Tonight I am hosting a 30th birthday party for my friend, "M," and there are a few necessities I believe every single, 30-year-old gal must have. I'm really just making these up because I know in 7 months I will be celebrating the big 3-0 myself. So, here they are, in no particular order...and I'm sure the list will grow as the day goes along...
1. Chocolate - Doesn't matter how you get it, just get it.
2. Cupcakes and/or cake - Tonight we have vanilla with vanilla icing. "M" is not very adventurous with her foods. Probably wouldn't like my crazy cupcake ideas. However, because of her request my house smells of vanilla cupcakes. It is delicious!
3. Mexican food - Nothing like something spicy to get you in the mood! (There will be no "getting in the mood" tonight though. Just us girls.)
4. A stripper - Which I did not hire. But it would have been funny!
5. A really good moisturiser - You gotta be careful of wrinkles.
6. Hair dye - To cover up all the gray. Though, I started graying at age 19, and I've been dying my hair since age 16, so nothing new for me.
7. Tequila - Whether in the form of shots or in a mixed drink, its a must. (Honestly though, I'm a red wine girl. The margaritas are all for "M.")
8. A really nice, expensive handbag and/or pair of shoes - By the time we're 30, most of us have enough money to buy one really nice accessory. Reminds me...I should go shopping.
9. More tequila - After all...we ARE still single and we DO live in the South and we ARE turning 30. If you are an old maid at 24, then you are a REALLY old maid at 30! Tequila is the best anti-depressant ever! : )
10. Great girlfriends to say how young and vibrant you look and to say that 30 is no big deal.
And finally....having a really hot man in uniform hang around your house is never a bad thing. Maybe I'll accidentally set something on fire tonight and get the firemen to come to the party!
Here's to 30!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Extra! Extra! READ all about it!
Its been a while since I updated my reading list. I have finished several titles since this was posted, and am on a current non-stop, a book a week (almost) frenzy. I don't spend much time reading, but do like to indulge in story time about an hour before bed each night.
Update/Opinion on Finished Books
1. Swapping Lives by Jane Green - Liked it. I like most everything by Jane Green though. She writes British chick lit, and I'm a fan of sappy stories. Swapping Lives is about two women who think the grass is greener on the other side, and embark on a quest to discover, or rediscover, who they really are. I can relate to that because I seem to always be searching for the next step. It was a cute novel, without being too sappy and lovey. Great beach/plane read.
2. Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger - I actually listened to the book on tape during my summer travels. This book was okay, but to me, a lot like "The Devil Wears Prada." Same premise of a girl trying to make her way with a tough job, and then giving it up at the end. It was just okay....I'm not going to give this a rave review, but it wasn't just horrible like....
3. Baby Proof by Emily Giffin - Why was this horrible? Because the heroin in the story is completely disillusioned. She spends the almost the entire time blaming her husband for ruining their marriage because he wants to have a baby and she doesn't. But...she's the one who walked out and left him. And her best friend is just encouraging her anger and resentment the whole time. Seriously? This is why women get a bad rap for being crazy! I didn't like the main character of this book at all....and I didn't like the book.
4. Miss Julia Strikes Back by Ann B. Ross - I bought this book at Walgreens on my way to the airport leaving Idaho. I should have gone with the other choice I found because I didn't even finish this book. It was THAT annoying to me. The main character, Miss Julie, is a busy older lady that was just annoying to me. And when they introduced a lazy, drunk fat detective into it, I just had to put it down. Did not like it at all.
5. The Penny by Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford - This is a Christian lit book that I typically stay away from, but gave it a chance. It took me a very long time to read this book because some of the content was emotionally exhausting. The main character struggles through finding salvation and self worth, and is a victim of physical and sexual abuse. The book was good, and I enjoyed the story of grace and salvation, but dealing with the abuse was hard. I used to volunteer and later work at a shelter that hid abused women and children. I have seen what this does to a person first hand, and it is very difficult. That was the most emotionally taxing job I have ever had. And though they didn't go into detail and describe all that Jenny, the main character, went through, it still brought images of beautiful children that I saw scarred by anger, hatred, and sin. I would recommend this from the stand point of it showing God's grace and the progression of sanctification, but, like I said, it was a hard read emotionally. I cried several times, and I typically like to read happy books before bed.
6. Second Chance by Jane Green - This is the 3rd or 4th Jane Green book I have read, and again, I liked it, even though it was a bit different than the others. This one was kinda sad at times too because it dealt with grief and the aftermath of losing someone you love. But it also dealt with a group of friends coming back together and rediscovering their bond after many years of being separated. There is one character that they concentrate on more than the others, but it is really a story about multiple characters and how their lives intertwine. It was a fast read, and a great one for beach, plane, or before bed.
Books in the que:
1. The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum - I have about two nights left with this one. Its a story about a 29 year old single girl living in NYC and trying to figure out life. You would think I could relate to the character! ; ) She's a bit harder than me, though, and has a few more walls built up. What I will say is that they use the "f" word A LOT in this book, which bothers me. Because when you read it, it gets stuck in your head. Also, I can tell the author of this novel is not a very happy person. But, I'm enjoying the book so far.
2. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella - Just watched the movie last night and can't wait to get into the series of books!
3. Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophea Kinsella
4. Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella
5. Sleeping Arrangements by Madeleine Wickham (The Shopaholic writer under a different name.)
Update/Opinion on Finished Books
1. Swapping Lives by Jane Green - Liked it. I like most everything by Jane Green though. She writes British chick lit, and I'm a fan of sappy stories. Swapping Lives is about two women who think the grass is greener on the other side, and embark on a quest to discover, or rediscover, who they really are. I can relate to that because I seem to always be searching for the next step. It was a cute novel, without being too sappy and lovey. Great beach/plane read.
2. Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger - I actually listened to the book on tape during my summer travels. This book was okay, but to me, a lot like "The Devil Wears Prada." Same premise of a girl trying to make her way with a tough job, and then giving it up at the end. It was just okay....I'm not going to give this a rave review, but it wasn't just horrible like....
3. Baby Proof by Emily Giffin - Why was this horrible? Because the heroin in the story is completely disillusioned. She spends the almost the entire time blaming her husband for ruining their marriage because he wants to have a baby and she doesn't. But...she's the one who walked out and left him. And her best friend is just encouraging her anger and resentment the whole time. Seriously? This is why women get a bad rap for being crazy! I didn't like the main character of this book at all....and I didn't like the book.
4. Miss Julia Strikes Back by Ann B. Ross - I bought this book at Walgreens on my way to the airport leaving Idaho. I should have gone with the other choice I found because I didn't even finish this book. It was THAT annoying to me. The main character, Miss Julie, is a busy older lady that was just annoying to me. And when they introduced a lazy, drunk fat detective into it, I just had to put it down. Did not like it at all.
5. The Penny by Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford - This is a Christian lit book that I typically stay away from, but gave it a chance. It took me a very long time to read this book because some of the content was emotionally exhausting. The main character struggles through finding salvation and self worth, and is a victim of physical and sexual abuse. The book was good, and I enjoyed the story of grace and salvation, but dealing with the abuse was hard. I used to volunteer and later work at a shelter that hid abused women and children. I have seen what this does to a person first hand, and it is very difficult. That was the most emotionally taxing job I have ever had. And though they didn't go into detail and describe all that Jenny, the main character, went through, it still brought images of beautiful children that I saw scarred by anger, hatred, and sin. I would recommend this from the stand point of it showing God's grace and the progression of sanctification, but, like I said, it was a hard read emotionally. I cried several times, and I typically like to read happy books before bed.
6. Second Chance by Jane Green - This is the 3rd or 4th Jane Green book I have read, and again, I liked it, even though it was a bit different than the others. This one was kinda sad at times too because it dealt with grief and the aftermath of losing someone you love. But it also dealt with a group of friends coming back together and rediscovering their bond after many years of being separated. There is one character that they concentrate on more than the others, but it is really a story about multiple characters and how their lives intertwine. It was a fast read, and a great one for beach, plane, or before bed.
Books in the que:
1. The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum - I have about two nights left with this one. Its a story about a 29 year old single girl living in NYC and trying to figure out life. You would think I could relate to the character! ; ) She's a bit harder than me, though, and has a few more walls built up. What I will say is that they use the "f" word A LOT in this book, which bothers me. Because when you read it, it gets stuck in your head. Also, I can tell the author of this novel is not a very happy person. But, I'm enjoying the book so far.
2. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella - Just watched the movie last night and can't wait to get into the series of books!
3. Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophea Kinsella
4. Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella
5. Sleeping Arrangements by Madeleine Wickham (The Shopaholic writer under a different name.)
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
My foray into doing yardwork after dark.
So, I let this daylight savings time/falling back deal sneak up on me. I didn't know it was this weekend until someone reminded me on Saturday. Before I knew it, we were back to it being completely dark at 5:30 p.m. That's only 30 minutes after I supposedly get off work, and really, I usually don't get home until nearly 6 each night.
Well, this creates a problem when you let your weekends get overbooked, and you live alone, and you have lots of yard work to do. There's really no time after work to get things done outside, and Lord knows I am not one to get up even a minute before I have to in the morning. So, today I rushed out of the office at 4:45, got to Lowe's, bought a rake, and was home, changed, and outside by 5:15. Not leaving me much time, but enough where I thought I could get a good start on my leaf cleaning up duty.
After I got my 6 piles in the front yard somewhat neatly stacked, it was getting too dark to see. I had my porch, garage, and outside lights on, but it really doesn't illuminate anything but the front of the house. And since we don't street lights in my neighborhood (and everyone disconnects their gas lamps because its too expensive to run), I decided to do things the Mississippi way. (I do live here after all....)
So, what do Mississippians do when its dark and they need light? We turn our cars around and point the headlights in whatever general direction we need! I may have grown up in a city, but I spent plenty of time parked in the middle of a pasture in my younger days. (Wait, that somehow sounds bad....no shenanigans. I promise.)
I'm sure my neighbors thought I was crazy. I mean, its not like I drive some big pick-up truck. I drive a silver Infiniti QX-56. Not exactly your pasture kind of vehicle...Its kinda prissy if you think about it. (Very soccer mom-ish.) BUT...it worked. I had enough light to transfer my piles into leaf bags. And now my yard isn't covered in a quilt of dead tree matter, which should make things easier for the lawn guy tomorrow.
Anyway, I have never done yard work in the dark before. I'm really not a fan of it, and you can't really do much more than what I accomplished tonight. I probably wouldn't plant or weed my flowerbeds in the dark, but, for what needed to be done, the headlight yard excursion was productive. Now off to bake some salmon.....Living alone is fun!
Well, this creates a problem when you let your weekends get overbooked, and you live alone, and you have lots of yard work to do. There's really no time after work to get things done outside, and Lord knows I am not one to get up even a minute before I have to in the morning. So, today I rushed out of the office at 4:45, got to Lowe's, bought a rake, and was home, changed, and outside by 5:15. Not leaving me much time, but enough where I thought I could get a good start on my leaf cleaning up duty.
After I got my 6 piles in the front yard somewhat neatly stacked, it was getting too dark to see. I had my porch, garage, and outside lights on, but it really doesn't illuminate anything but the front of the house. And since we don't street lights in my neighborhood (and everyone disconnects their gas lamps because its too expensive to run), I decided to do things the Mississippi way. (I do live here after all....)
So, what do Mississippians do when its dark and they need light? We turn our cars around and point the headlights in whatever general direction we need! I may have grown up in a city, but I spent plenty of time parked in the middle of a pasture in my younger days. (Wait, that somehow sounds bad....no shenanigans. I promise.)
I'm sure my neighbors thought I was crazy. I mean, its not like I drive some big pick-up truck. I drive a silver Infiniti QX-56. Not exactly your pasture kind of vehicle...Its kinda prissy if you think about it. (Very soccer mom-ish.) BUT...it worked. I had enough light to transfer my piles into leaf bags. And now my yard isn't covered in a quilt of dead tree matter, which should make things easier for the lawn guy tomorrow.
Anyway, I have never done yard work in the dark before. I'm really not a fan of it, and you can't really do much more than what I accomplished tonight. I probably wouldn't plant or weed my flowerbeds in the dark, but, for what needed to be done, the headlight yard excursion was productive. Now off to bake some salmon.....Living alone is fun!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Things that make me happy on a crappy day - Tuesday, Oct. 27 Edition
Sometimes I get really stressed out at work and I let all of the frustrations really get to me. Today I decided to quit complaining and start focusing on the good/fun things that happen. Here is a list of my happy things from today:
1. Several folks commenting on the cuteness of my new feather headband.
2. I don't have a headache for once!
3. My can of Diet Coke tastes particularly good today.
4. Starbucks made an error in my favor, and accidentally shipped me an extra travel tumbler. One of them was slightly cracked, so I guess that makes up for sending a slightly defective (but still usable) product.
5. The free Starbucks VIA in my package tasted really great.
6. My grad student posted a link to the awesome Banks interception/touchdown from Saturday night. Watch below!
7. A dear, old friend of mine became a father of a baby girl today!
8. I was home by 6:00 p.m. and in my pj's.
And...a # 9 last minute submission thanks to Facebook. Here's a great cover of one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite bands. *sign*
1. Several folks commenting on the cuteness of my new feather headband.
2. I don't have a headache for once!
3. My can of Diet Coke tastes particularly good today.
4. Starbucks made an error in my favor, and accidentally shipped me an extra travel tumbler. One of them was slightly cracked, so I guess that makes up for sending a slightly defective (but still usable) product.
5. The free Starbucks VIA in my package tasted really great.
6. My grad student posted a link to the awesome Banks interception/touchdown from Saturday night. Watch below!
7. A dear, old friend of mine became a father of a baby girl today!
8. I was home by 6:00 p.m. and in my pj's.
And...a # 9 last minute submission thanks to Facebook. Here's a great cover of one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite bands. *sign*
Friday, October 23, 2009
Loyalty. Pride. Passion.
At my office, we have adopted the tagline "Loyalty. Pride. Passion." to be the theme of our fiscal year. Though the phrase appeared on our stationary during the middle of FY 08-09, the notion didn't take off until this summer. Now it underlines everything we do for our division marketing efforts. Its a "State" of mind that we have adopted, and a way of life for the many loyal, proud and passionate alumni that now grace the halls as staff and faculty members.Whether "my competition" stole the theme from our letterhead or not (I am now forbidden to speak to the competition marketing folks about anything we do because they did kinda steal one of my ideas, and I helped them), it (as in the theme) also adorns our beloved Davis Wade Stadium on massive size banners depicting scenes of our underdog football team and fans.
I think our tagline really captures the spirit of the university here. It goes beyond our goals of giving and stewardship, beyond being a fan of our sports teams, and really sums up the State "state of mind." There is a spirit around here that really exudes family, togetherness, and devotion. It is so much more than being a fan of a university. It is fidelity, dedication, zeal, enthusiasm, commitment, devoutness, and any other word that describes loyalty and love.
I'm very proud to be a part of this family. Its not a movement or a phase. Its always been like this around here. From the time I was a kid going to football games with my parents, to my four years as an undergrad, and now, to my life and career as an adult...this place has always been the same. Its special, and its something that really can't be described in words or pictures. It has to be felt. You have to walk along the historic Drill Field or spend time with friends and family in The Junction to realize what State is all about. It truly is a remarkable place.
I guess all of this mushiness is due to an article I read this morning in the New York Times. Its on misfit football team and prize new head coach. I believe the media did us justice, for once, in talking about the love and devotion of our Bulldog family. They understand that we are always an underdog, but we always fight, we always love, and we will always be loyal, proud, and passionate for our school.
To borrow the tagline from one of my clients....We are
Forever your university,
Forever your family...
Forever maroon and white.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Wisdom from NBC's "The Office"
I feel like this some days. Maybe today is one of those days.Quote by Oscar in the episode "Mafia."
Pam and Jim are on their honeymoon, so there's not the usual balance between "sane" and "others." Toby has mentally checked out since June. It's a very dangerous time. The coalition for reason is extremely weak.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Blog-A-Thon
For those that don't know, I have a cooking blog. (See list to right.) Most of you who know me know that I have a cooking blog though. Anyway...I have several friends coming in for homecoming in two weeks, and we need your ideas for the best tailgating recipes. I'll be posting some of mine, but would LOVE to hear yours!
So...visit the blog, and email me your recipes!
Happy cooking!
So...visit the blog, and email me your recipes!
Happy cooking!
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