TGIFriday the 13th

I'm not superstitious.  I'll take care not to walk under a ladder for safety reasons and I'll do my best to avoid black cats because I'm allergic, but not because I'm superstitious.  All told, this Friday the 13th was pretty normal.  I awoke at 6am and went about regular routines up until the time I exited the kitchen to watch the morning weather.  Much to my surprise and revultion, I watch something scurry quickly from under the kitchen table in the direction of the coat closet.

I got enough of a view of it to know it wasn't a mouse; at first I actually thought it was a cockroach.  Few things are more undesireable than a four (or more) legged creature scurring quickly out of view.  Despite my disgust, I really wanted to watch the weather so I decided to deal with it later.  I took my normal seat (feet up mind you) for a few minutes of precieved normalcy. 


Probably the brother to our visitor

Em was still sleeping, and I wasn't sure if I should wake her before I left to alert her of our new temporary tenant.  In an effort to control the situation, I began, armed with a tupperware container, to search various closets.  I'd put shoes on in hopes of bringing the creature to a swift end, but I'd seen how fast it was and had prepared myself to jump out of the way if the situation called for such action.
Without luck in locating our new friend, I continued about my daily routine, waiting for Em to wake so I could brief her.  It wasn't two minutes after she emerged that I spotted the illusive critter hanging out by the baseboard outside kitchen.  I utilized some sneaky ninja moves to walk past him and grab the tupperware (I'd have prefered to let the poor thing go outside rather than outright squishing him - at this point we were practically old friends). 

The result:

Not long after this photo was taken a phonebook was added on top for good measure.  I was running behind for work and we thought Bruce, the apartment maintanence man, would be by that morning and be willing to ablidge two female tenants.  Bruce, however, got tied up and had to reschedule and poor Em did the deed herself (my hero!)

The rest of the day consisted of work (something about Friday the 13th must have given people an unspoken right to be extra mean), and an impromptu concert with my good friend Bekah.

Amos Lee was headlining at the Down by the River Festival Friday night and Bekah was given two tickets to go.  We arrived a few hours before he was scheduled to begin, and much to my surprise I discovered Chris Thile from Nickel Creek breaking it down on stage.  Awesome.

Not a super great picture but I promise he's up there.

The rain, which had been pretty torential just a few hours before, held off for the entirity of the event.  Bekah and I chatted up some new friends we invited to sit with us since they were alone.  The evening ended at a local bar for drinks with said new friends and was a great success.

Despite the connotations, I don't believe Friday the 13th has to be a bad thing.

What a weekend

This weekend has been an adventure in cooking, and by weekend I really mean Friday evening/Saturday morning, since that's pretty much all the weekend I get these days.  I arrived at the apartment Friday night a little disappointed, as I had originally planned to hit the gym after work but had forgotten to charge my iPod (any excuse, right?)  Em was working late and that was all I'd plan to get into, but once I was home I really didn't see the point in leaving again and going back the way I came (gas prices - another excuse).

I had made chocolate chip muffins the other night after work and found the exercise surprisingly relaxing.  I've always wanted to be able to cook from scratch and I felt a little like Julie and Julia (you know, cube job, cooking...we're the same).  I pulled out my cookbook and flipped to "Appetizers/Snacks," which I figured was a good place to start since it was nearly 6pm and I hadn't even thought about dinner.  I found an easy recipe for hummus, which I've had a few times but am still trying to reach that I-love-it level.

Looking at the ingredients I discovered I owned a grand total of 2 (out of 10), so as it turns out a trip to Kroger was in order.  A few of the things on the list alluded my grasp, one of which was lemon juice which ended up being in the juice aisle of all places.  The other was something called tahini (pronounced tah-HE-knee).  It's a sesame paste, and the cookbook said it was

"...widely available in supermarkets.  Your best bet is to search the condiment aisle or the ethnic food section of the store - but if you don't have any luck, don't be afraid to ask for help." 

So, three associates and five aisles later, we finally found the elusive tahini in the Mediterranean section.  (This is after I took a fair amount of time reading all the S's and T's of every brand of condiment in the condiment aisle). 

I finally made it home with my $30 worth of spoils.

Buying the ingredients was by far the worst part, and the making of the hummus just included putting it in a blender, moving the knob to the 1, and waiting until smooth.  Golden.

Friday night I also had my first experience boiling eggs (lame, I know).  I was a little worried because I like to be sure things are cooked completely and you can't do that with boiled eggs.  Things did turn out well, and when I cut though them things were solid so I was pleased.  I preceded to use two of them to decorate my salad (which I ate from a mixing bowl) when I finally had dinner at 9pm.  And I got a pretty sweet picture of my eggs before they met their hot water end.

Saturday Em and I tried our hand at smoothie making.  I had gotten most of the ingredients already, and I'll admit my motives were selfish, as I hate to waste money but was afraid my yogurt would expire before I wanted to eat it.  Smoothies are perhaps the easiest things to make...ever.  Again, it was really a question of putting things in the blender and pushing go until it's smooth.  (Kyle gives the best presents).

Not my smoothie

Although this isn't a real life photo, our drinks were pretty tasty and Em and I got to spend the morning together.  We're cute.  Then we both went to jobs we tolerate and didn't see each other until she was running out the door Sunday morning without her keys.  All in all, a very good weekend.

'Tis the season

Wedding season, that is.

This past weekend I was privileged to watch my college friend Jenna get married.  Kat, who was a bridesmaid in the wedding, and I drove up to the DC area Friday afternoon for the Saturday event. 

Jenna made a beautiful bride, and I was thrilled to be able to share her special day with her.  Unfortunately, all the pictures I took were on her sister's camera, so I'm waiting for her to send me some of the better ones.  (These are stolen goods from Facebook).  Because Kat and I only took one car, I was her shadow for a lot of the pre-wedding doings, which I didn't mind one bit.  Having been a bridesmaid before, I was more than happy to fetch things and take pictures to document the day - if only I didn't have to be in heels for most of it...

The trip was short as both Kat and I had to be at work on Sunday.  The ceremony was in the morning, which was convenient, so we were on the road about 3pm.  We had crammed a lot into a short period of time:  wedding rehearsal, ceremony and reception, a quick visit with my friend Christian, and shopping (we'd stopped at the Leesburg Outlets on Friday and Saturday went to Kohl's and the Harrisonburg mall), so needless to say we were pretty exhausted upon our arrival back home.

I'm so happy I was able to share this special day with Jenna and Dan, and while I don't know Dan very well, I know that if he was lucky enough to be picked by her he must be pretty special.  Congratulations to both of you!

30 before 30

To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else.  ~Emily Dickinson

It's finally here, my 30 before 30!  This is something my real life friend at emyselfandi started last year and, without having a blog to post to, I particpated in spirit.  But now I have a blog and something to keep me accountable.  So here we go:

1. Grow my hair to my waist
2. Learn to play the cello
3. Milk a cow
4. Swim with dolphins
5. Go to Mardi Gras
6. Organize my photos and scrapbook as appropriate
7. Take a road trip across the country 
8. Keep a regular journal and write in it at least once a week for a year
9. Take a digital photography class
10. Help build a house
11. Attend a multi-day music festival like Bonnaroo or Warped Tour
12. Learn another language
13. See the Arnolfini Portrait in person
14. Read one book every week for a year
15. Learn to paint
16. Go to the Kentucky Derby and wear a big hat
17. Go to the Olympics
18. See the Aurora Borealis in person
19. Attend an Indian wedding ceremony
20. Visit Haiti, Italy, and Africa
21. Take a dance class at a studio in New York
22. Learn to crab and then use my skills
23. Drive the entirety of the Pan American highway
24. Spend time working/volunteering in an orphanage overseas
25. Ride in a hot air balloon
26. See all the classic movies in AFI's top 100 movies
27. Fly by myself
28. Go on a cruise
29. See street art being produced
30. Build a piece of furniture

Here's the link to Em's blog - check her list out too!  Want to play along?  Leave a comment with a link to your list (or the list itself).

Happy living!


My new friend Tom

I've been told that while living on your own, you often acquire more stuff than you realize or desire.  I learned this first hand when I made that final move from college and discovered I had more shoes, clothes, and furniture than I knew what to do with.

But one piece of "furniture" I thought I'd never acquire - a drum.  Em came home one night last week heavy laden with a mid tom from a drum set.  A co-worker had given it to her stating someone was giving it away and he thought she might like it.

Tom has seemed to find a permanent residence in the space between the kitchen table and the desk in the entry way/living room/dining area of the apartment.  I've taken to beating on him when I need luck while Em finds it more therapeutic to give him a few knocks when she's frustrated.  Who knew his rustic appearance and baritone voice would have won us over so easily.

Moving out, I knew I'd acquire more material things than I wanted, which is a bit annoying as I was hoping moving into a smaller place would help me downsize and be more choosy when making purchases.  Despite how it might sound, Tom is a welcome addition to our new place.  (I'm thinking we should get visitors to sign him in Sharpie).  After all, it's not often a new guy comes into your life, is always there when you need him, and willing sits while you beat him.  I think this could be the start of a beautiful relationship.

Indecision

I woke up composing this entry this morning, and although that was 12 hours ago and I know it's not going to be at all like it started this morning, the fact that I've been thinking about it that long probably means it really needs to be written. 

I need a new job.  I know you're thinking "Already?  But didn't you just start this job and think it was the best thing ever?"  The answer is yes to both questions.  I guess it just goes to show you don't know what you're in for, or what you like, until you try it.  But I now know I don't like this.

I'm not used to having to meet numbers, and I've never had a job that requires me to sit for hours on end.  I'm used to planning and executing things, moving around, being proactive and interacting face to face with customers.  The desire to call in for work today started at 10pm last night - but I made it though all 8 hours (but just barely).  The pull to leave early each day weighs on me and while I want more than anything to follow in the steps of one of my coworkers who just hasn't shown up for work in the last week, I just don't have it in me.  My parents both have strong work ethics and (luckily) I inherited that trait.

Although he got up every day and kept plugging away at it, my dad hated his job and beginning probably as soon as I have memories I remember him telling me to get a job I liked.  That has become my mantra and, as a result, it might make it seem like I'm being a princess about my job(s).  But really, the thought of being roped into a work experience just for the benefits terrifies me.  I saw a lot of things in my dad after he retired that I never saw in him as a working adult and I don't want it to take 35 or 40 years of working for me to enjoy the majority of my waking hours.  I want to be fulfilled and make a difference and feel good about getting up in the morning.

I currently don't feel that.

So, starting tomorrow I'm updating that resume and I'm putting out feelers for something relating to my degree.  And I'm going to try my hardest not to be afraid of getting to start over somewhere new (because chances of me finding anything in my small hometown are shrinking more as time goes on).  Em and I talked about it last night and agreed that it never hurts to try and see where things go.  Wish me luck!

Love [begins] blind

Last night provided a much needed break from my normal routine.  Instead of attending a meeting or get-together of some variety (like I did literally every night last week), I spent the evening chatting it up with a stranger on a blind date.  He's not a total stranger I guess, but rather a co-worker of one of my good friends who treated me with drinks and dinner.  We gallivanted downtown, played some pool (where I proved myself a worthy opponent), and delved into some pretty intense conversational topics.  And I was out past my bedtime.  All in all a good night.

It was exciting meeting up with someone I didn't know (and who I'm fairly certain I'll never see again, seeing as how he's headed up north for a new job tomorrow), and of course it's always nice to get to talk about yourself with someone you don't know.  You get that chance to present yourself in your best light, omitting some things and making yourself seem as you wish you were.  Not only did the evening present me with a chance to meet someone new but I also tried some new things, including calamari and mixing jack and ginger ale (both good choices).

While it was a successful evening and I had a good time, there were some topics we clearly disagreed on (topics I'm not willing to bend with).  But I think it's ok, maybe in some cases better, to be able to more readily describe undesirable qualities in a mate than something you'd enjoy.  I know what I'm not looking for, but whoever I'm fortunate enough to share life with will surely have qualities that surprise and delight me daily, qualities I didn't even know I wanted in a husband.

It was refreshing to be pursued, albeit for a short time, and treated to a night out.  Here's to another life experience, another story to tell.  (On that note, I promise that 30 before 30 list is coming soon!)