Month: January 2011
Because obviously I couldn’t celebrate my birthday all in one day. My birthday is way too important to be able to fit the celebrations into one day.
Or there are so many people in my life that it’s impossible to get them all together at once.
Either way.
Anyway, I had to work on my actual birthday. I got off early however and came home and took a three hour nap. I never take naps. Once I’m up I’m usually up for the day. Apparently turning 25 has changed me though because that was not the last nap I had this week.
Anyway, I came home, took a nap, relaxed around the house and then had a nice little dinner with Joel. Perfectly relaxing.
Tuesday I worked so no real excitement there.
Yesterday was when the real celebrations began. After another luxurious two hour nap, I met up with my sister and brother-in-law and they treated Joel and I to a yummy dinner and some bowling.
It was dollar bowling night so there was about a 45 minute wait for a lane. We killed the time playing pool.*
Badly.
But we had fun. Mostly making fun of how bad we were.
In case you think I’m lying, Joel and I played against Naomi and Melvin. We won every game. Not because of any kind of skills on our part though. Every win was because of a scratch on the 8 ball or something similar. Lame. And hilarious. Thank goodness we weren’t playing for money.
We finally got a lane and then had a ton of fun bowling.
Badly.
I have mentioned before that I have no bowling skillz. I actually got what I’m pretty sure is a life time high score of 88. That included two strikes in one game. ::dies::
Joel got a high score of 130. That would be incredibly impressive if I didn’t tell you he was playing with bumpers. I’m sure he would rather you be all impressed though so I won’t mention the bumpers.
Er… oops.
For the record? My 88 was completely unassisted by bumpers. I got that practically pro score all on my own. Boo yah.
Anyway, it was a truly wonderful evening. I’m so lucky to have a sister that is one of my very best friends. I can’t get enough time with her and her hubby.
Thank you guys for a really fantastic night. Love you!
*Excuse the crappy iPhone pictures, somebody forgot the Nikon ::cough:: Joel ::cough::
Phoebe has a chair.
It’s hers.
It was given to us by some friends and ever since she discovered how to jump into it it’s been one of her favorite spots. Of course she makes her rounds on all the other furniture in the room. Including occasionally trying to walk on the coffee table (grrrr) but she tends to like the chair the best.
When we took the Christmas tree down this year we rearranged the furniture in the living room so that it’s next to the window.
Phoebe is a huge fan. Her chair? Just got so much more interesting.
Five more to go. Until 30.
Yep, that means today I’m 25.
Yipes.
I’m firmly in my mid twenties. I held onto “early twenties” even this past year. Now there’s no denying it, I’m officially mid.
Again, yipes.
Despite what all the yipes may suggest I’m actually feeling good about turning 25. I’ve been slowly but surely crossing things off my 30 by 30 list and that is exciting.
One of the most major goals (at least financially) I crossed off was traveling to India. So incredible. It was everything I was hoping it would be and so much that I never expected.
The other major one I crossed off was keeping up this blog every day last year. I’m still kind of in shock that I did it. Especially when you consider how many days I just skipped blogging (ten, by the way. Although of course you know that already. You’ve been counting right?). I tend to be an all or nothing kind of person so it shouldn’t really surprise me that skipping “just today” turns into days of nothing. I need to work on that. Anyway, sticking with things isn’t my forte so the fact that I accomplished this the first year is a big deal.
In August I halfway crossed off my goal of dying my hair something other than it’s natural color. It was my own fault for chickening out and not going for it 100%. I had her add just a little red to my natural color plus I had her only use semi-permanent hair dye. The results were less than exciting. So this time I went all out. I couldn’t be happier. That will teach me to do things halfway.
The last thing I crossed off my list this year was joining a book club. The girls I met there were so fun and I had a great time. Unfortunately life happened, people got busy and stopped showing up to meetings. So, the club stopped meeting altogether. I’m disappointed because, like I said, I felt really connected to some of the girls. On the other hand, I work so much now that I doubt I’d be able to make meetings myself now. It was good for what it was at the time. Hopefully I can get back in touch with some of the girls I was closest too. Making that one of my mini goals for this year.
So, 4 things down, 26 to go. In order to finish I should have technically crossed off 5 things from my list. I’m not too worried about it though. I’m well on my way to crossing several things off. I’ll just have to make it a point to get 6 or 7 things done this year. I’m 25 and I feel ambitious!
Other exciting news? You probably noticed the new theme. Complete with a custom header designed by the incredibly talented love of my life. I’m loving it.
And last but probably most exciting was my birthday present……
I’M FREAKING GOING TO BLOGHER!!!
I’m so excited I can barely stand it. I’m such a nerd.
So yeah, this past year was great but I expect 25 to be even better.
Now, who wants to be my Blogher roommate?
When I dyed my hair for the first time I wanted it to be striking. I loved it and it was pretty but it was basically an enhancement of my natural color. Even my mom didn’t notice a difference. I got together with my family a few days afterward and the one who said something? My brother-in-law. Then my mom and sister were all “Oh yeah, it does look different.”
Not the reaction I was looking for.
So this time I told my stylist I wanted something drastic. I wanted red. I wanted people to notice.
Mission accomplished
The cut is pretty hot too, don’t you think?
Or at least that’s what I was told my way too many people.*
I have never felt so beautiful in my life.
I could tell it was a little much for some people. That’s ok. I’m a little much for some people. But for the most part all I heard was how gorgeous it looks.
I never get called “gorgeous.” I get “cute.”
Have I talked about levels of attractive before? Well, in my mind there are levels. It’s not an exact science and, depending on who is saying it and in what context, they can move around but basically there’s:
Nice, cute, pretty, adorable etc. Then, there’s hot, beautiful, sexy and gorgeous.
In my mind calling someone gorgeous is one of the highest levels.
Cute? One of the very lowest. It’s something you’d call a puppy or a toddler. It’s definitely a compliment and I’d rather be cute than ugly. But gorgeous? Something I never saw myself as and definitely never thought others saw me that way.
But, gorgeous or not I think this color suits me. It’s fiery, as am I. I don’t want to blend into a crowd. With this hair I can’t help but stand out. It’s a statement about who and what I am. I’m not just another boring, average person.
I’m me.
And with this hair? I’m just a little more fabulous.
*I say too many because holy ego boost. It’s going to go to my head if I’m not careful.
Ok, don’t hate me. But I get it if you do because a month ago I would probably have thrown tomatoes at me for this post.
Moving on.
Remember that time I apparently swallowed demons? I couldn’t keep so much as water down. In that two days I lost 8 pounds. Afterward I had no appetite and lost a few more pounds. Then, I got sick again and lost four more pounds.
My appetite just hasn’t been the same.
Now, before I lost my immune system I was at my highest weight ever. When I was flying (and at my happiest weight) I was a good 15 pounds lighter. I hadn’t given in and bought many new clothes yet but putting on my jeans every morning required me to stretch them within an inch of their life. I’m not sure how the seams held out. It was so uncomfortable. Often I couldn’t even comfortably sit without unbuttoning my pants.
So attractive, I know. Down boys.
Obviously I was pretty unhappy with how I looked. In all honesty I was nowhere near being considered overweight but I hated how I felt and how my clothes fit. I have issues. Judge if you want.
Anyway, despite the fact that it wasn’t the healthiest way to get back down to my normal weight, I kind of love how I look now. Mostly. I still have issues.
The thing is, do you know how difficult it is to find cute, inexpensive clothes in small sizes? It’s the same problem with having absurdly tiny feet. There are just way fewer options, especially if you’re trying to shop in the clearance section.
The most frustrating thing though is the discrepancy in sizing. One place I can wear a size 5 and in the very. same. store. a 0 is too big. It’s just plain annoying. I get that brands want to make women feel good about themselves. Shouldn’t that be done by making great clothes that are well tailored rather than putting smaller numbers on bigger clothes?
As if someone is going to think, “Oh wow, even though my body looks no different I must be thinner because the tag has a smaller number on it.”
Personally I don’t care if I wear a size 0 or a 10. I just want to look good in my clothes. Mens clothes are so easy since it’s by waist measurement. Why don’t womens clothing do that? No guessing, no bullshit, just a standard size. You are how big you are and smaller, arbitrary numbers on tags don’t magically make you weigh less.
Can you tell I’ve been shopping a lot lately? I haven’t bought much though. Joel and I don’t have tons of extra money to spend. However, I need to look nice for my job and my winter wardrobe was sadly lacking in anything that wasn’t worn out and shabby looking. Or a t-shirt.
So, I search through Large after XL for the occasional Small or Medium. Then I take dozens of things into the dressing room (while Joel panics that I’m going to spend our entire paycheck) only to come out with 1 or 2 things that fit and look halfway decent.
Now, maybe if I shopped at more high end places I wouldn’t have this problem. I wouldn’t really know but it seems the cheaper the store, the bigger the sizes run. We just don’t have money to spend $20+ on shirts and $70+ on pants.
If I gained a little weight I’d probably be able to find clothes that fit me better. However, I’d be uncomfortable with how I looked. It shouldn’t be this difficult, I shouldn’t have to pick between ill fitting clothes or a body that I don’t love or money in the bank. There has to be a market for cheap, small clothes.
(and shoes? Nah, that’s asking too much)
Anyone out there have that problem or am I just a lone skinny bitch?
This morning? Holy stressfulness.
Well, actually it started last night with some work stuff so I already had that stress on me before the morning started.
Anyway, this morning started off badly with the iPhone alarm glitch. Now thankfully I already knew about the glitch and set our bedside alarm clock. Still, I have a whole routine with my alarms. So, not having my different alarms go off when they usually do and instead just having one go off messed me up.
Is that completely stupid? Probably. Oh well.
Anyway, I ended up getting up almost a half hour after I originally planned on getting up. Luckily my plan gives me more than enough time to get ready but still, cutting off 30 minutes of my routine makes things pretty rushed.
I went to jump in the shower but decided I needed my eye drops first so I asked Joel to grab me my makeup bag. It’s usually in the bathroom already but since we had spent the night at my parents’ house for New Years it should have been in the backpack we brought.
It was not where it should have been.
It took about two seconds of me thinking to remember the last place I saw it was at my mother-in-law’s house.
That was when I panicked.
There was no freaking way I was going to work without makeup. Some girls are naturally beautiful and could pull that off. I? Am decidedly not one of those girls. No matter how much sleep I get I have the most horrendous dark circles under my eyes. People ask me if I’m tired when I’ve had more than enough sleep and am wearing all kinds of makeup. Without makeup? I look like I got punched in the face. Not kidding.
So call me vain but I would rather be late than go to work with no makeup.
Now, not only was I running 30 minutes behind schedule, plus however many minutes I spent looking in the pocket it should have been in in the back pack but I now thought we’d need to stop in Walgreens to pick up an entire new set of makeup.
Hello panic.
I frantically showered and while I was in the shower tried to replay my steps. I’m pretty good at locating lost items if I just have a few minutes to think.
Then I specifically remembered handing my makeup to Joel at his mom’s house and asking him to put it in the back pack so it wouldn’t get lost. For a split second murderous thoughts entered my mind but as the memory finished playing in my head I realized that I watched him put it in there.
A quick look in another pocket of the back pack confirmed my memory was correct. No super rushed trip to any drug stores for us and I made it to work exactly on time. Win!
Once I got to work I had to deal with a minor flood. Then I still had to solve the problem that caused the stress from the night before. Nothing too extreme but, considering the morning I had, it was enough to make being my normal cheery self a struggle.
Everything worked out and I did not have to work a 14 hour day. I only stayed an hour past when I was scheduled. I consider that a serious win.
So, instead of working a ridiculously long day, Joel picked me up and we went out for dinner. You better believe the first thing I ordered was this:
Pour a cosmo over cotton candy? So bad. And by bad I mean yuuuuummmmmmm.
So overall today wasn’t too bad. The start sucked but it ended on a pretty sweet note. We’ll call that a win.
So I was kind of looking forward to taking a break from posting. And yet? I’m kind of in the habit. It really doesn’t feel right to crawl into bed without posting something on this little blog.
I guess I really do love it since I’m posting even though I don’t “have” to. Not that I ever had to, I guess. But I’ve completed my goal and yet here I am up an hour past my bedtime posting. It’s official, I’m addicted.
The thing is, how could I not share this hilarious series of fortunes that Joel pulled out of his fortune cookies today?
That first one? Cracked me up. You should have seen Joel’s face when he opened it. Especially since we can’t open fortunes without playing the “…in bed” game.
You know that game right? You just add “in bed” to the end of whatever the fortune is. It makes things much funnier. And with these particular fortunes? It had Joel blushing like crazy and me with the giggles.
I kept teasing him and asking if this series of events ends with him happier in his love life because of the older, more experienced person he’s about to be attracted to. If that’s the case his current love life will definitely not be so happy and harmonious. He did not find this as hilarious as I did.
Maybe that’s a good thing. For me anyway.
I guess that’s the danger of eating so many fortune cookies. He never can eat just one. This time I’m thinking he kind of wishes he’d stopped before he started.
::giggle::