Live From Steeler Country...

I'm outta here...

2006-11-12T11:30:00.000-05:00

My blog is moving. I'm fed up with all the Blogger problems I've been having lately. I'm over HERE now.

Veteran's Day

2006-11-11T11:12:00.000-05:00

Be sure to thank the men and women that serve your country today.

Under Construction...

2006-11-10T08:49:00.000-05:00

I may be moving shortly, feel free to entertain yourselves in the comments.

You could also go check out Friday's Feast. They're still on vacation, but their contest is still going on.

Today's topic: Is monogamy a realistic expectation?

Blast from the Past...

2006-11-08T23:46:00.000-05:00

I'm really loving this song by Hinder! Everytime I hear it, it makes me think of this guy I dated in college. More on that in a bit. Listen to the song and then I'll continue...

So, I briefly talked to Brownie today. He had emailed me something that I couldn't open and apparently it was important enough that he had to actually tell me about it. I must admit, I was quite shocked by what I found out. Said discovery led me to tooling around on myspace. Now, I have a myspace page, but there's nothing on it and I don't use it. I actually fogot that I had it until my brother tracked me down through it. (Even though he knows about my blog) So now, I only use it for communicating with my brother. I guess he would rather use that than regular old-fashioned email.

Well, as I was putzing around, I thought I'd look up a few more people that I knew way back when and see if I could find out what they've been up to. Which leads me to discovering my old boyfriend. I think 99% of his "friends" are female. This didn't surprise me in the least. Now, my immediate thought after that was, "Wow. I'm hotter than all of them." Granted, that's probably not a very nice thing to say, but sometimes we can't help what we think. This guy is hot, too! Smokin'! We didn't work out for a litany of reasons that I'm not even going to get into, but we are still friends and we do talk and email occasionally.

This brings up the subject of closure. Now that I think about it, a post on closure could be pretty long by itself. Perhaps I'll blog about that tomorrow. Once I figure out how to password protect an individual post... I bet Mr. Jones has the answer!

Now, just humour me and tell me I'm not a bad person for thinking I'm better looking than all of my ex-boyfriends myspace "friends".

Happy Hump Day!

2006-11-08T09:03:00.000-05:00

I didn't really have anything in particular to blog about today, then while I was leaving comments on other blogs, a few topics came to mind. This will be totally random today.

I'm addicted to the Africam! Mini originally posted about it and now Mr. Jones has it up all the time here. The bird sounds are rather soothing. Maybe I should get one of those sleep machines.

Moving on...

Brownie figured he wasn't becoming an alcoholic quickly enough, so he's now working in a liquor store part time. Which led me to wonder, what are the liquor laws like in your state/country? Here in PA, we have liquor stores that sell liquor and wine, and then state stores that sell beer. But, only by the case. No- you can't mix cases. Both stores are run by the state. Just last year they finally allowed Sunday beer sales and a few liquor stores around the state have Sunday hours as well. You can buy a six-pack of beer from a bar, but it can be kind of pricey. No alcohol is sold in grocery stores or gas stations. Also, if you want a wine that your store doesn't carry, you have to order it through the liquor store and then pay all kinds of taxes on it. I'm pretty sure you can't buy wine or liquor over the internet, but I believe some law-makers are trying to change that.

Oh, does anyone know if Meatgazer moved her blog? I knew she hadn't updated it recently, but when I clicked the link in my sidebar, I was directed to a porn site! Definitely NOT work safe. Click on at your own risk...

I have a midterm tomorrow, so I should get my crap at work finished an then study some more. I'm so glad the term is almost over!

My Hubby's the best!

2006-11-07T23:08:00.000-05:00

I'm going to see Christina Aguilera in concert! WooHoo!

Pussycat Dolls are opening. I don't really care too much about them, but it should be a good show!

TMI Tuesday

2006-11-07T10:06:00.000-05:00

I'm usually not all for sharing a lot of personal information, but this is kind of funny.
I got a bikini wax before I went to Chicago. I had a different esthetician than I usually do and it hurt like hell! So anyway, she tells me that she's finished, do I want her to remove anything else, blah, blah, blah. I'm in too much pain to notice and just continue on with my massage and manicure.
When I got home and took a shower, I discovered that I'm crooked! Granted, there's really only one other person who was going to see, but still!
Well, actually 2 other people, because I had a gyn visit last week and I'm still crooked!
I guess I'll have my regular person fix it the next time I go.

I don't really have anything else to share right now. I actually gotta run, I have some things to do at work and I have to do a Pure Romance party tonight.

I'm going to try really hard not to harm my co-worker this morning. I have a feeling she's the one who let it slip to my boss that I was job-hunting. I don't job-hunt while I'm at work, but it still wasn't her, or anyone's else's business to be telling him. ARGH!

Have a good day!

Childhood Memories

2006-11-05T15:48:00.000-05:00

I don't seem to have too many. My dad reads my blog occasionally and had mentioned that he was surprised that I don't have many memories from my childhood. It's not that I didn't do things, it's just that I don't remember them. I do remember certain instances here and there, but I really have no concept of what year it was or how old I was at the time.
It's not that I had a bad childhood and I'm trying to block things out. I certainly didn't have a conventional childhood, but overall, it was a fairly pleasant experience.
Jes brought up a story on the Grouch Potatoes site the other day that made me chuckle. So, I'm going to attempt to share some of the memories that I do have from my childhood.
Jes' story involved the two of us walking down the street one sunny afternoon. There was a pigeon on the side walk in front of us. For some unknown reason, I jumped behind the pigeon and yelled at it. The bird then flew directly into the street, thus getting hit by a car. I proceeded to laugh hysterically. I don't believe the bird died, but the little old man driving the car certainly got a surprise! I seem to recall Jes not thinking it was nearly as funny as I did, but she can clarify that.

I have a lot of stories involving Jes and Brownie, since we all grew up together, but let's see what else I can reminisce about...

When I was in the 7th grade my friends decided to throw me a surprise birthday party. I found out about it. I don't know if it's because they can't keep secrets, or if I'm just that good at figuring stuff out. Anyway, we used to live by a state park and that's where the party was going to be, but I think everyone was "surprising" me at my house first. I happened to be at my Grandparents house earlier that day. (only a few blocks up the street from my house) I decided it was time to go home. For whatever reason, I was intent on spoiling the surprise. My Grandma told me not to leave, she asked me to call my dad first to see that he was home. This sent off the first warning signal, because I was frequently home alone and why would she care when I left? So, I played along, and eventually my dad came up and took me home. When 30 people yelled "surprise", I pretended to be shocked, but then we all went over to the Marina and had a great time! It was late May, and we all got into a huge water balloon fight and ran around all afternoon.

There was the time my brother and I had a little fight and he pushed me through a glass screen door that then broke...

OK, I'll try to find a pleasant memory involving my brother.

We actually used to play together quite a bit. We had our share of disagreements, ie fights, every now and then, but that stopped once he got bigger than me. I still think one of my favorite times with him was when I used to dress him up in my clothes. I wonder if anyone has any pictures from that...

There was this one time, when we were both still living with my mom and he took a claw hammer to the living room wall and made a rather sizeable hole. When asked why he would do such a thing, he responded with, "I had to let the alligators out."
I think that to this day he still doesn't know why he did that. I don't even remember how old he was at the time, either.

The first time my brother and I went sky-diving, we went together. That was more of an early adult time frame, but it was great, nonetheless.

Our dad used to own a bar and we would always get to play the video games for free. I also got to serve soda to customers. That was also fun.

When I was in high school, I used to spend almost every Friday night with my dad at the American Legion. He would volunteer his cooking skills for the dinner that night and I helped waitress and clean up in the kitchen. I also helped during bingo nights. They had this shuffle bowling game that I loved! I would just keep playing it over and over. My dad would also teach me how to play pool, but I'm not very good at it. My brother must have got that gene, because he kicks ass.

There's some memories from my past. Do you all have anything to share with the class?

Pure Romance Stuff

2006-11-02T23:43:00.000-05:00

NEW SPECIALS FOR NOVEMBER!
My Pure Romance Page has all the details!

There is also an amazing kit special for November, so if you think you might be interested in becoming a consultant, just let me know!

Gift Certificates and special baskets are available for the holiday season!

Friday Feast

2006-11-02T23:41:00.000-05:00

Friday Feast is on vacation. GO HERE to learn all about their contest and come up with some new questions.

Blah!

2006-11-01T23:43:00.000-05:00

I've been feeling so blah lately. I have all these different topics I've been thinking about blogging over, but then when I sit down at my computer I just don't want to do anything. I really don't want to whine to the world, either, but sometimes that just makes me feel better.

I'll spare you the whining today. Sometimes I just want to curl up in a ball and cry for no reason. Is this normal? I've never really been an emotional person before. My mother has even called me cold-hearted. And NO, I'm not pregnant, so don't even ask.

I don't know what's wrong with me. If I ever figure it out, I'll let you know.

I guess I'll just go to bed...

The Happy Couple

2006-10-31T22:29:00.000-05:00

My little brother got married Friday afternoon in all of 5 minutes. I've never been to a JP service before, but it was quick and to the point! Good thing, too, because I was still pretty sleepy from being up til 4AM the night before.

We hung out with his new in-laws afterwards for a while and then spent most of the day on Saturday with him. Sunday we began our trek back home, but we made a quick pit stop in South Bend first. There were no Brady Quinn sightings, but I did snap some pictures.

And I always thought the words were, "P-E-N-N-S-T-SUCKS!"

Of course, no visit to Notre Dame is complete without seeing "Touchdown Jesus"

Duran Duran Rocked!!!

2006-10-30T22:53:00.000-05:00

The concert was Thursday night at the Sears Centre. First of all, Andy Taylor and the rest of Duran Duran have split. It was very sad. I have known for weeks, but didn't want to believe anything until an official announcement came from the band. It has been speculated that due to DD's upcoming collaboration with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, Andy wasn't happy with the way things were going musically and they couldn't reach an agreement. Dom Brown has been filling in for him and he was amazing!

There were a ton of Nick girls there, and we were all so excited to be together. Here's some of us pre-show.

My seats were in the 12th row, which I was a little disappointed about, but the concert was great and my view was fantastic! I didn't bring a camera in with me, but so many other people I know were taking pictures and they were sitting closer, so I'll just wait to get theirs.

Here's the Nick girls hanging out and drinking champagne after the show:

We stayed up until about 4AM and then met for breakfast in the morning. Many people were leaving Friday and I had a wedding to get to!

It as such a great time and I can't wait to do it again! I'l post more pics from the rest of my weekend sometime tomorrow.

2006-10-30T21:31:00.000-05:00

1. You can press a button that will make any one person explode. Who would you blow up?
I don't know that I can pick just one. Maybe Kim Jong il.

2.You can flip a switch that will wipe any band or musical artist out of existence. Which one will it be?
Creed

3.Who would you really like to just punch in the face?
Such violent questions...Paris Hilton.

4.What is your favorite cheese?
I cant eat cheese.

5.You can only have one kind of sandwich. Every sandwich ingredient known to humankind is at your immediate disposal. What kind will you make?
Foodwise, as long as it had chicken, I'm good. Naughty wise, Brady Quinn and Gavin Rossdale would be involved...

6.You have the opportunity to sleep with the movie celebrity of your choice. We are talking no-strings-attached sex and it can only happen once. Who is the lucky celebrity of your choice?
Only one?!?! Julian McMahon, or maybe Matt Damon.

7.You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who do you pick?
Gavin Rossdale. He would have to talk to me, though, he has a great accent.

8. Now that you've slept with two different people in a row, you seem to be having an excellent day because you just came across a hundred-dollar bill on the sidewalk. Holy shit, a hundred bucks! How are you gonna spend it?
Shoes.

9.You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?
Fiji.

10.Upon arrival to the aforementioned location, you get off the plane and discover another hundred-dollar bill. Shit! Now that you are in the new location, what are you gonna do?
Shop for clothes.

11.An angel appears out of Heaven and offers you a lifetime supply of the alcoholic beverage of your choice. It is...?
Vueve Cliquot Champagne. Vintage.

12.Rufus appears out of nowhere with a time-traveling phone booth. You can go anytime in the PAST. What time are you traveling to and what are you going to do when you get there?
If there was a way to stop AIDS, I'd do that.

13.You discover a beautiful island upon which you may build your own society. You make the rules. What is the first rule you put into place?
No stupid people allowed. I liked Jes' answer, so I went with it.

14.You have been given the opportunity to create the half-hour TV show of your own design. What is it called and what's the premise?
I'm not good at naming things, but it would involve travelling and being pampered.

15.What is your favorite curse word?
I don't really curse that much.

16.One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren't really doing anything, they're just standing around your bed. What do you do?
Ask them to stand around in another room. It really freaks me out when people watch me sleep.

17.Your house is on fire, holy shit! You have just enough time to run in there and grab ONE inanimate object. Don't worry, your loved ones and pets have already made it out safely.So what's the item?
My Duran Duran Arena board game.

18.The Angel of Death has descended upon you. Fortunately, the Angel of Death is pretty cool and in a good mood, and it offers you a half-hour to do whatever you want before you bite it. Whatcha gonna do in that half-hour?
Have a lot of sex.

19.You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what's even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What's it gonna be?
I'd love to be able to fly.

20.You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?
There was this time in college that I cancelled something that I shouldn't have, and I would go back and fix that.

21.You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?
I had a severe allergic reaction a few years ago and I landed in the ER. Not pleasant at all...

22.You got kicked out of the country for being a time-traveling heathen who sleeps with celebrities and has super-powers. But check out this cool shit... you can move to anywhere else in the world! Bitchin'! What country are you going to live in now?
Probably the UK or Ireland.

23.This question still counts, even for those of you who are under age. Check it out. You have been eternally banned from every single bar in the world except for ONE. Which one is it gonna be?
The Sharp Edge. Unless of course I'm living in Europe, than I have to find a new bar.

24.Hopefully you didn't mention this in the super-powers question.... If you did, then we'll just expand on that. Check it out... Suddenly, you have gained the ability to FLOAT!!! Whose house are you going to float to first, and be like "Dude, check it out...I can FLOAT!"?
I'd float to a bar, drink a lot and then safely float home. I bet there's no penalty for drunken floating! I'd drop things on people, too!

25.The constant absorption of magical moonbeams mixed with the radioactive vegetables you consumed earlier has given you the ability to resurrect the dead famous-person of your choice. So which celebrity will you bring back to life?
Einstein.

26.The Celestial Gates of Beyond have opened, much to your surprise because you didn't think such a thing existed. Death appears. As it turns out, Death is actually a pretty cool entity, and happens to be in a fantastic mood. Death offers to return the friend/family-member/person, etc. of your choice to the living world. Who will you bring back?
That would be a tough choice.

27.What's your theme song?
I don't have one.

1202 Miles Later...

2006-10-29T23:44:00.000-05:00

I'm finally home! I'll start updating tomorrow, I'm very sleepy tonight. I've also had my 10,000th visitor, but I'll have to log into sitemeter to find out who it was.

Gone Fishin'...

2006-10-25T00:29:00.000-04:00

We leave tomorrow morning to head to the Windy City.

Thursday is dinner with friends and Duran Duran!

Friday the little brother gets married. *sniff,sniff*

Sunday, my search for Brady Quinn begins.

We're off to South Bend to see the college football hall of fame and Notre Dame. More importantly, touchdown Jesus:

I'll be back in the 'Burgh early next week. I should have some internet access while I'm gone, I'm just not sure how much time I'll have to catch up with everyone over the next few days. Have a great weekend and don't forget to change your clocks!

All Grown Up

2006-10-24T10:38:00.000-04:00

Somewhere during the last few years I seemed to have lost my little brother. He has turned into a grown man who makes his own decisions (although not always the best ones) and can live his life without his family's help. He actually stopped being "littler" than me many years ago. Right around the time I stopped picking on him...

Anyway, there was just the two of us, and try as I might to have my mom return him so that I could have a sister, it never happened. I even dressed him up in my clothes when we were little. Perhaps that did some damage in itself, but I never did get my sister. I used to try to trade him at the grocery store if I saw someone with a little girl. Perhaps there was a time or two that I might have told him he came from another planet. It's all good. I'm glad I have a brother. I just wish I could see him more often than I do. At least we're in the same country now. When he was in the Army, I once went 3.5 years without seeing him. He was in Germany and Kosovo and I was still in college, so I couldn't really afford to go over there.

So, my "little" brother is all grown up now and is getting married on Friday. I never pictured him as the marrying type. I guess he did more growning up than I thought. I always felt very protective of him when we were younger. I guess that's just natural when you're the older sibling. Now, I have to let another woman watch over him and help him make decisions. They seem to be a great couple, so it will be exciting to see what kind of life they build together.

Siblings are special. You may fight and argue and disagree when you're younger, but you will always have a special bond. I've told him things I haven't told our parents. There's just another level of trust when a sibling is involved and it's nice to have. Even though I never got my sister, I'm glad I wasn't an only child.

/end sappy post

Monday Madness

2006-10-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

1. From: cassie:
Dramas or comedies?
Usually dramas.

2. From: nutmegnine:
Your neighbor has frequent noisy parties on nights before you need to get up early. Do you confront him directly, call the police, call your landlord, join in the debauchery, or seethe quietly and do nothing?
That really depends. Normally it wouldn't bother me, but if it got too out of hand, I'd probably say something to him. If that didn't work, I would find ways to get back at him.

3. From sherle:
Are you more comfortable in big crowds or small groups?
Depends on the situation, but I prefer small groups.

4. From zeno:
Do you prefer Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox?
I've never used firefox, so I'm gonna go with IE.

5. From briar:
They say you learn something new every day. What new thing did you learn today?
I haven't left the house yet, but I did learn what todays Woot was.

Play Along Here

Hot College Player of the Week

2006-10-22T23:12:00.000-04:00

Since the Pitt game had a late kickoff, we tailgated during much of the afternoon, so I really didn't get to see any games other than the one I was at. So, I'm going to go with my favorite college player of all time...

Brady Quinn! ND came from behind in the last 30 seconds of the game to best UCLA.

Here's Brady's favorite wide receiver, Jeff Samardjiza,

Friday Feast #116

2006-10-19T23:27:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
What is your favorite beverage?
Water or Iced Tea.

Soup
Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.
My desk at home is a current mess! There's a phone, a jar of change and rubber cemet.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?
Probably about an 8.

Main Course
If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?
I don't know the names of all the cities in the world, but after a quick Google search, I would say Istanbul. Then I would change the name back to Constantinople. Just because it's fun to say.

Dessert
What stresses you out? What calms you down?
I actually don't stress too much. I'm currently stressing that I'll never find another job. Running, or working out in general calms me down. Going to the spa also helps.

Dine For Yourself

2006-10-18T21:47:00.000-04:00

I am just too damn busy this week to write down everything that I've been thinking about the past few weeks, so here's another list from Kate. (In case you can't tell, I have a thing for lists.)

The premis ... answer honestly or don't answer at all.

1. What kind of shirt are you wearing?A striped one
2. Would you kiss anyone on your blogroll?Sure
3. Do you have a "thing" for anyone on your blogroll?I don't think so.
4. How many people on your top friends do you know in real life?My cousins, Lucky, VX, Michelle, The Hookup, Libby. I think that's it. I have IM'd with a few others.

5. How many kids do you want to have?That's unknown at this point in time.
6. Do you have a good relationship with your parents?More so with my dad than my mom.
7. What name would you want besides the one you have?I've become accustomed to having one of the most popular names in the world.
8. What did you do for your last birthday?Dinner at Emeril's in Orlando.
9. What's your current ringtone on your phone?865-5309/Jenny is standard. The Hubby has his own, my mom has her own and all my DD friends have a special one.
10. What do you think when you get meme's with missing questions?I don't think anything of it.
11. What were you doing at midnight last night?Homework.
12.Where is the furthest place you've ever called to talk to someone?South Korea
13. Do you like having your hair pulled?Depends on the reason it's being pulled.
14. Name something you CANNOT wait to do?Get a new job.
15. Last time you saw your dad?July or August, I can't remember.
16. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life?My job. (are you seeing a theme here?)
17. What is your favorite board game?Trivial Pursuit.
18. Do you have a pimp name?No.
19. Have you ever talked to Tom? (this survey came from My Space)I don't know who Tom is.
20. What's the last thing you ate?Dinner.
21. Favorite month?May.
22. Least favourite month?January.
23. What's the last piece of clothing you borrowed from anyone?I don't know. I still have stuff from old boyfriends.
24. Who's getting on your nerves right now?Lots of people.
25. Most visited webpage?Email, my blog, pure romance.
26. Do you ever sleep in the nude?Yep.
27. What is the strangest thing you have in your purse or wallet?Probably my little sample packs of lubricant that I hand out.
28. Last person to make you sad?Me.
29. Would you help your best friend fight if he/ she is losing?Most likely.
30. coke or pepsi?I don't drink soda.
31. Do you have a crush?His name is Brady Quinn...
32. Have you kissed or been kissed by anyone in the past week?Yep.

From Kristen...

2006-10-17T09:53:00.000-04:00

I'm busy today. The Hubby is in court fighting our property assessment, I have a ton of crap to do at work, this is a short week (I have Friday off), next week is short (I only work 2 days) and I'm doing a Pure ROmance party tonight (Keep your fingers crossed for decent sales), then I have to finish a take home midterm that's due tomorrow night.

*Whew* So, here's another meme that doesn't involve too much blogging effort on my part.

1.The phone rings. Who do you want it to be?
Someone offering me a new job.
2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?
Yep.
3. In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener?
Depends on the situation.
4. Do you take compliments well?
I think so.
5. Are you an active person?
Pretty much.
6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, do you survive?
How long am I abandoned for? I'd say that'd be iffy.
7. Do you like to ride horses?
Sure.
8. Did you ever go to camp as a kid?
Yep. hated it. Well, except for XC camp. I liked that.
9. What was your favorite game as a kid?
Capture the flag.
10. If a sexy person was pursuing you, but you knew he/she was married would you?
I'm married too, so that's a no.
11. Are you judgmental?
I try not to be, but I'm sure it happens sometimes.
12. Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you?
Sure.
13. Do you like to pursue or be pursued?
I'd rather not do all the work.
14. Use three words to describe yourself:
Independent, stubborn, and thoughtful
15. If you had to choose, would you rather be deaf or blind?
Deaf.
16. Are you continuing your education?
Constantly
17. Do you know how to shoot a gun?
Yep.
18. If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you tried to save?
The Hubby.
19. How often do you read books?
As often as I can.
20. Do you think more about the past, present or future?
Probably the future.
21. What is your favorite children's book?
I couldn't tell you the last time I looked at a children's book.
22. Have you kissed any of your MySpace friends?
I don't use myspace.
23. How tall are you?
5’7.5"
24. Where is your ideal house located?
Somewhere warm.
25. Boxers, briefs, thongs, panties, or grannies?
For me? Panties or thongs, depends on the outfit.
26. Last person you talked to?
The Hubby
27. Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth?
yep
28. When was the last time you were at Olive Garden?
A couple of months ago, maybe.
29. What are your keys on your key chain for?
I have one keychain for the car and one for the house.
30. Where was the furthest place you traveled today?
I haven't gone anywhere yet.
31. Where is your current pain at?
My lower back.
32. Do you like mustard?
No.
33. Do you prefer to sleep or eat?
I'd rather be sleeping.
34. Do you look like your mom or dad?
People say my mom, but I don't think I look like either of them.
35. How long does it take you in the shower?
Depends on if I'm in a hurry or not.
36. Can you do a split?
Not anymore.
37. What movie do you want to see right now?
Flags of our Fathers.
38. Do you put lotion on your dog or cats?
I don’t have either one.
39. What did you do for New Year's?
Went to a friend's house.
40. Do you think "The Grudge" was scary?
Never saw it.
41. What was the cause of your last accident?
I haven't had a car accident since I was in high school.
42. How much money do you have on you right now?
$8
43. What are you drinking?
Hot Tea
44. Was your mom a cheerleader?
Nope.
45. What's the last letter of your middle name?
E
46. Who did you vote for on American Idol?
I don't watch it.
47. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
Not enough.
48. Do you like Carebears?
I did when I was little
49. What do you buy at the movies?
Popcorn and a drink
50. Do you know how to play poker?
Sort of.
51. Do you wear your seat belt?
Always
52. What do you wear to sleep?
Depends on the weather. I wore a t-shirt last night.
53. Anything big ever happen in your hometown?
When I was younger, a criminal escaped from the hospital (12 miles away), he stole a police car and it ended up crashing about 500 feet from my house. I was home alone and I could hear the cops chasing him. I was a little worried they would come into my house, but they eventually caught him and it was OK. I think my dad tried to come home, but the police wouldn't let him in the house because all this was happening too close by.
54. How many meals do you eat a day?
3 plus snacks.
55. Is your tongue pierced?
Nope.
56. Do you always read MySpace bulletins?
Nope.
57. What's you favorite NFL team?
Steelers!
58. Do you like funny or serious people better?
Funny.
59. Ever been to Vegas?
Not yet. Someday, though!
60. Did you eat a cookie today?
No.
61. Do you use cuss words in other languages?
No.
62. Do you steal or pay for your music downloads?
I'm not answering that...
63. Do you hate chocolate?
No, but I can only eat dark chocolate, or else I get sick.
64. What do you and your parents fight about the most?
I don't fight with my parents.
65. Is anyone mad at or irritated with you right now?
Probably
66. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? (apologies to those who don't celebrate Christmas)
Well, we used to always go to Midnight Mass and then open one present on Christmas Eve and save the rest for Christmas. Now, my hubby's a little impatient and we've been opening them on Christmas Eve.
67. What's your favorite preparation for eggs?
Scrambled.
68. If you could have any job (assuming you have the skills) what would it be?
I don't know. Something where I could travel a lot and be around people.
69. Are you easy to get along with?
I think so
70. What is your favorite time of day?
Anytime I'm not working.
71. Who was your best girlfriend/boyfriend?
The one that became my husband.
72. Who do you hate?
I don't really hate people.
73. Would ever date your first love again?
If I wasn't married.
74. Do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend?
I think that's frowned upon.
75. Current mood?
Blah. It's raining and I have to go to work.

Monday Blah's

2006-10-16T08:23:00.000-04:00

I'm not really feeling the Monday Madness today, so I'll sit it out this week.

The more I feel I need to rant and complain about things, the angrier I get. Mostly because I have to censor myself on my blog. I never should have told as many people about it as I did, and if I tell them not to read it, then they get curious and are probably more apt to read away.

Of course, if I didn't censor myself, then I risk pissing people off and I just don't have the energy to deal with that. Oh well, I'll just stew silently, it's always worked in the past.

No alone time for me this weekend. I went with the Hubby to visit his parents. He had a really rough week and was wiped out, so he didn't really want to make the trip himself. I'm sure it's stated somewhere under "wifely duties" that we sometimes have to do things we don't want to do.

It all worked out, though. They had a surprise birthday party for his Grandma and she had a really good time. I couldn't tell if she was more surprised about the party, or the fact that we came in for it. I also kicked the Hubby's ass at air hockey, so that was an added bonus!

The week is shaping up to be pretty busy, so I should get ready for work.

T minus 11 days til Duran Duran!!!

Hot College Player of the Week

2006-10-15T19:49:00.000-04:00

Auburn upset Florida Saturday night. I only saw the last 10 minutes of the game, but it was amazing! Here's Auburn's QB, Brandon Cox.

I also want to give congrats to both Pitt, who stomped all over UCF, and the Steelers, who finally pulled out a huge win over Kansas City!

Friday Feast #115

2006-10-12T23:12:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
Approximately how many hours per week do you spend reading other blogs?
That really depends on how bored I am at work. Maybe 3 on an average week.

Soup
Your community wants everyone to give one thing to put into a time capsule. What item would you choose to include?
Didn't we have this question already, once upon a time? Anyway, maybe just a list of what the average prices of things are. Like gas, cars, a house, a loaf of bread, things like that.

Salad
What is the most interesting tourist attraction you've ever visited?
Gatorland was pretty cool. The Kennedy Space Center was awesome. I don't know that I've been to any off-the-wall attractions. I went to 4 corners and stood in 4 states at the same time.

Main Course
If you could give an award to anyone for anything, who would it be and what would the award be titled?
I would award Brady Quinn the award of "The Hottest College Football Player of the Year!"

Dessert
What do you think your favorite color reveals about your personality?
Beats the hell out of me. My favorite color is purple. I have no idea what the color purple is suppossed to reveal about people.

Dine for Yourself

Random Thoughts

2006-10-12T14:08:00.000-04:00

Blogger better cooperate this time, this is the second time I've had to type everything. Stupid Blogger!

I saw The Departed last weekend. It was a great movie! I really like Matt Damon, but the whole cast was superb. I highly recommend seeing it. It is 2 1/2 hours though, so just be prepared. It's also a tad violent.

I almost strangled a co-worker today. I guess that would have been one way to quit my job...

I got my tickets in the mail for the Duran Duran concert in a few weeks. I'm in the 12th row. I guess I should be excited about that, but I'm actually a tad disappointed. I had second row seats last year for a show and it was amazing!

I finally get some alone time this weekend. The Hubby is headed out of town to visit his parents. I'm going to stay here and get some things done that I've been putting off. First and foremost- getting myself a new damn job.

My step-sister is coming out next weekend to look at Pitt. We're going to take her to a football game and around the campus. I hear she has her choices narrowed down between Pitt and Penn State.

I saw a bicycle rider get hit by a car this week. He appeared to be OK, but he was at fault and he ran a red light. I'm not sure if he had a helmet on or not, but he got up and walked off the road.

That's all I have for today. I think we're all headed to Burgher's house tomorrow night to watch the Pitt game. I hear we might even get snow this weekend. I must have missed the memo on winter's arrival.

Tell Me About Your First Time...

2006-10-10T22:11:00.000-04:00

Periodically blog topics pop in and out of my head rather randomly. A lot of my friends have either had babies recently or are in the process of incubating babies, so I got to thinking about "firsts".

Everyone "oohs" and "ahhhs" over baby's first words, steps, etc. As adults, no one really recognizes our little acomplishments anymore, unless you win the Nobel prize or something.

So, I say tell me about a "first" that you had that you're proud of, or remember fondly, or something that really made you happy. It can be anything, I don't care. As long as it happened in your adult life. Or so-called adult life- for those of you who aren't quite ready to grow up just yet. Then all of us in blogland can congratulate you and we'll have our own little virtual party.

I guess I should go first, although I have a lot of firsts that I remember fondly, so I'll try to pick one.

Something that really sticks out is the first time I jumped out of an airplane. A parachute was strapped to my back, so that eased my anxiety a touch, but you realize, as you're falling at maximum velocity, that if something should fail, more than likely you're going to die. That was OK with me. I figured there wasn't really anything I could do about it and falling at maximum velocity was pretty damn cool. So far I've only jumped once, but I can't wait to go again! I had to promise my insurance company I wouldn't jump for a while, but I think I'm passed the threshold now.

So, my fair readers, enlighten me with your "firsts".

ARGHHHH!!!!!

2006-10-10T12:42:00.000-04:00

I donated blood today. If I should happen to lash out at a co-worker or lose my cool with some college student, I can't be held liable.

I'm a pint low today.

Stupid people irritate the piss out of me!!!

Monday Madness

2006-10-09T09:54:00.000-04:00

1. From amaranth:
Name three people you would pick (and why) if you could choose who to be stranded on a deserted island with.
Brady Quinn (he's my current crush), MacGyver(he would prove to be very useful), and some survivalist who knew about poisonous berries and the such.

2. From julie:
What is your favorite genre of film and what is your favorite movie from that genre?
I don't have a favorite genre. I do tend to like gangster movies, so The Godfather and Heat would be some of my favorites.

3. From tiffany:
Which country would you like to visit and why?
Australia, I've always been fascinated with it and it seems like such a beautiful place. There are many places I'd still like to get to, but that's near the top of the list.

4. From wil:
What are you driving these days? What's it's (their) good and bad points? Would you buy another one, and why or why not?
Hyundai Sonata. It's new, so I still haven't found all the bad points yet, but my doors don't lock when I start driving and that irritates me. It does have excellent safety features though. I really hope my next car is a Volvo, because that's what I've always wanted.

5. From cindy swanson:
"Lost," "24," or both?
I've never seen any episodes of either show.

6. From lady starlight:
You've been very good this year. What should Santa bring you for Christmas? (the sky is the limit)
$100,000 gift card to Lowes or Home Depot would be pretty nifty.

Play along here

Hot College Player of the Week

2006-10-08T11:11:00.000-04:00

Tennessee played a great game against Georgia last night, so in honor of that, here's a player from the Volunteers. (What the hell is a volunteer anyway?)

I also watched a bit of the ND game yesterday as well. I would just like to say that Brady Quinn has the best arms of all the QB's in college football! Readers, don't you agree?

Friday Feast #114

2006-10-05T23:27:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
Name a song you know by heart.
Pretty much anything by Duran Duran. I also know P-E-N-N-S-T Sucks!

Soup
What will you absolutely not do in front of another person?
Go to the bathroom, and I'm not talking peeing, here folks!

Salad
How often do you use mouthwash and what kind do you like?
I use it when I think about it. I'm more of a breath mint person myself, but I've always been partial to Listerine. I don't even mind the original flavor.

Main Course
Finish this sentence: I am embarrassed when...
I don't know. I do tend to blush rather easily, but I'm not always embarrassed when it happens. I guess maybe when someone asks me something that I should know the answer to, but I don't.

Dessert
What was the last food you craved?
Well, now that you've brought it up, I am craving some of the non-dairy cheesecake I made the other day. Ohhhh, some dark chocolate fondue from the Melting Pot would be fabulous as well...

Dine for Yourself

The HOT Army Guy...

2006-10-05T08:15:00.000-04:00

So, I've been wanting to post about this guy for a while, but I never really got around to it. I wish I could somehow clandestinely take a picture of him so that you could all bask in his hotness.

The Hubby also knows I have a crush on him, but since I tend to have crushes on a lot of people and they're all innocent, it's really no big deal. He also checks out other women. It's like a game, really... I figure, there's nothing wrong with just looking, right?

I've had classes with this guy every semester for about a year now. He's married also, and according to my new co-worker, Molly, two married people are allowed to flirt with each other guilt free. I don't know how she came to that conclusion, but I won't argue with her.

He's technically not in the Army anymore. He's been using his GI Bill to go to school and he'll finish up in December. He was in the special forces, which in my mind, makes him even more hot!!! He's tall, dark and handsome. Our Thursday class is on the 23rd floor of a building and we usually ride the elevator together. The elevators are crowded most of the time, and I somehow always end up behind him(probably because he's a gentleman and lets me get in first) anyway, I'm also so tempted to grab his ass, but I've never done it yet. Maybe on the last day of class...

I lucked out this term, because both my classes are with him and we have to do a group project in my auditing class and my group consists of just me and him!!! WooHoo!

I think he's going to be moving away in a few months, because he's been talking to the FBI about a job with them after he graduates, but I'll enjoy my eye candy while I have it. Hey- Tax Accounting is a pretty boring class, I've got to look forward to something, ya know? I also did better on our first exam than he did, maybe I can offer some, *ahem* study help. Yeah, that's it. ;)

The Horror!

2006-10-04T08:14:00.000-04:00

OK, just a quick tidbit, then I really am going...

BEER CROP BURNS!

In A Rush...

2006-10-04T07:52:00.000-04:00

I'm a little pressed for time this morning. I have a job fair to attend both today and tomorrow, I have a mid-term tomorrow that I think is going to be a tad challenging, I have a late class tonight and I should show up for work at some point in time.

So, everyone wish me luck at the job fair! It's a 2 day event and I'm going both days, because today is the business day, ie. accounting jobs, and tomorrow is the science and technology day. I'm just keeping all my options open and I hope to have a new job by the end of the year.

Here are a few topics I've been meaning to blog about, but just quite haven't had the chance. Let me know what you'd like to hear about next. I also want you all to know that I'm not neglecting your blogs, I just haven't had the time to comment lately on all of them. I try to make the rounds when I can.

Upcoming blog topics:

My visit to the police station yesterday
The HOT Army guy in my classes
My current lack of motivation
My trip to Chicago
Meritless lawsuits

Enjoy! Happy Hump Day!

UGH!

2006-10-02T13:13:00.000-04:00

I'm sick. I think I have a sinus infection. All I know is, I can't breathe out of half my nose and it feels like there's a vice grip on my face.

Therefore, this will be short and sweet.

I think the crappy weather during the Pitt game probably did not help my current condition. I had a good time, it was nice meeting Video X (link on the right, I'm just too lazy right now)

Anyone thinking about some Pure Romance goodies? Free shipping on all web orders over $50! (link also over on the right)

Oh, it's also Breast Cancer awareness month. All you ladies should check your boobs! Early detection is key in fighting the disease.

That's all I got. Happy October.

Hot College Player of the Week...

2006-10-02T13:05:00.000-04:00

Don't ask his name, I just don't have the energy to look it up right now. He's #33 from Ohio State and his dad used to be a professional wrestler. "The Animal", I think.

Friday Feast #113

2006-09-28T22:39:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
What is your favorite herb or spice?
I have several. I'm partial to Old Bay seasoning, rosemary, thyme, marjoram and cinnamon.

Soup
Name a song you like but haven't heard in a long time.
It seems with internet music, that doesn't really have to be the case anymore. Come to think of it, I haven't heard the full-length version of American Pie in a while.

Salad
If you were to take just one minute to write down as many things as you can think of that you need (not want) to do, approximately how many things would there be?
A lot. I'm quite the procrastinator. I need to do my homework, I need to study for my midterm, I need to pay some bills, I need to do the dishes, I need to do laundry, I need to clean my house, I need to place a Pure Romance order for some customers, I need to get ready for the tailgate, I really need to send Jes her very belated birthday package. Has it been a minute yet?

Main Course
Tell something interesting about one of your family members (nothing scandalous, please, just something unique).
Well, my brother's middle name is Barrett. Same as my Dad and Pop-Pop. Funny thing is, when my Pop-Pop died several years ago, we looked at his birth certificate, and it was originally spelled Barret. Only one T.

Dessert
What's the latest you've ever stayed awake?
In college, I've pulled several all-nighters. I don't recommend it. More recently, I think I was up until about 4AM at our Christmas party last year.

Dine for Yourself

Blogging Buddies

2006-09-28T22:35:00.000-04:00

I get to meet my very first blogging buddy this weekend!

Video X is headed to the 'burgh tomorrow. Okay, she's not really coming out entirely to see little old me, but I'll let that slide.

The Pitt tailgate is bright and early Saturday morning, starting at 8AM with a noon kickoff. I think I'll partake in some OJ and champagne at that early hour.

2006-09-28T09:54:00.000-04:00

Borrowed from Kristen.

1. What's your opinion on sex without emotional commitment?
WooHoo! Ummmm, I don't get to do that anymore, but if both parties are consenting, I don't have a problem with it.

2. Do you bite your toenails?
Now that's just gross!

3. Are you a jealous person?
Nope.

4. What are you allergic to?
Milk protein, dogs and cats.

5. What books, if any, have made you cry?
I've never cried from a book.

6. Does it get annoying when somebody says they'll call you, but doesn’t?
Yep.

7. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Soy Delicious Peanut Butter Zig Zag.

8. If someone you had no interest in dating expressed interest what would you say to them?
Thanks, but I'm involved with someone.

9. What would you rather be doing right now?
Anything that doesn't involve work.

10. What song lyrics, if any, are stuck in your head at the moment, if any?
Well, I didn't have any, but since you brought it up, I still have that stupid London Bridge song that Lucky was talking about.

Where the hell in number 11?

12. What did you dress up as for your first Halloween?
Beats me.

13. What's your favorite TV show, now or in the past?
The Unit, Numbers.

14. Do you get along better with the same or opposite sex?
Mostly men, but I seem to have more male friends. Some women are just weird.

15. Can others make you cry easily?
Not really. I'm not a very emotional person.

16. Who was the last person to piss you off?
The idiot that almost drove into my brand new car yesterday. I need a better horn!

17. Are you picky about spelling and grammar?
Yeah, sometimes. I notice spelling errors more.

18. Do you pay attention to calories on the back of packages?
There's calorie info on those?!?!?!

19. If you could be any type of fruit what would you be?
I don't know. One that grew in Hawaii.

20. Were you a "planned" child?
Nope. I believe I was due to failed birth control.

21. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
I haven't counted in a while, but I do need a new pair to go with the suit that I just bought...

22. What was the last thing to scare you?
See above-mentioned idiot who almost drove into my car.

23. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?
More than I got yesterday...

24. What is your favorite alcoholic drink?
Wine, or a good belgian beer.

25. When was the last time you saw a rainbow?
I don't keep track of these things. It's raining now, maybe I'll see one later.

26. Have you ever been attracted to someone physically unattractive?
Probably. I have a lot of crushes.

27. What personality trait is a must-have in the opposite sex?
Ambition, kindness.

28. Would you ever date someone covered in tattoos?
Maybe. Never really had the opportunity.

29. Do you believe that the guy should pay on the first date?
Yeah, especially if he did the asking.

30. Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoos?
Nope.

31. Which do you make: wishes or plans?
I'm more of a planner.

32. Can you speak any languages other than English?
I can sort of get by with a little Spanish.

33. What is your favorite salad dressing?
Lite Italian.

34. Have you ever fooled around with someone and not remembered?
Hahahahahaha! If I don't remember, how am I suppossed to answer that? It's quite possible.

35. Have you ever dated one of your best friends?
Yes, not such a good idea, BTW.

36. Has anyone told you a secret this week?
I don't think so.

37. When was the last time someone hit on you?
The waiter I had yesterday seemed a bit flirty and he gave me a free beverage, but I usually don't notice if people are hitting on me.

WooHoo, I'm Official!!

2006-09-26T23:38:00.000-04:00

Pure Romance finally got around to getting my own personal website set up.

So, those of you who are dying to order battery operated devices and other goodies, GO HERE.

I'm still working on the template design, but my computer is having issues tonight so I will have to tackle that another time.

Happy Shopping!

Dublin or Bust...

2006-09-26T09:48:00.000-04:00

You Belong in Dublin

Friendly and down to earth, you want to enjoy Europe without snobbery or pretensions.
You're the perfect person to go wild on a pub crawl... or enjoy a quiet bike ride through the old part of town.

What European City Do You Belong In?

I loved Dublin when I was there! Can't wait to go back and see even more.

Monday Madness

2006-09-25T08:37:00.000-04:00

1. From jstar: Holiday in Europe or Asia?
Europe. I've never been to Asia and I have been to Europe several times, but I would still want to go back to see more.

2. From sherle: How do you try to change a behavior pattern you don't like about yourself... whether it's chewing fingernails, overeating, smoking, or picking your nose?
I don't think I really try too hard to change anything. I gave up cracking my knuckles for Lent when I was in the third grade and I haven't cracked them since.

3. From tricia: Have you ever successfully completed a Sudoku puzzle?
No, but I don't really try all that often, either.

4. From caylynn: What website do you visit the most often?
My own. I also read the Post Gazette online everyday, so I guess that's pretty often.

5. From michael morgan: What was your favorite thing about high school or college?
My favorite thing about college was being on my own. I never really grew up with a lot of rules, so that wasn't different, but just the general feeling of being responsible for yourself.

Join the Madness...

Hot College Player of the Week #3

2006-09-25T08:34:00.000-04:00

I've been getting a lot of grief because I haven't posted any Pitt players yet.
Since they showed their strength against a Division 1AA team this past weekend, here's the Punter/Kicker, Adam Graessle...

Corruption of Youth...

2006-09-24T10:01:00.000-04:00

We had a tailgate for the Pitt-Citadel game yesterday afternoon. Bacon Boy brought his 8 year old nephew. Not sure if that was such a good idea, because this is one of the many things he learned that day (the 8 yr old is on the left):

He also learned the proper way to pee against a wall, he got tossed in the air during a touchdown and he had quite a collection of beer caps in his pocket. I'm not sure he's going to be allowed to come out and play with his uncle anymore.

Pitt ran circles around the Citadel, which was to be expected. The Steelers are hosting the Bengals this afternoon, so let's hope that's a blowout, too!

Friday Feast #112

2006-09-22T09:01:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
Measured in minutes or hours, how much exercise have you had in the last week?
Maybe around 4 hours. I have to get to the gym today and tomorrow, too.

Soup
If you had to change your blog title to something else, what would it be?
"This is Me..."

Salad
Name one television show you watched when you were 9-12 years old.
The A-Team. I love that show! I still catch the reruns every now and then.

Main Course
If someone gave you $50 to spend with the one condition that it had to be educational, what would you purchase?
Probably a CPA exam prep book.

Dessert
Do you tend to prefer dark colors, neutral shades, or lighter/pastel hues?
That depends on the situation. For painting the rooms in my house, I rend to gravitate towards neutral shades. Most of clothes tend to be in the darker shade category. I guess I'm not much of a pastel person.

Dine For Yourself

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2006-09-21T12:54:00.000-04:00

Today we have experienced 4 years of wedded bliss. Not to mention that this is also my 200th post! WooHoo!

Actually, being married hasn't really been that difficult. I'm sure once we get around to having a kid, that will all change, but I still sort of feel like a newlywed. I'm not one to get all mushy and sappy, so here's looking to many more years together!

We'll just be having some cake with our Chinese take out tonight and we're going out to a nice dinner on Sunday. I even remembered to get a card!

Let's Talk About Sex...

2006-09-20T22:00:00.000-04:00

This is an argument that's been going on for ages and will continue to go on until the end of time.

Just because women like to have sex, that doesn't make them sluts! Over and over, it's the same thing. A guy can sleep with everyone on the block and then some and he's some sort of hero. A girl does the same thing and she's labeled an easy slut.

First of all, in my opinion, there is a big difference between being promiscuous and being a slut. In my mind promiscuity just denotes that one has had a few partners. Maybe more than a few, but I'm sure "a lot" can mean different things to different people.

A woman can think highly of herself, be confident and independent and be promiscuous or free-spirited- whatever you want to call it. People like to have sex because it's fun and it feels good. You don't need to be in a relationship for this to happen. I also see nothing wrong with dating more than one person and sleeping with both of them. As long as you're honest with everyone involved, what's the big deal? As long as you're careful and no one gets hurt- I say go for it! Casual sex is just that. Casual. Just be sure you can handle it before you go down that path. Women tend to let their emotions control things sometimes. However, there are girls out there who just want to have a good time. Nothing wrong with that.

A woman shouldn't have to defend herself or her actions against detractors. Sure there's double standards all over the place, why does this have to be one of them? Women go to college, have families AND jobs, have their own lives and haven't acted like a Donna Reed since sometime in the fifties.

Hey, if people today still want to be old-fashioned, that's fine. Whatever works for you. But, don't look down on someone else because they have a more liberal outlook on life.

Now, go get laid...

2006-09-19T08:59:00.000-04:00

Here are just a few tidbits to start your day.

My brother is getting married next month. I've known for a while now, but he finally got around to telling our mom the other day. The thing is, our parents won't be there, only I will be and his fiances side of the family. They're just doing a quickie ceremony in a courthouse and I guess they're going to have a big, fancy wedding next year. Don't ask- I don't understand what the rush is, either. Oh- he's also suppossed to be out of the Army in 10 days.

My 4th Anniversary is Thursday. I have class that night, so we're not going to go out to dinner until the weekend. I did just order a cake though, so we can have a mini-celebration. We typically don't get each other gifts. Actually, I don't think we've ever gotten each other anniversary gifts. We didn't get each other wedding gifts, either. I guess I should at least pick up a card...

The cute Army boy in my auditing class is my partner for a project we're doing. He's married, too, but he is pretty cute! The Hubby thinks it's funny that I have a lot of crushes. They're all innocent, though.

We have another early tailgate on Saturday. I hate early games, it just makes me tired all day!

I just found out Cole Haan made some new high heels with Nike air technology. Comfortable heels, can you believe it?!?!?! I should get a pair to go with the new suit I just bought...

Speaking of new suits, I'm going to a job fair in October, so hopefully that will turn up some leads.

I booked another Pure Roamnce party yesterday, woohoo!

There's a huge running expo this weekend for the great race. I think some new running shoes and clothes are in my future! I love my Brooks Adrenalines! I need to get more before they redesign them.

All right, I really should go be productive and get my butt to work. I finished a major project last week and I'm on the verge of finishing one this week, and that always make the boss man happy. Actually, I think my boss is always happy. I've never seen him yell or anything. Is it possible to be perpetually happy?

Show and Tell Part 2

2006-09-18T09:26:00.000-04:00

Here's the rest of the pics. Be sure to scroll down, as I posted 3 times today- wouldn't want anyone to miss anything!

This is my standard attire for the Pitt home games. Once it starts getting colder, I add more layers!

This is the view out of my lab window. Thankfully one whole wall is a big window, so I don't feel like a lab rat.

This is my gym. There's plenty of gyms all over Pittsburgh, but I prefer the Y.

This is my car in my lot at work. The Hubby still makes me park it very far away from anyone else. Good thing I don't mind walking!

These are my textbooks for the classes I'm taking this term. My Tax Accounting books weighs about 10 pounds and I have to lug it to every class!

This is my closet full of Pure Romance goodies. Some people have a goodie drawer, I have a whole closet!

Here's the Pitt flag outside our house. It stays up for the whole football season.

This is the color we're painting the dining room. It's pottery red. Hopefully it should be finished in about a week.

Monday Madness

2006-09-18T09:22:00.000-04:00

1. How do you eat an oreo cookie? I don't.
2. How long does it take you to eat lunch? That depends on whether I went out or stayed at work. Maybe half an hour for the latter.
3. Caffeine or decaf? In the morning, caffeinated tea. At night, herbal tea.
4. Chicken or beef? Chicken
5. Pen or pencil? Pen
6. Autumn or spring? Spring
7. Baseball or basketball? Neither
8. 'Survivor' or 'The Amazing Race?' Neither, no realty TV for me!
9. Come up with one question I can ask our Monday Madness participants in the weeks to come. What attratcs you to memes?

Play Along Here.

Show and Tell

2006-09-18T08:48:00.000-04:00

For whatever reason, Blogger has decided to stop allowing me to upload photos. Today is going to be a picture post day. I'll put the rest of the pics up later today or tomorrow, depending on how Blogger is feeling about it then. These are pictures from my daily life, what I encounter, where I go, things I se almost everyday.

This is my lab bench at work. It really needs to be cleaned and organized, but I just don't feel like doing it.

This is my hubby vacuuming our living room. I love it when he gets all domestic!

How I start my day. I've never been a coffee drinker, but I have tea every morning. In the summer, it's usually iced tea, but mostly it's hot tea.

This is my absolute favorite shirt! It's falling apart. I've been to the gym in it, slept in it, cleaned in it. I don't wear it out in public anymore, because the threads are getting so thin you can practically see through it. I acquired it from an old boyfriend. It holds no sentimental value anymore, I just really like the shirt! The Army doesn't make this style anymore. My brother did get me some new ones, but they're too big and don't quite fit the same.

This is my herb garden, which the cucumbers have decided to take over. I'm not so good with planting things, so I had no idea the cukes would grow like wild!

As soon as Blogger decides to cooperate with me again, I have more pics to share.

Hot College Player of the Week- #2

2006-09-17T20:22:00.000-04:00

I didn't really watch too much college football this weekend. It was rather depressing to come home from watching Pitt lose to turning on the TV and watch Brady Quinn along with the rest of the Irish get their asses kicked as well.

So, in outrage of the bad call by a ref that allowed Oregon to squeak out a win over Oklahoma, here is Oklahoma's punter, Mike Knall. I must say, I'm a bit disappointed by the overall lack of hot players for Oklahoma. I thought all corn-fed boys were supposed to be hot. I would have posted Brady again, but that's not being very diverse.

Spiky Hair, Visor Guy...

2006-09-16T19:46:00.000-04:00

That's what the kids were chanting at the tailgate today when they invited Bacon Boy to do a beer bong. The poor, inexperienced college kids just couldn't handle their booze, so someone had to show them how it's done.

Unfortunately, it's been a bad weekend for college ball so far. Pitt lost, Notre Dame lost, and Penn State won.

The Hubby took video of the entire beer bong in progress, I hope to have that up as soon as I figure out how to do it.

Bacon Boy decided to start a blog, so everyone run over there and tell him how much it sucks. It really does suck right now, hopefully he'll update again soon.

I think we're off to the Sharp Edge for a bit tonight and then tomorrow should be a fun-filled day of cleaning, laundry and homework.

Friday Feast #111

2006-09-14T22:56:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
What was the very last song you listened to?
In the car, it was Vasoline by STP, but then I watched an episode of Nip/Tuck and that has a pretty catching theme song whose name escapes me.

Soup
What is one company/store/corporation you would recommend that people stay away from?
Pep Boys! Several years ago I had a horrible encounter with them and I have never been back since! I don't reccommend those types of places in general, but I was a poor college kid at the time with no other choice. I wouldn't even buy an ice scraper there, now.

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy having your picture made?
In general, probably about a 5. It really depends on what kind of mood I'm in and how I'm feeling at the time.

Main Course
Besides a bookmark, what is something you've used to keep your place in a book?
A business card, a receipt, a to do list. I'm not a page folder, that really bothers me. I usually use whatever is handy.

Dessert
Name a food that you like that most people don't.
Broccoli. I like a lot of soy products that most people turn their nose at.

Dine for Yourself

Happy Birthday, Jes!

2006-09-13T23:09:00.000-04:00

Brownie said he couldn't find a pic of any of his relatives. Well, I still haven't found the pic I was looking for, but I came across this in my search:

Career Change

2006-09-13T10:30:00.000-04:00

Well it's no secret that I can't stand my job. I just dread waking up every day and going back to the same place day in and day out, dealing with the same annoying college kids and generally feeling frustrated all of the time.

I do like the people I work with, but that's not enough to keep me there anymore. The only good thing is that I have excellent benefits, so I've been collecting additional degrees while I'm there.

I've been seriously contemplating a career change and thinking about moving into accounting. I know it seems like a big jump from science to accounting, but I'm a rather analytical person and I think I would like the auditing aspect of accounting the best. I still check out Chemistry positions, but I think I'm rather picky with what I want to do, so we'll see what happens. I also wouldn't mind getting into scientific sales, but that seems a bit more difficult because I'm not willing to move.

Anyway, my question to all of you is, has anyone completely changed careers? Is it a hard adjustment and was it difficult finding a job? Also, when is an appropriate time to tell your employer that you're job-hunting? I don't want to leave him unprepared and it does take a while to train someone in research science, especially if they're right out of college or have never worked in a research lab before.

I'm not interested in moving, and there seems to be a ton of opportunities in Pittsburgh, so hopefully I'll find something soon. My original goal was to have a new job by the end of the year. I'm taking my last 2 accounting classes this term, so I'll have my certificate in December and then I'll probably start taking the CPA exam sometime next year. However, I would quit my job tomorrow if something better came along. I actually took Friday off to work on writing cover letters and doing some more job-hunting. There is also a pretty big job fair at Pitt in early October that I plan on attending.

So, anyone in blogland have any advice? In the meantime, if I become independently wealthy, then all of my problems are solved!

Taco Tuesday

2006-09-12T09:49:00.000-04:00

OK, the title is totally irrelevant today, except that's what we're having for dinner tonight. I'm still pretty sleepy because I was up late talking to Bacon Boy last night. ON THE PHONE, PEOPLE! (just to clarify)
I did a Pure Romance party last night. It was fun, but the ladies were a tad rowdy, so everything took longer than it needed to. I wouldn't have minded, but then they really didn't buy a lot of stuff. However, more of them want to hold parties and that's a good thing!

So, today's topic of conversation is an email I received from a friend of mine. If I get a free minute at work, I may post again later.

SURVIVAL LIST:

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
A set of screwdrivers,
a cordless drill, and
a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
One friend who
Always makes her Laugh...
And one
Who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
A good piece of furniture
not previously owned by
Anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
Eight matching plates,
Wine glasses with stems,
And a recipe for a meal that will
Make her guests feel honored.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...

A feeling of control over Her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

How to fall in love Without losing herself...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

How to quit a job...

Break up with a lover...

And confront a friend without ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

When to try harder... and

When to walk away...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

That she can't change...
The length of her calves,
The width of her hips, or
The nature of her parents...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

That her childhood
May not have been Perfect...
but; It's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

What she would and Wouldn't
Do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

How to live alone...
even if She doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

Whom she can trust, Whom she can't,
And why she shouldn't Take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

Where to go?
Be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
Or a charming inn in the woods...
When her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

What she can and can't accomplish
In a day...
A month...
And a year...

Monday Madness

2006-09-11T09:12:00.000-04:00

I found this through the Friday Feast links and I just don't have time to blog about anything else today. Click here to play along.

1. How long have you been blogging?
Since January.
2. How many times have you taken a break from blogging?
None yet, except when I'm away from a computer.
3. How long is the longest you've gone, so far, without posting on your blog?
Probably 4 or 5 days.
4. How many fellow bloggers do you keep in touch with, through your blogs, on a regular basis?
Pretty much everyone in my links list and a few others I haven't added yet.
5. Have you ever met, in person, a blogger on your blogroll?
Just the people I already knew.
6. How often do you update/change the 'extra' stuff on your blog?
I change the "upcoming week" every week, and then the other events get changed as they happen.
7. Do you think you'll be blogging for years to come?
Probably.

Hot College Player of the Week

2006-09-10T22:35:00.000-04:00

I happen to live with a person who absolutely loves college football. Because of that, I see alot of college games. Granted, I have season tickets to Pitt games and I do enjoy going to those, I just can't get into watching 12 straight hours of football on Saturdays.
I do see bits and pieces here and there, and since I don't have a vested interest in many of the games, I notice the attractiveness of the players.
For the upcoming college football season, I will designate the "Hot College Player of the Week". This will give the girls some eye candy and the guys can just roll your eyes at me if you want. I don't really care. This will be the newest feature of my blog.

So, without further adieu, I give you not only this week's winner, but the inaugural HOT COLLEGE PLAYER on my blog...

Brady Quinn, who along with the Fighting Irish, gave a good old fashioned ass-whopping to Penn State!

Friday Feast #110

2006-09-08T08:47:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
Name 3 things that you are wearing today.
Currently, a robe, tank top and slippers. I have no idea what I'm wearing outside the house yet.

Soup
Who was the last person you hugged?
The Hubby. (Probably not a great idea since he's sick, but what are ya gonna do?)

Salad
What do you like to order from your favorite fast food place?
I LOVE Chick-Fil-A. I usually switch between a grilled sandwich and fruit cup or nuggets and waffle fries. I always get sweet tea, though!

Main Course
What time of day do you usually feel most energized?
Well, when I can drag my ass out of bed in the morning and get to the gym, I always feel really good afterward. Otherwise, once I'm home from work I seem to get a second wind. I tend to be more of a night person, but I'm trying to change that.

Dessert
Using the letters in your first name, write a sentence. (Example: Sweet unusual spaniels are nice.)
I really hate these, by the way.
Jogging Enough Now.

Dine For Yourself

Here We Go...

2006-09-08T00:02:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburgh Steelers open the season with a win over Miami tonight.

28-17, there were a few hairy moments, but in the end the Steelers were victorious.

Next victim: Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday, September 18th.

PLEASE,PLEASE,PUHLEEEEEEEEEEESE!!!!!!!!

2006-09-07T10:44:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S REGULARLY SCHEDULED POST HAS BEEN DELAYED DUE TO THE FOLLOWING ANNOUNCEMENT:

DURAN DURAN ARE COMING TO CHICAGO AT THE END OF OCTOBER!!!

I am making a public plea for you all to bombard my hubby until he's convinced that I need to go! It can be my Anniversary, Christmas and birthday present all rolled into one. It's going to be a full set, too!

They have announced 2 festival shows in the states this fall, that I didn't even ask about attending, but this IS A FULL SHOW!!!

Besides, my brother lives near Chicago and I could visit him as well. I looked into airfare and it's not that bad. I could share a hotel room for one night with a bunch of friends and just spend a few days at my brother's place. Overall, it would be a fairly inexpensive little jaunt to the midwest.

I won't miss any home football games and a lot of my friends are going!

Please,please,please!

I love you!

It's late...

2006-09-07T01:38:00.000-04:00

and I should be sleeping, but I was up taking care of some school stuff and paying some bills.

My keyboard seems pretty loud when I type and I don't want to wake the Hubby. He's a little under the weather and went to sleep at 9pm.

MIL- please do not call him and ask how he feels. He gets upset if I give out too much info. No need to worry, just a little cold! :)

I'll blog again tomorrow about the state of my career, I actually need some outside advice on a few things.

I'm really gonna go to bed now.

Pitt:38, Virginia:13

2006-09-03T20:26:00.000-04:00

Well, the Pitt football season is off to a good start with a fantastic win over Virginia last night.
We started tailgating around 3, with the kickoff at 7. I don't even know where to begin to describe the mayhem that was the tailgate. I was sober, so I found the whole experience to be rather entertaining. My Hubby was pretty drunk. He doesn't get drunk often, but you're usually always guaranteed a good time if you're in the vicinity of his drunkenness.
He seems to think he only had a little to drink. He somehow forgot to account for the 6 Jaeger-bombs and numerous captain and cokes. We even left after halftime. He never leaves a football game early!
If his younger brother is reading this, you might want to save all those voicemails, they're bound to be pretty entertaining!
Anyway, we all had a good time and he actually felt fine this morning. We did some shopping, ran some errands and we're both looking forward to the day off tomorrow.
Pitt has an away game on Friday, so we'll be down at Burgher's watching that and then the next 3 Saturdays are all home games. It's shaping up to be a good season.
I was also looking forward to the Steeler's home opener on Thursday, but Big Ben just had emergency surgery this morning, so their season is a little questionable at this point in time.

Rest in Peace

2006-09-01T21:52:00.000-04:00

The Mayor lost his battle with cancer this evening. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. It is a loss not only for them, but the city as well.

The Mayor

2006-09-01T12:52:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure if this has made national news or not, but Bob O'Connor, mayor for the City of Pittsburgh, has been battling brain cancer for the past 2 months. His condition has deteriorated in the past two days and things are now "hour-to-hour" according to the hospital.

Bob O'Connor has been heavily involved in Pittsburgh politics and city council for a number of years. He even used to own a restaurant on Oakland called "Bobby O's". I worked there briefly when I was in college, so I've met him in the past. He hasn't been mayor very long, but I really believed he was going to help turn the city around. I technically am not a city resident, so I couldn't vote for him, but I was rooting for him.

His replacement, along with the rest of city council are prepared (according to the news, anyway) to take over if and when the situation arises. Unfortunately, unless a miracle occurs, I don't think Bob will be back to doing his job. All I can hope for is that he isn't suffering and his family and the hospital are able to make him as comfortable as possible.

He is receiving a ton of support from the city, which speaks volumes about his character and good intentions for the residents of Pittsburgh.

Friday's Feast #109

2006-08-31T22:24:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
What are some lyrics you have misheard (such as, instead of "Gettin' Jiggy With It" you heard "Kick a chicken with it")?
Nothing really comes to mind, but Duran Duran actually have a song called "Yo Bad Azzizi" because everyone misheard their lyrics for "you're about as easy" anyway, that's all I can think of right now.

Soup
What is the worst movie you have ever seen?
Oh, there are several that rank near the top. Most recently The Day After Tomorrow. Three Kings was pretty bad.

Salad
Using the letters from your favorite number, write a sentence. Example: Tomorrow has really easy experiences.
Scary Entrapments Vary Every Night.

Main Course
What was the most interesting news story you have heard this week?
I don't think any of them have been particularly interesting. Usually the news is never good, it's always kind of depressing. Maybe the fact that Las Vegas isn't keeping their marriage license office open all night. That's bound to anger a few drunk, britney wannabees.

Dessert
Which word(s) would you choose to describe your wardrobe?
Classic, basic, comfortable.

Dine For Yourself

2006-08-28T21:44:00.000-04:00

I had a different blog planned for today, but I received some news this evening. It's not shocking or troublesome or anything of that nature, it just caught me a little off-guard. It actually doesn't affect me in the least bit, but I feel the need to share, just to bounce some ideas off you guys.
If you personally know me, please do not ask what the situation is and who it is about. I am being cryptic on purpose. If you think you have it figured out, please do not go spreading the news around to people. This blog is here for me and I don't want to perpetuate gossip or news, in this case, unless the people involved want it to happen.

With all that being said, perhaps if you know me personally, you should just stop reading now.

OK, I'm sure that didn't keep anyone away, but a friend of mine is in a delicate situation. The partner is unreliable, untrustworthy, emotionally abusive at times and a general hot head.

When people are in relationships of that nature, why can't they walk away? Do all the good things really outweigh the bad ones? I'll admit I've been in unhealthy relationships before, but thankfully I got out before any lasting damage was done. It seems humans in general are attracted to things that aren't good for them. Why is that? Why is it so hard to say goodbye and mean it? Are we afraid of being alone? Is there some sort of ingrained notion that we feel we must "be taken care of"?
I don't have the answers, and I certainly don't have the answers for my friend. All I can say is that YOU need to come first. You and your family need to be the most important things in your life right now. If someone doesn't respect you now, it's not going to get better. You can do it, just walk away.

Can Anyone See Me?

2006-08-26T15:21:00.000-04:00

For whatever reason, I can't seem to view my blog from any of the computers in my house. I get a big, blank, grey screen. Now, my web address shows up, but no blog.

I can log into blogger and post, obviously, but I don't know what's going on.

Anyway, if any of you out there can see my blog, can you let me know? I can view other blogs, just not my own. Friday morning I could see it just fine, but ever since Friday night, I get nothing!

Has this ever happened to anyone before? Is there anyway that I can fix it?

***EDIT***
It figures as soon as I complain about it, I can see it again. I swear someone/thing is messing with me somewhere. Anyway, my blog seriously was MIA for over a day!
Just disregard this.
Hopefully I'll have a better story to post later, I'm hosting my first Pure Romance party tonight. That's bound to be entertaining!

Friday's Feast #108

2006-08-24T22:28:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
If you could have a free subscription to any magazine, which one would you like to have?
I already subscribe to a bunch of magazines, and they're all pretty reasonably priced. Maybe Vogue or InStyle. I like looking at those magazines, but I don't like them enough to pay for it.

Soup
Describe your living room (furnishings, colors, etc.).
The walls are painted in a sponge-effect in a neutral/tannish color. I have a blue couch and lazyboy and a TV on a stand. My wedding picture is on the wall and we have a collage of pictures on the other wall. There are 2 end tables flanking the couch. I also have neutral colored sheers and curtains up.

Salad
What does the shape of a circle make you think of?
Ummmmm, a circle? Maybe a wheel. I don't really think much about it when I see a circle.

Main Course
Name 3 things in your life that you consider to be absolute necessities.
I don't really think there are absolute necessities in life. I'm happy for what I do have, but I could probably find a way to get along without a lot of my stuff if I really had to. I wouldn't be happy about it, though.
I guess maybe my sanity, the ability to work, and my health.

Dessert
What was the last really funny movie you watched?
I don't remember. I don't watch a lot of movies.

Dine For Yourself

No More Pluto?!?!

2006-08-24T16:15:00.000-04:00

I guess there's a lot of extra grant money floating around, because someone has decided that Pluto no longer ranks as planet number 9 for our solar system. This isn't going to affect my everyday life in the least bit, and I would assume the rest of you aren't going to suffer any long-lasting effects as well.

However, what about the school kids? Do you all remember "Many Vigorous Earth Men Jump Straight Up Near Pluto?" That was always an easy way to remember all the planets- in whatever grade you learn planets in. Now what silly little rhyme are we going to be teaching the kids? What are the vigorous earth men going to jumping straight up near now?

And what about all the science books? Are my tax dollars going to go up because the school district has to correct the fact that Pluto is no longer a planet?

Of all the things people could be studying or finding a cure for, is debating the planetary status of Pluto really necessary? What about Mickey's friend, Pluto the Dog. He was always so special being named for the ninth planet. Now his legacy has been thrown out like yesterday's trash.

My New Car...

2006-08-23T22:58:00.000-04:00

Well, the car saga is finally over. I don't even want to rehash all of the details about the long, arduous process, so without further adieu, here is the winner:

PS I really hate "new car smell"!

For Ian...

2006-08-23T08:39:00.000-04:00

Say what you want to say and be heard!

Yesterday's MeMe continued...

2006-08-22T21:29:00.000-04:00

31. What's your main ringtone on your mobile?
The 867-5309/Jenny song.

32. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Sleeping.

33. Who was your last text message from?
I really don't know and I'm too lazy to go check my phone.

34. Whose bed did you sleep in last night?
Mine.

35. What color shirt are you wearing?
Mint green.

36. Most recent movie you watched?
Start to finish? I have no clue. I've had a netflix for almost 2 weeks now that I haven't watched yet.

37. Name five things you have on you at all times?
Cell phone, chapstick, wallet, bottle of water, a pen.

38. What color are your bed sheets?
Olive green.

39. How much cash do you have on you right now?
In the house, maybe $100, but I'm not wearing pants, so I currently don't have any on me.

40. What is your favorite part of the chicken?
The breast meat.

41. What is your favorite town/city?
I don't think I have just one, but I really love DC.

42. I can't wait till...
I get a new job.

43. Who got you to join Blogger?
I've always wanted a blog, but I got a user name so that I could comment on Brownie's blog.

44. What did you have for dinner last night?
Chicken and rice.

45. How tall are you barefoot?
5' 7 1/2"

46. Have you ever smoked crack?
Nope.

47. Do you own a gun?
Yep.

48. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Iced tea or hot tea, it depends on the season.

49. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
I'm not really suppossed to do that, being married and all... I've found a simple smile to be quite powerful.

50. Do you have A.D.D?
Nope.

51. What time did you wake up today?
7-something.

52. Current worry?
UGH- the new car payment.

53. Current hate?
My job.

54. Favorite place to be?
It really depends on the company. Away from it all is always a good place to be.

55. Where would you like to travel?
Everywhere! Australia, Fiji, Vietnam, the UK, Ireland (again), Spain, Alaska. I could go on and on here.

56. Where do you think you'll be in 10 years?
I don't even want to think about it.

57. Last thing you ate?
Chicken, I am getting hungry again, though.

58. What songs do you sing in the shower?
I don't sing in the shower.

59. Last person that made you laugh?
My Hubby.

60. Worst injury you ever had?
I've never had any broken bones, but quite a few stress fractures. I've had a few allergic reactions that landed me in the hospital. Those are never fun.

61. Does someone have a crush on you?
Probably.

62. What is your favorite candy?
I'm not really a candy kind of peron. I like peanut butter twixes.

63. Favorite errogenous zone?
That really depends on the person. I'll leave it at that.

Timewaster

2006-08-21T22:54:00.000-04:00

Borrowed from Video X who stole it from Rafael.

1. How old do you wish you were?
Maybe 25, but with the knowledge I have now.

2. Where were you when 9/11 happened?
I was at work. I work at a University, so they shut it down and evacuated everyone from all campus buildings. I ended up walking to the Hubby's office (3 miles away), because I took the bus to work and the city was basically gridlocked. We lived by the airport at the time, and no one knew what was going on, so we hung out at his office for a while before finally getting home. I found out my grandfather died 2 days later. It wasn't a great week.

3. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
I rarely use vending machines, so it's not really an issue.

4. Do you consider yourself kind?
For the most part.

5. If you had to get a tattoo, where and what would it be?
I would never get a tattoo. I did have my belly button pierced, though. I think a lot of lower-back tattoos are sexy on women. I like Celtic symbols too, so if I was forced, I'd probably end up with something like that.

6. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?
Spanish. Although I can get by with it now.

7. Do you know your neighbors?
Yep.

8. What do you consider a vacation?
Pretty much anytime I'm not working.

9. Do you follow your horoscope?
I read it, but I don't put any faith in it.

10. Would you move for the person you loved?
Probably, although it would depend where.

11. Are you touchy feely?
Only when I'm drunk.

12. Do you believe that opposites attract?
Well, polarity is a fact. What's not to believe there?

13. Dream job?
Trophy wife. Powerball winner. Heiress.

14. Favorite channels?
Well, I don't have cable. Although when we visit people with cable I love the food network and HGTV.

15. Favorite place to go on a weekend?
Nowhere.

16. Showers or bath?
Showers. When I stay in a hotel, I like to get a room with a jacuzzi tub, though.

17. Do you paint your nails?
Toenails, yes. Fingernails- very rarely.

18. Do you trust people easily?
Nope.

19. What are your phobias?
I don't really have any, but I always double check the door locks and make sure the garages are closed, even if my hubby tells me he locked up.

20. Do you want kids?
Someday.

21. Do you keep a handwritten journal?
Not anymore. I did find an old one that I thought I had destroyed when I was cleaning out the garage this weekend. I'll have to run it through the shredder.

22. Where would you rather be right now?
Grand Cayman.

23. What makes you feel warm and safe?
A blanket.

24. Heavy or light sleep?
Usually heavy, unless a thunderstorm is occuring or I'm home alone.

25. Are you paranoid?
No. Why, what have you heard?!?!?!

26. Are you impatient?
Yep, very much so. Geez- is thing thing done yet?

27. Who can you relate to?
Biologically- my family.

28. How do you feel about interracial couples?
I could care less.

29. Have you been burned by love?
Who hasn't?

30. What's your life motto?
I haven't figured it out yet.

The Salesman Dilemma

2006-08-21T17:12:00.000-04:00

We are getting closer and closer to pulling the trigger on a new car. We have decided on a Hyundai Sonata. The color is still being discussed. Here's my latest dilemma: Last week we dealt with a saleman that Lucky recommended (friend of a friend thing) He was very nice and spent a lot of time with us. He actually helped us with the decision on the Sonata when we couldn't get the original car we had planned on buying (2006 Pontiac G6).

Out of curiosity, I called another Hyundai salesman that we had dealt with when we were thinking about the Elantra to ask what kind of price he could give us on the Sonata. Turns out he came in with a lower price. Now I feel kind of bad because of how much time we spent with the other guy.

I shouldn't feel like the bad guy, right? I'm the one plunking down all this money on a new car. We're going out to the lower-priced guy tonight to take a second look at the car and see about colors available. I guess we'll just go from there.

Overheard...

2006-08-19T23:44:00.000-04:00

At the Sharp Edge tonight, from some middle-aged, very obnoxious men:

Guy #1: Do you know why Akron doesn't have a professional football team?

Guy#2: No, why is that?

Guy #1: Because then Cleveland would want one.

Friday Feast #107

2006-08-17T22:57:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
What color is your car?
Well, it's currently dark green, but we're in the process of buying a new one. We don't have a color picked out yet.

Soup
If you could wake up tomorrow with full training in another occupation and a job in that field, what would it be?
Trophy Wife. Seriously, I have no clue, but I would need to be in charge of people and travel alot!

Salad
How many times in your life have you had the flu (or something similar)?
Beats me. I don't usually get the flu, but I did have mono once and that was awful!

Main Course
What is something that has happened to you this week that you didn't expect?
Well, we changed our minds about the make and model of car we would be buying.

Dessert
How old were you when you had your first kiss?
I don't know, but I'm pretty sure it was with Kevin Murphy in my grandmother's basement.

Dine For Yourself

That Girl Can Sing!

2006-08-17T18:54:00.000-04:00

Just picked up the new Christina Aguilera CD, Back to Basics today. I have to say that I wasn't an initial fan of hers, but I also have the Stripped album. Once she was able to write and sing about what she wanted, I think more of her talents began to shine. She's definitely going to be around long-term!

Busy, Busy, Busy

2006-08-15T11:26:00.000-04:00

So, I'm actually suppossed to be on vacation, but I have so much stuff I want to do around the house, that I'm getting a bit frazzeled.

Yesterday was pretty much a bust. We spent so much time at the dealership, then we had dinner with the boys, it was close to 10 by the time we got home. We did get to see pND along with his wife and kids, which was nice. We don't get to see them too often anymore.

I HAVE GOT to get my home office in order. That's the goal for today. I'm about to eat some lunch, then get back to cleaning and organizing. I may even have dinner on the table when the hubby gets home. He better not get used to that!

The current leader in the car saga...Hyundai Sonata

That's all I got for today, Happy Tuesday!

The Weekend: Condensed

2006-08-14T21:29:00.000-04:00

FRIDAY:

This is what the PA turnpike looks like when it comes to a complete standstill for 2 hours:

SATURDAY:
The Hubby won a bushell of crabs at Corn Fest and a blow-up Sponge-Bob at the Littlestown carnival.

SUNDAY:
Had a little family picnic at the in-laws and provided entertainment by blowing up bottles with aluminum foil and toliet bowl cleaner. Also did an improvised diet coke and mentos experiment

MONDAY:
Spent 2 1/2 hours at a car dealership. UGH!!!
Didn't buy a car yet...

I can't wait for this whole process to be over!

Friday Feast #106

2006-08-10T22:50:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
Tell about a toy you remember from your childhood.
Well, I often used my little brother as a toy. I do remember this black and green stuffed frog that my dad had- he collects frog things. Anyway, I was terrified of it when I was very young (for some unknown reason) and he would place it by me and take pictures as I screamed my head off.

Soup
If you could make one thing in the world absolutely free for everyone, what would it be?
Probably healthcare. It seems to be the most necessary.

Salad
Approximately how many times per day do you think about your significant other?
All the time. It's not always in a positive manner, but he's thought of! ;)

Main Course
What is something you believe in 100%?
That I hate my job. I also believe in God.

Dessert
Name one thing you have done this week that you would consider a "good deed."
I'm going to visit my in-laws tomorrow, does that count? Now I'm starting to get a little paranoid. Nothing is really sticking out in my mind. I do little favors for people and run errands for my husband, but I don't really think twice about it.

Feast for Yourself

4 things...

2006-08-09T22:44:00.000-04:00

Borrowed from Trojan- I wonder if there's a condition name for people who are addicted to lists?

A) Four jobs I have had in my life: Working for my dad, waitressing, nude art model, chemist.

B) Four movies I could watch over and over: Commando (don't laugh!), The Rock, Forrest Gump, and Good Will Hunting.

C) Four places I have lived: Northumberland, Sunbury, Pittsburgh, PA, and Mesa AZ (only for a few months for 2 summers)

D) Four TV shows I love to watch:Charmed, Numbers, Without a Trace, and Nip/Tuck.

E) Four places I've been on vacation: Cayman Islands (can't wait to go back!), Ireland, Put-in-Bay, OH, and Orlando, FL.

Dance, Monkey, Dance!!!

2006-08-09T08:51:00.000-04:00

OK, so the car shopping is starting to wind down and so far the process has been somewhat amusing to me. I am a car buying virgin, but the Hubby has owned 3 new cars already so he has a little list of "rules" and hoops that he makes salesman jump through. My only job is to try and not crack up with laughter while he's making his somewhat frivolous requests.

Now I do have to say I don't think he's doing anything as bad as when he bought our Grand Prix- but that's a story for another blog.

Last week our adventure started at Toyota and continued to Hyundai and Honda. We went when it was raining- on purpose- to see how we would be treated.

The Toyota guy made us stand out in the rain while talking to us. I wanted to sit in the Corolla, get a feel for it and such. It happened to be parked in a puddle. He didn't even offer to move it, so I carefully had to get in and check things out. He offered a test drive, but I declined as I wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. We went inside for a minute to get a brochure and it was so loud with music blaring, you could barely hear the guy talking. It was a total train wreck! Now, I wouldn't discount the Corolla on that dealership alone, but we haven't gotten around to checking another one out yet.

After being rain soaked, we hopped back into my car, laughing hysterically and ended up at Hyundai. We had a better experience there. The guy drove the car up to the door for us and brought out an umbrella while we were checking things over. I did take a test drive of the Elantra. It was OK, but not the most comfortable car to drive. (of course I might be a little spoiled with my leather-interior, fully loaded Grand Prix) We were at Hyundai for quite some time and even got a quote that's good all month. The price is right, but I'm not sold on the car. The Hubby asked the salesman to mail us a schedule of maintenance, and we have yet to receive that. He did however call us already and send a thank-you letter.

Honda was right next door, so we went there. We test drove a civic, but the Hubby and I really dislike the 2006 body style and they didn't have any 2005's in stock.

On Friday, I went to a Pontiac dealership on my own. I drove the G6, but the sales guy must have been pretty new, because he couldn't answer a single question. I knew more about the car than he did. The Pontiac drove like a dream and I loved it! I talked the Hubby into going to a different Pontiac dealership on Saturday, but they wouldn't let us test drive?!?! Something about being short-staffed and a truck coming in soon. If we decide to go the Pontiac route, there's 2 dealerships crossed off the list already!

This Friday the saga will continue. We're off to visit the in-laws and there's a huge Honda dealership in Mechanicsburg. They have a pretty good selection of 2005 models with low-mileage. Right now we're leaning in the Honda direction. I'm sure after we test drive again, we may make up our minds. It's weird to think that I could have a new car by the end of the month.

I've never owned a new car before. While I'm not excited about having a car payment, it'll be fairly low and we'll finally have a vehicle with great gas mileage.

I wasn't excited about this whole car-buying process from the get-go, but it's not so bad right now. I just want it to be over!

If any of you have tips on dealing with salesmen, I'm all ears...

The Good Wife...

2006-08-08T10:10:00.000-04:00

My mom sent this to me in an email. I'm not sure if she's trying to send a message or just passing it along because it's pretty humorous. This suppossedly was published in a Good Housekeeping magazine in the fifties, but there's also talk that it's completely fabricated. Funny, nonetheless.

Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.

Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dustcloth over the tables.

During the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering to his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet.

Be happy to see him.

Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

Don't greet him with complaints and problems.

Don't complain if he's late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through at work.

Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or lie him down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

A good wife always knows her place.

Congrats to Lucky and Family!

2006-08-07T15:11:00.000-04:00

My good friend, Lucky Sevn,went into labor late last night and by this morning was holding her bouncing baby boy!
I'm sure once she feels up to it, she'll update her blog with all the details, but stop by and wish her luck and congratulations!
I let her fill you in on the name they chose.

Ologies...

2006-08-06T23:40:00.000-04:00

Borrowed from Kate.

Ology of Me...
GRUB-OLOGY

What is your salad dressing of choice? Italian
What is your favorite fast food restaurant? Chick-fil-A
What is your favorite sit down restaurant? The Sharp Edge
On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant? 20 percent
What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? Chicken!

Name three foods you detest above all others? Lima Beans, Most seafood, and nitrogenated meats
What is your favorite dish to order in a Chinese restaurant? Chicken with Broccoli
What are your pizza toppings of choice? I don't eat pizza
What do you like to put on your toast? Butter or peanut butter
What is your favorite type of gum? I don't chew gum

TECH-OLOGY

Number of contacts in your cell phone? A lot
Number of contacts in your email address book? Depends on the email account. Over 50.
What is your wallpaper on your computer? Currently, Colin Farrell, but I change it alot.
What is your screensaver on your computer? Whatever it came with. Maybe the windows icon.
Are there naked pictures saved on your computer? Yep
How many land line phones do you have in your house? Technically none. I don't think VOIP is considered to be a landline, but I have 4 phones, I think.
How many televisions are in your house? 2, but only 1 is hooked up.
What kitchen appliance do you use the least? The crock pot.
What is the format of the radio station you listen to the most? Alternative rock
How many sex toys do you own that require batteries? A bunch, but I'm suppossed to be selling them...
I currently have 2 for personal use.

BI-OLOGY

What do you consider to be your best physical attribute? I like my smile, but I'm often complimented on my ass.
Are you right handed or left handed? Right
Do you like your smile? Yep
Have you ever had anything removed from your body? My tonsils.
Would you like to? What have something removed? I'm good now.
Do you prefer to read when you go to the bathroom? Sometimes
Which of your five senses do you think is keenest? My hearing is pretty good.
When was the last time you had a cavity? I don't know, when I was a kid, I guess
What is the heaviest item you lift regularly? I weight train regularly. My laundry baskets always seem to be pretty heavy, too.
Have you ever been knocked unconscious? Not to my knowledge.

MISC-OLOGY

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? I don't think so, unless I was able to change it.
If you could change your first name, what would it be? It's very popular, but I like it now. It suits me.
How do you express your artistic side? I don't really have one, but I like to cross-stitch.
What color do you think you look best in? Black
How long do you think you could last in a medium security prison? That's an odd question. I have no idea.
Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake? I don't think so.
If we weren’t bound by society’s conventions, do you have a relative you would make a pass at? NO! What is this, The Godfather?
How often do you go to church? Currently, not so much. Used to be every week. I should work on that.
Have you ever saved someone’s life? I don't think so.
Has someone ever saved yours? Well, I was told I almost died at birth, so something must have happened in my favor.

DARE-OLOGY

For this last section, if you would do it for less or more money, indicate how much.
Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000? Probably.
Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100? Yep.
Would you have sex with a member of the same sex for $10,000? I might need more money for that one...
Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000? I doubt it very much.
Would you never blog again for $50,000? Is that before or after taxes? I think I would do it for more money.
Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000? Absolutely.
Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? Nope.
Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000? Only if it were a seriously bad dude I was suppossed to take out. Otherwise, no way.
Would you shave your head and get your entire body waxed for $5,000? Waxing- yes, shaving-no.
Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000? Yep.

Happy Birthday Brownie!

2006-08-06T16:08:00.000-04:00

Everyone go wish Brownie, Jon, Sprinkles, whatever else you want to call him, a happy birthday today. I'll spare him and not post any embarrassing pictures from his youth!

Pure Romance

2006-08-04T13:04:00.000-04:00

It seems that I felt I wasn't busy enough taking 2 classes this term to finish up my accounting degree, running a lab, working out, tailgating and taking care of the Hubby, so I figured I'd add something else to the mix.

I am now a consultant with Pure Romance. What is that- you might ask? Pure Romance is for adults only and it's a wide range of toys, spa products, lingerie and the like.

I came home yesterday to 2 huge ass boxes of all kinds of goodies that are just waiting to be tried out. Well, I did already try out a few, but I'm a rather impatient person.

So, here's the deal- ***SHAMELESS PLUG TO FOLLOW***

Email me if this is something that you're interested in. I do have a separate Pure Romance email account, so I can pass that info along as well. If you want a catalog, let me know that as well, although all products are available to be viewed online. I should also have a personal website in place in a few weeks.

If this is something you thought about doing, I can help you become a consultant. Guys- this is a company run by women for women, so you can't be consultants or be present at any parties, but you CAN order anything that you want for the special someone in your life.

If any of you are within a reasonable driving distance of Pittsburgh, I can also do a party at your place. I'm just getting everything up and running right now, but it looks like it's going to be lots of fun!

Friday Feast #105

2006-08-03T22:23:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
Name an actor or actress you think is totally underappreciated.

Alyssa Milano. Not many people can be a successful child actress and transition into adult roles so easily without any scandals along the way.

Soup
Impress us by using a big word in a sentence.
Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious doesn't come up on spell-checker.

Salad
What is something inanimate that you've given a name to (such as a pet rock)?
I tend to not name inanimate objects. I only ever called my stuffed animals by name if they came with one. My friend at work names all of our scientific instruments, though. It's pretty funny.

Main Course
What color would best represent your personality and why?
Well purple is my favorite color, but I don't think any one color can correctly sum up my personality.

Dessert
Fill in the blanks: ____________ is so ____________.
Wow, I could go on for a while here.

Colin Farrell is so FUCKING HOT!!!
My job is so UGH.
My yard is so in need of a weeding.

Click Here to Dine.

The Car Finals...

2006-08-03T16:20:00.000-04:00

GOD! I HATE, HATE, HATE car shopping!

So, readers- Honda Civic OR Hyundai Elantra?

* The Niisan Sentra has been excluded due to a poor safety rating.

Just Wondering...

2006-08-03T14:10:00.000-04:00

If you do something nice- really nice- for someone and they don't call you or email you or give you any kind of acknowledgement whatsoever, that's probably a bad sign, right?

I'm guessing it's even worse if you're married to this person...

Did you LOOK at your computer today???

A Little Peek...

2006-08-01T22:41:00.000-04:00

***EDITED***

Here are some pictures that I've taken over the past few days.

I can't believe I forgot about my bathroom! For Lucky...

Here are 2 books that are next on my reading list:

Here's the new kitchen faucet I bought a while ago that still needs to be installed:

The very first piece of produce I picked from my garden this year:

My lab bench at work:

Per Mini's suggestion, the trunk of my car:

This is quite possibly what my new car may look like:

Happy Birthday, pND!!!

2006-08-01T09:27:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you... yadda yadda yadda

pND is the big 3-1 today so all of you who know him should flood his email and cell phone with Happy Birthday wishes.

For the rest of you, this blog will return to its regularly scheduled programming later tonight.

2006-07-30T21:17:00.000-04:00

I was in Columbus, OH last night to attend a party for a friend of mine. She's moving to China to teach for a year. We went out to dinner and then to the Funny Bone. The headliner was Greg Warren. I had never heard of him before, but he turned out to be pretty funny.

I was home for about 20 minutes this afternoon, and then we had to turn around and go out to my trainer's house so that the Hubby could fix her computer. We were there for a few hours, but they fed us, so it was OK.

The party I attended was quite tame compared to what the Hubby did Saturday night. My friend, The Bookie turned 30 today and his girlfriend tried to have a surprise party for him last night. I guess he found out about it ahead of time and didn't want to show up, just to be an ass. From what I heard, they went through at least 9 cases of beer and a considerable amount of other libations. The Bookie is quite a beligerant drunk as well. He's a big guy, too, which only makes matters worse. It's probably best that I wasn't there, it sounds like he would have ruined any kind of good time people were trying to have. I can only imagine how upset his girlfriend must be. By the end of the night he was writing on countertops with Sharpies (in a rented party room), he punched a car and left a dent and got into a fist fight with another party guest. His own mom had to help break that one up...

After the Hubby filled me in, I can't say I'm disappointed I missed it!

Hopefully I will have a pretty low key week at work. I'm looking forward to catching Miami Vice sometime this week and doing more car shopping.

Friday Feast #104

2006-07-27T23:49:00.000-04:00

Appetizer
What's the funniest dream you can remember having?
I don't really remember my dreams. I certainly don't remember anything funny ever happening.

Soup
If you were a dog, what breed would you be, and why?
Probably a lab or some other breed that liked the water and liked to run. Labs are also smart, friendly and playful, so that would mean lots of people would want to play with me.

Salad
Continue this sentence: "I get confused when..."
I get confused when my husband tries to explain computer mumbo jumbo to me. Just make it work, I don't care about the "how"!

Main Course
Name two things that need to be done, but you are procrastinating in completing.
Only two, sheesh, I could go on and on here!
1. Completely cleaning/organizing my office.
2. Putting away my laundry.

Dessert
When was the last time you tried something new, and what was it?
I had a new weight workout today and it sucked! I've been trying new foods lately, but nothing out of the ordinary. I'm still a pretty picky eater. I had a spring roll on Monday night at a restaurant I had never been to before and I didn't know what was in it and I ate it anyway. It was yummy! I also recently tried Silk soymilk and that's pretty tasty, too.

Click Here To Dine.

Training Camp

2006-07-27T10:10:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburgh Steelers head to St. Vincent's College in Latrobe this weekend to kick off the 3 week training camp. As the football season is fast approaching, I would just like to point out a few things in case there are still clueless people out there.

First of all, Steelers colors are BLACK and GOLD.

These ARE NOT official jerseys:

I don't care if your boyfriend/husband/whatever bought it for you. Shame on you if you bought it for yourself. We are the Pittsburgh Steelers, not some sissy-ass team from Cleveland. You DO NOT look cute when you wear something like this, you look like a dumbass who doesn't know a damn thing about football! If your boyfriend/husband/whatever wants to buy you a team jersey, make sure he knows the official colors.

Also, don't be a girl and specifically request a pink or yellow or green unofficial shirt, the people at the store will make fun of the guy buying it and I guarantee he'll feel like an idiot if you make him purchase one.

This is an acceptable Home jersey:

If you want to support the team on the road, sport this:

The same applies to Pitt football, whose colors are Blue and Gold. HAIL TO PITT!

My rant for the day is over, I'll post the pics from the previous post in a day or two. If you still have suggestions for pictures, let me know.

Post Help

2006-07-26T14:09:00.000-04:00

I'm stealing this from Sprite'ssite. I'll take some pictures from my everyday boring life and post them tomorrow. What kinds of things do you guys want to see from my little corner of the world?

Nonsense

2006-07-25T12:56:00.000-04:00

This is shaping up to be a very busy week, both socially and work-related.

So, since I should be getting back to the work stuff, here's some randomness for today.

I went to the gym this morning to lift. A lot of emergency vehicles, including the Bomb Squad flew by me in the other direction! I still don't know what has happened/is happening.

I went to a pretty cool restaurant downtown last night called 6th on Penn. I got the best dessert. It was called "Circus" and consisted of pink cotton candy, caramel corn, cinnamon and sugar donuts and whoopie pies!

Going out again tonight with people from work, since Crystal is beginning her cross-country adventure at the end of this week.

I have to head over to my trainer's house with the hubby tomorrow so that he can fix her computer.

Taking off to Columbus on Saturday for another party for a friend of mine who will be moving to China for a year. I think she's going to start a blog when she gets there, I'll keep you posted.

Whatever was making me not feel well for days has finally disappeared, so that's good news. I have a vacation week scheduled in August, but I think I need some time off now.

I start my final 2 classes at the end of August. Tax Accounting and Auditing, doesn't that sound like fun? I'm thinking the CPA exam I'm taking next year will be even less fun.

That's the latest in a nutshell...(Well, actually there's one more thing, but I'm saving that announcement for another blog)

Happy Tuesday!

Pittsburghese

2006-07-24T11:16:00.000-04:00

I must admit, I find this very tempting, but I really don't like to put permanent stickers on my car. Also, I'm not a native Pitsburgher and I don't think I've ever said N@ in my entire life!

Go ahead, say it out loud a few times...

If you still don't get it, click the link and read the article.