life

A Potluck Entry

/ life

Friday, Jen, Adam and I went to May Street Market for dinner. It was outstanding. I had steak frites for my meal and well, I can’t even describe my dessert properly without getting all gooey inside. It was so good I wanted to cry. A blondie with chocolate chips, lavender vanilla ice cream, and toffee crumbled all over it from Terry’s Toffees. Divine. There are pictures, but the cable to get them out of the camera and onto the computer is not easily accessible at the moment. I’ll try to post them soon.

Work was fun again. Busy–I had a lot to do–but fun. I really enjoy the work, and I am excited to learn more and more. Today, someone brought in champagne. I had one glass–that was enough for me. I’m such a lightweight. I have never worked at a place that is so awesome. I plan to stay for a LONG time. Wednesday night, I was so excited about going to work that I couldn’t sleep. Man, I’m such a nerd. :wink:

Helena is peeing in naughty places again. I don’t get it. Unless she’s mad that I’m out of the house all day again. However, Helenboo told me to spray lemon juice around–cats apparently hate that–so maybe that’ll keep her from doing it.

Have I ever mentioned that I HATE hearing other people’s loud music? It drives me insane.

Our DVD player is just about on the brink. The cats kept knocking it over so it doesn’t work too well, and it’s unstable. I guess it’s time for a new one, and hopefully a decent one. I might drive over to Target tomorrow and see if they have anything good for not too expensive.

I did Wii Fit again today. I really need to use that thing more regularly. Like, at least three times a week. I really desperately need to get in shape. I’m a mess. Very few of my clothes fit right anymore and I just feel like a frump. My hair is too short, my face feels fat, and I feel like a big dork. I am looking forward to warmer weather so I can walk from work some evenings.

Speaking of weather, it’s been warming up! :D Thursday, the temperature climbed to the mid-20s which felt positively BALMY. Friday, it went up to 41! Saturday, it’s supposed to be 51 (albeit rainy). Thank GOD for mild(er) temperatures and melting snow! I am tired of wearing big, bulky sweaters and a billion layers and feeling like everything’s too tight. Hmm, maybe feeling like everything is too tight isn’t because of the layers. *sigh* I have 9.5 pounds to lose to get to my goal on the Wii Fit. *double sigh*

I did my taxes and for the first time since 2007, I do not owe! I’m actually getting a nice refund, which I will put toward paying off my car and building my savings up again.

I’m reading another Sharon Draper book and that woman is an amazing writer. I am excited that I get to meet her in a few weeks, along with Meg Cabot! YAY authors!

I’m getting sleepy, so I’m gonna go for now. Until next time….

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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Workin’ It Out

/ body and soul, life, ronni

Today was the first time I turned on the Wii Fit in 56 days. And I know this because the Wii Fit makes sure to let me know exactly how it’s been since I’ve used the thing.

The first thing I did was the body test, and I was very happy to find that I’d lost 2.2 pounds, and that my Wii Fit age is 25. I apparently have very good balance, also.

I wonder if working out with We Cheer before popping in the Wii Fit helped. I played that before Wii Fit, and We Cheer is HARD. I’m having a hard time beating the one-star easy levels in the championship! I am not sure if it’s me or if it’s a lag in the system. I know for SURE there is a disconnect between the board and the Wii Fit when I do the advanced step aerobics. I also know that I was never a cheerleader, so it’s probably me. Well, whatever. I beat all my high scores tonight, and I worked out for a total of 90 minutes.

Yesterday, our enormous pile of laundry roared at Adam and told him to do something about it OR ELSE. So he lugged it all to the 24 Hour Coin laundry place on Elston and decided to do the laundry drop off service. It really was a LARGE amount of laundry. A few pieces were from BEFORE I moved here last year. Anyway, he dropped it off yesterday afternoon, and today, went to pick it up. It was all folded or on hangers, and wrapped in nice bags, and all fresh and clean and fluffy and soft and pressed and it smelled so yummy. It’s incredible. So now, for the first time since I’ve lived in Chicago, we are caught up on laundry! YAY. I said that when I am working, we’re going to do that ALL the time. It certainly beats dealing with the cruddy laundry room in the courtyard. Ick.

We’ve been cleaning. That’s the thing about becoming an HGTV addict. Yes, I have become ADDICTED to HGTV. I’m saying things like “eating space.” Just kidding. Sort of. Anyway, our place was getting seriously cluttered. But now, all of the rooms are clean except the guest room, which is a HOT mess. THAT room will be a team project, so one day soon Adam and I will tackle it together. There is no way I can do that room by myself. I want it to look more like a bedroom and less like a tornado moved in and set up a homestead. Adam actually put our place on Rate My Space. He says we’re getting bad reviews. HA. Well, our tastes aren’t exactly in line with theirs anyway, and we have too much stuff to ever be able to make this place as clutter-free and full of clean lines like they like. Our place has PERSONALITY. Yes, that’s it. Personality. ;) And it’s clean. YAY clean.

All right, then. I’m thirsty and hungry. Also in need of bathing. I should go take care of those shortly. ‘Til next time. :)

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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Winding Down

/ christmas, life, living in chicago

Work at Shawk is winding down (I actually have a full weekend ahead of me), and I am getting excited for the holidays. Planning is just part of the fun. I have lists of things to get, cards to send, things to do. Today after work, Adam and I hit Target (again) where I got some stuff for Greg and Aidan, some cleaning supplies, and some Christmas stuff. Good times.

I still have to get something for Rosa and something for Ivy, and I’ve barely begun planning for Matt. I know what I’m getting Mommy (I’ve already got one thing shipping in the mail), and Chris is just about done as well. I also know what we’re doing for Adam’s parents. No clue about Eli and Melissa, or Cassidy or Grandma Bel yet. I’ll need Adam’s help with that.

This weekend is like, the official Chicago holiday kickoff. I’ve already seen some pretty store windows and cute decorations, but there’s some huge lighting downtown tomorrow (with master of ceremonies MICKEY MOUSE straight from WDW!). I’m not sure if I’ll get to go or not. We’ll see, I think it’ll be nice, but the crowds might drive me bananas. At any rate, I can’t wait to get out during the day and take pictures of the store windows and the big trees and downtown. I have a feeling it will be beautiful.

I was in Chicago 10 years ago around Christmas time, but I don’t really remember seeing a lot of decorations. I may not have been in the right place. Never thought in a million years that 10 years later I’d be living here.

The plan tomorrow is to CLEAN like crazy. My desk is a hot mess, and I want to tackle the bathroom. I also want to straighten up the bookcases. Adam is on litter box duty, it needs it BADLY. VERY badly. I’d like to put up the tree and decorate NEXT weekend (maybe even start a bit THIS weekend), so getting the cleaning out of the way would be a great help. But first, I plan to sleep in. :)

I LOVE THIS TIME OF THE YEAR!

That’s all for now. But before I go, here is proof that Santa is in the know: [Click Here!]

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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Closer To Myself

/ christmas, life, ronni

Last week, I was in some sort of unshakeable funk that I really couldn’t explain. I just felt blah, angry, irritable, and all sorts of icky things. Even getting my new Enya CD couldn’t cheer me up, much. I felt like I did before, too tired to try to be happy. And I didn’t like it.

Saturday, I started feeling more normal, and today, I almost completely like myself. It’s nice to go to work smiling in the morning. It’s nice to be able to say “good morning” and mean it to the people around me. It’s nice to feel hopeful and optimistic again. I supposed I’d better enjoy it now, because once I’m back out in the job market, I know those two feelings will be very rare.

I think my change in attitude had to do with my getting LOTS and LOTS of sleep last night. Even Adam said “It’s to early to go to b- Zzzzzzz.”

Still working a lot. Stayed late today, and worked 6 days last week. I also had some project work for Loyola which I did yesterday, so I essentially worked 7 days. I don’t mind, though. I like the work and the money is nice.

Saturday, I did some Christmas shopping at Target and online. Today, I looked at stuff for Adam online and then figured that I could TOTALLY save on shipping costs because the same things were probably in the stores for the same deals. And I was right, they were. And I didn’t have to wait for them. So now I’m almost all done with Adam. I feel like I should get a few more things for little Aidan. Haven’t started for some people, but I have ideas already. And there are a couple of people who I’m just kinda confounded about. But it’ll come together, it always does.

I’m really excited about this Christmas because it’ll be my and Adam’s first Christmas as a married couple. :) Well, he’s Jewish, and I’m such a Christmas-head that it’s hard to remember that some of all the time. Fortunately, he’s very indulgent and he lets me be all Christmas-goofylike anyway. :)

Christmas time really is my favorite of the year. There is just something about seeing all the pretty decorations, the windows, hearing the music, and giving to people I love most, and seeing them and eating with them and spending time with them. YAY Christmastime.

And on that note OWE EMM GEEE CAN YOU FREAKING BELIEVE THAT THANKSGIVING IS FREAKING NEXT WEEK? Even though the temperatures are in the 30s here and I’m seeing flurries and even dustings of snow on my car, I still can’t believe it.

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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Random McRandomness

/ life, Uncategorized

· The song Bet On It from one of the High School Musical soundtracks is currently stuck in my head.

· I remember years ago seeing an episode of Hannah Montana and liking it a lot. It was during a random Saturday or something, and I never figured out how to turn it on again. Then I didn’t have cable for about 18 months. Years later, Hannah Montana is suddenly HUGE. She’s everywhere, and I remembered thinking “Wow, that show was cute when I saw it a long time ago.” So a couple of weeks ago, I was looking for something else on TV, couldn’t find it, and came across Hannah Montana. I was cracking up during the entire episode. Now it’s one of my favorite shows. Sweet Niblets!

· Schawk ends in 20 days. I’m sad. *sniffle*

· Tomorrow, AIDAN comes to visit me!!!! Chris and some friends are coming to town for the OSU vs. Northwestern game and Aidan’s gonna stay with me tomorrow night and all day Saturday. I can’t wait to see him and squeeze him and hug him lots! ♥

· I completely forgot I was in the middle of writing this post, and I ended up closing the browser. Thank goodness WP has auto save. Bwah.

· Helena is lying on a carpet block right behind me. When I lay my head on the block, she grumbles and pushes it away. It’s kinda funny. If I keep doing it, she gets down.

· Have I ever mentioned that pictures of crying babies crack me up? I don’t know what it is. I don’t like to hear them cry, because it makes me sad. But to see a picture, I dunno. It’s just funny. The other night, I Googled images of crying babies and had a good, long laugh. Maybe I’m must weird like that.

· ALL of my pants are suddenly too tight for me (again). This is very depressing. I need to lose weight again because I am not trying to replace every pair of pants and jeans that I have.

· Christmas shopping has somewhat commenced. I got stuff on Saturday for Adam and Chris. I also got a box of chocolate cherries, but that won’t be happening often as those things are crazy expensive. But OMG so good. Mmm, chocolate cherries. Nom nom nom.

I think that’s it for now. I’m in a kinda silly mood tonight. But it’s shower/snack/read/sleep time. See ya!

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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