Nice Cure for Daily Grind

I stood in line this morning to get new car tags. It was a long line (last day of the month). They were doing construction in the building, so the sound of drills were screaming down the hall. If that wasn't bad enough, there was also a wailing baby somewhere in line. Despite all of this, I couldn't be happier. The reason? Last night, we booked a trip. In a few months, we will be here celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary. Concierge level, ocean view room...I'm trying to wipe the smile off my face, really, I'm trying. :)

Random Stuff on a Random Wednesday

• I used to have a pet crow named Hoover
• We had a fire in the house where I grew up and the items that were blessed by a priest, DID NOT BURN but everything around them burned and melted
• I have a terrible sense of direction
• Mint sometimes makes me sneeze
• I once threw up on my husband's arm
• I gave up pizza for lent--and I am planning on eating pizza on Easter Sunday
• I LOVE pickles
• My husband proposed to me in Central Park, New York City
• I have 2 retired racing greyhounds named Smoke and Hollywood
• I am a compulsive list maker
  

It's Tuesday and the Glass is Half Full

I don't always expect life to be a bowl of cherries. Not having huge expectations generally means I am seldom disappointed and sometimes pleasantly surprised. I wonder sometimes if this makes me as neurotic as someone who expects good things all the time and therefore is constantly let down.

These are the things that I was contemplating as I was driving to work this morning. I don't necessarily love my job. I'm less than thrilled about the commute. It's only Tuesday. I'm not a morning person. However, as I was driving, the sun was shining and I was singing along (loudly--and off key) with Dwight Yoakam's rendition of Suspicious Minds and I felt good.

Maybe it's only Tuesday, but that also means American Idol is on tonight (go Chris!). I might not have any big plans tonight, but maybe after work my husband and I will make a quick trip to Target to buy "King Kong" and do some browsing. I may not LOVE my job, but I can listen to music while I work (Earth Wind and Fire is playing currently), wear jeans when I want (love my Levi's) and they are pretty flexible when I want to take time off.

Maybe I am neurotic for being generally happy, but I think it's better than the alternative.

Oasis, Sleep and Ipods

Stuff on my mind today:

1. Saw Oasis in concert last night at the Ryman Auditorium. Two Arrogant British Dudes = One great rock and roll show.
   
2. Going to bed at 12:30 after a concert is rough on a 35 year old. Two coffees, one Diet Coke and a multivitamin later, and I am still wanting to sleep under my desk "George Costanza style".
   
3. I love the random shuffle feature on the Ipod. Going from a George Strait song to Michael Jackson to James Taylor to Duran Duran and then to Coldplay keeps my ears entertained. It adds the element of surprise to my otherwise predictable day. What's next? It could be anything from Billy Joel to No Doubt. ANYTHING can happen in the Ipod universe. It's my way of living on the edge. Oooh, Paul McCartney's "Band on the Run"-- didn't see that one coming!

Eighties Lady

Last night, VH1 was previewing VH1 Classic, so we got to enjoy about 30 minutes of videos from the 80's. Ozzy, Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Poison, The Scorpions, Twisted Sister--my husband and I sat there mesmerized since it has been so long since we had seen some of these videos.

I said to my husband, "You know, I'm glad we grew up during this era when the music was fun and about partying and not as dark and angry as some of the stuff today." (I know--I sound so old when I say stuff like that) He said, "If we had grown up earlier or later, and been influenced by different music we probably wouldn't be the same people." I think he's right.

It would be an interesting study, but I have to wonder--were Prozac sales lower back when the bands wore makeup and spandex, sung about "girls just wanting to have fun" and proclaiming that they don't need "nothing but a good time"? When Jon Bon Jovi still used more hairspray than I did and Madonna didn't have kids of her own?

I want my (old, video-playing, big-haired, guitar solo heavy, neon colored) MTV.

Cereal Killer

My husband loves cereal. I never knew that a 34 year old man could get such joy out of a bowl of generic, brown sugar flavored, mini-wheats. In any case, his joy is contagious and as we settled down last night with our crunchy bowls of heaven, I had to wonder...

Why on earth did I ever think we could do without carbs?!?

We are back to counting points (Weight Watchers). I'm not sure why I ever strayed, but the scale is 3.5 pounds less than it was earlier this week, and as I sunk my teeth into a small (very small) piece of low-fat lemon cake at lunch, I felt like I had come home again after a very long journey.

Dinner tonight? Pasta. Dessert? Cereal. Life is good.

Nashville Weather

Most people in the Nashville area are complaining about the weather. It has gone from sunny and beautiful to cold, rainy and windy. People are whining about the lack of sunshine. However, I am clinging to the small shred of hope that maybe--just maybe--the cold weather will kill off a few of the extra spiders out there.

I actually don't mind rainy, cold days. They make me want to eat chili in front of a fire while wearing sweatpants and thick socks. It's not that I hate springtime. I just have some trouble getting really excited about a season that inevitably makes you evaluate the pasty-whiteness of your skin, requires you to have freshly shaven legs whenever you leave the house, forces you to moisturize and exfoliate daily and perplexes you as you try to dress creatively for warmer weather while working in an overly air-conditioned environment.

Right now, I think I'm just going to enjoy this 40 degree weather while it lasts--before I have to break out the toenail polish. If you need me, I'll be in my sweatpants and thick socks.

My Day So Far

My day started out like this:

First, there was a huge accident on I-65 and I was stuck in traffic which eventually resulted in me being 1/2 hour late for work.

As I was sitting in traffic, another driver coming up behind me apparently wasn't paying attention to the stopped traffic. I got to watch helplessly in my rear view mirror as he approached rapidly, slammed on his breaks and swerved into the next lane to avoid smashing into the back of my car.

A few minutes after the near pulverization of my poor Corolla, I noticed a GIANT spider crawling on my windshield--just out of reach of my wiper blades. (OK, maybe it wasn't giant, but it seemed giant to me.) It was basically right over my head with just the glass between me and its creepy, multi-legged body. My hands got clammy and sweaty and I got chills even though I was wearing a jacket. Eventually, I think (or at least I am telling myself) that he blew off the car.

I got to work and as I peeled the foil top off of my yogurt, it splattered out onto the sleeve of my sweater.

I took a giant sigh, made a mental note not to bother buying a lottery ticket today and opened my e-mail. Inside was a message from my traveling husband with an attachment of dancing poo. Disco poo to be exact.

I smiled and all of a sudden, all was right with the world again.

Nickelback and Carbs

Two things that are on my mind today:

1. I can't stop listening to the latest Nickelback CD (All the Right Reasons).
   
2. I miss carbs. I like carbs. I am going to start eating carbs again because life is too short to feel bad about eating a crouton on my salad.

Miss Him

I miss my husband when he is out of town. I miss seeing him in the bed when the alarm goes off in the morning. I miss the sound of the garage door opening when he comes home in the evening. I miss having him spoon me when I am falling asleep. The coffee doesn't even taste as good in the morning unless he is the one who has made it and he is nearby when I am drinking it.

Miss him.

That Tree is Really Far Away

My husband and I are going to be ridiculous when we get old. One of the reasons is because I don't think I have the best hearing. We are both in our 30's and I think we have conversations right now that many couples are having at the local retirement community.

We once heard a comedian talk about how funny it is when one person keeps asking "What?" and the other person keeps repeating the original statement--even when that statement was something stupid like, "That tree is really far away" and by that point you are yelling it at the other person at the top of your lungs--"THAT TREE IS REALLY FAR AWAY!!". This happens to us on a regular basis.

Sometimes it's like a childhood game of "Whisper Down the Alley" except no one is whispering and there are only two of us, but the outcome is the same. A conversation between us can go very much like this:


Him - "Hey, Juice Newton is on CMT"

Me - "Do I want a Fig Newton on my tree? What are you talking about?"


I love my husband. He deserves an award for putting up with me for almost 10 years.

Atlantic City Memories

Atlantic City is a unique place. It's not necessarily clean. If you wander too far from the casinos, you tend to fear for your life. The resorts are older and not nearly as spectacular as the ones in Las Vegas. Despite all of this, I love Atlantic City.

When walking the boardwalk, you are overcome by the smells of the ocean air, pizza and cheese-steaks. You are surrounded by the sounds of carnival games and seagulls. Faces are lit by the glow of amusement park rides and you can't help but smile as you hear "watch the tram car please".

The shops are filled with cheap jewelry, souvenirs, saltwater taffy and t-shirts with cheesy slogans. The signs from the casinos light up the night. You are surrounded by memorabilia from years and years of Miss America pageants and the Atlantic Ocean is in front of you as far as the eye can see.

There is something inexplicably great about eating pizza on the boardwalk. Is it the ocean air? The view? Something in the sauce? Or is it just my imagination? There is nothing like it anywhere else and I am salivating just thinking about it. Papa T's is one of my favorite places to indulge in that delectable culinary experience.

Getting frozen custard from Kohr Brothers is worth the trip in itself.

My favorite AC attraction is The Blue Martini in Bally's. It's an amazing bar with an incredible selection of over 100 flavored martinis. It is decorated in deep, plush reds and maroons with velvety fabrics and ornate, dimly-lit chandeliers. The walls are lined with cozy booths and couches, where you can sit and enjoy live music and while sipping their heavenly concoctions. The cocktails, the music and the squishy furniture make you want to find a good spot and sit for hours.

Atlantic City has earned a special place in my heart. It might be because I can't get there as easily anymore. It might be because I got to see Tony Bennett at Caesars Palace. It might be because I've made special memories while in the city with my husband. In any case, if I think about it as if it were an old friend (that you love--flaws and all) and I miss it.

Time Travel Through Chapstick

I was digging through my night stand drawer last night, looking for post-it notes. (It is vital to keep post-it notes in your night stand drawer in case you need to mark a page in a magazine that tells you how to get the perfect smoky eye make-up or something of equal importance.) While I was digging, I came across something even better: Cherry Flavored Chapstick.

The fragrance of it took me right back to grade school, when the fear of getting in trouble for wearing tinted lip gloss to class (Catholic School) forced me to the safe, color-free alternative of Chapstick. The combination of the color, smell and taste of it, reminded me of the innocence of being 13 years old again.

Thirteen was before I cared how many calories were in an item of food and before I paid attention to numbers on a scale. Thirteen was before I had to seek assistance from Clairol to cover my "persistent grays". Thirteen was when my primary responsibility for the summer was to get a tan.

Finding the Cherry Chapstick put me in a good comfort zone before falling asleep.

I also think I've discovered the root of my obsession with drug-store cosmetics.

Eleven Ticket Stubs

I have a basket of nail polish that sits on my dresser in our bedroom. Lately, whenever I come home from an event, I tend to tuck my ticket stub into my nail polish basket. I thought I would share with you the eleven ticket stubs that I pulled out and examined today. In case you've been looking for me, this is where I've been:

• Sting & Annie Lennox, Sacred Love Tour, Starwood Amphitheater, Mon 9/6/04
• Alanis Morissette, Acoustic Tour Jagged Little Pill, Ryman Auditorium, Tues 6/21/05
• Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Starwood Amphitheater, Wed 7/13/05
• Duran Duran, Starwood Amphitheater, Fri 7/15/05
• Jerry Seinfeld, Andrew Jackson Hall - TPAC, Sat 7/30/05
• James Taylor & Band, Starwood Amphitheater, Sun 7/31/05
• Queensryche, Operation Mindcrime, Ryman Auditorium, Thurs 9/29/05
• Oasis, Blossom Music Center, Fri 9/30/05
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (Cleveland) , Sat 10/1/05
• Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Grand Ole Opry House, Fri 11/18/05
• Nashville Predators vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, Gaylord Entertaiment Center, Sun 1/15/06

I thought you should at least have some idea why I haven't been answering the phone when you call.

Life is Too Short--Enjoy Every Day

The media announced the death of Dana Reeve today (Christopher Reeve's widow). She died from lung cancer. She was 44 years old. This keeps popping back into my head. She was 44. I'm driving to work. She was 44. I'm answering the phone. She was 44. I'm analyzing invoices. She was 44. She didn't smoke. She was 44. She was less than 10 years older than me. She was 44.

It's days like this that really make me realize how precious life is. Every day is a gift. Don't rush through it. Tell your spouse how much he or she means. Look at the blossoms on the trees. Notice how soft your dog or cat's fur is when you run your fingers through it. When you sit down to a great meal, really taste your food. Smile at the person next to you in the grocery store (don't be creepy about it, just a little smile will do). Slow down a little and really absorb what is going on around you. Make time for the things or people that are important to you. Live your life with no regrets.

That's a Great Name for a Band!

Every now and then, my husband and I will be talking and something will come out of our mouths that makes one of us think, "Wouldn't that be a great name for a band?". I realize that this is not normal or typical behavior, but it generally cracks us up. My 2 current favorites:

• Spatula
• Organic Pork Roll

They might be touring together soon. If so, I want to buy the concert T-shirt.

Anniversary

OK, so the big 10 year wedding anniversary is coming up for me at the end of June. This is great news, I love my husband and I am thrilled that at this point in our lives we are happy together.

Along with the 10 year anniversary, the 10 year anniversary trip is something that usually gets planned. Once again, this is great news. I have no complaints.

However, it is March and we still have no idea where we should go. This is causing me to stress out a bit. Usually, I am a planner by nature--I can't help myself--but right now I feel like we have fallen behind. Have I failed as a planner? Shouldn't we already have the perfect trip planned? Shouldn't we have been talking about it and saving for it for the last 5 years and at this point just be counting the days? Shouldn't I currently be coordinating my nail polish colors for my trip based on the location (i.e. You Rock-Apulco Red or Fiji Weejee Fawn)?

Where have I gone wrong?

Allow Me to Introduce Myself...

Is it weird to be nervous about starting your first blog? Is this the norm? I feel a tremendous amount of pressure to be smart and witty before I click "publish post" and I'm just not sure if I can deliver 100% of the time. Okay, deep breaths....here we go...

I guess I'll start out by telling you a little bit about myself:

Random Stuff About Me

1 - I'm a happily married, thirty-something female
2 - I don't like mustard or spiders
3 - I love rollercoasters
4 - I am addicted to my IPOD-(I think that if I was on my way to work and discovered that I left it at home, I would probably turn my car around).
5 - I like the mysterious feeling of overcast days--especially right before a thunderstorm--it makes me want to sit on a front porch somewhere
6 - I love the melancholy feeling I get when I listen to the song Bell Bottom Blues by Eric Clapton
7 - I've just recently discovered that I like pickled okra
8 - I still remember the list of prepositions that I memorized alphabetically in grade school
9 - Being greeted by a happy dog is one of the greatest things ever
10 - I could spend hours browsing in Target--I love that place
11 - I love Star Wars and everything that goes along with it more than any 30-something female should--I'm a bit of a freak (yes, I've worn my hair like Princess Leia already)
12 - I'm the youngest of 6 kids
13 - Deep down I sometimes wonder if I'm ever going to feel like a "grown up"
14 - I had a pet snake (python) when I was growing up
15 - I love cheap, drug-store beauty products
16 - Most nights, after I turn the light off, I feel the need to turn it back on and check my alarm even though I know I've set it
17 - I don't like drinking out of a glass that doesn't have condensation on it--the feeling of the dry glass against my fingers is like nails on a chalkboard
18 - I am one of the few people I know who takes no prescription drugs regularly--for anything
19 - I used to have a pet goat named Cindy
20 - Shows I watch regularly: 24, American Idol, Lost, The Bachelor, The Office
21 - I love scary movies, haunted houses, Halloween and everything that goes along with it
22 - I have actually had a happy childhood and don't blame any of my problems on my parents
23 - I have 2 dogs (greyhounds) and one of them freaks out and barks whenever "Take Me Home" by Phil Collins comes on the stereo--no other song gets that kind of reaction from him--and I laugh till I cry every time it happens
24 - I was at the taping of the Whitney Houston video "So Emotional" when I was a teen
25 - I love all sorts of magazines and I have trouble throwing them away after I've read them
26 - I'm insecure about a lot of things
27 - I love a good steak dinner and a glass of red wine
28 - I really want to know why God made dinosaurs
29 - I like the way Levi's jeans fit
30 - I love watching people in an airport and wondering what their stories are

Okay, enough about me...for now. However, I am still fearful of clicking "publish"....ok...here goes nothing....