It’s cold (12 degrees), I’m way behind on my errands, and this chaotic day has resulted in my missing lunch altogether.
But just so you don’t think I’m a total pessimist…
Anyone remember the movie The Goonies? Because it’s awesome! The Fratelli’s, Sloth, Chester Copperpot, Chunk pulling the grossest of gross out pranks at the movie theater…this movie rocks every which way. Woohoo!!! Oh, and Fitz hasn’t really seen it (absurd, I know). Although I can’t complain because I’ve never seen Braveheart (RELAX, I can practically see the look of mock-horror on your face right now!). Put it on the to-do list!
P.S. I know…makes no sense at all. I think I’m just hungry.
(Born to multiply) Born to multiply
Born to gaze into night skies
All you want’s one more Saturday
Well look here until then
They gonna buy your life’s time
So keep your wick in the air and your feet in the fetters
Till the day we come in doing cartwheels We all crawl out by ourselves
I’ve hit the breaking point…there is no turning back. After ten years of automobile bliss, my car has taken a turn for the worse and has spared no expense at making my life miserable.
Here’s why:
5 flat tires in 18 months: about $500 (tires + paying some dude to come out, jack my car, throw on the spare, and get me on my way) ‘Maintenance’ repairs in November: $500 New battery (purchased after car dies about 3 weeks after repairs): $50 Time/Energy/Resources put forth by Fitz to mend the situation: too many to count Number of times the alarm has gone off for no good reason: 46 Number of times the alarm went off because my cousin automatically locked his Range Rover: 2 (that I know of) Towing at 10:30pm due to car dying in 10 degree weather: $120 New Alternator & Re-Charge of dead battery: $445
Bottle of wine I drank last night because I’m sick of all this: $90
I know what you’re thinking and no, I don’t just walk around enjoying $90 bottles of wine on a Tuesday night. That is FAR from the lifestyle that I lead. But I am getting married in wine country and Fitz and I are starting a collection of our own so we pick up a nice bottle or two every now and then.
So anyway, Fitz was drinking beer last night and when I said I wanted a glass of wine he told me to just pick one out of the wine fridge. I looked at a few bottles and considered drinking a nice Prevail from Ferrari Carano…however, having just returned from our trip to California, I knew the Prevail carried a hefty price tag of $80. So instead I reached for Silverado’s Solo Stag 2005 Cabernet Savignon.
After pouring myself a glass and sampling the deliciousness, I exclaimed how awesome the wine was. Fitz looked over at me, with a little smile on his face, and said, “Well it should be. That’s about a $90 bottle of wine.”
Oops. Figures. But it certainly improved my mood regarding my car.
And I’m getting out of town. I’m heading up north for a weekend with my girlfriends! How does one prepare for such an occasion? Typically by picking up some bags of Baked Lays and a case of Bud Light like I did this morning. What can I say? We’re chicks. That’s just how we roll.
It’s still pretty chilly in Chicago though it feels practically balmy right now with a temperature of 30 degrees. I miss Sausalito, California…
I’m sooo elated to celebrate the inauguration of President Barack Obama! I have so much hope for him and for us, and I’m ready to see some optimism and spirit come back into politics. Just a short while ago, I attended the election rally in Grant Park and witnessed change firsthand. It was all things I imagined- it was inspiring and breathtaking.
What’s even more remarkable is that I feel like this is just the tip of the iceberg….there is so much more in store for us.
Congratulations, President Obama. Make yourself comfortable. We plan on keeping you around for awhile!
Over this weekend, Fitz and I rented a car that had XM radio. It was the first time I had gotten a good look at what XM was all about (relax, I take the train everyday). It was frickin’ SWEET but really overwhelming when it came to settling on channel (Fitz immediately vetoed talk radio so I didn’t even ask about ‘Oprah and Friends’). We eventually settled on Alternative Nation- I know, I know, I am going through a bizarre vampire-emo, alterna-dance, sweet beat phase. And I’m digging every second of it.
So fast forward to my reason for posting- a song lodged itself in our heads because A.) it has a catchy rhythm and B.) it was played no less then fourteen hundred times in a three day span. What’s funny is that Fitz and I were singing the song at the top of our lungs….and the main chorus carries the words “You don’t know me at all.”
Imagine two betrothed individuals happily singing this song while planning their wedding. Silly? Ridiculous? All of the above? Indeed. Welcome to my nerd world, friends.
I have returned from my glorious weekend out west. Fitz and I had an absolute blast traveling through Sonoma, Napa, Sausalito, and San Francisco. We fine tuned some wedding plans and naturally, made time for some vineyard exploration as well (for wedding ‘research’ of course). The weather was HEAVEN (I’m now questioning why the H I have been living in Chicago all these years. I’ll tell you why- because I’m an idiot).
Fitz and I were giddy all weekend long, practically jumping up and down with excitement. Picking and choosing all of the things that will be a part of our wedding made us realize how soon all of this is happening. There are so many feelings of elation! It’s pretty cool.
So here is a photo that nicely sums up my weekend. I miss the sunshine already.
I’ve decided on a new word to describe the obscene Chicago winter weather: sold.
As in…SO (mutha *&^$%ing) COLD. Yeah..put it together. Now say it fast. REAL FAST. Like one syllable. No, I’m not trying to be funny. It’s impossible to talk when it’s this frigid so one’s words just kind of slur together like mush.
True story:
As I walked from the Thompson Center to my office this morning (only a few blocks), the wind ripped viciously through my coat, hat, gloves, and scarf. I reached up toward my face and was shocked to feel a flood of moisture around my eye balls. It was as if teeny tiny faucets were slowly running.
Wait a minute…was I crying??? Crying tears?! Why?! I’m not sad or emotional…is it so cold that my body is just acting out?! I have no control over this nonsense!
I’m not even kidding. I cried walking three blocks today. Yes, it’s sold here and NO I am not happy.
What I am happy about: my flight to California tomorrow! Woohoo. Bring on the sunshine.
Prior to the film coming out, I posted about the Cullen house utilized in the Twilight movie. It is actually owned by a Nike executive in Portland, Oregon- check out my post from awhile back, detailing my in depth reporting on said home. Oh, and by ‘in-depth’ reporting, I mean that I read something and then relayed it via the internet.
Here is a great article with tons of interior/exterior photos that showcase the magnificence of this residence. Seeing how dramatic the house looks when lit up at night makes me wish that we could have seen some of that in Twilight- it would have set an ominous tone with the Cullen family in a subtle way. This image of a modern day vampire residence is straight out of my imagination- why it couldn’t be utilized more so in the film is beyond me.
P.S. Do you think they will use this house again in the upcoming New Moon film? I hope so…
Disclaimer: I do not own this image. Image found via Design Tavern
I read the most remarkable story in the Chicago Tribune today and felt compelled to share it. It is the story of Kindra McLennan, a beautiful 29-year-old Chicago woman who recently passed away after battling a rare form of cervical cancer. Her bravery is that of legends- after her diagnosis she created a blog and chronicled the ups, downs, and downright awful parts of facing cancer.
After reading of her passing in the Tribune, and then reading her blog, I couldn’t stop the waterworks from flowing. Kindra was newly married, progressing in her career, and looking forward to starting a family with her husband. So much of her life aligns with mine…and in less then a year, she was gone. Yes, you read that correctly. She began treatment in April 2008, and passed away in early Jan. 2009. Reading her blog posts made me grieve for her husband, her family, her friends…and most of all…for the long life she so rightfully deserved. While my heart so badly hurts thinking of this situation, I’m going to remind myself that Kindra found hope in every scenario, and that she used her words to feed inspiration when there was so much despair.
Today let’s be inspired by this amazing woman. Today…let’s have hope.
Sigh. It is SUCH a beautiful, heart-swelling, magnificent, jubliant work of film. GO SEE IT. This is the kind of movie that gives you those feelings of movie magic…and reminds you how inspiring art can be. The movie has gotten stellar reviews and I believe that it will earn many Oscar nods, similiar to the indie super-flick of 2006, Little Miss Sunshine.
The music within the film is quite catchy as well. Here is a little sampler titled “Jai Ho” from the Slumdog Soundtrack:
***UPDATE: Slumdog Millionaire won a hefty amount of well-deserved Golden Globes!!!
Hmmm…it’s been awhile since I’ve had any Twilight or New Moon posts. Fortunately, there is some pretty cool stuff to report: looks like Taylor Lautner will return as Jacob Black in the second film. Check out the details straight from the horse’s mouth (a.k.a. Stephenie Meyer’s website).
I’m pretty pleased about this. Taylor fits the Jacob profile and he is obviously willing to mold himself into the character as he grows and….um, morphs (trying not to give too many spoilers here). However, I must beg and plead that someone get this kid a better wig. I KNOW that they can afford something nicer then the local $8.99 special from Spencer Gifts.
Alas, I cannot get myself going on what needs to change in the new movie…I’ll be typing for years. It just needs to HAPPEN!
You know those television shows that are mindlessly entertaining, shockingly horrific, and downright ridiculous? (Yes, Rock of Love: Tour Bus falls into this category, and no I’m not going to link to it because it’s just too much)
Well…I hate to say this…but I’m addicted to good bad tv. Yes, you heard correctly. It’s soooo bad…it’s good. Ahh, I am so witty.
My arsenal:
1. Real Housewives of Orange County (yeah, that’s right, I admitted it! And yeah, Vicki is kind of a hot mess but I love her anyway)
2. Momma’s Boys(A Ryan Seacrest Production- need I say more?)
3. Bromance (Like Animal House only the dudes are crying all the time; Fitz is a fan)
4. 90210 (This show is HORRIBLE and nothing like the original. However, I can’t say no to Brenda Walsh and Kelly Taylor)
Are there more? Yes. But this is all I can bring myself to admit at this point. Discuss.
P.S. Fitz was kind enough to drive me to work this morning, amidst the mysterious hail/rain/snowflake slush falling from the sky. The problem- Lil Wayne’s song ‘Lollipop’ was on the radio and I cannot get it out of my head. My attention span is easily seduced once again!
Health insurance makes my head spin. Case in point- I have insurance through my employer. As of two weeks ago, I was notified that we were changing insurance as of Jan. 1st, 2009. However, we are not going to be issued insurance cards right away…for reasons unknown.
So I call in a monthly prescription and when I went to pick it up, I was informed that since my coverage expired Jan. 1st, their records indicate that I’m uninsured and that I need to pay full price for my prescription. Normal price with insurance: $50. What they tried to charge me today: $209!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why is this so annoying? Because I HAVE insurance, I just don’t have the card yet. Who cares? Apparently Walgreens does! Happy new year to me!!!
How is it possible that I live in the most affluent country in the world, make a decent buck, and yet I can barely afford to NOT BE SICK because insurance is so ridiculously expensive. I never knew how much it cost to just to be healthy and insured- forget actually being sick.
I was supposed to have this entire week off of work.
Um…not so much. Nothing worse then being called to duty on ones own vacation. I have been really busy which is why I have been so absent! Regardless, another year has concluded, and here we are. So I would like to kick off 2009 with a notable quote from my good pal Walt Whitman:
“To me, every hour of light and dark is a miracle, every cubic inch of space is a miracle.”
Source: Quotations
Happy New Year…Happy New Experiences, Adventures, and Challenges. Most of all…Happy Possibilities!
NEW CELL PHONE!!! Can I get a HELL YES?!!!!!!!!! (fist pump) 3 hours ago
@JakeGarvey I was referring to what I saw on the tv show Hard Knocks, not the domestic dispute. 5 hours ago
Violence can lead to such senseless tragedy. Let's do away with violence and make more room in this world for love. It's about time! 10 hours ago
RIP Chris Henry. Enjoyed watching him turn his life around on Hard Knocks: Bengals Training Camp. Never too late to become a better person. 10 hours ago
Christmas at its best: an artificial tree that looks 100% real, and a pine tree candle 20 hours ago
Posted by kellyq 
Posted by kellyq 
Posted by kellyq 
