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!)

The Why

In addition to my crack-like addiction to reading the Twilight series, I am also currently involved in a weekly Beth Moore bible study at the Vineyard. You must realize how strange it is for me to even be admitting that I am reading and learning from Beth Moore. I used to generalize her materials as bible studies for stay at home moms or those Christian women who really do spend their free time baking and being suuuuper sweet (you know who I'm talking about).

I admit I was wrong. Sometimes stereotypes are justified-this time they were not.

Last night as I was cramming for tonight's study (um you have 5 "lessons" you're supposed to do during the week...somehow I still had 3 to do last night. Oops), I re-read the story of Abraham in Genesis 12. Immediately, verse 1 stuck out to me.

1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

Compare with Hebrews 11:8
8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

About a year and a half ago, I struggled with whether I should move to Cincinnati, specifically Clifton. I toiled and thought and prayed and wondered. Then one day a job in Cincinnati literally fell into my lap. I wasn't seeking jobs, I hadn't sent out any resumes. Within a week, I went from struggling with whether I was supposed to move to Cincinnati, to knowing I was supposed to.

But, now, some 14 months later, I still struggle with the why. What am I doing here? And I don't know. I've had theories. I don't know why God called me here--but I do know God meant for me to geographically move and live here.

Back to Abraham. He didn't know why either. But he followed and walked in faith with God-leaving what he knew for a land in which he would live in a tent and exist in a foreign land amongst foreign people, all the while having faith that God would do what he promised. He believed that by following God and geographically moving to this foreign land, God would bless him. He didn't know why or how, he just knew to go. It wasn't until much later that he realized the why of being called to go into a land unknown to him.

So I think we shouldn't always wait for God to tell us why before we follow what He says. We should do and go and act, knowing that some day (maybe we will have to wait until eternity) we will know the why. And we should absolutely trust that the means justify the end--that God's call on our lives justifies His purpose, even if we can't envision it ourselves.

Monday already?

My left eyelid is swollen and red. WebMD has diagnosed me with either a stye or the beginning of glaucoma. Let's hope for a stye. We should know in 3-5 days according to my web doctor.

On my run this morning, I didn't fall. Score 1 for Lizzy.

Normally, I turn out all lights when I sleep. Last night after reading New Moon (second in the Twilight series about vampires!), I decided to leave the kitchen light on while I slept because I was scared. True story.

Di*khead. That's the word I woke up to being screamed at 2:00a.m. when our male college-aged-partying-every-night-pot-smoking-neighbors got in a tuffle out on the fire escape. Good thing I had that kitchen light on.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. That's what I'm hoping today-brought one for lunch. Hopefully the only doctor I'll be seeing is my web doctor.

Yes, I am finally getting new tires this weekend! I've had the same tires on my car since I purchased it in May 2003. But, now what will I blame my bad driving on?

A Halloween-ish Run and an Apology to Jabs

I hate video stores with their dumb "return the video by this date" policies. I rented 2 dvds from Blockbuster (um who previously had the no late fees ever rule, what the heck happened to that!) on Saturday night. They were due back last night. Guess what? They are still in my work bag.

I am terrible at returning videos or checked out library books. Steve has tried convincing me to use our local library instead of buying books on amazon.com, but I'm telling you the cost of purchasing the book, even full price at Joseph Beth, would be cheaper than the amount of fines I would likely have to pay.

Jabs was gracious enough to put my name on her account at Blockbuster. That was a mistake. SORRY! I promise to pay that late fee if/when I return the videos ;-) When I moved home for law school, my parents removed my name from their account at our local video store because my fine situation was so notorious. Nice, eh? They really need to come up with something where you can, say peruse online, make a list of dvds you want to rent, and then maybe they like mail them to you? And once you've watched it you mail it back? Hmm...that sounds like a GREAT idea.

Anywho...this morning during my run at dark o'thirty this morning I spotted a black cat! How Halloweenish. Now, I'm not into all that superstitious stuff like if he walked in front of me I'd have bad luck. (I told him to stay over on the other side of the street or else...) Between my candy corn addiction, reading Twilight and my black cat spotting, I'm definitely in the mood for Halloween!

There you have it...a bunch of rambling about nothing. Oh well. Have a great Friday!

OMG

I want to apologize for the double posting (and the use of the phrase "omg") but I just grabbed my carrots out of the communal work fridge, ate 3, reached in the bag for a fourth and realized the carrots ARE COVERED IN MOLD.

Sweet. If I never blog again, you know why.

Thank God I keep listerine in my desk drawer. I may have drink it instead of spitting it out to kill whatever I just ingested.

ready, set, go

I remember this one track workout we would do every year in college. It involved running 20 x 400 meters. Grueling. Unenjoyable. And with minimal rest between each interval. But, we'd tough it out and geez, I was in the best shape of my life then-and didn't even know it!

So because my 3-4 mile daily runs are not causing any major transformation to my body, I decided last week I need a race to train for. I'm training for the Miamisburg 8K Turkey Trot. (8K = 5 miles) I want to run it fast-not just finish.

I am following a little training program. This morning I had to run 6 x 400 meters. A far cry from my days of running 20. And you know what? I AM EXHAUSTED. I did my 2 mile warm up, ran my 400 meter intervals with one minute rest in between and made it back to my apartment, but wow. I have a lot of work to do before November 27.

It makes the training way less dreadful, though, having a goal.

All I'm saying is it's crazy how old my body feels some days. I wake up at 5:30 to run (ok, that's when my alarm goes off, usually I roll out around 5:55). My neck is stiff, my feet are sore from walking in those ridiculous heels to court. My muscles stay tight much longer. 8 years ago, I never even stretched when I'd get done running (or before). I can't wait to see how I feel at 40!

:-) Truth be told, I'm really lucky I am healthy and able to run. Thank God for that! And I can't wait to tear up the Turkey Trot Race... mostly so I can have an excuse to consume ten bagillion calories at Thanksgiving dinner.

a letter

Dear Driver of Nasty-loud muffler-Car on Clifton Avenue at 6:10 a.m.,

When a woman is taking a jog in the wee hours of the morning and it is pitch black outside (contrary to rumors, the Clifton gaslights have not gotten any brighter), it is never, I repeat never appropriate to honk your horn when said woman trips on a pothole and falls in the street.

Not to mention, I still had the WALK symbol. Go learn some manners.

Yours Truly,
Clumsy in Clifton

cold fridges and voting

I just retrieved my lunch from the communal work fridge.

Problem: My salad dressing is frozen in its little container and won't pour.

Solution: Put salad dressing container in front of space heater and turned space heater to high.

Problem solved. Seriously, nothing can phase me.

I also voted today!!!!!!! You can vote early in Hamilton county. I have the sticker to prove it.

To my roomies...

Happy Birthday Jana and Emily!

Isn't it crazy the two people I live with share the same birthday??

Update Part 2

It's a miracle! The dog was found in a trailer park a few miles from the house. Someone spotted the dog and called the shelter. Even though traps were set, they still couldn't re-find the dog and it seemed hope was lost. My sister and her friend gave it one last try this evening and walked through simply yelling the dog's name (Lad) and he came running! He's covered in burrs and dirt and quite shaken up, but he's home. How wonderful-thank God!

Miracle #2...I did my laundry and for the first time ever in my life all my socks matched up! Ok, this is silly in comparison...but it was pretty sweet. :)

Easy like (Saturday) morning

Good morning. It is gorgeous! I'm pretty sure my Saturday morning today is the way ALL Saturdays should be....

8:00 a.m. Fi tries to wake me up

8:01 a.m. Fi is back asleep

9:00 a.m. Roll out of bed

9:15 a.m. Begin Run in long sleeves and shorts--this is the perfect running outfit because it means the weather outside is perfect running weather! 

10:00 a.m. Come back home, take Fi for little walk

10:30 a.m. Walk to bruegger's for a whole wheat bagel with PUMPKIN cream cheese (yum!) and a gigantic coffee...all the while loooving the gorgeous weather

11:00 a.m. Curl up with Fi on the couch and enjoy said bagel and coffee and alternate between watching 90210 and Dog Whisperer (30 minute meals is a repeat!)

11:45 a.m. Start sorting laundry. Realize you have so much it will take 3 loads. Realize you only have quarters for 2 loads... hmm. Begin laundry

12:15 a.m. Commence alternating between reading Twilight in comfiest reading chair ever and running down to check on laundry.

ummmm can you say perfect morning? 

update

Just an update on the lost dog-there have been 2 spottings (most recently late this morning), but after combing the area he was spotted in, they still haven't found him.

I know the chances are slim, but if you live in Miamisburg or West Carrollton and see a black and white shetland sheepdog (i.e. small version of Lassie), scoop him up.

He's out there...and I really do believe he'll come home.

I tell you what, just thinking about it makes me cry. I nearly panic if Fi steps one paw out the door without a leash... I can't even imagine. I don't care how cheesy, lame, or silly it sounds-keep praying for him to come home.

I want this!

Oh my. I just saw this beautiful red Keurig mini-brewer! Isn't it cute? Wouldn't this look perfect in my office at work? Yes, yes it would.

I'm trying to figure out if it would be a money saver... I spend $1.95 on a coffee 5 days a week. Every 45 coffees (i.e. 3 punch cards, I use a 15 coffees punch card deal) I get one punch card free (i.e. 15 coffees). This keurig costs $79.95 and the coffee runs around $12 for 24 cups.

I never was very good at math. I waaaant it. In red.

Ok, covet of new pretty little keurig is now over. :-)

Irrational Faith

Last night, after I had gone to bed, I received two text messages from my sister telling me a friend's dog had run away or somehow gotten out of the fenced yard. I love dogs. I think they exhibit behavior that is the closest thing to unconditional love we will ever witness on this Earth.

The thought of this little dog being out alone overnight made me cry. So I hugged little Fi close and prayed for that dog's return. Silly, you say? Perhaps. Irrational? Maybe.

But, you see I believe God can do everything. Yet, generally my first reaction to crisis (and yes, a dog running away is a crisis-get your priorities in line!) is to panic. My next step is to determine my alternatives and how I will handle the situation and what I will do to fix it. I don't go to God with my crisis until I've exhausted all of my resources. Then I hand it over and say "God, fix it!"

That is a silly approach. But, in our present day, faith that God can work miracles (and still does today) is considered kind of silly. It isn't logical. I've always felt my issues and circumstances weren't "important" enough to really matter to God. Who cares about a little dog running around when we've got a financial meltdown, a war, and hardship internationally.

But, Scripture tells us everything is possible for him who believes. Have a childlike faith-believe that God can do anything. Today we've made God so "relatable" to non-Christians, that we've taken away the awe, power and wonder of God. By trying to figure out God and make Him easy to explain, we've humanized him-and in doing that we've put the lid on hope.

Yes, God is not a wish-granter. But He can do everything. That dog may not ever return to his happy home-but that isn't because God can't do it. And my prayers aren't silly or worthless or a waste. Believing God can do anything and going to God with everything (even the little) is never a waste.

A good explanation

If you're like me and only semi-understand our economic crisis, I think this article is an excellent summary of the reason so much of Washington is pushing for a bailout for the banks in trouble. While I'm not sure this is the solution, I do now better understand exactly why we are trying to bailout the rich execs/banks. My mentality is "well that's their problem, I don't want to pay higher taxes to bail out rich people who made bad decisions." But, the inability of people to get credit (both long and short term) will have dangerous effects on our economy.

And if you're like me, you're thinking-well people shouldn't buy what they can't afford. Ok. That's true. But, what about someone who has a great idea for a business or invention that could be a good investment opportunity for a bank? If the individual does not have the actual cash to get the idea going and is unable to get a loan, who wins there?

Just something to think about.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/business/economy/01leonhardt.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=lessons%20from%20a%20crisis&st=cse&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

sleepy

How about that game last night? Amazing. I was so excited after the Steelers' win last night, I couldn't fall asleep for like 45 minutes after it was over. Needless to say, I am quite tired this morning. I've got a busy day of work today, so I don't have much time to write.

So, in light of the vice-presidential debate coming up Thursday night, I'll leave you with this remark from Sarah Palin:

"I'm looking forward to meeting Joe Biden. I've been hearing about him since second grade."

Taken from Time

An Adult Weekend

Although I'm certainly an adult by most standards (especially since I have so recently entered my late 20s...ugh), I still don't quite feel adult-ish. I have roommates. I don't have kids. I'm not married. You get the point.

All that to say, this past weekend was, in my mind, a very adult weekend. On Friday night, I came home from work, had a glass of wine and read 200 pages of Twilight. On Saturday, I went running and spent the day at the Apple Festival in Lebanon, Ohio. While I didn't purchase any cutesy crafts, I did buy 2 bandannas for my pup! Saturday night I watched the debates and discussed politics (ok, really I just yelled about Michael Moore being an idiot). Sunday morning after my run, I went to Target and bought things like paper towels, dishwasher detergent, shampoo and toothpaste. $50 bucks later and there was not one "fun" thing in my cart! Being an adult stinks!

I ended out the weekend by making a big dinner and actually packing up the leftovers so I can eat it for lunch during the week. Yikes. But, smart considering last week alone I spent over $30 on going out to lunch. 

The recipe was good, though. We have about 12 boxes of frozen spinach in our freezer from Jana's boyfriend's sister (draw that flow chart) due to Blackout '08. I read through my cookbooks and came up with Ham, Spinach, and Mostaccioli Casserole. I don't usually eat ham, but I must say it was quite tasty.

I'll conclude by doing a very adult thing and posting the recipe. Bon Appetit!

Ham, Spinach, and Mostaccioli Casserole

Ingredients

8 oz. mostaccioli (I used penne)

3 TBS. butter

3 medium onions, cut into thin wedges (I used 2)

2 cloves garlic; minced (I used 3-I looove garlic)

1/4 Cup flour

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed (oops I did not crush mine)

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1.5 Cups half-half, light cream or milk (I used half-half)

1.5 Cups chicken broth

1.5 Cups fully cooked ham, cubed

1-10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Cook pasta. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain again

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add onions and garlic. Cover and cook 5 minutes until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour, thyme, and pepper. Add half-and half and chicken broth all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir one minute more. Stir in pasta, ham, and spinach. Spoon mixture into a 3-quart casserole.

Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes or until heated through. Stir before serving. 

Look who's ready for the game tomorrow night! Go Steelers!

Friend Vacancies

I just came across the following article which I've copied and pasted here. Please note the vacancies, and if you can fill it-LET'S BE FRIENDS! I only have 3 years til I'm 30...so yeah.

10 Friends You Need Before You are 30

1. The Style Guru Everyone needs someone who can help them figure out which dress is appropriate “black-tie optional” weddings, and whether you can get away with wearing a green sweater with a red belt. (The answer to the latter is “probably not”, unless you are a Christmas Elf.) VACANT-and definitely not me. I may have the most boring wardrobe of all time.

2. The Mr./Ms. Fix-it You bought a new bike online, but the instructions for putting it together appear to be written in a language you do not speak. It’s time to call the friend who has a knack for building things and owns all the right tools. Rachel! Man of the house is happy to provide "fix-it" services. (Of course, I generally reserve those for Steve since he is the boyfriend, but we're talking ladies only here!)

3. The Good Time Gal If you’re feeling antsy with nothing to do on a Friday night, call this friend, who is generally up for doing anything at any time. She’ll cook up plans that involve dancing on banquets or singing Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” in the time it takes you to change out of your work clothes and slap on a fresh coat of mascara. Holly and Nicole-since we actually did quite a bit of singing and dancing to "Like a Prayer" in the window seat of our college house, this only makes sense.

4. The Health Nut During the times when you suddenly decide to start working out or eating food other than take-out and delicacies from the frozen-food aisle, it’s good to have someone who reads every health and fitness magazine and loves to dispense instructions for proper squat form and pass along recipes for protein-rich meals. VACANT-I've got a lot of wannabe health nut friends (including myself). :)

5. The Ear You had a sucky day at work and hate everything in your closet. What do you do? Call the friend who will calmly listen to all of your problems and then, at the appropriate time, give you a few pearls of wisdom. Katy and Jana. These two will listen, and listen, and listen... and listen some more even when I do the exact opposite of what they advise!

7. The Culture Guru If you like the idea of going to see that new up-and-coming band perform, befriend someone who knows who’s playing and what exhibits are on display. VACANT I am usually pretty up to date on plays and art exhibits...but as for music, I know nothing.

8. The Healthcare Professional Make friends with a doctor or nurse. Then, when you wake up with ginormous swollen glands, you won’t have to wait for an appointment to get medicine to cure what ails you. Emily! She is a nurse and lives with me, enough said!

9. The Legal Adviser We all make mistakes. A need for speed can lead to you getting pulled over, and a lively party might end with a noise violation. If you have a friend who’s a lawyer, at least you won’t be alone when you have to appear in front of a judge. N/A ;) But, I can always count on my colleagues at work.

10. The Travel Buddy There are those who like to stay in the same place and find solace in their homes. And there are others who need to get out and explore the world. If you’ve caught the travel bug, find a friend who has it, too. It’s way more fun (and much safer) when you share adventures with someone else. VACANT I love to travel. I've travelled quite a few places, but still have never been to Disney World! If you're interested, maybe we can be friends.