Joe and I have been feeling, lately, that our lives are lacking excitement. Our weekends are usually spent cleaning and grocery shopping, watching TV and sometimes going out to eat. We feel like we're kind of stuck in a rut. We've really been focusing so much on fertility treatments and doctor appointments and the future that we've forgotten that we are young and can still go out and have fun and do stuff. Once we have kids we'll probably wish for lazy days like these. So we've been thinking about things we'd like to do and have been trying to be a little more spontaneous and adventurous.
We're already planning a trip to Tallahassee in October to see a Florida State game and we know we want to get over to Tampa for a Tampa Bay Bucs game in December. We've been thinking of little weekend trips that we could take too. But, for the time being, and until I start getting some nice new paychecks we're thinking on a smaller scale.
So, last night, instead of ordering our usual Chinese take-out from our usual (and favorite) local Chinese restaurant and sitting on the couch watching a That 70's Show marathon on Spike TV and going to bed around 10pm, we decided to spice things up and head out into the real world. We're not drinkers so we're not going to head out to a bar. We're not dancers (Joe isn't anyway) so a night club is out. We really weren't in the mood for a movie either. So, we decided on dinner out. I know, it's not really that adventurous but baby steps, right?
So, we decided dinner but didn't want to go to any "regular" place. Nothing in Titusville, not Mexican, not a chain restaurant, nothing that we do all the time. There is a place in Cape Canaveral called "Thai Thai" that I've heard is awesome. They have sushi, which I love, but also cooked food for Joe. We thought, "Brilliant!" something new and exciting! So off we went to Cape Canaveral. Thirty minutes later we pull into "Thai Thai" and find the parking lot packed and people waiting outside. We were both really hungry by this point and starting to get cranky so we decided that we'd skip it and keep driving until we found something else. We headed south towards Cocoa Beach.
Joe thought he remembered a restaurant called Lotus-something so we were looking for that. We never found it but did pass by a restaurant called "Yen Yen" that has been in Cocoa Beach forever. We were even hungrier by then and neither of us had ever eaten there so we decided "Yen Yen" was the winner. We walked in the door and were both a little shocked. The waiters and waitresses were dressed in tuxedos with bow ties and the man at the podium asked if we had reservations. We immediately felt way under dressed, Joe in his t-shirt and shorts and me in my jeans and flip flops. But, there was no wait so we got right in and ducked into a booth before anyone noticed our lack of dressiness.
The decor of the restaurant was interesting to say the least. The booths and the drapes were both made out of pink velvet. There were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a step down dining area in the middle of the restaurant with diamond-shaped mirror accents on the walls. The table we sat at had a picture of the "Mona Lisa" hanging above it. It reminded me of a restaurant you'd see on The Godfather minus the mobsters in the corner booth smoking cigars and drinking brandy out of big snifters. But, whatever, we were there and hungry.
The menu had a lot of choices on it so we decided to both try new and interesting things. We both ordered soup, me hot and sour and Joe egg drop, and some Szechuan wontons. The soup was ok but the wontons were not. They were covered in a red goo-like sauce that looked more like menstrual blood (sorry- gross) than sauce. But, again, we were hungry and trying to be adventurous so we dug in. Not good. I have no idea what was inside the wontons but they were not pleasant. Then our dinner arrived. I ordered the beef and scallops and Joe ordered the Beijing trio which was shrimp, chicken, and beef. When I read "beef and scallops" on the menu I thought it would be beef and scallops mixed together in the same sauce with the same vegetables. It wasn't. The beef was on one side of the plate in one type of sauce and the scallops were on the other in a different sauce. It was very strange. Joe's plate was covered in fried noodles and you couldn't even see what was underneath. It looked like a bird had made it's nest right there on his plate. We still went for it though with high hopes that it would be delicious.
My beef was so rare I couldn't even eat it. It was still purple on the inside and the sauce was not good. The scallops were very soft and squishy and the sauce on them wasn't good either. Joe's dinner was a little better flavor-wise but still not great. The steamed white rice was delicious though. We finished our "meal" and were slowly starting to wonder why we'd never heard any review, good or bad, about this restaurant before. Joe's theory was that once you walked in, you could never leave. We said we'd probably walk out the door and be back in the restaurant again like a bad Twilight Zone episode. We were practically delirious by that point. We couldn't tell if it was from the raw meat and bad seafood or if they'd slipped ruffies into our drinks. Then the bill arrived.
FIFTY-ONE FREAKING DOLLARS!! We both almost died when we saw the check. We'd seen the prices on the menu but usually don't mind paying a little more for a good dinner. Now we knew what the smirk on Mona Lisa's face was all about. We could not believe we'd just spent $50 ($60 with a tip) on raw meat and period blood. We payed our check and ran-walked out of that place, thankful that the door did indeed lead outside. We got in the car and wondered how the hell that restaurant had managed to stay open for so many years. We still have no idea.
On the way home we started thinking about our plan to be more adventurous. Maybe we'd already gotten the plan right. I mean, sitting at home is comfortable. We can wear our baggy pajamas and not have to worry about being judged by some Asian man in a bow-tie, we can lay down on our comfortable couch and get up for a drink or a snack or a bathroom break, we can watch pretty darn funny TV and laugh out loud and we can eat GREAT food for 1/3 of the price we'd paid for a crappy dinner. All without the hour round-trip drive, the money wasted on gas, and without leaving our dogs home alone.
I think last night's dinner taught us to stop worrying about what we could be doing and start enjoying what we are doing. It may not be exciting or glamorous but it's pretty freaking awesome, if I do say so myself.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Hump Day
Well, I've officially made it through three days at my new job. Things are going pretty well so far. I've got a long way to go before I think I'll be completely comfortable but I'm trying not to get overwhelmed.
The job is A LOT more complicated than I originally thought. I'm working in the Printing and Micro imaging Department. We make copies for people and scan big engineering plans and put things on disc for people. There are a lot of different things going on in the department. I think the hardest part for me right now is the flow. I'm trying to grasp where the work is coming from, where it's going, and what my role is in the process. So far they tell me that I'm doing really well so I guess that's a good thing. They are definitely not trying to rush me through the training process and I'm very grateful for that.
The hours have been a huge adjustment for me. I've gone from a 9-5 job to a 7:30-4 job. That might not seem like a huge difference but, let me tell you, 5:30am seems WAY earlier than 6:45am. Especially when that alarm clock goes off and I have to drag my tired butt out of the bed. I know what you're saying, getting off an hour earlier should make up for going in early. It is nice to get out of work at 4:00 but it still feels like 5:00 to me. I'm ready to get home and eat dinner but I can't because Joe doesn't get home for another 2 hours. I know I could eat on my own but that's no fun.
Another big adjustment has been my lack of connection with the outside world. I haven't been assigned a computer or phone yet so I haven't been able to check in on my gossip sites or email with my girlfriends like I normally do. That is really killing me. I get home in the afternoon and run to the computer to check my email and to read all about what's going on in the world. I leave for work before even the Today show comes on so I'm really missing out on all the current world (and celeb world) news. I'm used to getting new reports every half hour or so.
Overall, I do think I'm going to like the job. The people seem genuinely nice and most of them have been there for more than twenty years. It's got to be a pretty good place to work if people are sticking around that long. It is just going to take some time to get adjusted to the new routine. And that works for me because I've got nothing but time.
The job is A LOT more complicated than I originally thought. I'm working in the Printing and Micro imaging Department. We make copies for people and scan big engineering plans and put things on disc for people. There are a lot of different things going on in the department. I think the hardest part for me right now is the flow. I'm trying to grasp where the work is coming from, where it's going, and what my role is in the process. So far they tell me that I'm doing really well so I guess that's a good thing. They are definitely not trying to rush me through the training process and I'm very grateful for that.
The hours have been a huge adjustment for me. I've gone from a 9-5 job to a 7:30-4 job. That might not seem like a huge difference but, let me tell you, 5:30am seems WAY earlier than 6:45am. Especially when that alarm clock goes off and I have to drag my tired butt out of the bed. I know what you're saying, getting off an hour earlier should make up for going in early. It is nice to get out of work at 4:00 but it still feels like 5:00 to me. I'm ready to get home and eat dinner but I can't because Joe doesn't get home for another 2 hours. I know I could eat on my own but that's no fun.
Another big adjustment has been my lack of connection with the outside world. I haven't been assigned a computer or phone yet so I haven't been able to check in on my gossip sites or email with my girlfriends like I normally do. That is really killing me. I get home in the afternoon and run to the computer to check my email and to read all about what's going on in the world. I leave for work before even the Today show comes on so I'm really missing out on all the current world (and celeb world) news. I'm used to getting new reports every half hour or so.
Overall, I do think I'm going to like the job. The people seem genuinely nice and most of them have been there for more than twenty years. It's got to be a pretty good place to work if people are sticking around that long. It is just going to take some time to get adjusted to the new routine. And that works for me because I've got nothing but time.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
The New Frontier
I start my new job tomorrow and I'm excited but mostly terrified. Starting a new job is so weird. You know how after you've been at a job for a while you start to know everyone's moods and behaviors and you're in a routine? Well at a new job you have none of that. You can't tell if the girl at the next desk is a total bitch or just a bitch until she has her coffee. You can't tell if the guy down the hall complimented your shoes because he's gay or because he has a crazy shoe fetish and wants to tie you down and lick your shoes. All those things come with time.
I know I have said before that I am not a person who branches out to meet new people. I am definitely a stump. I'm happy with the people I know and feel no need to reach out and make new friends. The "silver and gold" song we learned in the Brownies was completely lost on me. I prefer the "keep the old" part over the "make new friends" part. That probably makes me come off as really shy or a huge bitch to people who don't know me. So at most jobs I have, I normally don't talk to anyone unless they talk to me first. I usually lighten up after the first month or so but until then, I'm quiet as a mouse.
Until I find out what kind of person I'm dealing with, I don't like to reveal too much. I don't want to start any battles about politics or religion or gay marriage or whatever by saying the wrong thing to the wrong person. Don't get me wrong, I'm going to keep on believing what I believe in but I just won't even bring it up to someone who obviously feels differently. It'll be interesting, that's for sure.
I'm also all up in the air about what to wear on my first day. I don't really know what my co-workers' style will be like or even the level of formality of their dress code. Sometimes I think people think the outfits I wear are a little out there so I don't want to shock anyone. I mean, I'm not on the cutting edge of fashion by any means compared to women in big cities but here in Titusville, I think I push the envelope a little. But, I don't want them to think that I dress bland either. On a first day I usually like to wear something cute that's just a little on the fashion edge but not too much. I want to introduce the fact that I'm semi-stylish and will be wearing heels and jewelry and that sometimes I will go to the more trendy side. I don't want to dress down for the first month and then show up wearing a bolero jacket and stilettos and have people wonder where it came from. I figure I can introduce things slowly and build up from there. That way, hopefully, it won't be too shocking for anyone.
I guess the worst part, for me, about starting a new job is having to answer questions about myself. It's just weird telling a stranger about your life. I have my standard, "I'm married, live in Titusville, and have two dogs" story which gets me by for a little bit. I'm sure I'll have to field the questions about if I have any children. That's always fun. People always want to talk about my hair. That's fine too but after a couple of times it gets annoying telling people that my hair is naturally curly and having to hear about how lucky I am to have curly hair. blah, blah, blah. It really throws them for a loop when I show up one day with straight hair. When people ask me about myself I should change my standard answer to, "stupidity drives me crazy, I can be very stubborn, I get psycho when I'm hungry, I can recite celebrity gossip like its the alphabet, I can be a real bitch sometimes, I despise mom jeans, and don't even talk to me about how great your church is or how you think the war in Iraq is going well." I think that might start me out on the wrong foot though.
Oh well, I guess it can only get easier after the first day. I'll just do everything I can to make it go smoothly. I am really excited to start a new career and to learn something different. I'm excited that I'm going to be a part of the space program because I think it's amazing. I'm excited for the financial boost this job will provide and for the amazing insurance that Joe and I will each be able to have. I'm excited to be at a real company with an employee handbook and actual policies and procedures. I am all around excited.
Well, I'm off to shave my legs and paint my toenails. Because, you know, you never get a second chance to make a first impression...
I know I have said before that I am not a person who branches out to meet new people. I am definitely a stump. I'm happy with the people I know and feel no need to reach out and make new friends. The "silver and gold" song we learned in the Brownies was completely lost on me. I prefer the "keep the old" part over the "make new friends" part. That probably makes me come off as really shy or a huge bitch to people who don't know me. So at most jobs I have, I normally don't talk to anyone unless they talk to me first. I usually lighten up after the first month or so but until then, I'm quiet as a mouse.
Until I find out what kind of person I'm dealing with, I don't like to reveal too much. I don't want to start any battles about politics or religion or gay marriage or whatever by saying the wrong thing to the wrong person. Don't get me wrong, I'm going to keep on believing what I believe in but I just won't even bring it up to someone who obviously feels differently. It'll be interesting, that's for sure.
I'm also all up in the air about what to wear on my first day. I don't really know what my co-workers' style will be like or even the level of formality of their dress code. Sometimes I think people think the outfits I wear are a little out there so I don't want to shock anyone. I mean, I'm not on the cutting edge of fashion by any means compared to women in big cities but here in Titusville, I think I push the envelope a little. But, I don't want them to think that I dress bland either. On a first day I usually like to wear something cute that's just a little on the fashion edge but not too much. I want to introduce the fact that I'm semi-stylish and will be wearing heels and jewelry and that sometimes I will go to the more trendy side. I don't want to dress down for the first month and then show up wearing a bolero jacket and stilettos and have people wonder where it came from. I figure I can introduce things slowly and build up from there. That way, hopefully, it won't be too shocking for anyone.
I guess the worst part, for me, about starting a new job is having to answer questions about myself. It's just weird telling a stranger about your life. I have my standard, "I'm married, live in Titusville, and have two dogs" story which gets me by for a little bit. I'm sure I'll have to field the questions about if I have any children. That's always fun. People always want to talk about my hair. That's fine too but after a couple of times it gets annoying telling people that my hair is naturally curly and having to hear about how lucky I am to have curly hair. blah, blah, blah. It really throws them for a loop when I show up one day with straight hair. When people ask me about myself I should change my standard answer to, "stupidity drives me crazy, I can be very stubborn, I get psycho when I'm hungry, I can recite celebrity gossip like its the alphabet, I can be a real bitch sometimes, I despise mom jeans, and don't even talk to me about how great your church is or how you think the war in Iraq is going well." I think that might start me out on the wrong foot though.
Oh well, I guess it can only get easier after the first day. I'll just do everything I can to make it go smoothly. I am really excited to start a new career and to learn something different. I'm excited that I'm going to be a part of the space program because I think it's amazing. I'm excited for the financial boost this job will provide and for the amazing insurance that Joe and I will each be able to have. I'm excited to be at a real company with an employee handbook and actual policies and procedures. I am all around excited.
Well, I'm off to shave my legs and paint my toenails. Because, you know, you never get a second chance to make a first impression...
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Writer's block
Back in the old days on MySpace blog, I used to blog everyday. It was really fun at first and felt good to get all my thoughts out. Then I remember it became very frustrating because I found it harder and harder to come up with witty, interesting things to say. I eventually stopped blogging all together. Well guess what? That feeling of having nothing to say is back.... with a vengeance.
I love that you all enjoy reading the blogs. I love your words of praise and encouragement. I try really hard to keep things here fresh and exciting. I really have a new found respect for writers though. It is hard to keep coming up with new things to say. I've been trying to channel my inner Carrie Bradshaw but it's just not working. So I've decided instead to show you a picture of Sarah Jessica Parker and Chris Noth on the set of the new Sex and the City movie which just started filming today. I'm hoping that maybe looking at them again will unblock my brain and the creativity will just come spilling out.
I love that you all enjoy reading the blogs. I love your words of praise and encouragement. I try really hard to keep things here fresh and exciting. I really have a new found respect for writers though. It is hard to keep coming up with new things to say. I've been trying to channel my inner Carrie Bradshaw but it's just not working. So I've decided instead to show you a picture of Sarah Jessica Parker and Chris Noth on the set of the new Sex and the City movie which just started filming today. I'm hoping that maybe looking at them again will unblock my brain and the creativity will just come spilling out.
Isn't it just so exciting?!! I honestly can not wait for this movie to come out. I seriously worship the show. People who don't watch it may think it's just fluff or that it's only about sex or fashion. While it does have a ton of that in there it is also a great show about being confident in who you are, being a good friend and having good friendships, and not settling for less than what you want. The women are powerful and funny and outspoken and independent. The subjects that they discussed were very relateable and insightful. And it was freaking funny as hell!
I'm really interested to see where they are going to take the movie. I've read that all the men are on board for the movie. Steve, Harry Goldenblatt, Smith Jared, and of course Mr. Big are all going to be involved. No word on Stanford Blatch or Anthony Marentino yet. They have to be involved though. Where would the girls be without their "main gays"? I also read that Jennifer Hudson has signed on to play Carrie's assistant which could be very interesting. I wonder what Carrie is doing now that she needs an assistant for? Hmmmm. I am curious to know where the movie will pick up. Will it pick up from where the show ended or will it be real time 4 years later? I would LOVE to see an Aiden cameo but I haven't heard anything about him joining the cast yet. Ah well... I guess beggars can't be choosers.
I was thinking today about when the movie comes out. I thought it would be really fun to get a group of us fans together. We could go out for dinner and, of course, Cosmopolitans wearing our sassiest stilettos and then go see the movie together. Which, I think, would make us look really cute or really stupid. I just can't imagine going to watch Sex and the City THE MOVIE in jeans and flip flops. It just doesn't seem right- or nearly as fun. I'll have to keep you all posted on that plan. I'm sure we won't be the only dorks standing in the ticket line in heels.
Until then, I'm going to keep trying to come up with things to say here. Please forgive me if some of my blogs are boring. Eventually the constipation in my brain will go away and the ideas will be flowing freely again. Maybe Cosmopolitans are like Ex-Lax for the brain. Hey, it's worth a shot!
Monday, September 17, 2007
Must See TV
I think I've mentioned before that one of my favorite hobbies is watching TV. I know all the new fall shows are getting ready to start back up but there are some pretty freaking awesome shows on right now. Over the past week or so I've found two that I really love. And, I've had a very guilty pleasure show for most of the summer.
One of the new shows is on the Bravo network. I love Bravo. It used to be the home of Queer Eye and is currently the home of Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. Now there is a new show that I LOVE. It is Tim Gunn's Guide to Style. I have no idea what day it actually comes on because I have it set to record but it is such a good show! I don't watch Project Runway but Tim Gunn is on that show and this new show is his spin-off. I've only seen two episodes and I've cried at the end of both. They take women who are lacking in the style department and they help the women regain their confidence and their "sparkle". They teach them to shop for their body types and to really accept their body for what it is. I like this show because not only do they teach people how to look good but they really restore that feeling of confidence in the women. I think we've all had those days of having "nothing to wear" or getting dressed and still feeling fat/ugly/troll-ish. This show takes those feelings away. I definitely recommend it!
My next new favorite show is on HBO. Let me start by saying that, in my eyes, HBO very rarely gets it wrong. I have watched and loved Sex and the City, Sopranos, Entourage, Rome, Deadwood, Carnival, Flight of the Conchords, Big Love... the list really goes on. But there is a new show on Sunday nights at 9pm that is really riveting. It's called Tell Me You Love Me. Now, I've only watched two episodes of this show too but I'm hooked. It's about couples and their sex lives. The show really revolves around sex. There are 4 couples and they are each dealing with their own issues. There is an engaged couple who love each other and have great sex (often) but the woman in the relationship has severe jealousy issues. The next couple are married and have two children and haven't had sex in a year. They love each other very much, they're just not doing it. The next couple are married and are trying to have a baby. Let me tell you that this is BY FAR the most accurate portrayal of people having trouble conceiving that I have ever seen. Joe and I look at each other like, oh my God! It's like exact conversations and feelings that we've had. The final couple are an older couple, probably in their 60's. The wife is a sex/marriage therapist who is counseling two of the couples.
This show REALLY goes there so if you're squeamish, you might not want to watch. You see butt, penis, vagina, boobs... everything. They don't hold back any gory details. But the show is really about intimacy and how it can be different at different times in your relationship. It's a really good show.
Finally, my guilty pleasure show of the summer. Don't laugh. I am totally hooked on Rock of Love with Bret Michaels. It is the worst best show ever! It's like The Bachelor but the girls are way skankier and Bret Michaels is definitely no Andrew Firestone. It's down to the final two girls so next Sunday, on VH1, Bret will make his choice between Heather, the transvestite-looking Las Vegas stripper and Jess, the adorable pink and blond haired hairdresser. I think you can tell which one is my favorite. What I love about this show is just the absolute craziness. The girls are wild partiers. They drink and dance on the stripper pole and throw themselves all over Bret Michaels who wasn't even that hot when Poison was cool... 15 years ago. It's really everything you need in a guilty pleasure show- backstabbing, fights, name calling, pass-out drunkeness, nakedness, and drunken "I love you's" with a head in the toilet bowl. You really can't go wrong. I know I'm telling you about this way too late to catch up but if there is a marathon, you better watch because this show is insane!
My Tivo is already stacked with new shows to start recording next week. I'm sure some will get weeded out or will get cancelled by the networks but there are a ton that I want to try. I already have a pretty full TV schedule so I'm not sure how I'm going to fit much more in but I'm going to try! It'll probably end up like last year where it's all we can do to get through all of our TV shows. Isn't it pathetic! Ah, but it's the American way...
One of the new shows is on the Bravo network. I love Bravo. It used to be the home of Queer Eye and is currently the home of Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. Now there is a new show that I LOVE. It is Tim Gunn's Guide to Style. I have no idea what day it actually comes on because I have it set to record but it is such a good show! I don't watch Project Runway but Tim Gunn is on that show and this new show is his spin-off. I've only seen two episodes and I've cried at the end of both. They take women who are lacking in the style department and they help the women regain their confidence and their "sparkle". They teach them to shop for their body types and to really accept their body for what it is. I like this show because not only do they teach people how to look good but they really restore that feeling of confidence in the women. I think we've all had those days of having "nothing to wear" or getting dressed and still feeling fat/ugly/troll-ish. This show takes those feelings away. I definitely recommend it!
My next new favorite show is on HBO. Let me start by saying that, in my eyes, HBO very rarely gets it wrong. I have watched and loved Sex and the City, Sopranos, Entourage, Rome, Deadwood, Carnival, Flight of the Conchords, Big Love... the list really goes on. But there is a new show on Sunday nights at 9pm that is really riveting. It's called Tell Me You Love Me. Now, I've only watched two episodes of this show too but I'm hooked. It's about couples and their sex lives. The show really revolves around sex. There are 4 couples and they are each dealing with their own issues. There is an engaged couple who love each other and have great sex (often) but the woman in the relationship has severe jealousy issues. The next couple are married and have two children and haven't had sex in a year. They love each other very much, they're just not doing it. The next couple are married and are trying to have a baby. Let me tell you that this is BY FAR the most accurate portrayal of people having trouble conceiving that I have ever seen. Joe and I look at each other like, oh my God! It's like exact conversations and feelings that we've had. The final couple are an older couple, probably in their 60's. The wife is a sex/marriage therapist who is counseling two of the couples.
This show REALLY goes there so if you're squeamish, you might not want to watch. You see butt, penis, vagina, boobs... everything. They don't hold back any gory details. But the show is really about intimacy and how it can be different at different times in your relationship. It's a really good show.
Finally, my guilty pleasure show of the summer. Don't laugh. I am totally hooked on Rock of Love with Bret Michaels. It is the worst best show ever! It's like The Bachelor but the girls are way skankier and Bret Michaels is definitely no Andrew Firestone. It's down to the final two girls so next Sunday, on VH1, Bret will make his choice between Heather, the transvestite-looking Las Vegas stripper and Jess, the adorable pink and blond haired hairdresser. I think you can tell which one is my favorite. What I love about this show is just the absolute craziness. The girls are wild partiers. They drink and dance on the stripper pole and throw themselves all over Bret Michaels who wasn't even that hot when Poison was cool... 15 years ago. It's really everything you need in a guilty pleasure show- backstabbing, fights, name calling, pass-out drunkeness, nakedness, and drunken "I love you's" with a head in the toilet bowl. You really can't go wrong. I know I'm telling you about this way too late to catch up but if there is a marathon, you better watch because this show is insane!
My Tivo is already stacked with new shows to start recording next week. I'm sure some will get weeded out or will get cancelled by the networks but there are a ton that I want to try. I already have a pretty full TV schedule so I'm not sure how I'm going to fit much more in but I'm going to try! It'll probably end up like last year where it's all we can do to get through all of our TV shows. Isn't it pathetic! Ah, but it's the American way...
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Summertime blues
From Sex and the City:
Charlotte: When did it become fall?
Anthony: Somewhere between your ovaries and my boredom!
I can't believe that summer is over. It's so sad to me. Where the hell did the summer go? Seriously, wasn't it just April?! It seems like the time has flown but I went through a lot in these past couple of months. It just doesn't seem possible.
Usually I'm all excited about fall. All the shows are coming back for their new seasons, you get to open the windows and air the house out, football (college and pro) is back.... I can't even get into football this year. It might have a little to do with the fact that both our teams, Florida State and the Tampa Bay Bucs are not shaping up to have a great year but usually I'm excited to sit down and watch the game. Not this year. I get so bored. I feel like I should be outside soaking up every drop of summer that I can get.
Fortunately, it is still warm here. I mean it's been in the 90's all week so it's not fall weather by any means and we can still use the pool. But you can already tell a change in the pool temperature. Over the summer the pool is like 90 degrees. Now, there is just a slight chill when you jump in. The breeze is getting cooler too.
Before you know it we're going to have to start wearing sweaters. ICK! I am just not looking forward to that at all. I prefer the heat. I can schlep around on the weekends in my bathing suit and a terry cloth dress or throw on a tank top and shorts and flip flops and be out the door. When it's cold you have to put on socks and substantial shoes and layers. Your skin gets all dry from the central heat and the outside cold, your skin gets pasty. Blah...
All of that stuff gets me down but I also think I'm having a hard time leaving summer behind because of everything that's happened to me. I found out I was pregnant in May and then learned I had miscarried in June. I think I used being outside in the pool as a way to escape. I could lay on my raft and sing along to Jimmy Buffet and forget it ever happened. Unfortunately when I found out I was pregnant I marked my calender ahead every month so that I would remember to take a picture of my growing belly. Now those pink highlighted dots on my calendar glare up at me and remind me of how far along I would've been. I would've been 17 weeks pregnant now and would probably be finding out my baby's sex. It's almost a surreal feeling. It seems like a dream or like I had imagined the whole thing. It doesn't seem possible that it actually happened. I know it did, I had several home pregnancy tests and two blood tests to confirm it but it still doesn't seem real.
Moving into fall just reminds me that another year is coming to an end. Another year of disappointment and heartache. I remember last New Year's Eve I cried watching the ball drop. Every year for the past 3 years I've wished on that stupid ball that it would finally be the year for us, that it would be the year that I would get pregnant. It just never happens... well I guess it did this year but it didn't last. I just don't think I can face that ball again without being pregnant. And, you know, I love my nieces and nephew so much but the holidays are hard. We're going to Alabama to see my in-laws and my two gorgeous nieces at Thanksgiving and I just wish we had a baby of our own to take with us or at least have one on board to celebrate. Christmas is going to be really fun this year watching Pierce and Peyton open presents but I would've been 8 months pregnant by then. I try really hard not to think of life in those types of time lines but it's really hard not to.
I guess I'm just going to have to face the facts and dive into a new season whether I like it or not. Because no matter how much I wish for the world to slow down or pause for me, it's not going to. Hopefully this fall will bring new and happy things into our lives. I guess we'll just have to wait and see....
Charlotte: When did it become fall?
Anthony: Somewhere between your ovaries and my boredom!
I can't believe that summer is over. It's so sad to me. Where the hell did the summer go? Seriously, wasn't it just April?! It seems like the time has flown but I went through a lot in these past couple of months. It just doesn't seem possible.
Usually I'm all excited about fall. All the shows are coming back for their new seasons, you get to open the windows and air the house out, football (college and pro) is back.... I can't even get into football this year. It might have a little to do with the fact that both our teams, Florida State and the Tampa Bay Bucs are not shaping up to have a great year but usually I'm excited to sit down and watch the game. Not this year. I get so bored. I feel like I should be outside soaking up every drop of summer that I can get.
Fortunately, it is still warm here. I mean it's been in the 90's all week so it's not fall weather by any means and we can still use the pool. But you can already tell a change in the pool temperature. Over the summer the pool is like 90 degrees. Now, there is just a slight chill when you jump in. The breeze is getting cooler too.
Before you know it we're going to have to start wearing sweaters. ICK! I am just not looking forward to that at all. I prefer the heat. I can schlep around on the weekends in my bathing suit and a terry cloth dress or throw on a tank top and shorts and flip flops and be out the door. When it's cold you have to put on socks and substantial shoes and layers. Your skin gets all dry from the central heat and the outside cold, your skin gets pasty. Blah...
All of that stuff gets me down but I also think I'm having a hard time leaving summer behind because of everything that's happened to me. I found out I was pregnant in May and then learned I had miscarried in June. I think I used being outside in the pool as a way to escape. I could lay on my raft and sing along to Jimmy Buffet and forget it ever happened. Unfortunately when I found out I was pregnant I marked my calender ahead every month so that I would remember to take a picture of my growing belly. Now those pink highlighted dots on my calendar glare up at me and remind me of how far along I would've been. I would've been 17 weeks pregnant now and would probably be finding out my baby's sex. It's almost a surreal feeling. It seems like a dream or like I had imagined the whole thing. It doesn't seem possible that it actually happened. I know it did, I had several home pregnancy tests and two blood tests to confirm it but it still doesn't seem real.
Moving into fall just reminds me that another year is coming to an end. Another year of disappointment and heartache. I remember last New Year's Eve I cried watching the ball drop. Every year for the past 3 years I've wished on that stupid ball that it would finally be the year for us, that it would be the year that I would get pregnant. It just never happens... well I guess it did this year but it didn't last. I just don't think I can face that ball again without being pregnant. And, you know, I love my nieces and nephew so much but the holidays are hard. We're going to Alabama to see my in-laws and my two gorgeous nieces at Thanksgiving and I just wish we had a baby of our own to take with us or at least have one on board to celebrate. Christmas is going to be really fun this year watching Pierce and Peyton open presents but I would've been 8 months pregnant by then. I try really hard not to think of life in those types of time lines but it's really hard not to.
I guess I'm just going to have to face the facts and dive into a new season whether I like it or not. Because no matter how much I wish for the world to slow down or pause for me, it's not going to. Hopefully this fall will bring new and happy things into our lives. I guess we'll just have to wait and see....
Sunday, September 9, 2007
An Open Letter
Dear Britney,
I have loved you since you crooned your first "Oh baby baby" on Hit Me Baby One More Time. I was with you through your red latex wearing phase, your cooky facial expressions and your "y'alls". I even went to the theater to see you in Crossroads and later bought the DVD. I have all of your CDs and still listen to some of them. I cheered for you and Justin and thought you were America's Sweethearts. I have continued to stick up for you through all of your troubles.
When you and Justin broke up, supposedly because you cheated, I thought it couldn't be true. There had to be a misunderstanding because you were such a sweet girl and you and Justin were so in love. Then you kissed Madonna at the VMAs. Everybody protested that you were white trash but I thought you were smart and were just trying to keep people guessing about what you'd do next. And, boy did you shock us.
Marrying some guy in Vegas out of the blue was nuts. Everybody thought (including me) that you had lost your mind. But, I forgave you for what I thought was a temporary, drunken indiscretion. I knew that it would blow over and you'd be back on top of the world when your new CD came out. You had already lost a lot of your fans but I stood by waiting for the next big hit. Your next CD did come out with some good songs on it but then you went and shocked us again. Not only by dating some gangsta wanna-be back up dancer who already had one and a half children but by marrying him.
Again, I tried to see the good in the situation. Maybe you and Kevin were truly in love and were meant to be. Maybe you two would live happily ever after while you put out new and great music on a regular basis and while he found a respectable, regular paying job. I watched your show Chaotic every week and managed to find some love and happiness in the midst of all the gross-out make out sessions and pot-head conversations.
I was a little skeptical when you announced your first pregnancy but when I saw you on the cover of People magazine with your new baby and your husband I thought you might be able to make the family thing and the music thing work together. You just needed to buckle down, get you butt back in shape and get in the studio to make some new music. Then you announced you were pregnant with number two, a mere three months after giving birth to the first one. These were trying times for me, Britney. I really had to try to hard to come up with nice things to think about you. But, again, I thought that maybe you could rebound from this huge detour in your career.
I saw a glimmer of hope when you announced you were divorcing your husband. Even as a 24-year-old single mother of two I thought you'd be able to break free of the drama that surrounded your marriage and start the comeback I had been anxiously awaiting for the last three years.
Who would've known that out of you and Kevin that YOU were the crazy one? I was shocked by your behavior over the last year. The partying, the drug allegations, the vagina flashings.... then you went way off the deep end and shaved your head, checked into-out of-and back into rehab again. With every headline grabbing move you made I thought you had hit rock bottom. I thought it definitely couldn't get any worse than it was at that particular moment but it always seemed to. I have really lost my faith in you amid allegations of child and animal abuse, all the partying and bad decisions, your crazy freaking hair and clothing choices, and your general attitude. You've alienated your family and fans and come off like a lunatic in interviews.
I've heard several of your new songs online and, while they're not horrible, they're not great either. I was waiting for some videos to come out because that's usually where you shine. Tonight, though, was your biggest chance at a comeback thus far. The VMAs. A stage where you usually blow the crowd away with your sexy costumes, your great choreography, and the ability to shock people. The world waiting with baited breath for you to open the show and prove to us all that you've still got it.
Well I'm sorry to say that, Britney, you blew it. You looked awful in that sequined hot-pants and bra combo, your hair extensions were just as ratty as ever, those blue contacts aren't doing anything for you and it looked like you did your own makeup. But above how terrible you looked, the performance was equally as bad. It was obviously unrehearsed because more than once you look like you forgot the words to your own song and forgot the dance moves that went along with it. You were not "in" to your performance at all and seemed as if you were just practicing. It was bad. The shots to the crowd proved that no one there was impressed either. It was a big old mess. I hope you saved some of the money from your glory days because you're going to need it.
I have given up on you Britney. I don't think there is any hope left for you professionally. I hope you are able to turn your life around though so your little boys will have a mother. It's really a shame. You had so much potential but you threw it all away.
Sincerely,
Your former fan
P.S. Sarah Silverman is not funny either and had no right to talk shit about your children. Kids are off limits! It's not their fault they have the parents they do. Leave them alone!
I have loved you since you crooned your first "Oh baby baby" on Hit Me Baby One More Time. I was with you through your red latex wearing phase, your cooky facial expressions and your "y'alls". I even went to the theater to see you in Crossroads and later bought the DVD. I have all of your CDs and still listen to some of them. I cheered for you and Justin and thought you were America's Sweethearts. I have continued to stick up for you through all of your troubles.
When you and Justin broke up, supposedly because you cheated, I thought it couldn't be true. There had to be a misunderstanding because you were such a sweet girl and you and Justin were so in love. Then you kissed Madonna at the VMAs. Everybody protested that you were white trash but I thought you were smart and were just trying to keep people guessing about what you'd do next. And, boy did you shock us.
Marrying some guy in Vegas out of the blue was nuts. Everybody thought (including me) that you had lost your mind. But, I forgave you for what I thought was a temporary, drunken indiscretion. I knew that it would blow over and you'd be back on top of the world when your new CD came out. You had already lost a lot of your fans but I stood by waiting for the next big hit. Your next CD did come out with some good songs on it but then you went and shocked us again. Not only by dating some gangsta wanna-be back up dancer who already had one and a half children but by marrying him.
Again, I tried to see the good in the situation. Maybe you and Kevin were truly in love and were meant to be. Maybe you two would live happily ever after while you put out new and great music on a regular basis and while he found a respectable, regular paying job. I watched your show Chaotic every week and managed to find some love and happiness in the midst of all the gross-out make out sessions and pot-head conversations.
I was a little skeptical when you announced your first pregnancy but when I saw you on the cover of People magazine with your new baby and your husband I thought you might be able to make the family thing and the music thing work together. You just needed to buckle down, get you butt back in shape and get in the studio to make some new music. Then you announced you were pregnant with number two, a mere three months after giving birth to the first one. These were trying times for me, Britney. I really had to try to hard to come up with nice things to think about you. But, again, I thought that maybe you could rebound from this huge detour in your career.
I saw a glimmer of hope when you announced you were divorcing your husband. Even as a 24-year-old single mother of two I thought you'd be able to break free of the drama that surrounded your marriage and start the comeback I had been anxiously awaiting for the last three years.
Who would've known that out of you and Kevin that YOU were the crazy one? I was shocked by your behavior over the last year. The partying, the drug allegations, the vagina flashings.... then you went way off the deep end and shaved your head, checked into-out of-and back into rehab again. With every headline grabbing move you made I thought you had hit rock bottom. I thought it definitely couldn't get any worse than it was at that particular moment but it always seemed to. I have really lost my faith in you amid allegations of child and animal abuse, all the partying and bad decisions, your crazy freaking hair and clothing choices, and your general attitude. You've alienated your family and fans and come off like a lunatic in interviews.
I've heard several of your new songs online and, while they're not horrible, they're not great either. I was waiting for some videos to come out because that's usually where you shine. Tonight, though, was your biggest chance at a comeback thus far. The VMAs. A stage where you usually blow the crowd away with your sexy costumes, your great choreography, and the ability to shock people. The world waiting with baited breath for you to open the show and prove to us all that you've still got it.
Well I'm sorry to say that, Britney, you blew it. You looked awful in that sequined hot-pants and bra combo, your hair extensions were just as ratty as ever, those blue contacts aren't doing anything for you and it looked like you did your own makeup. But above how terrible you looked, the performance was equally as bad. It was obviously unrehearsed because more than once you look like you forgot the words to your own song and forgot the dance moves that went along with it. You were not "in" to your performance at all and seemed as if you were just practicing. It was bad. The shots to the crowd proved that no one there was impressed either. It was a big old mess. I hope you saved some of the money from your glory days because you're going to need it.
I have given up on you Britney. I don't think there is any hope left for you professionally. I hope you are able to turn your life around though so your little boys will have a mother. It's really a shame. You had so much potential but you threw it all away.
Sincerely,
Your former fan
P.S. Sarah Silverman is not funny either and had no right to talk shit about your children. Kids are off limits! It's not their fault they have the parents they do. Leave them alone!
Saturday, September 8, 2007
It's all about me!
So yesterday I got really pissed off about a situation that happened and I started thinking about how I'm too accommodating sometimes. I don't remember exactly when I started putting other people ahead of myself but it definitely happens all the time now. But, since I'm so used to doing it now I'm not really sure how to break myself of the habit.
I remember when I first started living on my own. What an amazing time! Yes, paying the bills by myself sucked and it did get lonely sometimes but for the most part it was awesome. I used to come home from work and strip down naked on the way to the bedroom. I didn't have to worry about putting my clothes away in the right spot. If I didn't, the only person who would know would be me. I could have whatever I wanted to have for dinner without having to consult someone else. If I wanted cereal or chips with french onion dip, I would have it. And if I wanted to leave the sink full of dirty dishes I could without feeling guilty about it. I could watch as much Dirty Dancing/wedding shows/crazy drama-filled reality shows and not have to worry that someone else might not like it. I could listen to Shania Twain really loud and dance around because yes, I felt like a woman. It was a time when I only had myself to please.
I think as I've gotten older and spent more time in the work force, I've become more accommodating to other people. I guess I'm looking out for the greater good more than just for myself. I think getting married and having dogs has brought it out of me too. I have to make sure I'm home from work by 5:30 so the dogs can go outside and have their dinner even if it means I can't go walk. I always consult Joe about what he'd like for dinner instead of just walking into the kitchen and making myself something. I don't cook vegetables because I know I'm the only one who is going to eat them and I don't want to make a whole can/bag and have it go to waste. I relinquish the remote and Tivo the show I really want to watch so that he can watch what he wants to. I don't go out and shop whenever the mood strikes because I know that the money is better off being spent on gas or groceries. All of those things are ok but after a while the not-doing-stuff-for-me starts to add up and starts to make me mad.
Another thing that's bad about getting into that pattern of behavior is that people start to expect it from you. You stay late for your boss a couple of times because he's dicked around all day instead of doing what he was supposed to and then all of a sudden (at 4:45) he needs something done right away. If you open yourself up to accommodate that type of behavior, the person then thinks it's ok to keep doing it. Well, it's not ok. If you do someone a favor to help them out, the next time they might add on to the favor until it's really inconvenient for you. But, because you've been doing favors for them you feel bad if you say no.
I think this happens a lot with women. We're such nurturers that we always want to make sure everyone around us are comfortable and happy and taken care of. I'm sure those of you with children feel this way even more. But I don't think we're doing ourselves any good by not taking care of ourselves. We need to say "no" sometimes and take those moments for us and do things that we want to do. I know it is terribly hard to break the pattern because I have no idea how to do it but I want to propose that we all try.
My goal for the future is to start doing more for myself. I'm just talking about little things like eating cereal for dinner and not worrying about what Joe will eat. He's a grown up, he knows how to heat up a hot dog. I will go walk after work even if I'm running late. The girls can wait a half hour later to have their dinner sometimes. If you, Mr. Boss-Man don't show up to work until 4:00, after I've been there by myself all day, I will not stay late to help you squeeze 8 hours of work into 2. Not fair! Come on time, when the rest of the world started working. I will watch The Hills or My Big Fat Fabulous Wedding on the big TV in the living room. If Joe doesn't like it, we have another TV he can watch. And I won't feel bad if he wants to go in the other room and watch it. I will tell people no if what they're asking is really inconvenient for me. I will not let myself get mad about stuff people ask me to do but still do it and then stew about it for the rest of the day. I will listen to you talk about your child/husband/mother's attitude problem if AND ONLY if you will also listen to me talk about whatever the hell I want to talk about that is important to me. And, I will buy one more magazine even if I have 4 at the house that I haven't finished reading yet. I like the person on the cover and I want it!
I know the stuff doesn't seem like much but it is stuff that I am giving up in my daily life. One at a time, it wouldn't be so bad but when you combine it all it seems like all I'm doing is taking care of everybody else. And, don't get me wrong, I do get to buy magazines and watch some of my shows but I always feel guilty for doing it. I feel like I'm putting Joe out by making him watch a show he doesn't like or by spending $4.50 on a new magazine. I know he doesn't really care but it makes me feel bad. I guess what I really want to change is that feeling. I shouldn't feel bad or guilty for doing something that makes me happy. I think that I will be a better wife and hopefully someday a better mother for doing it. If you keep putting other people before yourself you can start to feel resentful and after a while those feelings can build up until you're ready to explode. No one wants a wife/mother/employee/friend/sibling/daughter that's on the verge of ripping your head off if you ask a favor. So let's avoid the beheadings and start doing stuff for us! Remember that independent girl? She's still in there, let her have some fun!
I remember when I first started living on my own. What an amazing time! Yes, paying the bills by myself sucked and it did get lonely sometimes but for the most part it was awesome. I used to come home from work and strip down naked on the way to the bedroom. I didn't have to worry about putting my clothes away in the right spot. If I didn't, the only person who would know would be me. I could have whatever I wanted to have for dinner without having to consult someone else. If I wanted cereal or chips with french onion dip, I would have it. And if I wanted to leave the sink full of dirty dishes I could without feeling guilty about it. I could watch as much Dirty Dancing/wedding shows/crazy drama-filled reality shows and not have to worry that someone else might not like it. I could listen to Shania Twain really loud and dance around because yes, I felt like a woman. It was a time when I only had myself to please.
I think as I've gotten older and spent more time in the work force, I've become more accommodating to other people. I guess I'm looking out for the greater good more than just for myself. I think getting married and having dogs has brought it out of me too. I have to make sure I'm home from work by 5:30 so the dogs can go outside and have their dinner even if it means I can't go walk. I always consult Joe about what he'd like for dinner instead of just walking into the kitchen and making myself something. I don't cook vegetables because I know I'm the only one who is going to eat them and I don't want to make a whole can/bag and have it go to waste. I relinquish the remote and Tivo the show I really want to watch so that he can watch what he wants to. I don't go out and shop whenever the mood strikes because I know that the money is better off being spent on gas or groceries. All of those things are ok but after a while the not-doing-stuff-for-me starts to add up and starts to make me mad.
Another thing that's bad about getting into that pattern of behavior is that people start to expect it from you. You stay late for your boss a couple of times because he's dicked around all day instead of doing what he was supposed to and then all of a sudden (at 4:45) he needs something done right away. If you open yourself up to accommodate that type of behavior, the person then thinks it's ok to keep doing it. Well, it's not ok. If you do someone a favor to help them out, the next time they might add on to the favor until it's really inconvenient for you. But, because you've been doing favors for them you feel bad if you say no.
I think this happens a lot with women. We're such nurturers that we always want to make sure everyone around us are comfortable and happy and taken care of. I'm sure those of you with children feel this way even more. But I don't think we're doing ourselves any good by not taking care of ourselves. We need to say "no" sometimes and take those moments for us and do things that we want to do. I know it is terribly hard to break the pattern because I have no idea how to do it but I want to propose that we all try.
My goal for the future is to start doing more for myself. I'm just talking about little things like eating cereal for dinner and not worrying about what Joe will eat. He's a grown up, he knows how to heat up a hot dog. I will go walk after work even if I'm running late. The girls can wait a half hour later to have their dinner sometimes. If you, Mr. Boss-Man don't show up to work until 4:00, after I've been there by myself all day, I will not stay late to help you squeeze 8 hours of work into 2. Not fair! Come on time, when the rest of the world started working. I will watch The Hills or My Big Fat Fabulous Wedding on the big TV in the living room. If Joe doesn't like it, we have another TV he can watch. And I won't feel bad if he wants to go in the other room and watch it. I will tell people no if what they're asking is really inconvenient for me. I will not let myself get mad about stuff people ask me to do but still do it and then stew about it for the rest of the day. I will listen to you talk about your child/husband/mother's attitude problem if AND ONLY if you will also listen to me talk about whatever the hell I want to talk about that is important to me. And, I will buy one more magazine even if I have 4 at the house that I haven't finished reading yet. I like the person on the cover and I want it!
I know the stuff doesn't seem like much but it is stuff that I am giving up in my daily life. One at a time, it wouldn't be so bad but when you combine it all it seems like all I'm doing is taking care of everybody else. And, don't get me wrong, I do get to buy magazines and watch some of my shows but I always feel guilty for doing it. I feel like I'm putting Joe out by making him watch a show he doesn't like or by spending $4.50 on a new magazine. I know he doesn't really care but it makes me feel bad. I guess what I really want to change is that feeling. I shouldn't feel bad or guilty for doing something that makes me happy. I think that I will be a better wife and hopefully someday a better mother for doing it. If you keep putting other people before yourself you can start to feel resentful and after a while those feelings can build up until you're ready to explode. No one wants a wife/mother/employee/friend/sibling/daughter that's on the verge of ripping your head off if you ask a favor. So let's avoid the beheadings and start doing stuff for us! Remember that independent girl? She's still in there, let her have some fun!
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Rocket Science
*** Official Announcement*** You are now reading the blog of the newest member of the NASA team!!! That's right, I have scored a job with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration!!! Who would've thought that someday I'd be launching rockets into space?!
Well, ok, I guess I'm getting a little ahead of myself. I did get offered a job working at the Space Center but it is with a subcontracting company that does work for NASA. I won't exactly be launching the shuttle either but it takes a village right?! Every little support person helps get that bird into space so technically, I'm launching a rocket. So there!
I can't even express to you all how freaking excited I am. My girlfriend always watches the job announcements for me and sends me the ones she thinks I'd be interested in. We've been at that for over a year now. I've applied for several and have never heard anything. Not even a generic "thanks but no thanks." But this time she went above and beyond and became my very own public relations rep. She must've talked me up good because I got an interview. I actually interviewed over a week ago and felt like it went very well. I didn't want to say anything though and jinx myself. But, I got the call today with an offer which I promptly accepted.
Now I just have to go in and give my current boss the news. I've been counting the hours to get to this moment. I think I've mentioned here before how much I don't care for my job. I don't think my boss will be too disappointed to lose me though. With the way the real estate market is going, he'll probably be happy that he doesn't have to pay me anymore.
So, there it is, my big announcement! I want you all to do a happy little jig in my honor. Make sure to watch the next shuttle launch, I'm going to try to slap an "absofreakinglutely" sticker on the side of the shuttle. Oh, who am I kidding? They're not going to let me anywhere near that thing!
Well, ok, I guess I'm getting a little ahead of myself. I did get offered a job working at the Space Center but it is with a subcontracting company that does work for NASA. I won't exactly be launching the shuttle either but it takes a village right?! Every little support person helps get that bird into space so technically, I'm launching a rocket. So there!
I can't even express to you all how freaking excited I am. My girlfriend always watches the job announcements for me and sends me the ones she thinks I'd be interested in. We've been at that for over a year now. I've applied for several and have never heard anything. Not even a generic "thanks but no thanks." But this time she went above and beyond and became my very own public relations rep. She must've talked me up good because I got an interview. I actually interviewed over a week ago and felt like it went very well. I didn't want to say anything though and jinx myself. But, I got the call today with an offer which I promptly accepted.
Now I just have to go in and give my current boss the news. I've been counting the hours to get to this moment. I think I've mentioned here before how much I don't care for my job. I don't think my boss will be too disappointed to lose me though. With the way the real estate market is going, he'll probably be happy that he doesn't have to pay me anymore.
So, there it is, my big announcement! I want you all to do a happy little jig in my honor. Make sure to watch the next shuttle launch, I'm going to try to slap an "absofreakinglutely" sticker on the side of the shuttle. Oh, who am I kidding? They're not going to let me anywhere near that thing!
Monday, September 3, 2007
Hey Y'all
Well, another vacation is over. We've made it home from our Savannah/Tybee adventure. However, unlike some of the other great vacations I've taken in the past couple of years, I really have some mixed feelings about this one. And I hate it! I want so bad to have a great vacation I can tell everyone about but it really wasn't all that.
The trip up on Friday was great. Joe and decided to take the scenic route and we drove all the way up A1A into Jacksonville. There are some beautiful beaches and beach houses on the coast of Florida. Every few houses we were saying, "I want that one." We swung by to see Lindsey and Peyton in Jacksonville for a few and then continued up 95 to Savannah. We arrived at our rental house and were very pleasantly surprised. The house was really nice. It had hard wood floors, an amazing master bathroom, huge master bedroom, an awesome deck and a hot tub overlooking the marsh. It was really nice. We got ourselves settled in for a really nice weekend.
When our other vacation couple arrived we decided to go out to dinner on Tybee. The guest book at the house mentioned great things about a place called Stingray's so we gave it a try. We sat outside and the weather was nice. The gals had margaritas, the guys had beer and we all braved a "sting-shooter". I definitely do not recommend it. It's a beer, hot sauce, and raw oyster combo. Very interesting, very gross. But, we were on vacation and living it up!
After dinner we wanted to go to the grocery store and get a couple essentials for the house; water, snacky things, more beer. We found the only grocery store on the island, the IGA, or as we like to refer to it "the igga". It was our first taste of how backwoods Tybee island is. It was like an old Bodega with old, dusty products and people walking around with no shoes. Some guy was trying to buy 4 beers out of a 6-pack of Old Milwaukee. Very strange. A little "The Hills Have Eyes" kind of place. But we got back to the house, popped a bottle of champagne and a bottle of wine and jumped in the hot tub. It was a great start to the weekend.
Then the rains came. Early Saturday morning I'm awoken by flashes of light out the bedroom window followed by booming thunder. It was crazy! The storm must've been sitting on top of the house because the thunder was shaking the building. It was pouring rain and we kept losing power. The power pretty much flickered off and on until 6:30am when it decided to stay off. We layed around hoping for it to come back on and hoping for the rain to stop. When neither happened, we got up and started moving around. Finally, an hour and a half later, the power came back on and we got the bad news. Per the weather channel, Tybee Island and the whole Savannah area was under a flash flood warning and the weather wasn't expected to clear until Monday! Our plans for the weekend were pretty much screwed. But, we tried our damndest to make the best of it.
We drove into Savannah and walked around the river front area. It was very touristy and not the "southern charm" we'd heard/read about. We went in and out of a couple of shops and watched some boats come in. We were getting hungry though and decided to head back towards the island. We passed Uncle Bubba's Oyster House and popped in for an early dinner. Only, they don't serve dinner until 5pm... it was 4pm but they were glad to put us on the list. We decided to sit at the bar and have some beers and eat some steamed oysters while we waited. I was really surprised at the decor of Uncle Bubba's. The name, to me, seemed like we'd be eating on picnic tables overlooking the marsh, very casual. Not so much. There were crystal chandeliers, fabric draped on the walls, and you couldn't even see outside. I think I was really turned off by the atmosphere. Everybody else enjoyed their dinners but I really didn't like my sauteed scallops. I guess I had higher expectations for Paula Deen's brother's restaurant. We spent another night drinking in the hot tub but this time we were watching and listening to the rain.
Sunday morning we woke up and it was still pouring. But, we got up and headed back into Savannah hoping to find something more than we found the day before. Because of the rain, and our lack of umbrellas (the CVS was sold out), we ended up ducking into this Thai restaurant on one of the Savannah streets. It was like we'd all been saved. The place was clean, everyone in there was wearing shoes, and they were actually friendly. The food was really good and recharged us all. We ventured out and actually did find a really cute area of Savannah with nice shops and restaurants and pretty trees. It turned out to be a good trip into the city.
On the advice of a nice man in an antiques shop, we drove back to Tybee and had dinner at a place called AJ's Dockside. It was hidden in a residential neighborhood at the corner of a very narrow street. It was by far the best time we had the whole trip. The rain finally stopped, the sun came out and we got to sit dockside and watch dolphins swim in the marsh and watch the sun go down. We had a great seafood dinner and drank some more beer. It was really, really nice. After that, in the grand tradition of our trip, we went back to the house and jumped back into the hot tub, drank wine and listened to Fergie. "We're flying first class, up in the sky. Poppin' champagne, livin' the life..." It was pretty fun.
We never made it to Paula Deen's restaurant. We drove by and went into the gift shop but we weren't about to stand in that line in the rain. Maybe another time... but I really doubt it. Just from the experience we had at her brother's restaurant, I'm a little scared to try it. But, although our trip definitely wasn't what I expected it to be, we really did have a nice time. I think it just goes to show that it's not where you are but who you're with that makes all the difference.
Enjoy the picture of our final night on Tybee. It's the sunset we watched from our table at AJ's.
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