...I'd write one about today.
But unfortunately, I don't possess that gift. So I'm just going to describe it to you.
Lola and I went for a walk downtown. It was perfect: sunny, comfortably cool, warm but not enough to break a sweat. Jeans and t-shirt (and scarf!) and sunglasses weather.
We took a lap around the courthouse square and passed the Java Roaster where there are ALWAYS people sitting around outside, which is one of the reasons I love the place so much. Today it was a friendly older man who gave Lola a good ear-scratch, a very school-of-ag looking student studying a text book, and a couple of biker dudes.
Lola and I turned the corner and headed toward the pedestrian bridge, passing Red Seven where people were enjoying the most scrumptious cuisine I have ever smelled. We decided to work up an appetite and started across the bridge.
As we climbed the depot stairs, a train passed underneath us, which is always fun for some reason. Lola looked so cute climbing up and down the stairways that got us to the pedestrian bridge. Something about those wrinkly little legs hopping steps and those perky little ears flopping and that pink tongue sticking out sideways just gets me!
We said hello to another older gentleman who was resting next to his walking cane on a bench in the middle of the bridge, and we met a dad with a beautiful baby girl in a stroller.
Then we walked past what looked like a yoga class in session on the west side of the bridge. It was the most ragtag group I'd ever seen, but they seemed to be enjoying learning their poses. Next to them sat two scruffy guys who were drinking who knows what out of a paper bagged bottle. One of them asked me if I was single and I laughed as we walked away (quickly).
It was shady and cool at the other end of the bridge, so I gave Lola some water and sat on a bench to read a few chapters of a Jane Austen book. Then it was time to go back.
We ran into three teenage kids who liked Lola. One of them asked me if I wanted to hear a song and I said yes. He pulled out a guitar and sang and played "No Rain" by Blind Melon and it was pretty good! He attracted a little crowd there on the bridge as he played.
After the song, we moved on, pausing to say hi to a family with two adorable little kids. They had cameras with them; obviously a perfect day and setting for some pictures.
We crossed the bridge and passed Red Seven again on the way back to the car. People looked so classy sitting on the patio under the square umbrellas, all dressed up for a special night out. The servers sailed around the tables removing and replacing big, square, steaming dishes that smelled irresistible.
We walked past the Lafayette Theater where a skinny guy in the ticket booth was eating a plate of noodles. I smiled at him and he smiled back. Then we went across the street and found the car. Lola climbed into my lap, which I usually don't allow when I'm driving. But this time I rolled my window down and let her hang her tongue out the window as we climbed 4th Street to the apartment buildings.
Now Lola is asleep, snoring her adorable pug snore on her little blue bed. I've got the living room window open. I can hear voices and dinner plates clinking through other open windows in the building. The crickets and every other insect in nature with a sound to make are creating little symphonies out in the woods. I love that sound.
Now it's dinner time and I know that as soon as I cross over the baby gate into the kitchen, Lola will wake up and start jumping around in anticipation of food. Then the sound of the skillet and the kitchen faucet will drown out the summer sounds coming through the window. Before I know it, it will be time for work.
So I'm going to hang on to this peaceful moment just a little bit longer.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
there's a clog in my blog!
Now, I will admit that though I do attempt to dress in a snappy manner, I am by no means an expert-level fashionista. I'm still trying to figure out how to do that whole thing where you have an outfit that's one color and a pair of shoes that are a TOTALLY different color but it looks awesome? Know what I mean?
Well anyway...
I love shoes, for the most part. But one form of footwear for which I have a personal hatred is clogs. They are big, clunky, and totally impractical as they do not want to stay on your feet when you walk. Not to mention they don't look feminine AT ALL and they force the back of your pants to get awkwardly caught between your heel and the inside of your shoe, which is annoying. I have seen them slowly creeping back onto the shelves at shoe stores, trying to reinvent themselves as cute and versatile. But I won't be fooled. Clogs have no place in my closet.
So when I saw an advertisement for these on the sidebar of my facebook page, I was caught somewhere between amused and horrified:
And guess how much people pay to own these? $139! That's right, 139 American dollars for CLOGS!
You know what else you can buy for $139? These:
Why not invest that money a little more wisely and swap your cat clogs for some kitten heels? Please, people?!
Meow.
Well anyway...
I love shoes, for the most part. But one form of footwear for which I have a personal hatred is clogs. They are big, clunky, and totally impractical as they do not want to stay on your feet when you walk. Not to mention they don't look feminine AT ALL and they force the back of your pants to get awkwardly caught between your heel and the inside of your shoe, which is annoying. I have seen them slowly creeping back onto the shelves at shoe stores, trying to reinvent themselves as cute and versatile. But I won't be fooled. Clogs have no place in my closet.
So when I saw an advertisement for these on the sidebar of my facebook page, I was caught somewhere between amused and horrified:
And guess how much people pay to own these? $139! That's right, 139 American dollars for CLOGS!
You know what else you can buy for $139? These:
Why not invest that money a little more wisely and swap your cat clogs for some kitten heels? Please, people?!
Meow.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
I'm back, nerds!!!
OK, so I'm back from vacation (which was fabulous, by the way) and ready to do some blogging! And I've decided to set a new goal for my blogging habits. I think I went a little overkill this summer between starting a second blog, trying to keep up with three different shows, and editing video recaps. Then I got what I'm going to call an internet hangover, and didn't even end up writing a single finale recap for any of those shows. And I pretty much neglected this blog until I had to word vomit all over it before leaving for vacation.
So, new goal: I'm going to blog once a week on each blog. That's not too tough, right? Plus, people probably don't want to read a new post from me every day of their lives anyway, so this will make me easier for you lot to keep up with. AND best of all, it will give me more time to catch up with YOU!
OK, now that that's out of the way...
VACATION HIGHLIGHTS!
1. Flat tire!
Yes, my very first flat tire that really counts. (My old Neon got a flat in high school, but I was literally right in front of my house when it happened, so I got it up the driveway and into the garage where my dad changed it using power tools. Which is sooooo not the same thing as an actual, real-life flat tire!)
It happened about 40 miles before Rockford, Illinois and about 15 minutes before midnight. I had slept all day and was really hitting my groove behind the wheel, ready for a steady drive through the night. Marla and I had talked our way through Indiana and now she was asleep in the passenger seat and it was just me, Heidi (my GPS), and a mix of Jason Mraz, Lady Danville, and Sara B in the CD player. I was feeling good.
And then the tire went out.
I weakly hoped for a second that the flatulent sounds being made between my tires and the road were being caused by an unfinished repaving job, but I knew this wasn't the case, so I pulled over and woke up Marla, who got out to check the damage.
"Yep, you got a flat," she said.
OK, I thought, no problem! I had a can of tire inflator in the trunk -- easy fix! So we tried to fill the tire up with the inflation stuff, but it didn't work...which meant we'd actually have to change the tire. In the middle of the night. In the middle of I-39.
We called Dad, and between his instructions and some very vague illustrations in my car's owner manual, we got the tire changed by the light of cell phones and a full moon. There was no crying or yelling, which is impressive for our family, and I am proud to say I even called off the roadside assistance folks who were dispatched by my insurance company. Marla and I did it ourselves!
I'm also not embarrassed to say that at some point in the night, both of us peed on the side of the interstate. Ah-thank-you.
We made it to Rockford on the little donut tire and stayed in a hotel overnight so we could get new tires in the morning, making us late for our cousin's wedding in Minneapolis that afternoon. But we still made it to the reception!
Of course, by the time we got there, everyone had heard about the flat tire incident and was either pitying us or giving us a hard time about it. But you know what? I'm actually glad it happened, because now I know I can change a flat and live to tell the story! Ok, highlight number 2...
2. Reunited (and it feels so goo-ood!)
For the first time in years, both of my sisters and I were at the lake at the same time, which was very special! We are a very closeknit set of siblings, so when we get together it gets a little insane. My dad is always equal parts busting at the seams with happiness and driven up the wall with annoyance, because we as a group are a little obnoxious. When we get together, we almost speak in our own language largely made up of inside jokes, weird voices, and fits of laughter. This time around our language also included several Dorm Life references, including endless choruses of "Tabitha Darling" and many other Joshua Morgan quotes. One morning I was even awakened by the Morning Song a la Steph Schwartzman, courtesy of Marla. Like I said, very special.
3. My birthday!
My actual birthday was spent driving home from the lake, which kind of stunk, but it was also a lot of fun because Marla and I passed the time using the word "essspensive" as much as possible (example: "Oooh, that motorcycle looks essspensive!" or, "Gas is essspensive!") and talking/singing in high-pitched voices to get Lola to make faces at us from the back seat.
But my birthday celebration was Friday and it was fabulous. Michelle made some kind of cake made of Kahlua, coffee, and coconut (delicious), and we took it and a bucket of frozen margarita mix on the pontoon boat and cruised the lake as the sun went down. It was the second annual Cake and Cocktail Cruise (a tradition I founded last year)! I think next year I'm gonna make t-shirts.
And now I'm back, trying to get adjusted to my nocturnal schedule again and getting back into the swing of work. And this time of year I always get the urge to buy school supplies, even though I don't need to anymore! September is just around the corner, and with it the start of FOOTBALL SEASON! I can't wait.
See you next week, I promise!
<3 Lis
So, new goal: I'm going to blog once a week on each blog. That's not too tough, right? Plus, people probably don't want to read a new post from me every day of their lives anyway, so this will make me easier for you lot to keep up with. AND best of all, it will give me more time to catch up with YOU!
OK, now that that's out of the way...
VACATION HIGHLIGHTS!
1. Flat tire!
Yes, my very first flat tire that really counts. (My old Neon got a flat in high school, but I was literally right in front of my house when it happened, so I got it up the driveway and into the garage where my dad changed it using power tools. Which is sooooo not the same thing as an actual, real-life flat tire!)
It happened about 40 miles before Rockford, Illinois and about 15 minutes before midnight. I had slept all day and was really hitting my groove behind the wheel, ready for a steady drive through the night. Marla and I had talked our way through Indiana and now she was asleep in the passenger seat and it was just me, Heidi (my GPS), and a mix of Jason Mraz, Lady Danville, and Sara B in the CD player. I was feeling good.
And then the tire went out.
I weakly hoped for a second that the flatulent sounds being made between my tires and the road were being caused by an unfinished repaving job, but I knew this wasn't the case, so I pulled over and woke up Marla, who got out to check the damage.
"Yep, you got a flat," she said.
OK, I thought, no problem! I had a can of tire inflator in the trunk -- easy fix! So we tried to fill the tire up with the inflation stuff, but it didn't work...which meant we'd actually have to change the tire. In the middle of the night. In the middle of I-39.
We called Dad, and between his instructions and some very vague illustrations in my car's owner manual, we got the tire changed by the light of cell phones and a full moon. There was no crying or yelling, which is impressive for our family, and I am proud to say I even called off the roadside assistance folks who were dispatched by my insurance company. Marla and I did it ourselves!
I'm also not embarrassed to say that at some point in the night, both of us peed on the side of the interstate. Ah-thank-you.
We made it to Rockford on the little donut tire and stayed in a hotel overnight so we could get new tires in the morning, making us late for our cousin's wedding in Minneapolis that afternoon. But we still made it to the reception!
Of course, by the time we got there, everyone had heard about the flat tire incident and was either pitying us or giving us a hard time about it. But you know what? I'm actually glad it happened, because now I know I can change a flat and live to tell the story! Ok, highlight number 2...
2. Reunited (and it feels so goo-ood!)
For the first time in years, both of my sisters and I were at the lake at the same time, which was very special! We are a very closeknit set of siblings, so when we get together it gets a little insane. My dad is always equal parts busting at the seams with happiness and driven up the wall with annoyance, because we as a group are a little obnoxious. When we get together, we almost speak in our own language largely made up of inside jokes, weird voices, and fits of laughter. This time around our language also included several Dorm Life references, including endless choruses of "Tabitha Darling" and many other Joshua Morgan quotes. One morning I was even awakened by the Morning Song a la Steph Schwartzman, courtesy of Marla. Like I said, very special.
3. My birthday!
My actual birthday was spent driving home from the lake, which kind of stunk, but it was also a lot of fun because Marla and I passed the time using the word "essspensive" as much as possible (example: "Oooh, that motorcycle looks essspensive!" or, "Gas is essspensive!") and talking/singing in high-pitched voices to get Lola to make faces at us from the back seat.
But my birthday celebration was Friday and it was fabulous. Michelle made some kind of cake made of Kahlua, coffee, and coconut (delicious), and we took it and a bucket of frozen margarita mix on the pontoon boat and cruised the lake as the sun went down. It was the second annual Cake and Cocktail Cruise (a tradition I founded last year)! I think next year I'm gonna make t-shirts.
And now I'm back, trying to get adjusted to my nocturnal schedule again and getting back into the swing of work. And this time of year I always get the urge to buy school supplies, even though I don't need to anymore! September is just around the corner, and with it the start of FOOTBALL SEASON! I can't wait.
See you next week, I promise!
<3 Lis
Thursday, August 6, 2009
i hate you/i heart you.
Hello, blog. It's been awhile.
You know how sometimes your blog is a place to document experiences you will never forget, or memorable moments you'll look back on later with much love?
Yeah, this isn't one of those posts.
This is one of those posts you write because you HAVE to have someplace to spew all the crazy in your mind in order to save yourself from going over the edge.
The edge of what? I don't know...the edge of your chair, maybe. Or the edge of the Cliffs of Insanity perhaps.
Anyway, Random Thoughts for 500, Alex:
- I old-fish-hilly have less than a year left here, in this town, at this job. And then I'm moving to California. Or just somewhere with a beach. And yes, there ARE jobs out there; I checked.
- Countdown to awesome things:
Haircut...10 hours
SYTYCD Finale with Awesome People...less than 24 hours
Road Trip to Minnesota for Vacation...less than 48 hours
These events are getting me to the end of the most stressful, exhausting week of work I have ever experienced.
- Speaking of which...we got a new morning anchor and meteorologist. I love them both. What I don't love is the "perfect storm" of extra work/changes/etc I have been busy with leading up to a week of vacation. I can't even begin to go into detail on this...just accept without explanation from me that it's been pretty hairy for me at the station lately.
- I went to McDonald's for an iced mocha the other morning, and there was a guy in front of me who was ordering breakfast. He was very, VERY morbidly obese. And this probably sounds mean, but I don't mean it to be...shouldn't places like McDonald's reserve the right to refuse service to people who don't need any more high fat/high sodium foods the same way a bartender or server in a restaurant can refuse service to someone who doesn't need to have any more alcohol?
- I ordered a new swim suit, and it came in the mail today. That was exciting. What wasn't exciting was that it didn't end up being what it said it would be on the WEBSITE FROM WHICH I HAD ORDERED IT. If your product description says "ties in the back" then it better damn well TIE IN THE BACK, not HOOK IN THE BACK!!! OK?!!! LESSON LEARNED!!!
- I can't stop quoting Dorm Life on a daily basis. I would say I'm sorry, but I'm really just not.
- All week I've wanted to quote Tracy Jordan in 30 Rock: "Live every week like it's Shark Week." It is kind of amazing how excited people get about this annual Discovery Channel event. It's kind of like swimming during the Olympics...no one gives a crap about it until it becomes a nationally televised event during a set-aside portion of the summer, and then suddenly everyone's interested. Not that that's a bad thing.
- I wish I had more occasion to use (and please excuse the expression) "apeshit" in a sentence. I don't know why I like this word so much; it's so low-brow...but for some reason I just really enjoy it!
- If you don't know who Lady Danville is...get with it. Their music has been pretty much keeping me from punching myself in the face for the past two weeks.
Aren't they too adorable for real life?!
- I wish I could convince people I had an evil twin; I could get away with saying what I'm thinking even if it's rude or mean and then just be like, "That wasn't me! It was my evil twin!"
OK, sorry for going completely apeshit on you guys.
Lis
You know how sometimes your blog is a place to document experiences you will never forget, or memorable moments you'll look back on later with much love?
Yeah, this isn't one of those posts.
This is one of those posts you write because you HAVE to have someplace to spew all the crazy in your mind in order to save yourself from going over the edge.
The edge of what? I don't know...the edge of your chair, maybe. Or the edge of the Cliffs of Insanity perhaps.
Anyway, Random Thoughts for 500, Alex:
- I old-fish-hilly have less than a year left here, in this town, at this job. And then I'm moving to California. Or just somewhere with a beach. And yes, there ARE jobs out there; I checked.
- Countdown to awesome things:
Haircut...10 hours
SYTYCD Finale with Awesome People...less than 24 hours
Road Trip to Minnesota for Vacation...less than 48 hours
These events are getting me to the end of the most stressful, exhausting week of work I have ever experienced.
- Speaking of which...we got a new morning anchor and meteorologist. I love them both. What I don't love is the "perfect storm" of extra work/changes/etc I have been busy with leading up to a week of vacation. I can't even begin to go into detail on this...just accept without explanation from me that it's been pretty hairy for me at the station lately.
- I went to McDonald's for an iced mocha the other morning, and there was a guy in front of me who was ordering breakfast. He was very, VERY morbidly obese. And this probably sounds mean, but I don't mean it to be...shouldn't places like McDonald's reserve the right to refuse service to people who don't need any more high fat/high sodium foods the same way a bartender or server in a restaurant can refuse service to someone who doesn't need to have any more alcohol?
- I ordered a new swim suit, and it came in the mail today. That was exciting. What wasn't exciting was that it didn't end up being what it said it would be on the WEBSITE FROM WHICH I HAD ORDERED IT. If your product description says "ties in the back" then it better damn well TIE IN THE BACK, not HOOK IN THE BACK!!! OK?!!! LESSON LEARNED!!!
- I can't stop quoting Dorm Life on a daily basis. I would say I'm sorry, but I'm really just not.
- All week I've wanted to quote Tracy Jordan in 30 Rock: "Live every week like it's Shark Week." It is kind of amazing how excited people get about this annual Discovery Channel event. It's kind of like swimming during the Olympics...no one gives a crap about it until it becomes a nationally televised event during a set-aside portion of the summer, and then suddenly everyone's interested. Not that that's a bad thing.
- I wish I had more occasion to use (and please excuse the expression) "apeshit" in a sentence. I don't know why I like this word so much; it's so low-brow...but for some reason I just really enjoy it!
- If you don't know who Lady Danville is...get with it. Their music has been pretty much keeping me from punching myself in the face for the past two weeks.
Aren't they too adorable for real life?!
- I wish I could convince people I had an evil twin; I could get away with saying what I'm thinking even if it's rude or mean and then just be like, "That wasn't me! It was my evil twin!"
OK, sorry for going completely apeshit on you guys.
Lis
Thursday, July 16, 2009
official...old fish hill...Danielle Fishel!
(OK, if you're not an avid viewer of Dorm Life, you are probably thinking, "What the heck is that title about?!" So if you're confused, I'm sorry. The theme here is "official.")
It's old fish hill: My days in Lafayette are numbered.
I just got a copy of my signed and approved contract extension, which says I'll be working here for about another year (till the end of July 2010). So...HIRE ME, PEOPLE!
Here's what I'm looking for in my next chapter of life:
-a home near or within reasonable driving distance of a beach
-a job that allows me to sleep during the night time and pays more than what I'm making now
-the opportunity to do something I enjoy, preferably in the media/entertainment field
-the chance to experience a different flavor of American lifestyle
I will go east, west, and/or south of Indiana but NOT directly north (so Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, North and South Dakota...and basically any place that reminds you of Fargo or Drop Dead Gorgeous is out of the question).
Dream spots (in no particular order):
-Georgia (Savannah or Atlanta)
-South Carolina (especially Charleston)
-Boston, Mass. or some other neat-o place on the East Coast
-California (at this time I'm leaving pretty much the entire state open to consideration)
But I wouldn't rule out several other places on the U.S. map, so if you know of anyone that wants to hire a hard-working, initiative-taking, relatively well-dressed and spunky gal in about a year...let me know!
In other news...
I said it before and I'll say it again: this is the summer of accomplishments. This week I hung on my wall three shelves that I've had in my car trunk for like, two years. Finally! I hung one in the little "hallway" between my living room area, bedroom, and bathroom and I personally love walking past it because it's hung rather low and therefore makes me feel tall! The other two are in my bedroom; one is short and holds picture frames and perfume on the shelf and winter hats and scarves on the pegs. The other is long and holds my favorite heels on the shelf and my purses and summer hats on the pegs (this shelf is my personal fave because it's almost like having a display case for my shoes!).
I love having all the white space on my bedroom walls filled, as well as being able to get my bags and several pairs of shoes off of the floor (and out of the reach of Lola's unbelievably sharp teeth!).
Oh, I also rearranged my bedroom furniture and got a little area rug and new decoration pillows for my bed...
You know what, I'm just gonna take pictures and show you sometime.
Anyway, my last bit of news is that today is ONE MONTH away from my 25th birthday! Now, if you know me well, you might also know that I LOVE birthdays. Especially mine. But this one feels a little bittersweet; as Marilyn Monroe says about turning 25, "That's a quarter of a century; makes a girl think." And while I'm very proud of who I've become over the past 25 years, I also am starting to feel like youth is sort of slipping through my fingers (if you're older than me, you're probably laughing at me right now, which is fine). Not that 25 is "old" by any real means, but I'm mostly just sad because in another month I will no longer be able to categorize myself under the "18-24" demographic!!! (Can you tell I work in media?) It's just a little sad to no longer fit into one of the most highly-targeted age groups. I'll no longer be the demographic of funky sunglasses, Bud Light with Lime, and American Apparel leggings...instead I'll be targeted for the complete collection of Sex and the City on DVD, subscriptions to bridal magazines, and memberships to Match.com. Ulch.
Oh well. No matter how many birthdays I have, the fact that I'm getting older and undeniably more "grown-up" will NOT take away from the fact that I LOVE BIRTHDAYS and I am going to enjoy mine! And just so you know, my birthday is not just a one-day affair; I feel that one's birthday should be celebrated for as much as a two week timespan surrounding one's actual date of birth. So the week leading up to my birthday will be celebrated while I'm on vacation with my family at the lake, and the celebration will continue into the week I get back into town.
Like I said, I love birthdays.
OK, that's the news from where I sit. Pictures coming, as well as hopefully more summertime accomplishments!
It's old fish hill: My days in Lafayette are numbered.
I just got a copy of my signed and approved contract extension, which says I'll be working here for about another year (till the end of July 2010). So...HIRE ME, PEOPLE!
Here's what I'm looking for in my next chapter of life:
-a home near or within reasonable driving distance of a beach
-a job that allows me to sleep during the night time and pays more than what I'm making now
-the opportunity to do something I enjoy, preferably in the media/entertainment field
-the chance to experience a different flavor of American lifestyle
I will go east, west, and/or south of Indiana but NOT directly north (so Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, North and South Dakota...and basically any place that reminds you of Fargo or Drop Dead Gorgeous is out of the question).
Dream spots (in no particular order):
-Georgia (Savannah or Atlanta)
-South Carolina (especially Charleston)
-Boston, Mass. or some other neat-o place on the East Coast
-California (at this time I'm leaving pretty much the entire state open to consideration)
But I wouldn't rule out several other places on the U.S. map, so if you know of anyone that wants to hire a hard-working, initiative-taking, relatively well-dressed and spunky gal in about a year...let me know!
In other news...
I said it before and I'll say it again: this is the summer of accomplishments. This week I hung on my wall three shelves that I've had in my car trunk for like, two years. Finally! I hung one in the little "hallway" between my living room area, bedroom, and bathroom and I personally love walking past it because it's hung rather low and therefore makes me feel tall! The other two are in my bedroom; one is short and holds picture frames and perfume on the shelf and winter hats and scarves on the pegs. The other is long and holds my favorite heels on the shelf and my purses and summer hats on the pegs (this shelf is my personal fave because it's almost like having a display case for my shoes!).
I love having all the white space on my bedroom walls filled, as well as being able to get my bags and several pairs of shoes off of the floor (and out of the reach of Lola's unbelievably sharp teeth!).
Oh, I also rearranged my bedroom furniture and got a little area rug and new decoration pillows for my bed...
You know what, I'm just gonna take pictures and show you sometime.
Anyway, my last bit of news is that today is ONE MONTH away from my 25th birthday! Now, if you know me well, you might also know that I LOVE birthdays. Especially mine. But this one feels a little bittersweet; as Marilyn Monroe says about turning 25, "That's a quarter of a century; makes a girl think." And while I'm very proud of who I've become over the past 25 years, I also am starting to feel like youth is sort of slipping through my fingers (if you're older than me, you're probably laughing at me right now, which is fine). Not that 25 is "old" by any real means, but I'm mostly just sad because in another month I will no longer be able to categorize myself under the "18-24" demographic!!! (Can you tell I work in media?) It's just a little sad to no longer fit into one of the most highly-targeted age groups. I'll no longer be the demographic of funky sunglasses, Bud Light with Lime, and American Apparel leggings...instead I'll be targeted for the complete collection of Sex and the City on DVD, subscriptions to bridal magazines, and memberships to Match.com. Ulch.
Oh well. No matter how many birthdays I have, the fact that I'm getting older and undeniably more "grown-up" will NOT take away from the fact that I LOVE BIRTHDAYS and I am going to enjoy mine! And just so you know, my birthday is not just a one-day affair; I feel that one's birthday should be celebrated for as much as a two week timespan surrounding one's actual date of birth. So the week leading up to my birthday will be celebrated while I'm on vacation with my family at the lake, and the celebration will continue into the week I get back into town.
Like I said, I love birthdays.
OK, that's the news from where I sit. Pictures coming, as well as hopefully more summertime accomplishments!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
previously on "lost"...
So...I've been a bad blogger.
And I could use the (poor) excuse that my OTHER blog has been keeping me busy, but the truth is that I haven't been doing too well with that one either recently.
Apparently I've just been busy!
And that sounds weird to say, because whenever people ask me how things are going, or what's new, I literally have nothing to report. Now, that doesn't mean there aren't big things on the horizon, both near and far. It's just that I can't talk about those things yet.
Oooh...now are you curious?
But since I last blogged, there ARE a few things I can talk about that are new in my life. So here they are...
First of all, my older sister is getting married! So surreal. I don't know why; she's been talking about getting married for a long time, but now that there's a ring on her finger and pictures of white dresses showing up in text messages on my phone, it just seems so weird! Not in a bad way, just in the way that it doesn't quite seem real even though all the tangible evidence is starting to appear.
And as happy and excited as I am for my sister, let me just quickly take a trip to Single-Town and say, what is the DEAL with all the engagements and weddings lately? Of course every year there's a flock of girls I know from high school or college or even work getting married, but this year it seems like more than usual. Maybe it's because it's people closer to me...roommates and family members...or maybe it's because many of these weddings are for friends who are younger than me, but not younger in the sense that I'm saying, "Oh no, they're WAY too young to get married." They're at a totally acceptable age to get married. It's just that they're younger than me and that somehow feels weird.
And I don't mean this to sound bitter about the fact that I am leagues away from getting married. I really don't mind a bit. It's just that I feel like EVERYONE is getting married this year! I don't know...
Anyway, in other news, Lola is doing great. Actually, my blog was featured yesterday in our local paper, and they printed my last post, which was about getting Lola and that made me proud. She's come a long way and gotten bigger, but not too big :) We're still working on obedience training, but she's getting better about not chewing or nipping at fingers. She's socializing with other dogs really well, and she's just an all-around sweetheart and cute as a button. A wrinkly, squishy little button.
And recently I've been on a little hiatus from doing any theatre. Mostly because of Lola, but also because this has been the summer of accomplishments and it's been a lot easier to focus on and achieve several goals with more free time on my hands. I've paid off my car, thus freeing up some money from month to month (yay!). I've started eating healthier, which is a bit more expensive but totally worthwhile as I've also lost some weight and just feel generally better about my lifestyle. It's also resulted in my attempting more cooking than usual, with success, I might add! Just last night I broiled salmon for the first time and it was delicious! I also started singing with the praise band at church and that's been fun too and has opened some doors for being able to contribute more around there.
And that's my life recently! More news to come; I promise I won't hold out on you forever.
Until then!
And I could use the (poor) excuse that my OTHER blog has been keeping me busy, but the truth is that I haven't been doing too well with that one either recently.
Apparently I've just been busy!
And that sounds weird to say, because whenever people ask me how things are going, or what's new, I literally have nothing to report. Now, that doesn't mean there aren't big things on the horizon, both near and far. It's just that I can't talk about those things yet.
Oooh...now are you curious?
But since I last blogged, there ARE a few things I can talk about that are new in my life. So here they are...
First of all, my older sister is getting married! So surreal. I don't know why; she's been talking about getting married for a long time, but now that there's a ring on her finger and pictures of white dresses showing up in text messages on my phone, it just seems so weird! Not in a bad way, just in the way that it doesn't quite seem real even though all the tangible evidence is starting to appear.
And as happy and excited as I am for my sister, let me just quickly take a trip to Single-Town and say, what is the DEAL with all the engagements and weddings lately? Of course every year there's a flock of girls I know from high school or college or even work getting married, but this year it seems like more than usual. Maybe it's because it's people closer to me...roommates and family members...or maybe it's because many of these weddings are for friends who are younger than me, but not younger in the sense that I'm saying, "Oh no, they're WAY too young to get married." They're at a totally acceptable age to get married. It's just that they're younger than me and that somehow feels weird.
And I don't mean this to sound bitter about the fact that I am leagues away from getting married. I really don't mind a bit. It's just that I feel like EVERYONE is getting married this year! I don't know...
Anyway, in other news, Lola is doing great. Actually, my blog was featured yesterday in our local paper, and they printed my last post, which was about getting Lola and that made me proud. She's come a long way and gotten bigger, but not too big :) We're still working on obedience training, but she's getting better about not chewing or nipping at fingers. She's socializing with other dogs really well, and she's just an all-around sweetheart and cute as a button. A wrinkly, squishy little button.
And recently I've been on a little hiatus from doing any theatre. Mostly because of Lola, but also because this has been the summer of accomplishments and it's been a lot easier to focus on and achieve several goals with more free time on my hands. I've paid off my car, thus freeing up some money from month to month (yay!). I've started eating healthier, which is a bit more expensive but totally worthwhile as I've also lost some weight and just feel generally better about my lifestyle. It's also resulted in my attempting more cooking than usual, with success, I might add! Just last night I broiled salmon for the first time and it was delicious! I also started singing with the praise band at church and that's been fun too and has opened some doors for being able to contribute more around there.
And that's my life recently! More news to come; I promise I won't hold out on you forever.
Until then!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
the pug life
So...apparently what happened was, I spent two years whining on my blog about how much I wanted a puppy, and then once I got one it monopolized my time to the point that I couldn't write in my blog about actually HAVING a puppy!
Sorry about that.
But here we go...
Meet Lola!
Lola is about 10 or 11 weeks old at this point. I got her just over a week ago. She is a sweetheart. The first week we spent together was exhausting; not only was I recovering from my latest run with Civic Theatre (which went well, by the way), but I was also finding out that having a puppy means not getting a whole lot of sleep the first few days.
Right off the bat she was great with her house-training, but she did not like being alone AT ALL and would cry all day in her kennel while I tried to sleep. It was really heartbreaking but it was also really disruptive to my REM cycles.
After the first couple of days, however, we started to hit a rhythm and she got more comfortable with being in her kennel. My next task was getting her to eat. She was always more concerned with where I was and what I was doing than with eating her food, so for a couple of days I had to sit on the floor next to her bowl so she could sit in my lap between bites.
By the end of last week, though, Lola was eating a lot better and staying content in her kennel for longer amounts of time, which meant I got to catch up on some sleep, my other blog, and other random stuff.
This week is off to a good start. Lola is still coming in to work with me at night, but she sleeps through most of it, and everyone at work loves to play with her, which is great! She'll even follow me around at work without a leash (which makes me feel like a proud mama)!
She's teething now, which is really annoying because she wants to chew on my clothes, jewelry, buttons, shoes, and even my fingers! I'm trying to get her to understand that chewing on people is not ok, but she gets so excited that she doesn't seem to pay attention to my scolding. Any helpful tips on this would be greatly appreciated. She also wants to eat EVERYTHING she finds outside...leaves, grass, sticks...you name it, it's in her mouth.
And this week we're working on some simple obedience commands. So far Lola has seemed to have mastered "stay" and "come" (although sometimes I think she's just coming to me because she always wants to be picked up and held). She's doing pretty well on a leash and we've even taken a couple of walks around my apartment complex. Every once in a while she'll stop and tug at her leash, though, so it's kind of slow going there.
Training a puppy is definitely a lesson in patience. But she's just so stinkin' cute that I can't help but love her!
In other news, I'm definitely going to be around here for about another year (until July 2010). So this fall I'm gonna update my resume and start putting out some feelers for new opportunities...hopefully in a place that doesn't have a tornado season.
Finally, this weekend I'm in my first wedding as a bridesmaid! I'll be standing up for Sarah, who was a fellow Purduette as well as a roommate in college. She actually made our dresses, and they turned out really cute! I'll try to take lots of pictures!
OK, that's all for now. Happy Hump Day!
Sorry about that.
But here we go...
Meet Lola!
Lola is about 10 or 11 weeks old at this point. I got her just over a week ago. She is a sweetheart. The first week we spent together was exhausting; not only was I recovering from my latest run with Civic Theatre (which went well, by the way), but I was also finding out that having a puppy means not getting a whole lot of sleep the first few days.
Right off the bat she was great with her house-training, but she did not like being alone AT ALL and would cry all day in her kennel while I tried to sleep. It was really heartbreaking but it was also really disruptive to my REM cycles.
After the first couple of days, however, we started to hit a rhythm and she got more comfortable with being in her kennel. My next task was getting her to eat. She was always more concerned with where I was and what I was doing than with eating her food, so for a couple of days I had to sit on the floor next to her bowl so she could sit in my lap between bites.
By the end of last week, though, Lola was eating a lot better and staying content in her kennel for longer amounts of time, which meant I got to catch up on some sleep, my other blog, and other random stuff.
This week is off to a good start. Lola is still coming in to work with me at night, but she sleeps through most of it, and everyone at work loves to play with her, which is great! She'll even follow me around at work without a leash (which makes me feel like a proud mama)!
She's teething now, which is really annoying because she wants to chew on my clothes, jewelry, buttons, shoes, and even my fingers! I'm trying to get her to understand that chewing on people is not ok, but she gets so excited that she doesn't seem to pay attention to my scolding. Any helpful tips on this would be greatly appreciated. She also wants to eat EVERYTHING she finds outside...leaves, grass, sticks...you name it, it's in her mouth.
And this week we're working on some simple obedience commands. So far Lola has seemed to have mastered "stay" and "come" (although sometimes I think she's just coming to me because she always wants to be picked up and held). She's doing pretty well on a leash and we've even taken a couple of walks around my apartment complex. Every once in a while she'll stop and tug at her leash, though, so it's kind of slow going there.
Training a puppy is definitely a lesson in patience. But she's just so stinkin' cute that I can't help but love her!
In other news, I'm definitely going to be around here for about another year (until July 2010). So this fall I'm gonna update my resume and start putting out some feelers for new opportunities...hopefully in a place that doesn't have a tornado season.
Finally, this weekend I'm in my first wedding as a bridesmaid! I'll be standing up for Sarah, who was a fellow Purduette as well as a roommate in college. She actually made our dresses, and they turned out really cute! I'll try to take lots of pictures!
OK, that's all for now. Happy Hump Day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
