Did you know...

It's illegal to leave a car running on a public street, unattended in Ohio? I did not. For, oh say the last few years, I've warmed up my car by turning it on and letting it run for about 10 minutes in the winter.

Oops. I could be convicted of a minor misdemeanor! Just call me Lizzy Law-breaker, but I like my car warm when I get into it in the morning!

One more "perk" of my current on-street parking living arrangement.

Attention Ladies

January 20 is your day. According to cincinnati.com, on January 20, 2009 to settle an ongoing class action lawsuit (which alleged price fixing), you are entitled to a $20 bottle of make up from several different name brand make up companies, including Clinique, Lancome, and Chanel. 

Here's the best part-all you have to do is show up! Go to Macy's, Dillard's, Sak's...whatever department store is near you. You don't need anything but a love for fun beauty products!

The complete list of products available can be found here. 

I will be at the downtown Macy's, oh, say around noon? Great, see you there ;)

White Death

It's coming. Or so they say. There is not a flake to be seen as of yet...

But, hey, at least I got a casual day at work out of it!!

It's a long one.

What is getting me through the day? Chick-fil-A for dinner.

I cannot wait.

What is it they put in that delicious batter for the chicken sandwich? It is fantastic. Plus, they have Diet Dr. Pepper. Love it.

What the crap was I thinking??

Jabs talked me into watching the Bachelor tonight. Aside from portraying women as catty, vain, only-care-about-getting married bitches, they also show how intelligent women are!

For instance, one woman showed her wit by knowing the three branches of government. Smart with a capital "S"!! But, shoot, I'm sure you could find your dream-spouse by going on fantasy dates and drinking non-stop...all while wearing a string bikini! That's how Steve and I spend every Thursday date-night!

The guy had already made out with 1/3 of the women by the time I turned in for bed. Yikes. 

So yeah...despite this very realistic show, there are just a few falsities about women I must expose:

1. Not all women wear make up to the pool. (Some girls even go underwater! GASP!)

2. Some women not only know the 3 branches of government but also WORK in government. Wow.

3. Not all women giggle incessantly. 

4. Not all women make out on the first date. 

5. Not all women say whatever a man wants to hear to get his attention. 

6. There are women who go to college for things other than a "mrs. degree"

7. Not all women think the best date would be taking shots in a string bikini while sitting in a hot tub.

Bottom line--NOT ALL WOMEN ARE CRAZY, despite the media's attempts to brainwash us otherwise. (Though that woman who jumped in the car to surprise the dude when he came out was pretty freaking crazy. The best way to start a conversation is always "we need to talk." hehe) Where do they find these women??

*sigh* I'm so tired of it...reality tv certainly does not equate reality.

I am allergic to my office.

Seriously. I have sneezed 1,000 times so far today.

I detest that feeling like you have to sneeze...just waiting for it. It's the worst!!

At least the Steelers won yesterday.

Bring on Baltimore

What a fantastic weekend! This weekend was everything weekends should be-relaxing, fun, and exciting. On Friday night, Jana and I went to see Rachel Getting Married. It was...intense, but good. I've never thought Anne Hathaway was that great of an actress, but she was excellent in that film. 

On Saturday, I watched lots of food network, had a great run on the treadmill, and ate a delicious dinner prepared by Steve-YUM. I can't say enough how lucky I am to have a boyfriend who cooks! I also enjoyed watching Tennessee lose to Baltimore. Craziness.

Then came today....ahh perfection. I sported the Parker jersey--um, did he have an amazing game, or what? Fi wore her bandana. I did my work with my Steelers' pen and it all worked in our favor! Ben played so well...it was fantastic. I was making all kinds of noise in my apartment alone-I was really embarrassed when someone knocked asking for ketchup and I was all alone and he said "with all that noise, I figured you all were having a party." Um, nope. Just me. And my dog. *sigh*

I also made some delicious pasta AND jambalaya to have for lunch/dinner this week. YUM. Here are a few pics from my Sunday...

game day is near

I was all nervous about what to wear to work today. Should I wear my new Steelers bracelet? Bring my new Steelers pen to sign all of today's pleadings with? I haven't done that all season, so would shaking things up affect the game? eeek! Then I started thinking about what I would wear to the game on Sunday...jersey or lucky t-shirt? Bandana on Fi or no bandana? SO much pressure!

Or maybe I should buy her this pretty dog tag and get it overnighted?

Then, I realized...oh it really doesn't matter ;-) Superstition is fun, though, yes?

HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!

And to preserve our relationship, Steve and I have agreed not to watch any playoff games together. he he he...I'm 100% serious.

Confession

Just to confirm yesterday really was my day, my amazon.com purchase arrived!

This is where the confession part comes in. One present Steve got me for Christmas was a DVD-Jane Austen Book Club. I looooove Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice is my second favorite book of all time (To Kill a Mockingbird holds a strong first). Austen's writing is witty, clever, romantic, and by no means outdated.

So last Friday, I had a night to myself and popped in the DVD (which story was first a book-that I read this summer at the beach!). As I was watching it, and loving all the Austen allusions, I realized it had been years since I'd read a Jane Austen book. In a moment of weakness (or perhaps I should attribute it to the 1.5 glasses of wine I had drunk at that point), I ordered 4 Jane Austen novels off Amazon.com. I could not help myself!

I might add I purchased the 4 books for a total price with shipping of $24, so it was quite the bargain.

I am re-acquainting myself with Jane Austen, beginning with her last book Persuasion. I started last night..and I'm loving it.

Oh-and it's never too early for a GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is my day.

No, seriously it is. I didn't think it was when my alarm went off at 5:05a.m. I didn't think it was because I have to work late tonight. I didn't think it was when I realized I put my contacts away last night without covering them in saline solution. But, once I walked into the spinning class and the instructor promised an hour of all 80's songs that gained their popularity from MTV, I knew it would be a fantastic day.

Growing up, I used to wake up an hour early to watch MTV while I ate breakfast. I don't even think MTV plays music anymore. They just have those porn-like television shows like the Real World. (That show was SWEET when it first started with Pedro and Puck, etc...today it is like they try to find all the skanky co-eds and put them all in a room together with 25,000 gallons of alcohol and see what happens. So stupid.)

From 6AM-7AM I got to workout to some of my favorite songs by artists like: Bon Jovi, Madonna, Journey, etc. The entire time the instructor kept apologizing for the songs and I wanted to say "hey, I'm not embarrassed I know the lyrics to every song played this morning..."

It was great.

In other news, my intelligent, handsome boyfriend is debuting his online story today. You should read it...http://fullerblogisode.blogspot.com/

sooooo busy

But, I will spare a moment to share two things:

1. My eye will not stop twitching. It may be the most annoying thing in the entire world. And it's been doing it since I was in court this morning. Puh-lease eye, puh-lease stop.

2. I got $500 worth of Ann Taylor clothes for $66 dollars yesterday. Amazing, no? You should be impressed.

That's all. Back to work.

lazy saturdays

How are you spending your Saturday? I went to a spinning class at the gym and then made a beef stew from my new cookbook! (It's not done cooking yet ;) )

And Fiona has been laying in the sunlight being all lazy watching me cook. She's the world's best companion!

Happy New Year!

Some pics from the night...very fun! We ate dinner at our apartment, prepared by Jana and Justin, then headed to Northside Tavern for the third year in a row to ring in the new year. How was your night? Here's to hoping 2009 is as wonderful as 2008 has been!

new years eve day mishap

Last night I stayed up late reading Bad Dogs Have More Fun. Steve gave this to me for Christmas because he knows I am obsessed with all things sentimental and all things dog-related. A perfect mix. And it's written by the man who wrote Marley & Me, which if you haven't read that yet-stop reading this silly blog and go read it! It's a fantastic memoir about the lives of a young married couple-with a crazy dog thrown in for fun. Seriously, I read it 2 years ago and absolutely loved it.

So this morning, I'm driving to work (on auto-pilot), completely in thought about one of the stories I read last night. This particular story was about a family having to put their dog to sleep. I was lost in thought about how fast time goes by, and how I don't think I could stand it to put little Fi to sleep, when BAM I realize I've just run, not one, but TWO red lights.

Whoa. Thank you God for the light traffic downtown on this New Year's Eve Day. I drove right through Race Street and Main Street without ever stopping.

I resolve to pay better attention while driving. Geesh.

Check back in tomorrow...I promise New Year's Eve pics with my new camera!!

Seriously, what is wrong with people?

If you want proof that we live in a disgustingly broken world, all you have to do is read the comments that people in this area leave on news stories at Cincinnati.com.

For instance, I was just perusing this story about the woman murdered on Christmas Eve allegedly by her violent, ex-boyfriend. The same types of comments were left on the news stories surrounding the death of the young lady from Crossroads Church. Some of the comments people leave are absolutely stunning, unbelievably insensitive, and honestly I can't think of words to describe them. Callous, disrespectful, idiotic-yes.

As if the crime itself wasn't evidence of how messed up the world is...

mmmmmm

Remember this pretty thing? She's brewing me a cup of coffee right now...in my office...

Today I saved $1.95. Whatever will I do with it!?

Christmas in Toledo

As told in pictures...with my new camera!

Fiona curled up in my bed-yes, I've been staying in Sofa City all week.

mmmm...Deviled Eggs!

Isn't she such cutie!? (Fi that is ;) )

The prettiest ornaments on the tree!

Merry Christmas!

3 degrees, really?

Brrrr. It's all I can say. My hands still feel numb from the walk into work AND I have the space heater pumping. I am dreading the walk across the street at lunch to deposit a check.

Christmas is 3 days away! Are you ready??

I love the South.

Yes, my pants are wet from walking into the office in the rain. Yes, my dog was running around the apartment like a wild thing trying to get the rain out of her fur. Yes, my 5 mile run turned into a 3 mile sprint due to a heavy downpour. Yes, my umbrella is a piece of junk.

But....it isn't snow!

My parents are snow and iced in up North in Toledo. Detroit and Chicago and New York City are in the midst of a nasty storm. But, not us down here in the South!!

Nope, it's going to be 60 degrees today. Nevermind that tomorrow it will be only a high of 34 degrees.

Sure, snow is pretty when you're sitting by the fire, reading a book with no place to go. But, it can be quite unfriendly when you're trying to get to work. Since we only close if there is a level 3 snow emergency-unless it's a true, full fledged blizzard-keep that snow up North!

Christmas Delicious-ness

Do you like chocolate? Do you like mint? Do you adore chocolate and mint together?

Then you will love these brownies. And they are suuuuper easy. I made them last night for a work deal on Friday. Here is the "recipe". (I use that term loosely because I didn't exactly follow a recipe).

Ingredients:

1 13x9 brownie mix (use a box or use your own favorite "from scratch" brownies)

(Don't forget the ingredients for the brownie mix like eggs!)

2 boxes Andes Creme de Menthe thins

Bake brownies. While they are baking, unwrap all those mints. This is the worst part because inevitably the chocolate from the mints will get under your fingernails-and that is annoying.

Once the brownies are done by the "toothpick test," immediately put the unwrapped mints on top. Set the timer for 5 minutes. Once timer dings, take a knife (or if you have a fancy frosting spatula, use that) and spread the now melted mints across the brownies. Make it look pretty-it's easy. Let the topping harden.

Variation: Place half brownie batter in bottom of pan. Place unwrapped mints in a layer and pour remaining batter on top. Then bake. I have not tested this--do not blame me if it turns out like junk.

DONE.

Delicious and easy. What could be better?

(Don't judge by the picture...you know my cell camera is fantastic)

Gift-giving and shopping locally.

Every year I promise myself I won't go overboard with Christmas presents-and every year I fail. Part of it is because I really enjoy buying presents that I think people will enjoy. Part of it is that I like shopping, period. And a big part of it is that I grew up in a family where gift giving was the way we showed each other love.

Birthdays were always big, with lots of toys, clothes, etc. Christmas was always huge. Now, I know many of you would love to scold my parents for being materialistic and instilling improper values-but just relax. I appreciate what my parents sacrificed to make holidays memorable for me. And not just in presents-my family always hosted a huge Christmas Eve party, with lots of food (which is also very expensive-just like presents). They took us to see Santa, built snowmen (ok my Mom never did that!) and drove around to see Christmas lights. We went to the Nutcracker (ok my Dad never did that!) and watched Christmas movies. My parents sacrificed every New Years' Eve and spent it with their kiddies playing games and making hats out of newspapers.

Those things (including the gifts) were and are, how my family shows each other love. So, I always struggle between wanting to "cut back" on presents and not wanting my family to feel slighted. I know they wouldn't care per se, but holidays are a big deal to them.

Anyway, in light of that, I tried this year to think of ways to purchase presents, but not concurrently buy into all the materialism advertisers drive us to. I decided upon trying to shop locally (i.e. at locally owned stores) as much as possible. And I did pretty well.

I subscribe to Buy Cincy, a blog about buying stuff in Cincinnati. They've done some great pieces recently about buying Christmas presents locally. So, one evening I hit up Ludlow Ave. and found some really cool stuff that I probably never would've thought to get. Plus, I like supporting businesses in the Gaslight District where I live.

I also went to some local stores in Hyde Park and picked up some things for people on my list who like wine. Which is most everyone.

I have actually not set foot in a mall. I will on Christmas Eve because I enjoy getting a Peppermint Mocha and watching the madness and it's a tradition with my sister and myself. I also have not set foot in Wal-Mart. (And as an aside, if I see one more commercial by Wal-Mart advertising its low prices in these tough economic times, I am going to puke. Supporting companies like Wal-Mart does NOT help America or American workers. Sure, maybe you saved $200 bucks this holiday, but big deal. Shopping at stores like that who do not support unions or their local communities is quite a hurt on our economy.)

Anyway, no I didn't do all my shopping locally-but I think that will be my goal next year. It was fun to walk around the different shops and talk to real store owners. Plus, I bought some very unique gifts for people-which is so fun!

The good, the bad, the ugly.

Update: The good, the bad AND the ugly all rolled into one-my secret santa gave me a HUGE bag of m&ms today. Good in that they are amazingly delicious. Bad in that it will take everything in me to not eat them ALL day long. Ugly is my addiction to these treats... ugh.

The Good: I somehow lost my coffee card that gets a daily punch from Kitty @ Kitty's coffee in my office. Kitty let me off the hook! No punch and no 1.95 charge. How sweet, no? (Unfortunately I was also going to get one for my secret santa...but she is SOL!)


The Bad: At my 6am spinning class this morning, we had the option to have a "christmas" ride-meaning the workout would be done to upbeat Christmas music. OF COURSE, I voted yes. But since only 3 other people in the class (out of about 40) voted yes, we were voted down and had to listen to a mix that actually featured a song by Hanson. Good God. Those Scrooges deserved it I suppose...


The Ugly: The roads in Cincinnati! All that white snow everywhere made the commute treacherous! Oh wait... Good thing we wasted all that salt when we have a salt shortage in Hamilton County!! Can't wait til we have a blizzard in March with no salt. One more ugly-Ms. Barky McBarkerton who awoke me at 4:30a.m. because the dog in the upstairs apartment was barking. Lovely. Maybe they should have an apartment together where they just bark all day long.

Anyone looking for a last minute Christmas gift for yours truly-how about Be the Pack Leader: Use Cesar's Way to Transform Your Dog...and Your Life by Cesar Millan.


I'm not even joking.

only in Ohio...

Can I awake to it being a balmy 58 degrees outside and understand that by the time I leave work it will be 25 degrees and snowy.

Crazy. It's going to be in the 50s again by the end of the week. Unlike some people, I don't mind a non-white Christmas.

In fact, a waking up to a sandy beach on Christmas morning sounds fantastic. Too bad I do not have the funds for that. My only hope is Santa.

hmm

Is it bad to eat yogurt that hasn't been refrigerated for 4 hours?

I just did. And now I am nervous.

I also just noticed its expiration date was December 10, 2008.

Oh man.

faith like Mary

During this Advent season, I've been doing some reading of the more "traditional" Christmas passages. It's always this time of year I long to attend a traditional church. Anyway, I think my favorite passage in the Christmas story is when Gabriel visits Mary and tells her of her upcoming pregnancy. 

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her own age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.

I am the Lord's servant, Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." The angel left her.

Luke 1:34-38

Her response strikes me in so many ways. First, her immense faith in God. Her quick acceptance of her fate illustrates her complete trust in God. Additionally, obviously God knew of her great faith as he entrusted her with perhaps the most important calling He could entrust to any human-the mother of His son. Second, her willingness to sacrifice in order to be obedient to God. She sacrificed her reputation among her peers (just imagine what people were saying when this so-called virgin was 6 months pregnant). Not to mention-she ultimately sacrificed her son and watched him die on the cross. Can you imagine?

A few short verses with such intense meaning. When God calls me to do something, how willing am I to do it? And more importantly, what am I willing to sacrifice to follow that call-my reputation? My friends? My everything? 

I want the kind of faith Mary had-the kind of faith that without hesitation obeyed God and the kind of faith that was so obviously big that God would entrust her with BIG things.

toy assistance.

Is Thomas the Train cool? I had to get a toy for our office party in order to be entered for the door prizes. I hit up TJMaxx hoping for a Barbie doll (my favorite), but they had nothing...except for some Thomas trains.

I purchased something called "Rocky." I guess he is a friend of Thomas?

Hopefully Toys for Tots doesn't ask me for a gift receipt so they can return it. :-/

insomnia

There is not much worse than not being able to sleep. About two times a year I can't sleep. I LOVE sleep. I generally have no issue sleeping. But, last night when I went to bed around 10:15p.m. I just sat there and thought, and thought, and then heard my dog barking like a maniac, and thought some more.

I could NOT get to sleep. But I was exhausted. I have 84,000 things to do between now and Christmas (just like everyone else) and it just got to me last night. Plus, Fiona has taken it upon her ratty-self to turn into a newborn baby and wake me up on the hour to tell me that the wind is making the tree blow outside. I really don't know how people have little babies who wake up all night long and go to work/function during the day. That is an amazing feat. I woke up feeling like I hadn't slept ALL WHILE FIONA CURLED UP SLEEPING IN MY BED.

Lovely. I am jealous of a dog. I have reached a new low. :)

Anyway...today I will make lots of lists and that should give me enough comfort to get some sleep. My mom used to wake my sister and I up at the crack of dawn and say "you'll sleep when you're dead."

Well, I'd like to sleep right now, thank you. Instead, I will get started on this 20 oz. of coffee.

ALSO-can someone please, pretty please, suggest an umbrella that can withstand rain and wind? I have gone through 3 umbrellas this year and I really need a decent one that isn't a gigantic golf umbrella. It's the only thing on my Christmas list! :)

Note to self

Dear self,

While the hummus appetizer plate at Mythos is a delicious lunch, should you decide to partake in eating the hot pepper that comes on the side, do not then rub your eye. Stinging, throbbing pain will ensue. For a long time. It will not be pretty when it's all red, watery, and your mascara is smudged. Not pretty at all.

Sincerely,
Your smarter self

it's that time of year...

When people start getting sick. Sneezing, coughing, and the like. I hate being sick. I feel like that didn't get my point across-I HATE BEING SICK. So, I do everything in my power to prevent coming down with the cold or flu.

This time of year is when my neuroses are in full swing. I've developed some sure-fire ways to prevent getting ill from someone else. (And some tips for getting rid of it if you do someone contract a cold!) *Lawler-ly disclaimer-I am not a doctor. If you are listening to a doctor for medical advice, you might want to re-think that.

1. Hold your breath. As often as possible. Getting on the elevator and someone is hacking away? Hold your breath and don't let it out until you are 5 seconds off the elevator. This can be difficult if you are on the 12th floor like I am. But, it's better than being sick!

2. Slide away from people who are sick. They say that germs can jump (or something) if you are closer than 3 ft away. Someone comes by your desk to chit chat with a runny nose? Slide your wheeled desk chair over to your file cabinet and pretend you are getting something really important. Not only will it keep you more than 3 ft away, it's likely the person will think you're really busy and get their germ-y self out.

3. Wash your hands. Duh. I can't believe I even had to say that. If you aren't washing your hands, that is nasty.

4. Learn to blow away germs. This was a tactic I developed in high school. Let's say you're chatting with someone and they begin hacking away. If you don't have time to hold your breath-simply exhale. Blow those nasty germs AWAY and don't inhale until you are safely 3 ft. away. You may want to accompany this with a death glare if someone is coughing without covering his/her mouth...just sayin'

5. IF you get sick-shun over the counter antihistamines and go exercise. Antihistamines dry up whatever is in there that needs to come out. I'd rather be blowing my nose/coughing up some phlegm all day for 2 days and get the evil disease out than drag a cold out for 5-7 days because my symptoms are mildly better. Tough it out. On that note-I am a firm believer that if you feel semi-ok and are just dragging because of a cold, go for a run. It will loosen up all that evil-phlegm and move it on out much faster than lying around on the couch watching Top Chef reruns-though that does sound kind of nice too!

Anyway, good luck not getting sick. It's been just over one year since I had the flu and it was the first time I've had it since I can remember. It was horrible and I do not want to repeat. So if you see me and I am slowly backing away because you've just wiped your snotty nose with your hand-don't be offended. And for God's sake go wash your hands!

It worked!

This afternoon I did some shopping. I wore a grey fleece with a pink tank top. I came home at 5PM-missing the first 45 minutes of the Steelers' game. It wasn't going so well.

I settled into doing work and 30 minutes later realized just why the Steelers were looking terrible. I WASN'T WEARING MY LUCKY SHIRT. 

I quickly changed and so did the Steelers' luck. Once my shirt was on, Steelers scored a touchdown to tie with Dallas and then scored another with only 1:44 left in the game. Ahhhh...fantastic. 

What a great game to watch, was it not? My Dad immediately texted me:

"Here we go Steelers again! I'm starting to get a feeling of destiny."

Me too, Dad. Me too.

(You can believe that shirt is NOT getting washed this week.)

The Tree

Pretty, is it not?

(My silly cell phone camera does not do it justice.) Real Christmas trees smell amazing. There is nothing like it. Steve even bought me a pretty wreath so that I can have that same smell in my apartment. :-)

I'm off to Cleveland for the weekend to play with my college roommates. It will probably involve some wine, some food, some shopping, and some more wine. Should be fantastic! Have a great weekend!

I still live in an apartment.

So about a week ago, I went to look at a condo for sale in Clifton. It's been for sale for a while, actually went through a foreclosure, and was again on the market-for a deeply discounted price. It was going for about $90K less than its appraised value. So I called a realtor, had a look, and began this endless mind-debate on whether or not to put an offer on it.

I made Steve look at it. I made Jana look at it. I reviewed my lease to see what kind of penalty would ensue for terminating it early. I think I was about 65% sure I wanted it when I discovered someone else's offer was accepted.

Then I really wanted it. 100% sure. HAD to have it-with its fancy bathrooms, gourmet kitchen and huge closets.

Steve mentioned how funny it was that only when someone else had it did I know I wanted it. Funny, indeed.

I woke up this morning glad I didn't buy a condo-particularly glad I didn't rush into a gigantic financial decision and commitment. And it confirmed that I am human-and want what other people have!

So, when I could have it-I didn't want it, but when I couldn't have it-I wanted it. Interesting.

Why do we so covet the things which are unavailable to us? Funny.

I just love this Christmas-y time of year.

I know there are lots of you Grinches out there-I hear you complaining. Cynics who loathe the holidays and the decorating and the shopping and the music and the peppermint mochas at Starbucks. Well, I think you are crazy! What's not to love about this magical time of year?

There's something fun about standing in a line at the GAP with your future presents in hand, while humming along to "jingle bell rock" playing throughout the store. It's exciting to play "secret Santa" at work and surprise fellow co-workers with little treats. Driving home in traffic doesn't seem quite as annoying when you get the chance to witness all the pretty, twinkling lights people have strung on their homes. (I have a soft spot for those big, fat colored lights-sorry!)

Not to mention the food...Graeter's has peppermint ice cream as its seasonal flavor-YUM. Add their delicious bittersweet chocolate sauce and you have perhaps my favorite dessert. I love it all. Pretty packages, tasty cookies, parties, family, friends...it's all quite fantastic.

Steve and I are going to see A Christmas Carol at Playhouse in the Park in Mt. Adams next week...and he's even going to brave getting another real Christmas tree tomorrow after last year's bug debacle. That takes courage!

It's a season full of anticipation and excitement...

Anyway, to all you Grinches out there-get with it! It's more fun to enjoy the season that gripe at it!

brrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Thanks to Jana my ears were warm on the way to court with these fantastic things that keep my ears warm without messing up my pretty hair!

However, the same cannot be said about my feet. Walking nearly a mile to court and nearly a mile back in 3 inch heels made my feet feel anything but warm and cozy.

I wish it were appropriate to wear these with suits:

They are black after all... ;-)

Back at it

What a fantastic break! 4 days off work felt great. I spent my time doing the following:

-eating (a lot)

-shopping (Rookwood was the only "mall" I hit up on Black Friday. And I waited until 2PM.)

-getting a new gym membership at Urban Active (this morning at the gym I ran into a girl who lived in my hall freshman year AND in my house my sophomore year of college-nuts!)

-meeting Steve's family (15 months is just the right time to meet your significant other's family ;) )

-reading (my Dad brought me 2 new books from Toledo)

-watching movies on TV (which may be the most annoying thing ever due to commercials, but I sat through Braveheart and The Way We Were...yes, I was veeerrry lazy)

-cooking (two apple pies and one green bean casserole-what's the big to do about that? Green bean casserole is gross. Mostly because mushrooms are sick.)

-sleeping (on Thursday night and last night I went to bed before 10PM. Amazing)

-wrapping presents (yes, I'm so neurotic that I like to wrap them as I buy them! This proved to be a bad move when I wrapped my Dad's gift only to learn he already bought it for himself.)

-watching THE STEELERS... wearing my lucky shirt. I have not washed the shirt now for 3 (or is it 4?) games. Don't judge-I wear a long sleeve under it, so that makes it clean, right? he he he

The lucky shirt...(pretty isn't it?)

steve might kill me for this

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

My Thanksgiving Menu

I was all ready to post about all the things for which I am thankful, but that started to get a bit sappy. And since I prefer to keep emotions bottled up, I'm opting to post about my favorite thing-food!

The following is my ideal Thanksgiving menu:

Doughnuts for breakfast. Ok, this really isn't part of the menu. Every year, I run a turkey trot race the morning of Thanksgiving. When I lived in Toledo, my dad would always come to watch me run and he and I would get doughnuts afterwards. It was our little treat and I loved it. And hey, if you're already indulging-why not go all the way with a delicious doughnut!? Except the cream filled-sick.

My grandma's mashed potatoes. My mom's mom is now in a nursing home and sadly has had a tremendous amount of health issues in the last few years. My mom (and sister) now try to recreate my grandma's delicious mashed potatoes-but they are never quite the same! No skins for my grandma and no lumps. Just creamy, buttery tastiness. You do not need gravy to get these down the hatch, they are incredible. I'm pretty sure it's the 2500 sticks of butter and 700 cans of evaporated milk she uses...but they are amazing. Once I had mashed potatoes that were lumpy and dry--someone had literally just mashed up potatoes and added milk and a little butter. NASTY. If a potato has no flavor-I'd rather not waste the calories!

My grandpa's favorite dried corn. My dad's dad died when I was 12. BUT, I have many fond holiday memories of eating dried corn (which I believe has its origins with the Pennsylvania Dutch). It's delicious and I have no idea how you make it because since he died my grandma hasn't made it. She thinks it's way too time consuming and bland. But in my ideal Thanksgiving, we'd have dried corn. None of that canned nastiness.

My mom's turkey. My mom does not know bland food. She is the master of spices and flavor-and she doesn't just add salt and say that's flavoring. She makes tasty, moist turkey. I've never eaten dry turkey because my mom simply can't fail at making it. I think the trick is she gets the seasonings under the skin, rather than just on top of it. Yummmmmmmmmmm.

Canned cranberry sauce. Do not serve me fresh cranberries. If it's not in the shape of a can, I don't want it!

Kentucky Derby Pie. This is an amazing pie I stumbled upon in the Three Rivers Cookbook (yes that's Pittsburgh! Go Steelers!). You make it with chocolate chips and pecans and yumminess. It's extremely rich but good. It was one of the first things I ever contributed to Thanksgiving and I think it's a keeper! Although I am making apple pie instead this year.

Apple Pie. Who says you can't have more than one dessert at Thanksgiving? I made this apple pie a few weeks back and changed the crust to a crumb crust and mmmm it was good. Add some cinnamon ice cream from Graeters and you have a fall masterpiece.

Combine all of the above with some delicious bread, a simple salad and a glass of Pinot Grigio and I'd be one happy lady!

Am I missing anything??

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Hrmmmph

Not even one comment on my pretty new holiday blog layout? 

I guess the three of you who read this didn't notice. :-/

Sheet Swap!

I only have one real sheet set. I do, however, have a holiday sheet set! Of course, it only gets in the rotation during November and December. 

Tonight I changed my sheets, and my holiday sheets are debuting for the year! If they can have an all-Christmas radio station before Thanksgiving, I can have my holiday sheets. 

My bedding is brown, so my holiday sheets have brown reindeer/snowmen on them. I'm neurotic about my bed. It must be made every day-no matter what. It doesn't matter how messy the rest of my room (or apartment) is, my bed must be made. 

Pretty, is it not? (Again, forgive me, cell phone camera...)

I'm all fired up.

I just read this story titled about abandoned pets resulting from mortgage foreclosures.

Apparently, due to the increased rate of foreclosures, many people are abandoning their pets once they move out of the house. But, instead of dropping them at a shelter, they just leave the pets at the home or in the yard.

That is despicable. I really don't even have words for how some people treat pets.

Some thoughts:
1. If you can't afford to feed your family, probably shouldn't get a pet.
2. If you can't afford your house payment, probably shouldn't get a pet.
3. If you have no concern for life, you probably shouldn't get a pet.
4. If you come into circumstances where your income is drastically reduced, take your pet to a shelter-they are not hard to find or come by and it's free to drop them off.

Under the law, pets are basically treated in a similar fashion to the television in your home. They are considered "chattel" (i.e. personal property). Thus, while there are some laws regarding animal cruelty, those laws have minimal penalties and are rarely enforced.

Abandoning an animal because you have to move should be a crime-and a crime with an actual penalty.

I really didn't mean to be offensive. I just think it's nuts the way are mistreated and neglected when hard times strike-be they financial or otherwise.

The week in review.

This week went by tremendously fast. The highlights:

1. Last Beth Moore meeting-what a fantastic 10 weeks. I can honestly say I haven't been this excited about reading God's word since I first became a Christian. That's good stuff.

2. Last Chick fil A before Beth Moore w/ Jabs. Seriously. Chick fil A goes hand in hand with our bible study. I don't think I would've learned or experienced nearly as much if I didn't have that tasty chicken sandwich, waffle fries, and diet dr. P

3. Meeting my sister in West Chester so that she could take my laundry. Yes. I have the best sister ever who agreed to drive 20 mins and in exchange for dinner at Panera to do all my laundry! This may need to become a regular Wednesday night occurrence.

4. Between driving to West Chester for laundry and for the bible study-lots of time in the car listening to Delilah! Make fun of me, I don't care. I may or may not have cried on Wednesday night listening to one of her infamous broken-heart stories.

5. Some time in court. It's always a pleasure to get out of the office and into the courtroom. Even though I think I was skany-lawyer (I think my dress was too short which I didn't realize until I was already in court), it turned out well.

6. Starbucks Thanksgiving blend. Delish. I am sipping on it now. Oh yes, the caffeine fast. It ended. I failed. (I think I need it to function-just ask Steve as he witnessed me fall asleep in .5 seconds during a commercial last night).

7. Steelers' victory. 8-3. Santonio Holmes is my hero after he got that awful hit by the Bengals last night.

8. Holiday party tonight at work. Always fun to let loose with your colleagues, right? Well it's at least fun to have a complimentary glass of wine.

9. Twilight tomorrow. Yes. Need I say more???

10. Perhaps the best-Fi has slept with me (not Jabs) every night this week. And this morning she was so cold (I keep the window cracked), she had her entire body and head under the down comforter. Sooooooooo cute.

5 miles uphill both ways

First off, please forgive me if this post is nasty. I'm trying to go a week forgoing my morning caffeine addiction for tea. It's not working. (Please don't say "well tea has caffeine". I know. It's significantly less. It's like the nicotine patch of caffeine.)

I typically run between 6:00A.M. and 6:45A.M. (Not necessarily for 45 mins but in that general time frame). On my typical loop I finish coming down Middleton to my street. On Middleton, just after it intersects McAlpin, there are always 2 Lexus SUVs sitting there, running with lights off. I've always been kind of freaked out about it-like what are they doing there?

Well, today my questions were answered when I saw a big yellow school bus barreling down Middleton. The kids hopped out of their warm SUVs and got on the bus, presumably off to school.

I'm sorry-WHAT THE HECK? Do you really need to sit in a car to wait for the bus? They make gloves, hats, and coats for that. And I'm guessing if you're parents are wealthy enough to own a Lexus they have money for a warm winter coat. Not to mention, if you have time in the morning to sit and wait for your child's bus-why not just drive your child to school?

When I was in Third Grade my sister and I began walking to school at Helke Elementary. We walked one mile there and one mile back-by ourselves. We even stayed home alone until my mom got done with work after school for an hour. Oh my! Child services would be called today. We never burned the house down, never opened the door for strangers.

Today our children have to sit in carseats until they are 40 lbs (or in New Jersey 80 lbs--seriously, I was in like junior high when I hit 80 lbs). They can't sit in the front seat. And now apparently they can't wait outside in the cold for the bus.

I know, I know. I have no kids. "The times" are harder. Whatever. There was still murder and rape and kidnapping when I grew up in the 80s. I'm not saying throw caution to the wind-but really with the SUV at the bus stop? Wow.

I may not have kids, but I do have a dog and if she had to wait at the bus stop I'd let her stay in the car....but only because they don't make coats for dogs! ;-) kidding....

i'm jealous

I just got a text message from my Dad. That wouldn't seem so strange except my parents are in Europe! Today they are in Paris to be exact.

My Dad has an iPhone. His text read "Hey, my phone works. No idea what this is costing me."

He cracks me up. Then he proceeded to tell me about the sweet shows they saw in London last night. And that all the Christmas decorations are up... (I'm assuming London must be completely Dickens-esque around Christmas time, complete with 19th century carolers at every corner and holly/garland on every lamppost).

I want to be in Europe.

History

Yesterday the Pittsburgh Steelers made history with the first ever 11-10 victory in the NFL. Exciting! What is it about sports that is so thrilling? There were several plays I had to close my eyes because I was too nervous to watch-and we aren't even in the playoffs yet!

Do you ever wonder who sits up in that booth during professional sports' games and tabulates all those statistics? I mean who was up there looking up whether a score had ever been 11-10? It's nuts. They always flash that stuff up and I always wonder-who is searching and what are they searching to find out that Ben has had more sacks than any NFL quarterback this season? Or that the Steelers had over 100 yards in penalties last night? That job sounds awesome-sign me up. That guy (or girl) has to be the star of any cocktail party.

Good times. I actually went to bed before 10PM last night! Yikes. I'm trying to finish Eclipse before going to see Twilight on Saturday night. Anyone else excited? While it surely won't be as good as watching the Steelers trounce the Bengals on Thursday night, I'm definitely looking forward to it. ;)

Busy day ahead...hope you have a great monday!

on hold with james taylor

So I just made a follow up phone call to an attorney who has failed to return my calls three times now. I was completely annoyed to be transferred to his voice mail yet again, but when I was put on hold the hold-music was James Taylor's "Whenever I see Your Smiling Face" and it immediately perked up my mood! Instead of leaving a semi-nasty message, I left a nice one.

They are smart to go with the James Taylor hold music. How can anyone be mad listening to that? Something about his voice is just calming and soothing.

Maybe I should pick up his Greatest Hits cd and play it in my office. On repeat. Daily.


Hmm... Have a great weekend! We saw Wizard of Oz last night and it was fantastic. Several girls were in Dorothy costumes which was so adorable and Toto was the best performing dog I've ever seen! :) Just like my little Fi...except well behaved and not crazy.

oh no

Kate Spade is having a private sale. I can't stop perusing the amazing deals on her classic, gorgeous handbags. I'm not usually a designer snob (in fact many of my clothes and bags are bought at Target), but I loooooove Kate Spade because her name isn't plastered all over her designs and they are always excellent quality. Classic, simple, gorgeous. Nothing fancy or all covered with logos.

It is taking everything in me not to buy myself this fantastic black handbag originally $195 on sale for $109 with an additional 20% off PLUS special 10% off through November 21.

God help me I love to shop. I will not buy that bag. I will not buy that bag. I blame the economy for these amazing prices!

If you're interested in the link to the private sale and you share a love of shopping, e-mail me and I'll forward it to you!

my best friend is my dog.

Someone at work keeps putting up pictures of dogs who need homes on the fridge in our office kitchen on my floor. I think the person is a foster dog parent for one of the local humane societies.

I hate seeing dogs who have been neglected by their owners and dumped at the pound. Everyone wants a puppy, but what about the well-behaved, trained dog whose owners decide to have kids and "don't have time anymore" for the dog? I hate it. I think I will adopt both of the dogs on the fridge! Kidding-but those ads always suck me in.

Have you ever seen that ASPCA commercial with Sarah McLaughlin? All those sad puppy faces and rescued dogs? On more than one occasion, I've called and donated money after watching those commercials. They totally work!

Today I have to work until 7PM. I left the house at 7:30a.m. I feel like I am neglecting my poor pup. But, when I walk in the door I know she will be there, tail waggin' and just waiting for a belly rub. I love it.

We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made.

-M. Acklam

How true.

inevitable

Why is it that when you purchase a Christmas gift for someone, say the game of Life for your niece and nephew (who are obsessed) and you pay, say $15.19 at say Target, two days later it is 25% off?

I hate it. I never should've checked the weekly ad.

In other news-does anyone have a suggestion for a toy for a boy who is in first grade? I have bought plenty of gifts for my niece, but I am at a loss when it comes to my nephew. Boys are so hard to shop for! And though he requested "Heelys" (those sick shoes that have wheels), I refuse to purchase those because I can't stand being somewhere when some kid skates by me or nearly runs into me with those things on...whew, rant over.

twilight series

I've never been much of a "series" reader. I shunned Harry Potter. I have been known to go on "author" spurts-I once spent a summer reading all Stephen King, for example.

On a whim I purchased Twilight to see what all the hype was about. I used to love reading Anne Rice's vampire novels, so I thought I might enjoy this series as well. And I was right. The book totally captured me and I found myself staying up late to finish it. (Nevermind my embarrassment when I realized this book is categorized as "young adult." Sick.)

The thing is, I've had so many conversations with people about this book. Just this morning, I realized two more women at work were reading the books. How fun! The only problem is, now I feel like I am in some "competition" to finish the series first. Ridiculous, right? I have issues.

I feel like I am part of the cool crowd. Harry Potter-ites = geek crowd. Twilight-ites = cool crowd.

Sweet.

Oh-and the movie comes out November 21--who's going to watch it?? I definitely am-along with all the other teenage girls in the Tri-State area.

tgif

What is it that is so exciting about payday? I swear everyone around the office is in a better mood on Friday paydays. I guess you can't blame them. I have created this fantastic Excel spreadsheet that tells me which bills I pay with which paycheck-so every other Friday I get to pull that up and get online and pay those bills. F-U-N. Nothing spells excitement like paying bills.

And we are going to First Watch today for the first time in months for lunch-which makes me VERY happy. Veggie omlette, no mushrooms, very light on the cheese, substitute fruit for hash browns for me please! Particular? No. I just like things the way I like them! Nothing wrong with that.

Last night around 11PM our college-aged neighbors, who throw a party every Thursday, decided it would be interesting to light the leaves on fire on the little patch of grass our apartment has. This happens to be right outside my bedroom window. Here's what I heard:

College dude 1: I wonder if we can light these on fire, dude?
College dude 2: heh heh heh, I don't know...let'd do it!
College dude 3 (from far off): dudes-don't light that sh*t on fire

All of a sudden I look at my window and see ORANGE. I fumble to find my glasses and yell for Jana to come see what is going on. She says "I don't know if we should leave or not (i.e. evacuate)". The fire is spreading and I am not happy. I recall I have no renter's insurance and wonder how I will get all my belongings out.

Dude 2 calls the police and fire department on his friend and they come and extinguish the fire. The best part was before the fire truck came, our neighbors scurried to their apartment, turned off all their lights and acted like they didn't do it. RIGHT. You called the fire dept yourselves, idiots. Not to mention there were two human witnesses and one canine witness of the whole incident.

Who knows how they managed to get out of that one...but needless to say it stunk in my room the rest of the night. Oh well-at least my precious laptop is safe and unharmed.

What a random post! :-) Have a great Friday and a great weekend! I plan to do a little early Christmas shopping on Saturday (you know-since it's payday and all).

Leave your scent at the door.

My mother always told me that if you can smell your perfume yourself, you put too much on. Apparently, that is old-fashioned advice.

I have this strange headache that's been with me now for about two days. It's right behind my eyes/forehead. Maybe it's because until today I was wearing contacts that should've been thrown out 4 weeks ago. I don't know.

But, I do know that strong cologne and/or perfume makes it much worse. I'm very sensitive to scents normally and there is something about a person sporting a bottle of cologne that makes me want to gag. The file runner dropped a pile of files on my desk 10 mins ago and I swear it still smells like cologne in here. Sick.

Is it rude to post a sign on my door that states "If you have elected to wear perfume and/or cologne today and you also elected to bathe yourself in it-please stop and do not enter this office."

Probably is.

*sigh*

Busy Bee

meeting + morning hearing + brief due tomorrow + voice mail from the bully = very busy lizzy


it also equals a gourmet lunch from the vending machine consisting of m&ms (peanut of course-need my protein!) and a diet sprite (out of diet dr pepper!).


I really was going to go for the "healthy" vending machine choice and opt for the granola bar--but it was $.15 more! Ridiculous.


hope your wednesday is just as exciting ;-)

Voting Day

UPDATE--I have learned-through this blog, and my sister-that there are several freebies for voting today (make sure you have your sticker!) including:
-Free Krispy Kreme Donut
-Free cup of Starbucks coffee
-Free Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich (good anytime between 6AM today and 10PM Wednesday)
-Free Ben and Jerry's ice cream between 5PM - 8PM
-Free music download of Bob Dylan's song "I Shall be released"

That sticker is worth something!

The one day it's ok to be an adult and sport a sticker!

I heard a rumor that sticker may get you a free chick-fil-a delicious chicken sandwich as well! A real win-win.

(Luckily I saved my sticker from when I voted a month ago!)

I ran by two polling stations this morning while taking my morning jog and the lines were NUTS...and that was at 6:30AM. Very exciting!

HOW 'BOUT THEM STEELERS!!! Leftwich is my hero. I will need to double up the caffeine intake for staying up so late, though...

It's almost Christmas cookie time!

I meant to post this recipe last week, but forgot! This is a tasty cookie recipe I discovered and revised a bit for my own tastes. Just in time for Christmas cookie exchanges! ;) I dare you to not eat the dough-they are delicious!

I used the "medium" sized Pampered Chef scoop and it made about 48 cookies.

Monster Cookies (recipe by Paula Deen and adapted by yours truly)

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies (I used 1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips-ghiradelli of course!)

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup raisins, optional (I did NOT use raisins)
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant!)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

Costume Shopping

For Halloween this year I wanted to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. I already have the red shoes and, more importantly, the adorable dog. I began my search on Ebay hoping to find a bargain. After browsing and sorting through all the "sexy Dorothy" and "slutty Dorothy" costumes on Ebay, I finally decided on one that fell somewhere between total skank and total dork. I even ordered up a size just in case it turned out to be a XXX version of Dorothy.

Well it arrived. And it was too big.

So last night my sister and I drove to Capel's costume store in Blue Ash. Yes, there were lots of costumes. Yes, there were lots of costumes for women, but I kid you not 95% of the costumes for women were slutt-i-fied. Sexy nurse. Sexy police officer. Sexy baseball player. Sexy football player. Sexy ladybug. Sexy bumblebee. Sexy Snow White...you get the idea.

For kicks, I tried on the Dorothy costume with the hopes that it wouldn't look that bad on me since I'm short. Wrong. Maybe I'm not remembering correctly, but Dorothy didn't have a lace up corset and thigh highs, right?

Next, I tried on the "frisky feline" (I'm serious-that was the name and yes, I was in a costume shop not another kind of shop). This one was ok. The "dress" was more like a shirt as it just hit below my hips, but I thought I could make it work by wearing workout pants NOT the fishnets recommended with the costume.

Finally, I tried on the Statute of Liberty costume. Very cute sparkly off the shoulder dress. Well the dress only went to my upper thigh and then the rest was sheer material. Not bad-but also not really what Lady Liberty looks like. I have to admit, though, I liked the crown and the torch. But, not enough to get over the amount of skin I was revealing.

I did end up with something and I only spent like $8. I definitely think the best costumes are those not purchased at a costume store. My favorite to this day was when I dressed as a Prom Queen, complete with a corsage, crown and sash. And, no, I wasn't a "sexy" prom queen; I was a classy prom queen-decked out in an old strapless Homecoming dress.

Perhaps the best part of the evening was the number of women trying on all those costumes while we were there. People really do buy them!! Shocking.

Bullies

I am dealing with a bully. I want to write more about this bully, but I can't write about work on this blog. Or maybe I just did.

The bully is making my temper flare. I daydream that my boyfriend will drive to the city where the bully lives and punch him squarely in the face.

I know-that isn't appropriate, right? But I'm kind of tired of being sweet and nice to the bully. Maybe I need to borrow Katy or Jabs' "Just Say No to Bullying" t-shirt? That'd look nice under my black suit jacket in court.

*sigh*

See you next fall

It is most definitely fall time now. I actually wore a coat to work today for the first time! So-since it's Tuesday and we could all use a laugh (Friday is faaar off) AND because it's fall, I think I'll share my two favorite "fall" stories.

Keep in mind, it was hard to choose-I have so many.

1. In my senior year of college (2003), I and 3 of my closest friends, went on a cruise around the Western Caribbean. It was a fantastic vacation. If you're in the market for a cruise-go on Princess cruiselines. A-maz-ing.

Anyway, I am a bit of a workout nut. And in 2003, I was even worse-I may have had a slight working out "disorder". So, every morning, I set my alarm for 6AM and headed to the cruise boat gym. I signed up for my treadmill and at the designated time I noticed this young, attractive man running on my treadmill. Since I had rightfully signed up, I politely (read flirtatiously) let him know it was my turn. He hopped off, smiled, and I turned to hop on without realizing the treadmill was still moving-he had never turned it off. SO-I flew off the treadmill and landed on an eliptical in the row behind me. It didn't help the guy was running at 1 zillion mph.

The man on the eliptical asked "are you part of the cruise entertainment?" I didn't laugh. I got back on the treadmill, ran my 4 miles-and spent the rest of the vacation with a gigantic bloody bruise on my thigh.

2. December 1992. My parents, sister and I were all preparing to go out to a fancy dinner for New Years' Eve. I had our video camera (you know-the ones you actually put VHS tapes in) and was touring our house while everyone got ready, narrating with witty commentary. At the top of the stairs I said into the camera "And now we'll go downstairs" (I told you it was witty) and then BAM!, I tumbled down the stairs-all captured by our lovely video camera.

Then you hear me crying. Screaming more like. I went down head first! Does my family come to my rescue? Ask if I'm ok? NO. All you hear is an eruption of laughter, memorialized on tape.

Falls are great, no? I've broken my foot from slipping on a rug, had a concussion falling down basement steps on crutches, another head first fall in the middle of the main street on our campus in college, slipped on ice 100 times...not to mention the countless falls while running.

Come to think of it-it's amazing I've only broken one bone! I think I might be what you call "accident-prone." Oh well :)

Happy Fall!

y.i.k.e.s.

Weather.com has indicated "snow showers" possible this evening and overnight. Chance of precip. - 30%.


Odds are good Jabs will have no school tomorrow.


Good thing I bought new tires last weekend. (And some fabulous Steve Madden snow boots for $20! Original price $129. Lizzy loves a good deal.)

Spoooooooky

Last night Steve and I carved our pumpkins we picked out last week. Mine is on the left and Steve's is on the right. Can you guess what Steve carved?? :-)

I apologize for the poor pictures-they were taken with my cell phone.

Have a great weekend!

For Sale

While I don't really like to talk about work too much on my blog for fear that the powers that be may read this-I do work with real estate. Add that to the recent market down-turn and I'm starting to think buying a house would be a smart idea.

In theory anyway.

You see, I don't understand how so many people who make way less money than I do can buy homes. And big homes, no less. I watch all the great HGTV shows like House Hunters and My House is Worth What? and I see people who make less than I do buying homes worth LOTS of money. (Maybe that's the very reason I have my job...but, I digress).

I also wonder where so many young people get the money to put a down payment on a house. For example, most of my friends from high school and college own homes. How in the heck did they manage to save 30K for a down payment while also paying off school loans? Maybe their parents helped them? Inheritance? Bank robbery? I'm not sure. But I do know I have nowhere near enough saved for a down payment, thus I would likely be stuck with a PMI if I decided to purchase a home.

So here's what I'm thinking are the pros of me buying a home:
1. Investment potential. Odds are good the market will go back up, thus housing values will increase. If I can live in a house for 5-10 years, I could likely sell it for a decent profit-which could be used to pay off or at least pay off a huge chunk of my daunting law school loans.
2. A yard for Fi!
3. A place to park. I have been known to cry while trying to parallel park. I've also been known to get reeeeeaaally mad while driving around trying to find a space to squeeze my little Saturn into.
4. A place that is mine. I can paint, decorate, renovate, landscape all I want. I actually like doing yard work. I like planting flowers and gardens. I like mowing the grass. Those are not negatives for me.
5. I could actually have furniture. I own the following: 1 bed, 1 dresser, 1 disgustingly old nightstand, 1 fantastic ikea chair. It would be nice to grow up and decorate the way I like.
6. Did I mention parking?

While those all seem nice, truthfully the thought of buying and owning a home nearly induces a panic attack. Here are the cons:
1. A mortgage. Unfortunately, I cannot pay for a house with cash. Thus I would be a slave to my mortgage company-and a slave to property taxes. I hate the idea of taking on more debt. While I won't have credit card debt (soon!), I still do have student loans. I don't know if I can, in good conscience, take on another sizable chunk of debt.
2. Neighborhood. I am very particular about where I'd like to live. I don't want to have to drive 30 minutes to work. There are probably only 3 areas I'd even consider buying-and they are all very expensive. Is it worth it?
3. Things will go wrong. Hurricanes happen. (Even in Ohio). Pipes get old. Windows need replaced. Faucets leak. Those are all repairs which would require me to hire someone to fix. That is costly. However-at least I could hire someone competent, which is not the practice of my current landlord. (Do not even get me started on the heat situation. Apparently some apartments are filled with smoke and others steam. They have been working at it for 4 days. I fear for my little Fi as I type this.)
4. Being on my own. Completely. Now-don't get me wrong. This seems very attractive to me. But, I need to be realistic. I will have to take out the trash, kill bugs, unclog drains, remember to lock the doors, remember not to lock myself out (this is huge). Will I be scared to be alone at night? Feel safe? I think I would-but definitely something to consider.

There are just my random thoughts... Obviously I'm in a lease until August, so I'm not going anywhere right now. But, the thought is in the back of my head. Mostly because I know someone who is always e-mailing me links to homes for sale! :)

What do you think-homeownership, yay or nay?

Love Thy Neighbor

Yes...I vaguely recall the Bible referencing something about loving my neighbor. Today I wonder-does that literally mean I have to love the person living in the apartment above me?

What if your neighbors purchased and play all accessories for Rock Band and you can hear the drums thumping in your apartment?

What if the thumping is so loud it keeps you awake from 11PM -1AM on Sunday night and disturbs your tv-time on Monday from 6-830PM?

What if your neighbors have a dog that tried to attack yours in the hallway?

What if your neighbors, when you tell them you can hear and feel the drums thumping, respond by saying "so what?"? ("so what" is a friendlier version of how they responded to me)

I guess I'm supposed to make them cookies anyway? hmm.

This I know-Lizzy is not cut out for apartment living.

A lovely encounter

I was at my parent's home this past weekend in Sylvania, Ohio. I love going there. I always have a new toothbrush, a comfy bed, and all the food/wine I can eat and drink. (Toledo also has the best metroparks anywhere-but that is a post for another time...seriously, Cincinnati-your parks are not even comparable AND you charge people money to use them-ridiculous).

Anyway-on Sunday morning my sister and I went running in my parent's subdivision. There is a lake in the middle of it and we were running around the houses lining the lake-very pretty. As we passed one house, we had the following encounter with this older woman standing in her garage:

Older woman: GIRLS! GIIIIIIRLS!

Me: yes?

Older woman: Can you please run over and pick up the newspapers in my neighbor's driveway and bring them here?

Me: Sure (thinking to myself I'm either an accomplice to newspaper theft or she is watching her neighbor's house while they are out of town)

Older woman: Thank you, it's so great that you are running. I wish my granddaughter would do something physical. You are just in such great shape. How old are you? 17? (Sorry had to bold that!)

Me: Oh, wow, no, I am actually 27...but you just made my day-maybe my week even.

Older woman: Well, you don't look a day over 17-and it's because of all that running...

It's been a while since I've been carded when purchasing alcohol. My eyes are beginning to accumulate "laugh lines" or crow's feet as I refer to them. I feel like my job has caused me to age 4 years in the past 1.5 years ;)

So-older woman-you definitely made my week!

How my contact lens saved my life

Ok, not really my life. Ever since my little eye "infection" or disturbance or whatever, my eyes have been really dry. This morning, I contemplated wearing my glasses to work. But, I totally forgot to take my contacts out when I got back from my run, so no glasses at work.

I was just rifling through a file, quickly signed a page, and when I went to turn it over to read the next page -BAM, I poked myself in the eye with the side of the paper. While it hurt, and felt like I gave my eye a paper cut-imagine if that little plastic lens weren't in my eye? My eye may be bloodshot, but it's not sliced!

So, today I salute you, contact lens. Lasik-you don't tempt me at all.

Oh and HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!

Never too early for a little trash-talk

Big Ben high on Ohio

Ben Roethlisberger can't wait to play in his native Ohio again. He's 10-0 in the state as a pro with five victories each against Cincinnati and Cleveland.

"I love to go back there and play, just because growing up there were so many Browns and Bengals fans. It feels good winning there."

Take our tickets, please

Cincinnati has been a favorite road trip for Steelers fans for years and it might just have gotten better for some of them, and at bargain basement prices. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, StubHub had 3,000 tickets to Sunday's game against the Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium available for sale. Some, with a face value of $64, were going for $24.

"There's nothing better in the third quarter when all you see is our fans and hear our fans. It's fun," Roethlisberger said.

-Story compliments of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

I'm not a fashion expert...

I work in an office. The attire is business professional-though a jacket and/or tie (if you are a man) is not required (unless you're going to court!).

I just witnessed the following outfit-

Skin tight cotton top
Skin tight brown skirt that would most definitely not pass the finger-tip rule
Knee high brown high-heel boots

Is this business professional?

Is there an exception somewhere that if your boots come up to your knees, it makes it ok that your skirt barely reaches mid-thigh? Hmm...

(NO the above outfit was not what I wore to work today! I am appropriately dressed in a black skirt, black sweater and white collared shirt underneath thank you very much!)

#1 News Story

This is the most popular news story at cnn.com right now.

I guess if Madonna and Guy Ritchie can't stay married, who can? ;)

#2 News Story-I just paid $9.46 for my lunch which consisted of a salad and a diet dr. pepper. What a rip off. (that wasn't really the number 2 news story...I just wanted to gripe about it!)