What a mess.

Do you remember that episode of The Office where Pam gets mad because the microwave is left all nasty? Well, I was just the culprit at my office microwave. Apparently canned minestrone soup doesn't take 4 minutes to heat up. Anything longer than 3 and you've got a tomato-y disaster on your hands (literally).

Lesson learned. (and microwave cleaned up!) But, wow what a mess. Sick.

Thoughts on Lent

"Even now," declares the LORD,

"return to me with all your heart,

with fasting and weeping and mourning."

Rend your heart 

and not your garments.

Return to the LORD your God,

for he is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in love,

and he relents from sending calamity.

-Joel 2:12-13

I will preface this by saying I don't usually give anything up for Lent, and if I do, I rarely last longer than two weeks. This Lenten season, I am going to work on rending my heart. In the dictionary, rend means to separate, tear apart violently, divide. There are areas in my life in which I have become so assimilated to the world. Two areas that I am going to work on during the next 40 days are 1. my attitude/general disposition at work and 2. the way I spend money. 

I want to use this period of time to reflect on parts of my life where I feel very unconnected to God-and instead, very connected to this world's outlook. 

For instance, I have spent large amounts of money recently on going out to eat, clothes, and beauty products. I just spent $97 last week on anti-aging skin care products. I'm just being honest here. I don't think it's bad to spend money. I think it's ok to by nice things. I don't think it's ok to be attached to money and to value it more than God. I need to stop wasting money and think about what I am doing with it. I need to re-think whether I am buying into this world's promise that having more stuff will make me happier. So, I am not going out to lunch during Lent. No $10 salads from Ingredients. No vending machine hit-ups during the late afternoon. It's a small thing I can do that will give me the chance to begin to plan how to rend my heart when it comes to money.

Another example is how I am at work. Generally, work environments foster complaints, gossip, and negativity. Hardly the attitudes of Godly people, right?! But, I don't bring a different perception to the office. No, usually I contribute to the negativity. So, I am taking time during Lent to rend my heart regarding my attitude and approach to work. This will be very hard for me. But, I am going to practically pray HARD during the day, lifting up the stresses/frustrations/complaints to God and then letting them go. I am setting aside time during my day to do this and keeping a notepad so I can write them down-and then be done with it. I know-it seems a little silly. But, change takes practice and discipline. I need to change my focus and remember that ultimately, my job is not who I am. Our world teaches us that we are defined by our jobs-I am an attorney. Well, God says that isn't so. Thus, I need to rend my heart regarding the way I think about work-and how work affects me!

So, pray for me. I will need it! May this be a season full of healthy reflection on the areas in our life where the world has a stronger hold than God. I pray we have the wisdom to see those areas and the guts to try something different.

Ew.

Why can't they make vitamins for adults that do not taste absolutely disgusting? I decided I need to be more healthy and part of that is taking a multi-vitamin daily. I've done it in the past, but forgot why I stopped.

Today I remembered. The taste is absolutely revolting. I buy the One a Day Women's type of vitamin and seriously it is sick. It's nearly impossible to swallow without wanting to gag. And even when I do, it leaves this gross, lingering taste in my mouth.

Children's vitamins taste delicious! They even have gummie varities. I want the same for adults! Maybe they already exist? If so, PLEASE recommend asap. I am dying here.

I'm just wondering...

Why do we not use umbrellas in the snow? This morning, I walked out of my apartment having a good hair day. Now, this is rather rare for me-I have thin, fine hair. It hardly ever looks great, and usually looks ok. I drive to work (after trying to pry my right windshield wiper up that is STILL stuck from the snow storm weeks ago) and sit in the parking garage contemplating whether it's appropriate to use an umbrella on my trek up Main Street to my office.

I decide it's not. But, why? It's wet just like rain. But no one uses an umbrella to keep themselves dry. They wear hats-which make my hair look even worse than being wet.

Strange. Maybe I will start a trend.

Imagine my surprise when I was searching for "snow umbrella" in google images and came across this fantastic NY Times article describing my exact predicament! Clearly, I am meant for urban NYC life, not the midwest!

road rage backfires

Last night as I was pulling out of the Chick-Fil-A parking lot on my way to the Vineyard, I noticed a car driving really closely behind me-which I hate. As I made my way closer to the Vineyard, it seemed the car got even closer. So, I did what I normally do-slow down. It didn't work. I turned into the parking lot at the Vineyard, and the person seemed to get even closer. I thought to myself "what kind of person going to a church on a Tuesday night drives like such a maniac?" (No, I didn't think what kind of person going to church on a Tuesday night gets so easily consumed with road rage.)

I threw my hands up in disgust (no, I did not give any specific hand signals) at the close driver, pulled into a parking spot, and the person pulled in right next to me. I couldn't believe it.

Lo and behold, guess who was behind the wheel? None other than my roommate, Jana.

Oops...

Do you like ribs?

I do. I've only ever eaten my Dad's ribs, though (the ones he cooks-not his actual ribs). They are the best in the world (I don't need to try all the ribs in the world to know this). Everyone raves about Montgomery Inn, but I've never been.



Maybe now is as good a time as ever. Montgomery Inn at the Boathouse is celebrating 20 years in business and Feb. 22-26 is offering all you can eat ribs and saratoga chips for $19.89 (the year it opened).



Tasty. So, really, are they as good as everyone says? And I definitely think I could eat my $19.89 worth.

camera woes.

It's always hard to come back to work after a great weekend. On Friday night, I drove up to Dayton to celebrate my brother's 40th birthday with a surprise party. It was a great time! Here are some pictures:


Oh wait, I forgot my camera.

Then on Saturday, Steve made me dinner (crab cakes, asparagus, bread, and homemade sauce!), we ate chocolate fondue for dessert and watched Sleepless in Seattle. Here are some pictures:

Oh wait, I forgot my camera.

On Sunday, I ate a yummy burger with some friends at Fatburger. We laughed a lot. Here are some pictures:

Oh wait, I forgot my camera.

I swear my memory card is only going to be filled of pictures of Fiona laying around my apartment. Yikes!

The IRS moves fast.

I did my taxes the night of February 2. I used HR Block online to file electronically. I received both my federal and Ohio refund on February 10.

Only one week! Wow. I am impressed.

A Valentine's Day treat for me!

just fyi...

You can click on the photo of the Daily Puppy for more pics of the dog of the day. For instance, there is a photo of today's pup sleeping and she is stinkin' cute!

Happy Thursday! I started my day off by spilling a glass of water on myself. Hopefully yours is going a tad bit better. ;-)

I guess age doesn't matter.

Last night the winner of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was the oldest dog ever to win such an honor-at a whopping 10 years old! He was on the Today show this morning and was soooooooo cute. (He is a sussex spaniel named Stump) Dog shows are so weird though. I confess I like watching them, but the people are nuts! The dogs are so well-behaved.

If only my Fi would behave so well.

Some personal responsibility.

I just read this article from the Columbus Dispatch relating to the items on the "top priority" list for Ohio House Democrats. You can read the article here.

I'm not going to comment on the proposed foreclosure moratorium because it's too closely related to my job. However, one of the "priorities" includes designing a bill that would ban marketing of credit cards at college campuses.

I'm going to be completely honest-I racked up a lot of credit card debt in college and law school. I'm pretty sure it took me 3 years before I paid off that Caribbean cruise I took senior year in 2003. Nevermind the trip I took to Greece in 2005. BUT, seriously? At what point do we stop blaming everyone else but ourselves for the financial state we are in.

I'm tired of hearing words like "bailout" and "stimulus". Yes, the economy is terrible. Yes, one contributor to this economy is predatory lending (which, by the way, there are already plenty of laws out there protecting consumers); but everytime you point your finger at a bank, you have three more pointing back at yourself. (That was a really bad joke.) The inability to pay back loans, credit card bills, etc. ultimately hurts retirement accounts, investment funds, and the entire economy.

One of the questions asked last night to Barack Obama during his press conference was whether banks receiving the new proposed bailout money would be required to use it to extend credit. That really got me fired up to the extent that there is a line of thinking that believes more credit is the answer to our economic situation.

How did we become so entitled? Whatever happened to taking responsibility? I'm not perfect. I have a massive amount of student debt. But, I also live in an apartment and my car is almost 6 years old (and missing 3 hubcaps!). Sure, I buy things I don't need, but I don't do it and then beg to be forgiven of my debt just because I can't (or won't) find other means to pay it off.

Take responsibility. Get a second job if you have to. Cut back on non-essentials. Stop paying for things with your credit card. Just stop asking for a hand-out with such a feeling of entitlement.

Sometimes...

It's the kind of day where I eat a hamburger with double bacon and french fries for lunch and a double scoop-cherry chip/mint cookies and cream-from Graeter's for dinner.

Today was one of those days.

Yikes. Unless you count the tomato on my burger or the cherries in my ice cream, my total veggie/fruit count for the day is zero. 

I blame this day of gluttony on the deliciously warm weather.

Wear Red. Get Green.

At Macys through Sunday, if you wear red you will receive 20% off your purchase. I saw the ad on TV and I looked it up online and it applies to regular, sale and clearance merchandise (including the home store). 

Red is my favorite color. Well it ties with pink. This shouldn't be a problem. ;)

ewwwwwwwwwww

My dog just threw up. 

I went to get paper towels to clean it, but when I returned the vomit was gone.

I guess a dog really does return to its own vomit.

Freaking sick.

A Tip to Save Money

Don't buy shaving products.

The first time I shaved my legs, I used an old, disposable razor and peeled off a chunk of skin all the way up my shin-it bled profusely. I did it without my parent's knowledge because I figured I knew how to do it. I was wrong.

Apparently, I still don't know how to shave my legs properly. I don't use shaving cream or gel or whatever else. I just stick my leg in the water and shave away. It doesn't hurt, I don't get "razor burn", but people always seem to think that it's nuts.

So, this morning, I decided to try some shaving cream. Why not? There is a whole shaving product market out there that I've never really used, so I felt like maybe I was missing something.

Let me just say it took twice, if not three times, as long to shave my legs. What the heck? Also, the smell made me want to throw up. (You know how I am about scents.) And this was a shaving cream for women-so I should like the scent, right? It also did not shave as closely (I used a good razor with a new blade-so don't try to blame it on that!). 

No thanks. I will save my 10 bucks a year, or whatever, I don't have to spend on various "shaving" products. Water works fine for me-and I recommend you give it a try.

a letter

I used to write letters all the time when things were incorrect. For instance-bad service at a restaurant? I'd write a letter explaining my disappointment. I actually developed a "form" complaint letter (embarrassing!). But, I found if you're polite, most business appreciate the feedback. My best was a letter to JCrew returning a bathing suit that I wore for a week. My most recent was a letter to a local movie theater. How's this letter sound?

Dear Winter,

Please stop snowing. I understand there are people (freaks?) who enjoy being out in your powdery coldness. But, let's face it-snow is impractical. Sure it's pretty if you have nothing to do but sit by a fire and watch.

But today, I actually have stuff to do. And I need the snow to cease. You belong only between the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas. Your emergence was pretty last week-sure. But, this little snow you are bringing today is no fun at all. I'd really like to be able to drive to Springdale for my Chick-fil-A fix...er, I mean for my Beth Moore study.

Also-please send my sentiment to your friend Mr. Groundhog for seeing his shadow. 6 more weeks of winter-just what I want.

Sincerely,

A lawyer with a bad case of S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder)

greatest franchise ever

In the words of my Dad (sent via text):

It's never, ever easy with these guys!

But-they pulled it off and became the only team ever to win 6 Super Bowls. Incredible. Santonio Holmes is my hero.