Christmas Shenanigans

Last night as the boy and I were climbing into bed I reminded him to enjoy his slumber a little extra because the next three days are going to be insane for us. Tonight we trek two hours south to celebrate Festivus with a group of our high school friends. Tomorrow will be split amongst our two families, with multiple stops to his parents, my grandmother's, church, and finally my Mom's. I have a large extended family so my grandmother's will be packed with peeps, young and not so young. My Mom's house will be filled with tiny footsteps, it's Christmas tradition my brother and his family spend Christmas Eve at Mom's.

Christmas day we have a full line up as well. The gift giving will commence as soon as the little one's open their eyes, followed by a HUGE breakfast at the boy's aunts house (hello sausage pinwheels!!), and then dinner at the boy's parents house. The pending snow might derail our Sunday plans to spend Christmas with my Dad in Virginia but I guess we'll play that by ear Saturday night. As much as I love SoMar, I would much rather be snowed in at my own house.

The boy and I already exchanged gifts (we do Christmas early every year) and I must have been extra good this year...or maybe extra naughty...because he definitely outdid himself. He replaced my stolen Tiffany's ring and I'm the owner of a brand new Flip camera. I scored a signed Redskins helmet for him and a couple other small things.

I hope your Holiday travels are less stressful than ours!! Merry Christmas!

First Snow

Our first snow fall started this morning around 11am. We didn't get a ton but the one or two inches we did get makes the the trees look very christmasy. It also created chaos on the commute home, a 12 mile trip took almost an hour and a half. And I wasn't even in rush hour.

I'm getting a little more into the Christmas spirit. I finished up the boy's gift today and have just a few more things to pick up before I can say I'm done for this year. My Christmas work party is tomorrow and I still have to pick up a gift for the chinese gift exchange. Looks like I'm going out on my lunch break tomorrow.

Saturday I'm headed to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The boy and I are going ice skating at the Mall and then to the White House (along with everyone else and their Mom) to check out the Christmas decorations. Good times.

And now to curl up on the couch with a white fluffy dog to enjoy the Big Bang Theory.

She's 1

A year ago yesterday I was pacing back in forth in a hospital room, complaining about terrible cafeteria food, and arguing with my brother about who was getting the last piece of the only edible food in the room; an orange. My sister-in-law was laying in a hospital bed scowling at us both because the only thing she was allowed to "eat" was ice chips. A couple hours later a dark haired, very tiny baby, was born. She was rushed away before we could hold her. She was born with Down's Syndrome and inherited the usual complications of a Downs baby. Tubes were hooked up and nurses and doctors swarmed her little incubator. We were allowed to touch only her hands and feet before they flew her to a hospital with a more established NICU.

A year later, we have a happy, mostly healthy, thriving baby. She laughs (especially at her Daddy), coos, can roll from front to back and back to front, loves to play with toys, and looks super cute with with her hair in a pony tail. Happy 1st Birthday Alexis! We love you more than you could possibly imagine.

A whole year old!!

7 months old

3 months old

A day or so old

Holiday Unspirited

This is our first Christmas in our new house. I envisioned lots of decorations, fresh baked cookies and a huge tree...ya know, all things that most people cringe over. The time came to christmasify our house and I was totally lackluster about it. Our tree is nice but it's not huge. It's in our basement because it doesn't fit in our living room and the boy and I bickered pretty much the whole time putting it up. We have a few decorations stuck here and there though there's no real flow to them. The boy refuses to put lights outside which is a total bummer, even though his reasoning makes sense.

It's just definitely not how I pictured our first Christmas in our house.

Oh another note, I'm hoping to escape down to Florida for a few warm days, if my budget allows, after Christmas to spend some time with a girlfriend.

Happy Hours

Happy hour is one of my favorite activities and not because of the drinking. I love the camaraderie that happy hour spurs. People from all walks of life drop into bars for cheap drinks and inexpensive appetizers as they're passing through from one destination to another. One large team looking to wrap up their day at the end of a tall drink.

A pair of gentlemen to my right were chatting about his impending engagement, discussing the different rings he looked at for his future (hopefully) wife. A group of girls in the corner were giggling about God knows what, but promptly left at 7 when happy hour ended. The older gentlemen to my right, a former FBI agent turned liaison for the Maryland State Police, chatted my coworker and I up for the better part of our happy hour(s). Unfortunately, my friend and I did most of the talking, and I know little about him. Get a few drinks in me and I'll talk myself silly.

As I was driving home, I reran the montage of people I've met (or observed) at happy hour over the course of my...happy hour escapades. There is always one or two individuals that look like they're trying to drown their sorrows from impending doom, another couple looking too friendly at a private corner table, and the one or two strays that are at the bar by themselves, looking to pass time before heading home, alone or otherwise.

My blue moon was flat tonight so I had to settle for an old school Coors Light in the bottle. Boy, have my beer tastes changed. But that's for another post I suppose.

Rainy Tuesday

As I sit my lazy ass on the couch, I have laundry that needs to be washed, floors that need to be vacuumed, toilets that need to be cleaned, and linens that need to be changed. And I'm doing none of that. I'm watching crappy television, surfing the web, and sitting in pajamas.

I should be at the gym working out, organizing the mass chaos in my spare room, or at the very least working on a Christmas gift I'm assembling. But I'm not.

I had an uber productive weekend, full of wedding planning and yard work at my Mom's, followed by a day of Christmas shopping and an evening in the rain watching a terrible football game. My productivity went as far as the tuna sandwich I made for dinner.

A far as Tuesday's go, this one's been pretty lousy.

Self Reflected

I just returned from a two day work conference. A conference that entailed team building exercises, personal challenges, and tons of reflecting. A particular segment targeted stress--mitigating factors to alleviate stress and stress producers. The speaker touched on our personal reactions to stress and specific exercises we can do that will reduce stress in the short term. To paraphrase this portion of the conference would be to say that I am the only one that can control my how much stress is in my life and my reaction to stress. What I allow to affect me and to what extent is solely in my control. A symbiotic relationship exists between my level of stress and my quality of life.

I can't reduce the stress in my life overnight, nor can I improve my quality of life overnight. So the presenter asked we set goals, baby steps if you will, that will enable a greater balance between the two. The number one attainable goal on my list is to go to the gym more often. I NEED to start going to the gym on a regular basis again. The gym is a huge boost for me-- both mentally and physically.

The runner up on my list was spending more quality time with the boy. We share so much space together, but a lot of our interactions have little to do with our relationship. Much of our relationship exists with me on one end of the couch with my computer and he on the other end with the remote or video controller. Very little talking exists after 5pm in my house. I'm going to institute dinners at the table again, sans my blackberry (or his).

I walked away with a handful of other personal challenges. I, of all people, know I have growing to do. In my personal relationships, work relationships, and relationship with myself. This conference gave me the motivation to start the ball rolling in trying to achieve a few personal goals that were on the back burner. I'm anxious to report back in a three months or so my progress. I hope to have chipped more than just two goals off my list, but then again I'm taking baby steps. So any achievement will be recognized as that and not chastised for the size of the accomplishment. I'm on the warpath, but it's a good one.

Hindsight

Facebook is the ultimate stalking device. As I was perusing stalker central today I came across a facebook status that went from 'in a relationship' to 'single' and then back to 'in a relationship' in a couple days time.

The basis of the break up was a lie about something trivial but nonetheless the hurt party felt the lie strong enough to discontinue the relationship. I don't know the ins and outs so I'm passing no judgement. This is not their first break up, nor their second, and probably not their last.

It did propel me into a series of flashbacks of our relationship. Fighting in general is not fun. Making up after a fight...well that can be fun. Constantly fighting for the sake of fighting is just a toxic relationship. Especially when one party knows they can just say "fine, I'm done with this then" and the "at fault" party immediately caves. I knew things were getting serious, I mean really serious, when during one of our fights neither of us threw that phrase into the argument.

When you have that easy out, that go to play and you don't take it progress is happening. And I would imagine the above relationship just hasn't reached that level yet. The level when winning fairly means more than winning at all, or more so, admitting defeat because you're really in the wrong.

I can honestly tell you since we've taken that card off the table our relationship has been better than ever. Maybe it's because we know we're stuck with each other and fighting over something that doesn't really matter just isn't fun anymore. Maybe we don't care as much who's right or wrong, or maybe it's because we've matured a bit.

I don't envy their road ahead. It takes awhile to retire that play. It takes determination, dedication in a relationship, and some growing up to do. Though they'll never even read this post, I'm rooting for them.

Wacked Out Budget

The hardest part about being a twentysomething, or at least in my opinion the hardest part of being a twentysomething is budgeting. Or in our case, the lack there of. I thought we had somewhat of a budget down until I printed out our bank statements and went through each page to find out exactly why we were so poor 7 days into the month.


Fast food restaurants and coffee joints kill our bank account. In the last 10 days we've spent $174 at various ff places. Most people don't even spend that on food in one month, let alone 10 days. And I wish I could tell you we were fine dining but unfortunately dunkin donuts and starbucks and the eateries at our respective work places have pretty much monopolized our stomachs.

We are constantly struggling to maintain our twentysomething lifestyle while still putting a little money in savings each month. And I do mean little. More importantly, the boy and I have very different views on how much should (or shouldn't) be saved each month. He holds true to the belief that we're young and crazy and our bank account should reflect that. Being more of a pessimist, I'm worried about some sort of disaster rendering us homeless and hungry.

Needless to say our finances are a hot mess. We're searching for a middle ground, a young and adequately prepared center. So in a desperate attempt to compromise on our spending habits (I'm as guilty as he is), we're going to resort to good 'ole fashioned cash for food and bar purposes. That way when it's gone, it's gone. We'll have tangible evidence that we're staying in our budget, rather than guesstimating after each debit card usage.

We've also switched to a bank that will offer a little more than .89 cents interest each month on our savings account, will reward us for using our debit card (we're still going to use our card for gas, groceries, that kind of stuff), and will refund us for any atm that charges a fee. We're getting things together, slowly but surely. Budgeting for two is a helluva lot harder than budgeting for one. That is fo' sho.

I Heart the Fall

And here's why:

Less humidity- Hallelujah, my hair loses some volume

Everything pumpkin- Lattes, bread, muffins, cheesecake, scones, beer, I love it all. Beer the most. Okay, maybe lattes the most. Oh what the hell, they are tied.

Vests- Yes, vests. Yhey are perfect for this in between kind of weather

A warm cozy bed- This is a double edge sword. I absolutely, without a doubt, hate getting out of bed in the morning. but I sleep the best in a pocket of warmth that is my bed this time of year.

Boots- Hello boot season! I've missed you oh-so-much

Halloween- Halloween parties, halloween candy, costumes...yes and please!

Football- My house is already filled with smelly dudes drinking way too many carbs. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Breaking and Entering

We had a weird night at our place last night. It started out at 5:30 when I came home to our house W I D E open. Let me preface this by saying I live with the Lock Nazi. He locks our screen door, our deadbolt, and our bottom lock most days just to go to work. He even turns the alarm on when we go to the bar. So, when I rolled in yesterday and the door was not just unlocked, but open, I naturally assumed he was home. When a white fluffy dog didn't come attacking my legs, I realized the boy had taken the dog to get a hair cut. I walked outside just in case the next Jeffrey Dahmer was in my house. As it turns out, he had just forgotten to shut (and lock) the door. About a half hour later we decide to hit up the Greene Turtle near our house. We walk outside, I look at him and he looks at me, as to say "Who's driving?". And guess what? We locked both sets of keys in the house. Ironic, considering not too long ago anyone could've walk right in.

About two months ago I watch my neighbor hoist his (maybe) girlfriend through their upstairs window to get in their locked house. I figured he could be of assistance. As I'm chatting with him about our predicament, the boy takes his credit card, and no lie, is in our house within 45 seconds. 45 seconds! Greeeeat. It's safe to say we'll be using that alarm every day now. And I too will be joining the Lock Nazi ranks.

Oh did I mention, we went to sleep with my keys still in the door? Yep, this morning the boy discovered them swinging away in the door as he left to take the dog for a walk. Strange evening indeed.

Marriage Counseling

The boy insisted on getting married in a little white church. In order to get married in a little white church, we have to go through their marriage prep. To say I dreaded last Saturday would be an understatement. The last thing I wanted to do for 4 hours on a Saturday was sit in a room and listen to some man (or woman) preach to me about how to be a better catholic. I was shockingly surprised. While bible verses and scriptures were thrown in every now and then, it was basically about how to better communicate. The church lady was "normal" and her husband joined half way through and they gabbed about how much they fought about money in the beginning, chores, kids, etc. It wasn't terrible. And they gave us free coffee and pastries. This weekend is round two and the topics of discussion are sex and money. This should lead into one helluva blog post next week. Good times.

Short Hiatus

No, I didn't fall off the face of the Earth. I've just been uber busy with this silly little thing called life. Not that life is a real excuse, but I'm going with it.

I'm working late at least a couple days a week. I'm not complaining by any means as I am still enjoying happy hour as well! I've had another run in with the skin cancer. The boy said I looked like a stab victim with bandages all over my stomach. My stitches come out Friday and I couldn't be any happier.

The boy and I are still living amicably together in our house. We did have an unwelcome reptile slithering around outside, that is until the boy went out with shovel in hand. The squirmy little thing quickly disappeared. We've yet to see him or her again. Here's to hoping it's not in my house anywhere.

Life has thrown a recent curve ball that the boy and I are working through. Nothing to do with our relationship per se but more so the overall picture. But what is life if it doesn't involve constant change?? I'm intentionally being vague. More to come when we've separated the end pieces from the middle pieces. The puzzle is still a gigantic mess we're sorting through.

On a not-so-good note our softball team ended the season with a 25-4 loss in the playoffs. But for throwing a random team together, I should be grateful we made it to the playoffs!

All an all, life isn't half bad.

Congrats Christen

My best friend (who happens to live 2000 miles away) gave birth to her first child-- a babygirl on July 13, 2010 at 2:27 pm. At 7 lbs 12 ounces and 20.5 inches long she is one of the most adorable babies I've ever laid eyes on. I'm biting at the bullet to book my flight to Florida.

Congrats to the Ries family!!! Aunt Jess and Uncle M can't wait to spoil her!

Ps. C: do not expect me to get baby fever when we get there. you might as well prep yourself on having another before I pop one out :)

French Toast

The boy's brother, D, and his girlfriend came to visit this weekend. They had yet to see the new house and took advantage of D's 4 day vaca from work to sight see in Baltimore and visit us. We always talk up Blue Moon Cafe around our family. Mainly because it's that damn good. So this morning before they departed, we ventured to Blue Moon.

Blue Moon is about the size of my living room and has only a handful of tables, meaning there is no area to wait inside of the restaurant. We waited for about an hour, in the rain, before we were seated. We had just ordered drinks when in walks Duff, from Ace of Cakes. He walked right up to the owner and planted a big, long, wet one on her lips. Of course, the man who makes delicious cakes dates the chick who is known for the best breakfast in town. Match made in kitchen.

D is shitting his pants with excitement and plotting ways he can accidentally bump into Duff. At one point he even gets up to go to the "bathroom" just so he can walk by him. D begins "inconspicuously" taking pictures of Duff each time Duff gets up and walks to the kitchen. I mean, when you're doing the chick who owns the place, you can get any damn well thing you please out of the kitchen. After the third picture D tries to take, Duff takes out his phone and snaps a picture of D. Pure awesome. D's face turns an attractive shade of fire engine red.

Duff walks over and explains to us how he has an entire album of folks who have over the years covertly attempted to take his pic. He chit chats with us for a few minutes and then takes a real picture with D, that of course, went straight to facebook. Meanwhile, I'd love to see Duff's album...

He left right as our food was served and D could hardly manage to eat the Capt'n Crunch French Toast put in front of him. Now if only we could convince Duff to make the boy and I a wedding cake for something less than our first born.

Going Abroad

I was on hold with a mortgage company at work today so I typed in the address of a blog I like to read from time to time. I read through 2 or 3 posts and then clicked the 'Next Blog' button, browsing onto other blogs to pass away some idle time. I came across a couple, who after 50 years in the States, have packed up and moved to Africa. I'm not sure if they are missionaries, apart of a government program (and I suspect not), or if they just decided they needed a change of pace but whatever it is, I'm in awe.

At one point in my life I thought it would be "fun" to go to China to teach kids English or travel to an impoverished country and work at building a better life for the locals. Of course, college and internships and social activities and a "real job" consumed much of my time and that "thought" stayed just that, a thought.

So, I've decided that before the age of 30 I will make it my mission to turn that thought into action, to help improve the quality of life for those who haven't been afforded the same opportunities I have. And after revealing this ephiphany to a friend of mine, it looks like I may have some company on my travels.

Bathroom Humor

For the first 10 years of my relationship (yes, you read that right, 10) with the boy we pretended like we didn't fart or poop. We never shared bathroom humor jokes or anything of the such. When we moved in together all of that changed. Literally, overnight the boy forgot about every manner his mama ever taught him. Although, oddly enough he still shuts the bathroom door when he pees. I don't even remember the popping of the bathroom humor cherry. But I do know one day it was there and the next day it wasn't.

We now discuss bathroom habits, routines, lack of routines, and all kinds of disgusting crap I wish I didn't know or share mainly because that boundary has been crossed and frankly, there is no going back. So it makes this story that much better.

Last Fall the boy found himself in a terrible predicament. He got into a car accident, one that he was not responsible for and ended up getting cited for Driving on a Suspended Driver's License due to the MVA's failure to include an apartment number on his registration. Thankfully, I used to work at a law firm and my old boss agreed to represent him in Court for a small fee.

While waiting for the boy's case to be called we had the misfortune of listening to a REALLY old attorney read names of people requesting expungements. In the middle of litigating, the dude let out the loudest, longest far I've ever heard. The other attorney's in the room were trying to cover their full-on laughs, not giggles or snickers but straight up laughter. The Judge couldn't even pretend he didn't hear it.

So tonight when this old dude standing in front of me made more room in his stomach than 5 seconds earlier, I just looked at the boy and shook my head. I hope when we're 105 and still going out to dinner with one another we don't give a damn who hears us fart either.

Birthday Card

After a 4 hour long happy hour I raced home to get my damn work clothes off. Not so much because they were uncomfortable but because I have insane sunburn and couldn't wait to go commando. As I walked in the front door, the boy bellows "there might be birthday cards on the table for you". Ah yes, my birthday is tomorrow (although I've been celebrating all weekend). Two cards were in fact waiting for me- one with Jess scribbled on the front and one with Mom written on it. The boy insisted I open the one from the Tuck first that oddly enough had picture of the Tuck on the front. Well, the Tuck's twin anyway ( I mean, if we're not getting royalties for that pic it must not be our dog, right?!).

Moving along, the next card was from the boy. He couldn't have called Hallmark and said "put a, b, and c in this card" to make it anymore perfect. We are not a sappy couple. He doesn't plan elaborate dates or buy outlandish gifts on the reg. But he's thoughtful. When he goes to the store he brings me home kit kats and cokes. When I'm sick he comes home on his lunch to check on me. He makes me breakfast in bed occasionally and tells me he loves me just because. And this card expressed just that.

There were lines about having too much pride and being a jerk, lines about dancing with me and telling gross jokes, lines about never being on time and letting me do all the work. But it ended with how he may not be perfect but he's perfectly him. And it's true. Our relationship is a far cry from perfect. We fight, we cuss at one another, we go to bed angry and say things we don't mean. But we love each other. Good, bad, or indifferent. At the end of every day I'm just happy I share my life with him. The small moments, the big moments, and every moment in between.

I'm thankful to spend another birthday with him. Especially since I get the day off from having to walk the dog. Score.

Gypsy Dog

Our dog, the Tuck, rules the roost. Seriously. He paws at us, we take him out, he whines at us, we pick him up, he brings us a toy, we throw it. He apparently sent us to obedience classes...and we excelled with flying colors.

Having the Tuck around is like having a built in comedian. We make him dance, we give him silly hair cuts, and we pretend he talks like Borat. Fun, right? Until the little monster needs to go outside. And it's not even so bad when he only has to pee, but it's a bitch when he has to go #2. Especially because we apparently live in high society wherein our homeowner's association takes 900 years to approve the plans for our fence so our dog can crap in our backyard. Wait, we should probably submit those plans first...

Anyway, the boy and I are in a constant war over who has to take the dog out, plastic bag in hand. The most common method of solving this complex problem is rock, paper, scissors.

For the third time in a row...V.I.C.T.O.R.Y. This time with papahhh.

Five Years

Five years doesn't seem like that long ago. In fact, as cliche as it may sound, it seems like just yesterday I took my first step on Towson's campus and met a wonderful group of people. I came across this picture last night and it made me think how different my life is now compared to my life in'05. Living sitch: In '05, I shared a 4 bedroom apartment with three other girls. Two of the ladies I am still in contact with , one...well, I have no idea what her life is like these days. Today, I'm sharing a house, my very own, with a man who I will be marrying in 11 months.

Makin' paper: I worked part time at the University bookstore with a fab group of people where I laughed a lot, excelled at sudoku, and threw up a many a times. I've since upped my work hours to full time plus some for a great job with the government. My t-shirts and sneakers have been traded in for suits and heels, morning sodas and advil to coffee and an english muffin.

Friends and folks: I won't say I have a new group of friends rather I've expanded my old gang, because for the most part, we're all still friends. The same group that got busted for underage drinking on Sept 3, 2005 (and for the the record, only the 3 people who lived in the apt got citations) are now legally drinking together. A couple have been lost along the way but a few more have been gained.

Heart matters: Nothing has really changed in this department. Add a major breakup in '07 followed by a major engagement in '09 and you're up to speed. It took us a minute to figure things out but it's been mainly smooth sailing post '07.

It may not seem like THAT much has changed for me in 5 years but with a college graduation, a couple jobs, a white furry dog and my seemingly carefree, somewhat crazy life has transitioned into a big pile of stability. It's amazing that even my clothing style has changed. I've traded my American Eagle/Hollister wardrobe for a new chic look. I do still secretly enjoy plaid still. Even my long brown curly locks have been chopped off into a much easier, stylish do-although at the request of my future husband/mother I am growing it back out for the wedding. Spoiler alert- the day after the big shin dig, it's going to be gone with the wind. I must be doing something right though because I must admit, life is pretty sweet at the moment.

I can't wait to compare life in the next 5 years. Hopefully foreign travel and a closet full of expensive heels are in my future.

What have you done in 5 years?

Double Tap

What better way to celebrate the end of a work week than with a fridge full of beer. Add a house full of people and you've got yourself a party. And if your friends brew their own beer and supply it- for free- your house gets raided. No just kidding... but we did have a house full of peeps and a ton of free beer. Ales and belgians and stouts and all kinds of tasty empty calories shared shelf space in my fridge.

I started off with their "two year anniversary" IPA and quickly discovered the Belgian named Double Tap. Double Tap spent the rest of the night with me. We bonded like two middle school kids in a movie theatre.

However, our bond quickly broke around 2 am. I was walking as well as the Australian goalie guarded the net today...yeah, that good. Talking was nearly impossible and I soon became reacquainted with my porcelain friend. I'm not quite sure where the boy was in all of this because I distinctly remember (which is saying something) R holding my hair back as I tasted my antipasto salad again. Not so good that time in case you were wondering.

I don't remember much after the upchucking. Not sure how I made it into my bed or even what time that was but I do know I was supremely confused Saturday morning when I rolled over. I squinted my eyes, saw the clock flashing 7am and thought, oh hell no, not even trying to move yet. I rolled back over, reached my arm out to put around the boy and saw long brown hair. What. The. Hell.

R was stretched out beside me. In my bed. I did a double take to make sure I still had clothes on (hey, as much as I had to drink...jk) and when I realized I slept with a bra (among many other articles of clothing) on I thought, eff it, I'll find the boy in the morning--later morning.

A couple hours later R and I did the walk of shame down my steps. Well, really it was no shame for her, but I knew I was about to hear stories from several hours earlier. Ps. the demand for oreos and then subsequent throwing up of said oreos (in someone's hand) was one of my favorites.

Double Tap you dirty bastard. Your smoothness may have worked this time...but alas...oh hell, who am I kidding...it will probably work again next time. Until we meet again good sir.

Ohhh Tuesday

How is it only Tuesday?? The weekend flew by yet this week is c r a w l i n g. Friday night I finally indulged the boy and watched Avatar with him. The graphics were outstanding but probably not a movie I'd sit for three hours to watch again. Saturday I stayed up until 5am reminiscing and embracing my amazing beer pong skills (too bad that can't go on a resume... proficient in difficult pong situations, clutch player...).

I woke up 4 1/2 hours later with a killer headache hoping torrential downpours were happening outside. Not so lucky. Despite the on and off again rain showers, the boy and I put on happy faces and paraded around Glen Burnie donning our green and yellow t shirts.

I passed out early Sunday night and woke up to a screaming alarm Monday morning. The good news is I have a semi-short week. I have a 1/2 day Friday and then I fly off to Atlanta on Saturday for a visit with the fam. I'm looking forward to spoiling the hell out of the munchkins and hopefully taking advantage of some of Atlanta's eateries.

Ohhh tuesday, you've come and gone again. Hellllllo hump day! (Yes darlin', I did that just for you! )

Dating Tips

A friend of mine posted a link on dating tips specifically what the author wished she knew at 21. Of course, I must repost -I'll spare you all 31 and go with (my) the top ten.

1. Guys want to get busy more than anything. They'll say anything to close the deal. -- Yes, yes they will. Those sneaky little penises have just one thing on their mind.

2. They might take a decade to mature. Don't hope they'll grow up or be ready in the next six months.-- Considering my husband-to-be still needs his COD fix every night, I would not anticipate a 21 year old in an "adult" state of mind.

3. You deserve to be treated like a human being. -- As does he.

4. No boyfriend-girlfriend relationship starts with a 1 a.m. text.-- My last (and really only) other serious relationship with my ex started with a 2 a.m. text. This would've been helpful to me three years ago...

5. You can't force chemistry. If you like him as a friend, the attraction might grow, but if it doesn't, don't force it. And don't waste his time. -- And why waste your own? Your time is just as precious, if not more valuable than his. If he's not interested in the words of mario "if you miss one next 15 one's comin"

6. My mom always said, "Men don't think." I thought she meant, "They are mistaken in their thoughts." But they're just not thinking anything at all. About you. They're watching the game. That's why they haven't called.-- I don't wholeheartedly agree with this but she has a point- just because they haven't text or called every 10 minutes since the first "meeting" it doesn't mean they aren't interested... unless, of course, they aren't.

7. Your wants and needs are just as important as his, and if you don't express them because you think it will scare him away, then you're saying you don't count as much as he does-- Point taken.

8. Expectations? They'll ruin every dating experience you have. -- Each dude (or dudette) is different. Not every apple is a bad one (or if the glass is half empty nor is every good apple a good one).

9. Ease up on the sauce. Alcohol clouds your judgment.-- I only included this one becasue it made me laugh. Ease up on the sauce?? In this lifetime??

10. You will never understand men. Just try to understand yourself. -- And if you're anything like me this is going to take a lifetime.

So if you're still single and searching, I hope these dating tips helped...or at least made you laugh, God knows I did.

Sticky Situation

This past weekend was named Wedding Weekend in honor of all the wedding crap my mom and bustled through. I was off work on Friday so this entire weekend consisted of wedding, wedding, wedding. In fact- I was wedded out come Sunday.

Our engagement pictures were taken on Saturday. The boy and I picked out semi-coordinating outfits last Wednesday night since I was headed home after work Thursday. In my rush to get everything packed and out of the door, I left one of my silver rings at home. One that I wanted to wear in our pictures. So in a last effort attempt I cruised through Target looking for a plain silver ring. I found something similar I was looking for and slipped it over my thumb. It didn't look right on my thumb but I thought it might suite my middle finger (opposite ring hand) well. It was a little snug but I forced it over the knuckle. I debated and debated and decided it just wasn't what I was picturing. I pulled the ring back up but it didn't budge.

Yep, it was stuck. And stuck GOOD. I headed to find some lotion to wiggle that baby off, the whole time walking around target with this ring stuck on my finger- the packaging of the ring on the backside of my hand- good times. After a good 5 minutes of searching for the lotion I settled for conditioner (seriously, where in that store did they hide the lotion). A good lubing slipped the ring right off my finger. Success.

Needless to say, my jewelry search ended. My right hand ring finger barren in the pictures.

On a more positive note, our engagement pictures turned out better than I could have ever imagined. Kudos to Lindsay Edward with Edward Photography (edwardphotography.blogspot.com) for the fabulous job!!

Sans Pants

Sometimes you just need a so-crazy-your-pants-get-shredded-time. Last night was that night.

What's Next

One day a couple weeks ago I had a mini panic attack about my life. I mean I am the quintessential plan freak. I had my life planned out the minute my eyes peaked out from the vag. Granted, I haven't always known where I would end up but I at least knew where I was trying to go. Obvi to the boob for some food.



Back to my panic attack, I just realized maybe for the first time in my life I don't know what's next. And maybe this is because for (also) the first time in my life I'm where I should/need to be at the right time. Way back when I had a list. Get a great job, buy a great house, travel, maybe get married. This was a lifetime list. I'm three-quarters through that list. I have a job that I absolutely adore, one in which I'm rewarded for hard work and don't mind spending 14 hour days should I need to. I bought a pretty bad ass townhouse and I'm getting married in a little over a year. My honeymoon will provide for some basic traveling (although traveling will still be on the list) but, I mean, what the hell is there to do next?



Do I go to law school, do I get Masters? Do I get my Masters in Public Admin or Business? Do I do neither? Clearly my list was more than just a few things but those were major life ambitions. That I conquered before the age of 25. Freaking awesome, but freaking scary.



I'm extremely comfortable with life which is great but I wonder what's in store for me. My game plan is as blank as the Rams. I'm walking blindly, without a map, and each turn I come to I play by ear. A new tactic for me, one that I'm not sure I like, but alas, I'm begrudgingly dealing with day by day. What's next...?

Water Wonderland

Everybody hates Mondays. If you don't, you're a freak of nature. In fact, we hate Monday's so much in our house, the boy is constantly hoping for power outages and other small disasters that will prevent us from hearing that annoying alarm Monday morning.

Much to our chagrin we had a nice little flood Monday morning in our bathroom that enabled one of us to take off and the other to go in late. This was not the type of small disaster we were hoping would happen. 20 towels didn't even put a dent on our new indoor pool. To make matters worse, I run downstairs to try and find the little card with the number to our home warranty company (thank God we purchased that) and water is running (not dripping, but running) from our sprinkler system. My living room now has a built-in shower head and my bathroom turned into an indoor pool- how was I to know when we bought this house we would be so lucky a month in to discover new amenities.

All in all our not-go-to-work-Monday-disaster was cleaned up in about an hour and after the boy was smart enough to remember we have a water shut off valve, the leaky sprinkler stopped too. I could put good money down that we will not be wishing for semi-disasters anymore. Karma is a bitch!

On an off note- my bestie from the westie (ok she lives in FL now but I still like the rhyme, even though I'm not sure Missouri is considered "out west") is flying in today for the last time before that baby in her belly pops out. Antics shall resume.

New Crib

I figured I'd post some pics of the new place so when I blog about nerf gun war hiding spots and bitch about cleaning wine (or let's face it puke) out of my carpets you at least have a good visual.

We still have some decorating to do but for the most part we're settled in and all unpacked.

For our fam that live out of state, enjoy.

Home Sweet Home

Shiny New Kitchen

Living Spaces

A Room with Closets...Holler!

The Boy's Room

Packing Heat

This is how every disagreement in my house will be settled from here on out.

Best. Housewarming. Gift. Ever.

Avoiding Death

Over the course of the last several weeks my office has been bombarded with healthcare related calls. I'm talking 100s and 100s of calls- some good, some bad, some down right crazy. One even included a death threat. So of course, my office did what any sane office would do when some threatens the big D- the police were called.

I on the other hand proceeded to text the boy (who had taken a day and a half off of work to sit directly in front of a 50" tv to watch a ball be dribbled back and forth on a court for approximately 40 minutes- until the last two minutes in which when he proceeds to vehemently yell at the tv).

Upon learning I may be blown to smithereens he responds with "sweet, I'm buying a beamer with your insurance money". Apparently he forgets my salary pays the mortgage, which would make him the little old man who lived in the bmw. Except he's not little...or old. But you get the point.

Anyway, that conversation reminded me of a VERY similar conversation we had a couple years ago. I was redic sick with a winter cold- I'm talking fever, snotty nose, a productive cough. Basically, a whole wintery mess up in my nasal passage. I told the boy I was pretty sure this cold was going to be the death of me (surely I had some incurable form of pneumonia) Without thought, he asked if he could have my computer chair...

Apparently, my dying is going to be a beneficial phase in life for him. Or at least he must think so as it is very clear he is nonplussed about my safety.

In fact, I'm beginning to wonder if he called in that death threat...

Happy Birthday My Love

Tomorrow (or in one hour and 26 minutes..he's not counting) the love of my life will turn 24.

Happy birthday to the most amazing man I know.

I love your sense of humor, how you make faces at me just to make me smile. I love how you cuddle with me 15 minutes before we get up in the morning. I love how you're perfectly content staying in on a Saturday night. I love that you love the dog just as much as I do...or maybe even more. I love your brown eyes. I love that you go to every work function that I ask you to go to with minimal complaint. I love that you dance with me in the kitchen (even when there isn't music playing). I love that you kiss my cheek in public. I love that you love me. And most of all, I love you.

Bedtime Stories

The best part of living in our very own house is that we can do what we want, when we want, where we want. Living with another couple can-er, interrupt things. Or can cause one set of roommates to think someone is trying to break in during the middle of the night when in all actuality it's just the other couple's headboard. Yes, that makes for a very awkward encounter in the middle of the night.

So, last night when I let my goodnight kiss linger a little longer than usual, the boy in all his charm and suaveness asked me "Sooo, DTF?..." He didn't even use the phrase, just the three little letters.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have one classy future husband. I swear, I'm not sure I how I keep the ladies away from him, I mean with all that game he has it's a wonder they aren't lined up at my door. I guess it's a good thing he only has eyes for me.

Work Related

It's pretty apparent to everyone I love my job. I weather through the ups and downs pretty easily because at the end of the day I'm still giddy about this job. In particular, I love writing extensions for the Bossman. These are read after business is conducted and they forever remain in the the LOC. Pretty freaking cool if you ask me.

An extension is essentially a gold star for exceptional people. Agriculturist of the Year, Teacher of the Year, veterans, etc. (Un)fortunately, this list also includes deceased soldiers. I've written less than a handful for said fallen heroes and while each one is sad, the one I wrote yesterday almost made me shed a tear.

Usually nominated by someone within the community, the heart of the extension is a bio about the individual (that is usually provided by the requester of extension). Obviously, that is usually not the case with a deceased soldier, so I rely heavily on my googling skills to acquire a satisfactory blurb about their achievements outside of the military.

As my day was wrapping up yesterday I decided it was the perfect time to finish an extension for a fallen soldier. My googling skills commenced and low and behold I came across his wife's blog. I read all about her life (well as much as one can when stalking another's blog). I learned how they first met, how he proposed, how they decided to have children right away and I honestly felt like I knew this chick. I saw pictures of their infant daughter and felt ridiculously sad that she will never meet her father. But what I admired most was not one post about how she was angry with the Marines for taking her partner away. She was adamant that her daughter would know what a wonderful man her father was and how much he enjoyed being in the service. I think it's safe to say I'll peek at that blog from time to time now.

A big salute to those in the service or families thereof. It was an honor to write that extension.

Grab Much?

I'm pretty sure Damian copped a feel from Ole' Pam Anderson last night.

Granted, I'm pretty sure Pam thought she was filming another home video...oh la la.

Old Time Memories

The boy is half-Italian, half-Irish. So, of course, we had to join in on the St. Paddy's day activities...to celebrate his heritage an all. Not because we just wanted an excuse to get hammered on a Wednesday. Not us.


The boy and I brought along one of our good friends, R brought along one of her good friends, and along the way we made a couple new good friends. After a few beers and some amazing crab dip, we started sharing. Sharing about bar experiences, ex's, and anal (don't ask). All the talk of old memories brought back one very fond V-day memory that is still funny, almost 7 years later.


It was Valentine's day circa 2002. The boy planned a very special dinner out but unfortunately, I came down with a nasty stomach bug. Our hot steamy night out turned into a rather dull, sleepy night on my mom's couch.


Let me interrupt my own story for a minute to give you an idea of the boy's choice of apparel back then. He wore basketball shorts over his boxers and under whatever type of pants he chose-every day. He also corresponded his shirt with said basketball shorts. He claims it was because his boys used to pants him...I'm not sure his excuse for the matching shirt...


Anyway, at some point (prior to the boy's redic early curfew) my dad called and asked us to come over. The boy had stripped down to just the basketball shorts so we could comfortably lay under a blanket without feeling like we were in the Middle East. I groggily respond "Sure Dad, as soon as the boy puts his pants back on".


Yeah, that wasn't an uncomfortable visit at all.

A Visit to the Homestead

After a hard day at work yesterday and a couple more hours spent at the new house painting and unpacking, I came back to our rental and had a few brewskis. What seemingly was a brilliant idea, had one obvious flaw. I hadn't had a bite to eat since noon and it was pressing on 9 o'clock. The first blue moon went straight to my head and well, so did the second and third...

I drifted off to a cozy beer induced sleep sometime after midnight and woke six and a half hours later. I'm not quite sure how it happened but I swear a sweater was covering my tongue. I dragged myself downstairs and poured a glass of water down my throat and then dragged myself back upstairs for a piping hot shower. This early morning hangover would've been irrelevant had I been able to sit anonymously at my desk for a couple hours while my body decided to stop hating me. However, I had an early morning meeting at my alma mater with the Bossman himself.

I arrived at campus early, mainly so I could sit in the car and pray to the higher powers to miraculously cure the stirring in my stomach and pounding in my head. With ten minutes to spare, I made my way to the classroom written out on my briefing to set up the powerpoint. 5 minutes later its show time. The Bossman speaks, my Chief of Staff speaks, and I managed to say a few words without spewing on anyone or anything.

I telepathically bonded with a chick sitting in the corner of the room dressed in a blue hoodie, a high messy pony tail, and yoga pants. She looked like I felt and fortunately for her she was probably able to meander back to her dorm room and plummet into a nice, warm bed.

Oh, how I miss the days of rolling out of bed, sleepy eyed and hungover only to walk several hundred yards to campus to expel the entire contents of my stomach on Burdick Field. Visiting the homestead brought back a lot of good memories.

Not So Random Anymore

Last Friday, after waking from a wonderful slumber, taking a very sleepy shower, and putting together an outfit that had the least amount of wrinkles I could find, I made my way to the office. I sat at my desk with a english muffin and a coffee and logged onto our local paper's website to begin my morning ritual-prolonging the inevitable work day.

I read through the first couple posts of the day- Towson gas station robbed, man critically injured- three shot, one fatal in late night assault- man shot during attempted carjacking North Baltimore. Nothing out of the norm really. I mean, I do live in a City commonly referred to as "Bodymore, Murderland". I read a few stories about the rich and the semi-famous, catched up on real estate adventures, and then finally decide I should actually begin to do what I'm being paid for- seriously, how is net surfing not a paid job already? Just kidding, I really do work hard...

Anyway, several hours later I log onto facebook (shocker, right?) and my homepage is bombarded with Stay Strong, T and we know you can pull through T, etc. I'm clearly clueless about what happened to T. I bbm the boy and he has no idea. I text Powerslam- a mutual friend between of T and I. Actually, I may have met T through Powerslam. Regardless of that, Powerslam is not sure either- so the brigade of texts begin. T was the man shot in armed carjacking, the article I carelessly read about hours earlier.

I was stunned. Beyond belief actually. I was scared for T and his family and I'm pretty sure I said a quick prayer and for those of you that know me, I'm completely indifferent about religion. But this hit home. Now don't let me mislead you to think T and I speak every day or that I see him on the reg, because I definitely don't. However, he's been invited to every party I've ever hosted- I've seen him at almost every gathering I've probably attended, I've thrown back more then a few with him, and he even joined in our short lived poker nights.

T survived a bullet to the stomach that punctured his liver, kidney, and colon. But he's already beginning to regain his charm. In fact, when I visited him Tuesday with a group of friends, we asked the dumbest question we could "How are you feeling?" His response was classic "Like I have a bullet in my stomach". Well said T, well said.

I had a different outlook Monday morning when I sat down to read the recaps of the weekend. I no longer felt indifferent to news article outlining the tragedies of the City. Not to say that I won't become jaded at these stories again or that when I hear the sirens roll by my house at night that it won't cross my mind that someone may have just been shot. But for now, at this moment, my heart bleeds a little for the families and most definitely the friends of these people, who suffer at the hands of the ignorant.

I'm already looking forward to the Welcome Home party for T.

Chaos Interrupted

So it's official, we bought a house. It came with a lot of painting to be done, new flooring to be installed, a faux 80s diner countertop, and some cussing- er, A LOT of cussing. With that being said, we love it and are so excited to move in-eventually.



Working 8 hour days and running back and forth between two houses over the past week has been GAWD AWFUL. But slowly (and I mean very slowly) the house is materializing into something beeeeautiful. Back at the ranch (aka the rental), we're dodging brown boxes and trying to seperate two years worth of stuff. I question how I've accumulated so much crap in each room I try and pack up.



Work (as in my actual paid job) has been busy, especially because this was my first full week back. Between snow, federal holidays, settlement, and sickness and doctor appointments, I've maybe worked 8 full days this month. In those 8 days, I've worked my ass off to make sure I don't fall too far behind. I mean, I'm only trying to save people from losing their houses, etc.


With all that being said, my life has been insanely boring these last few weeks. I've had a few nights out in between a lot of work. One night which was ridiculously awkward, but that friends, is for a post all on it's own.

Back to Civilization

Today was my first real day back to work since that big ass snowstorm Mother Nature dumped on us. I had a half day last Friday but seriously, who counts Friday as a work day? Especially a half day.

The boy and I did our share of rejuvenating the economy this weekend. With new homeownership looming over us (tomorrow is the day!), we need a crap load of stuff-including appliances, a mattress made for three (get your dirty lil minds out of the gutter- the dog unfortunately has a stake in our bed) and some badass furniture. We checked almost everything off our laundry list but we still have a good amount left to buy. (Ps, if anyone is wondering- yes, we are currently taking donations!)

Plus, I did a little retail therapy myself-I mean when The Limited is selling pants for $39.50 you jump on that. And those shoes I bought are the perfect weekend shoe... thank God for that tax money.

Ah, the 10 days of rest and relaxation (and climbing the walls to reconnect with the outside) is over and reality has set back in. Here's to a good Blue Moon to get me through the week.

Snopac Returns

So, as most of you know (if you've listened the least bit to the news) the Snopacolypse has hit the East Coast with a vengeance (similar to Elin with Tiger's golf club). Charm City was hit with about two and a half feet of the white powdery mess. No worries ladies and gents, we're stocked with beer, wine, spirits, and maybe even a little food.

For our family scattered around the South and West, enjoy the pics!At 4:30 yesterday, after 3 hours of snow fall, Snopac had only graced us with about 2 inches.
At 8:30 last night, the inches started piling up. Snopac was up to about 4-5 inches. At this point, M and I were a bottle deep in wine and decided it was best to keep the camera away from the watery outside.
And, when we arose from our sleep/wine coma, we had over 2 feet. The boy is starting to shovel a path for the Tuck to do his biz.
Our 3 foot back fence is disappearing in Snopac.

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We Are Procrastinators

"I remember a place...a town...a house like a lot of houses...a yard like a lot of other yards...on a street like a lot of other streets. And the things is, after all these years, I still look back...with wonder."- Wonder Years

Our closing is scheduled for two weeks from today. In 14 days, the boy and I will become homeowners...which in all honesty scares the shit out of me. I was thinking about this last night...I've moved approximately every 8 months for about the last 5 years. The longest I've stayed in one place is 9 1/2 months. And here I am, about to commit to one house... one street...one neighborhood for at least 5 years. Bring out the paper bag!

But on the topsy turvy side, I'm ridiculously excited about putting a chunk of my paycheck into something that will one day reward me with a little equity and hopefully a profit, rather than blowing chunks after Max's on a Friday night. God knows our out of control bar nights are going to be less frequent with a mortgage now.

Anyway, two weeks and we get the keys to the new place-if all goes well. And we've yet to pack one thing. We have a pile of crap hanging out in our dining room (from Christmas) that we neglected to find a home for and clothes scattering our room that belong on hangers, in drawers etc. I'm assuming I'm mentally preparing for the move. We packed overnight when we moved into this place/shithole. We took the day off and surrounded ourselves with newspapers, cotton exchange (reminds me of granny panties) boxes and a sharpie and packed into the wee hours of the morning. I'm guessing with our track record history will repeat itself and we'll be packing the night before our big move.

Bring on the paint brushes, blue moon, and some good tunes. Damn I wish I could find my ipod...

Almost Free!

So, I've had a credit card since I was 18. Before I ventured away from the homeland, my parents made sure I had an "in case of emergency" card. To me, that translated into "in case I'm hungry and want Texas Roadhouse", "in case I find an extremely cute shirt", "in case I really need a new pair of shoes". Well, actually in the beginning I was really frugal with my shiny silver piece of plastic. It wasn't until about 18 months/2 years ago (and two new cards) when I decided to use it a little more freely than I should. Mind you, I by no means was or am a shopaholic. I'm a lot of holic's but not a shopa.

I did however make a few rash purchases that landed me a couple thou in debt. My last tax return (of a little over 2 grand) went straight towards the revolving balance that I once never had (yes, I used to pay the balance off each month). A washer/dryer purchase landed me another grand in debt and various odds and ends-mainly bars and food put me further behind.

I'm saying all of this because two years and several times of "almost" having my various cards paid off, I'm officially $170.00 away from being debt free. And let me tell you, it's an amazing feeling. With that being said, this experience has provided great lessons.

1. Budget, budget, budget: when splurging on huge purchases like a washer and dryer (or new wardrobe), plan out a pay schedule so the balance is paid off in a somewhat timely manner- before finance charges start amounting to more than the original purchase. This is extremely difficult, yes, I know. Before every social outting, I allow myself a preset amount of cash to blow. And almost at every outting, I end up whipping out the plastic. Leave it at home. When the cash is gone, it's gone. And unless your propositioning yourself to the savvy gentlement to your left, it'll save you a headache in the morning.

2. Don't buy it if you can't afford it: So Murphy's Law more than likely will apply here. If you can't afford it, more than likely you're going to need it. Like a root canal or hell, even groceries. But if your stargazing at the latest boots that will set you back a pretty penny, save up that hard earned cash and feel good that you haven't given into a whim.

3. If you have extra money, apply it towards the card: I think this is the tip that I should've (key word should have) utilized the most. If I had extra money at the month, part whent into my savings and the other half into my stomach (I'm a sucker for restaurants and booze). But that $300 I spent last weekend at various pubs and bars (and the boy's new shoes) would have paid off the outstanding $170.00. Not too mention, would have looked damn good in my/our savings account.

Believe it or not, I'm pretty good with money. I keep a certain amount of money each month (mind you, I only get paid once of month-stupid Congress) in my bank account for emergencies (I'm a tad paranoid). So when I get down to the wire, I stop spending money. Whether it be the 15th of the month or the 28th. And I've learned, this is when I bust out the credit card. Recognizing the error of one's ways is the first step.

I'm hoping 2010 is a great debt-free year for me. Crap! Debt-free and new mortgage are not synomyous... in fact. I believe their antonyms. Oh well, I can at least try and manage those plastic cards a little better.

It's a sad, sad Wednesday

"After all, if growing up is war, then the friends who grew up with you deserve a special respect. The ones who stuck by you shoulder to shoulder, in a time when nothing was certain, all life lay ahead, and every road led home"- Wonder Years

It's a tad nostalgic at my home tonight. Actually, it's more than nostalgic, it's just plain sad. Christmas is packed up and put away, but that's not the reason sadness is in the air tonight. This Christmas marked the last Christmas my roommate and I will spend together. No, not the boy roommate. The best friend roommate. In a couple of months if all goes well (fingers crossed) the boy and I will move into a house of our own (one that does not come with jumping spider/cricket creatures in the basement or leaking pipes) and live happily ever after...or so we hope. This also signals the end of my tenure as co-tenants with M.

Our friendship started off in the most peculiar way. She decided to entertain extracurricular affairs outside of her current relationship and I ended a 10 year relationship and immediately jumped into another. We bonded over bottles of wine, a horrible break-up with her ex, and my overall lack of interest in my then relationship, followed by two months of pretending I was single when I was actually dating the boy again. We worked together, played together, and eventually moved in together.

In an essence, M and I are the perfect couple. She cleans, I cook. She's emotional, I'm practical. I encourage her to act reckless and childish and she reminds me that I'm an adult and should act accordingly. We balance each other out like wine and tequila...oh wait, only in our world does that balance out.

While we were packing up, I reflected over our relationship. I rewinded to three years ago when weekdays and weekends drifted together. Dinner was whatever we felt like ordering from Panera that night and we lived two doors down from R (who I love just as much as M). We drank too much, laughed too much, and lived too freely. We got ourselves into some unfavorable situations every now and then but together we pulled through. As I sit here and lament life as it used to be I force myself to remember that life today is not unpleasant by any means. We have real jobs and steady, healthy relationships (probably for the first time ever). But we rarely find the time or money to dine out anymore. Wine bottles are opened only on the weekends and even then we aren't up until the sun rises anymore. This growing up business put a damper on our easy breezy lifestyle.

Things are changing once again in my world and I'm thrilled at all of the new adventures that lay ahead especially since a wonderful man will be accompanying me on this journey-but I know one thing for sure- my first home away from home was the apartment I shared with M and now my home is the house I share with M and... boy, I'm sure going to miss home when I move again...

The highs and lows of a twenty-something...

"Never let go of hope. One day you will see that it all has finally come together. What you have always wished for has finally come to be. You will look back and laugh at what has passed and you will ask yourself...'How did I get through all of that?"- Wonder Years

I ended 2009 with a bang. I'm engaged (yes ladies and gents, the boy popped the question over Christmas) and nearly indebted to the federal government for 30 years thanks to my (almost) new mortgage loan. I also entered 2010 with a bang. And NOT a good one. I'm a victim of pure stupidity and lack of moral character. I lack the common sense and my perpetrator (affectionally known as perp from here on out) lacks the moral character.

I understand further explanation is needed at this point. My future in-laws and my Mom came to Baltimore for a visit today. The boy (maybe I should start calling him the man since we are now engaged...nah, I like boy better) and I took them to Famous Daves for a nice lunch. And it was nice, I could barely move when we left. Which is probably why I left behind the something of grave importance (nooo...not my new shiny ring)... my bag- complete with wallet.

Skip the hours of food coma and viewings of numerous decorative choices for the new house and at 8:30 I received a rather friendly, yet alarming email from Bank of America advising of irregular card activity. Thinking nothing of it, I log on to my account to see not one, not two, but 5 pending transactions totally a lot more money than I would want to give away. I immediately freak out, and yes, I mean I'm on the verge of a complete melt down, when I realize I never picked up my purse from the back of the chair...pure stupidity. I jump on my cell to cancel my three Bank of America cards and grab the roomie's phone to dial up Discover to cancel that card when the boy yells down that FD has my purse. Two cell phones in hand and I'm headed out the door only to arrive back at FD to find that the perp has actually stolen my purse...lack of common decency rather than moral character I suppose. While it was in FD possession at one time, it has completely disappeared (well it disappeared for a short time as it reappeared at two gas stations, a liquor store, and a rite aid right around the corner).

A bajillion phone calls later and the sniffling back of tears, I've learned a very hard lesson. I need to start taking something for my memory and people in general just suck. I would NEVER EVER steal another individual's belongings especially their hard earned money. Hell, I just donated 5 bags of clothes to goodwill.... wasn't that enough giving for a bit?

I'm hoping this is not the precursor to my year to come. I'd like to think this is just a glitch in what is going to be an otherwise pretty awesome year but I'm slightly skeptical at this point. What's that old saying, something about experience being the best teacher. Well, I've been schooled. I think it is safe to say I'll be double checking that the items I bring with me, leave with me. Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010. Look at that, I kept the rambling to a bare minimum...