Amen.
Saturday we're getting internet. So you will get inundated with pictures and posts and whatnot. Hooray. I was getting lonely without it.
On a different note, I finished reading Geek Love by Katherine Dunn. It was spectacular. It follows the Binewski Fabulon, a family of carnies and their uprising and demise. The Binewski children (Arty, Elly and Iphy, Oly and Chick) were all "created" by their parents using dangerous chemical cocktails to have unique genetic mutations. Arty, the Aqua Boy, Elly and Iphy the siamese twins, Oly the albino, hunchback dwarf and Chick... I'm not very good at writing summaries, and I couldn't find a good one that didn't give away plot points.
Be warned, it's not for the faint of heart. It's gross at times, shocking at others, but absolutely fascinating.
I wrapped this book up on Tuesday, I think, and then decided to re-read New Moon because my mom, sisters, Mike and I are planning to see the movie in the theaters after Thanksgiving.
My God, what a horrible transition.
Geek Love was a well written, compelling and intelligent novel, with a strong female narrator.
And then there's Bella. OMG, BARF.
I have a weird relationship with the Twilight series. I cruised through all four books last year, and the entire time I was reading it left a baaaaad taste in my mouth. I didn't like Edward, I REALLY didn't like Bella, the writing was poor, and their relationship was unhealthy. But I still read them.
I have no idea why I am putting myself through it again. But I am.
Barf.
I'm probably going to complain about it the whole time.
I'm fascinated by the Twi-hards and the fanaticism for the series.
I'm going to power through, guys.
Unrelated to reading, the house is quickly getting into order - at least every room except our "office" (it's just a storage space for boxes right now), and the garage. The good thing about this get-together on Saturday is that it is forcing me to get my house in order. I needed a kick in the ass.
But, Mike and I STILL don't have costumes. We're planning to go to the Halloween store to see what we can find for 50-70% off. Any ideas for easy/cheap couples costumes?
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Stressed
I am terrible.
And unmotivated.
And totally overwhelmed.
This house + commuting + work + cooking dinner + getting ready for our Halloween "party" on Saturday = misery.
Ugh. You guys. Seriously.
Mike and I have agreed to have people over on Halloween, because we're the only ones with our own place. Recently, most of our friends have moved back in with their parents to save money - so, logically our house is the place to be.
BUT, DUDE! I didn't think it would take this long for me to get my act together. (I know - DUH, Ashley - moving is hard) But I really thought I would be better off than I am now.
Regardless, I've sent out an email invitation with the disclaimer that they need to come over prepared to overlook our mess. If they don't like it - they can pound sand.
So there's that.
In other news, I love my little dog, and it pains me to say anything bad about her, (because we DID uproot her little life by moving) but I am ready to light her doggie head on fire.
She's already needy and neurotic, but this move has turned up the volume on her anxiety. She's nervous, so she gets underfoot, and then she gets stepped on, and then she gets more anxious so she gets closer to your and your feet, and gets stepped on and yelled at again, so she gets more nervous and follows you up and down the stairs and into the bathroom, and stares at you. A horrible, soul-wrenching stare. This dog could make angels cry with her stupid, deep doggie eyes.
So...around Christmas...we're getting another dog. Maddie does very well when she has a doggie friend to hang around with, and she bonded really well with my mom's dog (who she still sees daily). A doggie friend will help keep her entertained and maybe chill her out?
We're planning to adopt from a shelter and have looked at some in our area. And I just found out that one of the girls who works with me (well, not with me, but in the same building) volunteers at an animal shelter, and we could tell her what we are looking for in terms of personality, temperament, size, breed and she could help us out. We feel pretty good about this.
We're getting internet on Saturday! So my internet presence (and pictures of the house) will be up and running. We were planning to do without internet/cable, but we realized that trying to live without internet, while not impossible, is dreadfully impractical. I pay all our bills online, gmail has all my recipes, we need to be able to check our bank accounts (because I've gotten lazy and rely on online banking to balance my checkbook. I KNOW, bad habit. We just got new checks, so we're also reevaluating our banking systems)
So - clearly there's a lot of reorganization/reevaluation going on in our lives.
It's kind of a mess.
And unmotivated.
And totally overwhelmed.
This house + commuting + work + cooking dinner + getting ready for our Halloween "party" on Saturday = misery.
Ugh. You guys. Seriously.
Mike and I have agreed to have people over on Halloween, because we're the only ones with our own place. Recently, most of our friends have moved back in with their parents to save money - so, logically our house is the place to be.
BUT, DUDE! I didn't think it would take this long for me to get my act together. (I know - DUH, Ashley - moving is hard) But I really thought I would be better off than I am now.
Regardless, I've sent out an email invitation with the disclaimer that they need to come over prepared to overlook our mess. If they don't like it - they can pound sand.
So there's that.
In other news, I love my little dog, and it pains me to say anything bad about her, (because we DID uproot her little life by moving) but I am ready to light her doggie head on fire.
She's already needy and neurotic, but this move has turned up the volume on her anxiety. She's nervous, so she gets underfoot, and then she gets stepped on, and then she gets more anxious so she gets closer to your and your feet, and gets stepped on and yelled at again, so she gets more nervous and follows you up and down the stairs and into the bathroom, and stares at you. A horrible, soul-wrenching stare. This dog could make angels cry with her stupid, deep doggie eyes.
So...around Christmas...we're getting another dog. Maddie does very well when she has a doggie friend to hang around with, and she bonded really well with my mom's dog (who she still sees daily). A doggie friend will help keep her entertained and maybe chill her out?
We're planning to adopt from a shelter and have looked at some in our area. And I just found out that one of the girls who works with me (well, not with me, but in the same building) volunteers at an animal shelter, and we could tell her what we are looking for in terms of personality, temperament, size, breed and she could help us out. We feel pretty good about this.
We're getting internet on Saturday! So my internet presence (and pictures of the house) will be up and running. We were planning to do without internet/cable, but we realized that trying to live without internet, while not impossible, is dreadfully impractical. I pay all our bills online, gmail has all my recipes, we need to be able to check our bank accounts (because I've gotten lazy and rely on online banking to balance my checkbook. I KNOW, bad habit. We just got new checks, so we're also reevaluating our banking systems)
So - clearly there's a lot of reorganization/reevaluation going on in our lives.
It's kind of a mess.
Friday, October 23, 2009
101 Things About Me
Friday!
I started this list way back in July, and I've just now gotten around to finishing it up. Many of you feature this list on your blogs, and I find them fascinating, so I've created my own.
Plus it's Friday, which translates to "Slacker Day" and that applies to blogs too.
1. My hair is naturally red. I've only dyed it once, and I went brown,
2. I was voted Homecoming Princess my junior year of high school.
3. I gave Hot Topic the idea for the "I Make Boys Cry" t-shirt. I still have printouts of the emails.
4. I spent a semester as a housekeeper for a eccentric recluse who was apparently a semi-famous author. He created gumball machines, was a boxer for UCLA, and was incredibly lonely. I think the only reason he hired me was so he would have someone to talk to.
5. Once upon a time I was a hardcore feminist, now I lean more towards more traditional gender roles. Mainly because I hate working, don't mind cleaning, and want to raise my own kids.
6. I missed my professional calling. I'm hoping to remedy that. Someday.
7. I love video game culture, in theory. In practice, not so much.
8. I am fascinated by pin-up culture. I think I'll always be an outside observer rather than an active participant.
9. Mike and I have the best dog we could have asked for, and I am a huge advocate of adopting from shelters.
10. I always carry water and chapstick. If I am ever without those two things I feel very anxious and will often go to the closest gas station to purchase them. Leaving my phone behind doesn't usually bother me.
11. I can't sleep in anymore.
12. I feel strangely adult now because I have a lawyer, and Mike and I are looking over contracts. But. getting a Costco membership made me feel more adult than buying a house
13. I'm a reformed Internet creep. When I was in 7th grade and we FIRST got the Internet, I used to lurk around chatrooms, stay on AIM all night. As I got older, I trolled craigstlist rants and raves. I used to make online friends.
14. I have trouble dressing myself and I wear black so often that I look like a mourner.
15. I didn't expect to miss living with my parents once we got the house...but I do.
16. Planning the wedding made me really uncomfortable. I felt really awkward and guilty planning a big party that's supposed to focus on me and Mike and OUR LOVE. Who cares? I feel super strange about having people buy dresses or suits or travel out here BECAUSE I SAID SO.
17. However - the wedding was amazing. And I'm glad I went through with the whole production of it. Everyone I love was there, and happy.
18. I'm adore etsy.com. I'm obsessed with handmade items and trinkets. I hope to someday go back to my crafty roots and start a shop of my own.
19. I wish my life was greener...though currently, it's not so bad. I plan to someday have a compost heap, and be totally rid of traditional cleaning products. It's not much, but a step...
20. I have a love/hate relationship with TV. I love it. But I hate how much I love it. Sometimes I feel akin to Homer Simpson.
21. I love scarves. I haven't decided if they are a fashion statement, or a type of security blanket.
22. I hope, deep down, that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is real. Even if that DOES mean that I'm a Muggle. I just want our world to have magic in it somewhere.
23. I would love to be Ana Pascal from Stranger Than Fiction. If you haven't seen it, DO. I want to make people happy in this world.
24. I want to go to Japan. Not yet, though. I want to prepare by learning a little Japanese, and making sure that we have enough money to go and make sure no expense is spared.
25. I don't want to be boring...but I think I am already there.
26. I would love to get a tattoo sleeve. But unfortunately, I don't think that's in the cards for me.
27. I wish I were more feminine. I think girls that are ladylike are neat. I feel like wearing dresses is a step in the right direction.
28. I desperately want to exercise. My body wants to be in shape, but my motivation by the time I get home (after my near 2hr commute) is nonexistent. I would really like to run a 5K in the next few years.
29. I think cemeteries are beautiful. Especially when they are old, and it's Spring.
30. I love to read. Anything. Right now I'm reading Geek Love by Katherine Dunn.
31. I want to be a well-known and respected member of my community.
32. I also want to be a Stay-at-Home-Mom, when the time comes. I hope that Michael and I have the means to make this happen. My mom did it, and his mom did it, and it was nice to know that there was someone waiting for you
33. Mike and I are actually really excited about hosting dinner parties, having people over, and cooking.
34. I hope someday my life pans out just as I imagine it will.
35. I am married to my best friend and High School sweetheart, which is pretty sweet.
36. I'm realizing more and more that I am a very private person. It really never dawned on me before.
37. I am an extreme homebody. To the maxxxxx.
38. I'm terrible at staying up late. I'm perfectly happy to be asleep by 10pm.
39. I have a pretty awesome family, and I prefer their company to anyone's.
40. My mom is my best friend and and most trusted confidante. She's a pretty awesome lady.
41. I have two younger sisters, one is 21, the other is 16. We all have different natural hair colors, and our names are alphabetical - A, B, and C.
42. My 21 year old sister is hilarious. And blonde, and B.
43. My 16 year old sister is the nicest person I have ever met. She'll do anything for you. She's a brunette, and C.
44. My dad and I are very much alike. We butt heads constantly because of this.
45. I was a nude model for a life drawing class for a semester of college. It was a strange and interesting experience.
46. I love to try different shampoos. If I am staying over at someone's house, I am so excited to try their hair products.
47. I've recently learned that I am like a FURNACE when I sleep. We figured this out when Mike and I were napping in the car on a cool, rainy day. When we woke up, my side of the car was all steamed up.
48. I love sugary kids cereal. Reeses Puffs. Cap'n Crunch. Cocoa Puffs. You name it, and I'm all over it.
49. I also love kids' cartoons. So does Mike, and nothing pleases us more then finding out that there are 6 episodes of The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack on a Sunday morning.
50. I am clean, but not always neat. And I really like to have my living space in order before I get ready to relax for the night.
51. The smell of lilacs and clean laundry will forever remind me of being a kid and playing in the backyard.
52. I am very fortunate to have the in-laws that I have. They're really awesome people, who tend to forgive Mike and I despite our shortcomings.
53. I can't wait for Halloween, every year. But then it usually comes and goes without much acknowledgment from me.
54. I get the worst hangovers in the world. In college I managed to escape them, but since I don't drink regularly anymore, approximately Tthree beers can make me violently ill for an entire day. If I only have one drink, I need to chase it with glasses and glasses of water or I will have a headache for hours.
55. My friends were convinced I was allergic to alcohol the first time I drank. Sometimes they still think I am. I just think I'm unlucky.
56. I am an exceptionally fun drunk.
57. I am a terrible dancer. I won a "Worst Dancer" award in High School.
58. I enjoy Daiquiris with my mom and sister. Rum makes everyone loud and festive.
59. I am extraordinarily clumsy. I walk into doorways, kick chairs, and always wind up with mysterious bruises. Mike gets nervous if I get too rambunctious because I am apt to accidentally punch him in the mouth.
60. Driving terrifies me. I am not a very confident driver and have been in too many accidents. I've been rear ended 3 times in the last year, and none of the other drivers were very nice about it.
61. I've just recently developed a taste for coffee. But I still put loads of sugar (or Splenda) and creamer in it. Though drinking it black isn't the worst thing in the world.
62. I have 4 tattoos. I got my first when I was 18 (4 stars on my hip), my 2nd when I was 20 (a cricket on my right foot), my third when I was 23 (a swallow the right side of my lower back) and my fourth when I was 24 (a band around my left forearm and the word "always"). I am enamored with tattoos - my own and those belonging to others.
63. Legally changing my name caused me to have a mini identity crisis. Just a little one. I'm still working on my signature
64. I enjoy doing bills. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and control.
65. I have a strange relationship with the blog-world. I want to be part of it, and I follow bunches of blogs for periods of time, but once a blogger starts constantly linking to their blog friends' blogs, then I feel alienated - I feel outside of a clique.
66. I love celebrity gossip. I shouldn't, but I do.
67. I also love terrible, terrible reality TV shows. Again, I shouldn't but I do.
68. On the flip side, I read classic literature, and watch intelligent movies and brilliant (but cancelled) TV shows. I just needed to clear the air...
69. On that topic, the saga revolving around Jon and Kate Plus 8 makes me so sad for those kids. Seriously. Stop exploiting your children.
70. My favorite bloggers are The Pioneer Woman and Dooce. They sort of embody what I want to be.
71. I'm still unsure about Twitter. I'm trying to use it, but really, who care that I went for a run? Or that my dog's breath smells? Or that I'm baking cookies? I'm going to keep at it.
72. I. Love. Harry. Potter. I am a devoted fan, and have been for about 10 years. It's the longest love affair I've ever had.
73. I DON'T LIKE TO EXERCISE. I just don't. I will, because I know it is good for me and it makes my legs look awesome. But I'm going to complain about it the WHOLE TIME.
74. Now that we've moved, I don't think I want to go without cable/internet. While I acknowledge that TV isn't the best thing for me, it's REALLY nice to shut down and zone out at the end of the day.
75. I'm going to live in Illinois for almost my entire life. My family moved here when I was two, and I lived in Iowa for about a year total. My family is here, my friends are here, and I know this place. When I have kids I want to make sure they know their grandparents and relatives (I never really did).
76. Singing Happy Birthday makes me feel so incredibly awkward
77. I am not good at long-distance relationships.
78. I used to play World of Warcraft. I loved it, a lot. I never got very far, but I had to stop playing because it became a time-suck.
79. I've been using the alias SilentA for nearly 10 years. It started after a weekend of watching Kevin Smith movies, and decided to create a persona after Silent Bob.
80. I've been blogging for nearly the same amount of time (10 years). I started out on OpenDiary.com, moved over to Livejournal, and here I find myself on Blogger. Hopefully the next step is my own site.
81. I have a really soft spot for Iowa. Particularly Des Moines. Mike went to school there, I temporarily went to school in Iowa City, and that's where Mike and I had our first apartment together.
82. I played the flute for 8 years. I never really liked it much, but I wasn't half bad. My teachers were always encouraging, but I was lazy and never practiced.
83. During my 4 years of High School, I was an active member of the marching band. It was totally nerdy, but the kids I hung around with (who weren't hardcore into it) dubbed ourselves the "Anti-Band".
84. That said, I have a soft spot for every member of that marching band.
85. I like making lists like these. They make me feel like I am learning things about myself.
86. I never in a million years thought I would be a girl who loved shoes...yet here I am.
87. Conversely, I still occasionally wear slippers out in public, and I don't care how sloppy I look.
88. I wrote a speech about my moccasin slippers my sophomore year of college. I didn't graded as well as I hoped I would.
89. I sometimes wish I had tried harder and focused more while I was in college. I think part of the reason I didn't stemmed from the fact that I went to 3 different colleges.
90. Attending community college was the best thing I could have done for my education. I saved myself a bunch of money while finishing general education classes. I wish community college didn't have such a bad stigma attached to it.
91. I love dreary weather. I could gladly live in a place like Seattle with limited sunshine. I avoid hot temperatures and sun because I am very fair and prone to sunburn.
92. I actually react very badly to sunburns...I get insatiably itchy, and freak out. I can't describe the feeling and how awful it is. My dad has the same thing, and when he was in Vietnam he had to be hospitalized because the itching was so terrible.
93. I have had the same group of friends since I was 12 years old. It's very bizarre to realize that I've known them half my life. But I love them.
94. Physical contact with people (other than Mike) weirds me out. But with Mike, I like to be discreetly touching him as often as possible.
95. I used to REALLY want to be interested in professional sports. I wanted to be cool like that. But I tried...I really did...and it holds no appeal for me, and I've accepted that.
96. I wish I was more interested in music. I have a couple bands/CDs that I listen to, but otherwise I'm sort of eh about it.
97. I'm not really sure what I want to be when I grow up. Some days it's a personal trainer, baker or teacher. Other days it's a stay at home mom, independent crafter, or entrepreneur.
98. I have no tolerance for radio commercials that use the sound of an alarm clock, squealing breaks, or emergency vehicle sirens of ANY kind.
99. Someday I want to be the type of cook that people are clamoring to get recipes from.
100. I'm extremely well-intentioned, but I severely lack on follow-through. Hobbies I pick up, ideas for gifts and costumes. Most of these things never come to fruition.
101. I also lack will power. I don't deny myself much. But I'm working on it. I'm working on a lot of things.
I started this list way back in July, and I've just now gotten around to finishing it up. Many of you feature this list on your blogs, and I find them fascinating, so I've created my own.
Plus it's Friday, which translates to "Slacker Day" and that applies to blogs too.
1. My hair is naturally red. I've only dyed it once, and I went brown,
2. I was voted Homecoming Princess my junior year of high school.
3. I gave Hot Topic the idea for the "I Make Boys Cry" t-shirt. I still have printouts of the emails.
4. I spent a semester as a housekeeper for a eccentric recluse who was apparently a semi-famous author. He created gumball machines, was a boxer for UCLA, and was incredibly lonely. I think the only reason he hired me was so he would have someone to talk to.
5. Once upon a time I was a hardcore feminist, now I lean more towards more traditional gender roles. Mainly because I hate working, don't mind cleaning, and want to raise my own kids.
6. I missed my professional calling. I'm hoping to remedy that. Someday.
7. I love video game culture, in theory. In practice, not so much.
8. I am fascinated by pin-up culture. I think I'll always be an outside observer rather than an active participant.
9. Mike and I have the best dog we could have asked for, and I am a huge advocate of adopting from shelters.
10. I always carry water and chapstick. If I am ever without those two things I feel very anxious and will often go to the closest gas station to purchase them. Leaving my phone behind doesn't usually bother me.
11. I can't sleep in anymore.
12. I feel strangely adult now because I have a lawyer, and Mike and I are looking over contracts. But. getting a Costco membership made me feel more adult than buying a house
13. I'm a reformed Internet creep. When I was in 7th grade and we FIRST got the Internet, I used to lurk around chatrooms, stay on AIM all night. As I got older, I trolled craigstlist rants and raves. I used to make online friends.
14. I have trouble dressing myself and I wear black so often that I look like a mourner.
15. I didn't expect to miss living with my parents once we got the house...but I do.
16. Planning the wedding made me really uncomfortable. I felt really awkward and guilty planning a big party that's supposed to focus on me and Mike and OUR LOVE. Who cares? I feel super strange about having people buy dresses or suits or travel out here BECAUSE I SAID SO.
17. However - the wedding was amazing. And I'm glad I went through with the whole production of it. Everyone I love was there, and happy.
18. I'm adore etsy.com. I'm obsessed with handmade items and trinkets. I hope to someday go back to my crafty roots and start a shop of my own.
19. I wish my life was greener...though currently, it's not so bad. I plan to someday have a compost heap, and be totally rid of traditional cleaning products. It's not much, but a step...
20. I have a love/hate relationship with TV. I love it. But I hate how much I love it. Sometimes I feel akin to Homer Simpson.
21. I love scarves. I haven't decided if they are a fashion statement, or a type of security blanket.
22. I hope, deep down, that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is real. Even if that DOES mean that I'm a Muggle. I just want our world to have magic in it somewhere.
23. I would love to be Ana Pascal from Stranger Than Fiction. If you haven't seen it, DO. I want to make people happy in this world.
24. I want to go to Japan. Not yet, though. I want to prepare by learning a little Japanese, and making sure that we have enough money to go and make sure no expense is spared.
25. I don't want to be boring...but I think I am already there.
26. I would love to get a tattoo sleeve. But unfortunately, I don't think that's in the cards for me.
27. I wish I were more feminine. I think girls that are ladylike are neat. I feel like wearing dresses is a step in the right direction.
28. I desperately want to exercise. My body wants to be in shape, but my motivation by the time I get home (after my near 2hr commute) is nonexistent. I would really like to run a 5K in the next few years.
29. I think cemeteries are beautiful. Especially when they are old, and it's Spring.
30. I love to read. Anything. Right now I'm reading Geek Love by Katherine Dunn.
31. I want to be a well-known and respected member of my community.
32. I also want to be a Stay-at-Home-Mom, when the time comes. I hope that Michael and I have the means to make this happen. My mom did it, and his mom did it, and it was nice to know that there was someone waiting for you
33. Mike and I are actually really excited about hosting dinner parties, having people over, and cooking.
34. I hope someday my life pans out just as I imagine it will.
35. I am married to my best friend and High School sweetheart, which is pretty sweet.
36. I'm realizing more and more that I am a very private person. It really never dawned on me before.
37. I am an extreme homebody. To the maxxxxx.
38. I'm terrible at staying up late. I'm perfectly happy to be asleep by 10pm.
39. I have a pretty awesome family, and I prefer their company to anyone's.
40. My mom is my best friend and and most trusted confidante. She's a pretty awesome lady.
41. I have two younger sisters, one is 21, the other is 16. We all have different natural hair colors, and our names are alphabetical - A, B, and C.
42. My 21 year old sister is hilarious. And blonde, and B.
43. My 16 year old sister is the nicest person I have ever met. She'll do anything for you. She's a brunette, and C.
44. My dad and I are very much alike. We butt heads constantly because of this.
45. I was a nude model for a life drawing class for a semester of college. It was a strange and interesting experience.
46. I love to try different shampoos. If I am staying over at someone's house, I am so excited to try their hair products.
47. I've recently learned that I am like a FURNACE when I sleep. We figured this out when Mike and I were napping in the car on a cool, rainy day. When we woke up, my side of the car was all steamed up.
48. I love sugary kids cereal. Reeses Puffs. Cap'n Crunch. Cocoa Puffs. You name it, and I'm all over it.
49. I also love kids' cartoons. So does Mike, and nothing pleases us more then finding out that there are 6 episodes of The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack on a Sunday morning.
50. I am clean, but not always neat. And I really like to have my living space in order before I get ready to relax for the night.
51. The smell of lilacs and clean laundry will forever remind me of being a kid and playing in the backyard.
52. I am very fortunate to have the in-laws that I have. They're really awesome people, who tend to forgive Mike and I despite our shortcomings.
53. I can't wait for Halloween, every year. But then it usually comes and goes without much acknowledgment from me.
54. I get the worst hangovers in the world. In college I managed to escape them, but since I don't drink regularly anymore, approximately Tthree beers can make me violently ill for an entire day. If I only have one drink, I need to chase it with glasses and glasses of water or I will have a headache for hours.
55. My friends were convinced I was allergic to alcohol the first time I drank. Sometimes they still think I am. I just think I'm unlucky.
56. I am an exceptionally fun drunk.
57. I am a terrible dancer. I won a "Worst Dancer" award in High School.
58. I enjoy Daiquiris with my mom and sister. Rum makes everyone loud and festive.
59. I am extraordinarily clumsy. I walk into doorways, kick chairs, and always wind up with mysterious bruises. Mike gets nervous if I get too rambunctious because I am apt to accidentally punch him in the mouth.
60. Driving terrifies me. I am not a very confident driver and have been in too many accidents. I've been rear ended 3 times in the last year, and none of the other drivers were very nice about it.
61. I've just recently developed a taste for coffee. But I still put loads of sugar (or Splenda) and creamer in it. Though drinking it black isn't the worst thing in the world.
62. I have 4 tattoos. I got my first when I was 18 (4 stars on my hip), my 2nd when I was 20 (a cricket on my right foot), my third when I was 23 (a swallow the right side of my lower back) and my fourth when I was 24 (a band around my left forearm and the word "always"). I am enamored with tattoos - my own and those belonging to others.
63. Legally changing my name caused me to have a mini identity crisis. Just a little one. I'm still working on my signature
64. I enjoy doing bills. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and control.
65. I have a strange relationship with the blog-world. I want to be part of it, and I follow bunches of blogs for periods of time, but once a blogger starts constantly linking to their blog friends' blogs, then I feel alienated - I feel outside of a clique.
66. I love celebrity gossip. I shouldn't, but I do.
67. I also love terrible, terrible reality TV shows. Again, I shouldn't but I do.
68. On the flip side, I read classic literature, and watch intelligent movies and brilliant (but cancelled) TV shows. I just needed to clear the air...
69. On that topic, the saga revolving around Jon and Kate Plus 8 makes me so sad for those kids. Seriously. Stop exploiting your children.
70. My favorite bloggers are The Pioneer Woman and Dooce. They sort of embody what I want to be.
71. I'm still unsure about Twitter. I'm trying to use it, but really, who care that I went for a run? Or that my dog's breath smells? Or that I'm baking cookies? I'm going to keep at it.
72. I. Love. Harry. Potter. I am a devoted fan, and have been for about 10 years. It's the longest love affair I've ever had.
73. I DON'T LIKE TO EXERCISE. I just don't. I will, because I know it is good for me and it makes my legs look awesome. But I'm going to complain about it the WHOLE TIME.
74. Now that we've moved, I don't think I want to go without cable/internet. While I acknowledge that TV isn't the best thing for me, it's REALLY nice to shut down and zone out at the end of the day.
75. I'm going to live in Illinois for almost my entire life. My family moved here when I was two, and I lived in Iowa for about a year total. My family is here, my friends are here, and I know this place. When I have kids I want to make sure they know their grandparents and relatives (I never really did).
76. Singing Happy Birthday makes me feel so incredibly awkward
77. I am not good at long-distance relationships.
78. I used to play World of Warcraft. I loved it, a lot. I never got very far, but I had to stop playing because it became a time-suck.
79. I've been using the alias SilentA for nearly 10 years. It started after a weekend of watching Kevin Smith movies, and decided to create a persona after Silent Bob.
80. I've been blogging for nearly the same amount of time (10 years). I started out on OpenDiary.com, moved over to Livejournal, and here I find myself on Blogger. Hopefully the next step is my own site.
81. I have a really soft spot for Iowa. Particularly Des Moines. Mike went to school there, I temporarily went to school in Iowa City, and that's where Mike and I had our first apartment together.
82. I played the flute for 8 years. I never really liked it much, but I wasn't half bad. My teachers were always encouraging, but I was lazy and never practiced.
83. During my 4 years of High School, I was an active member of the marching band. It was totally nerdy, but the kids I hung around with (who weren't hardcore into it) dubbed ourselves the "Anti-Band".
84. That said, I have a soft spot for every member of that marching band.
85. I like making lists like these. They make me feel like I am learning things about myself.
86. I never in a million years thought I would be a girl who loved shoes...yet here I am.
87. Conversely, I still occasionally wear slippers out in public, and I don't care how sloppy I look.
88. I wrote a speech about my moccasin slippers my sophomore year of college. I didn't graded as well as I hoped I would.
89. I sometimes wish I had tried harder and focused more while I was in college. I think part of the reason I didn't stemmed from the fact that I went to 3 different colleges.
90. Attending community college was the best thing I could have done for my education. I saved myself a bunch of money while finishing general education classes. I wish community college didn't have such a bad stigma attached to it.
91. I love dreary weather. I could gladly live in a place like Seattle with limited sunshine. I avoid hot temperatures and sun because I am very fair and prone to sunburn.
92. I actually react very badly to sunburns...I get insatiably itchy, and freak out. I can't describe the feeling and how awful it is. My dad has the same thing, and when he was in Vietnam he had to be hospitalized because the itching was so terrible.
93. I have had the same group of friends since I was 12 years old. It's very bizarre to realize that I've known them half my life. But I love them.
94. Physical contact with people (other than Mike) weirds me out. But with Mike, I like to be discreetly touching him as often as possible.
95. I used to REALLY want to be interested in professional sports. I wanted to be cool like that. But I tried...I really did...and it holds no appeal for me, and I've accepted that.
96. I wish I was more interested in music. I have a couple bands/CDs that I listen to, but otherwise I'm sort of eh about it.
97. I'm not really sure what I want to be when I grow up. Some days it's a personal trainer, baker or teacher. Other days it's a stay at home mom, independent crafter, or entrepreneur.
98. I have no tolerance for radio commercials that use the sound of an alarm clock, squealing breaks, or emergency vehicle sirens of ANY kind.
99. Someday I want to be the type of cook that people are clamoring to get recipes from.
100. I'm extremely well-intentioned, but I severely lack on follow-through. Hobbies I pick up, ideas for gifts and costumes. Most of these things never come to fruition.
101. I also lack will power. I don't deny myself much. But I'm working on it. I'm working on a lot of things.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Moving Melancholy.
I'm back.
I've had a helluva weekend.
Saturday was moving day, wherein we employed all able-bodied men-folk to help us empty our storage unit, and relocate large pieces of furniture into our home. The incentive? Burgers and beer. It worked, and now we were (almost) totally moved in.
While we were moving one of our new neighbors came by to introduce herself and her kids - Joey and Jenny - and bring over some cookies. JUST LIKE THEY DO IN THE MOVIES.
Joey looks to be about 3, and Jenna about 6 months. And, when I saw them, my uterus started screaming "I WANT BABIES!"
The little boy carried the cookies and went to shake Mike's hand, but Mike asked for a high-five. He said please and thank you and he was SO GODDAMN CUTE. Anyway...
On Sunday, after being exhausted of moving and finding that our old TV and TV stand were atrocities in our house...we decided to make some ill-advised purchases and bought a giant, honkin' flat screen.
I researched a little, and we decided to shop around - my mom suggested Costco, and we borrowed her membership to go look. Within 10 minutes of walking into that glorious store, I decided we MUST. HAVE. A. MEMBERSHIP. And so we do.
OMG you guys! Have you been to/do you love HUGE club stores? They are the epitome of mass production and excessive consumption...but if loving them is wrong...then I don't want to be right.
While we were there, we got our obnoxiously big TV (because Mike said it was "the best deal"), and I also picked up Wii Fit Plus! I'm pretty excited about it. I haven't set it up, or even taken it out of the box yet...but I will. I will. Does anyone have one? Do you like it? Does it do any good at all?
Beyond that...we're slowly but surely moving in...and I'm learning that large life changes, particularly those that come with complete upheaval, make me mildly depressed. Not terribly, but enough for me to notice an increase in lethargy and general malaise. I've gone to bed at about 8pm since we've moved in, been closer to tears than usual, and I have no desire to talk. I realized all this was going on last night when I went to bed. It's kind of a bummer, but I'm certain it'll get better as the house becomes livable and my life feels organized again.
I've had a helluva weekend.
Saturday was moving day, wherein we employed all able-bodied men-folk to help us empty our storage unit, and relocate large pieces of furniture into our home. The incentive? Burgers and beer. It worked, and now we were (almost) totally moved in.
While we were moving one of our new neighbors came by to introduce herself and her kids - Joey and Jenny - and bring over some cookies. JUST LIKE THEY DO IN THE MOVIES.
Joey looks to be about 3, and Jenna about 6 months. And, when I saw them, my uterus started screaming "I WANT BABIES!"
The little boy carried the cookies and went to shake Mike's hand, but Mike asked for a high-five. He said please and thank you and he was SO GODDAMN CUTE. Anyway...
On Sunday, after being exhausted of moving and finding that our old TV and TV stand were atrocities in our house...we decided to make some ill-advised purchases and bought a giant, honkin' flat screen.
I researched a little, and we decided to shop around - my mom suggested Costco, and we borrowed her membership to go look. Within 10 minutes of walking into that glorious store, I decided we MUST. HAVE. A. MEMBERSHIP. And so we do.
OMG you guys! Have you been to/do you love HUGE club stores? They are the epitome of mass production and excessive consumption...but if loving them is wrong...then I don't want to be right.
While we were there, we got our obnoxiously big TV (because Mike said it was "the best deal"), and I also picked up Wii Fit Plus! I'm pretty excited about it. I haven't set it up, or even taken it out of the box yet...but I will. I will. Does anyone have one? Do you like it? Does it do any good at all?
Beyond that...we're slowly but surely moving in...and I'm learning that large life changes, particularly those that come with complete upheaval, make me mildly depressed. Not terribly, but enough for me to notice an increase in lethargy and general malaise. I've gone to bed at about 8pm since we've moved in, been closer to tears than usual, and I have no desire to talk. I realized all this was going on last night when I went to bed. It's kind of a bummer, but I'm certain it'll get better as the house becomes livable and my life feels organized again.
Friday, October 16, 2009
A survey for Friday
I was tagged by Melina of Owl and Peacock for a survey. And as I have no energy to create anything new, here goes:
1. What books are on your favorite shelf?
>> All 7 of the Harry Potter books. I've read the first 4 six times, and only twice for the remaining 3.
2. What DVDs are on your favorite shelf?
>> Lost in Translation, V for Vendetta, Closer
3. What are your two favorite cookbooks?
>> Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook: Recipes for Cooking Together, and it's not a cookbook, but it might as well be - tastespotting.com
4. Select 1-3 recipes you will cook for your special guests:
>> Stuffed Peppers, my parent's Caesar Salad, Lemon Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies
5. What will we be drinking that's available?
>> Champagne cocktails (I <3 champagne) and Sam Adams
And 5 Random Facts:
1. I used to wear slippers almost every day during my senior year of High School. For a while I carried a blanket around with me so it was more comfortable to nap during study hall.
2. I could fall asleep at 7pm every night. I love slumber.
3. I created the "I Make Boys Cry" tshirt for Hot Topic. Swear! I saved the emails.
4. I've only every owned Dodge cars. I've only liked one...my Stratus.
5. Mike was one of the 4 "Hot Boys" on the 8th grade basketball team who I thought would never speak to me. Little did I know that he was a shy, shy nerd who didn't talk to anyone.
In the vein of wanting to know more about you:
1. RaeLeigh at Big Sky Girl
2. Mandy at Manderz Musings
3. A Green Teacher at Green Fires
4. Callina at Gingerbread House
Also - if you've emailed me...I'm so so so SO sorry it's taken me so long to respond. I'm going to write you back. Swear on a bear.
Have a wonderful Friday and an even better weekend.
1. What books are on your favorite shelf?
>> All 7 of the Harry Potter books. I've read the first 4 six times, and only twice for the remaining 3.
(image from weheartit)
2. What DVDs are on your favorite shelf?
>> Lost in Translation, V for Vendetta, Closer
(image from weheartit)
3. What are your two favorite cookbooks?
>> Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook: Recipes for Cooking Together, and it's not a cookbook, but it might as well be - tastespotting.com
4. Select 1-3 recipes you will cook for your special guests:
>> Stuffed Peppers, my parent's Caesar Salad, Lemon Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies
(image from McCormick.com)
5. What will we be drinking that's available?
>> Champagne cocktails (I <3 champagne) and Sam Adams
And 5 Random Facts:
1. I used to wear slippers almost every day during my senior year of High School. For a while I carried a blanket around with me so it was more comfortable to nap during study hall.
2. I could fall asleep at 7pm every night. I love slumber.
3. I created the "I Make Boys Cry" tshirt for Hot Topic. Swear! I saved the emails.
4. I've only every owned Dodge cars. I've only liked one...my Stratus.
5. Mike was one of the 4 "Hot Boys" on the 8th grade basketball team who I thought would never speak to me. Little did I know that he was a shy, shy nerd who didn't talk to anyone.
In the vein of wanting to know more about you:
1. RaeLeigh at Big Sky Girl
2. Mandy at Manderz Musings
3. A Green Teacher at Green Fires
4. Callina at Gingerbread House
Also - if you've emailed me...I'm so so so SO sorry it's taken me so long to respond. I'm going to write you back. Swear on a bear.
Have a wonderful Friday and an even better weekend.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Moving
Hahahahahahahah
Gross. I look like a zombie this morning.
I failed to wash my face before bed last night, and now I look like the dead, reanimated. Gross. Hahahha. But I couldn't help but share.
I've been totally neglectful of emails, and tweets and blogs lately because of the whole closing on our house. There were a bunch of last-minute sagas that I can't bring myself to relive yet, but we DID end up closing. On Friday. So all the papers are signed, we aren't as poor as we thought we'd be (pleasant surprise), and we painted the bedroom (pictures to come). This is the first time I've logged onto the interwebs since Thursday...crazy.
We closed on Friday and then started cleaning. Most of the skin on my hands has melted off thanks to bleach, paint, Goo Gone, nail polish remover and floor stripper, and along they way, thanks to the same chemical cocktail, most of my brain cells are dead and I can't breathe. WORTH IT.
The spiders that previously occupied the house are in turmoil because we're removing their nests, but sorry dudes, we don't want any squatters.
I've been off work since Friday in an attempt to try to clean and get our house set up so we can live there, but we're not quite ready yet. The bedroom is painted and cleaned and my parents bought us a fancy new Queen bed, and we slept there on Sunday night. But for all intents and purposes we can't live there yet.
The appliances, all 6 of them, are getting delivered on Saturday, and hopefully hooked up by the end of the day. We're also hoping some of our man-friends will be able to help move couches and futons and dressers and tables. I'm putting a rush on this because I still want to host a little Halloween get-together.
Additionally, Sunday night, after we've gotten our room set up, and we're getting ready for bed, I started crying, and crying and crying. I should be happy! Overjoyed that I am finally sleeping in the house we've been chasing and laboring after for so long. But I felt so guilty and grateful to my parents. My mom was at the house ALL WEEKEND painting and cleaning and removing stains, and my parents bought us a bed. ALL THIS after housing us and feeding us for over 8 months. I don't know how you can adequately thank someone for that. I felt sooo indebted.
And here's the thing about my family. WE love each other, and we know it, but we don't really hug, and we don't really say sweet, lovey things. We express love by being there for each other, asking questions about their day, and just generally expressing interest in our lives. We spend tons of time together, and drink daiquiris/bloody marys together. But we don't say "I love you", and that works for us. So, here I am, unable to really put into words how MUCH I love and appreciate the work and time and money my parents have put into us...so I had a meltdown. A sobby, snotty, hysterical meltdown. And the fact that I was sobbing, the first night in our new house, made me feel even worse because Mike was trying to make me feel better.
Eventually, I calmed, after many reassurances from Mike that my parents know, and are happy to help. And finally! FINALLY! We were able to sleep in a house alone, and enjoy the quiet that comes along with it,
Gross. I look like a zombie this morning.
I failed to wash my face before bed last night, and now I look like the dead, reanimated. Gross. Hahahha. But I couldn't help but share.
I've been totally neglectful of emails, and tweets and blogs lately because of the whole closing on our house. There were a bunch of last-minute sagas that I can't bring myself to relive yet, but we DID end up closing. On Friday. So all the papers are signed, we aren't as poor as we thought we'd be (pleasant surprise), and we painted the bedroom (pictures to come). This is the first time I've logged onto the interwebs since Thursday...crazy.
We closed on Friday and then started cleaning. Most of the skin on my hands has melted off thanks to bleach, paint, Goo Gone, nail polish remover and floor stripper, and along they way, thanks to the same chemical cocktail, most of my brain cells are dead and I can't breathe. WORTH IT.
The spiders that previously occupied the house are in turmoil because we're removing their nests, but sorry dudes, we don't want any squatters.
I've been off work since Friday in an attempt to try to clean and get our house set up so we can live there, but we're not quite ready yet. The bedroom is painted and cleaned and my parents bought us a fancy new Queen bed, and we slept there on Sunday night. But for all intents and purposes we can't live there yet.
The appliances, all 6 of them, are getting delivered on Saturday, and hopefully hooked up by the end of the day. We're also hoping some of our man-friends will be able to help move couches and futons and dressers and tables. I'm putting a rush on this because I still want to host a little Halloween get-together.
Additionally, Sunday night, after we've gotten our room set up, and we're getting ready for bed, I started crying, and crying and crying. I should be happy! Overjoyed that I am finally sleeping in the house we've been chasing and laboring after for so long. But I felt so guilty and grateful to my parents. My mom was at the house ALL WEEKEND painting and cleaning and removing stains, and my parents bought us a bed. ALL THIS after housing us and feeding us for over 8 months. I don't know how you can adequately thank someone for that. I felt sooo indebted.
And here's the thing about my family. WE love each other, and we know it, but we don't really hug, and we don't really say sweet, lovey things. We express love by being there for each other, asking questions about their day, and just generally expressing interest in our lives. We spend tons of time together, and drink daiquiris/bloody marys together. But we don't say "I love you", and that works for us. So, here I am, unable to really put into words how MUCH I love and appreciate the work and time and money my parents have put into us...so I had a meltdown. A sobby, snotty, hysterical meltdown. And the fact that I was sobbing, the first night in our new house, made me feel even worse because Mike was trying to make me feel better.
Eventually, I calmed, after many reassurances from Mike that my parents know, and are happy to help. And finally! FINALLY! We were able to sleep in a house alone, and enjoy the quiet that comes along with it,
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Pioneer Woman Cooks!
Holy Cannoli.
Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, is going to be here:
Chicago – Skokie, IL
Thursday, November 19, 2009
7:30 pm
Barnes & Noble
55 Old Orchard Center
Skokie, IL 60077
That's like 10 minutes from my work. Less than that. 7 minutes. Oh. Em. Gee.
And I'm going to see her.
I'm going to go early (I get off work at 4...but I'll probably stay late), and then go get food, and see if I can have a face-to-face chat with Ree Drummond because I'll be there so early, and she'll be proud of how punctual I am.
If I play my cards right, maybe she'll say, "Ashley, I think you're great, and I want to adopt you so you can live on my ranch and learn to be amazing."
And I'll reply, "Ree, thank you so much for the offer! It would make me SO HAPPY to live on your ranch and learn to be amazing! I can't wait. Can Mike come? He would love to learn to be a rancher."
And she'll say, "Of course!"
And that will be that.
Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, is going to be here:
Chicago – Skokie, IL
Thursday, November 19, 2009
7:30 pm
Barnes & Noble
55 Old Orchard Center
Skokie, IL 60077
That's like 10 minutes from my work. Less than that. 7 minutes. Oh. Em. Gee.
And I'm going to see her.
I'm going to go early (I get off work at 4...but I'll probably stay late), and then go get food, and see if I can have a face-to-face chat with Ree Drummond because I'll be there so early, and she'll be proud of how punctual I am.
If I play my cards right, maybe she'll say, "Ashley, I think you're great, and I want to adopt you so you can live on my ranch and learn to be amazing."
And I'll reply, "Ree, thank you so much for the offer! It would make me SO HAPPY to live on your ranch and learn to be amazing! I can't wait. Can Mike come? He would love to learn to be a rancher."
And she'll say, "Of course!"
And that will be that.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Shut The Front Door
Guys. GUYS!
I've been so busy and so swamped. But I have topics I want to discuss with you, and they may or may not include:
1) Ex Boyfriend boxes - OMG, I went through one (it was hidden in the back of my closet) this weekend and it was a doozy!
2) Things I love. I've been making this list for a while.
3) My hair. I know, I know. I CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT. I'm planning to write an open letter to myself, for the next time I'm thinking of cutting it all off.
4) Where I live. I want to take you on a photographic tour of where I live. This will probably have to wait until after we're moved/settled. I like sharing, and you guys sharing with me. It's REAL nice. I do wish we could all have dinner sometime, yes?
5) I want to dabble in the realm of a mini-vlog. I don't quite know if I have the courage to look right into the camera and speak, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
6) THIS INSANE DREAM I HAD. Do you guys ever dream about tornadoes? I do, realatively often, and a quick Google search let me know that tornadoes are usually dream-manifestations of upheaval, or disruption - which is right on target. BUT, in this particular dream, there was a Jim Halpert/Mike hybrid who was with me and wanted to marry me. It was very bizzare. I had wedding rings on both hands and we were trying to get away from the tornado. This isn't my first Jim Halpert love dream.
I think it might have to do with this picture I found yesterday:
7) weheartit.com Have you been here? Have you seen it? Friend me. This website blows my mother trucking mind.
8) I'm trying to stop swearing. Son of a Biscuit. Mother trucker. Shut the Front Door. I need to adopt these.
8) OMGwecloseonthehousetomorrowWTF?!? It's been horrible. Which is why I haven't been around blogging or commenting. We were approved for our loan...with conditions. So we had to scramble all this week to provide proof that Mike was a student for all of 2007, and that a credit card that was flagged as an Identity Theft Risk was closed. It was really hard to get all that in a DAY, but we did it, and we're still on track to close TOMORROW.
I've been so busy and so swamped. But I have topics I want to discuss with you, and they may or may not include:
1) Ex Boyfriend boxes - OMG, I went through one (it was hidden in the back of my closet) this weekend and it was a doozy!
2) Things I love. I've been making this list for a while.
3) My hair. I know, I know. I CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT. I'm planning to write an open letter to myself, for the next time I'm thinking of cutting it all off.
4) Where I live. I want to take you on a photographic tour of where I live. This will probably have to wait until after we're moved/settled. I like sharing, and you guys sharing with me. It's REAL nice. I do wish we could all have dinner sometime, yes?
5) I want to dabble in the realm of a mini-vlog. I don't quite know if I have the courage to look right into the camera and speak, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
6) THIS INSANE DREAM I HAD. Do you guys ever dream about tornadoes? I do, realatively often, and a quick Google search let me know that tornadoes are usually dream-manifestations of upheaval, or disruption - which is right on target. BUT, in this particular dream, there was a Jim Halpert/Mike hybrid who was with me and wanted to marry me. It was very bizzare. I had wedding rings on both hands and we were trying to get away from the tornado. This isn't my first Jim Halpert love dream.
I think it might have to do with this picture I found yesterday:
(Image from weheartit.com)
7) weheartit.com Have you been here? Have you seen it? Friend me. This website blows my mother trucking mind.
8) I'm trying to stop swearing. Son of a Biscuit. Mother trucker. Shut the Front Door. I need to adopt these.
8) OMGwecloseonthehousetomorrowWTF?!? It's been horrible. Which is why I haven't been around blogging or commenting. We were approved for our loan...with conditions. So we had to scramble all this week to provide proof that Mike was a student for all of 2007, and that a credit card that was flagged as an Identity Theft Risk was closed. It was really hard to get all that in a DAY, but we did it, and we're still on track to close TOMORROW.
Friday, October 2, 2009
An ode to Anonymous!
Dear Anonymous,
You left a comment on my biographical blog post - and mentioned working at MCC. You asked my favorite teacher - Mark Arctander. He was a painting teacher and a very talented artist.
I appreciate your comments and I would really like to talk to you. Please leave me another comment with a way to contact you!
As a matter of fact, anyone who reads this - email me. I love pen pals and emails to make the day go faster
You left a comment on my biographical blog post - and mentioned working at MCC. You asked my favorite teacher - Mark Arctander. He was a painting teacher and a very talented artist.
I appreciate your comments and I would really like to talk to you. Please leave me another comment with a way to contact you!
As a matter of fact, anyone who reads this - email me. I love pen pals and emails to make the day go faster
Soon-Kitchen?
I've got a few things I want to blog about, but for the time being I am totally and completely preoccupied with the purchase of our new house.
We close in less than a week, and I want to make sure we are able to paint before we move all of our stuff in. Mike and I have spent two weekends at Home Depot, agonizing over paint colors, and dreaming about wood floors and granite countertops, and we've managed to figure out what we're doing with our bedroom. But the kitchen. Oh, the kitchen! It's a completely different animal!
So today, I've put together this little "inspiration board" of what we think we're doing.
The plates are our actual plates.
The white-ish buffet represents the white stain we're going to give the wood portion of our cabinets (the fronts are laminate, and we're hoping to replace them).
The colors are what we're both cool with.
The wood samples are what we eventually want to finish the floors with (Thank you, $8,000 tax incentive for first time home buyers!)
We want to put in little box shelving above the buffet that we'll use as a mini-bar
And the actual kitchen image is from Behr's website.
Unfortunately the countertops are white laminate. It's pretty ugly, but I figure we can live with it for now. But there are crazy tutorials online for refinishing your laminate counters...maybe I'll get daring someday.
We close in less than a week, and I want to make sure we are able to paint before we move all of our stuff in. Mike and I have spent two weekends at Home Depot, agonizing over paint colors, and dreaming about wood floors and granite countertops, and we've managed to figure out what we're doing with our bedroom. But the kitchen. Oh, the kitchen! It's a completely different animal!
So today, I've put together this little "inspiration board" of what we think we're doing.
The plates are our actual plates.
The white-ish buffet represents the white stain we're going to give the wood portion of our cabinets (the fronts are laminate, and we're hoping to replace them).
The colors are what we're both cool with.
The wood samples are what we eventually want to finish the floors with (Thank you, $8,000 tax incentive for first time home buyers!)
We want to put in little box shelving above the buffet that we'll use as a mini-bar
And the actual kitchen image is from Behr's website.
Unfortunately the countertops are white laminate. It's pretty ugly, but I figure we can live with it for now. But there are crazy tutorials online for refinishing your laminate counters...maybe I'll get daring someday.
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