A Story About Boy

Since I talk about Boy so much, I figured I'd tell you little anecdote about him, so you could have something to visualize whenever I talk about him.

Boy grew up in a very small, one-stop-light town in the western part of the state, the part that all those hick jokes come from. His school was closed the first day of hunting season and his rival high school had a "bring your tractor to school day." (I sware to you, I am not making this up). There is very little do to up there, besides play sports or drink, so they did a lot of both in High School.

And while Boy has left most of this country behavior behind him, there are still a few vestiges left that continue to surprise me. Sometimes when we go back to his home town I pretend I am a sociologist examining him in his natural habitat (this visual makes me giggle). The following story explains how Boy still has a little country in him.

Over the summer, Boy and I went to a holiday cookout at one of his friend's mother-in-law's house. Everyone was having a good time, drinking, playing corn-hole, and just catching up in general. Then--it got close to dusk and the mother's family members (like her middle aged sisters) started to set a tent up on the lawn. I was quite confused and asked Boy what they were doing.

Boy: Uh, they are setting up a tent to sleep in (like I was the silly one)
Me: So, these aunts and uncles are going to sleep outside on the lawn instead of inside in a bed or something?
Boy: Uh, yeah (again, like I was a nut)[Now, the house wasn't ginormous, but there was certainly room for a few carefully placed aunts and uncles].
Boy: I mean, we are sleeping in a tent too.
Me: SKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTTTT. Excuse me? (Now, I am a girl that likes to camp---but only when she isn't being visited by aunt flo and is fully prepared with all necessary camping gear- cute bandana included).

I quickly nixed this idea. Lord only knows what Boy was thinking, telling me hours before bed time, that in fact, we would not be going back to his parent's house, but we would be sleeping outside. That was NOT going to happen. Especially after the appearance of a giant wolf spider! But in the same breath, we are in our early 20s, and sleeping outside isn't really that big of a deal, and had I been prepared, I wouldn't have minded.

But--never in a MILLION years, would I let my aunts sleep on my front lawn in a tent. The more I thought about this situation, the more comical it became! I mean, honestly?! Who lets their aunts sleep on a tent in their yard? And the best part of the whole thing, was that this sleeping arrangement was pretty much 100% normal to the majority of people there. I was baffled and even more baffled that Boy wasn't baffled. Although his aunts have never slept on his front lawn, (his mother would never allow such a thing) he had certainly seen it happen at other people's houses before.

Anyways, I thought this was a fun little tale about Boy and how every once in a while things pop out of his mouth that are totally natural to him, and completely foreign to me. Which is not to say that some things I do are completely foreign to him, but we will get to those stories later.

Not Me! Monday

In case you haven't been introduced to Not Me! Monday, yet, here are a few details. A few weeks ago I stumbled across MckMama who plays "Not Me! Monday." Here are the rules to playing, but in sum, you just list a lot of things you "didn't" (read: actually did) do this weekend/past week. All in the name of admitting that we all make mistakes and aren't perfect.

1. I certainly did not almost polish off a jumbo tub of buttered popcorn at the movies! I would never eat that much popcorn!

2. I certainly did not waste an hour or two at work last week blogging. I would never be that irresponsible with a client's time.

3. I most certainly did not snicker my way through church giggling about how bad the choir was. Nope--I'm a way better person than that!

4. Of course I didn't secretly get angry at my sister for waking up at her boyfriends on Christmas morning and leaving Christmas dinner early to spend time with her boyfriend. No, if I was that annoyed I would clearly tell her.

5. Finally, I certainly didn't tie a Christmas bow around Cheeto's neck so he would look cute and left it on until he wrestled it off! Nope, I'm a nicer furmom than that.

Feel free to play along!

Trouble with BigSack

For the past seven months, my sister has revolved her life around her new boyfriend. It bothers me for so many reasons and yet, I don't tell her. I don't know if I don't tell her because I'm scared she will be pissed at me if I tell her the truth, or if I just want to leave her alone in her love bubble.

She is too old to act like this---in her mid twenties, she has an advanced degree and a specialized job. She is a grown woman, yet she overlooks family and lifelong friends to spend time with her boyfriend. An athlete her entire life, she has stopped working out because she says she doesn't have the time to run before going over her boyfriend's after work.

It's not like she is the only woman to have ever done this. At one stage or another, most of us leave our senses behind and abandon friends and family for a boy.

The trouble is, she has done this before and didn't learn her lesson. She did this with another boy and it ended because she suffocated him.

I think it bothers me the most because generally, in life, I am pretty independent. I often crave time alone and enjoy days off reading a good book with no one to bother me. This independence transcends into my relationship with Boy. Yes, we spend a lot of time together, but we also have activities/interests outside of each other. We frequently go out with out each other. I do not need to see him everyday. I like to give him a chance to miss me. I certainly do not skip out on my family to be with him on Holidays.

I just wish the girl would lead her life and find ways to fit her boyfriend into it, not lead her life around her boyfriend. Or, maybe I wish I had the strength to stand up to her and tell her she is acting like a high schooler and needs to act like a grown woman... However, it's likely that neither will happen and I will continue to brood inside until i snap about it.

3 Awards and a Guest Blogger

Since I had some serious weekend drama, I've been slacking in the "Tag/Award" department. So, this post will feature three awards and a guest blog spot by Cheeto (who was tagged)! YEAH!


I got the lemonade award from Mrs. Stilletos and from Sasika for showing (most likely) Attitude and (maybe) Gratitude. Thanks, ladies!! Both of these fellow bloggers are fabulous and fun and you should visit them!




This award comes with a few rules:
Put the logo on your blog or post.
Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE!
Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

Victoria also tagged me with the Smile award! Yeah, Thanks girl!

The qualifications to receive the award are:
A. Display a cheerful attitude.
B. Love one another.
C. Make mistakes.
D. Learn from others.
E. Be a positive contributor to the blog world.
F. Love life.
G. Love kids.

I'm not sure I always follow all of these qualifications, (besides Making mistakes--have you seen Not Me! Monday?) but maybe that is something to strive for.

The Rules:
1. Must link it back to the creator
2. Post the rules
3. Choose 5 people to give it to
4. Recipients must fit the characteristics above
5. Create a post to share this
6. You must thank the winner

And now....
On to guest blogging. Cheeto was tagged by Lulu and Jax from "I Now pronounce you: Husband, Wife, and Two crazy dogs." I know I promised no more crazy cat lady posts, so sorry.

So here are the rules:
1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

So, here is Cheeto and his fun facts:
1. Although I have lots of favorite spots around the house, my new favorite is laying underneath the Christmas tree and batting ribbons of off presents.
2. Every morning when Littlesack's alarm goes off I come into her room, pounce on her bed, walk on to her full bladder, circle around her chest, and lay on her neck until the snooze goes off.
3. I also really enjoy drinking from any water dish that isn't mine. So when Littlesack leaves cups laying around I love to drink out of them. Sometimes she drinks from tall skinny glasses and my head won't fit inside I have to knock over the glass to drink the water. Littlesack isn't a fan of this game.
4. Although I LOVE tuna fish from the can, I won't eat the good tuna Littlesack gets from the seafood department.
5. Since I am an inside cat, the farthest outside I can go is out onto the screened-in back porch. I spend hours out here and often the squirrels and chipmunks taunt me since they know I can't come outside and chasethem.

and end guest blog spot!
****
Whew, what a crazy award season for me and my cat!
So, I have the feeling that most of these awards/tags have been around the blogroll block a few times and although I am really thankful for each of them, I don't want to make it repetitive, so I'm not going to tag anyone specifically.

However, if you want to play any of these tags, leave me a comment and I will certainly tag you. I just don't want to tag bloggers that have repeatedly been tagged.

If I don't post again before Christmas, I hope those celebrating Christmas have a wonderful one, and I hope those of you celebrating Chanukah enjoy the rest of the holiday!

Update Monday

1. Boy scored major points this weekend by seriously standing up for me to Jerk roommate. When Boy got home from work he talked (maybe yelled) with Jerk about how he handled the situation horribly and personally attacked me. Boy told Jerk that it wasn't acceptable for him to leave me notes like that, threatening me with spending time there, etc. Apparently boy was convincing because I got a voicemail from Jerk apologizing for handling the situation poorly and for leaving such a nasty note. I even got an in-person apology the next day.

So, since its the season for yuletide and good blessings, I will forgive, but I won't forget and this incident will certainly stay in the front of my mind.


2. Thanks for all the comments. I'm glad others have had crappy roommate experiences and can relate. To those that suggested I should have confronted Jerk immediately after I saw the note- you are totally right. But, when i get angry, I don't look pissed, I just cry. And it's very hard to stand up for yourself and say how angry you are, when you are crying like an ten year-old. It's something I really wish I could change.


3. The fact that Boy is paying for two shares of utilities is completely ridiculous and the fact that he let that go without a fight is ridiculous. But- a conversation for another day.


4. Yesterday Boy and I (and about 15 of his good friends from home) went to the Skins- Eagles game. While I'm more of a Ravens gal myself, I do root for the Skins and also love me some Chris Cooley. (Too bad his wife is the hottest thing since sliced bread). For Boy's birthday present I got most of his good friends together to all go to this game. Although very cold, we had a great time tailgating, watching the game, and partying for eight hours. I always enjoy catching up with the girls in that group. Even better- the Skins won in a fourth quarter nail-bitter!

I'd say I'd post pictures, but I don't like to bring my camera to events that involve multiple hours of drinking because I will most likely loose it, so there aren't any. But here is brief summary that you can imagine: Four hours of tailgating in freezing weather, me and Boy wearing about 8 layers of clothes each, Boy failing asleep in the first quarter because of a little too much tailgating fun, and enough wind to send a plate of hot dogs flying!!!


5. It's finally the week of Christmas! WEEEEEE!


6. I'm skipping Not me Monday! for the week---too much drama in the weekend.


7. For those of you that tagged me recently, I promise I haven't forgotten and will get to those posts this week. Look forward to guesting blogging by Cheeto (who was tagged) and an award from Mrs. Stilettos and one from Victoria. (YEAH!)

Seriously?

You have GOT to be kidding me!?! This note is what I woke up to this morning- a lovely little note from Boys' roommate- taped to the front door handle along with the "dish" that I did not wash. The dish was a 2x2 Tupperware dish that I was eating m&ms out of. (If it can be held up by tape----it's not a dish).

(If you can't read it- it says, "Little sack, Why do none of your dishes make it into the dishwasher? If you want to be up at this house you need to clean up after yourself!")

Boy's roommate is without a doubt the BIGGEST passive aggressive A**HOLE I have ever encountered. This note, was the straw that broke the camel's back. Because I am so ragingly pissed right now, I will tell you the series of bullsh*t things that Boy's roommate (we will call him Jerk) has put me through.


Background facts:
Jerk had his girlfriend living at the house for over a year before she paid for a single bill, utility, or otherwise and was there every day when Jerk wasn't (after a year of living there for free, she now pays bills)
My college roommate's boyfriend basically lived at my house and was very messy. and I HATED it. He was there more than i was there- slept every night there, etc. So, when I moved home, I vowed that I would not be "that girlfriend" and I would not be at Boy's house too much. I have kept that promise to myself very well, and am rarely there more than two nights a week.
I also make sure that all of my things are only ever in Boy's room and not in common areas, and that shared dishes (pot's, plates, etc) are washed immediately after use.

Instances of Jerk throwing straws at camels back:

1. Instance 1- Boy and I had been dating for about 2 years when I graduated, moved out of my college townhouse and moved back home. Up until that point Boy and I split time between hanging out at each other's places, but were never together for more than 2-3 nights per week. When I moved home, I would often go over Boy's after work on Friday and because of differing schedules, I would be at Boy's house before Boy got home. Instead of relying on Boy's roommates to be home- Boy made me a key. Fine.
One week day I had to stopped by Boy's house to pick up something I left there. Not expecting anyone to be home, I was frightened when Jerk was home and asked me what I was doing there.
LS: Uh, picking something up
Jerk: How'd you get in?
LS: I have a key
Jerk: How'd you get a key?
LS: Boy made me one.
Jerk: OH?! (Turn on heel and walk away)

So, being pretty intuitive I realized Jerk was not happy, quickly left the house, told Boy about it and began to walk to walk on egg shells, feeling very unwelcome.

2. Instance Two: Jerk is VERY particular about a clean house, which is fine. I like things tidy too. I can appreciate that. Over the 2 years Boy and I have been dating, he has yelled (yes, yelled and scolded) at Boy to clean up his dishes. Knowing how particular Jerk is about this--I always make sure that immediately after we finish eating dinner--the dishes are washed.

3. Instance three: Boy generally works on Saturday morning, so he leaves his house before I get up. Last weekend I got up to leave and a cup and a "dish" (again a small Tupperware I was eating baked cheetos out of) were sitting on the stairway, as a clear sign to me to put them the hell away. Because Jerk was in the kitchen and I wanted to avoid him, I stepped over the dishes and left the house. I wasn't giving into his passive aggressive bull shit.

4. Instance four: This morning I am leaving the house (again after Boy has gone to work) and find this LOVELY little note taped to the door knob. Just last night Boy told me I was "reading too much into Jerk's action." I was Freikin livid when I saw this note! Like, beyond a normal level of anger and pissed off-ness. First, I always ensure that out dinner dishes are done and I'm sorry that I left a cup out on the coffee table, because I forgot to put it away before bed. But I really don't understand why this is such a big deal. And, if it is such a big deal---all Jerk has to say is, "Hey, Littlesack, i'd appreciate it if youd put your cups in the dishwasher before going to bed." LIKE A GROWN UP!

So, I call Boy to tell him that I am certainly not overreacting, because well, Jerk left me this lovely little letter. (My favorite part of the letter is the "if you want to be here" like he is threatening from barring me from Boy's home like I'm a five year old child).
So, Boy promises me he will talk to Jerk about it.

And this is also the last straw for Boy too (who has way more patience than I have ever possessed). Apparently, Boy told me this this morning, but a few months ago, Jerk told Boy that since I was there more, I should have to pay utilities. Boy didn't feel like arguing, so he agreed. (don't get me started on why he agreed.) So, for the past few months the utilities have been split five ways (Jerk, jerk's GF, other roommate, Boy, and me) and Boy has been paying 2 shares. HONESTLY---WTF?!?!!?! I have, over the entire course of our more than 2 year relationship taken less than 10 showers there. I am also only there when Boy isn't for less than an hour most Friday nights. There is no way I am using enough utilities to warrant Boy paying two shares. And, I'm upset that Boy was paying that money and didn't tell me.

I have lost it! I am a 22 year old woman! I, nor my 24 year old boyfriend, do not deserve to be treated like we are children. I am at my wit's end and honestly have no idea what to do about it. Boy is going to talk to Jerk, but, I certainly don't want to go there anymore. But--where am I going to go? Living at home isn't awful, but I'm only doing it to save money while going to grad school. I have no place of my own, and If I can't go to Boy's, where will I go when I need downtime?

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have no more to say, I am sorry that this is long and ugly, but I needed to get it off my chest because crying about it wasn't helping.

SO EXCITED!

1. THANK YOU all so much for your support during my hair trauma episode. It means more than you know. really. Love all of you!

2. On to more EXCITING Things...

This past July 4th weekend I went to my first music festival (I told you I was part hippie) at it was AMAZING. I can't say enough good things about it, but in sum, it was one of the best vacations I've ever had. I'll give you the annotated story of the trip.

If you don't know what a music festival is, here is a brief summary-

Basically a bunch of people (like 10,000) camp out for four or five days and drink and party all day and night. There are generally over 100+ bands over the four or five days to see and some trippy side events as well.

So, I saw an add on line last winter for Rothbury- a concert featuring Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, and even B's favorite band The Disco Biscuits (plus a hundred or so others). I was immediately hooked because I LOVE ME some Dave! So, I convinced B (a music festival veteran) to go and over the next few months the line up got even better. I'd list all the bands I loved, but that may be boring to some of you!

The festival was in Michigan and we live on the East coast. So, B and I packed our camping gear up and drove all night and headed out to Michigan where the land is flat and the air is beautifully clean. We met one of his best friends out there who currently lives in Colorado. We set up our camp site (beer pong table and easy up included) and got to drinking! And the next five days could never have been better. I still can't put words into how awesome the whole trip was, especially the Dave concert. B and I stood really close to the stage and danced the whole time. Those few hours, were by far, the best hours of my life. Dave was AMAZING, the crowd was crazy and it was just ALL FUN. After the show I used words like "shredded his guitar" and those are words I never ever use. That, is how good it was. After we got back I downloaded the soundboard from the show and put it on my ipod. When I run to those songs, I get so happy I can barely keep myself from dancing. (Sometimes I play "air drum" while running, which probably looks more like "air seizure").

Although Dave was certainly the highlight, the whole thing was amazing. I saw some great bands that I'd never seen before. I took over 500 pictures on the trip of some of the craziest things i have ever seen. (My old icon--of that odd pumpkin thing, was from Rothbury, and was only one of many very odd sights).

Anyways, the site for Rothbury 2009 has been under construction for the past few weeks and I am addicted to checking it daily- crazy hungry for the lineup for this year. This is all the sight says now. AHHHHHH! I can't even contain my excitement for what this year is going to bring.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like a kid at Christmas (hm, that seems appropriate?) Maybe, for this Christmas, I want Rothbury to list their line up for this year!

Hair-apy*

Ok, ladies...I got someone besides myself to take a picture of me (and my hair). Here is the before and after. (Before on the left, obvi). I still can't tell if it makes me look like Harry Potter or like a more mature me. I'm not that big of a fan of the new bangs---I like them to be a lot heavier and swoopier (is that a word?) Regardless, here they are.

Thanks for all the book suggestions, I can't wait to get to the library. I'm still taking book suggestions for January if you didn't leave any.


Ps- I totally borrowed this post name from Psycho Hairpy, and if you haven't check them out, do so, they are fab!

Schools out...for winter!

Ladies,
Thank you so much for all your hair crisis support! I'm glad there are people just like me out there. I'll try and post a picture when I can get someone else to take it. Again, Thanks, I really appreciate it!!

On to other things:
I don't talk about it too often, because it really isn't that exciting, but I'm currently in grad school while working part time. And, boy is it fun! (read: totally NOT fun). There isn't anything really negative about it, I just have very little time to do anything but homework in my free time. I have probably watched two hours of t.v. a week this semester and that is very unlike me.

But- today, I AM OFFICIALLY DONE FOR THE SEMESTER! Woooooohooooooooo!!!!! I can't even describe my excitement. All my papers are turned in, exams done, everything! YYYYEEAAHHHHH!!!!!

Even better, classes don't start again until the last week in January, which means about six weeks of no-school time!

So, my comfies are on and I am going to sit in front of the t.v. from now until bed time and feel 100% not guilty about it. WOOHOO!

As much as I like my t.v. time (soap net, anyone?) I also really enjoying reading. Give me a good book and a glass of wine and I can be content for hours. But--having read academic literature all semester, I'm out of the book world and am in desperate need of suggestions.

So, ladies (and maybe one gent or two), do a gal a favor and leave a comment with your most recent favorite read? I need some quality reads for over the Christmas break and through January.

Looking forward to reading your picks!

Hair Trauma

So, I just cut a considerable amount of my hair. And by considerable I mean- I used to be able to put my hair in a considerable pony-tail and now I have no hair to put into a pony-o. EEEKKKKK.

I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I like it...I think.
I do this all the time...Grow my hair out, get sick of it, cut it short, hate it and grow it long. It's probably something I've been doing since early high school. I can never figure out how I like it. And i liked my hair 5 hours ago, I just felt like...what the hell---I'll change it. And so, I changed it. A LOT.

(confessional moment: Part of the reason I always want my hair long is because if/when I get married, I want to have long hair at my wedding. But...that if/when doesn't even exist at this moment, so I cut it. And it can always be grown out, right?...?)

It's a good cut and it frames my face better than my last cut. It also makes me look older (in the good way) and like I can legally drive a car and buy a drink. I often get mistaken for a 16 year old, so this is probably a good development.

it's just a wee shorter than I was expecting.
It's just going to take some getting used to. But hell---it's hair and if I don't like it in a few days, it'll grow. Right?

If I could figure out how to take a picture of myself without looking like a 16 year old emo punk--I would post a before and after...but any "self portrait" looks ridiculously childish.

So, just send some positive reinforcement my way and pretend I post before and afters and after looks better?

(On another and less selfish note- Isn't it odd how much we define ourselves by our hair?)

Cheeto as a wee one

Ok, So I promise not to make this blog about my cat, mostly because I'd like to avoid the label of "cat lady." But since I've been posting about Faylene and her status as a homeless kitty, I thought telling the story of how Cheeto came into my life would be fitting.

One of my college roommates found Cheeto in our backyard one cold February morning. He had clearly lost his mom and was less than two weeks ago (which is way too early to leave the mother). He was such a pitiful looking thing- hair all matted and his feet and tail were scabbed over. He probably weighed less than an ounce and was the size of two golf balls. teeny tiny! It was awful. My roommate nursed him with a bottle dropper and slowly he started to gain weight and grow fur. His favorite activity as a wee little thing was climbing into shoes and falling asleep there, only to be woken up by someone hastily trying to throw their shoes on. Below is a picture of him when he is about one month old, I think.Cheeto started to really love being in my room and sleeping in my bed- so he naturally spent a lot of time sleeping with me and loving on me. About a year later my roommate moved out to move in with her finance (and their two dogs) and ask if I wanted Cheeto, and of course I said yes! So, I adopted Cheeto. I was such a happy kitty mama!

Now, almost three years later, Cheeto is healthy and happy and maybe a bit chubby, but I'm happy to say that he is a rescued cat that leads a very pampered life!

Point of the story is that I have a serious soft spot for homeless kitties, which is why Faylene has worked her way into my heart so quickly and why I'm trying to find a good home for her.

Ok. That is it. I promise. No more cat stories for a long time, I just thought this was relevant! Tomorrow I will go back to brooding about life and sharing stories about my psychotic quarterlife crises!

Not Me! Monday

Last Monday night I stumbled across MckMama who plays "Not Me! Monday." It looked like so much fun, I couldn't wait to play. Here are the rules to playing, but in sum, you just list a lot of things you "didn't" (read: actually did) do this weekend/past week.

So, here goes:

1. I totally did not sneak enough peanut butter cookie dough to make myself sick. That is something I would never do.

2. I definitely didn't pick a fight with Boy about something that wasn't his fault because I was in a bad mood and wanted to be angry about something. Nope, not me.

3. I certainly did not play skeeball at Dave and Buster's this weekend and then get pissed when the the machine gypped me out of tickets!

4. I most definitely did not let my cat lick the whipped cream off of my spoon and then proceed to eat off the same spoon. Never, that would be totally gross!

5. While baby sitting Boy's cousins, I most certainly did not almost have a panic attack over the fact that the newest version of the "Guess Who" game was made from shitty plastic and kept breaking. Nope, I would never let my anxiety get the best of me like that.

6. And finally, I for sure did not find a picture of the perfect wedding dress and save it in my secret file of wedding related items. No, never would I be that nutty!

Feel free to play and link back to MckMama and me!

Faylene

So, the other day I wrote about Cheeto and his girlfriend Faylene (a twist on "Feline"). She made another appearance Saturday morning and I was able to snag a picture of the two of them. Obviously Faylene is the one eating out of the dish and if you look hard you can see Cheeto's little ears in the door-peaking out to get a look. This little interchange cracks me up.

Despite the cuteness of the situation, I don't think Faylene is just someone's outdoor cat who comes to visit sometimes. I think she has been abandoned by a family. First of all, I'm pretty sure she is declawed, which means she is supposed to be an indoor cat. When I gave her a bowl of food she scarfed it down in seconds. You can't tell from the picture (thank Goodness it isn't that bad), but when I pet her, I could feel her hip bones jutting out. She wasn't that skinny a few weeks ago. She was also starving for attention and nuzzling all over me. I almost cried it was so sad.

So, my next step is to plead with all my friends to ask if anyone wants her and if no one does, I'm going to look for a no-kill shelter in the area. When this economic slump began, I remember hearing stories about people abandoning their pets because they simply couldn't afford them anymore. It's such a sad externality that I don't think anyone expected.

Until I can find a home for her, I just hope she can find somewhere warm to snuggle at night. Point of the story--tonight, give your pet a little extra love and be thankful that you've been able to keep them during these tough times.

My Christmas Wish

Part One:
As a child of two baby-boomers who lived through the seventies, most of my life has been shaped by their culture and music. One of my first memories is of riding in the minivan with my father, belting out the lyrics to "Yellow Submarine" by the Beatles. (as an aside- in middle school my friend and I used the code name "yellow submarine" to talk about our secret crush).

My father has a love for the Beatles that goes beyond normal infatuation---and that has transcended through me. I LOVE everything about each of them. I've read their biographies, I mourn the day John Lennon was shot, their songs populate my ipod and itunes, and my oh-so-favorite Christmas song is "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" by John and Yoko. (and while I hold a grudge against Yoko and I know this wasn't a Beatles song, I still love it).

When "Across the Universe" (a musical set to Beatles songs) came out I saw it in theatres twice. I bought the dvd the day it came out and downloaded the soundtrack immediately. I LOVE this movie. It makes me cry and smile at the same time. It is one of few movies that I could watch over and over.

In sum, i love the Beatles and I often wish I had been alive to witness their music in person.

Part Two:
Cirque Du Soleil is a transfomative and amazing mix of street performances and circus acts that travels the world. I have been lucky enough to see their show twice and it is truly amazing! The sights and sounds are rediculous and take you to a different world. If you have never seen a show, I highly recommend looking for it when they come to town.

My Wish:
In Vegas, there is a show at the Mirage that combines these two loves. There is a Cirque Du Soleil act, called Love inspired by and all about Beatles music.
THIS is my Christmas wish. I want to see this show more than anything else. It has been on the top of my list for years and it will remain there until I see it.

However, it is in Vegas, a quality 2,000 miles away, and I certainly don't have the moolah to go. So- Santa---if you could make this happen, it would make me REALLY happy!

Love,
Littlesack

Cheeto

This is how my cat, Cheeto, feels about Christmas. I thought it was cute when I saw him nuzzling under the tree on the tree skirt. Just as that thought was entering my mind, I caught him rip a bow off a package and proceed to destroy it! What a ham...



Speaking of Cheeto, he has a girlfriend! Cheeto is an indoor cat and although he spend hours on our screened in back porch, he's not allowed in the yard. But, his girlfriend is an outdoor cat. Girlfriend, (faylene is what we call her) comes and visits Cheeto every morning. Faylene sits on the fence and they just stare at each other and meow. Faylene also visits during the day and sits directly outside the glass front door while Cheeto sits directly inside the glass front door. It is a sight to see! Both of them are all riled up with tails wagging (I didn't know cats wagged their tails!)

The sad part is, we don't know if Girlfriend has a home or not. She looks well cared for and isn't skinny, but she comes around the house a lot. We put food out for her and she eats it, but we aren't sure if she's not being feld elsewhere and is really hungry or is just a chubby nugget.

So--for now, Cheeto just has a mistress that visits him daily. (Kinda romantic, isn' it?)

Back to the Street

This past October I ran in the Baltimore half-marathon. While I can't say i enjoyed every minute (honestly, who enjoys running for 2 plus hours?), I did have a lot of fun, was proud of my time (2:14), and was really proud to have finished in one piece. However, I did strain something in my foot and had to take 6 weeks off from running.

So, I went back to some lower impact activities- my workout dvds and biking- until my foot healed. But today, I was just so over those dvds and the stationary bike. Inspired by Marlene, a Canadian on the run, I hit the streets again. I figured if she could run outside in Canada, I could handle the winter along the mid-Atlantic.

Being a pretty avid runner, I have a lot of gear that keeps me warm, dry, safe, and entertained.
Sweat wisking undies and bra? check
under armour long tights? check
sweat wisking long sleeve t? check
my 180s with small space for ipod ear buds? check
road id? check
and ipod with road-ready mix? check-check!

Dressed and ready, I got out the door before I could change my mind.
And, I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't as cold as I thought it would be, my stride came right back and lasted the three miles, and I remembered why I love running in the cold.

So, moral of the story, ladies. If you are fearing the yucky winter weather, get yourself geared up and hit the street. I think you will find the crisp air refreshing and the holiday sights delightful. And, if you are completely miserable, just think about the nasty comment you can leave me the whole time!

Tea Time

As i mentioned last Friday, I was invited to afternoon tea at the Ritz Carlton yesterday. It was a "thank-you" gesture to all of the ladies who had helped my cousin over the past year with her twins.

It was lovely, fabulous, and truly wonderful and I was delighted to have been invited. However, it was certainly a break from the norm for me. I certainly do not regularly attend "tea." (Although I do drink tea everyday, it is usually in a thermos on my way to work or in a chipped mug while lounging in sweats). I am a girl who hikes and camps and revolves her weekend around flag football and watching football all day on Sunday.

So to change my usual Sunday of sweats and stew to one of ruffles, tea sandwiches, and crumpets was certainly a nice change of routine. (And, I still got home in time to watch the Skins play the Ravens!)

Beautiful Babies

I don't have much to say today, but i wanted to share this photo because it makes me giggle. This is a picture of my twin beautiful almost one-year old cousins. Nora is in the laundry basket and Ryan is leaning in. This weekend I will be attending a tea that their mother invited me to- it is a tea to thank all of the ladies who have helped her over the past year. I have to say, it has been a joy to help. Nora and Ryan are so delightful. Nora is a chunky monkey and everyone says she looks like me when I was an infant; it's all in the long eyelashes and chunky thighs we share. (The former is a family trait I am thankful for, the latter, not so much).

Enjoy the Weekend!

I'd like to thank...

I won an award! My very first! eeeeeee! Thank you Holly. If I can figure out how to post the award picture, I will do that, but right now I'm 100% clueless on that front.

Here are the rules: Copy and paste the rule instructions in your post. When posting on receiving the award, make sure you include who gave you the award and link it back to them. Post five winners and link it back to them as well. Post five of your addictions. Add the award image. Let the winners know you gave them an award by leaving them a comment on their blog.

My addictions:

1. Peanut Butter m&ms. Seriously...magical

2. Stove popped pop-corn with truffle salt. Beyond expensive..but amazing

3. Good books. My current obsession is the Post-Secret series.

4. Sweet Summary wines made with flavors like Mango and raspberries

5. My father's spaghetti sauce. It has been in our family for years and I put so much on my noodles there is enough to bathe in afterwards. Italiany delicious!

I'll award the following ladies--
Saskia
Megan
Undomesticated Newlywed
Good Girl Gone Blog
Inspired Kara

Tag! I'm on Home Base

YEAH! I'm so excited. I was tagged by the fabulous Whitney at That Girl who, if you haven't visited her yet--I highly recommend it. She has some good stories to tell.

In short- I'm supposed to tell you six odd little bits about myself:

As always there are a few rules...
1. Link to the person that tagged you
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
6. Let your tagger know when your entry is UP.


About Littlesack:

1. When I was in 5th grade I read a mystery called "Whodunit?" In the story a man was killed and left in the bathtub where they found him. Ever since then- every night before I go to bed I check behind the shower curtain to make sure there isn't a dead body laying there.

2. I workout a lot. But i also eat a lot of peanut butter m&ms, so it tends to even itself out. My newest obession is with P90x (Power 90 Extreme) by the people from beach body. Let me tell you---it is EXTREME! I'm also planning on training for my third half marathon this spring with some of my gal pals!

3. I have really vivid dreams that are really odd and I usually remember most of the details. It isn't uncommon for me to have a dream that entails the following; a shrinking desk, donuts, clifford the big red dog, bamboo plants, my boyfriend in jail, and a work place situation that involves people from school, friends, etc. B tells me I should write a book about my dreams, but that would be pretty odd.

4. I will not eat any type of bean or pea. This isn't an aversion to vegetables, I just hate the texture of them. I think beans (especially limas) have a flour-y consistency and it makes me sick to think about.

5. I've recently started to make it a point to make my bed before I leave in the morning. Sometimes it is rushed, but I have become obsessed with the feeling of getting into a made bed at the end of the night.

6. I am a infomercial addict. I don't ever buy anything, but I will get hooked into the infomercial and next thing I know thirty minutes have gone by and I am still watching. I'm not sure why, but I find them very addicting.

And I will tag the following lovely ladies:

Kate at elefantitas alegres
NewPort Nuptials
PinkPearls and Muddy Sneakers
Mrs. Cup at My Cup Overflows
Lindsey at Sweet Simplicity
and Lindsey at Learning to be a Wife

The itch

No, not the seven year itch, or even the chicken pox itch. This itch is hard to describe, difficult to define, and yet most women know what it is.

It is the feeling you get when you are settled in the current stage of your life and yearn for the next thing. It occurs out of nowhere when you are shopping in the mall and see a beautiful young mother with her adorably dressed and pigtailed daughter and all you want to do is scoop that little girl up and carry her home with you. For the next few hours, days, or even weeks, all you can think about is baby; wanting a baby, preparing for a baby; decorating the baby's room. You get the idea.

For me, the itch is the wedding itch, (and although I am dating someone I love dearly, we are certainly not engaged or close to being married). It ebbs and flows (probably in a cycle very similar to the one brought on by mother nature- but that is neither here nor there). Sometimes the itch overtakes my brain and I can't focus on anything else. The moment my best gal pal's wedding pictures went up online, I spent the next two hours hungrily looking through all 1,987 of them. I was unstoppable. I often get so itchy that I spend hours searching for my perfect wedding dress, the perfect location, the perfect season, and the perfect bridesmaids dresses. This isn't like a casual search online, this is an incessant desire to find the PERFECT things.

I haven't had the itch in a while. I've been making every effort to push all things wedding out of my brain for fear of seeming like a lunatic. It tends to be odd when you are looking at engagement rings on line and a coworker asks if you are getting married soon, and you have to say, "uh, no." Rumors spread about your sanity. So for the past few months, I've kept my itch contained.

So ladies, have you ever had the itch like this? Or done something slightly crazy when it struck you?

The look

***The following is something that I wrote a long time ago, about a boy that very few people know about. But, it was one of the roller coaster things where the highs were unbelievable and the aftermath made your stomach turn.

Sometimes when I think hard about it, I can't remember what he looks like. I know the thin hair and his baby blue eyes (but only because he talked about the the connection we had with our "baby blues"). When I think hard about it, his face is like the sun- when you look right at it, you can't see it at all.

We had a serious past. One that started early on in college and continued secretly throughout the years. I was his "partner in crime" and we often got into mischief together. He brought out both the best and the worst in me. One night I would be dancing in circles around his living room while his roommates played the guitar, the rest of us singing familiar tunes, the air thick with smoke and the smell of cheap liquor. The next I would be huddled under my blankets, alone.

I have one defining memory of what his face looks like-I saw it in one split moment after he kissed me. Like it was a look I wasn't supposed to see but I opened my eyes too soon. His eyes told stories and this story contained all the passion, desire, and chemistry we ever had. The only word that adequately describes the look is hunger.

That was one of the last nights I ever saw him. After months of being on that roller coaster, my heart couldn't take it anymore.

I guess, I just wonder if in ten years when I think about him and the impact he had on my life, will I be able to remember his face? Or will it always be a blur- a mix of baby blues and hunger.

girl or woman?

I always wondered at what point I would feel like a woman, not a young lady, or a girl. I thought that gradually over the years I would make decisions that would take me farther away from girlhood and closer to womanhood. Part of me still exists in both worlds. I cry like a girl, am insecure like a girl, and still sneak peanut butter m&ms. But I also love like a woman, stand up for myself and my beliefs like a woman, and mail my own Christmas cards (something I have always associated with adulthood).

And on Thanksgiving I took one definite step away from girlhood and towards womanhood. It was after Thanksgiving dinner and everyone was sitting back to digest. I stood up, collected the plates, and went into the kitchen to do the dishes without a thought in the world. My mother had cooked all day, I certainly wasn’t going to let her clean. So there I was, for the next hour, washing dishes, while my aunts dried them, gossiping about life.

In years past I would grudgingly go help my aunts and mother clean up. But this year, I was leading the clean up, with my aunts helping me, with no grudge. It just seemed like what I should do.

This revelation may seem trivial, but to me, I really felt like I had taken one step toward being a “grown up.”

Things I'm thankful

Every year since I can remember my grandmother has asked me to give her a list of things I'm thankful for. At 13 years old it probably contained things like "bonne bell lip gloss." And while I am still thankful for a great lip gloss, my list has gotten a little bit better over the years. I know it is a few days past Thanksgiving, but, what the heck, tis the season to be grateful anyways.

So, for Thanksgiving 2008, here is a lit of things I am thankful for

1. B.How much I love him. How much he loves me and shows and tells me. The things he does for me, because of me and with me. That is he spontaneous which makes me do things I wouldn’t do without him. His calming nature. That I’ve been able to sustain a relationship for 2 years.
2. The things my mother has unknowingly taught me-kindness and caring and doing the little things to make other people smile
3. My father’s humor, wit, and sarcasm. That I always be his friend, not just his daughter
4. That my parents have made sound financial decisions so that the current financial downturn hasn’t affected us much
5. That my parents taught me to live within my means- an invaluable lesson that I think will serve me well in the future
6. My sister and how close we have become. And this year, I’m thankful for P. for making her happier
7. My cat cheeto
8. The strength to get through these last few years of school (hopefully)
9. Happy friends
10. Wine
11. Chocolate (peanut butter m&ms)
12. My core group of girlfriends that are wonderful, lovely, and who care for me like family
13. The internet and how it has made communicating with friends and family so much easier
14. How beautiful my twin niece and nephew are
15. Gluten free food
16. For having friends that care enough about my allergy to adapt their lifestyle so I can eat with them
17. My job

showering thoughts

While conditioning my hair this morning, I had a thought. Time really does just fly by and if you don’t stop to savor it, it truly will pass you by. And in order to savor it- you have to plan it. Recently I was in a bar and was surprised by the appearance of my best friend, a girl I hadn’t seen in over two months! My shock at seeing her, combined with my beer tears, led to an emotional hug (at least on my end).

But how does that happen? How did my life go from spending hours with this gal pal everyday to not seeing her for over two months!? I was upset with myself for letting that time slip away- for not planning to see her.

That whole experience is just the first step of me realizing what thousands have before me: that post-graduation life is starkly different from the college days. Living next door and down the street from your best friends is incomparable in experience. You just knew that Friday nights would be spent together making debauchery at the bar, and that Wednesday nights were for wine and “Lost”. Nothing was planned, it just was the way it was.

It’s this doing, yet not planning, that i truly miss.

As I navigate this new lifestyle, I’m sure I’ll come across some other revelations as well. I just hope that I plan them into my work week, or I might pass them by.

Welcome to the quarterlife

This summer I went to five weddings. Five beautiful, lovely weddings and a few for some ladies I love like family. This summer, I also graduated college. and that was it. Proud as I was to participate in my graduation ceremony, it certainly wasn't a wedding. For one, there were 5,000 other individuals wearing the exact same outfit as me. (Not my idea of feeling special). For a few months I had a difficult time as some of my best gal pals were starting wonderful new adventures with their handsome hubbies while I was moving back into my parent's house to live somewhere for free as I started grad school.

So, as my beautiful friend has blogged about her wedding and her life as a newlywed, she has encouraged me to write about my twenty something life and all the ups and downs of navigating my twenties, and the ever pending quarter life.