Have you ever had people who you maybe met once or twice through mutual friends and you kind of thought they were awesome and hilarious and were super-excited to find out they had a blog and now you blog-stalk them?
Yeah, me too.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Clothes
I am officially tired of all my clothes. Also, I think my clothes are officially tired of me. Everything is either too clingy for comfort right now, too baggy to look nice enough for work and/or too grungy. I realized the other day that my favorite green sweater is starting to pill over the breastular region, I'm assuming partly due to my non-ergonomic desk space where sometimes the edge of my desk rubs against my chest.
I keep realizing that I've had a lot of my clothes for quite some time, which might explain why they're looking kind of raggedy. Every morning I look in the closet and spend way too long trying to find something that doesn't make me feel completely gross.
Also, it doesn't help that since I've been sick, my rock star getting back to swimming action hasn't happened. I'm still getting so winded just from walking up one flight of stairs that there's no way I can swim laps. Hopefully I can swim next week, but in the meantime I'm feeling all overweight and bulgey.
What I really want to do is, well, A) lose 20 more pounds, but also B)toss most of what I have and start over completely to rebuild my wardrobe. Anyone want to nominate me for What Not To Wear? I am willing to wear track pants and sweatshirts exclusively for a couple of weeks if it would get me $5000 for a new wardrobe.
I keep realizing that I've had a lot of my clothes for quite some time, which might explain why they're looking kind of raggedy. Every morning I look in the closet and spend way too long trying to find something that doesn't make me feel completely gross.
Also, it doesn't help that since I've been sick, my rock star getting back to swimming action hasn't happened. I'm still getting so winded just from walking up one flight of stairs that there's no way I can swim laps. Hopefully I can swim next week, but in the meantime I'm feeling all overweight and bulgey.
What I really want to do is, well, A) lose 20 more pounds, but also B)toss most of what I have and start over completely to rebuild my wardrobe. Anyone want to nominate me for What Not To Wear? I am willing to wear track pants and sweatshirts exclusively for a couple of weeks if it would get me $5000 for a new wardrobe.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Cough, Cough
I have been ill. Knock down, drag out, Jason asking me if I was dying ill. I can't remember the last time I felt so awful. I can't remember the last time I took more than one day off of work. I took 2 1/2 days off. Scandalous!
Tuesday night was miserable. Every muscle in my body hurt. I had my herb-scented microwavable heating thing wrapped around my neck and the electric heating pad under my calves in a an attempt to make the aching stop. I felt like I was going to keel over when I stood up and the littlest activities made me huff and puff and have to hold onto nearby surfaces for support.
Today I'm back at work, but after being here for a few hours, I'm exhausted. I'm looking forward to going home and putting my jammies back on. I'm also looking forward to sleeping in again tomorrow. I will need to do work tomorrow, but I can do it in the comfort of my home, on the comfy couch.
Tiny looked completely shocked when I left for work this morning. I think he got used to me sitting in one spot on the couch with him on my legs. See, I discovered that the only way to prevent the wracking coughing fits that brought tears to my eyes and left me gasping for air was to sit completely and utterly still. That suited Tiny just fine.
Tuesday night was miserable. Every muscle in my body hurt. I had my herb-scented microwavable heating thing wrapped around my neck and the electric heating pad under my calves in a an attempt to make the aching stop. I felt like I was going to keel over when I stood up and the littlest activities made me huff and puff and have to hold onto nearby surfaces for support.
Today I'm back at work, but after being here for a few hours, I'm exhausted. I'm looking forward to going home and putting my jammies back on. I'm also looking forward to sleeping in again tomorrow. I will need to do work tomorrow, but I can do it in the comfort of my home, on the comfy couch.
Tiny looked completely shocked when I left for work this morning. I think he got used to me sitting in one spot on the couch with him on my legs. See, I discovered that the only way to prevent the wracking coughing fits that brought tears to my eyes and left me gasping for air was to sit completely and utterly still. That suited Tiny just fine.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Gardening Advice
Can anyone come up with a good reason for why I should trash my current tomato plants and start new ones in a month or so?
I started two types of tomatoes last Spring and after some trial and error and advice figured out how to make them fruit. They're still producing (I chopped up 10 tiny tomatoes and put them in a stew yesterday). Currently there are 5 or 6 green tomatoes on the plants and a whole new crop of blossoms at the top of each plant.
However, my plan has always been to scrap my current plants and start afresh this Spring, armed with my increased gardening knowledge. But they're still alive and they're still producing. Jason suggested I just cut off the dead branches and keep these plants around for another season.
These plants produce teeny tiny tomatoes, which may be a result of my not pruning them enough, or because they're growing indoors. I planted another plant outside last year and the tomatoes on that plant were about twice the size as those from the indoor plants. I was kind of thinking I would tweak things this year and shoot for getting some bigger tomatoes indoors, but I don't know if I need to start all over again to do that.
I know outdoor gardeners don't really run into this issue since plants, you know, die in the winter. Any thoughts as to why I should or shouldn't keep these plants around for another season?
I started two types of tomatoes last Spring and after some trial and error and advice figured out how to make them fruit. They're still producing (I chopped up 10 tiny tomatoes and put them in a stew yesterday). Currently there are 5 or 6 green tomatoes on the plants and a whole new crop of blossoms at the top of each plant.
However, my plan has always been to scrap my current plants and start afresh this Spring, armed with my increased gardening knowledge. But they're still alive and they're still producing. Jason suggested I just cut off the dead branches and keep these plants around for another season.
These plants produce teeny tiny tomatoes, which may be a result of my not pruning them enough, or because they're growing indoors. I planted another plant outside last year and the tomatoes on that plant were about twice the size as those from the indoor plants. I was kind of thinking I would tweak things this year and shoot for getting some bigger tomatoes indoors, but I don't know if I need to start all over again to do that.
I know outdoor gardeners don't really run into this issue since plants, you know, die in the winter. Any thoughts as to why I should or shouldn't keep these plants around for another season?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Girly Movies!
I recently picked up these little beauties on a trip to Costco:
The only question is, which movie do I watch tonight while Jason is at choir practice? Tough decisions.
The only question is, which movie do I watch tonight while Jason is at choir practice? Tough decisions.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Ski Utah!
Jason and I just got back from a long weekend trip to Utah courtesy of cheapo tickets from Delta. I got to see his home and also meet his grandparents who weren't able to come to our wedding. Before this trip, I had only spent about a day and a half in Utah when I flew out for the wedding of two good friends (Hi, John and Amy!).
I'm just going to put it out there that I thought then and I think now that it is kind of surreal being in a place where most everyone you meet is Mormon, especially after living in places like Chicago and New England for the past 10 years where the Mormons aren't really around in high numbers. I can see the pros and cons. For one, it would be kind of comforting and comfortable to be surrounded by people who have a similar belief system. However, I can also see how it might be very insular and limiting. Plus, as a liberal Mormon, I'm kind of atypical, particularly in Utah. And I do like diversity. I hear Salt Lake City itself is a bit more diverse.
A couple more cons: you can only get recycling service if you pay extra. Jason's parents don't and I felt wracked with guilt every time I threw away a plastic bottle. Also, you really do have to drive everywhere.* There is no walking. Although everyone could walk to church, which is about .2 miles from everyone in the wards' houses, but no one does. Jason and I walked home from church on Sunday. We're fightin' the power. Actually, he just didn't want to wait around while his parents did the post-church chatting.
More pros: it was fun hanging out with various members of Jason's family, houses are comparatively cheap, and OH MY GOSH the MOUNTAINS!
I grew up surrounded by mountains in Tucson and even though I enjoyed them, I realize now how much I took them for granted. When we were flying into Salt Lake I looked out the window of the plane and felt in awe of the mountains. That didn't go away for the entire time we were there.
I mean, seriously:
The mountains and hills of New England are lovely, but there's just something about the mountains in the west.
We ate Mexican food, went to the symphony, spent time with family and went cross-country skiing, which was a first for me. I've never done any kind of skiing. I think I look pretty awesome.
I really enjoyed it, although people are not kidding when they tell you it's hard**. We went around the trail a couple of times, and then Jason and his dad went around once more while I waited for them and enjoyed the peaceful scenery.
I also took the opportunity to practice going down the big hill at the end of the trail a few times without an audience. I say "big hill", but it was really more of a slight incline that inclined a tiny bit more than all the other inclines on the trail. But to someone who has never done any type of skiing, it was huge and I went fast and it was awesome once I got over the fear. I fell on my butt once. While I was standing still. As long as I kept moving, I was good.
On our last day, we went over to my friend Martha's house, because she happens to live in the same town as Jason's parents. Martha and I were best friends from the ages of 10-13, or thereabouts. We reconnected via email and phone about 3 years ago, but hadn't seen each other in 14 years. So Jason and I went over and had breakfast with her and met her two kids (who were very sick, but still cute). It was great to see her and catch up.
Overall, I give Utah two thumbs up.
* To everyone in Boston who thinks Providence is SO FAR AWAY, I would just like to point out that it's no further than the distance between Provo and Salt Lake.
** However, I also got really, really winded just walking up a hill on the BYU campus. Stupid high altitude!
I'm just going to put it out there that I thought then and I think now that it is kind of surreal being in a place where most everyone you meet is Mormon, especially after living in places like Chicago and New England for the past 10 years where the Mormons aren't really around in high numbers. I can see the pros and cons. For one, it would be kind of comforting and comfortable to be surrounded by people who have a similar belief system. However, I can also see how it might be very insular and limiting. Plus, as a liberal Mormon, I'm kind of atypical, particularly in Utah. And I do like diversity. I hear Salt Lake City itself is a bit more diverse.
A couple more cons: you can only get recycling service if you pay extra. Jason's parents don't and I felt wracked with guilt every time I threw away a plastic bottle. Also, you really do have to drive everywhere.* There is no walking. Although everyone could walk to church, which is about .2 miles from everyone in the wards' houses, but no one does. Jason and I walked home from church on Sunday. We're fightin' the power. Actually, he just didn't want to wait around while his parents did the post-church chatting.
More pros: it was fun hanging out with various members of Jason's family, houses are comparatively cheap, and OH MY GOSH the MOUNTAINS!
I grew up surrounded by mountains in Tucson and even though I enjoyed them, I realize now how much I took them for granted. When we were flying into Salt Lake I looked out the window of the plane and felt in awe of the mountains. That didn't go away for the entire time we were there.
I mean, seriously:
The mountains and hills of New England are lovely, but there's just something about the mountains in the west.We ate Mexican food, went to the symphony, spent time with family and went cross-country skiing, which was a first for me. I've never done any kind of skiing. I think I look pretty awesome.
I really enjoyed it, although people are not kidding when they tell you it's hard**. We went around the trail a couple of times, and then Jason and his dad went around once more while I waited for them and enjoyed the peaceful scenery.
I also took the opportunity to practice going down the big hill at the end of the trail a few times without an audience. I say "big hill", but it was really more of a slight incline that inclined a tiny bit more than all the other inclines on the trail. But to someone who has never done any type of skiing, it was huge and I went fast and it was awesome once I got over the fear. I fell on my butt once. While I was standing still. As long as I kept moving, I was good.On our last day, we went over to my friend Martha's house, because she happens to live in the same town as Jason's parents. Martha and I were best friends from the ages of 10-13, or thereabouts. We reconnected via email and phone about 3 years ago, but hadn't seen each other in 14 years. So Jason and I went over and had breakfast with her and met her two kids (who were very sick, but still cute). It was great to see her and catch up.
Overall, I give Utah two thumbs up. * To everyone in Boston who thinks Providence is SO FAR AWAY, I would just like to point out that it's no further than the distance between Provo and Salt Lake.
** However, I also got really, really winded just walking up a hill on the BYU campus. Stupid high altitude!
Friday, February 06, 2009
Absence
So I've been really busy at work and when I think about what to blog, I'm just not having any inspiration. I'm only just pithy and witty enough to come up with a mildly interesting Twitter once a day or so.
My latest news is that yesterday was my annual review. I know, I can't believe I've been there for a year already either. Overall it went very well. The head of the health care department came down from Boston and I met with him and my boss. It was a pleasant chat. They had some constructive suggestions for me, which I absolutely agreed with (I recognize that I am in no way perfect). Generally their comments were complimentary and I'm feeling more secure with the work I'm doing.
Also (another work story), on Tuesday a contract that was MY contract was finally agreed to by both parties. I started working on it probably 4 months ago and basically had to take some vague information and create a very detailed contract from scratch. Then the other side came back with their edits and I had to talk about them with the client and figure out what we could and could not accept. We went back and forth multiple times and over the course of the whole thing I only conferred with my boss a few times and each time he said "Sounds good" and that was about it. On Tuesday, the client called me and told me the other side accepted all our latest revisions. We both said "Yay!" It was really the first piece of work I saw through from beginning to end, on my own, and I feel good about the finished deal. Now I just have to hope some scary clause I may have missed doesn't come up and bite me in the a** at some later date. Fingers crossed.
My latest news is that yesterday was my annual review. I know, I can't believe I've been there for a year already either. Overall it went very well. The head of the health care department came down from Boston and I met with him and my boss. It was a pleasant chat. They had some constructive suggestions for me, which I absolutely agreed with (I recognize that I am in no way perfect). Generally their comments were complimentary and I'm feeling more secure with the work I'm doing.
Also (another work story), on Tuesday a contract that was MY contract was finally agreed to by both parties. I started working on it probably 4 months ago and basically had to take some vague information and create a very detailed contract from scratch. Then the other side came back with their edits and I had to talk about them with the client and figure out what we could and could not accept. We went back and forth multiple times and over the course of the whole thing I only conferred with my boss a few times and each time he said "Sounds good" and that was about it. On Tuesday, the client called me and told me the other side accepted all our latest revisions. We both said "Yay!" It was really the first piece of work I saw through from beginning to end, on my own, and I feel good about the finished deal. Now I just have to hope some scary clause I may have missed doesn't come up and bite me in the a** at some later date. Fingers crossed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)