My So-Called Life

The Next Chapter

2011-07-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

The time has come to bid farewell My So-Called Life... and to say hello to a new blog: Life As Always. I hope that you will continue to follow along as our life embarks upon some major changes throughout the next few years. We can't wait to see what happens! I thought I would leave you with my very favorite poem, which seemed quite fitting... Catch you on the flip side!

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken

Crossroads

2011-06-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

My oh my, so much has happened during the past year! It would be far too hard to recap everything that I've experienced in the past 12 months, so I think I will just share a short summary of the main event...

WE'RE ENGAGED!

In October of 2010 Stewart and I embarked upon an absolutely amazing adventure... We spent three and a half weeks winding our way across Europe, with stops including: London and Bournemouth in England – Dingle and Dublin in Ireland – Rome, Cinque Terre and Pisa in Italy – and Paris, France. Many people predicted that Stewart would propose on the trip. I adamantly disagreed, knowing that he was "not ready." However, this did not deter me from tossing ten pence into the fountain at Buckingham Palace with a brief, "I wish he would propose!" thrown to the heavens.

I had to wait almost three weeks for my wish to be granted.

The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of the coast on the Italian Riviera in the Liguria region of Italy and is composed of the coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillside. Stewart has often said that it's one of his favorite places in the whole world, so I was really looking forward to finally seeing it with my own eyes. It was absolutely the most breathtaking place I have ever seen. Over centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea, and part of its charm is the lack of visible “modern” development. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach it from the outside. A walking trail, known as Sentiero Azzurro or “Light Blue Trail” connects the five villages.

I was really looking forward to the hike and at this point had put getting engaged completely out of my mind. I was enjoying the sunny day and absolutely fantastic views when Stewart suddenly dropped to one knee and pulled out a gorgeous diamond ring... he had been carrying it around Europe during our entire trip! I could barely answer, "YES!" through my shock, tears, and laughter. It was one of the best moments of my life.

So here we are... happy, in love, and planning our wedding, which we have set for Saint Patrick's Day next year (exactly five years to the day from when we first met).

And here I come to a crossroads. I feel as though this blog is a reflection of me as I once was...

It's been an amazing five years and I've documented almost everything: the good, the bad and the ugly. But I'm not sure if this blog is necessarily a reflection of who I am today and where my life is headed. So I've started a new blog to go along with this new chapter of my life with Stewart. From now on it won't just be about ME, it will be about WE, and all the exciting places that life will take us together. I hope you will continue to follow along with me on this crazy journey.

Stay tuned for a link!

Watch Out, Lance Armstrong!

2010-07-05T22:14:00.000-07:00

Today I picked up some new exciting toys… bicycles! I don’t think I have ridden a bike since I was about 12 years old, so this will be an interesting adventure. But Stewart and I have been thinking about getting bikes for a while now, and since summer seems to have (finally!) officially begun in Seattle, we figured there’s no better time than the present.

We’ve already identified quite a few friends who also like riding, so we’re planning some little trips and I’m so excited!

Don’t worry though… I promise I’ll never be one of those annoying Seattle bikers… you know the type. The ones who ride 20 miles per hour below the legal limit down the middle of the street with a line of traffic behind them. Who dodge in and out of cars waiting at a stop sign in order to fly right through the intersection against the light. Who ride down the sidewalk screaming “LEFT” while little old ladies careen to the side, walkers and canes flying. Basically the people who give me road rage on a daily basis. No no, I won’t be that type of bicyclist.

Instead, I plan on some leisurely afternoon trips up the Burke-Gilman Trail to have lunch and drinks at the Redhook Ale Brewery. Or an evening ride down to Golden Gardens Park for a barbeque. Or hauling our new fancy toys across the state to ride around on one of our many camping trips.

So basically… watch out, Lance Armstrong!

A promise is a promise.

2010-07-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

When Stewart and I first started dating, he promised to take me to Europe someday. Unfortunately for us, planning vacations around our busy schedules has been really hard throughout the past few years, and we’ve barely been able to organize some long weekends (Las Vegas, San Francisco) and camping trips in the three years we have been together.
But now that I am officially done with school and will not be attending law school in the fall (more on that later), and Stewart is no longer a probationary firefighter, so we decided to take the plunge and really make it happen.

We bought our plane tickets today (for a steal of a deal) and I could not be more excited! We fly into London on October 17 and fly out of Paris a little more than three weeks later, on November 8. I know this isn’t enough time to get even a snapshot of everything that I want to see, but at least I will be able to get a little taste of Europe… finally!

I am one of the only people I know who has yet to travel abroad. Stewart is a seasoned veteran. A British citizen, he’s had a passport since the day he was born and traveled to Europe every couple years as a kid. He even lived in England for 15 months shortly after graduating from college. So I will have a very experienced tour guide on my hands!

So now, we’re at the point where we need to start making some plans and developing a realistic itinerary. We know we will start in London and the surrounding areas, where we will visit Stew’s family and friends, followed by Dublin (which I am desperate to see since my mom’s side of the family is 100% Irish!) and then from there we need to prioritize. Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Vienna… I’d like to see them all. Rome is on our “must see” list and we will at some point make our way over to Barcelona to meet up with my friend who will be living in Spain at the time. And of course we will have to eventually make our way up to Paris and will spend a few days there before flying home.

So many amazing places, so little time. It’s really overwhelming at this point, but I’m sure that over the next few months we will settle on a good schedule. My organizational nature just can’t have it any other way, even though I’m sure Stew would prefer that we just head over there and travel by the seat of our pants.

Bon voyage!!

HACKED... sort of.

2010-04-28T15:34:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I updated the URL for this blog a few months ago. When I started My So-Called Life in 2006 I was a novice blogger who had no idea that it probably wasn’t a good idea to have the site address contain my real first and last name. So at the risk of losing loyal followers I posted a warning, waited a week, said a prayer, and switched URLs to something a bit more generic.

I’ve been really happy with the new address and it seems like I’ve somehow been able to retain the majority of my readers. THANK YOU all for sticking with me! Especially Bek from Australia, who sent me the most thoughtful message via Facebook last night...

Bek alerted me that something strange has been going on over at my old URL. Apparently, those who still have my previous site address in their feed readers suddenly began to see postings again… WHICH WERE NOT WRITTEN BY ME. Apparently, “Paul” has obtained my old site address (did I mention that it contains my first and last name?) and is using it to post his “Insurance Thoughts.” Strangely, when I go to the link I can’t see any of the posts, just the headline.

WTF?!

“Paul” has no email address linked to his profile and no information listed other than that he is a male Leo, aged 36, from the Bronx.

I find this whole situation to be a little weird and frankly quite aggravating, because I made the decision to switch URLs specifically because I do not want a site address out there containing my real FIRST and LAST name! I have no idea what to do about this. I used Blogger’s Help feature to report it as a spam blog, but I don't know if that will really accomplish anything.

Ugh, I’m annoyed.

Does anyone have any advice or can you tell me why or how this happened?

On Marriage...

2010-04-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

My parents celebrate their 31st wedding anniversary today. Now that’s an accomplishment to be proud of, if I do say so myself!! They’ve had their ups and downs over the years, but I really admire them for sticking it out, and these days their marriage is stronger than ever.

Sometimes I feel really terrified about the prospect of getting married because I don’t want to fail. Two years ago I was a part of four different weddings, and since then half of them have ended in divorce… there’s that 50% divorce rate you're always reading about, I guess. Statistics like that, especially when they hit so close to home, just make me feel slightly wary about the whole situation. Almost like… why even bother if your chances of making it are so slim?

But then I look at my parents and the life and family that they have built together, and I think that maybe someday I can make it work, too. Here’s hoping…

Congratulations, Mom & Dad, on 31 fantastic years together!!

Are your parents still married? What are your opinions on marriage in general?

Adrenaline Rush

2010-04-19T07:24:00.000-07:00

I jumped out of a plane on Sunday, and lived to tell about it. Yep, that’s right, I can finally cross skydiving off my Bucket List!

As a graduation present for Stewart’s stepbrother, we made an appointment at Skydive Oregon last weekend, and by Sunday morning we were on our way to the jump zone. Surprisingly, I didn’t even feel that nervous. We arrived at 10 a.m. and less than an hour later we were walking across a field and climbing into a teeny, tiny airplane. You’d think panic would have started in by this point, but I was actually feeling great! The short flight to 13,000 feet went by quickly while we enjoyed the gorgeous views and got some last-minute pointers from our instructors. Then the door opened and it was time…

All of the sudden, Patrick was gone. As I inched my butt forward on the narrow seat as Stew looked back, gave me a thumbs up, and then he was gone. I scooted my toes toward the edge, looked to the right and gave my photographer a big smile, and jumped. (Okay, my tandem instructor might have had to give me a little push…) But there I was, experiencing the thrill of freefall for almost a full minute! I’m pretty sure I had a ridiculous grin on my face the entire time. The sensation wasn’t even like falling at all, it was more like flying. All I could think was, “Is this really happening?!” Then, the parachute opened and we began our swaying decent, enjoying gorgeous views of the mountains and Portland on the way. My instructor even let me steer! Awesome.

I am so excited that now I can say I have been skydiving! I never thought that I would do something like this, and I even paid an extra $95 dollars for photos and a video of the entire thing, figuring that it was a once in a lifetime experience that I would want to remember forever. However, now that I’ve done it, I would definitely say I would go skydiving again at the next opportunity! Woo hoo!

As if that wasn’t enough, I decided to max out my adrenaline for the day and sign up for another first… riding a motorcycle. I’ve always been terrified of these death machines, but Stewart’s dad rides and since it was such a gorgeous day we decided to take advantage of the opportunity and he offered me a ride. This is going to sound strange, but the motorcycle ride was much scarier than skydiving! I felt way more out of control flying down the highway on the back of that bike than I did jumping out of an airplane. Very weird. But when you skydive, the ground is so far down that it’s almost like your body can’t process what’s happening… it doesn’t even know to go into panic mode. But on a motorcycle, the pavement is just a few feet away, and it’s absolutely clear that if the driver loses control, death is right there to greet you in the form of smashing into the pavement. Yikes!

So I think I’m done defying death for now. I’m still coming down from my adrenaline high and I’m sure this feeling with last me a while. I still have bungee jumping to cross off my bucket list, but that can wait… for now.

Have you ever skydived? What are some items you’d like to cross off your Bucket List?

I got VD in Portland

2010-04-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to go to Voodoo Doughnut ever since I saw it on Man v. Food last year. Voodoo Doughnut is a little independent doughnut shop in Portland that is known for its unusual doughnuts and décor, and when Man v. Food host Adam Richman visited he sampled treats like the Bacon-Maple bar, a traditional maple bar topped with strips of fried bacon, and the signature Voodoo Doughnut, a gingerbread man-shaped pastry with a pretzel stick stabbed through its abdomen and red jelly “blood” filling. I just had to check this place out.

A trip to visit my sister and her husband outside of Portland last weekend provided the perfect opportunity. Late Friday night we headed into downtown Portland in search of Voodoo magic (the shop is open 24 hours a day). About 11 p.m., as we drove slowly past our destination, I noted a huge line of people stretching down the block and around the corner. “There it is,” my brother-in-law exclaimed. I insisted that could not be the line for the doughnut shop; there must be a new nightclub opening next door or something. But no! Another drive-by revealed that the line was for Voodoo Doughnuts, and it was getting longer by the minute! We decided to drive across the bridge and check out Voodoo’s second location, hoping the wait time would be a little more realistic.

At Voodoo Doughnut Too, things weren’t looking much better, but that just made me all the more determined to find out just what is so special about these doughnuts! Even though the line was almost out the door, we entertained ourselves by checking out the shop’s eclectic decorations which included a photo booth, pinball machines, and a bench made out of a coffin. As we gazed hungrily into the display case, the sweet smell of sugar and fried fat tickling our noses, we were completely overwhelmed. In the end, we decided on a Baker’s Dozen filled with traditional varieties.

I was in love with the Bacon-Maple bar (it was just like dipping sausage in your leftover pancake syrup!) and the Grape Ape (a raised doughnut with vanilla frosting and grape powder). We also tried an Old Dirty Bastard (a raised doughnut covered with chocolate frosting and crushed Oreo cookies and drizzled with peanut butter). Unfortunately, we never did try the Cock and Balls doughnut, featuring cream filled “balls.” Too bad, I would have loved to watch Stew enjoy that one, ha!

Have you ever been to Voodoo?

Book Nerd: Better Off

2010-04-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

Let’s just say I read A LOT. I’m in two book clubs. Nerd alert. When I was a kid I used to get in trouble for reading under the covers with a flashlight. In hindsight, I wonder what my parents were so worried about… at least I wasn’t glued to the boob tube. Anyway, since literature constitutes such a large part of my life (mainly, my morning and evening bus commutes), I decided I would share little tidbits with you here every now and then.

Don’t worry, my intention isn’t to turn this blog into a book review site, but I think a few quick opinions here and there might be interesting to at least some of my readers. So here goes…

Last night I finished Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology, by Eric Brende. I originally bought this book because I noticed several other bus commuters reading it, and I thought it seemed interesting. It’s a true story about a young couple (a MIT grad and his new wife) who have become disillusioned with the way technology has taken over our lives. So, as an experiment, they move to an undisclosed community where the lifestyle is considered ancient even by traditional Amish standards.

The book is written like a compelling story, and even though it is non-fiction I was really drawn in. It highlights the couples’ struggles and triumphs throughout 18 months in the community, including the birth of their first child (all without the help of modern technology). In the end, they did choose to leave the community, but to this day they live with a very limited amount of technology in their lives. The author still doesn’t have a computer at home and only got an email address at the insistence of his editor.

The thing I especially liked about this book is that the author took a very objective and non-religious standpoint. He looked at the benefits of the community’s lifestyle without getting into the religious implications. It makes the reader ask the question: How much technology is needed for human comfort and leisure? Now, I find myself pondering how technology influences society, and wondering if there is too much of it in my own life. Maybe I should close my Facebook account. Or not... Just interesting stuff to think about.

It’s a quick read and I definitely recommend it if you’re looking for something to make the wheels in your head turn for a while.

Free Money

2010-04-13T16:55:00.000-07:00

If you ever have the chance to opt into a class action lawsuit, do it. I’ve received paperwork several times in my life offering the option to participate in these types of lawsuits. Usually I fill out the paperwork, mail it in, and forget about it. Then, months and months later, a check magically appears in the mail! Not for a lot of money, but still I feel like I got something for nothing. Very exciting stuff.

This weekend I received a check for $37.50 from the iPod nano Cases Settlement Fund. Apparently, when I purchased an iPod nano several years ago, the cases scratched easily. I never really noticed or was bothered by it, but hey, I’m not one to turn down free money if it’s offered!

What, oh what, will I do with all my extra spare change?! Let’s see, it is enough to…

Pay half of my cell phone bill for this month
Purchase seven used items from my Amazon.com Wish List
Buy myself lunch for an entire week
Go grocery shopping so I don’t have to buy myself lunch for an entire week
Get myself a skinny vanilla latte from Starbucks every morning for two weeks
Go to happy hour twice (or maybe just once)
Buy some adorable wedge sandals
Make my favorite Real Change vendor think he died and went to heaven

Decisions, decisions.

What would you do with an extra $37.50?

Spring Has Sprung

2010-04-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

My boyfriend and I actually had “Spring Cleaning” marked on our calendar this weekend. Yes, we planned it out in advance. Sometimes things like this really make me face reality… I am getting old.

Because I have to admit I feel super excited about what we accomplished. I know, I know, it’s super nerdy to feel such tremendous pride about two days of deep cleaning, but I really do feel awesome. All those little things that have been nagging me for months are finally taken care of. Windows washed, shower tile scrubbed, floors under large pieces of furniture mopped, blinds dusted, and the list goes on…

And to top off just how dorky I am, my main thrill of the weekend was finding these absolutely amazing wipes that make your stainless steel look just like new! I’ve been struggling to find a cleaner to use on our refrigerator, dishwasher, and other various appliances for months that will take off the fingerprints and watermarks without leaving streaks, and I finally found the perfect product. If anyone really wants to know the name of it I can look it up for you.

So now our condo is bright and shiny as a new penny, and my new goal is to keep it that way. We’ll have to see how long that lasts.

I was able to fit in a couple other slightly less domestic activities this weekend, too. I went to an old friend’s birthday party on Friday night at The Parlor in Bellevue. I’ve never been there before but it was a super cool venue! I really want to catch a comedy show there sometime. Saturday I met up with my former boss to work on some materials for a law school that has waitlisted me. She wrote me a killer supplemental recommendation letter that I hope will help my chances. We had a bite to eat at Duke’s on Lake Union and I forgot how much I love that place! On Sunday I had brunch with the girls at Hector’s in Kirkland. If you are ever there, please try the Hector’s Rancheros, it was absolutely dreamy. Then, once Stew and I finally put away the last bottle of Windex, we rounded out the weekend by having dinner with another old friend at Tawon Thai in Fremont. Yum.

So my weekend basically consisted of cleaning and eating. Not the most glamorous, but I still feel like I got a lot done.

How was your weekend?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

2010-04-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

I recently received an email from the wife of one of the other firefighters at my boyfriend’s department for an unusual charity drive… prom dresses! She is a high school counselor for a local school district, and started a program collecting donations of prom dresses for girls who may not be able to afford one themselves.

Most women I know have at least one or even several fancy dresses still in great condition tucked away collecting dust in the back of a closet. Old prom dresses, bridesmaid gowns and dresses from fancy benefits that you know you will never wear again. So why not give them to a young girl who might not be able to attend prom, otherwise? Genius!

I immediately set to work contacting my lady friends to collect dresses in all sizes, colors and styles. In less than I week I was able to gather twenty beautiful dresses that will now be put to good use.

What a great opportunity to help give girls who are less fortunate a stress free prom experience! I’m quite proud of myself! Thank you to everyone for your incredible generosity, you really helped make this a success!

Poisoned, Again?

2010-04-08T22:13:00.000-07:00

I wonder what actually causes headaches, anyway. I'll have to Google that one of these days. Because sometimes it feels like your brain has swelled so much that it's going to burst through your skull, and there's nothing else that could possibly cause that much pain.

That's what happened to me at 4 a.m. this morning. I woke up with an absolutely mind-numbing, brain-splitting headache. I only get migraines once a year or so, but this was a do-sie. I have no idea where it came from, but it woke me out of a deep, dreamless sleep. I rushed to the bathroom and popped three ibuprofen, expecting to fall asleep again twenty minutes later. But it never kicked in!!

Three hours later the sun had started to come up, and I had to transfer my tossing and turning to the bathroom floor (the only totally dark place in our condo) because the sunlight was making the whole thing twice as intense. I felt like I had been whacked in the back of a head with a two by four. My eyes felt like they were going to pop out of my head. The throbbing was indescribable. I wanted to cry, but I knew that would just make everything worse. And on top of everything I felt ready to hurl at any moment.

Finally, around 8:15 a.m., the pain had ebbed enough that I was able to drag myself into the shower to get ready for work. I arrived very late and still with a persistent (but, by then, manageable) headache. What could have caused such a thing!?

I did go to happy hour the night before... But I had one sangria and shared an appetizer, and was home by 8 p.m. Nothing out of the ordinary. However, my boss has since informed me that she definitely thinks it was that sangria that did me in. Apparently, this particular drink can be mixed with all different kinds of wine and booze, and maybe the combination just added up to bad news for little ole me. I guess I'll never know for sure, but I'm still wondering...

What exactly does cause a headache?

What Makes You Gag?

2010-04-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

I don’t consider myself a picky eater at all. There are a few foods that I dislike in general… bacon, marshmallows, eggplant. But even these foods I will eat every now and again if there isn’t another option available, or they are part of another dish and impossible to avoid.

But there is absolutely nothing worse than the dreaded banana. Everything about them grosses me out… the flavor, the slimy texture, the weird stringy things inside the peel, the little black seeds. Sometimes I will order a smoothie and even though I chose a recipe that didn’t contain banana, if the blender wasn’t washed out well enough after a previous banana shake, my own smoothie is ruined. All I can taste is banana and it just sicks me out. Banana bread, banana pudding, banana yogurt… I’d rather starve. I can’t tell you how many brunches I’ve attended where perfectly delicious fruit salads are poisoned by banana.

And don’t even get me started on artificial banana flavoring. It takes me twice as long to get through a box of Jelly Bellies because I have to make absolutely certain I don’t accidentally ingest a banana flavored bean. Runts… I won’t even bother with them. There are always more yellow ones, so I end up throwing about half of them away. Even the smell of a banana flavored Laffy Taffy makes me nauseous. And I can’t tell you how many times someone has offered me a handful of Mike and Ikes that I’ve had to spit out because a strawberry/banana flavored candy snuck its way in there.

However, I get these strange cravings about twice a year. Sometimes I will feel the urge to eat a sliced banana on plain Cheerios, and other times I just need to eat a banana with a little peanut butter on every bite. But lately, my appetite has increased. My boyfriend is constantly buying bananas for his breakfast, and a couple times last week I grabbed one on my way out the door. And somehow, lo and behold, a banana with peanut butter has become my favorite breakfast food!

Someone once told me that your taste buds change every seven years, and that’s why as an adult you begin to like foods you once hated as a kid. I guess I buy that… I can list multiple items I used to hate but now think are delicious: beets, seafood, spicy food, coffee… the list goes on.

So either my taste buds have changed, or I am just finally getting used to the dreaded banana. Thinking of it mixed in with anything still makes me gag, though.

Are there any foods you particularly dislike?

It's A Lifestyle...

2010-04-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Wake. Brush teeth and hair. Makeup. Clothes. Bus. Work. Bus. Gym. Home. Make and eat dinner. Dishes. Pack lunch. Shower. Brush teeth and hair. Sleep. REPEAT.

I’ve discovered that when you decide you want to live a healthy lifestyle, the schedule begins to consume your life. I feel like I don’t have time for anything anymore other than sleep, work, exercise, hygiene and food preparation. And I couldn’t say that any one of those things are more important than another.

I read books on the bus when my motion sickness doesn’t get too bad. I watch TV and chat with my boyfriend from the kitchen when I am dealing with the aforementioned food preparation. I socialize with a friend before and after classes that we take at the gym. But there just don’t seem to be enough hours in the day to fit in any other “me” activities – at least not while I am attempting to obtain the perfect summer bathing suit figure.

But it’s going on three weeks now and I am exhausted. My weekends have been filled with family and other obligations, and the few hours to myself I do end up with on Sunday evening must be spent on grocery shopping and food prep, in order to save a few precious minutes during the week. I’m just so tired, and the monotony is really getting to me.

However, which is worse… monotony or guilt? I am going to happy hour on Wednesday after work to catch up with an old friend. Maybe I will splurge and get a diet coke. But even if I don’t sample any of the delicious half price appetizers, it’s likely that I will get home too late to squeeze in a workout, and instead of feeling good about reminiscing with my friend who I haven’t seen in six months, I will feel guilt over not hitting the gym. I definitely need to find more of a balance.

Does anyone have any tips? How do I maintain a healthy lifestyle and still enjoy a full and happy personal life… guilt free?

The Bunny Hop

2010-04-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

I got to celebrate Easter twice this year. My mom accidentally booked a Hawaiian cruise on Easter weekend this year (a very strange mistake for a devout Catholic), so I trekked back to my home town last weekend to celebrate with her a week early.

I’ve never had strong feelings about Easter either way, but in general it seems like a holiday that’s mostly for kids and religious people. The Easter bunny, egg coloring and Easter egg hunts, stuffed annimals and loads of sugary-sweet treats in every variety you can imagine. Since I am neither a child nor religious, I don’t pay much attention to this particular holiday, except to show up at the annual obligatory family gathering. For my mother, however, Easter is “the most important holiday of the year,” and she was absolutely devastated when she realized her scheduling blunder.

My mom loves Easter. Each and every year she seems to forget that she has children who are adults, and have been for some time. So we opened fully stocked Easter baskets from the Easter bunny with oohs and ahhs, and we colored eggs at the kitchen counter, just like old times. And every morning at work last week I had to explain to one co-worker or another why I was eating pastel tinted eggs.

Then this past weekend came time to celebrate with my grandparents. So we once again make the journey down south for some quality time with the fam. I didn’t give anything up for Lent this year, but I’ve been on a strict diet for weeks and weeks, so I decided that for just one day I was going to eat a normal sized meal… carbs and all. I just can’t resist dinner at Grandma’s house. Ohhh, but it was dreamy! I even finished it off with a slice of homemade apple pie.

However, I paid dearly for my indulgences and spent the rest of the evening in bed with a stomachache. No regrets though.

How was your Easter? Do you have any family traditions?

Disappointed

2010-04-02T15:48:00.000-07:00

I take back what I said about Queen Bee Nails and Spa. Things have really gone downhill there. I first started going to Queen Bee about a year and a half ago, and documented my amazing experience here. The shop is right across the street from where I work, so it's very convenient. I've continued to go in for mani/pedis once every couple months since they first opened, and the service has gotten worse at every visit. Today was especially bad. A mani/pedi used to take about an hour and 15 minutes, today they rushed through both in only 40 minutes. Surprising, since the salon was not busy and several of the women who work there were sitting around painting their own nails.

During my pedicure the woman barely even bothered to scrub my heels or calluses, one of the mail reasons I go in for pedicures. She only rubbed one of my legs and sort of halfheartedly thumped on the other one for a second. I thought she was probably having an off day, and since a different woman was doing my manicure, it would be better. It was even worse. I asked her to cut my nails shorter, but she left them all different misshapen lengths. The edges were left jagged and with polish all over the surrounding skin. She didn't use any sort of cream or oil on my cuticles, which are now dry and scratchy. I'm probably going to have to take the polish off and re-file my nails when I get home.

Overall, very disappointing since I went in because I'm going to a wedding tomorrow and wanted my nails to look nice. I've been mildly disappointed the past few times I've gone in, but today was by far the worst... it's likely that I won't go back. It's sad they have let their standard of service slide so much, since I used to recommend this place to friends. I won't, anymore.

OK, I’m off to copy this review to Yelp.

What ever happened to D.A.R.E. anyway?

2010-04-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

I really don’t know how I am ever going to be a parent. I just don’t think I am capable of handling the stress. Every time I have to deal with situations in my own life that give me a little taste of what it will be like someday, it puts me into a mild state of anxiety and panic. It’s so hard to watch someone make the same mistakes over and over again.

The great state of California has been working diligently to legalize marijuana, and my little brother seems to think this has given him the right to carry it around with him wherever he pleases. Problem being, we live in the not-necessarily-so-great state of Washington, where cannabis is 100% illegal, especially on college campuses and for underage youth.

As if it’s not enough to have to worry about getting the dreaded “minor in possession” citation… I just can’t understand why my brother needs to pile on the additional risk. He was already cited last year for possession, and now he’s in the same pickle once again. And I just don’t know what to say… I have a feeling that, “Told ya so!” isn’t going to be the best advice in this situation, but I’m just at a loss.

I am a rule follower by nature. Not to say that I didn’t indulge in my fair share of underage drinking, and even other substance abuse, in college. But I was always consumed with paranoia and guilt, and I constantly avoided any unnecessary risks… Never carried alcohol or drugs on me, would not consider driving or getting in a car with someone who was under the influence, blah blah blah. I guess D.A.R.E. taught me well.

Maybe it’s the difference between males and females. Do men feel the need to take more risks? Is it the need, the thrill of the adrenaline rush of not getting caught? Or is it a rebellion against authority… does the notion that since pot supposedly “should” be legal in my brother’s eyes give him the self-imposed right to carry it?

Who knows. But now my baby brother is fighting to not get kicked out of his university, and that scares the crap out of me. It's so hard to be the much older sister, trying to give advice to someone who is living these things for the first time. I realize that we all need to make our own mistakes to learn and grow. and hindsight is alwasy 20/20, but it’s just hard to watch someone's actions when you already know what the outcome will be.

And those are just the feelings of an older sister. I can’t imagine how much more magnified they will be when I am dealing with the inevitable mistakes of my own children. I just don’t know if I will be able to take the pressure.

Which reminds me… did I take my birth control today?

Bottoms Up!

2010-03-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

As a reward for some overtime work and for completing several large projects, my office manager indulged some of my co-workers and me in a Friday afternoon at Spa Nordstrom. Oh, it was heavenly! We checked in and changed into fluffy white bath robes before heading to the relaxation room, where we soaked our feet and enjoyed tea and lemon water before being escorted off to receive our various treatments. I indulged in an antioxidant cocktail facial followed by a 60 minute massage. And all the while I couldn’t help thinking: I am getting paid right now!!

Of course, I had to leave this incredibly relaxing and therapeutic haven eventually, and my kind hosts had left an entire tray of recommended “products” up front for me. All at retail price, of course. I was able to resist each and every amazing, expensive, and ultimately unnecessary item, including exfoliates, scented neck pillows, and… what’s this? A ten-day cleanse… hmmm…

As a person with persistent digestive issues, I’m always looking for a miracle cure, so I couldn’t help myself from picking up the box to ask some questions. Recommended by the woman to did my facial, OCEA DRAINE claims to help eliminate in-depth, helping regain lightness and well being thanks to its 100% natural formula, combining organic plant complex and algae. It is recommended before starting a refining diet, and enhances a radiant complexion.

That all sounded wonderful, and combined with the glowing recommendations from several spa counter girls, I was suckered in and watched my hand as it handed over my MasterCard. (Is it necessary that I also admit to purchasing the most amazing mascara ever from Lancome? But, I digress…)

It wasn’t until Monday at work that I realized this product is a little strange. It is made in France, and I struggled to even find the English directions, which are simple enough: Daily, dilute one vial in a glass of water or fruit juice, and continue for a period of ten days. What, you may ask, does a vial of cleansing fluid look like?

Upon opening the box, I discovered ten of these thin glass tubes. After finally locating instructions in my native tongue, I learned that I needed to simply (simply?!) break off the fragile ends of one of the vials and then dump it into a glass of water to enjoy the pleasing orange taste. I felt a little bit like a druggie as I tried, as inconspicuously as possible, to use the little plastic tool to snap off the ends of the first glass tube while sitting at my desk at work. Then I spent some time using a bent paperclip to remove glass shards from the end before adding it to my glass of water and having a sip. It tasted like bong water with a slight hint of orange.

This is definitely one of the stranger cleanses I have ever done, and so far it hasn’t seemed to jumpstart the “waste removal process” as the box claims. But I’m only two days in, so we’ll see. At least it hasn’t seemed to upset my system at all, which in my world is always a plus, and I’m allowed to eat normally on it.

So, bottoms up!

It's Official

2010-03-29T17:45:00.000-07:00

That's it. I'm DONE with my law school applications. Each and every one is signed, sealed with a kiss, and delivered. There's nothing more I can do except wait. Ten schools in the states of Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, and Maine (just to mix it up). I'm experiencing conflicting emotions. I'm relieved to finally have the whole thing out of my hands, but now the apprehensive waiting game starts. Realistically, I finished the apps for the schools I really want to go to months ago, but since then I've been applying to the obligatory "backup schools." Moving to another state to attend law school isn't really a feasible option for me at the present time, considering my mortgage on a beautiful Seattle condo that I live in with my even more beautiful long-term boyfriend. BUT, I think getting accepted to some of these so-called backup schools might take the sting out of the fairly likely rejection I will receive from my native state schools.

Point being: I am officially done with the applications and now I begin the waiting game. Please, send good karma out into the admissions universe for me! I'll be sure to update you as the results come in.

This is Sarah, your hopeful pre-law applicant, class of 2013, signing off.

Counting Calories

2010-03-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the daily calorie counter I've started using at http://www.everydayhealth.com/, my favorite new fascination is how many calories certain types of foods contain.

Today, I was headed to Subway to pick up lunch for some people in my office, so I decided to find out if I would be able to eat a sub myself without exceeding my 1,200 calories per day limit. Luckily, current nutrition information is easily accessible from restaurant web sites, so I was able to go online and calculate exactly which sandwich would be healthiest for me. Besides the Veggie Delight (no thanks, not enough for me!) the verdict was:

A six-inch turkey breast & ham sandwich on nine-grant wheat bread with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, cucumbers, olives, pickles, salt & pepper, and fat free honey mustard... all for a total of 360 calories. A totally agreeable percentage of my daily calorie intake, I think.

However, as we were eating, one of my co-workers mentioned the obscenely high calorie content of one of fast food's biggest stars: Jack in the Box. Interested, I immediately pulled up the restaurant's nutritional information. I decided to check out one of my college midnight snack favorites, a Jumbo Jack with cheese. Surprisingly, this burger only packs 625 calories... I expected much more.

I realized that if I had eaten a foot-long Subway sandwich, instead of just six inches (which I have been known to do more than once), I would have consumed 720 calories... MORE than that greasy cheeseburger! Of course, one would never eat just a burger without about 450 calories worth of fries on the side, but still. I found the comparison quite interesting.

The more I read, and the more math I do, the more fascinated I become. It's just so easy to consume astronomical amounts of calories each day without even thinking about it. And now that I realize how many calories I was likely eating every day before I was more aware of these facts, I'm wondering... Since I've probably cut down my daily calorie intake by at least HALF (if not more), how long until I start to get skinny, dammit?!

Preliminary Review of a Quick Fix

2010-03-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

I think Jillian Michaels' QUICKSTART Rapid Weight Loss Program might have poisoned me.

But it could be a combination of factors... I took both the maximum strength calorie control pills and the maximum strength fat burner pills all day on Monday (as directed). In addition, I started a healthy 1,200 calorie per day diet (although I only ended up eating about 600 calories total that particular day). Also, I went to a Step class at my gym on Monday night, and it was basically the hardest I have ever worked out in my life. I was dripping sweat, which I never do, and I had to leave the room a couple times because I thought I was going to puke.

Afterward, I went home, took some more pills, had dinner (even though I wasn't really hungry) and went to bed. I woke up around midnight feeling just horrible. I felt like I was on an incredibly intense caffeine high, my heart was racing, I was shaking all over and I felt super nauseous. I never did throw up but I was basically awake all night tossing and turning. It was not fun, to say the least.

Tuesday morning I opted not to take any more pills, but that morning at work I was still so nauseous I could barely eat breakfast... which I ended up throwing up. I went home from work around 11:30 because I just felt too sick to my stomach to function. I haven't taken any more pills since, but I couldn't even ride the bus to work today because I was still feeling so queasy.

I still have no idea what the exact culprit is, but not enough calories + intense exercise + diet pills = no bueno.

I guess I shouldn't have been that surprised. I usually have pretty intense reactions to medications / drugs. I think they were just too much for me and I was taking them too late at night (because I eat dinner so late and you're supposed to take them every time you eat). So I may try them again once I am feeling better, but at only half the dosage and not after about 5pm so I will be able to sleep. Because they really were working before I got sick... In one day I ate only 600 calories but I didn't feel hungry at all!

My boyfriend was making fun of me even though I was sick, because he says I need to stop focusing on "quick fixes" and instead just on diet and exercise. I explained to him that I am doing those things too, but he still thinks diet pills are dumb. Maybe they are... but these ones are from Jillian Michaels, and I just know she would never give me something bad!! She cares about my health! Right...?

What do you think?

QUICKSTART

2010-03-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung, which means bathing suit weather is right around the corner. I've been eating like a cow lately, so it's really time to get my jiggly butt into gear. I'm trying a new approach with several tiers:

DIET: I've cut myself down to 1,200 calories per day, which I am tracking on a food and fitness journal at http://www.everydayhealth.com/. I went shopping yesterday and bought loads of healthy vegetables and proteins, cutting out all carbohydrates, sugars, and unhealthy fats. Basically I'm going to be eating a lot of chicken, seafood, and veggies.

SUPPLEMENTS: In addition to a daily multivitamin and extra vitamin D supplement, today I started Jillian Michaels' QUICKSTART Rapid Weight Loss Program. It consists of a maximum strength calorie control pill taken three times a day before meals, and a maximum strength fat burner pill taken twice daily.

EXERCISE: My plan is to hit the gym every night after work. I'm currently on week three of my Couch to 5K running program, and I'd really like to finish the entire program before starting a morning Boot Camp around the third week of April.

I feel incredibly motivated, but I'm not even halfway through the first day, so who knows how long this exhilarated feeling will last. I have my fingers crossed though! My goal is to lose 15 pounds before Memorial Day. Wish me luck!

Obsessed With Refresh

2010-03-19T10:32:00.000-07:00

Well, my company IT department finally decided to block Facebook. It's been a long time coming, and even though I'm not nearly as active in this particular social networking scene as I once was, I sort of feel like I've had a limb amputated. Okay maybe not an entire limb... maybe more like a pinky finger. But still.

So this leaves me with email. And I've realized this week that I might have a serious problem with my Hotmail account. My behavior is bordering on obsession, and I'm wondering if it's considered normal and/or healthy...

I find myself clicking the refresh button over... and over... and over. About every five minutes or so, sometimes even more often. I email back and forth with various friends all day long. While doing my regular job, I find myself in a constant state of multitasking. I'll send a work-related email, and then automatically open Hotmail from the bottom of my screen so I can click refresh and see if I've received a response any of the emails I sent three minutes prior. I'll answer a phone call... refresh. Compose a document... refresh. Schedule a meeting... refresh. It's become as automatic as blinking.

I've thought of conducting an experiment in which I don't check my personal email account once during an entire workday. But this line of thinking immediately brings on a mild anxiety attack, so I've never gone through with it.

Ah well, I guess there are worse things to be addicted to. Clicking refresh and seeing the bolded number indicating one (or more!) new messages is just such a satisfying little adrenaline rush. So I look forward to receiving your emails, friends!

Hiatus

2010-01-07T22:14:00.000-08:00

I’ve come to the realization lately that I’d like to make the inner workings of my crazy mind a little more private. It’s not that I have anything to hide, I’d just prefer that my blog not come up in a Google search anymore (I’ve scrubbed the entire thing, including comments, of my first and last name many times, but for some reason those dang web crawlers keep finding it).

And of course, I’ve committed the ultimate sin of becoming a blog slacker. I haven’t posted in months, but there’s really no excuse. Sometimes I feel like writing… and sometimes I don’t. However, since making this blog private a few days ago, I’ve gotten several emails from friends, wondering where I had gone! It was really nice to know that they’re still interested in my life and ramblings.

So if you happen to have become a loyal “Follower” of My So-Called Life, left a recent comment, or somehow or other expressed to me that you're even mildly interested in this blog, I’ve sent you an email inviting you to continue to view it. I have no excuses or apologies, but I hope to be posting here more often in the future, and I hope that you all enjoy what you read. I’m just an average girl trying to make it through this crazy thing called life, yo!

I hope everyone is having a happy, healthy and prosperous start to 2010! XOXO.

Back to Life, Back to Reality

2009-08-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

[I’ve been doing an absolutely obscene amount of boating and camping over the past couple weeks, hence my absence from the blogosphere as of late. I have several blogs-in-progress that I should be able to post in the next couple days, but in the meantime, please enjoy this little tidbit from my life.]

This morning my sister and I met up for our usual early morning jog around Green Lake. We’re just beginning the second week of our Couch to 5K training program, so we were pretty exhausted at by the time we rounded the last curve that led to the final 100 yards before the parking lot.

That’s when I saw him. A naked man. A naked man standing in the bushes. A naked man standing in the bushes with his pants around his ankles. A naked man standing in the bushes with his pants around his ankles, wearing a ski mask. A naked man standing in the bushes with his pants around his ankles, wearing a ski mask and masturbating as if his life depended on it. And he was staring directly at me and my sister.

I immediately put my hand up to shield my eyes, quickening my step and muttering, “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.” Did I just see what I thought I did? The mortified look on my sister’s face confirmed I had not inadvertently fallen back asleep and been overcome by a nightmare. Just to be sure, I took a quick peek back over my shoulder. The masked man was hobbling (due to the pants encircling his ankles) around a tree in order to keep us in view… all the while continuing to frantically beat off.

My sister hurriedly gestured to a young female jogger coming our direction (and therefore headed directly into the masked man’s path) and warned her to stick to the lake edge of the path. But not before the girl accidentally got a glimpse of what no one should be asked to view without first having a cup of coffee… or a lobotomy.

What the heck is wrong with people?!?

Ugh, I need to go back on vacation immediately.

Desperate times call for desperate measures

2009-07-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Temperatures in Seattle soared to a record-breaking 103 degrees yesterday. I realize this is nothing to those who dwell in areas of the country that regularly see temps over 100 all summer long, but here in the Pacific Northwest we are just not equipped to deal with this type of weather.

After a sweltering bus ride home yesterday (only about 30% of Metro buses have air conditioning), I arrived home to find that my boyfriend had taken matters into his own hands. He was hauling a huge piece of cardboard into the living room. “I’m hooking up the air conditioner!” he proclaimed.

Let me explain. Stewart bought a fairly expensive air conditioning unit last year for his 350 square foot, fifth floor studio apartment to alleviate the feeling of living/sleeping inside an oven three months out of the year. It was amazing… no wonder I rarely saw my own bed that summer. However, when we moved into our condo we quickly realized that the glorious air conditioner did not work with our new windows. We didn’t think a lot about it at the time (it was October), packed the A/C up, and put it into storage.

Enter Seattle Heat Wave 2009. For the past few days we’ve been telling ourselves it’s not that bad. But people, it’s BAD. Even at night, it’s stayed at least 80+ degrees in our condo, making sleep (or any other entertaining bedroom activities...) virtually impossible. And when the mercury hit 103 yesterday, Stew decided he’d had enough.

We tossed aside snowboards and snowshoes in our storage unit to reveal the miraculous air conditioner, which we dragged upstairs. Then we went to work cutting cardboard into various shapes and sizes to block off a narrow strip on the side of the sliding glass door leading to our patio. For a brief second, I was embarrassed about the totally white trash version of air conditioning that we had created… then we were hit by a blast of cool air that made me weak at the knees. Sigh.

I even got enough sleep last night to get up at 5:30am this morning and jog around Green Lake before work. Previously, exercise had seemed like a total impossibility until the world returned to normal.

So yeah, it’s kind of trashy. But sitting here breathing deliciously cool 74 degree air makes it all worth it.

Heat Wave...

2009-07-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

I bet some kid in Seattle tried to fry an egg on the sidewalk yesterday, and it probably worked. Seattle is absolutely baking in a heat wave. Don’t get me wrong: I absolutely love hot weather, but this is a bit much. And temperatures aren’t expected to drop until the weekend (mid-80s by Friday). I’m definitely a sun worshipper and am always willing to spend entire weekends on a lake, next to a pool, or floating down a river. And I hate to complain about the beautiful sunshine, but it’s freaking HOT.

Having to go about my day to day life in this sweltering heat is already getting pretty old. After a stuffy morning commute on the bus, I spent the entire day yesterday at my office shivering, fingers turning blue, because the dang AC was turned up so high. I had to go sit in the sun at lunch just to bring up my core body temperature! I need to remember to bring a jacket to work in the summer. In the afternoon, I made plans with my sister to walk around Green Lake after work. Toward the end of the day she sent me a text message: “It’s too hot to exercise.” I told her to suck it up and that I’d call her when I left the office. 20 minutes later, as I entered the oven that is downtown Seattle, I sent her a text back: “It is WAY too hot to exercise!!”

Washington does not have that lovely, dry, desert heat. We have humid, thick, sweltering heat that leaves your skin sticky from the moment you step out of the shower. Commuting on the bus is the worst. No AC and evening commuters packed to the gills onto the express routes. I literally could barely breathe for the entire ride home yesterday, and had to concentrate to fight off a steadily rising panic attack.

Yes, it’s hot. But it’s really not the end of the world, and I suppose beggars can’t be choosers. Seattleites complain all winter about the rain, and now we’re whining about the heat. Our condo is absolutely sweltering (Stew’s air conditioner does not fit in our new windows), so it actually sounded appealing to head to the gym yesterday for a workout… at least I could sweat in AC. I regretted this decision immediately when I stepped back outside, sweaty from a workout, into 90 degree heat. It was 8pm. This morning I planned ahead and finished my workout by 7am. It was still 75 degrees by the time I left the park.

Today I’m trying a new tactic to keep our house cool. We opened every window and door overnight and turned on multiple fans to air things out. Then this morning I shut every window and closed all the blinds, hoping it might stay at a slightly lower temperature than outside. Tonight after work I have my first LSAT prep course, which is held in a historic building in the University District – no AC is my guess. 6pm to 10pm is going to be brutal. I’m drinking tons of water, eating popsicles, and avoiding being outside as much as I can. But until the weekend comes and I can spend 12 hours a day on a boat, I think I’m going to be whining quite a bit.

Do you have any tips and tricks to stay cool during a heat wave?

Just call me Pollyanna

2009-07-27T07:06:00.000-07:00

I spent the weekend traipsing across the state doing good deeds. It definitely wasn’t as much fun as bumming around Seattle going to festivals, barbeques and bars would have been, but I still came home Sunday night feeling like the weekend had been a success. Just call me Pollyanna.

On Saturday I went down south to my grandparents house in Olympia. They’ve recently been doing a lot of work to their property and have felt stressed about a lot of backlogged projects. In addition, my grandma has spent some time in the hospital lately in addition to dealing with chronic illnesses, and my grandpa suffers from Parkinson’s disease. And since I’ve been so swamped with work and school for the past year, I haven’t really spent as much time with them as I should. So a few weeks ago I set aside 7/25/09 on my calendar as “Grandparents Day.”

I had a wonderful time just helping out around the house all day. My grandma and I picked buckets of blueberries from the bushes in their yard. We had lunch and chitchatted. In the afternoon I spent hours helping her go through stacks of old photographs that needed to be categorized, filed, and put into albums. I know that project had been bothering her for years, so I was glad I was able to help out. And I stumbled across this lovely gem of my parents in 1979, shortly after their honeymoon. They are only 19!

We thought about attempting to weed the flower gardens, but it was just too dang hot to be outside by that point. Grandpa and Grandma seemed so appreciative and happy to have me there… I really should do this more often.

On Sunday Stewart and I headed north to Bellingham, home of our alma mater, WWU. Stew’s stepbrother is college shopping, so we agreed to give him a tour of Western’s campus and the rest of B’Ham. I hadn’t been back up there in quite a few years and – wow – the memories really came rushing back! My mind was flooded with all the experiences I had throughout those four years of college. We even visited my freshman year dorm room: Ridgeway Beta, Stack 9, Third Floor. I have vivid memories of my parents dropping me off there in their minivan almost 10 years ago. I was such a scared little baby, desperate to fit in but with no idea who I was or wanted to be. Those four years of college really shaped me.

Here’s a pic of me and Stewart in Red Square. I don’t know how many thousands of times I walked by this fountain on my way to class or the library.
I’m so excited for the kids who are preparing to experience college for the first time. Sometimes I would give anything to go back and do it again. But then I blink, come back to reality, and thank god I’m done with that phase of my life.

Did anyone do anything a bit more exciting this weekend?

My Tummy Hurts

2009-07-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

I almost always have a tummy ache. Always. I constantly carry Imodium and Pepto Bismol in my purse. I thought this was normal. But apparently, the average person does not always double over with cramping stomach pains after every other meal. I feel like I’ve tried everything… blood tests to detect wheat and gluten allergies came back negative. I am not lactose intolerant and cutting out red meat hasn’t made a difference. I’ve tracked my eating habits for weeks in an attempt to identify the culprit… nothing.

My mom says I’ve been like this since I was a kid. I’ve just always had a weak stomach. And I’m so used to the war raging in my belly that it almost seems normal. But last weekend I was talking to a girl who said she had similar problems, but had begun going to a nutritionist and it absolutely changed her life. So I did some Yelp.com research, selected a nutritionist I liked, and made a consultation appointment.

This is the first time I’ve ever explored an option like this, and I’m curious about what results I will see. I always thought seeing a nutritionist would be expensive, but it’s completely covered by insurance with a referral from my regular doctor. The certified nutritionist I am seeing is also a registered mental health counselor, so she also specializes in behavioral change and lifestyle integration, chronic stress, fatigue and anxiety. I definitely won’t say no to a little help in those areas, as well!

Sure, it all seems just a little bit hippie, but I’m willing to try anything at this point. So far I am already on three supplements: peppermint capsules, fish oil, and probiotics. These are just to start, and then others will be added in (I currently don’t take any type of vitamins so I'm hoping for positive changes). I am determined to somehow become a healthy person! And if fish oil is what it takes, so be it. Burp.

I’m Just A Girl

2009-07-20T20:14:00.000-07:00

When you live with your boyfriend, I think it becomes fairly easy to get stuck in the routine of spending every waking moment with that person, thereby neglecting one’s same-sex friendships. Luckily my boyfriend is a firefighter, so he works shifts, which means I get every third night all to myself. I’m not at all saying I don’t miss him when he’s not around… but I think sometimes missing someone reminds you to appreciate them more.

I try to take advantage of these solo moments in life to spend time with my girlfriends. And whether it’s dressing up for a night on the town or dressing down to attend a rad outdoor concert, the result is always the same: Girls Night Out = Fabulous.

Since Stewart was working Sunday night and one of my favorite old school bands was in town, some of my friends and I snagged tickets to the No Doubt featuring Paramore concert at the White River Amphitheater near Enumclaw, WA. Conveniently, this just happens to be my friend’s home town, so we had a place to spend the afternoon before heading to the concert.

I had never been to Enumclaw before, but it is the country, my friend. We spent the afternoon lounging in the sun at my friend’s childhood casa, drinking wine, eating snacks and listening to the sounds of farm animals while breathing in the fresh air and trying not to gag on the stench of poo. Honestly though, it was super relaxing, and I never realize quite how loud the city is until I go someplace so darn quiet. Oh, except for the cow that was giving birth.

We even spent some time hanging out in my friend’s childhood bedroom, which has been completely preserved with pink rose wallpaper and high school dance photos plastering the walls. Of course this prompted an incredibly high school girly conversation regarding sex and how our lives have changed from then to now. Too funny.

The concert was amazing. I’ve heard that Paramore is incredible live and I definitely was not disappointed. And of course No Doubt was freaking fantastic. I’ve loved this band since I first heard the “I’m Just A Girl” single back in middle school. I wasn’t surprised to find out that I still knew every single word to most of the songs. And we didn’t feel silly at all bouncing up and down with the neon-clad high school girls who surrounded us.

I just love me a night out with the girls.

Cha-ching!

2009-07-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

I’m a very responsible person when it comes to money, but paying tuition for the past year without taking out any loans has really taken a toll on my financial situation. I feel like I’m constantly behind, always playing catch up. I received a paycheck today, and after taking care of a few necessary bills I realized I’ve really dug myself into a hole. Even with careful planning, it could take me six months to crawl out of it.

However, upon a further careful review of my bank statement, it turns out that maybe I haven’t been being so responsible after all. Since I finished school a few weeks ago it seems like my life has been even crazier than before… but in a good way. I’ve been able to spend time with friends and family and take a ton weekend trips. But as my social life soared, my bank account plunged.

When you’re busy every weekend and in the evenings after work, it’s hard to find time to grocery shop and cook. You meet friends for happy hour and dinner, so you don’t have any leftovers. Which means you buy lunch at work. And after a close examination, I realized that in the past month I’ve donated more than $150 to the restaurant and bar industry. And now, with the fresh taste of high APRs in my mouth, none of it seems worth it.

I’ve simply got to get back on track. I’ve already turned down several lunch and coffee outing offers this week, and I can hear the cha-ching of those dollars dropping into my savings account. And for the first time in far too long, I spent quality time at the grocery store, taking the time to plan out full healthy meals instead of grab and go stuff. On Sunday, I spent an hour chopping up vegetables to mix up and eat with whole grain wraps for lunch this week. Delish.
I think with a little self control, I can definitely nip this in the bud. But yeesh, the world sure is expensive! I recently attended the “complimentary training session” offered to new members at my gym. I got in a decent 15 minute workout with the trainer and was really feeling excited… until she dropped the bomb on me. Personal training at my gym costs $70 a session. That’s $140 an hour! Um… do doctors even get paid that much money?! I resisted the urge to laugh in the trainer’s face and walked away to check the complimentary class schedule.

The nice thing about being on an exercise kick is that it leaves me much less time to be tempted by happy hours and other money sucking social activities. And hey, working out can be done with a buddy, too! So, note to self: Whenever someone presents you with an activity that involves spending unnecessary bucks, throw them a curve ball and offer up a walk around the lake or a Cardio Jam class, followed by a BBQ of yummy food at your place. Cha-ching!

The Results Show

2009-07-15T18:45:00.000-07:00

I know some of you have been curious to know how Boot Camp ended up, so I thought I should probably come clean with the results.

First off, I have to say that it was an absolutely amazing experience. For the first time in my life, there were instances where I actually found myself looking forward to exercising. After the first week, I was exhausted and sore, but extremely optimistic. I even started to think about continuing and signing up for the next Boot Camp. However, by the third week, it started to get really rough. I felt frustrated and unmotivated because things didn’t seem to be getting any easier.

But by the last week, I was back on point. I pushed myself harder than I ever have before, and I could finally start to feel myself getting stronger and faster. And on Friday morning, we had our final timed assessments. One of my main goals had been to drastically improve my timed mile. So as we headed to the starting line, I felt completely mentally and physically prepared to push myself to the absolute limits. I definitely did just that – by the end, I felt like I was having a full-blown asthma attack, but I managed to improve my mile time by 1:49! My trainer, who had said a 30 second improvement would be more than acceptable, was very impressed. In addition, I almost doubled the amount of pushups I can do in a minute, and drastically improved my plank hold time. Yesssssssssssssssss.

The most shocking part of the morning came at the end of our final class, when the trainer announced that I was “Boot Camper of the Week.” I was completely baffled, but apparently she had really noticed how much I had improved, even out of the 50 other women in the class. I was also one of only five people who completed Boot Camp with perfect attendance. Go big or go home.

On Saturday morning, I headed to the gym to have my final measurements taken. To sum up, I lost inches in my: triceps, hips, thighs, arms, shoulders, chest, waist and thighs. However, my weight stayed exactly the same, which I found very interesting. But most importantly, my body composition percentage went down by 2.03%! My trainer says this is absolutely unheard of. When she works with someone one-on-one for four weeks, she generally only expects a 1% decrease, but I was able to more than double that number in a group fitness situation. For me, this was a major accomplishment, and it explained why I did not lose any weight – I converted fat into muscle!

At the bottom of my evaluation sheet from our first meeting, it says that my goals for Boot Camp were “tone, increase endurance, and motivation.” Without a doubt, I think I have reached those goals, so I would call Boot Camp and incredible success. I’m still nowhere near an athlete, but I’m improving, slowly but surely. And I think I have the motivation to continue on my own.

On Monday I did a leg and cardio workout at my gym, all by myself. Tuesday, my sister and I met at Discovery Park at 6am to run the loop trail. And this morning, I attended my first 5:45am Spin class. I’ve found that I’m completely addicted to the feeling of having my workout over and done with for the day. Early morning is the way to go, and my body seems to have acclimated to getting up at the crack of dawn. We’ll see how long I can keep it up. Tonight I’m attending a Boot Camp class at my gym, and tomorrow morning I have an early morning Green Lake jog scheduled with my sister. We’ll see if I make it to Spin class on Saturday morning… I’m already feeling pretty sore!

So there you have it. Maybe all the pain was just weakness leaving my body after all...

Wedding Guest

2009-07-13T20:55:00.000-07:00

When it comes to weddings, sometimes it’s great to be nothing more than a guest. Stewart’s childhood buddy got married to his college sweetheart this weekend, and I was lucky enough to be invited to all of the festivities. We started out with a beautiful rooftop rehearsal dinner on Thursday evening, followed by a night out at the bars. Friday night featured a Mariner’s game with the whole crew that ended sometime after 2am at a karaoke joint… nice. Let’s just say that by the time the actual wedding rolled around on Saturday at 5pm, I was feeling a little under the weather.

But once I arrived at the Seattle Yacht Club for the big event, it was easy to forget about everything except the fabulous couple and their new marriage. The outdoor ceremony was short and sweet, and followed immediately by cocktail hour on the lawn. Dinner was served promptly and after a couple quick speeches everyone was moved inside to get the party started. I like their style.

You really can’t beat great food and drinks (open bar!) followed by music and dancing. It was one of those weddings where almost every single guest immediately hit the dance floor and stayed there (except for quick trips to the bar, of course). The past couple days had given me the chance to meet and form friendships with a bunch of great new people, and by the end of the night I felt like they were all my new BFFs.
Also, unlike bridesmaids, groomsmen have very little responsibilities when it comes to weddings. So for Stew and I it was basically just an excuse to get dressed up and go out dancing. We stayed until the bitter end, begging the DJ for “just one more song” several times before moving the party to our place.

Wow. I haven’t had this many days of nonstop excitement for a long time. My only hope is that my friends and family will have this much fun when my wedding day finally rolls around. But don’t hold your breath… for now I am definitely content to simply be a guest!

And the winner is…

2009-07-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

In case you haven’t already heard, I was recently given two blogger awards!

“Thank you! Oh, thank you! I can hardly believe it! I feel so honored! Even in my wildest dreams, I never would have imagined that this could ever happen to me. There are so many people to thank! Of course I want to thank the Academy, who looked deep within their Google readers before giving me this fantastic award! Also, I want to thank my friends and family, because without their constant drama and antics, this blog would not be nearly as entertaining. And finally, to all of the fans… it wouldn’t be possible without you! Thank you America, and good night!”

I was originally nominated for the Honest Scrap blog award back in April by MiSS RAmbLEs. This particular award is for discouraging plagiarism and promoting honest blogging. Unfortunately, I had the flu at the time, so I wasn’t able to comply with the rules that accompany the award: First, you have to tell your readers ten things about you they may not know, but that are true. Second, you have to tag ten people with the award.
In addition, this week I was nominated for the MeMe award by Chère. This award calls for seven things about me and then passing the award on to seven other bloggers. So I’ve decided to combine the two awards by sharing 7 fun facts about me and tagging 10 of my current fave bloggers.

I bet you didn’t know…

I have an unexplainable phobia of the telephone. I screen my personal calls and feel intense anxiety when the phone rings. Sometimes I don’t answer for any particular reason except I don’t feel like talking.

Even though I know I shouldn’t, I sleep in my makeup every single night. I still have pretty decent skin.

I am not an organ donor. The concept of organ donation makes my skin crawl. My loved ones have all been informed that if I am ever in a serious accident, I wish to adamantly refuse any organ or tissue donations, even if it could potentially save my life.

Every single day, I feel guilty about what I ate and how much exercise I got. I gained 40 pounds in college and haven’t felt good about my self image ever since.

I dislike children in general and am terrified that this won’t change when I have my own.

I can’t put down a book without finishing it, even if it’s horrible. I still have to force my way through it before starting the next one.

I am obsessed with “the end of the world” and think the possibility of the end coming in 2012 is very real. This makes me equally obsessed with analyzing my life and wondering if I am spending my “final days” in the right way…

And in random order, the nominees are…
PeterDeWolf
Bayjb
flipflops
M.J.
PerplxinTexan
Amber (Girl with the red hair)
The New Black
Tudor City Girl
Working Girl
Seattle Swift

(If you decide to do it, make sure you link back here so I can see what you wrote!)

Review: la Carta de Oaxaca

2009-07-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

Since moving to Ballard, Stew and I have done a really poor job of attempting to sample all the delicious new restaurants within walking distance of our house. However, la Carta de Oaxaca was been at the top of my dining to-do list for more than a year now, and last night I finally got a taste. This traditional Mexican restaurant has gotten a ton of hype since it opened, so I’ve been super curious to try the cuisine for myself. Unfortunately the place is always a madhouse, with people lined up down the street to get in, and the couple times I’ve tried to dine there I’ve gotten fed up and went down the street to The Matador.

Last night, the place was packed as usual, but we were determined to wait it out. We arrived a little after 7pm but unfortunately two of our friends were running late. They don’t take reservations and won’t seat you until your entire party arrives, but if you happen to get there at the right moment with everyone present, you might be able to snag a table right away. 45 minutes later, a table cleared for the five of us and we entered the restaurant, which has a simple modern white interior and is decorated with beautiful framed photography.

Seating is family style with long tables you have to share with other parties. Halfway through our meal we were asked by our server to shift seats and move down to accommodate another group, which left one of my friends sitting across from a stranger… awkward! We started out with hot tortilla chips and freshly made guacamole, and sampled from the salsa bar’s five different salsas. Everything was delicious but they were a bit stingy on the chip refills. I’m not a fan of tequila, but did taste a friend’s margaritas and it was STRONG – a obvious plus!

The prices are definitely equal to the portions. Looking around at other tables, we could tell the plates were pretty small. So if you’re hungry, the bill can add up quickly. We ended up ordering seven items for five people. The food came quickly and looked delicious, but overall everyone agreed that it was pretty bland and flavorless. I ordered halibut tacos on fresh homemade corn tortillas, which was light and simple but a little too fishy. Stewart got enchiladas and molotes (potatoes and beef sausage wrapped in fried homemade tortillas with hot sauce and cheese). We also tried the fried cheese quesadillas covered with guacamole, beans, salsa, Oaxaqueno cheese and crema Mexicana.
Unlike your run of the mill restaurant chains (i.e. Azteca), la Carta de Oaxaca did not provide overwhelmingly huge plates of fried foods covered with dripping cheese next to giant sides of rice and beans. And although it was nice not to waddle out with the typical food baby Mexican dining gives me, I did leave feeling mildly unsatisfied. But you can never go wrong with a night out with friends, so overall I’d say the experience was a success. But would I go back? All signs point to no.

Celebrating Independence... With Beaches & Beer

2009-07-06T22:20:00.000-07:00

I always just seem to go with the flow for 4th of July celebrations. I’ve never really had any traditions, and most of my childhood memories consist of lighting off little fireworks in the driveway, usually in the rain. And for a few years the holiday fell on a weekday, so there wasn’t time to implement any major trips or plans.

But this year, July 4th fell on a Saturday, which made for a glorious three-day weekend! Not only that, but for once in my lifetime the forecast in Seattle was clear and sunny. Bonus. After carefully weighing our options, Stew and I decided to head to Ocean Shores with some friends to camp on their family property and spend the day at the beach. It turned out to be an excellent choice.

Although the weather was somewhat overcast and about ten degrees cooler on the coast, there’s nothing I like better than a weekend of camping with friends. And it had been years since I went to the ocean, so I was pretty excited to kick off my shoes and take a walk in the sand.

This is the same family that organizes an Adult Prom every year, so I was not at all surprised that they had organized a beach Field Day to celebrate our country’s independence. Imagine 20 adults participating in events like the Water Balloon Toss, Egg Carry, Three-Legged Race, Shoe Kick and a Spelling Bee! It was absolutely the most fun I’ve had in a long time.

Lining Up...

Water Balloon Toss! Josh diving for the win!
Woo hoo!! Preparing for the next event...
Brett hustling to the finish line in the Egg Carry relay. Shoe Kick! Three-Legged Race.

Other than Field Day activities, we spent the entire afternoon watching the boys dig a giant fire pit and gather enormous logs to burn in it… of course while sipping brewskies and chitchatting away.

Once it got dark, the fireworks began. Although there was no professional show, I would have thought we were watching one if no one had told me otherwise. Up and down the beach, as far as the eye could see, people were lighting off the biggest fireworks I have ever seen. I don’t even know where you can buy this stuff! I lit of a few sparklers myself, but we mainly left the pyrotechnics to the men folk.

I hope everyone else had a wonderful Independence Day as well! Happy Fourth!

Pain is just weakness leaving your body

2009-07-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

Boot Camp has really been rough this week. I feel like I’ve hit a plateau and I don’t know what to do about it. The first two weeks were GREAT! Last Friday, I was telling my friend in the class that I was actually thinking about signing up for the next Boot Camp, because I’ve felt so fantastic, energized and guilt-free recently. But this week things took a turn for the worst.

After going from basically no exercise to an intense one-hour workout five days a week, I am really feeling the effects. I don’t feel particularly sleep deprived, but my entire body is exhausted. Every morning this week my muscles have been too sore to really allow me to give 100% each morning, which in turn leaves me frustrated and annoyed with myself. Also, I have yet to see any physical results, except I think my calves are getting bigger (yuck) and I’ve actually gained a pound. Yes, many people have already given me the “muscle weighs more than fat” speech, but seeing the numbers on the scale go up still leaves me feeling extremely depressed.

In hindsight, maybe I should have chosen the three days a week option. Maybe my body would be doing better if I gave it a day to rest between workouts. But it’s too late, and I am not a quitter. Somehow I just need to mentally check myself, because feeling frustrated is giving me a poor attitude, which in turn affects how much effort I put in each morning.

On Monday morning our trainer assured us that “pain is just weakness leaving your body.” That kind of cheesy talk doesn’t really work on me, but my sister has actually been my best motivator.

“The fact that you are getting up 5 days a week at 5am and busting your ass on a workout is WORTH IT even if it doesn't seem like it in the moment,” she emailed me earlier this week. “We are getting healthier and stronger and most of all we are sticking with it! Just remember that it's YOUR HOUR and as long as you are working your absolute hardest, which I know you are, then it's worth it!! You should be proud of yourself.”

Little encouraging notes like that are just enough to help me drag myself out of bed each morning. And I still have a week left. I am determined to finish Boot Camp and get the most that I can out of it. Go big or go home.

It's never too late

2009-06-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

Growing up, we were not campers. One time in elementary school I went to a week of summer camp, but was homesick the whole time. It was generally a horrible experience. The closest my family got to camping was spending summers at our cabin on the Hood Canal. Not very rustic, with a fully plumbed kitchen and bathroom.

But for the past few years I've done a ton of camping with various groups of friends, and I've learned to love it. So last weekend, I rallied the troops and we embarked upon our first family camping trip. So what if me, my brother and my sister are all in our 20’s at this point – it’s never too late to start a tradition, right!?

I booked a campsite at Lake Wenatchee State Park and we arrived on Friday evening to swarms… clouds… armies of mosquitoes. I guess that’s what you get for choosing to camp in a wooded area beside a lake. But we made the best of it and had a great time making and grilling the shish kabob dinner I had brought. My brother and dad behaved like typical manly-men by making a fire and sitting around it drinking beer and poking the smoking logs with sticks. It’s amazing how long prodding at a campfire can occupy a guy’s attention.

The next morning I made a delicious breakfast of eggs and sausage before we headed down to the lake to spend the day at the beach. It’s truly amazing how fast you can get used to doing absolutely nothing. We spent hours on the beach with our prime entertainment being periodically dropping the dog into the lake to see if she could swim. (She could, but not well…)

Back at the campsite I spent a couple hours sitting around drinking beer and chatting with my dad. I don’t think I have ever spent this much time with him without a television being present in my entire life. And I also don’t think I’ve seen him so relaxed in a long time. I thought my parents would hate camping (they’re really more hotel people) but I was surprised and impressed how well they took everything in stride.

My sister had made a delicious lunch of grilled panini sandwhiches, and after a typical dinner of hamburgers and hot dogs, we finished things off with a camping favorite: S’mores. I felt stuffed to the gills and incredibly happy. For the rest of the night it was just me and the fam, hanging out by the campfire, listening to music, talking and laughing. I found it ironically bizarre that we had finally found a time and place where we could just be together, without any distractions, itineraries, or modern conveniences. Good times.

And the craziest part? My dad was actually so stoked about the whole camping thing that he’s looking into purchasing an RV! Wow. I could definitely get used to this…

One of those days…

2009-06-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

Do you ever just have one of those days? My mom used to read me this book called Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day when I was a kid, and every once in a while karma takes a turn and I feel just like little Alexander.

My version would read: I went to sleep too late and therefore I overslept and when I got out of bed I banged my elbow and by mistake I dropped my water bottle on the floor and spilled everywhere and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

The first few minutes of my day actually weren’t all that uncommon, but it just got progressively worse from there. First I struggled through boot camp with a very upset stomach. Then I spent too long in the shower and ended up having to run for the bus. It’s never a good day when you start out by sprinting down a busy street in high heels after a metro bus.

On the way to work, I realized I had left my flat iron on, but it was too late to get off the Express bus and go back. So once I got downtown I had to borrow a co-worker’s car, turn around, and head home to turn it off. On the way, I realized I had forgotten my cell phone and a bottle of lotion had exploded inside my purse onto my iPod and camera. Once I arrived home again, I found said flat iron already unplugged.

Back at work, I checked my account and saw that the bank had erred once again. In addition, I called to see why my new debit card (replacement due to fraud) had not arrived for more than 10 days, and was told the idiot at customer service never ordered one for me.

I think I may need to resolve to move to Australia, like Alexander. I guess it’s just one of those days…

People are so weird.

2009-06-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

I think riding in an elevator with a bunch of strangers is one of the more uncomfortable situations in life. Every morning, I ride up to my office in one of these crowded little boxes with six or more people who awkwardly sniff, cough, scroll through Blackberry messages or sip their coffee while staring expectantly at the doors, willing them to open. No one makes eye contact or says good morning. And at each floor people squish and squirm to the sides in order to let others off on their respective floors without accidentally bumping into one another. I’d venture to say it’s the worst part of my day.

But this afternoon really took the cake. The experience actually didn’t make me all that uncomfortable, just mildly curious. Human behavior is quite bizarre sometimes. Although my morning elevator ride is definitely mildly unpleasant, the actions of those morning commuters seems pretty typical. People seem ill at ease and disinclined to chit chat, but are generally polite when circumstances do sometimes warrant interaction.

Today, as I waited in the downstairs elevator lobby I said my usual little prayer to the vertical transportation gods that no one else would come into the hallway, and I would get a solitary, express ride to the top. No such luck. I was joined by another woman waiting for the same elevator, which arrived momentarily. With a ping, the doors started to open and we both stepped forward. Just then a tall, gangly man literally shoved his way in front of us as if sprinting to the finish line of some race I didn’t know I had entered.

Then, as the woman and I walked into the cab, he proceeded to stand directly in front of the panel and furiously press the “close doors” button over and over again. Um… okay. For the next 27 floors he stood directly facing the side wall of the elevator, as close as he could get, nose almost touching. The other woman and I exchanged sidelong glances. When we arrived at my floor, the man immediately began pressing the “open doors” button repeatedly. I took a step forward to exit the elevator, and once one foot was over the threshold, I heard him begin to beat on the “close doors” button again, as fast as he could.

Sheesh! Either this guy was really in a hurry or he has some kind of problem. My guess is the latter, judging from his weird stare-at-the-wall behavior. I definitely wouldn’t like to get stuck in an elevator with him.

People are so weird.

Do you have any crazy elevator stories?

I just can't help myself...

2009-06-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

I think it’s probably a huge faux pas to talk about television shows on a blog, but I just have to take a second and vent about a couple that are on my radar right now.

Jon & Kate Plus Eight

I’m just so sad for their poor kids. Although they would have inevitably been screwed up after living most of their formative years on television, now they come from a broken home, too. Not like Jon and Kate’s divorce announcement on Monday night’s show came as any big shocker.

I dislike kids in general, so it’s surprising that I’ve been addicted to this show since almost the beginning. For some reason it just fascinated me. I always thought Kate was super harsh and horribly degrading to her husband on the show, but in recent weeks I’ve started to feel sorry for her. I think she made the mistake that women often make… they fall in love and get married too young. In many cases like these, a few years pass and one or both parties realize just how much they might have “missed out on.” But in this situation, Jon unfortunately realized his mistake after he had already had a litter of kids.

I suppose it might be better for Jon and Kate to split as opposed to constantly fighting in front of their children, but I really am sad for the whole family and how this will ultimately affect them. And I was shocked to read this morning that Jon's reported girlfriend, 23-year-old Deanna Hummel, is expected to join the show next season! Wow. I just have a bad feeling that the Gosselin kids are going to be even more screwed up than child stars like Lindsay Lohan and the Olsen twins… and that’s saying something.

The Bachelorette

Every season, I swear that I’m not going to watch this show anymore. And every season, I get sucked back in. Damn it.

This week’s episode really sealed the deal for me though. I had high hopes for Jillian after finding her completely adorable on the last Bachelor, but as of right now I think she might be dumber than a box of rocks. She has let some really great guys go! And she’s keeping around this Wes character for reasons I can’t even fathom… he’s not even remotely attractive and clearly is only on the show to promote his band. I mean come on, clips from next week show him taking her on a hometown date to a concert featuring his own band! And she, of course, finds this ridiculously romantic.

I think the only reason why I will continue watching is because of the foreshadowing clips featuring gorgeous Jake (in his pilot’s uniform – swoon!) marching back onto the show, apparently to call out Wes for his ill intentions. However, other previews clearly showed Wes on an overnight date with Jill, so it seems obvious that Jake’s efforts will ultimately fail. But at least we get to see his pretty face one more time.

And what is with the foreshadowing of someone not being able to get it up?! Weird! I can’t wait to find out if that’s actually what Chris Harrison is alluding to in clips of his future interviews with Jillian. If so, too funny!

Phew. I feel much better having vented. Thanks for listening. Anyone else have opinions?

Drop and give me twenty!

2009-06-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I survived my first week of Boot Camp… barely. So far I’ve learned that if you’ve basically never exercised a day in your life, an intense one-hour workout for five days in a row makes your body feel like you’ve been in a severe car accident… without a seat belt on.

By Wednesday, I pretty much needed a walker. It’s not that I didn’t expect it to be hard. I just don’t think I realized how actually out of shape I am. There are 60 women in my class, and I can only manage to stay ahead of about six of them. Some of these women outrank me by about 20 years and at least as many pounds.

Almost two thirds of the class chose the three days per week option, but I decided to really commit and attend five days a week. And trust me – I can definitely use the extra workouts. On Wednesday it took me more than an hour to complete a 3.5 mile hike. On Friday I learned that I can’t even run a mile without stopping, and I can only do 16 pushups in one minute… and they were the girly on-your-knees kind.

Normally, I would be humiliated enough to quit, but the group is actually amazingly encouraging and supportive. In addition, my sister and cousin are also in the class with me to provide extra enthusiasm. And I definitely need it.

So far, I don’t feel like I’m getting any faster or stronger… just more sore as each day passes. And I’m definitely wondering how long it will take to see results. Because I’m one of those people with the mindset of, “I worked really hard this week, I should see results!” And when I don’t get immediate gratification, I get discouraged and quit. But the good thing about Boot Camp is that there’s no quitting… at least not for another three weeks.

I’ve actually had no problems waking up at 5am each day, but I’ve also had to commit to no weekday drinking and a 10pm bedtime. Something probably not surprising to those who exercise is the fact that I am STARVING… all the time. The half granola bar I eat before Boot Camp seems to jumpstart my metabolism and I have to eat a full meal every four hours thereafter in order to keep from passing out. I am definitely not used to this – I normally eat my first meal of the day around 2pm.

So to sum up: I’m exhausted, but still alive optimistic for the results!

Putt Out or Get Out.

2009-06-19T18:24:00.000-07:00

I’ve definitely been on some pretty awesome Drinks on the Links teams before, but I think this year’s gets a hole in one. I’ve teamed up with some of my old co-workers to form Totes Bonaire (team name courtesy of an office inside joke far too long to explain here).

We figured that something as ridiculous as a drinking mini golf league required some equally ridiculous uniforms. Luckily, our team includes several graphic designers, so creating branded team t-shirts was no problem. Being girly-girls, we also obviously had to get matching socks. Voilà, Totes Bonaire was born.

I can’t think of a better way to spend a lovely spring evening than playing miniature golf in the sunshine with my girlfriends… of course while occasionally visiting the bar conveniently located on the course for refreshments. Except for a minor verbal brawl with the Dirty Hippies playing behind us and a team member having one too many and falling into the water feature, I’d say we did well overall.

We ranked 11th overall BUT we were given the Team Spirit award for the evening. I’m so excited for the rest of the season… Girl’s Night has definitely reached a whole new level!

RIP Simba

2009-06-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

You really know you’re getting old when your childhood pets start to die.

My mom called me last night to report that one of the cats we’ve had since I was in elementary school finally decided to go to kitty heaven. Her name was Simba, but we mostly called her Orange Kitty. She was part of my cat Tigger’s second litter, which means she was probably about 15 or 16 years old. So no big surprise that she finally just went to sleep and never woke up. Poor kitty.

She had a foul personality – skittish and unfriendly from the start. To be honest I never paid much attention to her, but she was always around, a constant sidekick to her sister, Kitsa. I have never once went back to my parent’s house since moving out almost 10 years ago without saying, “Hi kitties!” and giving them a quick pat. I don’t have a single memory that doesn’t include those lazy cats, asleep by the fireplace.

Simba and Kitsa have been two peas in a pod since they were born, and now I’m really worried that poor Kitsa will be the next to go. It’s kind of dumb, but I feel like with the death of my longtime pet, I really have to start letting go of my childhood… and it makes me sad.

I’ll miss you, Orange Kitty! Nasty temperament and all.

Baby Fever

2009-06-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I had dinner with some old college friends. Three of the women at the table were pregnant. They are my age. Last week, I went to two baby showers. They are my age. One of my best friends from high school is due on Friday. She is my age.

And all I can think is… Dear God, I hope it’s not catching!!

Sometimes I wonder if I will ever be ready to be a parent. The entire concept just fills me with dread and anxiety. And as all my friends seem to be entering this stage in their lives, I can't help but wonder if I've somehow missed the boat. Or if there is some magic age or occasion that will eventually fill me with the instinct to pro-create.

But I’d be willing to bet my bottom dollar that it won’t be coming any time soon. Although I am filled with joy for all the wonderful women I know who will soon be greeting their little bundles of joy. Congrats ladies!

Swift Walkers For A Swift Cure

2009-06-08T20:59:00.000-07:00

One in three people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. I’ve already lost two family members, and have several others currently battling this awful disease. The statistics are completely overwhelming, but for some reason I still feel really determined to make a difference in some small way. Which is why last year my sister and I started a team with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life: Swift Walkers For A Swift Cure, in honor of our Granddad, John D. Swift. This year we were back in full effect, raising money to support cancer research. In return, our team walked for 24 hours in honor of those we have lost.

Although we didn’t earn as much as last year, we were able to contribute $3,638 toward the almost $93,000 raised at the Green Lake Relay this year. Our team placed fifth for overall fundraising. And as usual, we had a great time at the overnight event. There’s just nothing like some good quality family time.

And there’s still time! You can visit my personal page and make a donation to support me… Every dollar counts toward eliminating cancer and I would really appreciate it!

Here are some pictures of this year's Relay to inspire you:

That’s Hot

2009-06-06T13:51:00.000-07:00

Firefighting is one of the few professions that has worked to put itself out of business. Fire safety education, updated building codes, sprinkler systems and smoke alarms all make the likelihood of an extreme structure fire much more rare than, say, 20 years ago. Most of the calls a modern day firefighter will respond to are emergency medical situations.

So it’s no surprise that Stewart has been working shifts for months now but still hasn’t gotten a “real” fire (apparently small stuff like car and brush fires doesn’t count). Sick of going to drug overdose calls, suicide attempts, and making countless trips to the old folks home (they fall down a lot), Stew has been itching to actually fight a fire. And he finally got his chance!!

His department got to battle a HUGE fire that broke out Thursday afternoon in a garage, quickly spreading to adjacent homes. He called immediately afterward to tell me about it and I was oh-so-proud of him!

I’m so glad that his “first time” is finally over with so he can stop stressing and wondering what it will be like. Of course he absolutely loved it and can’t wait to do it again. As for me, I am now the girlfriend of a bona fide firefighter, which means I get to constantly worry that something might happen to him.

Not that I would trade it for anything in the world.

Legally Done

2009-06-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

“I’m a Paralegal,” I said smugly to my boyfriend last night.

“No you’re not babe,” he replied. “You’re just qualified to be a Paralegal. But congratulations!”

Well, fine. Way to call me out.

But I am officially finished with the University of Washington Paralegal Program! I feel amazingly accomplished. Let me tell you, working full time and attending night school for nine months was BRUTAL. But I absolutely loved the program and put more effort into it than I put into 95% of my undergraduate work.

Now for the next step. Normally, it’s expected that graduates of the program will begin applying for jobs in the legal field. However, I absolutely love my job. So the prospect of leaving it in a recessed economy to become a “new hire / low man on the totem pole / next prospective layoff” doesn’t sound super appealing.

But after being immersed in law classes for so long, I’ve become completely obsessed. So since I am not going to pursue employment opportunities, I decided to sign up for an LSAT prep course. I figure why not. I take the test and score well; I apply to law school. I take the test and fail; I don’t.

So that’s my plan for the immediate future. Whatcha think?

Go Big or Go Home

2009-05-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

There’s nothing like having someone pinch the fat on your arms, legs and stomach, and then having them tell you exactly how out of shape you actually are. That’s how I started my Saturday this week.

I’ve been thinking for a while now that I really need to get in gear and get in shape. I generally go the easy route and prefer to simply not eat rather than drag my lazy butt into the gym. But this idea came to a screeching halt when my 50-year-old dad who does not exercise totally killed me on a very easy day hike. Not cool.

But I know myself. I’m lazy and unmotivated and even if I go to the gym I don’t push myself and constantly come up with excuses. So I gave myself a shove: I signed up for Seattle Adventure Boot Camp. It’s a four-week, women-only outdoor fitness program with a Certified Fitness Trainer… from 5:30 to 6:30am, Monday through Friday. Am I crazy?!?

Part of the program includes attending a pre-camp evaluation to determine weight, measurements, and body fat percentage. Let me tell you… seeing those numbers in accusatory black and white was a very humbling experience. So off I went to purchase my yoga matt and weights in preparation for the torture looming ahead.

Although terrified, I’m really looking forward to the promised results:

3-5% reduction in body fat
Greatly improved posture
Better relaxation
5-12 pounds of weight loss
1-3 inch decrease in the midsection
25% improvement in endurance & strength

I would sooner die than post the results of my pre-camp fitness evaluation here, but I’ll definitely report back with results at the end of Boot Camp. If I survive...

Sunland = Funland: A Look Back

2009-05-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

Do you ever look back and wonder, “What was I thinking?!”

I recently had an epiphany. For the past few years I’ve spent the majority of my holiday weekends at various campgrounds and cabins at the Columbia River Gorge. And if it weren’t for a very extensive photo collection, I doubt I would remember many of those glorious days spent in the sun. Because most of the time, I was pretty out of it.

I was “single and fabulous,” which apparently meant that my unattached girlfriends and I spent our vacations drinking as much as possible. Oh the stories I could tell. But my embarrassment makes me hesitate to even add links to previous blog posts about said weekends. Let’s just say I was often “that girl.” The one who everyone thinks is super fun and exciting. The one who drinks until dawn. The one at the center of the dance party. The one who takes her top off. The one who falls off the boat. The one who makes friends with absolute strangers. The one who makes everyone laugh.

The one who is alone.

That’s what I realized this past weekend. Once again, I headed to Eastern Washington for a sunny vacation with friends. Since I’ve been with my boyfriend for the past few years, my prior holiday weekend behaviors have seriously calmed down. However, we still have loads of fun eating, drinking, boating and sunbathing in Eastern Washington – would it be possible not to?

Because of Stewart’s firefighting schedule, he wasn’t able to head over with me on Friday afternoon, so I went solo with some friends. Stew was planning on joining us Sunday morning. So for two days, I kicked back with my friends for some Sunland = Funland. But I quickly realized… I was lonely. All of the sudden I felt like “that girl” again. The one everyone loves hanging out with... but secretly feels sorry for when they head to bed with their significant other at the end of the night.

I started to wonder… Did I behave the way I did because I was lonely? Did I drink myself into oblivion so the reality of being single didn’t seem so harsh? Maybe. I did have some amazing times with some fantastic friends, and the memories are priceless. But now that my circumstances have changed and I have a chance to look back, I see a silly, superficial, insecure, very lonely girl who needed to be the center of attention because that was the only attention she got. And it makes me sad for her.

And thankful for my life… now. I have wonderful friends and an amazing boyfriend that I still get to spend my holiday weekends with. I still love to party, but now I don’t do it because it fills a void in my life. I don't feel lost and alone, instead I feel fulfilled and grateful. I adore all the incredible people in my life, and am thankful that I once again enjoyed a fantastic Memorial Day Weekend at the Gorge. Here’s to many more to come!!

Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me!

2009-05-20T22:25:00.000-07:00

I am so ridiculously, incredibly lucky to have such wonderful friends. And some of them come with an added bonus… ski boats. I look forward to boating season all winter long, and now that it’s upon us, I am once again reminded of my good fortune.

When I was a kid we didn’t have the boating luxuries a lot of my friends got to enjoy. Apart from pulling crab pots on the Hood Canal in my grandpa’s fishing boat, my water sport activities were somewhat lacking. If I was able to snag an invitation to a lake house party once or twice, it was a really good summer. I had a couple of thrilling inner tube rides and attempted water skiing one August at my cousins’ lake house, but other than that I spent hot summer days at the public beach jumping off the dock.

The tides have finally turned. Somehow, both Stewart and I each ended up with very good friends who in the past couple years purchased huge, shiny ski boats complete with towers, speakers, and every other kind of boating luxury you can imagine. And we always get a VIP invite whenever our friends have a day of boating planned. So for the past few summers I’ve spent my weekends on various Washington lakes basking in the sunshine feeling exceptionally superior to my 12-year-old self.

This past weekend was my maiden voyage of the season with Tara and Winston. Although Lake Washington was FAR too cold to attempt any water sports, we had a wonderfully day lounging in the boat while drinking, eating and talking. Dreamy. I can’t think of anywhere else I would rather be than in a boat. I should have been a pirate.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

2009-05-19T22:04:00.000-07:00

I’ve definitely developed a substantial crush on my new neighborhood, but it wasn’t until this past weekend that I knew I was really in love. I arrived home late on Sunday afternoon to find that my bus had been re-routed. As I walked the extra few blocks home, it took me a few distracted moments to notice the groups of brightly dressed people crowding the sidewalks surrounding my building. Streets were blocked off by police vehicles and children waving flags and balloon animals darted between the legs of laughing adults squinting in the sunshine.

What the heck was going on?! Had the perfect weather simply brought the local Ballardites out of winter hibernation? A quick internet check revealed the truth: May 17th signifies Syttende Mai, a celebration of the day in 1814 when Norway’s constitution was signed. Ballard is, historically, a Norwegian community, and the whole neighborhood had come out of the woodwork to celebrate. Fun!

Just then, I heard the crash of a band striking up. A parade! On my street! I immediately poured myself a cool drink and parked myself in a chair on my patio with my bare feet up on the railing, feeling just a little bit superior to all the people parked in lawn chairs on the sidewalk below. For the next hour I took in beautiful costumes, a restored Viking ship, marching bands, horses, adorable children, and traditional Norwegian costumes.

If this is any indication of how my summer is going to pan out, I’m completely satisfied with my new home.

Festival Junkie

2009-05-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

Arts and crafts… music and performances… FOOD and BOOZE! Ladies and Gentlemen, we are officially entering my absolute favorite time of year… It’s festival season in Seattle!!

There is absolutely nothing more fabulous than jamming my calendar with festivals filled with food, friends and fun! And lucky for me, my friend Sheena (also a festival junkie) now lives just a few miles away. I can already envision a summer of festival hopping…

And the festivities have already begun! We started out with Hop Scotch, Seattle’s Spring Beer & Scotch Festival, which was conveniently located within walking distance of Sheena’s house. Located indoors at Fremont Studios, it was the perfect place to spend a Friday evening. Although wine, scotch and tequila were also available for tasting, we stuck to trying as many of the 50 seasonal beers available as possible.
Our next adventure was the Seattle Cheese Festival at Pike Place Market. I am an absolute junkie when it comes to cheese so this was basically my dream come true. Sheena and I hopped on a bus downtown and immediately began to taste test as many delectable cheeses as humanly possible. Dreamy. I really can’t think of anything better than wandering around a busy market in the sunshine while nibbling bits of cheese. Yum!

After sufficiently stuffing ourselves with free samples, we spent some time in the wine and beer garden sipping on an assortment of chilled white wines and champagnes. Of course this dairy overload combined with alcohol caused me to spend the rest of the afternoon asleep on my couch, but it was well worth it.

I’ve already sent out a list to my friends outlining the various festivals I plan on attending this summer… Oh, my dear Seattle, after a long hard winter, you have finally decided to make it up to me.

My How The Times Have Changed...

2009-05-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

For Mother’s Day, my sister and I decided to take my parents on a weekend getaway. We chose Port Townsend, an adorable little tourist town on the Olympic Peninsula. Founded in 1851, Port Townsend has less than 9,000 residents and prides itself on its historical charm, maritime heritage, and beautiful natural setting.

My family has spent countless vacations in this tiny little city, mostly because we own a fair amount of property on the north shore, just a block from the beach (my grandpa was actually born on the land). In addition, we feel connected to this adorable little haven because my grandma spent several years here during World War II, when Port Townsend was home to Fort Worden, a U.S. Army installation located on a high bluff overlooking the Puget Sound (to prevent any invasion attempt by sea). My great-grandfather was an officer stationed at Fort Worden, and my grandma and her family lived on base in the early 1940s.

Now, Fort Worden State Park has become a tourist destination filled with artillery museums and an extensive system of large, abandoned bunkers available for exploration. As a little kid, it was like we had died and gone to heaven. Almost every summer my parents, grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins would book at least one long weekend in Port Townsend.

We would spend an entire day shopping in historic downtown, another day exploring museums and historical spots, evenings swimming in the hotel pool, and countless afternoons at the beach. But the most fun was packing up flashlights, headlamps and glow sticks to explore the depths of the abandoned bunkers. Some of my favorite childhood memories include running through cold, dark, cement tunnels screaming at the top of my lungs, trying not to get hit by a water balloon or grabbed from behind in a thrilling moment of terror. God, kids are easy to entertain.

Before this past weekend, I hadn’t been back to Port Townsend in years. College and life just got in the way, I guess. So Mother’s Day seemed like a great opportunity to reclaim some family time in a place filled to the brim with memories. My, how the times have changed. Although Port Townsend is still the same adorable tourist town I remember, it seems to have… shrunk. The sprawling downtown that took a day to explore each and every shop is, in reality, only about three blocks long. It took us about an hour to wander through and take in the mountains of arts, crafts and other bits of hippie junk that are fun to look at, but that you would never actually purchase.

Since we had decided to stay in the historic Waterstreet Hotel downtown, there was no pool or hot tub to lounge in, so instead we spent the evening having dinner and drinks in the tavern below.

The next day, we went hiking along the coastal bluffs. The abandoned stone bunkers were still very cool and interesting, but I no longer had the urge to run through them screeching to see how long it would echo. The inside was dark, dank and scary, and it all smelled just a little bit like urine. I preferred to stay up top and check out the breathtaking views.
I did have a wonderful time spending a few hours on the beach doing… nothing. We sat around, walked the edge of the surf looking for shells and sea glass, and skipped rocks on the waves. Life seemed very… simple and slow. Which was definitely appealing for a weekend away with my family. But by Sunday I was definitely ready to get back to the hustle and bustle of the Big City. So Happy Mother’s Day, Mom… and thanks for all the great memories.

All She Wants To Do Is… DANCE

2009-05-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

I don’t remember my senior prom being anything particularly spectacular. As part of the Leadership class at school I was a member of the committee who planned the whole thing and spent the morning of the big day decorating, so I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised that I wasn’t extremely excited for the big night. It was remarkably uneventful and followed the same pattern as the ten other high school dances I had attended up until that point… dinner, cheesy photos, dancing, searching for an after-party, driving around town looking for said after-party, giving up on nonexistent after-party, rushing to make it home by curfew. I do not miss being 18.

However, some people have fantastic memories of their prom-going days, and this is probably why our friend’s parents throw an annual Spring Fling… Prom for ADULTS! I’m sure this sounds nerdy and cheesy, but it’s pretty much one of my favorite annual springtime activities!
This year the dance was held in a ballroom at a beautiful local-area hotel – yay, no having to worry about a designated driver! The hotel was gorgeous, with a world-class art collection (each floor featured work by a different artist), a super modern design and breathtaking views. Although we didn’t have time to take advantage, it also boasted a spa and salon.

My friends and I definitely giggled like schoolgirls while we crammed into the hotel bathroom to fix makeup and hair. But no more paranoia about getting caught for those pre-prom shots! We headed downstairs for a delicious meal that started with a salad and dinner rolls followed by prime rib or chicken marsala, roasted red or mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus.

Oh yeah, and when you’re a grown-up, there is a BAR at the prom. We alternated between the dance floor and ordering cocktails for the next few hours before stumbling upstairs to our hotel room. No more sneaking quietly in the front door praying mom and dad aren’t waiting up!

Sure, the whole thing is a little bit silly, but it’s tradition, and I really can’t think of an excuse NOT to get dressed up for drinks, dinner and dancing with friends. Plus, this year the Spring Fling just happened to fall on my boyfriend's birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STEWART!

Do you have any favorite prom memories?

Looking Forward…

2009-05-07T22:04:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe it – I am actually done with my midterm exams! Since the flu knocked me out of commission for more than a week, I was moderately concerned about how I was going to perform, but now that I’m done I think I actually did pretty well! Phew! What a sense of relief! And now the countdown begins… only four more weeks until I am officially done with my program and I will be a certified paralegal! Where I go from there, only time will tell…

To celebrate being done with midterms, I have a super fun weekend planned! Friday night I am meeting up with a bunch of old college friends for dinner before heading to Hop Scotch, a spring beer and scotch festival in Fremont. Then, tomorrow morning, Stew and I are headed out early to catch the ferry to Port Townsend for a Mother’s Day weekend with my family. Port Townsend is an adorable little historical town on the Olympia Peninsula, and the weather forecast looks great so far so I’m really excited for a nice outdoorsy weekend in the sunshine.

I’ll be sure to post pictures next week! What does everyone else have planned for the weekend?

Just Another Wednesday Morning...

2009-05-06T21:55:00.000-07:00

This morning I went through my usual routine of hitting the snooze button about six times before finally dragging myself out of bed (late again) and into the shower. I rushed around frantically and was somehow still able to get myself out the door by 8:05 a.m. If I leave later than this, I am destined to miss the bus.

I live on the fourth floor, so as usual I hurried down the back staircase of my condo building, which lets me out on a main street sidewalk outside a coffee shop. I wasn’t in the mood to run for the bus today, so I moved hastily through the hallway at the end of the stairs and slammed on bar to open the access door.

*SMACK*

It only opened about an inch. Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod. I suddenly became vividly aware that I had inadvertently invaded upon a homeless person’s impromptu shelter for the night... and may in fact have taken his or her head off. For a second, I just stood there on the other side of the door, flooded by random emotions. Embarrassment, irritation, pity…

I wasn't sure what to do, because if I went back up two flights of stairs to the main level and then took the elevator down through the lobby, I was sure to be late for work. But I heard some rustling on the other side, so I cautiously opened the door again.

A homeless woman who was using the little alcove as a bedroom had shifted slightly to one side so I could exit the building. I pushed the door open enough so I could slide through the opening, stepped over her hunkered figure and bags of trash, mumbled an “excuse me, I’m sorry” and was on my way down the sidewalk.

I have no idea how to react to this strange encounter, and for some reason it’s really been bothering me all day. Part of me is annoyed that I was forced into such an awkward situation, but another part feels extremely guilty that I walked out of a beautiful brand new condo after a good night's sleep – while this homeless person spent the night outside on the ground.

How would you react if put in a similar situation?

A Year’s Worth of Dating – in Two Weeks

2009-04-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

[Ladies and Gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to my little sis, Erin. This is my first experience with “guest blogging,” but I decided to give it a try because Erin has a story that’s just WAY too good not to share with the world. If you’d like to learn how you, too, can cram a year’s worth of dating into a mere 14 days, read on…]

“I sit there and I look back and I’m like: I’m a smart person. What the hell was I thinking?” (Britney Spears)

Picture this: It’s midnight on a Thursday night and I’m at a dive bar on Capitol Hill drinking PBR with about 10 of my coworkers. I work two jobs, so I’m coming off a 14 hour day and am dressed in my usual work uniform of jeans, t-shirt, messy ponytail and chucks that are coming apart at the seams. Having recently ended a 3+ year relationship, my sole intent is to drink a couple of beers and tell some dirty jokes with my loud, rowdy coworkers. And maybe get a bagel dog from the hot dog vendor outside afterward if I’m feeling particularly feisty.

Imagine my surprise when a man comes approaches me and asks me if my boyfriend is there. A confused head shake begs the question “Do you have a boyfriend?” When I shake my head ‘no’ again, he says, “Well, I just want to tell you that I think you’re absolutely beautiful.” He then walks away. About ten minutes later, as he’s leaving, he hands me a slip of paper with his name, phone number and “call me!” written on it. Hands it to me without a word and walks out. Pretty effing smooth, right? Even a girl like me, who normally loathes getting hit on at bars and makes a concerted effort to ooze hostility, couldn’t help but be impressed.

Let the record show that I made an effort to vet this guy out before I agreed to a first date. We talked on the phone several times, and the only red flag I got was that he called me twice within the span of two hours, which is overkill. Red flag #1. I decided to let it slide because hey, he’s probably just excited, right?! I work in mental health and normally consider myself a fairly good judge of character, so I was willing to let his overeager attitude slide. Especially after I found out that he was a firefighter. Hot hot HOT.

The first date was fantastic. I made sure to get there early so I could be seated when he got there, since I didn’t remember what he looked like. When he walked in the door, my stomach leapt into my throat. Thankyouthankyou sweet baby 8 pound Jesus! He’s a little short, 5’9” to my 5’7”, but he’s damn cute. We end up barely touching our food because we’re talking nonstop, and the waitress is sweeping the floor by the time we leave. The Firefighter strikes me as very open, honest, direct, and with a strong sense of who he is and what he wants out of life. We swap stories, talk about hopes and dreams, and he asks me nonstop questions about myself. I feel simultaneously comfortable and elated.

As we’re walking out of the restaurant, he holds the door open for me and then holds my hand, and then asks if he can kiss me. When I blush (and I am NOT a blusher) and say yes, we have an amazing first kiss right there on the sidewalk.

I’m smitten.

I’m in deep smit.

We go on to see each other every night for the next week. We both have crazy workaholic schedules, so it’s usually late at night by the time we get together. We talk, kiss, talk and kiss some more. He brings me mango sorbet, my favorite. I gush about him to friends and family. He smells good. He’s incredibly into me. Oh, swoon.

Red flag #2: This man is not 5’9”, as he claims. I was wearing heels the first night, but once I stood with him barefoot it immediately became apparent that he is more like 5’6 and a half, to my 5’7”. My last boyfriend was 6’6” so this does not make me happy. It’s also weird to lie about your height. But whatever. I can suck it up.

On Day 6 he invites me out to his house. He’s trying to save money to buy a house of his own, so he’s recently moved into a studio on his parents’ property. As a financially struggling twentysomething myself, I can appreciate the logic. I cannot, however, find the bathroom in this so-called studio. Because there isn’t one. It’s a room in his parents’ garage, and when he wants to pee or fry an egg he has to go inside his parents house. Thank GOD I didn’t have to pee, right?! I did, however, almost pee my pants when he said “I think I’m falling in love with you,” on day 6. He went on to say “Do you love me?” a few minutes later.

The next week revealed a laundry list of issues: he has OCD and ADHD, and PTSD after 18 months in Iraq. Went off his OCD medication less than a month ago. Former steroid use and a misdemeanor for burglary. Cheated on his pregnant fiancée of 6 years. Hot damn. I should have run for the hills right then and there. However, when you factor in the sunset picnic on the beach, what’s a girl to do? Everyone has flaws, myself especially, and who am I to judge? I remain cautiously optimistic, especially since he’s so straightforward about his issues.

On a Friday night, two weeks after meeting The Firefighter, I invite him to join me and about 20 of my coworkers at a bar for a going-away party for one of our friends. We’re normally a pretty raucous bunch, and I’ll be honest, we were trashed by the time he got there. Silly, loud, drunk. There are some hilarious pictures of The Firefighter trying to get career advice from my coworker as he clearly struggles to maintain focus. I’m 25, I have a stressful job, and sometimes I get drunk at the bar with my friends. I make no apologies for this fact.

That weekend is Easter weekend, so I go home to our parents’ house in Olympia. I leave a message for The Firefighter that morning, which goes to the effect of, “Man, I was drunk last night, ha ha! You should call me. Happy Easter.” Later that night I get a voicemail, in which he says “I just can’t do this anymore” a total of 3 times, then says “Peace” and then hangs up.

WTF?!? Good God, was I drunker than I thought? What did I do? Am I crazy? What the eff just happened? Did I just get dumped on a voicemail? Because that’s barely, just barely, a step up from getting dumped on a post-it note, Carrie Bradshaw style.

The Firefighter never did return my call, or explain just exactly what it was that he “just couldn’t do anymore.” After 3 days, the statute of limitations on explanations for asshole behavior had expired and I decided to move on. On a whim, however, I decide to go on craigslist. Did I mention that he had posted a craigslist ad prior to meeting me? Red flag #87.

Imagine my surprise when I find that he has RE-POSTED his craigslist ad a mere TWO DAYS after breaking up with me on a voicemail! From “I love you” to “I’m looking for a lady who likes to take care of her man” in 48 hours.

And that, my friends, is how you cram a year’s worth of dating into a mere two weeks.

This Little Piggy…

2009-04-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

I’m by no means back to the land of the living, but I thought I should probably give a brief update to let the world know that I’m still alive.

I do not have the Swine Flu. I do, however, have a pretty serious case of the good ol’ fashioned regular flu, and I haven’t really been vertical since last Sunday.

Of course, when I called my doctor on Tuesday, I stupidly told them that my friends and I have been passing around what we’ve named the “Death Sickness” ever since my friend came back from a cruise to Mexico with what seemed to be an extreme case of the flu that lasted for more than two months. My boyfriend has had it for four and a half weeks, and now I’ve inevitably come down with it as well.

Note to self: Don’t tell your doctor that you got sick from your friend who went to Mexico when the media is freaking out about a flu pandemic that apparently started in… Mexico. They’ll refuse to see you and send you straight to the Emergency Room. Which is where I spent Tuesday morning, getting tested for the Swine Flu. My boyfriend oinked at me the whole car ride there. Reeeeaaaal funny.

Oh and the Swine Flu test? They stick a giant Q-tip all the way up your nose until it feels like it hits your brain, then swish it around a bit for good measure. Not fun. But like I said, the test came back negative and I don’t have the Swine Flu. But I’m still completely miserable. I hope I’ll be back to the real world soon… wish me luck!

Just Beat It

2009-04-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

My parents celebrated 30 years of marriage this week, which is truly commendable in my opinion. Recently, my sister and I were reminiscing about the good ol’ days growing up… the time I broke her finger, the time she pulled out a huge clump of my hair, the time we aimed bug spray directly at our little brother’s face and subsequently had to call poison control. Yeah…

My sister also remembered a time she was a little less-than-thrilled about the fact that my dad was trying to lecture her, so in response she proceeded to laugh directly in his face. My opinion: “Wow, if you were my child I would have backhanded you so fast it would have made your head spin.”

Thus stemmed another debate, this time regarding the corporeal punishment of children.

My sister believes that under no circumstances should you physically discipline a child. In fact, she says it is completely illegal. She thinks physical discipline is humiliating and confusing, and does not result in any positive outcome, such as the child learning his or her lesson and not repeating the bad behavior. Me? I say spank away!

It’s no secret that I’m not a big fan of kids. I’ve said on many occasions (joking… mostly) that many of the world’s problems could be solved by putting shock collars on all of the little buggers. Throwing a fit in public because you wanted the green lollypop, not blue? TZZZZZZ!!! Having a tantrum because standing still while mommy pays for groceries is too boring? TZZZZZZ!!! Kicking and screaming because you want soda and not milk? TZZZZZZ!!! But I digress…

In all seriousness though, I’ve never even given it a second thought that I would most likely spank and/or slap my (future) children when it became necessary as a disciplinary tool. Both happened in our family when we were kids (albeit, not often), and we all turned out just fine.

Ironically, last night in my Criminal Law class we touched on this exact subject, and I learned (neener, neener, neener!) that my sister is incorrect: you ARE legally allowed to hit your children (at least in Washington state). According to RCW 9A.16.100 which addresses the use of force on children, physical discipline of a child is not unlawful when it is inflicted by a parent, teacher, or guardian for purposes of restraining or correcting the child. The force just has to be "reasonable and moderate," which means it can’t cause bodily harm greater than transient pain or minor temporary marks. Sounds about right to me.

OF COURSE I would never justify beating a child, but I am curious… what is the general consensus regarding physical discipline of children, i.e. spanking, etc.?

To spank or not to spank, that is the question…

Twitterpated

2009-04-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

According to Friend Owl, nearly everybody gets Twitterpated in the springtime. Well, to quote Thumper… “It’s not gonna happen to me!”

Yes friends, at the risk of losing followers, I am here to stand up and say, “Hi, my name is Sarah and I refuse to Twitter.”

I’m sorry if this offends anyone, but I find the whole Twitter phenomenon just a little bit ridiculous. I know I will probably be shunned from the blogging community for saying this, because so many claim it to be such a great networking tool. But still, I feel the need to justify my reasoning.

A few months ago I decided to stop updating my Facebook status, because I felt like it was pretty self-absorbed to believe all my friends were interested in knowing about each and every time I enjoyed the sunshine, had a cup of coffee, or got spit on by a homeless person on the bus. I just felt creepy about informing the entire world what I was doing every 10 minutes of the day. It seemed a bit excessive and besides, who has time for that? I would rather spend my very limited and valuable free time communicating in person with my actual flesh-and-blood friends.

Personally, I blog because I love to write. And I am happy to share that writing with others and receive feedback. But I don’t understand the fascination with Twitter… It’s just like blogging more frequently, except obviously 140 characters doesn’t give someone enough room to write anything of substance. So in my opinion, Twitter is just another outlet for meaningless ramblings and tacky gossip.

I have a good friend who says the appeal of Twitter is that it’s loaded with people who don’t communicate otherwise. For example, celebrities and musicians who would never blog, but have time to update something simple like Twitter (even though I think most of those accounts are fake and/or managed by personal assistants). My friend is also attracted to Twitter because he feels it frees people to communicate and “tweet” at each other constantly, whereas by comparison people hardly ever comment on one another’s blogs. You can read more of his thoughts on Twitter here.

He also notes that there’s a certain amount of guilt attached with blogging. How many times have you read, “Sorry I haven’t written in so long, but…” on a blog? There’s some kind of unspoken rule that blogs have to be deeply introspective or profound. The need to please your audience creates tremendous pressure in the blogging world, but with Twitter’s character limit, it’s perfectly acceptable to sum up your life in just a quick phrase.

But Twitter seems to have become a real addition. I’ve had drinks with friends before who aren’t even paying attention because they are too busy on their iPhones, updating their status on Twitter. Seriously? It’s more important to tweet to the rest of the world that you’re “having a great time at happy hour” than to actually enjoy being at happy hour?

It’s just not for me. As much as I adore all of my friends, I don’t need to follow their every move… it just seems weirdly voyeuristic to me. I’m constantly scrambling because there are not enough hours in the day, and I already waste enough time on the internet. The last thing I need is another web addiction.

"Tweet-tweet, tweet-tweet! Tweet-tweet, tweet-tweet!" says Friend Owl. “Hm! Pain in the pinfeathers, I call it!”

All this being said, I am not unaware of all the publicity Twitter is getting. So please, I’d welcome some feedback from all you Tweeters out there!

It puts the lotion in the basket or it gets the hose again.

2009-04-21T07:02:00.000-07:00

Because I live in a tiny corner of the world that doesn’t see the sun for 10 months out of the year, fake ’n’ bake tanning has become quite popular in Seattle. It’s definitely one of my guilty indulgences. A couple years ago Desert Sun tanning salons started popping up in every neighborhood throughout the city, and of course I was suckered into one of their introductory tanning packages. I’ve been hooked ever since. I just can’t resist those stress-free minutes of basking in glorious rays.

So last night after work I stopped in at Desert Sun for my weekly fix. I find that the main problem with tanning salons is that they’re constantly trying to up-sell you. I can never just come in and use one of the tans I’ve already paid for. I have to sit and let them explain how much better the “super” beds are than the “medium” beds, and for just $20 I could upgrade right now. (That’s for one session).

But I’ve found that the main thing the over-eager orange counter girls try to sell is tanning lotion. Sure, I’m as much of a lotion fan as the next person… I have it in my bathroom, on my desk at work, in my purse, in my car, etc. But the lotion at the tanning salon, supposedly full of miracle tan enhancing chemicals that make your tan last 100 times longer, runs about $60 a bottle, on average. Wow, for the price of this stuff it better have flecks of gold floating in it. I’m sorry, but there is absolutely no way that I can justify spending that much money on LOTION.

Regardless, when I went in last night I got the usual hard sell, and this time they even tried to entice me with a free sample: A tiny plastic condiment container with a little blop of brownish goo at the bottom (normal cost: $3). However, since they made it complimentary, I was willing to try it out. I headed in and slathered myself with the sweet smelling lotion and proceeded with my tanning session. 12 minutes later I got out, reeking of the usual burnt flesh smell – now with a touch of coconut.

Standing in front of my bathroom mirror this morning when I got out of the shower, I definitely looked a little more bronzed, but not more than usual. However, my fingernails are now stained a light shade of orange from the miracle lotion. Honestly, I think the whole thing is a scam. Sure, maybe the lotion helps enhance your tan… because it stains your skin orange!

So at this point, I’m thinking there’s a lot of other stuff I would rather spend $60 on than a bottle of “miracle” lotion. I think I’d rather just stick with my drugstore brand, $6 per bottle, thankyouverymuch. Just as moisturizing for one-tenth the cost, and it doesn’t stain my nails.

But I’m curious. So many people are obsessed with tanning lotion and are willing to pay outrageous prices for it. What do you think?

My Oh My

2009-04-19T16:33:00.000-07:00

Spring has officially sprung, because this weekend I attended my first Mariners game of the season! And since the M’s are actually doing decent so far, there’s actually more of a reason to go to the game other than to drink beer and socialize. (What? That’s not why most people attend the games?)

Unfortunately, we lost 0-2 to Detroit on Saturday night, and the guys I was with almost got into a fight with some Michigan boys talking crap in the beer garden. Who knew baseball could be so violent?

Since all the people we were meeting at the game had tickets for different parts of the stadium, we spent approximately 10 minutes in our seats before heading down to the Beer Garden. We actually had a pretty decent view…

I spent the rest of the evening socializing and occasionally looking out at the field (mainly when Ken Griffey Jr. was up to bat).

Oh, I just love Springtime activities!

I had my cake and ate it, too.

2009-04-15T22:17:00.000-07:00

I do a moderate amount of event planning for my job, and I just have to take a moment to mention the most recent one. My company hosted a building opening last week and we decided to do something special with the refreshments. My boss had heard of a really unique cake company that had been featured on the Food Network. Apparently, the company can make phenomenal cakes in basically any shape you want.

So I did some research and discovered Mike’s Amazing Cakes. All I can say is wow. I was definitely amazed. Check out the web site and I’m sure you will be just as impressed as I was. I called immediately to order a cake shaped exactly like the building we were opening. When it arrived at the event, I literally couldn’t believe my eyes. It was even better than I thought it would be. Honestly, can you believe this is actually a cake?
They used architectural line drawings and aerial photographs to get every detail accurate and to scale. And the entire thing was edible. The center was mouth-watering layered vanilla cake with delicious orange filling and a white chocolate shell. We had to put little signs up around the table identifying the display as food, because people kept trying to poke at it, thinking it was simply a building model.

It was almost a shame to cut into it. Until I got a taste… Yum!

Bad Dog

2009-04-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

I’ve never claimed to be a dog lover – I’m really much more of a cat person. But a couple years ago my parents got an adorable Miniature Pinscher named Roxy. Maybe it’s because she is a small dog, or maybe it’s the simple fact that she seems to like me, but I actually found myself adoring little Roxy. I look forward to playing and cuddling with her when I visit my parents.

However, after this weekend, I’ve decided that the dog is evil. My parents haven’t necessarily given Roxy much training, and she’s super spoiled. She goes in and out of the house through a doggie door to the back yard as she pleases, and spends a lot of her time sleeping by the fireplace or in people’s laps.

She is also an escape artist. Roxy has absolutely no idea how good she has it at my parent’s house, and bolts out the front door every chance she gets. My parents have had to resort to putting electrified mats in front of the door that shock Roxy when she steps on them. But the mats sometimes get moved (when company comes over, etc.) and then they have to be super careful to hold the dog by the collar whenever the door is open.

Many, many times when I have visited my parents, Roxy has somehow escaped. Normally, when a dog gets loose it might run for a minute, but then you call it and it comes back. Right? I thought that was the whole point of dogs. They’re supposed to be smarter than cats because they are loyal and they obey their owners, correct? Not Roxy. When she escapes, she bolts like lighting down the street as fast and as far as she can. When you call her name, she runs faster… in the other direction. I’ve never seen anything like it. It takes hours of walking/driving around the neighborhood calling her name and waving treats to catch her.

This weekend, I went down to my parent’s house for Easter. Sunday morning, we all got ready to go over to my grandma’s house. Since we were taking separate cars, Stewart and I were the last to leave. I thought Roxy was in the backyard, and stupidly opened the front door to leave. The electrified mats were not in place. Suddenly, a streak of brown and black shot by my leg and Roxy was gone. You’ve got to be kidding me!

It was absolutely POURING down rain. I had just spent an hour getting ready and was wearing suede boots. My parents were long gone. And we had to catch the dog before leaving because my mom thinks Roxy is a human child and would freak out if we just left her, loose. Ironically, we caught her within 10 minutes right outside the cul-de-sac. Roxy jumped in the car door right into my lap for a waiting slice of bacon. She was soaking wet. And covered in poop, which she had apparently rolled in. I was practically in tears while Stewart sat and laughed at me. Not funny, dude.

Back at the house, I locked the evil dog in the backyard in the cold, pouring rain. I figured she deserved it. Then I marched upstairs to dry myself off and clean up. A little while later, as I picked up my bag to finally head out, I saw something out of the corner of my eye… something brown and black, which streaked across the front yard. No. NO. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! That’s right, doggie lovers. Roxy had escaped the backyard through the side gate. I wanted to cry.

We called Roxy’s name again and again, but she looked back at us, turned, and ran as fast as she could around the corner and out of sight. I was so furious I think smoke came out my ears. Stewart and I drove aimlessly through the neighborhood for a while, but there was no sign of her. Eventually, we just gave up and went back to the house to wait. As we neared the driveway, Stew slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting… Roxy. She jumped into the car again, happy as a clam to see us. I wrapped her in a towel and tried not to gag at the overwhelming smell of feces. Happy Easter, Sarah.

I do not like dogs. Officially.

Pimp Your Peep

2009-04-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

This year for Easter we held our first annual "Pimp Your Peep" contest at my grandma's house. Since it was pouring down rain, this was a nice alternative to an outdoor egg hunt. Here's a selection of the pimped out peeps...

Peep-Cock was the first place winner. (Notice the peep with lovely tail feathers... This was a play on the word "Peacock" and has nothing to do with anatomy, you pervs!) I also thought Little Bow Peep was pretty clever. Which one would you have voted for?

All Stars

2009-04-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

Since I used to rock Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars every day in the seventh grade, I was pretty excited when they started coming back in style. So a few weeks ago I picked myself up a pair. I’ve worn them a couple times (mostly on the weekends to run a quick errand or something), but never more than an hour or two at a time.

However, this Saturday I woke up, threw them on and proceeded to spend the entire day in them, including walking around Queen Anne and the Seattle Center. They were super comfy and I was totally satisfied with my purchase… I didn’t take them off until we got home at almost midnight.

The next day I got out of bed and literally fell over. My calves were so tight and sore I could barely walk!! I couldn’t figure out what was wrong at first. Then I realized… It was the first time in probably four years that I had worn flat shoes for an entire day. I always, always wear heels, even on the weekends. The most time I spend in tennis shoes is probably an hour, and that’s when I’m at the gym. And apparently, as a result, my alignment and muscles have been seriously altered.

This has got to be a problem, right? But I’m 5’3” people! I need those extra three to four inches, and I just feel so much better in heels. My posture straighter, which makes me feel thinner, and I just don’t think flats are as professional-looking for work.

But it can’t be normal to have problems walking just because you wore tennis shoes for a day… Hmmm.

Weekend Update

2009-04-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

I saw my first 3-D movie. On Saturday morning we met up with Tara & Winst to go see Under the Sea 3D in the IMAX Theater at the Pacific Science Center. Wow. I’ve never seen a 3D movie before, and it by far exceeded my expectations! I highly recommend seeing one, if you haven’t already. Under the Sea 3D features some of the most exotic and isolated undersea locations on Earth, including Southern Australia, New Guinea and others in the Indo-Pacific region, with fantastic narration by Jim Carey. And the three dimensional aspect is crazy; it’s like you can actually reach out and touch things! The only downfall was some annoying global warming propaganda, and the fact that the theater was filled with screaming children. They cried every time a fish got eaten… it’s the circle of life, kiddies!

We bought a BBQ for our patio. When Stew and I were condo shopping, a patio definitely wasn’t one of our “must-haves,” but we were thrilled when we ended up with a unit with a large patio off the living room. So, after doing some research, this weekend we set out in search of the perfect BBQ. We found it at Lowe’s and pick it up on Tuesday, and I’m oh-so excited to start cooking all of our dinners outside. Hello, spring!

I learned how to drive a stick shift. Yes, I am officially in my late ’20s and still don’t know how to drive a stick shift. I just don’t see the point in making something harder than it has to be… why do something manually when it can be automatic? However, my boyfriend has a stick shift and it’s been problematic several times (he drinks too much = we are stuck). So this weekend he took me to the Ballard High School parking lot and forced me to figure it out. And I think I did okay, if I do say so myself. I only got to third gear and panicked when I accidentally turned onto a main road, but I didn’t stall the car in traffic and I could definitely drive his car now... if my life depended on it.

I joined the new LA Fitness Signature Club. I am such a sucker!! I’m already a member of the gym in the building where I work, because while I am in school a quick lunch time workout is about all I have time for. However, I’ve been planning on joining the new, huge, gorgeous LA Fitness Signature Club in Ballard ever since it first started construction. The club is now complete, and they had their grand opening this weekend, so I decided to check it out with the intention of joining in June after I graduate. However, once I arrived I found out that regular Signature Club memberships are about $85 a month, which I could never afford (of course they lack prices on their web site). However, joining at the grand opening got me a membership for $54 a month - a deak I just couldn't pass up. The club is amazing… it’s the biggest, most beautiful gym I’ve ever seen, with two floors, personal TVs on ever piece of equipment, a 25 meter pool and spa overlooking the Ship Canal, a full basketball court, and huge aerobics and spin rooms (classes are included with the membership), just to name a few features. My Ballard has posted some photos of the inside. PS - I am allowed to join two more people onto my membership at the $54 rate… let me know if you’d like to negotiate!

We had dinner and game night at Jesse and Katie’s house. If you haven’t already realized it, I am a big fat nerd, so I was super excited to head over to our friends Jesse and Katie’s house on Saturday night for a delicious fajita dinner complete with homemade guacamole, my favorite. And of course the highlight was GAME NIGHT! I can't even tell you how much I love games... my family members usually want to kill me after a holiday weekend at home where I force them to play intense rounds board games every evening. So I was thrilled on Saturday that after watching the basketball game we got to play Cranium. However, I realized I really suck at charades, causing me and Stew to lose. Is it sad that I now think dinner, game night and a few Caronas is just as entertaining as a night out on the town? I’ll say it again… I’m old!

I cooked a delicious (healthy!) dinner from scratch. On Sunday night my sister came over for dinner and I did something rare and actually cooked a meal comprised of more than chicken and vegetables… homemade chili! My friend Tara gave me a super yummy chili recipe which can be made super healthy by substituting the ground beef with lean ground turkey. So Sunday night I went to bed full, slightly wine buzzed, and happy… even though I put off my homework and now have to spend Monday night getting caught up.

How was everyone else’s weekend?

I Cheated.

2009-04-03T07:12:00.000-07:00

I forgot that I have something to confess to y'all… I fell off the wagon. At the first real temptation, I cracked. I just couldn’t help myself. It had been such a long time. I just wanted a little taste… Please, let me explain!

For Stew’s grad party I made tons of delicious food. And even though I’m no longer eating meat, I’m a firm believer in never forcing your values onto someone else, so I was sure to have a variety of carnivorous appetizers. And the star of the show was a huge crock pot full of slow cooked parmesan marinara meatballs.

I didn’t even taste test them before guests started to arrive, but the smell alone was to die for. And about seven hours and probably as many beers later, any reasonable values I previously had about not eating meat were starting to go out the window. I felt like everyone around me was chowing down on my meatballs and relaying how delicious they were. So I had a nibble.

Oh god, it was like giving a recovered alcoholic a sip of whisky. I wanted the whole bottle. So I had about four or five meatballs. They were everything I dreamed they would be, and more. Oh don't worry, I was justly punished. The meatballs got their revenge.

Not eating red meat for four months has definitely taken a toll on my body, because a few hours later my stomach violently rejected those cursed meatballs. I won’t get into detail about how sick I was, but I can 100% guarantee that the beef and not the beer was the culprit.

Karma.

The Home Stretch

2009-04-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

I just started my final quarter of the Paralegal Certification Program at the UW, and I finally feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Last quarter I lived and breathed Litigation, but this quarter I get to enjoy a plethora of classes/topics, including: Complex Litigation, Criminal Law, Family Law and Business Law. I’m super excited!

I feel like this is really going to help give me a taste of what law school might be like, and help me decide whether or not to apply. So far, I’m pretty certain that’s the route I want to take. Not only am I a nerd who loves school, but I am fascinated by the legal system and how it affects society. (Don’t worry, I won’t write my entire entrance essay here.)

I also went to a seminar this week for what is supposedly the “best” LSAT prep course in Seattle, and I was pretty impressed by what they offer. I’m tentatively planning on beginning that course in July so I can take the LSAT in September. We’ll see how it goes!

Supposedly, this quarter is supposed to be much less time consuming than the last, so I’m hoping I might only have to spend one day per weekend on schoolwork, instead of both. This way I can spend some more time with all my wonderful peeps!

Call me. *wink*

No, this is not an April Fools joke.

2009-04-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

I still can't quite believe it myself, but it is 36 degrees outside and absolutely dumping snow in Seattle. On the first day of April. In the middle of the second week of Spring. I feel so bummed out all I want to do is head home and crawl back into bed until July. Or move somewhere much closer to the equator. I just wasn't prepared for this today.

My Best Girls

2009-03-31T07:22:00.000-07:00

I finally got to spend some time with my best girls this weekend, and let me tell you, it was long overdue. I met the ladies at Vessel on Saturday night for a cocktail before we headed across the street to Benihana for dinner. I think I’m one of the only people who has never been there before, and I can’t believe I’ve been missing out… This restaurant is so fun! It was the perfect venue for a Girl’s Night.

I ordered some delicious yakisoba and splurged on a couple mango mojitos. We caught up on a lot of chick chat while the chef prepared everything right in front of us. I felt like a kid at Chuck E Cheese – there was so much going on I couldn’t even concentrate on eating my food. I ended up taking a pretty hefty doggie bag home with me.
Afterward, we headed back to Ballard to end the night at a dive bar down the street from my house.

The Ick Factor: This was my first time drinking in any significant amounts since the year began, and the results were no bueno. After two glasses of wine, two mojitos, several Bud Lights and a shot of something that tasted like coffee, all on top of Japanese cuisine, I was not feeling so hot. (Although I did eat my leftovers for lunch and they were still delicious). I spent the entire day on Sunday in bed with my boyfriend, who was in the same sorry state from his night out with the boys. I’ll say it again… God I’m old.

But thanks again ladies for a wonderful evening!

Star Student

2009-03-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

Antsy to find out how I performed on the final exam for my litigation class, I emailed my instructor to pacify myself. Even though I figured I did pretty well on the test, I was still moderately shocked by his response:

"Not only did you pass, you got the highest grade in the class on the final... 98. Congrats! That is very, VERY impressive work!! A pleasure having you, and I'm looking forward to next semester! Keep it up!!"

WOW. I was ridiculously excited to get such positive feedback. I worked really, really hard to prepare for that exam, and even though the program is designed for "working professionals," many of the people I am competing with don't have jobs. So it felt amazing to have all of my hard work pay off. And now I can't wait to get the test back next week with my instructor's silly "Star Student" stamp on it. I am such a nerd.

The Happiest Hour

2009-03-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

Since I’ve been on Spring Break this week, I’ve been able to indulge in some social activities like HAPPY HOUR. And let me tell you, since I’ve been off the radar, some very fantastic new opportunities for after work socializing have come up.

Last night, I went to one of my company’s local haunts, Troiani, with some of my co-workers. Since this is my boss’s favorite restaurant and it's a block down the street from my building, we tend to go here a lot for birthday lunches, holiday dinners, and after-work drinks. And until recently, we were usually the only people in the mostly empty restaurant or bar.

Boy, have things changed.

Troiani has now extended happy hour to closing time, and the happy hour crowd can spill over to the dining area when the bar gets packed. Not only did we not have to rush down there by 4:30pm to get a seat at the bar, we could take our time ordering delectable appetizers and delicious cocktails… because it’s happy hour all night, my friends!

Talk about a genius marketing tactic in a tough economy. The entire restaurant and bar were completely packed. I get extremely sick of practically running down the street after work to try and get a seat at a bar for happy hour, and then only being able to order one round before the cheap prices expire. So basically, this is a dream come true for me.

In addition, I also recently read an article in The Stranger that outlined several Seattle happy hours with complimentary food. No gimmicks, just free. These include:

Morton’s Steakhouse: Free mini steak sandwiches, even if you just order water, from 5 to 6:30pm M-F. Drink specials start at $4.
The lounge at Il Fornaio: Free snacks like pizza, chicken wings and bruschetta from 4:30 to 6:30pm M-F with no drink minimum. Draft beer is $3, wine $4.
Oliver’s Lounge in the Mayflower Park Hotel: Free foods like spinach dip, pita and potstickers as long as you purchase something (drinks are a little pricier, $9.75 martinis, but you can always order a soda). 4:30 to 6:30pm daily.
Bernard’s in the basement of the Hotel Seattle: No-cost snacks like taquitos and mozzarella sticks as long as you order a drink – strong wells start at $2. 4:30 to 7pm M-F.

The greatest part of all? I can walk to every single one of these places from my office! My guess is that the food might not be all that amazing, but hey, free is free, right?

Give me a call so we can go check it out!

Save Me, Stewie!

2009-03-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

Stop, drop and roll, people. Stewart officially graduated from Fire Academy last weekend, and is therefore qualified to drag you out of a burning building. This accomplishment has been a long time coming, and has basically consumed the entire past two years of our relationship. I don’t think it would be possible for me to be more proud of someone.

Not only did Stew graduate, he did it with flying colors, finishing at the top of his class with the highest scores ever obtained in the program. I cried like a little girl when he gave his valedictorian speech and finally got his badge.

Of course there was no better excuse to party like rock stars, so we had an open house on Saturday afternoon and into the evening. My previously-mentioned firefighter themed cookies were a hit. Even though they didn’t turn out exactly as planned, everyone raved about how yummy they were!

I also made a congrats banner for Stew which the boys turned into a giant Scrabble game.

The night got a little rowdy later on… wow, I think it’s been at least five years since the last time I did a keg stand!!

Thanks, everyone, for stopping by and wishing Stewart good luck in his new career. I think he’s definitely going to enjoy working only eight days a month!

Back in the Groove

2009-03-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend my friend Cailin came to visit Seattle, and she had to remind me that it’s been almost two years since the last time we saw each other. Cailin is one of my very best friends from college, and we lived it up together when we moved to Seattle after graduation. Sadly, we have not lived in the same time zone for years, which has definitely not been fun.

But surprisingly, whenever we see each other, it’s immediately as if no time has passed at all. I think it was her visit this past weekend that really hit the point home for me. Even though I haven’t seen her since her wedding, we immediately got right back into the groove of our friendship, and it was as if no time had passed at all since the last time we were together. I think this is rare. And it makes me feel lucky that I have a friend like this in my life.

Even though her visit was short I had a great time hanging out and catching up.

We had lunch at Elliott’s on the waterfront.

We had drinks at Red Robin.

We had a photo shoot with the girls.

We took a few self-portraits.

We had cocktails at Room 38.

Of course her visit definitely reminded me that I need to plan a trip to Chicago to visit immediately. I can’t wait!

I Heart Brunch

2009-03-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

When you’re no longer able to attend happy hour because your evenings are consumed by school, you have to accept alternate social opportunities. For me, this means brunch.

Lately, brunch has become the one time each week where I can finally take a break from homework/studying and catch up with friends. Every Sunday for the past month I’ve gotten to sit down and enjoy yummy food, a Bloody Mary, and gossip with some of my best girls.

This past weekend, I had brunch with Sheena, one of my old college roommates. I had heard a rave review about Volterra the night before, and even though Sheena had a bad dinner experience there, we decided to try it out. After all, Rachael Ray featured it on her show and called it one of her favorite restaurants in the world, so how could we go wrong?

The restaurant itself is super cute, and we sat in a booth in back where it was easy to chat. Although I’ve heard great things about their Bellisimo Bloody Mary, I wasn’t feeling up to my usual vodka fix that morning, but instead had coffee and decided to order the provolone, avocado, and green onion scramble served with hash browns and toast.
It was… okay. Nothing to write home about in my opinion, but moderately satisfying. The toast was a little weird (full of poppy seeds and other unidentifiable grains) but super yummy after I smothered it with strawberry freezer jam. The scramble was pretty average.

However, the atmosphere was great and they didn’t kick us out before we were done with our coffee because they had people waiting, like what happened to me a couple weekends ago at The Dish. Overall, I think I’d give Volterra a B minus.

Kiss Me, I'm Irish

2009-03-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

Well, we’ve once again rolled around to one of my favorite holidays, St. Patrick’s Day! My mom’s family is 100% Irish (my relatives immigrated to American during the Great Potato Famine and therefore I was raised to harbor a fierce loyalty to Ireland and anything Irish). This, combined with the fact that the holiday basically consists of drinking excessively while wearing bright green, makes St. Paddy’s Day one of my all-time faves.

In addition, Stewart and I met exactly two years ago today. We aren’t really big on celebrating things like “the anniversary of the day we met,” although he did send me some gorgeous roses last year.

This year I knew he would be stuck down at Fire Academy and we wouldn’t be able to see each other, so I took it upon myself to bake him and his classmates some cupcakes, appropriately themed, of course.
Also, being the nerd that I am, on Sunday I went to the Irish Festival at the Seattle Center to see some traditional Irish dancing with my cousin and my sister. It was pretty entertaining, actually.
Since St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year I don’t have anything crazy planned, but I still just adore this holiday.

Wishing you all the Luck o’ the Irish!

Oh Happy Day…

2009-03-13T07:35:00.000-07:00

Whew! I made it through the toughest quarter in my program. I took my litigation final exam last night and I actually think I did really well on it. I only had trouble with one question, and I mean, who really knows the time limit for filing a judgment non obstante veredicto anyway? I spent the last 20 minutes of the three hour exam trying to find the answer. It is NOT in the Washington State Rules of Civil Procedure, I can tell you that much. I think it was a trick question.

So anyway, SPRING BREAK BABY! I’m not headed to Lake Havasu or anything, but I am looking forward to a blissfully stress-free three weeks of relaxing and catching up with friends. Happy hour, anyone?

So, I have a question…

2009-03-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Why, why, why do half of the people in my class raise their hand and then, when called on, start out by saying, “Um... so... I have a question…” and then pause and stare blankly at the instructor like they need him to say, “And what is your question?” before being allowed to continue?

No sh*t you have a question!! JUST.ASK.IT. I thought the general idea that in a class, when you raise your hand, it’s pretty much a given that you have a question. Or maybe a comment. But is prefacing it with “I have a question” really necessary?!?

I did the math and figure I pay roughly $50 bucks a night to take this class, and I really don’t appreciate how much of my time is being wasted by people explaining that they have a question before even asking it.

Funny how things have changed from when I was an undergrad, and any excuse to waste time in class was welcomed. I’m old.

Rants & Raves

2009-03-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

Current things that annoy me

Rude people. What is with men who won’t give up their seat on the bus? Not to me, I can stand, but when I see a little old lady fall over in the isle and six men don’t even look up from their newspapers or offer to give her their seat, I swear smoke comes out of my ears.
Cell phone scams. Cell phones and batteries are designed to last about a year, but they still force you to sign a two year contract. Hence why my phone will only stay on for about 10 minutes unless it’s plugged in. And I’m not due for a new one until May.
Doctor appointments. Every year when I go to get my annual exam my doctor thinks of at least a dozen tests he wants done. I’ve been poked and prodded way too much in the past week and a half, and this morning I have ultrasound goo in my hair.

Current things that make me happy

Tech updates. I finally have MS Publisher on my computer, so I can quit asking my co-worker to design stuff for me.
Party planning. This weekend I bought firefighter-themed cookie cutters for Stew’s graduation party. Super cute.
Daylight savings. Even though I got up and went to work in the dark this morning, it was worth it because this means that spring is coming!!
Brunch. Even though I have no social life, I've still managed to have brunch with my girlfriends for the past few weekends in a row, and just that little bit of time together brightens up my week.
Countdowns. Only four more days until I am done with this quarter of school, and just two weeks and Stewart will finally graduate from Fire Academy!

Yee Haw!

2009-03-04T07:57:00.000-08:00

I definitely wouldn’t call myself a huge country music fan, but I suppose I like it as much as the next person. So when some friends invited us to the Brad Paisley with Dierks Bentley show I thought, “Sure, why not?”

The concert was last weekend and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I knew I would have a good time simply because an evening with friends never fails to be entertaining, but… what a great concert! Even though I wasn’t too familiar with the music and didn’t know the words, I found myself moving, clapping and singing along the entire time. Sure, it could have been all those beers I had at dinner, or the shot I had in the parking lot, but in any event…

My new goal is to find some more fantastic country music concerts to attend over the summer. Oh and of course to get a super cute cowboy(girl?) hat. Yee haw!

Tales From My Kitchen

2009-03-02T10:39:00.000-08:00

I’ve been strangely obsessed with cooking shows lately. The reason why this is odd is that I hate to cook. Okay, maybe hate is a strong word but I definitely dislike cooking. The only reason I cook is because grocery shopping and making meals at home saves a bag of money compared to eating out all the time. But I don’t seek out new and clever recipes, bake cookies for fun, or have dinner parties. Cooking just doesn’t seem like an enjoyable way to spend my free time.

That being said, I love watching cooking shows! I find them strangely soothing or something. Often, when I do homework, or am ready to go to bed, I put the Food Network on in the background. I don’t write down the recipes or use the program to enhance my own abilities… I just enjoy watching. Some of my current favorites are Paula’s Home Cooking, 30 Minute Meals, Iron Chef America, Ultimate Recipe Showdown, and Chopped (my #1 fave).

And even though I dislike cooking, I recently read an article that made me want to embark upon my own food challenge. Mac ‘n’ cheese is one of my favorite all-time foods, but there are so many different recipes out there, I thought I would conduct an experiment. I’m going to try out quite a few different recipes and attempt to discover the best mac ‘n’ cheese out there. So if you’ve got the perfect recipe, please send it to me!

Good thing I’ve got a boyfriend to feed all these cheesy carbs to…

Now I know my ABCs…

2009-02-27T05:08:00.000-08:00

WOW. I can’t believe I actually got through 26 posts in 26 days! This is officially the most consistent blogging I’ve ever done. It was definitely an interesting experience. My favorite part was trying to think outside the box when choosing blog topics. I’d like to think I wrote about some interesting and/or random topics that I might not have explored otherwise. I think some of my personal favorites were J, N and U.

Did you have any favorites? Do you think you would ever try Alphabet Blogging yourself?

Thanks to everyone for all the comments this month – all the feedback definitely made the experiment seem much more worthwhile!

Z is for Zodiac

2009-02-26T06:57:00.000-08:00

I’ve always been slightly wary of zodiac signs and what they represent or mean to a person’s life. My sign is Sagittarius, the archer. Traditional Sagittarius traits include optimistic and freedom-loving, jovial and good-humored, honest and straightforward, intellectual and philosophical. However, Sagittarius can also be blindly optimistic and careless, irresponsible and superficial, tactless and restless. Hmmmmm.

I suppose all of these traits could apply to me at one point or another, but then again… so could those of any sign. This is what makes me kind of skeptical. I feel like no matter when I read the weekly horoscopes in a newspaper or magazine, I read my own first and it seems to somehow or another apply exactly to what is currently going on in my life. Then out of boredom I continue on to check out the other signs. What do you know… the descriptions of these signs seems to fit as well!

Ah ha. It seems that horoscopes are written so broadly and generically it would be hard not to be able to apply them and feel like, by some miracle, the stars have aligned for you. I don’t know if I’m buying it. Plus, even though there are lots of things about Sagittarius that are similar to my personality, there are many that are not like me at all. What’s your opinion?

Y is for Yucca

2009-02-25T07:21:00.000-08:00

It’s time for some more fond summer memories. According to the dictionary, yuccas are ornamental plants. However, last summer I discovered a much more clever, delicious meaning for the term. Our friend Bobby introduced it to us while boating one day. Here’s the recipe:

Six lemons
Six limes
One cup powdered sugar
One bottle of vodka
Lots of ice

Halve the lemons and limes, squeeze and add them into a large glass jar. Add the entire bottle of vodka and powdered sugar. Pack the jar to the top full of ice. Seal with a tight lid and wrap with a towel. Now comes the fun part, which is most entertaining if you’re on a boat or sitting around a campfire with friends. Each person takes turns shaking the jar for approximately 30 seconds. Repeat as needed until the sugar has dissolved, about 30 minutes.

When you unwrap the towel, you are greeted with a frosty jar of deliciousness. The concoction is ice cold and refreshing, and tastes just like sweet lemonade. You wouldn’t even guess that it contains alcohol. Everyone takes turns sipping until the jar is empty, but be careful not to drink too much… even though it doesn’t seem like it, you’re basically drinking straight vodka, although it tastes like a citrusy slice of heaven.

Cheers!

X is for XOXO

2009-02-24T07:05:00.000-08:00

It’s impossible to think of something clever for the letter X, so I’ve decided to send out hugs and kisses into the universe. Just for anyone who might need them today. Because that’s gotta be good karma.

W is for Wakesurfing & Weekend

2009-02-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

Of course I couldn't possibly blog about the letter W without including something about my absolute favorite summertime activity: Wakesurfing! Oh, summer, how I've missed you... My friend Brett is de-winterizing his boat on April 1st, and I am anxiously counting down the days. Until then, here's a video of me in action shortly after I learned how to wakesurf last summer. Even though I crash and burn at the end, I'm still able to save the beer! Classy, I tell ya...

We call this "Wakesurfing & the Amazing Bud Light Save..."

In other news...

I have no idea how I was able to pull it off, but somehow I was able to have an incredibly friend-filled weekend. My social life this quarter has been pretty drab, to say the least, but for the past few days I actually was able to spend some quality time with quite a few friends, which was a nice change of pace.

I spent Friday night in Belltown celebrating Rich McNish's birthday with our entire summertime crew. Wow... winter pictures make everyone look so... pale.
On Saturday went to the movies with Shannon and checked out her new place. Then later that night I went to Jillian's birthday party. She's a little crazy...
Sunday, I had brunch to catch up with my friend Allison, who recently moved back from Chicago. Then later that evening we had dinner with Brett & Crystal.

Even though I should have spent the entire weekend working on my Discovery project, spending time with my friends was remarkably refreshing and completely worth it. Sometimes, you just need a mental break, I think.

V is for Vegetarian

2009-02-22T09:53:00.000-08:00

Okay, I realize that not eating meat for a mere six weeks doesn’t really qualify me as a vegetarian. However, giving up meat has been surprisingly easy! I’ve slipped up twice with a turkey sandwich and chicken curry, but other than that I’ve stayed on the wagon. However, I recently learned that I would technically be classified as a pescetarian – a person who does not eat meat from land-based animals, but still consumes seafood.

Apparently, the Vegetarian Society does not consider pescetarianism a valid vegetarian diet, but since I’m not doing this for anyone other than myself that’s quite all right with me. In addition to proving my mother wrong (obviously the main concern here) and not appearing to be a hypocrite, I’ve chosen this new diet for various other health, environmental and ethical reasons.

So far, I still feel really good about my decision. I’m also having fun realizing that you can always find a vegetarian option. I’ve have yet to come across a restaurant that has stumped me. I know the true test will come after a night of drinking when I end up at Dick’s… think I can live without the cheeseburger then? Only time will tell…

U is for Underwear

2009-02-21T11:28:00.000-08:00

I feel like what type of underwear guys prefer is a never ending mystery. I mean, I’m pretty sure that the entire female race is aware that the “enormous, scary, stomach-sucking-in panties” worn by Bridget Jones are never ok to show a member of the opposite sex. Yeesh… who wants to get undressed and come across something that should only be seen on their grandmother, right?

It seems that most women have gone to the opposite extreme… teeny, tiny thong underwear that don’t leave much to the imagination (I’ve spared you the rear view in the below photo, but I’m sure you can picture it for yourself). I, too, went this route for most of college. The boys seemed to appreciate it, and I avoided the dreaded panty line; an absolute no-no.
However, throughout the past few years I’ve been hearing more and more often that many guys prefer a bit more coverage in the female derrière department. Even if this is the case, I have to make the assumption that “granny panties” are still no bueno. I mean just look at these things… Ick. There’s no way a guy thinks this is sexy.
As for my boyfriend, he hates thong underwear and thinks they are super unattractive, on anyone. Whenever I have to wear them for a specific outfit he always pouts. But with the invention of “boy shorts” we’ve been able to reach a happy medium. I definitely don’t have much junk in the trunk, so boy shorts are actually an ok look for me – they cover up just enough but are still cute and sexy. Plus, they are super comfortable and if you get the lace edged once they don’t leave lines under pants.

So I’m wondering, what’s your opinion? Would you change your underwear style for a guy? Do you have a favorite type of undies?

T is for Tragic

2009-02-20T06:50:00.000-08:00

Sometimes living in the world seems so overwhelmingly sad I just don’t know if I can handle it anymore. I read Wednesday about a pretty bad head-on collision on the Fremont Bridge. Yesterday, I found out that a woman was killed in the accident. She is the wife of a sub-contractor that I work with on a regular basis. They have two children under the age of five. She was on her way to the airport to pick up her parents.

I just can’t imagine what this family is going through right now, and my heart is breaking for them. I feel consumed with sadness, but also very thankful for my life and loved ones.

S is for Swift Walkers

2009-02-19T07:01:00.000-08:00

You heard it here first: Swift Walkers for a Swift Cure is back in action! I have lost several loved ones to cancer, and am a huge advocate of the American Cancer Society. Last year, I really got involved by becoming a Planning Committee member and Team Captain for Seattle’s Green Lake Relay for Life.

My team, Swift Walkers for a Swift Cure (named after my Granddad, John D. Swift), walked for 24 hours straight and raised $6,633 to benefit cancer research. This made us the #2 fundraising team for 2008!

Unfortunately, this year my schedule doesn’t really allow for the frequent meetings and intense planning that is required of the team captain. So I have passed the torch to my cousin Mary, who has generously agreed to lead our team this year!

This is such a fun event and such a wonderful way to commemorate the people who have lost battles with cancer, as well as celebrate those who are still with us. I’ll be doing quite a bit of fundraising throughout the next few months, so feel free to check out my personal page and even make a donation if you are so inclined…

R is for Recession

2009-02-18T06:01:00.000-08:00

The economy is basically the number one topic in the news lately, and the incessant bad news about the housing market, employment, etc. is really starting to get depressing. Every day, it seems, I am hearing about cutbacks at another local company: Microsoft, Starbucks, Boeing, Swedish… there seems to be no end in sight. Although my company has remained untouched so far in the layoff department, and my boss assures me that my position is secure, I can’t help but feel perpetually anxious.

Apparently, a person is supposed to have enough money in savings to pay their bills for six months in case they are laid off. Unfortunately, I make an average salary and live in a city with an above-average cost of living. I am able to keep my head above water and avoid any substantial debt, but the prospect of having a little nest egg in my savings account has yet to be realized. And let’s face it, six months worth of bills is A LOT of money.

Like everyone else these days, it seems, I’ve taken some steps to reduce my spending in case for when the economy continues to get worse.

Coffee. My coworkers and I used to go get coffee together every Monday and Friday morning. We’ve completely stopped doing this and instead stand around in the kitchen drinking free coffee. It’s not the same, but it saves almost $10 a week.
Grocery Shopping. I shop for the week every Sunday, then go home and cook/pack lunches for the week for me and my boyfriend. This not only stops us from eating out all the time, but also saves money by only hitting the grocery store once a week. Those little trips every few days for "just a couple things" tend to add up quickly…
Salon Visits. As a natural brunette, the upkeep of having blonde hair was really getting unnecessarily expensive. So I went back to my natural dark locks with just some highlights. This way I should be able to go an extra few weeks in between touch ups.
Books. I am a nerdy book worm, and it seems like I am always buying a new book to add to my shelf. However, my new resolve (after I finish all the books I received for Christmas) is to start going to the library again, which should be fun… it’s such a calming place, I think.
Retirement. I know, not a good place to cut corners. But since for the past few months I’ve been losing as much money as I put into my IRA, I’ve suspended the contributions for six months. Maybe by then the market will have recovered a bit, and if not, at least the payments are going toward tuition instead, and keeping me out of debt.
Walking. I try to run all of my errands at places I can walk to. Since I work in the middle of the downtown core this is usually pretty easy if I plan ahead. I also take the bus to and from work and school, which is another huge saver on gas and the environment. Plus, walking is good exercise!

Are you doing anything to cut back on your spending? Are you stressed about the economy?

Q is for Quotations

2009-02-17T08:20:00.000-08:00

As you can see, my blog page contains quotes from one of my favorite shows of all time, My So-Called Life. Here are some other quotations that I feel are especially applicable to my life, or that I just really enjoy:

"Maybe the past is like an anchor holding us back. Maybe, you have to let go of who you are to become who you will be." ~Carrie Bradshaw, Sex & the City."
"The space between, the tears we cry is the laughter keeps us coming back for more..." ~Dave Matthews, The Space Between lyrics.
"Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." ~Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken (It’s important to note that I hate poetry, and this is one of the only poems I’ve ever really appreciated. I wrote an essay about it once in college).
"You instill me with awe and humility every time you share your brilliance, and I know I will never eclipse you." ~Steve, a very good friend of mine. This is not about me, but I think it is exceptionally beautiful.
"You can be anywhere when your life starts. You just have to find the right person and then anything is possible..." ~ Kirsten Dunst in Crazy/Beautiful.
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away." ~Anonymous, but just since a nice and heart-warming idea…
“In the world according to Garp, we are all terminal cases.” ~John Irving, The World According to Garp, one of my favorite novels of all time.
"Maybe our mistakes are what make our fate. Without them, what would shape our lives? Perhaps if we never veered off course, we wouldn't fall in love, or be who we are. After all, seasons change. So do cities. People come into your life and people go. But it's comforting to know the ones you love are always in your heart. And if you're very lucky, a plane ride away." ~Carrie Bradshaw, Sex & the City.

If anyone would care to share some of their favorite quotes I would love to add to my collection!

P is for Plants

2009-02-16T10:58:00.000-08:00

I definitely do not have a green thumb. Which is weird, because when I was growing up my mom was obsessed with indoor plants and it sometimes felt like we lived in a greenhouse. She also loved gardening, and tells me that when I was super young I would follow her around in the yard and knew the names of different types of plants based on the shapes of their leaves. This is not the case anymore, I assure you.

I love the idea of plants and gardening; I just have no idea how to go about it. Every single time I buy a house plant, it dies. I put it in an area with the correct amount of light, water it at appropriate intervals, talk to it like a crazy person (okay, not really), but a few weeks later... I'm having a funeral for the poor thing.

For example, here is the orchid my friend Tara gave us for a housewarming gift. I followed the directions exactly: I put it in the bathroom where it's steamy, I watered it every 10 days, etc. but as you can see, no bueno. The blossoms fell off, followed by the leaves, and now I just have one big ugly mess. Which is sad, because it was a really beautiful plant.

However, I think I may have discovered the indestructible plant: BAMBOO. You know those super cheap bamboo shoots that you buy at IKEA? I bought some as an impulse purchase shortly after we moved in, and check it out!!
It's still green! The leaves are still attached! And I haven't done anything except fill up the water every now and then! I've finally discovered something I can keep alive!

Oh and there's also this plant I bought myself for my desk at work back in August. Even though it hasn't bloomed (and I'm pretty sure it's supposed to), I've been able to at least keep the leaves green.
Now here is my next dilemma... Spring is coming and I would really like to have some sort of planter box on our deck. I haven't had my own outdoor patio in years, and I'd really like to spruce it up a bit, but I'm terrified anything I put out there will die. But since I was able to keep the bamboo alive, maybe my thumb is getting a greener. Or it might be time to call Mom...

O is for Ouch

2009-02-15T11:49:00.000-08:00

Thankfully, DriveSavers was able to recover my photo files from my damaged hard drive – all 6,000 of them. Wow, I had no idea I had so many! I did the math and the cost of data recovery actually adds up to only $0.14 per photo. Doesn’t seem like much until I really start to do the math:

$50 – Run diagnostics at Mac Store
$140 – Purchase external hard drive
$865 – Data recovery at DriveSavers
$109 – Purchase new hard drive
$50 – Install new hard drive

All said and done, I am out $1,214 – OUCH. For that amount, I could have bought myself a brand new computer! Ah... C'est la vie.

N is for Newsies

2009-02-14T07:31:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while I feel sad, stressed, depressed or otherwise down-in-the-dumps for no good reason. When this happens, I know it’s time to bust out my miracle cure. I pop in my favorite feel-good movie of all time, Newsies. If you haven’t heard of this fantastic film, it’s a 1992 Disney live action musical starring Christian Bale when he was much younger but still oh-so-sexy. The movie initially failed at the box office but subsequently gained a pretty large cult following – of which I am definitely a part.

There is just something so warm and heartfelt about Newsies; it never fails to cheer me up. The movie is based on the true story of the Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City, when the price of newspapers for purchase by the newsboys was raised 1/10 of a cent by newspaper giants Pulitzer and Hearst. If you ever wonder why I majored in journalism, it probably has a small part to do with my love of this movie. I pretty much know all the songs and dance sequences by heart. And sometimes, when I’m really depressed… I sing along.
Since today is Valentine’s Day, the most ridiculous holiday of the year, I’m willing to bet that some people are feeling slightly blue. I recommend renting this movie immediately. It will make you feel incredibly happy about life, I promise. Which reminds me: since I’m obviously not a fan of Valentine’s day, I just have to point out a commentary I saw on CNN.com entitled Don’t Be My Valentine. FINALLY, somebody else gets it.

Carryin' the Banner,
Sarah

M is for Misdemeanor

2009-02-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

Flash back to 2002. I was a sophomore in college, just a few months shy of my 21st birthday.

According to RCW 66.44.310 it is illegal for a person under the age of 21 to enter a restricted area where alcohol is being served or represent their age to be 21 for the purpose of purchasing liquor or secure admission to an area classified as off-limits. Well… yeah. I probably knew these things were illegal… but I did them anyway.

My friends and I decided to spice up a Saturday evening by going to a local club that was notorious for letting in minors. We showed our real IDs and lo and behold, we were let right in. I was just enjoying a sip of my first drink when some unexpected visitors arrived… the cops. Of course my underage friends and I panicked, hid in the bathroom for about 45 minutes, and then tried to slip out the back. Our plan did not work.

We were cornered, read our rights (very scary!) and handed tickets for “minor frequenting a tavern or lounge.” To this day I still don’t see how they can call it “frequenting” when they catch you in there one time, but I digress.

Of course did not want a misdemeanor on my record, so my friend Sheena and I contacted a local attorney with a reputation for getting college students out of MIPs, DUIs, etc. For $300 he agreed to represent us in court and guaranteed that the citation would be dropped with a warning, a fine, and one year’s probation - thus ensuring that the violation would not end up on our permanent records. This seemed like a pretty sweet deal to me. The day of court arrived and everything went according to plan. I was let off with a warning, paid the fine, and did not receive any more alcohol related charges for one year. (In fact, I have not received on since).

Fast-forward to 2009. I was chatting with my office manager recently, talking about “the good ol’ days” in college (God, I’m getting old) and was fondly remembering this little story. Her response? “Oh, I’ve totally been meaning to ask you about that. It showed up on the background check we ran before hiring you.”

Excuse me, what?! I paid $450 (quite a large sum for a broke college student) to make sure that this thing did not end up on my permanent record, was assured that it wouldn’t, and then here it is!! To this day I can’t figure out what happened… Did the attorney misrepresent his abilities? Was there a mistake in how the court filed the paperwork? I think I shredded all the documentation last year in a cleaning frenzy so unfortunately I can’t go back and reference it.

Sure, this doesn’t seem like such a big deal now that years have passed, and obviously having this on my record hasn’t affected my ability to get a job, but I’m still semi-annoyed. Maybe I can sue the lawyer… I’ll have to look into that.

L is for Litigation

2009-02-12T22:27:00.000-08:00

I took my Litigation midterm tonight and let me just say, it was HARD. Courts, jurisdiction, venue, investigation, statutes, rules, witnesses, damages, defenses, objections, evidence, pleadings, motions, due process… who even knows about this stuff?!? Oh that’s right, I’m supposed to.

But in all seriousness, I’ve been busting my butt studying for this test for a week straight, so if I don’t end up with a decent score I think I should probably consider it a sign that I’m in the wrong program.

In any case, now that the test is finally over with I feel like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders, and I can actually take some time off from studying and enjoy the weekend!