Lord, Beer Me Strength

Like everything lately, I’m a little late with this.  I was thinking about what I could write that was fascinating and exciting, and decided to look through some old posts for inspiration.  That’s when I realized I had started blogging two years ago this month (July 15, to be precise).  Here’s what I had to say in July 2007.

Its hard to believe I’ve been doing this for two years.  Its been a lot of fun writing again, and sharing my life.  You’ve been with me through a big job change, and a big move, along with many little events like vacations and my first tomatoes.  I’ve always tried to blog about things that I think are interesting and/or funny, and not just about my day or bitching about my commute (which I do too often).  Its hard to come up with ideas, and even harder to remember them and actually write about them.  I know I haven’t always been the best blogger, but I appreciate my faithful readers.  I want to start to dedicate more time to the blog , and, in my new effort to be less lazy in general, I hope that works out.

Because stats are cool, I’ll just take a minute to tell you, I’ve had:

My busiest day was March 19, 2008, which was one of my last days at TAC, so I’m guessing people were reading this post about my pals there.  Also, people (516 of them!) still read my San Diego post.  Must be the cute animals.

Here’s to two more good years!!!!

As I mentioned, both cars died within a week of one another.  We now have one car at the mechanic (declared dead, hoping someone will buy it for parts) and one in the driveway.  Of course, its not registered (the car dealership we purchased it from doesn’t hire the brightest bulbs on the tree) and they had to give us another one to use while they straighten it all out.  The saga never ends.

Here’s J trying in vain to start his car the night before the donation people towed it away.  He wasn’t too sad about it.

This is why he wasn’t too sad about it — the new car (Big Red):

And here is my car at the mechanics.  We went to get the plates off, and clean it out, but we (I) forgot the key and the WD-40.  Oops.  At least I still have a chance to say a formal goodbye to her.

Lastly, this is the car my dad wants me to buy: a 1993 Buick Century.  It only has 80,000 miles, but, really, I have my pride.

I know, I know.  I dropped off the face of the blogosphere for awhile.  I wish I had some fabulous reason for you, but I don’t.  Its because I’m too lazy to think of things to write about.  Its a struggle when you lead a life as boring as mine.  But, I’ve had two people wonder where I’ve been, and that’s enough of a self esteem boost for me to come back!  I even have some ideas stacked up for you, and I’m going to write them down before I forget.  

By way of a quick recap of my fascinating life, and promises of witty posts to come, I give you my favorite lazy-girl blogpost: A list!  With bullets!

• My tulips came up.  Yay!  They looked great for a few days, and I swore I’d take pictures of them.  Then they died. 
• I discovered there is nothing better than working from home in my PJ’s with a pot of coffee by my side.
• I still hate people on the train.
• J & I Went to Jamaica and had a fantastic, relaxing time. 
• Lost is fantastic and makes my head hurt.
• I think the best part of summer is summer beers.  Preferably imbibed outside, in plastic cups.
• Really, Facebook is not the place to discuss your dog’s bodily functions.  Still.
• I don’t think I have grass.  I think I just have weeds.  But they’re green, so I’m happy.
• My car…well, that’s a long story, with a sad ending in her near future.  Lets just say she can make it to the train and back, and that’s all I can ask  of her. 
• Speaking of sad endings, the poor Bruins.  <sniffle>

Well, I think that’s enough fascinating material to keep you entertained for another two months!  Seriously, as soon as I post this I am downloading an app for my Touch to be able to e-mail/cut & paste the text I put on it when I’m not online.  There must be an app for that.

To celebrate J’s big Dirty Thirty, we had a weekend of celebrating.  Saturday we went to  Chinese dinner with friends ($500 worth of cat puke, Pu-Pu, and Scorpion Bowls), and partied at our place afterward.  Well, J blew out his candles, played half a game of LCR, got sick and went to bed.  I partied with our friends, losing at LCR and rocking out with Rock Band.  Sunday was hangover bagels and coffee, followed by a family party, and dinner out on Monday night.  A good time was had by all.

A few highlights:

Before things got ugly

Barrack makes it a good dirty thirty…and LCR…and Car Bomb Cupcakes…and Pizza Strips

Before J went down for the count

(Yes, I stole this from Facebook.  Just be happy I didn’t tag you to do it too.)

1. Some days (a lot of days), I hate running.  But I like how it makes me feel, so I do it.
2. I can fit my fist in my mouth.
3. I’m afraid of fire, yet fascinated by it.
4. I know my parents spoil me, but I convince myself it makes them happy.
5. J is still cute when he snores.
6. I wish I could have a wedding every year.
7. I type with three fingers.
8. If I didn’t have my iPod on the train and at work, I might go insane.  Literally.
9. I read too fast and miss things, but get too excited about the book to slow down.
10. I miss college, but not high school.
11. I keep having dreams about vampires since I’ve been reading Twilight.
12. I set 5 alarms in the morning.
13. Sometimes I want to just up and move across the country with J, to escape the cold and crazy NE drivers, but I can’t imagine being more than two hours away from my family & friends.
14. I am completely anal about photos.  They all have to be in books in chronological order.  I make reprints for framing.
15. I wish I could see my friends every day.  Like on Friends.
16. I’m lazy by nature, but can’t sit still.  Its a hard balance.
17. I wish I knew my grandparents better.
18. I hate change.  I hate that my group of college friends haven’t been all together in a long time.  I hate that my cousins are grown up.
19. I love Jon & Kate Plus 8, and I don’t think Kate is that bad.
20. I wonder how I got so lucky to find someone like J who not only puts up with me on a daily basis, but loves me too.
21. As I get older, I realize how crazy my family really is, but more importantly, how lucky I am to have them. 
22. My house will never be clean enough.
23. I think pregnant woman in belly shirts are creepy. 
24. I eat organic or Greek yogurt because its healthier, but I really miss Yoplait Light. 
25. Taco Bell is one of my favorite restaurants, and not just after midnight.

I was going to write the traditional New Year’s blog about my resolutions, but I realized that I did that last year and accomplished almost none of them.  Ooopsie.  I’m too smart to do that again!  Instead, I thought I’d reflect on the highlights of 2008:

• Sadly left TAC for a new job at BAC.  After months of talking to myself in my cube, I have friends at BAC.  Its not quite the same as TAC, but almost every day I find something about it that makes me like my job a bit more (this excludes the months of September & October when work was just not good for anyone in my industry).  And, I’ve kept this job for almost a year, which is good and a trend that I hope continues through 2009.
• As you know, J & I bought our first house, and we have no regrets at all.  Some days I just sit here and think: how did I get so lucky have such an awesome house?  Then the oil bill comes and I cry.  Seriously, I think we’ve done a decent job of being homeowners.  We haven’t attempted any major renovations, but I think we’ve made a nice home.
• J & I celebrated two years of being married on 12/2.  Now, I know two years isn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things, but marriage is an adjustment and a lot of work, and two years of being happy seems like a good start to me!!!  J cooked a lovely dinner, bought me flowers, and started a fire (his new favorite thing to do), and we went out to dinner the weekend after. 
• As you all know, Barrack Obama was voted in as our new president, a historical event and one I hope will change America for the better.
• I turned 30 and didn’t cry about it too much.  I had an awesome party with lots of keg Coors Light, so that helped ease the pain a bit.
• I went to three great weddings, got a new “niece” who is adorable and awesome, and attended too many fun birthday parties to count.

Overall, 2008 was a good year.  Maybe not the most exciting year on record, but we stayed happy, healthy & employed, so that’s all that really matters.  Here’s hoping 2009 brings more of the same, but with  a Caribbean vacation thrown in there as well!

Thanks to Lydia for the great questions! 

1.  What is your best Scrabble word?

I’m terrible at Scrabble, so, as lame as it is, my best word is probably “quit.”  “Quiet” would be better, but I never seem to have the “e” when I need it.  A close runner up is “axe.”  You need that extra point for the “e”!

2.  Would you attend a party with many fascinating people you have never met if you had to attend alone?

I think so.  I would want to go, and know I would kick myself for not going, but mustering up the courage to walk into a party alone would not be easy.  I won’t do a lot of things alone: eat at a restaurant, go to the movies, go to a bar, etc.  I have a bad habit of talking to myself out loud, and that makes me the creepy girl muttering to herself at the table in the corner.  But, I think I could pull it together to go to a party alone, if I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t.

3.  What is your favorite special feature on a DVD?

The deleted scenes.  I like to see if they would have made the movie better or worse if they had made it in.  Nine time out of ten it would be worse.  Those movie makers are smart.

4.  If you were to add a 13th month into the year, where would you put it and what would you call it?

Hmmm…this is a good one!  I think I’d put it in between May & June.  That way it would be warm, but not too hot.  You could go to the beach at night with a sweatshirt, and there would be an extra month of baseball and cookouts.  I’d name it Geoff, because I like that name, its short and can be abbreviated to Geo, which is kind of cool.

5.  Would you take 5 months off to travel the world if you only had a 50/50 chance of being employed when you got back?

No.  I’m not a risk taker like that, although I envy people who can do that.  Maybe before, when I didn’t own a house.  Now, keeping this house is probably the biggest responsibility I have right now now, and I don’t think I could risk losing it for a five monthvacation.  Plus, as cliche as it sounds, with the economy the way it is right now, I’m just happy to have a job, and am desperately trying not to screw it up and lose it.  I want to say yes, but I know I wouldn’t do it.  Being a grown up is hard.

Bored and looking for ways to pass your day? Care to play along?
1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Again, its been awhile since I’ve blogged, so here’s a brief recap of my world:

• I voted for the first time ever.  Yes, I know that’s bad, but at least I did it.  Three guesses who I voted for?  Who else but the best dancing beer pong judge there is?

• I have a new love in my life: the iPod Touch.  I got an award at BAC, and spent my winnings on iPod #4, hoping it will keep me occupied on the train.  I think its tres cool, but not happy with the way the wifi works…or doesn’t.  I’m writing to Steve Jobs right after I post this, and I’m sure he’ll fix it for me.  He’s a good egg.
• Things aren’t really very good at BAC, but I still have a job, and that’s all that really matters.  I’m planning my next career move.  Currently, I’m waffling between waitress and professional bodybuilder, with selling Rosetta Stone at the mall kiosk as a back up.  All suggestions are appreciated. 
• Oh, I have another love in my life: Chris Martin.  I went to see Coldplay a few weeks ago, and fell in love.  I think I could get him to leave his wife and kids for me. 
• Our TV is slightly possessed.  It has Spanish subtitles.  I watched “SuperManny” on Friday night with the subtitles.  Me encanta superninero.  After SuperManny, I watched Barbara Wawa interview the pregnant man.  I don’t think she or J will ever be the same again.
• In case you live under a rock, here are the cutest puppies ever.  Why my “sister” Chloe, who we’re dog-sitting for, doesn’t act that calm and cute, I have no idea.
• I played Free Bird on Guitar Hero last night.  I’m still exhausted by it.