2007 In Review

Year End Survey

What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? Touched ground in a foreign land

Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't think I made any for 2007...I'm just working on things: swearing less, not crossing my legs, the whole Golden Rule thing, and rededicating myself to health and fitness.

What countries did you visit? France!!

What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? A huge savings account.

What date(s) from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? March 23: D's Surprise 30th Birthday Party (and he was very, very surprised!), August 29: We found out Q tore her ACL, and today might be a memorable day as well...

What was your biggest achievement of the year? Starting a home improvement project and finishing it?? No, but I am proud of that. I think that D and I had a very difficult but overall good year. We certainly had our moments but came through them together and strengthened our relationship.

What was your biggest failure? Giving up on working out.

Did you suffer illness or injury? Luckily nothing major, but I pulled my tendons (again) in early September; bowling has not been as much fun this fall/winter because of it.

What was the best thing you bought? Plane tickets to Las Vegas over Thanksgiving for my dad's bowling tournament, again.

Where did most of your money go? Living expenses, mostly our house

What did you get really, really, really excited about? Probably a lot of things as they happened, I'm overly dramatic that way, but mostly my promotion in May and then end of my brother's relationship with a bad girlfriend.

What song(s) will always remind you of 2007? Crank That -- Soulja Boy, but mostly because of this video and More Than A Memory -- Garth Brooks (The return of Garth Brooks. Love.)

Compared to this time last year, are you: Happier or sadder? Happier. Thinner or fatter? Fatter Richer or poorer? richer

What do you wish you'd done more of? Working out, I got off to a really good start again, but I started to slack off in September.

What do you wish you'd done less of? Sitting on my ass in front of the TV

Did you fall in love in 2007? In May, but with D again. We're trying to make that a daily thing. It's getting easier again.

What was your favorite TV program? Tough decision, to name one I have to say The Biggest Loser. My favorite new program in Pushing Daisies.

What was the best book you read? Reading. I'm supposed to do that? I was an English major, I read All. The. Time. in college. Ugh. I did read this year, though not as much as I would have liked. Favorite: Technical Hitch by Jane Sigaloff

What did you want and get? Jewelry that D picked out himself for my Christmas gift.

What was your favorite film of this year? Ocean's Thirteen and The Bourne Ultimatum

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 28. I got a massage and went to a bowling banquet.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Going for the job I really wanted when it was open. I did get a promotion and I enjoy it for the most part, but I'm upset that I didn't put it all out there for the 'at this stage in my life' dream job.

What kept you sane? My co-worker who likes to walk over to Sbux as much as I do.

Who did you miss? BMW and Zimm--the ladies that are like sisters to me. I need to stay in touch with them as neither are just down the street. I know they are only a phone call away, but I'm not very good at that.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007: That the adage "Everything happens for a reason" is true. Some things just fell into place this year and I'm hoping that some of the difficult times and disappointing outcomes will bring about more positive changes in 2008.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

We call them weak

Who are unable to resist

The slightest chance love might exist

And for that forsake it all

Garth Brooks

Repost of "Good bye, 2006" from the Old Blog That We Don't Discuss

Year End Survey
A meme, of sorts, received through email:

What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before? Win an adult singles bowling tournament

Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't think I made any for 2006...I'm not sure if I'm going to make any for 2007, either.

What countries did you visit? I've never been out of the country. I'm hoping to remedy that in 2007.

What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? A huge savings account.

What date(s) from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Jan 8: won local Queen's Qualifying, July 5: bought Lars, Oct 7: aunt remarried, Dec 10: won 2nd women's singles title.

What was your biggest achievement of the year? probably my winningest bowling year since going adult.

What was your biggest failure? being lazy at work and at home when things needed to get done.

Did you suffer illness or injury? I was very sick this year. I was out of work the first part of January and then on and off until June. After several doctor appts, they finally figured out why I kept getting sick; and although there is nothing that can 'cure' me, now that I am aware of it I can try to keep myself in good health. I also hurt my neck pretty severely on August 11 and spent a lot of time passed out from all of the pain meds.

What was the best thing you bought? Plane tickets to Las Vegas over Thanksgiving for my dad's bowling tournament.

Where did most of your money go? Living expenses

What did you get really, really, really excited about? Probably a lot of things as they happened, I'm overly dramatic that way, but I think most of my excitement was around bowling successes: Queens, MWST and my dad's big victory in Las Vegas.

What song(s) will always remind you of 2006? Honky Tonk Badonkadonk - Trace Adkins

Compared to this time last year, are you: happier or sadder? about the same, but I'll say happier. thinner or fatter? hmmm...thinner, but still working on it. richer or poorer? poorer; we bought Lars.

What do you wish you'd done more of? working out, I got off to a really good start, but everything came so easily that I thought I could slack off.

What do you wish you'd done less of? sitting on my ass in front of the TV

Did you fall in love in 2006? I fell in love in 1999. I try to fall in love every day with D, but some days are easier than others.

How many one-night stands? None

What was your favorite TV program? My favorite new show was Psych on USA.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No

What was the best book you read? Emily Giffin's "Something Borrowed" and "Something Blue" I know, it's crap chick lit, but I enjoy it.

What did you want and get? A membership to LTF

What was your favorite film of this year? The Departed, I guess. We didn't see a lot of movies, but this one sticks out.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 27. I went to yoga and then worked out. We did a family dinner and movie a few nights before.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Having the job I have now--same title, but now I have better things to do. I wish it would have happened earlier in the year.

What kept you sane? My co-worker who likes to walk over to Sbux as much as I do.

Who did you miss? Uncle Bill

Who was the best new person you met? My new boss

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006: Things happen for a reason and it may not be the reason you thought it would be. You can try to plan your life, but ultimately, all you can do is roll with the punches.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: "But the good news is there's angels everywhere out on the street, holding out a hand to pull you back upon your feet" Rodney Atkins

Recipes of Christmas

KM's Christmas Baking

• Peppermint Bark (So easy. A great office treat.)
• Sugar Mint Cookies (I made this up last year because I made too much Peppermint Bark and left over sugar cookie ingredients. It's especially good for those that don't like chocolate but love mint.)
• Peppermint Patty Cookies (Credited to RA)
• Easy Turtle Candies (Credited to ex-Director who first brought them in to the office)
• Oatmeal Scotchies
• Baked French Toast
• Brown Sugar Bacon (The recipe request that inspired this post.)

Friends & Family Christmas Baking

• My aunt makes Swedish Toast every year along with Jifta (Great for the Scandahoovians!) She swears Swedish Toast is easier than biscotti, but I think it's just as time consuming to prep and bake. It's great for dunking, though!
• D's aunt long ago started bringing Tequilaberry's Salad to Christmas and Easter, now holiday meals just aren't the same without it.
• SIL made a pretty batch of Holiday Wreaths for others; I just asked for a huge blob of the stuff since these are some of my favorites and four wreaths just won't do.
• Another aunt of mine makes Russian Tea for all of the families each year. Although it's not really tea, it's a tasty hot drink. She would not give me her secret recipe, but said that the link is close.

KM's New Year's Baking

• Two years ago I started making homemade caramels to add to my goody baskets; this year however, the multiple snow storms and bad driving conditions did not allow me to buy the necessary ingredients. My dad made a little pouty face after opening the caramel-free tin so I promised to make them for NYE.
• Biscotti is the last on my list but the first in my heart, saving the best for last, if you will. My love of biscotti started at a young age when I would accompany my mom to the Grand Ave Dunn Bros as she held volunteer meetings and interviews. When I took my current job with the ever so convenient tunnel to Sbux, my love of biscotti hurt my checkbook. After learning to make Swedish Toast, I decided I could handle biscotti and set out to find my favorite twice baked cookie recipe. Along with a variation of Vanilla Almond Biscotti that lives only in my kitchen cupboard and not on my computer, this Vanilla Bean Biscotti is a treat that my mom and I both treasure. It is such a pity that D's family had never even heard of biscotti until I first made it, and even then did not delight in the crunchy, crumbly cookie that longed to be dipped and dunked in latte. Oh well, more for me.

Christmas Recap

We had a wonderful Christmas holiday spent with family--LOTS of family. And we're not done yet!

Here are just a few of the highlights:

• Biggest Ooh-aah gift: Pearl pendant necklace from D
• Goofiest moment: D and BIL telling stories from their childhood at MIL's family dinner--these stories are ridiculous and almost seem fictional, but everyone remembers them so unless it's a conspiracy I think they're true.
• Most wonderful/useful gift: Wrought iron bed from my parents--we are so excited for it to arrive!
• Yummiest food: Ham at D's aunt's on Christmas Day, wreath cookies by SIL and brown sugar bacon with my parents.
• Best gift given: iPod to my mom with pink ear buds

And yes, I did finish all of my holiday baking--well, the revised list of holiday baking after the snow storms prevented me from making it to the grocery story for more ingredients on Sunday night. What? I shouldn't procrastinate? Whatever. I made Oatmeal Scotchies, Peppermint Patty cookies, Sugar Mint cookies, baked French toast and baked brown sugar bacon. I plan to make vanilla bean biscotti and caramels for New Year's as those are mostly for my family anyway and we will likely spend the evening with them.

Only a Memory

Yesterday I posted about my success in limiting my caffeine and pop intake. Well, that worked for 3 days. I needed a diet cherry last night before bowling (not that it helped) and that 12 oz can sure did pack a punch--I was up until midnight!

Oh, and that skinny day? Yeah, that is so past tense as well. I devoured 1/2 a bag of homemade caramel puff corn while catching up on Pushing Daisies. (Um, where was PR last night?) We reasoned that if we consumed the entire bag in one sitting then we could go back to eating healthy without the temptation of caramel goodness calling us from the cupboard. Our logic is flawless, don't you think?

No Fun Latte

I love today. I've told you all before about my love of Wednesdays; so what makes this Wednesday stand out from the rest, you ask. For starters, I'm having the skinniest day I've had in months, I'll credit that to the sweat and tears I left on the elliptical last night and the lack of pop for several days. I'm also wearing a simple yet fantastic outfit, if I do say so myself: lovely ivory cashmere with just a bit of holiday bling and my favorite BCBG pumps (the ones you like Books). So basically, I feel like a million bucks and that's enough to make any one's day I'd wager. So the secret of today's marvelousness lies again in simplicity: I came in to work to find a Sbux gift card on my desk from a generous office Secret Santa. (We do not do Secret Santa in our office, but there are a few people that leave gifts around all the major holidays so I've narrowed it down to a few possibilities.)

Upon finding the gift card, I immediately planned out my day with a trip through the tunnels to the nearby Sbux. Not only are delicious goodies awaiting me at my destination, but just the break from the office is a treat in itself. As always, the barista was just the right amount of flirty and professional and prepared my Tall Decaf, Sugar Free Vanilla, Nonfat, No Foam Latte without mentioning that what I'm drinking is very far removed from actual coffee. Oh, I'm trying to give up caffeine by the way, or limit it at least. My favorite chai lattes are now going to be a rare treat.

On my way back to work with my No Fun Latte, I cherished the elevator ride up. The few moments of solitude--eyes closed, fingers laced around the cup, palms soaking in the heat--resting my body lightly on the hand rail were (and are always) completely rejuvenating. I might not have the caffeine buzz, but just the act of going to get coffee is sometimes all I need to feel relaxed and energized all at once.

Even though I love my 'coffee' drink, the Oracle does not agree. Behold the Oracle's wisdom:

Personality type: Freak
No person of sound mind would go to an EXPENSIVE COFFEE SHOP to get a drink WITHOUT CAFFEINE. Your hobbies include going to ski resorts in the summer and flushing $5 bills down the toilet. You are a menace to society.

Also drinks: Non-alcoholic beer

Can also be found at: Pools with no water

Not really accurate, but funny.

H-O-T

We went to the Timberwolves game on Friday night. Unfortunately, the Twolves are not that great and lost; but we enjoyed the game for the most part. The added bonus for me was that Wally Szczerbiak now plays for the SuperSonics and I was able to stare at him during our time at the Target Center. He is one hot man.
D thinks Wally is funny looking. He spent the night making fun of his ears.
We are definitely going to one more game this year, although it is not really to support the Timberwolves as much as it is to see KG and Ray Allen--D's favorite two players. Actually, it has nothing to do with the Timberwolves at all, except that they are nothing without KG.
This was a boring post, but it contained eye candy, so I don't feel too guilty.

Remember Those Whom Others Have Forgotten

As you are out wrapping up (or just starting, no judgement here) your holiday shopping this weekend, I would like to let you know of a local MN charity that is still in need of holiday support.

Gifts for Seniors started as a winter holiday program in 1994 and was the brain child of two wonderful women--one of them my mother. This gift program, along with supporting and identifying agencies, provides gifts to some of the most vulnerable and isolated senior citizens in the metro area. Many of these folks have little to no contact with family or friends, and often only have contact with agency staff on a regular basis. With a small donation, you could help a senior citizen who feels alone to feel remembered.

Gift ideas include:

• Large font books, calendars and crosswords/word finds
• Warm blankets, sweaters and mittens
• Gift cards/certificates for grocery and drug stores
• Cassette tapes/CDs--music or recorded books
• Postage stamps

View the full Wish List here.

Gifts are matched to senior citizens by case workers/agency staff based on their personal wish lists and needs. Monetary donations go directly towards the purchase of gifts as operating expenses are covered by the county, partners, supporters and sponsors.

Enjoy your weekend!

"Bad 3 O'clock Decisions"

First, I have to say that the title of the post has nothing to do with the content because I am a loser…and a prude. The worst 3 a.m. decisions I’ve made have included being too wordy in an analytical paper and being overly snotty to a friend due to being overly tired because I DO NOT STAY UP THAT LATE. But if you have a ‘bad 3 o’clock decision’ to share, leave a comment or take it as a writing prompt! Anyway, I love Tim Gunn and I love that he is a self proclaimed old fart for not taking that to the gutter. Did you watch Project Runway last night? Oh I will miss the auft contestant, but I would have missed any of the bottom three designers. On with the post then…

UPDATE: Titan has a home! He was gone yesterday when I checked the site. Yea! I hope he is happy with his new family.

This week has not been my favorite week ever.

• Our water was off on Sunday. I still don’t know why.
• It wasn’t back on by Monday morning. That was annoying, but we had water Monday night.
• Tuesday was a stupid crazy day at work; I didn’t get to do any of my work because I was completing tasks for our support staff and my boss and I ended up doing a mailing because said support staff was too busy. It’s one thing for me to do a mailing, but my boss should not ever have to do a mailing—and I didn’t ask her to, she insisted. And then I had a huge coffee and was up until 1 a.m. (still not 3 a.m.!).
• Wednesday wasn’t noteworthy, so not bad.
• Today our alarm didn’t go off. D woke up at 7:30 a.m. and was understandably upset, but taking it out on me. I told him he could apologize to me later. Oh, I start work at 7 o’clock and he starts at 7:30 a.m. We live 30 minutes from work. Awesome.
  

But tomorrow we are going to the Timberwolves game (Thanks Kris!) so that gives me hope that the week will be better. Saturday I hope to make loads of chili and burrito components and do laundry—not exciting, but not bad.

And now you can see the reason I haven’t written this week: I’ve been in a less than stellar mood. But someone just brought me a pumpkin bar, this day is looking better already!

A Night of Puppy Breath and Wagging Tails

Last night I had my second volunteer training session at the humane society; it was so much fun. I was the only trainee there, so the instructor and I basically played with the dogs all night. Time well spent.
Meet Titan, a 5 year-old lab mix and a sweet boy. He knows "sit", "down" and "shake" and doesn't jump to greet. He is house trained (bell trained, actually--he rings a bell to go out, read more about this here and here) and of good temperment. I haven't actually walked him, but he was good with a Gentle Leader going through the loud and distracting dog kennel.
If I didn't have two of my own already, he'd have gone home with me last night. He enjoyed playing a bit of fetch and getting his belly rubbed. I enjoyed twirling his soft ears and getting kisses. If you or someone you know in in the Minneapolis metropolitan area and looking for a great dog, check out Titan.
Other than Titan, I also visited with Foxy and Cooper. Fun dogs. Foxy has the same personality as Q--demanding Velcro dog with energy. And I spent time with two black lab mix puppies. The sweet smell of puppy breath. The little wrinkles of loose skin. So endearing. They will find a home soon. I just hope whoever adopts them knows that they will be HUGE and energetic. That's part of my job though--educating potential adopters. Reminding them that a well behaved dog doesn't happen by chance and that the 8lb puppy they are in love with will grow to be an 80lb dog all too soon.
As much as I wanted to stay and play with the dogs all night, the humane society staff wanted to go home. I thought about Titan all the way home. I want him to get a good home. I want his family to be as excited to see him at night as he will be to see them; to be as excited as I was to see my dogs. I spent the rest of the night with Q and Carter--rubbing bellies and getting kisses.

Belinda Warned Me

I knew it was going to snow today. I knew it was going to start in the morning and not end until after rush hour. Why is it that weather forecasts are only true when you least want them to be?

Without thinking this morning, I put on my new 4" heel boots. I normally go to work in my Merrells and pick a pair of shoes from the stash I have hidden under my desk. But this morning? Noooo, I made the decision to wear the pretty shoes to work.

Also this morning, I agreed to rush home after work and pick up a package. The office closes at 5 p.m. I get off 4 p.m. but by the time I get out of the parking ramp it's 4:15 and then it takes me 35 minutes to get home under normal driving conditions.

Why did I decide to do these things knowing full well that it would snow? Idiot.

I ended up forgetting my lunch today. The lunch I prepared last night because I knew it was going to snow today and I didn't want to have to leave the building. Normally this would not be a big deal, I would throw on my Merrells and run across the street. Not today. I had a quick prayer session before leaving and uttered, "Please God, don't let me fall" many a time as I crossed the street to Noodles.

I have not yet had to deal with the package thing yet. I'm hoping beyond hope that the roads are fine when I leave work. If not, I will easily be able to get it tomorrow afternoon; but that's not what I promised to do. In the words of Tim Gunn, I'll have to "make it work."

So it's snowing in December in Minnesota. I should have been prepared.

I'm Still Here

No, I have not completely abandoned ship. It's been entirely too long since I've posted, so I'll give you a few excuses as to why that is.

First, I was in Las Vegas for an extended Thanksgiving holiday with my family. It was a nice trip, although an extra day would have made it even better. While I was there I didn't have a computer to post. And I still haven't received the photos from my mom, so those will have to be posted much later. I have some great shots though!

Second, I returned to a full inbox at work on Monday. I miss one workday and apparently it was the most productive workday ever. Well, I guess that's job security.

Third, I had some kind of stomach bug. I was at home for two days and have finally left my house. Being sick sucks. It sucks even more when your husband is much sicker than you are and so he cannot take care of you. And D is a bad sick person. He gets really crabby. So the last two days have not been fun at all. So far today it's actually nice to get out of the house, even though I'm exhausted from being awake for two hours.

I'll try to be interesting later.

All Over the Place: Went to California for a Coke

I have yet another cold. I'm pretty sure it's a new rhino virus all together, but I suppose it could be the same one and it just took a brief vacation. I don't know why I'm telling you this except to say that I super pink puffy heart the new Puffs Plus [lotion] with the Scent of Vicks. (Word to the wise, avoid contact with your eyes. (My rhymes ROCK.)) I offered one to a co-worker with a cold and she said that the idea scared her, I then offered her a regular Puffs, but said Kleenex instead of tissue. That got me thinking, how many items do I call by a brand name? And then I remembered The McDonald's Incident.

When I was 14, my mom sent me and my then 10-year-old brother to California. One might ask why in the world she would do this, and I have no good reason for you, but I'll tell you the story anyway. (Why not make an already boring and pointless post even longer?)

Shortly before spring break of my freshman year of high school I came home and started to complain that all my friends were going on vacation and would come back tan and I would still be pale. I then demanded that my mom buy me a tanning package so that once my friends returned from their tropical family vacations I would not blind them with my pasty-whiteness. My mother scoffed at that idea. She thought it was insane to send her 14 year-old daughter to a tanning salon and dismissed the idea completely. A few hours later she was on the phone with her cousin in California. As it turned out, my brother and I both had spring break at the same time and my mom's cousin was willing to let us stay at her place. See what a little whining will do? I just wanted a tanning package and my mom sent me on a vacation!

Bro and I were headed to CA all alone. We stayed with my mom's cousin and her husband, and they took us everywhere. We went to Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm. We went boogie boarding in the Pacific and learned to shoot a BB gun (at the time I thought it was fun, looking at pictures of it makes me cringe). It was a great vacation and I did come home with a tan, and bangs--my mom's cousin owned (still owns) a hair salon. It was an all around great trip with plenty of stories to tell, but the story that sticks will me and lives on is a humorous little happening--in McDonald's of all places.

After a day of boogie boarding and bicycling, we stopped for a quick bite to eat. It was my turn to order and I said something like, "Can I please get (yes, that is how I order--my mother taught me well) two plain hamburgers and a small pop." The teenage girl taking my order turned white in the face and said, "I'm sorry, we're all out of that." Shocked, I stood frozen, glancing around the room. The pop machine was in the dining area, so I just needed a glass. I was sure I hadn't specified a type of pop, and McDonald's couldn't really be out of hamburgers, could they? Coming to the realization that we weren't in Minnesota, I quickly blurted out, "Soda! Coke! A small beverage!" Her face turned from white to bright red and she handed me a small cup. Bro thought that was hilarious. Of course, he was 10, but he still won't let me live it down. He'll randomly bust out "Soda! Coke! A small beverage!" with a sense of urgency when I order a drink even now. I have no idea how he managed to remember that but forget about me holding a BB gun.

And just think, all it took to bring this memory to the forefront of my mind (and make me post about it nonetheless) was saying 'Kleenex' went I meant tissue. I also say 'Chap Stick' for lip balm, but I don't say 'Coke' unless I'm ordering a diet with grenadine.

New and Exciting but Mostly Random

Yesterday's Blog Share (marvelous idea, -R-) was a success, and I was productive at work in spite of all the intriguing mystery posts. It was certainly a first for me--I'm still new to the world of blogs and all--but I thoroughly enjoyed participating. I had a few other firsts this week that I'd like to share with you:

1. D confessed to checking my blog. I never really told him I had a blog. I wasn't necessarily hiding it from him, but I didn't necessarily want him to know either. I've made entries in his presence and even talked about presents from bloggy friends, but I never really said, "I have a blog. It's called Muse on Vacation. You should check it out." Well, I guess I didn't really need to tell him, he knew, he checked it out. I don't think he'll be back often, but it might make me rethink some of my future entries.
2. I'm wearing a gray wool blazer today with a great pair of jeans. This is a first for me and I'm really proud of myself. I didn't think I could pull off this look and so far I'm very happy with it. It's Casual Friday and I've embraced that concept while still looking polished and pulled together. (Thanks, Mom, for letting me shop in your closet!)
3. I had my first volunteer training at the Animal Humane Society last night. I'm really excited to actually start volunteering so that I can accrue hours and move into different volunteer positions. I will start out on the Adoption Floor, which will be fun, but I'd really like to work with the obedience classes and especially with the dogs that have not yet been adopted. Beyond just dog walking, volunteers can go through additional training and start obedience training with dogs that are on the adoption floor and looking for homes. The thought is that the more well behaved the animal is, the easier it will be to place them in a forever home. This is something that I am very passionate about and I cannot wait to get to work!
4. Last night I also tried Garden Salsa Sun Chips for the first time. These are amazing. I highly recommend them. I mean, it's not so good for my Healthy Eating Plan, but it could be worse. And they are soooooo good. "It's a fiesta in your mouth. With a Mariachi band!" Who can resist that?
5. Lastly, I received the fabulous gold bubble necklace from BR in the mail. It's a bit larger than I thought (I was picturing it as the size of a quarter. It's bigger than that. A lot bigger than that.) but I do like it. As it is slightly flashier than I had imagined, I wasn't prepared to wear it today. I think I have an outfit in mind that could use a little flair (well, more than one, but one in particular for this accessory) and plan to wear it next week. Quite possibly I will post a picture.

Am I Anonymous Yet?

Today's guest poster will remain anonymous.

When I first saw -R-'s post about the Blog Share my immediate thought was, "Oh, hell no. No one will be writing on my blog but ME." But eventually (and perhaps inevitably) I started ruminating on how it could be fun to write in someone else's space, and how if they were willing to let me post my crazy and ridiculous thoughts for their readers then I should not feel badly about reciprocating. For me, the hardest part about letting go of a post is the feeling that somehow I have been negligent in my duties, that I am not keeping up my end of the bargain. And how many people are actually concerned when I do not post? Excluding myself, probably a big fat zero. So I am choosing to view this as an exercise in FUN, in capital letters- and here we go! Are you excited yet?

I thought for sure with the list of blogs lined up for the Blog Share that I would definitely find myself writing for someone whose blog I already frequented, someone that I felt I already knew fairly well, someone that I stalked read on an almost daily basis. But lo and behold, there was at least one blog that I had not yet discovered, and I found myself poring through archived posts trying to get a feel for who this KM person is. I found lots of great stuff: she is funny and sweet and intelligent. She is a bowler (I am the worst bowler ever, in real life and on the Wii) and she admires Julia Stiles's hair (so do I!). And while I found all this reading enlightening and enjoyable it made me realize that I am not here to compare our similarities and differences. What is this, Introduction to Critical Analysis 101? No. I am here to write an anonymous post, and dammit, that is what I'm going to do.

I've always found the idea of posting anonymously a bit absurd, possibly because I am narcissistic and believe that everyone should be as fascinated by my life as I am, possibly because I don't have many deep, dark secrets hiding in my soul that I need to share. It seems counterintutive to me to have a blog and yet not want people to know about you, yet I, too, am frequently drawn the sweet and dark anonymity of blogs like Post Secret. But there are definitely a few things that I would not be comfortable publishing on my own blog and this seems like a good place to store those thoughts.

* I have finally decided that I do want a marriage and children. It took a long time for me to get to that place and sometimes it makes me nervous to think about wanting something that might not ever happen. My life as it is is happy and content, I would hate to have something so important to me throw a monkey wrench into the works. I want him to want what I want. I want us to be on the same page. I don't know what I'll do if we don't end up there together.
* I feel as though I have to work harder than most people to overcome obstacles. I am sometimes feel resentful that I was born with my genetic makeup, a propensity towards being overweight, heart disease, high blood pressure, a quick temper, and stubbornness. I keep telling myself I do not have to be any of those things. I am better than that. I can change things. Most days it works. Some days it does not.
* I wish I could tell my parents I love them more frequently without them thinking it was because I was on my deathbed.
* I do not believe I am that great of a writer. I wish I was.
* Lately I have been considering a large shift in the nature of my work. There are many aspects of this that need to be weighed out: money, vacation, feeling as though I am doing good works, etc. Thankfully, I am in no rush to change, but it has been on my mind.

Wow. I feel surprisingly great that I could share some of these things and not have to answer to a flurry of concerned or surprised emails from people I know. Maybe I'll do this more often! Or you know, not. Because it is kind of stressful writing for someone else. And I already miss posting on my own blog.

A very big thank you to KM for hosting today. I hope she enjoyed it as much as I did.

The Real Gunn Show

PROJECT RUNWAY PREMIERS TONIGHT! I am so excited I cannot contain myself. I cannot wait to see all of the designs and my beloved Tim Gunn.

While I did watch a few episodes of Tim Gunn's Guide to Style, it just wasn't the same. There was no "Make it work" and Veronica just got on my nerves. But tonight, I will gleefully watch PR and then whine and pout that I have to wait so long for the next episode.

Although I am only allowed 1 hour blocks of fashion frenzy at a time, I will use the down time wisely--by catching up on the snark at Television Without Pity and Pink Navy.

Confessions of a TV Junkie

Being home sick yesterday gave me the opportunity to do something that I haven't done in quite some time: watch random TV shows for no other reason than the fact that they are on and I'm sitting on my arse. Since investing in DVR (yes, it is an investment--I might not make money on it, but it gives me more time while still allowing me to be a TV Junkie) I have not tuned in to hours of L&O reruns or flipped through the channels before landing on some random movie that I wasn't really in to, but had seen a million times and therefore had a connection to--Bring It On comes to mind.

Yesterday I watched said L&O reruns and also found time to watch the lovely Julia Stiles and yummy Matt Damon in Bourne Identity. I really do love her. I think it's because of 10 Things I Hate About You. She was also the inspiration for my hair cut. (Which I'm getting trimmed tomorrow, so Books we'll have to get together!) My DVR is currently 33% full, but everything on there needs to be watched later, with D.

D and I watch Heroes together every Monday night. Not when it airs, we have to watch it later so we can fast forward through all the commercials. Also, we usually work out on Monday nights. That did not really happen last night, though we didn't watch Heroes until 11:30pm. I should mention that my bedtime is 10 o'clock. We both napped in the evening, so after watching Heroes we watched My Name is Earl and the first part of CSI: Miami. I am not quite awake today. I am also still feeling sick. It would have been lovely to relive my at home day yesterday today--but to wake up tomorrow feeling better. Or just to feel better now, but still be at home.

Heroes is really the only show D watches with any regularity. I actually didn't want to watch it at all, but I love the idea of D and I watching TV together and sharing that. I really have no idea why I think it's that great of an idea to be TV Junkies together, but I blame my parents for this. Anyway, I had no desire to watch Heroes, but set it to record on my DVR so we could watch it together. Now I'm hooked.

While Heroes is a great show and all, that is not the point of this post. What I'm really trying to say is that I watch a lot of TV. I mean A LOT. I also blame that on my parents, actually my dad. It's All. His. Fault. I currently have 27 season passes set on my DVR. Not all of the shows are on right now, but still--that's a lot. I know it. I own it. Without much further ado, here are the shows I record. I'll admit I'm addicted to most of them. I'm not giving them links because seriously, what's the point? And I'm not putting them in order of favorites--do you know how hard it is for me to answer that question? I can't even narrow it down to five! So, in alpha order, this is what I'm watching when I could be cooking, cleaning or working out:

Back to You
Biggest Loser (TBL)
Bones
Brothers & Sisters
Chuck
Criminal Minds
CSI
CSI: Miami
ER
Heroes
House
Law & Order
Law & Order Criminal Intent
Law & Order SVU
Monk
My Name is Earl
Nip/Tuck
Numbers
Project Runway (PR)
Psych
Pushing Daisies
Scrubs
Shark
Side Order of Life
The Closer
The Office
Top Chef

There are a few, like Back to You, that I could take or leave. I probably wouldn't watch My Name is Earl anymore if D didn't like it. I haven't gotten to Chuck or Pushing Daisies yet, as D and I are saving those for when Heroes takes a break. Project Runway starts TOMORROW and I couldn't be more excited. Some of my shows were cancelled. Some I had to stop watching because of scheduling conflicts (my DVR can only record two shows at once--that is not enough, people) and some I set up but then deleted (ie: Dirty Sexy Money) because I just really don't have the time. I also recorded random 'flip' shows, but I recently deleted them because we just weren't watching them like we did.

As you can tell from my list, detective shows are kind of my thing. Medical dramas are also up there. I used to not watch reality TV, but that was before TBL, PR and Top Chef. I justify it by saying that these are all life altering shows--and not just in a money kind of way. But whatever, it's reality TV. I'm hooked. Anything on this list you watch? What am I missing out on?

Throwing In The Towel

***First, I need to admit that I did fail miserably at NaBloPoMo. I was home sick yesterday and could not get the frickin' computer to work. Granted, I only tried twice, but I was sick. So, I slept yesterday instead of posting. I have no idea what I would have posted, so perhaps you are all the better for not having to read through it.***

It's Tuesday. I missed posting on Monday. Sorry. I need to say that I am giving this my best effort. Also, I'm going to be in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving. Yea! But, we do not have a laptop. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to post from Las Vegas. I might need to amend my commitment to NaBloPoMo to days that I am at work.

I need to catch up on work today, but hopefully later I will be able to catch up on your blogs and possibly write another inspired post of my own. It's been awhile, so maybe the Muse's holiday is over and she will return so I can redeem myself.

9 Hours Of Bowling Sucks

I realize that most of you don't bowl and have no desire to read about bowling, but after spending a long day in one of the worst Family Fun Centers I don't have anything else to write about.

Also, I realize that it's technically Monday, but I fell asleep after bowling and just woke up to post. It's the middle of the night, so let's just pretend.

Today was tough for me on the lanes and I really could have used a remote controlled bowling ball.

A Day Of Work And Bowling

You can tell it's November when I'm bowling all the time and also have to work on the weekends. This month is short on workdays and weekends, but apparently that makes it appealing for organizations to cram everything into.

This morning I was at work. We had a luncheon for donors and students. It's an easy event to work and it went incredibly well--it just took up time. At least I was served delicious pot roast for my efforts.

After changing out of my snazzy pink tweed suit (That's right, pink tweed. Oh yeah.) I put on my cute black and white bowling shirt. I didn't think it was possible to be in two such extremely different venues in one day. Although when I'm bowling with my tournament team it is rarely the 'bowling alley' you imagine or see on TV. These are mostly women's tournaments and even when we're bowling with/against the men, people there are competitive--not wearing wife beaters or My Drinking Team has a Bowling Problem T-shirts. Bowling is an odd thing as it is both a recreational activity and a competitive sport.

The center was not as kind to us as it could have been today. For starters, it was hot. My Degree was activated. Also, it took forever to get my food. And we just didn't score as well as we would have liked. We'll do better tomorrow. Yes, another full day in a bowling center. But, this time I don't have to go into work as well; and we're wearing teal.

Looking Famous And Beautiful

If you have time to kill or need a writing prompt for NaBloPoMo, head on over to My Heritage and see which celebrities you look like. I'm still on Cloud 9 because Vanessa Marcil was deemed "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" by Prince for his video. I think she is lovely. I take it as a compliment to look 84.5% like her. (But I don't. Look like her, that is.) Or to resemble any of these ladies by as much as 10%.


I used 5 pictures of myself and then tracked the top 5 celebrities that appeared for each photo and the percentage of resemblance. After a little easy math (my brain can't handle any other kind of math) I came up with these stats. So, I look like this...according to a computer.

Kate Bosworth 86.5%

Eva Longoria 85%

Vanessa Marcil 84.5%



Kate Hudson 84%

Portia Derossi 83%

If you know me in real life, I won't be at all offended if you disagree with the face recognition software. Really. If you say, "I just don't see it," I'll reply with, "I don't see it either." Plus, I don't have blonde hair. But, I've dreamed of looking like Kate Hudson, so maybe my dreams are coming true?

Day 8 And It's Getting To Me

1. I often admit to being under inspired for blog entries. Why I thought I could do NaBloPoMo is beyond me; but here I am, posting nothingness.
2. Well, that was an incredibly negative way to start this post.
3. It often happens that I have tons of great ideas that come to me when I am no where near my computer.
4. My cathartic walks to Sbux often leave me feeling creative; something which rarely happens at my desk.
5. The great ideas never seem to stick, though, or the humor and/or insight is lost as it runs the course from my right brain to my fingertips.
6. What I need is a digital voice recorder, then I could dictate my blog entries on my walks and just type it up--or hook it up to specialized software and be done with it.
7. I actually did this my senior year in high school for a poetry contest. I borrowed my teacher's recorder and as I would run errands for her during my TA hour I would work out the lines of my poems. It really worked; the creativity just flowed. Two of my three poems won in two different categories. (Unnecessary pat on the back for something done 10 years ago.)
8. I guess this means I'm not the type of person who can harness the creativity, or I just haven't learned how to yet. I'm guessing it takes work for most.
9. The last thought made me imagine lightning bugs in a jar.
10. Do you say lightning bugs or fireflies? Is it regional?
11. Back to not being able to come up with inspired blog entries from my desk, this shouldn't shock me. In college I hand wrote all of my papers in a local coffee shop on a red velvet couch and then would type them up back in my dorm room. A laptop would have helped me out greatly, Mom and Dad.
12. What all of this means to me is that I really need to blog someplace other than work.
13. Also, online shopping does not cure writer's block, but I did buy the Banana Republic bubble necklace. Score!

Some Gold & Wool Will Make It All Better

As I continue on the Quest to Create an Interesting Wardrobe, I become more and more frustrated and confused. The set above is from Banana Republic. Not that I would wear these pieces all together, but maybe the necklace on its own when a neckline calls for it or just the earrings or the earrings and the cuff bracelet on occasion. I'm trying to find accessories, but I really want diamond earrings and a diamond necklace. (Interesting? Not really. Beautiful, timeless and functional? Absolutely.) Also, diamonds are a bit out of my budget right now. I wear gold, not silver, so this further complicates things; so many gold/golden things look tacky to me and I'm afraid that all of the above just might fit in that category. I want something interesting, but I'm just not sure if these pieces (even on their own) will work for me. If you have any ideas, please send them my way!!!


On to the next. I feel pretty confident, in general, about picking sweaters, but I would appreciate some advice. Please give me honest opinions about the below styles and colors. The first two are from Ann Taylor and the third is from Gap.

I LOVE the red buckle sweater, my only concern is that it will look frumpy on me. Also, I have a great red zip sweater, but it is a bit more casual. What do you think of the red one?

The oatmeal shawl collar sweater is OK. I think I like it, but I also think it looks a little old lady for me. (Not actually like a 'little old lady' but a little like something an old lady would wear.) They also have it in black, but do I really need another black cardigan? Quite possibly I do, but I'd like to branch out in the colors just a bit, even if I'm still in the neutrals.

The oatmeal crew collar sweater is, I don't know. It's just calling me. I feel like I need it. I obviously don't need two new oatmeal cardigans, so which would you choose if you had to pick one?

Do you like any of these sweaters at all? If not, I usually have better taste--I swear! For proof, I offer you my word that I have received two compliments on my sweater dress/calf boot outfit today. And no, I do not look like a hooker.

Better Than A Radio Station T-shirt

Yesterday was just an average day, just like any other day in the life of KM & D until we arrived home and D went to get the mail. He came in the house and said, "Who is Lastname from Somecity, MN?" To be honest, I wasn't quite sure, but then I turned around and saw that he had a package for me. "That's my prize from my blogger friend!" (Thirty before 30)

A huge eye roll followed.

D: Why did you get a prize?

KM: I won her Tuesday Tunes contest.

After a short explanation of blogs and the contest...

D: But you suck at that.

KM: Well, yes. But I named the song and someone else named the artist so we both got something "Real Nice".

But D is right; knowing artists names is not my strong suit. For the first 4 years that I listened to country I didn't know that Garth Brooks sang more than half of my favorite songs. I knew I liked Garth Brooks, but I didn't know how much I liked him until D gave me the box set of all of his albums. Apparently he knew how much I liked Garth Brooks. Coincidentally, Garth Brooks has a new album out called Ultimate Hits--it hits shelves today.

Anyway, I did win the contest. (I won! I won! I really, really won!) and Thirty sent me a great package full of prizes (pictured above). I do have a crush on Jim from "The Office" so I really appreciate the I Heart Jim notepad. And who wouldn't love hot chocolate and Lip Smackers? Thank you, Thirty! I love my prize(s) and I will continue to play; but now you know that it was a complete fluke that I won!

How I Will One Day Embarrass My Hypothetical Future Children

When I was 14 my family packed into the minivan to travel from MN to Jackson Hole, WY. We were on our way to a family reunion. It can't get more exciting than that, people. This was a gathering of my mom's family and more specifically, of my mom's mom's family. (I could just of easily have said "My maternal grandmother" but I always chuckle when people go through the relationship tree: my dad's sister's crazy daughter's husband vs. my cousin's husband.) And let me tell you, while my mom's sisters (I did it again just for you) are crazier than she is, she is definitely less inhibited and more likely to make a complete fool of herself.

On with the story: One afternoon we (me, my mom, and a few of my aunts) were walking through a grocery store and saw a crate full of fruit with a sign reading: MANGOES. My mother loudly and enthusiastically exclaimed, "Ooh, mangoes! I hate mangoes." On the same shopping 'adventure' she wondered off on her own down an aisle of boxed foods and began to clipitty-clop in her cowboy boots. She then ran around to find us in the next aisle over and excitedly asked, "Did I sound like a horse? Did I? Did I?" Did I mention I was 14? OH MY GOD; I was mortified. So, that is the story of My Mom, the Grocery Store and the Cowboy Boots.

It's A Bird. It's A Plane.

Yes, I spent the entire day in a bowling center. Again. I swear there is a world where people think this is cool, though. Or at least not completely lame. Anyway, there was a big local tournament this weekend and both my dad and my brother did well enough on Saturday to make it to Sunday. Whoo hoo! I started my morning with yet another Grande Nonfat Chai and later had to supplement my caffeine intake with a Diet Dr. Pepper. (While I do love bowling and like to watch it, I'll admit that it does get a little slow.) My brother finished 8th. That is quite a good showing. My dad, however, has become some crazy good bowler (again) in the last few years and decided to make me stay at the bowling center for a total of 8.5 hours yesterday. A handful of people stayed to watch the final matches and when it was all said and done my dad was probably the underdog going in to the final match. While my dad is quite good, and called Superman on occasion by his peers, his opponent is still in his prime--my dad is on the senior circuit. In order to win, my dad would need to beat the hot younger player twice. He did it. He won. It was awesome. My dad rocks.

***I wrote this at about 6:00 pm on Sunday. My poor Internet connection at home would not let me post as it always timed out. I tried to publish a few more times, but eventually I needed to go to bed. So, I kept the time stamp from the last time I saved it. I hate to have the appearance of cheating so early in NaBloPoMo, but I tried, and tried, and tried.***

Good Shots

Yes, I spend pretty much every weekend in the bowling alley regardless if I'm bowling or not. And yes, I still say 'bowling alley' most of the time even though I know I am supposed to say 'bowling center.' I'm working on it.

Today both my dad and my brother were bowling in a big tournament and I enjoyed watching, pseudo-coaching and cheering them on. I basically grew up in a bowling center, so I know most of the guys there, and it was fun to chat with everyone and see my friends do well. My dad and my brother both bowled well enough to make the cut, so they get to bowl tomorrow. I was reminded of the start time and that I even get an extra hour of sleep tonight (Remember, it's Day Light Savings--set your clocks back!) so that there is no excuse for me not to show up on time.

Lest you think I'm a social loser, I do have plans tonight with friends and we will not be bowling. I do expect that food and laughter will be involved though, and maybe even some shopping. Perhaps I'll find a few of the accessories I so desperately need.

Mystery To Me

Supposedly a little mystery is good for a marriage, but I often thought of that as meaning the beauty secrets of women and not the mind boggling actions of men. D is wonderful, but here are a few things that I don't understand and some of them just drive me crazy.

1. Unloading the dishwasher: D is very helpful in the kitchen in general. He doesn't even mind unloading the dishwasher, which is something I hate to do. He puts away the glasses, bowls, plates, and even the Tupperware-esque pieces in their proper places--but then he leaves the silverware in the dishwasher and begins to load the dirty dishes! I can't tell you how many times we've had cupboards full of dishes but no silverware.
2. Vacuuming and scrubbing: D loves our Dyson. He vacuums all the time. He will even use the carpet cleaner on occasion without being asked. D also likes to scrub out the sink and wipe down the counters. This is wonderful. The only thing I don't understand is why he will not move the paper and clutter to a reasonable place before his surface cleaning begins. No, he doesn't clean around it, he just puts everything in a bag or box and puts it somewhere.
3. Adding to the grocery list: I grocery shop every two weeks, more frequently on occasion. Starting a few days before I go, I ask D what he would like me to buy. He can never answer because he 'isn't hungry.' Ummm, what does that have to do with the next two weeks? So he always gets the same things (I keep a list of random things he likes and requests) and then I try to update the list every month or so.
4. Things don't get low, they are all of a sudden GONE: As part of my inquiry before shopping trips, I ask if he needs any body wash, shaving cream, etc (we have our own bathrooms) and he never needs any of the above. A few days after I have gone grocery shopping, however, he is out of every hygiene product imaginable. There must be a metro sexual gremlin in his bathroom.
5. The tan that lasts forever: D golfs a lot in the summer and he gets quite tan from that and the yard work. I understand that. What I don't understand is that he is still tan until March. MARCH! And then he starts to golf again in April or early May, so we have the same skin tone for all of 5 weeks. It's not fair. I hope our hypothetical future children get his complexion instead of my pasty white skin.

How D Plans Ahead For Potlucks

Tuesday night, 10:46 pm (I just checked my cell phone log), D calls.

D, in a slight panic: What do I need to make broccoli salad?

KM: Broccoli florets, apples; I don't know, a whole bunch of stuff. Why?

D: I need to bring a dish to work tomorrow and I signed up for salad.

KM, tired and a little annoyed: Why don't you just bring an easy salad then?

D: I promised everyone I would bring your salad because they really liked it last time.

KM, flattered and no longer annoyed (Good job, D!), rattled off the ingredients stating the ones that were in the refrigerator at home.

D comes home to find the recipe on the kitchen counter with the large Tupperware bowl rinsed and ready for use. Instead of following the directions on how to make the salad, he yells for KM to help. KM is not pleased but chops two apples anyway, and pulls the rest of the ingredients from the cupboards. She returns to bed. It is now almost midnight. D doubles the recipe for the salad and goes to bed.

KM awakes in the morning to find a mess in the kitchen. She is not a clean freak, but a messy kitchen she does not like.

D brings the salad to work.

D calls KM after lunch asking for the recipe to give to his coworkers. KM smiles that she has a recipe that people like.

KM’s Broccoli Salad

Dressing

• 1 cup Miracle Whip (or mayo if that’s your preference)
• ½ cup & 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Salad Base

• ~5 cups broccoli florets (I used one 16oz bag of precut broccoli florets and chop them into more bite size pieces)
• 1 small/medium apple, chopped
• ½ cup Craisins
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup slivered almonds

Preparation

• Mix all dressing ingredients together
• Mix dressing with salad base
• Chill
• Serve

Jumping On The Bandwagon

OK, so I just joined NaBloPoMo as a way to keep me on track with the whole blog thing. This will indeed be a challenge for me as I've been known to go weeks without updating and have never successfully updated everyday in a work week.

I have developed a plan to help me be successful over the next month. I have several small goals I would like to reach or at least work on before December 1st, so I will post on my progress as it relates to these projects and goals. Exciting, isn't it? I realize that this might get boring for you all to read, so maybe on a few slow days at work, or days where the inspiration just keeps coming, I will have additional posts. So, here are the things I hope to blog about:

• Fashion: I'm working on the whole accessory thing. Maybe I'll post pictures of...something. (Way to start of with something exciting!)
• Working out: I go through cycles on my commitment to work out and get in shape. Usually I come within 3lbs of my goal and then all of my dedication goes out the window and I binge on caramel corn and frou frou lattes. I'm hoping to hit my goal weight by December 1st and stay committed to the Healthy Eating Plan and weight training/yoga/cardio schedule.
• Recipes: I would like to start making more meals at home and I have several great recipes that are tried and true and a few more that I would like to experiment with.

This is just titillating, isn't it? I hope I don't bore you all to death.

Pillowcases Full Of Butterfingers

First off, no, I am not wearing a costume today. I thought about purchasing a pair of spider web like tights, but I really didn't want to spend the $8. Cheap? Yes I am. I'm in all black, though. I'll pretend it's for Halloween.

I don't remember the last time I dressed up for Halloween. Last year we went to a costume party but D didn't tell me it was a costume party until about 10 minutes before we were leaving--I had just returned home from bowling and was racing around the house trying to find something decent to wear, I didn't notice his overalls and straw hat...anyway, I ended up wearing a black turtleneck with great jeans and my glasses. I called myself a 'city girl' to contrast his 'country boy' although I'm not sure what he was really supposed to be. Yes, I realize it wasn't really a costume and that there was nothing innately 'city' about my outfit. Whatever.

I'm going to assume that the last time I dressed up for Halloween was in 7th grade. It was during the Halloween Blizzard of 1991 (And why is the news still talking about this? The last 3 mornings all I've heard from the morning news is about the weather patterns back in 1991 and how this year Halloween will be nothing like it. Is that really news?) and my costume actually worked for the weather quite nicely. I was a baby. Lame, I know; but my pastel pink footy pajamas actually allowed for long underwear and I put on a silly ghost hat. I was like a baby on Halloween--even more creative! Or lame. Again, whatever.

Tonight I am bowling. I think I will dress up as a bowler since I've been so bad lately that I can't really call myself a bowler. It will be an awesome costume complete with bowling shirt, shoes and ball(s). I even have a wrist brace.

I remember having a lot of fun on Halloween with all of my friends going door to door, saying the traditional 'Trick or Treat' and then returning home with my pillowcase full of candy. The only thing I like better now is that I don't have to sort out all of the chocolate and try to trade for Smarties, Sprees and Starburst--now I can just buy the candy I like. And tonight one of my teammates promised me a bag of candy corn, so I'm set.

Snap Shots Of Who I Am

Alternate Title: Me/Not Me

Giving credit where credit is due: Sorry, I can't. I saw this in some one's blog a long time ago; I can't remember for the life of me whose blog it was. Thanks for the great idea, though!

Medical Drama
Me: House

Not Me: Grey's Anatomy

Vacation Destinations
Me: Active--site seeing somewhere
Not Me: Relaxing on the beach

Bedroom Furniture (We're shopping for beds now so it's on my mind.)
Me: Wrought Iron
Not Me: Heavy, overbearing wood

Local Brews (before they franchised)

Me: Dunn Bros (on Grand Ave!)

Not Me: Caribou Coffee

Random Celebrity Crush

Me: Luke Wilson (I know, I could have gone with Matt Damon, George Clooney or Matthew McConaughey, but none of them seemed 'random' enough.)

Not Me: Johnny Depp (I liked him in Pirates, but I've never found him attractive.)

Eye Candy: Calorie Free, Dentist Approved

1. Yesterday the dentist shot me up with Novocain so he could fix my bite. (This is due to a recent filling which I’m still upset about.)
2. While my mouth was paralyzed and I felt like I was drooling (although friends constantly reassured me that I wasn’t) I ran up to the bowling center and saw an old high school crush.
3. Normally I wouldn’t care what I looked like at said bowling center (which is why I went directly after the dentist) but I would have probably made an extra effort had I known I was going to run into said high school crush (this goes back to me wanting to look pulled together for the ‘just in case’ moments life throws out).
4. He was engrossed in the arcade video games so I wasn’t terribly worried that he would see me in my expressionless, thick tongued state. And he wasn’t as cute as I remembered him either.
5. On Saturday I potentially get to see another crush.
6. It isn’t actually a crush, it’s more that he’s really good looking and many of the other men around him are not, and since he’s nice but quiet, it’s fun to over exaggerate and act giddy with a select group of women about the slightest bit of attention.
7. It’s kind of like a random cute guy at a coffee shop—you don’t want anything to happen, but it’s nice to be noticed. It’s the same thing; we just take it to a high school crush level.
8. In more tooth-related and less crush-worthy news, my teeth are very sensitive to cold right now and even though the cavities and recent fillings are NOT MY FAULT, I’m feeling guilty about eating anything sugary-sweet.
9. (I also have a thing for misusing parentheses and hyphens—just look at this entry!)
10. No, I’m not going to edit it; it’s the way I type. It’s my style.
11. So because of the guilt factor and also the fear of finding out that yet another tooth that is ‘sealed’ is not really sealed and that a cavity is really forming under there no matter how often I brush and floss and rinse, I’m going back on the Healthy Eating Plan and to the boards at SparkPeople.
12. I’m also going to start eating better because the last several weeks of drinking frou frou coffees and eating pastries like they’re going out of style have taken their toll. Not only can I feel it (sluggish from the sugar high and crash) but I can now see it.
13. I’m going to do my best to resist the waxy goodness of candy corn for the benefit of my waist and molars!

I'm Too Sexy For This Song

I was caught singing 'Comin' To Your City' by Big & Rich last weekend. Granted, I was in my car and the guy couldn't hear me (Thank God!) but he totally gave me the Crazy Lady Singing In Her Car look. I was really embarrassed, so I let him pass me and then I continued singing. And gesturing. Oh yes, I dance in the car too. It's a modified shoulder dance. It's awesome. My moves to 'Save A Horse, Ride a Cowboy' are much better, though. Too bad he wasn't around for that one.

But yes, I sing in the car. All the time. Unless there is someone else in the car with me. I don't sing in the shower, though. If I sang in the shower, my dogs would be howling. Not good. Also, singing in the shower leaves me vulnerable--D might hear me. He busted me belting out 'Ain't Going Down" by Garth Brooks early on in our relationship. I think he was as embarrassed as I was. Good times. I really only let loose to country--with the exception of 'Baby Got Back' but that is a must sing song. That is actually one of the only songs I will voluntarily dance to as well. It's just that good. If you don't agree, you are wrong.

I cannot sing or dance. I was once in choir. I did duets. I must have been decent, right? Not so much anymore. D and I both agree that if we were to be given one natural talent we would want it to be singing--you know, a really nice voice to sing well, with perfect pitch and such. Neither of us were so blessed. (Sorry to out you D!) Neither of us can dance either. (Sorry again!) So last weekend both my singing and dancing 'skills' were on display when my friend made us all go out. For most of the night I was just sitting at the table mouthing along the words and shoulder dancing at the table--this consists of me pretending to sing to someone and then making up awkward motions to go along with the song. Later that night we were forced on the dance floor. (I love dancing, but I'm not any good at it for the third time--and I didn't have any bridal attire to hide my sad attempts.) My hope is that by last call people were too drunk to remember that I danced at all.

On another note, one that has relatively little to do with singing or dancing--but is about a song, dm just got a new car with built in navigation. She and another friend named it Alice. Who The F*** Is Alice? Oh come on, laugh. It's funny.

A Fashionista I'm Not

I look presentable most days. Actually, I think I have nice clothes, I just go for comfort more often than fashion. And I'm an accessory virgin. I often day dream about going out (anywhere) looking fashionable and put together, like I purposefully put on each article knowing that they complimented each other and worked together to create the perfect look--but the effort it must take to actually DO that. Thinking about the effort stops me every time.

What I actually do, is roll out of bed and select a pair of black or gray or sometimes pinstriped pants and pair them with a solid sweater of some kind--I like to mix it up with short sleeves and long sleeves and sometimes a cardigan. (So daring, I know!) I do all of that after showering and towel drying my hair. Then I put on my wedding ring to complete the look. On Fridays and weekends I do the same thing with jeans, and sometimes a T-shirt (tanks in the summer).

This week I'm going through a Let's Try To Get Ready phase, so I've worn skirts and dresses and button up shirts (can one even say 'blouse' anymore?) and even earrings one day. Everyone at work kept asking if I had interviews scheduled. And by 'everyone' I mean two people and I wish that I did have interviews scheduled, I need to get back on that. I've felt pretty good about my outfits this week, but I know that I will eventually slide back into my favorite sweater, and then the Ugly Sweater once it gets colder. I'm trying to guard against this, but it seems inevitable.

My goal is to not only look work appropriate (which I really think that I do most every day) but to look professional and pulled together. It would be nice to pass the Ex Test (you know, the one where if you ran into an ex you would just know you looked good and wouldn't give a second thought to saying "Hi" because you're not dressed in an old T-shirt with Crocs on) or maybe more appropriate for this post, the Impromptu Executive Meeting Test--not that I wear old T-shirts and Crocs to work, but you get the idea. I'm working on it. I'll probably never be a fashionista, but maybe someday soon I'll own an accessory or two and know how to wear them.

80085

This morning, like every Wednesday morning, I was driving in to work listening to K102 and trying not to spill chai on myself. Yes, Wednesday mornings are my favorite mornings during the work week. I get to drive myself in to work as opposed to carpooling with D (which I actually do love, by the way, but a woman needs her space and her own music!) and that means I get to stop at Dunn Bros before work (or else I'm actually going to Sbux, which is fine, but it's no Dunn's) and also, I get to leave work early. I know the last thing has nothing to do with Wednesday mornings, but just knowing I get to leave early makes my morning better.

So, back on topic...This morning on K102 they were starting some new Ask The Experts thing, and today they had 2 women from Macy's on air who were certified bra fitters. (Log that under a job I do not want.) Right now Macy's is doing the Wacoal Fit For The Cure as it is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month--so go get fitted! Eight in ten women are still wearing the wrong size bra, even after the Oprah special a year or two ago. All of these women were calling in with fit questions and Muss and Fish were trying very hard to stay professional. It was an OK show, but it still amazes me that more women don't get fitted properly. Bras are expensive. If I'm going to spend that kind of money I would want to make sure I was buying the right size. And that is exactly what I did.

I didn't know about the whole Macy's Fit For The Cure thing, or else I maybe would have waited a week and gone there. But I went to Nordstrom last week to get fitted, and I don't think it would ever dawn on me to get fitted for bras at Macy's. Nordstrom is known for that, not Macy's. Just like Marshall Field's was known for bridal registry. In Minnesota you just registered at Marshall Field's, or at least you used to. I'm glad I was married a few years ago, if I had to register now I don't know where I would go. Would I go to Macy's by default? I really don't like Macy's. Sad. Back on point...I went to Nordstrom last week and spent gobs of money on my ever shrinking chest to lift and separate 'the girls'. (Ugh. I really hate that phrase, but it just seemed so appropriate and Peg Bundy right there. (Hmmm, 'appropriate' and 'Peg Bundy' don't really work together, do they? Oh well.)) So now my bras all fit and they are so comfortable I could probably wear them to bed. Let's ignore the fact that I measured out to be one size and ended up buying a size that was completely different--this is where 'bra fitting is more of an art than a science' as the certified bra fitter said this morning, but I just think bra sizes are meaningless.

I think that's all I have to say about boobs. (Did you get that from the post title? Pretend you're a pre-teen boy. Do you get it now? OK then, whip out your calculator. You better get it now.) Get fitted at Macy's so Wacoal donates money to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. If you don't get fitted there, get fitted somewhere. And support Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Lastly, my friend was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, went through treatment, and is now in remission. She is doing well and made us go out on Saturday night to let loose. It was more fun than I would have thought and as good of a reason as any to celebrate. In fact, Saturday was so much fun that I'm still recovering (and I didn't even drink!) and I plan to take a nap this afternoon because I GET TO LEAVE EARLY TODAY! I love Wednesdays.

Happiness Is...

Thirteen Things that make me happy:

Stop Requested

I took the bus all the way home from work yesterday. Yes, this is a big deal. I don't usually take the bus--I get door to door service in a carpool with D, but sometimes I have to wait insane amounts of time for him to pick me up. Yesterday was one of those days. And I had a free bus pass from Metro Transit. Score!

Anyway, that actual getting home part was fine--it was much easier than I thought it would be: I made it to my transfer and everything. Yea me! So, I got on the correct bus twice and made it home without incident. I won't go as far as saying that the bus is awesome, but my new found knowledge might come in handy every once in awhile.

While the process was easier, the experience was my worst [logical] fear of what would happen on a bus ride. (Although I would have loved to meet Sandra Bullock, Keannu Reeves not so much.) Gross, smelly, wife-beater-wearing guy sat next to me AND WANTED TO TALK! His initial line was, "Can you turn that around so we can talk?" He was referring to my wedding ring. Nice. He then went on to tell me that he is really stressed out and that he finally went to see a "psycho doc" who gave him medication of some kind, "but that won't go well with [his] sobriety." What the...? Why was he sharing this with me? I could have told him my life story, but I didn't. I could have told him that we watched Knocked Up the other night and I was laughing so hard, but then I freaked out because I now laugh like my mother. I could have told him that everyday I feel guilty because my dog is in pain and D and I can't make a decision, which is to say we've made a decision by not making one, but we feel awful about it. I could have told him that I didn't care and that he should take his stale cigarette and B.O. stench somewhere else, but I didn't. I'm not mean, people. I didn't really talk to him, only nodded on occasion and prayed that each stop was his. No luck, he was with me for the duration.

I relayed all of this to D and he couldn't help but to laugh at the thought of me on a city bus. What does that mean? Anyway, I have another free pass that I'll probably use tomorrow. And now that I know the route, I might actually be able to signal for my transfer stop instead of silently praying that my stop is a popular one and another passenger will need to get off as well.