Things That Keep Me Up At Night

Last night, while I was reading for school on the couch and my father was in the recliner, he announced he was heading to bed.  I asked what time it was, and he practically jumped out of his chair as he realized it was 12:20.  A few minutes later, from down the hall, he suggested I go to bed too.  Gee, thanks, Dad.  Way to make me feel like I'm in high school again.  Oh, the joys of moving home when you're 28.

Seriously though, I told him I'd be going to bed soon.  And I did.  Then I wound up laying in my bed, ridiculously tired, but unable to sleep.  Sometime after 1:15, I drifted off. 

The next time I looked a the clock, it was just after 3.  Apparently, my body forgot that I have a sleep
disorder and I was wide awake.  At 3 am, with barely two hours of sleep, my body, which normally craves at least 10 hours of sleep, thought it was time to be awake.  What, you might ask, was I thinking about?  The first thought I remember, other than "oh dear goodness, it's only 3," was about the china coffee server I added to our registry last night. 

Yes, I was laying in bed, unable to fall back asleep, because I was debating whether to keep a china coffee server on our registry and if so, if the pattern I picked really is the closest match to my grandmother's china.  Apparently, my grandmother,who had 24 place settings and two of every serving dish, didn't have a china coffee server.  How did she serve coffee to her guests?  Did I mention that in addition to the 24 place settings, she had another set of really fabulous cups and fancy saucers that look like artist palettes?  Perfect for a sandwich or light snack at an afternoon tea. 

After I concluded the coffee server debate, I started thinking about what to hang on the walls of the apartment and where everything should go.  We have vaulted ceilings with a fireplace that's positioned where the ceiling comes to a point so it's a lot of space to think about.  Also, I think we really should add some peonies into the flowers at the reception.  They really would look lovely.

Serious world problems, y'all, very serious.

I recognize the insanity of not sleeping because you're thinking about wedding flowers and china coffee servers, but it's probably not going to stop me from thinking about them.  Even if I could stop thinking about them while I was awake, I would probably have nightmares in which giant coffee servers were chasing me down or I was surrounded by clashing china.  Great, I think just set myself up for another sleepless night...  Maybe I'll watch the news or some sobering documentary.  I'll probably sleep like a baby.

Negativity

Let me tell you how much I love political ad season.  I don't.

I don't want to get into the actual politics, and I'm not choosing sides, but it seems the ads have taken a turn for the negative, and I'm not a fan.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact Florida's Reublican primary is technically about to take place (we have weeks of early voting and vote-by-mail options so really, voting has been going on for quite some time), or maybe it's just"that time" in the campaign, but I wish it would stop.  I was about to vote for Romney based solely on the fact he had all kinds of positive ads on.  Pretty much, they all said nice things about him, and he always approved the mesage.  Now, it's a mess of Newt v. Romney and Romney v. Newt.  Most of the ads aren't approved by either candidate, but when one of them comes in at the end of the ad and gives his approval, I want to yell, "well you shouldn't have, you idiot."
Surely there's a way for everyone to get their points across without bashing the other candidates.  I'm not talking about something like "so and so has a more consistent record on such and such" or similar messages.  I'm talking about the ones where the candidates practically accuse each other of eating babies.  I mean, seriously now people.

There's enough garbage out there already.  Do we really need one of the two final candidates for president smeared?  Does he really need to attack his opponents?  I fail to see how this is good for our country.  And it's not just the Republicans.  The Democrats are equally guilty.  This year the difference is they's not duking it out in the primaries and turning on each other Lord of the Flies style.

In sum, I think I'll be voting for the next person that puts out something positive.  I'll be giving the candidates with negative ads demarits and the ones with positive ads gold stars.  Yes, that's my highly sophisticated, well-informed, very intelligent voting plan.  If they want to act like they're in elementary school and call each other names, I'm happy to treat them like it.

Jealous?

The news just told me this afternoon it will be 78.  The graphic with the weekly high temperatures said 82.  My biggest weather-related "problem"?  Deciding how to appropriately layer so I don't die when I'm outside and freeze to death inside.  Crazy Floridians are addicted to air conditioning and think it must always be at least 15 degrees colder inside than it is outside (unless it's 60 or below, when the heat is cranked up to 75+).  I am not one of those crazies.

Don't be jealous.  It's not like I'll be at the beach this weekend.  The high is going to drop to the low 70s, which is far too cold for this Tampa native to be outside in beach appropriate attire.

Two Months

Two months from today, Ms. becomes Mrs.  Along with the change in title comes a name change, which will be interesting considering I haven't even chosen what my name will be.  The last name is settled on, and was never really a question, but the middle name, well, that's still being debated (in my head, of course).  New name = new monogram = my towels, robe, and several other things will no longer be correct.  I've also convinced myself it means I can buy lots of new things and monogram them, just because I have a new monogram to use.  I've shown much restraint my entire life, but I firmly believe that if it doesn't move of its own free will, you should monogram it (and if your husband/fiance doesn't move fast enough, you should probably monogram him too). 

Poor Ryan, he's not going to know what hit him.  haha.

Best. Grilled Cheese. Ever.

On a trip to Crate & Barrel to look at everyday drinking glasses for our registry, Ryan and I found this little bit of deliciousness:

 

via

Ideal for grilled cheese, you say?  I was intrigued and obsessed even though I had not even tried it yet.  "We're getting this," I declared.  "I must have it.  It's not a want, it's a NEED."  Ryan, ever the good sport, agreed it would probably be very tasty and I should get some if I wanted it.  Then, proving he's worthy of my love, he suggested we go to Greenwise (the fancy Publix full of organic and fancy tastiness) and pick up a small thing of bread and a few slices of cheese.  Further proof we're meant to be together forever?  We both were thinking Havarti cheese would be best, even before we talked about it.  Oh, and we both thought goat cheese would also be tasty and maybe we should get some of that too.  

I was supposed to study Sunday night.  Instead, we quickly went to the checkout at Crate & Barrel, purchased my small jar of happiness, and went to Greenwise for supplies.  In what is actually a rare occurrence, we were on exactly the same page when it came to food, and we quickly settled on sourdough bread, hit the deli counter, and perused the aisles for other treats.  Ryan likes to call himself a carnivore, though he's clearly an omnivore.  That I am a vegetarian is still beyond his understanding, which leads to much of our food debates.  Soon we were off to the apartment so I could cook up our gourmet meal.

And gourmet it was.  Golden brown buttered sourdough bread, perfectly melted creamy Havarti cheese, and the Fig & Balsamic Magic Spread.  Mmmmmmm.  Next up, was the goat cheese version.  I might have gone a little heavy on the goat cheese, which almost overpowered the spread, but it was still soooooo delicious.  I had half of each sandwich on my plate and went back and forth trying to decide which was better.  Then, Ryan wanted more.  I made him another sandwich, this one with ham, goat cheese, and the Magic Spread.  He only wanted half a sandwich, so of course I had to make another one for myself.

They may have been the most expensive grilled cheese sandwiches either of us had ever made, but they were incredible and worth every penny.  They may have also put both of us over our ideal caloric intake considering the wedding is so close, but I don't care.  I had a protein shake for lunch so I at least started my day off right.

Also, sorry there aren't any pictures of our tasty treats, but we gobbled them up so fast, there was no time for pictures.  I'm sure I'll make them again soon, and will edit this post to include pictures at that time.  You just can't expect a grilled cheese to last long if you put it in front of me.

The Bard

Did anyone else have to try and read Shakespeare in high school?  I remember it being somewhat difficult, but manageable, to read plays like Romeo & Juliet.  In fact, I was almost excited when I learned we would be reading Measure for Measure for my Law, Lit, & Film class.  Then, I started to actually read it.

Getting through a single line was worse than any procedure I've ever had at the dentist.  That coming from a girl who has had no less than five root canals, and even insisted on having two in one day.  It took me hours to get through Act I, Scene I, thought that may have been because I wound up staring at the pages, thinking about things I needed to do rather than actually reading. 

Finally, I gave up.  I decided I just couldn't do it and really understand the play, so I would go to the store and get the version that has the old English on one side, the modern translation on the other.  Barnes & Noble must have had all of Shakespeare's plays but that one in the "Shakespeare lite" format.  Desperate, I looked at the SparkNotes.  Foiled again.  I dreaded going home and having to translate using the footnotes and read everything 12 times so I understand the words, pay attention to who is saying what, and then putting the words into full sentences in my head so I could actually comprehend what was going on.  I am convinced the teacher picked this particular play not because it has the most to do with the law, but because it's the one all the cheats haven't been created for. 

On my way out the door, the salesperson at Barnes & Noble ran after me to tell me he had found the SparkNotes online and I could view it for free.  VICTORY!  Back at the office, I quickly looked up the site and sent it to myself so I would have it handy when I got home.  So, instead of actually reading the play I'm supposed to read for class, I have become a cheater.  Yes, that's right, I'm a law student who can't be bothered to actually read the book assigned for class, and it's not even legal reading.  I remember shaking my head (on the inside of course) at all those people who read the Cliffs Notes version of a book instead of reading the actual book that was assigned in high school.  Now, I'm one of those people.

Sigh.

The worst part is, I know I'll still go back and read the damn play. . . as soon as I finish reading the summary.

Love Me Some Monday

The reading I did for school yesterday (or at least tried to do) put me in a less than positive mood, so I thought a dose of "love me some" might put me in a better mood.

Love me some wedding prep nearing completion.  By wedding prep, I mean the Catholic-specific kind.  Next Saturday, Ryan and I get to spend all day at Pre-Cana, a prep class for engaged couples.  Once we finish, we're eligible for the discounted rate for our marriage license, meaning we can go get our marriage license!  Side note - it also means we don't have to wait three days from the time we apply for our license until we can actually get married.  In other words, we could totally elope.  Not that I've considered that...

Love me some family time.  Since moving home at the end of December, I've had lots of quality time with my parents, baby brother (who is allegedly 18 as of Jan 12th, but still my teeny, tiny 6'1"+ baby brother), and younger sister.  My sister is about to move to Richmond, we think, well probably, almost definitely, for what might be the best job ever imaginable for her, but it's been nice having her around.

Love me some of my friends.  Seriously, they're amazing.  We had the best time at one of said friend's houses on Saturday with several other friends (like Casey and Laura Jo), and I've decided we really need to do it again.  Soon.

Love me some wedding presents.  Not the present part (but who doesn't like opening a present) so much as the fact that Thursday we received our first official wedding present.  Ryan's parents bought our dishes and were incredibly generous in paying for our honeyoon, my parents gave us our flatware for Christmas, and we did get presents at our engagement party, but this was our first official wedding present not from an immediate family member.  And, it was all of our crystal wine glasses, which makes me feel incredibly adult.  AND, the thank you note is already in the mail.  Insert me patting myself on the back here.

Love me some Florida in the winter.  It's been cold lately, but I think the cold front has officially finished moving through.  It's 47 at 6:15 and the high is in the 70s most of the week.  Remember how a few months ago I needed a reminder about how I would be happy I live in Florida when winter hit?  I'll be flagging this to read in July.  Cold is a relative term.  I know, people in other parts of the country are literally freezing, but I'm a native Floridian.  60 is pretty chilly and 50 or lower is almost a reason not to leave the house.

Love me some Ryan.  This, of course, goes without saying considering we'll be getting married in less than 70 days, but he's been particularly supportive and wonderful lately.  This is the last time I'll put him in a Love Me Some Monday post unless he's done something so amazing he deserves some sort of medal or something.  I swear.  Okay, maybe not, but I'll try.

What are you loving some of this delightful Monday morning?  See, it worked, I'm in a great mood already!

New Year, Not So New Me

I've been thinking a lot about whether I'm going to have a New Year's Resolution and, if so, what it should be.  Yes, I know it's well past the 1st of the year and I should have thought about this quite some time ago.  I'm a procrastinator, I don't need your judgment.  Hmmm, perhaps resolution #1 should be to procrastinate less...  Self, let's think about that later, shall we?

Right, so, resolution or no?  I think I've decided no.  Every year, people make a big deal about their New Year's Resolution, which I fully support and encourage, but many often fail to stick with it.  I personally think it's because people start with these lofty goals that require them to essentially change who they are as opposed to something small or taking baby steps to get to an ultimate goal.  Instead of one big resolution, I'm going to make lots of small resolutions throughout the year, and the next, and the next, and so on.  I'll focus on drinking more water, then eating out less or working out one day a week more than I do now (not too impressive when you're working out exactly zero days a week). 

I don't want a new me, just a slightly improved version of myself.  Let's be honest, it's not like I'm a car and they can just come out with a new model.  Guess Ryan will have to settle with a new paint job (and by paint job, I mean tan - I am WAY too pale for anyone to believe I live in Florida).

You Don't Say?

Apparently, I'm getting married in less than three months.  I know this because all of the sudden, everyone around me has decided we need to plan the wedding.  Oh, gee, thanks, y'all. 

I appreciate that people want to help, but for about a week I was inundated with wedding emails, texts, phone calls, and questions.  One day I had 5 lengthy emails in the span of about 2 hours.  The questions, suggestions, and changes seemed endless.  When are the invitations going out?  I went and talked to hotels about booking rooms.  What's the password to the wedding website?  Such and such needs to go on the website.  We should talk about flowers for the reception.  Maybe we should have put so and so's boyfriend on the invitation.  Aaaaahhhhhhh!!!!

My answers went something like this:  Yes, I'm aware the wedding is less than three months away.  Invitations are addressed, stamped, and either a) in the custody of the U.S. Mail, or b) sitting in the group by the front door that is going out tomorrow (this was Jan. 2nd).  Glad you looked at hotels, I also sent you information about that in JULY so do whatever you want, I'm out of that particular detail.  The password is in the email I sent you in OCTOBER.  I asked for that information in AUGUST and you never gave it to me so I didn't put it up.  Already talked to the florist about the flowers.  The invitations are FINISHED and that particular invitation is already in the mail, we can't get it back, and I went over that list with you 15 times but this is the first time I'm finding out so and so even has a boyfriend.

At first I tried to answer the questions happily, and with a bit of patience.  By the end of it, I may have been a little snippy.  It wasn't intentional, but I swear, it's like everyone woke up after 7 months of planning and realized there's a wedding taking place. 

Then I regained my composure, and went back to my happy place.  In other words, I went back to perusing Pinterest and exploring my new find, lover.ly.  If I ignore everything I don't want to talk about, it will all just go away, right?  RIGHT?

School Days

Vacation is officially over.  This morning, I had my first class of the semester, Law Literature and Film Seminar.  Far from the typical law school class, the reading list includes The Scarlet Letter, Crime and Punishment, Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, and several other books.  We will often be reading a book a week.  In addition to the reading, we have to watch a movie every week.  And, on top of the required reading, we each get to pick at least one other book and write a 7,500 page paper on it.  It's going to be a lot of work, but I'll take this kind of work over 100 pages of our Torts textbook any day of the week.

I'm taking two other classes - Florida Criminal Procedure and Florida Civil Procedure - but I think those are going to take a back burner to the seminar with 9 million pages of reading.

Anyway, so I was sitting in class this morning, and instead of thinking about ordering all the books I need to read, figuring out my seminar topic, or anything else I should have been thinking about, I was thinking I should get a new folder to keep myself organized.  Something I could carry in addition to my planner that's bigger than anyone's should be.  Then, it dawned on me.  As a professional in her mid late twenties, I need a Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper. 

Excited about my new, very grown-up, soon to be made purchase, I started looking on the internet to pick the perfect one.  Maybe I would even buy a new folder or two.  Imagine my horror when I looked on the website and there was not a single Trapper Keeper to be found.  Not to be deterred, I searched Google shopping.  The results were three items, one of which wasn't even Lisa Frank, and another was a package of stickers.  That left one used "binder."  SERIOUSLY!?!?!?  What are the girls using these days to keep their looseleaf paper in and all the notes to and from their friends?  Do they just text each other?  The worst part about it is I  just thought it might be reasonable to assume there are 7 year old children have cell phones (I do not, however, think they need them).

Since I can't get my fancy pants Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper, I'm thinking I'll get this:

Via

I can keep it on my desk at work and forever be reminded of my childhood.  Plus, what about a Lisa Frank desk caddy doesn't scream, "I'm a professional"?

Really Great Excuses

I know, I know, I've been MIA for a looooong time.  I also have some great reasons/excuses for my absence.  The month of December was not full of normal holiday craziness for me.  Well, it was, but that wasn't everything.  In December I had two surgeries, one on my right wrist (making it very hard to type), the other just before Christmas.  Ryan and I both moved, and are still in the process of getting settled.  I had two exams, both of which I typed with my cast on.  We had our engagement party, and were honored to be joined by so many of our friends and family.  The office Christmas party was the same week we had to finish moving and I had surgery #2.

In sum, it's been a little nuts around here.  But I'm back and re-committed to blogging, wedding planning, working, and most importantly, taking the time to breathe and enjoy my life in the moment.