vanilla iced coffee

I think it's time to retire this blog.

I realize, first of all, that I haven't written in quite some time, so I'm sure most of you have stopped reading it by now anyway.

But for anyone still checking in, I figure I owe you a proper farewell.

When I started this blog, I was facing my first encounters with the real world -- getting my own place and living alone, supporting myself with one, two, three...however many jobs I sometimes worked at a time, dealing with the aches of letting some relationships go, while finding comfort in the ones that held true and withstood the transition from college years to "20-something" years. And even finding new friendships! I paid off my car. I got a dog. I cleared a lot of "adulthood" hurdles, while struggling with that nagging feeling that I was still just a kid.

And somewhere along the way, I think I found the answer to the question that started this blog.

I don't think I'll ever like coffee. Black, that is.

But I have found a lot of other coffe-ish drinks that I like. Of course, I had to start with the gas-station variety, full-of-sugar cappuccinos, but I eventually branched out to mochas and finally vanilla iced coffee. (Does this sound like something from Best in Show or what?)

The reason I'm sharing my caffeine progression is to illustrate the point that I think over the last few years I've gradually found my own way to be a grown-up. And it's not the same as my parents or my sisters or even a lot of my friends.

I think up until my twenties, I imagined adulthood as black coffee, morning newspapers, and marriage and kids. That's my parents' version of adulthood. And I think that I was worried I wouldn't like being a grown-up just like I didn't think I'd ever like coffee.

But my version of adulthood is vanilla iced coffee. It's producing a morning newscast and sleeping all day, and being single for an indefinite amount of time (by choice, I might add) and doing civic theatre shows in my spare time.

Now that I think of it, I might have been asking the wrong question all along. It's not so much whether or not you like coffee...it's really about how you take it. You can make it however you'd like to; add whatever ingredients, flavors, and sweeteners you want.

For me, a shot of vanilla, a scoop of ice, and a straw, please. And maybe a little whipped cream on top.

Thanks for reading.

The End.

A Date for the Christmas Dance

Preface: For this post I ask you to welcome a guest writer -- me. At age 15. A few weeks ago I went home to help my mom clean out old stuff in my room. I brought back with me a stack of journals. I've journaled through most of my life (it's why I blog now), and these notebooks have held priceless value for me through the years. I grew up being really private about my feelings for some reason, and these journals are where I let all those feelings out. I was terrified someone else would read them and think I was stupid. Now, ten years later, I'm actually proud of a lot of what I wrote. So I'm publishing parts of them here...finally giving the girl who wouldn't tell anyone anything the opportunity to share her innermost thoughts with the rest of the world.

These are some entries from the journal I started just before my freshman year of high school... The following is about the upcoming Christmas dance; my first semi-formal dance ever. I will add that I had a list of guy friends in here that I was planning to ask. Rather than wait to be asked, I guess? I was a badass. I'll also add that I didn't even have crushes on any of these guys; I had already bought a dress so it was really just all about finding a date. These poor boys' names have been changed to Muppets to protect the innocent/engaged/married.)

About the Christmas Dance...here's the plan [later I wrote in notes about each]:

1. Burt (not going as of yet. Fun guy!)
2. Telly (he's not going. Already asked 2 girls but no.)
3. Gonzo (he likes me?)
4. Ernie (he'd be so much fun!) [later I changed the order, "switching" Ernie and Gonzo.]
5. Kermit (does he have a date???)

~~~

Some confusion, but the order has switched. I'll ask Burt Monday. If he says no, I'll ask Telly Tuesday/Wednesday. If Telly says no, I'll ask Ernie on Friday. If Ernie says no, I'll ask Gonzo on the next Wednesday. If Gonzo says no, I'll find out if Kermit has a date...if he doesn't, I'll ask him. If he says no...woah, that's 5 guys. I'll stop there and if those five guys fall through, I'll think of some more! (Do I sound desparate for a date? [Yes, 15-year-old Lisa, I think you do.] Well I'm not -- I just want to go with a good guy friend and have fun at the dance!!!)

~~~

I wonder if Ernie was thinking about asking me. We talk a lot and stuff -- he was saying how he was going to get hooked up with this girl from Kokomo, but today he was like, "Well I heard that she's really weird.." and he sounded doubtful. Then this afternoon at the end of school he stopped at my locker. He was staying after for wrestling -- and he was just kinda small talking and stuff...then he's like, "Well...I guess I better go." He followed some of the guys on their way to the lockers.

I just wonder if he was going to ask me??? This does not go anywhere, I'm not telling anyone [made a note later: "told Rachel"], I just think. If Ernie does want to ask me, I hope he does it really soon! Because what if I ask Burt and then he doesn't get to ask...aaagh. Maybe I should just ask Ernie first. He'd be so fun, he can dance...Every time the phone rings, I hope it's Ernie or Burt or Telly calling to ask me to go, God, let me go to the dance! Pleeeease!

~~~

Eeeeeeeeeeee!! :) Wishes do come true! Ernie asked me to go to the dance. The first thing I thought was, "Am I dreaming?" So anyway, life is sweet! It was great how (the way) he asked me -- just the way I'd have asked him -- like almost the same words! Ha! I'm getting so excited for the Christmas dance!!!

Let's not take a trip to Negative Town...

So, first of all I want to apologize for being a little...scarce recently.

Second, I want to apologize because I feel like my last few posts have been a little negative. And I, as a rule, am not a Negative Nancy, so I feel bad for being like, "Here, everyone, I had a bad day and I want you to read about it. You're welcome."

Although sometimes that is what blogs are for, right? Right?

Anyway, I've been behind on life, in general, lately. Let me 'splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

I just spend the last couple hours catching up and leaving love on some blogs I follow. Still not done... have a few more stops to make, but at least it's a start. This week, whether it's been work, job searching, or just tackling the neverending pile of dishes in my sink, I have just felt like I cannot get ahead, you know?

My dog Lola does this thing where she crawls under my couch and hides out under there. Sometimes I wish I were small and wiggly like her so I could just join her under there.

Luckily she is more than willing to compromise and join me ATOP the couch, and today we shared an amazing snugglefest/nap that lasted about 5 hours. Nice!

And also today, I found out that my girl Sara is a SITS superstar! Probably all of you read her blog already anyway, but if you haven't yet, check out her blog right now!

OK, finally a glimpse of what's coming up... I went home a few weekends ago and salvaged my much-prized and ever-important Journals from my room. They range from anywhere around elementary age through my freshman year of college. I haven't read them all yet. But I just finished the one from my freshman year of high school and OH MY GOSH. I am going to very soon write a post with pieces of this journal. It is priceless.

Now I realize if I were Taylor Swift, I'd just write an album based on these journal entries, but I wasn't blessed with the Swift skill set. So this upcoming post will probably be a little wordy. But I promise you, it will be entertaining.

So that's what's coming! Stay tuned! I'll be back soon!
Lis :)

Your Job Hates You

Sometimes I think my job is trying to make me hate it just so I'll move on to a new one.

I think I keep making this sound worse than it is. It's just that lately all the crappy things about my job have been getting to me more than usual. And I hate that, because I'm usually the kind of person who can let all of that stuff roll off my back. I mean, I can put up with a LOT of crap. A lot of it.

It's days like this when I'm so glad to have a silly-looking dog that at this moment is doing somersaults in the kitchen. God bless that little fuzz butt.

Anyway, my mom sent me an email last night and there's this job posting at our sister station in Indy. The job sounds awesome; it's for a host of a local daily lifestyle program and it calls for someone who knows thier way around blogs, social media, etc. It sounds just about perfect...except that it's in Indiana.

And I'd really like to get out if I can.

So...can someone else have a job like that in a different state where I'd like to live? Please?

K, thanks!

I will say that besides my dog, this put me in a better mood today. In honor of Sesame Street's 40th birthday:



C-ya later!
Lis :)

Jobs, Relationships, and You

Since I'm looking for a Cool New Job, I recently added "DailyCareerTips" to my Twitter feed. Yesterday one of the daily tips was:

"Job searching is like dating. You may know in the first five minutes or it may take a few dates to decide if it’s worth pursuing."

Good point there. After all, I can't help but feel like I'm sort of pimping myself out to these employers. Well, that got me thinking...if job searching is like dating, is having a job like a relationship?

I think so. And if me job were a boyfriend, here's how I think I would describe it:

I've had this job for two years. Actually, my two-year anniversary was just a few weeks ago, but I completely forgot.

When I started out with this job, it was all I could talk about. I felt super-cool, and even important. When people asked me about my job, my eyes lit up and I couldn't wait to start explaining what exactly my job was all about.

Over the first year, things were a little stressful at times because I was still figuring out how everything worked. But that was ok because each day was a new adventure, and even the bad days made for good stories later.

Then, right around my first-year anniversary, something weird happened. I started to worry about just how permanent this job was. But my job made me happy, and I knew I could see at least another year with this job, so I decided not to freak out and just to take things one day at a time.

Now, two years later, I would describe my job as "comfortable." I've found a few new things to do and to get excited about, but the truth is that I just don't see myself sticking with this job forever. It's just not the kind of job that makes me think about buying a house and settling down. In fact, I'd always pictured myself ending up with a nicer job, a cooler job, and (to be perfectly honest) a job that made a bigger paycheck.

Plus, sometimes my job isn't that nice. It keeps me up all night. Sometimes it limits my creativity and doesn't let me accomplish some of the things I'd like to do with my life. My job can be very discouraging and it can make me really mad. At times it turns me into a drama queen, sending me into fits of rage and making me say overdramatic things like, "YOU'RE SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF ME!!!!" or, "YOU'RE DEFLATING MY SOUL!!!!" I don't like acting that way, and it only comes out when I get frustrated about my job.

The problem is that I actually still have a lot of fun with my job. Sometimes I have little moments that just prove to me why I was meant for this job. There are things about my job that no one else really gets except for me, and I kind of like that. And I like all the people I've met through this job. I actually really hate to think about what it would mean to leave my job and not get to hang out with all of these great people anymore. And hey, it's pretty sweet when my job gets me free food or scores me tickets to a cool downtown event. And truthfully, sometimes I'm scared to leave this job just because I'm afraid there won't be another one out there for me.

Every job is hard work at some point, right? Is the novelty just wearing off, or is it really time to look for something new?

In my case, I know that there's an expiration date on this job and that there's nothing wrong with that. The scary part is leaving behind the things that I know, the things that are comfortable and familiar. The scary part is putting myself out there, worrying about making a good impression, and being willing to face rejection in pursuit of the Dream Job.

So I guess I better buy a new outfit, put on some make-up, and get ready to leave my phone number with a lot of strangers, because I'm back on the market and that's just the way things work!

weird dreams

I just had to share this with someone...

Lucky you!

I had two incredibly crazy dreams today. One was that I was at this dinner event and the President was there and some lady (I think she was supposed to be a Senator) was yelling at him. And then he got up to give a welcoming speech for the dinner and he was trying not to cry. Then we all held hands and prayed like we do around my family's dinner table.

Whaaaat.

The other dream was that I had (apparently) adopted a baby. Yup. Like, an infant human. I was sitting at my computer trying to get it to drink out of a bottle and I was like, "Why did I do this? This thing is gonna turn into a kid and then an adult and I'm going to be stuck with it the rest of my life! Plus, how am I ever going to be able to get a date?!" Then when I woke up, I had to say out loud, "I do not have a baby," so I would know it was just a dream.

So, remind me not to have kids for a good long time based on my reaction to that dream. Yikes.

my greatest weakness

Not that I've been offered any interviews yet, but I've been thinking about them as I've been searching for a new job. And you know how there are always those questions they ask that you hate? Like...

"Tell me about yourself."

This, to me, is like the most intimidating question. What do they want to know? How much do they want to know? What are the important things about me? What if I think the important things about me are not the things THEY think are important to know? How much of this is supposed to be personal information, and how much is supposed to be professional experience and aspirations?

"Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Now, if you have a five-year plan, you probably love this question. But I don't even have a five-month plan. Who knows what I'll be doing, where I'll be, or who I'll be with in five years? And what does that say about me? I like to think it says I'm willing to go anywhere and be put to use in the best possible way, without any restrictions. But someone else could see that as saying that I'm not committed to anything or that I don't have any ambition because I don't have any long-term goals set. I don't WANT to have a five-year plan. But if I don't, is that a dealbreaker for employers?

"What's your greatest weakness?"

Why do they even ask this one? It always puts you in this position where you try to think of something that sounds self-depreciating even though it's actually something good, like "I'm too nice" or "I get too invested in my work." Or in the words of Jenna from 30 Rock, a "back-door brag." And you know the interviewer has heard these answers about a zillion times and can see right through what you're doing. But isn't that what they're trying to get you to do? Because if you answered with something like, "Well, I am really sensitive to criticism. You're going to see me cry at least once if you hire me," or "I don't deal with distractions very well; you're going to have to lock my door and unplug my phone if you want me to get anything done," or "I don't do well with last-minute changes; I need an outlined plan at least a day in advance or I won't be able to function," would they hire us? What are they really looking for when they ask us this question -- our honest answer, or just the way we answer?

I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts/experiences/advice/funny stories about job interviews. Lord knows we've all been through them, so anything you have to share would be great! :)

Autumn in La La Land

As long as I've lived in the Lafayette area, the arrival of fall -- and more specifically, October -- has excited me.

First of all, it's football season -- REAL football season, when the other Big Ten teams come to town. And even if we're losing (as we are this year), there's nothing like spending a Saturday at Ross Ade cheering on the Boilers. If you win, you want to hug everyone around you. And if you lose, well...there's plenty of beer back at the tailgate.

Secondly, this is the point of the year in Indiana when the weather actually starts to change. No more of this dilly-dallying between summer and autumn. No more wondering whether to wear shorts or jeans. Get out the scarves and hats and sweaters! The leaves are changing, falling, and crunching. The windows are open during the day. It's perfect sleeping weather. It's freaking fall.

And thirdly (and probably most importantly), it's Christmas show season.

Now, I've been out of college for like...over two years. So this doesn't even apply directly to my life anymore. But for four years, October meant the beginning of rehearsals for the spectacular Purdue Christmas Show. First was the unveiling meeting where we got to see for the first time what the set would look like and what songs were in the show. Right after that, rehearsals would start. And even though it meant no more free time between regular PMO rehearsals and classes and homework, it was the thing I loved best, and I soaked it up. I walked to class with the rehearsal music in my mp3 player, memorizing the arrangements to "O Holy Night" and "Sleigh Ride" as I passed the spookily decorated Greek houses and Halloween event sheet signs.

And even now, when October rolls around, I get that same urge to crunch across the leaf-strewn sidewalks, smelling Starbucks pumpkin lattes, and letting my headphones pump the sounds of Christmas into my brain.

Is that crazy? Yes. Is it cheesy? Yes. But also magical. And while I'm not the kind of person who starts putting up the tree before Thanksgiving or anything like that, I do enjoy my slightly brainwashed reaction to the change of seasons and the subsequent need for me to listen to a yuletide tune or two.

WANTED: Fake Boyfriend

While I for the most part enjoy not having to deal with relationships, the biggest drawback of my currently single lifestyle is that it's very difficult to get out of my apartment and do things without feeling like a total loner. I mean, don't get me wrong...I'll go do something by myself. But it's usually more fun to have someone to go with. The problem with being a 20-something is that it seems to be harder at this point in life to be spontaneous and just say, "Hey, want to go to a movie tonight?" or "Hey, want to go downtown for this art and spaghetti festival?" or, "Hey, want to try that new Irish-Mexican place where Applebees used to be?"

It's like, people either already have plans, or they have to go to bed early, or they live in a different state, or they're married. And nothing against married people or folks with early bedtimes...it's just that I don't often plan social engagements far in advance and I just wish I had a guaranteed go-to guy for these and similar situations.

Well anyway, I've been looking for my next job recently, so I decided to put my wish for a fake boyfriend in the language I've been reading most lately:

WANTED: Fake Boyfriend
JOB TYPE: Temporary (6 to 9 months), Part-time/Internship

JOB DESCRIPTION: Going to movies and trying new restaurants with me; accompanying me to weddings, parties, and live performance events; coming with me to any sort of get-together that includes other couples so I don’t have to be the third/fifth/or other such odd-numbered wheel; occasionally staying in to watch DVDs with me; occasionally joining me and my dog for walks.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:
*Bachelor’s degree or similar life experience.
*Must be employed, so when people ask me what you do I don’t have to tell them you’re “exploring your options.”
*Must be willing to work flexible hours, especially weekends.
*Must be willing to attend local theatre, music, and art events as well as dine at local restaurants.
*Ideal candidate has a working knowledge of such TV shows as 30 Rock and The Office.
*Ideal candidate also has a working knowledge of Arrested Development and Dorm Life, as well as films such as Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman.
*Proficiency in giving shoulder massages a plus.
*Good listening skills and good hair a must.
*Ideal candidate possesses the ability to make me laugh.

Looking for a candidate who is positive, self-sufficient, and is not looking for an actual romantic connection or any kind of long-term arrangement. Lengthy and/or frequent phone conversation is discouraged, as is gift-giving, jealousy, and picking fights. This is an unpaid internship, but counts toward your credit as good boyfriend material in future relationships and will provide you with several opportunities to gain experience as a gentleman. To apply, please send resume, cover letter, head-shot, and one letter of recommendation to lisa.stanforth@gmail.com.

Whiners and d-bags need not apply!
Lis :)

and...off you go!

So I met -- scratch that, BEAT! -- a deadline I set for myself. My goal was to have an updated resume ready by October 1 to send out into the world in search of a Cool New Job. Well, yesterday I finished my revamped lil resume and uploaded it to a few different company sites in hopes of getting hired.

It just makes me feel so nervous.

It's weird that I can write blogs, talk to webcams, and tweet my most random thoughts for anyone to see, but when it comes to sending out a resume I feel very self-conscious and exposed.

I'm worried about things like, am I coming off as too braggy? Or am I not selling myself enough? Is someone going to look at my resume and laugh at me and then delete it? Or even worse, grumble, "stop wasting my time, idiot" as they move on to the next one? Here's the thing: I will never hear any of that negative feedback, but I still feel very self-conscious about the possibility of it happening! Is that crazy?

And the other thing is, I always sort of feel like sending out a resume is like tossing a message in a bottle out into the open sea. Is anyone even going to see it?! Or will it just float around until a killer whale mistakes it for a baby seal and eats it?

I don't really know where the killer whale fits into this analogy. I'm just sayin'.

Anyway, if you know anyone who's interested in hiring a well-spoken, well-organized, positive-thinking (except when it comes to resumes) multitasker with a penchant for problem-solving, let me know.

And if they laugh at my resume, don't tell me.

Smooth move, Ex Lax!

That's what my mom's friend Ron would say.
~Kenneth the Page, 30 Rock


Well, after six months I finally did it.

I took Lola outside...and forgot to bring my keys. Hence, locked out. Of the building.

Nice.

What was even nicer is that since we've been having really nice, warm weather, I've been lazy about putting shoes on before taking Lola outside. So I was barefoot. And in my PJs.

Yup.

So of course I realized just as the door was latching shut that I had locked myself out, and then I also realized it was like 1:00 in the afternoon, meaning pretty much everyone else in my building was at work. So no one was really coming in and out of the building at this time.

We had gone out the back door, so we walked (barefoot, mind you) around the building, through the grass toward the front door. And I just have to say, walking through the grass barefoot is kind of like walking through a minefield, only instead of mines there are little -- and big -- piles of poo that you have to constantly scan the ground for so you don't step on one.

This story would probably be better if I told you I DID step on a doggy-poo landmine, but that would be a lie. If you'd like to pretend I did for the sake of entertainment, that's fine with me.

So we got to the front door, and I just stood there...like a goober.

What next? Uhhhh...

We have a dial system that allows residents to ring people in through the front door, and for a moment I thought about just pushing random numbers until someone let me in. But considering I don't really know anyone in my building, I thought that might end up being super awkward.

Then I thought, well maybe I should push the button for the main office, and then I got those memories about living in dorms and how the RAs would tell you at the beginning of the year to always carry your keys with you because if you got locked out you were gonna get charged for it. So I hesitated because I didn't want to get...like...fined for getting locked out. Do they even do that at my building?

Luckily I didn't have to risk it because just then a guy came and unlocked the door on his way inside, letting Lola and me back into the building.

And then I stepped in dog poo.

KIDDING! Nothing gross happened.

The end.

thumper

One of my favorite lines from the Disney classic Bambi is a mantra Thumper recites in a way so adorable I'll never forget it:



"If ya can't say somethin' nice...don't say nothin' at all."

Well, Thumper, I have a new one:

"If you can't say something nice, don't make something up."

Right? I feel like sometimes nice people get into a nasty habit of coming up with something nice to say even (and especially) when they don't mean it. I don't mean saying "good job" to someone who just sang the national anthem about a step and a half off-key. I mean saying to that person, "Wow, you were really great! You have such a wonderful voice!"

Because it's one thing to be polite, but it's something else completely to just be needlessly dishonest.

Remember in Mean Girls when Rachel McAdams told that one girl that she loved her skirt, but then turned around and told Lindsay Lohan that was "the ugliest effing skirt I've ever seen?" So why did she make a point to compliment the skirt in the first place?

I realize not everyone is trying to be a Regina George, but what ARE we trying to accomplish when we say stuff like that? I've always wondered if it was some sort of knee-jerk reaction to thinking something mean or negative. Do people think an unkind thought, and then immediately spit out a compliment to morally redeem themselves? Or do they open their mouth, realize they're about to say something rude, and instead make a last-minute turn in the opposite direction?

Maybe no one else gets why I'm so riled up about this...It just bugs me that sometimes people seem to go out of their way to say something nice when they really don't mean it. And then it makes me wonder if anything nice they've ever said to me is even true. I would rather they not try to make me feel good than falsely flatter me.

Of course, if you just have to spit out whatever uncharitable thought you were thinking and you have a faithful friend who won't tell anybody about it, there's always Clairee's variation of the "if you can't say something nice' mantra:


"If you can't say something nice about anybody, come sit by me!"

That one works too. ;)

if i could write songs...

...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.

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.

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

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

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!

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!

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!

it's happening!!!

Guess what. Ok, I'll tell you.

I'M GETTING A PUPPY!!!!!

It's a girl. She's a fawn pug. And she's coming home Monday night! I have not yet decided on a name for her, though I've been given TONS of good ideas. I think I have it narrowed down to a couple of choices.

Anyway...she's adorable. She has a beautiful blonde coat and a squishy little black face, and a curly tail that wags. Just thinking about it makes me all fuzzy inside! If you know anything about me, you know I've been waiting for some time to get a dog and now that it's finally happening I can barely believe it!

More to come, including pictures and probably even some home videos! I will definitely keep you posted. I'm so excited!!!

Happy Friday! :D