Update of months!

Are you pretty sure I'm dead?  You're wrong.

I'm alive, still looking for a new job, still hating my current one (even more now), still loving my boyfriend, still waiting on that ring ;), still as beautiful as ever.


What has been my life for the last couple of months?
Well... in recent weeks, we've been gifted a brand new king size bed and a kitchen-aid stand mixer.  Amazing, right?
The bed is wonderful.. we're still breaking it in - do you know you're supposed to rotate a mattress every 2 weeks while breaking it in?  Well, it's important, after the first 2 weeks there was an obvious difference once we rotated it.  We're making our second rotation this weekend.  King size sheets are not cheap, btw.

We've yet to use the stand mixer, but I figure once fall/winter rolls around and we're using the grill less, we'll have time to make some pizza dough and yummy sticky lemon rolls!  God, I love pinterest.

I've joined 2 fantasy football leagues, this is my first year ever playing FF.  So far, I'm 0-2 on one league and 1-1 on the other.  I lost week 1 on both leagues.. BUT, I've since brushed up on WTF I'm doing, so... I have high hopes for the weeks to come.

We watched season 6 of Dexter!

We booked our trip, using the first class tickets that Steve won at his Christmas party last year.  We're headed to Cancun at the end of January!

I joined Curves.  I've gone once, been a member for 18 days.  While I really want to shed some of this weight, I'm really not digging Curves after my first workout, and I'm sure I'll get over it if I just go.  The first, and only time I went, it was old ladies talking about flax seed recipes.  It just made me feel really old, and not in-my-30's old, but like straight up 70's old.  I almost went again yesterday, but... came up with an excuse to go home.  My bag is in the car, hopefully tonight.  I'll never know if they talk about anything besides flax seed unless I go find out, right?!

My niece turned 5 in July - have I told you that?  My little brother is going to be 1 next month!

I went to the Minnesota State fair and didn't eat as much as I normally do - so good and bad I suppose.

OMG - how could I forget this?!  I was driving home one day a few weeks ago and on the side of the road stood the HITCHHIKER!  For those that are new around here, follow the link and read up on hitchhiker boy.  If my blog serves me correctly, I haven't seen him since 2010 - WOWZA!  I'm beside myself knowing he is still alive, and hitchin'.  I called Bob right away to tell him about it, but he wasn't quite as excited as I was.  Not sure if I should be happy or sad that he's still a hitchhiker... I had big dreams for him, as I'm sure he did too!

Enjoyed a relaxing Labor Day weekend.

Took a door off our storage room in the basement and we're going to use it to make a headboard... I've failed to take before pictures, but I'll be sure to post some pictures once it's finished.

I photographed a wedding this past weekend!

Steve and I started Kettlebells last Wednesday - I was super sore all day Thursday and Friday!  I can't wait to do it again - we're all signed up for once a week until Jan 9th, 2013!  Shit will kick your ass, lemme tell ya!

I'm probably forgetting a few things, but I think that covers it.

Random v12.3

******So I've been watching this show, Smash, on NBC - I'm sure you've heard of it and if you haven't you need to crawl out from under your rock and live a little.  Anywhos ~ at first I was all: meh, I'm not sure if I like this show... it's pretty meh.  For some reason, I kept watching... having the same feelings...I know sometimes it takes a few episodes for a show to get rolling.
Enter the threat of an affair... I'm instantly hooked.  Why?  I have no idea.  The story line as it pertains to the affair is the number one reason I'm still watching - that and the two leading ladies - now that drugs are involved and potential for the lead being up for grabs.
I think it's kind of messed up that I'm enjoying the show more now that there is an affair... don't you?******

{via}

*****I don't know how to do my own make-up.  I'm going to be in 2 weddings within the next 4 months and I have no idea how to do my own make-up.  Sure I can put on eyeliner and blush and all the right stuff... I just don't know how to make it look any different than one way.  I see pins on Pinterest and want to be able to do some of them... I end up looking like a clown.  It's like the Pin fail sites that are coming out, but rather than messed up recipes and crafts, it's my face!  The smokey eye look... don't even get me started (cause I'll look like a emo clown when it's all said and done).*****

****I'm in the process of planning shit again - 2 bachelorette parties and 2 vacations (NYC and Chicago) with the boy.  I'll bet you can imagine I'll be voicing some frustration with those.  The bach parties so far are mixed - one is going perfect, the other.. not so much.  I began to think it was just me, maybe I'm a hard person to plan with?  Until one of the girls from the difficult planning party told me that the other girls are the 'issue' and really it's not life or death - it's not going to make me hold a grudge against the girls, it's just lack of communication.  To me, if you're planning something with many people you need to, kind of, over-communicate.  Make sure you're all on the same page with tasks, money, etc. - apparently not everyone thinks this way.  Oh well, I bet I'll get over it once it's all said and done.****

{via}

***Steve and I are just over the 3rd cold we've had this 'winter' - I tell you what... I've gone many years without being sick... I guess this year is making up for it.  During such a mild winter too.  We've had practically no snow this winter - it's march and we've hit 80° already.  Been in the 70's many times... it's absolutely nuts.***

**I've signed up for a Kettlebells class starting in April.  I'm anxious, excited, and nervous.**

*Steve and I have several dates on the calendar for Twins games already!  Even though there are many names on our roster that I do not know anymore... I'm still hoping for some good outdoor baseball!  You have to remember this is the 3rd season we've been back to outdoor baseball - before that the Twins played at the Metrodome - for almost 30 years!!*

Ode to Jersey Shore

I don't normally blog on the weekends because I have a lot going on and I want to spend time with boyfriend, but I have a few moments today and I have something to blog about.

How many of you watch Jersey Shore?  How many of you are obsessed with it like I am?  I seriously cannot get enough of that show.

So this past Thursday was the premiere of the 3rd season of this train wreck of a show.  Trust me, I know it's bad.  I know that I shouldn't like it, but I love it.  I'm so excited to see where this season goes - this new chick - she's bonkers, but so was Snooki the first episode of the first season... so she'll figure it out.
I really hope that someone, whomever, beats Sammi's ass into submission.  Why waste your time coming back to the show just to sit on your bed and only talk to your boyfriend, whom you don't even get along with in the first place?!  Oh... yeah... maybe the money has something to do with it.  I suppose I'd do it too for a quick hundred thousand!

Anyhow - thoughts on the show?  Do you love it?  hate it?  love to hate it?

Random v.10.9

Can you believe it's been since May that I've posted a blog with a random title?!  Last year in June I was up to volume 12 of randomness.  I'm kind of disappointed in myself.  Not enough to care though ;)

I had to do some manual labor yesterday, which I'm not entirely opposed to, because I am capable of doing it.  The sucky part is what that labor is.  I had to count hardware (nuts, bolts, screws, oh my!)  Ugh.  Inventory at my work sucks balls.  It ruins my nails and hurts my hands like you wouldn't believe.  Plus the boys here are so unorganized, I spend half my time re-organizing, only to have it destroyed again within a few weeks.
Crap.  The point was not to bitch about that... the point was that I was away from my desk all day aka away from my Google reader all day.  I came into work this morning to 35 unread in my reader!  WTF are you guys doing to me?  Maybe its my own fault for following so many blogs?!  Either way... I'm working my way through peeps, I hate having unread things in my reader!

As of late, I'm constantly paranoid about getting a migraine.  These stupid things have taken over my life, even though I haven't had one since the end of May (knock on wood, please), I think about them all the time.  {PS. I love google docs, its a friendly place for me to keep track of my migraines}

TV
Big Brother - it's begun.  It's my summer love - so far I don't know who I want to win.  Hell, I don't even know who I want to make it one more week.
Breaking Bad - Thanks to Tivo, I only have the season finale left to watch.  Does anybody else watch this show?  It's simply amazing.  If you're going to start watching it, start with season one... the character development is unbelievable.
Jersey Shore - is going to start soon... I'm such a sucker for this ridiculous show.  Their way of life intrigues me.
Glee - So late on this one... but I just finished the first half of season one.  I don't know how this aired on TV, but on DVD they have released what is called "Glee: Season 1: Volume 1" which consists of 4 discs.  However just looking that up on Netflix it appears they are releasing discs 5-6-7 in September that will be part of Season 1: Volume 1.  Then Season 1: Volume 2 has an unknown release date. I'm very confused.  Either way, I'm obsessed with this show.  I love it more than words can describe.  I should look it up on Hulu and see if I can get caught up that way; anyone else know of a way to watch Glee for free to get caught up?

I'm in love with my new phone.

This weekend is the Worldwide PhotoWalk - it's not too late to sign up for your city.

This weekend my baby niece is being baptized.  She is a little angel.  I love her.

On Wednesday night I leave for Duluth, on Thursday morning we will journey from Duluth to Bayfield, WI where we will take a ferry over to Madeline Island until Sunday.  I can't wait to be there again for a long weekend.  I love that place.  Oh, happy days!

That's it for now.

The Buried Life

"What do you want to do before you die?"

A little while back, I read a Facebook status post from my friend, Krysten, saying something about this new show on MTV called The Buried Life.  I had seen commercials and thought it looked interesting, but figured I'd never watch it.  Upon seeing her post I thought I should set up my Tivo to record it... so I did.  Now, 2 months after the show first aired, I have finally watched some of it... and I LOVE it!

The premise of the show is very simple: 4 guys have set out on a mission to cross 100 things off a list of things they want to do before they die.  For each thing they attempt to cross of their list, they help a stranger cross something off their list.
Their list is, so far, full of fun/funny and neat things... and they things they help strangers with are touching and moving (raising money to buy a computer for a classroom, helping a blind man ride a horse again).  It's a complete feel good show mixed with a bit of humor while the guys attempt to cross of their items (attend a party at the Playboy mansion, tell a joke on late night TV, ask out the girl of your dreams).  It helps that they're not douche bags either.

I watched all the episodes last night only to find out that the season finale is this coming Monday, which makes me very sad.  The entire time I'm watching this show I keep thinking what I would say if someone asked me

"What do you want to do before you die?"

I'm not sure I could come up with 10 attainable things, let alone 100!  My goal over the next few weeks is to come up with my own list, with the only requirement being that it must be {somewhat} within my means.  At this point it's a developing list, so I don't care if it starts off as 1 or 10 things... I just want to do it!

What about you: "What do you want to do before you die?"

Weeds: Season 5 {**SPOILERS**}

Shannon, Dawn, and anyone else who hasn't watched ALL of Season 5 - DO NOT READ THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE!!!  Literally every. last. second.


Weeds... oh, Weeds!
So, I got through the season in just over a weeks time... turns out joining a gym and having a boyfriend takes up a lot of time.

I think, for any Weeds lover, it's safe to say that Nancy Botwin is absolutely something else, right?!  Not only is Mary-Louise Parker an amazing actress, the writers have written a character that is so out there that any of us would aspire to be her but have little to no interest in living her actual life.  

That's how I feel anyhow.

I've spent hours trying to write this blog and I have two sitting in draft form because I cannot decide the best way to talk about S5.  I've tried to recap, but there is way too much to keep it short.  I've tried to take time to spell out the important details, even if it does get long.  I just don't know what to say, there is so much to tell.  So I'm just going to type, and I'm going to be honest and whatever comes out is what you get.  

I think the best place to start is the jaw-dropping finale.  However, to do that, I feel like you need some character background, which gets into details... fuck it, I'm just going to type.

Last Episode: Nancy has enlisted Guillermo to kill Pilar, but it has to happen tonight.  Pilar has basically cut Esteban's balls off and Nancy wants her out of their lives.  Nancy and Esteban attend a party, which Pilar has instructed Nancy to leave {with a headache} after a period of time.  Upon Nancy's exit, Pilar walks outside with her while explaining that Guillermo works for her (Pilar) and she (Nancy) is way out of her league.  She goes on about how Shane and Silas will be the ones to pay for Nancy's mistake.  As they're talking, you see Pilar get whacked upside the head and fly into the pool they are standing next to, left for dead.  Shane whacked Pilar upside the head with a croquet mallet!  

Never ever saw that coming, though, throughout the season you watch Shane's character develop into many things.  Not to mention a few seasons ago when he was talking to his dead father across the table from him.    They've done a fantastically natural job of bringing him to that point yet never making you suspect that he'd do something like that.

So what's next?  S6 is most likely going to start where this season has ended, in true Weeds fashion, so you'll have Nancy and Shane standing by the pool with Pilar's body afloat.  Obviously you clean the croquet mallet and get your boy out of there, right?  Wait though, Esteban know's Pilar left with you, who else knows?  Would Esteban even care; maybe he'd help cover your {fine} ass and keep you from getting in trouble.  What if season 6 starts with Shane in jail?!  OMG - There are so many unanswered questions...

I have literally zero words to describe the way that Weeds makes me feel.  I think it's easily the best show ever made.  I love it.  I can't say anything more, though my passion runs much deeper.

I think I'm going to start all over, from season 1 - just for good measure.  I'm so excited...

Ahhhh.... Television!

No Spoilers here folks, just some good old fashion TV talk!  Spoilers come in the next post... because I have sooo much to say!

So, I'm one of those people who openly admits that I love television.  I get sick of those people who say TV rots your brain or that they don't watch it for whatever reason.  Surely I understand if your life is just too busy... but some things you just HAVE to make time for!!  I make time for TV, because it is my source of drama, its my escape from real life, it's an easier way to follow a story (over reading, which I am just not good at).  I'm low drama on a personal level, but I feed on drama on the tube... so without further ado I would like to share some thoughts with you on this season of TV shows that I am a loyal fan of.... (thank God for Tivo).

Grey's - Generally Grey's has me on the edge of my seat, every episode throughout and wanting more, every episode at the end.  This year I feel Grey's has settled a bit and I find myself surfing the web and not paying full attention to it while it's on.  I'm not a fan of Christina and Owen, Izzie popping in and out is annoying, I miss George, the new interns need larger roles, Lexie and McSteamy are old news (so is his daughter).  I just don't feel like it's a show about doctors anymore, it's a prime-time soap opera.  I watch The Bold and The Beautiful... that plenty for me.  I won't give up yet.. but I'm bored with it.  Do some surgery, re-shape the cast, stop making everyone so whiny, and let's have some hospital drama again!  Granted, they have had some wicked cases roll into that hospital!

Private Practice - I've been watching this show since it began because I wanted to keep up with Addison, it didn't hurt that Taye Diggs was in it and it's from the same creator as Grey's.  I've loved the show, every season.  It's not one of those out of the ordinary 'that would never happen in real life' shows... it's honest to goodness real life, but not real.  I can't wait to see where this season goes, it's already been so good; how can it get better?!

Nip/Tuck - A while back I posted this blog about how I was ready to give up on Nip/Tuck.  Well, I watched a few more episodes and instantly became hooked again.  It's such an outlandish show, I can't help but watch.  Mid-season I found out it was the last season of the series... so I'm very glad I am sticking with it.  I'm curious to see how it ends, I'm hoping to won't be a Soprano's type ending that leaves everyone talking, forever; something tells me it will be though.  I'd like to Netflix all of the seasons again and slowly make my way through them, just to remember and enjoy it all over.  Maybe one day...
I will admit that once this season is over, I'll be glad to wipe an hour long show off my Tivo's 'To Do List'.


The Office - Still a great show, but with the ~month long hiatus, I've found myself moving on.  I'm hoping to get more invested since episodes are (hopefully) back up and running.  I'm excited for Jim and Pam... other than that, I really have no memory of what has happened this season.  sad.  Though I do remember "Scott's Tots" - that episode was extremely uncomfortable.  I will never give up on this show.


Desperate Housewives - I always struggle with this show because it's pretty outrageous, yet so intriguing.  Another that I've watched since episode 1, and i can't turn it off, even when they had the bad season (season 2 or 3, I think).  I love how they always have one family that is suspicious and they keep you guessing until the end, I love how every character is a real life person yet the story is unlikely, I love Lynette and Tom.  I love where every story is going and always find myself wanting a little bit more at the end.  I enjoy shows that offer a deep underlying, relationship building story - yet have each episode with it's own problem.

Last but not least, I just finished Season 5 of Weeds (again, no spoilers here) - and I must say that Weeds is probably one of the best shows ever made.  I almost want to pay my cable company extra to have Showtime... I cannot say enough how amazing this show is to me.  I don't even know words to describe it accurately.


On a side note: The Jersey Shore cast has been signed to do another reality show, in a different location.  I'm not sure how it will be, I will watch it though.  I know there will never be another Jersey Shore, so I'm not getting my hopes up.  Pauly D will be there though; I might have a crush on a Guido.  sad.


Also, The Amazing Race starts on 14Feb, Jordan and Jeff (former Big Brother players) are going to be on it.  I've never watched TAR, but I think I'll be tivo'ing this season (at least until they get kicked off, or however it works).. because Jeff is dreamy.  That, my friends, is extremely sad.


Stay Tuned for some spoilers in another post... at least about Weeds Season 5.  OMG.