Saturday Night at My House

It struck me today that I'm different than a lot of people.  I know, super surprising there right?  But every once in a while it sticks out.  Take tonight for example.  I know lots of people who are out on this beautiful April night, drinking, carousing and just having a grand old time.  Don't get me wrong.  I enjoy that on occasion.  It's nice to get out in the world with friends and just have a good time.  But that's not really a normal occurrence for me.  Shall I describe my normal Saturday night for you?  

Well depending on what I did that day,  I may make dinner for myself and then curl up on the couch to watch a movie or TV.  Or on nights like tonight, where the day has just gone fast and it didn't really get what I want done,  I run myself a nice warm bubble bath, I turn on some Michael Buble, and I read.  I did take a break between getting out of the tub and now to pick up my room and try on some outfit choices for my new skirt, but after that,  I stretched out on my bed (toward the light) and read a new book.  I didn't even have a beer or anything.  Just me, my music and my book.  And I must say, I utterly enjoy it.  Maybe I'm a hermit.  Who knows!

The Crushes We Don't Like To Talk About

Hi guys.  While I am getting ready to start my new job on Monday (EEEK), I also am doing other things.  Like developing crushes on celebrities that well are slightly not who I probably should be crushing on.  I mean I'm almost thirty.  I should be crushing on older sophisticated gentlemen of the celebrity elk, you know like Benedict Cumberbatch (swoon) and Tom Hiddleston (*insert girlish giggle here*) and of course Josh Groban (future husband right there).  And don't get me wrong. I crush majorly on them. Especially Ben.  I can't see a picture of him without giggling (no really it's a problem.  I can only imagine the embarrassment I would cause myself if I ever met him in real life.) (same with Josh actually).  But there's also another group of crushes I've got going on.  They're the younger ones, the less classy ones, the ones that you don't really like to admit you love because it's a little weird and out of your type, but really you do.  Here I'll give you an example.

Miles Teller

You may be going "wait who?  I've never heard of this guy."  Well, allow me to introduce you.  Readers, Miles. Miles, Readers.  Miles most recently played the douchebag high school kid Shailene Woodley falls for in "The Spectacular Now".  I most recently saw him play the drunk loser type in "21 and Over" with Skylar Austin.  When I started watching it, I was really in it for Skylar (hello Pitch Perfect anyone?).  But Miles won me over from the second I started watching it and by the end of the movie, I was smitten.  I just wanted to give him a huge gigantic hug.  He also stars in the new movie "That Awkward Moment" with Zac Efron (another of my secret crushes) and Michael B. Jordon.  I can't wait to see it, and that makes me just a little ashamed.  Though he's not that much younger.  I mean he's 26 which isn't bad.  But still.  I feel like I should be past the squishy crushes.  Aw who am I kidding?  I love the squishy ones!

The Art of "I Told You So"

You know the super fun thing that happens when things happen the way someone has told you it would or when you recognize something others have pointed out to you?  You know what I'm talking about, the "I told you so".  I recently have had a situation where something that apparently EVERYONE knows about me was finally recognized by myself.  And I noticed something.  There are several methods of "I told you so".

- The subtle "I told you so":
         This one is easily disguised as interest or curiosity.  The person is just proud that you figured it out finally that she doesn't care about lording over that she knows you better than you know yourself.  My friend Allyson is the queen of the subtle I told you so.

-The sarcastic "I told you so":
       This is the one I usually go to.  It's the "get out of town" or the "no way Jose" when someone shares their revelation.  It's a little rude, and a little funny.  Which is the way I like to roll.

-The laughing "I told you so":
       This one is one of my favorites.  It's the moment when you're so amazed at your calling of the situation or feelings that you can't help but erupt into crazy laughter.  Sometimes it's a short abrasive laugh, sometimes it's a chuckle and the shake of the head.  But my favorite is the long burst of laughter where you just can't stop laughing because you're so freaking awesome at calling things.

And finally

-The in your face "I told you so":
       This one. Oh this one.  It sometimes is super annoying or super hilarious, depending on the person.  I've seen it in several capacities.  It comes in a dance, it comes in a finger pointing in your face, it comes in the utter lording over of the other person.  And while the others tend to end, this one, well it can last.  It can last and last and last and last.  And when you think it's finally gone, it pops up in random situations.  Usually when you're ignoring the other person's observations or opinions.

Good News!!

So remember those big changes I told you were on the horizon?  The ones I insinuated were way far away and I wouldn't know about them for a while?   Let me just give you a minute to laugh at how silly I am for trying to plan other people's intentions.  You good? Okay me too!  Here it is:

On Monday, I went in for a job interview.  On Tuesday, they called and offered me the job.  I accepted right away, and now I have two weeks left at my current job and I start at my new job February 3rd.  It's something completely different for me, though still in the same overall field, and I'm so excited to try something new.  Like so excited that I want it to start now, rather than in two weeks and two days.  I'm ready to jump feet first into this new experience, and have it not be so new anymore.  I feel like I've been talking about it for weeks and weeks and explaining it over and over to people (mainly my family), but it's only been two days.  I need to remember that as I begin to feel annoyed about people asking me.  It's brand new to them, and to me, and just because I have explained it fifty million times doesn't mean they've heard it!  I'm really really excited about this new opportunity, and I can't wait for it to start!!!

Big Doings Y'all

There are some big changes possibly coming y'all.  I don't know if you know this, but I'm a huge chicken.  I tend to back out of things that scare me, especially change-filled things.  So when an opportunity came up for me to step outside my (slightly tight and squeezing) comfort zone, I surprised myself by not only pursuing said opportunity, but pursuing it with calm dignity and excitement.  I didn't freak out, I didn't have a meltdown, I quite simply took advantage of the chances before me and surprised myself by being totally cool about it.  Does this mean that I'm a grown up now?  Or does it mean that I'm not passionate about this opportunity?  I think it's the former and I think I've finally realized my self-worth.  That's a big step for me.  I'll keep you posted on these big changes as they unfold!  Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me!

A New Year with New Goals

Hi guys!  The whirlwind that was the last two months of 2013 have ended in a blaze of family fun, and here we are, standing a day into 2014.  Isn't that weird?  We're already in 2014.  In May, I'll have graduated from high school ten years ago.  It seems like just yesterday I was there.  And I'll have graduated from college five years ago.  So weird.  But anyways.  As always with a new year, I have new goals. Here they are!

1. Be more social. This doesn't just mean going out and meeting new people (though I do need to do that).  It also means making more of an effort to see more of the friends I currently have.  I'm starting this one off right tonight when I go to the movies with my Friend.

2. Get serious about losing weight. I've been doing Weight Watchers for about a year and while it's worked somewhat, I need to be more consistent and conscious about my choices.  That means eating right and at the proper times, small healthy snacks, lots of water, and daily exercise.  This goal starts next Monday, after the end of the holidays.

3. Write more. I don't mean here (though I do want to write more here) but I want to focus on writing down things that inspire me, touch me, or make me pause.  Both positive and negative.  I carry a notebook around with me anyways.  I might as well use it.

4. Get those creative juices flowing! I'm planning on taking a picture of my feet once a day, documenting different things (think of it as 365 days of feet), but I want to be more creative.  Break out my paints, my canvases, my cookbooks, my pots and pans. Which leads me to my next one:

5. Cook more from cookbooks I have. I have a bookshelf FULL of cookbooks.  I have cooked from ONE of them.  Well maybe three.  But I want to cook from the others!! So that's what I'm going to do!  Cook MORE.

Those are my goals.  I think they're all pretty doable.  I just need to stay focused.  Oh and regards to this bloggy blog?  I'll be trying to post a couple of times a week.  I know I'll do the Blog a Day thing at least twice, but in between times, I'll be more consistent!  Happy New Year y'all!!

From One Fire to the Next

So my CARAZY month that was November is over!  Let me give you a bit of a recap:

Week 1: I had my choir show.  It was awesome.  Probably the best one we've done yet.  And it was so much fun to do!!

Week 2: Wedding Number One!  This one took place in Galveston and it was super awesome.  Everyone had a great time, the bride and groom were ecstatic, and the night was whiled away with dance and drink.  A fantastic weekend!

Week 3: Chill Day/Carrie's Baptism.  Saturday I was able to relax at my house a bit, and do some cleaning so that was good.  Then Sunday we welcomed my baby niece Carrie into the Catholic church!  She was so good!

Week 4: Wedding Number Two!  This one was in San Antonio, and a completely different vibe than the first.  But it was beautiful and despite the awful weather and the not so helpful bridal party, it was a wonderful wedding and the bride and groom were so very happy.

Week 5: Thanksgiving!  We went up to my great-uncle's farm in Oklahoma for the last time.  So the week/weekend was filled with last things. The last time down the lane, the last time up Dirt Hill, the last time playing football on the slope in the dark, the last time playing flashlight tag.  It was a great sentimental time.

Now it's December and if you think I have a chance to slow down, you must be crazy.  There are only four weekends in December and every single one of them is already booked.  I've still got Christmas shopping to complete, and if I don't get my house cleaned up and decorated, I may go bonkers.  Not to mention it's supposed to be ice cold this weekend with a chance of sleet, snow and ice on Friday and Saturday.  That'll make the Christmas parade I'm supposed to be in with choir SUPER fun. If I can even get to Coppell!  I'll try to check in throughout the month, but if I can't, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

What a Wedding

I was in the first of two November weddings this past weekend and I'll tell you what.  It was pretty amazing.  The bride was so happy and so excited the whole time.  The groom was too, for the most part.  I didn't spend as much time with him, so I'm not 100%, but every time I saw him, he was happy and excited, so that's a good sign!!  Everything was beautiful, and everything went off without a hitch, minus some minor falls one not very important (I epically ate it while running in a floor length dress) and one pretty important (the bride tripped over her dress while dancing and landed really hard on her tailbone).  But no one was hurt, so that was bueno!!  I wish I had pictures to share, but I don't. I'll be sure to post some when I get them!  Congratulations Amber and Michael!  I'm so very happy for you and know you're going to be amazingly happy together forever.  I love you both!!

Check In, Update, Hey Howdy Hey!

Hi everybody!  I thought I'd just stop in real quick and see how everybody's doing.  Are you having a good November so far?  How about this weather, huh?  It's been crazy! But so nice that it's getting to be sweater weather.  I like sweaters.

So what have you been up to lately?  Anything fun? Me?  Oh well, I got through the first weekend with only a minor mishap, spilling red nail polish on my new black dress half an hour before I needed to leave for my show.  But you apparently couldn't tell while I was on stage, and the shows were terrific. We even got a standing ovation at the end of the show on Sunday, which has never happened before.  So that was pretty cool.  And my mom was really surprised with my solo.  It made me really happy that I could surprise her like that.

This week is a bit crazy, only because it's short.  I leave tomorrow for Houston then Galveston for the first of the weddings this month.  I tried on the dress last night and it fits like a glove.  Tonight, I have to stretch out my shoes, clean up my house and pack.  It should be fun!

I hope your November is going great, and I'll try to stop by to check in again soon!

WORLD CHAMPS! And the Last Day of October

I know, I know.  I've written A LOT about the Red Sox this month.  At last count, I've written four posts about them, and mentioned them at least twice in other non-related posts.  BUT I do have good reason!  Last night, we finally completely and totally killed the Curse by winning the first World Series at Fenway in 95 years.  This team absolutely deserved it.  They've worked so hard this year and had so many set backs over the last couple of seasons.  It's just amazing to see how they've come together under John Farrell's expert managing and become an amazing team.  I'm so excited that I can't even stand it!!! YAY RED SOX YOU'RE AMAZING!  And that ends my posts about the Red Sox until next season. Unless something amazing or awful happens in the off season.  I make no promises.

Today is the last day of October, which means it's not only Halloween (yay!) but the last day of my blogging daily.  And I can't tell you how glad I am.  As mentioned before, November is CRAZY busy, especially since I signed up for NaNoWriMo on top of all my other commitments.  So I'm glad I won't have the responsibility of writing on this here little blog daily.  I can just write when I feel like it.  It'll be awesome!  Happy Halloween everybody!!! Eat lots of candy and wear cool costumes!!

Extended Birthday

Last night was the continuation of my birthday celebration, or as I'm calling it: Extended Birthday.  I gathered my Dallas friends for a great dinner at Ellen's Southern Kitchen.  It was a super fun time, filled with good food and good conversations.  There were a couple of awkward moments, which happens when you're combining friends, but for the most part it was good!  Except somewhere along the way I physically lost $40.  I pulled it out of my purse to help pay for parking, and I must have dropped it on the ground rather than back into my purse.  So that was a bummer.  But besides that minor mishap, it was a really fun evening!  I'm grateful to everybody who came out to help me celebrate!

Aw Rats!

I totally forgot to post yesterday.  And I've been doing so well!!  My only excuse is that I had a busy busy day followed by an even crazier evening.  I didn't get home until 11:00 last night.  That's what time I usually shut it all down and go to sleep.  So the fact that I still had to get everything ready for bed when I got home pushed me about an hour off schedule.  It's show week, coupled with Extended Birthday, friends visiting, and Halloween, so really I have no time at all this week.  I've had to schedule myself to do home chores AFTER I get home from my various outings, and I have a feeling I'm going to have to leave Halloween early, just so I can get home and be prepared for Show Weekend.  I don't know why, but this show seems more stressful than the others.  Maybe it's because there are more cooks in the kitchen when it comes to running it.  Or it could be that our director, as wonderful as he is, managed to not only throw me under the bus but piss my section off.  Luckily they're all pretty awesome and don't blame me for his mishaps.  Let's just say that he handled solos very poorly this semester and ruffled a few usually placid feathers.  So that's life as of right now.  I'll keep you appraised on things :-).

They Say It's Your Birthday

It's my birthday too yeah!  I had such a fun birthday weekend with my family, followed by a very relaxing and semi productive evening at home.  I feel utterly blessed and humbled by the amount of love shown to me today and this weekend.  I'm not sure I entirely deserve it all, but I am greatly appreciative of it!!   Now this week starts the first of five crazy weeks, filled with planning and weddings and fancy dresses and insanity.  Wish me luck!

How I Spent My Saturday

I'm in Houston this weekend with my family, and this is what I've done today:

• Woke up at 6:30 and went for a walk
• Had Rice Krispie Treat cereal 
• Woke up my baby sister
• Read several books to my goddaughter, then got her dressed
• Ate a second breakfast of waffles (my actual breakfast of choice)
• Went to the Peddler's Craft Show with my sisters, my mom, my aunt and my cousins.
• Bought an adorable nativity set
• Carried a very large Santa around
• Ate kettle corn, fudge, and a baked potato
• Watched both Tech and Notre Dame play football.

Now I'm waiting to eat Chinese food and banana cake for my birthday!  Happy Saturdays!

A Little Self Promotion

So I dunno if you go and read other blogs, but I do.  I've been reading Court's blog Baking in My Bathing Suit for a while now.  She's pretty awesome, and I think well on her way to being my blog friend.  Which is super cool.  She called for guest posters this week, and I answered.  If you head over to her blog, you'll be able to read a short story I wrote, just for her.  Thanks for the opportunity Court!  You're pretty swell.

Solo Issues

So my choir show is a week away, and my director just assigned solos.  And I may have gotten one.  That's not false modesty, I seriously don't know if I got it or not, since he hasn't definitively said anything yet.  But this solo I may have gotten is giving me a lot of trouble.  It's from a song I know REALLY well from the actual Broadway show, and the part that is the solo is NOT the part I normally sing when in my car/house/with my sister.  So it's causing some angst here.  I don't know if I just need to hear the ACTUAL music that's going to go with it or what. I can sing the part perfectly in my head or with the Broadway recording, but when I try to sing it along with the recording for the piece we're doing, I screw it up EVERY TIME.  And I can't figure out why.  I think I may be coming in too early when trying to do it with the recording.  I need to look at the music and figure out where everything goes.  I can't tell you how frustrating it is to think you know a piece and then mess it up every time you try to sing it.  It makes me not want to do the solo.  Which is unthinkable in my head.  And yet....... I'll let you know how it turns out.

What I Love Right Now

So many good things are happening right now.  I am very excited.  These are the things I love right now.

1. Jon Lester, and Jon Lester's beard

2.  Jonny Gomes, and Jonny Gomes's beard

3. Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Jarrod Saltalamacchia's beard

4. David Ortiz and Mike Napoli, and David Ortiz's and Mike Napoli's beards

5. Jacoby Ellsbury and Jacoby Ellsbury's beard

6. Dustin Pedoria and my Captain's beard

So really, I love beards, baseball, and my Boston Red Sox.

ONE DOWN THREE TO GO!

Make You Feel My Music

Today, between working out and having a budget meeting and eating a healthy dinner, I finally watch the tribute episode of Glee to Cory Monteith, or Finn.  It aired on October 10th, but due to circumstances, it wasn't available for me to watch until last week, and well I just couldn't last week.  So I finally did today.  As predicted, I 100% cried through the whole thing.  I'd stop crying and someone would sing a song, or say something, or break down, and I'd start crying all over again.  Especially when Lea Michelle sang "Make You Feel My Love".  I bawled throughout that entire song.  It's a good thing I was at home by myself, otherwise people may have thought I was a crazy person.  That song makes me cry anyways, but to see her sing it just was even worse.

It made me think about songs that have different connotations.  For example, "Sweeney Todd" will forever remind me of college choir days, singing that song creepily during a concert.  And Coldplay's "Yellow" will remind me of my best friend calling me while she watched Coldplay at ACL and holding up the phone so I could hear it.  And Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al" will always be mine and my sister's song.  There are songs that make you dance, there are songs that make you vomit, there are songs that bring a smile to your face, or a tear to your eye, or a grimace.  There are songs that you never ever associated with someone until you heard them in a certain context, and suddenly, you can't even listen to them anymore.  "Goodbye My Almost Lover" by Fine Frenzy, for example.  Every time that song even starts, I have to skip it or switch it.  Then there are songs that mean nothing connected to anyone you know, but just give you a warm all over feeling.  Like Josh Groban's "Awake", which happens to be filling my earholes at this moment.  Music touches something inside of us, and makes us feel.  Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's awful, sometimes it's indifferent.  But it's always something.  We just have to let it.

Late

So I forgot to post today.  And by "forgot" I mean that the time I was going to spend posting, I spent writing a guest post for another blog.  Sorry!  So instead of telling you all about my super fun weekend, I'm going to tell you about the craziness I've taken on for the upcoming month.  I am not going to be home for the weekend at all in November, I have not one but two weddings, a baptism, a show and family vacations to take, and now I've decided (or become convinced, I'm not sure which) to take part in National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo.   Basically, you start a novel on November 1st, and you pledge to write 50,000 words on that novel in the month of November.  You know, because I am going to have so much free time to write 50,000 words.  I'll keep you updated on the progress of my work.  I can do anything for a month!

We're Going to the SERIES!!! (And the Differences in Celebrations)

Last night, the wonderful wonderful Red Sox charmed their way into the World Series.  Shane Victorino totally earned his paycheck by hitting a grand slam in the 7th inning, and then Craig Breslow and Koji Uehara rocked the innings and got three up three down in order to clinch the American League Championship Series.  It was AMAZING.  And SO SO SO exciting for me who never gets to watch anything, but got to watch the last two innings in the game.  And the celebration after.  It was terrific!!!!!  The boys were so excited and had such a great time celebrating.  AND I'M SO EXCITED!!!! WE'RE IN THE WORLD SERIES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIX YEARS!!!

The only issue that I had with this last night was my company.  I was watching the end of the game with my uncle, who is Canadian and prefers hockey to baseball.  So he had lots of questions, and he really did not understand why they were celebrating when they still have another series to play.  I tried to explain that they were celebrating their terrific job so far, but he didn't understand it.  And he also didn't understand why Koji won the MVP for the series.  Uh because he was AMAZING throughout the whole freaking series.  I mean come on, a closer can make or break a team.  They can be up by a million points, but if a closer sucks, they're totally not guaranteed a win.  If their closer is awesome, they are pretty much a guaranteed a win.  So hell yeah our awesome closer deserves a MVP award.  So besides that little annoyance, I am so so so so so so so so happy that we're going back, and that our amazing team is getting the attention they deserve!!  This series starts on Wednesday, and it's going to be so much fun!!!  In closing, I leave you the video of their celebration!

http://wapc.mlb.com/bos/play/?content_id=31167291&topic_id=61827086&c_id=bos