before i head off to work for the day - and to begin the week - allow me to say that i have 3 lines of an alison krauss song stuck in my head and, frankly, even something that beautiful will eventually start to gnaw at you. on top of it, i also feel unsettled and nauseated; i'm not sure if there's a physical component or if it's purely (mostly) mental. the mind-body connection truly is a wonder to behold.
last night i made a casserole, finished my laundry for the week, and, because i am a sap, watched 'extreme makeover: home edition.' if ever one needs a little cleansing boo-hoo, that's a great way to get it. the people and their stories never cease to tug on the heart strings - all the more when i'm already feeling kind of emotional and worn out.
went to bed early last night, slept relatively fitfully, and i predict i shall be sleepish by 1 p.m. today. we'll see how long i last before i start fantasizing about napping....i could sure use a little respite right about now.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
straight hair, crooked road
so many questions on my mind today: mostly i'm just wondering what's happening here. and by here i mean my life. things have seemed of late to be heading in a certain direction, but now i'm wondering if they still are. i hate that up-in-the-air feeling and wish i could do something about it. but i can't. just simply can't.
ugh.
ugh.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
because i'm quite sure you're dying to know....
i pilfered the questions for this little 'survey' from the cupcake tent.
how do you like your grilled cheese?
buttery, on whole grain bread, perfectly browned, with cheese that oozes and leaves a stringy mess when you pull it apart.
where was your last vacation?
chi-town, baby. at least that was my last time away. my last bona fide vacation was last summer to asheville, nc (sigh), but i was sick as a dog the entire trip.
who are your godparents?
i believe my uncle ed and aunt mary
how long has it been since you bought a new toothbrush?
i use a sonicare, which rocks the HOUSE, so i buy replacement heads once a year (2 per pack).
where are you at noon every day?
during the week, sitting in my cube thinking about lunch.
how many speeding tickets have you gotten?
well, to my great shame, i got my first one right after i bought bella last year (she's just too pretty to drive slowly). and then right after THAT, i got a red light camera ticket for going through one (just barely) in the rain because i didn't want to slam on my brakes and skid into the intersection. ridiculous.
do tarot cards tell the truth?
i find them bogus.
what was your favorite movie in junior high?
i had three: 'dirty dancing,' 'stealing home,' and 'shag' ('why can't we just tell your parents we didn't want to go to fort sumter and tour g-d colonial homes? we wanted to go to the beach and meet boys and go to wild parties and dance!')
what is the last thing you said out loud?
'byeee' as i hung up the phone with salimah
what do you think of the iPhone?
ridiculous waste of money
what is the weirdest thing in your bedroom?
i don't know that i have anything truly 'weird' in my bedroom, but if i did, it'd be nunyabizness!
where did you get the shirt you're wearing?
well, to be perfectly honest with you, i'm sitting in a towel. i have a bad habit of air-drying on saturday mornings.
do you use a plan book?
i've tried to use a planner, but honestly, no. my brain seems to work fine for now.
at what age do you plan on having kids?
the more i think about this, the more i wonder if i'll ever have them....
when was the last time you swam?
like, actually swam laps? it's been years. got into the water and bobbed around? hmm. a couple of years ago, in north carolina at a hotel with my ex-bf.
what do you order at subway?
well, if i must rely on subway (which i try not to), these days, i get something very virtuous: 6-inch turkey sub on whole wheat, no cheese, with honey mustard, onions, tomato, lettuce, olives, green peppers, and maybe banana peppers if i'm feeling saucy:).
do you keep your closets organized?
well, my bedroom closet is fairly organized right now. my linen closet is VERY organized right now. the coat closet in the front hallway is semi-organized (i hardly use it, truth be told), and the closet in my second bedroom is a nightmare. but let's not talk about that.
how do you make headaches go away?
advil, baby
have you owned a betta before?
nyet
if you moved out of state, what state would you move to?
illinois (chi-town) or massachusetts (boston)
how old is your best friend?
33
did you attend preschool?
heck yeah, and i LOVED it.
what do your shower curtains look like?
my bathroom has a door (stall shower), and my second bath has a red curtain with a paisley design on it and eiffel tower shower curtain rings.
did you have an imaginary friend as a child?
i tried to, because i thought it would be whimsical, but i just didn't feel like sustaining disbelief long enough. i'm far too grounded in reality for such things.
how do you make eggs?
i like them any which way, but some classic favorites are poached, fried (over medium), or scrambled with goat cheese and caramelized portabellas in a whole wheat tortilla
where do you wash your clothes?
in my laundry room inside my apartment
which parent do you look most like?
i think my dad, although there are moments that bits of my mother creep into my face
who are the neighbors who live to the right of you?
if you're facing my door, it's an older couple with some random kids, grandkids, and Lord only knows who else.
what are your thoughts on tom cruise?
loved him in 'jerry maguire.' it was his last good movie before going insane in the membrane.
what is the next vehicle you wish to buy?
this isn't even on my mind. i'm in a lease for 3 more years, so wait for it.
do you pay bills online or by mail?
everything is online except my rent.
what would be the best gift someone could get you right now?
a maid service and/or some cold hard CASH
what is something stressful you will deal with next week?
hopefully NOTHING!
what is something in your home that you collect?
cookbooks
how far north have you been?
maine or quebec
where did you last get gas?
hmm, i think at a citgo. not sure.
how do you take your coffee?
i don't drink coffee much, but if i DO, it's decaf with lots of milk or fat-free half&half and a bit of sugar.
what is the oldest thing in your fridge?
i've been purging recently, but there are condiments that are several years old. plus, there are some nuts from a couple of years ago. i should either toast them or toss them.
on your keyboard what key is wearing out from pressing it so much?
the ones that tend to go first are the s, the a, and the t, but at this point, nothing has worn off. there IS a patch on my space bar, however, that is showing some wear.
where do you put your keys when you come home?
on a table right next to my couch, just as you come into my living room OR on the butcher block in the kitchen
where do you go for thanksgiving?
these days, i tend to spend it with friends.
how old will you be in 2010?
on july 1 of that year, i will be 35.
what actor/actress would play you in a movie?
i don't know. somebody wicked smaaat.
how much cash is in your wallet?
i have a few coins. maybe 7 cents. maybe.
would you have a one-night stand with your favorite movie star?
i'm not really a one-night stand kind of girl. then again, i'm not getting any younger! ;)
what color is your house?
i don't have a house, but the outside of my apartment building is kind of beige.
if you were starving to death would you eat a pet?
well, i have no pets, so i can safely say no:).
ever been to alabama?
no
what kind of accent do you have?
i've picked up a little of nearly every place i've been/lived: a bit southern, a bit midwestern, a bit jersey, and a TINY bit maryland, hon.
what kind of alcoholic drink could you come up with in your fridge right now?
vanilla martini, pomegranate martini, baileys, and the makings for a truly delish margarita
how do you like your grilled cheese?
buttery, on whole grain bread, perfectly browned, with cheese that oozes and leaves a stringy mess when you pull it apart.
where was your last vacation?
chi-town, baby. at least that was my last time away. my last bona fide vacation was last summer to asheville, nc (sigh), but i was sick as a dog the entire trip.
who are your godparents?
i believe my uncle ed and aunt mary
how long has it been since you bought a new toothbrush?
i use a sonicare, which rocks the HOUSE, so i buy replacement heads once a year (2 per pack).
where are you at noon every day?
during the week, sitting in my cube thinking about lunch.
how many speeding tickets have you gotten?
well, to my great shame, i got my first one right after i bought bella last year (she's just too pretty to drive slowly). and then right after THAT, i got a red light camera ticket for going through one (just barely) in the rain because i didn't want to slam on my brakes and skid into the intersection. ridiculous.
do tarot cards tell the truth?
i find them bogus.
what was your favorite movie in junior high?
i had three: 'dirty dancing,' 'stealing home,' and 'shag' ('why can't we just tell your parents we didn't want to go to fort sumter and tour g-d colonial homes? we wanted to go to the beach and meet boys and go to wild parties and dance!')
what is the last thing you said out loud?
'byeee' as i hung up the phone with salimah
what do you think of the iPhone?
ridiculous waste of money
what is the weirdest thing in your bedroom?
i don't know that i have anything truly 'weird' in my bedroom, but if i did, it'd be nunyabizness!
where did you get the shirt you're wearing?
well, to be perfectly honest with you, i'm sitting in a towel. i have a bad habit of air-drying on saturday mornings.
do you use a plan book?
i've tried to use a planner, but honestly, no. my brain seems to work fine for now.
at what age do you plan on having kids?
the more i think about this, the more i wonder if i'll ever have them....
when was the last time you swam?
like, actually swam laps? it's been years. got into the water and bobbed around? hmm. a couple of years ago, in north carolina at a hotel with my ex-bf.
what do you order at subway?
well, if i must rely on subway (which i try not to), these days, i get something very virtuous: 6-inch turkey sub on whole wheat, no cheese, with honey mustard, onions, tomato, lettuce, olives, green peppers, and maybe banana peppers if i'm feeling saucy:).
do you keep your closets organized?
well, my bedroom closet is fairly organized right now. my linen closet is VERY organized right now. the coat closet in the front hallway is semi-organized (i hardly use it, truth be told), and the closet in my second bedroom is a nightmare. but let's not talk about that.
how do you make headaches go away?
advil, baby
have you owned a betta before?
nyet
if you moved out of state, what state would you move to?
illinois (chi-town) or massachusetts (boston)
how old is your best friend?
33
did you attend preschool?
heck yeah, and i LOVED it.
what do your shower curtains look like?
my bathroom has a door (stall shower), and my second bath has a red curtain with a paisley design on it and eiffel tower shower curtain rings.
did you have an imaginary friend as a child?
i tried to, because i thought it would be whimsical, but i just didn't feel like sustaining disbelief long enough. i'm far too grounded in reality for such things.
how do you make eggs?
i like them any which way, but some classic favorites are poached, fried (over medium), or scrambled with goat cheese and caramelized portabellas in a whole wheat tortilla
where do you wash your clothes?
in my laundry room inside my apartment
which parent do you look most like?
i think my dad, although there are moments that bits of my mother creep into my face
who are the neighbors who live to the right of you?
if you're facing my door, it's an older couple with some random kids, grandkids, and Lord only knows who else.
what are your thoughts on tom cruise?
loved him in 'jerry maguire.' it was his last good movie before going insane in the membrane.
what is the next vehicle you wish to buy?
this isn't even on my mind. i'm in a lease for 3 more years, so wait for it.
do you pay bills online or by mail?
everything is online except my rent.
what would be the best gift someone could get you right now?
a maid service and/or some cold hard CASH
what is something stressful you will deal with next week?
hopefully NOTHING!
what is something in your home that you collect?
cookbooks
how far north have you been?
maine or quebec
where did you last get gas?
hmm, i think at a citgo. not sure.
how do you take your coffee?
i don't drink coffee much, but if i DO, it's decaf with lots of milk or fat-free half&half and a bit of sugar.
what is the oldest thing in your fridge?
i've been purging recently, but there are condiments that are several years old. plus, there are some nuts from a couple of years ago. i should either toast them or toss them.
on your keyboard what key is wearing out from pressing it so much?
the ones that tend to go first are the s, the a, and the t, but at this point, nothing has worn off. there IS a patch on my space bar, however, that is showing some wear.
where do you put your keys when you come home?
on a table right next to my couch, just as you come into my living room OR on the butcher block in the kitchen
where do you go for thanksgiving?
these days, i tend to spend it with friends.
how old will you be in 2010?
on july 1 of that year, i will be 35.
what actor/actress would play you in a movie?
i don't know. somebody wicked smaaat.
how much cash is in your wallet?
i have a few coins. maybe 7 cents. maybe.
would you have a one-night stand with your favorite movie star?
i'm not really a one-night stand kind of girl. then again, i'm not getting any younger! ;)
what color is your house?
i don't have a house, but the outside of my apartment building is kind of beige.
if you were starving to death would you eat a pet?
well, i have no pets, so i can safely say no:).
ever been to alabama?
no
what kind of accent do you have?
i've picked up a little of nearly every place i've been/lived: a bit southern, a bit midwestern, a bit jersey, and a TINY bit maryland, hon.
what kind of alcoholic drink could you come up with in your fridge right now?
vanilla martini, pomegranate martini, baileys, and the makings for a truly delish margarita
mouse twitch
my right forearm has been twitching incessantly for the last 3 or 4 days....at work, while i sleep, and at other random times. i'm convinced it's because i've been using my mouse a lot. a lot a lot. either that, or armies of blood cells are getting themselves pumped up for an all-out war. i prefer to think it's the former.
in other news, i slept for the majority of the evening yesterday. i basically came home from work, checked blogs for a bit, and then snuggled into bed for several hours, with occasional interruptions for phone calls, etc. otherwise, i was just sleeping. then, at around 10:30, i got up to chat for a bit and then went back to bed around 12:30 and slept until 7:30 this morning. clearly i was pooped.
in the last 3 hours, i have managed to do all my dishes (several days overdue, to my great dismay), replace my pur filter (i'm a pur girl, not brita), and watch the end of the movie 'singles' while eating leftover shrimp and broccoli from thursday night. good times, people. good times.
i'm in desperate need of groceries. i ran out of bread AND poultry sausage, so yesterday's breakfast at work was a half bowl of cereal dregs. pathetic. but to make up for it, i had delicious sushi at lunch yesterday, compliments of my friend shannon:).
today i do believe i'll chi my hair in preparation for going out to see a play tonight and hang with friends at starbucks afterwards. i've got laundry to do (we'll see about that) and need to do a little dusting and vacuuming. otherwise, it's all about how to get my arm to stop twitching. seriously, i can do without the spasm, thanks. no, really. thanks.
in other news, i slept for the majority of the evening yesterday. i basically came home from work, checked blogs for a bit, and then snuggled into bed for several hours, with occasional interruptions for phone calls, etc. otherwise, i was just sleeping. then, at around 10:30, i got up to chat for a bit and then went back to bed around 12:30 and slept until 7:30 this morning. clearly i was pooped.
in the last 3 hours, i have managed to do all my dishes (several days overdue, to my great dismay), replace my pur filter (i'm a pur girl, not brita), and watch the end of the movie 'singles' while eating leftover shrimp and broccoli from thursday night. good times, people. good times.
i'm in desperate need of groceries. i ran out of bread AND poultry sausage, so yesterday's breakfast at work was a half bowl of cereal dregs. pathetic. but to make up for it, i had delicious sushi at lunch yesterday, compliments of my friend shannon:).
today i do believe i'll chi my hair in preparation for going out to see a play tonight and hang with friends at starbucks afterwards. i've got laundry to do (we'll see about that) and need to do a little dusting and vacuuming. otherwise, it's all about how to get my arm to stop twitching. seriously, i can do without the spasm, thanks. no, really. thanks.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
'waiter, there is too much pepper in my paprikash...'
all i'm saying is thank God it's thursday....which means that if i can make it through tomorrow, there is a little respite in my future. it's not like this week has been rough or anything, but i'm just tired and i've got things to do that i'm not able to do when i'm at my job all day.
speaking of being at my job, during my lunch break today, i went over to the weg with a friend and we were eating in the cafe upstairs when the power went out in the entire store. TWICE. needless to say it was pretty freaky. when we left, it was POURING outside, so in an effort to be valiant, i informed my friend i would just run and get the car (well, pseudo run), which would have been fine, except that i got to what i thought was bella, and i'm trying the door and thinking what the heck is wrong with my door lock?! when it dawns on me that i'm attempting at this point to force entry into someone else's vehicle. nice. so i turn around and look at my friend, standing under cover and in no way soaked the way that i am at this point, and she points to the next row over where my car plainly sits. so i run over there and throw myself into the vehicle. people, it was raining so hard that my underwear got wet from water coming at me from every which way (including up my skirt, apparently). it was sheer craziness. at least i managed to dry off by the time i left the office at 5....
so after a quickie nap (sorry to say, it was inevitable), i ordered myself some shrimp and broccoli for dinner (very low on groceries). because i was SUPER hungry, i clearly ate too fast, and now i sit here typing about my day's adventures with a case of indigestion. good times.
i'll take one weekend, please. well done.
speaking of being at my job, during my lunch break today, i went over to the weg with a friend and we were eating in the cafe upstairs when the power went out in the entire store. TWICE. needless to say it was pretty freaky. when we left, it was POURING outside, so in an effort to be valiant, i informed my friend i would just run and get the car (well, pseudo run), which would have been fine, except that i got to what i thought was bella, and i'm trying the door and thinking what the heck is wrong with my door lock?! when it dawns on me that i'm attempting at this point to force entry into someone else's vehicle. nice. so i turn around and look at my friend, standing under cover and in no way soaked the way that i am at this point, and she points to the next row over where my car plainly sits. so i run over there and throw myself into the vehicle. people, it was raining so hard that my underwear got wet from water coming at me from every which way (including up my skirt, apparently). it was sheer craziness. at least i managed to dry off by the time i left the office at 5....
so after a quickie nap (sorry to say, it was inevitable), i ordered myself some shrimp and broccoli for dinner (very low on groceries). because i was SUPER hungry, i clearly ate too fast, and now i sit here typing about my day's adventures with a case of indigestion. good times.
i'll take one weekend, please. well done.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
crazy faith
i lit my love and watched it burn
asking nothing in return
except the lessons i will learn
by holding crazy faith
i've been touched by that bright fire
down to the root of my desire
while the smoke it rises higher
on crazy faith
you're not asking if i love this man
i know you don't, you don't believe you can
yet i've seen love open like a dancer's fan
it's crazy i know
but my faith says so, it tells me
am i a fool for hanging on?
would i be a fool to be long gone?
when is daylight going to dawn
on my crazy faith?
the questions will not let me sleep
answers buried way too deep
at the bottom of a lover's leap
made by crazy faith
you're not asking if i love this man
i know you don't, you don't believe you can
yet i've seen love open like a dancer's fan
it's crazy i know, but my faith says so
it tells me
love your losing, lose your love
let the hawk fly from the glove
then do not search the skies above
search your crazy faith
love is lightning, love is ice
it only strikes the lucky twice
once, so you will know the price
and once for crazy faith
you're not asking if i love this man
i know you don't, you don't believe you can
yet i've seen love open like a dancer's fan
it's crazy i know,
but my faith says so
-alison krauss
asking nothing in return
except the lessons i will learn
by holding crazy faith
i've been touched by that bright fire
down to the root of my desire
while the smoke it rises higher
on crazy faith
you're not asking if i love this man
i know you don't, you don't believe you can
yet i've seen love open like a dancer's fan
it's crazy i know
but my faith says so, it tells me
am i a fool for hanging on?
would i be a fool to be long gone?
when is daylight going to dawn
on my crazy faith?
the questions will not let me sleep
answers buried way too deep
at the bottom of a lover's leap
made by crazy faith
you're not asking if i love this man
i know you don't, you don't believe you can
yet i've seen love open like a dancer's fan
it's crazy i know, but my faith says so
it tells me
love your losing, lose your love
let the hawk fly from the glove
then do not search the skies above
search your crazy faith
love is lightning, love is ice
it only strikes the lucky twice
once, so you will know the price
and once for crazy faith
you're not asking if i love this man
i know you don't, you don't believe you can
yet i've seen love open like a dancer's fan
it's crazy i know,
but my faith says so
-alison krauss
Sunday, August 05, 2007
fait accompli
okay, well, i've been a slug this weekend, BUT i completed my online pre-course for grad school, which means i can now start the real deal in september. it's weird to me that i'll be back in school. and funny how i still get that nervousness before taking a test, even if it's one on which i'm not even being graded.
i guess some things never change....
i guess some things never change....
Saturday, August 04, 2007
saturday
this morning, as is so typical with me these days, i was up bright and early. frankly, i'm shocked i slept in as late as 7:06, but perhaps that's because i was up kinda late watching movies (including 'blood diamond,' which i thought was fantastic). at this point, i'm ravenous and feeling like there's so much i ought to be doing. i think what i will do, however, is shower up, make something nice for breakfast (maybe blueberry whole-grain pancakes), and get moving on my tasks for the day (including some online coursework i have to complete before school starts).
honestly, sleeping feels like such a waste of time to me some days. the older i get, the more i prefer the 'up and doing' philosophy my family has always espoused.
so, in the spirit of that philosophy, i better get my butt up off this chair and get to the doing!
honestly, sleeping feels like such a waste of time to me some days. the older i get, the more i prefer the 'up and doing' philosophy my family has always espoused.
so, in the spirit of that philosophy, i better get my butt up off this chair and get to the doing!
Friday, August 03, 2007
snippet
i'm hanging in. i've felt very good about the fact that i've stayed ahead of all my household stuff this week, which means that the weekend's chores will be much less daunting. it's friday and i'm about to leave for work, but something in me wanted to touch base with my blog. after all these years, it kinda feels like hanging out with an old friend.
on tap for the weekend: finish an online orientation course for school, fill out financial aid award papers, clean my bathroom, buy more veggies, watch some movies....not sure what else.
okay, off to the grind!
on tap for the weekend: finish an online orientation course for school, fill out financial aid award papers, clean my bathroom, buy more veggies, watch some movies....not sure what else.
okay, off to the grind!
Monday, July 30, 2007
brighten my northern sky....
after such a productive weekend, i must admit i'm feeling the letdown of the beginning of the work week and the realization that everything, once clean, begins to get dirty again....
in addition to all this, i'm feeling this distinct sadness right now. it seems that as the days get shorter (even just a bit), the longing inside me grows. God, how i wish i didn't want all the things i want. i wish i didn't still want them, even after i've been told they're not mine to have...or at least not yet.
things are fine, you know? i mean, sure, they could be better, but they're fine. and it's the fine that's killing me. it's the fine that drives me to distraction. because i don't want fine. i want amazing. i want life-altering. i want comfort and familiarity and something deeper than what i've had before. i want vacation pictures and inside jokes and fits of laughter and favorite spots. there's no sense in pretending otherwise. once you want something more, trying to un-want it is like packing a whole world of possibility back into a matchbox. and what sense is that, really? that opened world will spill out everywhere and make itself known regardless.
well, there, i said it. so now you know.
in addition to all this, i'm feeling this distinct sadness right now. it seems that as the days get shorter (even just a bit), the longing inside me grows. God, how i wish i didn't want all the things i want. i wish i didn't still want them, even after i've been told they're not mine to have...or at least not yet.
things are fine, you know? i mean, sure, they could be better, but they're fine. and it's the fine that's killing me. it's the fine that drives me to distraction. because i don't want fine. i want amazing. i want life-altering. i want comfort and familiarity and something deeper than what i've had before. i want vacation pictures and inside jokes and fits of laughter and favorite spots. there's no sense in pretending otherwise. once you want something more, trying to un-want it is like packing a whole world of possibility back into a matchbox. and what sense is that, really? that opened world will spill out everywhere and make itself known regardless.
well, there, i said it. so now you know.
i never felt magic crazy as this
i never saw moons knew the meaning of the sea
i never held emotion in the palm of my hand
or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree
but now you’re here
brighten my northern sky
brighten my northern sky
-nick drake
Sunday, July 29, 2007
why i love weekends
because i don't want to forget this little detail (so apparently my blog has become a notepad of sorts), last year i went to chesapeake wine company with salimah and my friend mel, and i had a glass of the montelena 2003 cabernet sauvignon - normally 100 bucks a bottle (and 20 dollars a glass), but because i was doing a short flight, my taste was only 2 bucks or something ridiculously amazing like that. in short, that wine was divine.
okay, so onto other things....
i've gotten so much done this weekend, my head is spinning! laundry is nearly complete, vacuum and ALL other necessary items have been procured, grocery shopping (including seriously macked out produce and a few staples from trader joe's) was done before 10 a.m., dusting and vacuuming of living room is ova, and dusting and vacuuming of bedroom is about50% 100% done. i've also reframed a bunch of photos, called to update my info with my alumni organization for a new book they're compiling, and located and activated a replacement credit card.
dinner tonight will be something light with lots of fruits and veggies, although i'm not quite sure yet what that will be. oh, and within the next hour, i hope to sit down on my couch and watch 'blood diamond,' which i've been wanting to see for awhile now.
i'm going back to work tomorrow feeling like i ACTUALLY got something accomplished. gosh, that's just a nice feeling. last weekend's trip to chicago was amazing, but it totally threw off my chore schedule. lots going on in the next few weeks (including the start of my mba program), so more than ever, i need to stay on top of the logistics. even though they tell you not to sweat the small stuff, if that stuff adds up, it can really kill ya.
on duster, on bissell, on swiffer, on sweeper! okay, that's all the reindeer names i've got for now....
okay, so onto other things....
i've gotten so much done this weekend, my head is spinning! laundry is nearly complete, vacuum and ALL other necessary items have been procured, grocery shopping (including seriously macked out produce and a few staples from trader joe's) was done before 10 a.m., dusting and vacuuming of living room is ova, and dusting and vacuuming of bedroom is about
dinner tonight will be something light with lots of fruits and veggies, although i'm not quite sure yet what that will be. oh, and within the next hour, i hope to sit down on my couch and watch 'blood diamond,' which i've been wanting to see for awhile now.
i'm going back to work tomorrow feeling like i ACTUALLY got something accomplished. gosh, that's just a nice feeling. last weekend's trip to chicago was amazing, but it totally threw off my chore schedule. lots going on in the next few weeks (including the start of my mba program), so more than ever, i need to stay on top of the logistics. even though they tell you not to sweat the small stuff, if that stuff adds up, it can really kill ya.
on duster, on bissell, on swiffer, on sweeper! okay, that's all the reindeer names i've got for now....
Friday, July 27, 2007
in no particular order
here's all the stuff i have to get done this weekend:
1. return library books (maybe check out a couple of new ones)
2. watch and/or return some movies
3. make a target run (new vacuum, dish drainer, citronella candles)
4. get produce, bread, peanut butter, and dairy (milk and eggs, mostly)
5. vacuum and dust the heck out of my apartment!
6. laundry - lots of it
i plan on hitting target at 8 a.m. tomorrow and then the library before picking salimah up at the light rail.
in other news, i'm contemplating getting a new desk (right now, i use a tabletop, actually) for the start of school. i really don't have enough room to work (partly because i have too much stuff on my desktop) and i cannot be doing schoolwork at my dining room table. ick. of course, i don't have the money for this just now, but it's on my personal wish list. we shall see....
off to clean up before i hang out with my friend nina!
1. return library books (maybe check out a couple of new ones)
2. watch and/or return some movies
3. make a target run (new vacuum, dish drainer, citronella candles)
4. get produce, bread, peanut butter, and dairy (milk and eggs, mostly)
5. vacuum and dust the heck out of my apartment!
6. laundry - lots of it
i plan on hitting target at 8 a.m. tomorrow and then the library before picking salimah up at the light rail.
in other news, i'm contemplating getting a new desk (right now, i use a tabletop, actually) for the start of school. i really don't have enough room to work (partly because i have too much stuff on my desktop) and i cannot be doing schoolwork at my dining room table. ick. of course, i don't have the money for this just now, but it's on my personal wish list. we shall see....
off to clean up before i hang out with my friend nina!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
two days in
i'm still struggling to get myself back into the swing of life here in crabcake corners. besides the fact that i actually teared up this afternoon because i miss chicago, my body doesn't want to convert back to east coast time and i'm just still SO tired. i don't know what my deal is, but it ain't making life any easier.
in other news, i have to say that subway - while not my favorite restaurant - really IS a great place to get a ww-friendly lunch. if you avoid the cheese and scary mayonnaise and other creamy condiments, you can really get quite a bit of food for not that many points. i'm all about bang for the buck, so to speak.
it's 11:20 and i should be asleep by now, but i took a post-work nap that was longer than i anticipated...what was i thinking??
i just keep remembering this one moment on friday morning. i was standing in front of the sears tower; i looked up into the brilliant blue of the sky, felt the breeze blowing all around me, and knew i'd remember that snippet for a long time to come. it was the moment that something inside me said yes.
in other news, i have to say that subway - while not my favorite restaurant - really IS a great place to get a ww-friendly lunch. if you avoid the cheese and scary mayonnaise and other creamy condiments, you can really get quite a bit of food for not that many points. i'm all about bang for the buck, so to speak.
it's 11:20 and i should be asleep by now, but i took a post-work nap that was longer than i anticipated...what was i thinking??
i just keep remembering this one moment on friday morning. i was standing in front of the sears tower; i looked up into the brilliant blue of the sky, felt the breeze blowing all around me, and knew i'd remember that snippet for a long time to come. it was the moment that something inside me said yes.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
my kind of town, chicago is....
This is my kind of town, Chicago is
My kind of town, Chicago is
My kind of people, too
People who smile at you
And each time I leave, Chicago is
Tuggin' my sleeve, Chicago is
The Wrigley Building, Chicago is
The Union Stockyard, Chicago is
One town that won't let you down
It's my kind of town
this morning our plane touched down back in baltimore around 9:40 and the first thought i had was this doesn't feel like home to me anymore. maybe i was in such shock because the last few days have been chock full with adventure and fun, but maybe something inside of me has changed in the 72 hours while i was away. hmm....enough analysis! here's a recap:My kind of town, Chicago is
My kind of people, too
People who smile at you
And each time I leave, Chicago is
Tuggin' my sleeve, Chicago is
The Wrigley Building, Chicago is
The Union Stockyard, Chicago is
One town that won't let you down
It's my kind of town
the first item of import is that the weather was AMAZING. low to mid-70s, perfectly sunny, and breezy. no humidity. did you hear me? my hair was beside itself with happiness (that, and the chicago water made it look particularly perky).friday, after a breakfast we wound up getting for free at our hotel, we made our way into the city on the L and proceeded to wander around for an hour or more before getting our bearings and heading in the direction of the palmer house hotel, where we were scheduled to meet our 2:00 mini bus tour (but not before salimah tried to get us a free ride on an out-of-service trolley by flirting with the driver - bummer it didn't work).
after 2 1/2 hours of chicagoland sight-seeing - including the field museum, lake shore drive, buckinham fountain, the trump towers (several times), wrigley field, and oprah's house - we decided to head to lou malnati's for some serious deep-dish chicago-style pizza. holy crap - this stuff was delicious.
i could get all technical on you (okay, i will) and say that while there was sausage on this pizza (the layers are as follows: sliced mozzarella - which was fabulous - raw sausage - their own special blend - and a chunky tomato sauce, topped with herbs and romano), it was in NO way greasy. the flavors were subtle, the crust perfectly cooked, the cheese appropriately stringy, and honestly, while i am a fan of thin crust, new york style pizza, this was an experience all to itself. i know i'm gonna crave this treat until i get to have it again. oh, and for you east coasters, don't waste your time with pizzeria uno. it doesn't hold a candle to lou malnati and what he's got going on....
so, after our pizza break, we took our one and only cab of the trip (all the rest of the time, we took the L and buses to get everywhere - a completely accessible option, in my opinion) to the top of the hancock building, where we proceeded to have delicious but overpriced cocktails at the signature lounge. the view was spectacular, but i did get a bit of vertigo from the experience (you could actually feel the building moving a little bit). in this photo, you can see the sears tower in the distance. it's truly an awesome sight.by the time we left the hancock building, the sun was JUST starting its descent, so we made our way back to the train and trundled off to our hotel by the airport. once back, though, we were feeling up for just a BIT more adventure, so we decided to go off in search of a REAL chicago-style hot dog. there was only one option at this point: superdawgs. so, we put sleepy salimah in the back seat of the car and made our way north and west. (the one adorable thing i will remember about salimah from this trip is that every time we got on public transportation - train, bus, whatever - this girl was napping! at one point during the superdawgs outing, she briefly woke up and asked if we were in wisconsin. you have to love it.)
well, folks, i'm here to tell you that the superdawg did NOT disappoint. here are the dawgs now....
this place is just charming and the food is really great. plus, it's a drive-in with car hops, so you can just sit in the parking lot devouring the beefy goodness and watch all the classic cars roll through. it's like happy days or something. a bit of a tip: i'd avoid ordering the sport peppers on the top. i felt like they made the eating experience even more unwieldy and plus, they really were rather hot!in case you don't know, by the way, a chicago-style hot dog includes finely chopped onions, mustard, bright green sweet relish, a kosher dill pickle slice, slices of tomato (although the superdawg had a wedge of a pickled green tomato), sport peppers if you want, and all of this is packed into a steamed poppy seed bun. at the superdawg, your beefy treat is also nestled in among some superfries and comes in its own cute little box. anyway, enough of the food lesson. we finally got back to our hotel and passed out, exhausted from a packed day.
saturday morning we headed back via train and went to navy pier
(which juts out into lake michigan and has tons of places to eat, shops, and rides, including a huge ferris wheel). we lunched at charlie's ale house and then hopped on a cruise around the pier and the lakefront. afterward, i did manage to purchase a few small souvenirs, and then we hopped on a cross-town bus to second city where we saw a truly hilarious comedy show. i fully expect some of these folks to be on SNL any day now....after walking around a beautiful little neighborhood in the north end of the city, we hopped the public trans. back to the hotel where we geared up for our final hot dog run of the trip - this time to portillo's. (those things are addictive!) salimah then suggested that we round out our final night with drinks back at the friday's attached to our hotel. after two (including a long beach iced tea), i was pretty much down for the count, so i left the girls and went back to our room to shower and pack for our early departure back to b'more. (4:40 is when the alarm went off this morning!)
this weekend was filled with fantastic moments, lots of great food, amazing weather, gorgeous scenery, incredibly friendly people, hysterical laughing fits and hijinx on the train, and the feeling that this will not be the last time chi-town and i will meet one another. it occurs to me, though, that if i keep going back, i might really not want to leave....but maybe that's not such a bad thing....
well, in the mean time, i'm going to gear up to get back in the swing of things tomorrow. but before i do, let me raise my glass. chicago, you're a true class act. you exceeded all my expectations. your people are friendly, your streets clean, your drinks delicious! (okay, that wasn't really the selling point - although they were.) i know now why frank felt the need to croon about you. here's to next time. you really are my kind of town....
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
countdown
i'm all packed. tomorrow evening i leave for chicago for the weekend. i'm excited and nervous (haven't flown since before 9/11) and just really need to get out of dodge for a couple of days. salimah and i are flying out there and my dear friend amy is driving around the lake from michigan to meet us. good stuff.
listening to a little nelly while i charge my ipod. other than the fact that i haven't washed up a few dishes, all systems are a definite go....
listening to a little nelly while i charge my ipod. other than the fact that i haven't washed up a few dishes, all systems are a definite go....
Sunday, July 15, 2007
casualties of war
today has been productive so far! i've already done 2 loads of laundry, filed a bunch of papers, and gone to 2 different stores to acquire food for the week (one of which, i am sorry to say, was safeway because i couldn't justify driving all the way over to wegman's for some toilet paper, lysol wipes, and brummel and brown).
after driving salimah home - with groceries in tow - i got gas and made my way back to my still-dusty-but-much-tidier apartment. i'm contemplating lunch, which at this point is sounding more and more like some heated up chicken satay with brown rice (purchased at trader joe's earlier today).
i'm still kicking butt on the ww and i'm managing (relatively successfully, i might add) to keep my head in check. the only wound sustained in the fray of the last 48 hours is an occasionally bleeding cuticle. and once again, doesn't one part of life mirror another? for it seems that despite all my best efforts, some bit of me - no matter how small - cannot manage to hold itself together.
after driving salimah home - with groceries in tow - i got gas and made my way back to my still-dusty-but-much-tidier apartment. i'm contemplating lunch, which at this point is sounding more and more like some heated up chicken satay with brown rice (purchased at trader joe's earlier today).
i'm still kicking butt on the ww and i'm managing (relatively successfully, i might add) to keep my head in check. the only wound sustained in the fray of the last 48 hours is an occasionally bleeding cuticle. and once again, doesn't one part of life mirror another? for it seems that despite all my best efforts, some bit of me - no matter how small - cannot manage to hold itself together.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
la marseillaise: if i built this fortress....
Allons enfants de la Patrie
Le jour de gloire est arrivé.
Contre nous, de la tyrannie,
L'étandard sanglant est levé,
l'étandard sanglant est levé,
Entendez-vous, dans les compagnes.
Mugir ces féroces soldats
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras
Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes.
Aux armes citoyens!
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons!
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons.
Le jour de gloire est arrivé.
Contre nous, de la tyrannie,
L'étandard sanglant est levé,
l'étandard sanglant est levé,
Entendez-vous, dans les compagnes.
Mugir ces féroces soldats
Ils viennent jusque dans nos bras
Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes.
Aux armes citoyens!
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons!
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons.
today i am building my own fortress. today, for me, marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. unfortunately, i'm not quite sure what's beginning. what i do know is that the memory of bloodshed stays with a person perhaps indefinitely. i am not the same girl i was 18 months ago. i feel on some levels that i was stronger then. i had a clear resolve and fortified defenses, but i allowed those things to crumble around me in the hopes that someone else might take up my cause (two is better than one, after all). but it didn't happen, and what it left me with was desolation.
so i set about to slowly rebuild - and rebuild i have. and today it is from the top of my embattlement that i sing heartily along with the french. although if i'm being honest, inside these castle walls, there's a broken heart that has yet to mend.
today my goal is to be as focused as i can on the things i can do right now: eat well, have fun with my friends, and plan for my trip to chi-town this coming week. i will endeavor to keep my mind from the one thing that plagues my thoughts, infiltrates my dreams, and wakes me from every peaceful sleep. it is the ache of all aches.
first, shower. then eat. then lay another brick. and another. and another....
Thursday, July 12, 2007
and they're off!
well, it's official - i got into grad school! i'll begin my program on september 4, assuming financial aid comes through as i hope/expect....get ready for me academia, here i come again!
in other news, i'm sticking to the ww like a fiend. last night we had a retirement party for two women who have been with my organization for a LONG time (one nearly 40 years). it was an emotional event with many tears and tons of food everywhere. i ate like a peasant (a vegetarian one at that) and avoided the creamy crab dip. it wasn't that hard, really. i don't need something derailing me at this point. i'm just not interested in it.
plans for the weekend include getting my hair cut/highlighted, doing some chores, catching a play on saturday night with salimah, and scoping out some furniture a friend of mine is giving away. i may be in for a new bedroom suite. we'll see....
things are moving in the right direction. just in time.
in other news, i'm sticking to the ww like a fiend. last night we had a retirement party for two women who have been with my organization for a LONG time (one nearly 40 years). it was an emotional event with many tears and tons of food everywhere. i ate like a peasant (a vegetarian one at that) and avoided the creamy crab dip. it wasn't that hard, really. i don't need something derailing me at this point. i'm just not interested in it.
plans for the weekend include getting my hair cut/highlighted, doing some chores, catching a play on saturday night with salimah, and scoping out some furniture a friend of mine is giving away. i may be in for a new bedroom suite. we'll see....
things are moving in the right direction. just in time.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
starting from zero, got nothin' to lose
there's something kind of sad in the passing of a year. i sit here, newly 32, and marvel at all that has happened in the last (roughly) 365 days. this time last year, i was in month 2 of what turned out to be a more than 4-month upper respiratory illness that took basically all my strength (as well as my hearing and taste) for longer than i ever thought possible.
finally, as i began to get myself back in the saddle health-wise, i started having major foot problems, which have continued to this very day. being sick and/or in pain in some capacity nearly every day for an entire year can really wear a person down. couple that with some colossal disappointments in my personal life, and the hits just keep on coming. no matter the effort i put into my goals, the answer kept coming back loud and clear: not this time.
well, in the face of starting over, i find in myself slight (and sometimes a lot more than that) trepidation, but my resolve is strong nevertheless. i believe that, by God's grace, this year will be different than last. day 2 of ww was a bear, but i made it through. this season is all about telling my body who's boss and getting it to show me the money.
watch me.
finally, as i began to get myself back in the saddle health-wise, i started having major foot problems, which have continued to this very day. being sick and/or in pain in some capacity nearly every day for an entire year can really wear a person down. couple that with some colossal disappointments in my personal life, and the hits just keep on coming. no matter the effort i put into my goals, the answer kept coming back loud and clear: not this time.
well, in the face of starting over, i find in myself slight (and sometimes a lot more than that) trepidation, but my resolve is strong nevertheless. i believe that, by God's grace, this year will be different than last. day 2 of ww was a bear, but i made it through. this season is all about telling my body who's boss and getting it to show me the money.
watch me.
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