Category Archives: Life

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Seen This?

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Well, I own one now, and let me tell you, it is seriously another thing trying to ruin my diet. As part of the ONE YEAR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY festivities I haven’t yet mentioned, MK and I went out for a delicious and fancy dinner. When our host tried to tempt us with dessert, we considered the possibilities, but MK was disappointed they had no Crème Brûleé, his favorite dessert ever. The only one he’ll eat. We (I) got ambitious and picked up the little set since I knew they existed and would be fun and have a recipe book. Whole Foods got us the lowest fat version of the recipe we could manage, but it is still so awesomely bad for you that I am reduced to one bite per ramekin MK eats. Needless to say, YUM! It was kinda a pain in the butt to make, as in we were impatient and it takes a while, but it was worth the wait. I am a delicious chef.

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Wasting Time

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From iced mocha

A-Attached or Single?
So attached. In a good way.

B-Best Friend:
I’ve learned to never throw that around again, my BF should always stay the same, even if she lives in Denver, or NYC. She was the only normal one.

C-Cake or Pie:
If I had to pick, cake, if it’s cheesecake. It’s the only sweet I eat, although I can’t remember the last time I had some.

D-Drink of Choice:
This always makes me laugh, I immediately think alcohol…how about Enviga.

E-Essential Item: Lip gloss. Really. Running outside = lipgloss.

F- Favorite color:
Black is the new black.

G-Gummi Bears or Worms?
Both! Bears are good in martinis (bet you didn’t know that) and worms are good in those little cups you make in kindergarten with pudding and mushed up oreos.

H-Hometown:
Smallest place in the universe, Connecticut.

I-Indulgence:
Used to be my mani/pedi, which I haven’t had since I moved from Austin, since it was a $70 luxury. Here, I recently discovered full sets for $20 by UW. I’m still wondering if it’s safe…

J-January or February:
January, of course, SEND ME BIRTHDAY PRESENTS!!! 🙂

K-Kids:
Are someone else’s problem. My parents are way too young to be grandparents. And I’m trying to stay skinny.

L-Life is incomplete without:
Happiness and love. Optimistic attitudes. Life changing moments. A little sun, a little rain. Growth.

M-Marriage Date:
May 28!!! SEND MORE PRESENTS!!!!

N-Number of Siblings:
Two little (but bigger) brothers. Who are just lovely.

O-Oranges or Apples?
Apples with PB, or OJ. Tough call.

P-Phobias/Fears:
Tobophobia – fear of being buried alive. I also – since seeing a certain Mythbusters – am a little afraid of driving my car into a lake.

Q-Favorite Quote:
A chief event of life is the day in which we have encountered a mind that startled us.~Emerson

R-Reasons to smile:
I’m practically always smiling, unless my contacts hurt.

S-Season:
Now that I live somewhere that has seasons, I’m excited about summer.

T-Tag Three:
Blindeh, snippy, tmom.

U-Unknown Fact About Me:
Shoe shopping in the other window for ‘sensible walking sneaks’.

V-Vindictive or Forgiving? Oh, how this has changed. Almost always forgiving.

W-Worst Habit:
Messing with my nails.

X-X-rays or Ultrasounds?
For what? Neither, please.

Y-Your Favorite Foods:
Italian – pasta, and clam chowder lately…

Z-Zodiac:
Don’t believe it. At all.

strange cat
www.favianna.typepad.com

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Burnout Test

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The whole website is pretty interesting, with stress relief tips, and management resources. Sometimes this stuff is funny to look at whether or not you work OR feel stressed – and even just to remind you how others might be feeling when they cut you off or act rudely or snap at you over the phone…

Burnout Test

so stressed
www.abc.com

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Gotta Get Goals

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This meme comes from my friend blindeh, and the rules can be found at AlexShalman.com

They aren’t exactly over the top or unique, and I’m good with 5 for now, rather than 10. I’m a simple kind of gal.

  1. Publish my book. I have walked away from this beast twice now. It was one thing to write, and completely another to try to edit. I don’t want to give up, I think it has a chance, and I know I can make y’all buy copies, if only out of sheer curiosity. I want to compete in Nano again this November, so I want to set the goal here and now to have it edited by then. I’m in a new city with very little to distract me, so I feel like now is the time to make more time and less excuses.
  2. External ReConstruction. I have been working out and working on this little body seriously since January. I’ve seen results and want that to continue. It may not increase my life span, or improve my attitude, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this change in my life and know it’s a positive one. I want every morning to be waking up in my best shape yet. It takes determination and perseverance to not make excuses, and has challenged me mentally as well and physically.
  3. Internal ReConstruction. Along with my body needing work, I realized my mind and heart do too. Everyone always gets hokey on this one, but I’m very simply just trying to be a better person. I always thought I knew who I was and what I was going to be since I was old enough to walk. I’m realizing a little introspection and effort is worth it. Enough said.
  4. Travel all the continents and states. I’m doing pretty good on this one. I have been so blessed to see so much, and know without a doubt you extend your horizons through new cultures and new places. I want that to continue, to share that with my husband, and eventually our family.
  5. Find a home. Ideally, I would be closest the people that mean the most to me: my parents, (only!) cousin, my brother-in-law, and even T and BB. Where we will end up is so up in the air, and I’d like to have a stronger sense of my future and where it will be.

I’m supposed to tell people to do this, too: how about snippy, misadventures, and simply missional. I would tag TB, but she still doesn’t have her own blog…


www.pacific.edu

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More Shopping And Driving

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Background: I got my driver’s license the day before I moved to Austin. I then learned about crappy highways and things that don’t make sense, roads that end then begin again farther down, and the like. It’s crazy there. Or so I thought.

First thing in the morning Tuesday (I know, I’m so far behind) I go to the little gym here and run. And I suck. Shockingly, I know. It’s been like two weeks. I get showered up and put on the most expensive outfit, jewelry, and makeup, and perfume, I can find. I’m a sell out to the pressure, I know. MK and I go hunting around a little to see if we can find a place to get a cord he needs for his computer. We got soooooo lost. The roads here are bizarre!!! They are currently digging up the underground bus system and putting in an underground rail system, so they’ve created special bus lanes, shut down lanes, closed ramps, put stop lights on ramps, extended HOVs, and generally made the biggest mess ever. Makes Austin look deserving of roadway of the year awards.

We fall into a Costco, I guess they started here, and go shop-happy. We get his cord at the Office Max that appears to be in STARBUCKS CENTRAL HEADQUARTERS. That was a crazy place. Then it’s time for our meeting with you-know-who. We only had to u-turn twice (instead of three times) to get home. We put the groceries away and head down to the lobby. You-know-who tells us stuff that we already figured out for ourselves and is only slightly pleasant, probably due to the rude glaring look I have, the yawns I keep faking, and the eye rolling and watch glancing I throw in for good measure. I address MK instead of you-know-who when I ask who handles the recyclables. Take that. I thought about psyching on the handshake, but he wouldn’t have understood.

I make us some lunch, and we lounge a little. The time difference shouldn’t affect us too much, but it is a little strange to call the east coast, and figure out the TV schedule. I tried so hard to get on the internet and say hi, but my computer wasn’t picking up any free wifi. Grr. We went for a nice walk three blocks down, where the mall and Nordstrom’s is. That is going to be good times.

pacific place
www.rawseattle.com

I already know. There’s so much there! We browse the restaurants and look at the menus in the windows. We stopped at Seattle’s Best, which I learned is OWNED by Starbucks (I bet y’all already knew that) but wasn’t very clean. Or good. They took so long to make MK’s drink that we have a free coupon to use, if we ever go back. We found the equivalents to the Austin Chronicle and read those for a bit. Then it was home for dinner. Kind of a low key day, but the exploring was fun. MK does a great job figuring out where things are. I do not exactly have an excellent sense of direction.


www.istockphoto.com

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Post Poker Championship

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Friday night went out with a bang, us heading back the B’s pad and makin’ some fancy drinks. Not sure if I mentioned these two important facts, but SB makes better martinis than any bartender out there, and Enviga is really good with vodka. She had some pomegranate and Izze and Enviga concoction that I think she should trademark. Seriously, we had it out. MK retired for a bit and SB and I had a classic girls reminiscing over drinks time that will have a special little place in my heart forever. Background: We worked together for a very short time before we got a place together, that was forever ago and we’re still each other’s favorites. That rocks.

Saturday was a slow to get going day, MK and I went out for water, Gatorade and Quiznos, aka hangover cure lunch. RB has a sweet giant plane and we tried to go fly it but it was too windy. We found a place called Croc’s that had the infamous Bloody Mary Bar, a couple times. Delicious. A1, my favorite product in the universe, makes those drinks, let me tell you. We went home and snoozed a little while RB worked on his music, he’s a world famous musician. He’s got new tunes coming out soon. So cool.

SB took MK and I to the Rockies game that night. For dinner. Reminder: As a BoSox girl, I didn’t know there were places you could go to and get $4-$15 tickets. That day. For that game. The place was so empty. I guess they aren’t that good…didn’t matter to me. We got brats with all the fixin’s, peanuts and beer. Coors. It is the Coors stadium. You get Coors beer. That’s it. Fine. You can’t see the mountains, but I could. Very pretty.

brat.jpg stadium.jpg

SB took us to the coolest bar in the world, Double Daughters.

ddtrs.jpg ddtrs2.jpg

We hung out there, checked out the Meadowlark, which was packed, then headed home. Early morning, y’all.

Denver was interesting. It is polluted, and messy, highly under construction downtown. The B’s talked to us a lot about living there, especially coming from NYC, they were disappointed in the lack of vibes and culture Denver had going for it. To be sure, I felt what they were talking about. I also understood what they meant when they said if they mentioned their feelings at all, other Denver-dwellers became irate, indignant, and offended. Hmpf. Not a place I’ll ever be living in, but I’m glad we got to pass through and see it for ourselves.

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Next Time, It’s For Cash Money

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So there we are, in Denver, two drinks into a great Friday. SB and RB are some poker playing fools. They convince us to go and play a hand with them. I have no idea what to expect. I play poker with people I know, and that doesn’t usually end well. MK thinks it’s funny to let everyone know that he always ends up having to try to make up for my losses. Whatever. We get there right at the last minute before they start. There are three tables set up, about 36 people. RB’s already seated, someone goes all in first hand, SB sits. MK and I have a drink, while I get more and more nervous. Someone else goes out, MK’s at SB’s table. I’m feeling ill. And confused. They seat me at RB’s table. That’s cool. I don’t play my first 6000 hands, they all suck. I finally see a face card and get excited. The rest is history.

First I knocked out Mr. Johnny Pokers-a-lot, with sunglasses and a cowboy hat and the whole deal. He didn’t believe me. Silly man. I progressively smoked the table as my hands got hotter and hotter. It was like being in a movie. They split up one of the smaller tables and I get stuck next to this tool that’s all trying to intimidate me out of my blinds. Grr. Then my hands cool off so I chill out. I make it to the last table – at this point RB is long gone, SB can’t believe I’m still alive, and she and MK went and played some Omaha. Last table is nuts. Everyone is boys, minus me and a blond lady. She and I all in, knock a guy out, and split the pot!!

You know where this is going: I now am the proud owner of a certificate stating that I made it to the last hand, against mullet head that took down MK and SB, and smote her greatly with my trip Jacks. YEEHAH!!!!

champs.jpg

I really can’t decide to quit while my record is 1-0, or to move to Vegas. I’ve never beat 30+ people at anything. Ever.

I also can’t decide if I’m going to ever talk to my father again – avid watcher of poker on TV, also avid ignorer of happy daughter when she calls to announce her success. The reason? The Red Sox beat the Yankees, of course. Baseball trumps daughter.

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Thou shalt not neglect thy friend’s blog.

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Okay, so maybe I wasn’t the best choice to act as steward of somegosoftly during CK’s road-trip. I failed to post yesterday, leaving somegosoftly’s dedicated readers to fend for themselves in cyberspace on the one day of the week when employers actually expect you to spend more time surfing the internet than working: Friday.

Instead of crafting something interesting, amusing or thought-provoking to publish on my good friend’s blog, I spent Friday cleaning my house from top to bottom in anticipation of the arrival of Very Special Friends from Dallas whom we haven’t seen in over a year. So much has changed in the year since we’ve seen the VSFfDs… the most notable is that we have created a new little person who lives with us and fills our days with sunshine and laughter. The VSFfDs have no children, and I feared the sight of my house — strewn with noisy, colorful toys, piles of laundry and dirty dishes, and elsewhere blanketed with a thick layer of dust — might forever postpone any plans they had of procreating. Hence Friday’s marathon house-cleaning project.

Toilets scrubbed to sparkling perfection, floors swiffered and mopped, all laundry folded and hidden away, I finally put my feet up and opened a beer. Too tired, I mumbled, too tired to blog tonight. Three beers later, I crawled into bed and fell fast asleep, confident that the VSFfDs would arrive tomorrow and think I was the perfect wife and mother– Just look at these toilets! they would exclaim, I think we could eat off of them!

Alas, no happy dreams awaited me. Instead, I woke with a start in the middle of the night, heart pounding and overwhelmed by guilt. You see, I dreamt that a lonely somegosoftly reader, distraught by the absence of a Friday post, had decided to shrug off this mortal coil… her suicide note: an eloquent goodbye posted as a comment on this blog. To that poor soul I can only say I’m sorry you had to die… but God are my toilets clean!

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Bon Voyage

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If I was a color, today I would be blue. The day has finally come when our dear friends pack their car and begin their cross-country trek to the Evergreen State. We joined CK and MK for one last lunch Wednesday at Ski Shores, where we reveled in the sunshine and the sight of little kids (okay, us too) throwing bread and french fries to the fish and turtles just off the dock. I was able to fight off tears only by imagining the screaming fits CK and MK will likely have whilst trapped in the front of their over-stuffed SUV for the next five days. If only they had a video in the dashboard a la Oprah and Gayle. I’m not saying it would be a chronicle of the demise of their marriage, but if MK shows up in Seattle with only nine fingers, for instance, will we ever know the truth?

Here are a few of the things that I will miss the most:

1. Sitting in the meat-locker that is Rudy’s on 620, scarfing down brisket and sausage, while MK and BB talk shop, CK picks at chicken and we complain about the latest dumb things our husband/neighbor/Rosie O’Donnell did/said.

2. Sitting at Freebird’s, doing much the same as in No. 1.

3. Making plans to meet up with the K’s, which always involved a minimum of nineteen phone calls, of which MK only answered two. I still don’t understand this ritual, since we only ever met at Rudy’s or Freebird’s, but I’ll miss it nonetheless.

4. Having my eardrums assaulted alternately by a) the screaming toddler who, when not released for a beating, apparently lives in a cage upstairs of the K’s apartment, and b) the Rave music CK played to drown out Satan’s spawn.

5. Knowing someone who can fix my camera and teach me all sorts of nifty tricks, without whom I would not be able to share pics like this:

tbpic.jpg

These things may sound lame and not worth shedding a tear over, but what it all amounts to is that our best friends are gone, and we already miss them. If all goes well, they’ll be in Denver by tomorrow morning. Wish them luck!

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Bee Crisis

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When I originally posted this, the information seemed good, but now, here’s the latest:

Stress Disorder -08May07

When MK told me about this a week ago, I thought that he was making it up. And I laughed. A lot. Apparently it’s not funny, and apparently we are in the midst of a BEE CRISIS. It’s so important it made the front page of Yahoo!, and so I’m posting it for you even though I’m on blog vacation.

I guess they, um cross pollinate everything that we eat. Everything. And we’re killing them. And that is bad. For us. So, um…read this.

Honeybees Dying and Cell Phones to Blame


www.voanews.com