Tuesday, December 02, 2008

So long, farewell, adieu...

I've been a bad blogger. I've had this blog for a little over 2 years - I think I started in November 2006 or so...and you've probably noticed I haven't been the best about keeping up with it. Between work, and home, and an increasingly active child, I find it easier to just post a quick one line sentence about me on Facebook (friend me!!) than write a post.

So, this is goodbye. I'm not good at good byes, and I'm not a huggy person, so I'll keep this short and sweet. I've enjoyed everyone who has stopped by, and will keep up with your blogs. And as I said, friend me on Facebook!

Hoping everyone has a happy holiday (whether you celebrate Chrismas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Festivus or something else) and a healthy happy 2009....

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Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Quiz, because I'm lazy

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Marilyn!

mm.marilyn_.jpg


You are a Marilyn -- "I am affectionate and skeptical."


Marilyns are responsible, trustworthy, and value loyalty to family, friends, groups, and causes. Their personalities range broadly from reserved and timid to outspoken and confrontative.






How to Get Along with Me

  • * Be direct and clear

  • * Listen to me carefully

  • * Don't judge me for my anxiety

  • * Work things through with me

  • * Reassure me that everything is OK between us

  • * Laugh and make jokes with me

  • * Gently push me toward new experiences

  • * Try not to overreact to my overreacting.




What I Like About Being a Marilyn

  • * being committed and faithful to family and friends

  • * being responsible and hardworking

  • * being compassionate toward others

  • * having intellect and wit

  • * being a nonconformist

  • * confronting danger bravely

  • * being direct and assertive




What's Hard About Being a Marilyn

  • * the constant push and pull involved in trying to make up my mind

  • * procrastinating because of fear of failure; having little confidence in myself

  • * fearing being abandoned or taken advantage of

  • * exhausting myself by worrying and scanning for danger

  • * wishing I had a rule book at work so I could do everything right

  • * being too critical of myself when I haven't lived up to my expectations




Marilyns as Children Often

  • * are friendly, likable, and dependable, and/or sarcastic, bossy, and stubborn

  • * are anxious and hypervigilant; anticipate danger

  • * form a team of "us against them" with a best friend or parent

  • * look to groups or authorities to protect them and/or question authority and rebel

  • * are neglected or abused, come from unpredictable or alcoholic families, and/or take on the fearfulness of an overly anxious parent




Marilyns as Parents

  • * are often loving, nurturing, and have a strong sense of duty

  • * are sometimes reluctant to give their children independence

  • * worry more than most that their children will get hurt

  • * sometimes have trouble saying no and setting boundaries

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

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Sunday, October 12, 2008

Autumn in New England

Ok, so the winters suck, but weekends like this one remind me why it's nice to live here. Sometimes.







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Sunday, October 05, 2008

Some Weekend Pictures








Friday, September 26, 2008

Drive by posting

So I promise to be better about blogging, and I'm not. I should be better about getting work done at work too. Minor details.

1. $700 bln bailout? Where’s my bailout? I’m overleveraged with Citimortgage and the various credit card companies (let’s not even talk about Sallie Mae) and I’m too big to fail, so where’s my bailout? You think the local Mobil station wouldn’t suffer if I didn’t stop there every third day? Not to mention the Dunkin Donuts (even though they don’t seem to be capable of making a medium iced French Vanilla that doesn’t taste burnt and/or NOT French Vanilla).

That’s all I’m going to say about that because I don’t want to be a political blog. There are enough minefields being a mom blog (see # 3, below for additional detail). Just call me Forrest.

2. I am dreading the winter. No, not because of the increased energy costs. I’ve already warned the residents of the house that the thermostat will not be going above 65 degrees this winter. They both are warmer blooded than I so it doesn’t faze them. Me? It’s been in the 50’s a few mornings already and I’ve been freezing.

Where could I go live where there are seasons -spring, summer, fall, and maybe about a month of 50 degree weather before it starts warming back up?? And is there an insurance company there? (It doesn’t help that I was surfing the net looking for the local newspaper in my favorites folder and clicked on the Baton Rogue tv station by mistake – high that day – 86!)

3. I never thought I’d be one of “those” mommies. You know, the ones that look at another mom and pass judgment. I like to think I’m more tolerant than that – you know, live and let live? Ha. I was wrong. Last week was the first Home and School Association meeting of the new school year (Home and School is the Catholic school equivalent of the PTA I guess). Afterwards, finding ourselves without kids for the first time in a long time, a couple of the other moms and I went to Friendly’s for ice cream (it was 8PM, too late for coffee and we all had to work the next day so no pub crawl for us either!). We had a good time, laughing and joking, catching up, etc. when a family with small kids came in and ordered dinner (at 8:30. On a Wednesday night!) No words were exchanged, but it was pretty clear we were all thinking the same thing. Those kids should have been in bed.

4. And second grade is kicking our butts. Actually D’s more than mine. I’m not home in time for the homework struggles, although I did get to experience the “I’m not smart” routine last night. Fun times. I was like that in third grade – crying every night because Sister Christine hated me, I hated school, etc etc ad nauseum. I thought there would be one fun year left. But no, second grade is “hard” – there’s not enough play time. Sigh.

5. We did go to the Big E (Eastern States Exposition, all six New England states are represented). As I'm the only person in the family who likes animals, the compromise was that I got to see some of the horse show. I'm still trying to figure out where Clare came from, because when I was her age, it was all horses, all the time. None of this princess stuff for me. No sir. If I wasn't in my school uniform, I was in jeans and trying to figure out a way we could fit a horse barn in my parents backyard.

6. Powerball jackpot is $200 million. I know there have been shows about how lottery winners usually end up destitute, but I'll take my chances. Of course, I still need to buy a ticket. You have to be in it to win it! All it takes is a dollar and a dream! good luck!

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Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Still here

I'm still here - just have been in a rut this summer with work, traveling for work and trying to fit as much fun stuff as possible into the remaining time.

The travel's not over yet - I get to go to Dallas next week (and I am betting I will get stuck there since the hurricanes are lining up in the Atlantic and I have to connect through Charlotte), but once that trip is done I am pretty much done with my work travels until the end of October.

I think I was in the Marriott last week (with the inimitable Marriott smell (must be the cleaning products they use)) and it just crashed over me like a wave - I'm tired of traveling. Sure, when you first get out in the working world and get to travel new places it seems fun and glamorous, but then reality hits you in the face. You get tired of eating out all the time and just want some plain pasta with Ragu sauce (or insert your favorite comfort food here).

I am also tired of commuting but need to put my hands over my ears and say "la la la can't hear you" because that probably won't change anytime soon.

And, with all the traveling and commuting, I just feel boring. Get up, get ready, stop for coffee (which Dunkin Donuts somehow scews up 3 out of 5 days - how hard is a medium iced french vanilla, regular, to make correctly anyway?), drive, train, work, discuss politics (tired of that too and that's just going to get worse before it gets better), reverse commute...lather rinse repeat.

Boring. But still here. I'll try to be better once I get back from Texas.

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Friday, July 11, 2008

On the road again

I will post about my awesome 4th of July cake (courtesy of Pioneer Woman , who completely makes me want to quit my job, find a cowboy and move to a big square state and just cook and take pictures of my kids (I know, plural!)) but I’ve been busy.

June is a hugely busy month for the two agencies I manage (so much so that D thinks I have a second family in the Philly area) and add to that the fact that we’re supposed to audit a different agency once a year (thank you Mr Sarbannes & Mr. Oxley), I’ve been doing some traveling. I don’t mind, in fact I’m building up my bank of Marriott points so we can go away for a weekend this fall (almost have enough for two nights in Bahstahn! In a one bedroom at the Marriott vacation club!).

This past week I left for Denver. I love Denver. If Denver were closer to the ocean, I’d move in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, it’s not. I was hoping to time this trip so D and C could come with me and we could spend a long weekend, but the dates just didn’t work out this time (don’t worry, I’ve already started campaigning for the same audit next year).

So. I left bright and early Tuesday morning for Denver. Of course, leaving from our airport means you take the scenic route (ie. there’s a stopover somewhere) – I got to spend three hours in the Cincinnati KY airport (no, that’s not a mistake – it’s called Cincinnati airport but it’s actually located in Kentucky. Do I get to count both states for my “States I’ve been” map?). It’s actually a nice airport.

The flight from CVG to Denver left on time. I lucked out and there was no one in the middle seat of the row I was in (this will come in handy later, trust me). Flying time to Denver is only a little over two hours so I should be at the hotel and able to enjoy some time just wandering around.

Until the pilot comes on the PA and announces that there are thunderstorms over the Denver airport and we’ve been circling for almost an hour. The storms are moving to the East so we’ll “try to sneak in after them” otherwise we’ll be landing in Cheyenne. Circle. Circle. Circle some more.

Guess what? We’re landing in Cheyenne because we’re low on fuel now! And we’re fifth in line for refueling. Guess we’re gonna be here for awhile. The flight attendants just gave up and let everyone serve themselves, there was a mad dash for the lavatories, the headsets which were two dollars an hour and a half ago were now free (the better to watch the movie they were showing (Drillbit Taylor. Does that count as cruel and unusual punishment?).

Eventually we arrived in Denver. I checked into the hotel, ordered room service and went to bed.

Luckily the flights home were both on time and uneventful (although packed).

I think I’m traveling at least once a month from now through the end of October. It’s hard work supporting two families!

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