As I sit here at work listening to the constant hum of the office and hear my co-workers talking in the background, my mind wanders. Lately I've been finding it harder and harder every day to focus on my work and instead I daydream about getting a do over on my life.
Don't get me wrong - I love my life, but if I could go back and live it again, there are definitely some things I would add on to my list of must-dos before it's too late!
These include going away to college and studying abroad. I did graduate from a four year university. I did not, however, go away to college..... instead I just commuted from home. I've always regretted this decision, but at the time, I didn't even think twice. I had been dating my high school boyfriend for 3 years when we started college, and he wasn't going away to school, so by default, neither was I.
I've also always been incredibly jealous of people who travel overseas to study abroad - Paris, Florence, etc. etc. It's something I always wish I could have done. I'm also jealous of people who have made life-altering decisions and uprooted their lives in the US and moved to Europe and re-established their lives. It's something I dream of doing..... one day. Maybe when I'm older and my children are grown..... but on days like today, I really wish I had it in me to make a move like that now. Instead, I'll continue daydreaming....
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Long Time, No Blog
So obviously with everything that's been going on, I've neglected this blog. And by everything I mean wedding planning. Ugh - so stressful! So far, we've booked the date/venue, booked the DJ, booked the videographer, booked the photographer, and decided on a color scheme (for now). I change my mind OFTEN. As of today, I want all/mostly white flowers and pops of purple and gold. Like plum-dark-purple. Like maybe plum colored bridesmaid dresses and uplighting. BTW, I'm totally loving brooch bouquets and want to make one for myself because I would never pay $700 for one! Here are some pictures of my inspiration. (The brooch bouquet is what influenced my color choices!)
So that's what I'm cookin' with right now! My inspiration, if you will. Thoughts? (By the way..... photos 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were all taken at the venue we chose for our wedding).
Sunday, September 11, 2011
9/11 Ten Years Later... Where Were You?
I have a good memory. A freakishly good memory. Anybody who knows me can tell you just how good my memory is. Having said that, 9/11/01 is a date that I don't think anybody will forget. It's one of those days that you will remember every detail of for the rest of your life.
I remember exactly where I was.... I remember exactly how my day unfolded. It was a Tuesday, and I had a finance class that started at 9am. I drove myself to campus just like I did every Tuesday and Thursday. It was in the parking lot before class that my friend Christian flagged me down as we were walking to class. He told me that he heard on the radio that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. We were both just kind of like HUH. I mean, if you watch the news down in South Florida, it's not unheard of to hear of a plane hitting a building or crashing into something. There are lot of people with private planes around here, so neither one of us really thought much of it.
We went to class and sat through it for over an hour. After class, while walking to my car go come home, I looked at my cell phone and saw that I had about 30 missed phone calls - which was really unusual. I remember trying to call my voice mail and not being able to get a signal on my phone. I put on the radio as I drove home and that's when I heard the announcement that all planes were being told to land immediately at the nearest airport. That's when I realized that something really bad was happening. I was terrified. I only lived 10 minutes from my college campus, and I remember driving home and looking into the sky. The airport is near both my house and my college campus, so I could see planes in the air - probably circling while they waited for clearance to land.... but it terrified me that here I am hearing that planes are being grounded and in the meantime, they're flying directly overhead.
I sped home, walked into my parents' house, flung open the door and screamed WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON. My dad was sitting on the couch in front of the TV. I remember the exact position he was sitting in - kind of leaning forward. He looked over at me when I walked in but didn't say a word. Instead he turned his head back to the TV and that's when I saw the South Tower (2 WTC) collapse on TV.
Nobody knew what to do. I finally got a signal on my phone and called a friend - who was freaking out. I remember not knowing if I should go in to work. I finally decided I should.... so I drove to work. When I got there, everyone was sitting in the break room surrounding the TV. After about an hour at work, my boss sent everybody home. I literally watched TV all day long. I remember watching Peter Jennings on the news and a pen had exploded or something because he had ink all over himself. I remember talking to friends and just being in complete awe of what had just happened.
I knew then that something had happened that would forever change the course of history. It was something that would inevitably effect everybody's life forever. Nothing was ever going to be the same again. Everything had changed in the course of 2 hours. America was attacked and America was bleeding. I remember being scared to go to work, to go to the mall, to go anywhere where there would be a large grouping of people. That fear stuck around for a long time. Eventually, I went to a movie theater. I remember we saw Zoolander, and it felt so weird to go and just watch a movie and laugh for the first time in weeks. Slowly, things got back to "normal." But even "normal" was different - it was a new normal.
American flags were everywhere. On cars, on buildings, on houses, on people. I had a friend from Guyana who told me he was scared to go out in public because of the color of his skin. He was terrified people would look at him and judge him as if he had anything to do with what had happened, so he didn't leave the house without an American flag on his shirt. He probably single handedly kept Old Navy's 4th of July flag shirt industry in business.
Where were you on September 11th? I bet you remember just as well as I do. It's amazing to think that 10 years have gone by. A decade. It's crazy. When I see those images on TV it feels like just yesterday. All those emotions come flooding in as if it just happened. It's impossible to comprehend the loss experienced by so many people. Not just the people directly effected by September 11th, but all the others as well. God Bless America..... let us never forget September 11, 2001.
I remember exactly where I was.... I remember exactly how my day unfolded. It was a Tuesday, and I had a finance class that started at 9am. I drove myself to campus just like I did every Tuesday and Thursday. It was in the parking lot before class that my friend Christian flagged me down as we were walking to class. He told me that he heard on the radio that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. We were both just kind of like HUH. I mean, if you watch the news down in South Florida, it's not unheard of to hear of a plane hitting a building or crashing into something. There are lot of people with private planes around here, so neither one of us really thought much of it.
We went to class and sat through it for over an hour. After class, while walking to my car go come home, I looked at my cell phone and saw that I had about 30 missed phone calls - which was really unusual. I remember trying to call my voice mail and not being able to get a signal on my phone. I put on the radio as I drove home and that's when I heard the announcement that all planes were being told to land immediately at the nearest airport. That's when I realized that something really bad was happening. I was terrified. I only lived 10 minutes from my college campus, and I remember driving home and looking into the sky. The airport is near both my house and my college campus, so I could see planes in the air - probably circling while they waited for clearance to land.... but it terrified me that here I am hearing that planes are being grounded and in the meantime, they're flying directly overhead.
I sped home, walked into my parents' house, flung open the door and screamed WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON. My dad was sitting on the couch in front of the TV. I remember the exact position he was sitting in - kind of leaning forward. He looked over at me when I walked in but didn't say a word. Instead he turned his head back to the TV and that's when I saw the South Tower (2 WTC) collapse on TV.
Nobody knew what to do. I finally got a signal on my phone and called a friend - who was freaking out. I remember not knowing if I should go in to work. I finally decided I should.... so I drove to work. When I got there, everyone was sitting in the break room surrounding the TV. After about an hour at work, my boss sent everybody home. I literally watched TV all day long. I remember watching Peter Jennings on the news and a pen had exploded or something because he had ink all over himself. I remember talking to friends and just being in complete awe of what had just happened.
I knew then that something had happened that would forever change the course of history. It was something that would inevitably effect everybody's life forever. Nothing was ever going to be the same again. Everything had changed in the course of 2 hours. America was attacked and America was bleeding. I remember being scared to go to work, to go to the mall, to go anywhere where there would be a large grouping of people. That fear stuck around for a long time. Eventually, I went to a movie theater. I remember we saw Zoolander, and it felt so weird to go and just watch a movie and laugh for the first time in weeks. Slowly, things got back to "normal." But even "normal" was different - it was a new normal.
American flags were everywhere. On cars, on buildings, on houses, on people. I had a friend from Guyana who told me he was scared to go out in public because of the color of his skin. He was terrified people would look at him and judge him as if he had anything to do with what had happened, so he didn't leave the house without an American flag on his shirt. He probably single handedly kept Old Navy's 4th of July flag shirt industry in business.
Where were you on September 11th? I bet you remember just as well as I do. It's amazing to think that 10 years have gone by. A decade. It's crazy. When I see those images on TV it feels like just yesterday. All those emotions come flooding in as if it just happened. It's impossible to comprehend the loss experienced by so many people. Not just the people directly effected by September 11th, but all the others as well. God Bless America..... let us never forget September 11, 2001.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Survey says.....
So I remember years ago when we (and by we I mean me and all my loser friends) used to e-mail around these kinds of things all the time - and we'd actually sit there and complete them and then read everyone else's answers - even though they were always the same questions and our answers never changed.
So what the hell...... let's do this thing!
1. How long has it been since you've ridden a schoolbus?
-My parents actually had the foresight to buy a house close enough to an elementary, middle, and high school so I didn't actually have to ride in that death trap - I mean schoolbus. I did; however, ride the bus home with my high school boyfriend from time to time, so the last time I road one was probably back in 1996 or so.
2. What do you think of frogs?
-NOT a fan..... but I don't hate them as much as I hate toads.
3. What's the worst Christmas present you've ever gotten?
-hmmm...... I'm not really sure - I usually like all my presents. Someone gave me a Simon & Garfunkel CD - that was pretty random (since I'm not particularly a fan).
4. Suppose you *had* to get some sort of tattoo, right now. What would you get?
-Something small and inconspicuous on a part of my body where nobody would see it unless I wanted them to. Not a fan of tattoos!
5. Which would you rather die from, burning to death or "bird flu"?
-Um, hi.... how about neither.
6. If weed was legal, would you smoke it?
-Do people still call it weed? I don't smoke anything, so no.
7. How about if heroin was legal?
-Definitely. Not.
8. Do you use any kind of lip gloss/lip balm?
-I have really dry lips and I cannot sleep unless I use that Rosebud Salve. Amazing stuff.
9. Do you like pumpkin pie?
-In small doses. Not my favorite, but I don't hate it.
10. Who do you want to be President (it doesn't have to be an actual candidate)?
-Ellen Degeneres. She seems to know how to handle fame and money. And she's a compassionate person. Plus, I would LOVE for a gay female to be president and piss off all the Tea Baggers.
11. If you were alive in the 1960s, would you have been a hippie?
-Ahh no. Hippies are too dirty. I like to be clean.
12. Do you like dinosaurs? Which is your favorite?
-Sure why not? I don't know about a favorite..... how about a brontosaurus. Apparently there's no longer such a thing as a "brontosaurus." Things sure have changed since I was in school. Next thing I know, Pluto won't even be considered a planet anymore!
13. What genre of music makes you want to shoot your ears off?
-Twangy country, death metal, and hard core gangster rap.
14: What was the last board game you played?
-I've played a bit of cards lately but can't recall playing an actual board game. We played drunk jenga on New Years.... does that count?
15. Would you let your grandma set you up on a blind date?
-I'll pass on that.
16. Speaking of which, ever been hit on by a much, much older person?
-Yes - it's creepy.
17. You can't find the remote. Where is the first place you look?
-The couch cushions.
18. Where would you rather live, in a barn or in an inner-city church basement?
-A barn, hands down.
19. How do you feel about Hello Kitty?
-Indifferent.
20. Paper or plastic?
-For what?
21: Compost heaps: yes or no?
-I don't DO fire.
22: What kind of socks are you wearing right now?
-I'm barefoot baby.
23. Are you part of a "subculture"?
-Negative.
24. Do you type with all your fingers, or just 2?
-All.... I'm an excellent typer.
25. Do you believe in astrology?
-Nope, but I'll read my horscope if presented to me.
26. Are you good at math?
-Yes - I'm a math nerd!
27. Are you politically correct?
-Definitely not.
28. Do you know what a semicolon is?
-Yes, and I use them frequently. Whether I use them correctly is up for debate though.
29. Have you ever worn a Hawaiian shirt?
-Once when I was in high school and we had a Hawaiian themed shirt day at work.
30. Have you ever dated someone you didn't really like? Why?
-Once.... but I wouldn't say i didn't LIKE him - I just knew I never wanted to "go out" with him - he was just keeping my mind off of a lot of other stuff I had going on in my life at that time. Oh and he was like 3 years younger than me..... which I found out AFTER I went out with him the first time. Whoopsie. Sweet kid, sitll my friend on Facebook, but it just wasn't for me. We "dated" for about a month or so.
31. Do you resent members of the opposite sex?
-No.
32. Atlantic or Pacific?
-I've only ever seen the Atlantic (thanks to JetBlue).
33. What animal do you most resemble?
-A human.
34. How often do you eat macaroni and cheese?
-A lot. If I get lunch at Whole Foods, which I do every week or 2, I treat myself to a scoop of their mac & cheese. Yummmmmmmm.
35. Are you into philosophy? If so, what are your philosophical influences?
-I had to take a philosophy class in college, and believe it or not, it was the only time I ever got a C in my life. So I hate philosophy - so boring!
36. What was the best concert you've ever been to?
-I saw Elton John in Vegas..... I was in like the 6th row, dead center, and it was amazing!
37. If someone gave you $100,000 to shave your head, would you?
-yes!
36. Have you ever met a hermaphrodite?
-Not that i'm aware of.
38. Would you ever participate in anal sex? If so, would you give or receive?
-Yuck.
39. Do you sweat a lot?
-Yes, yes I do. That's all I do from June - September.
40. What, if any, hair products do you use?
-I have a bunch, but. I don't use any anymore. I realized they don't really do anything and who has time for all that crap!
41. Do you enjoy thrill rides (roller coasters, etc.)?
-Yes.
42. Have you ever seen a 3-D movie?
-I saw Tron Legacy in 3D.
43. What should someone do if they deliberately want to make a bad impression on you?
-Be a picky eater.
44. Have you ever drank a whole bottle of liquor by yourself?
-If I did, I don't remember.
45. Does anyone know you're filling out this survey right now?
-No, it's my secret.
46. Do you smoke cigarettes, and if so, what kind?
-Nope.
47. What word processing program is on your computer?
-Micosoft Word 07 - old school baby.
48. Have you ever read "The Odyssey"? What did you think of it?
-I remember having to read passages from The Illiad & The Odyssey in high school, but I don't remember either.
49. What's the worst insult anyone's ever given you?
-I don't know - they probably didn't say it to my face!
50. The best compliment?
-That I'm awesome.
51. Do you sleep with your door open or closed?
-Closed - so Bailey can't escape and have her way with anything while we sleep.
52. What is your favorite item from your favorite fast-food restaurant?
-Cookies from Subway - mmmmm!
53. Do small children like you?
-Generally, yes.
54. Do animals like you?
-Yes!!
55. Would you rather be too hot or too cold?
-Too cold. Don't ask that question to someone experiencing a brutal South Florida Summer.
56. What's your favorite beer?
-Abita Purple Haze of Coors Light.
57. Have you ever lived in a college dorm? If not, do you think you could handle it?
-No and no.
58. Have you ever met a psychotic person (officially diagnosed)?
-Yes I have.
59. Which show sucks less: "The Hills" or "Wheel Of Fortune"?
-Wheel of Fortune. Is The Hills even still on?
60. Do you like spicy food?
-A little spicy is ok.
61. Do you read poetry? If so, who is your favorite poet?
-No, I don't. I'll say my favorite is Shel Silverstein.
62. What else could you be doing, other than filling out this survey?
-A million things. I didn't realize it was so long.
63. What is your earliest memory?
-I remember seeing whales at the beach. Not vividly, but I definitely have that memory. Everyone thought I was crazy until my mom remembered that one time when we were at the beach, a whale had beached itself..... she said I was 2 years old when that happened.
64. What is something you consider "classy"?
-The cast of Jersey Shore.
65. What video/computer games do you like?
-Tetris.
66. Do you know your IQ, and if so, what is it?
-Not sure, I'm sure it's pretty high.
67. Do you drink TAB?
-No.
68. Do you talk about your friends behind their backs?-Who doesn't?
69. Do you use abbreviations such as LOL or OMG outside of IMs?
-On occasion.
70. What is your favorite vegetable?
-Raw cucumbers, celery, and chick peas. I'm not a fan of cooked vegetables. Except for green beans - I like those cooked.
71. Sweet or sour?
-Sweet.
72. What's the longest airplane ride you've ever been on?
-Whichever is longer - Miami to Zurich, Switzerland or Miami to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Both were pretty long and brutal.
73. Do you regularly take any medication?
-No. And I don't even take medicine when I should sometimes.
74. What's the closest you've ever come to dying?
-I slipped through a tube on a lazy river ride that was jam packed and I couldn't get my head back above water. I was like 10.
75. What are you really proud of that not many people know about?
-That I actually have a lot of money saved. More than anyone would think.
76. Are you really into high school or college sports?
-I watch college football and college basketball during March Maddness.
77. Do you regularly spend money on things you don't need?
-Yes. Guilty. Which is why #75 is hard to believe.
78. Have you ever practiced archery?
-No, but I think I'd be good at it.
79. Do you eat the cherry on top of your ice cream sundae?
-Not if it's a maraschino cherry - I hate those.
80. What does the color yellow make you think of?
-Happiness.
81. What is your local newspaper called?
-Sun-Sentinel.
82. What city do you wish was your hometown?
-Positano, Italy.
83. You've just farted loudly in public. What do you do?
-Smile and own it.
84. Have you ever had a lucid dream?
-Lots.
85. How about sleep paralysis?
-No - scary.
86. How often do you dream about zombies?
-Never.
87. What kind of accent do you have (EVERYONE has one)?
-The one people from South Florida have. I don't think we have one.
88. Do you think mushrooms are cool-looking?
-Sure. And yummy.
98. Are you dyslexic?
-No.
90. Do you think it's interesting to study religions other than the one you practice?
-I'm not really into religion.
91. Have you ever felt an earthquake?
-No. But I've been through multiple hurricanes.
92. Suppose you're the greatest painter who ever lived, but you can only paint one last picture before you die. What is your painting of?
-Me.
93. What is the sexiest color of finger/toenail polish?
-Wicked by Essie.
94. What is the worst job you could possibly imagine having?
-Prison warden.
95. Do you think pigs are cute?
-Yeah.
96. Do you pay your own bills?
-No.... my dog pays them. Yes, of course.
97. How many methods of contraception are you aware of?
-Lots and lots - random question.
98. Do you own ripped jeans that weren't ripped on purpose?
-Yeah - and then I threw them away.
99. Can you give a good back massage?
-Yes, but I'd pefer to receive one.
100. What do you do before you go to sleep?
-Wash my face, put on my Rosebud Salve, and close my eyes.
WOW - that was loooooooooooooooooong. These definitely aren't as fun as they were when I was younger.
So what the hell...... let's do this thing!
1. How long has it been since you've ridden a schoolbus?
-My parents actually had the foresight to buy a house close enough to an elementary, middle, and high school so I didn't actually have to ride in that death trap - I mean schoolbus. I did; however, ride the bus home with my high school boyfriend from time to time, so the last time I road one was probably back in 1996 or so.
2. What do you think of frogs?
-NOT a fan..... but I don't hate them as much as I hate toads.
3. What's the worst Christmas present you've ever gotten?
-hmmm...... I'm not really sure - I usually like all my presents. Someone gave me a Simon & Garfunkel CD - that was pretty random (since I'm not particularly a fan).
4. Suppose you *had* to get some sort of tattoo, right now. What would you get?
-Something small and inconspicuous on a part of my body where nobody would see it unless I wanted them to. Not a fan of tattoos!
5. Which would you rather die from, burning to death or "bird flu"?
-Um, hi.... how about neither.
6. If weed was legal, would you smoke it?
-Do people still call it weed? I don't smoke anything, so no.
7. How about if heroin was legal?
-Definitely. Not.
8. Do you use any kind of lip gloss/lip balm?
-I have really dry lips and I cannot sleep unless I use that Rosebud Salve. Amazing stuff.
9. Do you like pumpkin pie?
-In small doses. Not my favorite, but I don't hate it.
10. Who do you want to be President (it doesn't have to be an actual candidate)?
-Ellen Degeneres. She seems to know how to handle fame and money. And she's a compassionate person. Plus, I would LOVE for a gay female to be president and piss off all the Tea Baggers.
11. If you were alive in the 1960s, would you have been a hippie?
-Ahh no. Hippies are too dirty. I like to be clean.
12. Do you like dinosaurs? Which is your favorite?
-Sure why not? I don't know about a favorite..... how about a brontosaurus. Apparently there's no longer such a thing as a "brontosaurus." Things sure have changed since I was in school. Next thing I know, Pluto won't even be considered a planet anymore!
13. What genre of music makes you want to shoot your ears off?
-Twangy country, death metal, and hard core gangster rap.
14: What was the last board game you played?
-I've played a bit of cards lately but can't recall playing an actual board game. We played drunk jenga on New Years.... does that count?
15. Would you let your grandma set you up on a blind date?
-I'll pass on that.
16. Speaking of which, ever been hit on by a much, much older person?
-Yes - it's creepy.
17. You can't find the remote. Where is the first place you look?
-The couch cushions.
18. Where would you rather live, in a barn or in an inner-city church basement?
-A barn, hands down.
19. How do you feel about Hello Kitty?
-Indifferent.
20. Paper or plastic?
-For what?
21: Compost heaps: yes or no?
-I don't DO fire.
22: What kind of socks are you wearing right now?
-I'm barefoot baby.
23. Are you part of a "subculture"?
-Negative.
24. Do you type with all your fingers, or just 2?
-All.... I'm an excellent typer.
25. Do you believe in astrology?
-Nope, but I'll read my horscope if presented to me.
26. Are you good at math?
-Yes - I'm a math nerd!
27. Are you politically correct?
-Definitely not.
28. Do you know what a semicolon is?
-Yes, and I use them frequently. Whether I use them correctly is up for debate though.
29. Have you ever worn a Hawaiian shirt?
-Once when I was in high school and we had a Hawaiian themed shirt day at work.
30. Have you ever dated someone you didn't really like? Why?
-Once.... but I wouldn't say i didn't LIKE him - I just knew I never wanted to "go out" with him - he was just keeping my mind off of a lot of other stuff I had going on in my life at that time. Oh and he was like 3 years younger than me..... which I found out AFTER I went out with him the first time. Whoopsie. Sweet kid, sitll my friend on Facebook, but it just wasn't for me. We "dated" for about a month or so.
31. Do you resent members of the opposite sex?
-No.
32. Atlantic or Pacific?
-I've only ever seen the Atlantic (thanks to JetBlue).
33. What animal do you most resemble?
-A human.
34. How often do you eat macaroni and cheese?
-A lot. If I get lunch at Whole Foods, which I do every week or 2, I treat myself to a scoop of their mac & cheese. Yummmmmmmm.
35. Are you into philosophy? If so, what are your philosophical influences?
-I had to take a philosophy class in college, and believe it or not, it was the only time I ever got a C in my life. So I hate philosophy - so boring!
36. What was the best concert you've ever been to?
-I saw Elton John in Vegas..... I was in like the 6th row, dead center, and it was amazing!
37. If someone gave you $100,000 to shave your head, would you?
-yes!
36. Have you ever met a hermaphrodite?
-Not that i'm aware of.
38. Would you ever participate in anal sex? If so, would you give or receive?
-Yuck.
39. Do you sweat a lot?
-Yes, yes I do. That's all I do from June - September.
40. What, if any, hair products do you use?
-I have a bunch, but. I don't use any anymore. I realized they don't really do anything and who has time for all that crap!
41. Do you enjoy thrill rides (roller coasters, etc.)?
-Yes.
42. Have you ever seen a 3-D movie?
-I saw Tron Legacy in 3D.
43. What should someone do if they deliberately want to make a bad impression on you?
-Be a picky eater.
44. Have you ever drank a whole bottle of liquor by yourself?
-If I did, I don't remember.
45. Does anyone know you're filling out this survey right now?
-No, it's my secret.
46. Do you smoke cigarettes, and if so, what kind?
-Nope.
47. What word processing program is on your computer?
-Micosoft Word 07 - old school baby.
48. Have you ever read "The Odyssey"? What did you think of it?
-I remember having to read passages from The Illiad & The Odyssey in high school, but I don't remember either.
49. What's the worst insult anyone's ever given you?
-I don't know - they probably didn't say it to my face!
50. The best compliment?
-That I'm awesome.
51. Do you sleep with your door open or closed?
-Closed - so Bailey can't escape and have her way with anything while we sleep.
52. What is your favorite item from your favorite fast-food restaurant?
-Cookies from Subway - mmmmm!
53. Do small children like you?
-Generally, yes.
54. Do animals like you?
-Yes!!
55. Would you rather be too hot or too cold?
-Too cold. Don't ask that question to someone experiencing a brutal South Florida Summer.
56. What's your favorite beer?
-Abita Purple Haze of Coors Light.
57. Have you ever lived in a college dorm? If not, do you think you could handle it?
-No and no.
58. Have you ever met a psychotic person (officially diagnosed)?
-Yes I have.
59. Which show sucks less: "The Hills" or "Wheel Of Fortune"?
-Wheel of Fortune. Is The Hills even still on?
60. Do you like spicy food?
-A little spicy is ok.
61. Do you read poetry? If so, who is your favorite poet?
-No, I don't. I'll say my favorite is Shel Silverstein.
62. What else could you be doing, other than filling out this survey?
-A million things. I didn't realize it was so long.
63. What is your earliest memory?
-I remember seeing whales at the beach. Not vividly, but I definitely have that memory. Everyone thought I was crazy until my mom remembered that one time when we were at the beach, a whale had beached itself..... she said I was 2 years old when that happened.
64. What is something you consider "classy"?
-The cast of Jersey Shore.
65. What video/computer games do you like?
-Tetris.
66. Do you know your IQ, and if so, what is it?
-Not sure, I'm sure it's pretty high.
67. Do you drink TAB?
-No.
68. Do you talk about your friends behind their backs?-Who doesn't?
69. Do you use abbreviations such as LOL or OMG outside of IMs?
-On occasion.
70. What is your favorite vegetable?
-Raw cucumbers, celery, and chick peas. I'm not a fan of cooked vegetables. Except for green beans - I like those cooked.
71. Sweet or sour?
-Sweet.
72. What's the longest airplane ride you've ever been on?
-Whichever is longer - Miami to Zurich, Switzerland or Miami to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Both were pretty long and brutal.
73. Do you regularly take any medication?
-No. And I don't even take medicine when I should sometimes.
74. What's the closest you've ever come to dying?
-I slipped through a tube on a lazy river ride that was jam packed and I couldn't get my head back above water. I was like 10.
75. What are you really proud of that not many people know about?
-That I actually have a lot of money saved. More than anyone would think.
76. Are you really into high school or college sports?
-I watch college football and college basketball during March Maddness.
77. Do you regularly spend money on things you don't need?
-Yes. Guilty. Which is why #75 is hard to believe.
78. Have you ever practiced archery?
-No, but I think I'd be good at it.
79. Do you eat the cherry on top of your ice cream sundae?
-Not if it's a maraschino cherry - I hate those.
80. What does the color yellow make you think of?
-Happiness.
81. What is your local newspaper called?
-Sun-Sentinel.
82. What city do you wish was your hometown?
-Positano, Italy.
83. You've just farted loudly in public. What do you do?
-Smile and own it.
84. Have you ever had a lucid dream?
-Lots.
85. How about sleep paralysis?
-No - scary.
86. How often do you dream about zombies?
-Never.
87. What kind of accent do you have (EVERYONE has one)?
-The one people from South Florida have. I don't think we have one.
88. Do you think mushrooms are cool-looking?
-Sure. And yummy.
98. Are you dyslexic?
-No.
90. Do you think it's interesting to study religions other than the one you practice?
-I'm not really into religion.
91. Have you ever felt an earthquake?
-No. But I've been through multiple hurricanes.
92. Suppose you're the greatest painter who ever lived, but you can only paint one last picture before you die. What is your painting of?
-Me.
93. What is the sexiest color of finger/toenail polish?
-Wicked by Essie.
94. What is the worst job you could possibly imagine having?
-Prison warden.
95. Do you think pigs are cute?
-Yeah.
96. Do you pay your own bills?
-No.... my dog pays them. Yes, of course.
97. How many methods of contraception are you aware of?
-Lots and lots - random question.
98. Do you own ripped jeans that weren't ripped on purpose?
-Yeah - and then I threw them away.
99. Can you give a good back massage?
-Yes, but I'd pefer to receive one.
100. What do you do before you go to sleep?
-Wash my face, put on my Rosebud Salve, and close my eyes.
WOW - that was loooooooooooooooooong. These definitely aren't as fun as they were when I was younger.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Updates!
Wow, time sure does fly!!! So in the past month or so, I've:
- Traveled to Argentina
- Booked our wedding venue (and date, obviously)
- Spent a lazy weekend in Marco Island
- Joined Pinterest (total time waster)
- Decided I want to do a major decorating overhaul in our house
- Found out a good friend is having a baby
Seems like I've been running around like a crazy person, but I finally feel like I can breathe a little.
- Traveled to Argentina
- Booked our wedding venue (and date, obviously)
- Spent a lazy weekend in Marco Island
- Joined Pinterest (total time waster)
- Decided I want to do a major decorating overhaul in our house
- Found out a good friend is having a baby
Seems like I've been running around like a crazy person, but I finally feel like I can breathe a little.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Attention all you Italians.... HELP!
So I've noticed that I get a lot of hits on my blog from people in Italy..... even though they never comment! My most popular blog is the one about Carpisa. Having said that.... I have a question.
When I was in Italy in 2008, my aunt took me to this grocery store type place - like a discount grocery.... LIDL. We bought some soap - the brand was Cien and it was called Apricot Peeling Soap. I LOVED IT!!!!! It smelled amazing, it exfoliated, and it didn't leave any residue! After some online research, it seems as though Cien is a brand of Lidl.
Well, my dad went back to Italy for 3 weeks and unfortunately, he wasn't able to find any Cien Apricot Peeling Soap at Lidl! I was bummed. So my question to you (especially you Italians!) is...... WHERE THE HECK CAN I GET MYSELF SOME CIEN APRICOT PEELING SOAP?!
I've searched extensively online for 3 years..... and I've gotten nowhere! HELP!! Please, please, pretty please.... if you know where I can find this stuff, comment and let me know. Or e-mail me and let me know!
That's all I've got for now!
When I was in Italy in 2008, my aunt took me to this grocery store type place - like a discount grocery.... LIDL. We bought some soap - the brand was Cien and it was called Apricot Peeling Soap. I LOVED IT!!!!! It smelled amazing, it exfoliated, and it didn't leave any residue! After some online research, it seems as though Cien is a brand of Lidl.
Well, my dad went back to Italy for 3 weeks and unfortunately, he wasn't able to find any Cien Apricot Peeling Soap at Lidl! I was bummed. So my question to you (especially you Italians!) is...... WHERE THE HECK CAN I GET MYSELF SOME CIEN APRICOT PEELING SOAP?!
I've searched extensively online for 3 years..... and I've gotten nowhere! HELP!! Please, please, pretty please.... if you know where I can find this stuff, comment and let me know. Or e-mail me and let me know!
That's all I've got for now!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Why can't this wedding just plan itself?
I want to get married. I've wanted to be married for as long as I can remember. But I have absolutely no desire to plan an actual wedding. I'm so Type A - the last thing I need is more stress in my life. Yet, here we are! It's been just over a month since our engagement and everyday, people are asking me when my wedding will be. I had a small panic attack last week about this. Here's the thing.... I don't want a big wedding. I don't have a big wedding budget. We don't have a lot of family in this country. Between the two of us, most of our families are overseas - mine in Italy, his in Argentina. However, having said that, I happen to like really nice things. It's something that's plagued me since childhood. My dad loves to tell stories about how, as a little girl, I would point to shoes in a shoe store, and he could rest assured that they would be the most expensive pair in the entire store. And to be honest, not much has changed in that regard as I got older.
We finally started putting together a list last week, and we actually went to check out a few places. We started at the W Hotel on Ft. Lauderdale Beach. Super nice, really trendy, absolutely enormous. Naturally, when having a smaller wedding (think 75ish people), you are more limited in the venues you can choose from. Much like planning a large wedding, the size of the room dictates which you can use. Of course, I fell madly in love with the W's Grand Ballroom which fits something like 400 people. I asked if they could partition part of it off, but was told for a Saturday night event, no such luck. And I'm not willing to consider a Friday or Sunday wedding - it's just not my thing. D liked the other space they showed us - me, not so much. I'll have to sleep on that one.
We traveled down the beach to the Hilton - not our favorite. Not bad, but not great. We tried the Atlantic Hotel - too small. We looked at the Pelican Grand - but I'm not a fan of outdoor venues.
This weekend, while D is biking in the MS 150, my recently engaged friend Jen and I made a trip to meet with the director of events and catering at the Hyatt Pier 66. And of course, of all the spaces I was shown, the Pier Top is the one I want. Go big or go home, baby.
It's a special venue offering unparalleled 360-degree views of the skyline and coastline through floor-to-ceiling windows and the perimeter rotates around the center. Corny? Or Cool? All the photos I've seen of weddings in this particular room are gorgeous! And you don't have to worry about ugly walls or fixtures since they're all windows! The view during the day was incredible, so I can't imagine what it looks like at night!
We checked the availability and the next available Saturday evening for the Pier Top is January 28th. (I didn't want to check the summer months - too soon and too hot!) Usually there is a $20,000 minimum in food/beverage for the Pier Top for Saturday night, but the director said we could probably work out a deal.
Jen and I also stopped by a brand new hotel called B Ocean. It was a former Holiday Inn until Hurricane Wilma came through. Apparently, it's sat vacant for the past several years until being purchased and completely rennovated - down to the electrical and plumbing according to the manager on duty. It's such a shame it sat vacant so long because it really is a prime piece of real estate. All the rooms face the Atlantic Ocean and the wedding areas were actually quote impressive. The main ballroom area is on the penthouse and has floor to ceiling windows overlooking Ft. Lauderdale beach.
Decisions, decisions.......... ahhhhh............ Hopefully we can find a place perfect for us!
We finally started putting together a list last week, and we actually went to check out a few places. We started at the W Hotel on Ft. Lauderdale Beach. Super nice, really trendy, absolutely enormous. Naturally, when having a smaller wedding (think 75ish people), you are more limited in the venues you can choose from. Much like planning a large wedding, the size of the room dictates which you can use. Of course, I fell madly in love with the W's Grand Ballroom which fits something like 400 people. I asked if they could partition part of it off, but was told for a Saturday night event, no such luck. And I'm not willing to consider a Friday or Sunday wedding - it's just not my thing. D liked the other space they showed us - me, not so much. I'll have to sleep on that one.
We traveled down the beach to the Hilton - not our favorite. Not bad, but not great. We tried the Atlantic Hotel - too small. We looked at the Pelican Grand - but I'm not a fan of outdoor venues.
This weekend, while D is biking in the MS 150, my recently engaged friend Jen and I made a trip to meet with the director of events and catering at the Hyatt Pier 66. And of course, of all the spaces I was shown, the Pier Top is the one I want. Go big or go home, baby.
It's a special venue offering unparalleled 360-degree views of the skyline and coastline through floor-to-ceiling windows and the perimeter rotates around the center. Corny? Or Cool? All the photos I've seen of weddings in this particular room are gorgeous! And you don't have to worry about ugly walls or fixtures since they're all windows! The view during the day was incredible, so I can't imagine what it looks like at night!
We checked the availability and the next available Saturday evening for the Pier Top is January 28th. (I didn't want to check the summer months - too soon and too hot!) Usually there is a $20,000 minimum in food/beverage for the Pier Top for Saturday night, but the director said we could probably work out a deal.
Jen and I also stopped by a brand new hotel called B Ocean. It was a former Holiday Inn until Hurricane Wilma came through. Apparently, it's sat vacant for the past several years until being purchased and completely rennovated - down to the electrical and plumbing according to the manager on duty. It's such a shame it sat vacant so long because it really is a prime piece of real estate. All the rooms face the Atlantic Ocean and the wedding areas were actually quote impressive. The main ballroom area is on the penthouse and has floor to ceiling windows overlooking Ft. Lauderdale beach.
Decisions, decisions.......... ahhhhh............ Hopefully we can find a place perfect for us!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
April Photo Hunt Challenge - Completed!
Well, I actually completed it. Since we visited Savannah in April, most of my pictures are from that trip.
1. Animals: Bob, the horse.
2. Bedroom: The most comfortable bed..... ever!
3. Best from April 16 or 17: Really not that great - lighting was awful, picture was blurry and taken on my point and shoot camera. I realized right before going to bed on April 17th, that I had forgotten to take any pictures that weekend. Whoops!
4. In Fashion: A bit questionable - I'm not sure how "in fashion" pink polyester sailor suits are...
5. Lawn & Garden: Beautiful spot in Forsyth Park.
6. Lazy: A lazy Sunday afternoon in the park. People sitting on benches, riding bikes, etc. Such a great way to spend a Sunday!
7. Playtime: Oh, pop champagne!
8. Rain & Water: No rain.... so this is the best I could do. The fountain in the middle of Forsyth Park.
9. Silhouette: Maybe a bit of a stretch, but I just loved this picture.
10. Something Tiny: Blooming azaleas.
12. Texture: The sidewalk on one street in Savannah - we took a close look and they were actually oyster shells. Interesting!
1. Animals: Bob, the horse.
2. Bedroom: The most comfortable bed..... ever!
3. Best from April 16 or 17: Really not that great - lighting was awful, picture was blurry and taken on my point and shoot camera. I realized right before going to bed on April 17th, that I had forgotten to take any pictures that weekend. Whoops!
5. Lawn & Garden: Beautiful spot in Forsyth Park.
6. Lazy: A lazy Sunday afternoon in the park. People sitting on benches, riding bikes, etc. Such a great way to spend a Sunday!
7. Playtime: Oh, pop champagne!
8. Rain & Water: No rain.... so this is the best I could do. The fountain in the middle of Forsyth Park.
9. Silhouette: Maybe a bit of a stretch, but I just loved this picture.
11. Something Huge: 2 pics - the first - The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist - which is enormous in person. The second - huge oak trees. Can you tell I had a slight obsession with them?
12. Texture: The sidewalk on one street in Savannah - we took a close look and they were actually oyster shells. Interesting!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Oh, those crazy Brits!
Today was the Royal Wedding and I have a confession to make..... I love the Brits! And I am obsessed with the Royals. And I suddenly feel the need to own a Philip Treacy hat, like immediately.
I think Kate Middleton looked absolutely beautiful and her sister Pippa is a real hottie! Who knew? I do adore Prince William, but he's definitely loosing his hair at record speed. Everyone says he looks just like his mother, Princess Diana, but I have to disagree. I think he looks more and more like Charles as he gets older. Harry definitely got the better end of that stick - and a full head of ginger to boot!
I did not wake up at 4am though - I might be obsessed, but I'm not insane. I knew it would be repeated over and over all day long. I did see the first (and second) public kiss live though. I couldn't leave the house for work until I saw it, which subsequently resulted in me being 45 minutes late.
With all the depressing stuff in the news lately - earthquakes in Australia, Japan, etc., tornados in the South, the unrest throughout the middle east and Africa, the struggling economies all over the world - it was so refreshing to finally watch something joyous and beautiful for a change.
Here's to the new Princess and her Prince! I guess dreams really can come true!
I think Kate Middleton looked absolutely beautiful and her sister Pippa is a real hottie! Who knew? I do adore Prince William, but he's definitely loosing his hair at record speed. Everyone says he looks just like his mother, Princess Diana, but I have to disagree. I think he looks more and more like Charles as he gets older. Harry definitely got the better end of that stick - and a full head of ginger to boot!
I did not wake up at 4am though - I might be obsessed, but I'm not insane. I knew it would be repeated over and over all day long. I did see the first (and second) public kiss live though. I couldn't leave the house for work until I saw it, which subsequently resulted in me being 45 minutes late.
With all the depressing stuff in the news lately - earthquakes in Australia, Japan, etc., tornados in the South, the unrest throughout the middle east and Africa, the struggling economies all over the world - it was so refreshing to finally watch something joyous and beautiful for a change.
Here's to the new Princess and her Prince! I guess dreams really can come true!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Smile!
I'm no stranger to websites like Snapfish and Shutterfly. I've somehow conned Shutterfly into giving me multiple free photo books because I'm such an awesome customer, and I printed all 1400 of my Italy pictures via Snapfish since I had about 1000 free pictures to redeem. Yeah - I'm that good.
Well, at work last week, this older lady happened to bring in a photo book she made and she let me look at it. It was pretty freakin amazing. Much better than my freebies from Shutterfly. No offense, I will continue to print free photo books from them, but her book really rocked. She made it on a website called Smile Books.
So I logged on last night to play around with making a Savannah book - holy moly.... that website is INTENSE! I actually downloaded the program onto my computer so I didn't have to do it online. I have spent countless hours over the past 2 days farting around on this site..... and it's pretty great. So you should definitely give it a shot. It's a little pricey, but the quality is worth it. Plus I think they're currently offering 25% off - so DO IT! http://www.smilebooks.com/
Well, at work last week, this older lady happened to bring in a photo book she made and she let me look at it. It was pretty freakin amazing. Much better than my freebies from Shutterfly. No offense, I will continue to print free photo books from them, but her book really rocked. She made it on a website called Smile Books.
So I logged on last night to play around with making a Savannah book - holy moly.... that website is INTENSE! I actually downloaded the program onto my computer so I didn't have to do it online. I have spent countless hours over the past 2 days farting around on this site..... and it's pretty great. So you should definitely give it a shot. It's a little pricey, but the quality is worth it. Plus I think they're currently offering 25% off - so DO IT! http://www.smilebooks.com/
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Georgia..... still on my mind
We had a great time in Savannah. The drive up was a little long - I'm not a fan of being stuck in the car for over an hour. We hit a little traffic just before Jacksonville and again just before Savannah so that added about an extra hour to our drive. Once we got there though, it was all worth it.
I said it before, but I'll say it again.... we stayed at the AVIA hotel - fantastic location - very nice - would definitely recommend. Here are some photos of the hotel:
We did a ghost tour - Blue Orb Ghost Tours - we did the City of the Dead tour and Tobias was our guide. We did this on Friday night - the day we arrived in Savannah, so we opted not to do the Midnight Zombies tour since we thought we might be a little tired. Tobias was great, and even though I'm not one for ghost stories or supernatural stuff, I was completely captivated by all the information he shared with us. He's a fantastic story teller and it was definitely worth the price. We took some pics on the ghost tour, but only one really creeped me. Can you guess which one it is?
We also did a carriage tour on our last day with Carriage Tours of Savannah - and Bob (the horse) was our guide. Actually, Carolyn was our guide, but Bob was the highlight of the tour. He's enormous and moody, and I loved him to pieces. Pics below:
Our sampler at the Moon River Bewing Company. The first one "Wild Wacky Wit" was the best:
I said it before, but I'll say it again.... we stayed at the AVIA hotel - fantastic location - very nice - would definitely recommend. Here are some photos of the hotel:
Taking advantage of Savannah's open container law:
Other than that, we just did a ton of sight seeing on our own - we tried to hit as many squares as possible, and I'm pretty sure we saw almost all of them. On Saturday we got engaged - right in the middle of Forsyth Park - next to the fountain. The rest of that afternoon was a total blur, but I do remember popping open a bottle of Dom and having dinner at The Olde Pink House Restaurant - which was great! Below are some of my favorite pictures from our trip. Enjoy!
Our sampler at the Moon River Bewing Company. The first one "Wild Wacky Wit" was the best:
Jones Street - my favorite street, and per Carolyn, one of the most expensive in the entire city - go figure! Obviously you need to be keeping up with the Jonses to live here:
432 Abercorn - the creepiest house we saw. There's some debate as to whether the stories are true, but I'll tell you one thing - it's definitely a creepy, abandoned house with a prime location:
First glimpse into Forsyth Park:
Right after THE ENGAGEMENT:
Our first photo together as an engaged couple - obviously D had to be talking during the photo:
Azaleas. Because of the awful weather Savannah has had prior to us arriving, we didn't get to experience the city in full bloom. I did get to see some azaleas though - and for that, I am grateful!
The Mercer-Williams House - made famous by the book (and movie) Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil:
Walking down the cobblestones to River Street. Let me just tell you, the muscles in my legs were on fire after a couple of days here...... cobblestones are no joke, and you really don't realize how much strength it takes for your legs to keep you stabilized until you walk on uneven ground.
View of River Street:
The bridge - which is actually much larger and more impressive in person than I had imagined it to be:
Tybee Lighthouse. We didn't climb to the top because it was about 178 degrees outside that day and something like 30 flights of stairs:
Not sure exactly which square this is - but it's definitely one with a ton of oak trees:
Loved this little house!
Oh - just chillin in front of my future home - across from Forsyth Park. One day, one day:
Soooooo, quick story about this one. This statue is the one on the cover of the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - and for some reason, I assumed this statue would be gracing one of the many squares in Savannah. Little did I know that it was actually originally in the Bonaventure Cemetary and was later moved to the Telfair Museum. I found a tiny replica of it in front of a bed and breakfast and had to take a picture:
Love these houses!
Greene Square - considered by some one of the most picturesque squares. I read that in a guide book. It was actually a really small square in the middle of a residential neighborhood, but to be honest, it was very pretty!
Azaleas!!!!!!!!!!
View from inside Forsyth Park - gorgeous! 
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