Please Be Polite

Yesterday I worked a very long shift...well...long for me. 


But it was split up and I only ended up with a 15-minute break. I was ravenous and the only place in the mall where I can get and eat food within 15 minutes is Arby's. (I know)


The employees there are always really nice and they usually give the mall discount without me asking. 


But their waiting area/pop area can get a little crowded. Whatever, right? People are generally polite, right?


Naw, man. NAW. 


There was a(n) (upper-class, white, tanned and highlighted) couple there, waiting for their food and getting drinks. The woman basically completely invaded my personal space to get a straw and a lid for her cup without so much as an 'Excuse me.'
She and her husband were shouting at each other about who wanted what...because Heaven forbid that she simply WALK back over to where the man was.


But none of that made me roll my eyes and breathe the word RUDE under my breath. 


When Mr. Upperclass turned and saw a black man in between him and his Horsey and Arby's sauce bar, he said, 
'CAN I GET IN HERE?'
Not, 'Excuse me please?'. Not, 'Pardon me, can I get in here?'.
He said 'CAN I GET IN HERE?' as if the black man had been purposely blocking his access to stupid ketchup. 
THAT made me wish I had balls. To say, 'HEY THERE DICKWAD, WOULD IT KILL YOU TO SAY PLEASE? DID YOUR MOTHER TEACH YOU ANY MANNERS???'
On the up-side of yesterday, I got LOTS of snuggles from my little man when I got home. Then he got chocolate gelato all over his new American Apparel shirt. It is on wash #3. 
Now I have to go chisel my car out of ice. Sweet. I freaking HATE February. Sorry Mom and Megan. 

Numbers and Insecurity

The scale in my bathroom ran out of batteries two months (or so) ago. I have yet to feel the urge to replace it.


But I visit people who own scales that contain fresh batteries. And I stand on these. 


Like yesterday. And I was disappointed by what I saw. For no real reason other than the constant, nagging 'you should be thinner' in my head.


I am not medically overweight. I can fit into my skinny jeans (with muffin top disguised by strategically chosen shirt). I have a husband who is physically attracted to me. I can sprint up the stairs two at a time without feeling like I am dying. 


Here's the problem: I very much enjoy eating good food. At bible study yesterday, I went back for seconds. Because there was this amazing pumpkin cinnamon thing there and all the ladies there are like; grandmothers, and these REALLY good cooks with blueberry kuchen and strudel (danish?) from the Old World Bakery in LZ (SO MOTHERFUCKING GOOD. Yes, it is curse-worthy. SO GOOD. I would kiss the baker on the face. You need to have some. And bring me some.) and fresh donuts and then my mom had this amazing chicken salad and some lady gave me five asiago cheese bagels from PANERA and on and on and on. 


My mouth is literally watering at the thought of it. 
I love food. LOVE IT. 


But for some reason it seems more pious, less gluttonous to eat so sparingly. 
'No, none for me, thank you.'
'This sandwich has 5 points.'
'Nope! I'm full!' (although you are really not)
'Oh, I skipped breakfast today1 TOTALLY forgot about it!'


And with that I am off to go work out because I ate a bunch of crap yesterday. 


I leave you with my newest nail polish purchase. This person wrote  a review with which I totally agree. Plus the photo is better. 

Ten on Tuesday (on Wednesday, again)

1. What are your thoughts on Valentine's Day.  Do you love it?  Hate it?
I like it, and I like the fact that my DH and I celebrate in our own way-no big bouquets of roses or fancy dinners or sparklies. We make time for each other. 

2. What is your favorite romantic comedy?
This is a tough one...does the Big Lebowski count? I don't usually like rom-coms. Well, I do like Shaun of the Dead, that's a rom-zom-sci-fi-com...3. Meg Ryan & John Mellencamp: what's your first reaction?
They both kind of gross me out. 4. All time favorite poem or quote?
I am so drawing a blank right now. I will edit this once I think of something. 

5. What's the longest amount of time you've gone without sleep?
I've done 48 hours in my 20s. No more, though. I can't. 

6. What color ink do you prefer to use?
I PREFER blue, but I also care more about the flow of ink as opposed to its color

7. Share with us a blog that you recently found and fell in love with (and link us!).
I've linked this before, but Style Rookie is very well written. And of course I like Girls Gone Child, but I really feel an affinity with this gal. 
8. If you could be on a reality TV show which one would you choose?
Hah. Real Housewives of Orange County or New York or New Jersey, because that would mean I was rich. 9. Mountains or beach?
TROPICAL BEACH
Although the first time I ever saw mountains and ocean was the time I went to Oregon-that was breathtaking to say the LEAST. 
10. With the Oscars around the corner, what's your pick for best picture?
I've only seen True Grit, Toy Story 3 and Inception...
I say True Grit, because I love cowboys and Mattie Ross is SO BEST. 


GO check out everyone else's!!!

Round Up?

The most beautiful hats I have ever seen.

Miu Miu shoes. Breathtaking. 


My blog is by no means informed about fashion at all, but I do appreciate it.


Congrats to Mrs. Dill who won Project Run and Play. I knew she would...just sayin. 


Have a good day. 

Must...post....haiku???

More snow. Nausea.
Annoying cut on finger.
How to fill this day? 

IT IS FRIDAY

Small goal accomplished: Work out four days this week. Two days of cardio , two days of strength. 
DONE. 


For some reason when I accomplish something that will stay accomplished, I tend to string together curse words in a victorious fashion.
Like, 'F*ck YEAH motherf*ckers. Done THAT, b*tches. Unh.'


Feels pretty good. Unlike dishes and laundry, my work outs for this week are DONE. Now I just need to be disciplined when it comes to eating. Woo, metabolism...you rotten beast. 

Ten on Tuesday on Wednesday (again)

1. Any vacations you are looking forward to this summer? I don't have anything planned, but I hope that we will be able to do SOMETHING
2. What is your favorite article of summer clothing (shoes are included)?hoy pink haviana flip flops and skirts!
3. What is your favorite summer drink (alcoholic or non)?homemade lemonade or a mojito
4. Do you tan or burn? BURN!!!! The only time I was ever tan was in punta cana, and those pics are so old they aren/t even on this computer. Hah.
5. Any goals you are working toward this summer?goals for this summer...to bring milo to the beach-he still hasn't been, since I can't seem to find a decent one around us. the beaches at lake michigan are all a rough and rocky. we'll find something
6. What is your favorite summertime food? anything on the grill at my bestie's house!
7. What song most says “summer” to you? Any early Sublime,played in the car with the windows down
8. Any home improvement goals planned for this summer? Replacing our ugly doors and doorjambs, but this may happen before summertime!
9. What is one thing you hate to see at the beach? dead fish and rocks
10. Did you ever go to a summer camp? many summers! I was a girl scout and they were very generous to poor girls like my sisters and me. I learned to sail and horseback ride and pitch a tent and haha...something else that I shouldn't mention online...something that got me into real trouble...you remember that mom? haha.SORRY!!!!

Poetry I Writed When I Was Younger

She curls up into herself and

cries aloud to the brightness

(why did you put me here)

She is leaking through the cracks in her existence

Smelling beautiful     looking broken

Taking herself into the void          she can be alone

painting her skin with blackness of coal

coal she stole from the fire of another

and

stealing naked glances at the gods

(i was reading a lot of Gaiman at the time and trying to find myself. Obvs.)

________________________________________________

over the underpass, i

passed up the shortcut and shorted the pass

it was horrid oh horrid

but it came to pass

that mama's boys

and hell's angels 

should never do business together

(pretty sure I wrote this at around the same time I discovered Bukowski. Oh CHARLES.)

Epic Failure

I've got nothing.
No Ten on Tuesday on Wednesday. No What I Wore. No Joy of Love photos. 


Want to know why? Because my entire family got our asses kicked by evil, EVIL germs. 


Want to know what sucks? Having a sick kid, a sick husband and a sick self ALL AT THE SAME TIME. 


Childless singles out there, cherish each sick day you get to take lying down. ALL I wanted to do was stay in bed and sleep. 
But I didn't. I worked. I took care of the family. I didn't exercise. I gained back every single pound I've ever lost. I binged on chips and coconut M&Ms. 


I gross myself out. I am stressed and tired. I don't 'get' my new bible study. 


I feel lost. I am on antibiotics. I am being summoned by a whiny almost-three-year-old for whom I need to plan a birthday party. 


Fuck. 

First Mobile Post

Brian is off running errands and I'm letting Milo dig through his cars before I bring him upstairs for his second steam of the day. Poor kid is terribly congested . And it seems that we all tend to get sick at once.
I feel AWFUL.
Happy Fri.

I hope the bubbles work.

Facebook Sucks It

So, Facebook was cool for a while when I got back in touch with 'friends' from high school. And my Minnesota homies that I was worried I would lose touch with. 


And now, it mostly serves as a reminder that those people really WEREN'T my friends, and that there are oodles of events and crap that I am NOT invited to or included in. 
It also reminds me that my extended family is torn to shreds (people will be people-this isn't me accusing anyone). 
It reminds me that my baby sister is still alive. 
It reminds me that a lot of life is a popularity contest that I am not too interested in winning, but one in which I continue to participate. 


So there, Mark Zuckerberg. If I ever meet you in person, I will probably punch you in the jujunum. 

The Second on the Third

My mom and I on my wedding day

Yesterday was my mother's birthday. I couldn't be with her because she lives about an hour away and there were millions of inches of snow between us. 

My mom is a complete and total individual. Hard to understand at times, but all intelligent people are. She has taught me the immeasurable value of constantly complimenting and believing in your children.

She has taught me that emotions are valid. That some people are just assholes. That sometimes you just need to smash something. 

My mom has helped me hone (what she calls) my sense of the ridiculous. Both my parents have, actually. 

I wish so very many things for my mom. I will continue to have faith that the wishes that come true in her life are her very own, because she deserves them. 

LOVE YOU MOMMY!!!!

SNOWAPALOOZA!!!!!

Unless you have been sucessfully hiding from the rest of the world, you know that we got whomped by a massive snow storm last night. 


Mr. Smith didn't go to work today because... well I will just show you:

At the end of the walk

In front of our door. 

Across the parking lot

Someone's back door. Sucks to be them.

He is standing in snow up to his waist.

Is one of my eyes bigger than the other one? my whole face is crooked, dammit. 

This one had fun playing in the show, but only inside the little hallway leading up to our building. You can see him in the second photo. It was rather windy and he didn't like that, but he LOVED the snow. 

I carried Milo out to where Brian was trying to uncover our cars. I walked along the front of the building and through drifts ranging from boot-deep to ankle-deep to knee-deep. Did I mention that I was carrying around 30 extra pounds of child? 

Whew. 

Hopefully the wind will stop in the next couple days, so we can go play. 

Joy Of Love Days 1 and 2

I am a little intimidated by this online class. I have no idea how to use my camera beyond the manual settings and am terrified of not finding time to learn. the idea is to learn more about how to use the damn camera and to document those I love. 

So, in the spirit of true laziness and fear, I am doing days 1 and 2 together. 

Day 1 was: What they DO

*photo removed at husband's request* I will get another one and post it at some point today. He tried to leave for work and could barely get out the door, so we're going to hang out in our pjs today.

today, this is what my love will be doing (well not, the ONLY thing he will be doing). Playing video games!

We are snowed in so we'll have some family time together. 

Day 2: How They Look:

Yep, that's him. 

I have downloaded the pdf of my camera's manual to my phone, so hopefully I will have a chance to read it and learn something. In the meantime...here you go. 

A Quick Ten on Tuesday

1. What is your favorite childhood memory?
The excitement of coming home on Christmas Eve after going to my grandparents' house. We would be all jazzed from seeing everyone and knowing that Santa was coming. 2. What is your favorite quality about yourself?
I am really quite good at seeing the good in people. This sometimes works to my detriment, though. 3. What is your favorite thing that your child does?
He is so loving-when he says 'I love you Mommy.' spontaneously. 4. What is your favorite thing to do to relax?
Read. Quiet. Bath. Pedicure. 5. What is your favorite restaurant? And what is your favorite thing on the menu?
Right now (and this seems so lame) it is PF Chang's Szechuan Chicken Flatbread. The restaurant is pretty close to my store and ordering that to go is rather convenient and SO TASTY...I don't even want to KNOW how many calories are in there. 6. What is your favorite piece of jewelry (besides your wedding ring)?
the Tiffany cross my husband bought for me before our wedding. 7. What is your favorite night of the week M-TH? And why?
Ugh...none of these, really. Because I don't know when I will be working8. What is your favorite dessert?
Creme brulee9. What is your favorite item in your make-up bag?
I have three that I use all the time...concealer, bronzer and mascara10. What is your favorite smell?
Fresh toast. Love it. Wish I could bottle it.