My office is suffering from its share of challenges resulting from the economy. As an incentive for hanging in there, our CEO announced earlier this week that we're implementing casual Fridays (jeans and tennis shoes!) and also that everyone gets three extra vacation days this year. While I would have liked a raise, this comes awfully close.
So here I am, sitting at work in my jeans and loving life. The farmers and others reading my blog who can "dress down" on a regular basis may not truly understand how nice this is. I do have lunch with a reporter from USA Today in a few hours, but I brought pants to change into. There's no way I was passing this up!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The state of...something
Here are my thoughts from tonight’s State of the Union, or whatever it was:
- Michelle Obama looked awesome. She has great arms and I loved the shade of purple she was wearing. (It's the color I thought she would wear to the Inaugural Balls...good to know I was just "off" by a few weeks.)
- Nancy Pelosi looked horrible and she couldn’t sit still—always fiddling with something. If I was doing that, my grandma would have told me it looked like I had ants in my pants. (And dad would have told me not to look smug, which Pelosi also did.) The first thing you should learn when on TV is not to fidget. Every millimeter of movement counts. Someone needs to get that woman a good consultant.
- So much for today’s Congress not wanting to pass along this gazillion-dollar deficit to the next generation. I’m the next generation and I’m going to end up paying for this mess. Thanks, guys. And I don’t buy this 95%-of-Americans-won’t-pay-more-taxes baloney. That sounds like a “Read my lips: no new taxes” campaign nightmare just waiting to happen. There is no way you're going to get out of this debacle without raising taxes. On everything. (Well, there is a way, but that's not a route that this Congress and this President are going to take.)
- The fact that parents need to raise their children first, then send them to the education system was the smartest thing Obama said all night. I’m tired of the thinking that the educational system needs to provide everything. Amen to that.
- I loved seeing Chad's boss nudge Orrin Hatch when Obama said his name. It was subtle, but I laughed out loud.
- You can’t guilt people in to giving away money. It’s so cool that the bank CEO gave away $60 million, and good for him, but that shouldn’t be a requirement. I pay the government taxes and that's not an option for me, but they don't need to dictate who else I give money to, or how much I "should" be giving.
- I spent the entire hour completely uninspired. It was totally forgettable. The Republican response was equally awful. Bobby Jindal sounded like a car salesman.
Bad dog
Lucy has been very good lately, but she had one of those days yesterday where she just couldn't do anything right.
First, she ate my glasses when we went to the gym. Somehow, we both missed them while we were picking up the living room. An hour later, the case was in pieces all over the place and the glasses themselves were sitting on her bed. I popped the lenses back in and they're only slightly crooked, but I still need a new pair. Both sets of ears have been gnawed on. Not very professional!
Then, while I was getting ready for work, she unrolled the toilet paper from the main floor bathroom. I found her carrying around a huge ball of the tissue paper that you stuff in gift bags.
The final straw--or should I say, stick--came when I got home from work to find that Lucy had obliterated the wooden basket where her toys are kept. About a third of it was scattered in pieces around the living room. She sat quite patiently while I took a picture to document this:
On one hand, I was incredibly ticked off. On the other hand, I'm sympathetic. I've had one of those days where you just can't do anything right. Sometimes, instead of getting mad, I'd just prefer that people give me a break. So that's what I did...after a few "no's" and "bad dog's".
This morning, she was better. (And the basket remnants have been relocated to a room where she does not spend her days.)
First, she ate my glasses when we went to the gym. Somehow, we both missed them while we were picking up the living room. An hour later, the case was in pieces all over the place and the glasses themselves were sitting on her bed. I popped the lenses back in and they're only slightly crooked, but I still need a new pair. Both sets of ears have been gnawed on. Not very professional!
Then, while I was getting ready for work, she unrolled the toilet paper from the main floor bathroom. I found her carrying around a huge ball of the tissue paper that you stuff in gift bags.
The final straw--or should I say, stick--came when I got home from work to find that Lucy had obliterated the wooden basket where her toys are kept. About a third of it was scattered in pieces around the living room. She sat quite patiently while I took a picture to document this:
On one hand, I was incredibly ticked off. On the other hand, I'm sympathetic. I've had one of those days where you just can't do anything right. Sometimes, instead of getting mad, I'd just prefer that people give me a break. So that's what I did...after a few "no's" and "bad dog's".
This morning, she was better. (And the basket remnants have been relocated to a room where she does not spend her days.)
Monday, February 23, 2009
Weekend Update
It was a busy weekend around our house. Chad's buddy Kirk was in town for several days, so we mixed in some sightseeing with a few preplanned activities.
On Saturday morning, in my quest to find a mirror to put above a piece of furniture in our living room, we headed to Annapolis. While there, we stopped by Middleton Tavern (because how can you pass by a place that opened in the 1700s?). Chad tried one of their "oyster shooters"--an oyster in a shot glass with some cocktail sauce. Kirk and I both thought it looked disgusting, though neither of us is one for oysters, but were happy that at least one person in our group tried out their specialty. (By the way, we didn't find a mirror, though the guys were nice enough to wander around the art store with me for 20 minutes while I looked.)
Then, even though it wasn't crab season, we headed to Cantler's, a place that's so in-the-middle-of-nowhere we worried we were lost, even though we had two separate sets of directions. Since I'm not one for working for my food, I just got a sandwich, though it was fun to watch Chad and Kirk hammer away for their dinner.
We ended our whirlwind day with bowling to celebrate a friend's birthday. In our first game, I bowled a 126 and Chad got a 119 (a good score for me, a terrible score for him). Within the last month, I have managed to beat Chad at checkers and now at a game of bowling; both were firsts. Not to be outdone, here's what he did the second game...three strikes in a row! Needless to say, I never recovered.
And on Sunday, we compensated for our crazy Saturday with laundry and lots of ironing.
On Saturday morning, in my quest to find a mirror to put above a piece of furniture in our living room, we headed to Annapolis. While there, we stopped by Middleton Tavern (because how can you pass by a place that opened in the 1700s?). Chad tried one of their "oyster shooters"--an oyster in a shot glass with some cocktail sauce. Kirk and I both thought it looked disgusting, though neither of us is one for oysters, but were happy that at least one person in our group tried out their specialty. (By the way, we didn't find a mirror, though the guys were nice enough to wander around the art store with me for 20 minutes while I looked.)
Then, even though it wasn't crab season, we headed to Cantler's, a place that's so in-the-middle-of-nowhere we worried we were lost, even though we had two separate sets of directions. Since I'm not one for working for my food, I just got a sandwich, though it was fun to watch Chad and Kirk hammer away for their dinner.
We ended our whirlwind day with bowling to celebrate a friend's birthday. In our first game, I bowled a 126 and Chad got a 119 (a good score for me, a terrible score for him). Within the last month, I have managed to beat Chad at checkers and now at a game of bowling; both were firsts. Not to be outdone, here's what he did the second game...three strikes in a row! Needless to say, I never recovered.
And on Sunday, we compensated for our crazy Saturday with laundry and lots of ironing.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Lessons about sun
Last week, I went to the doctor for the results of some blood work and found out that I have a severe Vitamin D deficiency. (This explains all sorts of things and it's not a huge deal. By taking a prescription with a near-overdose of these vitamins, I will be perfectly fine.)
I came to find out that all of your body's Vitamin D is produced by exposure to the sun. And by the way, if you use sunscreen, your body cannot process the sun's rays into this vitamin we all need.
Lesson learned: being in the sun (maybe even without sunscreen) is good for you, right? Ha.
Ironically, also last week, my dad had minor surgery to remove skin cancer on his neck. (He is also fine.) But seriously...talk about being damned if you do and damned if you don't!
I came to find out that all of your body's Vitamin D is produced by exposure to the sun. And by the way, if you use sunscreen, your body cannot process the sun's rays into this vitamin we all need.
Lesson learned: being in the sun (maybe even without sunscreen) is good for you, right? Ha.
Ironically, also last week, my dad had minor surgery to remove skin cancer on his neck. (He is also fine.) But seriously...talk about being damned if you do and damned if you don't!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
An interesting Journey
While in Alabama for work, Chad calls from the road.
C: Hi. Want a good laugh?
E: Sure.
C: Google "Dodge Journey." Do you see it?
E: [pause] Yes.
C: It looks like someone took a minivan and squashed it.
E: Yep, looks like a lot like the old Caravan. So what's the point?
C: That's what I'm driving.
For those of us who are intimately familiar with Chad's complete hatred of minivans, this was a special kind of rental car karma. Personally, I think it's cute and maybe a little sporty, but the idea of Chad driving around in this still makes me laugh. If it only had sliding doors, my life would truly be complete.
C: Hi. Want a good laugh?
E: Sure.
C: Google "Dodge Journey." Do you see it?
E: [pause] Yes.C: It looks like someone took a minivan and squashed it.
E: Yep, looks like a lot like the old Caravan. So what's the point?
C: That's what I'm driving.
For those of us who are intimately familiar with Chad's complete hatred of minivans, this was a special kind of rental car karma. Personally, I think it's cute and maybe a little sporty, but the idea of Chad driving around in this still makes me laugh. If it only had sliding doors, my life would truly be complete.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
30 random things
There's something going around on Facebook (a social networking site that I belong to) where you're supposed to list 25 random things about yourself. I hesitated to do this for several weeks until my brother did it and, well...then I felt compelled to join in.
Here were my 25 random things:
1. The most spontaneous thing I have ever done was quit my first job to travel on an event marketing tour for five months. It was the best experience of my life.
2. I moved to DC for two years. Seven years later, I’m still here.
3. I am so fortunate that all of my grandparents are living. I wish I saw them more often.
4. It scares me that I have no idea what I want to do with the rest of my life.
5. I have kept an Excel spreadsheet of our household expenses for the last seven years. Yes, I can tell you how much we spent on gas in 2002 vs. 2006.
6. I would be happy living in the middle of nowhere.
7. If I wasn’t in PR, I would write children’s books.
8. Somehow in the last year, I have accidentally become a dog person.
9. I would rather be interviewed live on television than speak in front of 50 co-workers.
10. I have learned to appreciate good wine, good cheese, and a good pair of running shoes.
11. I wrote my first story in the third grade. (I still have it.)
12. My uncle tried to convince my now-husband to ask me to his prom. He didn’t. Six years later, we started dating.
13. I appreciate good vegetables and fruit more than good meat. I could be a vegetarian and be perfectly happy. [Side note: I think this is because I was so spoiled with good meat as a kid that I really can't appreciate what I get now.]
14. I would rather have a big yard than a big house.
15. My first memory is of going to the dentist with my sister. I was three years old.
16. I don’t ask God for things. I just ask Him to help me figure life out.
17. I am not a morning person but I go to the gym at 5:30 a.m. four days a week.
18. I worry that I will not be able to raise my kids as well as my parents raised us.
19. We eat dinner really late at our house. As in, 9 p.m. most nights.
20. When a long relationship ended after college, I made a specific list of what I was looking for in my next guy. And I married him.
21. The only people who read my blog religiously are my dad and Chad’s grandma.
22. If both of my sisters didn’t live in DC, I would be more open-minded about moving.
23. I was a “surprise” baby.
24. I have never broken a bone, but I did get twenty stitches in my eyebrow two days before my tenth birthday.
25. I spent the summer after high school working at our local newspaper, writing up engagement and wedding announcements, among other things. Therefore, I can type faster than anyone I know.
Believe it or not, most of the comments I received were about #21, from people who said that they, too, read my blog. Who knew I had such a following? For those of you who read both and for which this was redundant, here's an extra five "things". Consider it your cherry-on-top:
26. I taught myself to like tomatoes, coffee and sushi. I am trying to like celery and cucumbers but it isn't working yet.
27. Even though I work in the retail industry, I really don't like to shop, especially for clothes.
28. I am a saver and Chad is a spender. If it were up to him, we'd have no savings. If it were up to me, we'd have no fun.
29. One of my least favorite things to do is flip through channels. If I turn on the TV, it's for a purpose.
30. I love to play practical jokes. Several years ago I spent $12 on a three-year subscription to Parents' magazine just so I could see Chad's face when it came in the mail. (The reaction was so priceless, I'm still laughing.)
Here were my 25 random things:
1. The most spontaneous thing I have ever done was quit my first job to travel on an event marketing tour for five months. It was the best experience of my life.
2. I moved to DC for two years. Seven years later, I’m still here.
3. I am so fortunate that all of my grandparents are living. I wish I saw them more often.
4. It scares me that I have no idea what I want to do with the rest of my life.
5. I have kept an Excel spreadsheet of our household expenses for the last seven years. Yes, I can tell you how much we spent on gas in 2002 vs. 2006.
6. I would be happy living in the middle of nowhere.
7. If I wasn’t in PR, I would write children’s books.
8. Somehow in the last year, I have accidentally become a dog person.
9. I would rather be interviewed live on television than speak in front of 50 co-workers.
10. I have learned to appreciate good wine, good cheese, and a good pair of running shoes.
11. I wrote my first story in the third grade. (I still have it.)
12. My uncle tried to convince my now-husband to ask me to his prom. He didn’t. Six years later, we started dating.
13. I appreciate good vegetables and fruit more than good meat. I could be a vegetarian and be perfectly happy. [Side note: I think this is because I was so spoiled with good meat as a kid that I really can't appreciate what I get now.]
14. I would rather have a big yard than a big house.
15. My first memory is of going to the dentist with my sister. I was three years old.
16. I don’t ask God for things. I just ask Him to help me figure life out.
17. I am not a morning person but I go to the gym at 5:30 a.m. four days a week.
18. I worry that I will not be able to raise my kids as well as my parents raised us.
19. We eat dinner really late at our house. As in, 9 p.m. most nights.
20. When a long relationship ended after college, I made a specific list of what I was looking for in my next guy. And I married him.
21. The only people who read my blog religiously are my dad and Chad’s grandma.
22. If both of my sisters didn’t live in DC, I would be more open-minded about moving.
23. I was a “surprise” baby.
24. I have never broken a bone, but I did get twenty stitches in my eyebrow two days before my tenth birthday.
25. I spent the summer after high school working at our local newspaper, writing up engagement and wedding announcements, among other things. Therefore, I can type faster than anyone I know.
Believe it or not, most of the comments I received were about #21, from people who said that they, too, read my blog. Who knew I had such a following? For those of you who read both and for which this was redundant, here's an extra five "things". Consider it your cherry-on-top:
26. I taught myself to like tomatoes, coffee and sushi. I am trying to like celery and cucumbers but it isn't working yet.
27. Even though I work in the retail industry, I really don't like to shop, especially for clothes.
28. I am a saver and Chad is a spender. If it were up to him, we'd have no savings. If it were up to me, we'd have no fun.
29. One of my least favorite things to do is flip through channels. If I turn on the TV, it's for a purpose.
30. I love to play practical jokes. Several years ago I spent $12 on a three-year subscription to Parents' magazine just so I could see Chad's face when it came in the mail. (The reaction was so priceless, I'm still laughing.)
Hide and seek
I spent about six hours on Sunday watching Anna, our friends' two-year-old. I was initially concerned that there is nothing in my house to entertain a child, so they brought lots of toys and games and puzzles for her to play with. In the first half-hour, she had been through it all. We took another approach and the time flew by.
We went on a walk. We went to the playground. She chased Lucy around the house (and Lucy chased her). She ate dinner--and I forgot how long it takes for a kid to do that. She fed Lucy dinner. Can you sense a pattern?
The final 45 minutes of the evening were spent playing hide-and-seek. Anna and I would hide and Chad would come find us. (Usually Lucy found us first, but that's beside the point.)
Once Anna figured out how this worked, she was very in to the game. Every time we'd be found, she would scream, "Hide AGAIN!" On our final mission, I let her hide by herself. She wasn't terribly difficult to locate. Here's what it looked like:
We went on a walk. We went to the playground. She chased Lucy around the house (and Lucy chased her). She ate dinner--and I forgot how long it takes for a kid to do that. She fed Lucy dinner. Can you sense a pattern?
The final 45 minutes of the evening were spent playing hide-and-seek. Anna and I would hide and Chad would come find us. (Usually Lucy found us first, but that's beside the point.)
Once Anna figured out how this worked, she was very in to the game. Every time we'd be found, she would scream, "Hide AGAIN!" On our final mission, I let her hide by herself. She wasn't terribly difficult to locate. Here's what it looked like:
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Valentine's Day on a budget
I spent most of my week talking about Valentine's Day (and, appropriately, spent most of the week wearing pink or red, except for Wednesday when the Today Show called and I was wearing all black--oops). Even though I've never been the world's biggest Valentine's Day fan, it was much more fun to talk about than the dismal holiday season.
My favorite segment that came out of this week is below. As you can imagine, this reporter was absolutely hilarious to work with.
My favorite segment that came out of this week is below. As you can imagine, this reporter was absolutely hilarious to work with.
Valentine's Day dinner
Instead of going out to dinner for Valentine's Day, we're making dinner at home.
The plans were made earlier this week: Chad is in charge of the appetizer and main course and I have the sides and dessert. We're having scallops to start, sea bass for our main course (yum), and for sides we're having millet (a new favorite that my doctor recommended) and asparagus.
For dessert we're having a hot fudge pudding cake. I've not made this before and I'm excited to try it. The cute little Valentine's Day cookies I made a few weeks ago during our decorating disaster have been eaten, and I have vowed not to make them again. Or at least not for a very long time.
The plans were made earlier this week: Chad is in charge of the appetizer and main course and I have the sides and dessert. We're having scallops to start, sea bass for our main course (yum), and for sides we're having millet (a new favorite that my doctor recommended) and asparagus.
For dessert we're having a hot fudge pudding cake. I've not made this before and I'm excited to try it. The cute little Valentine's Day cookies I made a few weeks ago during our decorating disaster have been eaten, and I have vowed not to make them again. Or at least not for a very long time.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
A diet I can get behind
While thumbing through a magazine last night, I read an article that says the average woman is actually gaining weight by not getting enough sleep. It says sleep deprivation "wreaks havoc on hormones that control appetite, cravings and the metabolism of fat." Several studies were cited which indicate that people who are tired eat more and crave more junk food.
My own personal theory is that if you're sleeping more, you're awake less to raid the fridge. It's easy to skip that midnight snack if you've been in bed for two hours. But the "scientists" didn't check that out, so it didn't make it into the story.
Anyway, they tested this theory out on five women of different sizes and ages, asking them not to make any lifestyle changes (eating better, working out more, etc.) but to commit to 7.5 hours of sleep per night. The result? They all lost inches and most of them lost weight. This is a diet I can really get behind.
When the alarm went off this morning at 5:00 after a meager six hours of sleep, it was all I could do not to tell Chad that I was going to skip the gym and just lose weight while I slept. That really would be heaven.
My own personal theory is that if you're sleeping more, you're awake less to raid the fridge. It's easy to skip that midnight snack if you've been in bed for two hours. But the "scientists" didn't check that out, so it didn't make it into the story.
Anyway, they tested this theory out on five women of different sizes and ages, asking them not to make any lifestyle changes (eating better, working out more, etc.) but to commit to 7.5 hours of sleep per night. The result? They all lost inches and most of them lost weight. This is a diet I can really get behind.
When the alarm went off this morning at 5:00 after a meager six hours of sleep, it was all I could do not to tell Chad that I was going to skip the gym and just lose weight while I slept. That really would be heaven.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Just in time for Cupid
Thanks to Janice for sending me the picture of this cute little calf, who was born a few weeks ago in Japan. Here is the picture and the caption from Yahoo.
Nineteen-day-old ox 'Heart,' born with a heart-shaped marking on his forehead, relaxes at Yamakun farm in Fujisawa, near Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009. Kazunori Yamazaki, 51-year-old farm owner, said, "Good timing for Valentine's Day."
If I did not have a dog already, I would consider making Heart my new pet.
Nineteen-day-old ox 'Heart,' born with a heart-shaped marking on his forehead, relaxes at Yamakun farm in Fujisawa, near Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009. Kazunori Yamazaki, 51-year-old farm owner, said, "Good timing for Valentine's Day."
If I did not have a dog already, I would consider making Heart my new pet.
What's wrong with this picture?
I subscribe to an email listserve of several thousand homes in our neighborhood. It's a valuable resource where people share recommendations on everything from restaurants to dentists to churches, post questions or tips on childcare and home improvements, complain about people who don't pick up after their pets, inform neighbors about "suspicious activities," etc. The listserve has become extremely valuable to me and, in fact, it's where we got our roofer, our auto body shop, and our accountant.
Sometimes, though, the posts just crack me up. Let me preface this by saying that some of the people in our neighborhood live in very nice houses and have quite a bit more money than we do. Still, how out-of-touch is this person?
Sometimes, though, the posts just crack me up. Let me preface this by saying that some of the people in our neighborhood live in very nice houses and have quite a bit more money than we do. Still, how out-of-touch is this person?
We are changing our decor and no longer have a place for the 1920s Camelback sofa we bought from Random Harvest a couple years ago and had upholstered with fabric from Mastercraft Interiors - blue and white stripes with a thin gold line accent. The sofa was located in a room that doesn't get much traffic so it is practically like new, probably used (sat on) less than half a dozen times. Photos are attached. We paid $1,980 for the sofa + $878 for
the fabric + $395 for the upholstery labor for a total of $3,253 but are willing to sell for much less. Contact if interested.
I honestly did not know that it was possible to spend so much money on an ugly couch. If, in the unlikely event I was going to spend $3,200 on a sofa, I'd be sure it was comfortable, attractive and something I'd use more than "half a dozen" times!
the fabric + $395 for the upholstery labor for a total of $3,253 but are willing to sell for much less. Contact if interested.I honestly did not know that it was possible to spend so much money on an ugly couch. If, in the unlikely event I was going to spend $3,200 on a sofa, I'd be sure it was comfortable, attractive and something I'd use more than "half a dozen" times!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Office Space
Maybe it's because it feels like Spring or I can finally take a breath after the holiday season or I'm bringing my initiative to de-clutter at home into work. Regardless, I got in the mood yesterday to clean my office. Here's a rundown:
Bye-bye to the backlog: I threw away hundreds of old issues of magazines and newspapers that were either so great I "needed" to save them or that I had never gotten around to reading. Good intentions aside, it's not like I've got enough free time these days to pick up a BusinessWeek from November 2008. I threw away so much stuff, they brought me something on wheels that was about the size of the trunk of a car and I filled it all up.
Giveaways: I returned an ethernet cord, a meetings magazine, a newsletter about port traffic, six years' worth of Annual Reports, and four giant white binders to their rightful owners. And put a tin of cinnamon-covered pecans that I received from a company for Christmas in the kitchen for anyone to enjoy.
So-that's-where-it's-been moment: I found two pairs of gloves, a white cardigan, and a jar of peanut butter in the confines of my desk drawers. And there are three pairs of flip-flops under my desk that I know about (haven't cleaned there yet).
Most humiliating find: A pair of dusty shoes abandoned by the person who had this office before me. She's been gone for two years. (Since then, she has moved to Italy, gotten her master's degree in fashion, and come back!) I called her up and was like, "Umm...Megan...pretty sure I found some old boots of yours because they're not my size." She came down and picked them up. Can you tell I don't do this often?
Why I'll always be a pack rat: When I was at my first job out of college--so, yes, nine years ago--I got a radio for Christmas that I could play in my office. About two years ago (right after the Bears lost the Super Bowl, specifically), it stopped working. I tried everything short of taking it to an electrician to get it to work again. But since I felt badly getting rid of it, I put it on the top of a cabinet where it has stayed. Yesterday, I took it out to--sadly--throw it away. I decided to plug it in just one more time...and it worked! How can I ever abandon anything again?!?
Bye-bye to the backlog: I threw away hundreds of old issues of magazines and newspapers that were either so great I "needed" to save them or that I had never gotten around to reading. Good intentions aside, it's not like I've got enough free time these days to pick up a BusinessWeek from November 2008. I threw away so much stuff, they brought me something on wheels that was about the size of the trunk of a car and I filled it all up.Giveaways: I returned an ethernet cord, a meetings magazine, a newsletter about port traffic, six years' worth of Annual Reports, and four giant white binders to their rightful owners. And put a tin of cinnamon-covered pecans that I received from a company for Christmas in the kitchen for anyone to enjoy.
So-that's-where-it's-been moment: I found two pairs of gloves, a white cardigan, and a jar of peanut butter in the confines of my desk drawers. And there are three pairs of flip-flops under my desk that I know about (haven't cleaned there yet).
Most humiliating find: A pair of dusty shoes abandoned by the person who had this office before me. She's been gone for two years. (Since then, she has moved to Italy, gotten her master's degree in fashion, and come back!) I called her up and was like, "Umm...Megan...pretty sure I found some old boots of yours because they're not my size." She came down and picked them up. Can you tell I don't do this often?
Why I'll always be a pack rat: When I was at my first job out of college--so, yes, nine years ago--I got a radio for Christmas that I could play in my office. About two years ago (right after the Bears lost the Super Bowl, specifically), it stopped working. I tried everything short of taking it to an electrician to get it to work again. But since I felt badly getting rid of it, I put it on the top of a cabinet where it has stayed. Yesterday, I took it out to--sadly--throw it away. I decided to plug it in just one more time...and it worked! How can I ever abandon anything again?!?
Monday, February 9, 2009
A taste of spring
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!
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!
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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