What's worse than one commitment-phobe in a relationship? Try two. Now try asking them to plan a wedding. ha!
The engagement is now a little over a year old, and people are starting to ask questions; particularly the kid. In fact, just the other night, someone asked us when the big day was and she snorted, replying, "Um, by the time they get married, I'll be old enough to be a witness."
We were slightly mortified and truthfully, a little taken a back. We didn't realize that she had such strong feelings about it. And we've used every excuse in the book not to start planning this: we're in a better tax position this way......we're happy with the way things are.......it's worked for Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, why not us? But after that comment, we decided it was time to sit down and make a decision, for better or worse (pun fully intended).
So, I went out today and bought "Real Simple Weddings: Your personalized plan for a stress-free, beautiful celebration." I nearly vomited at the counter, thinking about what this meant; it meant I was trying to plan a wedding. So you might be asking, "did you actually set a date?" Well, sort of, we set more of a season......fall of 2009. And yes, it's a ways off, but I suppose that means lots more entertaining crap to happen between now and then to keep all my readers happy and coming back for more.
Plus, what's the rush? We've been together for so long now, I'm not sure anyone will even attend the ceremony. And do people that have been together for so long actually do a registry? I feel like that's so "1st marriage" material - and we all know that I've been there and done that already......
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Part-Time
Wow. This working part-time thing is really kicking my ass. lol.....
As some of you know, I've taken a p/t job outside my home office and outside my career of choice - which happens to be writing. But when the ideal p/t gig lands in your lap, it's hard to pass up, right? I mean, the problem with freelance writing - or freelancing of any sort - is that you never know how steady the money will be. And although the past few months have proved to be incredibly fruitful for me (with the exception of the computer crash that cost me a $3000 job,) this time of year tends to be pretty slow.
So, anyway, I took the p/t gig. It's been alright. And it's one that I don't have to worry about when I leave for the day. But working two full days outside of my home office has really thrown off my writing schedule and it's making it really hard for me to balance my clients. Hm.....what's a girl to do?
The boy says "to hell with the p/t gig - just write full-time! It's what you love! It's what you're great at!" I say, "you're sure not complaining about that steady paycheck, now are you?" Whatever happens, I know one thing for sure: the summer is going to be really hard - especially when I'm used to sitting on my deck with a laptop and a cold beer.
In other news, the kid had a swim meet this weekend. And it was a big one. She desperately wants to qualify for New England's so she can swim at Harvard. She's already got State's, but NE's seem to elude her. This meet was in Lewiston-Auburn - or LA as the common folk 'round here call it. The thing I love most about "LA" is this: no matter how hard they try to pretty that town up, they're going to have to put a court-ordered mandate in place to get rid of the mullets. Never in my life, not even when I went to my brothers wedding, did I see such mullets. It was truly amazing. And the beauty of a mullet? Not even the humidity of the pool can touch it.
As some of you know, I've taken a p/t job outside my home office and outside my career of choice - which happens to be writing. But when the ideal p/t gig lands in your lap, it's hard to pass up, right? I mean, the problem with freelance writing - or freelancing of any sort - is that you never know how steady the money will be. And although the past few months have proved to be incredibly fruitful for me (with the exception of the computer crash that cost me a $3000 job,) this time of year tends to be pretty slow.
So, anyway, I took the p/t gig. It's been alright. And it's one that I don't have to worry about when I leave for the day. But working two full days outside of my home office has really thrown off my writing schedule and it's making it really hard for me to balance my clients. Hm.....what's a girl to do?
The boy says "to hell with the p/t gig - just write full-time! It's what you love! It's what you're great at!" I say, "you're sure not complaining about that steady paycheck, now are you?" Whatever happens, I know one thing for sure: the summer is going to be really hard - especially when I'm used to sitting on my deck with a laptop and a cold beer.
In other news, the kid had a swim meet this weekend. And it was a big one. She desperately wants to qualify for New England's so she can swim at Harvard. She's already got State's, but NE's seem to elude her. This meet was in Lewiston-Auburn - or LA as the common folk 'round here call it. The thing I love most about "LA" is this: no matter how hard they try to pretty that town up, they're going to have to put a court-ordered mandate in place to get rid of the mullets. Never in my life, not even when I went to my brothers wedding, did I see such mullets. It was truly amazing. And the beauty of a mullet? Not even the humidity of the pool can touch it.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Falling off the face of the earth.
A computer virus is a funny thing; it's kind of like a cold, you can tell something is not quite right, but you can't really put your finger on it until you crash and burn.
And so goes the saga of my last few weeks. Yes, my new Mac is fantastic, but all of my work related material is on my PC. So, that kind of put me in a jam. Thank God someone much smarter than me recommended Mozy.com as an offsite back-up service; too bad I failed to notice that something wasn't quite right there either, and I hadn't backed up in the 14 days prior to the great fall.
Alas, the virus won and I ended up with a second new computer. Not necessarily budgeted for, but we needed a second one in the house anyway. Thank heavens Dell's come so cheap now.
Alright, now I've got to get back to work so I can actually pay for the new computers when the bills come rolling in.
And so goes the saga of my last few weeks. Yes, my new Mac is fantastic, but all of my work related material is on my PC. So, that kind of put me in a jam. Thank God someone much smarter than me recommended Mozy.com as an offsite back-up service; too bad I failed to notice that something wasn't quite right there either, and I hadn't backed up in the 14 days prior to the great fall.
Alas, the virus won and I ended up with a second new computer. Not necessarily budgeted for, but we needed a second one in the house anyway. Thank heavens Dell's come so cheap now.
Alright, now I've got to get back to work so I can actually pay for the new computers when the bills come rolling in.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
I <3 Apple
Like Meg, I got a little Apple this holiday season too.....well, technically, I got it after the holiday season, but close enough. And like Meg, ever since it arrived, I haven't been able to take my eyes off of it.
Granted, for work related purposes, I still have my trusty Dell on hand for when I need a Microsoft application, but overall, I think I'd choose my Apple any day of the week. It's just so damn cute. And it's quick. I <3 it.
Granted, for work related purposes, I still have my trusty Dell on hand for when I need a Microsoft application, but overall, I think I'd choose my Apple any day of the week. It's just so damn cute. And it's quick. I <3 it.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Happy New Year!
Just a quick note to say Happy New Year to everyone........the view this morning was beautiful.......
And, after digging out of yesterday's snow, we're hunkered down, with yet more snow falling. The power only went out twice while we were cooking dinner tonite, so I suspect that by morning, we'll be brushing our teeth in the dark........stay warm!!
And, after digging out of yesterday's snow, we're hunkered down, with yet more snow falling. The power only went out twice while we were cooking dinner tonite, so I suspect that by morning, we'll be brushing our teeth in the dark........stay warm!!Wednesday, December 26, 2007
PHTSD :: Post-Holiday Traumatic Stress Disorder
I think it should become part of the line-up, don't you? After a 36-hour crafting marathon, 6 hours of baking, an unplanned trip to the pediatrician's office and a crap-load of wrapping, I've decided that it should be a federal mandate that the day after Christmas also be considered a holiday. How else are you supposed to recoup?
It started innocently enough. I called the out-laws to check on the attendance for the Christmas Eve dinner. To my surprise, there were all sorts of people coming that I didn't know about.....and they all had gifts for the kid! "Oh, yeah, and Suzie from next door is coming with her second-cousin-twice removed. Just so you know, they're bringing a little something for Sydnie." So, of course, I feel obligated to bring something for them. This is when all hell broke loose at our house.
And yes, that's an empty pizza box in the bottom right corner.....because I was too damn lazy to a) cook the night before and b) to put it in the recycling before I started cooking. I know, completely ridiculous. Anyway, some yummy goodness came out of it all, like this granola.
After baking brownies, peanut butter cookies, this granola, blueberry muffins, chocolate cheerio trail mix and pumpkin apple bread, I made up 8 boxes and headed to the outlaws where we dealt with extended family and friends; always a great treat. My family is crazy in a funny sort of ha-ha way; his family is certifiably nuts in a "should be institutionalized" sort of way. Lots of yelling at their overgrown puppy that kept taking food off the table and discussions about pregnant dogs and their enlarged nipples. It was great.
It started innocently enough. I called the out-laws to check on the attendance for the Christmas Eve dinner. To my surprise, there were all sorts of people coming that I didn't know about.....and they all had gifts for the kid! "Oh, yeah, and Suzie from next door is coming with her second-cousin-twice removed. Just so you know, they're bringing a little something for Sydnie." So, of course, I feel obligated to bring something for them. This is when all hell broke loose at our house.
And yes, that's an empty pizza box in the bottom right corner.....because I was too damn lazy to a) cook the night before and b) to put it in the recycling before I started cooking. I know, completely ridiculous. Anyway, some yummy goodness came out of it all, like this granola.
After baking brownies, peanut butter cookies, this granola, blueberry muffins, chocolate cheerio trail mix and pumpkin apple bread, I made up 8 boxes and headed to the outlaws where we dealt with extended family and friends; always a great treat. My family is crazy in a funny sort of ha-ha way; his family is certifiably nuts in a "should be institutionalized" sort of way. Lots of yelling at their overgrown puppy that kept taking food off the table and discussions about pregnant dogs and their enlarged nipples. It was great.
Back at home, we told the kid that she had to let us sleep for 8 hours. We didn't care what time she got up, but she had to go to bed 8 hours before. So, she headed off to slumber at 10, but ended up bawling her eyes out in frustration over not being able to go to sleep. "How do people do this?? It's agony!!" she sobbed. I felt terrible for her so I laid down with her and ended up falling asleep myself. All well and good until I woke up at 12:30 only to realize that I still had to put one more coat of Mod Podge on her suitcase and wrap a few gifts plus stuff the stockings. First I tackled the suitcase and figured it would dry while I was stuffing stockings. It turned out pretty well.
After stuffing stockings, I decided I was far too tired to wrap gifts, so several ended up under the tree just as they were. We had a small stumble at 4am, but she went back to sleep after grabbing her stocking. As I peeled my eyelid open at 5:58, I could still hear her snoring and I smiled, foolishly thinking that she would sleep until at least 6:30.....a full 8 1/2 hours after going to bed.
At 5:59, a small finger repeatedly poked me in the shoulder while a little voice shout-whispered "It's 1 minute before 6!" The tree was opened before 7:30 and we then made the trip up north where my grandmother was her lovely self - slanderous remarks and all. Just the exclamation point I needed for my theme slogan this holiday season.
After stuffing stockings, I decided I was far too tired to wrap gifts, so several ended up under the tree just as they were. We had a small stumble at 4am, but she went back to sleep after grabbing her stocking. As I peeled my eyelid open at 5:58, I could still hear her snoring and I smiled, foolishly thinking that she would sleep until at least 6:30.....a full 8 1/2 hours after going to bed.
At 5:59, a small finger repeatedly poked me in the shoulder while a little voice shout-whispered "It's 1 minute before 6!" The tree was opened before 7:30 and we then made the trip up north where my grandmother was her lovely self - slanderous remarks and all. Just the exclamation point I needed for my theme slogan this holiday season.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Wow! Where Has The Month Gone?
Somehow, I'm stranded back in the beginning of this month.....not quite able to move forward. My holiday shopping is done but I'm still lacking the Christmas cheer.....I think I'm emotionally scarred from the shopping incident way back. However, rather than rehash old news, I thought I would fill you all in on the latest and greatest run-in I've had with people in public.
This morning, after digging out from yet another storm, I stopped at the local ghetto-gas station to get a cup of tea on my way to work. It's 8:30 and when I pull in to the gas station, I'm not late....not even close. Just as I step up to the counter to pay for my $1.85 cup of tea, a man cuts in front of me. Here's what he has in his hands:
How he pays?
Of course, I had only my debit card, so I wasn't able to just throw cash on the counter and leave. No, I had to wait for the cashier to painstakingly count out $16.67 in dimes and nickels. The man protested, claimed he had it all there....he wouldn't lie. But the cashier insisted that someone else had told her that, and he was $0.50 short goddammit!
After she gave him his 3 pennies and bid him farewell, she gave me my total of $1.85 and said, "What the hell is wrong with these goddamn perverts anyway? Dimes and nickels.....you know, he's lucky I took that. Most places wouldn't take that......"
I tuned her out, entered my PIN number and said, "Merry effing Christmas."
This morning, after digging out from yet another storm, I stopped at the local ghetto-gas station to get a cup of tea on my way to work. It's 8:30 and when I pull in to the gas station, I'm not late....not even close. Just as I step up to the counter to pay for my $1.85 cup of tea, a man cuts in front of me. Here's what he has in his hands:
- A porno magazine
- A 6-pack of Miller Light
- A pack of Paul Mall cigarettes
- (2) $1 scratch tickets
How he pays?
- Several fistfuls of dimes and nickels
Of course, I had only my debit card, so I wasn't able to just throw cash on the counter and leave. No, I had to wait for the cashier to painstakingly count out $16.67 in dimes and nickels. The man protested, claimed he had it all there....he wouldn't lie. But the cashier insisted that someone else had told her that, and he was $0.50 short goddammit!
After she gave him his 3 pennies and bid him farewell, she gave me my total of $1.85 and said, "What the hell is wrong with these goddamn perverts anyway? Dimes and nickels.....you know, he's lucky I took that. Most places wouldn't take that......"
I tuned her out, entered my PIN number and said, "Merry effing Christmas."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)