and so here we are

So far this year I've been slightly tardy to work. But I have my reasons, I do. I'm sick : ( It started as a scratchy throat and got worse. This morning I almost called in, but was glad I didn't. Not because I want to work, no, but since next week is a flurry of doctor's appointments (January is my month to do annual check-ups, starting with the eye doctor). And since most of my doctors are near my old home, that means leaving work early which means today is a good time to get some crap done.

Staying at home would also remind me of the two baskets of clothes I should fold, dirty dishes we were so tired to take care of before bed after a later dinner, and the looming list of things we're trying to tackle in the next couple of weeks. We still feel unsettled, not in that we are unhappy and feel out place, but that we can't feel totally unpacked until we get some painting done, but before that comes the demise of the wallpaper which we are in the middle of steaming off.

If it were up to me I'd pay someone to lather the walls with lovely paint among other things, but Bub wants to take care of it just us. That is fine and saves us money, but we're landlords now and having those responsibilities of sprucing up our condo for rental distract us from what we want to accomplish in the new home. I've kept from feeling too overwhelmed by reminding myself and Bub that we have plenty of time to take care of the house, but that we need to finish up tasks at the condo quickly to be done with it.

If only I weren't feeling so blah and ick and sicky that I could make a list and get done those things I need to this weekend: condo, house, and the rest of life. At least a haircut is waiting for me tomorrow afternoon. I love myself some grooming.

Happy Fri.

Whirlwind

We move in 3 days just in time for a snowstorm they are predicting for Sunday.

I haven't been to the gym in ahem I *think* a month and the only meal I had yesterday outside of dinner was that of anything Hershey's, thanks to a partner.

We've made good progress on the holiday cards. Another make your own project. I'm not sure what we were thinking by trying to make these and move in the same week.

My face hates me. The great zitfest of 2007. I have a zit on my neck that screams chicken pox. It looks like one of those things and since I'm pale it's smack dab in the center of my light skin. What gives? I'm already thinking about the new sweater/top I should buy in case it doesn't go away in time for Bub's Christmas party at work.

My arms feel fat as I type this and they squeeze against my body for warmth.

I'm freezing.

I have 2.5 days of work left this week and a 2-day week next week. Then I'm off until 2008. Reminding myself of this is what's getting me through the stress.

Our condo looks like it threw up boxes.

There is so much to do.

On the fun front, there's a local organic farmshare in our new town. We are already in the organic club and can start ordering organic fruits and veggies this week if we want.

Now all we need is a dog so that we can partake in the local dog park with Sass.

I still haven't gotten my period and I'm confident I'm not pregnant. But I've never missed a month so I wonder if I should call the gyn. Ugh.

More later.

Good Progress

I'm making good progress with my shopping. I know, yesterday I was bitching and now today? It's all changed?

No, really. After a few swipes of the debit card, things are looking up on the gift front.

Thanks to Pessimistic Redhead I've got my sister covered with some baked goodies. I even got some licorice for my mother too.

+++

Everyone in the office has been freezing and running space heaters non-stop. People with offices...ahem...like moi (and damn proud of it!) are shutting their doors to keep the warmth close.

It is so cold here, and I so despise walking through the icy parking lot to the car so that I can run an errand to the post office, let alone entice myself with some Starbucks!

Yes, the post office has been on my list for some time. I want to fill out a change of address form thingy so we are set with our mail. Apparently, if you do so online, they make you pay and they have to ensure that your credit cards all have said new address so that they don't thnk you're being fraudulent.

Hi, who would want to be me? I have bills, bad hair days, and I've been PMSing forever. Oh, I didn't mention that my period is 2 weeks late, approaching 3? Yeah, my period is so irregular. A week to two weeks late is pretty consistent, but we've just passed the 2-week mark. It's like Christmas in your pants when I get it, but not really.

That was kind of gross. Sorry. And no, I'm not pregnant, but thanks for thinking that. I so appreciate it : )

Hi, this will be brief

I woke up with my period today. I feel ugh and I'm having a Mocha Madness from Honey Dew and I just KNOW I'm going to get a stomach ache because I happen to have an extra-sensitive stomach during this unpleasant time of the month and that blended with milk products? Notsogreat. Molly knows about this and so does Daily Editor. For DE, she may have to think back to the one-way street and Bread & Circus incident to trigger the memory. Ahem, moving on.

So, the weather and the need for some caffeine? A very important thing since hi, Red Sox! And hi, late staying up for me is difficult since hi, I go to bed early like a granny, or try to.

I cannot believe it's November next week. The month of Thanksgiving! We made travel arrangements last night to see Bub's family. It's all coming up so fast. I was shocked to see the holiday catalogs arriving already...I'm already wondering what I can wear to holiday parties...hmmm....

I have a lot of work to do today which could mean staying late, but not too late since hi, it's that thing called the WORLD SERIES and although we seriously crushed the Colorado peeps last night, I don't think we're going to get off so easy. I just don't.

So if you'll excuse me, I have to go be a good employee now (yeah right).

GO SOX! GO ORTIZ!

P.S. The house? Some of you know the dealio as of now... Fingers crossed!

Not sure how to feel

I had my review today. That annual thing where you say things about yourself and how great you are in hopes of promotion-ville or raise-ville or fantastic feedback-ville.

After my first review here, I got a raise, but it was a surprise; I expected nothing as I have been in positions where, if you do not get a promotion, you get little or nothing. I expected the latter, but instead I got double the "norm" or whatever that is.

Double.

I was psyched.

And so now as I near my 2.5 tenure here, I waited for something similar. I mean, who knew what the review would bring. I got the juicy raise last year, the office this summer, I was sort of on an up and up.

I got solid feedback and I was reminded of things I did that I forgot I did--and they were good things.

But I left without anything to feel great about--no additional moolah, no promotion, nada.

One thing about where I am in a position is the growth that comes with it. I have grown here, but I'm always looking for the next milestone to reach. And although they hardly (outside of my direct report) promote others, I can't help but wonder what the turning point will be for me here.

What is next?

And I find myself saying that alot lately with not just work, but with my life's path.

I've never been one to plan...I just sort of followed. And I know that's not very creative, but I mean, I went to college because it's expected and it was the right thing to do--at least for me. And then I found my first job, which was what you were supposed to do after you graduated (unless you went to school, but publishing doesn't require it, so there you go), and then I got married to my husband because when you find your love, that's what you do--you don't let them go! And so then you're where I am...at this crossroads where you are the person who has to decide what's next because there is no more flow--I mean, the flow can happen in any number of ways.

Am I beating a dead horse here?

Anyway, all of the above aside, I will leave you with this question:

Where does one find inexpensive, but fun accessories/jewelry? I'm talking a red-beaded necklace or something of the sort? I'm in need of fun items like these. Similar to the Mint Julep's of the world (or the 2 that are in MA)...

Bostonians, speak up! Or else, point me to any good sites for online shopping!

Merci beaucoup!

Tired

I survived the 3:45am wakeup call yesterday, the meetings, the presentation, the boss.

I am still tired.

I prepare now for the 40+ meetings in Germany in less than 2 weeks.

I returned to the office to learn that the one dead mouse they found in a closet adjacent to my office had friends; additional mice carcasses were discovered.

I'm glad I wasn't here for that. I am here, however, for a lingering smell...

We finally painted our kitchen this weekend. It's not quite finished. It's almost done and then there's laundry and cleaning and switching and switching back summer to fall to summer clothes. What is up with the temps?

There has been mulling over of babies, reading of articles about how women are forced to decide between career or baby or both or what? And then there's the whole when you're 27, your fertility decreases. I'm officially old and almost 27 1/2.

Some of you Internets make me feel old in your 24 and earlier ages. What happened to the time?

I know I'm being slightly melodramatic and I know that I'm not old...yet...but I feel it. Planning out things like having babies is serious. I take it seriously. I don't understand how one plunges into this. How does one plunge?

Sex, I can understand, plunging, I cannot.

Short 'n Sweet

I'm sipping on a nonfat pumpkin spice latte...

I'm having thoughts about going shopping after work (shocker) in that this week has been torture trying to figure out how not to freeze my buns in the office (hello, it's freezing) and because it is very close to fall, and I should no longer be milking my warm-weather wardrobe.

I went through my casual tops and I seem to have 2 black, 2 green, 2 white/very light, long sleeve numbers and a couple of borderline spring long sleevers-too. How exciting, huh?

I have either summery or wintery cardigans and the new sweater I bought is definitely too warm for now.

So yes, now that I feel good in the shoe department (and I am wearing these today, for the second day in a row, because I love them so much and because they are comfortable which is a hard thing to come by in shoes), I need to concentrate on the stuff that will cover up my underwear while in the office.

The office has been quiet because my boss has been out since Monday. Tomorrow she returns and we have too many meetings planned. More than I usually have in a month. OK, maybe that's exaggerating the facts, but it's a lot and they're practically back to back. And dammit, I was productive this morning and it seems to be waning, my drive, hence the post.

En route to my trip to the bucks that is star for this latte, I called my friend who just had a baby boy. I heard him in the background. I heard her talking about diapers and c-sections, and dialation. I heard her speak the gooey baby talk to this baby whose name I'm fairly sure I'm not a fan of. But I would never ever ever tell her because she is my friend and she doesn't need my opinion about what she named her first born child. And she doesn't read this blog (or so I hope), so I think it's safe to say that.

Anyway, I got a mommy pang while listening to all of this baby talk from her, and that's all I am gonna say about it.

More later.

Weekend Roundup

I left work early on Friday because the boss did and my mind was fried. We decided to walk away from the house I wrote about here. We decided that it's too expensive to chase, but being that it's a divorce situation, we know they must get rid of it and have no other offers on the table. Perhaps it will drop in cost, but for now, we'll continue to enjoy our condo.

I got a manicure just before going to pick up Bub at the train station. When I collected my husband, we went straight to a wine tasting where we were meeting my family to support the organization my sister volunteers at. The organization has to do with animals. The event was held in a hall. The event smelled like animals, namely cat litter.

We left after some tasting and stopped at a local Mexican place for some late dinner before some TV and then bed.

Saturday was consumed by cleaning. Cleaning the new kitchen counters and sink we just had installed. Cleaning the inside and outside of cabinets and reorganizing every item including the 6 boxes of cous cous we didn't know we had.

Bub was a laundry superstar. I had on my sexy plastic gloves for toilet and tub scrubbing pleasure.

Then it was off to 3 grocery stores in search of manicotti squares in order to make dinner for my friend who was visiting from DC.

No one sells damn maincotti, so lasagne was made instead. Bub thought it might be weird since it was a manicotti recipe for which I was making lasagne. I reminded him that manicotti and lasagne are booth NOODLE dishes. It would be OK.

It was OK--in fact, it was delish.

No lasagne leftovers remain.

Yesterday we went to the "Natick Collection" to see the first Nordstrom of Massachusetts. I bought shoes which I am wearing today. And they are glorious. Bub got a new suit. He is just the most handsome man ever in a suit.

We were exhausted after battling the cars and crowds at the newly renovated "collection" (mall!) and headed home. Some more TV and some more cleaning completed the evening. I finally got my Harry Potter books from Amazon and got back to reading where I had left off when I borrowed book 2 on the Cape several weeks ago.

I'm now writing this with 34 emails to follow up on and a bazillion things to do. You can see where my priorities lie. I also have the door shut, my space heater on, and I'm contemplating looking on the Starbucks Web site to pick out a new drink to go get at lunch to keep warm.

Any suggestions? I'm tired of lattes.

Ahhh, Mondays.

Sick. Of. It

I don't know how my husband does it. He's worked at the same company for 10 years and he gets up early, puts on a smiling face, and then faces the music.

Me? I must be bored, but I've had it here. And because I've posted pics of myself and feel all paranoid, I'll keep my big mouth shut.

I'm either totally PMSing or way annoyed. I had a chocolate frosted donut this morning too. Despite me feeling the cellulite growing at an alarming rate, I should have enjoyed it way more given that it was the only bright part of my morning outside of reading some funny posts, emails, and remembering that I'm in an office now and can shut the door.

I'd be happy to trade places with Britney Spears, however. I can take her millions and make my hair look 100% better than hers, love my kids, not use drugs, and actually look like I'm having fun on stage. I mean, what gives?

The weekend has finally come

There is something about short work-weeks that make it seem even longer to get to the weekend.

I've just arrived home with the promise of a weekend not fully booked. Of course, the time gets eaten up by something, whether it be have-to-do's or should-do's or a few fun things that steal the time.

I'm still on a Harry Potter kick and I had hoped that the books I ordered earlier this week would have arrived by now. There are plenty of other things I could read, including the book Bub really wants me to, but for some reason I can't get into it just yet. I fear I'll forget what I need to know about Harry in order to continue onto the next part of the story. Silly, I know.

I've been telling people today to brave the heat and stay cool. Although summer is only here until later this month (sadly), after Labor Day I take a double-take at the clothes and shoes people don because, well, it's not summer officially in my book unless it's the months of June, July, and August.

I'll miss the heat, the sigh of relief that I breathe upon leaving the office as I thaw from the generic, stale air-conditioning which leaves a film of morgue proportions on my skin and changes my fingers to a pale purple (it is true).

But with fall comes mystery. As we prepare to step out into chillier nights and darker skies after long days in front of the screen's glow, I recall the fall and all its promise when at college. Pledging for the sorority, blindfolds, drinking from cheap wine bottles while screaming the fight song.

The same crisp air stays with me well into the autumn and early winter seasons. But when winter comes hard, the mystery is gone. All that's left is shivering, bone-chilling, discomfort.

And sometimes snow.

My Chihuahua* Bites!

Bub's birthday is tomorrow and I'm excited because I've finally decided what I'll be making him. No pineapple upside down cakes like last year (although tasty). Bub weighs in on what he wants. It came down to German Chocolate Cake and some Chocolate Chip Sour Cream cake number. Although he hasn't outright said it, I think he's more interested in the German Chocolate Cake. And since it's not my birthday, I haven't said either way what I'd prefer to make, but I vote for German Chocolate Cake, too. The thing is, the recipe I'm using is from Magnolia's Bakery cookbook, a gift from a long-lost friend (who again is now lost) who gave it to me at my bridal shower. So far, other recipes in the book haven't let me down aside from weighing me down with the fat and fat and fat that the recipes often call for (buttermilk, butter, etc.). Anywho.

I went to the grocery store in hopes of getting what I needed for said cake, but should have planned ahead because I couldn't recall what we already had in the house. That on top of the fact that we're in desperate need of regular non-cake related items had me thinking that it's not to be avoided; I'll need to go to the grocery store in the early a.m., hopefully after or before a trip to the gym since hi, I haven't been in almost three weeks. EEEEEEK. Feeling guilty? Scarily, no. I'm making up for it by not eating much and having wine for dinner.

I digress.

Since my lunch plan to go get groceries failed, I hit Starbucks for a piece of reduced-fat coffee cake and an iced non-fat latte (can't they just say "skim latte"?) for lunch. Then I fit in a trip to a nail place literally 2 seconds from my office to get a polish change for my toes.

I had heard good things about the place or mostly non-bad things about it from my co-workers. I just wanted the quick change because my French pedi had gone to hell and I was wearing sandals (because it's a bazillion degrees out) and would be tomorrow and my toes were scary. I have this thing about wearing sandals when toes are not in at least "good" condition, if not freshly painted and in excellent shape. I know, I'm a high-maintenance nails person or H-MNP. So I went and picked out my color and marveled at how I'm so great to fit this into my lunch hour and was not paying a ton for fancy shmancy pedi (if I had more time, I probably would have just had the whole kit and caboodle).

I digress.

So Mr. Polish takes me down to a chair to change my French into My Chihuahua Bites! when I saw three little girls sitting in chairs all having just finished with their pedis.

By the time I got done and went to dry my toes, the three girls had migrated over to the drying area too, and I came to sit across one of the blonde girls. They couldn't have been more than 10. Not triplets, but maybe. Their mother was getting a French manicure. She was very good with them, keeping her eye on things while chatting up another Mr. Polish.

The little girl who sat across from me made eye contact so I smiled. I couldn't see her mouth because she was so short, but she smiled back at least with her eyes. After they were done drying, they were wandering around, waiting for mom. The girl who had sat across from me looked like she might be a cheerleader when she was older. Cute little yellow skirt with matching tank top. Long straight blonde hair and bangs. She loved to have fun; it was apparent.

Another girl had the curly-crazy blonde hair. She might be the tom-boy, sporty girl. She had on her cute little girl clothes and big girl sandals. They really were big girl because they looked like hand-me-downs that had been worn a little but ones which she had not yet grown into. Being a little wild-child (I'm not sure she was, but from appearance, I think she could be), I don't think she cared what she looked like.

Then there was the third girl. AKA the girl who resembled me. Short bob 'do. A bit haute couture for a girl that age (not that I was haute couture, but I was the girl who had short hair at that age out of my friends and sister, although brunette) and then she turns and yes, the glasses. She was the only one of the three with the glasses. She was wearing what I would have worn: Birkenstock sandals just like Mom bought me and jean shorts. From what I witnessed, she was quieter and more withdrawn.

I wondered at what age the woman had her kids. She seemed happy, not that old, and really with it as a parent. She was already figuring out with one of her kids what her daughter would wear on Halloween and telling her not to stress; she had a couple of months! It was still August!

And I was jealous of this mom who could go get her nails done with her girls. Another summer Friday, another day carrying on. Being a parent. No cares about MFA's, work, not going to the gym...

I finished first. My toes were done and I had to be back to work (so that I could write this post) and that family could be left to their own devices. Swimming pools, sunshine, growing up together.


*No, I don't have a chihuahua.

Stuff

While getting ready for work, or simply sulking in bed that ick, it's not Friday or a day off from work and what the fuck?, I think about all the stuff I want to get done at work. Then I get here and, of course, I just have to see who wrote me who's not from work. And then I have to see who posted last night. So here I am now. Here's my post. My stuff.

While we were at the christening, Bub's 25-year-old cousin blurted out: So are you planning on having kids in the future? The room went silent. I was like oh, my, god. What the f? I managed to mumble something like: Yeah, we're going to have a family, we just don't know when.

Can you say pressure? The woman who does my nails, the receptionist at the dentist, and a random woman I met while I was away for work all asked me, Any babies yet? Is it really your business?

I have a to-do list before I go using a stroller. I want to be in a bigger home (a house) since our 1-bed isn't exactly the most ideal place to put things like a crib, changing area, baby clothes (where we'd put those, I don't know--under the bed is already taken), baby stroller/carrier, toys, and so on. I want to paint a nursery, hang a mobile, pick out our rocker and place it just so in the baby's room.

However, a few people, including one friend who has two kids, told me it can be done in our space, our 1-bed condo. Solicited advice? No. Another friend says that the year of the pig (2007) is better than next year (year of the mouse) to conceive and so we should think about trying later this year.

That discussion took place in a public bathroom. Again, advice not solicited.

My other to-do item is to figure out school. What does that mean? Figure. Out. School. Figure out what??

Someone told me that I'm thinking as if I cannot do anything once the baby is born. Instead, I've learned that I'm really feeling that I don't want to do such and such after I have a baby because I won't want to. The motivation will die. The baby will be my universe. Normal, right? Well, in that case, I want to prepare and do all I can now. Pre-baby belly.

I really feel that it's time to assess what the next step is for my career/education/future. As much as I can see myself enjoying staying home and being with a kid, I'd like to stay connected with a world where I feel that I know something, can be good at it, and perhaps do it from my home so as to have both. I think I sound selfish, I know. Bub, I'm sorry!

It's a lot of money, grad school. But I feel like if I put it off, I won't do it. But it's taken me 5 years to get to this point of knowing I want to do something. To be challenged. (Hello and goodbye law school!)

Words and books and reading and writing. Those things I have a connection to in some way. I was the English major, the girl who wrote on random pieces of paper and napkins to get stuff out. The girl who had journals and diaries. The girl who loved to feel moved by words and to be gripped late into the night and (not recently) early in the morning, before brushing my teeth. It was a friend, the story, you went inside and felt what the characters felt.

But can I do it? One program I'm looking at taunts me with the long papers, longer bibliographies, and endless reading. I got my degree in English; why is scaring me? It does.

And then there's part of me that says, why wait to start trying? Bub is older and we don't have to wait for anything. Things will fall as they may and work themselves out. But I don't want regret. I fear it. And I fear I'll be upset if I don't have these items planned out in advance...which begs the question: How do you know when you're ready? Do you feel it? I see strangers' children and I feel all tingly. I held little James Patrick and yes, he's cute, but I was even more confused about what to want and when.

So this is the debate I have. And sure, if we had a baby today, I'd be OK. We'd be OK. But after seeing Bub's cousins (not the one who has the baby), but the young ones who are just starting to figure out what they want to major in in college, where they want to work now that they've graduated college, and what schools they'll apply to once they've finished senior year, I sort of want to go back only to have time to decide all over again.

Update

Hi All,

We were on the Cape with the in-laws and to the christening of Bub's cousin's little boy, James Patrick. He is adorable! It was trying at times being immersed in so much of Bub's family in a concentrated time period and I should be a pro at this since Bub and I have been together for a while now, but I just seem to get so cranky. I really do need some space which I was able to get on the beach with my shuffle and with some Harry Potter. Yes, I'm slow to join all those that have enjoyed the phenomenon that is Harry Potter.

I'm feeling a bit better than I was last week. The flowers Bub sent survived the weekend while I was away and couldn't bring them home since we left straight from work to go away. My car is having surgery as I write this. Well, OK, I don't know about that. But I have the rental car that smells a bit like dog and I've bid my car a big goodbye while it gets some work done. In addition, we are going to see if we can get 1-2 other little imperfections fixed I was OK to live with since they're rather minor, but since I'm now having real work done, I may as well get my Acura baby all gussied up!

I'm strangely sort of *happy*? Wait, that's not right. OK. Yes, I'm OK to be here at work. The office is still heavenly in all its remoteness from the boss. I have a million emails and a ton to do from being out only 1.5 days, but a voicemail from a new contact at an organization we've been working with for a while gives me a sense of renewed hope since the woman who I thought was going to be my contact has given me every reason to find her snobby, stuck-up, and just plain rude. Doesn't return phone calls, emails, and bails on an IN PERSON meeting. Yes, it's true.

I still have a bunch of emails left waiting--some that could break the otherwise OK (happy?) mood I'm in.

My guy's birthday is Saturday. My parents' wedding anniversary is then, too. The eyebrows need help.

It's Monday. I'm ready for a good week. (Knock on wood.)

Aftermath

Thank goodness for car insurance and for companies that do things quick (knock on wood; I don't have my fixed car back already or anything!), but they're starting something on Monday.

Thank you guys for making me feel better. Apparently good things happen when you scrape your car:

You get flowers sent to work to surprise you coming back from the collision center.

They're from my loving and supportive (what scrape? that's NOTHING--so tiny!) husband.

You get a "Don't worry--at least nothing happened to you" pep talk from Mom.

When I had told a couple people at work what happened and Bub already knew, I called my Dad, but when he's in a meeting and says he'll call you back you think you ARE an adult and you CAN act mature. But when he doesn't call back you wonder, what was I going to say? Poor me? So when I talked to my mom later in the day and Dad was out, he called me back when he got home and said "Courtney, that's why they're called accidents."

I woke up depressed. Really, I do need to get a grip.

Oh, and Kwarterlifecrisis? Where did your blog go to? I was looking to read something to make me laugh and it says it's been deleted?! Please share...why? How? Why? Or is my link to it just dumb?

100 Things About Moi

I tried to do one of these a long time ago, but never made it to 100. Here goes nothin'.

1. I had no middle name up until 1 year and 14 days ago.
2. My middle name is my maiden name.
3. Bub is a nickname I gave to my husband after calling him that one day. It stuck but it is a recent nickname as we've been together for a little over 6 six years.
4. My husband started calling me Bub, too. So we're both Bubs.
5. I've been at my current job for almost 2 1/2 years.
6. I think I'm ready for a change, but my next move has to be strategic.
7. As Daily Editor will tell you, Boston is a tough place to do what we want to do.
8. I used to work wtih Daily Editor. She's a cool lady.
9. No one at work (knock on wood) knows about my blog. I'd like to keep it that way since I like to complain about the place.
10. My family and in-laws don't know anything about the blog either.
11. When I'm pissed I slam the door and use profanities.
12. Bub hates it.
13. I'm afraid of death.
14. I'm afraid of sleeping at home alone. I get creeped out that someone is trying to break in or is in the house.
15. I get coffee envy. If someone has coffee in the morning at work and I don't, I get slightly annoyed that I didn't stop on the way to work.
16. We have an espresso/cappuccino-maker at home. I don't need to buy any damn coffee.
17. I'm a car commuter while Bub is a train/bus commuter.
18. I check my email just about 1,213,754 times a day. I'm a little obsessed.
19. I check my junk mail first in case anything slips in there. Heh.
20. I'm ten years younger than Bub.
21. We have two turtles: red-eared sliders, Stella and Fred (or George--he has two names).
22. Stella is bigger than George, but younger.
23. They fight.
24. I'm an adventurous eater. I love European breakfasts with the cured meats and cheese.
25. Bub tells me that's adventurous. Maybe that's just a nice way of telling me I like to eat : )
26. My mom tells me I have the twin gene. My grandmother had a twin.
27. I want to move to a bigger home before we start trying to get pregnant.
28. I want to paint the nursery and get it ready while I have a belly.
29. We only have one bedroom now which could make having a baby hard.
30. I applied to law school and got rejected.
31. Three times.
32. I'm okay with that.
33. I want to go back to school for my MFA, but can't justify spending money on classes where I only write.
34. I secretly think I'm not good enough.
35. I want to open a bakery, but I'm not sure if I like it as just a hobby.
36. I'm an aggressive driver.
37. Bub hates it, yet he's one, too (sorry!)
38. Bub is one of my only loyal readers. He never comments, though.
39. I'm a great speller.
40. I marched in Bush's first inaugural parade--the present Bush.
41. I don't care much for him, but the televised parade was pretty damn cool.
42. I was in the marching band in college and in high school.
43. I didn't play an instrument; I was in the color guard.
44. I was a stressed bride.
45. I got the worst sun burn the month I got married and the lines didn't go away.
46. I wore a strapless dress.
47. My makeup person was awesome. Nothing showed.
48. I've been to Europe 6 times.
49. Most of those times I was in Germany for work.
50. We've talked about moving to London.
51. I don't think we will.
52. I want a doggy and a kitty.
53. This list thing is really hard. I'm a procrastinator.
54. Shhh, don't tell work.
55. There are a bunch of things I could be doing now.
56. I love spas and especially love getting a manicure or a facial.
57. My first manicure was when I went to prom.
58. I asked my prom date to go with me and not the other way around.
59. My best friend from college and former roommate doesn't talk to me anymore.
60. I'm not the only one, but I feel that the friends I used to be close to changed.
61. It hurts and it's hard to meet new people aside from those you first meet at a new job.
62. I've had thoughts of ending this blog.
63. But I have a pretty good track record. It'll be 2 later this year.
64. My following is invisible, if that.
65. I think I need to give my writing a pep talk.
66. I like beer. But only the good stuff.
67. I like red wine better than white.
68. Most mixed drinks can go to hell save sangria and espresso martinis.
69. I like blogs that make me laugh. Thanks guys.
70. I'm stunned I made it this far on the list. I have had dreams about being killed.
71. They're not frequent and haven't happened in a while.
72. I like well-worded emails better than when someone calls me on the phone at work.
73. I wear contacts.
74. My first pair of glasses was purchased in the second grade.
75. I sat next to my crush "Chris" at school and told him I was getting glasses.
76. He said he would break them. I was in love. But he smelled.
77. I love chocolate.
78. I'm allergic to penicillin.
79. I broke my wrist in the first grade after I wore my brand new patent leather shoes for our Christmas concert.
80. I got a snoopy sling and had to write with the opposite hand for weeks.
81. I'm a lefty.
82. The first time I was on a plane was my senior year of high school.
83. I went on a cruise with my best friend and her dad.
84. It was, like, so awesome!
85. She's still my best friend.
86. We can't eat chicken for dinner unless we're at a restaurant.
87. Bub is allergic so we don't have it at dinner. I'll have turkey sandwiches at lunch, though.
88. My list is almost done. I love lip gloss.
89. But recently switched over to lipstick.
90. I'm still adjusting.
91. I love Sephora.
92. I used to be a gym rat and now I barely make it there twice a week.
93. I lost a lot of weight from school (or so I'm told) but think I can do at least one size smaller.
94. I used to be really thin when I was younger and my pediatrician threatened me with a trip to the hospital if I didn't start eating more.
95. I used to play the violin and took private lessons; I own my own and haven't picked it up in years.
96. I was an English major.
97. My boss makes me feel dumb. Most of the time.
98. I love to bake, especially when there aren't any sweets around.
99. We went to the Cape every summer growing up--maybe that's why that whole first time on a plane thing didn't happen right away.
100. I took ballet (then pointe, jazz, and tap) lessons for 13 years with the same teacher.

That's my list! Here's another couple of Maine photos, too.

First: One of the lighthouses we saw while we were away.

Second: The view from FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt's 10,000 square foot cottage...

To the new, shiny, dark, green BMW car neighbor. Welcome! I started to wonder if anyone drove you, but judging from my departure this morning, since you were gone, I figured your owner took you on a walk to work. Although, after thoroughly checking out your front and back (seats!) I see that you're either really new, or hardly used, or you have an insane owner who cleans you thoroughly daily. I opt for choice A. Welcome to our dirty part of the parking area where we park close to trash cans college students cannot fill properly thereby leaving trash and such all around your bumper!

Is your driver a male or female? I see that the seat is close to the wheel so I go for choice B. However, if I'm wrong and it's a male, well, I wonder if he's any cute? (Just kidding! I have a husband--why would I care?)

Please make sure you are parked close to the wall of the garage on your left. Do not show off that you can back into your spot. We all can when no one is parked directly behind us! If you do not park close to the wall I must compensate by parking closer to my other car neighbor's driver, a moron, who is afraid of the pole that is not ever close to her precious car, but yet writes emails to my husband telling him we park too close to her. Get a life, moron.

Finally, shiny, dark, green beamer. If you ever need a test ride--a trip out--anything at all--whatever you do, don't open your doors too close to mine and injure pretty, shiny, light blue, lovely Acura or I will kill you.

Love, me

Fluff

Today has been a fluffy work day. I had a good start, working from home, then about 11am, our brand spanking new, shiny, stainless refrigerator arrived. I know, it's just a fridge, but now we have actual shelves in the freezer (our wedding cake top is still taking up 80% of the thing, but at least we have some other space for all the actual frozen items one would normally have in their freezer). We now have normal shelves and not shaky wiry ones with two cracked crispers that were scary with one not really good at opening and closing.

Exciting, right? Well, I pulled something in my neck. Don't ask. I seem to be ever prone to neck pain now. I guess that's what you get when you're old. I was brushing my hair after this morning's shower when it happened and so now I feel like I have a headache starting at the base of my neck and dead center. It's really dumb, I know.

And in an hour the weekend officially starts. Except it's not just any weekend--it's my longest weekend in history. Our office is closed Monday through Wednesday. Can you say wow? WOW!

Happy Weekend!

HBO's Influence

Hi,

We have semi-crappy cable. Do not ask why, do not pass go and collect $200. We just don't. We don't have Bravo and we don't see the Red Sox unless they're on Fox. It's just the way it is at our place. Again, don't ask why.

We do have HBO, however. We have some priorities in place, you see. And with HBO comes alot of semi-good/great stuff--and some not so great. And then of course there's the issue of gee, this movie was just on! And I stayed up really late watching it when I could be watching it now at a much better (and earlier) time. These are the issues one faces when one does not have a DVR/TiVo, etc. I can't even vouch that TiVo is spelled or listed here correctly, that's how out of tune I am with this new technology that's really not so new anymore. Moving on...

I would never know how to answer the question: What is your favorite movie, Ripe? What have you seen that's good? Aside from my last post involving a flick (which sadly is not yet and may never be--who knows--on HBO), here is my list because thanks to HBO, I can watch these and never tire of them. Go ahead, have your fun. I will admit that if you have this playing on your TV, I will watch with you, no matter what:

In Her Shoes.
I can quote parts of this flick, yes. I love it when Maggy calls Rose a "Big, fat, pig"--I just love it. The shoes are, of course, fabulous.

The Family Stone.
Love it. Ben is cute. Meredith makes you so uncomfortable during the dinner scene. It's just so painful to watch. Just a good film. Enjoy it immensely.

Now...I can't believe I'm going to list this one, but here it goes:

Nanny McPhee (did I just write that?)
Wow. I think this is a nicely created flick. Very vibrant and different. Kids are adorable; Simon is a favorite. I like the name Evangeline, too. I love when Nanny McPhee says "You are the end of the story." Sigh.

What are some of your favorite flicks and which are the ones you can watch again and again and again!?

The Swell Season

I don't usually plug people or things aside from the weather here. It's just not me. But we saw this movie. We saw the preview for it last week and I thought, I want to see this. So last night we did.

I had an idea of what to expect: music, love, etc. But it was grand. I can't describe it. But the best part of all is that the music is so lovely. So today I've been downloading it--many of the songs are just so... I don't know because I'm not a critic and again, I don't usually write about this sort of thing. But if you want to know more, go here and there.

If you do decide to see Once, enjoy it. It really does make you feel good.

Finding Love

Yes, we've made it to Friday. Day two of summer. These next weeks will fly; I already saw my first fall advertisement. For shoes, but of course--everyone has fall shoes on their mind.

Last night Bub had something after work and I hit the gym after dropping him off. I told a co-worker or two that my plans for the evening were really to just hit the gym. And then I cringed because I usually do the opposite of what I say and instead drink wine while watching bad TV. Hey, who said that's not a fun night? But no, I made it to the gym. Then I picked up my husband and I freshened up and we went out for a casual drink and some apps because the summer solstice is a day we thought we wouldn't celebrate again. No, now that we have our wedding anniversary, there's no need, but it still bubbled up as a day to reflect and we did. Although, we had poor seating arrangements at the bar, having been sandwiched between two sets of strangers on either side of us, so it wasn't exactly romantic and there was some shouting in order to be heard.

We celebrated the anniversary of our first date--our first night out--six years ago.

We actually met the Sunday before the solstice at a bar while my friend droned on and on about her great summer job while I had yet to land one. It was the summer before my senior year of college and there were no internships lined up (paid or unpaid) to assist me in landing a job upon graduation.

Those internships came later and this post is not about my career, so moving on, Bub spotted us across the way and invited us over for drinks with he and his friend. Me being the naive girl that I still am thought he liked my friend, that is, until we were all parting ways after a couple of hours of drinking when Bub asked me to go to a Red Sox game some time. Wow. Of course I accepted as I had immediately felt a connection and attraction to him when we were all hanging out. On our way home, we ended up behind their car. And I thought I am going to burst if I don't get to a bathroom fast.

So, we followed their car to Bub's place which was on the way to my place--really! And I proceeded to act like a psycho. Yes, I would have been scared of me had this been the other way around and Bub had followed ME home, but I got out of the car when Bub did, crossed the street, and yelled out: Bub! I really could use your bathroom!

Progress was made; I did make it inside where I had a choice of the upstairs or downstairs one. I started to get sketched out. Who was this guy really, and how do I know that he's not treating this as a "I really like you and this is a way to really get to know you" situation? So I opted for the downstairs bathroom while I learned later that my friend, at this time, was freaked out thinking I was going to be assaulted.

The bathroom time turned into me hearing about Bub's upcoming vacation to Peru with friends. The friends he shared the house with, whose beer bottles were all over, complete with pizza boxes and other random single guy stuff. He tried on this new hat he got for the trip--sort of like a park ranger, army green hat--but cuter. Then I tried it on. And thinking back to that night, I wonder that as I gazed at him all goofy in this hat for his trip camping many miles away where he would probably forget all about this night, how would this end--as a summer thing--or less--or more?

We never did make it to the Red Sox game until much later on in our courtship, but there was dinner and drinks and seeing his friend's band on the solstice just before he left for Peru. And as they say, the rest is history. And now one month from today we'll celebrate making our lives together official. And how Bub asked me from bent knee to be his wife.

Happy Friday.