The Fifth of November.

Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

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Remember, remember the 5th of November. The gunpowder, treason, and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.

Thoughts on Facebook.

It's been a long time since I've posted. And if I'm being honest, not a whole lot has happened. It's been a pretty chill month. And I like it.

I'm starting to give some serious thought to deactivating my Facebook. I love it and I think it's a fabulous invention, but I'm starting to get uncomfortable with the amount of information that is shared and sold and whatever.

With the new changes I'm seeing my friend's comments and likes on random people's statuses. Which means that random people can see things of mine. I don't need my entire friends list to see when I comment on a status, and I don't need their friends to see my status.

The downside of leaving is obviously that I'll have less access to my faraway friends and family, and less access to photos. But there are just too many individual setting to organize, and it's so much clutter. And I can't creep. No more creeping.

I'm a HUGE lover of technology and internet, but I do have my limit. I strongly dislike being constantly connected, and value the nights and weekends when I am away from my computer.

Maybe if I DO deactivate it, it'll encourage me to connect in other ways? Phone calls? Cards? I can't say that facebook distracts me from life, because I make it a point to NOT use it during my downtime. But the information shared on FB is becoming less valuable to me, and it's starting to feel like a chore to maintain it (this is how I felt about Twitter).

I'm still not 100% on what I want to do, but I'm going to give it a bunch of thought. If I can figure out these changes, and make sure my visibility is locked up, then I may consider changing. But I've heard that there are MORE changes coming, and I just don't know if I want to navigate those.

Ren Faire 2011

Oh my, it's been a while! And it's been even longer since I actually made a post, you know, with words.

I can't believe the summer is already winding down! The weather is already starting to change - this very morning I started second guessing my choice of sandals as footwear. Though, it's very likely it could shoot back up to 90 degrees again very soon. (Damn, I just checked the weather and we're looking at 90s again on Thursday...)

This past weekend Mike and I went to the Bristol Renaisance Faire. It is absolutely our favorite thing to do all summer. I'm not even sure why we love it so much. It's shops, and kid activities, and shows and food. But it has, hands down, the best people watching I've ever stumbled across.
This past weekend was Steampunk weekend, which culminated in a costume contest. So many of those who were dressed up looked spectacular.

This summer has been eventful, but also low key. It's been strange.

Pottermore Frenzy

I got in!
(though it was a shallow victory)

Username: CauldronLight144

Saturday, July 30th

It is Saturday morning. I woke up at about 9:30am, despite falling asleep at a grandmotherly 11:30pm. I had big plans to start cleaning out closets and getting rid of things I don't need. But then, I sat on the couch, watched a little 30 Rock, had some unhealthy cereal and coffee. And now? It's after noon, and I'm still here. Only now I'm watching Parks and Recreation.

Mike came downstairs shortly after me, and now he's napping across from me on the couch. Maddie has taken up her usual spot on the back of the couch, watching for some unseen threat to our home.
We haven't had a Do-Nothing type of weekend in a while. Mike has been working on weekends for the last two months. Last weekend I was out of town and Mike hosted friends at our house. So this? While it feels so wrong, is much welcomed.

The end of an era and solidifying my fanaticism

This is what my afternoon consists of....

Oh you know, after I got THIS:On a whim :)
I am madly in love with my super simple HP tattoo. It couldn't have turned out better.

And tonight, I'm seeing the movie at 8pm. As much as I love the atmosphere of the midnight movies, I'm just too, too tired to stay up and watch it. I want to see it when I'm awake and aware and comfortable.

I am so sad about this era ending, but so happy that I was able to be a part of this amazing literary juggernaut. From non-stop reading, re-reading, to midnight book releases, and midnight showings (in my younger years). Making t-shirts to buying t-shirts and COUNTLESS other HP related items. I've been a fan for 11 years. It's been the longest love affair of my life (sorry, Mike).

These books have been a bright spot whenever I'm sad, or stressed or generally frazzled. And the movies have been such an amazing interpretation of their content. I am genuinely sad to see everything conclude - but at the same time, there's still a whole other Potter-life ahead of me. I hope to someday get Mike to read the books, and introduce them to my future kids, not to mention the endless possibility of reading them over and over and over again.
As JK Rowling said at the London premiere, "Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

And that is all I have to say about that.
For now.

Red lipstick.

I am feeling lethargic, but hopeful.
I miss Mike, but I appreciate it far more when he's present.
I can't wait for the last Harry Potter, but am so sad that it is ending.
I am hungry, but too lazy to cook.
I'm super nervous about my future, but confident that everything will be just fine.

Wallow-y Blog Post :(

Remember last post when I said I was handling everything well? Today, it crashed down around my ears. Hard.

I've been sick since Tuesday, and it's been a constant annoyance. And because of it I haven't slept properly since...Tuesday.

This morning Maddie was being a bundle of nerves, and I couldn't figure out why until I went upstairs and found out that she threw up. I tried to comfort her (throwing up terrifies her) and then she threw up some more. Sorry. That's gross. But it's been awful. She's OK now and back to psychotically watching the birds out the back window.

Plus Mike is working today, and is going to go into work again on Sunday. And worked late almost every day this week. I don't know what to think of it, because he's not some brain surgeon where people die in his absence. But it makes him feel better to make sure he's ahead of the game, and apparently this is his busy season. It's just really, really hard.

I've been cleaning all morning and I hate it, and I just burdened my poor mother with a self-pitying sob-fest. I'm a mess. I feel like nothing is going right. But, I know it's not true, and everything is going to fit into place, because, well it has to. I have so many things to be excited about and to work hard for, but right now, nothing fits. It feels like I'm wearing an too-small suit.

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I've had my cry, and I've written a wallow-y blog post, so now it's time for me to buck up, buttercup and get my act together. I'm going to pull myself up by my bootstraps and whatever other cliche feel good-eries I can think of. I'm going to have some lunch, and finish cleaning and, and get in a good head space, and finally sit down and try to actually make some progress reading The Hunger Games.

A Smattering of Thoughts

I've been feeling...overwhelmed lately.
Between life changes, job restructuring, travel recovery, budgeting, various sicknesses and devastatingly hot weather I'm just feeling a little overwrought, under-slept and simply drained.

All I want to do it bake a cheesecake. But, as I told Mike in a email yesterday, I feel like that's a winter dessert, and cookies with bright summery flavors seem more appropriate.
Edit: I found FAR MORE recipes for summery cheesecakes. So many more.

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I want to do is go home and have a bonfire in my backyard with Mike. I want to cook a simple BBQ meal, and chill on our deck. And then, have some summery cookies. That I made. You know, with all the time I have on my hands. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

I feel like I should meditate on winning the lottery. I was watching one of the "Lottery Changed My Life" shows on TLC, and a crazy lady claimed that's how she did it. Can't hurt, right?

Image via San Diego trip

I do not have a green thumb. I can grow flowers OK, but vegetables and herbs are out of the question. However, the flowers are questionable this year. Just ask my suffering Hydrangea. :(

I think I should eat more brie. I had it on a sandwich (turkey, brie, granny smith apple and I BELIEVE dijon mustard) and it was awesome.
Also, I want to pickle something. Probably cucumbers, resulting in...pickles.

I've written a LOT about food so far. But, day-um girlfriend is hungry.

Oddly enough - even with all this random stuff floating around, and changes taking place, and stressful situations sitting on my head, I feel SURPRISINGLY calm. Like, usually, I would cry at the drop of a hat, throw a few tantrums, but not lately. I'm handling more and more with a shoulder shrug, and acknowledging what I can't control.

Image via San Diego trip :)

Also, I used to think I was a Type A personality (and maybe once upon a time I WAS a Type A), but I now believe I am a Type B...and I took a few online tests (the most reliable kind of test *eyeroll*) and confirmed it. I scored a 23/100 on an abridged test.

You possess many of the characteristics of a Type B personality. Type B persons are characterized as having a "stop and smell the roses" attitude towards life. They are very relaxed and rarely become hostile, aggressive or competitive. Open-minded and forgiving, they are of a flexible nature. Type B persons tend to follow either an "Everybody Must Win" or "Live and Let Live" credo; they have a more passive and submissive slant to their personality. In either case, whether to fight a cause or simply stand up for themselves, Type B persons sometimes lack the drive that could help them achieve their goals. You yourself may want to work on building up some more initiative and dynamism. Otherwise, you run the risk of missing out on important opportunities. Pushing yourself and competing a little bit for your place in the sun can certainly add some spice to your life.

I took a few more and got the same result. INTERESTING. But taking those tests always send me into a weird thought-spiral of "would I REALLY do that? Or is that just what I would like to THINK I would do?" So I often doubt the validity of those tests. How can you TRUTHFULLY assess yourself. I think everyone has a slightly skewed perception of themselves.

Wants and Needs: Friday!

It's Friday! Friday!
Gotta get down on Friday!

Sure has been a while since I've done Wants and Needs, and today is the day!
Feel free to play along.

Without further ado:

Wants
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Needs
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Through the Pensieve

I Open at the Close

Book Expo ADVENTURES!

Remember how I used to write here? Oh, those were the days!!

I'm planning to HOPEFULLY get back into that groove very, very soon. Very. But for the moment, I want to tell you about my travel adventures!

I attended Book Expo America in NYC this past week for work, and while I find flying to be one of my least favorite activities, I do have to say I did have an entertaining time.

My job was to tend to our booth, answer questions, direct people where they need to be directed and give/take business cards. Well, a gentleman sidled up to the booth looking for international distribution of his novel, but unfortunately, we do everything internally, and don't work with outside authors. Well, it was towards the end of the day, and I was curious so I asked him about his novel and learned that it is a western romance novel. And then? He gifted me with a copy.

AND THEN? I asked him to sign it, and he graciously complied.

So now, I am the proud owner of a signed copy of my very first western romance. And I'm gonna read the SHIT out of it.

Other than that the show was mostly uneventful. I enjoy attending trade shows and conferences, it makes life a little more interesting and I do end up learning a lot.

I was all set to fly home on Wednesday. My flight was at 10am (NYC time) and arrive home 2ish hours later, well I got to the airport WAY too early (which is fine, I prefer that) at 7:30am, and when I looked at the board a TON of flights to Chicago were delayed/cancelled, so I texted my mom and found out Chicago was being beaten on by terrible weather. At that time my flight was still on schedule.
Nervously, I kept checking, and it stayed on schedule. So I made myself comfortable.
20 minutes before boarding, I checked again. It was delayed an hour.
And then another hour.
And then another hour.
And then another 15 minutes
And then the fire alarm in the airport went up as I was dozing off. And then I had a heart attack, and died. Not really, but I might as well have.
And then I was delayed another half hour.
I finally got on the plane at 1:45pm NY time.
And then we sat on the tarmac.
Then we taxied to the runway.
And then we sat.
And sat.
And then the captain said that we were waiting for a reroute.
And THEN we took off, and the captain told us that we were going to have to go up through Canada (I waved!) and come to Chicago from the north. So the flight was (I THINK) an hour-ish longer than it should have been.
I landed, life was good, and I got on the monorail-y tram that takes me to my parking lot.
AND THEN the tram comes to a stop, in the middle of the tracks, and they make an announcement that we're having technical difficulties.
At this point I am just laughing and laughing, because this can't be real!
And we sat there for about a half hour waiting for a technician to board and fix it.
All the while, I'm stuck on this tram with a guy in real estate who is having a screaming match with his office.
AND THEN I got to my car at about 5pm, and had to drive home in rush hour traffic.

It was a ridiculous ending to a hilarious trip.

Upcoming San Diego Trip!

As usual, it's been many moons since I've last updated. But, like I said before, I've been totally entrenched in to-dos, git 'er dones, and, you know, things.

BUT! Here I am, on the home stretch. In 1 week Mike and I are traveling to San Diego to visit our longtime friend, Cam, and his awesome girlfriend Dawn.

A visit in October 2008

Chicago, October 2008

At a wedding in October 2010

After the October wedding

Cam and I have been friends since...7th grade? We met in band. So we've been friends for, LITERALLY 13 years? Oh, sweet lord.

Thanksgiving break 2006

After me and Mike's wedding ceremony, May 2009

Probably one of my favorite pictures. Ever.
Me and Mike's reception, May 2009

When Cam moved to San Diego in 2005, I promised I'd visit. I think I renewed that promise every year. But this year! This is the year. Plus, Cam is moving soon, so this is my last opportunity. They are opening their home to us for 5 nights, and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Cam and Mike from our wedding, May 2009

Mike and Cam after a wedding, October 2010

Gazing deeply at each other, Christmastime 2010

Embracing lovingly, Christmastime 2010

Friends, and warm weather (when we arrive on the 28th, it will be sunny and 69°!) and a trip to the beach and not working and food. I cannot wait!

This also means that I have 1 week to wrap up my massive lists. You see, at the end of March, I took a calendar and filled in the dates with all the tasks I needed to complete before this trip.
And it ended up being an insanely huge list. There are still many small things I need to check off - but in one short week, my list will have to be done.

And after San Diego? I have 3 days to prepare for a party. And after that? All my to-dos will be to-done, and then I can focus on enjoying my summer! And maybe blog more? I have so many house makeover related things to show you!

Already planned:
1 May birthday celebration
2 June cabin trips (one of which is a birthday celebration)
1 July cabin trip
1 Renaissance Faire Trip
HP and the Deathly Hallows FINAL MOVIE
HP tattoo?
1 trip to New Buffalo, Michigan for a birthday celebration

AND IT'S ONLY APRIL.

Updates on my boring life.

The last time I wrote was on March 1st. And since then:

- I went to a Boobie Bash to raise moneys for a friend who will be walking in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk in Chicago. Mike and I bought a shitload of raffle tickets and consequently won 4 raffle prizes.



- Put this on my Facebook, and am now extending the invite here:

Via Rachelle- Pay it forward 2011!
I pledge to send a handmade something to the first 5 people who comment on this post (and specify that they want to play) and who update their status/Twitter/Facebook/blog with this same offer (please link back). The rules are that YOU have to make it with your own hands and that you must send it sometime in 2011.

- Saw Rango and thought it was delightful. A wonderful change of pace.

- Started listening to Girl Talk, and physically felt my cool quotient increase exponentially.

- Got EXTREMELY excited for St. Patty's Day. Seriously, it's my favorite holiday because it's about food and drink, and there are NO obligations. However, in prepping my corned beef and cabbage, my garbage disposal clogged. I spent the next 2 hours elbow deep in drain sludge and pieces of cabbage. Luckily my mom is EXTREMELY handy, and Mike was dedicated to freeing up the plumbing.

-Fell madly in love with Rebecca Black's Friday. Seriously. I don't care what anyone says, it's a festive song.


- Have been debating canceling cable. I'm planning to write a whole post on that, but it's an ongoing saga.

- Started re-reading all 7 Harry Potter books again. I want to finish them just in time for the 2nd installment of Deathly Hallows.
- Watched the Leo DiCaprio and Claire Danes version of Romeo and Juliet and remembered HOW INSANELY AWESOME IT IS.

- Had some out of town friends visit! Had people over (then fell asleep on my own couch, because I'm cool like that)

- Had the roof and siding replaced on my whole house!

- Started painting my stairs - dark treads and white risers, like this. Quickly found out that this is not as fun or easy as I thought. Currently, the half finished staircase is giving my hives.

- Started thinking about the Derby Party
And I think that brings us about up to speed.

I've been terribly unmotivated to write, and absolutely SLAMMED at work and at home.
April is the beginning of lots of things to do, and birthdays and Spring CLEANING! So I'm up to my eyeballs in to-dos and obligations. I feel like I'm totally spinning out of control, but then I remember that all these obligations and events and whatnot are fun and awesome, and I'll figure it out.

Accidental Drunkenness

Yesterday, I had a crappy day, so I called my mom and told her about it.
She then offered to make me a Bloody Mary. It was delicious.

This is not the Bloody Mary in question

Then Mike came home, and we had a beer.

After that, we left to go to Mike's parents' house to celebrate the engagement of his brother. I somehow ended up with two beers in front of me. I drank both of them.

Champagne was poured, and I had myself a little glass to toast to the newly engaged. Then I had another glass, because someone didn't want theirs.

No family gathering is complete without a tequila shot to honor Papa.

Then I had another beer, you know, to chase it.

Through all of this? I forgot dinner. Mah bad.

And THAT'S the unfortunate story of how I accidentally got drunk last night and want to cry today.

I'm an embarrassment

I'm so lazy.

Today I should have:
Cleaned both the bathrooms
Done all my laundry
Changed my sheets
Unloaded the dishwasher, and loaded dirty dishes
Bought my sister a birthday present
Vacuumed
Swept and mopped

Today I:
Made waffles and coffee
Watched an episode of The Office
Watched an episode of Jump City Seattle
Watched an epidoes of One Born Every Minute
Watched an episode of Jersey Shore
Put sheets in the washer, forgot about them until now
Ordered and ate Jimmy Johns
Crept around on Facebook
Chatted on Facebook
Reopened my 20SB account
Read about the Help Nathan Buy Firefly movement - which I wholeheartedly support.

Happy Valentine's Day!

In light of Valentine's day, and Brittney's adorable post, I shall do my own!

I love...

• That most of the women in my office are wearing red today
• Fresh flowers. No matter where they come from.
• Talking future stuff with Mike.
• Going out to dinner and eating like a fat kid.
• An hour or two alone on weekend mornings.
• That point in winter where you can start to see hints of spring.
• When the pets play together.
• Bloody Marys at my mom's house.
• Knowing Jeopardy answers.
• Immediately changing into slipper boots and leggings when I get home.
• Mid-week movies.
  
• Weird, punny and inappropriate vintage Valentines.

Frugal Valentine's Day!

Well! I survived the 2011 snowstorm...but it JUST keeps snowing.

I'm super excited because I just booked a hotel room at Hyatt Place in Schaumburg for Saturday. It's me and Mike's Valentine's Day celebration. I stole the idea from Rachelle, when she and Jay recently did the same in Oak Brook.

I'm SOOOO excited about this because it's the cheapest Vday EVER! The hotel was $78, we have a gift card for nearby restaurants, and Mikes Vday present will end up being free because of my vision insurance!

But, let me talk about Mike's Vday present. He LOVES glasses and kind of wants to start collecting them. Like one would collect beautiful shoes - Mike wants to have a variety of glasses to choose from. So, when Kyla Roma mentioned Warby Parker a while back, and I think again recently on twitter, so I started checking them out for Vday.

AND HOLY CRAP! The glasses are adorable, but they are also $95 across the board, including lenses and shipping/returns. On top of that, they offer a "Try On" option, where you pick 5 frames you like, and they send them to you for 5 days - FOR FREE.

These are the glasses Mike chose. They're amazing. And he loves them.

Funny story. We went out to dinner on Friday, which is when I gave him the 5 "Try On" pairs, and Mike wanted to wear the frames out. Well, since they're just to try, they just have clear non-prescription frames in them, so he can't see for shit.

We get to the restaurant and there's a 30 minute wait, so we head to the bar for a beer. Shortly, our little pager goes off, and I ask him if he wants me to wait while he pays the tab, so that he can see where I go.
Well, he assures me he'll be fine and he'll find me.
I'm skeptical at this point, but I wandered off to get our table.

I sit and I'm watching him. Because I know he's BLIND. He literally cannot see more than 10 feet around him. And soon he looks up to find me, and realizes he CAN'T. From across the restaurant I see the panic on his face because he has NO idea where I am. I was dyyyyying.
I eventually waved, but the panic was priceless.

My lord - this post makes me look and sound and feel like a cheap ass - but, saving the $$s is awesome, I don't care what ANYONE says

SnOMG! Icepocalypse! Blizzaster!

So, instead of updating you about the house renovations, I'm updating you on the MASSIVE BLIZZARD that has trapped me in the house. Except everyone in the universe is probably also updating you on the status of the blizzard...

We'd been hearing rumblings about it since the weekend, but as it drew closer they way they described this storm got more serious. "Life-threatening" is what they called it, saying we would have white out conditions and winds inn excess of 50mph. Some of it felt like hyperbole, like the weather people were being REALLY dramatic.

BUT IT CAME. The city of Chicago is basically shut down, and a good portion of the rest of the state is too. My office is closed, Mike's office is closed, and we're trapped. We were lucky that we didn't lose power like a lot of people!

When I tried to take Maddie out, I found that the snow was about 4 feet up the door...so even if I could get it open, Maddie is too small to forge the snow.

View from the backdoor, where we let Maddie out to do her business. To the left of the picture is a drift, and to the right? That's our grill. This is through a CLOSED door.

This is out the front door, that I could only open about a foot...with a ton of force. You can see the snow it up to the mailbox.

Looking out one of the side windows...that's a drift.

What I COULDN'T get a picture of were the cars in the driveway, and the wall of snow that the plow left at the end of the driveway. I know we SHOULD start digging out, but holy crapoli, I don't even know where to start. I'm OK with using this as an excuse to hibernate for the rest of the winter. Because this shit? This is crazy.