Celebrate good times, come on!

I was riding home from work today and the song "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang came on. I was immediately reminded of when I used to go to Bar/Bat Mitzvah parties as a kid. I learned this whole dance to the song (it was like the electric slide in that it repeated itself in different directions) and would practice it in the basement with my sister and my BFF. There was one time when I was one of the only girls at a Bar Mitzvah party (no complaints about that) and all the moms wanted me to teach them the dance. Nowadays, I couldn't even attempt to remember the dance even if I wanted to. I guess I need to watch my Bat Mitzvah video again.

The other big thing at these parties was the hula hoop competition. Once again, my sister, my BFF and I practiced hula hooping for hours in the basement. We'd even master the different stunts, such as going on our knees, lifting one leg, turning around, etc. I had it mastered for my own Bat Mitzvah party but then got flustered by the end and my sister won the contest. In 2002 (going into 2003), I tried to do a hula hoop contest at First Night Evanston and failed miserably. I just didn't have the moves anymore.

Oh, to be a pre-teen again!

Friendship Friday returns...at least for today

I haven't done a Friendship Friday post in a long time, but have been thinking of two friends whom I wanted to talk about for a while and didn't get around to it before I lost my motivation to keep this theme going...

These two friends are K.M. and N.L.. I'm posting about them together because there's a bond between the three of us.

I met K.M. during freshman year of high school. We used to pick on each other by being generally obnoxious and flipping each other the bird. Don't ask. Then we were hanging out one day and talking and something just fell into place, turning us from "frenemies" into actual friends. Soon, we started hanging out all the time and we'd create lots of inside jokes together. We became inseperable after a while, almost like Romy and Michele. We still had times of tension in our friendship, but then things would get back to normal, like those times never happened. After we graduated, we connected in a different way and when we started dating our first boyfriends, we had more to talk about in that area of life. We also went on double dates from time to time. I'd get together with her any time I was home for a school break. We continued to stay close friends, no matter what was going on in our lives. Then we joined the bowling league together in 2001 with two other friends and continued to stay connected through it. As we became adults and our lives took us in different directions altogether (mine taking me out of state after a while), we continued to stay connected through the Internet and we also would see each other at gatherings when I was back in town. I have a feeling that no matter where either of us goes or what either of us does, we'll always find a way to be a part of each other's lives. I hope that she is happy with whatever she does in life and whatever comes her way.

I met N.L. during senior year of high school. She's from Amsterdam and was on an exchange program in the U.S., which happened to bring her to our school. I'm so grateful for that! I connected with her through K.M. and then we had some classes together, so we became close that way too. After we graduated, she stayed in the U.S. for another month and spent one week at our house while her hosts were out of town. It was like an extended slumber party! On one of her last nights here, I took K.M. and her to see "Rocky Horror." We went to a carnival beforehand and then hung out talking for a long time before the movie started. She got a poster from the theater and I was happy to see it posted on her wall in a photo she sent me. Until we both got e-mail accounts, we'd send letters back and forth in the mail.
E-mail definitely opened the communication gateway for us though. When I got married in 2004, N.L. flew back to the U.S. to spend a few weeks with us prior to the wedding and then stayed at our condo with our cat while we were on our honeymoon. It was so special to have her back here and we enjoyed catching up. I even introduced her to some more friends during her visit and she's still connected with them, as well. In 2005, my firstborn son happened to be born on her birthday, so I was excited for them to be birthday pals. Then she shared her own baby news with me shortly after my son's arrival and gave birth to an adorable little girl the following spring. From what I can tell on Facebook and through e-mails, things are going really well for her. I hope they continue to go well. I also enjoy seeing all the pictures she posts of herself, her daughter, and the cakes she decorates.

There was a short period of time in high school when one toxic friend tried to split the three of us apart. However, this friend failed at her attempts (we all figured it out at different times) and we all no longer associate with her. It goes to show that our friendship has sustained a lot over time and will continue to stay strong, regardless of where we all live.

Make a run for the Borders....

...Especially if your local Borders store is closing.

Yes, Borders is shutting down stores all over the country due to filing for bankruptcy. The CEO sent a message out last night saying that they're still going to operate the stores that are staying open, as well stay open online.

I guess I kind of saw this coming a couple of years ago, when I went to a Borders in NJ and they were condensing and clearing out their music and movie section. They also had massive clearances on books. It was quite depressing to look at.

A friend of mine posted on his Facebook page that it was ironic how stores like Borders caused independent bookshops to close their doors (such as what was shown in "You've Got Mail") and now the Internet and the rise of e-readers (or mail DVD rentals) is causing the same thing for stores like Borders (and even big DVD rental shops, such as Blockbuster). It's pretty sad how things work in this economy. I don't even think there are any little bookstores in malls anymore, such as B. Dalton (which I last got some good deals at due to a closeout sale) or Waldenbooks. Does anyone remember Kroch and Brentano's or am I the only one? I loved that bookstore when I was younger.

For me, there's nothing like the feel of a bookstore. I love going into shops like Barnes and Noble or Borders and just browsing around for hours looking at the latest books or relaxing with my own book and a cup of tea or hot cocoa. I have fond memories of going to Borders with my friends and looking at books together or finding good deals on CDs. I also have fond memories of B&N, as I met my husband in person for the first time at one of their locations. However, since B&N is sticking around for a while, I don't have as much to say other than that I'm relieved that not all big bookstores are going by the wayside. The Borders I went to the most in Illinois is closing down. It was by a local mall and my friend and I would spend lots of time in there after we met up for dinner. I liked the layout of that Borders, as it was easy to find everything.

I haven't been to a bookstore in a while, thanks to my chick lit blog bringing in lots of review copies of books. However, not all books I want are chick lit themed and I will have to eventually go to the store to get certain ones I want outside of this category. I won a B&N gift card this past winter (thanks to a very cool author doing a contest) and can't wait to put it toward the new Jodi Picoult novel and anything else that might come out within the coming months.

Finally, I want to share my funniest Borders memory. When we lived in NJ and my younger son was a baby, I brought him and my older son to a Borders and bought some books for them. As I was checking out, little did I know but my older son was putting some gift card holders (that looked like stuffed animals) into my younger son's stroller. I didn't see them till we got to the car. Then I was all freaked out and ran back and put them inside the store. They didn't set off an alarm for some reason, but it was pretty crazy anyway. I don't think my older son knew he was stealing, as he was only three at the time. I just found it so funny that he was using his baby brother as an accomplice! Both my sons love books now, so I hope I can take them to bookstores with me and let them pick out books they want. When I was a kid (and even now), buying books was the highlight of any shopping trip. I wouldn't complain if it were the same way for my sons!

It's a moral imperative....

One of my favorite movie lines is from "Real Genius." I love when Val Kilmer's character says "it's a moral imperative." It makes the task at hand sound so important, no matter what it may be. I've discovered that it's a moral imperative to see certain movies.

Several times, I've been told that I have to see "Ghost." The topic of the movie is sad, but if I can read novels about women who become widows at a young age, then I should be able to handle this movie by now.

Last year, our next door neighbor made us see "Casablanca," as he was shocked that we never had seen it before. I wasn't overly impressed with the movie. I was expecting more. I felt that way about "Gone With the Wind" too. I guess I'm not one for classical films. When this same neighbor confessed to having never seen "Office Space," we made him come over that same night so he could finally see it. He now wants us to see "Kentucky Fried Movie."

We also had another friend over toward the end of the year to see "Back to the Future" for the first time in her life.

This (along with other recent confessions of un-seen "classics") has provoked me to make a list of movies that one should not go without seeing at least once in their life.

* "The Princess Bride" (For one of my Chick Lit Central giveaways, I asked everyone to share their favorite quote from this movie. Some people said they had never seen it before. I nearly fell off my chair in shock!)
* "Airplane"
* "Office Space"
* "When Harry Met Sally"
* "Grease"
* "Back to the Future"
* "The Karate Kid" (the original with Ralph Macchio)
* "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
* "Real Genius" (because it's a moral imperative, you know)
* "The Shawshank Redemption" (I gave my VHS of this movie to some friends a long time ago and I think they still have yet to watch it, despite my prodding.)

These are all I could think of for now. They're the ones that I gasp in surprise about when I hear that someone has not seen one of them. I'm sure I'll think of others after the fact, but my mind is drawing a blank for now.

Amazingly, there are still some movies I've never seen and people would probably fall over in shock if I told them which ones.

What movies are on your "moral imperative" list?

Quest for the best

When my sister and I were kids, there would be times when we wanted a certain toy or stuffed animal (or CD/cassette, movie, etc. as we got older). This would send our parents on a quest, usually with us tagging along, till we got what we wanted. One year, it was a Popple (those stuffed animals that would fold into a ball) that just seemed to be out of stock everywhere. We found it somewhere in Florida while we were on vacation. Another time, my sister wanted a stuffed animal version of that furry little creature from "Captain EO." I think it took a few trips to Epcot Center before one was finally able to be found and purchased. When I was in 8th grade, I really wanted the "Sing" soundtrack. I think we searched every record store in the suburbs before finding it (and if the cassette dies, I don't think I can even find it on CD). Then there was the time where we had to get these stuffed reindeers from Burger King (yes, I know we're Jewish but they were these collectible items at the time...I don't even know what the big deal was anymore, come to think of it). We were all piled into a van with our friends in Florida and everyone was ordering kid's meals from the drive up, even though we just ate dinner, just so we could get each type of reindeer they had. (And this was also long before I started keeping Kosher.) Overall, it was a lot of fun family bonding with each item we pursued.

I was reminded of these quests today when I was at Toys R' Us looking for a replacement camera for my older son. I was also on the hunt for a toy acoustic guitar for my younger son. While they had a lot of guitars, the ones that would have worked for him were either broken or had too many bells and whistles, so to speak. He's going to be three and I know he'll be happy with something simple. (I did luck out on the camera though.) I'll probably continue my guitar search till I find something just right for my younger son (and I hope that he'll still be interested at that point).

May the quests continue with their changing interests....

Guiltiest pleasure of them all...

Recently, I had asked readers of my Chick Lit Central blog what their guilty pleasures were, based on a question that we asked an author in an interview. It got me to thinking of my own guilty pleasure. I know we could go with the standard of chocolate, which is pretty obvious. (Just visit me at work on any given day of the week.) However, I have an even guiltier pleasure than that....

For the past few years, I've been addicted to "90210." I'm not talking about the series from the early 90's with Brandon, Brenda and the gang. I'm talking about the new series on the CW starring a bunch of actors that no one has ever heard of prior to the show (aside from Lori Loughlin of "Full House" fame). From the moment the school performed "Spring Awakening" in season one, I was hooked. When Matt Lanter joined the cast mid-season as Liam, I couldn't tear my eyes away. (If I need a distraction from Adam Lambert, I turn to him.) There's something I like about this series vs. the old school series. I get consumed by the story lines and ruminate over them between episodes. (I don't know if it has gotten as far as my "Desperate Housewives" nightmares though.) Just when I worry that the show is going to jump the shark, it just gets even more interesting and entertaining and continues to add new characters either as someone likable or as a villain.

You're probably asking yourself why "90210" of all shows is my guiltiest pleasure. Why not "Desperate Housewives?" Simple...because my husband does not watch "90210" and I don't think I'd even let him watch at this point (since all he would do is make fun of the Peach Pit and compare it to The Max from "Saved by the Bell"). Also, it is a high school drama and I'm a mother in her mid-30's. In any case, I find it impossible to tear my eyes away from this show and I hope it continues to stay on the CW for many more seasons to come.

On Cloud Nine

It was nine years ago today that I walked into Barnes and Noble after a stressful day (locked my keys in the car that morning in freezing cold weather) and saw my husband in person for the first time. We had been talking on the phone and e-mailing a lot prior to that first meeting where he asked me out for hot chocolate (because we both don't drink coffee). When I saw him, I just knew he was the one I was going to marry. I don't know how I knew it at the time, but we just clicked so well right away. Plus, he gave me the "thumbs up" sign on our first date, so that spoke volumes. :) In honor of our nine years together as a couple, I wanted to share nine things I love about my husband. (As you may recall, I shared eight fun facts about us as a couple when we reached eight years together.)

1. His sense of humor. He knows how to make me laugh till I can barely see straight!
2. He's an amazing Abba. The kids are crazy about him and he devotes a lot of time and attention to them.
3. I don't need a doula because he's a great birthing partner (I do call him Paula Ab-doula though). He helped me through my first two births and I know he'll be right by my side for this one too (b'shaah tovah), except during epidural time, of course!
4. He's a fabulous cook, even when he experiments with new recipes. I never have to worry about starving with him around!
5. He's very ambitious and motivated. He loves his job and works hard to always make sure things are going smoothly at work. He studied non-stop this summer to get his project management certification, as well.
6. We always have something new to talk about, which is so important to me. He's a great conversationalist.
7. He's a fantastic photographer and we have his work framed and hanging up all over the house. I'm always proud to tell people that he took the pictures they were admiring.
8. He's very committed to Judaism and being observant, which is important because he keeps us grounded in our faith and always finds new ways to make parashas, Shabbat and holidays interesting for the kids.
9. He puts up with all my craziness (and pregnancy mood swings) and hasn't made a run for it yet. :)

May we make it another 9 years to "chai" and beyond... :)