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4.27.2007

take me out to the ballgame...

If all goes well, and the rain continues to abide, we're going to the Phillies' game tonight. Yay! Our friend Slink got some tickets from work and invited us and his roommate Ed. Very excited... I just hope the weather holds because good g*d this morning was like a monsoon! Yipes!

This week has been fun, and busy. I'm completely caught up on work... to the point of being a little bored (don't you love how that always happens, it comes in waves). But I'm enjoying the fact that it's friday and that it is supposed to get nice again by the end of the weekend. And I'm enjoying that we have no set plans for the weekend either (especially since I have to work all weekend, next weekend).


Honestly I guess I don't have much to talk about on here right now. I have all this stuff running through my head... all these emotions... but not anything that I really want or need to talk about. Stuff that just is what it is, and not anything that should be put out because it won't do any good.
Wow, talk about cryptic. Honestly though, there are some things that just shouldn't be shared. Not with anyone. A girl needs some private emotions... but that doesn't stop me from wishing I could put it on here, just to sort out what's in my head.

Lol, what a horrid note to end on! Honestly, could I come up with something worse... sorry!


How about this, I'll end with two jokes instead. Enjoy:

WHY YOU NEVER QUESTION A DRUNK

A woman was shopping at the local supermarket where she selected:

A half-gallon of 2% milk,
A carton of eggs,
A quart of orange juice,
A head of romaine lettuce,
A 2 lb. can of coffee, and
A 1 lb. package of bacon.

As she was unloading her items on the conveyor belt to check out, a drunk standing behind her watched as she placed the items in front of the cashier.

While the cashier was ringing up the purchases, the drunk calmly stated, "You must be single."

The woman was a bit startled by this proclamation, but I was intrigued by the derelict's intuition, since she was indeed single. She looked at the six items on the belt and saw nothing particularly unusual about the selections that could have tipped off the drunk to her marital status.

Curiosity getting the better of her, she said: "Well, you know what, you're absolutely right. But how on earth did you know that?"

The drunk replied, "Cause you're ugly."




Have a great weekend!

4.25.2007

opps, i forgot

I completely forgot Monday... but I wanted to write more for Earth Day. Travis and I watched another "Planet Earth," which is absolutely the most amazing show. I love nature, everything about it, and this show just makes me gasp and ohh the whole time. For anyone that hasn't seen it yet, do yourself a favor and check it out. You will be amazed.

And because of my love of nature... things like this make me so angry. Nice segway, right?! I got this off of the blurbomat website and I couldn't believe my ears. Well, who am I kidding... I could believe it... but it still pissed me off big time.

In other news, I'm finally caught up at work! Hallelujah! It's been so busy around her for about the past week and a half... so much stuff coming in that had to be taken care of right away, that I couldn't finish all the stuff I already had. Thankfully, I'm finally back to where I need to be. Which makes life a lot easier.

Not to mention nicer weather is finally here. And I've gotten the chance to hanging out and chat with one of my favorite coworkers, Nick. Fun guy.

Otherwise, a lot of the same!

Okay, back to work... should finish off strong! Ciao!

4.23.2007

and the good continues

Another gorgeous day... high in the 80s, sunny, light breeze... gorgeous. What a change from a week ago. Great weekend an more good news today too.

Friday night Trav grilled us some hot dogs and hamburgers for dinner, then Ro & Pat came over and spent the night. The boys had a Greek meeting at Lehigh on Saturday morning thru the afternoon. So Ro and I had a leisurely breakfast... then headed out to Ridley Creek State Park to do some walking along with another friend, George. We did the 5-mile paved loop which runs through some pretty beautiful areas. It was really nice. Then Ro & I headed to P.F. Chang's had a leisurely lunch (and drank tons of tea), then we picked George up again and got some ice cream from Bruster's. We headed back to Ro's place after that, waited for the boys to come home, then ate dinner and played on the Wii some. It was a really great day.
Sunday was very relaxing as well. Trav and i just stayed home... he mowed the lawn for the first time of the season, and I made a cake (damn are we domestic). We walked around the grocery store together, and them had a relaxing evening. It was another really nice day.

Today I came into work like normal and got some more great news... my officemate/coworker Darby got engaged over the weekend! She was completely surprised, and I couldn't be happier for her. Plus her ring is gorgeous!

It looks like April is shaping up to be a pretty great month for everyone... and I can't believe it's almost over.

Well, I have to run and get tons more done today... but first, making his A New Day debut... Kieran Michael C. (one hour old, photo by grandma)...


What a beautiful boy!! :-)

Okay, on that note... have a great day!

4.20.2007

out of the darkness... light

So many things to say today.

It's been a few busy days, but I still feel very behind at work because I keep getting projects that need to be done now... and not getting to work on the things I already have to do. Oh well, c'est la vie. There is so much good right now though!

First off, Brian & Stacey are now the proud parents of a bouncing (red-headed!) baby boy! Kieran Michael (I'll have to check on the spelling) was born yesterday afternoon at a very healthy 9 lbs!! I'm so excited for them and hope to have pictures for you soon.

In other news... Happy Earth Day!! It's actually not until Sunday, but I'm sure I won't stop by then, so I'll say it now. Check out yahoo's earth day page for simple changes you can make in your home and your life to help protect the earth.

Also today is a day of mourning for the VT victims/families/friends. Take a moment to reflect on life... your life... think of all the people and things that you love or appreciate, because it takes an event like this to make you realize just how uncertain life is. No one knows when their time to go will be, so live everyday to the fullest. And today take a moment to reflect on that, and on those who's lives were too short.

In less heavy news, today is also friday and going to get into the 70s! Hallelujah. I'm sick of spring showers combined with temps in the 40s. Blah. I also have a nice relaxing weekend ahead of me. Can't wait to sleep in.

Well, back to work for me. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

4.17.2007

more easter weekend pictures

I'm ignoring the horrifying events of yesterday. My heart goes out to all those even remotely involved... but stuff like this terrifies me. It scares the shit out of me that one day I plan to bring a child into a world as fucked up as this one, so I'm trying not to think about it.


Instead I bring more pictures... from my uncles camera (the first two, I took).






This past weekend was great. Dinner at the Pearl was great. Saturday was very busy, but lots of fun. We drop up to the Lehigh Valley in the morning... I dropped Trav at Lehigh then headed to get my hair cut/colored, then to my parent's for lunch, then to see Laura and the kids. I hung out with Laura for a while, then watched Sam while she took the other kids to church, then headed down the street with all of them for dinner at a friend's place. After that I picked up Trav and we headed home. Sunday was all about being lazy... which was VERY nice.

Yesterday was pretty gross. Tons of rain mixed with a snow that had fallen the night before. Winds, flooding, and my train was cancelled. I had to take the trolley, then the El to get to work. Same for the way back home. Luckily today the trains were running again, although it's still cloudy, damp, and miserable out. Where is our beautiful spring?!

Still no baby from Brian & Stacey... I'm sure they are going crazy!!

I have so much to do... so I'll say bye for now.

4.16.2007

just for shits and giggles

From Stella:

The Everything Test

There are many different types of tests on the internet today. Personality tests, purity tests, stereotype tests, political tests. But now, there is one test to rule them all.

Traditionally, online tests would ask certain questions about your musical tastes or clothing for a stereotype, your experiences for a purity test, or deep questions for a personality test.We're turning that upside down - all the questions affect all the results, and we've got some innovative results too! Enjoy :-)

Personality
You are more logical than emotional, more concerned about others than concerned about self, more atheist than religious, more loner than dependent, more lazy than workaholic, more rebel than traditional, more engineering mind than artistic mind, more cynical than idealist, more leader than follower, and more extroverted than introverted.

As for specific personality traits, you are outgoing (100%), romantic (71%), adventurous (62%), innovative (57%).

Stereotypes
Punk Rock73%
Prep69%
Young Professional60%
 
Life Experience
Sex38%
Substances30%
Travel26%

Politics
Your political views would best be described as Liberal, whom you agree with around 46% of the time.
  Socioeconomic
Your attitude toward life best associates you with Lower Middle Class. You make more than 73% of those who have taken this test, and 31% less than the U.S. average.

If your life was a movie, it would be rated PG-13.
By the way, your hottness rank is 74%, hotter than 91% of other test takers.

TAKE THE TEST
brought to you by thatsurveysite

4.13.2007

friday the 13th

Today is 6 months (and a friday the 13th, same as the day we got married). We're going out to dinner tonight to celebrate... yay!!

Great weekend ahead, plenty to look forward to.

And before I forget again... Happy Birthday Barbara!!! My wonderful Mother-in-law celebrated another year yesterday.

That's all I have for you right now... I'm a busy girl today. Ciao!

4.12.2007

can I tell you?

Can I tell you that...
- my vajayjay thanks you for your well wishes and is feeling much better today. I heart the Advil.
- this morning I ate enough rosemary & olive oil triscuits with extra garlic humus, so that I now smell like the kitchen of a very good middle eastern restaurant.
- I'm very sad that Kurt Vonnegut has passed... he was an amazing, insightful, ahead of his time writer. I'm so glad that he was the speaker at my graduation and that I got the chance to hear him speak at least once. 84 though, not too bad.
Kurt Vonnegut, the satirical novelist who captured the absurdity of war and questioned the advances of science in darkly humorous works such as “Slaughterhouse-Five” and “Cat’s Cradle,” died Wednesday. He was 84.
- I've gone from eating lots of crap and not doing much of anything exercise-like to injesting lots of water, eating less in general and more fruits/veggies in particular, and walking at least a mile a day (about 5 days a week)... and feel like I haven't seen any change?! I know results aren't something that happens immediately, but I've been doing this for about, hmm, a month and a half? I want results!


To respond to comments...
Mary, she didn't have me cough... but she had me talking (which apparently helps dialate your cervex... now that I know that, when we do decide to have a baby, they won't be able to get me to shut up once it's labor time.). And she told me that removal is actually a 5-10 minute, very easy office visit.

Stella, "Why an IUD instead of pill or shot - it seems so invasive! Has the technology gotten a lot better with them?"
I was on the pill for 6 long years... I was tired of pumping my body full of hormones which were definitely taking their toll. I've gained weight and lost libido. Plus it's a pain in the ass to have to rememeber that damn pill every night, and who wants to worry about side effects like blood clots. While the IUD insertion is definitely invasive, it's over in 15-20 minutes and I'm now good to go for as long as 10 years, with zero upkeep. And the technology has gotten better with them... they are safer now then ever before, and more reliable then the pill (99-99.9% effective vs. pill's 95-98%), and that reliability won't change because of antibiotics/meds like the pill's does. Plus when we do decide to have kids, I simply get it removed and I'm fertile right away... unlike the pill which for some women takes a few month for the body to get back to normal. As for the shot... that would have a lot of the same cons for me as the pill did (it's 97% effective, plus the weight/libido thing)... plus I would have to get shots all the time which I'm not a fan of (every three months)! Plus, according to the Planned Parenthood website it can take "an average of nine to 10 months — or sometimes more than a year — to get pregnant after getting the last shot". It has also been shown to be linked with osteoperosis. So for me, the IUD was the best choice.


On that note... tons to do today, so I have to run. So glad it's almost friday.

4.11.2007

cherry blossoms in DC

Most as taken but a few at end I played with in Photoshop Elements (I have a 30 day free trial).





And edited:


Good times. Great weekend. Waiting for some more pictures from my uncles camera.

My days since have been quite busy. I've spent more time on the phone this week then I swear I ever have at work before. Plus Alan & Jan were/are out Tuesday, today and for Alan some of tomorrow. Jan won't be back until next week.

Still no baby in the Brian/Stacey household.

In vajayjay news (I warned you, I did):
Got my IUD today... my poor uterus hurts. It feels bruised, but already a ton better then it did earlier. Gosh that was a uncomfortable/painful experience though.

Okay, back to work.

4.05.2007

you'll just have to bear with me

And thus starts the entry where I am overwhelmed with multiple unnecessary emotions and randomness.

I was reading dooce earlier... reading the monthly letter she writes to her daughter and looking at pictures of the new house they will be moving into shortly. And I have to say, I'm a little green. I want to take beautiful pictures the way she does. And i want that house. Really really want it. Of course, you know my feeling about kids too.

You'll just have to bear with me because if I can't vent about it here, where can I?

Travis seems to think I read too many blogs. Maybe I do... maybe they are making me long for what I don't have, when really I should appreciate what I do. I'm only in my mid-20s, and everyone says that 20s are a time for living like a college student and building up your savings so that you can afford the big things that you want. And we are pretty lucky, and in some ways, ahead of the game. We are travelling to Ireland in the fall, we own a home, and are married.

A lot of the blogs I read however are those of people in their 30s who have more developed careers, kids, and houses to raise a family in. It's hard to see that and not want it now. I don't need to be a king, but I don't want to be a pauper either. And I wonder if that much will really change in the next 5 years. Will we get there? My parents did an amazing job with my brother and I... and we were never "want" for much. But it was still hard growing up knowing that I had less then my classmates and that my parents were stressing about paying the bills. I don't want to do that with my kids. And in that case, won't wanting the things that I want now actually help me to work towards them? Is my jealousy so wrong (besides the fact that it is not a healthy emotion, and it sets up a precedent of always wanting what you don't have and not enjoying what you do)?


I covet:
  • A job/career that I actually enjoy and am proud of. One that I want to stay in for a significant length of time.
  • This or this camera. Well, this one too... but I probably wouldn't know what to do with it!
  • A three/four bedroom (depending on if it has an office/library area) relatively new house with 2.5/3 bathrooms, a big family room, an eat-in kitchen with new appliances and an open floor plan, on 3/4 acre or more land with LOTs of trees and plants.
  • Then there's that whole kid thing.

... Which brings up something else...

I can't even imagine how Brian and Stacey feel right now because I am so excited for their baby. Though I still have trouble wrapping my brain around the fact that Bri is going to be a daddy! Sometimes I still picture college B with the partying and the drinking and the uh, debauchery. Lol. He is going to be an amazing father, it's just hard to wrap myself around. But I can't wait to see it in person.


Anyway, on a lighter note, we got our first wedding invitation of the summer season (my cousin in New Hampshire), and I downloaded some pictures for you of the weekend and the springiness (which has since turned to 40* weather, and hopefully not a bunch of dead flowers):






I've been working on this post since quarter after 9 because I had a lot I wanted to get out, but didn't know how to say it or express it. And especially because I know that I come off as jealous and ungrateful, and if you made it this far I am impressed. I also couldn't decide if I wanted to turn off comments or not, but figured if you wanted to take the time to comment only to call me selfish, well that's your right. So I'm leaving comments open, and I'm leaving this in your face, as I've decided to take a brief posting vacay... until after Easter, and maybe for a few days next week. And when I come back I will probably have a post about my vajayjay. Consider yourself warned.

So I guess that is all. Think what you will, I feel better now.


Happy Easter. Happy Passover. Happy everything else.

4.04.2007

lazy kind of post

Another nice long walk last night... 3 miles, which felt great and was very relaxing. Plus I love that butt/thigh muscle twitch thing that happens afterwards. Left me no time to upload pictures, but oh well. Hopefully tonight since it is damn crappy out... pouring rain and pretty chilly. Not even sure if I'll do my mile walk to the train station tonight. Ugh. We'll see.

So Stacey is due in just over a week. Very exciting and I can't wait to meet the new baby! I know Brian is jumping out of his skin over the wait too. I just bought two adorable items for the babe, which hopefully will arrive in time. But I'm not going to say what because I know Stacey stops by here once in a while... Hi Stacey!


I've been thinking lots lately about the world we live in and the human race in general (maybe because of impending babies and what life will be like for them). It always makes me a little sad when I think about how much less innocent it seems their childhoods will be then ours were. Now drugs are in elementary schools, 15 yr olds are getting pregnant, and people are getting shot just standing on their corner. It just makes me a little sad that while in some ways humans are making amazing leaps and bounds (treating untreatable diseases, technology that makes life easier and more comfortable), it seems like in some ways we are regressing in our evolution. We fight just as much, if not more... murder/rape/assult in the news daily... well its more then just a little sad to me. How far have we really come from the animals we supposedly evolved from (and lets not turn this into an evolution vs. creation thing)?

Anyway, not to be depressing, but it was just on my mind.

Almost time for lunch, so I should get back to it.

4.02.2007

grace

I might just go out today and take pictures... because its supposed to be nice, and it's beginning to look like spring, and because seeing things like this and this and this just make me want to be out there. Plus work email is down for now, so why not.

The weekend was great. With Spamalot (farkin hilarious) and hanging out with my fam... plus Sunday my brother tested for and was awarded his black belt in Tai Kwon Do. I'm so proud of him!

I was also reading some blogs and wanted to point out one... Halcyon's grandfather recently passed away and he has been handling it with so much strength and grace. His grandfather truly seemed like an amazing man, who lived an incredible life. It makes me want to strive for more in my own life. It makes me want to leave something wonderful behind.
Leave some thoughts for him if you would like.

So, can you believe it's April already too?! Lots of good stuff this month... Stacey is due this coming week, this weekend we are going to be in DC, our 6-month mark for being married, and Trav's mom's birthday.

Anyway, I guess that is all the randomness I have for now. I'm going to get some work done, and hopefully run out for some pictures.