Me!!!

Friday, November 15, 2013

Having a "Me Party"

First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic:
Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

The last few months have been whirlwind busy and crazy stressful. There are times I want to chill out and be as lazy as possible, to counteract the times when I want to do my Jessie Spano "NO TIME" rant. Therefore, I decided that the next best thing would be to fantasize about a "me day." I was inspired by an article on Thought Catalog about things that are more fun when done alone. I tend to be a social creature and love spending time with friends or hanging out on Facebook. However, aside from Shabbat, I feel like I always have to be connected and sometimes I just need to disconnect from everything. Hence the first stipulation.

Believe it or not, my "me day" would be rather simple. Given the second stipulation, I would stay at the poshest hotel imaginable. It would come with one of those spa robes and have a huge bathtub with really good smelling bubbles to pour in. Room service would be unlimited (and there would be a menu with Kosher food that isn't served like on an airplane, but fresh from the kitchen and even better than the non-Kosher offerings). The bed would be huge and extremely comfortable. I'd get to indulge in a nice, long nap and then take advantage of the hotel's spa services, which would include a massage, facial, mani and pedi. Later, I'd soak in the aforementioned bathtub with candlelight and the incredible vocals of Jamie Cullum coming from my iPhone (I'd only have it there for music...and emergencies). I'd also read a novel I'd been wanting to check out but hadn't had the time before. Maybe one of the Jodi Picoult ones I skipped over...

After the bath, I'd curl up in bed wearing the spa robe and a soft pair of slippers, sinking into the myriads of soft pillows and a cozy, fluffy duvet. There I would eat dinner in bed and treat myself to a marathon of my latest favorite guilty pleasure TV show...The Mindy Project. Later, I'd go down to the pool and have another soak...this time in the hot tub. It would be long after families with young kids had already vacated the pool area, so I'd have it to myself.

Then I'd go back to the room and settle down for the night, watching an enjoyable chick flick (perhaps a classic like When Harry Met Sally) before going to sleep.

A girl's got to fantasize every once in a while, right?

This week's topic was brought to you by the Muppets....

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

52 Stories: The Name Game

Inspired by One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern, I've decided to ask people some thought provoking questions about themselves, as I feel that everyone has a story to tell. If you're just joining me on this journey today, please check out the previous posts from this series, as well.

This week's storyteller is also a book blogger, so we've connected through knowing a lot of the same authors. She's really nice and funny and I've enjoyed learning more about her. Try NOT to laugh while reading this....I dare you!

Name you'd like to go by: First name Julie, last name Valerie. Or, if you really like to party:
Julie, Julie bo-bulie
Banana-fana fo-fulie
Fee-Fi-mo-mulie
JULIE!
Age (or age range): 40-ish. Something. Kinda sorta. Um. Let’s just say I was born in the 1970s. So that would make me 43 on the high end. Oh, dang! I just said it. Okay. FINE. The cat’s out of the bag: I’m 43. *shoulders slump in defeat*
Gender: Pink.
Location: Universe, Milky Way Galaxy, Earth, Northern Hemisphere, North America, America, Mid-Atlantic East Coast, Virginia, Richmond area, cul-du-sac, house, writing/art studio, brown leather office chair that just like the Earth, spins around really, really FAST! Wheeeeeeee!!!

What is an experience that is legendary for you?
While wearing my birthday suit (ah hem) I jumped off an icy dock, through a large hole chiseled through two feet of ice on top of a tributary of the Baltic Sea off the coast of Finland. December 1995. And I lived to tell about it. Actually, the cold water, followed by having my back slapped over and over again with harvested birch branches was such a shock to my heart and nervous system, that it caused an adrenaline rush to surge through my blood and out my eyeballs. Okay, nothing really happened to my eyeballs, but I couldn’t sleep for four days and four nights and thought, surely, the experience had turned me into a vampire.

What is your guilty pleasure?
I can’t tell. I feel so guilty and I’m too ashamed. But man, oh, man is it AWESOME!!! WooHoo!

What is something you've never done but you would like to do?
I’ve always wanted to homestead for a year in Alaska. Just to see if I could do it. I’d like to arrive at the end of one winter, then prep like a mad woman during the summer, and then see what becomes of me through a long cold winter. I wonder: Could I kill a bear? Do I have it in me? Or at least, if I became hungry enough, could I kill my husband and eat him? I think I could probably read 83 books, write 3.6 novels, knit 27 sweaters or one big arse blanket, and curse the snow in creative ways at least a dozen times each day before lunch. Maybe I’d become so rugged I’d grow a beard and a belly and start wearing suspenders. Probably not? Oh. Well, then. Maybe I’ll pass the time yodeling. Do Alaskans yodel? Probably not.

If you could give someone one of your favorite things as a gift, what would it be and why?
One of my hand-stitched, machine-free quilts. Because the sleeping beneath is good and the dreams you dare to dream really do come true.

What is something you did that changed someone’s life?
I helped a blind man shop. But I didn’t change his life. He changed mine.

What part of your personality is now extinct?
The part that thought it was a good idea to climb out the second-story window of my friend’s house onto the roof. What a mess that was. I got stuck straddling the top of her garage.

What is one thing that you find really funny?
Really funny? Really, really, funny? A little baby kitty stuck up a tree. No, just kidding. Seriously. That’s not funny. What’s funny is TWO little baby kitties stuck up a tree. Now that’s funny! No, seriously. I’m just being silly. Sorry. *clears her throat, taps her lips with her index finger to indicate she’s thinking really, really hard* I know! One thing that’s really funny is TEOTWAWKI! That’s my final answer. If that ever happens, that would be hysterical. Just hysterical! Really. It would be, just, um. So funny. (Confused? You might want to Google it.)

Tell me one thing you love about yourself:
I love that I’m a child of God. Can’t get better than that because He’s pretty cool and I’m a huge fan.

What TV show, book or movie is most like your life?
Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Only, I’m the wimpy kid’s wimpy mom. That’s sort of the concept behind the book I am writing. Humorous mom lit. About a horrible, no good, very bad, epic fail of a mom struggling to survive the competitive mom world inside the prestigious gates of Pimm’s Academy. Imagine Bridget Jones reluctantly serving a school year in the PTA. Chapter one closes with a mom wrestling a three-foot long Chinese green water lizard while riled up, chirping crickets surround her ankles. Hey, it could happen. She was setting up for the science fair and dropped the lizard cage. This shitake happens to moms ALL THE TIME.

What is something that not many people know about you?
Hands down, in my personal life, most people do not know that I’m a writer, that I’m almost finished with my first book, and that I have a book blog. I’ve been told I “write funny emails” but whenever someone tells me I should write a book, I always laugh it off or stare at them like a deer caught in headlights. (Cliché!) I typically change the subject and ask them something random and awkward like what’s their favorite song - can they hum a few bars - or do they like meat and green peppers in their spaghetti sauce. Seriously, most people who know me in my “real” life, would probably say, “Julie? You mean, Julie, Julie bo-bulie, Banana-fana fo-fulie, Fee-Fi-mo-mulie, JULIE? Her? Oh, sure. I know her. And judging by how she spends all her free time, I’d say she aspires to drive carpools. Or maybe to do some more laundry or defrost chicken breasts. Something like that.” I suppose that (soon) I’ll have to muster up enough confidence to come out of the proverbial closet and confess to the moms in my mom circle that I’ve written a tell-all book about the mom world. BUT IT’S ALL JUST FICTION, LADIES. IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU. OR ME. PAY NOOOO ATTENTION TO THE SOCIAL SATIRE IN THE BOOK. IT’S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH REAL LIFE. Oh, gosh. The thought of it makes me so nervous I think I’m about to get sick. Yup! I am. I just threw up a little in my mouth. *gasps* That’s so gross. Oh, gosh. I’m so sorry, Melissa. I’ve ruined your "One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern" campaign with this lousy set of answers. Jumping naked into the Baltic Sea? Yodeling in rural Alaska? TEOTWAWKI?! And you were so nice to invite me to participate and now I’ve ruined it. I’ve just ruined it. Oh, dang! I wish I hadn't told everyone I once got stuck on the roof of my friend's house. *kicks the curb; stubs her toe* OUCH!

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Rolling in the deep....blue sea

First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic:
Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

A few years ago, I was asked to share a favorite quote. I chose "Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor." Since I'm obviously not going to write about that again, I decided to go with another rather simple quote with a lot of meaning behind it. Ready for this?

"Just keep swimming."

Yes, it's as simple as that.

Dory, who can't remember information she's received after only a few minutes (think along the lines of Ten-Second Tom from 50 First Dates) has this as her motto. It's how she gets through the murkiest waters of the ocean and how she inspires Marlin to keep pushing ahead to find Nemo instead of wallowing in self-pity because of a little setback (or two...or three).

I like this quote because it can be applied to everyday life. I sometimes have a hard time staying motivated and some days feel like an abyss of murky water to have to tread through before reaching the clear and easy parts of the ocean. There are the tedious tasks I don't always want to do and I tend to drag my heels when I encounter them. I also go through periods of time when I feel like there's nothing much to look forward to and every day, week or month is an endless sea of the same routine. There are even times I want to just shut everything out and watch The Mindy Project or read an engrossing book (as opposed to actually being productive). I even feel that way about blogging sometimes. (More for the book blog, but sometimes I even have to push myself to get motivated enough to write for this blog.)

At times like this, I try to find little things to look forward to, such as new episodes of favorite TV shows (tonight, Glee is back!), release days of books by authors I really like, plans to see a movie I'm really interested in (I'm really excited to see Frozen soon), sales at Value Village, events at my kids' schools and plans with friends (like my lunch date with a co-worker today). I'm really looking forward to previewing a Broadway show in a few weeks, as Idina Menzel is starring in it. (She'd better be performing on the day I see it or I seriously will wonder what force of nature has a vendetta against me.) It's enough to get me to clean the house for the cleaning service the week before this show.

When I get back into the "I don't really want to put forth a lot of effort" tasks, I get through them by thinking of Dory telling Marlin to "just keep swimming." Who can resist motivational advice from an innocent looking blue fish with Ellen DeGeneres' voice? I know I sure can't! In the meantime, I know that a few years down the road, I can anticipate seeing Finding Dory in theaters. Until then, I leave you with this....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hkn-LSh7es

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

52 Stories: Her own little library

I met this week's storyteller through Chick Lit Central, as well. We e-mail on occasion about books and Glee. Motherhood is a topic we've talked about more recently, as well. She's really nice and I'm happy to learn more about her in this way.

Side note: I am getting so close to my 52 story goal, but part of November and all of December are still waiting for stories. If you would like to participate or know someone else who might be interested, please let me know as soon as possible. Thanks!

Name: Sabrina-Kate Eryou
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

There are so many legendary experiences that I have been fortunate to have. Incredible things seem to just happen to me, and I also have a knack in making ordinary things incredible. Sometimes it is all in the perspective! I can probably say that this life is legendary for many reasons.

My guilty pleasure is chocolate, definitely! It probably would have been something else a year or more ago but since I had my daughter, I crave sweet stuff AND I am apparently, hopefully temporarily, allergic to alcohol. Reading is also my guilty pleasure. My closet is even full of books!

Something I have never done but I would like to do? That is a tough one because I like to do whatever I want so I have tried lots of different things. Maybe travel more? I do love being at home though but the world fascinates me!

One of my favorite things that I would give as a gift would definitely be some sort of book, depending on them and who they are, what would interest them. Reading opens up so many new worlds! And let's face it, I have A LOT of books to choose from!

I think the something I did that changed someone's life was to love them. My bf has a complicated relationship with his family and I don't necessarily think a healthy one. I just show him love every day and in many ways and it has changed him, for the better. He is a wonderful person but I think he had never been treated like this before.

The part of my personality that is extinct is the selfish side. We all have it but I definitely had my fair share of it in my 20s. Now I have my own family and my father is also ill so I focus on making others happy and helping out however I can!

One thing I find really funny would probably be a great stand up comic like Eddie Izzard or Nikki Payne. I love how a lot of comics like to poke fun at themselves.

One thing I love about myself is my compassion. I truly try to do nice things for people on a regular basis. It usually doesn't take much to do and can really make all the difference sometimes.

When I was a teenager, My So-Called Life was most like my life. I would like to think that I still am like Claire Danes but sadly I am not in the CIA (but I love Homeland!)

Something not many people know about me? Hmmm, this is a tough one but probably just how scared I get at times. My Dad is battling cancer and has been quite sick recently. I worry about the future a lot and the possible future without him. I try not to let it show because I am trying to be strong for my family but sometimes I cry myself to sleep at night.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Facing my "Demon"

Our blog project group has once again changed by one member, but I'm still calling it Blog Project 3.0. The newest member is Darwin Shrugged, a friend of Froggie's. I recently got to know her better through "52 Stories" and I look forward to what she has to say on the upcoming topics.

This week is Darwin Shrugged's first topic for our group: Slightly in honor of Halloween, I'd like us to write about facing a fear -- one we've faced, one we've yet to faced, etc.

First, read what everyone else had to share on this topic:
Darwin Shrugged
Froggie
Moma Rock

When I was a kid, I was terrified of roller coasters. The only ones I could handle were the kid-friendly ones, such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disney World. Anything that had a chance of going upside down or even downhill too fast was just not an option for me. Therefore, it was hard to find much to do at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. I would go there on field trips from camp or school and there were only a small amount of things I could do. Mostly it was the kiddie rides and watching shows. When I went from camp, they split us into roller coaster and non-roller coaster groups, which was nice. However, when I went on the eighth grade field trip from junior high, it wasn't so easy. The two girls I was hanging out with at the time (I've since reunited with one of them and we've become closer as a result) wanted to go on the roller coasters. I ended up spending a lot of time sitting on benches, waiting for them to get off the roller coasters. I only went on the Whizzer, which was tame, mostly geared toward kids or people, like me, who were scared of a real roller coaster. Needless to say, I should have brought a book with.

The summer before junior year of high school, I went to Great America again for a synagogue youth group event. My BFF came with, as her goal was to get me to ride roller coasters. We also met up with my close friend from Madison and some of her friends. I think my BFF started me off slowly, on somewhat tame but somewhat wild roller coasters. The whole day is a blur, but I know I rode a lot of the scary ones, including Iron Wolf (the one you stand up on) and Batman (where there is nothing under your feet). She wanted me to go on Shock Wave, but that was pressing her luck. I'm pretty sure I rode the Demon, which was another scary-looking ride. All I know is that I had a blast and got over my fear rather quickly. It was exhiliarating going around loops and speeding down hills without any control on my part. I just had to enjoy the ride (and scream...a LOT). It became a natural high for me. This also helped my social life at the next trip to Great America, which was on Physics Day during senior year of high school. I was able to ride all the roller coasters without a problem that time too, thus getting to hang out with other people from my class who liked roller coasters (one was a girl I reconnected with because of "Rocky Horror"). It was exhilarating to scream expletives while going in upside down loops. I went there a few more times after that trip.

Sadly, my roller coaster euphoria ended in 2001. I went there over Memorial Day weekend with "Will" and he even managed to get me on Shock Wave (he had to go to "Rocky Horror" with me in exchange). I felt like my earrings were going to pierce another hole through my head from that ride! In any case, it wasn't that I didn't have fun on the roller coasters. I always have fun with "Will." It was more that I had motion sickness from that trip. I even took Dramamine to ease the effects. By the end of the day, I just wanted to crawl into bed and never come out. I went to sleep at an unreasonably early hour for a holiday weekend. I went to a local carnival a few months later and felt the same way after some of the rides there. I think the only rides I can go on these days without becoming incredibly nauseated are carousels and ferris wheels. Thankfully, my husband doesn't do roller coasters either, so we have no reason to spend a fortune at amusement parks geared toward thrill rides.

In any case, I'm glad I braved the roller coasters and have my BFF to thank. If she ever wants me to return the favor (even though she's braver than I am...and probably less motion-sick too, when it comes to stuff like this), I'd be glad to help her get over a fear.

Other stuff I still will NOT do (mostly out of fear):

Ice skate...it's more about the fact that my ankles don't want to cooperate with my feet, but the balance issue also freaks me out. I commend my kids for being able to do it and especially my younger son, who just picks himself up each time he falls.
Ski....my husband can go on the hills and I'll stay inside by a fire with hot cocoa and a good book.
Dive into any body of water. Don't tell my freshman year HS P.E. teacher, but I snuck out of the diving test and she never noticed and it didn't even affect my grade! That's how terrified I am to even get near a diving board. I also won't do deep sea diving, as the idea of a fish coming near me freaks me out.
Anything involving heights (bungee jumping, skydiving, etc.)...my BFF has skydived and there's no WAY she's getting me to do that.
Get my wisdom teeth removed (not like I really need to, but it's still something I fear anyway)

Other fears I've conquered:

Driving on highways/expressways
Driving in the city...mainly Chicago (The first time I drove on Lake Shore Drive was a huge accomplishment). I still refuse to drive anywhere in NYC and drove to DC once but am not sure I'd want to do that again (more that people drive like idiots and directions are confusing).
Haunted houses (I managed to psyche out a scary clown)
Getting an epidural (thanks to labor being so painful the first time around)

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

52 Stories: Independent woman

This week's storyteller is another frequent visitor to Chick Lit Central. I love her enthusiasm for books and have enjoyed learning more about her through this project.

Side note: I am getting so close to my 52 story goal, but the months of November and December are still waiting for stories. If you would like to participate or know someone else who might be interested, please let me know as soon as possible. Thanks!

Name: Hailey Fish
Age: 22
Gender: Female
Location: Pawcatuck, CT

The experience that is legendary is when I flew to Australia and lived there for three months with my older sister and her husband. It was legendary because it was the first time I've ever been out of the country by myself. It was awesome to spend time with just my sister and Paul. It was a chance for me to be independent.

My guilty pleasure is books and magazines. Even though magazines are ridiculously priced, I still want to buy one or two. I enjoy doing the celebrity crossword puzzles they have at the end. Even though I end up throwing them out, I just have to buy them. Whenever I go on vacation, I buy all the trashy ones like National Enquirer for example. Books are also a guilty pleasure because even though I can get the same books from the library, I get impatient because sometimes it's months before it's my turn.

The one thing I've never done but would love to do is learn how to drive. It would be so much easier on my parents if I had my license and my own vehicle to get where I need to go. It's also a sign of independence because then I'd be careful about driving and I'd pay for my own car insurance. It's just the matter of time to actually sit down, read the manual and then take the permit test and then actually learn how to drive.

One gift I'd love to give to someone that is a favorite of mine would be my love of books. It makes me sad when I hear that some people don't like to read. What's not to love? You get drawn into a world not your own, meet characters that you feel as if you've known forever. I wouldn't be the woman I was if it weren't for reading. For every book you read, you get to visit a different world. I think the more people who read, the better off we all are.

How I've changed someone's life: I honestly think just being me, a sweet, kind-hearted, compassionate woman who would do anything for anyone. Even if I get hurt, I make sure everyone I come across is taken care of. I would say my best friend Allie because I've stuck by her side when not even her own family did. I was there for her through our entire six-year friendship.

The one part of my personality I think is extinct would probably be the feeling of being afraid to do things. Growing up, I was always afraid to do things because I thought people would laugh at me and say I can't or I shouldn't. I'm a lot more confident in myself ever since I kicked my ex-fiancé to the curb. I'm so much happier with myself and know I deserve a man who will support me through the good and bad, not bring me down for things I have no control over.

The one thing I find funny is when I say something funny that makes my close family and friends laugh.

The one thing I love about myself is that I'm such a good person.

I don't think there is a tv show or movie that is most like my life.

Something not many people know about me: I'm on the high-functioning side of autism. You never notice until you get to know me because some things I do, other people might not do. I'm very obsessed with reading and I never like to get rid of books even of I don't read them anymore.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Still hangin' around

June, 1998

Shortly before college let out for summer break, I had a Saturday afternoon free (a long time before I decided to become Shomer Shabbos) and decided to go dress shopping. I didn't really own any cute sundresses at the time and wanted something to wear to parties, as I knew a few friends were graduating that summer. I also planned to get a summer job and would need something to wear for that, as well.

I had the hardest time finding a dress that day! You'd think Eastland Mall in Normal, Illinois would carry dresses that catered to college-aged women. I must have gone into every single store that carried any type of casual dresswear and just kept coming up empty-handed. Then I ended up in JC Penney and finally found what I was looking for. It was a blueish-gray dress with blue and purple flowers on it. It was light and flowy and could be worn almost anywhere.

That summer, I wore it to my friend's graduation party, as shown in the picture above, as well as numerous other occasions. It was the summer of 1998 and I was almost 22 at the time. I still have this dress and have worn it on many occasions since then. I don't wear it as much nowadays, but I've been known to pair it with a blue denim-like shirt or a cream colored crocheted top in the summer. I don't wear it in the winter since it doesn't work well over long-sleeved shirts.

I will admit that I'm terrible at hanging up my clothes and usually end up folding them and piling them on the floor of my closet. So this one was buried under a bunch of shirts and skirts, thus explaining all the wrinkles. (See below.) Apparently, it's one of those outfits that doesn't respond to my favorite product.

No worse for the wear, but a little wrinkled.
October, 2013