I'm moving this weekend, if you can really call it that. I'm moving to one of the upstairs apartments in my building. so, for the third time in my semi-young life, I'm moving to a different apartment in the same building. I think I have a problem.
I'm moving because the upstairs is just a bit nicer. it's more private, has a better view. and good friends are now next door and across the hall instead of upstairs. as if my apartment building weren't already enough like a dorm. it's only going to get worse.
yesterday, Jessica and I moved most of the easy stuff. the big move with the heavy stuff is today and, as luck would have it, we did 180 push-ups in boot camp this morning. good thing I was totally slacking and only did like 100. hope Boy doesn't mind carrying the couch up the stairs all by himself.
June 29, 2007
June 28, 2007
June 26, 2007
trip recap
Day two of boot camp and all I have to say is 300 crunches is a lot.
Anyway, here it is, as promised, the trip recap:
Have I already mentioned that it was really, really good? Don't know if I have... anyway, it was really, really good! Here's the skinny on what we managed to cram into nine little days:
Day 1: Boy picked me up at the Pittsburgh airport and we immediately went to Mike and Ali's for Ali's baby shower/party type thing. Lots of fun and too much food. Lots of cute stuff was unwrapped. We spent the night and their place, woke up the next morning, ate waffles, and headed out to meet up with my parents for brunch. (See, two breakfasts in one day. Pay attention because the food theme is a strong one in this narrative.)
Day 2: Met my parents for brunch at the Grand Concourse (more food). Again, lots of fun and way too much food. After brunch we rode the incline. I showed Boy stuff at the top of Mount Washington and then we rode down. Headed out to my friend Karen's for a bbq and more food. Spent the afternoon/early evening at Karen's. She's sort of kicking around the idea of going into the catering business so again, way too much food (and lots of fun). After that (and we're still on Day 2 here) we headed out to my parents to watch the final episode of "The Sopranos." My mom made snacks. More food.
Day 3: Woke up in my childhood home and spent the day in the suburbs. Went to the mall, had lunch at Eat n' Park, played with my parent's dog in the back yard, went for a run in the park, and checked out the buffalo herd at the South Park Game Preserve. At Eat n' Park, boy got a salad. It had fries on it and he was totally freaked out. I tried to convince him it was good but he was still wearry. Boy will never be a Pittsburgher. That night, Mom cooked dinner and then assorted family members came over for the evening. This was by far the most leisurly day of our trip...
Day 4: Woke up to discover a box of pasteries from Bethel Bakery! Ate pasteries and then went to Fallingwater. Took the tour and our guide totally sucked. Lots of unnecessary dramatic pauses and general early-twenties, artsy-fartsy awkwardness, if you know what I mean. May have been so painful to watch because I recognized part of myself in the guide. After Fallingwater, headed back to my parent's, packed up our stuff, and checked into our hotel in the city. Met Karen for the Pirates game. Went to the game, ate Primanti's, and cheered for Sauerkraut Saul in the pierogie race. He didn't win but the Pirates did. Yea!
Day 5: Walked down to the Strip for breakfast at Pamelas and then perused the random delicacies of the Strip. Smelled the cheeses at Penn Mac. Looked at the fish at Wholey's. Walked back to the hotel and checked out. Headed over to the South
Side to meet my parent's for lunch then walked around the South Side a bit. Headed over to the CMU/Oakland area to hang for a bit. Then headed back downtown for some Kayaking. Spent $12 on parking, $20 on kayaking and 30 min on the water because a huge storm blew in and ruined our fun. Stupid storm. After that, headed up to Squirell Hill for some coffee, then to Regent Square to meet up with Mark and Eryn. Went to dinner with Mark and Eryn at Church Brew Works. Boy finally got to eat some pierogies. Boy was happy. Spent the night in Regent Square on an air mattress in Mark and Eryn's spare bedroom. Despite the setup, I had the best night of sleep of the trip. I think it was because I was in an old house in my old neigborhood and the house had a very familiar smell, much like my old apartment. smell bring's back memories and feelings you can't verbalize but can experience on a very real level and so I think that on that air matress, inches from the 100 year-old wooden floor, I had a feeling like I was home, a feeling I haven't so much had in the past year an a half and so I slept well. very, very well.
Day 6: Made Boy and Mark have breakfast with me at the Square Cafe. Unfortunately, they were not in on the joke and had a hard time understanding why I was so excited about the strange, square mugs, the overpriced food, and the bad service from the same, overly tan waitress that's been there since the place opened. Marisa and Cara, I wish you had been there. After breakfast, we loaded up the car and headed out of town. Drove across the ever-so-exciting states of Ohio and Indiana to make it to Chicago by nightfall. Kept ourselves amused with two very intense and competitive games of the alphabet game. I took the first one and boy won the second round. (Though honestly, I was getting sick of playing so I may not have been trying so hard.) Rolled into the windy city around 6:30. Met up with Boy's friends to get the keys to the apartment we'd be staying in before they (the friends, not the keys) left to get ready for their performance. They said the apartment had a cat but there was no sign of the cat.
Boy and I had about fifteen minutes to settle in before we had to leave to see them in the musical-comedy version of Debbie Does Dallas. No, I'm not kidding. It was incredibly funny. And bizarre. After the play we were out and about in Chicago until too late. Then we went back to the apartment and played "the record game," a game which involves picking songs based on the other person's answers to random questions such as "spoon straw or spork?", until the wee hours of the morning.
Day 7: Still no sign of the cat though I think I heard it meowing in the middle of the night. Reluctantly woke up and unreluctantly went to breakfast at Ann Sather. I love any restaurant that will give you two cinnamon rolls as one of your two sides. After breakfast, we walked up to Wrigley field for the Cubs game. Had some pre-game drinks at Murphy's Bleachers, had our picture taken with Ronnie Woo-Woo Wickers . Had great seats, beautiful weather, and the Cubs won! It's hard not to be a baseball fan with a scenario like that.
After the game, headed back to the apartment for aprox. 45 minutes. Caught a brief glimps of the cat. It's funny how some cats will go into hiding for however long it takes if there are strangers a foot. Upon seeing us, the cat quickly returned to the safety of its fort under the bed.
Still on Day 7... got cleaned up and met Boy's parents for dinner and drinks. Was so tried that I was barely able to talk. Somehow held it together until 10:00 when I fell asleep on the couch and the cat fell asleep under the bed. Woke up in the middle of the night and noticed the cat was sleeping at the foot of the bed. Either that or I was dreaming...
Day 8: Woke up to the cat meowing at the foot of the bed. He/she was out of food and was now willing to make friends. Fed the cat and was eventually able to get her/him to let me pet her/him a bit. Showered, packed up, and again left town. Drove from Chicago to Kansas City. Got there just in time to see the Royals game. It was "military appreciation night" so there were lots of noisy fly overs and we got free hats. The game was boring and the Royals lost. God, I hate baseball. Also, took us longer to get to KC than we thought so no bbq. Sigh... Spent the night in some semi-questionable Econo Lodge in Kansas. Ewww.
Day 9: It's almost over! Got in the car (again) and headed for home. After suffering through the boringness of Kansas (sorry Kansas. Though, in all fairness, there was a Perkins and the Perkins was good) and a match of the alphabet game that seemed to go on forever and never actually ended, we finally made it back to Colorado! Abby has never been happier.
Anyway, here it is, as promised, the trip recap:
Have I already mentioned that it was really, really good? Don't know if I have... anyway, it was really, really good! Here's the skinny on what we managed to cram into nine little days:
Day 1: Boy picked me up at the Pittsburgh airport and we immediately went to Mike and Ali's for Ali's baby shower/party type thing. Lots of fun and too much food. Lots of cute stuff was unwrapped. We spent the night and their place, woke up the next morning, ate waffles, and headed out to meet up with my parents for brunch. (See, two breakfasts in one day. Pay attention because the food theme is a strong one in this narrative.)
Day 2: Met my parents for brunch at the Grand Concourse (more food). Again, lots of fun and way too much food. After brunch we rode the incline. I showed Boy stuff at the top of Mount Washington and then we rode down. Headed out to my friend Karen's for a bbq and more food. Spent the afternoon/early evening at Karen's. She's sort of kicking around the idea of going into the catering business so again, way too much food (and lots of fun). After that (and we're still on Day 2 here) we headed out to my parents to watch the final episode of "The Sopranos." My mom made snacks. More food.
Day 3: Woke up in my childhood home and spent the day in the suburbs. Went to the mall, had lunch at Eat n' Park, played with my parent's dog in the back yard, went for a run in the park, and checked out the buffalo herd at the South Park Game Preserve. At Eat n' Park, boy got a salad. It had fries on it and he was totally freaked out. I tried to convince him it was good but he was still wearry. Boy will never be a Pittsburgher. That night, Mom cooked dinner and then assorted family members came over for the evening. This was by far the most leisurly day of our trip...
Day 4: Woke up to discover a box of pasteries from Bethel Bakery! Ate pasteries and then went to Fallingwater. Took the tour and our guide totally sucked. Lots of unnecessary dramatic pauses and general early-twenties, artsy-fartsy awkwardness, if you know what I mean. May have been so painful to watch because I recognized part of myself in the guide. After Fallingwater, headed back to my parent's, packed up our stuff, and checked into our hotel in the city. Met Karen for the Pirates game. Went to the game, ate Primanti's, and cheered for Sauerkraut Saul in the pierogie race. He didn't win but the Pirates did. Yea!
Day 5: Walked down to the Strip for breakfast at Pamelas and then perused the random delicacies of the Strip. Smelled the cheeses at Penn Mac. Looked at the fish at Wholey's. Walked back to the hotel and checked out. Headed over to the South
Side to meet my parent's for lunch then walked around the South Side a bit. Headed over to the CMU/Oakland area to hang for a bit. Then headed back downtown for some Kayaking. Spent $12 on parking, $20 on kayaking and 30 min on the water because a huge storm blew in and ruined our fun. Stupid storm. After that, headed up to Squirell Hill for some coffee, then to Regent Square to meet up with Mark and Eryn. Went to dinner with Mark and Eryn at Church Brew Works. Boy finally got to eat some pierogies. Boy was happy. Spent the night in Regent Square on an air mattress in Mark and Eryn's spare bedroom. Despite the setup, I had the best night of sleep of the trip. I think it was because I was in an old house in my old neigborhood and the house had a very familiar smell, much like my old apartment. smell bring's back memories and feelings you can't verbalize but can experience on a very real level and so I think that on that air matress, inches from the 100 year-old wooden floor, I had a feeling like I was home, a feeling I haven't so much had in the past year an a half and so I slept well. very, very well.
Day 6: Made Boy and Mark have breakfast with me at the Square Cafe. Unfortunately, they were not in on the joke and had a hard time understanding why I was so excited about the strange, square mugs, the overpriced food, and the bad service from the same, overly tan waitress that's been there since the place opened. Marisa and Cara, I wish you had been there. After breakfast, we loaded up the car and headed out of town. Drove across the ever-so-exciting states of Ohio and Indiana to make it to Chicago by nightfall. Kept ourselves amused with two very intense and competitive games of the alphabet game. I took the first one and boy won the second round. (Though honestly, I was getting sick of playing so I may not have been trying so hard.) Rolled into the windy city around 6:30. Met up with Boy's friends to get the keys to the apartment we'd be staying in before they (the friends, not the keys) left to get ready for their performance. They said the apartment had a cat but there was no sign of the cat.
Boy and I had about fifteen minutes to settle in before we had to leave to see them in the musical-comedy version of Debbie Does Dallas. No, I'm not kidding. It was incredibly funny. And bizarre. After the play we were out and about in Chicago until too late. Then we went back to the apartment and played "the record game," a game which involves picking songs based on the other person's answers to random questions such as "spoon straw or spork?", until the wee hours of the morning.
Day 7: Still no sign of the cat though I think I heard it meowing in the middle of the night. Reluctantly woke up and unreluctantly went to breakfast at Ann Sather. I love any restaurant that will give you two cinnamon rolls as one of your two sides. After breakfast, we walked up to Wrigley field for the Cubs game. Had some pre-game drinks at Murphy's Bleachers, had our picture taken with Ronnie Woo-Woo Wickers . Had great seats, beautiful weather, and the Cubs won! It's hard not to be a baseball fan with a scenario like that.
After the game, headed back to the apartment for aprox. 45 minutes. Caught a brief glimps of the cat. It's funny how some cats will go into hiding for however long it takes if there are strangers a foot. Upon seeing us, the cat quickly returned to the safety of its fort under the bed.
Still on Day 7... got cleaned up and met Boy's parents for dinner and drinks. Was so tried that I was barely able to talk. Somehow held it together until 10:00 when I fell asleep on the couch and the cat fell asleep under the bed. Woke up in the middle of the night and noticed the cat was sleeping at the foot of the bed. Either that or I was dreaming...
Day 8: Woke up to the cat meowing at the foot of the bed. He/she was out of food and was now willing to make friends. Fed the cat and was eventually able to get her/him to let me pet her/him a bit. Showered, packed up, and again left town. Drove from Chicago to Kansas City. Got there just in time to see the Royals game. It was "military appreciation night" so there were lots of noisy fly overs and we got free hats. The game was boring and the Royals lost. God, I hate baseball. Also, took us longer to get to KC than we thought so no bbq. Sigh... Spent the night in some semi-questionable Econo Lodge in Kansas. Ewww.
Day 9: It's almost over! Got in the car (again) and headed for home. After suffering through the boringness of Kansas (sorry Kansas. Though, in all fairness, there was a Perkins and the Perkins was good) and a match of the alphabet game that seemed to go on forever and never actually ended, we finally made it back to Colorado! Abby has never been happier.
Okay, hi. I'm back. I've finally posted picture of our trip and I know, I know, I owe a trip recap but I'm busy. Maybe I'll have time tonight. But maybe not... I have to start planning for Abby's birthday party (taking place this weekend). She's turning 12. 12! All of her doggie friends are invited. There will be frosty paws and goody bags for the kids as well as lots of treats for the humans.
Oh, and in addition to the party planning, I also need to go to bed early because yesterday I started a five-week fitness boot camp which meets MWF at 6:10 am. Am I crazy? Yes, maybe a little bit. Am I out of shape? Yes, yes, that too. I really thought I was okay but it turns out I'm not, well, at least not in the push-up department. Who invented those things anyway? Thank god that didn't make us do pull-ups. There's really no need to suffer that kind of public humiliation.
Oh, and in addition to the party planning, I also need to go to bed early because yesterday I started a five-week fitness boot camp which meets MWF at 6:10 am. Am I crazy? Yes, maybe a little bit. Am I out of shape? Yes, yes, that too. I really thought I was okay but it turns out I'm not, well, at least not in the push-up department. Who invented those things anyway? Thank god that didn't make us do pull-ups. There's really no need to suffer that kind of public humiliation.
June 08, 2007
last night I had dinner with my friend Rene and his 15 month-old daughter, Sofia. she's a cutie and she's also the best thing that's ever happened to Rene (despite her messy eating habits). Rene grew up in Spain and so Sofia is well on her way to bilingualism. kids these days.
tomorrow I'm off to Pittsburgh to see some of you, my loyal readers, as well as my family, some of whom are also loyal readers (hi jen and nobel!).
I'm flying into Pittsburgh tomorrow afternoon. boy (who is currently in the middle of Indiana) is meeting me out there. we'll be in Pittsburgh for about five days into which we will try to cram way too many people/things/restaurants. it's going to be awesome. btw, who wants to go to Primantis with us?
on Thursday we're going to start heading back to Colorado. we're going to spend a few days in Chicago (Boy used to live there) and then a night in Kansas city (for some baseball and bbq). we'll finally be back in Colorado on the 17th. phew.
stay tuned. pictures and trip-recap to follow!
June 05, 2007
last week's issue of the New Yorker, or wait... maybe it's this weeks. I think I get them early because I have a subscriptions... so... um... okay. let's start over.
a recent issue the New Yorker had an essay by David Sedaris. I found the essay ammusing and well written but not nearly as funny as his old writing was. I remember reading Naked when it came out like ten years ago and literally lauging out loud, in public, by myself, while I was reading it. maybe his writing has changed a bit or maybe I've come to expect the humor and therefore, am not as surprised by it as I once was. my friend mike (aka in-shape guy) also has a subscription to the New Yorker and we were talking about the recent issue while running yesterday. I brought up the Sedaris piece and mike said he thought Sedaris was going for "touching" in addition to the humor and so maybe that's what's different.
so flash-forward to yesterday night while I was reading Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. I read the essay called "the end of the affair." the article is both funny and touching and I thought it summed up love so well that I had to write about it here. it [the article] is about how Sedaris and his partner of 10-or-so years (Hugh) go to see a "romantic" movie (the end of the affair). after seeing the movie Hugh seems to become annoyed at the normal, boringness of their lives together (which is typical of most couples who have been together for a while). so Sedaris writes:
I encouraged him to look on the bright side. "Listen," I said. "we maybe don't live in wartime London, but in terms of the occassional bomb scare, Paris is a pretty close second. We both love bacon and country music, what more could you possibly want?"
What more could he want? It was an incredibly stupid question and when he failed to answer, I was reminded of just how lucky I truly am. Movie characters might chase each other through the fog or race down the stairs of burning buildings, but that's for beginners. Real love amounts to withholding the truth, even when you're offered the perfect opportunity to hurt someone's feelings. I wanted to say something to this effect, but my hand puppets were back home in their drawer. Instead, I pulled my chair a few inches closer, and we sat silently at our little table on the square, looking for all the world like two people in love.
see what I mean?
a recent issue the New Yorker had an essay by David Sedaris. I found the essay ammusing and well written but not nearly as funny as his old writing was. I remember reading Naked when it came out like ten years ago and literally lauging out loud, in public, by myself, while I was reading it. maybe his writing has changed a bit or maybe I've come to expect the humor and therefore, am not as surprised by it as I once was. my friend mike (aka in-shape guy) also has a subscription to the New Yorker and we were talking about the recent issue while running yesterday. I brought up the Sedaris piece and mike said he thought Sedaris was going for "touching" in addition to the humor and so maybe that's what's different.
so flash-forward to yesterday night while I was reading Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. I read the essay called "the end of the affair." the article is both funny and touching and I thought it summed up love so well that I had to write about it here. it [the article] is about how Sedaris and his partner of 10-or-so years (Hugh) go to see a "romantic" movie (the end of the affair). after seeing the movie Hugh seems to become annoyed at the normal, boringness of their lives together (which is typical of most couples who have been together for a while). so Sedaris writes:
I encouraged him to look on the bright side. "Listen," I said. "we maybe don't live in wartime London, but in terms of the occassional bomb scare, Paris is a pretty close second. We both love bacon and country music, what more could you possibly want?"
What more could he want? It was an incredibly stupid question and when he failed to answer, I was reminded of just how lucky I truly am. Movie characters might chase each other through the fog or race down the stairs of burning buildings, but that's for beginners. Real love amounts to withholding the truth, even when you're offered the perfect opportunity to hurt someone's feelings. I wanted to say something to this effect, but my hand puppets were back home in their drawer. Instead, I pulled my chair a few inches closer, and we sat silently at our little table on the square, looking for all the world like two people in love.
see what I mean?
June 04, 2007
better!
I'm going to cast my vote for antibiotics as one of the best inventions ever and I think that actual, scientific people would agree with me on that one.
anyway, I took some last week and the ickiness I was experiencing is gone. I no longer feel like I'm in a fog of sickness. I can breathe again. I can hear again. I can taste again. all is right with the world.
anyway, I took some last week and the ickiness I was experiencing is gone. I no longer feel like I'm in a fog of sickness. I can breathe again. I can hear again. I can taste again. all is right with the world.
June 01, 2007
Rules to live by
I have two important rules to live by in my life:
1. NEVER go to the grocery store when you're hungry.
and 2. Never, under any circumstances, eat Ben and Jerry's out of the carton.
I've added a third to my list which is never make any important decisions when you're sick/taking cold medicine. I've been sick for about a week. I'm taking all sorts of drugs and my mental and emotional state is sort of "iffy" at best. On top of that, because I've been sick I haven't been doing much or seeing many people and so I've been sitting around, thinking about all the major stuff in my life while watching trashy TV and I just think it's a bad combination. Bad. Bad. Bad. I think I need a carton of Ben and Jerry's to take my mind off of all of this...
1. NEVER go to the grocery store when you're hungry.
and 2. Never, under any circumstances, eat Ben and Jerry's out of the carton.
I've added a third to my list which is never make any important decisions when you're sick/taking cold medicine. I've been sick for about a week. I'm taking all sorts of drugs and my mental and emotional state is sort of "iffy" at best. On top of that, because I've been sick I haven't been doing much or seeing many people and so I've been sitting around, thinking about all the major stuff in my life while watching trashy TV and I just think it's a bad combination. Bad. Bad. Bad. I think I need a carton of Ben and Jerry's to take my mind off of all of this...
May 29, 2007
May 24, 2007
semi-geeky post
reading this recent article in the New Yorker made me think of simplicity vs. functions in the context of my two iPods. I have a "regular," 20G iPod and I also have a shuffle. although the shuffle has less functionality than the regular, I think I like it more. definitely, I use it more.
sure, the shuffle only holds about 250 songs but really, I'm usually obsessed with no more than 100 songs at a given time so why do I need to have all of my music available all the time? there are, however, times when the regular iPod is better: extended traveling, a boring day at work. and if my computer ever crashes, I'll have a backup of all my music. however when I'm driving or running or riding my bike or just going, the simplicity of the shuffle far outweighs the functionality of the regular. (plus the shuffle is green and the regular is white and that's better too!)
it's funny though. we get so caught up in being able to have the most options that we forget to think about the reality of how the object will be used and whether or not it will serve us well. we're so concerned with getting the most that we don't pay attention to the quality of what we're getting (think "super size" and mcdonalds). yes, it's true - we may get a lot. but if what we're getting isn't good for us, then do we really want it?
anyway, somebody give me some work to do soon so I'll stop being so darn philosophical!!!!
sure, the shuffle only holds about 250 songs but really, I'm usually obsessed with no more than 100 songs at a given time so why do I need to have all of my music available all the time? there are, however, times when the regular iPod is better: extended traveling, a boring day at work. and if my computer ever crashes, I'll have a backup of all my music. however when I'm driving or running or riding my bike or just going, the simplicity of the shuffle far outweighs the functionality of the regular. (plus the shuffle is green and the regular is white and that's better too!)
it's funny though. we get so caught up in being able to have the most options that we forget to think about the reality of how the object will be used and whether or not it will serve us well. we're so concerned with getting the most that we don't pay attention to the quality of what we're getting (think "super size" and mcdonalds). yes, it's true - we may get a lot. but if what we're getting isn't good for us, then do we really want it?
anyway, somebody give me some work to do soon so I'll stop being so darn philosophical!!!!
May 23, 2007
I heart my ipod shuffle. it's almost like the perfect boyfriend. the shuffle is there for me when I need it to be and it understands my wants and needs. case in point: the other day I went for a trail run and just as I was about to tackle a hill, my shuffle started to played "don't stop believing" (that's right, Journey). shuffle didn't judge me for my musical taste. it just picked what was it thought was best for that particular moment. I could have kissed it.
with not much going on at work today, I spent a few hours messing with the playlist on my shuffle. I also played a few rounds of this game . it's an education game so I learned a few things. for example, did you know that milk can help prevent PMS? well, actually I think it's the calcium that helps. an even better argument for more ice cream!
I found the game through the adobe edge newsletter, which is sent to my work account so that I can research multimedia stuff and keep us on the cutting edge (or whatever). so my game playing was totally work related... um... yeah. that would explain why I thought it was best to play with my door closed...
with not much going on at work today, I spent a few hours messing with the playlist on my shuffle. I also played a few rounds of this game . it's an education game so I learned a few things. for example, did you know that milk can help prevent PMS? well, actually I think it's the calcium that helps. an even better argument for more ice cream!
I found the game through the adobe edge newsletter, which is sent to my work account so that I can research multimedia stuff and keep us on the cutting edge (or whatever). so my game playing was totally work related... um... yeah. that would explain why I thought it was best to play with my door closed...
May 21, 2007
today's word is stupid
warning in advance: I'm a little cranky today.
every day I get an email with the word of the day from Merriam-Websters and I have to say that today's word is downright pointless. the word is prothalamion which means "a song in celebration of a marriage." while I don't believe that songs in celebration of marriage are pointless, I believe that this word is pointless because when will I ever use it?
come on, m-w.com. don't you know that I only really like the words I can use to subtly insult the people and situations around me? geez.
every day I get an email with the word of the day from Merriam-Websters and I have to say that today's word is downright pointless. the word is prothalamion which means "a song in celebration of a marriage." while I don't believe that songs in celebration of marriage are pointless, I believe that this word is pointless because when will I ever use it?
come on, m-w.com. don't you know that I only really like the words I can use to subtly insult the people and situations around me? geez.
May 17, 2007
the iPods understand
I just got an iPod shuffle and I'm finding it to be the most amazing little thing ever! We are going for a run today after work. I wonder if my regular ipod feels bad. It [the regular iPod] used to go running with me back in the day but I think that it [the regular iPod] is more of a special occasion device and the shuffle is more of an every day thing. It's sort of like the Ben and Jerry's vs other ice cream. You don't indulge in that stuff every day. No, no, no. The everyday ice cream (yes, I really do eat the much ice cream) needs to be something with a little less fat and calories, a little less "special." Otherwise, the charm of the peanut butter filled pretzels is gone. So, the regular iPod is Chubby Hubby and the shuffle is a skinny cow . I love them both in their own way and I think they get that.
May 15, 2007
I recently (yesterday) joined the local freecycle group and I can't stop thinking of things I could maybe give away. I have so much stuff that I just don't need but it's too good to throw away. So I keep it, thinking I'll eventually get around to selling it on Craigs List or maybe I'll have a yard sale but then I never do. I had one yard sale once and while I made a few hundred dollars, it wasn't the most positive experience. There's something strange about your life being on display for strangers to pick through and judge. And there's also the dilemma of what to call the sale when you don't really have a yard or a garage. For someone trained in the art of crafting words, that can be a problem.
But anyway, I think freecycle is a good idea because it promotes reuse/recycling instead of just throwing things away. Given the over-consumptive nature of our society, it's a good thing.
And speaking of over-consumption (as I unnecessarily snack on the Icelandic chocolate bar my friend J. gave me after her recent trip...)the weather's good here and so I've started riding my bike to work again. I rode in three times last week which saved me approximately 60 miles of driving, which saved approximately two gallons of gas. In addition to the earth friendly stuff, the commuting enabled me to not feel bad about snacking on the Icelandic chocolate bar so it's good all around (except when that big bug flew right into the side of my head. That kind of hurt.).
Okay, enough with the hippie stuff. I'm off to Starbucks!
But anyway, I think freecycle is a good idea because it promotes reuse/recycling instead of just throwing things away. Given the over-consumptive nature of our society, it's a good thing.
And speaking of over-consumption (as I unnecessarily snack on the Icelandic chocolate bar my friend J. gave me after her recent trip...)the weather's good here and so I've started riding my bike to work again. I rode in three times last week which saved me approximately 60 miles of driving, which saved approximately two gallons of gas. In addition to the earth friendly stuff, the commuting enabled me to not feel bad about snacking on the Icelandic chocolate bar so it's good all around (except when that big bug flew right into the side of my head. That kind of hurt.).
Okay, enough with the hippie stuff. I'm off to Starbucks!
May 09, 2007
there's just no need
so I rode my bike to work today. then I went for a run during lunch. and in a few hours, I have to ride home.
whimper.
but as a reward for all this exercise stuff, I just bought myself a green iPod shuffle.
whimper.
but as a reward for all this exercise stuff, I just bought myself a green iPod shuffle.
May 08, 2007
I realize this is a bit of an inside joke for those of you who have heard the story so sorry in advance to those of you who haven't. Anyway, I was browsing through the new Patagonia catalog yesterday and this product description made me laugh:
"It's a shame more travel companions can't be like our Undercover Cami – reliable, ready for action, supportive and, best of all, zero complaining when the weather turns bad."
Would have been the perfect top to have in Hawaii. ;)
"It's a shame more travel companions can't be like our Undercover Cami – reliable, ready for action, supportive and, best of all, zero complaining when the weather turns bad."
Would have been the perfect top to have in Hawaii. ;)
May 01, 2007
I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm impressed with our government.
I'm expecting a pretty decent return from the IRS this year and since I filed my taxes at the semi-last minute (post-marked April 14th) I haven't gotten it [the return] yet.
I went to the IRS website to see if they had any info on how long it typically takes to get one's return and low and behold, they have a return tracking feature that's easy to find (prominently displayed on the top, center of the page) and easy to use. now we just need to wait and see if the info is right.
the return tracking feature informed me that so long as "they" don't find any mistakes (oh god, please, please, please don't find any mistakes!) I'll have my refund by May 29th.
I'm expecting a pretty decent return from the IRS this year and since I filed my taxes at the semi-last minute (post-marked April 14th) I haven't gotten it [the return] yet.
I went to the IRS website to see if they had any info on how long it typically takes to get one's return and low and behold, they have a return tracking feature that's easy to find (prominently displayed on the top, center of the page) and easy to use. now we just need to wait and see if the info is right.
the return tracking feature informed me that so long as "they" don't find any mistakes (oh god, please, please, please don't find any mistakes!) I'll have my refund by May 29th.
April 30, 2007
evidence of continued exuberance
sometimes I wonder if I'll ever become one of those mature people, those people whose careers are more important than their personal lives, those people who act all serious all the time, those people who shower every day before work.
sometimes I worry this will happen and then other times I know that it won't. for example, I just spent the past 45 minutes searching for a "let's hear it for the boy" ringtone for my cell phone to use when Boy calls. (it's perfect but btw, I wasn't able to find a good one so if any of you know where I can find this, lemme know.)
however, on the job front, it seems I'm going to be moving into a new position at work, one that's more in line with my "career goals" (wait, do I have those?) and more in line with the stuff I like to do. rumor has it, some time in June I'll be moving to the marketing department to become the "content strategist" for the websites for the new joint venture company that IBM is forming out of my department. this sounds important. and I think it may turn out to actually be important. but most importantly, I think it will be fun and creative and I'll get to make lots of creative (and non-creative) decisions and then tell other people to make them happen. it's the perfect job for me!
but still, I'm saying "rumor has it" because 'round here, one never knows. anyway, back to the ringtone search!
sometimes I worry this will happen and then other times I know that it won't. for example, I just spent the past 45 minutes searching for a "let's hear it for the boy" ringtone for my cell phone to use when Boy calls. (it's perfect but btw, I wasn't able to find a good one so if any of you know where I can find this, lemme know.)
however, on the job front, it seems I'm going to be moving into a new position at work, one that's more in line with my "career goals" (wait, do I have those?) and more in line with the stuff I like to do. rumor has it, some time in June I'll be moving to the marketing department to become the "content strategist" for the websites for the new joint venture company that IBM is forming out of my department. this sounds important. and I think it may turn out to actually be important. but most importantly, I think it will be fun and creative and I'll get to make lots of creative (and non-creative) decisions and then tell other people to make them happen. it's the perfect job for me!
but still, I'm saying "rumor has it" because 'round here, one never knows. anyway, back to the ringtone search!
April 24, 2007
flickr scares me sometimes...
okay, so as we all know, I have a flickr account and mostly, I love it. it's pretty interesting to share your photos, check out other peoples', communicate with friends, etc.
but recently... I was notified that someone added one of my pictures to his/her "favorites" list. the picture s/he chose was a closeup of my right foot on the black sand beach in Hawaii. I clicked on the person's link to learn some more about him/her. s/he had no photos to display and no profile info. and (here's where things get a little strange) all of the pictures in his/her "favorites" section were closeups of feet.
so... um... I don't even really want to say it but, well, I couldn't help but think foot fetish.
but recently... I was notified that someone added one of my pictures to his/her "favorites" list. the picture s/he chose was a closeup of my right foot on the black sand beach in Hawaii. I clicked on the person's link to learn some more about him/her. s/he had no photos to display and no profile info. and (here's where things get a little strange) all of the pictures in his/her "favorites" section were closeups of feet.
so... um... I don't even really want to say it but, well, I couldn't help but think foot fetish.
April 18, 2007
two things ho related
#1 - Don Ho died and that makes sense because when I saw him this past October, the man was pretty much on death's door.
#2 - HoHo's are celebrating their 40th birthday and did you know that Pittsburghers consume more HoHo's than anyone else in the world. that's kind of strange.
and I guess this one should be like #2a. people in Chicago consume more Twinkies than anyone else in the world. also kind of strange.
because of the HoHo conversation, my friend B. went to the vending machine and bought some DingDongs. they are not HoHo's but they're close. he was unable to eat the DingDongs once he saw how many calories they contained so he gave them to me(he is a volunteer fire fighter and his goal is to make it into the fire fighter calendar, you know - shirtless.)
I have to tell you, the DingDongs look good. however, I can't quite bring myself to eat something that contains "beef fat" yet is not a beef product...
#2 - HoHo's are celebrating their 40th birthday and did you know that Pittsburghers consume more HoHo's than anyone else in the world. that's kind of strange.
and I guess this one should be like #2a. people in Chicago consume more Twinkies than anyone else in the world. also kind of strange.
because of the HoHo conversation, my friend B. went to the vending machine and bought some DingDongs. they are not HoHo's but they're close. he was unable to eat the DingDongs once he saw how many calories they contained so he gave them to me(he is a volunteer fire fighter and his goal is to make it into the fire fighter calendar, you know - shirtless.)
I have to tell you, the DingDongs look good. however, I can't quite bring myself to eat something that contains "beef fat" yet is not a beef product...
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