Insurance

I am one of those incredibly lucky people to have 100% employer-provided health insurance.  I have high co-pays (how I miss the $3 and $9 co-pays for prescriptions, sigh, military healthcare) but I appreciate that I don't have to pay a monthly premium.  What I don't appreciate is the stupid, ridiculous, complex, confusing categories, limits, out-of-network craziness.

I was so excited the stupid thing was coming out of my arm and I would have Thanksgiving break to give my wrist a bit of a wrist.  Then I got a call from the doctor's office about the cost of the surgery center.  I have a $4,000 out-of-network deductible.  That means I pay 100% of all kinds of things until I hit my deductible, which is also my out-of-network out-of-pocket max.  Once I hit that number, insurance takes over and I don't have to pay a dime.

Thanks to what shall now be known as The Bizarre Medical Events of 2011, I hit my in-network out-of-pocket max months ago.  I was so excited.  Giddy with glee, I made doctor appointments left and right.  Okay, not really, but that's only because once you've been examined every which way, there really aren't more appointments you can make.  I am, however, hoping I don't have to pay my co-pays for my medicine, in which case, I will be filling 3-months worth of my $60+/month prescriptions right around December 31st.  Muah ah ah ah ah ah.  Take that, evil insurance company. 

Imagine my surprise when the doctor's office informed me the surgery center is out-of-network so I can't go there.  Oh, really?  The surgery center wn't accept cash money?  Interesting.  I eventually got to the root of the issue after talking to three different people.  I thought I understood it all, but when I tried to explain it, I got confused again.  Long story short, I'm not going to the surgery center, but hospital is in-network, so I was going to go there on Dec. 5th until I got another call from the doctor's office rescheduling the surgery for Dec. 1st at a different, in-network surgery center.


Is your head spinning?  It should be.


Then I had to deal with the school.  I'm supposed to have an exam on Dec. 2nd.  Yeah, that's going to need to be moved.  Oh, and I'm going to need some extra time on my exams too.  Something tells me I won't be able to type quite as fast as normal since my right hand is going to be in a cast/splint. 


All this because of some stupid bump in my wrist. 


Good news:  I'm almost completely out of having to pack my own apartment and help with moving.  Almost too convenient, isn't it?  It's quite an elaborate scheme just to get out of the responsibilities of moving.  I'm sure no one suspects a thing.

Love Me Some Monday

I love me some...

FSU Seminoles.  I don't care if for the majority of the game on Saturday we had more yards in penalties than total offense.  It doesn't matter to me that my top contender for MVP was John Brantley, UF's quarterback (before he was taken off the field with what was probably a concussion), for his fabulous turnovers, two of which we turned into touchdowns.  I'll forgive our players that caused at least one, if not two, TDs to be returned because of penalties.  Heck, I'll even forgive Greg Reid for being a bonehead and somehow getting us a penalty when he wasn't even playing because he decided to run on the field with his helmet off and get in some guy's face after that guy tossed our player, who was out of bounds, like a ragdoll.  We beat UF.  For the first time since the '98/'99 seasons, we have defeated both of our biggest rivals - University of Florida and University of Miami (FL) - two years in a row.  We are the football champions of the State of Florida, which is arguably one of the best states for football.  It makes me so happy.

Adele.  She's so fabulous to listen to while I'm supposed to be studying for my Fed Tax exam but am blogging instead. 

Juicing.  My little sister loaned me her juicer since she has moved home for a few months and my parents already have a juicer.  This morning I had apple-carrot juice for breakfast.  Delicious.

Holiday Discount Shopping.  40% off my favorite protein shakes, face cream, and so much more?  Yes, please!

Hope you're loving yourself some things today too.  Happy Monday, everyone!.

Thanksgiving

Yesterday was a great day and we had lots to be thankful for.  Of course, Ryan and I are thankful for our families that will soon be uniting.  In fact, exactly four months from today, we will be celebrating our first full day as husband and wife. 

It was fitting that Thanksgiving was the first time Ryan and I saw his cousin JD.  JD was in a horrible accident a couple of months ago.  A car turned into an intersection and JD, who had the right-of-way, ran smack into the car.  There was nothing he could have done and it was in no way his fault, but his motorcycle wound up totaling the car.  Can you imagine?  He and his motorcycle totaled a car.  I'll spare you most of the details, but one leg was broken, the other dislocated, he had to have some reconstructive work done on his face, and he had several surgeries to repair the damage to his jaw, legs, wrist, and broken back.  That JD survived is a miracle.  The fact he was up, walking, and has suffered no brain damage (other than some memory loss from the accident and the few days following), is unbelievable.  JD's favorite part was that even though he can't open his mouth all the way, it's no longer wired completely shut.  Perfect timing so he could enjoy the Thanksgiving feast and start working on regaining the 50 pounds he has lost. 

I may not be thankful that I'll be spending the rest of the weekend studying, but I'm thankful I have the opportunity to further my education, and seeing what JD survived certainly puts it all in perspective.

Most Studious Puppy

Saturday Ryan had his four-hour mock trial for his Trial Advocacy class.   Each student is responsible for obtaining and prepping a witness based on the packet of information they are given. 

Guess who Ryan asked to be his witness. I'll give you a hint:  me.

I had six pages of questions and answers Ryan wanted me to memorize as well as I could, in addition to knowing all of the facts provided in the packet in the form of my "previous testimony."  Ryan sent me a draft of what he wanted me to say on Thursday night and I was sent the final draft after 11 am on Friday night.  Trial was at 9 am Saturday morning. Thank goodness Isabella helped me learn my part. It was hard to let her down gently and explain she wasn't going to be the witness.  Look how studious she was!

 

Poor thing, she worked so hard to learn Detective Snow's part and then she wasn't invited to the party.  It's even more sad because she has a party dress for just such occasions.

 

So cute I can hardly stand it.

I would go on about the trial, but I'm sure you don't want to hear me gush about what an amazing job Ryan did, so I'll keep it to myself.

Hope you had a happy Monday and a fabulous weekend!

Sure, Why Not?

Wanna hear something fabulous?  I'm scheduled for surgery the day before Thanksgiving.  Sounds fun, right?  What could possibly be more fun than that?  Perhaps surgery three days before Christmas?  Oh, right, I have one scheduled then too.

Super-fun, right?

I went to see a new specialist about my stupid wrist this afternoon and the first date suggested for surgery was the Wednesday between my first and second finals (which are on Tuesday and Friday).  That's not going to work.  When he offered to squeeze me in right before Thanksgiving, I knew we had a winner.

I'm going to be in a cast for two weeks after surgery.  Engagement party is Dec. 17th.  We certainly couldn't have me in a cast at my engagement party.  I might have bought myself something sparkly for the occasion.  It's possible I have the dress in the first picture hanging in my closet right now.  Fun as it might be, I don't think I need to dress up my cast like this:

This is from my joint birthday party with my former roommate.  

She had surgery on her finger.  We had a table reserved at a bar and a limo.

You can't have an informal cast in a limo. It's just not right.

If it's possible to have too much sparkle, the sequin cast cover with the sequin dress might be too much.  But it's not possible to have too much sparkle, so we're good.

So, I'm having surgery immediately before Thanksgiving and again right before Christmas.  Why not?  What about that sounds like a bad idea?  The fact that I'll be trying to type my exams with a cast on my hand?  Nah.

Need I Say More

Classes for the semester are OVER.  D-O-N-E, done.  Stick a fork in them.  Tie a bow on the semester because that's a wrap.  Oh, wait, I still have exams.  Not going to let that minor detail stop the celebration.  Woo Hoo!  There's a light at the end of this tunnel.

Not Pippa!

Remember how I was going on and on about how leggings aren't pants?  Yesterday afternoon, the same friend that sent me the Are You Wearing Pants Decision Tree sent a link to this article.  The epidemic has spread.  If the Duchess of Cambridge starts wearing them, you'll be able to knock me over with a feather.  Quick, quarantine her before it spreads!

What's worse is I had just finished reading an article about how clothing June Cleaver would approve of has come back into fashion (I'm not a huge fan of the cat-eye glasses, but I love Grace Kelly and the look of that era).  I thought things were looking up.  Now I'm afraid they'll only get worse.  Before you know it, we'll have people wearing yoga pants to church and pajamas to the office. 

I am absolutley not the most together person 100% of the time.  Sometimes I don't finsh putting on my makeup or doing my hair.  I love wearing flats because my feet don't always love heels.  My wardrobe desperately needs an update.  But I'm working on it. I've even started wearing heels while doing housework (more on that another day).  Yes, I may wear sweat shorts all weekend while I'm at home cleaning and doing housework, but I put on pants when I actually get dressed.

This is a sad, sad day.  I think it calls for a moment of silence.

I'm Thinking About Asking You to Marry Me But

"I'm thinking about asking you to marry me but..." these are words that were actually used to start a conversation.  One of my professor's told us that her ex-boyfriend called her one time, and after he started with that, the conversation ended with two words she said she would not repeat in class.  My answer involved four words, "thanks but no thanks."

Acceptable ways to finish that sentence include:
1.  I really don't know what type of ring you want.
2.  (I'm still trying to come up with another appropriate ending but I'm sure there are a few out there)

There are more unacceptable ways to finish that sentence than I want to begin to get into.  Can you imagine someone calling you up and daring to utter those words?  I can't. 

What about you, what's the most shocking thing anyone has ever said to you? 

I was about to get up on my soap box and go on about Kim Kardashian's 72-day marriage, pre-nup, and the whopping year she knew her husband before filing for divorce, and similar "what's wrong with society today" stories , but I refrained.  You're welcome.

Love Me Some Monday

Let's just get one thing straight - I do not love Mondays.  In fact, of all thedays in the week, Monday is my least favorite.  There are, however, lots of things I love.  Perhaps if I spend Mondays focusing on all the things I love, I won't hate Mondays themselves so much.

Love me some:

1.  Ryan, obviously.  He's warm, funny, smart, and about a million other things.  I can't wait to be his wife so he's stuck with me forever.

2.  Family time.  Ryan and I went over to my parents' house Friday night before heading to my boss's house to celebrate my mom's birthday.  So nice not to have things that needed to be discussed but just be able to enjoy everyone's company.

3.  Friends.  I have amazing friends.  What more can I say?

4.  Thanksgiving.  I can't wait to stuff myself full of side dishes.  Seriously, it's going to be great.

5.  Rue La La.  Three Christmas presents already down thanks to Rue La La.  One of them may have originally been purchased more with myself in mind, but I justified it by saying I would probably use it for a gift.  Luckily most of the time I'm able to resist the urge to shop, shop, and shop some more.

What do you love yourself some of? 

Happy Birthday to Mommers

Today is my Mommy's birthday.  She is also known as Mommers, Anettey-Woo-Woo, Crazy Lady, and Mommy-kins.  Annette was blessed with five crazy kids, and while I don't know how all the nicknames started, they have certainly stuck.  If you saw us all together, you'd never think we grew up in a strict Roman Catholic military household.  I call my dad "Dude" so much that Ryan will ask me "how's Dude doing?" after I talk to my parents.  We also routinely tease our parents just because we can and sometimes my mom likes to go to bed at 8:30.  Sorry, but she deserves to be called an old lady if she's going to go to bed that early.

Anywho, this morning I put on my Pandora station for the wedding music and a Tina Turner song came on (the only request my mom has made for the reception is that we play some Tina Turner).  Suddenly, it was like I was in our house in Virginia.  I remember Mommy putting on music while we were cleaning.  I made chores fun by pretending I was Cinderella and Mom made them fun by dancing around the house as she cleaned.  Yet again I was reminded I'm turning into my mother.

I often find myself singing at the top of my lungs or lip-syncing, even when I'm alone, to my favorite songs and dancing around the house while I cook, clean, or just hear a song that makes me wanna move.  Sure, I look like a lunatic, and Ryan thinks I'm crazy, but I can't help myself.  I am my mother's daughter and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Not Normal

This morning, I typed my notes for class for as long as I could with my brace on.  Then, my computer decided it didn't wan to recognize that it was plugged in and died.  Out came the handy-dandy notebook, and off went the evil, awful, horrible brace.  As I was writing my notes, pain was radiating down my arm.  Granted, my wrist has been hurting more than usual for the past few days, but I took Advil this morning and it should not be hurting.  Then I looked down and noticed the vein that runs from the side of your thumb, over the side of your wrist, and down your arm was bulging and was bright blue.  It was not kind of blue.  It was freakishly blue and more intense than the color of your veins on your arm where your elbow bends.  Oh, and in case you wonder what I mean by "bulging," think about guys who spend a lot of time at the gym and have huge veins all over their arms - that's what it looked like, but bright blue. 

Fanfreakingtastic.  Stupid cyst is even more painful than when it first appeared, I need to type and write for work and school, and now my whole arm is all kinds of freakish.  Surely, this is not normal, and I need to go back to the stupid doctor so he can tell me to continue to wait it out and eventually it will get better. 

But I'm not complaining.  My computer decided to start charging again so at least there's that.  Here's to focusing on the positive instead of making myself crazy and miserable with less than a month to go before I'm finished with my exams.

So Very Wise

I recently learned one of my friends has circled back to an ex.  The guy is nice enough but their last break-up wasn't pretty and I'm fairly certain they broke up a time or two that I wasn't told about.  Watching her get back with a guy I know is not good for her is difficult at best.  It's not that he's a bad guy, it's just that he's not right for her and he has messed up.  Big time messed up.  I'm torn between telling her exactly what I think, keeping my mouth shut, and being supportive but playing devil's advocate to let her reach her own conclusion about what's best for her. 

This is an interesting position for me to be in.  Not so long ago, I was my friend.  Getting back together with a guy I had broken up with, and who had broken up with me, numerous times.  My friends didn't like him.  My family didn't care for him.  Eventually, I realized why, and broke it off for good (though not necessarily in that order).  Six years later, I'm so glad I finally ended it and cut him out of my life completely.  I can't regret the choices I made with regard to that relationship because those choices led me to where I am today and I'm happy with where I am and the person I have become.  However, that doesn't mean I want my friend to go through what I went through to get where I am.  I want her to be able to take a shortcut and avoid the bad things but still end up with the good.  Now I know how my parents felt when I was dealing with a similar situation. 

A little bit older, and so very much wiser, I find myself in the same position my parents were in.  How do you make someone realize he or she is making a mistake?  Of course, you can't.  Absent circumstances where intervention is absolutely necessary, you have to take a step back and be there when the relationship ends so your friend has a shoulder to cry on. 

It's funny how history repeats itself.  I just hope it doesn't repeat itself with my children and they are smarter than their mother was.

Are You Wearing Pants?

With increasing frequency, people are routinely leaving the house without pants on.  Did you just gasp?  You should have.  I'm sure many of you have seen this strange trend and are just as horrified as I am.  Obviously, I am not concerned about people wearing dresses, shorts, skirts, or actual pants.  The people I am afraid for are those that seem to think tights, leggings, and yoga pants are actual pants and therefore perfectly reasonable everyday-wardrobe options. 

Enter my Pinterest love affair.  Perhaps more accurately, enter my friend Erin's Pinterest find. 

Am I Wearing Pants?

It would be handy if this was handed out to young ladies women.  Perhaps the education system has gotten so bad the pantless people don't even know what pants are.  Um, yeah, that's it.  

 

At the end of the day, I think it's really simple.  If you have to ask yourself if you're wearing pants, chances are really good you aren't. 

When Neighbors Attack

Saturday is in the running for the laziest day ever.  I managed to make it to the living room around 9:30 but hardly moved again until noon.  Lazy moments happen, and relaxed days are allowed, but doing nothing isn't really option for me.  Also completely out of the norm is me not showing up for something I've been planning on attending for about two months.  Specifically, I was supposed to participate in the Heart Walk for the American Heart Association.

Who or what is responsible for turning me into a zombie-like, lazy bum well into the afternoon?  The neighbors and their stupid parties.  The neighbors' antics as they went to and and from their apartments, seemingly unaware the concrete tunnels that serve as hallways magnify and carry sound.  The neighbors' guests yelling on the sidewalk just below my bedroom windows.  Yes, that's right, I blame the neighbors.

My apartment is over the gym and the common room.  Anytime someone wants to have a gathering too large for their apartment, I hear it.  Whenever someone wants to workout in the wee hours of the morning, I hear that too.  Most of the time, it's not a huge problem, but last night was out of control.  I'm fairly certain every international student at University of Tampa was gathered in the common room, with a few Americans mixed in for good measure.  This group loved it some dance music.  LMFAO and Britney are great for the gym, but I do not really need to hear them, or techno Adele, when I'm trying to sleep.

Finally, the party downstairs broke up and the party next door began.  Lucky me, my bedroom is right next to my neighbor's living room, and my bed is on the same wall as her couch (sarcasm font).  After at least thirty minutes, I couldn't take it anymore.  Over the next two hours, I banged on the wall, yelled for them to be quiet, stuck my head out the door and gave the people congregating in the hallway my best dirty look, and went outside at least two more times, begging and pleading for them to at least take the volume down a little.  Side note - wearing a wrist splint with a large piece of metal in it is excellent when you need to bang on your wall in an attempt to shush your neighbors.  Finally, at 4:12 am, I sent my friend Erin, who I was supposed to meet for the heart walk, an email warning her that I may not make it since I was supposed to meet her about four hours later.  I wanted to be there, but I knew if I did not fall asleep immediately after hitting send I would likely not actually wake up when I silenced my alarms and if I didn't fall asleep, I would not be in any condition to drive.

The last time I looked at the clock, it was around 4:45, and I could still hear the people next door, despite the feather pillows I was clinging to my ears.  Once I'm out, I'm out, but falling asleep with that much noise is almost impossible, even for me.  When the noise started up again Saturday night, I hightailed it out of my apartment and headed straight to Ryan's.  I couldn't take another night without sleep.  The neighbors are safe for now, but I make no promises things won't turn violent if there's a repeat of Friday night/Saturday morning.  On second thought, I think a bullhorn with a siren button or an air horn might be a smarter move--I don't think I want to wind up with prisoners for neighbors.

Pinterest Veggies

I, like most people that have been fortunate enough to discover it, am completely in love with Pinterest.  It's perfect for putting together wedding ideas, a wall of inspiration, keeping track of adorable outfits for the future little ones, and finding ideas for new, tasty treats to try.  I mostly do a lot of pinning and don't necessarily do anything with all of the things I pin, but all that changed when I tried two fantastic veggie treats.

Mine didn't turn out quite this pretty, but there was vegetable tian

and roasted sweet potatoes

You can find the recipes here and here.  I used less cheese on the vegetable tian since I'm still kind of detoxing and I cut back on the butter and brown sugar on the sweet potatoes, but they were delicious.  So fast, easy, and healthy, they'll make great lunches and snacks this week.  Food likes this makes me completely forget I used to really love meat.

Next up?  Maybe some

pumpkin cinnamon rolls

 

or maybe french toast souffle

 and I might even try these Dr. Pepper cupcakes

Pinterest might be a problem, but it's a good kind of problem to have.  Unless, of course, you're actually trying to get things done around the house or do schoolwork. 

Happy Halloween!

Halloween has come to mean one thing - Jell-O shots.  Yes, there are costumes, pumpkins, and all kinds of other things, but four years ago, I made Jell-O shots for my friends' now annual Halloween party, and except for last year when I couldn't make it to the party, I've made them every year. 

The Jell-O shot problem started when I made some for a fun day at the beach.  I looked everywhere for plastic cups with lids so the shots could go in a cooler without making a mess and the only place I could find them was Sam's Club, which is how I wound up with this:

Yes, you read that right, I bought a box of 2,000 to go with the box of 2,000 2 oz. cups I bought.  I assumed we would use them eventually and I could use them to take things like peanut butter for apples to the office.  Of course, I've never used them for anything other than Jell-O shots, but now that I've pulled them down again, maybe I'll portion out some snacks.

The cups with lids really are key.  You can stack them in your fridge, they're much easier to take than the ones in paper cups, and they're completely portable.  Next, we figured out that flavored vodka makes all the difference in the world.  We've gotten pretty creative in the past with flavors, having as many as four different types of vodka and I don't even know how many flavors of Jell-O.  If you want to keep things a little more simple, raspberry vodka is a good mix with most flavors (but strawberry Jell-O with watermelon vodka is at least one person's favorite). Depending on what flavors you want, you can use generic flavored gelatin, but you may be more limited in your flavor selection.

Once you have your vodka and Jell-O flavors picked out, it's time to lay out a bunch of your cups.  To save your counters, I recommend lining the cups up on a cookie sheet so if you spill while you're filling up your cups, the mess is contained and easily cleaned.  I started with about 30 cups, which was perfect for two boxes of gelatin.

With the boxes of Jell-O I picked, you were supposed to use boil one cup of water, dissolve the Jell-O in the water, and add one cup of cold water and ice (one cup total, not one cup of water and one cup of ice).  I used one cup of boiling water as directed, but substituted 3/4 cup of vodka with 1/4 cup of ice.  I also like to keep the vodka in the freezer, but that's a matter of personal preference.  I also double the recipe because it's faster to make one batch than it is two, and if you're going to be making big enough batches of any given flavor, there's no reason not to.  

With the cups lined up, I like to ladle the liquid Jell-O into a liquid measuring cup with a pour spout, and start pouring.  When you're filling up the cups, be sure not to make them too full or they'll be impossible for people to take.  I think about halfway, maybe a little more, is plenty big.  Then it's time to add the lids.

Take your cookie sheet or pan to your fridge, and start stacking.  I make mine at least the night before I need them, but they'll keep for weeks if you want to do your prep really early.  I think the longest we have kept them in the fridge was three weeks and they were still good.  Who knows how long they might keep.

Be warned - when you show up with just under 100 Jell-O shots and start passing them out because your friend doesn't have enough room in the fridge, you'll quickly become the life of the party.  You may also feel like you're at a frat party, but remember, you classed it up a bit with your flavored vodka and fancy cups, so you're totally fine. 

But I'm Right, Really I Am

Have you ever fallen victim to the overwhelming need to be right?  I have, just about every day of my life.  If I'm wrong about something, I'm quick to admit it, but when I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'm right, I often feel compelled to prove it to myself.  Sometimes I'll look something up after someone dared to disagree with me, just so I can confirm that I was in fact right. 

This is not a good trait when it comes to relationships.  Sure, it's great for a lawyer to speak to opposing counsel with a certain amount of confidence, but you certainly don't need to arm yourself with some sort of secret knowledge around your friends and family.  Nobody wants to feel like everything is some sort of a competition, especially when it's not, and I don't intend for it to be.  I just want everyone to have the right information.

While I normally never bring the subject up again, recently I have caught myself sharing my wealth of information with others.  Someone might have gotten an email the other night with three different links showing you write 2012 "two thousand and twelve" not "two thousand twelve" on a wedding invitation.  Then I had to delete the "I'm not crazy for thinking nicknames don't belong on wedding invitations" email before I hit send.  Someone made the mistake of bringing up the 2012 issue with me in person.  Caught off-guard and feeling defensive, I blurted out, "I have cites, I can show you that it's right.  I did not make it up."  I'm not so good at biting my tongue when I'm surprised.  Luckily, I don't think anyone was offended, especially since at least one person in the group was revisiting an issue I thought was discussed and dealt with. 

I'll be working on biting my tongue in the future, but sometimes I can't help it, especially when I'm right!

Super Secret Single Habits

I have some habits that others may find strange.  Most of these, however, are hidden from the world and can only be observed when I'm alone in my apartment.  Then there are those that aren't so secret, like my aversion to putting away clean clothes.  I know, it makes no sense, but I'll drape them over the back of a dining room chair when I pull them out of the dryer, they eventually make it to the bedroom, and then I often spent a week shifting the pile of clean clothes from the bed to the nightstand, and back again.  Luckily Ryan doesn't live with me so the clothes taking up about half of the bed isn't such a problem.  When I had my first apartment by myself, after a long day, I would sometimes pour myself a bourbon on the rocks (note, I would have A bourbon, not 12, and it wasn't every night) and sit on my porch to wind down before scrounging up some dinner.

None of super secret (or not so secret) single habits involve smoking.  So you can imagine my surprise when I came home to find this: 

The package of cigarettes was on the floor and the rag, which was definitely not mine, was on my kitchen island. The good news is, I'm not dramatic and I have absolutely no imagination, so it's not like I immediately began to wonder if someone was in my apartment or if I had a stalker who had broken in while I was at work.  Such thoughts never occurred to me.  No, I had called maintenance to fix a handle on my kitchen cabinets and fix one of my counters.  Maintenance was nice enough to leave me a couple of presents.  As I'm sure you can imagine, I was not too happy.  Luckily, the package was closed and there weren't any cigarettes left, meaning there's a good chance Isabella won't be waking me up in the middle of the night when she goes theough withdrawal and needs a nicotine fix.

Here's what I really want to know:  1) why would you KEEP an empty packet of cigarettes, 2) how do you not notice something like that falling out of your pocket or 3) why would you be pulling a package of cigarettes out while you're in my apartment, and 4) didn't your mother teach you to clean up after yourself?

My mother taught me to clean up after myself but, well, I'm single, I live alone, and you can't make me!

Mmmmm, cheese

I didn't just fall off the wagon this weekend, I lept head-first into a giant pile of cheese.   What type of wagon did you think I was talking about?  Anyway, cheese, glorious cheese, how I've missed you so.  For dinner on Friday I had baked brie, followed by a vegetable torte with cheese in it, and garlic macaroni and cheese.  It was heaven.  I don't even feel bad about breaking my detox. I had been so good about eating only what I'm supposed to, no matter how boring and repetitive it may be, but I just couldn't take it anymore. This girl needs cheese in her life. The important thing is I didn't go on a total food binge because of a willpower break in the moment; I knew I was going out with my in-laws and I watched what I ate all day so I could splurge that night. Another key element was portion control. The brie was split between four people, I let everyone try my meal, and I didn't finish my meal, I ate a little over half until I felt satisfied, then put my fork down and kept it down.

While the splurge may have been worth it, the way I felt afterward was not.  Nothing will make you feel quite like a heap of cheese when you haven't had any in a few weeks.   I just felt run down and about 10 pounds heavier.  This is not a mistake I will be making again anytime soon. Small amounts of cheese may be fine, but no more piles of it.  Moderation is key.  I'm back off of cheese, back on my detox diet, and looking forward to another cheat day I'm sure to schedule again, just not too soon.

A Girl Could Get Used to This

Lately I've noticed there is a lot more money in my checking account than usual at the end of each pay period.  This is particularly perplexing because I have been working less, not more.  Then it dawned on me - I haven't been eating out nearly as much as I used to.  I am a former member of the "I'm too busy, so I'll just eat out" club.  I was aware of the fact this did nothing but drain mt bank account but I didn't realize just how much I was spending until I quit doing it.

So with the extra money I put a little bit away, I pre-paid a little on a credit card I'll be using for Christmas shopping (love that negative balance and points from the card usage), and I splurged on a sequined number I'm hoping to wear to the engagement party.  I've been eyeing the sparkly goodness for a couple of weeks but I just couldn't pull the trigger until...I found it for half price.  Delightful!  I may have also purchased a watch and a ruffled cashmere scarf, both from Rue La La, and at least one of which may be a Chrismas present for someone else.

What an amazing thing this whole "cooking" and "making your own food" turned out to be.  In addition to watching the number on the scale gradually creep down, clothes in my closet starting to fit well again, and having extra money, I have beautiful new things in the mal and on their way to their new home.  I could definitely get used to this.

Now I'm off to the gym, as much as I hate the very idea of it, so I'll have amazing legs in that sequined mini that will be here any day now.  Damn you sequin obsession; damn you for hauling my butt out of this bed before 5:30 (but really, thank you).

I Might Have a Problem

I might have a very serious problem.  I am OBSESSED with sequins.  I've always liked things with a little sparkle, and a bow or a ruffle never hurt anyone, but I have now moved into full-blown sequin obsession.  The items I'm currently craving include:

 

via

 

I know, it doesn't have sequins, but I think it's perfect for lounging around the house, especially at this price

 

via

 

via

 

via

 

via

 

via

via

 

Do not ask me what crazy kind of 1980s soap opera I think I live in that I need all of these sequin outfits, and I know I may hate myself for loving them one day (or at least question my thought process), but I really think I need those sequins in my life.  Does it really matter that I don't have anywhere to wear these fabulous numbers?

However, even I have my limits and this is one sequined item I will not be caught dead in:

 

via

I know I don't need to tell any of you this, but if there are any full-timers out there (you know who you are), these are NOT pants.  They are leggings.  They will make your thighs look bigger than you ever thought possible.  Do not, I repeat, do not wear these with a shirt that doesn't even cover your butt. 

Puppy Monster

Isabella wanted me to tell you how good she's been while I've been studying.  This is a lie.

Isabella's idea of helping me study includes:

preventing me from seeing my computer screen

 trying to get me to play fetch by trying to lay on top of me

and parking herself practically on top of my notes and getting in my face

She's adorable but how am I supposed to get any work done?  Puppy monster clearly thinks it's all about her.

Somebody Must Be Joking

This summer I had not one, but three outpatient procedures to have a benign lesion removed.  About a week before procedure number three, I had two root canals on the same day.  I'm scheduled for another surgery (still outpatient but this time I'll be going under and recovery will be longer) in December, two days after my apartment lease is up, and not even a week before Christmas.  I'm not happy about all of this, but I have long since accepted it. 

On Wednesday, I was with my trainer when I felt a weird sort of popping in my wrist.  I look down, and there's a big bump on my wrist.  Not easily deterred, I continued working out for another 45 minutes.  Thursday I decided it was probably tendonitis or something and bought a better keyboard for typing and a bean bag for my wrist.  This morning, it was bothering me so much I finally went to the doctor.  Turns out it's not a tendon, I have a cyst.  Great news is I caught it early and the doctor said there's a chance it will go away without any sort of procedure.  All I have to do is wear this: 

for the next MONTH!

Surely, this is a joke.  Have you ever tried to type or staple with one of these things on?  Luckily, I don't type all day and I'm left-handed.  Oh, wait, I'm right-handed and I am on the computer ALL THE TIME.

At least there's an alternative treatment.  My FIL offered to whack me with the biggest book he can find.  Sounds super.

The New and Improved Breakfast of Champions

Gone are the days of my breakfast consisting of an ice cold Diet Dew.  Instead, I've replaced my highly caffeinated, artificially sweetened and colored beverage of choice with steel cut oats.  I know, it doesn't sound nearly as appetizing, but it's so delicious.  The quick cooking kind are perfect for someone on the go and usually a few minutes behind schedule.  I put a cup of water on to boil, add a 1/2 cup of oats, reduce the heat, stir for a minute, turn the stove off, and leave the oats there while I finish getting ready.   Right before I sprint out of the house to my car, I add about a tablespoon of almond butter, a hint of agave nectar for sweetness, some honey for flavor (just a tiny bit), and sprinkle with cinammon.  I'm lucky to have about a 6 minute drive to work in the morning so I take my coffe cup of oats into the office with me, and eat it at my desk while catching up on my morning emails.  The oats normally keep me satisfied until at least 12 and sometimes 1.  Not half bad.  And the best part is they're detox friendly.  I still crave the Dew from time to time but I haven't had one of those in weeks.  You should probably avoid me if I ever have one again.  Something tells me I'll be bouncing off the walls.

Detox, Day ?

I kind of started the detox, kind of not so much.  Part of the problem was Ryan had a Groupon to a Japanese steakhouse he'd been trying to take me to for a couple of months but we never had time and it was about to expire, so we went.  Then there was a total lack of proper planning on my part.  Oh, yeah, and I'm planning a wedding and we haven't picked a cake vendor so we have tastings lined up for tomorrow, and last night my parents invited Ryan and I over for dinner, and tonight we're celebrating one of my friend's birthdays so....I have a lot of excuses. 

Considering I haven't properly paid attention to what I was eating since I was in college, I don't think I'm doing so bad.  About 75% of the food I eat is detox friendly, some days my eating is almost perfect, and a I haven't had caffeine or artificial sweeteners in over a week.  I have promised myself that on Monday, after the cake testing is finished, before we plan any additional events, and long before Thanksgiving, I'll start in earnest.  Scout's honor, I will start, and strictly follow, the detox beginning Monday, October 10th. 

Why do I think I can stand the torture and stick with it?  Because even with the few modifications I've made, I can already feel a significant change in my body.  Gone is the mid-afternoon onslaught of overwhelming exhaustion, my stomach feels better, I have a little more energy (impressive, considering the lack of caffeine and narcolepsy), and I'm not hungry nearly as often.  It's amazing. 

Tonight, I'll toast my friend on the eve of her 30th birthday, and Monday I'll swear off the booze for a minimum of 30 days.  Thank goodness I don't have any tailgates planned until the Florida/Florida State Game Thanksgiving Weekend. 

Birds

Getting up early is for the birds.  The birds aren't even up yet.  I'm going back to bed. 

Fine, I'll stay up and get things done, but I'm not going to be happy about it. 

No Going Back

It's official - we aren't eloping or having just the tiniest of weddings.  Save the Dates were mailed late Friday, the mailman picked them up on Saturday, and our guests should be receiving their Save the Dates as early as today.  As we were taking them to the mailbox, Ryan made a joke about how he thought I had been putting it off because I was thinking about calling off the engagement.  I reassured him there's absolutely no hesitation about marrying him; I had been waiting on a few addresses and I wanted all of them to go out at the same time.  I also knew once the stack of envelopes sitting on my coffee table was put put in the mail, our chance to quasi-elope was gone for good.  Wonderful man he is, he said he never wanted to elope and he didn't think I really wanted to either.  Pause.  Awkward silence.  Ryan repeated himself.  Pause.  "I was waiting for you to say you don't really want to elope," he said. 

I knew exactly what he was waiting for and we joked about it, but I've not-so-secretly always wanted to elope.  I'm still waiting on the Catholic Vegas option that allows my father to walk me down the aisle.  If only such a thing existed.  No muss, no fuss, just me in my white dress, straight off the rack, and our friends and family, having suddenly appeared out of nowhere, there to celebrate with us.  No floral arrangements to think about, ties to pick out, or cakes to taste and design.  Were it not for the fact I really love my family and could not imagine starting my new family with Ryan without the rest of our families, and the whole Cradle Catholic thing, I would be perfectly happy hitting up a justice of the peace at the nearest courthouse with no one but Ryan by my side.

Alas, the envelopes were put in locked drop boxes and I couldn't go get them even if I wanted to.  Those envelopes are in the care of the U.S. Postal Service, in mailboxes, or perhaps there's even on in your hands right now (not now as I'm typing, but now as you're reading).  Guess it's too late to turn back now.  Not that I really would turn back if I could.  I'm a Gemini, and while one side of me may want the Vegas Chapel or courthouse option, the other side of me can't wait to walk down the long, red aisle towards the love of my life, with all our friends and family there to celebrate with us.  This time, the more traditional twin won, and I'm glad she did.

Holy HTML

I've been trying to customize my blog for quite some time now, but have never really had the time to dedicate to a full on makeover.  Yesterday, while watching my lectures for Entertainment Law, I decided to play around for a little bit.  Not.  Smart.

During my internet adventures, I found a site I thought was going to be the answer to my prayers.  Free design elements and a video showing me how to make the changes in HTML?  Yes, please!  Alas, because of the recent changes to blogger templates, I couldn't use the basic template shown in the video and the result was disastrous.  Hence the uber plain design you see today.  Some of the sites I found would help me with Blogger but extolled the virtues of WordPress.  Daisy extolled the virtues of WordPress when I first started my blog, but I thought I could figure everything out in Blogger without too much trouble.  Boy, was I wrong.

It turns out I am not the most technically savvy girl out there and I don't understand HTML.  Sure, I can fix all the computers in the office by telling people to make sure all their cords are plugged in, restarting their computers, and deleting and reinstalling printers, but that's pretty much day one of Kindergarten these days.  Now there's a thought--I bet I could hire a 6th grader to design my blog for Justin Bieber shirt.  The kids still like Bieber these days, don't they?

What do you think - Blogger or WordPress?  Have any tips, hints, or suggestions for me?

Delicious Lentils

I was given the original version of this lentil dish from a friend of a friend of the owner of a local restaurant.  It's not on the menu so I don't feel so terrible sharing my modified, detox-friendly version of it.  Here's what you'll need:

1 jar of pasta sauce
3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
4 cups of water
1 onion (I use Vidalia sweets whenever I can and this recipe is no exception)
6 whole cloves of garlic
1 bag (1 lb) of uncooked lentils
4 dried bay leaves
1 lb. of lentils (I use Publix green lentils)


Wash the lentils well (I like to check mine for small rocks too) and set them aside.  In a medium/large pot, combine everything but the lentils over high heat and bring to a boil.  Add the lentils and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft (about 45 minutes to an hour).  Remove garlic, onions, and bay leaves, and serve.


It's super easy, so delicious, and easy on the budget.  The last time I made the lentils, I might have forgotten how much water it called for and only used 1 1/4 cups (the recipe calls for a full cup of olive oil but I substitute some water for olive oil).  Oops.  While it was cooking, I gradually added a cup or two of water as needed.  The lentils weren't as soft but it was still delicious and you could eat with a fork if you wanted.  You can also add more than the 4 cups of water the recipe calls for if necessary.


Normally, I add some fresh Parmesan to mine, mix it in, and sometimes pop it in the microwave to make it melt, but I won't be doing that until I'm finished with the first 30 days of detox.  It's great as a meal or a side dish and freezes really well if you need something fast and healthy on hand.  Sorry there aren't any pictures, I made it late in the day and was so sleepy and hungry and I forgot.  Next time I post a recipe, I'll try to remember to take some pictures for you.

Happy National Coffee Day

To all the coffee lovers out there, especially Classic With a Pop and Spot of Jo, happy national coffee day.  It's a good thing I'm not a coffee lover because this would be one heck of a day to start my detox.  Could you imagine?  So have a cup of caffeine for me, my friends, I really need it today.

Grocery Cart Judgment

Have you ever stood in line and judged someone based on what's in their grocery cart?  I was in line at Publix for what felt like nine hours yesterday and I caught myself scrutinizing the woman in front of me based on what she pulled out of her cart.  First, was the giant package of chicken breasts--guess her family is having chicken tonight.  Next, there were cans of green beans, which I love, so I thought about going and getting some for myself.  I saw a few Publix brand things, meaning she's probably at least a little bit of a saver, and based on that rock on her hand, it's working out pretty well for her.  And then the real judging started.

I saw the Gatorade in her cart and at first, thought it was for her.  She was in running shorts, so maybe it was for her.  Next, a six pack of small Doritos bags.  She's feeding her children that?  The chips, along with the tiny packages of goldfish, must be for her children's lunches.  Apparently, it's not chicken and green beans, or other healthy items for those kids all the time.  Then she pulled out the Gatorade and I realized it was small bottles, so those probably go with her children to practice or school.  Really?  With all of those artificial colors?  Excuse me while I judge some more. 

In the span of 15 minutes, I had decided all kinds of things about a woman based on a few purchases at the grocery store, during what was clearly a supplemental trip for her, not a big full on trip to the store to stock up.  Funny how a little less than a week of starting to cut things out of my diet suddenly gave me the right to feel superior because of the chickpeas, lettuce, and other healthy selections in my shopping cart.  Nothing artificial for me, thankyouverymuch.  Never-mind what a stranger would have thought about my cart two weeks ago, what with all the frozen meals, diet soda, and less than 100% healthy snack selections, I am now a healthy shopper and I won't be giving my children all that artificial stuff.  Shame on me.  I mentally apologized to this stranger in front of me and vowed to think nicer things about people.  Okay, fine, I'm not turning into a saint overnight, but at least I'm trying to be a better person.  Besides, surely I'm not the only person that has been caught being the grocery store judge?

Detoxing My Life

Earlier this month, I signed up with my co-worker's trainer, Kara.  Two days my new workout buddy Jess and I pay to have Kara torture us.  Along with kicking my booty, Kara gives me looks when I bring in my ever so slightly tinted water, and judges.  She's not judging from a bad place, she is wondering what I have in my water, why it's in there, and why I can't just drink plain old water, or at least water without any artificial sweeteners in it.  That slight tint to my water is the single packet of lemonade flavoring I use, but it's made with real sugar and I only use one packet in my 1.5 L bottle (each packet says it's for 16 oz.) and I normally fill it back to the top when I get halfway so I don't feel so bad about it.  Unfortunately, this was the beginning of the end for almost all of my favorite foods.

Kara and I began talking about all things I'm supposed to eat (or, perhaps more accurately, not eat) and why I'm supposed to eat them.  Eventually, she sent me a packet.  Not just any packet, the packet of evil.  It encourages me to eat whole foods and eliminate almost every food that brings joy to my life, including caffeine, cheese, and artificial sweeteners--not that artificial sweeteners actually bring me joy but avoiding the feeling of sugar on me teeth does  For 30 days I am supposed to completely avoid all of these things I love.  30 days of no bread, alcohol, or gluten.  Then, for 60 days, I am allowed to add in each of the forbidden fruits foods I have eliminated one at a time, and see how my body reacts.  The idea is I will break myself of the habit of eating all those things I'm not supposed to eat and other foods I will choose not to eat because of the way I feel when I re-introduce them to my diet.  Doesn't that sound like super fun?

It may not be fun but I'm going to do it, or at least a modified version of it, anyway.  Time to remove the toxins from my diet and see how it affects me.  People who have done it swear I will have more energy, I will feel better, and my body will change rapidly as I rid it of the processed foods it has been clinging to.  I like that this "detox" isn't one of those crazy juice fasts that pretends I'll be full and won't want to actually put food in my mouth and chew it.  This involves me eating real food and doesn't necessarily limit the amount I can eat (even though I'm really only supposed to eat 3-4 oz. of protein per meal, one serving of carb, one serving of fruit/vegetable, and if I want more, I can go back for more vegetables).  The hardest part, aside from not having any caffeine or dairy, is going to be eating whole foods, which means I won't be pulling something out of the freezer and tossing it in the microwave.  I'm going to have to go to the grocery store, buy fresh foods, prepare meals, and take them with me to work and school.

This new motivation to alter my eating habits has also caused me to want to remove some of the other toxins in my life.  In particular, I'm trying to let go of some of the stress, the things I cannot control, and the mess in my house.  I've already started throwing out the clothing I will never fit into again (my torso isn't getting any shorter and shirts don't get longer), or haven't worn in year, pitching junk I keep thinking I might use one day or I seem to have some inexplicable sentimental attachment to, and Ryan has been helping me get rid of old textbooks and study aids.  I feel better about it already. 

The best part about posting I'm going to at least work on eliminating some of those foods from my diet, is now there's some accountability.  I'll be able to post delicious new recipes I've tried (at least I'm hoping they're delicious) and tips and tricks I discover about eating whole food, without going broke, when I have no time.  Anyone else want to join me?  Come on, you know you don't really want to eat any of the foods you love the most.

Shopping I Shall Go

Two of my MIL's very sweet friends are throwing us an engagement party in December.  Yes, December is jam packed, but I just couldn't turn them down.  Crazy as we are, the party is going to be exactly one week before Christmas Eve.  I'm sure I won't be running around looking for Christmas presents, trying to finish moving, or swamped at work.  Considering finals are over the 14th, my lease is up the 20th, and I'm having surgery the 22nd, there really won't be much time for shopping between now and then.  In order to save myself a panic attack, I've decided to do my Christmas shopping early this year.  Humorous, I know, considering I almost never do anything early, but maybe it will actually happen this time.

Seriously, who doesn't love an excuse to go shopping?  I've been trying not to shop too much, but this won't be for me, it's for others, so it's totally allowed.  Of course, I'll need a new dress for the party, so I can buy something for me.  Oh, and with the new dress, I'll probably need new shoes and maybe a piece of new jewelry...or two.  Since I'll be in recovery from surgery for about a week, maybe I should get some new PJs too.  Naturally, I'll need new slippers to match my PJs.  Since I don't know what to get for anyone yet, I'll have to do some serious window shopping, which will most likely lead to me spotting more things for myself.  But again, my intentions are pure so it doesn't really count as shopping for me.  How could I get my Dad tea that I haven't tried before to make sure it's good?

I promise, this really did start with me thinking about doing my shopping for presents for other people, but it's probably going to end with Ryan having a heart attack, despite the fact I will be bargain hunting, when he stumbles upon receipts.

Most Productive Morning Ever

This morning, my first class of the day was cancelled.  Being the studious person I am, I jumped up early and went to the library and worked until my second class began.  (It was fun to pretend that was true for a minute.)  Instead of getting up early, I waited until about 7:30 to pull myself out of bed, started doing school work, and decided I wasn't going to waste my time driving all the way to Gulfport for just one class.  I would spend about as much time traveling as I did in class and it didn't seem so productive to me at 8:30.  Determined to really be productive, I finished watching my lectures for my online class, printed out about half of the reading, and went downstairs to the gym so I could exercise and read at the same time.  Super productive, right?  There's nothing quite like an hour in the gym and finishing most of a week's worth of work for a class all before 11.  Before heading into the office, I also managed to paint my toenails, get all dolled up for work (I did my hair AND my make-up and even put on heels), and do a load of laundry.  The best part is, it still feels like morning to me so I think I've been even more productive than I actually have.  You can get so much accomplished when you don't have to work until 1:30 in the afternoon and you get to leave at 6:30.  I think this should be the new workday - 1:30-6:30.  Sounds fabulous, doesn't it?

91 degrees

In case you're wondering how hot it is in Tampa today, the answer is 91.  Yes, it is late September, and it is 91 degrees outside.  This is impressive considering when I looked up the weather, it said the hi for today is 89.  It's also sunny and gorgeous out, but I'm stuck in my office and far from able to really enjoy the day.  I did get to take Isabella out to play fetch but the beautiful weather is even less enjoyable when you're in close toed shoes, black pants, a cardigan, and a tank top.  With all those layers on, I only lasted about 10 minutes and then rushed inside before my face melted off.  You're probably thinking that's a lot of clothing to be wearing in what must be the middle of summer, but I don't have much of a choice unless I want to wear a parka in my office, which is kept at a ridiculously chilly 72.  No joke, my engagement right is about two sizes too big when I'm at my desk and I routinely put my heater on my desk, pointed in the direction of my very chilly fingers.

At times like these, I like to remember the Blizzard of '96.  We were in Virginia and the news was a constant loop of weather reports, discussions of cabin fever, and warnings that traffic was either non-existent because the roads had not yet been cleared or backed up for days because of the weather related accidents.  Right then and there I swore I would never move so far north as long as I could help it.  I was 12 and miserable. 

In about 3-4 months, when all my friends that don't live down here are miserable, I will relish the fact I can run outside in jeans and maybe a light sweater.  Then I will remember why I live in Florida.  But right now, J.Crew is just adding insult to injury with its emails about big discounts on sweaters.  Justifying the purchase of a big, soft, and absolutely delightful sweater is a little hard right now.  Maybe I'll be able to talk myself into it when it starts snowing in my office.

Baby Fever

I think there's something in the water.  Several of my friends (who shall remain nameless and are probably not who you think they are anyway) have recently been discussing having babies.  Within a matter of weeks, three of them told me they had already begun trying, were probably going to be trying within a couple of months, or as soon as they get back from that really fabulous vacation they want to go on before they have a baby, they'll be working on having a baby. 

I may have missed the wedding spree that so many people go through shortly after college, but there's a very good chance my friends will be having babies around the same time.  This is a good news/bad news situation.  Good news - I'm so unbelievably happy for my friends, especially the couple referenced above that just told me they're expecting.  More good news - I will be able to buy lots of cute baby things, which I love to buy anyway.  Best news - at some point in time, each of those babies will be stolen, by me, even if only for a short period of time so I can hold them and play with them and get my baby fix.  Bad news - with all of these babies around, it makes me want one of my very own even more than I already do.  It doesn't really matter that I'm not even married yet, work full time, am in law school, and between the two of us Ryan and I will have oodles of student loans, does it?  How hard could it be to bring the baby to work and school, get all of my work done, and play with the baby all the time?  I don't sleep anyway so it would be perfect!

Who's with me?  All aboard the crazy train!

Okay, fine, I'm not really going to run out and set-up a nursery (even though we will have an extra bedroom in our new place, which doesn't really need to be used as our office), but that won't stop me from dreaming of the day when I'm able to hold my very own bundle of joy in my arms for the first time.  Until that day, which is a long way away, comes, I'm going to continue to be happy for my friends and buy and make them LOTS of baby things.

Let Go and Let God

Words of wisdom so often spoken but so often followed.  Sometimes, you just need to let things go and know God will take care of you and everything else.  I'm not talking about the story of the woman in the rising flood waters who refused the help of others three times by saying God would take care of her, I'm talking about the day to day little things that can make you crazy if you don't just let them go. 

Today, I'm vowing to, at least every once in a while, let go and let God.  He may not always tell you what you want to hear and things may turn out according to His plan and not yours, but that's something I can live with.  He's done a good job so far, I think it's safe to put my faith in Him.

Super Saturday

Every now and again I become delusional and think I am Superwoman and will be able to accomplish everything on the most ridiculous to do list you've ever seen.  Today is a perfect example.  My plans for today include doing all my laundry, vacuuming, buying Isabella a new toy to tear up at my friend Erin's house (so Isabella will leave us alone and not go after the one stuffed animal she managed to find last time we were over there), returning the bridesmaids' dresses we will not be using to J.Crew, finishing my Entertainment Law homework in time to go to Erin's, and going to the gym.  Did I mention I also think I'm somehow going to have time to do wedding things like finish addressing the save the date envelopes, complete the addresses spreadsheet, and cut down the information cards that are going with the save the dates?  Oh, yes, and I want to make banana bread with the bananas that are finally ready.  And, if I have time, I'm going to Church tonight at 5:30 instead of going tomorrow before Ryan and I go to brunch or tomorrow night.

Apparently, I am the only person on Earth who has figured out how to clone themselves not just once but twice because it will take three of me to get all that done.  Think I'm going to have to prioritize that list, be willing to let some of it go, and multitask unlike anything you've ever seen before.  The wedding things I can do at Erin's while watching FSU beat play Oklahoma (fingers crossed, y'all, I'm not jinxing it).  Banana bread, delicious as it might be during our pj game watching party, will probably have to wait until tomorrow, as will Church and vacuuming.  That just leaves me with school, the gym, a trip to Petsmart, and running by the grocery store to pick up an appetizer for tonight.  Of course, I'll also have to find time to shower and get ready, but we'll pretend I don't take at least an hour to get ready to go anywhere.

I like to be busy but this is getting to be a bit much.  Anyone else have a rather ambitious day planned?

P.S.  I was writing this while on hold with Verizon trying to get my cable picture to stop being boxes and lines of picture going in and out.  You know what I'm talking about, right?  I didn't have a chance to publish the post before the technician got on the line.  After a series of calls totaling about 30 minutes, he's sending a technician to my house to fix the problem sometime before five.  Vacuuming is going to have to go back on my to do list.  And with that, my plan for the day was shot before 10 am.

The Story in the Numbers

September 11, 2001, is a day that will live in the memory of the collective conscience of America.  The images of that day have been seared into the memory of so many of us forever.  I know I will never forget where I was when I first heard the news (on my way to circus class) or how I spent the day (trying to reach my sister who lived in NY at the time and my Dad who normally went to DC for work).  And so today, inspired by all of the news coverage, I decided to find out exactly how many people had died in the attacks, but found so much more.  Here's the day in numbers:

• 3,051 - estimated number of children who lost a parent
• 2,976 - total number of people killed in the attacks of 9/11
• 2,349 - number of civilians who were killed
• 1,609 - number of people who lost a spouse or partner in the attacks
• 1,402 - number of employees who died in the Tower One
  
• 614 - number of employees who died in the Tower Two
• 343 - number of firefighters and paramedics killed
• 253 - number of crew members and airline passengers that were killed  
• 200 - number of funerals attended by Rudy Giuliani in 2001
• 125 - civilian and military personnel killed in the attack on the Pentagon
• 115 - number of countries who lost citizens in the attacks
• 37 - number of Port Authority police officers killed
• 23 - number of NYPD officers killed
• 20 - the percentage of Americans who knew someone hurt or killed in the attacks
• 19 - the number of terrorist hijackers
• 1,506,124 - tons of debris removed from Ground Zero 
• 99 - number of days fires continued to burn after the attack
• 98 - number of FDNY vehicles destroyed
• 4 - the number of planes hijacked
• 4 - number of countries the terrorists came from 
• 8:46 am - American Airlines Flight 11 was flown into the North Tower
• 9:03 am - United Airlines flight 175 was flown into the South Tower
• 9:37 am - American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon
• 9:59 am - time the South Tower collapsed
• 10:03 am - United Airlines Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, PA
• 10:28 am - time the North Tower collapsed
• 5:21 pm - time 7 World Trade Center collapsed
• 10 - number of years since our country was changed forever

And since the attacks, 

• 2,000,000 - number of Americans who have gone to war since 9/11 
• 77 - number of Americans killed this morning in the bombing of a base in Afghanistan
• 2 - number of commercial planes that were escorted to their destination by fighters after reports of suspicious activity earlier today

These numbers tell a story so much greater than they indicate at first glance.  The number of NY city personnel that died is really the number of people that ran towards burning buildings, with gaping holes in them, to help people leave the buildings and try to put the fires out.  Imagine that for just a moment.  As people fled from the towers, those brave men and women ran in and began climbing to reach those who were unable to help themselves.

The number of children who lost a parent are girls whose fathers will never walk them down the aisle.  Boys whose mothers won't be there to straighten their ties before every major event in their lives.  Some of those children have memories to hold onto while others have only pictures and stories of the ones they were never able to love while they were still with us. 

The number of hijackers is the number of people who were willing to destroy the lives of so many people.  While more were involved in the planning of the attacks, these individuals actually boarded the planes with the intent to fly them into buildings filled with civilians and kill thousands of innocent people.  Yes, some of the men and women killed were military personnel and they had all agreed to give their lives, if necessary, in the defense of our great nation,  but this was hardly the type of situation in which you would imagine our soldiers might die.  I cannot imagine the evil that was involved in convincing those young men to commit murder on such a large scale.

But there are some things the numbers will never be able to provide.  The numbers cannot tell you how the widow of a NY firefighter feels every 9/11, which is both her wedding anniversary and the anniversary of her husband's death.  They do not tell you how my brother, who was just 7 when the attacks took place, was terrified to fly for several years after the attacks.  We will never know how many people fell to their death rather than remain in the smoke and flames that were engulfing them.  And although you can find the numbers for people that joined the military immediately after the attacks, the number of people who have lost their lives as the fight for freedom continues, and somewhere in some ultra secure location you could learn about the number of attacks that have been thwarted since that tragic day, the numbers cannot possibly begin to explain the horror of that day or the way it united us as a nation. 

Time and time again people say that we must never forget that day, but I don't know how anyone could ever forget it.  We will remember the events of 9/11/01, we will honor those that died, we will thank those who gave their lives or were willing to do so to save others, and we will rebuild the towers, but never will we forget.

The numbers above came from source, source, source, and source, and a report on Fox News.

4:30 in the MORNING

Isabella decided to wake me up around 1 am.  I think she was scared of the thunderstorm that was rolling through.  Then, she decided to wake me up just before 4:30 so I would take her out to the bathroom.  Correction, so I would take her out in the pouring rain and she could refuse to actually go to the bathroom.  She would barely even go on the covered stairs.  Once we were downstairs, she ran as close to the wall as possible, avoiding the portion of the walkway that was exposed to the elements, and eventually made a dash for the stairs.  Aware that my chances of getting any real sleep were dashed, I plopped on the chaise to give myself some time to wake up and wait for the rain to let up enough that I could take her out.  And then I smelled a fresh wet spot on the carpet.  Isabella, who refused to go outside just 20 minutes before (even though there are spaces where she would be mostly protected from the elements), had made a mess of the carpet.  If that won't wake you up, I don't know what will. 

Should you have any ideas on how to house train my already mostly housebroken 2 1/2 year old dog, I'd love to hear them.  This kind of craziness has to end or we'll never be able to get her a sibling. 

Raised by a Yankee?

Say what you will, but in my own personal opinion, no one does etiquette or teaches manners quite like a true Southerner.  Yes, there are polished people that live up North and I'm sure there are lots of them that are much more aware of the rules than some in the South, but I still think that overall, it's just a little different down South.

My Momma raised me right and I know that elbows are not allowed on the table, I'm never to chew with my mouth open, and I can properly set the table.  However, in preparing for the wedding, I've been reading all about the etiquette of things and how things should be done properly.  I'm happy to report that I was aware of several of the rules and had been following them thus far.  But there are a few things that I may have, well, I just had no idea.  For example, did you know that whenever possible, all children aged 13 and older who are still living with their parents should get a separate invitation?  And the only time you should have a long veil for a daytime wedding is if you're having a formal wedding.  Oh, and a train is also only appropriate for a formal wedding.  Having a semi-formal function?  A long dress and short veil are appropriate.  And for an informal wedding, I'm going to have to get a new dress.  Pretty much the only thing I got right with my dress and the type of wedding I want to have is the fabric.

Then I hit the section on men's attire.  Oh.  Dear.  Goodness.  The guidelines that were provided blew my mind.  I learned about the origin of the tuxedo and all the different cuts of jackets and then I had to put the book away before I made myself crazy.

Ryan has threatened to throw my book away.  He doesn't understand why anyone would care about etiquette anyway and thinks we should just do what we want and as long as it's reasonable, we'll be fine.  The horror.  Sorry, but the invitations will be properly addressed by hand, appropriate significant others will be included on the guest list, and you better believe the wording on the invitations will be spot on.

There is a lot I know but I still have a great deal to learn.  And the fact I didn't know about the 13 year old rule on the invitations and my mother suggested I include dependent adult children (read children that are in college and still mostly at home) with their parents' invitation has shaken me to the core.  I'm terrified my mother may actually be a Yankee.  She did choose to live in Boston.  What kind of crazy person would do such a thing?  I'll let you be the judge.

All kidding aside (my poor mother, she really does have excellent manners and is mostly on top of just about everything), I'm not sure if the rules are antiquated, were made to be broken, or almost everyone knows them and will be judging like I've never been judged before.  I'm not talking about basic manners in everyday interactions but is it really necessary to send three invitations to the home of my aunt and uncle who have two children in high school?  Ignorance is one thing but I feel like now that I've read the book, I really don't have a good excuse for not doing everything the way it is supposed to be done.  I certainly don't need my great-grandmother, of Jackson, Mississippi, rolling in her grave.