1. reruns of Boston Legal.
2. a come-from-behind win for the Sox over the Rays this afternoon. nothing like a 3-run bomb from The Cap'n to put us back in the game and a two RBI triple from Nick Green to even the score! man, am i ever ready for some baseball!
3. getting a free lunch just because i attended a customer meeting. free lunch always tastes better!
4. rain. which we've been needing badly.
5. cold green grapes.
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10 Things on Your "To-Do" List
1. go through my old magazines, pull out anything i want to save for future reference and bring the issues to the recycle bin at church.
2. scan in the rest of the old family photos i have.
3. reorganize my file cabinet.
4. put my blog into a printed book format.
5. get my hair trimmed & highlighted.
6. find airfare for my trips to Connecticut in June & July.
7. watch The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum.
8. scrub my stove.
9. make sure my backup copies of my photos & music are current.
10. get my dress fitting for Alison's wedding.
i'm a day late on yesterday's, what with the being drained from sitting in the Florida sun for roughly six hours, but i really didn't want to miss March 30th's...
1. Josh's birthday. these are the times when it's so much fun to be the big sister with all kinds of interesting photos in my stash. the big 3-0 for my little bro!
2. finding out that Matsuzaka ate breakfast the same place i did yesterday morning before heading over to the game!
3. vacation day!
4. getting to see a Sox Spring Training game instead of being at work on a Monday.
5. last night's episode of Two and a Half Men which cracked me up.
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i have to wonder if the person who has over a hundred page visits to my blog since Friday--mostly rummaging through my archives--has found what they are looking for yet. with over four years of blogging under my belt, my archives are extensive, the number of blog posts in the thousands. it would probably be quicker just to ask me whatever it is you're trying to learn.
Read more...1. waking up to a morning thunderstorm. we *really* need some rain here.
2. seeing a photo of a daffodil on Em's blog (sorry, it's a private one so no link) because they always remind me of my Gram and make me smile.
3. baby Colubus monkey!
4. there was a flock of little ducklings swimming & playing in a pool at Animal Kingdom. one got distracted by a leaf or something floating on the water's surface & didn't see the rest swimming away. when he turned around & saw that he was alone, he paddled as fast as his little legs could take him. he looked like he was running on the water! so funny!
5. fireworks.
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1. having a very productive day. which means i can relax the rest of the (long!) weekend without feeling guilty. ;-)
2. knowing that i still have two more days left of my weekend.
3. finding a little something while i was out on my errands that is sure to make a friend smile. ::mysterious smile::
4. catching up on this week's Grey's. what a great episode. still mulling some parts of it over.
5. the Sox winning the Mayor's Cup!
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1. my long weekend is finally here.
2. my long weekend is finally here.
3. my long weekend is finally here.
4. my long weekend is finally here.
5. my long weekend is finally here.
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normally, i am a very tolerant person. i am laid back. i go with the flow. i can almost always tune out my surroundings.
someone in the office has been coughing all day today.
not a huge racking cough, where you fear that a spleen is going to come hurtling down the hall at any moment.
not a "regular" cough from having a cold.
not an occasional smoker's cough.
just this never-ending,
tiny
little
cough.
cough.
cough.
cough.
cough.
cough.
cough.
cough.
all. the. live! long! DAY!!
i'm sure this is some sort of karmic retribution for all those nights i would lay in bed as a kid, trying to stifle my coughing because i was sick & desperately trying to avoid the administration of cough syrup and my dad would be forced to listen to the cough.
cough.
cough.
cough.
cough.
cough.
cough.
to the point of threatening to pry my mouth open & pour the dreaded medicine down my throat to make it stop.
clear your throat.
just *cough* a real cough and get it out.
have a hard candy.
take a drink of water.
go somewhere else.
JUST STOP COUGHING BECAUSE YOU ARE DRIVING ME INSANE!!
1. so proud of Nichole who passed her Boards!
2. these little guys that (still) make me giggle with all their antics:
3. Mollie who shared this on Twitter today: Dove Dark Chocolate Promises Message of the day: "Share stories, share memories, embrace your life." -- perfectly sums up why i blog, in ten words or less!
4. nine days til the 2009 baseball season kicks off--so close, i can almost taste it!
5. random emails from friends, sharing the little things that happen in their lives.
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it occurred to me today what a Google girl i am.
i use:
**Blogger (obviously)
**Gmail (along with a whole list of Gmail Labs enabled!)
**Google Toolbar (because Google is my search engine of choice of course)
**iGoogle (as my homepage)
**Picasa (both the software for my computer & the Web Albums)
**Google Reader
and today i embarked on...
Google Calendar!
i practically drooled over this new (to me) organization tool.
i can't help it--i love how they all work together! in my geeked out dreams, my other favorite sites/applications would all become Google-owned-and-operated: Picnik (which is set to sync with Picasa Web Albums anyway); Twitter (and Twhirl, my Twitter app); Facebook (which allows me to integrate info from my Google Reader, my blog and Picasa); GoodReads; Kaboodle; Toodledo (which can be implanted into Google Calendar!); iTunes (which can be synced with Gmail using Google Talk) and ESPN Fantasy Sports--and they would all interact in perfect harmony...
i know Google is being seen as essentially the "super giant" of the internet but i just can't argue with what they have to offer! i imagine it will only be a matter of time before i decide to test out Google Chrome as my web browser...
hello, my name is Dawn and i am addicted to all things Google.
1. this little guy that came home with me yesterday:
2. and this one did to:
3. my new keychain from Sew Gracious (an awesome little Etsy shop) arrived today and i ♥ it!
4. text messages that make me laugh.
5. Girl Scout Cookies Thin Mints.
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1. big puffy clouds that look like they were painted onto the sky.
2. this prayer that Lil Foots Mommy shared, because sometimes we just need the reminder...
Lord, thank you for everything you’ve given me.
Thank you for everything you’ve taken away.
And thank you for all that I have left.
3. Sox-Yankees on MLBN on a night that the President is pre-empting everything else that i would watch anyway. (that's right. i'm the girl that looks for something else to watch when the President takes up all the network channels.)
4. a random postcard in the mail from Vanessa!
5. hearing these lyrics & knowing that i have this in my world, going both ways. i am a lucky girl.
I know your heart can get
All tangled up inside
But don't you keep it to yourself
When your long day is over
And you can barely drag your feet
The weight of the world
Is on your shoulders
I know what you need
Bring it on home to me
("Bring It On Home," Little Big Town)
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somehow Bud Selig, who typically cannot tell his backside from making a good decision about "pausing" a World Series game due to rain & resuming it another day, managed to travel forward in time & tap into my thoughts, right around the same time he was marking the 2009 MLB schedule with his big red APPROVED stamp. while on his mission through time & space, he noted that i would have myself a hissy fit over Youk & Pedroia's WBC appearances being cut short as they limped back to Ft Myers with various aches & ailments. and subsequently declare that i was boycotting the remainder of the stupid WBC because its stupid timing resulted in stupid injuries on *my* boys & that it was all stupid Bud Selig's stupid fault.
and now? now i see that he used this knowledge to make me pay. dearly.
as i took stock of the first ten days of the Red Sox season, this is what i saw...
Monday April 6 vs Tampa
Wednesday April 8 vs Tampa
Thursday April 9 vs Tampa
Friday April 10 at Anaheim
Saturday April 11 at Anaheim
Sunday April 12 at Anaheim
Monday April 13 at Oakland
Tuesday April 14 at Oakland
Wednesday April 15 at Oakland
translation: yes, the Sox open at Fenway. but they play the Rays. which means i am forced to watch the Rays broadcast rather than Remy & Don. *and* Monday's & Thursday's games are day games. which means that i am blocked from watching online. which means that i can't watch live; i'll have to record & watch at home later. and then the following six games will be played on the West Coast. now i love the West Coast & there are people there that i also love dearly. but West Coast games don't start til 10pm. which means i fall asleep long before they are over because i just can't stay awake til 1am on a school night.
nutshell version: i am going to be tortured by not getting the home broadcast to start the season since the Sox play the Rays. and then i will be tortured when the Sox go on the road & play games i can't stay awake to watch. and it will be twelve days into the Sox season before i actually get to watch a complete game not announced by imbeciles.
i don't know whether to apologize to Bud in the hopes that this doesn't repeat itself next season... or curse him out for taunting me for the first two weeks of a season i feel like i have been waiting a lifetime for. (seriously. did this off season only seem eternally long to me?)
i guess i should just be happy they aren't kicking off in Japan again, huh?
1. April issue of Redbook!
2. Toodledo - this awesome list site that Andie shared on her blog. if you know me at all, you know that anything that to do with lists makes me *very* happy!
3. back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs by the Red Sox. even if it's only Spring Training, that's still exciting!
4. a grey day which is a welcome break from the constant glare of the sun.
5. a rain shower which we so desperately need.
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1. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
a mom. a wife. a teacher.
2. What have you done in the past week to help someone else?
i donated some clothes i don't wear any longer.
3. Who is the best-dressed person you know?Nichole. she always looks so well put together!
4. What is on your nightstand?
a lamp. my alarm clock. a telephone. a coaster. the remote for the tv. a bottle of lotion. a small cross. a photo of me with Daniel and Nichole at Disney's California Adventure. a photo of me with my Gram when i was about a year old.
5. If you were a cat, what kind of a cat would you be?
one of Nichole and Daniel's! *that* is the life!
6. If you lived in a house surrounded by acres of trees, what particular type of tree would you want flourishing on your land?
orange trees. because oh man would i be in paradise when they all bloomed! or if i lived in a colder climate, evergreen trees because i think they look so beautiful covered in snow.
7. What do you find to be very overrated?
the Rays. Godiva chocolate. Firefox.
8. How many email addresses do you have?
three. Gmail (my primary email address). my old Hotmail address. my work email.
9. Have you ever felt replaced?
yes... in several different scenarios. not recently though.
10. Would you rather watch football or baseball?
i want both. but if you *made* me pick? baseball. the season lasts longer & there are many more games. also i don't think i could give up Mike Lowell. ;-)
11. What is the wallpaper on your phone?
a photo i took of Planet Earth at Epcot.
12. Name a lyric from the song you're listening to.i'm not listening to anything right now but when i was walking earlier today, the last song to come on my iPod was "To Love a Woman" by Lionel Richie and Enrique Iglesius so i will pick a lyric from that:
I don't know how it is but she has the power
She can make me laugh when I wanna cry
13. Do you use a feed reader?
yes i do. i use Google Reader and i *love* it. i have no clue why i ever preferred Bloglines!
14. What chocolate do you always leave in the box?
anything with citrus because i just do not like the way chocolate & citrus taste together. and anything with a marzipan center.
15. What would you do if you found out your ex is engaged?
depends on the ex. a couple i would be genuinely happy for. there are others where for the split second i spent thinking about it, i would feel bad for that poor girl or wonder what she did to piss off Karma. =P
16. Do words hurt you?
they can. it depends on who is saying them. the more i care about someone, the more power their words have to hurt me because i actually value their thoughts & opinions.
17. Are you a talker or a listener? Is it ever possible to really be both?
i am a listener. in fact, i am so quiet & so much *not* a talker, that people are constantly asking me if something is wrong. i talk but usually only when i have something to say. i think it is possible to be both, but to be a talker who actually has something to say, i think you have to be a good listener first.
18. Have you ever walked on the beach at night?
no but it sounds beautiful...
19. Who is your favorite professional athlete?
that would be one Michael Averett Lowell, Boston Red Sox, third base.
20. Which TV show have you seen pretty much every episode of?
i have seen every single episode of Friends and of Sex & the City, multiple times. i have also seen every single episode of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. i am pretty sure i've seen every episode of Everybody Loves Raymond as well.
1. hearing that Josh Beckett was fired up during his Spring Training start today. a fired up Beckett is a wonderful thing!
2. the sweetest words: Mike Lowell hits a 2-run homer!
3. vanilla pudding with some peach slices layered in. just like Gram used to make. tastes just like peaches & cream. yummy.
4. taking a half hour walk while my laundry was in the washers.
5. finding a great bunch of asparagus to go with dinner tomorrow.
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1. this exchange that i saw on Twitter:
FlyingCircus @ChadNorthrup Hell hath no fury like a Sox fan scorned.
ChadNorthrup @FlyingCircus absolutely! We Sox fans pride ourselves on our ability to hold a grudge.
You Are Baseball Games |
 You like old fashioned things. You're one of those people who values tradition. You enjoy a slow pace of life. You believe that life is all about enjoying every moment. You love the changing of the seasons, and you look forward to what each season brings. You are smart and a bit obsessive. You become very immersed in your interests. |
1. Turns out not where but who you're with
That really matters
("The Best of What's Around," Dave Matthews Band)
2. SPRING!! i may not get traditional seasons but i do my best to make them change by the way i decorate and the candle scents i burn. it's all in the details.
3. Spring issue of Kraft Food & Family magazine.
4. this quote that arrived in my inbox via Real Simple's Daily Thought:
The beautiful is everywhere.
(Fernand Léger)
5. my planner. i *love* my planner.
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1. this. (translation: more seasonal temperatures as i wasn't quite ready to jump straight from Winter to Summer.) especially if it actually happens.
2. the little guys in my iGoogle homepage Spring theme have coffee & donuts in the morning! i love dynamic iGoogle themes.
3. orange blossoms. i think i could say this every single day that they are blooming. when i catch the scent, i have to breathe in as deeply as i can. i wish i could find something that truly smells like them. i would find some way to use it all the time. i have found some things that are close but nothing *exactly*.
4. MLB Network. tell me again how it took so long to make this happen? and also: NFL take note.
5. *really* good episode of Grey's. i am so glad that they made sense of that Denny-Izzie story line. and holy amazing performance by McDreamy.
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1. April issue of Good Housekeeping!
2. in an attempt to pick my brain in regard to his fantasy baseball team, fellow Florida transplant JMP attempted the following bribery (please note that yesterday we were discussing Cuban food, during which i stated that i do enjoy a good pressed Cuban sandwich): "I'll make you a Cuban sandwich!! (I'll put Mikey between 2 slices of bread after I slather that gallon of cuban sauce all over him!!!)" *ahem* also to note: Mikey refers to Mike Lowell. who just happens to be of some Cuban descent. JMP drives a hard bargain, but alas! we are in the same league. not sure how many hot tips i am willing to part with. of course that Cuban sandwich also hasn't shown up at my door so one never knows...
3. the scent of orange blossoms is getting stronger.
4. white chocolate raspberry yogurt.
5. reading that April and her little baby are ok after a terrible scare.
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...winding hilly shady country roads
...hearing church bells & knowing which ones were from my childhood church
...Chippens Hill
...my Gram & Gramp's house the way i remember it
...white Christmases
...New England Autumns
...road trips to Cooperstown, NY
...big full evergreen trees
...watermelon rolls from Friendly's
...the Yankee Candle flagship store
...cemeteries that are centuries old
...the style of homes that are so common in New England that you just don't see in Florida
...Connecticut Grown farmers markets where everything had to be grown in the state
...having home team coverage of the Sox & Patriots
...four distinct seasons
...knowing all the "nooks & crannies" of my hometown
...apple orchards & pumpkin patches & "pick-your-own" farms
1. a foggy commute into work. not so foggy that it was difficult to see but foggy enough that i wasn't being blinded by the level of the sun post-arrival-of-Daylight-Savings-Time every time i was facing east.
2. an overcast day. which means it's been somewhat more seasonally appropriate weather in mid 70s today.
3. lilacs.
4. early evening walks.
5. hearing that Papi, Tek, Bay & Ellsbury all hit home runs for the Sox today.
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1. armadillo sighting! they make me laugh.
2. no-bake cheesecake.
3. a rain shower on my way home. we've been in desperate need of rain so even those few drops were welcome.
4. happy dances.
5. crisp cool cotton sheets.
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1. fresh strawberries over vanilla ice cream.
2. Red Sox radio streaming over my computer. i really love to watch the Sox games, but when that's not an option, there is definitely something to be said for the totally different experience of listening to the radio broadcast.
3. the scent of Herbal Essences Color Me Happy shampoo & conditioner.
4. crossing everything off my weekend to-do list.
5. enjoying the last few days of Winter-scented Yankee Candles before Spring (officially) arrives. (if i were going by the way it *feels*, i would have already broken out my Summer scents! =P )
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1. freshly washed car.
2. brand new brakes! no more squealing!
3. homemade milkshake made with fresh strawberries.
4. feeling productive.
5. DVR. seriously, how did i ever keep up with shows before it?
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Friday Fill-in #115
1. When I look to the left, I see my open window, looking out onto the sun-and-shade-speckled yard and some azalea bushes in bloom.
2. since i only have two windows and my bedroom faces the security fence, i would have to say that my living room is the room that has the best view in my home.
3. Let it work work itself out; it almost always does.
4. if you're one of my favorite people, you may have a personal Disney tour guide done dirt cheap!
5. making responsible decisions and owning up to poor ones is a responsibility that all qualified citizens must share.
6. If you have any unsolicited advice feel free to keep it to yourself.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm last night I was looking forward to watching the Sox & Yankees Spring Training game on tv, tomorrow my plans include a major Car Spa Day--oil change, car wash, air filter change and new front brake pads & rotors--and Sunday, I want to have a nice relaxing day!
1. it is *finally* Friday. i feel like i've been needing a weekend all week & now it's here.
2. the Sox beat the Yankees 8-4 in their Spring Training game. even when the games mean nothing at all, it still feels good to come out on top against New York.
3. Mike Lowell hit a solo home run in his first at bat of the game & then a single later that same inning. he also kicked off a defensive double play. so happy he looks like he's getting his stride back!
4. Remy back in the booth for the first time this pre-season! man, i missed Remy & Don together. and the gigglefests. like tonight's over Yankees pitcher Kei Igawa jogging in slow motion along the outfield fence after his night was over. who knew watching someone jog could be so highly entertaining? and yet with RemDawg & Don, it always is.
5. discovering a new song i like when i watched this week's episode of CSI:NY.
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1. April issue of Real Simple!
2. the way the sun shines through the low-lying fog, making it look like golden spun sugar.
3. this quote:
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.... You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
(Eleanor Roosevelt)
4. the unexpected people who show up on Facebook.
5. turning up this song in the car on the way home from work (where everyone was a crankypants yesterday) & singing along just blasts away any chance of letting the bad moods of others spoil my cheerfulness:
She's not afraid
She just likes to use her night light
When she gets paid
True religion gets it all
If they fit right
She's a little bit manic
Completely organic
Doesn't panic for the most part
She's old enough to know
And young enough not to say no
To any chance that she gets
For home plate tickets to see the Mets
Like everybody she's in over her head
Dreads Feds, Grateful Dead,
And doesn't take meds
She's a Gemini Capricorn
Thinks all men are addicted to porn
I don't agree with her half the time
But damn I'm glad she's mine
Her eyes
That's where hope lies
That's where blue skies
Meet the sunrise
Her eyes
That's where I go
When I go home
She got the kinda strength
That every man wishes he had
She loved Michael Jackson
Up until he made Bad
Tells me that she lived
About a hundred lives
Scares me to death
When she thinks and drives
Says cowboy hats
Make her look fat
And I'm so glad she's mine.
Her eyes
That's where hope lies
That's where blue skies
Meet the sunrise
Her eyes
That's where I go
When I go home
She doesn't know the word 'impossible'
Don't care where I've been
And doesn't care where we're goin' to
She takes me as I am
And that ain't easy
And she's beautiful...
So beautiful
And sometimes I think she's truly crazy
And I love it
Her eyes
That's where hope lies
That's where blue skies
Always meet the sunrise
Her eyes
That's where I go
When I go home
Her eyes
That's where hope lies
That's where blue skies
Always meet the sunrise
Her eyes
That's where I go
When I go home
She's not afraid
She just likes to use her night light
("Her Eyes," Pat Monahan)
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1. i caught my first sniff of orange blossoms this afternoon. ohhh it's going to smell like heaven here soon!!
2. catching up with Heather on the phone this evening.
3. while i was on the phone with Heather, i could hear Christian chattering in the background. he's starting to talk. the first thing i heard him say was "uh oh!" which is pretty much the cutest sounding thing in a little guy's voice. a close second? that same little voice saying "mooooose."
4. after much trial & error & tweaking, i *finally* got my Gmail set up in a way that really works for me. i've got a system using labels and filters, and a coding system using the variety of stars you can get with one of the Labs features. i love that my email is now perfectly organized!
5. perfect sleeping weather.
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hosted here
1. 5 things you’ve read recently.
some of "Faithful" (Stewart O'Nan & Stephen King). the October issue of Everyday With Rachael Ray magazine--flipping through it one last time before it hits the recycling bag. a bunch of email. my Twitter friends' updates. a text message on my phone.
2. 5 sites you’ve signed up for.
Kraft Food & Family. Real Simple Daily Thoughts. ESPN Fantasy Baseball. Goodreads. Picnik.
3. 5 shows you’ve watched lately.
World Baseball Classic. Jeopardy. Frasier. Big Bang Theory. How I Met Your Mother.
4. 5 things you want right now.
Red Sox tickets. a long weekend. the beginning of regular season baseball. Boston Legal on DVD. a completely paid off brand new car.
5. 5 things on your grocery list.
applesauce. frozen peas. Crest Pro Health mouth rinse. Magic Erasers. quart-size Ziploc storage bags.
1. at the risk up being completely classless, it is no wonder the Cuban baseball players want to defect to the United States. if someone handed me that uniform, i would jump into the ocean & start swimming too. seriously. holy scalded retinas!
2. the Cuban team turned a fantastic defensive play in the second inning. the pretty kind of defense that should be run on an endless loop with E6 stapled to a chair in front of it, in the hopes that it will brand itself into his brain.
3. i have begun praying that some promotions grunt for the Rays is not watching this game & frantically scribbling notes on a pad. if a mariachi band complete with trumpets & kazoos is added to the cowbell chorus, i cannot be held accountable for my actions. i never underestimate the enthusiasm of the Rays organization to jump all over any new way to amp up the obnoxious.
4. just when you think the "musical" additions to the game couldn't possibly be worse (barring cowbell), suddenly the lone kazoo becomes a whole kazoo orchestra and a trumpet player in the mariachi band discovers that the only song he knows how to play is the theme to the Pink Panther.
5. OMG & now there are clackers.
and on that note, i am heading to bed. i hope i don't have nightmares...
1. baseball boyfriend, Mike Lowell, made his Spring Training debut today. it was rusty at best but it's one step closer to having him back.
2. strawberry shortcake for a co-worker's birthday today!
3. 54-degree mornings. nothing gets the day off with a spring in your step like being greeted by crisp air.
4. helping a co-worker who is actually appreciative of the assistance.
5. TagAlongs Girl Scout cookies.
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10 Things You Won't Really Miss About Winter
you know... i'm not really in a place where i have many complaints about Winter. it's one of my favorite seasons here so my list would be limited to things like "having so many snowbirds on the road" and "lack of baseball season." i think i will modify my list to...
10 Things You Don't Really Miss About Living in Real Winter
1. stepping out of your car onto, what *looks* like snowcovered ground. only to discover that it was, in fact, a think layer of snow masquerading a slush puddle waiting to ambush the unsuspecting foot with a flood of icy slush pouring into your shoe.
2. having to wake up in the middle of the night to start your car & clean off the snow that already covers it so that you're "halfway there" when you get up in the morning.
3. having to wake up an hour earlier than usual so you can biuld extra drive time into your commute.
4. icy roads. enough said.
5. tired dirty snow lining the roads.
6. raw red chapped hands. and lips. and itchy dry skin.
7. the way heat smells. and the way it dries out your nose & eyes.
8. when you're trying to park your car in a full parking lot & a third of the parking lot is unavailable because a giant mountain of snow is filling it up.
9. it's cold outside, so you need to wear approximately fourteen layers of clothing. but because it's cold outside, everywhere you go, they are blasting the heat. which means you either melt inside your fourteen layers or you take half of them off & are stuck schlepping them around with you. and never mind trying to drive when you're bundled up like Ralphie's little brother Randy in A Christmas Story.
10. trying to figure out how to shovel your car out of the snowbank it is now buried under because your apartment management decided to plow overnight but didn't warn you to move it (not that you could have parked in the street what with the parking bans so the snowplows can keep the streets clear) and of cousre you don't own a shovel since you live an apartment building & clearing the walkways is *their* problem.
*and* just because absence makes the heart grow fonder...
10 Things You Actually Miss About Winter
1. making snowangels.
2. watching picture perfect snow fall from inside your warm cozy home.
3. having the potential for a white Christmas.
4. the patterns frost makes on your windows.
5. when the sun rises on snow that fell overnight & the whole world is pristine & glittering.
6. how the chilly air is invigorating & gives you rosy cheeks.
7. evergreen trees decorated with fluffy snow.
8. the way tree branches look encased in ice.
9. Christmas lights shining through the snow. there is just something that is lost when a house decorated with lights isn't also covered in soft snow.
10. being able to wear a sweater more than a half dozen times each year.
on Saturday, i decided to take advantage of the absolutely amazing weather & head over to Epcot for a few hours. i parked over by the Boardwalk (which technically you aren't supposed to do but i wasn't planning to spend the whole day in the park & i do have an Annual Pass which covers parking so it wasn't as if i were trying to get out of paying the parking cost; anyway, i parked there & justified it by having lunch on the Boardwalk) and saw the new banners for Disney's "What Will You Celebrate?" theme. when you are outside of a park, the banners depict balloons in the shapes of all four park icons.
see what i mean about the weather? the day was absolutely picture perfect.
the Boardwalk Inn is one of my favorite resort hotels on property. even though i live (relatively)close by, i would love to be able to spend a night or two in each of my favorite resort hotels at some point. the Boardwalk Inn is definitely on my list...
...as are two of the other resort hotels located on Disney's Boardwalk: the Beach & Yacht Clubs. you can see the Yacht Club in the background of this photo. (and if you follow the link to the photo album below this photo, the hotel painted blue is the Beach Club.)
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| See the entire album: WDW Resorts (2009) |
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| See the entire album: EPCOT (2009) |
1. a free movie ticket that Jenny won for me on Blingo. this is the third time i've won something--once with myself actually doing the winning, and twice with Jenny winning and because she signed up under me, we both win!--and even when it's something small, it's never any less fun to win. go over to my right sidebar, scroll down til you see the blue button that says "win with me on Blingo" and go sign up right now!
2. sour gummy worms. i don't know what it is about them but they are addictive.
3. is there anything that embodies joy more than a dog riding down the road in the backseat of a car with his head hanging out the window?
4. having friends with whom to suffer through the excrutiatingly long Sox Spring Training game with the mind-numbingly boring monotone Pirates radio announcers. i swear listening to them made time move in reverse. they even managed to take the excitement out of a grand slam. never mind that the game went 10 innings & lasted over four hours. the Sox finally won & i still can't believe i spent most of the game wanting it to just end already. but having friends with which to groan & make wisecracks makes just about anything bearable.
5. having my windows open in the evening to let in the cool breeze.
Visit Grace in Small Things
1. laughing throughout our whole Fantasy Baseball League live draft. i play with an awesome group of people who make the whole thing so much fun!
2. watching the USA win their second WBC game. it is so good to be watching competitive baseball again.
3. starting to gather me Spring decorations that will go up the weekend of March 21. i love my Winter decorations but i always look forward to making the seasons change inside if not outside.
4. lemonade! Publix makes the best lemonade, i swear.
5. finding out the Red Sox locked up Jon Lester, one of my favorite players, for the next five years. i am very pleased with the moves they made to secure their youth this off/pre-season.
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1. walking right onto Test Track even though the Single Rider wait time claimed to be 25 minutes.
2. listening to the ooo's and ahhh's of amazement from people experiencing Soarin' for the first time.
3. seeing a bride stepping out of a limo outside the Boardwalk Inn. everyone was fussing over her & she was beaming. i can't wait for that bride to be my friend Alison.
4. an infomercial for a "Golden Oldies" cd set that played so many songs i remember hearing in the car with my dad. "Book of Love" by the Monotones. "Stay" by Maurice Willaims and the Zodiacs. "Chantilly Lace" by The Big Bopper. "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" by Paul Anka. "My Special Angel" by Bobby Helms. it was like i was 8 years old & back in the passenger seat of my dad's car running errands on a Saturday night.
5. a milkshake. mmmm...
Visit Grace in Small Things
1. Sox won their Spring Training game today! meaningless, schmeaningless. if it makes me happy to hear baseball, who cares if it counts!
2. broke out my new Red Sox t-shirt that i got for Christmas from Daniel and Nichole for its inaugural wearing.
3. it was warm enough to be outside in short sleeves today!
4. tried the new mascara (Oscillation by Lacome) that Nichole gave me for Christmas. it *vibrates* when you put it on! it feels so strange, i could not stop laughing when i was trying to apply it. i think this is going to take some practice before i am desensitized!
5. April issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray in the mail today!
Visit Grace in Small Things
a while back Janet, posted five things she is addicted to & i immediately filed this idea away for future use on my own blog. there are many things i like but things i am actually addicted to...?
1. Yankee Candles - i have a serious collection of these. i love the scents they have! i prefer to use the votives over the jars because it means i can switch scents frequently. and with so many that i love, this is very important! back when i lived in Connecticut, my dad & i used to make a trip up to the flagship store in Deerfield, MA once each season to stock up on seasonally-appropriate scents. now i have to rely on what i can get online & in the store at my local mall. i stock up on all my annual favorites as well as checking out any new seasonal scents that have been released. i don't always use every single votive i have "in stock" each season which is fine with me because i let my favorites roll over from year to year, tucked away until the season comes around again! this comes in especially handy when a favorite scent is retired and i have one last votive to really enjoy.
2. all things Red Sox - unless you're a newcomer to my blog, i think this goes without saying. i gobble up every tidbit of information i can find. i watch as many of the 162 regular season games as i can. you would be hard-pressed to get me away from a tv when the Sox make it to the post-season. and then i count the days again until Spring Training. two of the three computers that i use have something Sox-related as the desktop background, and my favorite screensaver is on my laptop: a collection of Sox photos i have saved up over the years. if you look in my closet, there is an entire section of Sox shirts that i love to wear. i seriously don't believe there is any such thing as being too fanatic about my team!
3. Disney - annual passholder for Disney World & i never get tired of visiting the parks. i love to learn the backstories for the parks and attractions. one of my very favorite pastimes is to bring my camera to one of the parks & wander around with it. i love spending time in the California parks when i visit Nichole and Daniel. and i eagerly read up on all the international parks. the similarities and differences between the parks fascinate me, especially learning *why* the Imagineers made things different.
4. magazines - i have always loved to read. i taught myself how when i was 4 years old & read voraciously as a child. i loved any book about horses, the Nancy Drew mysteries, the Baby Sitters Club series, the Little House books. i still enjoy reading but adult life does not always accommodate sitting down to read a book, especially because i have this "thing" where i need to have enough time to complete a full chapter; stopping mid-chapter really aggravates me. when i have a limited amount of time or just want something to fill my hands without requiring too much attention, magazines fit the bill! i have subscriptions to quite a few of them (they are one of my little indulgences) & very few things make me as happy as opening up my mailbox to find a new issue has arrived! books are wonderfully detailed worlds but magazines are always like a grab bag. you never know what little bit of wonderfulness you will encounter in just a few page flips of a magazine. a new recipe. a fun decorating idea for a holiday. an interesting article. a great gift idea. anything is possible & the time commitment is perfectly customizable.
5. re-runs of my favorite shows that aren't on the air anymore - when you watch a show from its earliest days, the weekly standing date becomes a comfortable ritual & the characters start to feel like friends. i am always a little sad when one of my must-see shows comes to an end so catching it in syndication is like a little reunion! and don't even get me started on how happy i am that you can now purchase seasons on DVD for so many shows! when nothing else is on tv or i just feel like my background noise being something cozy & familiar, i just pop in a DVD. i am slowly gathering my favorites for my DVD collection (Friends and S&TC are already complete sets! and i also have already been buying Grey's Anatomy as each season is released. still on my list: Frasier, Everybody Loves Raymond, Boston Legal) & you would not believe how much use they all get!
and because i simply cannot follow rules that ask me to pick a limited number of favorites...
6. photos - i *love* photos. mine. yours. digital. printed. it doesn't matter. i love to take them. i love to look at them. i love to hear or tell the stories behind them. it doesn't matter how many times i have flipped through my albums or sifted through my photo boxes or scrolled through the digital photos on my computer, i never ever get tired of them. ever.
i may be completely addicted to these things, to the point that if you took them away from me, i might curl up in a corner & cry (seriously people, you should witness the Sox withdrawals each Winter as proof) but at least my addictions are all perfectly legal & not detrimental to my health in any way!
at Magic Kingdom...
with my girls...
riding Test Track...
eating these...
at a Sox game...
in Cooperstown, NY on an Autumn day...
on safari at Animal Kingdom...
Friday Fill-in #114
1. a little surprise treat for a friend who needed a pick-me-up was my last random act of kindness.
2. Another place i think i would like to visit is Hawaii.
3. very little makes any sense in matters of the heart.
4. Coffee, tea or soda--i'll just pass & take some water.
5. what we imagine our lives will be like and how they actually play out are usually decidedly separate paths.
6. Our current weather reminds me that there is a reason i tolerate the humidity all Summer to live here.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to catching the new episode of Ghost Whisperer, tomorrow my plans include maybe a trip over to Epcot is the ambition strikes me and Sunday, I want to do our Fantasy Baseball League Draft!
Krystyn posted The Working Woman's Meme on her blog. i thought it would be fun to play along!
1. How many post it notes are stuck to your computer screen?
normally, none, but just before i left work today, i put up two. one to remind myself to prepare paperwork for some employees that are taking a refresher course for a certification this weekend. and one to remind me to post a sign on the timeclock reminding everyone that Daylight Savings starts this weekend. the tasks will get done as soon as humanly possible so i can throw away the notes or they will drive me to distraction!
2. Do you have one of those plastic floor covers for your desk chair to roll on?
i do at home to protect the carpet but not at work. no need. the floor is tile.
3. How many (work-related) emails to you receive & send per day?
very few. maybe two?
4. At what part of the day are you the most productive?
first thing in the morning, when i have the most energy. and from 2:30-4:20 when i am invoicing--and on Tuesday & Friday, even busier during this time when i am collecting timecards and handing out paychecks, respectively.
5. How often do you go out to lunch?
maybe once every six or so weeks? i usually just eat at my desk & keep answering the phone.
6. Does your boss pop the collar on his trench coat?
i don't think my boss even *owns* a trench coat.
7. Is there someone in your office that you just can't stand?
::biting my tongue::
8. What percent of time each day would you say on non-work related tasks? i.e. blogging!
oh man... some days i have time for very little other than work but most of the time, i'm only answering the phone from 10am-2:30pm (see Question 4) so i'm surfing the internet and my personal email & Twitter app are open all day. i have complete permission to play online when my work is done though.
9. Do you have a favorite pen that you use everyday?
not a specific pen but a specific brand (Bic Velocity, black ink). and when i order the office supplies, i get myself a pen that no one else uses at work so i know when someone steals it.
10. Do you listen to music while @ work? If so, what kind?
i don't listen to any music at work. i do try to listen to the radio broadcast of any Sox day games though which inevitably leads to the arrival of The Loud Talkers who feel the need to stand by my desk & talk over the game. ::sigh::
1. having a *good* song stuck in my head all day! (in this case, "Love Song" by Sarah Bareilles.)
2. taking a phone call from one of our biggest customers and having the rep on the other end be pleasant. so often business calls are abrupt or cold. taking a professional call from someone who was cheerful was so refreshing.
3. playful banter with co-workers to pass the afternoon.
4. a comfortable 70 degrees today. my perfect weather.
5. Troy's birthday.
Visit Grace in Small Things
i had this random thought.
we call tissues Kleenex. we call bandages Bandaids. we call cotton swabs Q-Tips. we call DVR machines TiVo. there are all kinds of products that we commonly refer by a brand name, regardless of whether they are actually Puffs or some store brand or truly a box of Kleenex tissues. and we all know what the person is referring to.
which makes me wonder... is the material used on my kitchen floor really linoleum? or is that just another brand name that has become an accepted general product name over time?
1. there was this ridiculous little bird singing his brains out on the privacy fence outside my apartment this morning. i have no idea how he didn't pass out, he was singing so loudly. and he was just a *teeny* little guy too. cracked me up.
2. random memories of my grandparents that surface out of nowhere. today it was the way they would share a grapefruit for their mid-morning snack. my Gram would cut it in half, one side for each of them. then she would work methodically, separating out the citrus into sections. she would serve the pieces, topped with honey, right inside the rind, using it like a bowl.
3. the glass pinecones that are in a dish on my coffee table. i had picked them up as a Christmas gift for my Gram but was never able to give them to her. rather than making me sad though, seeing them there reminds me of her; she would have loved them. and that makes me smile.
4. my favorite comfy red track pants. i've had them for almost ten years now. they are the clothing equivalent of comfort food.
5. enjoying the snowy photos i've found on other blogs. all of the pretty, none of the shoveling!
Visit Grace in Small Things
1. tall palm trees against a brilliant blue sky.
2. still having my ice scraper from Connecticut on the mornings i need to scrape frost off my windshield.
3. getting my electric bill & finding out it's only $47 this month!
4. having friends that make outrgaeous statements out of nowhere, leaving me with nothing but to laugh.
5. saying something that makes a friend snort her beverage out of her nose.
Visit Grace in Small Things
the irony of this blog is that i so rarely actually dig very far below the surface of my "public self," even though the purpose of this blog is to capture who i am. the reality is that i often speak in code to myself here. i may say something cryptic, post a bit of music lyrics or share a quote, all seemingly at random--and to add to the mystery, many times it *is* truly at random--but in the instances when the randomness is far more subtly intentional, it is apparent, to me anyway, what i'm saying to myself here, what moment or thought or emotion i am capturing for my own future benefit. (and now all those who love me best & read here will be analyzing each item they find...if they aren't already.)
more often than not, i want to share the essence of the thought without delving into *why* i felt the need to share it. i am intensely private in that way, choosing to reveal the details in my own time & way. i've been toying with this post in my draft folder for months now. reading and re-reading. tweaking here & there. on the verge of hitting that "publish" button but then, at the last moment, choosing to keep it still clutched close. because it *is* intensely personal. it is a look into the side of myself that i only allude to in passing, slipping it into conversation with vague references at best, revealed in glimpses and fragments. it is the part of me i keep tucked well out of sight.
this post started to swirl inside my mind back in October. i was flipping through my issue of Redbook when i came across a piece called "Invisible Violence," by Whitney Joiner. the blurb below the title struck & resonated deep in my gut, even as i quickly glanced at it. i stopped and read it again.
"Domestic abuse isn't only about broken limbs and bruises. Many women suffer from daily belittling, verbal assault and emotional battery that are every bit as damaging--and equally unacceptable."
i just kept going back in my mind... remembering portions of my past life. i remembered sinking deeper & deeper into myself. i remembered being trivialized, being made to feel insignificant, being treated like an errant child. i remembered being chastised for becoming passionately involved with a baseball game on television or laughing too hard on the phone with a friend. i remembered being interrogated if i was ten minutes late or being told which of my friends were on the "approved list" and which were not. i remembered the steady regression from my normally quiet self into what could definitely be called "hesitant and guarded." and i recalled with absolute clarity what it felt like to check out."'Okay, let's list all the abuse,' Rosa said, pushing a sheet of paper toward Danielle. 'Oh, there was no abuse,' Danielle said, pushing the paper back at Rosa. 'He never yelled and screamed at you? Called you names? Disrespected you? Trivialized you? Blamed you?' Rosa continued. 'Sure," Danielle said. 'But he didn't abuse me.' 'Danielle,' Rosa said, leaning forward in her chair, 'that is abuse.'"
"Jen wasn't herself: She was very hesitant and guarded, really thinking about things before she'd say them..."
"He was yelling at me--I usually checked out when he did..."
What emotional abuse feels like
Victims often feel broken down by their abuser. You might also feel like:
1. seeing two happy little weiner dogs out taking an afternoon stroll with their person as i drove home from work.
2. my boss bought cases of Girl Scout Cookies from one of his nieces and gifted a box to each of his employees. mmmm...Tagalongs!
3. wearing a new pair of jeans.
4. my stripey socks.
5. Quaker Simple Harvest Dark Chocolate Chunk granola bars.
Visit Grace in Small Things
1. flowering trees starting to blossom in vivid fuchsias, purples and yellows.
2. unplanned Sunday afternoon naps.
3. two new pairs of jeans. thank you for that sale, Old Navy!
4. catching some of the Sox-Twins game on MLB Network. and the Sox won!
5. another "cold" front moving through Florida bringing crisp refreshing weather.
Visit Grace in Small Things
photo of me
(even though i really *really* needed a trim here!)
1) current candle scents: Silver Bells. White Christmas.
2) what i am currently reading: "Faithful" (Stewart O'Nan and Stephen King). "America Alone" (Mark Steyn).
3) newest music i added my playlist: "I Don't Want to Be," by Gavin DeGraw. "True," by Ryan Cabrera. "Love Remains the Same," by Gavin Rossdale. "Covered in Rain," by John Mayer. "Save the Last Dance for Me," by Michael Buble. "Her Eyes," by Pat Monahan. "Savin' Me," by Nickelback. "Lonely No More," by Rob Thomas.
4) movies i saw: Taken. Lakeview Terrace. The Devil Wears Prada.
5) something yummy i made this month: i tried a new recipe for Brown Sugar Glazed Pork that will definitely be a keeper.
6) the last place i ate out: Macaroni Grill
7) something that made me cry: i'm pretty sure i didn't. and if i did, i don't recall!
8) something that made me laugh: a ridiculously funny set of photos of myself that will NOT be shared. sorry but it's not going to happen. which is a shame because OMG are they funny. but i am not giving you all hard evidence that i am a dork of epic proportions.
9) something i looked forward to this month: the start of Spring Training!
10) something i am thankful for: joining Grace in Small Things because it makes me take notice of the happy little things in my life that might not otherwise be noted in a concrete way.
11) something i want to remember about this month: that even on the tough days, the so-busy-i-don't-even-know-where-to-begin days, the days that drag on into infinity, the days i wish i could just stay in bed, i still have a job--and that's something too many people cannot say right now.
12) a photo i took this month:
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