year end

This year is quickly coming to an end.

Truthfully, I'm not as excited about the new year as usual...2010 was pretty good to me, and I'm reluctant to let it end so soon.  I know 2011 will be as fabulous as I want it to be....but there are so many changes happening in life right now, and it's scarrrrry...

For starters, I'll be 29 in two months.  I know 29 is not old, but it really seems like just yesterday I was 23.  Actually, just yesterday, I broke out a sorority t-shirt from 2001 - it was still in great shape to be almost 10 years old. 

My girlfriends are having babies.  The babies are coming - two bambinos from my core group of girlfriends due in 2011!  Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy for them, and babies will be so exciting - but it's scary to think that we've reached that point in our lives.  The husband and I have had the discussion and it's not for us me quite yet, but we're I'm getting there.

My job is about to get rowdy.  I forget that I started during the holidays, and it was busy then...I'm taking advantage of this week's downtime.  My job will be on crack starting January 4th, and I'm scared.

So, with the rolling in of a new year, I'm feeling the urge to make some plans and changes, but as always, hesitant to share because I always fail to follow through...I thought I'd start 2011 with plans that should be pretty easy to stick to...

1.  Take more trips - long weekends, beach trips, road trips - I'm not discriminating. 

2.  Focus on decorating our house.  We need a new couch, new dining table and complete kitchen redo...I'll be putting less focus on my closet this year.

3.  Be healthier - and take advantage of my swanky new gym in. my. building.  There's no excuse!

4.  Get a handle on my job and learn where else I can fit in in my new organization - all a part of building my own professional network! 

I'm sure a few more will sneak on to this list, but I'm happy with keeping it simple...so, in case a post doesn't happen before 2011, Happy New Year, dear readers. 

is this thing on?

I've discussed the way me and the husband argue. 

We argue over things that are so infuriatingly stupid that I swear we get angrier than those who fight about things that actually matter because what we're fighting about is just so stupid.

I bought the husband a Big Green Egg for Christmas (cue Best Wife Ever cheer & applause).  He's so happy, he's glowing, and it truly makes my heart happy to make him so happy - giving is so much more fun than receiving - especially when you buy yourself little gifts while shopping for others. 

Little did I know that I was creating a bit of a monster....(actually, I take that back...anyone could see that he was becoming obsessed). 

I digress...

The husband is the cook at our house.  I always say he wasn't being properly fed by me, so he had to improvise.  He comes by it honestly - domesticity runs in his family.  Turns out, we're the perfect match because it doesn't run in mine.  So, I purchased him a cookbook called Southern Plate.  He picked it out when we were in Florida, and I stumbled across it at Sam's.  Since the arrival of the cookbook, we've been eating good.  He makes this fried chicken with "come back sauce."  The chicken is breaded in saltine crackers and fried like normal - they say the saltines make it less fatty (or maybe he just told me that).  Either way, he's created a monster in me by cooking that meal.  A Fried Chicken Monster.  I pretty much crave the chicken and the "come back sauce" weekly. 

I specifically bought a giant pack of chicken tenders for him to fry up.  Yesterday, while I was working from home, the craving hit like a ton of bricks.  It's cold outside - give me something fatty and yummy to eat for dinner.  My spare tire isn't quite big enough yet.  When he came home, we had this exchange...

me: 

I'm thawing this big pack of chicken tenders and thought maybe you could fry up that chicken and we can make some "come back sauce."

husband:

 [sleepily]  yaaaaaaaaaaa-unghhhh

The noise that came out of him while I suggested we have the fried chicken so closely resembled a "yes" that I thought we were clear on the fact that I. Want. Fried. Chicken. For. Dinner. Damnit.

So, I left him to rest.  I gave him strict instructions to call me if my work computer started making the incoming email noise often enough to require my return.  So, he calls me when I'm leaving Target.  All of my Christmas Spirit has been stolen by the shitty cart I'm pushing and the masses of slow ass people wandering through Target, clearly just beginning their Christmas shopping.  Phone conversation plays out as follows:

me:

 yup?

husband: 

you told me to call you if your computer started acting crazy.  Smoke was coming out of the sides, so I threw it in the bathtub to cool it off.

me: 

oh - very funny.  chuckle chuckle

(sneer - my chicken better be in the fryer)

husband: 

 so, what do you want for dinner?

me:

  oh, well, I was thinking we could make the fried chicken...unless you'd rather go grab something.

(the only thing that will make this okay is if he suggests Mexican)

husband: 

oh, well, I was thinking of cooking them on the egg.  I've already started marinating them.

me: 

oh?

husband: 

is that not okay?

me: 

um.....well, I mean......no, it's fine.

(okay, I'm secretly angry)

husband: 

okay, when will you be home? 

me: 

I don't know.  I'm out in this shit, and I still need to go to Kroger

I was seething from anger about the fact that he MARINATED the chicken tenders I purchased SPECIFICALLY for my favorite fried chicken.  If he didn't want to make the chicken, he should have made a noise that resembled more of a "no" than a "yes."  Not cool.

I drive to the grocery store - PISSED - so I send a BBM....

me: 

if you don't mind, don't cook all of the tenders.  I purchased it specifically for the fried chicken because it's delicious leftover

(in my mind - grilled chicken gets hard and gross the next day and THAT'S why I don't eat leftovers)

husband: 

 Well, I've already marinated all of it.  Apparently I've really effed up - you clearly wanted the fried chicken.

me: 

Well, yeah.  We agreed on it.

husband: 

when did we agree on it?  You said last week that you wished I wouldn't cook it so much because of the calories!

Here's where his "selective hearing" kicks in. 

First of all, when I said he needed to lay off cooking the fried chicken tenders, I was stuffing one in my mouth while simultaneously dipping the next one in "come back sauce."  Lay off cooking the chicken means "only cook the chicken when I request it."  Duh.  It also means "awww...sweetheart, you shouldn't have, but I'm so glad you did...nom nom nom nom nommmmm." 

Also, he AGREED that family time over preparing "come back sauce" sounded great...that's what "yaaaaaaaaaaa-unghhhh" means. 

So, we proceeded to send snippy BBMs back and forth until my Blackberry died - which pissed him off even more because, turns out, he thought I turned my phone off.

I came home to this grilled-ass chicken, and yeah, it was good.  I had it over a SALAD since I was so rudely reminded of my caloric intake. 

And we proceeded to not speak to each other for the majority of the evening.  I mean, things are good now.  It's Christmas Eve!  But seriously?  I think someone here learned a lesson yesterday...

WHEN THE CRANKY WOMAN SAYS SHE WANTS EFFING FRIED CHICKEN, YOU MAKE EFFING FRIED CHICKEN.  THE EGG WILL ALWAYS BE THERE, YOU MAY NOT AFTER THE WOMAN GOES BATSHIT CRAZY ON YOUR ASS. 

Merry Christmas.

Megadesk

 

I'm working from home today and while the emails are slowing down for the holidays, I thought I'd blog.  I didn't so much enjoy blogging on my work computer the other night for fear the email/computer police were reading every word as I wrote - who knows?  I'm paranoid and prefer to blog it out in private so I can edit as I go.  

Today's post is going to be kind of bitch-fest.  No one reads this blog.  I have more followers than I do daily hits, and yeah, I write for myself, but  there's something to be said about a somewhat decent following.  It kind of keeps you going.  So, if I promise to write on a more regular basis, I wonder if some of my loyal readers wouldn't mind pimping me out?  I mean, this is pitiful.  

Did readers who followed me from kindredly enjoy kindredly more?  Should I fire up that site again, or would that be totally cheesy?  Should I start a completely new blog?  Should I hang it up?  Seriously, let's be honest here.  I got caught up on my girl, Slightly Undone this morning, and she always writes the best stuff - I just have a hard time being that candid about something like a hole in my butt - but how funny is that post (if you haven't read it, go - read - now).  

That's all.  I'm getting back to work at my Megadesk.  Think about these options.  Keep Junk or trash it?  

two weeks later

Errr....sorry loyal readers.  The 20-something of you who so sweetly check this blog daily have come up with nothing.  Things here have been crazy.  I've visited this site to peruse my blogroll - but that's even rare - and each time, I decide against posting yet another post about how I'm so busy.  Clearly, I'm busy.  I have thought about making an official announcement about how the blog is dunzo, but who am I kidding?  I'll be back....and here I am! 

It's 7pm on the Tuesday before Christmas, and I'm writing this post while simultaneously checking my work email and handling things as they pop up.  Not to say that my old job was juvenile, but my new job is for big girls, and I've been completely consumed with rising to the challenge.

There are a few updates::

• For starters, Ryan Reynolds and that hooch, Scarjo are OVER.  O.V.E.R.  wooooooooo!!!!  Literally, me and my new work friends were JUST talking about how weird they were as a couple - good looking, no less, but still weird - and BAM!  two days later, they announced their divorce.  New office friends might have thought I put a voodoo curse on their marriage at first, but I think I successfully backed them off that ledge.  P.S. Ryan's been spotted around the town recently filming a movie - IJS.
• Zac Efron also split with that bratty looking girlfriend of his.  Oh happy day. I'm old enough to be his babysitter, but he's hot.  Can't help it. 
• Moving off celebrities and on to the goings-on, I'm exhausted, but haven't been happier.  Things with my new job are just now starting to become somewhat second nature.  I don't squeeze the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white the whole way to work anymore.  I'm actually quite happy in my new role, and I'm happy I'm starting to feel more comfortable.  I was worried it would never happen.
• I'm writing this post on my work laptop, and I just wonder if someone's reading it as I write - don't like this.
• I think Mia, our chunky dog, is dehydrated from over consumption of chocolate bark.  She ate no less than 30 red velvet cake balls covered in white chocolate today.  At some point, she threw all of it up...all over my house, and now she's drinking water like it's going out of style.  Beagle up for adoption - taking applications now.
• Isn't it funny how Christmas is so magical when you're little?  I'm working up until Christmas Eve and I'm probably going back to work on Monday.  I almost want to have a kiddo just so I can relive the magic vicariously through it. 
• I think we're having a New Years Eve party at our house, but I don't know.  Isn't there something super strange about that?  Kind of need to prepare....
• Remember when I told you I would be going to the gym every day because the big Corporate guys wouldn't let you ride into work whenever you felt like it?  Actually, that's not the case, and I haven't been to the gym even a handful of times.  Pathetic. 

I know there's more to say, but my brain is clouded with what's going on tomorrow and two glasses of wine.  Hopefully two weeks between posts isn't going to be the norm, but I make no promises. 

x's and o's, ya'll! 
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year, just in case.


\


comatose

oh..my...gahhhhhhhhhhh.....!!!

I went out Saturday night with my fabulous girlfriends for Jamie's 30th Birthday.  Jamie's got a bun in the oven, so the non-pregnant girls decided we'd do enough drinking for ourselves...and Jamie...and maybe the bun if the bun came out an 20 year old frat boy. 

We started with dinner...and wine...then after dinner we took our ready-to-party selves to the Virginia Highlands where we proceeded to switch to liquor.  bad bad bad BAD.  I don't know?...ten drinks later?...I was blackout drunk.  I haven't gotten blackout drunk since........I can't remember.  I went through a whole phase in college where all I did was get blackout drunk.  The night would be a big giant black hole of "whatever happens happens, but I won't remember it tomorrow." 

Unfortunately, I didn't realize I was blackout drunk until the next morning when I felt like I'd been run over and then run over again by our minivan taxi cab.  It was just like a scene from The Hangover when Morgan pulled out her camera to a photo of me lying in the fetal position in the front yard of Chrissy's boyfriend's house...followed by one of me crawling toward the camera...all we can conclude is that I wallered around for a while because Morgan had enough wits about her to pull out her camera and snap photos of me. 

Yesterday was pretty much terrible.  Luckily, I made it home in once piece to the husband who was so on the same page with me.  We napped for hours, then lazed around...and low and behold, I woke up this morning still hungover.

Note to self - can't do my job when I'm hungover.  Just can't.
At one point today, crying almost happened...along with vomiting...why does getting older also mean two day hangovers??  This post feels very familiar...

pulse

For those of you who care, I will post again - one day.  

Currently trying to lazy off this vodka haze and somehow prevent the now unavoidable two day hangover from seeping into my Monday.

gah!

a couple of things...

• I can't just watch football - hence the blog post during the Georgia/Georgia Tech game.  (Go Dawgs!)
• I think I'm going to start paying closer attention to punctuation on junk.
• Lord have mercy, this blog sucks compared to Kindredly.  Is it possible the feeling of censorship was all in my crazy head and I took a decent blog with a decent following and created a mediocre blog with a teeny following (something like 30 hits a day, here).  I'm seriously thinking about sharing on Kindredly the link to junk....if family finds it, family finds it.  
• that's all.  I hope you all have enjoyed this long weekend.  Now, back to drinking - this game has me stressed.

happy thanksgiving!!

image via

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

happy thanksgiving, dear readers!

i hope each of you are surrounded by family and friends!

bare minerals

feels like i'm about two years late on this...but i switched to bare minerals makeup.  i mentioned before that i switched from mac's studio fix that i've used since high school to sephora's line of foundation powder that quickly lost it's luster...

it all started with a short trip to sephora to grab some bronzer and new brushes.  i picked up what i thought was the bare minerals bronzer my friend suggested.  turns out, i was walking around with the brand's form of concealer.

after discussing alternatives, the sephora girl sold me on the starter kit...

 

i needed new brushes, which i got, and bronzer, which she assured me was included - with it's own special name.  i've been swirling, tapping and buffing for a week now, and i think i like it...all for about $60!

i'm addicted to my smashbox photo finish light primer, and the associate at sephora admitted it was probably better than bare minerals' option.  

  

 

i rarely buy into a whole makeup line, but they have several eye trios i'm looking at... this may just be the winner. 

i also picked up their eyelid primer.  it was on sale for $9, and the associate said people were buying it in bulk - i can't decide if i like it or not...

i'm still a huge believer in mac's prep and prime for eyes...not so much for the face...

so, who else is a devoted bare minerals user?  actually, what are the products in your make up bag that you DO NOT run out of? 

first week recap

this might have to be the last post about my new job in order to still have readers.  i know you get it.  i like my new job.

orientation was day one and two, which are summarized in the last two posts.

wednesday i was finally able to use my nifty pass to allow me access to my floor and my office - secure!  my team is fabulous!  everyone is super cool and laid back, and totally not in my business.  the whole get-your-job-done-and-do-what-you-want concept is very new to me.  my old company was as good as family, which is great, but this feels like a nice separation.  everyone works together nicely, but getting your job done and coming and going is totally your own business.

wednesday and thursday were spent doing all of the "mandatory actions" required by New Company.  i took what feels like a million online courses (still have one left that I plan on knocking out tomorrow) and ate no less than 3000 calories a day.

in orientation, they showed this hilarious video making fun of how people at New Company scavenge.  i come from a company where we appreciate a good cake, cookie, fried pickle, etc, so this was not an issue at first....but as shown in the video - food is king. 

for starters, on my floor alone, i've counted maybe three "pantries."  Pantries are kitchens.  they have a vending machine, fridge, and fun keurig-ish coffee maker (trust that i've taken full advantage of the various coffees and teas on hand - not to mention the slew of creamers and fun "accessories").  on top of this, my floor is the conference floor or the learning floor...anyway, it's where everyone from everywhere comes to participate continuing ed classes offered by the company.  it's no thang to see randoms walking down the hall with their suitcase.  so, classes mean catered lunches, and catered lunches mean dessert.  after two welcome lunches, paid for by the company, i've also participated in the daily scavenge of the various pantries.  cheesecake petit fours, cupcakes, cookies, ice cream socials!!!!  this must stop.  i tried to get a handle on it friday, but all was forgotten when i came back from lunch to an open invitation to the ice cream social with endless toppings.

needless to say, i've joined the gym in my building.

in the middle of all of this, i fit in a little training.  next week is my big training week.  everyone will be gone except for the girl who's training me.  we'll spend all day every day digging in to the details of the job.  my goal is to eat the normal amount of food usually allotted and to be able to completely do the job by the monday after thanksgiving.

while i was in orientation, i took a field trip up to my new office to say hello to my new office peeps.  they were telling me the perks of the job and mentioned we all get PDAs and the one to get is the iPhone.  obvi.  i've been throwing around the idea of switching to an iPhone once iPhone decides to be cool enough for verizon - but the idea of having my work email come to my work iPhone (that i don't have to pay for) is exciting.  New Company apparently isn't cool with getting company emails on your personal phone - so if  i were to ever go back to being glued to my phone,  i'd have to get one through work.  unfortunately, my job is pretty office-based, and i have my laptop, so at the moment, my boss says i'm not going to really need a work PDA.  boo.

i will say the biggest challenge of this week has been letting go of the idea of controlling the process.  when i was interviewing for the position, my interviewers were very focused on my previous position being a full-desk recruiting position where i pretty much controlled the deal.  my current job is coordinating, so i'm kind of back to the place where i'm taking direction from the recruiters on what's happening next.  basically, my job is about to be really easy - and i'm having a problem with it....of course.  i'm sure it's something i'll easily adapt to.  if anything, at least we know i'll be able to do the job!

and....that's it.  blogging is probably going to be happening at night when i get around to it.  sorry i've been MIA, but i think this might be the regular now - unless i become really good at scheduling posts, which i'll definitely try to do.

i swear this is all you'll hear about the new job for now.  i'm just so excited!!

note to self

even if it's 8am - you've been up, begrudgingly, since 5 am - and you're confronted with a case study given by high up guy who has served on several boards within ginorm new company, read it.  read it even if you're falling asleep on your laptop.  don't skim it.  don't half read it.  READ. IT. THOROUGHLY.  because that's the moment he's going to call on you and ask you to summarize the main points of the study and elaborate.

this answer is not acceptable:  "uhhhhh....ummmm....."  long delay, then a bunch of bullshit.
you also shouldn't say "that's not in my job description" but that's a given and didn't happen - Thank God.

big board of directors guy just looked at me and said "ehh...need a little more than that."
me : blank stare....
(this is after two large cups of coffee, no less)

efffff....really not looking forward to the day i run into him in the hallway.

at least my position isn't really relevant to the case study - that would be embarrassing.  truthfully, all of orientation was really nothing to do with my role, and my real learning begins tomorrow when i finally get to my desk.

no worries, still drinking the kool-aid.

(sorry - most of these posts are about my new job considering it's all consuming at the moment.  when i get home from work, i still have mandatory obligations to fulfill, like online courses and an endless amount of scary and confusing forms).

short & sweet

• i started my new job today.  can i just say that i caught myself smiling...all giddy and ridiculous...in the middle of orientation several times.  when it was my turn to stand up and tell the group how i landed at the new company, i clapped and hopped.  yes. i. did. enthusiastic much? 
• seriously, i feel like i'm a little more excited that most people to have gotten this job (no one else hopped or clapped in orientation today) - but, people, it's a BIG deal.  did i mention, if i did want to leave in a few years, my resume is pretty much set?  whhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
• my first-day-at-new-company outfit had too many ruffles.  ruffle cardi, ruffle button up, skinny belt and high-waisted skirt.  about three different trends threw up on me today. tomorrow i promise to tone it down.
• the husband did not go to the game saturday.  we proceeded to fight a fight that deserves a spot in our top five fights over a football game.  truthfully, he should have just gone.  
• we're all good now - we decided it wasn't worth being mad over after we spent entirely too long being mad.
• i didn't decorate for christmas this past weekend - this weekend, it's happening.  CAN'T WAIT!

image from here

women are normal...and men are definitely from mars...if not there, somewhere equally non-normal

i told myself long before i started kindredly that i wasn't going to write too much about my personal relationships...i think i was pretty good at sticking to it, but there are days like today when i just can't hold in.

this weekend was supposed to be relaxing.  i start my new job on monday (yay!) and other than last night's GNO (crazy - save for another post), my plans were to totally veg.  catch up on my sleep, clean the house, do a little shopping, etc.

the husband called me yesterday when i was in the car with my friend amanda.  one of his chemical reps from work offered him two tickets to the UGA/Auburn game for today.  he asked me if i'd like to go (such a dear), but knowing all the napping that still needed to be done, i declined.  he called several friends, but apparently, none of them are the fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants type because they all declined.  after exhausting several efforts, the husband tells me that he's just going to go to the game by himself....

what?

i feel like i need to say that i get the loner types - i am one.  i don't shy away from a lunch alone with a magazine or book...or a solo movie date...i'm down, but the husband will go camping alone...and now he'll apparently drive to auburn to go to a football game alone.  um...weird.

of course, i'm feeling kind of rejected - like, why are you going to waste your entire day doing all of that ALONE when you can keep your original plans with me to relax, work a little in the yard and go out for a mexican dinner date after the game is over?  (I will even be your DD!)

when i politely suggested he let his rep pass the tickets to two people who WANT to go TOGETHER, he got bitchy, so then i got bitchy...and now, we're bitchy.  when i thought he'd score himself a friend to take, i rescheduled lunch plans with my mom for today instead of sunday, so i offered to move them back to sunday if he decided to stay in town (you know, thinking that maybe he'd like to take some of the pressure off and actually relax with his wife).


this is what he says to me::

husband :  nah, you keep your plans with your mom

me : well, she's more than willing to reschedule for tomorrow, it's no big deal

husband :  well, when i get back from picking up the tickets, i'm going to come sit on the couch, and if i get a wild hair and decide i'd rather be in auburn, then i'm going to go...

me :  well, just go, damnit!

husband : no!  not after this conversation, i'm not going...

me : but you just said that you might get a wild hair and go...sounds to me like maybe you should just go ahead and go...OR are you just trying to get rid of me because while you watch the game you're going to be pissed you're not there?

husband :  yeah, i'll probably be pretty pissed off....

me : great.

the argument continued in circles for about 80% of my car ride back to the burbs from GNO...nothing getting accomplished except a bunch of smart ass remarks exchanged.  but SERIOUSLY - it's a f*cking lose/lose situation here...anyone else noticed this?

i. am. in. bizarro. world.  for serious, people.  what is happening here?

so, guess what's happening right now - right this second?  i'm sitting here, in my bedroom, surrounded by laundry to be folded, pissed. off., and now planning to have lunch with my mom.  when i complain about these things to her, she tends to help calm me down while at the same time rawling me up...it's crazy.  hopefully after lunch and a little retail therapy, i will go back to loving my husband again.  right now, in all truthfulness, i kind of want to hit him. 

i really don't appreciate being confronted with a lose/lose situation by the man who's supposed to love me like nobody's business.  i mean, way to set me up and make me realllllly angry in the process.

MEN.  i swear.  can't live with them; can't live without them.

more random for your monday

sorry guys - seems these days i'm made up of nothing but random thoughts and clothing posts.  mondays are usually always reserved for the random as i'm recovering from my 5:40 a.m. wake up call...

• fact - i will have a total hissy fit when i don't get what i want in the decorating department.  it dawned on me, not for the first time, that i'd really like to move our television in between the front windows in our living room.  not only does it fit - perfectly, i measured - it will make the set-up of the room finally make sense to me.   it will also allow the proper space needed for my christmas tree, which is going up here indirectly.  turns out, the husband is not going to move mountains (or cable cords) to make this happen for me, and he's told me the cable company (eff you, charter) will charge upwards of $100.  there has got to be a handy man near who can make this happen for less than that...i think this will be the focus on my days off this week.  my fabulous grandmother suggested we sign up for direct tv (giving them the $100 referral incentive) and someone from direct will come and put my cable where i want it!  ....that's a thought.
• this is my last 1/2 week at my current company.  i know - a three-week notice is a bit much, but timing really is terrible.  i do have to say that i'm ready to blow this popsicle stand and get on with my new, shiny job.  the anticipation is nearly killing me.  my bosses, of course, think otherwise and are really pushing me to keep doing my job as if i'm never leaving.  the urge to transition some things to other people is strong....and kind of necessary, might i add.  wednesday, please hurry.
• i blogged on kindredly about the crazy lymph node thing that popped up on my face last winter.  it comes and goes, which would make sense if it were a lymph node, but i thought lymph nodes had designated areas where they generally pop up - the jaw not being one.  the bump sits right on my jaw, and right now it's kind of tender.  truthfully, i'm a little worried and think i should maybe consider seeing a doctor.  my dentist friend told me that she thinks it could be a calcium deposit from my incessant clenching (stems from anything - stress, excitement or anger - i'm looney!).  either way, if i'm going to the doctor, i need to get that done this week.  i'm not really into asking for time off in the first couple of weeks on the job.  but what doctor to i see?  the general practitioner has told me it's a lymph node. 
• this bullet is kind of gross - and you know how much i hate for people to talk about their children's "issues" and bodily functions on Facebook and Twitter (although, this is my blog, and I reserve the right to write about poop all day every day if i want to), but i have to get some input.  mia, my oldest beagle-child, has started eating poop.  correction - she's always eaten poop, but it tapered off enough to be a non-issue.  well, she's started back again, and soon after she eats it, she comes in the house and pukes it up...everywhere.  on the hardwoods (nbd), on the carpet (not cool), on the bed (holy shit, i will kill you), and on the bed while we're sleeping (dead. dog-child.)  let me just say that naturally, it smells like shit (duh), but i mean, it's worse... the husband and i could be dead to the world, and when she pukes in the bed, we shoot out of bed.  this has lead to constantly washing the duvet, changing the sheets in the middle of the night, and shampooing the carpet at 2 a.m. (on a school night, no less).  i know the obvious answer to this is to kick her out of the bed, and we've done that.  being a spoiled beagle-child, she doesn't believe in sitting on the floor.  she goes straight to the couch where she will puke as well...on my white couch,  so i've washed the cushion covers on the couch at randoms hours as well.  i've googled it, and i get results from not getting enough nutrients (my ass - her food is holistic and costs me $50/bag) to being bored (!!!!).  either way, it has to stop.  dog owner readers - anyone dealing with this?  please! wisdom!
• we had friends over this past saturday, and i don't know how it's possible that i'm still recovering from it.  we even gained an hour with falling back.  torture...today. is. torture.
• i'm throwing around the idea of getting acrylic nails just like my current boss - see photo... i spend just as much money getting my nails repainted weekly (and i always upgrade to a manicure because i feel like they are judging my cuticles and are annoyed they have to waste their time on a $3-5 job...and the massage is always a plus).  my cuticles are going to hate me because of all of this cuticle cutting going on WEEKLY, so i can just bite the bullet and get short acrylics, and the paint will stay.  gel nails have not successfully made it to the suburbs, and i'm kind of getting used to this place near my house since i'm not totally sure if my lunch hour at my new job permits nail appointments (i'm sure it does, but just being prepared).  i'm also coming off of a great run with essie's ballet slippers, so i wouldn't mind making that my acrylics' signature color (that might even be what my boss has on here).  if i was feeling frisky, i could also have them go a different color - it's not like i'm getting claws or french manicure!  what do you guys think?  ruin my current nails (which are great) to save some money and time? 

 

• i got all caught up on Real Housewives of Atlanta yesterday.  i didn't get up from the couch for something like five hours, so i caught the marathon. i have to say that i don't mind nene's nose, and i feel like her plastic surgeon did a really good job... and i want to slap phaedra.  what was all that mess with the former destiny's child singer?  are you a lawyer or a publicist?  oh, and you should know how far along you are in your pregnancy.  and please get off of your southern woman kick. 
• also made the mistake of watching The Time Traveler's Wife yesterday.  seriously?  weird.   i also watched The Lovely Bones.  Alice Sebold is probably one of my favorite authors, and that book totally goes down as one of my favorites.  a bit weird, but mark walberg is gorgeous.  the colors in the movie were really pretty too...

that's all for now...random, but seriously, i need opinions on the acrylic nail debate and what to do about my disgusting dog.  

Za-Za-Za-Zarrrrrra!

don't know how you guys work, but i do most of my clothes shopping during the day.  yup, at work (not for long).  because when i sit down to eat my lunch, i peruse my favorite shopping sites, and impulse buying sets in.

happy was i when i noticed zara, one of my fave, but infrequently visited haunts (because it's in lenox mall...and promoter, and i hate lenox mall like i hate pt cruisers, and perimeter is forever away from me), has the option to browse online.  not buy, browse. 

so you guys know i have taken on this new business casual attitude with conviction.  i bought a cardigan, for goodness sake.

so, how PUMPED was i when i sleepily checked facebook for blackberry and skimmed this::

but wait.  last time i checked, i was proud to be an AMERICAN.  the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA are unfortunately not listed here as lucky enough to have zara merchandise SHIPPED.  efffffff. this. noise.

you should see my zara list.  i've actually been stock-piling it for a post, and the being shunned from shopping online has given me my opening i've been blanking on...

(right now would be a great time to point out if i'm missing something on zara's website and we can actually shop online.  pretty sure we're not a chosen country though..... went back and checked for myself - confirmed.)

without further adieu...why we all need to go visit zara this season ::

 i see this dress in a totally different light than they are showing... collared shirt under, belt, tights, boots OR talllll pumps.

american sleeve dress with fabric appliques - $59.90

 you all know how much i love me a cardigan!  no this one looks like it has structure, and i love it with that belt, which unfortunately, is not listed in the accessories category.  :(

sleeveless cardigan - $59.90

 chain printed shirt - $59.90

 this belt isn't like any other belt i have - - loooove.

stretchy metal scale belt - $29.90

 here we are again with another dress i'd throw the below cardigan over with a belt or throw a collared shirt under.  tights, high pumps - wah-lah!

tube dress - $39.90

 there's that belt i want!!  why isn't it in the accessories category?  i must have missed it.  anyway - i'm not a fan of cardigans (oh really?  we had no idea!), nor am i a huge fan of long ones - but i like this one.  i like it paired with that skinny belt, and i like it with the above black dress...i also wouldn't mind rocking it with the below skirt for a little librarian feel...

long cardigan - $39.90

 this skirt was love at first sight for me.  i'm not real big on this look, generally, but the cut is really adorable.  pull it up high like she has it, tights, belt and that awesome cardigan or even a cute little turtle neck and a fun necklace!  

checked woolen skirt with elastic waist - $39.90

 I WILL OWN THIS DRESS.  I WILLLLLLL OWN THIS DRESS.  if stupid zara would let me shop online, i'd already own it.  dammit.  

boatneck dress with pockets - $89.90

 the main draw to this dress is the neck for me.  isn't it fun?  kind of asymmetrical from my view... not a huge fan of the full bottom, but a belt could maybe work...or, wait for it - a cardigan!  

dress with waistband - $99.90

umm...is this not FABULOUS?  i don't know - i might look slightly ginormous in a cape, but that tall model really sells it.  :)   and...it looks super expensive - but isn't that expensive.  love it when that happens!

ash gray woollen studio cape - $169.00

so, maybe you guys understand my frustration?  shopping trip, anyone??

a bust

i'm taking a break, clearly.

meanwhile, the blog sucks, sorry.

i hate when the inspiration takes a vaca!  

mondays are for the random pt II

image via

• i hurt my back this past saturday loading a ginormous bag of dog food into the trunk of my car.  lord help, i'm dying right now.  how old am i again?
• i totally almost got into another bad car accident this saturday.  i was in a hurry, stopped for a fresco taco, and then totally slung my taco into the dash of my car swerving to miss a wannabe bentley that was so suddenly in my lane.  do you know how hard it is to get pico de gallo out of AC vents?  it was seriously a total miracle that we did not hit.  the swervage was promptly followed by a complete mental breakdown. 
• me and the boss lady determined my last day of work - i get two days of decompression before i start the new job.  i'm ready for those two days - totally checked out.
• the husband and i went to our friends house for a GA/FL party Saturday afternoon.  it was a mixture of people, some we knew and some we didn't.  yesterday when i spoke to my girlfriend about her party's success, she said that one of her friends didn't "get a read" on whether or not i liked her.  then she went on to mention that i come across as kind of bitchy if you don't know me.  while this isn't exactly new news, it's something i haven't heard about since college - and this time, the overall impression was totally unwarranted seeing as there wasn't really any opportunity for me and the friend to talk.  i guess i'm just worried about it because a) i'm going into a new job, and coming across as a bitch is kind of terrible and can't happen and b) if i come across as a bitch before i even extend my hand to meet you, shit, i'm in the wrong business.
• in addition to above bullet, i was kind of in a weird mood on saturday.  i felt rushed and strung out...so i guess that could have something to do with it...and lately when i get drunk, i have no filter.
• i purchased myself some new workout shoes this weekend.  ya'll, i haven't purchased a new pair of tennis shoes since college.  terrible.  now, let's just hope this new pair of shoes will motivate me to get in the gym this week!
• speaking of gyms, my new company pays toward their employees' gym memberships.  turns out, there's a swanky gym in my new building, and my new company was supposedly the main reason the gym moved in (hopefully this means they offer an employee rate) - anywhooo - they offer a 6:15 spin class every morning.  you know how i've been freaking out about making it to work on time?  i think i've discovered my answer.  the new gym will supposedly take care of everything for you, so all i have to do is roll out of bed and remember to bring work clothes. 
• which brings me to my next idea - should i buy special spinning shoes??
• oh oh oh!  how many times can i say 'totally' in one post.  geeeeeeez..............

when inspiration's lacking...

i've never done one of the little questionnaire blog posts before.  kind of a good day to do it since i'm 1) hungover and dying from exhaustion 2) still at work at 4:20 on a friday and 3) i neeeeeeeed to be better about posting, and maybe you'll read a little something about me that you don't already have figured out...

i got this little diddy from Charbelle at Ramblings!  check out her blog here!

1. If you could eat anything without any health repercussions or guilt, what would your meal be?

right now?  i would (and could) eat a giant vat of buffalo chicken dip.  the husband and i are attending a GA/FLA party tomorrow, and if there's no buffalo chicken dip present, i might die.  this reminds me i must get all of the makings for my favorite bean dip.  i'll make a post about the recipe this weekend.  it's a nice healthy dip to take to parties to sit among the cream cheese filled deliciousness.  no worries, it holds it's own in the delicious department!

2. If you could meet anyone living or dead who would it be and why?

i kind of hate this question.  i'd like to meet my great-great-grandmother.  my great grandmother used to say that we're similar in one way or another.  i'd also love to meet the however-many-times-removed grandmother of mine who was full blooded cherokee indian.  she married some irish man, and apparently, it was total dramz!


3.  Why did you start blogging and what did you expect when you started?

jen lancaster actually inspired me and EGIS to start blogging.  we started around the same time, mine under a different name.  then, i started up kindredly and took it public, then decided against that and here we are!  when i first started, i expected to become jen lancaster...kidding.  sort of.


4. What is the one book you could read over and over again?

Dry by Augusten Burroughs is faboosh.  just re-read it again this spring.  one of my faves.  i feel like i should have a classic thrown in or something, but whatever, i don't.  i also loooooved the book by jennifer weiner called Good in Bed..and the sequel, Certain Girls.  my personal opinion is that jennifer weiner is one of the better chick-lit writers...i love her.


 5. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?

I'd like to visit the greek isles a la The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.  seriously - i just want to jump through my TV.  maybe with my new snazzy job, me and the husband can afford to do a trip like that before any kiddos start taking over our lives.....

6. If you could have a TV show on the Food Network, what would it be?

i would never have a show on the food network because me entering the kitchen to do anything other than pour a glass of wine or heat something up in the microwave, is like entering a foreign land.  i dunno?

7. What was the best meal you ever had?

Rathbun's, here in atlanta.  i had a steak, and i swear i still tasted it the next morning - kind of gross, but actually delicious.  me and the hub HAVE GOT to go.

8. Who has been the greatest influence on your love for food and learning to cook?

these questions are really going for the jugular and pointing out all of my flaws... I. DON'T. COOK.
the greatest influence on my love for food is obviously my mom, who introduced it to me and kept me fed my whole life.  i also have her to thank for not teaching me how to cook.  :)  it's all good - the husband's got it all taken care of...


happy friday, folks!  hope you have a safe, happy halloween weekend!

somebody call PETA

sorry - i have nothing to blog about.  life is moving at warp speed right now, and every time i sit to write, i'm interrupted and lose my train of thought.

you guys can proof the letter i'm finally sending to the vent column in my local newspaper...

dear henry county,

i want to thank the local law enforcement for the complete display this morning while attending to a three car fender bender on the only road leading to the interstate.  trust i'm battling my inside "warm & fuzzies" knowing you would bring out the big guns for my stupidity in the form of three police cars, the biggest fire truck ever, an ambulance and giant orange cone castle.  however, today was the day that i was smart and didn't get into a fender bender.   nonetheless, i had to wait in the line of geriatrics and rubber neckers to make it by the display of lights from what had to be 1/3 of your on-duty staff of officers!  my question today is this, do you think you could spare one of your policemen to give me a blue light escort through the god-forsaken traffic that comes here to die?  i swear on everything that is holy, this traffic is going to make me kick a kitten.

for the love of god, build a bypass.

best,

ltj


p.s. this exact letter isn't going - but it sure feels good to let it out...

i've realized...

• you'll notice i added the blogroll to the right side.  you're welcome (seriously, i thank myself - the tab was fun, but  i've missed a lot)

• convinced that mother nature is a skinny biatch who wants me to die.  this morning my life flashed before my eyes 26 times due to torrential downpour during rush hour.  she likes to schedule rain on monday mornings - such a low blow.  give me a nice sunday afternoon thunderstorm all day - that's my lazy time.

• it's slowly dawning on me that the days of traipsing into work at 8:45 are o.v.e.r.  oh, the joys of working at a small company - no more.  i have to start dragging ass out of bed earlier.  my hours at my new job are the same, and i'm frequently always late now...  new job is just next door to old job, so commute is the same.  

•  was last week's episode of gossip girl a re-run?  i sat down last night to get caught up, and it was the first ep.  it wouldn't be completely out of the ordinary if my dvr effed something up.  

• yesterday i did fall "landscaping."  the newness has definitely worn off, and the husband, a.k.a. the professional, had a tough summer - we haven't touched the yard (except for the obligatory mow every now and then), and it shows.  the backyard is a total hot mess.  every time i go back there i get overwhelmed by the clutter, the dog toys, the dead plants, the weeds...i just hate it.  i tried to do some work in the front yesterday, but only got as far as the designated flower beds and pots before i gave in to my hangover and the keeping up with the kardashian's marathon.  

• i need new clothes.  i think my last day with my current company will be a full week before i start with my new company.  i'll have to take that time to outfit myself in all things biz casual.  i've put a lot of focus on fun dresses and cardigans (although, i have a thing about cardigans - i just don't wear them well), but it's just so hard to say without having actually gone to work to feel it out.   while i'm not down with abandoning my style, i don't want to be too much (LK, maybe you can help me with this transition since this is something you just experienced?). 

• i'm boycotting halloween this year.  pumpkins, costumes, candy - gone.  something must be wrong with me to do this, but i'm just not into it.  give me christmas.  that is a holiday i can get with.   we're going to a party this saturday for the georgia/florida game - and i heard a dirty rumor that costumes were involved.  call me a party pooper; i'm not wearing one.  

a coupla things

1.  i need to move the blogness back to the main page, so that i can read as they are updated.  i'm so behind on all of the blogs on that list.  crap.

2.  guessss whaaaat?  my new jobby-job is biz casual.  definitely gonna have fun with this - stay tuned. 

News

So, remember the vague post from last week?? 

well, now i can tell you what was happening.  basically, the big corporate guys called me about a big corporate recruiting gig, and the vague post was about my interview.

i have to thank all of you for your happy thoughts because i received an offer today, and i accepted!  

my current company is so amazing, but it's an agency and the future is unknown when it comes to commission.  i love recruiting, but i do not love the uncertainty of this market.  going the corporate route has evolved into a pretty major goal of mine - recruiting is too much fun to leave and super rewarding. 

now that I'm over the hump of letting my co-workers and boss know, I can really feel excited about the new opportunity! 

thank you again for all your well wishes, and wish me luck - starting november 15th! 

last bit of summer

i finally got around to blogging a few vacation pictures

 the husband in the back yard of the condo... this was seriously the best house we've stayed in since we've vacationed on 30A.  

 the view from the master bedroom balcony.  we slept with the door open every night and woke up to waves...ahhh-mazing.

friday morning breakfast at great southern cafe - this restaurant has made it into our regular rotation, for sure.

 

giant mimosa, full southern menu and laid back atmosphere....delish.  

favorite way to pass the day...

easy breezy

can't wait for next year!!!

wooooooo - sahhhhh

i'm asking for happy thoughts and prayers at 11 ish today.  :)  

if any of you want to send one up, it'd be much appreciated....

 image via

sorry to be so vague, but i'll let you guys in on it soon enough!!

today. is. slow.

• what is this week?  divorce your husband week?  three seemingly strong marriages in la la land have gone kaput.  totally thrown by courtney cox's open marriage.  

• did you guys happen to see the naked pics of kim kardashian for W mag?  i have to say it's nice to see someone who's gorgeous rocking her curves and not trying to be all teeny - although, i quit following her on twitter (non - anon) because she tweeted entirely too much about working out.  and honestly, i have to say i'm super surprised she did this because she kind of comes across a little timid and insecure on her show - ijs.

•  i think my hair had a growth spurt.  my hair is lonnnnng...and i kind of like it.  i've decided i'm giving it until the end of the year, and if i still like it, i'll keep it, but if not, i'm going back to my favorite stylist to have her go all dramatic on my head.  

• this weekend is our "camping trip" to the perry, georgia fair.  the husband wants to take his parents pop-up, and we have friends who want to bring theirs, so we're going to embrace the term "redneck" for one night.  we're also going to see miranda lambert...pumped.  the point of this bullet is to say that i think i want go purchase a pair of those jeggings now...the ones from gap.  i'd like to wear them with my cute new boots (not the gray ones - i took those back after all), and if they dont look good with those, the jeggings will go back, and the boots will go on ebay - seriously, i've got to quit buying shit i don't wear.  the boots are a perfect mixture of "cowboy" and just plain cute.  they are fossil and a camel-ish brown that looks worn...i like them a lot, but they seriously come up to just below my knee, and i feel like my leg looks really cut off. 

• this week has been crazy busy.  i have one candidate who's interviewing at all of our clients, and i have a little something else going on personally (all good, no worries).  i have to say it's a bit much coming off a too-short weekend, and i'm really ready for a relaxing weekend. 

• i ate sushi for lunch - sushi is actually really low in weight watchers points, btw.  i never eat sushi because it makes me sick.  i get drowsy and my stomach hurts, and i just kind of feel cloudy.  my nail girl told me it was because of the cold rice because i don't touch those crazy fish rolls.  what gives?  grrrr.....

crying shall commence...

just kidding. 

i've held it together this year.  i tripped over the sidewalk last night and gashed my toe open, so going on the beach, in the sand and saltwater, sounded a little like torture.  of course, my falling over isn't the only reason i'm okay, i just knew this was a short getaway, and now it's over.

we're home.

we didn't take many pictures because we didn't really do much.  what i have, i'll share later.  until next year...

chic on the cheap

i saw this tweet by nylon mag yesterday while i was out of the office and got excited!

let me just say this one thing - i used to HATE HATE HATE charlotte russe because i thought all of their clothes looked cheap - fast forward to now, and it's on my regular rotation.  please know that i am thrilled to have seen the line "we've already admired the way CR has gotten hipper" because i thought i'd subconsciously lowered my standards. 

i don't know about you guys, but i'm pretty pumped about mr. daman's line of dresses...in addition to all of the other fun finds currently on the rack.  very exciting and verrrrrry wallet friendly.  

you know you love it.


xoxo, 


ltj

shout out

happy happy birthday to my girl at hiking in stilettos. 

i think you are 28 today....welcome. 

so sorry i'm missing what will probably be a really fun throwdown this weekend! 

image via

eat a cupcake (or a donut)!!!!!!!!!!!....and let's go shopping when i return.

actually, save that donut for our shopping trip, and we can hit up sublime!  :)  

much love, my friend!

doing the happy dance

today's the day, people!  it's my friday.  tomorrow at this time, we'll be well on our way to the beach. 

have i packed? no. 
do i have anything we need? no. 

i've taken work home every night this week, and once i'm finished working, i'll eat a bite and pass out.  tonight i'll be up until all hours running errands and packing the car.  i plan to be in the car no later than 7am tomorrow morning. 

i get a little bossy when it come to organizing...

in other news, i'm pretty sure the mail lady put my glamour mag in someone else's mailbox.  the developers of my hood didn't think that they should come up with all new street names, so it's same name LANE and same name DRIVE (lacking creativity and causing mass confusion among post office workers).  we consistenly receive the same house number's mail on DRIVE, and i guarantee Miz Fitzgerald is reading my issue of glamour.  not cool.  we don't get any of their interesting mail - just credit card applications and various amazon orders. 

i can make it

• it might surprise you that even though today is my thursday, i'm managing to be in a less than stellar mood.  this was also the general attitude i had yesterday.  i'm 100% over it, and when i get like this, i'm one bad cold call away from a total hissy fit. 

• this morning my commute was a total debacle.  it's days like today when i should have the right to turn my car around and go back to bed and start over.  i wasn't even five miles from my house when i saw a school bus narrowly miss running over the honda in front of me.  children went flying.  i'm talking - FLYING.  my {imaginary} children will NEVER ride the bus.  this happens just after news of a school bus accident yesterday leaving a child dead.  i remember when i rode the bus (for like one year), there were no seatbelts...seriously?  put seatbelts in the bus!  i don't know for certain, but i bet that kid this morning went face first into the dash.  

• can school buses really not go in reverse?  husband, if you're reading this, you've succeeded in making me potentially look like a total idiot, but i love you anyway. :) 

• where is master p?  he didn't get pinched, did he?   "i got the hookup, holla if you hear me"

• my week is looking like i'll have candidates interviewing both days i'm out of the office.  i'm happy....i really am...but damnit, can't i just VACATION???  

• i'm excited about this...not the giveaway (because i never win anything), but the line.  bring on a satchel!  if any of you readers happen to be good at winning things, go "like" target on facebook, and enter to win! 

• it's cold in atlanta, ya'll.  i'm excited about a return to 80 degree temps this weekend and a little time out in the sun - then fall/winter can take over.  once we're home, i'm taking on the yard.  

• would any of my atlanta readers want to join some networking groups with me?  i have a slight insecurity about networking by myself, so anyone who isn't my competition, but would like to also make contacts, hit me up.  

this is all for now... my readers have skipped out on me - i've even lost a follower.  i didn't think that happened.