My Crazy Obsession

Have any of you seen this weird show on TLC? I caught a bit the other night where this couple was all into Cabbage Patch kids. Like had HUNDREDS of them and treated them like actual children and read them stories every night.

Part of me likes shows like this becuase, honestly, they make me feel like a total winner by comparison. Pathetic? Maybe.

But then I start to wonder about my own weird issues. I currently think I have a crazy obsession with nail polish. I have been glancing at my hands ALL day today thinking about what color I could re-do them when I get home later tonight.

In the past few months, I've kicked things up a few notches. After falling head over heels for the swanky gel-polish manicures, I thought I could do just as good a job myself if only I had the right equipment.

A little internet sleuthing later and I had invested in some of the fancy gel polishes, base/top coats, and a UV light. Pricey at the start, but figuring that those fancy manicures cost 30-35 bucks a pop, not including a tip...I figured it was going to be a big savings for me in the long haul.

I've grown the collection steadily over the last few months...adding new colors here and there. Eventually, I upgraded myself to a fancy LED light to cure my ails in. Last weekend, I even sought out a sketchy Nail Salon Supply store so I could go score some gel polish in person.

Now, I'm wondering....should I be concerned I am developing my own crazy obsession??

Too blah for a Friday

It's Friday, so I should be in good spirits and looking forward to the end of the day and the weekend. Instead I just find myself feeling rather grumbly and....blah.

Hopefully there will be more spring in my step this afternoon!

Living up to the hype

Product placement and product endorsement is everywhere. Some overt, some a little sneakier. Watching the chase scene in last night's season finale of "Alcatraz" was literally just one giant commercial for Ford and nothing more.

For me, there is a certain level of gravitas to products I learn about through favorite blogs. Whether they are compensated, receive free products to review, or are simply enthusiastic about their latest find. They are more genuine to me; they have a level of authenticity to them that I trust more.

So after reading about Trader Joe's Movie theater popcorn on this post at I Do Declare, I made a mental note to pick some up the next time I made a TJ's run.



The bag has been sitting in my kitchen for awhile now. I didn't even think of it until last night. I hadn't really been that hungry for dinner, but wanted something simple to snack on during TV time with MVP. I made myself a little bowl....fast forward to two hours later and MVP and I had polished off the whole bag. Ihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gift is THAT good. It really does taste JUST like movei theater popcorn! And while it is not healthfood by any means, it still has to be nutritionally better for you than the stuff at the theater.

Rest assured, I will be sneaking little bags of this stuff in my purse every time I go to the movies now. It will remain a staple item on my TJ's shopping list. Thanks for the tip, I Do Declare!!

Doing Dukan

I know it got a lot of press almost this time last year, when it was said that is how Kate Middleton's mom slimmed down for the Royal Wedding. But I find myself late to the party (as usual) and the Dukan Diet has piqued my interest.

Curious if anyone out there has tried it and what their thoughts/experiences have been? I'm always intrihued and curious with those plans where you get an inital noticable weight loss to motivate you and keep you pushing to lose more.

Happiness is....

Finding out that Tervis FINALLY HAS GREEK tumblers!!

Quickly followed by the sadness that my organization is not one of them.
Crankypants Monday continues....

Blame it on Monday?

I don't know if I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or if it's just because it is Monday, but I seem to have put on a really ill-fitting pair of crankypants today. I feel tired, and grouchy, and want nothing more than for this day to be OVER and to go home and just go back to bed. I know, I know. Totally pathetic, right? I seriously have no idea where this serious case of crankypants has come from. I would just like it to be over, like NOW.

FRIIIIIIIIIIIIDDDDAYYYYYYYYY

Can you tell I am excited for this week to be over? And as horrible as it is, I can barely get things done at work today, because I think I may have already mentally checked out for the weekend. I am sure that will make Monday THAT much worse for me, but sobeit.

Thoughts on Thursday -- Junior League

Image via

I know many of us have seen the movie "The Help" and how it portrays the Junior League in a not-so-great light. Now, granted, this was set in the South in a time when membership in a women's group like the Junior League meant something different than it does today.

I'm very curious to hear from any readers out there who have experience with Junior League in general or in your town or city. Whether you are a member yourself, ohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifr have friends/relatives that are members.

I am coming towards the end of my new member year, and am looking back on what I thought the experience might be, what I had hoped it would be, and what it actually has been for me (if that makes any sense.) Looking for anyone else's experiences that I could compare/contrast my own to, to give me some perspective here.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Happy Spring, everyone! Here in our Nation's Capital it's been feeling like Spring for a few weeks now. Heck, tomorrow and Friday it is supposed to be up near 80 degrees! No complaints here. But you know the second I take out all my spring/summer clothes and pack away the winter stuff, the temp will drop.

Still trying to make up some slack on my 40 posts in 40 days challenge -- a good reason to link up for What I'm Loving Wednesday.

I'm loving....that today is Coach's birthday! I sent him a dozen cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake, here in DC. He looks excited, right? I also love that my mom thought to take a pic and send it to me.


I'm loving....that we are halfway through the work week. Lately the work weeks seem to be draggggggggging along.

I'm loving....that this weekend, I figured out that it was not that my comforter was not the right size for the bed. It was that the mattress was wrong. I turned it by 90 degrees and problem solved. I know it seems silly, but it was SOOOOOO bothering me!

I'm loving....that it is almost OFFICIALLY baseball season. Looking forward to seeing the Phillies when they head down to DC in May.

I'm loving....that this morning, MVP put his oj glass in the dishwasher when he was finished with it. Not on the kitchen counter, or in the sink. Actually IN the dishwasher. Baby steps....

Little things make me happy

Especially when they are little PINNING things! Thanks to total rockstar Tricia Nae I now have a lovely Pinterest button at the bottom of my postings. JOY!

Seriously, she is beyond wonderful so if you are in need of a bloggy makeover, Head on over to Tricia Nae Designs.

Figuring out which end is up

I've been having a bit of a dilemma at work lately. Actually, dilemma isn't really the best way to describe it, I just am struggling to find the most appropriate work right now.

There is simultaneously not a lot happening AND a lot of potential for things to happen. Does that make any sense? Working in the "wait and see" environment that resulted from this past summer's events has become routine for me. I don't see it changing any time soon; I think most people that I work with are just trying to keep control of what we can do and be successful with in the short term since anything past that feels very uncertain. I can plan out a project with the way we do things and the way things exist today, knowing full well that it might be shot to hell a few weeks into it and I will have to run around like a crazy person to adjust the plan accordingly.

But in all of this I have found some small things to get excited about. Some topics I have been really interested in reading up on and trying to apply them in my day-to-day. But slowly it's becoming clear that I am getting past the point of interest, and now just find myself overwhelmed with information and struggling to find out ways to implement.

No point to this post, really. Other than to let you all know that right now, my brain feels like mush. And to add to my total count for 40 posts in 40 days, obvs.

Making pretty & doing good

You all may know I have a very special place in my heart for P, my hair stylist. Couldn't help but brag on him and the salon just a bit today and share this article (and the above photo) from the Washington Post. The very talented and generous stylists at the salon offered complimentary makeovers to military wives whose husbands were about to come home. Making people pretty for a good cause -- does it get much better?

Thank goodness I already have my next two appointments booked...I imagine it will only get more difficult to get on his calendar now!

Oh Apple....how I missed you

So about a month ago, I had to work from home one day. I had a work laptop issued to me awhile back for just those occasions, so NBD. Or so I thought...

It was all but impossible getting logged on with the work laptop. So much time on the phone with my company's IT help desk, but finally - FINALLY - it worked.

MVP was also at home with me that day, and asked to use my macbook. Sadly, the macbook could not connect to the wireless network. Something had gone awry when I had done all the work with IT to get my work laptop on the network. Basically, whatever the hell they had me do, booted my personal devices off the network.

And so for the past month (I know!) I have not used the macbook or iPad. I would say I am just that lazy that I just continued to use my work laptop for personal usage, but honestly bloggy buds? I just could not stomach the thought of a call to Comcast to try and fix the situation.

Feeling a little brave (or maybe just bored) I called Comcast Friday night to try and fix whatever was wrong. After sitting on hold for more than 25 minutes, I gave up. Really missing my Apple products, I tried again on Sunday. After a frustrating phone call with a super un-helpful tech from Comcast who told me it would COST $45 TO RESET THE PASSWORD FOR MY NETWORK (WTF?!?!?!), fate stepped in and miraculously the issue was resolved.

Now, who knows how long it will stay fixed for, but on my goodness how I missed my Apple buddies. I even brought the Frankie the iPad to work with me for the day because I had missed him so very much.

So...I thought today was Friday...

I held a meeting this afternoon at work. Had to dial one person in because they were working remotely today. Before hanging up at the end of the meeting I told him to "Have a great weekend!" Then sat for a moment while everyone looked at me like I was a moron.

Then realized it was actually Thursday. And that they had every right to look at me like a moron, because I sure as hell had just sounded like one!

One more day....sigh.....

I was an English Major

There, I said it. No, I did not want to be a teacher. After growing up with two high school teachers for parents I had a profound amount of respect for those choosing that line of work, and ZERO desire to follow in their footsteps.

I love words. I love writing. I love reading. I love editing copy. I love stories. I am constantly amazed that we have an alphabet with 26 letters and the brilliant things you can do with those 26 letters.

I really enjoyed this article I came across today. Particularly this bit at the end:

"A college degree does not entitle you to anything but the printed paper. Like anything else in this world, you only get out what you put in."

Being a person that volunteers some of my time working with college students all I can say to that is A-freaking-MEN

As I read the article I thought of another recent college grad who also happened to have a B.A. in English....anyone remember Temp Assistant? Wonder what ever became of her....

More than just cookies

Yesterday, Girl Scouts celebrated its 100th Birthday.



They are celebrating all year long with their Year of the Girl program.

Such an amazing organization that is about so much more than cookies. I'm always incredibly proud that I was a Girl Scout and am privileged enough to continue my support of the organization through the relationship between GS and my national sorority. I sat in awe during a Girl Scout session at our sorority's national convention this summer learning about what Girl Scouts of America has grown into. And let me tell you, it is SO much more than cookies ;)

And on June 9th, 200,000 girls and women will convene on the national mall here in DC for Girl Scouts Rock the Mall, the world's largest sing along. I'm planning to be there -- anyone wanna join me??

Mingle Monday Blog Hop

I always think these are a great way to find new blogs to follow and make a few new bloggy friends.

TGIF in the ER

Last week felt like it was taking forEVER to get through. Even my boss said to me "Is it really only Wednesday?!" I was more than ready to get to work on Friday morning, get the day over and done with, and enjoy the weekend.

Only I never made it to work. I spent Friday morning in the ER.

I got up that morning, felt fine. Brushed teeth, made coffee, showered. Fine, fine and fine.

Went to make the bed and when I reached for a pillow, sharp stabbing pain in my side. Ouch. Seriously. OUCH. The kind of pain where you just yelp. And the pain wouldn't go away. And it hurt like a sonnavabitch when I took a deep breath.

MVP helped me up onto the bed to sit. I sent a quick email to my boss letting him know I was going to be late. After a few moments of watching me wince and my hand grip the comforter with each pang of pain, he announced we were going to the ER.


I protested, saying he should just go to work, I'd be fine in a little while and then I would go to work.

No dice.

MVP was moving quickly around the room, tugging on a pair of jeans, grabbing my sneakers for me. And all I could think was, "I need a different shirt to put on".

I had not yet dressed for work and was wearing what I had slept in the night before. Yoga pants and a freaking SORORITY T-SHIRT. No way in hell I was going to be a grown-ass woman in the ER on a Friday morning in a Bid Day t-shirt. After heaving a "Are you freaking kidding me?!?"-type sigh, MVP helped me change into something I deemed more ER-appropriate (plain white T and a hooded sweatshirt), put my sneakers on for me, and helped me out to the car.

After a short stint with the triage nurse who checked my vitals and such, I was moved to bed #12. I was hooked up to an EKG, medicated, xrayed, and blood was taken. I sent emails to work letting them know I would not be in that day; MVP did the same.

He let me squeeze his hand really hard each time the pain came back. He asked if I was ok, I said I would be fine. He told me I looked stressed; told me not to worry about missing work or whatever was upsetting me.

I told him I knew work would be fine...I just wished he had let me put on a swipe or two of mascara and a little powder before I had to brave the world that day.

"We are in the EMERGENCY ROOM, you have a machine monitoring your every move, and an IV in your arm and you're upset that you didn't get to put any makeup on?!?"

"Yes. That's right. I mean, I wasn't going to ask YOU to do it for me. Remember in that episode of 'Friends' when Rachel had to get Ross to put on her makeup for her because she was hurt?"



Dead silence from MVP. Just an expression that could best be summed up with 3 letters:
W
T
F

After confirming that there was nothing wrong with my heart, that I did not have a collapsed lung or blood clotting, the docs concluded it was likely just something like a strained skeletal muscle, wrote me up some prescriptions and discharged me.

We went and filled the prescriptions, picked up some lunch, and headed home. MVP was a very attentive nurse and I spent the rest of the day resting and sleeping as a result of the muscle relaxers I was prescribed.

A very unexpected ending to a long and tiring week.

Have some SERIOUS catching up to do...

I have slacked off BIG TIME with my 40 posts in 40 days challenge. So I am going to need to be doubling and even tripling up on postings to make up for the lack of posting.

Oh, and in case you were wondering....YES, this totally counts as a post :)

Just going with it

Trying to take things as they come these days and try not to get too worked up over things I don't have control of. Or that don't matter that much in the "bigger picture" view of my life. Not sweat the small stuff, and all that jazz.

Easier said then done, but I am trying!

Need a little patience

MVP and I have now been officially cohabitating for about two-and-a-half weeks now. People keep asking me how it's going and overall it has been wonderful. The amount of TIME we have each gotten back into our daily lives is crazy.

Our morning routines are quicker because (a) all of our stuff is in the same place, (b) there are two bathrooms so no need to share, and (c) we don't have to account for an hour (and sometimes more) commute. MVP has become a HUGE fan of taking the bus to and from work. I like knowing I can usually get to work in about 20 minutes.

Our after work routine is drastically different too. MVP gets home before I do and usually starts in on making dinner. Even with a meal that took longer to cook than we had originally thought, last night we both looked at the clock when we finally sat down to eat at about 7:15. We thought back to a few weeks ago when that was around the time I might be getting to his apartment after work (if I was lucky and the traffic was not too terrible!)

And while all that time saved means more time to spend TOGETHER...MVP is also really good about giving me my space and time to MYSELF. When I just need to go and read or have time alone.

And we are trying to adjust to each other's "quirks"...MVP puts dirty dishes in the sink instead of directly into the dishwasher, like the sink is some sort of dirty-dish-staging-area. It annoys me to no end, but I just move them to the dishwasher and call it a day. He also leaves his used cup on the counter by the sink, and specifically instructs me to not put it in the dishwasher because he "may need it later." Um.....we are going to bed. Are you waking up in the middle of the night and coming out to the kitchen for a glass of iced tea? Probably not. Just give me the cup so I can put it in the dishwasher.

And MVP has to adjust to my....well, nothing seeing as I am perfect. Kidding, kidding. I know he gets annoyed by my need to load/unload the dishwasher at first opportunity, to clean up immediately after a meal, to not wait until tomorrow to take out the trash.

But I think the biggest thing we don't see eye-to-eye on right now is the rate at which we should be settled. I am well aware of my issues with having a vision/plan of what I'd like to see happen, and then not being realistic about how long it may actually take to get there, and not getting frustrated with a slower pace of progress. Last night MVP remarked that this is fine (with sweeping hand gesture over the living room/dining room)

I had to squelch the small voice inside shouting "No! No it is not fine!" and just try to deal with that conflict internally.




I worry if I don't push, that things won't be unpacked and put away until Christmastime. That we won't jointly find a place for everything...and then put everything in its place. I don't want to be bossy or selfish and just do things the way I want to do them in the way or time-frame I think they should be done.

But clearly we have differing views on how long this whole process should take....

Do I just need a little more patience?

Filing under things that are "SO not fair"

MVP remarked this weekend that since moving in, he has lost a couple pounds. Positive benefit of eating more healthful meals at home, bringing a lunch to work instead of eating out, things like that.

Meanwhile I have been a little down in the dumps because I think I have gained the pounds that he lost. Probably also doesn't help that I have been stressed out recently -- and when I get stressed, it wreaks havoc on my sleep, my skin and my weight.

But seriously?? He can drop weight almost effortlessly while I know I will struuuuuuuugggggle to peel off the 2 or 3 pounds that I have somehow gained recently.

So. Not. Fair.

Did you wear your NPC badge today?

Today is the National Panhellenic Conference's International Badge Day. A day when all NPC chapter initiates are to wear their badges with pride, whether they are 18 year old collegians or 88 year old alumnae.

I was having such a Monday morning that I totally forgot to wear mine, but hopefully some of you fellow-Greek bloggers remembered (or just weren't running as late as I was!) and are wearing your badges with pride today.

I was able to find this poem that I remember reading during my senior year at school that always resonated with me. Thought I would share :)


It makes little difference
The size of your pin
Whether it's large or small,
And if its plain
Or brilliant with jewels
Is of no concern at all,

But the vows that you took
Along with your pin,
Have you worn them constantly,
Quietly, deep in the heart
Where no one looks to see?

Have you touched the stars
You reached for once
In your own small piece of sky?
Have you striven for the honorable,
The beautiful, and the high?

What difference then
The shape of the badge,
Be it pyramid, diamond or square
The important thing is
How much do you love
The pin you chose to wear?

Apple Pie for Breakfast!

Oh, how I do love this bag. When day-to-days get grumbly, this bag can sometimes set me off for the day in a good mood. But, let's be frank. We can't ALWAYS carry a fun bag, like this, right?

So in order to get a sweet/happy fix in during the am, and hopefully set my days out on a good note, last night I fixed a large batch of what I am going to now affectionately call Apple Pie for Breakfast.

I am quickly becoming a big fan of quinoa, especially when it can be eaten for breakfast. I found the above recipe on Pinterest and made a few slight alterations:
• I doubled the recipe (for everything except the butter) so that I could make lots of single serve portions for MVP and I to take to work for breakfast this week.
• I replaced some of the water used to cook the quinoa with Simply Apple 100% pure pressed juice. Gave it a deeper apple flavor.
• I added a small amount of walnut pieces for some extra crunch and flavor.



Abso-freaking-lutely delicious. This was seriously such a tasty (and nutritious!) way to start the day, I am glad I made such a big batch to make sure there is enough for the week. And since MVP sent me an email this morning raving about it as well, I am sure this will become a staple in the fridge.


As a side note, if you DO need a good new bag in your life, Kate Spade is having an online sample sale right now. I am being SO good to resist the temptation...but be sure to let me know what treats you all may splurge on for yourself!

Taking a break & catching up

I have been falling way behind on my goal of 40 posts in 40 days. There has been a lot on my plate lately, unfortunately not all of it has been good. I'm hoping I can find time soon to write about good things, positive things, things to be happy about and thankful for and maybe that will help alleviate some of the stresses and sadness I have found myself dealing with lately.