I'm not talking about the TV show, even though I used to watch it (which sounds strange coming from a Jewish person, but so be it).
Today is my seven year anniversary with my husband. I have to say that life is like the song "Don't Blink." I feel like seven years has just flown by and now we have three kids to show for it!
We started watching "How I Met Your Mother" recently and a lot of it rings true for us. Like the unique things that attract us to one another and the whole olive theory seems to work too. (I don't like them and he does.)
In relation to that, my husband and I love laughing together and joking around. (Our older son picks on us for laughing and not letting him in on the "grown up" joke.) In honor of our anniversary, I'd like to share seven TV shows, movies and things in general that make us laugh.
TV Shows:
1. Arrested Development
2. Modern Family
3. Curb Your Enthusiasm
4. The Office
5. Futurama
6. Mad TV (not on anymore)
7. Family Guy (the older episodes)
Movies:
1. Happy Gilmore
2. Grandma's Boy
3. UHF
4. The Hebrew Hammer
5. Clerks 2
6. Office Space
7. Airplane
Things in General:
1. The robotic store manager at Babies 'R' Us (when we registered for gifts in 2005).
2. The idea of clapping for anyone who accidentally gets down on one knee at a restaurant on Valentine's Day.
3. The funny things our kids say and do.
4. The "adult baby" on CNN.
5. The nursing demo poster at the hospital that looks like the mom is choking the baby.
6. Replacing "Jesus" with "Hashem" in songs that warrant doing so.
7. My late paternal grandpa's dice-rolling hand maneuver.
I feel so blessed to be married to my husband for so long and that neither of us have a seven-year itch. :) I love that we connect well with our senses of humor and that we never fail to make one another laugh. I'm excited to find more things to laugh and joke about with him. To start our eighth year of marriage together, I'm sure we'll find a lot to laugh about from "How I Met Your Mother."
Monday, March 14, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Showing off
I received another blog-worthy daily challenge this week: List 5 traits, skills, or talents you're happy you have.
This one was harder for me to write about. I consider myself to be modest about my own skills and capabilities, so I want to be able to share this list without feeling egotistical. I also challenged my BFF to write a post on this topic. Here's her post.
And here's my list....
1. Writing. I think I'm a fairly good writer, both on a personal and a fictional level. I've received good feedback for "Fiction Friday" posts in the past. That was definitely encouraging. I also have received positive comments about my personal posts. (And not just from my mom. :) ) When I was in high school, I wrote a short play that got published in a literary magazine, entered into a contest and directed by two different people in my directing class. It was exciting to see my work put on stage and I also enjoyed receiving positive feedback on it. It didn't win in the contest, but I was pleased that the creative writing teacher entered it in the contest at all. She also entered another story I wrote into a contest. I think it received an honorable mention. Nowadays, I think it would be cool to write a fictional novel, but I seem to lack the motivation.
2. Cooking. I'm nowhere near as gourmet as my husband and tend to use safe and easy recipes. However, people are always pleased with what I produce. My stepfather-in-law seems to be a fan of my cooking, which is a huge compliment because he seems to have a gourmet palate and likes the finer things. He compares my cooking to places that I can't imagine aspiring to (like Zadie's Bakery in NJ).
3. Bringing People Together. My friend jokes about "Six Degrees of Melissa" because I tend to connect a lot of friends to one another. Sometimes it's my high school and college friends. Other times, my Internet and community friends. I tend to mix everyone together. I love that Facebook opens up this ability even more! If I think two people would get along well, I don't hesitate to introduce them.
4. Pop Culture Trivia. Another friend calls me the "Melissa Movie Database." I seem to know which actors were in certain movies. I also have what seems like useless knowledge of sitcoms, movies, Broadway shows, etc. Sometimes this trivia comes in handy and can be used to my advantage when making bets. :)
5. Confidence. I like myself. It took some time to get to this place, as I didn't have much confidence as a kid. It came later, like when I did forensics in high school. My confidence wavered a bit when we moved from Chicago to New Jersey, but I got it back over time and it has come back full force now that we live in Maryland. It's what gave me the push I needed to start Chick Lit Central and what helps me keep it going strong. I hope to instill the same level of confidence in my kids, especially my oldest child.
This one was harder for me to write about. I consider myself to be modest about my own skills and capabilities, so I want to be able to share this list without feeling egotistical. I also challenged my BFF to write a post on this topic. Here's her post.
And here's my list....
1. Writing. I think I'm a fairly good writer, both on a personal and a fictional level. I've received good feedback for "Fiction Friday" posts in the past. That was definitely encouraging. I also have received positive comments about my personal posts. (And not just from my mom. :) ) When I was in high school, I wrote a short play that got published in a literary magazine, entered into a contest and directed by two different people in my directing class. It was exciting to see my work put on stage and I also enjoyed receiving positive feedback on it. It didn't win in the contest, but I was pleased that the creative writing teacher entered it in the contest at all. She also entered another story I wrote into a contest. I think it received an honorable mention. Nowadays, I think it would be cool to write a fictional novel, but I seem to lack the motivation.
2. Cooking. I'm nowhere near as gourmet as my husband and tend to use safe and easy recipes. However, people are always pleased with what I produce. My stepfather-in-law seems to be a fan of my cooking, which is a huge compliment because he seems to have a gourmet palate and likes the finer things. He compares my cooking to places that I can't imagine aspiring to (like Zadie's Bakery in NJ).
3. Bringing People Together. My friend jokes about "Six Degrees of Melissa" because I tend to connect a lot of friends to one another. Sometimes it's my high school and college friends. Other times, my Internet and community friends. I tend to mix everyone together. I love that Facebook opens up this ability even more! If I think two people would get along well, I don't hesitate to introduce them.
4. Pop Culture Trivia. Another friend calls me the "Melissa Movie Database." I seem to know which actors were in certain movies. I also have what seems like useless knowledge of sitcoms, movies, Broadway shows, etc. Sometimes this trivia comes in handy and can be used to my advantage when making bets. :)
5. Confidence. I like myself. It took some time to get to this place, as I didn't have much confidence as a kid. It came later, like when I did forensics in high school. My confidence wavered a bit when we moved from Chicago to New Jersey, but I got it back over time and it has come back full force now that we live in Maryland. It's what gave me the push I needed to start Chick Lit Central and what helps me keep it going strong. I hope to instill the same level of confidence in my kids, especially my oldest child.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
An "active" life
I was recently presented with another daily challenge from Facebook. This time, it was about writing down five activities that make me happy.
I've decided not to talk about the obvious stuff, since that will always be a source of happiness in my life. And if you don't know what the obvious things are, then you don't really know me.
1. Reading. That could be stated as an obvious, but it's always been a huge source of joy in my life. I'm content whenever I have a book in my hands, especially if it's an entertaining one. I wrote this post for Chick Lit Central last summer, to elaborate on my love for reading.
2. Shopping. My name may not be Becky Bloomwood, but get me into my favorite thrift store and my shopping capabilities rival hers. I don't shop at fancy department stores or boutiques, but instead love a good bargain and finding things I never thought I'd be able to get my hands on. This post from last year does not even begin to cover my love for all things Unique and Value Village related. Aside from that, I'm a junkie for Target and Wal-Mart.
3. Baking. I am not talking about getting high, thank you very much. I love to bake cookies, cakes, brownies, and most importantly...challah! Something about the smell of the food as it is baking and the feel of pride from having a successful product to eat afterward is pure nirvana for me. I also love making frozen treats, such as ice cream pies and what is known as "Barbie's Malibu Dream Cake."
4. Singing. Just call me Rachel Berry! I love to sing. My voice needs more of a workout these days, but I'll still sing along with whatever CD is playing in my car. (Today it was the "Little Shop of Horrors" soundtrack.) I sing while doing chores around the house, as well. It's such a fun stress relief for me. I miss going to Karaoke bars and hope to get to one sometime in the near future.
5. Going to movie theaters. Despite the fact that movies cost an arm and a leg to see in the theaters these days, I still like the experience from the initial smells of popcorn to the previews and then to the actual movie. The feel of seeing it on a big screen with a huge sound system will always rival seeing it on DVD in the comfort of my home. It's a rare treat to go to a movie theater these days (and not just because of the cost involved). I cherish it even more as a result. I'll even go to see movies by myself, just to enjoy the theater experience. The last time I did that was in 2008 for "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2." The moment I got into the theater, I had a huge smile on my face. It was such a natural high!
Since I was told to list only five activities, I'll stop here. I could think of plenty more though!
My BFF (Froggie, whom you may remember from our blog project last year) also wrote a post about five activities that make her happy. Check it out! If you do a post like this for yourself, I'd be interested in seeing it, as well.
I've decided not to talk about the obvious stuff, since that will always be a source of happiness in my life. And if you don't know what the obvious things are, then you don't really know me.
1. Reading. That could be stated as an obvious, but it's always been a huge source of joy in my life. I'm content whenever I have a book in my hands, especially if it's an entertaining one. I wrote this post for Chick Lit Central last summer, to elaborate on my love for reading.
2. Shopping. My name may not be Becky Bloomwood, but get me into my favorite thrift store and my shopping capabilities rival hers. I don't shop at fancy department stores or boutiques, but instead love a good bargain and finding things I never thought I'd be able to get my hands on. This post from last year does not even begin to cover my love for all things Unique and Value Village related. Aside from that, I'm a junkie for Target and Wal-Mart.
3. Baking. I am not talking about getting high, thank you very much. I love to bake cookies, cakes, brownies, and most importantly...challah! Something about the smell of the food as it is baking and the feel of pride from having a successful product to eat afterward is pure nirvana for me. I also love making frozen treats, such as ice cream pies and what is known as "Barbie's Malibu Dream Cake."
4. Singing. Just call me Rachel Berry! I love to sing. My voice needs more of a workout these days, but I'll still sing along with whatever CD is playing in my car. (Today it was the "Little Shop of Horrors" soundtrack.) I sing while doing chores around the house, as well. It's such a fun stress relief for me. I miss going to Karaoke bars and hope to get to one sometime in the near future.
5. Going to movie theaters. Despite the fact that movies cost an arm and a leg to see in the theaters these days, I still like the experience from the initial smells of popcorn to the previews and then to the actual movie. The feel of seeing it on a big screen with a huge sound system will always rival seeing it on DVD in the comfort of my home. It's a rare treat to go to a movie theater these days (and not just because of the cost involved). I cherish it even more as a result. I'll even go to see movies by myself, just to enjoy the theater experience. The last time I did that was in 2008 for "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2." The moment I got into the theater, I had a huge smile on my face. It was such a natural high!
Since I was told to list only five activities, I'll stop here. I could think of plenty more though!
My BFF (Froggie, whom you may remember from our blog project last year) also wrote a post about five activities that make her happy. Check it out! If you do a post like this for yourself, I'd be interested in seeing it, as well.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Happy Birth Day
Monday, February 28, 2011 was an amazing day for me. That was the day I gave birth to my daughter. I was watching "A Baby Story" on TLC this week (and crying at each birth, of course) and thought I should share my baby story too. I posted my older son's birth story last year as a time warp post. I don't think I ever shared my younger son's birth story other than to talk about how surprised and thrilled I was that he was a boy. I want this baby's birth story on record though. I promise to not get too detailed or gory.
I went to the hospital Sunday afternoon to get pre-induced. This was the first time I had to do that for an induction. The other two times, I was just put on Pitocin and that was it. This time, they used Cervadil to ripen the cervix first. I thought that meant possibly avoiding an IV if I went into labor just from the Cervadil. However, I still needed one because they use it for fluids and other medicines, as needed. I hate IVs, so I was not too thrilled. The nurse who did it was gentle and quick, so that was good, at least. Then another nurse was asking me a zillion health background questions. She had a thick middle eastern accent and I had no idea what she was saying because she was quiet and talked quickly, as well. My husband had to interpret everything. Then she leaned over my bed like she was trying to tell me a secret and instead asked me if I was happy with my life. I told her I was and she went back to her questions. After a while, she came back to whisper another question. She wanted to know if I was being abused physically or emotionally. She smiled as she was asking this, like it was awkward for her to ask. It was awkward, since she asked while my husband was right behind her! He then went off to get something and I explained to her that he is the most amazing husband in the world and she has nothing to worry about. I'm guessing these questions are standard, but it was stupid to ask while he was in the room.
Later, I was allowed to eat a meal before they started the Cervadil. Then I could only have ice chips for about two hours. I also had to stay in bed for those two hours. Good thing the Oscars kept me entertained. Finally, I was allowed to have something light and had a popsicle before going to bed. At around 1:15, I started feeling contractions. They weren't showing on the monitor yet for some reason, so I felt like the night nurse (who was pretty much like a Barbie doll) didn't believe me. They started getting worse over time and I asked for some pain medication. That made me dizzy and I felt like I was walking on a train. She gave me the medication before letting me get up to go to the bathroom. Kind of stupid, since I had trouble walking after that. The other annoying thing was describing my pain level. I don't know how to explain my pain in terms of numbers, since it's so arbitrary. My version of a 2 may be another person's version of a 6. I was originally scheduled to move to labor and delivery by 7:30, but they moved it to 5:30 when they saw that the contractions were really happening and it was affecting the baby's heart rate.
They were still pretty bad when I got to L&D, so I didn't need Pitocin after all. I was able to get an epidural sometime after 6:00. This also was after answering more health related questions. The anesthesiologist was female and had two kids of her own, so she was understanding of how it feels for women to get epidurals and was very patient. Once the epidural kicked in, the doctor broke my water. I went from a 4 to a 10 in no time and was ready to push by 8:30. The doctor was taking his dear sweet time scrubbing up and getting ready for me to deliver. I thought that was annoying. The delivery nurse was very nice though. I just was annoyed that I had to hold up one of my legs while also pushing. There were two nurses in the room. You think I wouldn't have to hold my leg at all. The baby came out in very few pushes and they handed her to me right away and told me it was a girl. I was exhilarated and thrilled from the surprise and the fact that I finally had a girl. (Even if I had a boy, I'd be happy, but probably less surprised since I was building myself up to expect a boy this time.)
After they took the baby from me to clean and examine her, the doctor finished up his post delivery work. (See, I'm sparing you the gory details!) He was not gentle at all and then told me I shouldn't feel anything because I had an epidural. That was infuriating! I felt everything! This doctor should not be delivering babies though. He had horrible bedside manner. I'm just thankful that I was warned about him so that I wouldn't be expecting Patch Adams. :P He rolled his eyes at my husband for not wanting to cut the cord (for taharat hamishpachot reasons, he has never cut the cord). Then he was just gruff in general. Even when he was done, he just said "Congrats Mom. Congrats Dad." It wasn't sincere at all! He also yelled at my husband for holding the baby standing up. Like he's never held a baby before! I'm so glad the delivery nurse was nice because that took the edge off the crude bedside manner of the doctor. The baby was also crying a lot after she came out and wasn't soothed until she had a bottle. So that added to my stress. Toss in the yucky post birth feeling and mothers screaming their heads off in the adjacent rooms and it was not a pleasant morning. My husband jokes that I could be a Scientologist from how quiet I was during delivery. I guess it's easier than I thought to not scream during delivery. I'm also glad this was my third time around, so the other women didn't scare me off from giving birth.
A few hours later after breakfast, lots of happy phone calls, and resting while watching "Pleasantville," I got to go up to the maternity ward. After that, it was pretty relaxing and restful. The first maternity nurse I had was decent. She didn't have much of a personality but she wasn't mean either. Then another nurse took over and she was really nice. She came by to talk to us for a while. A friend of ours also visited in the evening and brought pizza from Ben Yehuda's. :) Then I got to rest and watch "90210."
The overnight nurse was okay. There was an annoying issue involving my OB putting in a prescription for my thyroid pills without consulting my endocrinologist. I had my own pills with me and the nurse was giving me a headache about letting me take them vs. what was ordered. I had instructions from my endocrinologist to take a certain level after giving birth and what the OB prescribed was too high. They finally took care of that issue in the morning, but I was still annoyed that I had to deal with all the scrutiny. The baby slept in the nursery overnight and I tried to sleep, but was woken up at 6:00 to check vitals. Then I couldn't get back to sleep.
My husband came by to spend the morning and afternoon with me. We watched "You Again" and hung out with the baby. Then he went home, picked up the boys and got me dinner from Max's. (Yummy fried chicken.) The boys were happy to meet their sister and had fun helping me while I changed her diaper. My younger son was mad that we didn't let him feed her and he only wanted to hold her because my older son got to do it. After they left, the baby and I watched "Where the Heart is." (I had to introduce the new "chick" in my life to my favorite feel-good chick flick.) There was a point where we ran out of formula and she was screaming her head off. The nurse took forever to bring a new set of bottles and then brought the wrong kind. So frustrating. Then I was about to go to sleep later on and they brought her in from the nursery saying she was inconsolable. So I got her back to sleep and then it took me a while to fall asleep after that.
The baby had a screening ABR at the hospital to check her hearing. She failed and has to go for another ABR in April. While we're worried about whether or not she'll be able to hear, we at least feel more prepared if she has hearing loss. We have great resources at our fingertips, we know how a CI works and we feel she has the best role model right in our house. All things considered, it's manageable.
Things have been manageable at home so far. Nights are rough, but when aren't they with a new baby around. She'll get into a routine soon enough. The boys love her and we're completely over the moon with her. She'll be named at shul tomorrow and then I can't wait to share the name with everyone after Shabbat. I'm especially excited to share it with my boys though. :) We're really glad we get to use the girl name we picked, as we knew we wanted that name from the very beginning.
As Fannie Flagg once said in the title of one of her novels...."Welcome to the world, baby girl!"
I went to the hospital Sunday afternoon to get pre-induced. This was the first time I had to do that for an induction. The other two times, I was just put on Pitocin and that was it. This time, they used Cervadil to ripen the cervix first. I thought that meant possibly avoiding an IV if I went into labor just from the Cervadil. However, I still needed one because they use it for fluids and other medicines, as needed. I hate IVs, so I was not too thrilled. The nurse who did it was gentle and quick, so that was good, at least. Then another nurse was asking me a zillion health background questions. She had a thick middle eastern accent and I had no idea what she was saying because she was quiet and talked quickly, as well. My husband had to interpret everything. Then she leaned over my bed like she was trying to tell me a secret and instead asked me if I was happy with my life. I told her I was and she went back to her questions. After a while, she came back to whisper another question. She wanted to know if I was being abused physically or emotionally. She smiled as she was asking this, like it was awkward for her to ask. It was awkward, since she asked while my husband was right behind her! He then went off to get something and I explained to her that he is the most amazing husband in the world and she has nothing to worry about. I'm guessing these questions are standard, but it was stupid to ask while he was in the room.
Later, I was allowed to eat a meal before they started the Cervadil. Then I could only have ice chips for about two hours. I also had to stay in bed for those two hours. Good thing the Oscars kept me entertained. Finally, I was allowed to have something light and had a popsicle before going to bed. At around 1:15, I started feeling contractions. They weren't showing on the monitor yet for some reason, so I felt like the night nurse (who was pretty much like a Barbie doll) didn't believe me. They started getting worse over time and I asked for some pain medication. That made me dizzy and I felt like I was walking on a train. She gave me the medication before letting me get up to go to the bathroom. Kind of stupid, since I had trouble walking after that. The other annoying thing was describing my pain level. I don't know how to explain my pain in terms of numbers, since it's so arbitrary. My version of a 2 may be another person's version of a 6. I was originally scheduled to move to labor and delivery by 7:30, but they moved it to 5:30 when they saw that the contractions were really happening and it was affecting the baby's heart rate.
They were still pretty bad when I got to L&D, so I didn't need Pitocin after all. I was able to get an epidural sometime after 6:00. This also was after answering more health related questions. The anesthesiologist was female and had two kids of her own, so she was understanding of how it feels for women to get epidurals and was very patient. Once the epidural kicked in, the doctor broke my water. I went from a 4 to a 10 in no time and was ready to push by 8:30. The doctor was taking his dear sweet time scrubbing up and getting ready for me to deliver. I thought that was annoying. The delivery nurse was very nice though. I just was annoyed that I had to hold up one of my legs while also pushing. There were two nurses in the room. You think I wouldn't have to hold my leg at all. The baby came out in very few pushes and they handed her to me right away and told me it was a girl. I was exhilarated and thrilled from the surprise and the fact that I finally had a girl. (Even if I had a boy, I'd be happy, but probably less surprised since I was building myself up to expect a boy this time.)
After they took the baby from me to clean and examine her, the doctor finished up his post delivery work. (See, I'm sparing you the gory details!) He was not gentle at all and then told me I shouldn't feel anything because I had an epidural. That was infuriating! I felt everything! This doctor should not be delivering babies though. He had horrible bedside manner. I'm just thankful that I was warned about him so that I wouldn't be expecting Patch Adams. :P He rolled his eyes at my husband for not wanting to cut the cord (for taharat hamishpachot reasons, he has never cut the cord). Then he was just gruff in general. Even when he was done, he just said "Congrats Mom. Congrats Dad." It wasn't sincere at all! He also yelled at my husband for holding the baby standing up. Like he's never held a baby before! I'm so glad the delivery nurse was nice because that took the edge off the crude bedside manner of the doctor. The baby was also crying a lot after she came out and wasn't soothed until she had a bottle. So that added to my stress. Toss in the yucky post birth feeling and mothers screaming their heads off in the adjacent rooms and it was not a pleasant morning. My husband jokes that I could be a Scientologist from how quiet I was during delivery. I guess it's easier than I thought to not scream during delivery. I'm also glad this was my third time around, so the other women didn't scare me off from giving birth.
A few hours later after breakfast, lots of happy phone calls, and resting while watching "Pleasantville," I got to go up to the maternity ward. After that, it was pretty relaxing and restful. The first maternity nurse I had was decent. She didn't have much of a personality but she wasn't mean either. Then another nurse took over and she was really nice. She came by to talk to us for a while. A friend of ours also visited in the evening and brought pizza from Ben Yehuda's. :) Then I got to rest and watch "90210."
The overnight nurse was okay. There was an annoying issue involving my OB putting in a prescription for my thyroid pills without consulting my endocrinologist. I had my own pills with me and the nurse was giving me a headache about letting me take them vs. what was ordered. I had instructions from my endocrinologist to take a certain level after giving birth and what the OB prescribed was too high. They finally took care of that issue in the morning, but I was still annoyed that I had to deal with all the scrutiny. The baby slept in the nursery overnight and I tried to sleep, but was woken up at 6:00 to check vitals. Then I couldn't get back to sleep.
My husband came by to spend the morning and afternoon with me. We watched "You Again" and hung out with the baby. Then he went home, picked up the boys and got me dinner from Max's. (Yummy fried chicken.) The boys were happy to meet their sister and had fun helping me while I changed her diaper. My younger son was mad that we didn't let him feed her and he only wanted to hold her because my older son got to do it. After they left, the baby and I watched "Where the Heart is." (I had to introduce the new "chick" in my life to my favorite feel-good chick flick.) There was a point where we ran out of formula and she was screaming her head off. The nurse took forever to bring a new set of bottles and then brought the wrong kind. So frustrating. Then I was about to go to sleep later on and they brought her in from the nursery saying she was inconsolable. So I got her back to sleep and then it took me a while to fall asleep after that.
The baby had a screening ABR at the hospital to check her hearing. She failed and has to go for another ABR in April. While we're worried about whether or not she'll be able to hear, we at least feel more prepared if she has hearing loss. We have great resources at our fingertips, we know how a CI works and we feel she has the best role model right in our house. All things considered, it's manageable.
Things have been manageable at home so far. Nights are rough, but when aren't they with a new baby around. She'll get into a routine soon enough. The boys love her and we're completely over the moon with her. She'll be named at shul tomorrow and then I can't wait to share the name with everyone after Shabbat. I'm especially excited to share it with my boys though. :) We're really glad we get to use the girl name we picked, as we knew we wanted that name from the very beginning.
As Fannie Flagg once said in the title of one of her novels...."Welcome to the world, baby girl!"
Friday, February 25, 2011
What's in a Name?
I found this Fiction Friday topic amusing, as my baby is coming soon, b'shaah tovah, and we had quite a struggle to come up with a boy name, just in case we should need it. I figured that I should at least write something for this topic!
Here is the topic for this week's [Fiction] Friday:
It would seem that celebrities choose some interesting names for their offspring. Write a scene where a (fictional) famous person announces the name of their newest child along with justification or reasons why the name was chosen and their attempt to ‘normalise’ it.
The Name Game
After changing out of my work clothes into a pair of cozy maternity sweats, I decide to settle on the couch for another episode of my favorite Hollywood gossip show. This evening, they are featuring Belle Reynolds, the latest "it girl," in her hospital room after having her first baby. I don't know how she manages to look so good after giving birth only a few hours prior. Her hair is perfect and she's wearing a fresh application of makeup. Max Anderson is standing over her ever so intrusively with his microphone jammed in her face.
"So, Belle, tell us what you're naming this little bundle of joy."
"Well, Max," Belle says demurely as she flashes a dazzling smile to the camera, "we've chosen to name our little boy Bennigan, after the restaurant chain that has met their demise. Someone should be able to carry on the name."
"Bennigan, huh? Don't you think with a name like that, he's doomed for failure?"
"Hardly! Bennigan's had the best French onion soup and mozzarella sticks, not to mention their sandwiches that were out of this world. They only failed because they didn't have the spark that my boy will surely have."
The conversation on the television is making me hungry, like most things are these days, so I head into the kitchen to make myself a sandwich. Just then, the door opens bringing my husband in from out of the cold.
"Hey sweetie. How was your day?"
"Decent. This baby was kicking me like there was no tomorrow. It was hard to concentrate. Anyway, guess what Belle Reynolds named her baby?"
"I have no clue. I don't keep up with the celebrity gossip."
"Bennigan! After her favorite restaurant, no less. I was thinking we could name our baby that way too."
"We're not calling the baby Olive Garden."
"Olive is a cute name for a girl though. I've heard of more people naming their kids Olive these days."
"Don't you think people will call her Olive Oyl or something to that extent? And Garden is not the middle name I had in mind for any of my future kids."
"I don't know. You try to think of something better or there won't be any plans for future kids."
"Hmmm...how about Ponderosa? Or Fuddrucker? Maggiano could work too."
"Now you're just being silly," I say as I nudge my husband in his ribcage. "I really think Olive would be a pretty name for our little girl."
"Well, it can't be worse than Bennigan and at least the Olive Garden hasn't tanked yet. They do have good breadsticks. Speaking of which, want to go out for dinner while we still don't have to hire a sitter? The O.G. is having an all you can eat pasta special."
"Sounds like a plan. Let's go now before our little Olive decides to make her appearance."
Here is the topic for this week's [Fiction] Friday:
It would seem that celebrities choose some interesting names for their offspring. Write a scene where a (fictional) famous person announces the name of their newest child along with justification or reasons why the name was chosen and their attempt to ‘normalise’ it.
The Name Game
After changing out of my work clothes into a pair of cozy maternity sweats, I decide to settle on the couch for another episode of my favorite Hollywood gossip show. This evening, they are featuring Belle Reynolds, the latest "it girl," in her hospital room after having her first baby. I don't know how she manages to look so good after giving birth only a few hours prior. Her hair is perfect and she's wearing a fresh application of makeup. Max Anderson is standing over her ever so intrusively with his microphone jammed in her face.
"So, Belle, tell us what you're naming this little bundle of joy."
"Well, Max," Belle says demurely as she flashes a dazzling smile to the camera, "we've chosen to name our little boy Bennigan, after the restaurant chain that has met their demise. Someone should be able to carry on the name."
"Bennigan, huh? Don't you think with a name like that, he's doomed for failure?"
"Hardly! Bennigan's had the best French onion soup and mozzarella sticks, not to mention their sandwiches that were out of this world. They only failed because they didn't have the spark that my boy will surely have."
The conversation on the television is making me hungry, like most things are these days, so I head into the kitchen to make myself a sandwich. Just then, the door opens bringing my husband in from out of the cold.
"Hey sweetie. How was your day?"
"Decent. This baby was kicking me like there was no tomorrow. It was hard to concentrate. Anyway, guess what Belle Reynolds named her baby?"
"I have no clue. I don't keep up with the celebrity gossip."
"Bennigan! After her favorite restaurant, no less. I was thinking we could name our baby that way too."
"We're not calling the baby Olive Garden."
"Olive is a cute name for a girl though. I've heard of more people naming their kids Olive these days."
"Don't you think people will call her Olive Oyl or something to that extent? And Garden is not the middle name I had in mind for any of my future kids."
"I don't know. You try to think of something better or there won't be any plans for future kids."
"Hmmm...how about Ponderosa? Or Fuddrucker? Maggiano could work too."
"Now you're just being silly," I say as I nudge my husband in his ribcage. "I really think Olive would be a pretty name for our little girl."
"Well, it can't be worse than Bennigan and at least the Olive Garden hasn't tanked yet. They do have good breadsticks. Speaking of which, want to go out for dinner while we still don't have to hire a sitter? The O.G. is having an all you can eat pasta special."
"Sounds like a plan. Let's go now before our little Olive decides to make her appearance."
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
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!
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!
Friday, February 18, 2011
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.
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.
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