feeling of stretching my muscles. The whole gym on base is nice. All of the treadmills and ellipticals have their own tv screens and they overlook the water. Plus it gives me something to do... as I am still looking for a job. Yeah. I'm not discouraged, though.
I do feel kind of bad that I'm not bringing in any money. Blake doesn't care though. Whenever I get down he tells me that we have enough money and it's not a big deal. I love him.
So the Pensacola Seafood Festival... well, it was more festival than seafood. Lots of really awesome craft vendors. The people of Pcola sure like to throw pottery. But the food was mega underwhelming. It was seafood, yes, but it was like county fair quality. So Blake and I left the festival and went to The Fish House, which is awesome all the time. We had the most greatest Key Lime Pie for dessert. Yummmmmmmy.
Today is grocery day and maybe sailing day and just chilling out day.
I do feel kind of bad that I'm not bringing in any money. Blake doesn't care though. Whenever I get down he tells me that we have enough money and it's not a big deal. I love him.
So the Pensacola Seafood Festival... well, it was more festival than seafood. Lots of really awesome craft vendors. The people of Pcola sure like to throw pottery. But the food was mega underwhelming. It was seafood, yes, but it was like county fair quality. So Blake and I left the festival and went to The Fish House, which is awesome all the time. We had the most greatest Key Lime Pie for dessert. Yummmmmmmy.
Today is grocery day and maybe sailing day and just chilling out day.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Panic Attack
Saturday, Blake and I took sailing lessons on base. Truthfully, I didn't want to do it in the first place, but Blake really loves to sail and taking the lesson is the only way to rent a boat from the marina. So I decided that I was going to banish all negative thoughts and just go for it.
Great idea.
My husband is in the Navy, but I am clueless about ships. I know stern and aft and starboard and port. I have never been on a sailboat... until Saturday... when I was expected to sail one.
It was three hours of instruction followed by a little over an hour of sailing. About 30 minutes into the course, I knew I was in trouble. I understood everything the instructor was saying, but I knew that it was not as simple as he made it sound.
So we get the stuff to rig the boat (heavy stuff) and make our way to the beach. I am nervous, but am definitely willing to give this a go and try my hardest. Blake asked if I was ready and I took a deep breath and out into the channel I went. We were supposed to go around two buoys. So I make my way to the last buoy... so far so good. Then I turned and I should have let go of my sail more than I did and I capsized. Awesome. It's not difficult to right the sailboat, it's just physically draining. But right it I did. And luckily Blake was there to get my hat and flip-flops, which were slowly floating their way to Pensacola Bay. But alas, my sunglasses are no more.
The instructor told me to just take a few and then start sailing again. Well. The capsizing was indicative of my ability to sail. I just didn't get it. I still don't. I understood the mechanics, but couldn't apply them. The instructor told me I shouldn't give up and that it's like riding a bike. He was very nice... and towed me back to the beach just in time. Because I was having a panic attack. Seriously. I have never had one before and hope never to have one again.
I was "in irons," which means that my boat was pointing into the wind and I was going nowhere. I couldn't get myself out of irons and because of capsizing, I was exhausted. I knew I wasn't going to learn anything more and I just wanted to go to the beach and feel dry land. Blake kept his boat by me and tried to talk me through getting my boat the right direction, but it wasn't working. I tried to keep my cool, but inside I was FREAKING out. I was kind of... floating away and I waved to the instructor, but he couldn't really talk me through getting my boat the right direction because apparently I had floated into a really crappy situation. Great. Then, he said, "I'll be right back" and he left. No explaination, no reassurances. Good thing Blake was there. Turns out, the instructor had to tow a guy back to the beach who was in a worse situation than me. Anyway, eventually, I did get back on dry land.
Blake kept telling me that no one is great the first time and it only gets easier, the bigger the sailboat. But I know I'm not cut out to sail. I will make a great passenger. Blake is the sailor.
Then we went to the beach on base. That was fun. Even though the beach was technically closed for the season and swimming was "not advised," the water was great. I only waded in anyway. It was super fun. Pensacola has the best sand ever. It's so soft and white and beautiful. Hanging out at the beach all afternoon was nice and relaxing after my sailing ordeal.
Then we came home, cleaned up and went to KFC. Blake felt bad about my sailing experience.
All in all, I don't like sailing. I do like the beach. And I have a great husband.
And my upper legs got burnt. And the backs of my legs. But that's all. Weird.
Great idea.
My husband is in the Navy, but I am clueless about ships. I know stern and aft and starboard and port. I have never been on a sailboat... until Saturday... when I was expected to sail one.
It was three hours of instruction followed by a little over an hour of sailing. About 30 minutes into the course, I knew I was in trouble. I understood everything the instructor was saying, but I knew that it was not as simple as he made it sound.
So we get the stuff to rig the boat (heavy stuff) and make our way to the beach. I am nervous, but am definitely willing to give this a go and try my hardest. Blake asked if I was ready and I took a deep breath and out into the channel I went. We were supposed to go around two buoys. So I make my way to the last buoy... so far so good. Then I turned and I should have let go of my sail more than I did and I capsized. Awesome. It's not difficult to right the sailboat, it's just physically draining. But right it I did. And luckily Blake was there to get my hat and flip-flops, which were slowly floating their way to Pensacola Bay. But alas, my sunglasses are no more.
The instructor told me to just take a few and then start sailing again. Well. The capsizing was indicative of my ability to sail. I just didn't get it. I still don't. I understood the mechanics, but couldn't apply them. The instructor told me I shouldn't give up and that it's like riding a bike. He was very nice... and towed me back to the beach just in time. Because I was having a panic attack. Seriously. I have never had one before and hope never to have one again.
I was "in irons," which means that my boat was pointing into the wind and I was going nowhere. I couldn't get myself out of irons and because of capsizing, I was exhausted. I knew I wasn't going to learn anything more and I just wanted to go to the beach and feel dry land. Blake kept his boat by me and tried to talk me through getting my boat the right direction, but it wasn't working. I tried to keep my cool, but inside I was FREAKING out. I was kind of... floating away and I waved to the instructor, but he couldn't really talk me through getting my boat the right direction because apparently I had floated into a really crappy situation. Great. Then, he said, "I'll be right back" and he left. No explaination, no reassurances. Good thing Blake was there. Turns out, the instructor had to tow a guy back to the beach who was in a worse situation than me. Anyway, eventually, I did get back on dry land.
Blake kept telling me that no one is great the first time and it only gets easier, the bigger the sailboat. But I know I'm not cut out to sail. I will make a great passenger. Blake is the sailor.
Then we went to the beach on base. That was fun. Even though the beach was technically closed for the season and swimming was "not advised," the water was great. I only waded in anyway. It was super fun. Pensacola has the best sand ever. It's so soft and white and beautiful. Hanging out at the beach all afternoon was nice and relaxing after my sailing ordeal.
Then we came home, cleaned up and went to KFC. Blake felt bad about my sailing experience.
All in all, I don't like sailing. I do like the beach. And I have a great husband.
And my upper legs got burnt. And the backs of my legs. But that's all. Weird.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Another sick
Man, let me tell you... today I became sick again. My immune system is kind of like a time machine. It would be awesome if it worked, but it doesn't. Speaking of, do you remember the time machine in Napoleon Dynamite? ha. That movie was funny when I saw it. Now, the only thing about it of any use to me is when I want Blake to do something or vice versa, I'll yell "Tina, you fat lard, come get some dinner! Come eat some ham!"
Sunday, September 14, 2008
My life was boring
Long time, no blog. But I can give you a quick recap of what I did between then and now.
-sun and humidity
-pool
-shopping
-food
-hurricane watches, but no hurricanes
And then, last Sunday, my life became lots better. Blake drove down. He got his orders changed and didn't tell me. Instead, he surprised me by just showing up last Sunday. I was in the bedroom and there was a knock at the front door. I heard Ryan open it and he said there was a package for me. I said, "On a Sunday?" And there was Blake with flowers and chocolates. Good man. He was just getting over a cold, but it was amazing to have him with me again. So for a couple days, Blake and I were just happy being together. Then, I got his sickness. He probably gave it to me with the first kiss on Sunday. So I've spent the last three days laying in bed, sick sick sick. But now I'm better.
Even though I was sick, we went couch shopping yesterday. It was our third time shopping. We had to save up money, but mostly... we're just picky. Blake had to have a reclining couch. He wouldn't even consider a regular one, which left me kind of miffed. I like clean lines and usually, reclining sofas are big, wrinkly and ugly as sin. He also only likes leather and suede-esque materials. (And he told me I was the picky one) So I compromised. We got a sofa and a love seat. Between the military discount and the sale last weekend, we saved $300. I can't wait to sit in them. It will seem more like a home.
Next up, a dining table. Which I hope to have before Thanksgiving. Who wants to eat turkey and pie off of a card table?
-sun and humidity
-pool
-shopping
-food
-hurricane watches, but no hurricanes
And then, last Sunday, my life became lots better. Blake drove down. He got his orders changed and didn't tell me. Instead, he surprised me by just showing up last Sunday. I was in the bedroom and there was a knock at the front door. I heard Ryan open it and he said there was a package for me. I said, "On a Sunday?" And there was Blake with flowers and chocolates. Good man. He was just getting over a cold, but it was amazing to have him with me again. So for a couple days, Blake and I were just happy being together. Then, I got his sickness. He probably gave it to me with the first kiss on Sunday. So I've spent the last three days laying in bed, sick sick sick. But now I'm better.
Even though I was sick, we went couch shopping yesterday. It was our third time shopping. We had to save up money, but mostly... we're just picky. Blake had to have a reclining couch. He wouldn't even consider a regular one, which left me kind of miffed. I like clean lines and usually, reclining sofas are big, wrinkly and ugly as sin. He also only likes leather and suede-esque materials. (And he told me I was the picky one) So I compromised. We got a sofa and a love seat. Between the military discount and the sale last weekend, we saved $300. I can't wait to sit in them. It will seem more like a home.
Next up, a dining table. Which I hope to have before Thanksgiving. Who wants to eat turkey and pie off of a card table?
Monday, September 1, 2008
Vividly
I always dream vividly. I remember smells, tastes, touches and little details. Most of the time, it's a wonderful thing. It's like having a second world or getting a new, random movie every night. Sometimes, though, it's detrimental to my mental health. Like the time I had a dream that Blake cheated on me and I woke up and was kind of mad at him.
Well last night I had another disturbing dream. Not a nightmare, but... hard to explain without going into details, but let's just say it isn't the kind of dream you share with anyone. ever. And it's put my whole day off kilter. I try not to think about it, which makes me think about it more, which makes me feel really awkward. I don't know... I'm weird.
Well last night I had another disturbing dream. Not a nightmare, but... hard to explain without going into details, but let's just say it isn't the kind of dream you share with anyone. ever. And it's put my whole day off kilter. I try not to think about it, which makes me think about it more, which makes me feel really awkward. I don't know... I'm weird.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Hurry-up-a-cane
I bought a lot of water today. And cookies with colored chocolate pieces in them. And a flashlight. Come on, Gustav, I'm ready for ya.
Actually, no. I am not mentally prepared for this hurricane in any way at all. I am from New York. We have the occasional ice storm or blizzard. We get snowed in, and some branches fall, but as long as you stay inside, you're pretty much good to go. A hurricane . . . is scary. Lots of wind and rain and gray skies and the potential for danger all around. My roommate and I talked to the apartment manager ladies today and apparently, during Hurricane Ivan, a lot of people (who are still alive and well) stayed in their apartments here. Minimal damage to the apartments. I think I'll be safe. Think positive.
In other news ... whoa ... If you are ever in Pensacola... please visit this place. It is full of craziness. As long as you don't mind running into "those girls" it's a great place to hang out. You know those girls, the ones who dress up to go out and think that a little makeup and a pair of heels makes them irresistibly hot... those delusional young women...
First story about McGuire's... there was a girl who turned 21 yesterday and was out with her friends celebrating. She had this huge posterboard sign "21 things to do when turning 21" and it was a list of stupid crap like "get 21 kisses on the cheek from a stranger" and "next a guy who hits on you." I was there with 8 guys and 1 other girl so naturally, birthday girl decided to see if any of the guys I was with were up to helping her fulfill her mission. She said that they could help her complete her list, as long as they didn't hit on her. Are you serious?!?! You can't wear a sign proclaiming open season on yourself and expect the sweaty masses to stay away from you. You can't wear a sign that is code for "I am a slut" and then guard your virtue like the holy grail of sexuality. One thing I can't stand about some of my gender. Put a little more value on your body... it's worth more than 3 beers and a handful of compliments.
Second story about McGuire's... I drank an "Irish Wake," bought for me by a friend who wanted to welcome me properly to Pensacola. I had never heard of this little slice of heaven before last night. Served in a rather large mason jar... about 7 liquors, citrus, two cherries and a big-ass straw. We left the bar about midnight and while I wasn't completely wasted, I did lean a bit heavy on Ryan's shoulder. And I drunk-dialed my husband. Which he wasn't happy about at the time, but now that it's the day after, he agrees it was pretty funny.
Third story about McGuire's... there is a guy there, middle-aged, with a guitar, singing cover songs of Bruce Springsteen, etc, etc, and Irish ballads. This is awesome. Kind of like Kitty Hoynes in Syracuse only a lot more... I don't know, down home. I mean, sometimes the guy with the guitar sings dirty Irish songs.
Before all the McGuire's madness, we had a great dinner at the Fish House. They also have an oyster bar (Atlas) that I'll have to go to sometime. I had an AMAZING dinner. AWESOME scallop appetizer. Great fried oysters. BUT the crowning glory? The best thing? The side dishes, fried okra and corn fritters. Holy cow were those good. I would go back for the side dishes alone. Seafood is kind of a dime a dozen in this town, but that restaurant truly has the golden touch with all things fried. As a side note, I first heard of the Fish House on Bizarre Foods (which you should watch, by the way, it's awesome). See this article, waaay on the bottom, for more info on that. No, I didn't eat bizarre things, but it was delicious just the same.
Actually, no. I am not mentally prepared for this hurricane in any way at all. I am from New York. We have the occasional ice storm or blizzard. We get snowed in, and some branches fall, but as long as you stay inside, you're pretty much good to go. A hurricane . . . is scary. Lots of wind and rain and gray skies and the potential for danger all around. My roommate and I talked to the apartment manager ladies today and apparently, during Hurricane Ivan, a lot of people (who are still alive and well) stayed in their apartments here. Minimal damage to the apartments. I think I'll be safe. Think positive.
In other news ... whoa ... If you are ever in Pensacola... please visit this place. It is full of craziness. As long as you don't mind running into "those girls" it's a great place to hang out. You know those girls, the ones who dress up to go out and think that a little makeup and a pair of heels makes them irresistibly hot... those delusional young women...
First story about McGuire's... there was a girl who turned 21 yesterday and was out with her friends celebrating. She had this huge posterboard sign "21 things to do when turning 21" and it was a list of stupid crap like "get 21 kisses on the cheek from a stranger" and "next a guy who hits on you." I was there with 8 guys and 1 other girl so naturally, birthday girl decided to see if any of the guys I was with were up to helping her fulfill her mission. She said that they could help her complete her list, as long as they didn't hit on her. Are you serious?!?! You can't wear a sign proclaiming open season on yourself and expect the sweaty masses to stay away from you. You can't wear a sign that is code for "I am a slut" and then guard your virtue like the holy grail of sexuality. One thing I can't stand about some of my gender. Put a little more value on your body... it's worth more than 3 beers and a handful of compliments.
Second story about McGuire's... I drank an "Irish Wake," bought for me by a friend who wanted to welcome me properly to Pensacola. I had never heard of this little slice of heaven before last night. Served in a rather large mason jar... about 7 liquors, citrus, two cherries and a big-ass straw. We left the bar about midnight and while I wasn't completely wasted, I did lean a bit heavy on Ryan's shoulder. And I drunk-dialed my husband. Which he wasn't happy about at the time, but now that it's the day after, he agrees it was pretty funny.
Third story about McGuire's... there is a guy there, middle-aged, with a guitar, singing cover songs of Bruce Springsteen, etc, etc, and Irish ballads. This is awesome. Kind of like Kitty Hoynes in Syracuse only a lot more... I don't know, down home. I mean, sometimes the guy with the guitar sings dirty Irish songs.
Before all the McGuire's madness, we had a great dinner at the Fish House. They also have an oyster bar (Atlas) that I'll have to go to sometime. I had an AMAZING dinner. AWESOME scallop appetizer. Great fried oysters. BUT the crowning glory? The best thing? The side dishes, fried okra and corn fritters. Holy cow were those good. I would go back for the side dishes alone. Seafood is kind of a dime a dozen in this town, but that restaurant truly has the golden touch with all things fried. As a side note, I first heard of the Fish House on Bizarre Foods (which you should watch, by the way, it's awesome). See this article, waaay on the bottom, for more info on that. No, I didn't eat bizarre things, but it was delicious just the same.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Awesome and not so awesome
So........ yesterday I spent a few hours at the pool at the apartment complex. It was BEAUTIFUL. Ninety degrees, sunny and the water was perfect. Mostly, though, I laid out and got a tan. Read some. It was just perfect weather. Today is really beautiful too.
And yet, on the horizon, I see a big, giant disaster named Gustav. Fay was a big let down. One day of sort-of heavy rain. Once again, I don't think we'll be getting the worst of it, but from the maps, it looks like wherever Gustav makes landfall, Pensacola will be hit. Great. Maybe I should go buy water.
And yet, on the horizon, I see a big, giant disaster named Gustav. Fay was a big let down. One day of sort-of heavy rain. Once again, I don't think we'll be getting the worst of it, but from the maps, it looks like wherever Gustav makes landfall, Pensacola will be hit. Great. Maybe I should go buy water.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
A week in Florida
I've been here a week and really, I haven't experienced much Florida-ness. Mainly I've been playing video games and trying to orient myself to my new habitat. Love the stores, but they are spread out all over the place and traffic is ridiculously stop-and-go in this city. But I love it anyway. I'm enjoying the change of surroundings. Change is good, though it sometimes makes me nervous.
Life-changing experience today. I got a new razor to shave my legs with and whoa... it's like seeing color TV for the first time or your first pair of heels or something else that's really great. My legs feel like the soft parts of a baby. Too bad my husband isn't here to appreciate this. Oh well. His time will come. Until then I keep rubbing my legs together. Wow, what a freak.
Life-changing experience today. I got a new razor to shave my legs with and whoa... it's like seeing color TV for the first time or your first pair of heels or something else that's really great. My legs feel like the soft parts of a baby. Too bad my husband isn't here to appreciate this. Oh well. His time will come. Until then I keep rubbing my legs together. Wow, what a freak.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Living Near the Beach Lesson
Where I come from... there are no more swimsuits to be had by late July. Actually, there's probably one rack of 75% off, mismatched, size 24 swimsuits waaaay in the back of the store. No one is interested in them by August. Even if there is an Indian Summer, up North, we know what's to come. We feel the golden, summer sunsets mocking us. We know that it will soon be time to freeze our asses off.
Here on the coast... it's always beach time. Even in the "off season" people still go to the beach. So today I went swimsuit shopping at the Cordova Mall. I went to Belk and Dillard's and found... a rack of 75% off, mixmatched, odd-sized swimsuits. What gives, Florida? If it's always summer, shouldn't you always have swimsuits out. A little miffed, I drove home, unlocked the door, changed into something more comfortable and then realized my mistake. The swimsuits are by the beach. Not 20 minutes from the beach. Whoops.
Not that I'll be going to the beach this weekend anyway. I'll be having a weekend in, courtesy of Tropical Storm Fay. Thanks a lot Fay, you stinkin' jerk. Rain and wind and it might even get cold... like only 80 degrees.
Here on the coast... it's always beach time. Even in the "off season" people still go to the beach. So today I went swimsuit shopping at the Cordova Mall. I went to Belk and Dillard's and found... a rack of 75% off, mixmatched, odd-sized swimsuits. What gives, Florida? If it's always summer, shouldn't you always have swimsuits out. A little miffed, I drove home, unlocked the door, changed into something more comfortable and then realized my mistake. The swimsuits are by the beach. Not 20 minutes from the beach. Whoops.
Not that I'll be going to the beach this weekend anyway. I'll be having a weekend in, courtesy of Tropical Storm Fay. Thanks a lot Fay, you stinkin' jerk. Rain and wind and it might even get cold... like only 80 degrees.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Devouring Books
I finished three books in three days.
A Year of Living Biblically: A man lives the Bible as literally as possible for a year. Hilarity ensues. Stoning adulterer's? Check. Do not shave your beard? Check. Do not touch a woman during or for ten days after her period? Check. Do not lie. Well, he tries. He starts out agnostic, sure that religion is intangible, just a way people are deluding themselves. You can feel it in the way he writes in the beginning. A sarcastic edge to everything. But by the middle of the book, he comes around. He starts to quote the Bible more respectfully. He gives more space to explaining Biblical precidents for actions and while he struggles with some of the more puzzing/contradicting rules in the Bible, he eventually sees the good this experiment has done him. It was a great read for me, a lifelong back-and-forth believer. I'm not the most religious person on Earth, but I try not to lie, steal, cheat or murder my neighbor.
The Bourne Identity: This book blew my mind. Not in how good it was (though it was). But it literally blew up my brain with all of its twist/turns and complications. Picture the complicated plotlines from all three movies multiplied by ten and then stuffed into a few hundred pages. It was ridiculous. Three quarters of the way through, though, I was kind of sick of the intrigue. I just wanted to get to the end and find out what was really going on. The movies were a lot simplier to follow, but the book was more rewarding. I'm really glad I didn't try to read it aloud to Blake. He stopped me three times during There Will be Blood for plot updates.
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell: Wow. What? It goes like this: you know when you get together with a group of friends, just hanging out and you all try to top each other with ridiculous stories about your life? This guy wins. Hands down. Forever. His drunken antics are... legendary... and not necessarily in a good sense. It's amazing he's venereal-disease-free and still has a working liver. A good read. But not for the squeamish. As a side note: this guy's life is one big, completely drunken, string of sluts and random and dangerous acts with friends. Naturally, a TV network wanted to document it. Was it A&E's Intervention? No... it was MTV. The youth of America don't need to be taught how to be a frat boy by a guy who won't ever grow up. They're doing fine on their own... plus, it takes all the fun out of it.
A Year of Living Biblically: A man lives the Bible as literally as possible for a year. Hilarity ensues. Stoning adulterer's? Check. Do not shave your beard? Check. Do not touch a woman during or for ten days after her period? Check. Do not lie. Well, he tries. He starts out agnostic, sure that religion is intangible, just a way people are deluding themselves. You can feel it in the way he writes in the beginning. A sarcastic edge to everything. But by the middle of the book, he comes around. He starts to quote the Bible more respectfully. He gives more space to explaining Biblical precidents for actions and while he struggles with some of the more puzzing/contradicting rules in the Bible, he eventually sees the good this experiment has done him. It was a great read for me, a lifelong back-and-forth believer. I'm not the most religious person on Earth, but I try not to lie, steal, cheat or murder my neighbor.
The Bourne Identity: This book blew my mind. Not in how good it was (though it was). But it literally blew up my brain with all of its twist/turns and complications. Picture the complicated plotlines from all three movies multiplied by ten and then stuffed into a few hundred pages. It was ridiculous. Three quarters of the way through, though, I was kind of sick of the intrigue. I just wanted to get to the end and find out what was really going on. The movies were a lot simplier to follow, but the book was more rewarding. I'm really glad I didn't try to read it aloud to Blake. He stopped me three times during There Will be Blood for plot updates.
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell: Wow. What? It goes like this: you know when you get together with a group of friends, just hanging out and you all try to top each other with ridiculous stories about your life? This guy wins. Hands down. Forever. His drunken antics are... legendary... and not necessarily in a good sense. It's amazing he's venereal-disease-free and still has a working liver. A good read. But not for the squeamish. As a side note: this guy's life is one big, completely drunken, string of sluts and random and dangerous acts with friends. Naturally, a TV network wanted to document it. Was it A&E's Intervention? No... it was MTV. The youth of America don't need to be taught how to be a frat boy by a guy who won't ever grow up. They're doing fine on their own... plus, it takes all the fun out of it.
Vicarious Living... Not Awesome
I watched The Hills today.... almost all day. I watched last night's premier twice.
I am exactly the type of viewer The Hills is geared to. Someone who does not (and will not) have that life. Someone who sits at home... watching "reality" TV to feel as if they've done something today. No husband. No job. No geographically close friends. What did I do today? Well, I threw a party for Audrina's birthday, recapped my trip to Paris and my fiancee hates my sister who wants to move in with us for awhile. What did I actually do today? Nothing.
I am exactly the type of viewer The Hills is geared to. Someone who does not (and will not) have that life. Someone who sits at home... watching "reality" TV to feel as if they've done something today. No husband. No job. No geographically close friends. What did I do today? Well, I threw a party for Audrina's birthday, recapped my trip to Paris and my fiancee hates my sister who wants to move in with us for awhile. What did I actually do today? Nothing.
Monday, August 18, 2008
A New Place to Live
So things are neat in the new apartment. It's easy and it's difficult to settle in. It's easy because the apartment is wonderfully clean, with plenty of storage space and did I mention how clean it is? It's difficult because I'm not used to my stuff being all over.
It's also awkward because I have a roommate. I like him a lot, but it takes time to adjust to living with another person. You have to pick up on their habits, moods and personalities. My first experience having a roommate probably ruined me for any other roommate ever. She is the most polite, accommodating, nice, funny and great person. A great person to live with. She's in New York City now.
Ryan, my current roommate, lived with my husband their senior year in college. He actually has a lot in common with my old roommate. He's conservative, polite and really really nice. But there, they part ways. Probably has to do with... you know... things that are different about men and women...
It's surprising, but the whole gender difference thing isn't coming into play at all for me. Mainly, it's just that we're both really willing to compromise and be polite so we end up going back and forth like this: "do you mind if I do XYZ?" "No, not at all." "Because I can do something else." "No, it's okay, you can do whatever you want." and so on and so on.
It's okay. At least we won't be getting a visit from Hurricane Fay.
It's also awkward because I have a roommate. I like him a lot, but it takes time to adjust to living with another person. You have to pick up on their habits, moods and personalities. My first experience having a roommate probably ruined me for any other roommate ever. She is the most polite, accommodating, nice, funny and great person. A great person to live with. She's in New York City now.
Ryan, my current roommate, lived with my husband their senior year in college. He actually has a lot in common with my old roommate. He's conservative, polite and really really nice. But there, they part ways. Probably has to do with... you know... things that are different about men and women...
It's surprising, but the whole gender difference thing isn't coming into play at all for me. Mainly, it's just that we're both really willing to compromise and be polite so we end up going back and forth like this: "do you mind if I do XYZ?" "No, not at all." "Because I can do something else." "No, it's okay, you can do whatever you want." and so on and so on.
It's okay. At least we won't be getting a visit from Hurricane Fay.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
I live in Florida
I live in Florida. whoa. The drive down was tiring. Blake and I lived in the cab of a Penske for almost three days. Then... the moving in. I shudder to remember. But we had a lot of good moments.
-Visiting Grandma and Grandpa in New Jersey. Grandma sent us away with two sandwiches, a tin of chocolate chip cookies, two packages of brownies, trail mix, frozen bottled water for our cooler and money to go out to dinner. Nothing like grandparents to make you feel good about yourself.
-All of the Cracker Barrel and Waffle House restaurants in the South. Holy crap. Almost every exit. There are two Waffle House restaurants within a 5 mile radius of our apartment.
-Discovering the amazing walk-in closet/bathroom/everything about the new apartment.
More details later, but for now.... just happy.
-Visiting Grandma and Grandpa in New Jersey. Grandma sent us away with two sandwiches, a tin of chocolate chip cookies, two packages of brownies, trail mix, frozen bottled water for our cooler and money to go out to dinner. Nothing like grandparents to make you feel good about yourself.
-All of the Cracker Barrel and Waffle House restaurants in the South. Holy crap. Almost every exit. There are two Waffle House restaurants within a 5 mile radius of our apartment.
-Discovering the amazing walk-in closet/bathroom/everything about the new apartment.
More details later, but for now.... just happy.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Freedom
Today is my last day of work. I have accomplished the following things:
-put together/organized hanging file folders for two cabinets
-made innumerable copies of time sheets and forms
-scheduled surveys until I can see the calendar every time I close my eyes
-made friends with the office dog
-gottens supplies from Staples
But I learned a lot of things about moving and trucking. Random information that I'm sure will come in handy some day. Lots of tidbits of moving information.
I'm not sorry to see this office go, but I am sorry that the office will now be short-staffed. Nothing I can do, though. I must get out of here, for the Navy and my wallet say so.
-put together/organized hanging file folders for two cabinets
-made innumerable copies of time sheets and forms
-scheduled surveys until I can see the calendar every time I close my eyes
-made friends with the office dog
-gottens supplies from Staples
But I learned a lot of things about moving and trucking. Random information that I'm sure will come in handy some day. Lots of tidbits of moving information.
I'm not sorry to see this office go, but I am sorry that the office will now be short-staffed. Nothing I can do, though. I must get out of here, for the Navy and my wallet say so.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Second to Last Day
Arrived 45 minutes ago to work. Flurry of activity. All of the hardware for a rich lady's beds and furniture is missing. So, she's got this $20,000 sofa that was handmade in Italy and she's got to set it on the floor. Yeah, I would probably be mad too.
But at least it's Thursday. Which means tomorrow is Friday. Even though I'm leaving this job soon, I still have that "can't wait til Friday" feeling. Going home again tomorrow. Last weekend going home for awhile, probably a few months at least. I'm really excited to get going. Loading everything into the truck will be a pain, though.
Dinner was great last night. We got pizza delivered and just talked for a couple of hours. But by the timeBlake and I got home, we were tired and didn't pack anything (surprise, surprise). So we have to pack up our bedroom tonight and Monday. Shouldn't be too bad. We didn't get out a lot of knick-knack kind of stuff because we figured the room was temporary.
We had crazy, torrential rain here yesterday. The coming week in Florida looks like it will be in the high 80s with possible t-storms. Fine with me... just as long as the trip down is trouble-free!
But at least it's Thursday. Which means tomorrow is Friday. Even though I'm leaving this job soon, I still have that "can't wait til Friday" feeling. Going home again tomorrow. Last weekend going home for awhile, probably a few months at least. I'm really excited to get going. Loading everything into the truck will be a pain, though.
Dinner was great last night. We got pizza delivered and just talked for a couple of hours. But by the timeBlake and I got home, we were tired and didn't pack anything (surprise, surprise). So we have to pack up our bedroom tonight and Monday. Shouldn't be too bad. We didn't get out a lot of knick-knack kind of stuff because we figured the room was temporary.
We had crazy, torrential rain here yesterday. The coming week in Florida looks like it will be in the high 80s with possible t-storms. Fine with me... just as long as the trip down is trouble-free!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Last Wednesday in Vermont
This time next week, I will be in New Jersey. Probably eating breakfast with Blake' grandparents, aka: two very nice and awesome people. Blake and I are planning on leaving VT on Tuesday and spending Tuesday night at Blake' grandparents house in Stewartsville. And then on to Florida, however long it takes us.
Tonight is Couples Night. We're having dinner with the Crossett's, who got married early last month. They're a really great couple who are ridiculously in love with each other. Blake and Adam are friends from Norwich. And Adam's wife, Sharon, is always really nice whenever I've seen her (on a handful of occassions, one of which was her wedding). Should be interesting.
Last night, Blake and I didn't do any packing. We'll probably regret that because we won't get any packing done tonight either. Instead, we watched "10,000 B.C." It was interesting. Except that everyone was always dirty and sweaty. I know hygiene wasn't top of the list for olden day man, but by the end, I was sick of seeing sweaty, dirty streaked people fighting one another. I did like all of the dinosaurs though, saber toothed tigers and whatnot.
Then we watched Wipeout. I've got to tell you. I really look forward to that show. It's not that I love watching people embarass themselves. It's just... funny and really relaxing to just be able to laugh at stupid stuff... like this:
Tonight is Couples Night. We're having dinner with the Crossett's, who got married early last month. They're a really great couple who are ridiculously in love with each other. Blake and Adam are friends from Norwich. And Adam's wife, Sharon, is always really nice whenever I've seen her (on a handful of occassions, one of which was her wedding). Should be interesting.
Last night, Blake and I didn't do any packing. We'll probably regret that because we won't get any packing done tonight either. Instead, we watched "10,000 B.C." It was interesting. Except that everyone was always dirty and sweaty. I know hygiene wasn't top of the list for olden day man, but by the end, I was sick of seeing sweaty, dirty streaked people fighting one another. I did like all of the dinosaurs though, saber toothed tigers and whatnot.
Then we watched Wipeout. I've got to tell you. I really look forward to that show. It's not that I love watching people embarass themselves. It's just... funny and really relaxing to just be able to laugh at stupid stuff... like this:
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Sinus Pressure
Last night, I had a glass of wine and a huge chunk of fudge. Actually, let me back up a bit. I had one large glass of wine before, during and then after dinner (one glass for those three times, not one glass for each of the three times). I actually began drinking most of it right after dinner. So I'm happily downing my glass of chardonnay when Blake says to me, "come on, we have to pack stuff." Whoa mister. You're kidding right? Do you see this ginormous glass of alcohol in my hand? Yes, he saw it and yes, he still wanted my help packing. I think I helped... in between sips of wine. Carrying heavy boxes was a little out of my capabilities, but I remember packing books.
Then I sat down to a chunk of fudge almost the size of the palm of my hand. I finished that, finished my wine and promptly felt sick to my stomach. I thought it was the alcohol and chocolate, but I woke up this morning with a sinus headache and a bad case of the sniffles... allergies. And I was so tired this morning that I forgot to take anything. So I'm sitting at my desk and my eyes are just refusing to stay open. I must be driving everyone crazy with my quiet sniffles. I think this office is the most popular spot on the East Coast because the phones are ringing of the hook. It's pretty weird to be this busy on a Tuesday morning.
Oh wait, the phones are silent.... let's see how long the lull lasts...
Then I sat down to a chunk of fudge almost the size of the palm of my hand. I finished that, finished my wine and promptly felt sick to my stomach. I thought it was the alcohol and chocolate, but I woke up this morning with a sinus headache and a bad case of the sniffles... allergies. And I was so tired this morning that I forgot to take anything. So I'm sitting at my desk and my eyes are just refusing to stay open. I must be driving everyone crazy with my quiet sniffles. I think this office is the most popular spot on the East Coast because the phones are ringing of the hook. It's pretty weird to be this busy on a Tuesday morning.
Oh wait, the phones are silent.... let's see how long the lull lasts...
Monday, August 4, 2008
I am 10
I still, very routinely, at the age of 22, "take things the wrong way." For example, in the last 24 hours, the following funny things have been said and NO ONE but me has laughed:
My boss: "Alex, where is your package?"
A book: "They pitched a tent in the town square."
A customer: "I live at 14 Pucker Road."
Granted, the "package" references can get old, but Pucker Road is a new one for me. What a great place to live. It's probably next to KY Lane and Brown Street. Maybe it runs perpendicular to Stink Avenue.
And as far as "pitching a tent in the town square" goes... well, come on people! Not only did one guy pitch a tent in the town square, a whole Company did! Picture it! Uniformed Army reservists of the early 40s, standing straight-backed and sober-faced in an old-timey town square (one with a cupid fountain in the center). They're lined up neatly, in perfect formation and each one is sportin' wood. Now THAT is funny.
My boss: "Alex, where is your package?"
A book: "They pitched a tent in the town square."
A customer: "I live at 14 Pucker Road."
Granted, the "package" references can get old, but Pucker Road is a new one for me. What a great place to live. It's probably next to KY Lane and Brown Street. Maybe it runs perpendicular to Stink Avenue.
And as far as "pitching a tent in the town square" goes... well, come on people! Not only did one guy pitch a tent in the town square, a whole Company did! Picture it! Uniformed Army reservists of the early 40s, standing straight-backed and sober-faced in an old-timey town square (one with a cupid fountain in the center). They're lined up neatly, in perfect formation and each one is sportin' wood. Now THAT is funny.
Score!!!!
This day went by so fast.....
awesome! :)
And it's a sunny day.
And Blake had to wear his khaki uniform today and he looked hot!
And my boss didn't punch me for quitting on such short notice.
What a great day!
awesome! :)
And it's a sunny day.
And Blake had to wear his khaki uniform today and he looked hot!
And my boss didn't punch me for quitting on such short notice.
What a great day!
Here is the big plan..
Leaving for Florida on Tuesday the 12th. I gave notice at my job Friday and today. I feel bad for the company I'm working for. The guy before me was apparently the world's biggest idiot and now, I've just settled in, and I'm leaving. Of course, I don't feel too bad because it's a job I didn't really like. Surprisingly my boss man was calm about it. I expected a hearty "get the hell out." He's had a terrible day so far. Problems with a truck, a customer complaint and one of our drivers put a couple of dents in his Jeep. He gets Monday's blue ribbon prize for not letting that quick temper get the better of him.
In other news, Brook's this weekend was amazing. Went with my parents in their new PT Cruiser. It's orange. I love orange... I went to Syracuse after all. I also saw some of my family and will catch up with the rest of them next weekend.
It's going to be weird... not being close to my family. We probably won't see each other until Thanksgiving, which is about 4 months away. I probably would see my parents maybe once or twice until then if we were staying in Vermont. But for my parents, it's the distance that really hurts. From Fort Plain, NY to Pensacola, FL is roughly 1,400 miles. Yeah. All the way on the other end of the country. Could be worse... Blake and I both want be stationed in Japan or Korea in the future. It's extra hard for my parents to deal with because my sister and brother both live within a mile of the house we grew up in. Our family stays in Central New York. That's just the way it is. But my parents always knew I was different. I mean, obviously, I'm adopted so I look different, but other than that, my siblings didn't go to college and they got married right out of high school. They already had a couple of children by the time they were my age. They may not be happy living in Fort Plain, but they're comfortable and don't want the bother of moving.
I couldn't wait to leave Fort Plain. It's a small town so everyone says they want to leave, but maybe 25% or so of each school class actually leaves the entire area for good. I couldn't imagine living my whole life in Central New York. It's a great place, but there are other, even greater places. How do you know if you like a place if you've hardly ever left it?
I'm glad to be leaving Vermont. It's beautiful, but the roads have worn my patience. I don't mind paying an extra few cents on the gallon for gas, just fix the damn roads already! And I'll be glad to trade in our shabby-ish apartment for a gorgeous new apartment 20 minutes from one of the most beautiful beaches in the U.S. as voted by Trip Advisor (which those in the know remember is the "life blood of the agritourism industry ... hahaha The Office).
Even though it's been balls hot down there for weeks now, everything is air conditioned. And I'll be getting a new car. And Blake will be happier. Lots of things to look forward to.
In other news, Brook's this weekend was amazing. Went with my parents in their new PT Cruiser. It's orange. I love orange... I went to Syracuse after all. I also saw some of my family and will catch up with the rest of them next weekend.
It's going to be weird... not being close to my family. We probably won't see each other until Thanksgiving, which is about 4 months away. I probably would see my parents maybe once or twice until then if we were staying in Vermont. But for my parents, it's the distance that really hurts. From Fort Plain, NY to Pensacola, FL is roughly 1,400 miles. Yeah. All the way on the other end of the country. Could be worse... Blake and I both want be stationed in Japan or Korea in the future. It's extra hard for my parents to deal with because my sister and brother both live within a mile of the house we grew up in. Our family stays in Central New York. That's just the way it is. But my parents always knew I was different. I mean, obviously, I'm adopted so I look different, but other than that, my siblings didn't go to college and they got married right out of high school. They already had a couple of children by the time they were my age. They may not be happy living in Fort Plain, but they're comfortable and don't want the bother of moving.
I couldn't wait to leave Fort Plain. It's a small town so everyone says they want to leave, but maybe 25% or so of each school class actually leaves the entire area for good. I couldn't imagine living my whole life in Central New York. It's a great place, but there are other, even greater places. How do you know if you like a place if you've hardly ever left it?
I'm glad to be leaving Vermont. It's beautiful, but the roads have worn my patience. I don't mind paying an extra few cents on the gallon for gas, just fix the damn roads already! And I'll be glad to trade in our shabby-ish apartment for a gorgeous new apartment 20 minutes from one of the most beautiful beaches in the U.S. as voted by Trip Advisor (which those in the know remember is the "life blood of the agritourism industry ... hahaha The Office).
Even though it's been balls hot down there for weeks now, everything is air conditioned. And I'll be getting a new car. And Blake will be happier. Lots of things to look forward to.
Friday, August 1, 2008
It was a lovely July
bye bye July. It was a good month. My first full month of married life. I've heard that the true test of marriage is learning to live together. Though Blake and I haven't been married long, I haven't discovered any strange quirks or annoying habits (that I didn't already know about, ahahaha). In July, I got a new job, discovered new restaurants I love, my parents got a new car and a new puppy. I got a new scar on my left arm from the slow cooker. Blake got a handgun.
We really settled into the VT apartment. It isn't the best apartment, but it wasn't the worst. Great location to downtown. Not much hot water and the bathroom leaves something to be desired.
Today is the day we find out if we can get out of here by the 12th. I told Blake to call me as soon as he found out, but I left my cell phone at home. Of course.
Can't wait to get home. We're going to Brook's BBQ in Oneonta. Brooks is Tasty McTastyville, USA and I am going to stuff my face full of their famous (and tasty) chicken.
We really settled into the VT apartment. It isn't the best apartment, but it wasn't the worst. Great location to downtown. Not much hot water and the bathroom leaves something to be desired.
Today is the day we find out if we can get out of here by the 12th. I told Blake to call me as soon as he found out, but I left my cell phone at home. Of course.
Can't wait to get home. We're going to Brook's BBQ in Oneonta. Brooks is Tasty McTastyville, USA and I am going to stuff my face full of their famous (and tasty) chicken.
Office Drama
Oh man. I would never want to go into business with my husband. I think that the business would be fine, but our relationship would be ruined. We think differently. That whole left and right brain thing. When given a problem, we want to tackle it our own ways (convinced that our own way is better than the other person's way). Of course we can understand the other person's point of view, but running a business is difficult and tempers would flare...
Case in point... today at my office. About half an hour after I came in my bosses became pretty unhappy with each other. I've blogged about both of them. The boss man is short-tempered and has no patience for what he sees as stupid questions (like Blake, except Blake doesn't get mean). My boss lady takes a little longer than he does to get some things, but she always tries her hardest and means well (like me). So what happens? They're 'discussing' in stressed tones if we can fit a load and unload job into next week. Problem is, there is a really large, expensive job already set for next week that my boss lady has blocked out 3 days for with most of the good crew guys. My boss man thinks she scheduled it all wrong and he's trying his best to say it nicely (because he knows I'm standing two feet away). And she says, "To be honest, I don't even know how many men we have working for us." Scary pause and then he says quietly, "How can you be in small business and not know how many employees you have? I'm going to get pissed off if you say things like that." And she was super quiet
Then he says to his wife, "Come on, let's take a walk and talk about this." And he says it quietly, but it's like something out of the Godfather. You know, "Come on, Tessio, let's for for a walk..." Then they came back and it was awkward silence until she left for an appointment.
Case in point... today at my office. About half an hour after I came in my bosses became pretty unhappy with each other. I've blogged about both of them. The boss man is short-tempered and has no patience for what he sees as stupid questions (like Blake, except Blake doesn't get mean). My boss lady takes a little longer than he does to get some things, but she always tries her hardest and means well (like me). So what happens? They're 'discussing' in stressed tones if we can fit a load and unload job into next week. Problem is, there is a really large, expensive job already set for next week that my boss lady has blocked out 3 days for with most of the good crew guys. My boss man thinks she scheduled it all wrong and he's trying his best to say it nicely (because he knows I'm standing two feet away). And she says, "To be honest, I don't even know how many men we have working for us." Scary pause and then he says quietly, "How can you be in small business and not know how many employees you have? I'm going to get pissed off if you say things like that." And she was super quiet
Then he says to his wife, "Come on, let's take a walk and talk about this." And he says it quietly, but it's like something out of the Godfather. You know, "Come on, Tessio, let's for for a walk..." Then they came back and it was awkward silence until she left for an appointment.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
O lady
My boss lady is a chatty cathy today, for serious. She's in a crummy mood. . . well everyone is. I'm in a bad mood because I'm sick of this week. Anyway, apparently when she's cranky she likes to talk, a lot, about random things like hormone replacement therapy and telemarketers and her father talking so much that once, he made a guy with a cathater overflow all over himself (whoa!). Then she got called away to her son's school. Something about snack time and cake and he doesn't eat snacks during the school year but he had cake and now my boss lady has to go buy food for her son... I don't know. I just work here.
So I'm alone in the office. Just me and Max (the dog). He'll abandon me once he realizes that I've finished eating lunch.
Major thunderstorm-age this morning. Woke both Blake and me up around 6a.m. and it was so loud that it was shaking everything. Then it poured. And as soon as it was time for me to leave for work, the dangerous weather went bye-bye. Gee, thanks Mother Nature. I had dreams of spending the day catching up on my scrapbooking. Instead, I'm here at work... blogging. Okay, so I guess it's not all that bad.
So I'm alone in the office. Just me and Max (the dog). He'll abandon me once he realizes that I've finished eating lunch.
Major thunderstorm-age this morning. Woke both Blake and me up around 6a.m. and it was so loud that it was shaking everything. Then it poured. And as soon as it was time for me to leave for work, the dangerous weather went bye-bye. Gee, thanks Mother Nature. I had dreams of spending the day catching up on my scrapbooking. Instead, I'm here at work... blogging. Okay, so I guess it's not all that bad.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Another sunny day
Going home this weekend because we might be gone for good soon.
I really can't wait to get out of here for many reasons. The number one reason is that this job does not suit me at all. It's a good job, don't get me wrong, it's just not for me. You know how sometimes you walk into a room or a store or anywhere, and you can just tell it just isn't your kind of place? That's how I feel every day. My boss makes me nervous. He's always frowning and looks mad. He makes me (and everyone) feel that they're always doing the wrong thing. He doesn't do it on purpose, it's just his way... lucky us.
He does make an effort though. He always thanks me at the end of the day for my help. He gave me a totally awkward thumbs-up once. He's a good businsesman. And he has a sailboat and wears boating shoes every day to work. I figure that a guy who wants to be on the water all the time can't be all bad.
I really can't wait to get out of here for many reasons. The number one reason is that this job does not suit me at all. It's a good job, don't get me wrong, it's just not for me. You know how sometimes you walk into a room or a store or anywhere, and you can just tell it just isn't your kind of place? That's how I feel every day. My boss makes me nervous. He's always frowning and looks mad. He makes me (and everyone) feel that they're always doing the wrong thing. He doesn't do it on purpose, it's just his way... lucky us.
He does make an effort though. He always thanks me at the end of the day for my help. He gave me a totally awkward thumbs-up once. He's a good businsesman. And he has a sailboat and wears boating shoes every day to work. I figure that a guy who wants to be on the water all the time can't be all bad.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Tuesday Happenings
No big activities today. Just a bunch of little things.
I had to be the bearer of bad news all day long for this poor interior decorator lady. I had to call her three times and tell her that she couldn't pick up her stuff, she couldn't see her stuff and something she was hoping to get in today hadn't come. Eventually (and not surprisingly) she got unhappy around 4:00 so my boss talked to her.
I got whistled at today. There are a couple of teenage guys who work in the warehouse and they thought I was out of hearing range, which of course, I was not. Part of me is very embarassed because I have to see these guys all the time. The other part of me is happy because I've still got it (apparently... and whatever 'it' is).
Blake is going running tonight with some guys from the unit. Occurring at 5:30... who goes running at 5:30? It's still hot out and besides, everyone's ready to go home for dinner. Ick. I will be at the nice air conditioned apartment, having a pre-dinner snack. French bread maybe. Or a couple of bites of the steak enchilada I have left over from last night. Oh man, I am making myself so hungry.
10 minutes to freedom.
I had to be the bearer of bad news all day long for this poor interior decorator lady. I had to call her three times and tell her that she couldn't pick up her stuff, she couldn't see her stuff and something she was hoping to get in today hadn't come. Eventually (and not surprisingly) she got unhappy around 4:00 so my boss talked to her.
I got whistled at today. There are a couple of teenage guys who work in the warehouse and they thought I was out of hearing range, which of course, I was not. Part of me is very embarassed because I have to see these guys all the time. The other part of me is happy because I've still got it (apparently... and whatever 'it' is).
Blake is going running tonight with some guys from the unit. Occurring at 5:30... who goes running at 5:30? It's still hot out and besides, everyone's ready to go home for dinner. Ick. I will be at the nice air conditioned apartment, having a pre-dinner snack. French bread maybe. Or a couple of bites of the steak enchilada I have left over from last night. Oh man, I am making myself so hungry.
10 minutes to freedom.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Harumph!
It's just me... and my boss. Together. All day. My eyelids have that sticky/sandpapery feel that comes from extreme and acute boredom. I even Google'd "boredom at work." Unfortunately, the articles that came up were essentially all the same. Reorganize, download things, games, get a new job...
I'm using my downtime to blog. As always. That's why I don't post on the weekends. Too much going on. On Saturday, Blake and I went to the Barre Homecoming. We didn't get to the lobster dinner, though, we just weren't hungry. We did go to Sarducci's later that night. I love that place. We had calamari (wonderful) for an appetizer. Blake had spinach ravioli and I had pasta with mussels, shrimp and scallops. Love that place. I'm really glad we got back there before we left the area, which may be sooner than we think.
Blake finally got his orders!!! Yay!! He's not due until a bit later in the year, but we're hoping to get down there sooner. Blake' working on that today.
My boss just went to lunch. "See you in an hour." He always says that. He'll saunter in at about 2:30. Bosses. Though I can't complain. I kind of like the alone time.
A Bad Day Gone Right
Just one more reason I believe there is no such thing as a bad day...
Yesterday I woke up feeling wrong. Couldn't put my finger on it, but my whole body felt ill. Nevertheless, Blake and I did laundry and went grocery shopping. During that time, I developed a massive headache on the left side of my head. We got home and I laid down for an hour before we started dinner. Pork ribs in the slow cooker (awesome), but I accidentally jammed my arm on the cooker (not awesome). It left a 4" long burn on my arm. It looked pretty nasty so Blake and I walked to Shaw's for something to put on it. Halfway there, it downpoured. We had an umbrella, but both of us couldn't fit under it so I got soaked. The rain let up a little on the way back, but my whole body was wet. Blake helped me bandage myself when we got home.
I curled up under the covers to watch TV and Blake came over and rubbed my back and said quietly, "You've had a rough day honey. I love you." And then, my day was great once again!
Yesterday I woke up feeling wrong. Couldn't put my finger on it, but my whole body felt ill. Nevertheless, Blake and I did laundry and went grocery shopping. During that time, I developed a massive headache on the left side of my head. We got home and I laid down for an hour before we started dinner. Pork ribs in the slow cooker (awesome), but I accidentally jammed my arm on the cooker (not awesome). It left a 4" long burn on my arm. It looked pretty nasty so Blake and I walked to Shaw's for something to put on it. Halfway there, it downpoured. We had an umbrella, but both of us couldn't fit under it so I got soaked. The rain let up a little on the way back, but my whole body was wet. Blake helped me bandage myself when we got home.
I curled up under the covers to watch TV and Blake came over and rubbed my back and said quietly, "You've had a rough day honey. I love you." And then, my day was great once again!
Friday, July 25, 2008
The sun! The sun!
After days of rain and widespread flooding, the sun shines on Vermont. Just in time for the weekend. Fridays just feel different, better somehow. Blake and I are going to one of the best wings place on the planet this weekend, Waterbury Wings. Serious awesome deliciousness will occur. I salivate just thinking about it. I like our Friday-night-out ritual. It takes us to some delicious spots.
What else are we doing this weekend? Hmm... well as always, I have some things I want to buy. I really really need to get a planner. Call me old-fashioned (and fill me with ice and alcohol), but I like paper planners. I like writing things down. I feel more in control that way. It's the same problem I have with blogging. I just like to see the words form on paper. Blogging has really grown on me, though. But I don't think electronic planning ever will. It helps to know there are other paper-planner-lovers out there... they still sell them at Staples. God Bless Staples. If they would put a Charlotte Russe and a Lindt in a Staples I would LIVE there.
Started playing Bioshock last night. Yes, I am extremely behind the coolness... but it's like... I don't know... I haven't played Bioshock for the same reason I haven't seen No Country for Old Men. I've heard AMAZING things about it. Seen clips and heard interviews and I really am dying to see it... but it scares the crap out of me. I don't like to be scared. I don't like to be on the edge of my seat with fear. Last night, I bravely sat down, controller in hand, and entered the demented world of Rapture... beautiful and just as I suspected, creepy as hell. Probably has something to do with little girls stabbing dead bodies. Yeah. Going to be playing this one in broad daylight.
What else are we doing this weekend? Hmm... well as always, I have some things I want to buy. I really really need to get a planner. Call me old-fashioned (and fill me with ice and alcohol), but I like paper planners. I like writing things down. I feel more in control that way. It's the same problem I have with blogging. I just like to see the words form on paper. Blogging has really grown on me, though. But I don't think electronic planning ever will. It helps to know there are other paper-planner-lovers out there... they still sell them at Staples. God Bless Staples. If they would put a Charlotte Russe and a Lindt in a Staples I would LIVE there.
Started playing Bioshock last night. Yes, I am extremely behind the coolness... but it's like... I don't know... I haven't played Bioshock for the same reason I haven't seen No Country for Old Men. I've heard AMAZING things about it. Seen clips and heard interviews and I really am dying to see it... but it scares the crap out of me. I don't like to be scared. I don't like to be on the edge of my seat with fear. Last night, I bravely sat down, controller in hand, and entered the demented world of Rapture... beautiful and just as I suspected, creepy as hell. Probably has something to do with little girls stabbing dead bodies. Yeah. Going to be playing this one in broad daylight.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The big weekend
Earlier today, my boss, Karan let out a big yawn and said, "I wonder why I'm so tired this morning." I said, "Because it's Thursday." She agreed and said, "I look forward to going to bed at 9 on Fridays. There was a day when I was getting ready to go out at that time. I must be getting old." Well, Karan... I am old too. I don't go to bed at 9, but I certainly do look forward to cozying up in bed with Blake in the evening.
This weekend, Blake and I plan on going to the Barre Homecoming lobster dinner. Our other big activity? Blake and I signed up for Gamefly so we'll probably be playing video games all weekend. Yeah, we are losers, but you know what? At least we have each other. As always, though, sleeping in is the big one. It makes the work week worthwhile, to roll over and see 9:00am on the nightstand.
Ooh payday is tomorrow. My first paycheck working full-time. We'll probably need it to, paying for the new condo. Renting is a lot of money up front, but I think it will be worth it when we have our super sweet new digs.
Just a thought... you know what I miss? New episodes of The Office. They don't start until September. bummer. Yes, I know, the webisodes are very good, but there's nothing like a good episode of The Office. Especially on a Thursday when you need that pick-me-up from being dragged aruond all week.
Wow. I swear that I did not intend to have absolutely no transitions between paragraphs. Sorry.
This weekend, Blake and I plan on going to the Barre Homecoming lobster dinner. Our other big activity? Blake and I signed up for Gamefly so we'll probably be playing video games all weekend. Yeah, we are losers, but you know what? At least we have each other. As always, though, sleeping in is the big one. It makes the work week worthwhile, to roll over and see 9:00am on the nightstand.
Ooh payday is tomorrow. My first paycheck working full-time. We'll probably need it to, paying for the new condo. Renting is a lot of money up front, but I think it will be worth it when we have our super sweet new digs.
Just a thought... you know what I miss? New episodes of The Office. They don't start until September. bummer. Yes, I know, the webisodes are very good, but there's nothing like a good episode of The Office. Especially on a Thursday when you need that pick-me-up from being dragged aruond all week.
Wow. I swear that I did not intend to have absolutely no transitions between paragraphs. Sorry.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Din!
Mmm-mmm-mmm. Alternative name for this post is "The Best Husband Ever." Though I did help with dinner last night, it was really his show. Greek-style salad with noodles and a citrus vinigrette. Topped with an awesome pepper and garlic steak. He even cooked it medium-rare for my sake (he's kind of a peasant and eats his steak brown inside... ick). I could eat this stuff every night for the rest of my life and die a happy woman. For dessert I had a small bowl of Snicker's ice cream. We cuddled and watched Wipeout! which is a new favorite. Come on, who doesn't like to see people making fools of themselves? Hilarious!
Blake really liked the condo he saw yesterday. Washer, dryer, dishwasher, porch, right on the river. Two bedrooms. Partially furnished. Heat and hot water not included though. We're just trying to decide if it's worth it or we should hold out. Been trying to figure out how much heat and hot water would be up here in October or November. It might even out in the end though, because we wouldn't have to go to the laundromat every week.
My mom e-mailed me last night. My niece was staying overnight at my parents house and she stayed in my old bedroom. Weird to think of my bedroom as a guest room. It still looks the same. Most of the stuff is gone, of course. It's weird to reference "at my parents' house," but I like the feeling. Just takes some getting used to.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Monthly Produce
Buying fruits and vegetables that are in season is supposed to be the way to go, but like this author at Wise Bread, I have no idea what's in season. True, I grew up on a farm, but it was a dairy farm... which means that I know when corn, hay and cows are in season. I am clueless on the rest. I am using this article, "Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, By Month" at the grocery store and farmer's market.
So what, it's Tuesday....
Tomorrow is Wednesday and then Thursday which is the day before Friday. It's not that I hate my job it's that I like the weekend better. It hasn't been a slow day, but I've had time for crosswords and Addicting Games. Lots of little things to do.
It's 2:15. So I have 2 hours and 45 minutes left of this office. Can't wait to get home.
Oh, get this. My mom told me that a family friend asked them to come to Killington (beautiful place) for a day-long something about milking buffalo. Yeah, milking buffalo. I couldn't find this "milking buffalo" festival online, but I did find a farm that milks water buffalo. Apparently, the buffalo love company. Okaaaaay.
In other news, Blake is looking at a condo today. It's at the higher end of our budget, but our BAH will still cover the rent and utilities for it. It's definitely one of the nicer places for rent in town and I wouldn't mind living in a super nice place for a few months. Our current apartment... well... let me tell you about living in Montpelier, VT. Most places for rent are kind of, well, dumps. Some of them literally. Poor Blake was nauseated by one he went to last week. The one we live in now isn't terrible, but the toilet is kind of broken and the floors/carpets are pretty beat up and lots and lots of little things that add up fast.
I'm excited to move again. Except the foosball table is way to heavy for this gal to lift. I almost gave myself a hernia moving it into the apartment we're currently in. No way I'm moving that bad boy ever again. But that's what friends are for, right?
2:36.... tick tock
It's 2:15. So I have 2 hours and 45 minutes left of this office. Can't wait to get home.
Oh, get this. My mom told me that a family friend asked them to come to Killington (beautiful place) for a day-long something about milking buffalo. Yeah, milking buffalo. I couldn't find this "milking buffalo" festival online, but I did find a farm that milks water buffalo. Apparently, the buffalo love company. Okaaaaay.
In other news, Blake is looking at a condo today. It's at the higher end of our budget, but our BAH will still cover the rent and utilities for it. It's definitely one of the nicer places for rent in town and I wouldn't mind living in a super nice place for a few months. Our current apartment... well... let me tell you about living in Montpelier, VT. Most places for rent are kind of, well, dumps. Some of them literally. Poor Blake was nauseated by one he went to last week. The one we live in now isn't terrible, but the toilet is kind of broken and the floors/carpets are pretty beat up and lots and lots of little things that add up fast.
I'm excited to move again. Except the foosball table is way to heavy for this gal to lift. I almost gave myself a hernia moving it into the apartment we're currently in. No way I'm moving that bad boy ever again. But that's what friends are for, right?
2:36.... tick tock
Monday, July 21, 2008
Rain
Last night at 11, Blake and I were in bed, watching TV. He got up to go to downstairs, but just before he shut the door behind him, he turned around and said quietly,
"Come here, can you hear it?"
"Can I hear what?"
"Can you hear it raining?"
So I got up and we went into the non-AC, non-TV room and listened to the rain for a few minutes. The cars went by and made splashing noises. The room was completely dark. I like being married.
"Come here, can you hear it?"
"Can I hear what?"
"Can you hear it raining?"
So I got up and we went into the non-AC, non-TV room and listened to the rain for a few minutes. The cars went by and made splashing noises. The room was completely dark. I like being married.
Cool Name
File this under: "Funny and Awkward"
My boss (who I mentioned just today does not have the gift of gab... or even the gift of continuing a pleasant conversation) just tried to make convo with a driver over the phone. Why he picked this guy I have no idea.
Tom: May I have your name, driver?
Driver: Demitrius
Tom: Demitrius... that... that is a-a cool name.
Maybe you had to be here to get the full effect. You probably have to have met my boss at least once to find that funny. I think this will be a post I'll reread in a year for a chuckle.
My boss (who I mentioned just today does not have the gift of gab... or even the gift of continuing a pleasant conversation) just tried to make convo with a driver over the phone. Why he picked this guy I have no idea.
Tom: May I have your name, driver?
Driver: Demitrius
Tom: Demitrius... that... that is a-a cool name.
Maybe you had to be here to get the full effect. You probably have to have met my boss at least once to find that funny. I think this will be a post I'll reread in a year for a chuckle.
The hours drag by
I'm almost halfway through my work day. I'm alone in the office. the sun in shining. the breeze is blowing. and I am bored out of my mind. I have run out of useless websites to visit. I mean, how much useless internet crap can my mind take in?
Maybe my boss will come back soon. Like that will help... not a great conversationalist. You know those movies where there is a normal, every day, kind of boring guy who has a family and an office job and just goes about his life until something absolutely wonderful or terribly tragic happens and then you see that he is special and different from everyone else? Well, my boss is like that, except without the exciting end bit. I'm very tempted to see what he would do if I put his stapler in jell-o. My guess? He'd shake with rage and point me to the door.... some people have no appreciation for the finer (and funnier) things in life. Plus jell-o might melt and no one wants that.
On the up side, this weekend marked the closing of the wedding registry. There are a few items left on there, but they're things we've gotten somewhere else or have discovered we don't need. It's very adult. Owning all of the housewares, I mean. The apple corer, the basting brush, the cutlery, the shelf of cookbooks and cereal. Coming home and knowing all of that belongs to Blake and me... it's pretty deep stuff. Like, I used to be a kid, but like, now, I'm like, big. In college I still felt pretty much like a child. Taking home your laundry every couple of weeks will do that. But now...
I like being an adult, don't get me wrong. I mean, this whole husband thing... well, it's pretty damn awesome. And my relationship with my mother is perfect now that we don't have to live with each other. But wow. I'm too young to feel so much nostalgia. It was little over a year ago that I was in college with my roomies. Good times. It was less than 10 years ago that I was completely awkward and thought that I would never get married. Not so good times. Less than 20 years ago, I was living it up, playing in the mud and learning shapes and addition.
time. i can't believe how many and how few years i've been alive.
I really need to stop acting elderly.
Maybe my boss will come back soon. Like that will help... not a great conversationalist. You know those movies where there is a normal, every day, kind of boring guy who has a family and an office job and just goes about his life until something absolutely wonderful or terribly tragic happens and then you see that he is special and different from everyone else? Well, my boss is like that, except without the exciting end bit. I'm very tempted to see what he would do if I put his stapler in jell-o. My guess? He'd shake with rage and point me to the door.... some people have no appreciation for the finer (and funnier) things in life. Plus jell-o might melt and no one wants that.
On the up side, this weekend marked the closing of the wedding registry. There are a few items left on there, but they're things we've gotten somewhere else or have discovered we don't need. It's very adult. Owning all of the housewares, I mean. The apple corer, the basting brush, the cutlery, the shelf of cookbooks and cereal. Coming home and knowing all of that belongs to Blake and me... it's pretty deep stuff. Like, I used to be a kid, but like, now, I'm like, big. In college I still felt pretty much like a child. Taking home your laundry every couple of weeks will do that. But now...
I like being an adult, don't get me wrong. I mean, this whole husband thing... well, it's pretty damn awesome. And my relationship with my mother is perfect now that we don't have to live with each other. But wow. I'm too young to feel so much nostalgia. It was little over a year ago that I was in college with my roomies. Good times. It was less than 10 years ago that I was completely awkward and thought that I would never get married. Not so good times. Less than 20 years ago, I was living it up, playing in the mud and learning shapes and addition.
time. i can't believe how many and how few years i've been alive.
I really need to stop acting elderly.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Turning 16
My nephew, Jack, turns 16 on Sunday. He used to be a baby. He used to dance like someone had tied a brick to his one elbow and a dozen helium balloons to his other and he was trying to shake them all off. He was my first nephew. I remember the first time I held him. When he ate a crayon and my sister flipped out. When he put a rubber tire from a Tonka on the end of a stick and melted it over an open flame... then proceeded to wave the flaming, dripping plastic mass straight into my knee-cap. I still have a scar. When we were racing down a dirt and gravel hill and he tumbled off his bike and skidded to the bottom, face-first. Don't worry. His face turned out handsome. Too handsome in fact... he's always got a skinny, blonde girlfriend. Now he's got a car. He'll probably get four skinny blonde girlfriends now. Oh Jack. You used to like Barney. Please don't become a jerk. Please don't make your romantic life a revolving door of blonde hair and too many teeth. Please use a little of that time you spend pumping iron on looking at colleges at least 40 miles from home ... ... ... I know it would be weird if we hung out like we used to. We don't have much in common anymore. But you're still my first nephew and I love you.
so there.
so there.
In Love with a Friday
This day is great... because it is Friday. Sleeping in is priority number one this weekend for both Blake and me. These next two work weeks will be super rough because my supervisor at work will be on vacation, leaving me to do most of her work and handle incoming calls. Oooh boy. My boss is a nice man, but not a patient one. I expect a good solid frown or two daily.
Vermont is so humid today. The air is sticky. It's pretty gross, but at least I have AC at home. Thunder is rumbling in the distance. It poured out this morning just before Blake and I left. Hope the weather clears up by the time I have to go home. I'm in no mood to have my Friday drive home hindered by rain.
Vermont is so humid today. The air is sticky. It's pretty gross, but at least I have AC at home. Thunder is rumbling in the distance. It poured out this morning just before Blake and I left. Hope the weather clears up by the time I have to go home. I'm in no mood to have my Friday drive home hindered by rain.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Limp
Getting out of bed this morning. . . it was just beyond what I could handle. My eyes still feel gritty. At least there is plenty of stuff to do at work and I'm not falling asleep. The sunshine helps.
Blake is out apartment hunting today. I put a big dent in his plans because I didn't completely fill out some paperwork I had to. He wasn't too happy... so I sent him a Hallmark "I'm sorry" e-card. Yeah... I'm classy like that.
Blake is out apartment hunting today. I put a big dent in his plans because I didn't completely fill out some paperwork I had to. He wasn't too happy... so I sent him a Hallmark "I'm sorry" e-card. Yeah... I'm classy like that.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Asleep at the Wheel
Sleepy. At my desk. Work is steady but uninvigorating. Max the fuzball is sleeping soundly... like a little brown log with paws. He opens his eyes once in awhile when his owner makes a noise with her food. Ever hopeful.
It seems like it should be Friday, not Wednesday. Though Wednesday's better than Tuesday and much much better than the M-word. Going back to working full time is kicking my butt. Just that month or so off for the wedding and moving got me back in the habit of having enough time to do whatever I want. I accomplished nothing that I wanted to last night. My scrapbooking sits half-done, the foosball table looks lonely, my desk at home is crazy looking.
Last night, I got home about 5:30 and dinner was immediately (1/2 hour cook time). So we got done with that about 7. Then Blake and I looked through some cookbooks for recipes for this week and we headed out to the grocery store about 7:20. We were at Shaw's until about 8:15. We got home, put groceries away and chilled out. I went to bed at 10:30 or so.
I blame the wine. I only had one glass. Little Penguin Chardonnay. Not amazing, but it's a good everyday wine because it's not expensive.
This weekend there is a Brewer's festival in Burlington. Should be super-fun. I am slowly but surely increasing my taste for beer. Just one more step in my plan to become the world's cheapest date.
It seems like it should be Friday, not Wednesday. Though Wednesday's better than Tuesday and much much better than the M-word. Going back to working full time is kicking my butt. Just that month or so off for the wedding and moving got me back in the habit of having enough time to do whatever I want. I accomplished nothing that I wanted to last night. My scrapbooking sits half-done, the foosball table looks lonely, my desk at home is crazy looking.
Last night, I got home about 5:30 and dinner was immediately (1/2 hour cook time). So we got done with that about 7. Then Blake and I looked through some cookbooks for recipes for this week and we headed out to the grocery store about 7:20. We were at Shaw's until about 8:15. We got home, put groceries away and chilled out. I went to bed at 10:30 or so.
I blame the wine. I only had one glass. Little Penguin Chardonnay. Not amazing, but it's a good everyday wine because it's not expensive.
This weekend there is a Brewer's festival in Burlington. Should be super-fun. I am slowly but surely increasing my taste for beer. Just one more step in my plan to become the world's cheapest date.
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