Still . . .

• (I was tagged by Kirsten/Chrissie/2.0) . . . .
  
  ***************************
  
• Still amazed: that I landed the job I have
• Still getting used to: Nate being 11 years old (my nephew, our beloved "practice baby")
  
• Still loving: how I look in a dress since I lost all of this weight
• Still proud of: losing 70 pounds
• Still not proud of: how I couldn't be/wasn't there for my husband from May-December of last year
• Still hoping: to have a baby magically dropped in our laps, sans pregnancy
• Still worried: that I will have another miscarriage
• Still never going to: have anal sex, get a tattoo, vote for Hillary Clinton
• Still pretending: that money brings happiness (I am will to fake it for the time being, though!)
• Still reading: blogs I shouldn't (but doing it far less frequently)
• Still wanting to read: The Bible in its entirety, a Teddy Roosevelt biography, and an advance copy of whatever Vince Flynn writes before it hits the shelves!
• Still interested in: happily ever after, and waaaaay too many t.v. shows
• Still not interested in: home improvement projects or yard work
• Still looking forward to: Thanksgiving, every year, so long as I can be with my cousins
• Still not looking forward to: any holiday, ever again, with my bitch cow of a S-I-L
• Still failing: As a Christian
• Still grateful for: the soft landing my husband provides, no matter what; and parents who love me fiercely
• Still praying: for our military, our President, and that all children find homes ASAP
• Still not believing in: Patience. Phuck that.
• Still believing in: Proactivity

Friday Poll

We haven't had a "Friday Poll Question" in a while, which I remarked in an email to Chrissie the other day. She immediately shot back with the following poll question, which was kept amongst myself ("F.C.") , ManHands (Adrian), Kirsten (Chrissie, or 2.0) and Lori (Coach).

The topic was . . .

CRAZY THINGS MEN HAVE DONE FOR ME

Holy shit! The items that were ticked off for that poll ranged from sweet stuff going back to the sixth grade, to the scary, to the bold, to the damn wild & sexy kind. WHOA BABY.

It was so good, I don't think I can even publish any of them. We kept the identities of the men anonymous, referring to all as just "he," as in "He had a dozen roses delivered to me while on a date with another man" or "He lifted me out of the hot tub, dried me off, and then rubbed cocoa butter all over me."

It was a gooooood topic. And I encourage everyone to try it out with their BFF's immediately!!!

Cheers!

Gym Sum

Okay, so I figured that if I post (for all ye world to see) my cardio efforts each week it would help keep me honest, like a virtual check, if you will.

Soooooo, this week, despite my out-of-town business trip and the theatre tickets, I am proud to report I worked out 3 times, for a total of 4 hours of cardio.

Next week will be more of a challenge, since I will be on another biz trip for nearly 4 days AND have agreed to meet Lori for drinks after work one night (but I think since meeting Lori for drinks can fall under the category of "mental health" it's worth it).

YEA for me :o)

Christmas Tag

I so do not have time for this, but I am so stressed out I will take the 5 minutes necessary to respond (plus, maybe it will inject some Christmas Spirit into me?!)

Here goes, passed to me by Kirsten:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper! I actually love to wrap gifts.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually about 10 days before Christmas, but not doing it this year -- it's too painful a reminder.

4. When do you take the tree down? If we were putting one up . . . probably a few days into the New Year.

5. Do you like egg nog? I don't even like the sound of it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? The huge t.v. my Daddy gave me when I was 6 years old. It was the beginning of a passionate and long-term love affair that continues to this day and has never let me down.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, a small one. Would like to upgrade in the future.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Myself. I always think the money should be put towards other things.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Anybody, really. I am very good at gift-giving -- the only thing that holds me back is lack of funds to properly spoil those I love and treasure.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Postal, all the way!

11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A Bible (that sounds terrible, but I was like 12 or 13 and it was from my Stepmonster's parents, who thought I was some heathen-child because I wasn't Presbyterian and my parents didn't make me attend church -- though, since we're Catholic, it was even more offensive and bizarre).

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Brady Bunch ones -- so bad they're good!

13. Do you still feel the magic? Honey, i AM the magic! (Really.)

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No. Well, unless it's chocolate and I am trying to get it out my house and into someone else's -- let them get fat!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Whatever Dr. J feels like cooking -- he is terrific! Turkey is always something I enjoy.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored . . . which is a serious problem in my marriage, since Dr. J grew up in freakin' "House Beautiful" where his mother decorated a tree that looked like a professional staged the damn thing. He resents my second grade art class ornaments, and preference for colored lights. It's an ongoing argument, which threatens the delicate balance of our marriage, and could ultimately break us up. To date, I have gotten us to agree to the following terms: white lights on the outside of the house, and colored lights on my "keepin' it real" Christmas tree inside.

17. Favorite Christmas song? "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" -- damn thing makes me teary each time I hear it, dammit (really).

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? This year we will be going to NYC and Long Island. It should be, um, interesting.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Yes. Wanna guess which one is my favorite?

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Again, this is a marital problem for me. I come from a Xmas Eve family, whereas Dr. J is a Xmas Morning guy. I know he's right . . . but I am so much of a snoop that those last few hours are unbearable for me!!!

21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Lack of money and lack of Ping-Ping. And my in-laws.

22. Favorite ornament theme or color? Colors: Icy blues and silver . . . just like our wedding colors. Ornaments: This year, a VERY special ornament will be hanging on the trees of the people we love (stay tuned!)

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? If it could be anything?! Belgian Waffle with powdered sugar & whipped cream, chicken-apple sausage, turkey, scalloped potatoes, grilled asparagus, and chocolate-chip ice cream.

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? A time machine.

25. Who is most likely to respond to this? Lori

26. Who is least likely to respond to this? Noah

Five Things

* Five Things I Despise:

• Conspiracy Theories/Theorists
• Whiners
• People Who Pretend to Support our Troops
• Bad decisions
• Indecisiveness

* Five Things I Adore:

• Nate
• A lengthy, deep-tissue massage
• Fall TV debuts
• Lisa's rants
• Dr. J surprising me, in subtle ways

* Five Things I Need:

• Hope
• Pick-Me-Ups
• Big, enveloping hugs from behind
• To go away for Christmas this year
• An approved I-171H
  

* Five Things I Want:

• To be a trophy wife
• To lose just 10 more pounds
• To have a kick ass Chinese New Year party -- and really mean it
• Disposable income (so I could get, whenever I want: massage, facial, pedicure, new undies, and a steady supply of pretty lil' dresses)
• A ginormous gift card to H&M
  

* Five Things I Have:

• Friends who climb into the trenches with me


• A husband who lets me cry and still thinks I am strong


• A Dad who would kill for me


• A Mom who will still do my laundry if I need her to


• A cool job
  

* Five Things I Like About My Personality:

• Tenacity


• Good with money


• Possessing the ability to intimidate other women, when I want or need to


• A wicked sense of humor


• Lack of a "filter"
  

* Five Things I Like About My Body:

• My Hair
  

• That I Don't Have Back Fat


• My Calves


• That I know how to "plate the entree," so to say


• Being curvy

* Five Things I Need To Change:

• My bedtime

• My level of frustration

• Gyms

• The PA LCB

• Resetting my "motivation clock" to a time earlier in the day

* Five Things I Miss (serious answer):

• Being able to walk to the Y


• Seeing Hot Mary and Shannon at "High School" each workday
  


• Worrying about little things instead of big ones


• Proximity to decent vineyards
  


• All of the delicious and varied food offerings in Kal-ee-forn-yah
  

* Five Things I Miss (semi-smart ass answer):

• Star Jones being fat


• The pantyhose Casual Corner sold (they went out of business, dammit)


• John Henson hosting "Talk Soup"


• Wendy Bell's blog


• Eating whatever I want, whenever I want
  

* Five People I Miss:

• My Poppy


• Glady


• Johnny Carson


• Ronald Reagan


• Winston Churchill

* Five Things I Pray For:

• Strength & Courage (they go together, I think)


• Happier times, to begin to soften the painful ones that remain ever-present


• The ability to enjoy "the moment"


• Stillness


• My Husband

Stocking Up on Staples

Last week we had a good-sized snowstorm, and lots of ice. Nothing catastrophic, mind you, but enough that you should stay off the roads if you could -- for maybe ONE whopping day.

Nonetheless, I always get a huge laugh at the t.v. and newspaper stories about folks who rush the grocery stores in advance of a snowstorm . . . as if we are gonna be snowed in for 3 weeks, and as if most of these folks don't already don't have TONS of food in their pantry (or could stand to skip a meal anyways)?!

It got me to wondering, what strange "essential" food/beverage items my friends and family must have at home to survive the blizzard??? (After all, there's something a little bizarre that all of us want to have on hand, to survive, LOL!)

Our list is something like this . . . microwave popcorn, wine, fudgesicles, and cereal for Dr. J.

Here's what the rest of you replied:

* Cereal
* Fresh milk (as opposed to sour milk? I dunno!)
* Diet Coke
* Water
* Bananas
* Cheese
* Popcorn
* Pretzels (2 votes)
* Beer (2 votes) -- interestingly, enough, the beer votes came from Buzz, and his son, Joe (wow -- what a stunner? NOT!!!)
* Frozen pizza
* Ramen noodles

And from the Kal-ee-forn-yah crew, who don't quite understand the whole "we need toilet paper" urgency . . .

* Pasta, water, dog food, bagels, butter, beer, and if that time, (sorry boys) tampons
* "As long as I have my stock of boobjuice storage bags, I'm good to go. I'll just wipe my ass clean on the wall."


Let's keep it all in perspective, folks! And hey, let's not forget -- Punxy Phil said we're having an early Spring!!!