I've been slacking in lots of departments lately, the exercise one included. It was a warm evening, a good night to get out and stretch my limbs down at Castle Island.
As I was strolling, I came across a family having a minor meltdown, which is likely to happen in the summer heat after a long day. The mother held her toddler daughter in her arms as the little one wiped furiously at her face, red hot tears matting her hair down. They appeared to be in a standoff, staring across the boardwalk at dad and who must've been her twin brother, since they were the same size and, sadly, seemed to have the same haircut too. She, though, was in a dress and he had on the requisite blue outfit. You could tell that some sort of hitting or pinching fight had just transpired...
... and it reminded me of a conversation I've had within the past year or two with one of my friends. A story was being told about a brother and sister duo who are twins, and one of my brilliant friends asked, "Are they identical?"
Read that last line again if you must.
Um, NO, one has a penis and one has a vagina.
"Oh, ha, yeah I guess that make sense. But explain to me again how twins happen?"
If one little eggy splits in two, they are identical... if there's more than one little eggy...
"Oh, right..."
I wish I could remember who it was because, I'd like to a) harrass them about it again now and b) thank them for providing a much needed giggle after a trying day.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
held onto it
Summertime thunderstorms. Nothing like 'em. The air gets so hot and juicy, then sizzles itself into an uproar and downpour. During the day, a great work distraction. At night, a fantastic, romantic light show.
Today we had our first bout of the season, just before work let out, so that when I left for the day the sidewalks were no longer steaming hot and the air was almost refreshing after the stifling air of my lunchtime sun bath.
One of my favorite summer memories is of a thunderstorm the summer before Junior year of high school. Nicole and I had been stuck at her house all day having aimed to make it to the beach, but were lulled by the heat into soap-watching in the A/C. Having given up on the neverending saga of Luke and Laura (for the day), we wandered around the house pestering her mom into entertaining us somehow. Take us to the mall? Not going out in the traffic. Bake cookies? Too hot.
Suddenly, a breeze picked up. The sky got dark. Here was our entertainment! We leaned out the windows and gazed upwards. Big, fat drops splatted on the driveway, a couple at first, here and there. The leaves on the trees were twisting round and flaunting their pale green undersides. Then the skies gushed.
Just as fast as the storm had rolled in, Nicole had me by the hand, dragging me outside. We kicked off our Keds at the door and ran up her driveway. It had rained so hard, so quickly that puddles were already forming and streams were running down the side of the road to the gutters. We jumped and splashed and squealed and kicked and laughed - laughed with sheer glee - through the end of the storm, ignoring the choruses of "Jesus, girls, really!," coming from the house.
It was one of those moments that you begged yourself to hold onto, to enjoy as the kid you really still were, because you were on the cusp of being too cool for everything of the sort. Hanging with the older kids and partying and driving around in cars with your newly-licensed friends and worrying about kissing boys and not being seen as a little girl anymore was all-consuming. There wasn't time for silliness anymore, friends might not think you could cut it in the big leagues.
Except when moments like this presented itself, with one of your best friends out of the gaggle, who was on the same page as far as taking high school by storm, but, like you, peeked back over her shoulder every now and then and wanted it all to be easy and uncomplicated again. Who thought maybe there was something to that notion of not trying to grow up too fast, which at that tender age just couldn't admit to.
I'll never forget that day with Nicole. After jumping and laughing ourselves into a breathless tizzy, we held hands, peering up into the sky, letting the rain soak us through and drop into our mouths. And reveled in the sheer giddiness of being a kid... on the verge of not.
Today we had our first bout of the season, just before work let out, so that when I left for the day the sidewalks were no longer steaming hot and the air was almost refreshing after the stifling air of my lunchtime sun bath.
One of my favorite summer memories is of a thunderstorm the summer before Junior year of high school. Nicole and I had been stuck at her house all day having aimed to make it to the beach, but were lulled by the heat into soap-watching in the A/C. Having given up on the neverending saga of Luke and Laura (for the day), we wandered around the house pestering her mom into entertaining us somehow. Take us to the mall? Not going out in the traffic. Bake cookies? Too hot.
Suddenly, a breeze picked up. The sky got dark. Here was our entertainment! We leaned out the windows and gazed upwards. Big, fat drops splatted on the driveway, a couple at first, here and there. The leaves on the trees were twisting round and flaunting their pale green undersides. Then the skies gushed.
Just as fast as the storm had rolled in, Nicole had me by the hand, dragging me outside. We kicked off our Keds at the door and ran up her driveway. It had rained so hard, so quickly that puddles were already forming and streams were running down the side of the road to the gutters. We jumped and splashed and squealed and kicked and laughed - laughed with sheer glee - through the end of the storm, ignoring the choruses of "Jesus, girls, really!," coming from the house.
It was one of those moments that you begged yourself to hold onto, to enjoy as the kid you really still were, because you were on the cusp of being too cool for everything of the sort. Hanging with the older kids and partying and driving around in cars with your newly-licensed friends and worrying about kissing boys and not being seen as a little girl anymore was all-consuming. There wasn't time for silliness anymore, friends might not think you could cut it in the big leagues.
Except when moments like this presented itself, with one of your best friends out of the gaggle, who was on the same page as far as taking high school by storm, but, like you, peeked back over her shoulder every now and then and wanted it all to be easy and uncomplicated again. Who thought maybe there was something to that notion of not trying to grow up too fast, which at that tender age just couldn't admit to.
I'll never forget that day with Nicole. After jumping and laughing ourselves into a breathless tizzy, we held hands, peering up into the sky, letting the rain soak us through and drop into our mouths. And reveled in the sheer giddiness of being a kid... on the verge of not.
Monday, June 12, 2006
back to ack
This picture was taken on the coldest , bitterest (not sure if that's a word but only proves the extreme absurdity of the temperature) day of the year on the highspeed ferry to Nantucket. It's a "production still" - Michael and I made a cameo appearance in a movie being filmed by the London Film School. The shot consisted of us walking (or skating for the sheer ice coating) out across the deck of the boat, gazing out at the horizon, turning lovingly towards each other, locking lips and then skating back across the deck.
Yep, we got up at 5 a.m. to drive down to the Cape and hop on the ferry in order to freeze our buns off for productions stills and copies of the dvd (still waiting on those). And the experience, of course!
As we pulled into the harbor, I longingly pointed out some of the places I've come to know and love over the fifteen years I've been visiting the island, thanks to my dearest Eliza. Most of them were closed for the season, but I could see Michael working up the mental images of "hot fun in the summertime, " having never been before. We didn't even step foot on the island before we were highspeeding it back to Hyannis, with the visions of summer tempting us to come back.
We're headed back to Nantucket this weekend for Film Festival to do some networking and maybe a little hobnobbing. Also to check out Eliza's latest accomplishment - the design of the newly opened LoLa! A much needed, quick little getaway - work, fun, food and sun! There will be a full report of any and all celebrity sightings upon our return.
What am I going to wear?! Dressy but not overly so, hip but island-esque, hot... but chilly nights. The funny thing is that Michael will obsess more than me... I have a feeling we'll be going shopping before our departure on Saturday.
Yep, we got up at 5 a.m. to drive down to the Cape and hop on the ferry in order to freeze our buns off for productions stills and copies of the dvd (still waiting on those). And the experience, of course!
As we pulled into the harbor, I longingly pointed out some of the places I've come to know and love over the fifteen years I've been visiting the island, thanks to my dearest Eliza. Most of them were closed for the season, but I could see Michael working up the mental images of "hot fun in the summertime, " having never been before. We didn't even step foot on the island before we were highspeeding it back to Hyannis, with the visions of summer tempting us to come back.
We're headed back to Nantucket this weekend for Film Festival to do some networking and maybe a little hobnobbing. Also to check out Eliza's latest accomplishment - the design of the newly opened LoLa! A much needed, quick little getaway - work, fun, food and sun! There will be a full report of any and all celebrity sightings upon our return.
What am I going to wear?! Dressy but not overly so, hip but island-esque, hot... but chilly nights. The funny thing is that Michael will obsess more than me... I have a feeling we'll be going shopping before our departure on Saturday.
competing priorities
First, read Lala's last two posts here.
Make sure to read the comments under "Cake or Pie?"
So as I get the the bottom of the latest post, I call Laura and berate, "Um, hello?"
And she said, "What, pie?"
"Um, nooooo. Something a little more exciting than pie! Which, by the way, is still just wrong."
"Ice cream cake just ruined it for me. And all the bad frostings..."
"But, even bad can be good, and all the soft chocolately goodness... YOUR MOTHER IS ENGAGED?!"
Make sure to read the comments under "Cake or Pie?"
So as I get the the bottom of the latest post, I call Laura and berate, "Um, hello?"
And she said, "What, pie?"
"Um, nooooo. Something a little more exciting than pie! Which, by the way, is still just wrong."
"Ice cream cake just ruined it for me. And all the bad frostings..."
"But, even bad can be good, and all the soft chocolately goodness... YOUR MOTHER IS ENGAGED?!"
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
casey love
Does it get cuter than this? Only in real life.
I babysat my little nephew tonight, for a mere two hours. Not enough time to drink in all his smiles and giggles and sweet baby smell and love. Not enough time at all.
I babysat my little nephew tonight, for a mere two hours. Not enough time to drink in all his smiles and giggles and sweet baby smell and love. Not enough time at all.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
personal fave
Here's my personal fave from the trip: my daily chats with my adorable nephew. I swear, and I know everyone says this about their near and dear, but he's the cutest kid alive. AND, I'm his favorite auntie.
sunset at la papaya
It's a rainy day here in South Boston and I'm hankering for another dose of this here view - the one we got every day from our villa in St. John in March. Now seems like a distant memory...
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
slack city
I've been slacking. Could it be because my work through date is March 31? It is so slow around here that the usual motivational energy is being spent on getting here before 10 a.m. and staying until 4 p.m. And trying to do something resembling work in between - which really is surfing blogs. Uh, I mean, jobs.
So it goes without saying, I don't have another job as of yet. Could it be since I have a cushion of almost three months severance that finding a job doesn't seem quite so pressing? Or that the fear of putting my self-esteem on the line to a prospective employer is paralyzing?
Or perhaps it is because I leave on Sunday for a weeks vacation in St. John at this lovely little getaway with my family and Miguel?
Things that make you go hmmmm...
In an effort to get something posted, here are some sure bets about what will go down on vacation:
1. My parents will see my tattoo! The one I got 9 years ago this August! There is a reason they haven't seen it yet (namely because that would make me, their baby girl!, a hussy) but no way I'm traipsing around St. John in a one-piece. Hopefully they serve cocktails on the ferry so they'll be properly buzzed up during the unveiling at the villa's pool.
2. Speaking of bathing suits, Miguel (sounds more tropical-island appropriate that way, doesn't it?) wants to get what he refers to as a boing-loin. He says it is just for an icebreaker at the pool, but we all know he will be strutting his stuff in it all week.
3. That is, if we can get him on the plane. The emergency-landing nightmares officially started this morning.
4. We were going to go here for dinner because they not only have great food, but the best sunset viewing on the island. However, they don't allow people under the age of 5. Watch Liz try to sneak Casey in in her purse. And then sweet talk the manager into believing he is the most well-behaved 6 month old in the world. (He is).
5. The villa is comprised of a main house for the "adults" and an efficiency apartment with two bedrooms for the "kids" to share - Sara, Michael and I . Guess who my parents think I'm rooming with? Guess what?
6. Beach
7. Delicious Fruity Cocktails
8. Beach and more Beach
9. I'm going to treat myself to a little massage. Hey, I'm under a lot of job-hunting stress!
10. Sand in the bum
11. We're going to get mom her first ever pedicure
12. Beaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaach
13. Jewelry shopping!
14. Mom will chase me around with sunscreen like when I was a mere babe
Whoops... it is now after 4:30 and my time here for today has expired...
So it goes without saying, I don't have another job as of yet. Could it be since I have a cushion of almost three months severance that finding a job doesn't seem quite so pressing? Or that the fear of putting my self-esteem on the line to a prospective employer is paralyzing?
Or perhaps it is because I leave on Sunday for a weeks vacation in St. John at this lovely little getaway with my family and Miguel?
Things that make you go hmmmm...
In an effort to get something posted, here are some sure bets about what will go down on vacation:
1. My parents will see my tattoo! The one I got 9 years ago this August! There is a reason they haven't seen it yet (namely because that would make me, their baby girl!, a hussy) but no way I'm traipsing around St. John in a one-piece. Hopefully they serve cocktails on the ferry so they'll be properly buzzed up during the unveiling at the villa's pool.
2. Speaking of bathing suits, Miguel (sounds more tropical-island appropriate that way, doesn't it?) wants to get what he refers to as a boing-loin. He says it is just for an icebreaker at the pool, but we all know he will be strutting his stuff in it all week.
3. That is, if we can get him on the plane. The emergency-landing nightmares officially started this morning.
4. We were going to go here for dinner because they not only have great food, but the best sunset viewing on the island. However, they don't allow people under the age of 5. Watch Liz try to sneak Casey in in her purse. And then sweet talk the manager into believing he is the most well-behaved 6 month old in the world. (He is).
5. The villa is comprised of a main house for the "adults" and an efficiency apartment with two bedrooms for the "kids" to share - Sara, Michael and I . Guess who my parents think I'm rooming with? Guess what?
6. Beach
7. Delicious Fruity Cocktails
8. Beach and more Beach
9. I'm going to treat myself to a little massage. Hey, I'm under a lot of job-hunting stress!
10. Sand in the bum
11. We're going to get mom her first ever pedicure
12. Beaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaach
13. Jewelry shopping!
14. Mom will chase me around with sunscreen like when I was a mere babe
Whoops... it is now after 4:30 and my time here for today has expired...
Friday, February 24, 2006
sox preview
This made me anxious. Excited, but more so anxious. Who are these people? Where are my boys?? Aaaaaaah!
Old faces, new uniforms
Hello, my name is ...
Old faces, new uniforms
Hello, my name is ...
Thursday, February 16, 2006
going, going, going up
We have bad elevator politics going on in my building.
I need to set this up by saying that our elevator is the. slowest. one. in the WORLD. There are only six floors in my building and between waiting downstairs for one to arrive and the trip up, it could literally take 10 minutes. At my old job, I could go from the lobby to the 21st floor in less time than it takes to get to the second floor here. No joke.
And they're forever breaking down. You know you're in danger and which one to avoid for a couple days when they begin to shake. To make matters worse as the breakdown nears, the doors will take many excrutiating moments to open as the gears jostle to engage. Once a week you'll hear the alarm bell being rung by some poor soul who probably doesn't realize they're not really stuck, the doors are just taking their sweet ass time to open.
All this to say that there are folks who work on the second floor who wait around and take the elevator. They can see that the elevator is currently on the 6th floor and wait wait wait. They could've been at their desks had they taken the freaking stairs! And who wants to subject themselves to the audible groans of the other riders when we see they press the 2 button? We burn holes into the back of their head with our eyes and cast forlorn glances at each other. When the elevator doors finally close on them someone will undoubtedly remark on the lack of consideration. "I'll never get those 3 minutes back!"
It would be one thing if these people had a physical ailment preventing them from taking the stairs, but that would be an abnormally large cluster of people suffering from busted knees or asthma.
There is one guy who goes out to smoke his butt, gets a plate of sausages, fried eggs and hash browns and a giant Pepsi and then comes and waits for the elevator. Hey, buddy, put down the butt and heart attack on a plate and take the stairs. Do your body some good!
I often tell myself that maybe I should start taking the stairs to save myself the time and frustration. But that's six whole flights. I'll take the drama.
I need to set this up by saying that our elevator is the. slowest. one. in the WORLD. There are only six floors in my building and between waiting downstairs for one to arrive and the trip up, it could literally take 10 minutes. At my old job, I could go from the lobby to the 21st floor in less time than it takes to get to the second floor here. No joke.
And they're forever breaking down. You know you're in danger and which one to avoid for a couple days when they begin to shake. To make matters worse as the breakdown nears, the doors will take many excrutiating moments to open as the gears jostle to engage. Once a week you'll hear the alarm bell being rung by some poor soul who probably doesn't realize they're not really stuck, the doors are just taking their sweet ass time to open.
All this to say that there are folks who work on the second floor who wait around and take the elevator. They can see that the elevator is currently on the 6th floor and wait wait wait. They could've been at their desks had they taken the freaking stairs! And who wants to subject themselves to the audible groans of the other riders when we see they press the 2 button? We burn holes into the back of their head with our eyes and cast forlorn glances at each other. When the elevator doors finally close on them someone will undoubtedly remark on the lack of consideration. "I'll never get those 3 minutes back!"
It would be one thing if these people had a physical ailment preventing them from taking the stairs, but that would be an abnormally large cluster of people suffering from busted knees or asthma.
There is one guy who goes out to smoke his butt, gets a plate of sausages, fried eggs and hash browns and a giant Pepsi and then comes and waits for the elevator. Hey, buddy, put down the butt and heart attack on a plate and take the stairs. Do your body some good!
I often tell myself that maybe I should start taking the stairs to save myself the time and frustration. But that's six whole flights. I'll take the drama.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
mystery meat
An odd email from Tara:
"So I got home last night from the gym and right in front of my door were two packages of ground turkey and a family pack of chicken thighs. Not in a bag or anything. Just three packages sitting in front of my door. I literally had to kick it to the side to open the door. This morning it was still there.
So if you guys need any meat might want to get it while it is still there."
"So I got home last night from the gym and right in front of my door were two packages of ground turkey and a family pack of chicken thighs. Not in a bag or anything. Just three packages sitting in front of my door. I literally had to kick it to the side to open the door. This morning it was still there.
So if you guys need any meat might want to get it while it is still there."
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
today's lesson
You do not need a giant knife to cut a soft avocado.
I knew this of course*, but I already was weilding the biggie to cut my delicious chicken and apple sausages, and why dirty two knives? There were two dull thuds: one as the knife struck the pit and another as it struck the bone. The slice runs from mid-nail to the center of the pad.
Now I'm typing with one hand while elevating and applying pressure with the other.
While talking to Dad about whether or not to go to the ER, he said that I would probably live without going but would need to be careful about infection. He suggested a finger cot to keep it clean. "Or, do you have any condoms?"
"No!" a little too quickly. Hmmm, is that the right answer or the wrong one? Neither of us will ever know. The extent of my talks with dad about sex was in college when he was putting my bed together. "It should hold up. Just don't do any gymnastics on it." Right-o, Pop! Alright then, who needs a beer?
I sent Michael off to class against his protests. Since it has now been two nauseating, woozy hours and the bleeding resumes when I release pressure, he will be taking me to the emergency room after all.
I'm sure there will be many stories resulting from our trip to MGH. I can hardly wait.
*Let the record state that I am completely capable of getting around the kitchen and am not a clumsy person by nature.
I knew this of course*, but I already was weilding the biggie to cut my delicious chicken and apple sausages, and why dirty two knives? There were two dull thuds: one as the knife struck the pit and another as it struck the bone. The slice runs from mid-nail to the center of the pad.
Now I'm typing with one hand while elevating and applying pressure with the other.
While talking to Dad about whether or not to go to the ER, he said that I would probably live without going but would need to be careful about infection. He suggested a finger cot to keep it clean. "Or, do you have any condoms?"
"No!" a little too quickly. Hmmm, is that the right answer or the wrong one? Neither of us will ever know. The extent of my talks with dad about sex was in college when he was putting my bed together. "It should hold up. Just don't do any gymnastics on it." Right-o, Pop! Alright then, who needs a beer?
I sent Michael off to class against his protests. Since it has now been two nauseating, woozy hours and the bleeding resumes when I release pressure, he will be taking me to the emergency room after all.
I'm sure there will be many stories resulting from our trip to MGH. I can hardly wait.
*Let the record state that I am completely capable of getting around the kitchen and am not a clumsy person by nature.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
mumma
This picture does not do justice to my sweet Mumma... but I could not resist posting in anticipation of her upcoming 60th birthday and the antics that will ensue. Dear, lovely, unassuming, unsuspecting Jane.
WATCH OUT!!!
WATCH OUT!!!
Friday, February 03, 2006
baby cheating
I'm up in Wilmington right now, hanging with Baby G while Stiner and John have a farewell dinner with her old boss, Mr. J. He was a good boss, always taking her and John out to dinner and showering them with lavish gifts when the opportunity presented itself. Not like her last boss, who we not-so-affectionately called Boob, who used to fart audibly loud in his office and not excuse himself. Anywho...
My sister Liz called, asked me what I was doing.
Hanging out with Baby G. Christina and John went out to din-
You are!?!? (The you-are-cheating-on-your-nephew-tone doesn't ring quite as loud over the internet, but believe me, if I don't shower this kid with a million kisses when I see him on Sunday... psssht, dead).
Please note: I babysit my nephew regularly.
My sister Liz called, asked me what I was doing.
Hanging out with Baby G. Christina and John went out to din-
You are!?!? (The you-are-cheating-on-your-nephew-tone doesn't ring quite as loud over the internet, but believe me, if I don't shower this kid with a million kisses when I see him on Sunday... psssht, dead).
Please note: I babysit my nephew regularly.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
five weirdo things about me
With all of the tagging going on from Dooce’s last post, I’ve found some new blogs. In my browsing, I’ve found another little meme from Jen - which I haven’t been tagged for but will do anyway and will tag Laura and Kendra for because they’re the only other bloggers I really know.
Five weirdo things about me:
1. I don’t allow friends or siblings to wear items of clothing of mine that I have not yet worn myself. Maybe it comes from being the youngest of three and all the hand-me-downs that stem from that – something new was always very special. In December, Laura wanted to wear a cute little purple sleeveless number with a satin bow that Liz gave me for my birthday in November and I felt like a greedy jerk for saying no then, and an even bigger greedy jerk now because I still haven’t worn it.
2. I love to pluck. Eyebrows, toe hairs, chin hairs… on me, my friends, my boyfriend, whoever will let me near them wielding my favorite pointy metal tool. In fact, Michael recently had a stick (seriously, it was like ten hairs in one!) growing out of his face and he let me pluck it to quell my perverse passion. Now we’re waiting for it to grow back so I can pluck and examine it again. Maybe not so much “we”, but he knows it is coming.
3. I also like to squeeze stuff. Pimples, blackheads, ingrown hairs, whatever. He knows that is coming too. But like in the wild, those monkeys groom each other out of love. That’s what I keep telling him.
4. I like to have music playing when I’m cleaning the house, which is not so weird. The weird part is that I like it to be on loud in a room other than the one I’m cleaning. Not quietly in the same room, but loudly in another room. I don’t know where that came from or why really, I just don’t like to be right on top of the music source, and there’s something about feeling the loudness of the beat. Pump up the jam.
5. If I’m sleeping alone, I need to sleep on the side of the bed closest to the nearest wall and face it. If someone else is there, the urge is not so imminent, but still present. Who knows…
Five weirdo things about me:
1. I don’t allow friends or siblings to wear items of clothing of mine that I have not yet worn myself. Maybe it comes from being the youngest of three and all the hand-me-downs that stem from that – something new was always very special. In December, Laura wanted to wear a cute little purple sleeveless number with a satin bow that Liz gave me for my birthday in November and I felt like a greedy jerk for saying no then, and an even bigger greedy jerk now because I still haven’t worn it.
2. I love to pluck. Eyebrows, toe hairs, chin hairs… on me, my friends, my boyfriend, whoever will let me near them wielding my favorite pointy metal tool. In fact, Michael recently had a stick (seriously, it was like ten hairs in one!) growing out of his face and he let me pluck it to quell my perverse passion. Now we’re waiting for it to grow back so I can pluck and examine it again. Maybe not so much “we”, but he knows it is coming.
3. I also like to squeeze stuff. Pimples, blackheads, ingrown hairs, whatever. He knows that is coming too. But like in the wild, those monkeys groom each other out of love. That’s what I keep telling him.
4. I like to have music playing when I’m cleaning the house, which is not so weird. The weird part is that I like it to be on loud in a room other than the one I’m cleaning. Not quietly in the same room, but loudly in another room. I don’t know where that came from or why really, I just don’t like to be right on top of the music source, and there’s something about feeling the loudness of the beat. Pump up the jam.
5. If I’m sleeping alone, I need to sleep on the side of the bed closest to the nearest wall and face it. If someone else is there, the urge is not so imminent, but still present. Who knows…
my first meme
I’m kopykating this from dooce, the first blog I ever knew.
Four jobs I’ve had
1. Waitress at a café at the hoity-toity Wianno Club in Osterville, MA.
2. Sandwich maker at a cafeteria in a corporate office in the financial district in London –which lasted all of two weeks. I was a college grad for chrissakes!
3. Bartender at a wine bar in the financial district of London where my tips from customers were sometimes bottles of Veuve Cliquot. Much more my speed.
4. Assistant General Manager at a country club on the Cape whose internal politics were deranged by our cancer-ridden boss who still couldn’t break out of the miserable existence of his being and lighten freaking up. I mean, don’t you try to enjoy your last days/weeks/months/years and not wreak havoc on the lives of those around you? Especially by making every single one of your employees work on Thanksgiving when you know you’re going to lay the majority of them off 6 weeks later?
Four movies I can watch over and over
1. Sixteen Candles
2. Beautiful Girls
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas – the classic cartoon version
4. Goonies (kopykated!)
Four places I have lived
1. Princeton, MA – A sweet little house in a sweet little town in central Mass that frequents my dreams.
2. Sandwich, MA - A big house with a pool and three living rooms and the biggest bedroom I’ve ever had to make up to me for ripping me away at the volatile and tender age of 15 from the home I grew up in and all of my friends! It was very traumatic.
3. In a flat in Bayswater, London where the Egyptian landlord tried several times to grope me and even tried to lay one on me in the street… so then we skipped out and moved to Paddington with Sarah’s crazy cousin Debbie. She was a chain-smoking nurse who was so bitter about getting up early that she used to vacuum in front of our bedroom door, banging away at it.
4. South Boston, MA – home of the sloppiest St. Patrick’s Day parade going.
Four TV shows I love
1. “Oprah” – it is a blessed event to get home in time to watch it.
2. “America’s Funniest Home Videos” – tears stream down my face. Roommates watch it with me to witness the sheer delight and breathless heaving. Sounds a little sick.
3. “Scrubs”
4. “House”
Four places I’ve vacationed
1. Maui, Hawaii
2. Amsterdam, Netherlands
3. Cancun, Mexico (Spring Break baby, yeah!)
4. Dublin, Ireland
Four of my favorite dishes
1. Cheese Fondue
2. Lobster
3. Mim’s Mac and Butt (or Cheese if you please)
4. Mom’s meatball and sausages
Four sites I visit a lot
1. Dooce
2. Lala Land
3. Just me, KC
4. This Fish
Four places I would rather be right now
1. Snuggling my face into Monkey’s soft neck
2. On a walk through Hyde Park in London (kopykated!)
3. In St. John – 6 weeks suckas!
4. Hanging with my cutie nephew
Two people I am tagging (I need more friends with blogs!)
1. Lala
2. Kendra
Four jobs I’ve had
1. Waitress at a café at the hoity-toity Wianno Club in Osterville, MA.
2. Sandwich maker at a cafeteria in a corporate office in the financial district in London –which lasted all of two weeks. I was a college grad for chrissakes!
3. Bartender at a wine bar in the financial district of London where my tips from customers were sometimes bottles of Veuve Cliquot. Much more my speed.
4. Assistant General Manager at a country club on the Cape whose internal politics were deranged by our cancer-ridden boss who still couldn’t break out of the miserable existence of his being and lighten freaking up. I mean, don’t you try to enjoy your last days/weeks/months/years and not wreak havoc on the lives of those around you? Especially by making every single one of your employees work on Thanksgiving when you know you’re going to lay the majority of them off 6 weeks later?
Four movies I can watch over and over
1. Sixteen Candles
2. Beautiful Girls
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas – the classic cartoon version
4. Goonies (kopykated!)
Four places I have lived
1. Princeton, MA – A sweet little house in a sweet little town in central Mass that frequents my dreams.
2. Sandwich, MA - A big house with a pool and three living rooms and the biggest bedroom I’ve ever had to make up to me for ripping me away at the volatile and tender age of 15 from the home I grew up in and all of my friends! It was very traumatic.
3. In a flat in Bayswater, London where the Egyptian landlord tried several times to grope me and even tried to lay one on me in the street… so then we skipped out and moved to Paddington with Sarah’s crazy cousin Debbie. She was a chain-smoking nurse who was so bitter about getting up early that she used to vacuum in front of our bedroom door, banging away at it.
4. South Boston, MA – home of the sloppiest St. Patrick’s Day parade going.
Four TV shows I love
1. “Oprah” – it is a blessed event to get home in time to watch it.
2. “America’s Funniest Home Videos” – tears stream down my face. Roommates watch it with me to witness the sheer delight and breathless heaving. Sounds a little sick.
3. “Scrubs”
4. “House”
Four places I’ve vacationed
1. Maui, Hawaii
2. Amsterdam, Netherlands
3. Cancun, Mexico (Spring Break baby, yeah!)
4. Dublin, Ireland
Four of my favorite dishes
1. Cheese Fondue
2. Lobster
3. Mim’s Mac and Butt (or Cheese if you please)
4. Mom’s meatball and sausages
Four sites I visit a lot
1. Dooce
2. Lala Land
3. Just me, KC
4. This Fish
Four places I would rather be right now
1. Snuggling my face into Monkey’s soft neck
2. On a walk through Hyde Park in London (kopykated!)
3. In St. John – 6 weeks suckas!
4. Hanging with my cutie nephew
Two people I am tagging (I need more friends with blogs!)
1. Lala
2. Kendra
Friday, January 27, 2006
taking stock
This is going to be a big year for me. Active, full of celebrations and change and all that.
Christiner and John and Baby Gianna are goin' back to Cali, Cali, Cali. Goin' back to Cali? No, I don't think so. Sigh... yes, it's true! Very, very sad to be losing them to the lure of the west coast. Hopefully they'll come back to us some day. If not, at least there will be lots of visits! Christina has been a source of charm, wit, style, creativity, boundless energy and a dear, true friend since the day we met. Those things don't change with the mere matter of distance, so thank god for email. With tears in our eyes...
My dear mum turns 60 - yes, 60!!! - in a few short weeks. There will be more on that soon.
Next up, my parents' 40th - yes, 40th!!! - wedding anniversary is in April. To celebrate, they're taking us on our first family vacation since I was a horder of Cabbage Patch Kids. Not that they didn't take us on vacation, but not all of five of us have been able to go together since those days. So the five of us, plus the special additions of my most favorite brother-in-law, my brandy-new lil nephew, my parents' best friends and my SO are high-tailing it down to St. John in March. To a villa. On the cliffs. With one of those edgeless pool thingies. And a hot tub. Overlooking the aquamarine blue water of the bay which, you know, after we get tired of swimming and snorkeling in, we can retire to the aforementioned pool/hot tub with our frosty cocktails and gaze at longingly like we weren't just there. I think I might just hate it.
In more not-fun news, they're dissolving my department at work which, frankly, is good timing as I needed some motiviation for a career change. I have my resume out there and am doing some interviewing and such. We have a work-through date of March 31st with a severance package after that, so it is nice to be able to take my time and find the right fit. Or be in complete denial and drag my feet. Whatever you want to call it.
Then... my BFF Laura is getting married to her boogerhead Ryan in September and I am her Maid of Honor! Look at me! The engagement party was a hit (except for the Pats loss to the Broncos) and we found our bridesmaid dresses two days later to boot. This summer will be busy with more wedding day details, showers, the bachelorette craziness... the party planning gears are whirring already!
Later in the year my badass Scorpio self will be turning 28 for the second time. I think a trip is in order... London anyone?
Christiner and John and Baby Gianna are goin' back to Cali, Cali, Cali. Goin' back to Cali? No, I don't think so. Sigh... yes, it's true! Very, very sad to be losing them to the lure of the west coast. Hopefully they'll come back to us some day. If not, at least there will be lots of visits! Christina has been a source of charm, wit, style, creativity, boundless energy and a dear, true friend since the day we met. Those things don't change with the mere matter of distance, so thank god for email. With tears in our eyes...
My dear mum turns 60 - yes, 60!!! - in a few short weeks. There will be more on that soon.
Next up, my parents' 40th - yes, 40th!!! - wedding anniversary is in April. To celebrate, they're taking us on our first family vacation since I was a horder of Cabbage Patch Kids. Not that they didn't take us on vacation, but not all of five of us have been able to go together since those days. So the five of us, plus the special additions of my most favorite brother-in-law, my brandy-new lil nephew, my parents' best friends and my SO are high-tailing it down to St. John in March. To a villa. On the cliffs. With one of those edgeless pool thingies. And a hot tub. Overlooking the aquamarine blue water of the bay which, you know, after we get tired of swimming and snorkeling in, we can retire to the aforementioned pool/hot tub with our frosty cocktails and gaze at longingly like we weren't just there. I think I might just hate it.
In more not-fun news, they're dissolving my department at work which, frankly, is good timing as I needed some motiviation for a career change. I have my resume out there and am doing some interviewing and such. We have a work-through date of March 31st with a severance package after that, so it is nice to be able to take my time and find the right fit. Or be in complete denial and drag my feet. Whatever you want to call it.
Then... my BFF Laura is getting married to her boogerhead Ryan in September and I am her Maid of Honor! Look at me! The engagement party was a hit (except for the Pats loss to the Broncos) and we found our bridesmaid dresses two days later to boot. This summer will be busy with more wedding day details, showers, the bachelorette craziness... the party planning gears are whirring already!
Later in the year my badass Scorpio self will be turning 28 for the second time. I think a trip is in order... London anyone?
thanks kendra
So Kendra went and challenged me to own up to my resolution. Aye aye aye...
I guess the part that holds me back a little is where to start. Everything I've posted here has been pretty tame so far. I've got things to say, I do! How do you make the decision to break out and say something that might offend someone or, really now, make me look like a twit, a headcase... it's the self doubt thing.
But my friends do call me "Kate the Great" so I suppose there's a reason for that.
There, another post under my belt! Now let's think of a fun one!
I guess the part that holds me back a little is where to start. Everything I've posted here has been pretty tame so far. I've got things to say, I do! How do you make the decision to break out and say something that might offend someone or, really now, make me look like a twit, a headcase... it's the self doubt thing.
But my friends do call me "Kate the Great" so I suppose there's a reason for that.
There, another post under my belt! Now let's think of a fun one!
Friday, January 20, 2006
obligatory new year's resolution post
I don't know about everyone else, but it is not until New Year's rolls around (and then, let's face it, down around the corner when everyone is bragging about their resolution and asking if you have one) that it even occurs to me to think of one. Mine, after some pondering and hemming and hawing, was to remember to make time to do that thing I tell everyone is my "thing": write.
It has been quite a bit of time now - two months to be exact - since my last post, and 20 days since the beginning of the year. So then there's that self-defeating question of "why can't you get it together and just DO it already?" and then "psshht, not like you have to admit it to anyone."
So, all of you anonymous bloggers and readers out there - here I am, admiting my resolution, my lack of living up to it and the promise that the goal will be at least one mandatory post a week with a lofty hope to live up to three posts a week.
Hear me roar!
It has been quite a bit of time now - two months to be exact - since my last post, and 20 days since the beginning of the year. So then there's that self-defeating question of "why can't you get it together and just DO it already?" and then "psshht, not like you have to admit it to anyone."
So, all of you anonymous bloggers and readers out there - here I am, admiting my resolution, my lack of living up to it and the promise that the goal will be at least one mandatory post a week with a lofty hope to live up to three posts a week.
Hear me roar!
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