Posts Tagged ‘plannin’’

  • 18 Mar

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    Something to Look Forward To

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    So to preface this post, I’ve had a little to drink tonight. And I think there’s some rule about don’t drink and post but I’m FAR too wise to listen to such silliness.

    Went out with some friends this evening. It’s so nice what a little alcohol and some good company can do with an evening. Anyway, among our ridiculous suggestive comments, stupid ideas, happy/dirty/forgotten memories and frustrated work stories was a discussion on travel.

    Now these are some of the same people I went to NYC with this past New Years and we had a great time. What’s more, we traveled well together (I thought. Wait, you don’t agree? … Huh. Awkward.), so it seems like something we’d want to try again. Our next plan is for Las Vegas (potentially over the 4th of July) and beyond that, the NC mountains sometime this fall. These wouldn’t be long trips necessarily, but they’re already such a nice thought out there on the horizon (a happy dent in my crappy work/school life) that I can’t help looking forward to it, even without any real details to attach to the idea.

    But speaking of trips and details, I’ll be heading to NYC again in less than a month. My best friend from high school, the man who swore he would never marry, is getting married. Congratulations, Mr. Darcy.
    I’m trying to drag one of my friends along for moral support and to distract me. It will, after all, be just shortly after the big 3-0 and I feel there may be a little self-pity involved, something I’d like to avoid. It’s an odd trip- no real plans, aside from the wedding, and quite possibly I’ll be by myself, just me a million other people.

    So stay tuned for my travel stories. Also, just bought me a Mac Mini and already the masses are curious about how it’s working (it was just shipped! Give me a few days!) so I’ll post about that soon. Well, “soon”.

    P.S. If you’re reading this post and thinking: “That spoiled baby is traveling and buying Mac Mini’s and all kinds of stuff!”, you are right, I am a spoiled baby. A spoiled baby who did an itemized federal tax refund.

  • 20 Dec

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    The Cookie Affair

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    Every year I participate in a cookie exchange with some ladies from work. My mom does so much cooking that I like to try to help out by bringing home 6 or 7 dozen cookies to keep the troops occupied satiated with sugar.

    In case you’re not familiar with the concept of a cookie exchange, I have to make 6 dozen cookies and I trade them with a dozen cookies 6 other people have made. Of course I also like to make a dozen to take home for myself because I (unbiasedly) believe mine are usually the best anyway. With 7 dozen cookies to make, I like to try to find something simple (with 7 dozen cookies even easy recipes become a challenge) and this year after considering several options, I decided to go with a recipe my friend Garrison sent: Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies. Garrison assured me they were super-easy and, to his credit, informed me that the standard recipe went a long way- he got almost 5 dozen cookies out of the recipe for 2-3 dozen.

    So I woke up this morning, pulled up the recipe and wrote up my shopping list (trip #1). I figured I’d make 6 dozen and the overage Garrison warned me about would cover the dozen for my family. Naturally, I did not bother to look in my cabinet before I left. I “knew” I had sugar and Vanilla extract but I needed everything else. An hour later I came home a realized I had just bought my third container of unsweetened cocoa (the second one had never been opened) and had less than a cup of sugar. So I hoofed it back to Harris Teeter (trip #2), returned my cocoa and grabbed a bag of sugar.

    Back at the house I was ready to go. I melted my margarine and mixed my cocoa etc. It was going well and smelling good but when I got to the point where I had to add the oatmeal I quickly learned the entire container I had bought was only 5 cups of the 9 cups I needed. I actually went through the thought processes of “do I *really* needed another 4 cups?”, and “who do I know that wants to run out and get me oatmeal?” but in the end I knew what I had to do. So, with the stove on very low I ran back to Harris Teeter (trip #3) and bought another container of oatmeal. At this point the manager and the cashier both knew me and asked me how the cookies were going. I admitted to my inability to do math as I dashed out the door.

    Got home, again, and I dumped the rest of the oatmeal in and stirred. Cookies done = yeah! Next step: lay-out the cookies. They’re no-bake but they have to cool and harden so they need to be laid out on wax paper (btw, I bought that too and already had a roll at home…). So I started putting cookies out, and kept going and going and going. Ran out of counter space and put several trays in the fridge. Garrison was not exaggerating. The recipe was for 72 cookies and I have about 120.

    Happy Holidays, everyone! Enjoy the season and may you all have too many cookies!

  • 25 Aug

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    I’m cheating on you, baby

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    Since I was feelin’ like there wasn’t much going on [LIE] I thought I’d come up with something else to do: how about a year-long course on how to be a leader? What can I say, work doesn’t pay for training much [EVER] so I thought I should take advantage.

    Now as part of my sharing and leading and learning and growing I have a new blog, for which the co-workers who kindly agreed to judge me during this process can keep up-to-date with my “progress”. I’ll be honest, I’m having a hard time keeping the sarcasm in check on there. Not because I don’t think this is worthwhile, just because apparently that’s how I communicate. And yes, I know it’s a problem.

    This actually comes during a time of introspection and personal reflection. The “Year of Jen” has turned into the “Year of Improving Jen” which is fine as long as I get somewhere with it. The last class for the program was the Myers-Briggs test and that was very eye-opening for me. Apparently I’m an introvert. So many things make more sense when I understand that. I thought it was weird that I feel shy so often when I’m also quite outgoing. Aside from people I know, most others make me really uncomfortable [STILL SINGLE].

    Speaking of being single, guess what I have this weekend? Family reunion! Once every 5 years I, conspicuously-alone, get to go visit my great big mostly-married, baby-breedin’ extended family. Don’t me wrong, I love them and I can’t wait to see them. But if my dear cousin points out that I’m the oldest one at the party alone (again) I will not be responsible for my actions. At least I’m not the lard-ass I was 5 years ago (see photo at right and then print and burn).

    Anyway, to get back on topic, I’m supposed to post on my other blog at least once every other week. So… yeah. You may need to go there for your Jen fix for awhile. But I still love you.

    Oh and the [BLOCK] thing. Just ignore it. [HABIT].

  • 02 Aug

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    Giddy with Technology

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    Not all of you starved-for-entertainment readers know me that well, but I’m a little high-strung. I stay busy anyway and if you’ve been reading you know the last 10-11 months or so have been extra crazy. So the vacation was a blissful break and I honestly didn’t realize how stressed I’d been until I got back.
    The last week or two post-vacation has also been somewhat dreamy. Sure, it’s been busy but it also feels like time has slowed down. I can’t believe, for example, that I have only been back for two weeks. It feels like a month!
    So for the first week and a half or so I was able to stay mostly detached and not let stuff bother me so much. Slowly things have started to get to me again but I’m trying to remind myself not to over-react and that things don’t need to be a crisis. I’m trying to enjoy things away from work more and remember to smile, even when I don’t feel like it.

    One thing that has really helped with this goal is that my roommate moves out this weekend. I do like my roommate as a person, but not as much as a roommate. The other piece of awesomeness about her moving out is that now I get to buy a new TV. I take the TV very seriously so I’ve decided to invest/splurge. I’ll be picking up a 37′ flat-screen LCD HD TV (Samsung, in case you’re curious) later this afternoon. I can’t wait to watch some HD Olympics and play some hi-res Wii and I’m thinking out hooking up a computer too. Sweet, sweet technology. I enclose a picture here as further proof that I am a geek.

  • 11 Jun

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    Really Bag Blogger

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    I think 4 or 5 people have told me that I accidentally entitled my last post “Bag Blogger”, which was exciting since I had no idea that many people were reading! Hi people! I am a really bad blogger.

    In my defense, things have been very busy and I have been thinking about blogging. I actually have 3 or 4 things in mind to write about, starting with the story of baby. But I want to give that story it’s full weight so I’ll save it for next time. And by “next time” I don’t mean 3 months from now.

    I don’t really have any great updates; work is still busy, I’m still stressed. On the plus side I’m 21 days away from my vacation: 2-weeks in a beautiful Bob Ross-wilderness of Canada. I’ve also been working on my nice back yard with help from my cute little brother, who probably wouldn’t like to be called “cute” or “little”. More soon.

  • 10 May

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    Bag blogger!

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    Yes, I am a bad blogger.

    School’s out- for summer this time. Was going to take a summer class but since I haven’t officially completed all assignments for my spring class (taking an incomplete) and work is not slowing down that seems a bad idea.

    Cuzin Yorii is due in less than a week and is completely ready to pop. I have to review my “to do” list and maybe reread a few chapters of the baby book to get myself psyched up. I’m missing mom’s day and my dad’s birthday at home this weekend, just in case she goes early but all signs seem to be pointing to ‘Junior’ wanting to stay put for the long haul. It’s bizarre to have something so big and important waiting on the horizon but not have a date to go with it.

    My Wii is A-W-E-S-O-M-E. Downloaded Mario Bros (3, the good one) and Galaga and have purchased myself some Mario Kart plus extra controllers and other misc. toys. Must stop sending money on it but it’s so fun! (both the Wii and the spending money) and, well, Dr. Mario comes out next week so I’ll stop buying things after that.

    Went camping last weekend and it was wonderful. I don’t usually like spring but it just seems like I’ve been cold lately (I have lost some weight, yay!) and it’s so nice to be outside in the sun. Anyway, the weather was great and this was the kind of camping with a bathroom a short walk away so it wasn’t exactly a hardship. I’m supposed to be going to the mountains in June for more camping and I’m really looking forward to it. Might buy myself a tent if I can stop spending money on my Wii.

    And I’ll say nothing about work here, except that’s Saturday afternoon (and sunny out) and I’m posting this from work. So there you go.

  • 16 Mar

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    Baby News (no, not mine)

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    I’ve mentioned in passing that my cousin, Yorii (not her real name– I know, a shock) is pregnant. She reached a certain age and, still single, decided she would take matters into her own hands. One donor and some hilarious and heart-breaking antics later, she’s seven months along.

    In her exceptional wisdom she has decided that it is I that she wants as a coach, supporter and cheerleader in this process. So my duties will include helping her through labor, driving to the hospital (that is going to S-U-C-K), fighting for her wishes in the delivery room, keeping the ice water (no ice chips!) coming, cutting the umbilical cord (squishy!) and many other tasks that vary between exciting, scary, deeply emotional and gross.

    This weekend was the childbirth class. Two days, eight hours each and loaded with lots of interesting information. Also a lot of very disgusting videos. Right now I feel quite prepared, which is surely quite misleading. I’m much more concerned about my preparation in two months time and my stamina for the whole process. I’m also a little concerned that seeing a woman have a baby will sear my memory and I’ll never want to have a child of my own. I’ll be sure to report on that post-partum.

    I learned tons of cool words and anatomical details in class. Again, I’ll spare you the really horrible stuff and give you an innocuous example. The top of the uterus, which contracts and bunches up as the woman goes through labor (in order for the cervix, at the bottom, to open) is called the fundus. The spell-checker has no clue what that is. To me it sounds like a party-platter. Woohoo!

  • 21 Jan

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    The Island at the Center of the World

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    Once upon a time I bought a book in my favorite little bookstore in Manhattan (The Strand, a few blocks away from Union Square). The book was about the history of the earliest settling of Manhattan, by the Dutch. I agreed to let my brother read it first and therefore have only just finished it, nine and a half months later…
    The early part of the book was a little slow. It detailed the very early history of the settlement (including the eventual city of Albany and several NYC boroughs) so it took awhile for me to get into the book. But as the city filled in and more of the names became recognizable the book became much more rewarding.

    The Dutch were very open people and a century before English settlers were fighting for fundamental freedoms, the Dutch were giving many of them- most importantly, freedom of religion and a welcoming attitude to foreigners. This early legacy helped to create an attitude that lead millions of immigrants through Ellis Island, but also helped to form our earliest declarations of freedom.


    I know I’m going on a bit- I apologize. The point is, there was a section in one of the last chapters that mentioned 9/11 and did a great job of driving home the point that the heart of this small town lay within a mile or two from where the towers fell. New York, or the New Netherlands as they were known then, was able to build a settlement free from religious persecution (almost) and open to all types of people. More than 300 years later that land was attacked by people who still didn’t get, or couldn’t accept the fundamental principles that formed New York. They weren’t attacked for their ideals in 1661 (the English took over for the trade routes) but they were in 2001.

    I’m going to NY in a few weeks and I’m hoping to go to Ellis Island and perhaps the NY City History Museum (yes, there is one). I’ll give you a review if it’s any good. Going to see ‘Wicked’ too- can’t wait!

  • 05 Dec

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    The Sighs of the Season

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    Ah… I can breathe again.

    I finally finished my paper for class, completed my presentation at the conference (hungover, no less) and have made it past a number of other work and personal humps. While no means free of stress (I’m hosting a Christmas party in 10 days) I at least feel like I’ve made it past the worst of it.

    My conference was… interesting. I’m assured that I managed to avoid embarrassing myself too much. Still it was the kind of event with situations that leave you raw and emotional. No doubt combined with the “joyous” Christmas season, I find myself exhausted and a little nauseous and that’s not the hangover (at least not anymore). People trying to “pair me off” – which has never been in the slightest bit successful – while I try not to think about what I really want and can never have. This was my deadline of sorts. I’m going to make myself “get out there” more in the coming weeks and months. Wish me luck and you really should tune in because this is usually when it gets very funny and very, very sad.

    I’m literally posting this on a computer in class (my last class of the semester- hell YEAH!) so I think I’d better be done now.

    PS- my hotel in Asheville, the B Renaissance Hotel, was incredible. Great service, nice rooms and decent food.

  • 19 Oct

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    Ramblin’ Woman

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    So my roommate has a theory that if you’re going to turn 30, and with that of course freak out and be miserable, you might as well have something to look forward to. Her suggestion was a trip so we compiled top ten lists of places we want to go and looked for overlaps. We haven’t ultimately decided yet where we’ll go but we’ve narrowed it down to somewhere in Europe potentially any two or more of the following:

    • Spain
    • France
    • Italy
    • Ireland
    • Scotland
    • Czech Republic
    • Greece
    • Germany

    I think we’re doing this in a pretty smart way. We have about a year and a half to plan and save. We’re both pretty motivated to get this to work with our school/work schedules. I know some French and she knows some Spanish; I’d like to learn some Italian and she wants to learn German so we’re working through the language issues.

    Now I admit I anticipate some traveling issues- the whole 24-7 together syndrome. But I think we’re both aware of those problems and I do live with her so at least I’m familiar with the things most likely to annoy me. Naive? Probably. We’ll see…

    PS- I don’t want to hear it, Cassie! I’m only your second-favorite cousin, huh?

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