life

Random Life Stuff (Picture)

The other day, Chris asked me if I ever updated anymore because my updates are so few and far between. I’ve just been working a lot, eating, and falling into bed, or staring at my monitor playing endless word games until my eyes cross. Or, my new favorite pastime: reading The Hunger Games over and over and over and over.

I am obsessed with that book. Mandy told me about it months ago, but I didn’t get a chance to get my hands on it until earlier this year. Holy cow. It’s sooo freaking good. I love books about dystopian societies anyway (that has to be why The Giver is another one of my favorites), but this one is unbelievably awesome. AWESOME. I can’t stop talking about it. Or reading it, apparently. I was even sent an arc, and I carry that in my bag, while I keep the hardcover by my bed. I am so looking forward to Catching Fire.

Work has been crazy! Last week, I clocked a record 61.5 hours. That’s nothing. One of the operators clocked more than 80 hours! It’s a good thing I like the work, and I’m a night owl. Those late nights can be rough sometimes, but I manage.

This week, I’ve been trying out the “wild” hair again.

Randomly Playing on Photo Booth

It’s really easy to do. I co-wash it (that’s when you use conditioner instead of shampoo), then I scrunch it all up with curl-enhancing mousse, then I let it air dry. Really easy, and my hair gets a break from all the heat styling. Seems like the more I want it to grow, the more it breaks off, or just plain stops growing. I want to take biotin to encourage growth, but my nails are out of control. I’m cutting them down every two weeks, it seems! The biotin will make them even crazier. But you know what? I’ll take cutting my nails more often if it means getting shoulder-length hair again.

I saw Twilight and actually really liked the movie. I’m in one of two moods when I watch it: either the mood for the romance and tension, or in the mood to LMAO. I’m buying it when it comes out Saturday, then I’ll get the Blu-ray version when it comes out in May (whoever heard of releasing the Blu-ray version on a different date????). Thinking of attending a party at Borders tomorrow night, but we’ll see. In the meantime, I’ve been enjoying the score and the soundtrack.

I recently got a hold of Trisha Yearwood’s Jasper Country CD, and it’s really good! :) Yes, it’s a few years old, but I don’t really know much about country nor do I follow it much. I got this CD because the audio guys at work were unloading tons of music. This was in the pile, so I grabbed it. I’m glad I did. :)

A few weeks ago, I got the American Idol Karaoke Revolution game for Wii [LINK]. IT IS SO MUCH FUN. The first night Adam and I played, Adam tried singing Staying Alive, and whatever he did to that song made Crookshanks give him the most murderous look. It was hilarious. I’ve never seen a cat look at someone like that before. It was a combination of OMGeeeeWTeverlovinF and NEVERDOTHATAGAIN KTHX. I played it tonight and had a blast (and didn’t get any evil looks from the cat until I accidentally stepped on his paw, then he yelled at me and Ophelia yelled at me, too). The only bad thing about it is that it encourages those of us who are HORRIBLE singers. I put it on easy, and on easy, all you have to do is barely get the pitch arrow to skim the line and you’re good. So, knowing DARN well I have a voice that could kill plants, I sing my little heart out and LOL as Randy, Paula, and Simon praise me up and down, as the crowd goes wild, and as I nail perfects or near-perfects on every single song! And I played the tournament and WON. It’s hilarious when other contestants are sent home, a big “FAIL” box pops up by their names/pictures. Bwah. It’s great to live in that fantasy world, you know? And the game has some cool songs. Classics, newer songs, simple ones, complicated ones. Even a Kelly Clarkson song! I highly recommend the game, I have a blast playing it.

I guess that’s all around these parts. I’m gonna run, go try to Becky at a couple more games of Word Twist on Facebook, then read Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz. I decided to reread the Blue Bloods series so I would stop reading The Hunger Games over and over. Speaking of The Hunger Games (best book ever!), how exciting that there is going to be a movie????? OH YEAH!!

‘Til next time! :)

(Originally published at Anywhere Is…)

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Workin’ It Out

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

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

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

· 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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