Life in Pink

So for the preppy paper swap i’m participating in I’ve gotta share some info for my swap partner.

Favorite Colors: pink, and green (can you tell?)

Favorite Theme: stripes. or argyle. argyle anything <3

Monogram: HJB or hBj - i think it’s far too soon to put my married name in there since there’s still over 400 days left…not that i’m counting. But for when i do get married it’ll be HJS or hSj

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Speaking of preppy, did i mention I managed to find red madras shorts at the JCrew outlet? With a pair of matching flip flops. Yes yes…i bought them both. I wore them to our engagement party last weekend (which was really a brunch. and entirely a surprise on all accounts)

For now, I’m sitting on the bus up to NYC (NEW YORK CITY!? - remember those pace picante commercials? Yeah I say NYC like that. cauuusseee I’m totally a nerd) and have wireless on my bus thanks to Bolt Bus woo!

Anyhow, I’ve been making some major headway into my manuscript. I had a flash of inspiration earlier this week and spent the better part of an afternoon hashing out my ideas. I don’t want to say too much but I’m kind of excited about it. Mostly because I once used to joke that I could write about this but never considered it, or whenever I did I threw away any ideas or brainstorming sessions out of frustration. But last night, I heard a song and it gave me such inspiration because i just wrote. I was standing at the front desk of the gym and i had to write so I wrote on scrap papers but it made me realize where I want it to go. Sooo we’ll see. A work in progress but so long as I stick with it perhaps it’ll go somewhere.

Anyhow now for writing and kelly clarkson. She’s my inspiration as dorky as that sounds.

It always surprises me the people that I meet from school that know so many people I do. Take for instance Julie - her and I had a slue of mutual friends but yet while in school we were never really friends ourselves. We later realized why but now? I adore the girl!

Last night, at an alumni networking event I met a girl who graduated a year after me and she seemed super sweet, so today I friended her on the facebook and turns out we have “25 friends in common” and I’m thinking, “why didn’t I know this girl in school???” This was all after she said “you look so familiar…” and I’m thinking…huh. I don’t recognize you…whoops? Hopefully next week I’ll have a chance to get together with her so we can chat about the three degrees of separation at NU.

Seriously, for a school of 15,000 or so, it’s tiny man. You run into people you don’t want to at inopportune times, you always end up making out with boys at Our House East who inevitably have a class with the on and off ex (oh wait was that just me?? Shiiiit.) and rumors fly faster than an F-15. The smallness of the individual graduating classes is what got to me. Somehow in five years me and four of my friends managed to make out with the same guy (not at the same time), and have a web full of hook ups, breakups and all the inbetween.

The city itself was even smaller. I once ran into someone I had no desire to see when I was hung over, soaking wet in sweat pants and rain boots after meeting friends at the Pru for drunk brunch - not exactly a great time to run into someone you didn’t want to see let alone see like that.

Every time I go back to Boston, I always see people i have zero desire to see again. This past time I saw an old roommate of mine that I would have been quite content never seeing again. The last time? I saw an ex of mine that I dated briefly before i turned 21 and each time i go back - well up until this last time - i would get a pit in my stomach when I worried about running into people that I REALLY didn’t want to see (i.e. when i stayed at a friends apartment merely blocks from the ex’s father’s house). I may have burned some bridges, or two or three, but

I digress, this isn’t about skankariffic roommates. It’s about how small the world really is and how when you look around? There really are some great people around you. The song it’s a small world? Really does apply no matter how big of a school you go to, or what size the city you live in is.

All I know, is that I’m excited about my new pal and looking forward to gossiping with her about the people we both know and how we know them all (not gossiping in the bad way fyi).

Found thanks to BuzzSugar - God I can’t wait for September 1!!!

So kids, I told you I’d start putting up wedding updates weekly on Wednesdays. “Wedding Wednesdays” as I like to call them.

This comes on the heel of BIG NEWS!

We put down our deposit on our reception site last night.

We may have had a few drinks before hand. We probably should have talked it over but the room is beautiful in it’s hard wood decor and balcony overlooking the inside of Gallery Place and perfect tables with a rustic classiness  that was the complete opposite of the ballroom we were considering. It is perfect.

Also key factors: they provide flowers for the centerpieces. Now…I haven’t fully decided if I want to use them or if I still want to make my own. I’m thinking zinnias and hydrangeas. They often have roses (which…DO NOT WANT) and other seasonal flowers. But…to sound like a bridezilla…it’s my wedding and i want it perfect and beautiful and classic.

They provide linens, if we want we can hook up an iPod and set up playlists so that we don’t need to get a dj and they can emcee the event. Our planner has 20 years of experience and is hillarious.

We’re still planning to do a tasting, we’ll be saving about $6,000 and getting more for our money including a cocktail hour with actual hors deurves. I am- to say the least - thrilled. It’s perfect and it just makes everything a little bit more real.

So now, I need to look at the Knot to do list/emily post guide/real simple book to see what’s next. Probably dress shopping which i am MORE than nervous to start, don’t ask why, mostly because I don’t even know where to start. *sigh*

Oh look, Real Simple says to start researching other vendors too. Great. Joy. Hate. hate. hate. hate. *sigh* it never ends does it? next up? Florist. Photographer. and DJ. If my pal doesn’t workout. If we can get a good rate on a DJ. Or just use their in house services.

So that’s your wedding update kids Yay for reception venues! And parties! And yay!

I have a new incentive to go to the gym. $40 of spending cash. For moi. You see I pay for a gym in my office - $60/month. If i go NINE times (which i have NOT done in the year that i’ve been a member) I get $40 back from my office. If i don’t go 9 times? I put $40 toward the wedding fund. With my first $40 which should be coming to me in the next few weeks….

I’m looking for this dress by Issac Mizrahi…

Seen here

Unfortunately for me and my Target loving heart, the item is out of stock (wahhh wahhhhhhhhhhhh) so if anyone has seen it in stores? Let me know! I’m going to have go searching for it around DC next week, and maybe, just maybe buy it. Because something that cute? Can’t go unbought.

Not to mention the thought of it in my hands is totally making up for my horrible last hour and a half. Since I? Have been so good about a. bringing my lunch b. working out. I deserve a reward too right?

Things to look forward to on the blog…

* Pink Saturdays which I found from my swap partner’s blog. Since i’m still doing that God awful Blog365 it’s an easy way to find something over the course of the week and post it to autopost on Saturday which is important since like this week…there’s no guarantee that I’ll have internet at all this weekend.

* Getting involved in Gal’s Guide. Essentially, this awesome girl started it in Chicago and they’re finally branching out into other cities and I’m going to be involved in getting the DC one kicked off right hopefully in January 2009. I’m quite excited as I love her site and her work, this? is kind of what I want to do. So it’ll be neat to work with someone who’s done it. So for my DC gals go join up here!

* Weekly Wedding Updates will come on Wednesdays from now on. Since i DO NOT want my blog to become a strictly wedding blog, I’ll give you all weekly wedding updates on my progress then and sporadically during the weeks if anything new comes up.

Also this week, I’ll start back on my Newbies and Goodies series where i post new fun blogs, and I’ll also update my Links of Interest page. I do this when my uncategorized blogs on Google Reader get out of control and then I sort them by the categories I have listed on my link page.

So enjoy freaders

1. I’m participating in my first preppy swap! It’s a paper swap hosted by Mom X 2, and I was paired up with MCC, who just from skimming her blog this morning: loves Lily, pink, and all things preppy Much like myself though I doubt I’ll ever have a Lily Pulitzer collection quite like hers

1 a. This reminds me last week I found a slue of cute stuff at the Target - some super cute green and pink post-it notes, a Real Simple Post It organizing pad and some super cute pink and green note cards (which a few of you might be receiving in the mail as part of the 20sb Post Card Exchange )

2. Fiancé and I may have found a different reception site, while we LOVE the Phoenix Park…$15,000 is a lot of money when my parents will only cover a third of that…given that it’s $7k alone for the food and such, we decided to consider other places. So we looked into Clydes @ Gallery Place which while it’s a bit further from the church than we’d have liked, it’s metro accessible for those who plan on taking metro and it’s not tooooo far from the hotel (we’d still use Phoenix Park so that we can have the after party at the Dubliner hopefully). The entrees? Are HALF of what we’d be paying for at Phoenix Park. $35 compared to $63? Big big difference. Not to mention, we went to Clyde’s on our first date for dessert so there’s that connection

It’s a classy room, and if the price is right? We’re going to see if we can set up a meeting either tonight or tomorrow and see what we can find out from them. Apparently they’ve done weddings before which is always a plus. And the room has it’s own bar. Also a plus. Though I don’t forsee us using the big screen plasma teevee during the reception

Anyhow, thank goodness this is a four day work week, I need to go down and get something to eat so that over lunch I can go work out. I’ll have to swim but thats okay. I did some nasty damage to my knee trying to teach Fiancé how to swing dance while wearing 3 inch Steve Maddens at the wedding on Saturday. To my DC readers, any thoughts on another DC bloggers happy hour in the next week or two? Probably not this week but maybe sometime next week??

You can always tell summer time is here by four things - patio furniture, corn on the cob, watermelon and swimsuits. yes swimsuits. Shopping for them make me anxious and sick to my stomach, unfortunately the last bathing suit i bought was in 2006 and broke the third time I wore it when I was in Fort Lauderdale visiting a friend and ended up having to walk back to her apartment from her complex’s pool with my towel covering my top since the clip on the back broke off.

So this upcoming weekend, we’re trekking up to Vermont to see my family in our “victory lap” which have been our trips visiting friends and family since our engagement.

Except, during this weekend, we’re going to my family reunion. Which is at a lake. Whiiiccchhh requires me wearing a bathing suit and while I’m not…fat…by any means, I’m too self conscious and realistic about my current sedentary tendencies to have an desire to wear a two piece bathing suit. If you’re in that inbetween state, I am certain that that is the WORST possible time for a gal to go shopping for a swimsuit. I have no desire to do just that at all this season, and still ultimately decided on buying on online not just because I overshopped the local resources and saw nothing I liked (the ones i did like? were at least $100 and I don’t have that kind of bling to spend on a swim suit i’ll wear maybe 3 times this summer…if I’m lucky) not to mention, I feel wretched enough about my body…as I have for the past few years, and had no desire to go try on a bathing suit in poor lighting with mirrors that emphasize the flaws. When I had a target date with my pal L earlier this week, I was waiting for her and figured I’d try on a bathing suit…it was cute, unfortunately, it was a little big in the front and in the rear. it was a two piece tankinin…after taking it off wondering why a medium was so large on me, I realized it was a maternity swim suit. Whoops? Talk about embarrassing.

Lucky for me, now that I’m really turning on the marathon training, I should feel okay to wear a two piece bathing suit in the next…month. maybe 2.

But of course, that’s not…in five days, that’s in 30.

So I had to search for a bathing suit. And I really liked a black one piece, strapless bandeau style one. But I was a bit hesitant.

But up until today, it was shipping in “2-6 weeks.” Today it said it would be shipped in 24 hours. But I was hesitant. I’m always very hesitant to buy bathing suits that I can’t try on…paranoia.

Then I saw this one from Alloy. I had gone through Victoria’s Secret bathing suits, Delias, Macy’s, JCrew, etc..etc… and didn’t see anything that was a classic looking but still modest with a lil bit of skin. I by no means wanted to wear a granny-panty like swimsuit, but I can’t wear a itty bitty yellow polka dot bikini either. I know this.

I settled on this:

Cute. Yet modest. Yet still has the sexy back also. I just hope and pray that the size works. Though I’m pretty sure it will. Also, I got it in navy. woo :)  I found a coupon online for free shipping so it discounted my 2 day shipping - I have to make sure i get it before Thursday since we’re leaving first thing friday morning although, if by some chance of God I have to order a different one for whatever reason, I’ll have it overnighted to my dad’s to arrive friday since we’ll be there friday afternoon, going north to Lake Dunmore on Saturday morning then heading up to Burlington Saturday night and to Westford/Colchester to my mom’s house on Saturday night then fly back to DC at 630 Monday am. Crazy schedule but like this weekend it’s a jaunt up north. Short and sweet without too many distractions. THere are dozens of people I’d love to see but I highly doubt I’ll see too many of them just because it’s such a whirlwind trip. I’ll just have to spend a lil bit more time up there this fall after the marathon.

Anyhow, the weekend was great but that’s not what this is about, full report on that tomorrow.

Last night, before bed in my fiance’s childhood bedroom, I was watching Sex and the City old skool…season 1 or 2. Lately, I have been beyond happy with fiance and with us…there’s always things to be cleaned up and all that jazz….

But a quote that I have LOVED for a long time struck a cord with me at the end of the episode.

“You see, after a while you just want to be with the one who makes you laugh.” - Mr.Big

It’s so true. I realize all the time how lucky I am that fiance makes me laugh. He makes me smile, he cheers me up. He tells me he loves me before we fall asleep and as soon as we wake up. He kisses me as soon as I get home from work and he brings me dinner when I work late and meets me to walk me home.

But most importantly? He makes me laugh. Everyday.

When you find someone who can do that? Someone who will love you unconditionally and make you laugh when you need it most? That’s real kids. That. Is real love. And for a long time it took me to find it. I searched and searched and hoped and prayed for something real like this. And while i knew it some time ago, I think hearing the quote and reminded of that Sex and the City relationship wisdom that 20 something ladies like myself live by, reminded me and I looked at the big picture and saw what I have in front of me.

I am one lucky gal.

And me?? I can’t wait to get married.

This in from Trashionista…

“HBO are piloting The Washingtonienne, a Washington-set comedy based on the book of the same name by Jessica Cutler. Sarah Jessica Parker will be the executive producer. [via THR.com]

SJP is going to be extremely busy, especially if the rumours of a sequel to the Sex and the City movie are true (please be true).” [Trashionista]

Now I’m sure y’all have read the book in all it’s incredibly trashy glory. Now the problem I had with the book was she tried to fictionalize what everyone knew was truth. Putting fake names on facts that have already been publicized does not chick-lit make.

I read the book a few weekends before I left DC in spring 2005. I just lounged and finished it in about three hours. The book however, frustrated me. It annoyed me much like “Bunny Tales” did/does (i still haven’t finished that one it’s so bad…much much worse than “Washingtonienne”) But I guess, to me, the story was hyped up. The story was almost sensationalized by all these DC gossip sites (mainly Wonkette) when really? Who the hell (outside of the beltway) gives a flying f*ck??? Really now. Come on.

I am however, eager to see how the teevee show does. I can see, if SJP does a good job with it, that it could…be…dare I say it, a decent series. A slutty DC Hill Staffer? Not so original as DC is littered with them, and I’m sure stories like hers are a dime a dozen or so. But the story itself? Would make decent teevee. I mean if “The Real Housewives of Orange County” is still on the air…that gives other shows hope right? I wonder how much say Jessica Cutler has had in the making of the show - most specifically the story lines or if SJP is just taking the idea and running with it in the glorious way that SJP does with everything.

On Jessica Cutler? Personally, I think the girl is classless, not that attractive (but if Playboy thinks so then what does it matter what I think right?) I don’t think her writing was particularly great and I think the novel? Lacked serious everything - plot, characters, etc…So what if you had butt sex with a middle aged administration chief of staff for $400? No one wants to read about your girly-bits and your lunch time play dates for some booze money…really? I’m beginning to question why I even read it in the first place. Also how the hell did Ana Marie Cox get a sweet column gig with Newsweek just because she BROKE this story to begin with? That’s just effed up. Someone give me a scandal so I can break it on my blog and become an awesome columnist for Time.com!

But it’s just another classic DC scandal. Watch, next the Elliot Spitzer gal will have a novel and a teevee show. Seriously, I’m clearly in the wrong business if trashy girls can make hundreds if not thousands of dollars by putting out and I still make less than $40k by actually using my college degree (as much as one can as an admin/research assistant). Not that I would ever spread my legs for cash but still. You see my point.

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On the Sex and the City sequel that Trashionista alludes to? Gawd I hope not. I love love loooovveeed the movie. I loved the series but really? We don’t see Friends makin’ a movie. We don’t see EVERY GREAT TEEVEE SHOW OF IT’S TIME making a movie and then another one…that’s just…overkill. I don’t know where they could take the story because really? Do we need to see a spin off about Carrie and Big raising the chill’ens? Not so much. Not. So. Much.

Thoughts from the Peanut Gallery??

Today, since I’m still gloating (yet a little sad) about giving my notice last night at job #2, I’m going to give you freaders a lil wedding planning love. Today? We’re going to talk about registries.

Now, fiancé and i have perused Macy’s, Crate and Barrel, and Hill’s Kitchen - a place on Capitol Hill that recently opened that has a slue of fun stuff most all of it American Made.

I’m more than excited to redo our kitchen; to find new dinnerwear, china (we’re looking at buying a hutch to store said china) a matching silverwear set, and nice wine glasses. Not to mention; table linens, fun cooking utensils, a slow cooker, a kitchen aid mixer, new sheets, and the like.

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Also, I found my colors. Future Sister in Law and her pal sent me some dresses that they liked from Alfred Angelo, and so i was perusing the website while i eat my FABULOUS Noodles & company lunch (mmm mac and cheese) and was looking at Bridesmaid dresses because after everyone’s comments? I’m pretty much hellbent on staying as far away from Davids Bridal as possible - this may be narrowminded but I haven’t heard a single good thing about the store. Soo…I think i found my colors (shrimp and clover - see this dress - with the body in clover i think and the tie in shrimp. I’m also thinking of this dress) I’m going to see about making a trip up to boston sometime this fall to go dress shopping with my girls since 3 out of four of them will be there and i’m hoping my MOH aka big sister will drive down so the four of them can all meet.

I also decided to have my cousin be my Jr. Bridesmaid/Flower girl. She’s a little too old to be flower girl (she’ll be i think 12 by the time we get married? Her birthday is 4 days after mine) but just right to be a junior bridesmaid. Since i have no really tiny cousins and all, I think that’s perfect. I want my dad’s family to be involved somehow, and i think since she’s the daughter of one of my favorite aunt’s, this is a nice way to make sure everyone feels…somewhat included. If that makes any sense.

So there ya have it ladiezzz…my weekly wedding update.

It’s crazy to think we’ve been engaged for only a month, and what we’ve gotten done? While may seem a lot? Not so much in my mind…we have the church locked down, we have the reception site ALMOST locked down though I think I want to go look at a couple more places tomorrow after work next week before we go to Vermont.

Also, I’m looking for ways to save bling, Fiancé’s dad sent us this article about Brides on a Budget so since we might be spending up to $15k on the reception alone, I’m looking for ways to save money otherwise - doing the invitations and STD’s myself, maybe making my own centerpieces, that kind of stuff. So if ya’ll have any suggestions? Send them my way I’ve spent a better part of today perusing all the wedding websites looking for ideas.

I’ve never been good at giving notice at a job. I’ve always been a bit self conscious that way. It’s probably also why I hate small talk, can’t network for the life of me while my fiancé? Is a master at it.

Tonight, I’ve decided, to give my notice at Job #2.

Working two jobs for the past nine months or so has been… a lot of fun. But, given that I think, per the suggestion of you lovely freaders, I’m going to take a grad course at the USDA grad school in the fall, and I’m still….*supposedly* training for the Marathon in October, and wedding planning? Oh boy. I can’t do the two jobs thing and getting paid $8 per hour to get me a free gym membership that I ah-hem, rarely use? Just…not worth it. Not anymore.

I will admit however, that I have met some lovely  lovely people working there. D, my favorite wedding planner extraordinare, D my gal from Idaho,  M my crazy pal, R my training buddy, R the crazy gal with the red hair who is awesomely hilarious, and of course the other D who is now doing his post-doc in Reno. I miss him. All of these people are amazing, I probably missed a few but the people that I shared late nights, early mornings, abs class training, and weekends with? Made me laugh, smile and cry. They’ve been fun, they’ve gotten me a bit tipsy at our Holiday Party and then some. I’ll miss them…really…I will but I just can’t do it anymore. Anyone who works two jobs or has ever worked two jobs where you work 9-6 and then till the wee hours of night? Knows it’s not easy.

My schedule this month and my decision to take a grad class this fall is probably what did me in. This week in particular is crazy - working till 11:30 tonight, working till 11:30 tomorrow night and then bringing the dog to her day care bright and early on Friday am so we can get an earlier shuttle *instead of our 6pm one* to NY so we can go to a 10a wedding Saturday that’s about an hour and a half from the Future in-law’s house and then make it to the Bronx from CT early Sunday morning to visit with family and talk wedding planning before our 4pm flight?

Not my idea of fun.
But wait…it gets better because the following Monday, after our trip from Vermont, we have a 6am flight out of Burlington on Monday am into BWI only to go straight to work and then straight to job #2 to work from 6:30-10p. If that’s not a long day? I don’t know what is. I cringe just thinking of what my exhaustion level is going to be.

Anyhow, I wasn’t writing to be a whiny brat (though I know I probably sound like one) but rather to reflect on giving notice. Granted two jobs since I graduated I’ve gotten the boot from. Jobs before that were co-op jobs so they were according to the semester/mini-mester schedule and ending was prescheduled. Sometimes I cried (after my Hill Internship) and sometimes I left clicking my heels (after coop #2 where I was ALMOST fired no fewer than 4 times for merely checking my personal email when I had nothing to do…bastards.) but either way I never really had to give notice.

So giving my notice to my boss tonight is going to be a bit….bittersweet. I’m excited to have free time to run, I’m excited to be able to get to bed before midnight on all these nights. I’m excited to become a full time wedding planner because everyone has been asking me: What type of dress do you want? What type of dress do your bridesmaids want? What type of flowers? What are your colors? Etc…etc… and while I have a vague idea that’s barely there? Honestly? I HAVE NO IDEA! When have I had the time in the month that I’ve been engaged to even THINK about all this?

Well friends, all that will change in August. DC is going to be shutting down as it always does in August and I? Will have time to peruse the bridal boutiques in Georgetown and pop down to a David’s Bridal to find out if they really are as bad as they sound and I’ll have time to make my own damn Save the Date cards or whatever. I just want…a life. Yes. I want to have my life back. And I will.

And if me crying when I tell my boss, and if he doesn’t like it then, well…too bad? While I likely won’t be clicking my heels on my way out on August 2nd, I probably won’t be in tears over it either. After all, the gym? Is still only three blocks from my apartment. I’ll still see these people, I’ll probably still be into the gym. But from now on? My time is just that…my time. Everyone told me that while extra money is nice, if it starts affecting your life negatively, it’s time to move on. Working two jobs? Is starting to wear on my sanity…sooo yeah. It’s time.

Now to celebrate only…seven nights working left!!!

A friend of mine told me last night that my best writing is emotional writing. Writing about breakups, describing emotions, and in general being rather…emo.

This struck a cord with me because I’d love to write a manuscript in the next year or two and have considered going to Journalism School to hone up my writing skills since i’m getting the impression that the cut throat world that is politics? Isn’t a long term career for me. Not because I can’t handle it…but I loved politics. It was my passion but since I’ve moved to DC? I just find that it annoys me more than anything. People are so self righteous in the field of politics, not that bloggers like myself aren’t because what in the hell makes me think that my writing on this blog makes a difference, or is something that someone gives a damn about. I’m not so self-important that I think that people give a crap about what I write. I write because I like to write.

But I wish, I wish, i wish, I freakin’ wish I had taken more writing courses in college. I’m thinking of looking into auditing a journalism course, or some sort of writing course. Because contrary to what you might think about my writing, I’m very self conscious about my writing. Especially my professional writing - memos for work, that kind of stuff.

Also, I’m toying with the idea of Journalism School. I’m toying with the idea of freelancing. I’m toying with lots of ideas but essentially? Day in and day out I’m learning that I? Just don’t really want to work in politics like I thought I did. Someday I’ll write that manuscript and someday I’ll be able to blog and write novels and columns from home like Karyn Bosnak and all my other favorite authors…but I need to work my ass off to get there. Part of it is a Carrie Bradshaw-esque dream of glamorous writing and the other part is just a love of sharing my thoughts…because a tiny tiny part of me? Even though, as I mentioned above, I know that no one cares, I still like to think maybe one or two people actually do give a rats butt what I have to say.

P.S. Why the EFF do you have to PAY to audit a course that you’re not getting credit for? Why the EFF do you have to pay to audit a course??? I mean, you’re not being graded. it doesn’t go toward a degree but…you have to pay? I don’t…understand. Harrumph. I’ll have to look more into that.

I hold grudges. A lot of them.

I’ve been bitter, angry, and all those songs - “Since U been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson, anything off the Jagged Little Pill album…yeah the angry chick songs about slashing a dude’s tires after he dumps you on the curb? They’ve all been my theme songs. My mottos if you will.

Not anymore.

But? I still hold a mean grudge.

Case in point: the scene? My senior ball in 2006. The girl? a girl I liked to call - well it’s inappropriate so I won’t name her. I’ll call her…Homewrecker. Back in 2002, I dated an awesome guy who broke my young, naive heart a month later. After a tumultuous summer of broken promises and too many tears cried, we eventually became friends again. Friends that would get lunch, chat, and do things friends do. Essentially, the Homewrecker broke his heart a couple months before we dated, and after I came into the picture, she realized how she fucked up.

The whole thing transpired and I was the one left for a fool. I licked my wounds, I got over it, and moved on. Moved on quite well over the next few years with a few bumps and dating mishaps along the way. We all have that though.

Still, we became friends. Enter, the Ex. We dated. We broke up. Rinse, lather, repeat. Senior ball rolled around and we were in a broken up phase, so I brought his rival? I don’t think they were rivals persay but they didn’t like each other. However, the ex did me one up and sat next to the Homewrecker. J - the one who the Homewrecker got back, was DJ’ing the affair. Seeing them dance? Nearly made me vomit. Seeing her be friendly with The Ex? Made want to throw daggers at both of them. In fact, I probably did with my eyes.

I’m a jealous person - it’s an Aries trait. I think.

Anyhow, so I still hate the girl’s guts. For no reason other than the mere thought of her? Reminds me of what heartbreak feels like at it’s core. Not quite so bad as some of the wretched fights the Ex and I had, but we all know heartbreak, at it’s worst, as I’m sure we’ve all experienced makes you wretch, it turns your insides out and creates a crushing pain in your chest that makes you feel like someone is stepping on it. It’s a damp pillowcase with matted hair from crying yourself to sleep, heaving sobs that make your entire body ache and confused paralysis where you just don’t understand where the events that made you feel so horrible transpired from.

We’ve all been there. And I’m sure there’s a few people we still hate because we have been there. Am I right? I mean, I’ll forever hold a grudge against certain people and things that have hurt me in the past. I won’t ever go to Foxwoods Casino as that’s where the beginning of the end of my normal family started (thanks Dad). Call it immature, call it a coping method.

Oh! So back to what started this whole thing…(half of this stuff? I only mildly care about these days) J is a deejay. Since we stayed friends, I decided to see if he’d do my wedding. I know he’d be great at it, I bet he’d give me a decent rate, and it would be a lot of fun because he knows me. I was a little afraid Fiancé would be weirded out by the whole thing, but I believe (and I could be wrong, I’m sure he’ll correct me) I’ve assured him 1. that was a super long time ago. Any “feelings” that may have been residual? Were long gone by 2004. 2. If he’s uncomfortable with it? We won’t do it. I don’t need this dude to DJ my wedding so badly that I’m going to risk hurting the feelings of the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with - gawd I’m not THAT insensitive. 3. If he brings the homewrecker? I’ll call the whole thing off so fast it won’t be funny. So far, J has said he would love to do it, and is checking his calendar. Once he does that, I’ll have him give me an estimate on $$ and then we’ll go from there.

I love that things are getting done…as far as wedding planning goes…so quickly. I’m getting a binder to organize crap that I have in about half a dozen folders tonight, along with a swimsuit and some travel goodies for this weekend. Since we’re going to try to fly standby, I need to go all travel size in the quart bags which…I have yet to ever do. *sigh*

You know…like that.

I dunno. I’ve kind of been in a bloggy slump lately. Seriously, like i remember the next day that I needed to blog.

I remember, after four hours of hard core bedroom cleaning, selling items on Ebay (Yes! I’m selling clothes on Ebay! If you want the link…ask ), and cooking a nice nice dinner.

So in lieu of a real post, i’m going to post another recipe post (i’m REALLY kicking myself for not joining the Whip It Up challenge…)

Tonight…I made Penne and Shrimp with Tomato Cream Sauce

Recipe…

1 lb Shrimp (any type - we used Jumbo Gulf Shrimp…sooo good)
1 lb Penne
3 T Butter
3 T Olive Oil
2-3 Cloves Garlic (i used 2)
1/2 c. White Wine
8oz Tomato sauce
1c. heavy cream
1 T Chopped Parsley
3 T Chopped basil
salt & Pepper

directions…

Put a pot of water on the stove to boil

Saute the peeled and deveined shrimp after they’ve been rinsed under cool water. Heat 1T of Butter and 1 T of olive oil in a skillet. Add raw shrimp and cook for a couple of minutes until just opaque. Remove and let cool.

Chop small onion and garlic into a fine dice. Heat 2 T of butter in large skillet and add 2 T of olive oil. Add onion and garlic. Stir occassionally.

Put cooked shrimp on cutting board and pull off tails. Chop the shrimp into relatively small bite size pieces.

Add wine to the garlic and onions and let the wine evaporate for a couple of minutes. Note; if you’re not a wine person, don’t worry! You can use low-sodium chicken broth instead. About 1/2 c. works just be sure not to add too much salt. (fyi, i used the wine)

Add tomato sauce and stir together well. Add cream and stir together well again. Add the chopped shrimp. Give good stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in the herbs (parsley, basil) Stir together till well combined (I used italian seasoning, basil seasoning, and chopped parsley….it tasted amazing)

drain pasta and add to the sauce. adjust seasonings to taste. Serve on a hot platter.

Finished product???

Bon Appetite!!!

This is the blogger that gave me the idea, I saw her somewhere on the blogosphere/my google reader, however, I googled the recipe and can’t seem to find the source. Whoops? Anyhow! Enjoy!!

In exchange for being the designated driver for fiance and his pal who enjoyed the afternoon at the dogfish head brewpub, I went shopping. And ohhhh a shopping I went.

$350 later or so, I spent $170 ish in JCrew, $25 or so in American Eagle, $105 in Old Navy and $50 in Coach…I have…

2 pairs of shorts,

4 tank tops

1 halter top

2 sweaters (including 1 sweater vest)

1 headband

1 flip flops

1 new coach bag (for $40!!!!!! *squeeeeee*

1 pair of pants

1 work shirt

and a couple things for the fiance.

I am good. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the totebag I wanted in LLBean outlet store…they were all pre-monogrammed. Ummm why would anyone want something that’s already been monogrammed? Is that just me???

Tomorrow, after work and after a workout, I will go through my closet and put a bunch of stuff on ebay. Mostly because I a. need the bling. b. I’m running out of room.

I’m pretty excited about much of this stuff though….especially green floral pants/capris from JCrew with a cute white sweater, more madras print shorts from JCrew with matching flip flops, new work pants from Old Navy along with a cute pair of white shorts. What I found most…interesting I guess you could say, is that although I went into Hollister and Abercrombie, nothing caught my eye. My shopping trips of late? Ann Taylor Loft, JCrew, Old Navy…hell I even found myself contemplating clothes in Brooks brother and if the line hadn’t been so damn long, I would have gotten a couple things from the Ralph Lauren outlet. I wish I had grabbed them but I’m much happier with the new coach bag

Anyhow, it’s been a pretty awesome fourth of July weekend. For now, since I had multiple near anxiety attacks driving back from Rehoboth (as you all remember…) I hate…HATE driving. Like seriously, it might as well give me hives. I don’t trust other drivers, I tend to veer a little right (as I learned tonight) and like my mother, I hate driving at night. So, much to my dismay (although it all worked out in the end…) I missed the turn off to 295 to get to RFK hence on East Cap, and home. Instead, I headed in on NY Ave, to 395 and straight shot to the 6th street exit and wham bam thank you ma’am we were home.

Now? I get to enjoy my fun clothes. Squeeee. So excited. Perhaps I’ll show pict0rs tomorrow. For now? I’m going to enjoy my cider.

Happy Fourth everyone…

Today, instead of a real post, I’m going to post something awesome. Last year, at some point in the summer, I had a flag cake. I don’t know if that’s what they’re actually called but that’s what I’m going to call mine. I got the idea this morning watching the Food Network even though we were watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay - an awesome show by the way, in case you’ve never seen. So I decided I wanted to bake, the boys - fiance’s friend L is in town visiting for the weekend - had other ideas, i.e. going to Finn’s on 8th street and watching the Yankees v. Red Socks.

So I trekked up to the Teet to get a couple things - cake mix, fruits, and some stuff for dinner tonight. I’m making enchilladas and a four layer (modified from five…) bean dip.

But about the flag cake. Martha’s recipe calls for Raspberries which I substituted for strawberries. Check it out…

Heidi’s Fourth of July Flag Cake

My Ingredients….

1 White Cake Mix (or vanilla)
1 jar cream cheese frosting
1 package of fresh strawberries
1 package blueberries. Really though? You only need about fifty

Cook the Cake per box directions (unless you’re doing this from scratch. At which point, I bow down to you).

Bake. I baked mine for about 35 minutes. It came out perfectly.

Cool. Mmm yellow Cake.

Frost with Cream Cheese frosting, I had originally intended on using a more cool whip based frosting but I wanted to do as little work as possible with a still awesome outcome.

Add Blueberries - I did 6 rows of 7. I know. Not quite fifty.

Finally I did four rows of strawberries that were washed and then cut in half.

Voila! You’ve got yourself a flag cake too!

Happy Fourth everyone!

It was an ehh day yesterday and less ehhh today but still ehhh. Got better when the office closed at 1:30 when my boss called and said we could go home “whenever we wanted.” Which is ALWAYS a good way to start the weekend.

Went to finalize the proposal with our event planner at the *likely* reception site. We’re hoping to put our deposit down at the end of July. She bought us a round as we discussed all sorts of questions that we had. Then? We saw Huey Lewis.

In other news….

I don’t know about you…but I. Am. Obsessed. With. The Food Network.

Seriously. Obsessed.

Bobby Flay? Throwdown? Rocks my socks.

Have you see Ace of Cakes??? Oh. Em. Gee. Love.

and The Next Food Network Star? Soooo much better than you know…Real World…

I printed out about half a dozen recipes that I’ve collected from you awesome bloggers and from websites…so I’m excited to cook more. Unfortunately I won’t be doing the Whip It Up Challenge mostly because I’m too lazy in regards to pictures. I haven’t found an…easy upload process with my mac. The great thing about Stan was that he had a memory card thing for my memory card.

Unfortunately, my new found love of the Food Network seems to have come from nowhere. Seriously, I have no explanation.

Anyhoo, happy almost fourth everyone!!!

I don’t know what it is - though I bet my all white cube with no windows can be largely to blame - but I feel in a rut.

I’m unmotivated, uninspired - all these pretty wedding blogs can’t even get me excited!

I don’t quite know what’s wrong with me but outside of work, everything is fine, great even! We’re going to CT and then to VT. We’re hoping by the end of the month to have our deposit on our reception site and we’re even looking into getting a second puppy.

But at work, I’m unmotivated. I couldn’t find the energy to drag my butt down to the gym over lunch - not to do some weights, not to go for a short run and not even to lounge in the jacuzzi while reading which is always a favorite past time. I loathe a majority of my coworkers, I found mouse droppings on my desk earlier this week which I don’t know about you, is enough to make anyone hightail it out of their job.

It’s taken me all day to even WANT to write this here entry.

Ugh I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve enjoyed my day off and my free time and now that i’m in this groove with only a couple days off being a big blob of nothingness…I’m just…blah.

How do you all get yourself out of these types of ruts??

I am not a normal caffeine addict.

Seriously.

I drink soda. Usually one/day. Or two. I stopped for a while, around the time that lent began…then around beginning of May, late April I started drinking orange soda…only to find out that it too had caffeine and all my hard work giving it up? Was for nothing and I had fallen off the wagon.

Then this morning I was perusing my Google Reader and lo and behold I saw this:

[courtesy of Real Simple]

Now granted, the premise of CarbonRally is about being green and cutting back on Carbon Emissions. But for me? Cutting back on the soda will be great for my health, my training regimen (hey Playful Professional care to go for a run or to the gym sometime this week or next? I’m working Wed PM, Thurs PM and Sun AM but any other day! Let me know when ), not to mention if there’s added benefits of all this being green stuff? I’m down.

How about you? You in?

Hi everyone! Some of you (all of you?) might not know me so let me introduce myself . . . (drum roll please!!!) . . . I’m Paula from Insert My Blog Name Here and the reason I’m inserting my BLOG here today (see what I did there?) is because Heidi and myself are taking part in the Twenty Something Bloggers Big Blog Swap.

So what to blog about? To be perfectly honest, I was a bit clueless at first as what I could talk about, after all, I’ve only ever guest-starred on someone else’s blog once before and so am a bit of a novice. But then I figured in honour of the fact I’m posting on an American blog, I would do a little something in honour of this. So here goes . . .

When I was a kid I always believed I was born in the wrong country – more specifically, I believed I should have been born in the USA. Even MORE specifically, I believed I should have lived in Sweet Valley, California, and gone to Sweet Valley High

Unrealistic, I know. Just a smidgen. After all, Sweet Valley isn’t a real place after all, and my dreams of being Jessica Wakefield’s best friend and co-captain of the cheerleading squad probably would have been futile anyway. After all, I wasn’t a perfect size six with flaxen hair and eyes the colour of the Pacific. I’d have been more likely to be one of Liz Wakefield’s causes, goody-goody that she was – probably because I was being BULLIED by Jessica. But there you go . .

Seriously though, did their lives seem so much more interesting than mine or what? Not least because I didn’t have a psycho trying to steal my identity (which to be frank I could probably have lived without). But everything seemed to come so easy for them, didn’t it

• Break up with your boyfriend? Don’t worry, a gorgeous new guy is just about to come into town. You may have to fight for him, perhaps even for the entire length of a book, but don’t worry, you’ll always come out on top.

• Overweight? Don’t worry - you’ll lose tons of weight, possibly without even TRYING, become a cheerleader and meet a great guy. (And possibly end up with an eating disorder a year later, but let’s not dwell on that one.)

• Bullied? Don’t worry, you’ll be popular in several books time. (Possibly because you’ve became a cheerleader and met a great guy).

• Without a date for the prom? Don’t worry, there’s always a spare hunky guy around to ask you

I can’t help but feel a little cheated. Because my life was never like that. We stopped having school dances after my first year in high school because half the year (and bear in mind there were 350 plus of us in the year so we’re talking a fairly significant amount of kids here) were drunk and disorderly – at the ages of eleven and twelve!!! We had a school prom but I didn’t go. I was never asked on a date in high school. I was never particularly popular. When a guy loads of people fancied admitted to one of my friends he liked me, I honestly thought it was a joke – and it never came to fruition (until three years AFTER high school, that is). I didn’t have my first kiss until I was sixteen. I didn’t have much of a social life because all my friends were getting into the pub and I was too young to pass for eighteen. AND I DIDN’T HAVE A SODDING SUNTAN because Scotland’s weather does not compare remotely to Southern California’s

When I was younger I had this idea that all of American teenagers are like characters from Sweet Valley High (although I suppose programmes like “The Hills” and “My Supersweet 16” do sort of reinforce that stereotype) and I was so jealous. Then recently I found a website which basically rips the whole idea of Sweet Valley High apart – and I realised just how unrealistic my view actually had been while I was growing up. I can’t BELIEVE it took me that long to realise that (how dumb AM I?) but it did

I’m sure it’s just another symptom of the “grass is always greener” syndrome, but I do feel like my adolescence was tainted by the view that my life wasn’t good enough. Even now I sometimes think people in the States have a far better life than I do – that everything seems ten times more exciting. Please reassure me that I’m wrong??

And does anyone fancy a life swap???

The male dog on the left, is Eddie. The dog on the right? Ellie at about 10 weeks or so. I found her adoption page today and sent it to fiance…they’re the only real puppy pictures we have of her so I kept the page bookmarked long ago.

Eddie, seems to be Ellie’s brother. We didn’t inquire about him when we adopted her. So today, I sent it to fiance and we decided to email the adoption coordinator about him, so maybe we could see if he was around the area and could set up a play date for Ellie and her bro.

“He’s still around…”

Was all we got out of her, and then told to inquire with the other adoption coordinator.

…

Maybe he’s still being fostered? Maybe he’s still in the area? Maybe WE could foster him….maybe…

…

if it’s not too expensive?

….

it might not be…i mean all her services give us discounts for multiple dogs…

….

let’s see where this inquiry goes. But how awesome for Ellie might it be? Of course it could also horribly backfire in our faces and we could end up regretting it but this time? Maybe, we can try him out, see if they get along, see how they do together…

“It would be like his and her puppehs….”

oh my.

P.S. No idea where my 20 sb blog swap is but I posted over at *insert my blog name here* today about growing up….and about puppehs….go check it out!

Boston? Was incredible. It included, a fabulous photo shoot, a fabulous dinner with a friend of fiance’s from high school that recently got hitched, a beautiful wedding, seeing old friends, getting obliterated off chardonnay followed by a pretty nasty hangover, decent flights, and an open invite to Martha’s Vineyard with a friend of mine from college who lives in DC - a friend who got me started in the college dems back in 2003…he’s definitely getting a wedding invite!

Tonight, after dinner was made and Meet the Press was watched, we did some wedding stuff. We got our proposal from the event planner at the Phoenix Park - about $5k more than we’d like so we’re going through and cutting stuff out so we can go meet with her and go over things before we put down a deposit (which we’re hoping to do after we go over everything with our parents in the coming weeks). We did our guest lists - somehow I’m inviting about 25 friends, he’s inviting about 35, i’m inviting about 30 family and he’s inviting somewhere between 25-30. Our number? Not including the ah-hem…B list (the maybes) is 119. We were shooting for 125. So it works out. I made him par down a bunch of his friends…it was at 60. I was like Dude. No.

Either way, everything is perfect. We’re clearing it all with parents - checking names. Getting addresses. Granted save-the-dates don’t need to go out till like…Christmas which is still a full 9 months before the wedding - is there any certain time frame for that? Especially if a majority of people will be traveling? Is 9 months late? Early? I’m still figuring all this out…

Bought a couple new wedding magazines for the flight, we’ve got a couple other ideas for the honeymoon - three options now, we’re going to see which is most reasonable:

1. Mexico

2. Ireland/Slovenia/Greece. Two days in Ireland then five-seven in Slovenia which is right near greece. I want beaches and apparently the beaches are just as nice as Greece but cheaper since they’re not on the Euro…o.O

3. French Polynesia - Tahiti. I’d love to go to Thailand but he said if we were going to go that way, why not just splurge and go to Tahiti…sooo we’ll see.

Later this month, we’re going to go to a cake tasting at Cake love since they do testings that are free a couple times/month. The cake at the wedding last night? Wassss increddddible. Everything was so classy and beautiful not to mention J and R looked sooo incredible and stunning and in love and just happy. I was so glad I could be there to share their day with them.

Anyhow, onward to finish the proposal changes, emailing Jess at Delicious Design Studio is doing the wedding website, my blog and fiance’s blog. Then? I’m done for the night. So much to do!

We peeked around Crate and Barrel for the registry but I think we’re going to do it this weekend I’m so excited!!

Anyhow, enough from me….i know you all enjoy the wedding planning updates so much

Drunk…at the reception blogging between cake and journey and sweet caroline…

M
…Gah I can’t wait to get married.

Now …back to my neglected chardonnay

So far boston has been incredible, rooftop bars with pals (aka two of my bridesmaids), seeing new and old friends over dinner and drinks, and seeing the bride and groom pre-wedding all make for a fabulous weekend.

I can’t wait to keep seeing friends, seeing proofs on Sunday of the engagement pictures and enjoying the rest of my vacation. (which includes spending $100 at Ann Taylor Loft per fiance wahoo!)

More later.