Over the weekend, we were blessed with a reminder that spring is not far away. On Saturday, the temperature hit 62 and by Sunday, it was a whopping 71 degrees. It's amazing how much different things feel (even chores!) when it's so nice outside.
We took Lucy to the dog park and on a few walks, Chad and his buddies had a football scrimmage for their upcoming season, and I cleaned up the back yard and the inside of our Jeep. The windows in the house were opened wide to give the furnace a much-needed break. We heard a few birds chirping and noticed that the tree in front of our house had started budding.
It's always reinvigorating to see the world come alive, even for a weekend. And it's funny to think that all of those people and kids and dogs who resurface during the beautiful days spend their winters huddled up in houses or scurrying from the car to the store to work, etc. It was a breath of fresh air--literally--and left me hoping that spring itself was right around the corner!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
We're moving!
Nah, not really.
But we've been here for five years and things are starting to pile up, or get pushed farther back in drawers, or fill closets. My latest mission is to get rid of all the stuff we don't need or don't use or don't want. So I'm de-cluttering one room or one closet per week until I'm done, literally thinking as I go, "If we moved right now, would this go to the trash or in a box?" The hope is that when we ever do move out of this house we won't pack a truck with a bunch of things that I don't want to clutter our new house with either.
Chad is on board with this, too. It's a good thing because, if not, he might lose quite a bit of stuff from the basement.
But we've been here for five years and things are starting to pile up, or get pushed farther back in drawers, or fill closets. My latest mission is to get rid of all the stuff we don't need or don't use or don't want. So I'm de-cluttering one room or one closet per week until I'm done, literally thinking as I go, "If we moved right now, would this go to the trash or in a box?" The hope is that when we ever do move out of this house we won't pack a truck with a bunch of things that I don't want to clutter our new house with either.
Chad is on board with this, too. It's a good thing because, if not, he might lose quite a bit of stuff from the basement.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Venting
I have been looking forward to Friday night all week. My dinner menu was all planned and the evening was shaping up nicely. Or at least it was until about 4:30, when Chad said he might be late--again--because the Senate is trying to pass the stimulus bill. It's after 8:00 and he's still there. I was just told there is no end in sight so I'm going to go have leftover chili for dinner. Again.
Let's be honest: if they had the votes, this thing would have passed last night, when Chad was at work until 9:00. Or this afternoon, perhaps. But, because they don't have enough votes, hundreds of staffers are hanging around on Capitol Hill doing nothing except watching C-Span and trying to figure out what's going on. Meanwhile, hundreds of spouses and kids and whoever else are sitting at home waiting for their weekend to start, or at least trying to figure out when to start supper. I don't care if it's republicans or democrats in charge of this nonsense; it's irritating. And I know it's "just politics" but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
Even if they do find the votes and pass this bill tonight, it's not like the economy is going to magically repair itself this weekend. I would imagine this can wait until Monday, especially since I don't know if I agree with it in the first place.
As I write this, I realize I'm venting. We're lucky to both have jobs and have a lot to be thankful for. I don't complain very much, or at least I try not to, but I really hate when something messes with my plans. This is why I did not marry a farmer! (No offense, Dad, I love you...)
Let's be honest: if they had the votes, this thing would have passed last night, when Chad was at work until 9:00. Or this afternoon, perhaps. But, because they don't have enough votes, hundreds of staffers are hanging around on Capitol Hill doing nothing except watching C-Span and trying to figure out what's going on. Meanwhile, hundreds of spouses and kids and whoever else are sitting at home waiting for their weekend to start, or at least trying to figure out when to start supper. I don't care if it's republicans or democrats in charge of this nonsense; it's irritating. And I know it's "just politics" but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
Even if they do find the votes and pass this bill tonight, it's not like the economy is going to magically repair itself this weekend. I would imagine this can wait until Monday, especially since I don't know if I agree with it in the first place.
As I write this, I realize I'm venting. We're lucky to both have jobs and have a lot to be thankful for. I don't complain very much, or at least I try not to, but I really hate when something messes with my plans. This is why I did not marry a farmer! (No offense, Dad, I love you...)
Chad's new digs
Chad's office has moved into the space formerly occupied by Senator Kerry and his staff. Instead of having his own small workspace, a bunch of them are now crammed into a room about the size of our kitchen. (And this was considered a move "up"--an illustration that, even though the job might be glamorous, the office is not always.) But they do have a good time together. That's the benefit of working with fun people.
His is the desk back by the window, which is nice because he gets sunlight and there isn't anyone peering over his shoulder all the time.
His is the desk back by the window, which is nice because he gets sunlight and there isn't anyone peering over his shoulder all the time.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Lyrics to ponder
When I'm on the treadmill at the gym and trying to think about anything--anything--except how much I hate running, I've been paying more attention to the songs I have on my iPod. Here are a few quotes from my favorites and some of the randomness I ponder while running:
- A young man is having a conversation with his pastor, who is suggesting that the guy curb his rambunctious ways: "Don't you want to hear 'em call your name when you're standing at the pearly gates? I told the preacher, Yes I do, but I hope they don't call today." I love the humor in that song and the Caribbean music influences. It makes me smile. --Kenny Chesney's "Everybody Wants to Go To Heaven"
- "But from now on I'm gonna be the kind of woman I'd want my daughter to be." This song is about a woman who needs to do a better job believing in her own inner strength and worth. Whether it's being more tenacious or more thoughtful or more open-minded, I love the idea of thinking about how you'd want your daughter to react to a situation or live her life to crystallize the best approach for yourself. --Jewel's "Stronger Woman"
- "Happiness has its own way of taking its sweet time." The singer recorded this song one year after his wife committed suicide and he was just learning how to put the pieces back together. While I've never experienced anything close to that painful, the song resonates with me in a very bittersweet way and I can't get enough of it. The overall message, that life is messy and unpredictable and complicated but, ultimately, worth every moment, is a reminder that there will always be a light at the end of the tunnel if you just keep looking for it. --Gary Allen's "Life Ain't Always Beautiful"
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Strange bedfellows
I got to talking last night at a reception with a very nice guy from Playboy. (Yes, that Playboy. And I have no idea what he does other than it’s something with their website.) He lives in Naperville, works in Chicago, went to University of Illinois, is a Cubs fan, wife grew up in Moline…regardless, we had a lot to talk about.
As dinner was winding down, he mentioned that a big group was going out and asked if I wanted to join them.
No thanks, I said. I had been up since 4 a.m. (for the first time in a long time, I couldn’t sleep so I just got out of bed and went to the gym). It was already 10:30 at night and I needed to finish up some work and go to bed. Plus, I’m staff. It was possible that he was just asking me as a nicety…how much fun could they really have with me tagging along? And it was also a possibility they’d want me to pick up the check, which was a bar tab that I did not want coming out of my budget.
As I was getting up to leave, I asked my new friend who was joining him for this post-dinner entertainment. He motioned to the other side of the table, where four people from Encyclopedia Britannica were all very animated and engaged in conversation. Heading back to my room, I got to thinking about the interesting discussions that could ensue when you mix a guy from Playboy with a bunch of bookworms. Talk about strange bedfellows.
As dinner was winding down, he mentioned that a big group was going out and asked if I wanted to join them.
No thanks, I said. I had been up since 4 a.m. (for the first time in a long time, I couldn’t sleep so I just got out of bed and went to the gym). It was already 10:30 at night and I needed to finish up some work and go to bed. Plus, I’m staff. It was possible that he was just asking me as a nicety…how much fun could they really have with me tagging along? And it was also a possibility they’d want me to pick up the check, which was a bar tab that I did not want coming out of my budget.
As I was getting up to leave, I asked my new friend who was joining him for this post-dinner entertainment. He motioned to the other side of the table, where four people from Encyclopedia Britannica were all very animated and engaged in conversation. Heading back to my room, I got to thinking about the interesting discussions that could ensue when you mix a guy from Playboy with a bunch of bookworms. Talk about strange bedfellows.
Monday, February 2, 2009
God's wacky sense of humor
I'm in Orlando this week for a conference that we're holding about online retail. Before a reception and dinner tonight, I found an hour to go to the fitness center, in keeping with my New Year's resolutions. I was on my way back, thinking to myself how good it felt to burn off all of those unnecessary calories and making a mental note (for the zillionth time) that I will not let that half-hour on the treadmill and those hundred or so crunches go to waste by eating garbage. No sir.
I walked into my hotel room and see this [right], an entire lunchbox full of candy and two bottles of soda (one root beer and one orange) waiting for me on the desk. I'm pretty sure I said out loud, "You have GOT to be kidding me." I don't even know who they're from since there was no note. How am I supposed to turn down Bit O' Honey? They're my favorite!
If I didn't know any better, I'd think these treats were from the good Lord himself. Didn't He have a few things to say about temptation? If this was a test, I imagine God is really getting a kick out of it.
I walked into my hotel room and see this [right], an entire lunchbox full of candy and two bottles of soda (one root beer and one orange) waiting for me on the desk. I'm pretty sure I said out loud, "You have GOT to be kidding me." I don't even know who they're from since there was no note. How am I supposed to turn down Bit O' Honey? They're my favorite!If I didn't know any better, I'd think these treats were from the good Lord himself. Didn't He have a few things to say about temptation? If this was a test, I imagine God is really getting a kick out of it.
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