This week's Friendship Friday post is about A.K..
I first met A.K. about a week after I moved to NJ. She (and her adorable baby girl, who was 5 months old at the time) sat down right next to me at Friday night mincha minyan to introduce herself. I probably came off as a bit standoffish as I try not to talk during services. Then it turned out that we were having dinner at the same house. A few weeks later, we invited her and her husband and baby to Shabbos dinner at our house. I think they stayed until about 11:00, as we had such a nice time talking and getting to know one another. We mainly saw each other at shul when we weren't having meals together. We also had some friends in common. Our friendship was instantly comfortable, which is something I appreciated.
We invited A.K. and her husband over to play board games several times. We had similar taste in games and had a lot of fun learning more about each other that way. In early February of 2008, we found out that they would be moving next door to us. We were so excited to have neighbors that we were actually friends with. After they officially moved in April, we became even closer with them. We'd get together more often and we even hosted a garage sale one hot summer weekend. Sometimes we'd take turns watching each others' kids so the other one could get things done. We used to joke that we needed a trampoline between our houses so that we could put the kids out the window and they could bounce into the window of the other house. The other nice thing was being able to walk to and from shul together. It was a long walk, so it was nice to have the company. We had meals together more often, which was very nice. We also got together in the summer afternoons to go to the park or hang out at each others' houses. The year or so that we were next door neighbors brought us even closer as friends. Despite our good reasons for moving to MD, we were sad to leave them behind. We'd miss being able to cross into each others' yards whenever we were in the mood and hang out in each others' sukkahs in the fall. My older son loves her daughter and I was also sad to separate them.
A.K. and I have a friendship where we are just comfortable hanging out and talking. We don't have to be doing anything productive. We still find time to catch up in person, even if it's just by Skype (which never seems to be working right when we chat). We got to hang out last winter when she made it clear that she really wanted us at her daughter's birthday party. We were glad to be invited and even drove out during a snowstorm to get there. When we reached their house, she and her husband were still awake and we stayed up even later just talking. It was really nice. A.K. is one of the most down to earth and non-pretentious people I know. It's a joy to be friends with her and I'm glad we had the opportunity to be neighbors even for a little while. I still want her and her family to move to our current neighborhood, as I feel they would fit in really well here. Maybe if they got a house close enough to ours, we could finally get that trampoline....
Friday, July 30, 2010
Mr. Bailey
I've been absent from [Fiction] Friday over the last two weeks. Just busy and then didn't feel well due to an ear infection. I wasn't in a creative mood as a result.
This week's [Fiction] Friday post theme: A covert trip into an attic reveals something unexpected.
DJ came back to her room after getting a large bowl of popcorn for everyone to share. "What did I miss?"
Allie flipped open the latest "Seventeen" magazine to reveal a rather sexy picture of Zac Efron. "Couldn't you just die?!? He's so hot!"
"He's okay," Ginger piped in, peering over the issue of "Teen Beat" that featured the Jonas Brothers.
DJ tossed a few pieces of popcorn at Ginger. "Joe Jonas is all yours, when Demi's done with him. Anyway, are we going to watch "17 again" or what?"
"I have a better idea" Allie said, putting down her magazine. Let's do makeovers!
"My mom never lets me wear makeup and you know it. She'll kill me!" Ginger hid behind her magazine again.
"Come on girls, this is a slumber party. Let's tell ghost stories. Did you know that there's a ghost in my house? Madison told me about him."
"Your sister is such a liar. She's just jealous that you're having a slumber party while she got grounded for making out with a guy or something like that. So, who wants to try out my newest nail colors?"
"She drove our mom's car to McDonald's by herself while on her permit."
"Ooooh. Such a rebel. Anyway, I'm all for the ghost story. Makeovers are stupid."
"Thanks Ginger." Allie grumbled while starting on the first layer of Bad Girl Blue on her toes.
"So, there's this ghost named Mr. Bailey who lives in our attic. He's here to avenge the murder of his wife and daughter, who were killed in this very room."
"Ew! I hope I'm not sitting on blood." Ginger jumped up, knocking over some of the popcorn.
"Seriously Ginger, it's just a story." Allie was now working on her fingernails with Nights of Passionfruit.
"If I may continue---" DJ's story was interrupted by a loud crash from above.
"What was that?!?" Ginger was shaking now.
"Why, Mr. Bailey, of course!"
"I think it's time we go to your attic to check it out for ourselves. Then we can prove that Mr. Bailey doesn't exist." Allie put down her nail polish and started blowing on her fingernails to quickly dry them, while balancing on the balls of her feet to not mess up the work she did on her toes.
"There's no way we're doing that. My mom said the attic is off limits. It's not safe up there. Too many broken floor beams."
"I think somebody is too chicken," Allie taunted.
"You go up there by yourself if you're so interested. You're the one who didn't care for a ghost story in the first place." DJ tried to call Allie's bluff this time.
"Fine. I'll call out if I need backup."
DJ and Ginger went back their respective spots on the bed and bean bag chair, where they immersed themselves in another set of the latest teen magazine issues. They were interrupted by a shout from above. "Hey DJ, do you have a flashlight? It's really dark up here."
"I hope you're being careful." DJ shouted up to the attic. "If you get hurt, my mom will never let me hear the end of it. I'll probably be grounded from sleepovers for life." Just then, they both heard a howling sound and some rustling.
"What are you doing in my home? Did you kill Margie and Bethany?" The voice was low and gravelly.
Allie grabbed a flashlight from DJ and swung it in the general direction of the sound. She then saw an image of a man on the back wall. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared. She screamed and dropped her flashlight and scrambled back down the steps, nearly tripping on DJ who was at the bottom. "I saw Mr. Bailey! You were right!"
"I think I should go home. This is getting too realistic." Ginger started putting her magazines back into her bag.
"Maybe now that he knows we know about him, he'll go away," DJ suggested. "Let's watch the movie now and forget this ever happened. We don't want my mom to know what we saw."
"Can we watch downstairs? I don't want to be near the attic right now." Ginger reluctantly stopped packing and headed for the stairs leading to the family room.
"Sounds good. We're not going to let a stupid old ghost ruin our night of fun!"
"Yeah. Stupid old ghost." Allie, looking pale, followed them downstairs.
In the attic, Madison giggled quietly to herself as she packed up the old slide projector and microphone. Twelve year-olds are so gullible.
This week's [Fiction] Friday post theme: A covert trip into an attic reveals something unexpected.
DJ came back to her room after getting a large bowl of popcorn for everyone to share. "What did I miss?"
Allie flipped open the latest "Seventeen" magazine to reveal a rather sexy picture of Zac Efron. "Couldn't you just die?!? He's so hot!"
"He's okay," Ginger piped in, peering over the issue of "Teen Beat" that featured the Jonas Brothers.
DJ tossed a few pieces of popcorn at Ginger. "Joe Jonas is all yours, when Demi's done with him. Anyway, are we going to watch "17 again" or what?"
"I have a better idea" Allie said, putting down her magazine. Let's do makeovers!
"My mom never lets me wear makeup and you know it. She'll kill me!" Ginger hid behind her magazine again.
"Come on girls, this is a slumber party. Let's tell ghost stories. Did you know that there's a ghost in my house? Madison told me about him."
"Your sister is such a liar. She's just jealous that you're having a slumber party while she got grounded for making out with a guy or something like that. So, who wants to try out my newest nail colors?"
"She drove our mom's car to McDonald's by herself while on her permit."
"Ooooh. Such a rebel. Anyway, I'm all for the ghost story. Makeovers are stupid."
"Thanks Ginger." Allie grumbled while starting on the first layer of Bad Girl Blue on her toes.
"So, there's this ghost named Mr. Bailey who lives in our attic. He's here to avenge the murder of his wife and daughter, who were killed in this very room."
"Ew! I hope I'm not sitting on blood." Ginger jumped up, knocking over some of the popcorn.
"Seriously Ginger, it's just a story." Allie was now working on her fingernails with Nights of Passionfruit.
"If I may continue---" DJ's story was interrupted by a loud crash from above.
"What was that?!?" Ginger was shaking now.
"Why, Mr. Bailey, of course!"
"I think it's time we go to your attic to check it out for ourselves. Then we can prove that Mr. Bailey doesn't exist." Allie put down her nail polish and started blowing on her fingernails to quickly dry them, while balancing on the balls of her feet to not mess up the work she did on her toes.
"There's no way we're doing that. My mom said the attic is off limits. It's not safe up there. Too many broken floor beams."
"I think somebody is too chicken," Allie taunted.
"You go up there by yourself if you're so interested. You're the one who didn't care for a ghost story in the first place." DJ tried to call Allie's bluff this time.
"Fine. I'll call out if I need backup."
DJ and Ginger went back their respective spots on the bed and bean bag chair, where they immersed themselves in another set of the latest teen magazine issues. They were interrupted by a shout from above. "Hey DJ, do you have a flashlight? It's really dark up here."
"I hope you're being careful." DJ shouted up to the attic. "If you get hurt, my mom will never let me hear the end of it. I'll probably be grounded from sleepovers for life." Just then, they both heard a howling sound and some rustling.
"What are you doing in my home? Did you kill Margie and Bethany?" The voice was low and gravelly.
Allie grabbed a flashlight from DJ and swung it in the general direction of the sound. She then saw an image of a man on the back wall. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared. She screamed and dropped her flashlight and scrambled back down the steps, nearly tripping on DJ who was at the bottom. "I saw Mr. Bailey! You were right!"
"I think I should go home. This is getting too realistic." Ginger started putting her magazines back into her bag.
"Maybe now that he knows we know about him, he'll go away," DJ suggested. "Let's watch the movie now and forget this ever happened. We don't want my mom to know what we saw."
"Can we watch downstairs? I don't want to be near the attic right now." Ginger reluctantly stopped packing and headed for the stairs leading to the family room.
"Sounds good. We're not going to let a stupid old ghost ruin our night of fun!"
"Yeah. Stupid old ghost." Allie, looking pale, followed them downstairs.
In the attic, Madison giggled quietly to herself as she packed up the old slide projector and microphone. Twelve year-olds are so gullible.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
I wish I could go back to college...
Well, not really. It's just a good song from "Avenue Q" that makes me nostalgic for my dorm days. I realize that I don't have any online blogs from my college days. I kept a journal, but it is handwritten and more private than my blogs tend to be. Writing my "Friendship Friday" posts has allowed me to think back on some of the fun and amusing times from my college days. I thought I'd list some of my favorite moments from college or my favorite things about that period of my life.
* Snowball fight at midnight on the quad during junior year.
* Walking all the way to College Hills mall on a hot September day during freshman year because my friend and I didn't think to take the bus. We were singing "Les Miz" songs the whole way there.
* While waiting to see a comedy show, "I'll be There for You" was playing and everyone clapped at the beginning. Shows how many "Friends" fans there are.
* Freshman weekend...getting hypnotized to forget my name and the number 8 and seeing Weird Al perform live in concert.
* The many times my friends and I walked to the original Steak 'N Shake before it closed down.
* Theater of Ted and all the crazy things that went on. I think my sister was traumatized by the guy who liked to take off his clothes and chase around people he didn't like. I had fun the few times I was brave enough to perform there.
* Wing nights at Vrooman dining center.
* Going to Peoria with a guy I had just met to see "Rocky Horror." Going back there in the spring with a bigger group of friends. The following year, getting to perform in "Rocky Horror" on campus.
* Gaining an appreciation of country music from the woman I worked for off campus.
* Everyone piling in a tiny car to go to Denny's.
* Going trick-or-treating on Halloween.
* The Coffeehouse. That's all I need to say, really. :)
* The many times my friends and I would cram into my single dorm room to watch movies.
* Going to dinner in my Tweety slippers because I could. Better yet, going to class in my pajamas.
* The night I came back to school super homesick during freshman year and my friends helped me lug my duffel bag over a mile to their house so we could watch a "Seinfeld" marathon together.
* Trying to work on a group project but discussing our teacher and her "brothel."
* Karaoke nights featuring "Wise Men Say" guy.
* Being part of Guerilla Theater Troupe. Performing both on campus and at another school.
* Many, many trips to Super Wal-Mart. It was the place to be on a Friday night.
* Seeing classic films at Capen Cinema and The Normal Theater. Also, seeing free sneak previews at Capen.
* Eating in the dark back room at the Watterson dining center before they changed the look of everything.
* The experience of living in Watterson Towers. It's like nothing else.
* Checking for mail every day and singing "Nobody Loves Me" if our mailboxes were empty.
* Watching a marathon of "My So-Called Life" in the lobby of Hewitt after my roommate took home her TV a week early.
* The first time I ever used the Internet and had no clue how to send an e-mail.
* Corn Fest in downtown Normal with their delicious hot buttered corn.
* Buying used CDs at Campustown Supply.
* The Beer Burgers and Bad Music Nights at Rocky's (which is now a children's museum).
* Making fun of police reports in the Daily Vidette.
* Working in food service. It wasn't always the greatest experience but I met some interesting people that way. I also learned how to cook eggs, not that I'll ever eat them!
* Getting takeout from China Wok.
* Enjoying the days when the campus was closed because of too much snow and we could just lounge around in the dorms.
* Receiving my first perfect score on an exam after studying obsessively for it.
* Gathering in one of the TV rooms in the Southside Dining Center to watch "Jerry Springer" every afternoon.
* Staying up all hours of the night because I procrastinated on term papers. Knowing I wasn't the only one.
* The obnoxious noise the phone class registration system made when the class I wanted wasn't available. It was fun to make fun of it.
College was full of memorable experiences for me. I hope this post gave you a taste of what my college days were like.
* Snowball fight at midnight on the quad during junior year.
* Walking all the way to College Hills mall on a hot September day during freshman year because my friend and I didn't think to take the bus. We were singing "Les Miz" songs the whole way there.
* While waiting to see a comedy show, "I'll be There for You" was playing and everyone clapped at the beginning. Shows how many "Friends" fans there are.
* Freshman weekend...getting hypnotized to forget my name and the number 8 and seeing Weird Al perform live in concert.
* The many times my friends and I walked to the original Steak 'N Shake before it closed down.
* Theater of Ted and all the crazy things that went on. I think my sister was traumatized by the guy who liked to take off his clothes and chase around people he didn't like. I had fun the few times I was brave enough to perform there.
* Wing nights at Vrooman dining center.
* Going to Peoria with a guy I had just met to see "Rocky Horror." Going back there in the spring with a bigger group of friends. The following year, getting to perform in "Rocky Horror" on campus.
* Gaining an appreciation of country music from the woman I worked for off campus.
* Everyone piling in a tiny car to go to Denny's.
* Going trick-or-treating on Halloween.
* The Coffeehouse. That's all I need to say, really. :)
* The many times my friends and I would cram into my single dorm room to watch movies.
* Going to dinner in my Tweety slippers because I could. Better yet, going to class in my pajamas.
* The night I came back to school super homesick during freshman year and my friends helped me lug my duffel bag over a mile to their house so we could watch a "Seinfeld" marathon together.
* Trying to work on a group project but discussing our teacher and her "brothel."
* Karaoke nights featuring "Wise Men Say" guy.
* Being part of Guerilla Theater Troupe. Performing both on campus and at another school.
* Many, many trips to Super Wal-Mart. It was the place to be on a Friday night.
* Seeing classic films at Capen Cinema and The Normal Theater. Also, seeing free sneak previews at Capen.
* Eating in the dark back room at the Watterson dining center before they changed the look of everything.
* The experience of living in Watterson Towers. It's like nothing else.
* Checking for mail every day and singing "Nobody Loves Me" if our mailboxes were empty.
* Watching a marathon of "My So-Called Life" in the lobby of Hewitt after my roommate took home her TV a week early.
* The first time I ever used the Internet and had no clue how to send an e-mail.
* Corn Fest in downtown Normal with their delicious hot buttered corn.
* Buying used CDs at Campustown Supply.
* The Beer Burgers and Bad Music Nights at Rocky's (which is now a children's museum).
* Making fun of police reports in the Daily Vidette.
* Working in food service. It wasn't always the greatest experience but I met some interesting people that way. I also learned how to cook eggs, not that I'll ever eat them!
* Getting takeout from China Wok.
* Enjoying the days when the campus was closed because of too much snow and we could just lounge around in the dorms.
* Receiving my first perfect score on an exam after studying obsessively for it.
* Gathering in one of the TV rooms in the Southside Dining Center to watch "Jerry Springer" every afternoon.
* Staying up all hours of the night because I procrastinated on term papers. Knowing I wasn't the only one.
* The obnoxious noise the phone class registration system made when the class I wanted wasn't available. It was fun to make fun of it.
College was full of memorable experiences for me. I hope this post gave you a taste of what my college days were like.
Friday, July 23, 2010
We'll always have Mr. Aah
This week's Friendship Friday post is about two friends again, since we were all roommates in college at one point.
I met C.C. during orientation before freshman year of college. For some reason, I thought her name was Lisa. We ended up in psychology class together during our first semester of school. We'd study together but that usually led to getting off topic every few minutes and ordering Chinese food. We started hanging out more often when we were home for winter break. We had napkin fights at Baker's Square and went to see "The Lion King." During second semester, we started hanging out more often and I got to know her roommate, as well. (That's another story for another time.) We started developing a lot of inside jokes and would make each other laugh a lot. During the following years, we stayed close. Then she went to Australia to study abroad for a year. We stayed in touch and then picked up where we left off when she returned. During my last year at school, we decided to move into the same apartment space. It was a house owned by a retired couple and they rented out their basement.
I also met J.M. during freshman year. I believe we had some classes together and we did some of the same activities outside of class. We also traveled amongst a similar group of friends. I always thought she was nice and enjoyed talking to her. In one class we had together, we were put into a small group for a project. We'd joke around about our teacher and some of the weird stories she told us. It made us less productive, but we did manage to come up with a finished project. Then she left school for a while. A few years later, I met her brother but didn't make the connection right away. Then he helped me make the connection one day and told me she was coming back to school. I told her about the rooms opening up in our apartment space and she decided to live with C.C. and myself during my last semester of school.
We had a lot of fun being housemates. I would cook for everyone when I was in the mood. We would spend hours sitting in the living room and talking about stories from the town where J.M. grew up. It was the best housemate situation. We gave each other space but also knew when one another needed company. Toward the end of the year, I was buying generic soda and one kind was a version of Dr. Pepper called Mr. Aah. I told C.C. about it after I showed her a crazy note that some colleagues had given me. It became a huge joke after that and anytime I came to visit them at school, I had to make sure we had a bottle of Mr. Aah.
There was also a thing with "Waiting for Guffman," which J.M. and I both love. We especially liked when Christopher Guest said "Everybody Dance!" She'd get me birthday cakes that said the same thing. Another time, I visited them and we were up all night laughing over a demented book in which a girl gives a boy a "poo and booger sandwich." So they got me a chocolate cake with mint chocolate chip ice cream and called it a "poo and booger cake." Then there was the broken table at the Canadian themed restaurant. We always had lots of good laughs like that!
Since that time, C.C. had moved back to the suburbs and we saw each other more often. I connected her with some friends of mine from high school and they became close too. J.M. was still living downstate and we'd go to visit her and her ferrets. We'd usually go to a movie or hang out at the Coffeehouse. She eventually moved to the city. The last time I saw her was in the fall of 2008. I recently saw C.C. when I was back in town though. The two of them get to hang out a lot since they both live in the city now. We all keep up with each other through Facebook too. I enjoy the friendships I share with both women and am thankful for all the fun times and laughs in college and beyond. I wish them all the happiness in the world. No matter how often or little we see each other, I know we'll always have Mr. Aah.
I met C.C. during orientation before freshman year of college. For some reason, I thought her name was Lisa. We ended up in psychology class together during our first semester of school. We'd study together but that usually led to getting off topic every few minutes and ordering Chinese food. We started hanging out more often when we were home for winter break. We had napkin fights at Baker's Square and went to see "The Lion King." During second semester, we started hanging out more often and I got to know her roommate, as well. (That's another story for another time.) We started developing a lot of inside jokes and would make each other laugh a lot. During the following years, we stayed close. Then she went to Australia to study abroad for a year. We stayed in touch and then picked up where we left off when she returned. During my last year at school, we decided to move into the same apartment space. It was a house owned by a retired couple and they rented out their basement.
I also met J.M. during freshman year. I believe we had some classes together and we did some of the same activities outside of class. We also traveled amongst a similar group of friends. I always thought she was nice and enjoyed talking to her. In one class we had together, we were put into a small group for a project. We'd joke around about our teacher and some of the weird stories she told us. It made us less productive, but we did manage to come up with a finished project. Then she left school for a while. A few years later, I met her brother but didn't make the connection right away. Then he helped me make the connection one day and told me she was coming back to school. I told her about the rooms opening up in our apartment space and she decided to live with C.C. and myself during my last semester of school.
We had a lot of fun being housemates. I would cook for everyone when I was in the mood. We would spend hours sitting in the living room and talking about stories from the town where J.M. grew up. It was the best housemate situation. We gave each other space but also knew when one another needed company. Toward the end of the year, I was buying generic soda and one kind was a version of Dr. Pepper called Mr. Aah. I told C.C. about it after I showed her a crazy note that some colleagues had given me. It became a huge joke after that and anytime I came to visit them at school, I had to make sure we had a bottle of Mr. Aah.
There was also a thing with "Waiting for Guffman," which J.M. and I both love. We especially liked when Christopher Guest said "Everybody Dance!" She'd get me birthday cakes that said the same thing. Another time, I visited them and we were up all night laughing over a demented book in which a girl gives a boy a "poo and booger sandwich." So they got me a chocolate cake with mint chocolate chip ice cream and called it a "poo and booger cake." Then there was the broken table at the Canadian themed restaurant. We always had lots of good laughs like that!
Since that time, C.C. had moved back to the suburbs and we saw each other more often. I connected her with some friends of mine from high school and they became close too. J.M. was still living downstate and we'd go to visit her and her ferrets. We'd usually go to a movie or hang out at the Coffeehouse. She eventually moved to the city. The last time I saw her was in the fall of 2008. I recently saw C.C. when I was back in town though. The two of them get to hang out a lot since they both live in the city now. We all keep up with each other through Facebook too. I enjoy the friendships I share with both women and am thankful for all the fun times and laughs in college and beyond. I wish them all the happiness in the world. No matter how often or little we see each other, I know we'll always have Mr. Aah.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
A "Thriller" of a birthday
I've decided to wait till after Tisha B'Av ended to post this week's edition of "Time Warp Tuesday" in honor of my birthday. :)
This was the party my husband and some close friends threw for me when I turned 30. I can't believe it's been four years since that special day. So much has happened in the last four years....
*Trying to run a work-from-home business, but scrapping it after it was going nowhere
*Becoming Shomer Shabbos and observing more laws of Kashrut.
*Moving to New Jersey...and then moving down the street a few months later
*Giving birth to my younger son in 2008
*Watching both my boys grow into little men
*Getting a medical billing job
*My grandpa passing away
*Having to find our cat a new home due to my son's allergies (and succeeding at it)
*Moving to Maryland
*Landing my current job, which I still love
*Surviving Snowbliteration 2010
*My older son getting a cochlear implant
*Starting Chick Lit Central
*Getting to meet some of my favorite authors at book signings and through Chick Lit Central
*Becoming a parent blogger for EmpoweringParents.com
*Learning how to knit, even though I still have half a scarf to finish before winter
*All the new friends I've made over the last few years and all the long time friendships that have grown with me
This was the party my husband and some close friends threw for me when I turned 30. I can't believe it's been four years since that special day. So much has happened in the last four years....
*Trying to run a work-from-home business, but scrapping it after it was going nowhere
*Becoming Shomer Shabbos and observing more laws of Kashrut.
*Moving to New Jersey...and then moving down the street a few months later
*Giving birth to my younger son in 2008
*Watching both my boys grow into little men
*Getting a medical billing job
*My grandpa passing away
*Having to find our cat a new home due to my son's allergies (and succeeding at it)
*Moving to Maryland
*Landing my current job, which I still love
*Surviving Snowbliteration 2010
*My older son getting a cochlear implant
*Starting Chick Lit Central
*Getting to meet some of my favorite authors at book signings and through Chick Lit Central
*Becoming a parent blogger for EmpoweringParents.com
*Learning how to knit, even though I still have half a scarf to finish before winter
*All the new friends I've made over the last few years and all the long time friendships that have grown with me
Friday, July 16, 2010
We'll always have Lino
This week's Friendship Friday post is about D.R.
I met D.R. towards the end of my senior year of high school. She was at L.A.'s sweet 16 party and she seemed nice and outgoing. A few months later, she accompanied L.A., another mutual friend and myself to see "Rocky Horror." After that, we lost contact for a while.
When I was a junior in college, she started her freshman year at ISU. L.A. put us back in contact and we started hanging out more often. We became really close that year. We'd go to the Coffeehouse, Theater of Ted and hang out in each others' dorms. We always found stuff to laugh about. There was Dan, my R.A. (that's what he called himself on a voice message), the brain stem chiropractor, the girl who pooped in a bucket, my attempts to speak German, Spoooooon, Norm McDonald guy, lots of stuff we picked up from "Saturday Night Live" ("I boosted it!") and, of course, Lino. Lino was this attractive guy who lived on my floor in Watterson Towers. He would join us for meals sometimes and would make random comments ("Orange chicken, good choice."). His name was actually Nino, but we liked to call him Lino and it just stuck. We'd laugh hysterically whenever we saw him and we'd come up with ideas for shirts, such as "Lino's Girl." Once I even wrote "Call Me" on his door and then we sprinted to the stairwell before he could catch us. He had a younger brother who looked similar to him and we called him "Lino's brother." He had a name, but we liked our nickname better.
D.R. and I would sit next to each other in the computer lab and chat with each other in the same group. It was more fun that way. I make fun of people who e-mail each other in the same dorm room or house, but I'm guilty of that even now! We even met a few of the chat room people in person. D.R. also became part of a group of friends that had been established since second semester freshman year and kept expanding to include more people similar to us. We hung out during our breaks too. We had our happy and sad moments together that year too. Her roommate was awful, so I let her crash in my room a lot. D.R. really made junior year special for me and I always have fond memories of that time.
After that year, D.R. spent a semester in Austria and then moved to New Mexico. We continued to stay in touch by e-mail and get together when we were in the Chicago area at the same time. I was always excited to see her whenever we got together. I even got her involved with "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind." We'd see it together occasionally.
I even got to know D.R.'s family over time. I felt bad that I couldn't be there for her in person when her father passed away (due to lack of child care at the time). He was a very sweet man and she got a lot of her good-natured personality from him. Her mom is also very kind and I think about her kitty cat pancakes even though I've never had them.
D.R. is very down-to-earth and isn't afraid to speak her mind. She would never be superficial and she always treats her friends well. Last I heard, things were going well in her life and she even got a dog. I'm glad that she is happy and I hope her happiness continues over time. We haven't been in touch in a while and I haven't seen her in over 2 years. We catch up on Facebook from time to time, but I'd love to hear more about what she's been up to lately. No matter what, I know we'll always be friends and we'll always have Lino (or his brother).
I met D.R. towards the end of my senior year of high school. She was at L.A.'s sweet 16 party and she seemed nice and outgoing. A few months later, she accompanied L.A., another mutual friend and myself to see "Rocky Horror." After that, we lost contact for a while.
When I was a junior in college, she started her freshman year at ISU. L.A. put us back in contact and we started hanging out more often. We became really close that year. We'd go to the Coffeehouse, Theater of Ted and hang out in each others' dorms. We always found stuff to laugh about. There was Dan, my R.A. (that's what he called himself on a voice message), the brain stem chiropractor, the girl who pooped in a bucket, my attempts to speak German, Spoooooon, Norm McDonald guy, lots of stuff we picked up from "Saturday Night Live" ("I boosted it!") and, of course, Lino. Lino was this attractive guy who lived on my floor in Watterson Towers. He would join us for meals sometimes and would make random comments ("Orange chicken, good choice."). His name was actually Nino, but we liked to call him Lino and it just stuck. We'd laugh hysterically whenever we saw him and we'd come up with ideas for shirts, such as "Lino's Girl." Once I even wrote "Call Me" on his door and then we sprinted to the stairwell before he could catch us. He had a younger brother who looked similar to him and we called him "Lino's brother." He had a name, but we liked our nickname better.
D.R. and I would sit next to each other in the computer lab and chat with each other in the same group. It was more fun that way. I make fun of people who e-mail each other in the same dorm room or house, but I'm guilty of that even now! We even met a few of the chat room people in person. D.R. also became part of a group of friends that had been established since second semester freshman year and kept expanding to include more people similar to us. We hung out during our breaks too. We had our happy and sad moments together that year too. Her roommate was awful, so I let her crash in my room a lot. D.R. really made junior year special for me and I always have fond memories of that time.
After that year, D.R. spent a semester in Austria and then moved to New Mexico. We continued to stay in touch by e-mail and get together when we were in the Chicago area at the same time. I was always excited to see her whenever we got together. I even got her involved with "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind." We'd see it together occasionally.
I even got to know D.R.'s family over time. I felt bad that I couldn't be there for her in person when her father passed away (due to lack of child care at the time). He was a very sweet man and she got a lot of her good-natured personality from him. Her mom is also very kind and I think about her kitty cat pancakes even though I've never had them.
D.R. is very down-to-earth and isn't afraid to speak her mind. She would never be superficial and she always treats her friends well. Last I heard, things were going well in her life and she even got a dog. I'm glad that she is happy and I hope her happiness continues over time. We haven't been in touch in a while and I haven't seen her in over 2 years. We catch up on Facebook from time to time, but I'd love to hear more about what she's been up to lately. No matter what, I know we'll always be friends and we'll always have Lino (or his brother).
Thursday, July 15, 2010
On Hiatus
We're down one member, as Charmingly Random decided it was time to pick up and move on. She's taking her blog in new directions. (Not the group from "Glee.") She'll be missed very much. In the meantime, we are deciding on if and how we want to continue with and restructure the blog project. I'll leave you with some of my favorites from the past months, in case you missed them the first time around.
Enjoy!
All in Hashem's Plan
A Note about a Quote
What if?
Happy Birthday to Me! (More fitting for this time of year...)
To Life, L'Chaim!
With a dreamy, far-off look and her nose stuck in a book...
In a state of being merry
Enjoy!
All in Hashem's Plan
A Note about a Quote
What if?
Happy Birthday to Me! (More fitting for this time of year...)
To Life, L'Chaim!
With a dreamy, far-off look and her nose stuck in a book...
In a state of being merry
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Music over time
Even though I am not listening to music this week in honor of the nine days leading up to Tisha B'Av, I thought I'd still reflect upon this topic, as my birthday is a week away!
July 20th, 2006
03:22 pm - Songs of the last 10 years
I was thinking yesterday of songs that remind me of my birthdays over the past 10 years. This is what I came up with:
20: "Who Will Save Your Soul?" - Jewel
21: "Six Underground" - Sneaker Pimps
22: "The Way" - Fastball
23: "Man, I Feel like a Woman!"-Shania Twain
24: "Sexual" -Amber
24.5: "Stranger in My House"-Tamia (per "Will's" request) :)
25: "Independent Woman"-Destiny's Child
26: "Complicated" -Avril Lavigne
27: "Bring me to Life" - Evanescence
28: "Accidentally in Love" - Counting Crows
29: "Rich Girl" (also "Holla Back Girl") - Gwen Stefani
I'm passing the ball to anyone else who wants to do this for themselves in their own blog. Have fun!
Follow up:
I have five more years to add to this list now. More often than not, they just remind me of the summer I turned each age.
30: "Not Ready to Make Nice" by Dixie Chicks and "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield
31: "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie (even though I hate it now because it reminds me of how nauseous I was with my pregnancy and how much I hated our first house in NJ.)
32: "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles
33: "American Ride" by Toby Keith (a little later after my birthday but that's the only song I associate with last summer.)
34 (this year): "California Girls" by Katy Perry
It's fun to look back and see what path my music tastes have changed. There are some songs that I still love and others that I could care less if I ever heard them again.
July 20th, 2006
03:22 pm - Songs of the last 10 years
I was thinking yesterday of songs that remind me of my birthdays over the past 10 years. This is what I came up with:
20: "Who Will Save Your Soul?" - Jewel
21: "Six Underground" - Sneaker Pimps
22: "The Way" - Fastball
23: "Man, I Feel like a Woman!"-Shania Twain
24: "Sexual" -Amber
24.5: "Stranger in My House"-Tamia (per "Will's" request) :)
25: "Independent Woman"-Destiny's Child
26: "Complicated" -Avril Lavigne
27: "Bring me to Life" - Evanescence
28: "Accidentally in Love" - Counting Crows
29: "Rich Girl" (also "Holla Back Girl") - Gwen Stefani
I'm passing the ball to anyone else who wants to do this for themselves in their own blog. Have fun!
Follow up:
I have five more years to add to this list now. More often than not, they just remind me of the summer I turned each age.
30: "Not Ready to Make Nice" by Dixie Chicks and "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield
31: "Big Girls Don't Cry" by Fergie (even though I hate it now because it reminds me of how nauseous I was with my pregnancy and how much I hated our first house in NJ.)
32: "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles
33: "American Ride" by Toby Keith (a little later after my birthday but that's the only song I associate with last summer.)
34 (this year): "California Girls" by Katy Perry
It's fun to look back and see what path my music tastes have changed. There are some songs that I still love and others that I could care less if I ever heard them again.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
We'll always have "Love is in the Heir."
This week's Friendship Friday post is about two friends again.
I've decided to put C-La and Tansh (my nicknames for them) in the same post, since my friendships with both are interconnected (and I have a funny story to go along with that).
I met Tansh through my first major in college. We were in a lot of the same classes and I thought she was really nice. We'd talk a lot before and after class and work on projects together.
I met C-La through J.J.. They were in the same circle of friends and I'd see her around a lot. We started talking and getting to know each other better.
One day, I ran into C-La by the elevators in one of the residence halls. She said she was waiting for a friend, so we chatted for a few minutes in the meantime. Then Tansh walked out of the elevator and I greeted her, as well. Tansh walked right over to us and C-La introduced me to her. We had a good laugh about how we were friends already and that I didn't know the two of them were friends, as well. Such a small world. After that encounter, we got together for a girl's lunch day out toward the end of the semester.
After I graduated from college, I stayed in touch with them and we got together when they were in town. In the summer of 2001, we started hanging out more often. They both lived in the city, so I'd go up there a lot. We'd hang out around the Clark and Belmont area, going to dinner and improv comedy shows together. We also liked hanging out at Cosi a lot because they had s'mores. We became even closer that summer. Sometimes J.J. would join us too, as she was also friends with both of them.
As time went on, we continued to meet up with each other in the city. It wasn't as frequent as before, but we always had fun each time we got together. There was one time when we went back to Tansh's apartment after dinner and ended up watching a bunch of episodes of "Love is in the Heir" (a reality show about a princess trying to live an average life). It was silly and trashy, but we found it humorous and couldn't tear our eyes away.
We also liked frequenting Penang a lot. (A Malaysian restaurant in Chinatown.) One time I took my family there and ran into them! That was a funny coincidence. And I even took a road trip with them to Madison in the fall of 2001. My Debbie Gibson "Electric Youth" cassette didn't survive the trip though. We had fun taking long walks around the capitol/college campus and trying out drums in a drum store.
After I moved out of state, we stayed in touch but didn't get to hang out as often. Usually it was during my visits back to Chicago. I was very happy to hear their good relationship news (C-La got married last year and Tansh is engaged). C-la was in NYC a few times and we got to meet up with her and her (now) husband when we lived in NJ. She said they come to DC a lot, so I hope we'll get to arrange something for when they're in town. (I hope they'll bring Tansh with too.) Unfortunately, I didn't get to see them on my last two trips back to Chicago. I miss their smiling faces and I hope they'll both get on Facebook soon! (At least C-La's husband is on there so I can see the pics he posts.) In the meantime, we'll always have "Love is in the Heir." (And Cosi's s'mores too!)
I've decided to put C-La and Tansh (my nicknames for them) in the same post, since my friendships with both are interconnected (and I have a funny story to go along with that).
I met Tansh through my first major in college. We were in a lot of the same classes and I thought she was really nice. We'd talk a lot before and after class and work on projects together.
I met C-La through J.J.. They were in the same circle of friends and I'd see her around a lot. We started talking and getting to know each other better.
One day, I ran into C-La by the elevators in one of the residence halls. She said she was waiting for a friend, so we chatted for a few minutes in the meantime. Then Tansh walked out of the elevator and I greeted her, as well. Tansh walked right over to us and C-La introduced me to her. We had a good laugh about how we were friends already and that I didn't know the two of them were friends, as well. Such a small world. After that encounter, we got together for a girl's lunch day out toward the end of the semester.
After I graduated from college, I stayed in touch with them and we got together when they were in town. In the summer of 2001, we started hanging out more often. They both lived in the city, so I'd go up there a lot. We'd hang out around the Clark and Belmont area, going to dinner and improv comedy shows together. We also liked hanging out at Cosi a lot because they had s'mores. We became even closer that summer. Sometimes J.J. would join us too, as she was also friends with both of them.
As time went on, we continued to meet up with each other in the city. It wasn't as frequent as before, but we always had fun each time we got together. There was one time when we went back to Tansh's apartment after dinner and ended up watching a bunch of episodes of "Love is in the Heir" (a reality show about a princess trying to live an average life). It was silly and trashy, but we found it humorous and couldn't tear our eyes away.
We also liked frequenting Penang a lot. (A Malaysian restaurant in Chinatown.) One time I took my family there and ran into them! That was a funny coincidence. And I even took a road trip with them to Madison in the fall of 2001. My Debbie Gibson "Electric Youth" cassette didn't survive the trip though. We had fun taking long walks around the capitol/college campus and trying out drums in a drum store.
After I moved out of state, we stayed in touch but didn't get to hang out as often. Usually it was during my visits back to Chicago. I was very happy to hear their good relationship news (C-La got married last year and Tansh is engaged). C-la was in NYC a few times and we got to meet up with her and her (now) husband when we lived in NJ. She said they come to DC a lot, so I hope we'll get to arrange something for when they're in town. (I hope they'll bring Tansh with too.) Unfortunately, I didn't get to see them on my last two trips back to Chicago. I miss their smiling faces and I hope they'll both get on Facebook soon! (At least C-La's husband is on there so I can see the pics he posts.) In the meantime, we'll always have "Love is in the Heir." (And Cosi's s'mores too!)
Ten Cent Saloon
Time for another [Fiction] Friday post!
This is a continuation from my posts on June 25th and July 2nd.
This week's topic: In her right hand a woman holds a loaded gun, in her left, a coin that just came up ‘tails’…NOW WRITE…
The cowgirl stood poised before them, her right hand waving a shiny silver pistol and her left hand opening and closing on a dime showing its tail side. Every fifteen seconds, she winked at them and pointed the pistol up in the air. Lights flashed all around her, illuminating her blond braid and causing her smile to look even more menacing. The sign below her glowing golden high heeled boots read "Wild West Motel and Saloon."
"Do you really think we should crash here tonight?" Lou wrapped his arms around Cat as she blearily looked up at him.
"I will stay in a rat infested cabin if it means I get to sleep for a few hours. It feels like we've been driving forever!"
"Point taken. Shall I check us in?"
Cat looked at the cowgirl that represented the motel that was already beyond sleazy. She doubted that anyone had stayed there in a long time. Yet, the cowgirl was still lighting up for those who had chosen to stray a little further from the strip. And the sign in the window advertised "Ten Cent Slots." It was also 102 degrees out at three o'clock in the morning. She wasn't in the mood to get back in the car and drive someplace normal, like the Aladdin.
"Do you think they check the rooms with a blacklight?" she thought aloud.
Lou smirked. "I have our key." And it actually was a key. Not a plastic card like at the fancier places.
Cat fell asleep on the rickety bed that smelled of something she didn't want to think about, her last thought being that she would take a long shower in the morning.
After they each showered under the few drips of water the rusty pipes brought forth, they made their way to the strip for a brunch buffet.
Cat was pouring syrup on her stack of six pancakes when she heard some whispering and snickering behind her. She turned around abruptly, spilling syrup on her flip-flop protected foot.
"Hey, aren't you Miss Kitty? I remember you from 'Girls Up All Night.'" A tall man with more hair on his face than on his head was sneering at her and focusing his eyes on her chest area.
Cat shrugged. "I think you must have me mistaken for someone else. I work at Banana Republic."
"I bet the heart shaped birthmark on your thigh would prove otherwise." He grabbed at her skirt in an effort to lift it up. Cat smacked his hand before he could do any damage.
"Excuse me! You have the wrong person. Do I have to call security?"
"What's going on here?" Lou rushed over, sensing Cat's distress.
"Your little lady friend here is only the best stripper on the strip, to put it nicely."
Cat glared at him and turned to Lou. "He has me mistaken for someone else."
The man took out a flyer that had an ad for "Girls Up All Night" with a picture of a short brunette girl who very closely resembled Cat. "Now try to tell me I'm wrong."
"Well, you're wrong. So go away and let me enjoy my vacation."
"Hope to see you in another show soon" he shouted behind him as he left.
Cat picked at her pancakes, unnerved.
"Are you okay? Should we leave?"
"I'm fine!" she snapped. "Let's just enjoy our food and take a little tour of the strip."
Lou studied the picture of the stripper and looked up at Cat. They looked too similar for it to be a coincidence. He wondered what she was hiding. He decided he didn't want to know. Everyone had skeletons in their closet and his were no exception. Cat didn't know the real reason that Elaine left him. He only told everyone, including himself, that she was the one who left because he didn't want anyone to know the truth. He figured he was safe on the other end of the country and with a new name, but it was only a matter of time before the truth caught up with him.
"It's not me, okay. I'm ready to go check out some hotels now. What about you?"
"Um, yeah. Let's get going. Where to first?" On the way out of the buffet, he pitched the flyer in a trash can, not giving it another thought. He was too distracted with his own thoughts to notice Cat breathing a sigh of relief.
This is a continuation from my posts on June 25th and July 2nd.
This week's topic: In her right hand a woman holds a loaded gun, in her left, a coin that just came up ‘tails’…NOW WRITE…
The cowgirl stood poised before them, her right hand waving a shiny silver pistol and her left hand opening and closing on a dime showing its tail side. Every fifteen seconds, she winked at them and pointed the pistol up in the air. Lights flashed all around her, illuminating her blond braid and causing her smile to look even more menacing. The sign below her glowing golden high heeled boots read "Wild West Motel and Saloon."
"Do you really think we should crash here tonight?" Lou wrapped his arms around Cat as she blearily looked up at him.
"I will stay in a rat infested cabin if it means I get to sleep for a few hours. It feels like we've been driving forever!"
"Point taken. Shall I check us in?"
Cat looked at the cowgirl that represented the motel that was already beyond sleazy. She doubted that anyone had stayed there in a long time. Yet, the cowgirl was still lighting up for those who had chosen to stray a little further from the strip. And the sign in the window advertised "Ten Cent Slots." It was also 102 degrees out at three o'clock in the morning. She wasn't in the mood to get back in the car and drive someplace normal, like the Aladdin.
"Do you think they check the rooms with a blacklight?" she thought aloud.
Lou smirked. "I have our key." And it actually was a key. Not a plastic card like at the fancier places.
Cat fell asleep on the rickety bed that smelled of something she didn't want to think about, her last thought being that she would take a long shower in the morning.
After they each showered under the few drips of water the rusty pipes brought forth, they made their way to the strip for a brunch buffet.
Cat was pouring syrup on her stack of six pancakes when she heard some whispering and snickering behind her. She turned around abruptly, spilling syrup on her flip-flop protected foot.
"Hey, aren't you Miss Kitty? I remember you from 'Girls Up All Night.'" A tall man with more hair on his face than on his head was sneering at her and focusing his eyes on her chest area.
Cat shrugged. "I think you must have me mistaken for someone else. I work at Banana Republic."
"I bet the heart shaped birthmark on your thigh would prove otherwise." He grabbed at her skirt in an effort to lift it up. Cat smacked his hand before he could do any damage.
"Excuse me! You have the wrong person. Do I have to call security?"
"What's going on here?" Lou rushed over, sensing Cat's distress.
"Your little lady friend here is only the best stripper on the strip, to put it nicely."
Cat glared at him and turned to Lou. "He has me mistaken for someone else."
The man took out a flyer that had an ad for "Girls Up All Night" with a picture of a short brunette girl who very closely resembled Cat. "Now try to tell me I'm wrong."
"Well, you're wrong. So go away and let me enjoy my vacation."
"Hope to see you in another show soon" he shouted behind him as he left.
Cat picked at her pancakes, unnerved.
"Are you okay? Should we leave?"
"I'm fine!" she snapped. "Let's just enjoy our food and take a little tour of the strip."
Lou studied the picture of the stripper and looked up at Cat. They looked too similar for it to be a coincidence. He wondered what she was hiding. He decided he didn't want to know. Everyone had skeletons in their closet and his were no exception. Cat didn't know the real reason that Elaine left him. He only told everyone, including himself, that she was the one who left because he didn't want anyone to know the truth. He figured he was safe on the other end of the country and with a new name, but it was only a matter of time before the truth caught up with him.
"It's not me, okay. I'm ready to go check out some hotels now. What about you?"
"Um, yeah. Let's get going. Where to first?" On the way out of the buffet, he pitched the flyer in a trash can, not giving it another thought. He was too distracted with his own thoughts to notice Cat breathing a sigh of relief.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Merrylandgirl's got "talent!"
I have a few friends who knit and blog and we've decided to embark on a blog project that has nothing to do with knitting. We're going to take turns coming up with a topic every Thursday and we each have to blog about it by the end of that day and post links to each others' blogs so that people can see our different perspectives on the same topic.
Check out the backstory about how the project was conceived and how we all came together.
Here are the other blogs:
Froggie Knits Like Crazy
Charmingly Random
Desperate Madness
This week, I decided to ask my fellow bloggers: What is your "not-so-special" talent? (I mean this to be something strange, but not artsy.)
If you talent judges out there are reading this, please consider this skill for "America's Got Talent." Toss some dates at me and I'll tell you whose birthday takes place on each one. Or I'll even tell you about an event (nothing majorly historical) that occurred on a given date. Yes, I have a strange ability to remember all sorts of dates and events. I remember the dates of birthdays, anniversaries, deaths, etc. I've always been able to do this and I would even remember the birthdays of my friends' family members. Nowadays, while I do rely on a birthday reminder and Facebook for some people, I still memorize the birthdays of people I know very well. I sometimes need the reminders because I know more people these days.
There are times when I'll get a date in my head and it will drive me crazy until I think of the person who is celebrating something that day. It also drives me crazy that I still remember the birthdays and/or anniversaries of people I no longer talk to. (Like the friend who fell off the face of the planet 7 years ago....I know she just had an anniversary this month because I had attended her wedding. And I still know my ex's birthday even though I don't care to acknowledge it. He just happens to share it with some people I actually do care about!)
My husband teases me about my ability to memorize dates, but it has come in handy. I know people feel special when I contact them on their birthdays and anniversaries. I just contacted a friend who had his 2 year anniversary yesterday. He seemed happy that I remembered. There are some other anniversaries coming up this weekend that I plan to acknowledge, as well. :) It also helps me when I need to fill out a form and have to remember the date of a particular event. Not that it happens that often, but it's good to know that I can pull it out of my memory bank when needed. I also use this talent for my Time Warp Tuesday posts on occasion, as well as my Friendship Friday posts. People are amazed at what I store in my memory bank.
Thanks to the ability to store phone numbers in my cell under a person's name, I don't have to rely on memory as much. However, the other day a friend called my parents' house and I knew it was her number, even after not thinking about it for years (since I could just choose her name from my contacts list). It also allows me to be right about things, even when others try to challenge me. It even came in handy when I was playing a new board game called "About Time."
Ready to challenge me?!? Bring it on!
Check out the backstory about how the project was conceived and how we all came together.
Here are the other blogs:
Froggie Knits Like Crazy
Charmingly Random
Desperate Madness
This week, I decided to ask my fellow bloggers: What is your "not-so-special" talent? (I mean this to be something strange, but not artsy.)
If you talent judges out there are reading this, please consider this skill for "America's Got Talent." Toss some dates at me and I'll tell you whose birthday takes place on each one. Or I'll even tell you about an event (nothing majorly historical) that occurred on a given date. Yes, I have a strange ability to remember all sorts of dates and events. I remember the dates of birthdays, anniversaries, deaths, etc. I've always been able to do this and I would even remember the birthdays of my friends' family members. Nowadays, while I do rely on a birthday reminder and Facebook for some people, I still memorize the birthdays of people I know very well. I sometimes need the reminders because I know more people these days.
There are times when I'll get a date in my head and it will drive me crazy until I think of the person who is celebrating something that day. It also drives me crazy that I still remember the birthdays and/or anniversaries of people I no longer talk to. (Like the friend who fell off the face of the planet 7 years ago....I know she just had an anniversary this month because I had attended her wedding. And I still know my ex's birthday even though I don't care to acknowledge it. He just happens to share it with some people I actually do care about!)
My husband teases me about my ability to memorize dates, but it has come in handy. I know people feel special when I contact them on their birthdays and anniversaries. I just contacted a friend who had his 2 year anniversary yesterday. He seemed happy that I remembered. There are some other anniversaries coming up this weekend that I plan to acknowledge, as well. :) It also helps me when I need to fill out a form and have to remember the date of a particular event. Not that it happens that often, but it's good to know that I can pull it out of my memory bank when needed. I also use this talent for my Time Warp Tuesday posts on occasion, as well as my Friendship Friday posts. People are amazed at what I store in my memory bank.
Thanks to the ability to store phone numbers in my cell under a person's name, I don't have to rely on memory as much. However, the other day a friend called my parents' house and I knew it was her number, even after not thinking about it for years (since I could just choose her name from my contacts list). It also allows me to be right about things, even when others try to challenge me. It even came in handy when I was playing a new board game called "About Time."
Ready to challenge me?!? Bring it on!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
An old July post
Got this gem from livejournal. I still can relate now.
July 10th, 2006, 02:39 pm
10 more days!
That's it. I have 10 days left to enjoy being 29 before I get to enjoy being 30. I'm excited about what lies ahead. First is my party on Saturday. I have no clue what is in store and I love being surprised. My husband and some friends planned this out and they're doing a good job keeping everything secret. Then my real birthday is a week from Thursday. I'm hoping my sister will babysit so that my husband and I can enjoy a movie in the theater for once! Eitan turns 10 months this Thursday, so that's exciting too. :) My parents are taking me to dinner the Sunday after my birthday, which should also be nice.
I'm listening to a country station online and "Something's Gotta Give" by Leann Rimes is on. I named this journal for that song. I think it is because I feel like I'm constantly expecting the worst to happen. Like I want Hashem to give me a break sometimes. Even when something seems perfect, it's not always that way. I could be less vague, but I don't really want to. :P The video for this song is so cute!
We went to St. Joseph, MI this past weekend. It was so nice. The weather was perfect and we got to go to the beach. Eitan loved playing in the sand. It was so cute to watch him in action. We took him in the lake too. And, of course, we got Kilwin's. Our friends who came with us didn't get Kilwin's because their children were having meltdowns (which is causing me to fear the toddler stage and the onset of "the terrible twos", and Eitan is barely even 1 yet). Oh well... We had a great time and Eitan did well on his first actual "vacation". He slept better than he has in weeks!
I finished "Swapping Lives" by Jane Green last week. It was so good! There were a lot of references to "Desperate Housewives". I saw a little of myself in both the women. I know I never want to be single again and it's only because I have found my beshert. If I didn't know any different, I'd probably still be having fun seeing what is out there. However, that is not to be and I'm madly in love with the two boys in my life (in different ways, of course).
My 4th of July was fun last week, but I felt out of place. I felt like I had nothing to talk about with anyone...even people I feel I have close friendships with. I've realized recently that I'm between two worlds. One is of the observant Jews and one is of the secular Jews and non-Jews. I don't fit neatly into either world and I don't feel I should have to completely conform either. Just like I wouldn't give up keeping Kosher or start shopping on Saturdays again, I also wouldn't wear a shaytel and long sleeves/long skirts all the time. I like the Shabbos rules I've established for myself, my husband, and Eitan. I know I'll get a few eye rolls from my family and secular friends. However, I have so much support from my husband's family and the other observant Jews out there. I still realize that I have a ways to go if I ever wanted to be Shomer Shabbos. It's an uphill climb, but I have us off to a good start.
Before I forget...Eitan liked the fireworks, but he fell asleep shortly after they started. Better that than his "drama king" hysterics. :)
That's all for now!
Follow up: I find it interesting that my livejournal name was so negative in relation to my name for this blog, which has a positive feel to it. Not sure where the outlook changed, but it just did. I still like the song "Something's Gotta Give" though.
We haven't been to St. Joseph since this last post. We did go to Kilwin's while we were in SC back in May. Their ice cream is still the best! I know there's one in Annapolis, but we have yet to head out that way.
My older son still likes fireworks. My younger son does too. He was so fascinated!
I find it funny that I mentioned a book by Jane Green, since I did an interview and giveaway for Jane Green on my Chick Lit Central blog yesterday. (It runs until Thursday at midnight, if you're interested. ;) )
Since I wrote this livejournal post, I have become Shomer Shabbos. It's been over three years. I'm proud of how far I've come with it, regardless of what people with secular values think. I think it has caused some stress between my parents and me, but when they come to visit us in Maryland and see how nice and relaxing Shabbos can be, I know they believe that I made a good choice for myself and my family. It's just not a choice that fits in well with their lifestyle in their home (such as us not allowing the TV to be on in front of us or the kids). I am flexible with the choices they make when they stay in my home on Shabbos. I just hope they can be as understanding about my choices (when I'm in a non-Shomer Shabbat home) someday, without needing to roll their eyes. This past Shabbos, we had a nice family meal and some friends joined us too. Saturday started off a bit slow but then picked up when friends came over to visit. The visits were non-stop until Shabbat was almost over. It was nice seeing so many friends again. It felt similar to how Shabbat is in our neighborhood. People host each other for meals and then friends get together in the afternoon. We try to host an afternoon gathering every so often, when friends can come over to play board games or just hang out and chat.
And for the record, two weeks to go until my birthday. Not that it's a big deal this year, but I still love having birthdays, regardless of the sad holiday with which this one happens to coincide.
July 10th, 2006, 02:39 pm
10 more days!
That's it. I have 10 days left to enjoy being 29 before I get to enjoy being 30. I'm excited about what lies ahead. First is my party on Saturday. I have no clue what is in store and I love being surprised. My husband and some friends planned this out and they're doing a good job keeping everything secret. Then my real birthday is a week from Thursday. I'm hoping my sister will babysit so that my husband and I can enjoy a movie in the theater for once! Eitan turns 10 months this Thursday, so that's exciting too. :) My parents are taking me to dinner the Sunday after my birthday, which should also be nice.
I'm listening to a country station online and "Something's Gotta Give" by Leann Rimes is on. I named this journal for that song. I think it is because I feel like I'm constantly expecting the worst to happen. Like I want Hashem to give me a break sometimes. Even when something seems perfect, it's not always that way. I could be less vague, but I don't really want to. :P The video for this song is so cute!
We went to St. Joseph, MI this past weekend. It was so nice. The weather was perfect and we got to go to the beach. Eitan loved playing in the sand. It was so cute to watch him in action. We took him in the lake too. And, of course, we got Kilwin's. Our friends who came with us didn't get Kilwin's because their children were having meltdowns (which is causing me to fear the toddler stage and the onset of "the terrible twos", and Eitan is barely even 1 yet). Oh well... We had a great time and Eitan did well on his first actual "vacation". He slept better than he has in weeks!
I finished "Swapping Lives" by Jane Green last week. It was so good! There were a lot of references to "Desperate Housewives". I saw a little of myself in both the women. I know I never want to be single again and it's only because I have found my beshert. If I didn't know any different, I'd probably still be having fun seeing what is out there. However, that is not to be and I'm madly in love with the two boys in my life (in different ways, of course).
My 4th of July was fun last week, but I felt out of place. I felt like I had nothing to talk about with anyone...even people I feel I have close friendships with. I've realized recently that I'm between two worlds. One is of the observant Jews and one is of the secular Jews and non-Jews. I don't fit neatly into either world and I don't feel I should have to completely conform either. Just like I wouldn't give up keeping Kosher or start shopping on Saturdays again, I also wouldn't wear a shaytel and long sleeves/long skirts all the time. I like the Shabbos rules I've established for myself, my husband, and Eitan. I know I'll get a few eye rolls from my family and secular friends. However, I have so much support from my husband's family and the other observant Jews out there. I still realize that I have a ways to go if I ever wanted to be Shomer Shabbos. It's an uphill climb, but I have us off to a good start.
Before I forget...Eitan liked the fireworks, but he fell asleep shortly after they started. Better that than his "drama king" hysterics. :)
That's all for now!
Follow up: I find it interesting that my livejournal name was so negative in relation to my name for this blog, which has a positive feel to it. Not sure where the outlook changed, but it just did. I still like the song "Something's Gotta Give" though.
We haven't been to St. Joseph since this last post. We did go to Kilwin's while we were in SC back in May. Their ice cream is still the best! I know there's one in Annapolis, but we have yet to head out that way.
My older son still likes fireworks. My younger son does too. He was so fascinated!
I find it funny that I mentioned a book by Jane Green, since I did an interview and giveaway for Jane Green on my Chick Lit Central blog yesterday. (It runs until Thursday at midnight, if you're interested. ;) )
Since I wrote this livejournal post, I have become Shomer Shabbos. It's been over three years. I'm proud of how far I've come with it, regardless of what people with secular values think. I think it has caused some stress between my parents and me, but when they come to visit us in Maryland and see how nice and relaxing Shabbos can be, I know they believe that I made a good choice for myself and my family. It's just not a choice that fits in well with their lifestyle in their home (such as us not allowing the TV to be on in front of us or the kids). I am flexible with the choices they make when they stay in my home on Shabbos. I just hope they can be as understanding about my choices (when I'm in a non-Shomer Shabbat home) someday, without needing to roll their eyes. This past Shabbos, we had a nice family meal and some friends joined us too. Saturday started off a bit slow but then picked up when friends came over to visit. The visits were non-stop until Shabbat was almost over. It was nice seeing so many friends again. It felt similar to how Shabbat is in our neighborhood. People host each other for meals and then friends get together in the afternoon. We try to host an afternoon gathering every so often, when friends can come over to play board games or just hang out and chat.
And for the record, two weeks to go until my birthday. Not that it's a big deal this year, but I still love having birthdays, regardless of the sad holiday with which this one happens to coincide.
Friday, July 2, 2010
We'll always be "partners in crime...."
This week's Friendship Friday post is about A.P.
I also met A.P. during freshman year of high school. I think she traveled in the same social circles as L.B. (from last week's post). We also were in choir together. She was genuinely nice and I liked that she was amused by the fact that I sometimes said curse words. She thought I was too innocent for that.
We were in BBG together, as well. There was a baking contest for "Invite" and I had brought these Funfetti cookies that I enjoy baking. At the time, I wasn't aware that the rules didn't allow for items made from cake mixes. Instead of panicking, A.P. helped me "fake a recipe." Thankfully, we didn't win the baking contest. They probably thought we used too much sugar. We would have felt so guilty otherwise. From that point on, we became "partners in crime." We even signed each other's yearbooks as "Your partner in crime." Around that same time, her mom was fixated on getting me to not say "like," rendering myself to sound like a valley girl in the process. We got some jokes out of that too.
We didn't get to hang out as often during the rest of our high school years. We saw each other in classes and at choir concerts and we always had fun talking during those times. It was one of those friendships where we knew we could be friends even if we didn't travel in the same circles anymore.
In the summer of 1998, we ran into each other at a performance of "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind." At that time, we were with our (now) ex-boyfriends. We enjoyed seeing each other again and catching up. We exchanged contact information, but managed to slip out of touch again.
During the fall of 2004, we ran into each other again at a Makor after-dinner social. This time I was married and she was engaged to a really nice guy. We started getting together more often. I'd invite her over for parties and game nights. I even helped her reconnect to some other friends from high school. After I had my older son in September 2005, she caught the baby "bug" (after attending my bris and some other gatherings where she got to hold him a lot) and gave birth to her son a year later. She then caught the same "bug" after I had my younger son in March 2008 and had a daughter in April 2009. She hadn't even met my younger son at the time!
When we moved to New Jersey in 2007, she and her family moved to Rhode Island a little while later. In December 2008, we had her family over for a Shabbat weekend. It was nice to spend time with them again. Our kids had a blast playing together. A few weeks later, they made an impromptu stop at our house for New Year's Eve, while on their way to Baltimore. They came to visit again last July, as well.
The last time I saw A.P., she brought a huge assortment of clothes with her, as she didn't have a need for them anymore. There were maternity clothes, as well as baby and toddler items. I appreciated her generosity, as she could have just donated them nearby instead of schlepping them out my way.
I'm hoping A.P. will come to the DC area for a visit sometime, although we'd like to visit her and her family in RI, as well. I'm glad we can stay in touch and keep up with each other's lives on Facebook. No matter what happens, we'll always be partners in crime!
I also met A.P. during freshman year of high school. I think she traveled in the same social circles as L.B. (from last week's post). We also were in choir together. She was genuinely nice and I liked that she was amused by the fact that I sometimes said curse words. She thought I was too innocent for that.
We were in BBG together, as well. There was a baking contest for "Invite" and I had brought these Funfetti cookies that I enjoy baking. At the time, I wasn't aware that the rules didn't allow for items made from cake mixes. Instead of panicking, A.P. helped me "fake a recipe." Thankfully, we didn't win the baking contest. They probably thought we used too much sugar. We would have felt so guilty otherwise. From that point on, we became "partners in crime." We even signed each other's yearbooks as "Your partner in crime." Around that same time, her mom was fixated on getting me to not say "like," rendering myself to sound like a valley girl in the process. We got some jokes out of that too.
We didn't get to hang out as often during the rest of our high school years. We saw each other in classes and at choir concerts and we always had fun talking during those times. It was one of those friendships where we knew we could be friends even if we didn't travel in the same circles anymore.
In the summer of 1998, we ran into each other at a performance of "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind." At that time, we were with our (now) ex-boyfriends. We enjoyed seeing each other again and catching up. We exchanged contact information, but managed to slip out of touch again.
During the fall of 2004, we ran into each other again at a Makor after-dinner social. This time I was married and she was engaged to a really nice guy. We started getting together more often. I'd invite her over for parties and game nights. I even helped her reconnect to some other friends from high school. After I had my older son in September 2005, she caught the baby "bug" (after attending my bris and some other gatherings where she got to hold him a lot) and gave birth to her son a year later. She then caught the same "bug" after I had my younger son in March 2008 and had a daughter in April 2009. She hadn't even met my younger son at the time!
When we moved to New Jersey in 2007, she and her family moved to Rhode Island a little while later. In December 2008, we had her family over for a Shabbat weekend. It was nice to spend time with them again. Our kids had a blast playing together. A few weeks later, they made an impromptu stop at our house for New Year's Eve, while on their way to Baltimore. They came to visit again last July, as well.
The last time I saw A.P., she brought a huge assortment of clothes with her, as she didn't have a need for them anymore. There were maternity clothes, as well as baby and toddler items. I appreciated her generosity, as she could have just donated them nearby instead of schlepping them out my way.
I'm hoping A.P. will come to the DC area for a visit sometime, although we'd like to visit her and her family in RI, as well. I'm glad we can stay in touch and keep up with each other's lives on Facebook. No matter what happens, we'll always be partners in crime!
Fearing 40
I had a lot of fun with last week's [Fiction] Friday post (along with some motivating feedback) that I thought I'd try it again!
This is a continuation from my post on June 25th.
The topic for this week: Write about a man with an impossibly bad streak of luck on his birthdays, who, as his 40th birthday approaches, is scared of what might happen.
Saturday night had come and gone. Lou had to admit that Cat was a very interesting girl who kept him guessing the entire evening. They first went to Angelo's for dinner. Then they decided to go to a Karaoke bar on Cat's suggestion (she was a pretty decent singer). Afterward, he took a chance and invited her over for a "Lost" marathon. She managed to stay awake for two episodes before calling it a night.
"I need to work tomorrow. I'm a slave to retail" she said, slowly stretching as she made her way off the couch.
"You never told me where you work."
"I'm a manager at Banana Republic. I want to be a fashion designer when I grow up, so retail's a good place as any to start."
"Aren't you already a grown up?"
"I'll be 35 next month. We're never too old to have goals."
"Good point. I'll be 40 soon," he said while clearing his throat at the same time.
"I'm sorry? I think I missed what you said."
"Um, never mind. I'll see you out to your car."
As Cat fumbled for her keys, Lou decided to make his first move. "You know, you're very pretty." He reached out to brush a stray brown wisp of hair off her forehead. Then he leaned in, only to bump his nose on the driver's side window of her car.
"Sorry, I don't kiss on first dates. You can call me again though." She handed him a laquered business card with the Banana Republic insignia on the front.
"Thanks. I will."
After walking slowly inside--in order to watch Cat drive off--he went into the kitchen to grab himself a bottle of beer. The calendar caught his eye. June 2nd was in a matter of weeks and he was not looking forward to it. He never had a good birthday. His father left his mother, himself and his two brothers on his seventh birthday. He managed to total his car on his 16th birthday, shortly after getting his license. When he turned 22, his mother died from a massive coronary. He got into a huge fight with his brothers on his 27th birthday. And Elaine broke up with him on his 35th birthday. There were other bad birthdays mixed in, but those stood out the most. Now that things were going well in his life--he was a successful veterinarian, he had a potential girlfriend, he loved his new townhouse, his stocks were all gaining money after the market crash--he knew a shoe would drop.
He didn't want anything bad to happen to his practice. He worked hard to build it up to where it was today. He had some loyal, and even some famous, patients. He also liked Cat more than he expected. He wanted to spend more time with her. And losing money was always a fear of his. He wondered if he should pull out of the market while he was in a good place. Maybe he'll just spend all day in his house. He won't answer the phone or do anything to disrupt the passage from 39 into 40. If he just sat totally still and didn't do a thing, maybe the day would just come and go and he could then move on with his life.
On the evening of June 1st, Cat called to wish him a happy last day of his 30's. He appreciated the thought. They had been on several dates already, each one ending in a "Lost" marathon. So far, no kiss.
"So, what do you want for your birthday?"
"Nothing. Really!"
"Everybody wants something for their birthday. Otherwise, it's just another day. Can I bring you a cake?"
"No thank you. I really need to spend the day alone. I'm not much of a birthday person."
"Well, how about if we go out tonight instead?"
"Where did you want to go?"
"How about Las Vegas? It's only a four hour drive from here. Look, I get that your last girlfriend broke up with you on your birthday, but I'm not her. I actually have a thing for vets."
"Will we be back tomorrow mor--you know what? Screw it! Let's do this. Just don't expect me to gamble."
This is a continuation from my post on June 25th.
The topic for this week: Write about a man with an impossibly bad streak of luck on his birthdays, who, as his 40th birthday approaches, is scared of what might happen.
Saturday night had come and gone. Lou had to admit that Cat was a very interesting girl who kept him guessing the entire evening. They first went to Angelo's for dinner. Then they decided to go to a Karaoke bar on Cat's suggestion (she was a pretty decent singer). Afterward, he took a chance and invited her over for a "Lost" marathon. She managed to stay awake for two episodes before calling it a night.
"I need to work tomorrow. I'm a slave to retail" she said, slowly stretching as she made her way off the couch.
"You never told me where you work."
"I'm a manager at Banana Republic. I want to be a fashion designer when I grow up, so retail's a good place as any to start."
"Aren't you already a grown up?"
"I'll be 35 next month. We're never too old to have goals."
"Good point. I'll be 40 soon," he said while clearing his throat at the same time.
"I'm sorry? I think I missed what you said."
"Um, never mind. I'll see you out to your car."
As Cat fumbled for her keys, Lou decided to make his first move. "You know, you're very pretty." He reached out to brush a stray brown wisp of hair off her forehead. Then he leaned in, only to bump his nose on the driver's side window of her car.
"Sorry, I don't kiss on first dates. You can call me again though." She handed him a laquered business card with the Banana Republic insignia on the front.
"Thanks. I will."
After walking slowly inside--in order to watch Cat drive off--he went into the kitchen to grab himself a bottle of beer. The calendar caught his eye. June 2nd was in a matter of weeks and he was not looking forward to it. He never had a good birthday. His father left his mother, himself and his two brothers on his seventh birthday. He managed to total his car on his 16th birthday, shortly after getting his license. When he turned 22, his mother died from a massive coronary. He got into a huge fight with his brothers on his 27th birthday. And Elaine broke up with him on his 35th birthday. There were other bad birthdays mixed in, but those stood out the most. Now that things were going well in his life--he was a successful veterinarian, he had a potential girlfriend, he loved his new townhouse, his stocks were all gaining money after the market crash--he knew a shoe would drop.
He didn't want anything bad to happen to his practice. He worked hard to build it up to where it was today. He had some loyal, and even some famous, patients. He also liked Cat more than he expected. He wanted to spend more time with her. And losing money was always a fear of his. He wondered if he should pull out of the market while he was in a good place. Maybe he'll just spend all day in his house. He won't answer the phone or do anything to disrupt the passage from 39 into 40. If he just sat totally still and didn't do a thing, maybe the day would just come and go and he could then move on with his life.
On the evening of June 1st, Cat called to wish him a happy last day of his 30's. He appreciated the thought. They had been on several dates already, each one ending in a "Lost" marathon. So far, no kiss.
"So, what do you want for your birthday?"
"Nothing. Really!"
"Everybody wants something for their birthday. Otherwise, it's just another day. Can I bring you a cake?"
"No thank you. I really need to spend the day alone. I'm not much of a birthday person."
"Well, how about if we go out tonight instead?"
"Where did you want to go?"
"How about Las Vegas? It's only a four hour drive from here. Look, I get that your last girlfriend broke up with you on your birthday, but I'm not her. I actually have a thing for vets."
"Will we be back tomorrow mor--you know what? Screw it! Let's do this. Just don't expect me to gamble."
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Blog Project Break
With Independence Day around the corner, I decided we all should take a week off to relax before the holiday weekend. See you on July 8th, when it will be my turn to pick the topic again!
Have a Happy 4th of July!
This isn't the greatest image, but it is related to DC, so I chose it for that reason.
Have a Happy 4th of July!
This isn't the greatest image, but it is related to DC, so I chose it for that reason.
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