Home About Me About Us Contact Reads

Saturday, December 19, 2009

2 Months

So it's been almost two months since writing. I'm not sure why I've let this sort of peter out.

I've been insanely busy at work and planning wedding things. The wedding is start to come together and I'm thrilled about it.

I'm not sure if anyone reads this or WANTS to read this, but regardless, I'm still here. :-)

Thursday, October 22, 2009

A Confession.

I totally have baby fever. It seems like everyone around me is getting all preggers and such, and though my logical mind says "YOU AREN'T READY FOR A BABY YOU TRAVEL FOR WORK AND ROB IS IN SCHOOL," the estrogenical mind says "Oh, look at THOSE CHEEKS." Not fair.

It doesn't help that I have a [somewhat unfounded] fear of being infertile. As a result my planning mind says "Maybe you should just *try* to get pregnant, just to make sure you can," which of course makes no sense.

For now I guess I'll just visit the homes of people with lots of babies (best birth control ever. Srsly, The Mrs., I admire you SO MUCH) and value my sleep.

FIN.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

An Update on Life!

Well, it's not like anyone reads this or particularly cares what's going on in my life...but I'm sitting here in the Washington-Dulles Airport, happily digesting my Godiva chocolate bar with raspberry sauce, and I might as well do something to pass the time.

1. Work. Work has been going really well though I've been extremely busy. I've been given more responsibility and work, which is always welcome because the more work I do, the quicker the weeks go by and the more money I make. Traveling is, admittedly, exhausting. I travel every Sunday, returning home every Thursday. I arrive home pretty late on Thursdays but damn, it is wonderful to see Robbie and a dog who is almost apoplectic upon my arrival. Next week I'm working remotely, which means I get to stay home. I'm pretty excited about that.

2. Robbie/wedding. Things with Rob have been going stunningly. I'm feeling super lovey lately (perhaps because I'm gone so much) and that warm feeling in my chest and stomach is quite nice. I've been feeling so lovey, in fact, that I was able to write my wedding vows a whole 9.5 months before I actually get married. I [obviously] won't share them here since I don't want Rob to stumble upon them, but this is the quote that I am including/working from:

“Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet. That would mean that security is out of the question. The words "make" and "stay" become inappropriate. My love for you has no strings attached. I love you for free.”

It's from my favorite author, Tom Robbins. I'm quite a fan.

Speaking of wedding planning, I'm going to break my rule and write about my wedding planning.

I chose a dress (click here if you'd like to see) and it fits perfectly. Could not have fit better if it was made for me, which was fortunate since I bought it online. The colors we have chosen are dark green and black (with some lighter greens thrown in there for good measure) in kind of a "modern Celtic punk" theme-ish. We've been trying to come up with some other ways to make the wedding interesting. A few ideas:

  • Paper table cloths on the reception tables (along with markers/crayons) so people can draw us messages.
  • A centerpiece idea I totally stole from Offbeat Bride...vintage books, wrapped with a ribbon with a candle on top.
  • Awesome-ass cake toppers that you can see here.
  • I don't really know what to call this, but basically we're encouraging our guests to wear Chuck Taylors for shoes, and everyone who wears them gets extra super-special wedding points. Not sure what those points will go toward yet.
  • Rob and I are both wearing Chuck Taylors with our outfits. Our party (with a whopping 4 people) will also be wearing them.

Those are just some of the things we've tossed around up to this point. We have also:

  • Hired a photographer. This one is different from the previous photographer. She's an amateur, but really QUITE talented. AND, she's only going to charge us $250.
  • Come close to hiring a DJ. This one is tougher. I found one that I liked but he magically had something going on on our wedding day. Go figure.
  • Figured out the venue for both ceremony and reception (my grandmother's).
  • Figured out food (my dad, aunt, and grandmother will make the food with help from nearby family).
  • Figured out, more or less, the guest list (80 - 100 people ZOMG).

And all this 9 1/2 months out! Damn I'm good!

I think that's all that I have in the way of updates as of now. I have been following you all and please, please forgive my lack of commenting.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Giveaway from The Mrs.!

I never update anymore, but dammit, I WILL win one of The Mrs.'s giveaways!

CHECK THIS ONE OUT OMG.

Mrs...I really should win. Srsly.

Friday, September 18, 2009

A New Venture

I was encouraged by friends to start a new blog (not to replace this one) to compile all the funny/interesting quotes and anecdotes I hear as I travel about the country. I'd like to invite you all to read, subscribe, whatever!

http://overheardattheairport.wordpress.com

I welcome submissions and comments. :)

Sunday, August 30, 2009

I Still Have a Blog

I have positively sucked at updating this.

Life has been busy. I flew from Houston to Cleveland yesterday, and I'm here until next Thursday. School is starting again for Rob and, though I trust the man implicitly, I sure do hate those pretty little college girls that flounce around and hit on him/check him out. I might have to go back home a little more often and kick some co-ed ass...I wonder if my boss would give me time off for that.

I thought I had a blog in mind, but if there was one, it's gone.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

New Addition

I bought a car today!

It took a lot of work, some haggling, and help from my darling fiance (I don't have the self-confidence or assertiveness to do this kind of thing), but I am now the proud owner of a brand-new 2010 Toyota Corolla!

I was going to get a used Ford Focus, but because of a special rebate program that I qualified for I actually got a brand-new car for the same price (or cheaper) than the used. Pretty kick-ass. The only thing that makes me a little sad is the absence of power windows/locks, but quite frankly, for what I paid for the car...I can deal with the few extra seconds of work.

This was a big step for me so I was pretty excited.

Headed to Houston on Tuesday, then back to Cleveland on Saturday. Life got pretty damn busy pretty damn quickly.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Giveaway from the Mrs.

Yet another giveaway from the Mrs.!

HOLY EFFING HELL, CLICK ME!

She's giving away a baby sleeping assistance kit to help parents whose babies may have issues sleeping (I'm entering for my sister, NOT me!).

:-)

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Pushing through.

I still have Blogger's Block but dammit, I'm going to sit down and try to write a coherent post.

The new job has been going well, though the travel does take some getting used to. I call Robbie at every opportunity of course (and, I admit it, I even had him put Cypress on the phone once) and so far, so good. I enjoy being challenged at work for once.

One particularly positive aspect of traveling so much is that I have all but gotten over my fear of driving on the interstate. Previously, I white-knuckled my way through merging (if there was more than one car, tears were inevitable) and then stayed in the right lane going exactly 65 or, if I got behind someone slow, maybe around 55. I NEVER passed. But after a few times I realized that dammit, time to man up, and now I can merge like a PRO. I pass everyone who isn't going a solid, consistent speed of around 73-74 mph. Granted, this is on the Maine interstate, which is only 2 lanes for each direction except for a few miles down south. But it's a step.

Also, air travel problems don't automatically make me burst into tears as they have in the past. Now I [to a certain extent] take a, "fuck it," sort of attitude and just deal with what comes. I made sure to enter in all the customer service numbers for the airlines I use so that I can talk to them rather than standing in line with all those other pissy people during a delay. We all know that people are at their ABSOLUTE BEST OMG on airplanes.

Alright, that took all my energy. I got nothing. I want to be humorous, witty, clever, blah blah de freakin' blah but I just don't have it. I suuuure suck at this.

Monday, August 3, 2009

I have come down with...

...a bad case of BLOGGER'S BLOCK.

I got nothing, seriously.

I'm keeping up to date on all of yours, though!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Busy x 10

This new job has me running ragged. It's invigorating but also quite exhausting. Schedule for the next few days:

1. Today: Fly to Maine from Cleveland...total of about 5ish hours with all the stops etc.
2. Land in Maine at 10:30 p.m.
3. Fly home (hour and a half drive), collapse into bed.
4. Friday: Up in the morning to drive to Rob's parents' house (four hour drive) to see my Robbie and my vicious beast.
5. Saturday: Leave my Robbie and go visit my whole fam damily (45 minute drive).
6. Saturday evening: book it back home (four hour drive), do some work, sleep.
7. Sunday: Get up and drive the hour and a half back to the airport to go to Cleveland.

This is seriously more driving in a four-day period than I've EVER driven. FACT.

I'm having fun with the job so far, though, and I really like my coworkers. It's just hard being away from Rob all over again...Everytime I call him I'll say things like, "Don't worry, even though I'm traveling I still love you and I don't want this to break us apart."

Too bad I forgot that this is what I always wanted to hear when he was gone, and he doesn't need to hear it because he KNOWS everything will be okay. So his response is usually along the lines of, "Yep, I know. I love you. Oh, I went to shoot my rifle today..."

I am a huuuuge fan of my soon-to-be husband.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Winner(s)!

Sooooooooooooo without further ado, winner #1 of the giveaway:

THE MRS.!

Runner up (who will get to choose two items of the four left over after Mrs. chooses) is...

REBECCA from [Almost] A Designer!

Congrats!!

To the Mrs.: Send me your choices to prettyyoumaybe [at] gmail [dot] com...shall I remind you that you owe me an email ANYWAY! :)

To Rebecca: After Mrs. has chosen I'll get in touch with you to let you know of the remaining choices.

Thanks for participating everyone, I'll have to do this again! :)

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Goodbyes.

Don't forget the giveaway two posts down...tomorrow is the last day! I'll be traveling until around 4-ish Eastern Time, plus some other stuff for work so I might not get to it until later in the evening. Keep your eyes peeled. :-)

I'm traveling for work this week and next week...and maybe the next. It's amazing but after four years of Army, including 14 total months of separation during the deployment, saying goodbye to Rob for four days was absolutely heartwrenching. I actually started to CRY when he left. WTF? Shouldn't this be NOTHING to us? When Rob saw me cry he said, "Well this is your Army PTSD I guess."

I know I shouldn't complain because many of my readers are either dealing with or facing a deployment. I'm sure you all understand where I'm coming from, though.

Well good luck on the giveaway, make sure you enter if you haven't and add a link to me from your blog! :-)

Friday, July 24, 2009

Another Giveaway from The Mrs.!

To get myself a second entry, I'm posting a link to The Mrs.'s blog giveaway!

Click me, dammit!

Does this count, Mrs.?

And don't forget to check out my giveaway below, and feel free to add a link to it on your blog(s)!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Giveaway!


So here it is, my first giveaway.

Up for grabs: some bath/body products made right here in Western Maine! I won these in a silent auction to benefit the local community health organization and the nearby hospital's breast cancer center.

If you win the giveaway, you have your choice of 3 of the following:

1. Small lotion - Tangerine Spice
2. Small lotion - Apple Blossom
3. Small lotion - Angel Type
4. Large lotion - Orange
5. Body Mist - Hyacinth
6. Bar of soap - Fresh Linen
7. Bar of soap - Sandalwood

Just so you are aware, if you prefer strong-smelling bath/body products, these probably aren't for you. The smell is very, very subtle, though definitely still present. :)

To enter, you have to leave me a comment to let me know you are entering, and add a verse of your favorite poem or a favorite quote.

Giveaway ends on Monday, July 27, so get cracking! :)

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Gauging Interest...

Hypothetically speaking, if a certain short-haired bespectacled pseudo-bloggeress was to hold, say, a giveaway, that hypothetically included some Maine-made soaps, lotions, body washes, etc...would there, hypothetically, be any interest?

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

On Honesty, Blogs, and Sofas

I was recently contemplating the psychology of honesty.

I’ve come across blog posts—and, indeed, have written my own—that ask for an “honest opinion” from their readers. I don’t know about the rest of you, but if I ask for an honest opinion on something like a blog post, I really want validation, pure and simple. I want to hear that my idea/situation/opinion is the best one EVER. If I read a comment that offers a side that I don’t really want to hear, I find myself feeling a wee bit put off, even while recognizing full well that I asked for an honest opinion. I’m admittedly an insecure girl and I like to be validated and feel justified in what I do. If I want an honest opinion, I’ll go to my mother, who is full of them, or Rob, who has a knack for telling me exactly what he thinks without sugar-coating it.

I’m not saying in any way that asking for honest opinions on your blog is a bad thing or that everyone craves validation like I do. Rather, I’m interested in the psychology of all of this and how you as fellow bloggers (blogesses?) feel about it.

I want your REAL honest opinions on this…do NOT worry about validating me. You know I mean it because I used RANDOM CAPITALIZATION. FER REALS.

Does anyone else do this, or do you really want honest opinions? Am I insane? Is it any different to ask for an honest opinion on your blog than it is in person? Is it easier to ask faceless people what they think?

Anyway, on to ridiculously exciting things…

Like our new COUCH!

I can’t tell you how EXCITING this was for me (and to a lesser extent, my darling fiancĂ©). In May 2008, we bought a futon from Walmart so that we could have something for people to sit on when we entertain (which, admittedly, is rare). We put it together and were at least marginally happy with it until about six months ago. Turns out Walmart makes the cushions with a whopping one inch of polyurethane foam and the rest is COTTON BATTING. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the extremely complex physical characteristics of cotton batting, it gets flat. Annoyingly so. The futon structure is metal, so every time I sat on it I felt like the metal bars, hardly kept at bay by the paper towel-thin mattress, were doing their very best to go straight up my ass. My back (and ass) actually ACHED after sitting on it.

And before you ask, yes, I just spent a whole paragraph talking about my futon.

Anyway I mosied on over to the local (and ONLY) furniture store and found a lovely microfiber dark-brown couch for only $400. The cushions are all stuffed with foam so they’re at least somewhat more durable (and hopefully un “flat”-able). My only complaint is that the cushions are still somewhat stiff, which I’m hoping will be rectified by sitting my now happy ass, not to mention the respective asses of my fiance and my beast, down on them as much as possible.

Monday, July 13, 2009

A poem...

Author unknown.

----

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
In Soviet Russia,
Poem writes you!

----

Thank you.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Babies.

So I was thinking the other day about the expectations that one has about how one will raise one's children prior to actually having children.

I decided to compile a short list of my personal baby expectations and how I think things will go down when I am ye Grand High Mother. To all you parents out there who may scoff at these, I fully recognize that everything will totally change when I actually have a baby, which is part of the reason that I thought this would be interesting. At the very least, this will give you parents a chance to laugh at my naivite.

1. I will breastfeed. First of all, it's really good for the baby, and second of all, it's FREE. I've heard it's harder than it looks, but hey, motherhood is sacrifice. And if I have the ability to make milk, dammit, someone's going to drink it! These boobies are made for feedin', and that's just what they'll do. However, I will not breastfeed past...oh...let's say one year.

2. My child will use a pacifier. I recently read about someone who refused to give a paci to their infant, and I guess I don't really understand the mentality. Children like to suck on nipple-like objects, why not let them if it provides them some level of comfort? Especially if it provides a few minutes of peace?

3. My child will be vaccinated. I know this is a hot-button issue right now and frankly don't want to get into any heated discussions. I am personally of the mind that vaccines have done wonderful things for humanity, and do not believe many of the claims being made by the anti-vaccine crowd. I will do what I believe is best for my child, and in this case, I believe that it is best to get my child vaccinated.

4. My child will, at a certain age, "cry it out." I am of the mind that once a child reaches a certain age, he/she is perfectly capable of "crying it out." I personally don't believe in picking up a child (again, at a certain age) every single time he/she cries. In my limited experience, it seems that parents "know" when a child is crying for a legitimate purpose and when he/she is merely demanding attention. I hope I will gain this knowledge as well, and learn to tell the difference.

5. When my child has a tantrum, or when I pose a threat ("I'll turn this car around") I will follow through. This one I know could definitely change once I am in the throes of parenthood. I hope that when my child is having a tantrum, I will not indulge them and "ignore" it to the best of my abilities (I think all bets are off in public places!), and that when I say "I will turn this car around," I will have the intestinal fortitude to do so.

--
Those are all that come to mind at this point, but perhaps I will add more later.

Do those of you who are sans bebe have any expectations about parenthood? And for those of you who are with child, do you remember any expectations that changed once your child was actually born?

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Wanted to Share.

I took two sort-of engagement photos of Rob and I today, and Lala helped me with some editing!
I'm thrilled with how they came out.

New Banner, finally!

Dash at Anything Oita-Ken, a good friend of mine from college, made me this glorious masthead, of which I am rather fond. Thanks Dash :)

I also had to come up with a different layout as I didn't want my blog to clash with itself (isn't that really the last thing we all want?). So I'm going for a minimalist look to make my banner pop.

I probably should get some actual work done today.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

A list

I have a desire to write but don't have it in me to write coherent paragraphs. The remedy? A list!

1. I wish I had a fun banner at the top of my blog. How do you even get those?

2. At the risk of giving TMI, my period is wreaking havoc on my life this month. It's twice as painful, twice as uncomfortable, and actually affecting my behavior as it's never done before. I'm snarky, hot, annoyed, and I have to pee a lot. BOO, uterus.

3. Working from home is great and I love setting my own schedule. I didn't even shower today and woke up at like 10 a.m., and yet got way more done than I ever did sitting on my ass in an office. No lie.

4. I love our new apartment. Every time I get up and walk around I just feel like I'm "home." Now if I could just get a new couch, because this $200 futon from Walmart is about two seconds away from being thrown against the wall by yours truly. I will gather up the strength and do it.

5. Rob came across a huge tool-pants today while walking the Beast. The trail behind our house is a state ATV trail. He walks the Beast there because it's pretty clear of people and ATVs. It's never been an issue that she walks off-leash...ever. Today some d-bag on a bike began to pass Rob and Cypress and Cypress, being a dog, ran toward him. He yelled "HEY, HEY, HEY!" and actually got off the bike to shoo her away (using the bike as a shield), then yelled to Rob "PUT IT ON A LEASH," to which Rob replied, "Fuck you, Spaz." First of all, where do you get off frightening my 60 lb dog with a bike, and second of all, CHILL THE FUCK OUT and KEEP RIDING. My dog can't catch up to you and even if she did, she'd lick you to death and that's about it.

Full disclosure: it is the law on a state-owned trail to have your dog on a leash or at least under voice control (which she is). But we live in Maine and Maine is pretty Beast-friendly. Nobody has ever had a problem with Cypress or any other Beast running free on a trail as long as they aren't pooping all over the place or biting people. Cypress does neither of these. So again, dude, chill out and ride your damn bike.

6. I'm going upstairs to do work.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Oh, Weddings.

I know I said in the previous post that THIS IS NOT A WEDDING BLOG and I intend to keep it that way. But I do have to vent about something that happened this weekend that does pertain to my wedding. So for those of you who detest wedding blogs (you know who you are) feel free to skip this post.

I spent the Fourth at my grandmother's, as is our family's tradition. My grandmother's house is also where I plan to get married. It's right on the ocean (you can literally see across to Canada) and it has a ton of meaning to my family (mostly because my father and his siblings, plus a few other people, actually built it in the 1970s for my grandparents). It's a gorgeous spot and I'm thrilled to spend one of the most important days of my life there. The question has been, where to have the reception. I'd love to have it at my grandmother's along with the wedding, but it might be too small and my grandmother is 93. I really don't want to stress her out with having to deal with 50-80 people in her home. 50-80 DRUNK people. There's a restaurant nearby, a chowder house, that is right on the wharf and is all wood on the inside. My cousin and aunt both had their receptions there. The "problem" with this chowder house is that it's a hot spot for all the hicks in the town so it has that reputation...but without the drunk hicks, it's a beautiful, informal place with a beautiful view and a full wharf leading out to the ocean.

I was hanging out with my cousin and his wife on the night of the Fourth and we found our way to this bar. I mentioned casually that I was considering having my reception there, a statement that was met with derisive laughter. They thought I was joking. My cousin said, "Yeah, THAT would be classy." I was too tired, cranky and shocked to say anything so I just smiled. I went on to say that our wedding will most likely be at my grandmother's, which was met with a similar reaction. His wife said, "Why don't you just go for a destination wedding?"

I thought this was absurdly rude, which wasn't overly surprising for the company I was in but still, a little shocking and frustratingly, enough to make me question my wedding plans. I really don't think that's something that should be done to a blushing soon-to-be bride such as myself. I don't want to have a destination wedding because I finally decided to include my family (as in they will witness the ceremony, which is a change from the initial plans) and I don't want to burden them with coming all the way down to the Caribbean for my selfish ass. Especially seeing as how my grandmother is, as previously mentioned, 93, and would never be able to attend. Rob's grandfather does not fly and would also not be able to attend. Many of our family members have jobs, kids, etc. and can't afford a flight to Jamaica/the DR/wherever. Even if I didn't fly my family down there, I'd still have to pay for our witnesses to come. I don't have that kind of money and will not for many years.

I just don't understand where people get off telling me how I should celebrate MY marriage.

And a fun picture to end, since Dash told me I should include more pictures:


Sunday, June 28, 2009

No title.

Not much has been going on here...just chilling out, taking pictures, and working.

I apologize that these pictures look so shit-tastic here...the resolution is all messed up. To see the originals check out my Flickr.





I was very surprised to hear about Michael Jackson's death, though in all honesty it's not as if I think of Michael Jackson on a regular basis, so any sort of news I guess would be surprising. I think it's a veritable tragedy, truth be told. A very sad end for a very sad, troubled person.

I've been working on my amateur photography hobby on a regular basis, though in all honesty I am generally pretty discouraged. One of my least favorite attributes of myself (of which there are many) is my perfectionism. Often when I embark on a new project, activity, hobby, etc., I imagine in my head that I will be an expert in it instantly. Unfortunately this is rarely the case and I am left frustrated and filled with self-loathing (yes, loathing). I'm working through this particular issue, since, well, I have a $600 camera in my hands. I damn well BETTER start believing in myself.

Rob bought a rifle the other day. He's been talking about it for months; I think he wants to start shooting as a hobby. He never shot a firearm before the Army but I think he came to enjoy it. I am not a huge fan of guns, perhaps because I never grew up around them and hey, they're pretty fucking frightening. He's told me that he plans on making me shoot it to increase my comfort level...we shall see how that goes.

THIS IS NOT A WEDDING BLOG so I don't really want to go into my latest wedding plans. The plans are also ever-changing so really there's no point. Suffice it to say: ocean, family, inclusive, informal, vows. Is that enough?

Oh, and one more thing: if the rain doesn't stop I will drown in my bed.

Friday, June 26, 2009

To share.

Rob's father shared this poem with me. Basically it's a poem about how we as a society (in this case, England, but I think it's like this everywhere) only seem to care about our soldiers when we actually need them...I thought it was pretty appropriate.

"Tommy"
By Rudyard Kipling

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

New Post, New Post, New Post

I've been pressing that damn New Post button over and over again but then closing the window after a few seconds. I have blog anxiety.

Lately I have read some BORING blogs. None on my reader list (so don't be self conscious, I and everyone else love reading what you girls have to write) but blogs that I have come across at random times. And damn, they are BORING. I have a fear/anxiety that my blog is BORING. Which is why I've been contemplating eradicating it completely.

So here goes, trying not to be boring...

My new job is amazing, but I didn't realize that working from home could actually make me stir crazy. I've noticed a heightened sense of annoyance at silly things that wouldn't have annoyed me before, and I think I've been far less patient with both my fiance and my beast. It's frustrating feeling so snarky at everyone and everything. I also get antsy more often and worry a lot about...well, nothing. I'm hoping this is just a phase and I can work through it. We bought some exercise equipment (nothing special, just a ball and some 8-lb weights) which will hopefully help a bit. Let's see if I actually use them, HA!

The new apartment is also amazing. We have a ton more room (two floors) so I am able to work in complete and total piece while Rob can do whatever he wants downstairs. Cypress has taken to sleeping on the guest bed in my office to keep me company (or just enjoy its amazing comfiness). We finally had to put a sheet on it because she was getting so much dirt/hair all over the damn comforter. It's almost like she's a dog or something.

So, as much as I hate to put it in writing, Jon and Kate Gosselin are getting a divorce. And as much as I hate adding my opinion to it--since I think other peoples' opinions were what caused this kerfuffle (who on earth says "kerfuffle," really?!)--I really think it's rather disappointing. If you look at the timeline of Jon and Kate's relationship (at least from a television perspective), it's pretty obvious to see the effects of the gradual "corruption" (for lack of a better word) and media frenzy. Kate, to me, was always an absolute psycho. But before this season, she was a loveable psycho. She was anal and obnoxious, but she got shit done. Then she just turned into an all out super-psycho. And is it just me, or is Jon one of the most immature 32-year-olds EVER? I'm sorry dude, earrings are not my thing on a guy, especially one your age who has 8 children. Maybe you didn't get to "sow your wild oats" because you married Kate and had a whole litter of children...but that's life. That's adulthood. Suck it the F up and be an adult. You don't need to go out partying with some random chick. There are tons of ways to have fun away from your kids.

And the complaining about fame is hilarious. You both brought this on yourself and your children. If it was too much, you should have just stopped it.



I hope this was marginally less boring than usual.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Excuses, excuses

So today I soaked my nails in nail polish remover and now the cursed acrylics are GONE. I really hated those bitches, except in terms of scratching. Scratching an itch felt amazing with those nails.

Nick and Jessi's wedding was wonderful. It went much smoother than I originally expected. I posted some pictures on my Flickr if you're interested. They pulled one of those unique first dance things...it started out all slow but then transitioned into a medley of fast songs, to which they had choreographed this insane dance. Hilarious and tons of fun. Rob had a bit too much to drink--as did I--so we had to take a personal day on Monday.

I started my new job today. I'm working from home, which is...interesting. It's difficult to focus sometimes but at the same time, I've dedicated one whole room to my office and that helps.

I really, really, really want to buy Phish Food ice cream right. now.

Delay

I know I haven't blogged in awhile, and here's my excuse.

Nick (Rob's brother) had his wedding last Sunday and for the occasion I got my nails done...specifically acrylics.

It is EXTREMELY hard to type in acrylics.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Regular Monday.

The past few weeks have been jam-packed with events and news of various natures.

I got a new job which is quite exciting indeed. I start work next week and could not be happier about it. I’ll write more about the position later, once I’m more entrenched in my duties.

Rob and I finish the moving process this week. We’ve already been moving stuff to the new place slowly and this week comes the final push. I’m so excited to move in officially. I walked in today during my lunch break and the house was incredibly cool, despite the outside temperature hovering around 70. In Maine few houses have central air or air conditioning (since if you’re going to spend money on a heat-control device, you best spend it on something that provides heat for those days that get down into the negatives. Buying an air conditioner for 2 months of hot weather just doesn’t seem worth it) but because this new house is built on rock, it is naturally cooler than most houses, and certainly cooler than our current 2nd-floor apartment. It really was like stepping into air conditioning. I’m sure I will love that this summer but come winter…I might just have to buy myself a Snuggie.

This weekend is Rob’s brother’s wedding, which Rob and I are both in; I’m one of the 3 bridesmaids and Rob is the best man. It’ll be nice to see family—Rob’s mother is coming and is bringing her family, most of whom I’ve yet to meet—and hopefully everyone will behave. My dress fits perfectly and I’m bringing the Nikon D60 to see if I can take some cool portraits at the reception. I’ll share them if there are any worth sharing.

Speaking of photography, Rob and I went to a Civil War reenactment rally yesterday with the primary goal of taking tons of pictures (primarily portraits). A few came out really well and I posted them on my Flickr account (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebluevixen). I would post them here but we have the slowest internet connection ever and they’ll take forever to load.

The rally was pretty interesting. I’d never been to one personally and I was fascinated by the level to which the reenactors involve themselves in their respective characters. There were a lot of people there, too, which is surprising for an event so far in the middle of nowhere.

During the battle I heard a little boy ask, “Dad, which side are we cheering for?” to which the father replied, “The Blue Team. We want the Blue Team to win.” Sorry, my Southern friends, but I do live in one of the northern-most states! The Confederates did put up a great fight though, despite being heavily outnumbered.

After the battle we went to the “hospital” area where the reenactors actually got to “act.” One “injured” Union soldier said to a Confederate, “I’ll see you later!” and the Confederate replied, “See you in hell, Billy!”

Maine is very into its Civil War history (though admittedly not as much as a lot of Southern states). The movies “Gettysburg” and “Gods and Generals” chronicle the history of the 20th Maine, led by Joshua Chamberlain, who Mainers still revere today.

All in all it was a very interesting excursion. We also got to meet someone who was in Rob’s unit in Alaska in 1995, which was pretty cool.

Well I suppose that’s all the news that’s fit to print. I hope you’re all doing well.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Surprise

Surprise, my life is boring as hell and I haven't had anything to write about.

I've been practicing my photography, so go check out my Flickr if you are interested!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebluevixen

I certainly hope your lives are more exciting than mine!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Lilies and such.

EDIT: Here is the address to my Flickr account...assuming you guys wanted to check out more pictures! :) http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebluevixen/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yesterday was my 23rd birthday! It passed with relatively little excitement, as most birthdays do after the age of 21. Rob took me out to eat at this yummy Italian place near here, and we had delicious strawberry/white chocolate gelato with chocolate shavings.

As a birthday gift my mother paid for a $25 gift certificate to an organization called Kiva (http://www.kiva.org). Your money is given in the form of micro-loans to business owners in poorer countries; the money helps them establish or maintain their business and, when they are able, they pay your loan back. A really cool idea, I thought. I gave my $25 to a restaurant owner in Nigeria. When she pays it back I’ll loan it to someone else who needs it, and on and on. Kind of a neat gift idea, I thought.

We’ve started/are continuing the moving process very slowly. Rob got kind of annoyed with me last weekend because I started cleaning out closets and bringing over other stuff we don’t need immediately. My reasoning was that I might as well clear out all the little stuff (which, when you’re moving, is the most aggravating in my opinion) first so all we have left is the big furniture-type stuff when we’re getting down to the wire. Displaying great forethought—and, admittedly, some obsessive-compulsive tendencies—I already called both the electric and cable companies to inform them of our move (as of June 12th). We will actually get a cable guy at our new apartment ON June 12th, as opposed to waiting a week or two weeks without cable, as a reward for my anal-retentive attention to details. I also notified the post office to begin forwarding my mail as of June 12th. Can you tell I have a need to control unknown or unfamiliar situations?

In other mundane yet personally exciting news, the calla lilies that Rob and I planted this past April actually sprouted! We’d given up on them as a lost cause (since it’s been kind of chilly here lately and they are a tropical flower), but this morning, lo and behold, there was a tiny, inch-long green sprout coming out of the dirt. Needless to say I was thrilled. If we can actually grow our own calla lilies (though I have a feeling that the tiny inch-long sprout is just about the only thing we’ll get) it’ll mean free wedding flowers next July!

And some pictures from the new Nikon D-60!



I wanted to post more, but Blogger takes forever.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Regarding comments.

I was told that people were having problems commenting on the blog. Does it work now?

Monday, May 25, 2009

Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day to everyone. Thank a veteran.

I took Robbie out to eat and we're going to see a movie later. Today we honored "the people who didn't get to be veterans," as he put it.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for everything you've done for this country.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Playing with the new camera...

Well we played with the camera for awhile and these are the only ones (out of 74 pictures) that were even remotely passable. And I realize that they aren't all that great. Please keep in mind that I really have NO idea what I'm doing.


I LOVE this picture.

This raccoon was Rob's "good luck charm" while he was in Iraq. She means a lot to both of us :)



My darling beast.


I am the proud new owner...

of a NIKON D60!

I told Robbie that I was interested in pursuing photography as a hobby, and for my birthday (which is actually next Wednesday) he went ahead and bought me a crazy nice amateur camera.

I was expressing my concern to Lala about my ability to "live up" to this camera. I'm going to try my damndest and I will try to share them on here, if you're interested.

So, happy early birthday to me!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Interesting.

I decided to get a new blog. Hopefully I keep it up better than my previous blogs, and hopefully it’s at least marginally more interesting. I have my doubts. When you don’t live an interesting life it’s hard to write interesting material for a family Christmas newsletter let alone a daily/weekly blog entry.

Anyway.

I’m looking around for jobs. I can hold my current position until October, but I am keeping my options open by applying for a myriad of other positions.

My darling fiancĂ© and I are moving. We found an apartment in a duplex that is much more “us” and I think will be much easier to live in than our current apartment. Our co-tenants in the apartment we live in now have a, shall we say “interesting,” view of how apartment life should be. Essentially, they believe that everyone should be silent all the time. No walking, friends, fun, happiness, laughter, music, etc. Just quiet. They complained to us when my sister came to visit and brought her 25-lb puppy who happened to run around the house a bit. No barking or whining, just moving. They came upstairs and complained (rather rudely, I might add), and we realized that for the past year we’ve been literally tiptoeing around trying to make them happy. Though we are quiet 98.999% of the time, we did not gain a modicum of understanding during the one evening that happened to be a little louder than usual. As a result of this confrontation, I had to drive my sister to her house (an hour and a half away) at 11:00 at night. Needless to say we were NOT pleased.

So, within the next 3-4 weeks we are moving and I couldn’t be happier. Well, I could be happier if the new apartment wasn’t just a little more expensive than the current place, but hey, you have to take what you can get, right? R is quite excited to move, as am I. I think I’m going to throw some crap in my car later today and drive it over, just because I can. I’m trying to make the moving process as painless as possible. I figure if I do a little at a time I won’t go totally insane the week before we’re set to move in.

Well, I’m just as boring as before. But, regardless, welcome to my new blog.