where has the year gone?

2004 is almost over...It has gone by very quickly and with little pain (compared to last year). The highlight of my year was the trip out to Cali to see college friends, including 2 days in Napa. I wish I could take a trip like that one every year...my own little vacation club.

I'm really looking forward to 2005. I have settled into my job and feel comfortable with the direction that things are heading. I feel like I can move forward with a lot of things I want to do in my private life now that I don't have to worry about looking for work. My relationship with my BF also remains strong...having made it through 18 months living together.

I have started thinking about resolutions for the new year. There aren't any lofty goals of making myself a better person or bring peace to the world. (Not that I don't want to do that too). This year, my resolutions read more like a to-do list. There are a few things that I have been wanting to do for the last six months, and they are there as a reminder. There are also a lot of mundane tasks/purchases that I want to make sure happen. So, for 2005, I hope to:

1. maintain my weight at ~125lbs
2. begin taking yoga -- I hope to go at least once a week
3. pay off the remaining balance on my student loan
4. save $3,500 -- It may seem like a small amount of $, but it's better than no savings
5. pay off all credit card debt
6. close unneeded/unused credit cards
7. join stitch 'n' bitch dc...i mean actually go to their weekly gathering
8. buy a new mattress
9. clean and organize my closets...this is an on-going effort.
10. take on a few sewing projects
11. stick to my yarn diet
12. visit nyc...it's been a year since my last trip north
13. redesign blog(s)
14. sign up for first-time homebuyer education...
15. buy a new computer...already done!
    
    

It seems like a lot of things to think about. I believe that everything on that list is "do-able" in 2005.

old maid vs. spinster...

These titles seem to have a similar connotations. Is there any difference at all? More importantly, when do you get these titles? Are still considered an old maid if you're in a long-term relationship just not married. What do you call that? 'Cos it seems that I'm heading in that direction.

My BF's sister recently got engaged to her boyfriend of about 2 1/2 years. On one hand there is some relief...At least for a little while we won't have to be pressured by his mother into getting hitched. But, it does make me think about where I want my own relationship (of nearly 6 years) to go.

I know I want to get married, but I don't want to make a big deal about it. And, I don't want to go broke paying for it. My BF says that he wants to get married, but doesn't feel like he's financially ready to take the plunge...At the rate he's going he may never be "ready." What's a girl to do?

Part of me wants for have this "phase" of my life in place by the time I turn 30, but I know that is a silly goal to set. Well, I'm going to let this one simmer for a while...

did you miss me?

Doubt it...Well it's been a long summer. But, now it's turning cool, which makes me very happy. I'm glad I live in a part of the country where you see a least 3 distinct seasons.

I'm still on the South Beach...and holding steady. Last month, I had out-of-town guest two weekends in a row and a trip to western michigan. It was really hard eating out so much, but I did the best I would. It seemed like I was really good Mon - Thurs, then slacked off over the weekends. So, I kind of lost and gained and lost the same 3 pounds throughout the month. But, I'm holding steady at 128.5 this week. That puts me 1.5 pounds away from my original goal! Depending on how that goes, I might adjust my goal down to 125 and then move to Phase 3.

I'm glad I started this over the summer. I've formed some pretty good habits over the last few months. I'm finding some good recipes on how to make "comfort foods" that don't load up on pasta and potatoes. Hopefully, I'll be able to move into the colder season without piling on too many extra pounds. And, by the holiday season, I should have this way of life down to a science.

Oh well, I'm still around...

i broke 130 today...

So, today was the day for my mid-week weigh-in. Imagine my surprise when I saw 129.5. I was surprised simply because I feel like I've been eating very badly this week. I don't think I've had enough vegetables and a little too much starch. But, I guess somehow it worked for me.

Now I'm 2.5 lbs away from my goal. I'm really excited but I'm also trying to decide whether I should try to get down to an even 125. I know that I'm slimmer because all of my clothes are starting to hang on me...(This weekend I'm buying a new belt)...But, I'm not in the shape that I was hoping for. Once I get my goal weight I'm going to sign up for a yoga class. It's something that I've wanted to do for a while and I think it would be the perfect reward for the effort I'm putting in.

Anyway, I'm faced with another challenging weekend. I never really celebrated my BF's birthday (which was the 11th) because his mom was in town. So, we're going to make up for that this week. Also, I have a friend coming in town for the weekend. I think I will be alright when it comes to food choices, but I know I'm going to have way too many drinks.

still shrinking...

I know it's been a while since I've checked in. I haven't ditched the SBD. I'm stuck in a bit of a plateau so have been trying not to harp on it. I know it will take a while to get the last few pounds off, so I'm going to be patient and just stick to the plan. Today I'm at 131 lbs and I feel great. I have planned out all of my dinners this week. That way my BF can help with the cooking. And, I have plenty of snacks and fruit to take to work.

This weekend, I went out for sushi. I know I'm not supposed to but I had the sushi rice, it was well worth it! Saturday we had Thai...I had a couple of beers. Also worth it. What can I say? I'm not perfect. Hey, what's the point of being on a diet and changing my daily eating habits if I can't have a "treat" every now and again?

The one cool thing that I've noticed is that I don't get as bloated around this time of the month. I used to get on the scale and see it jump up close to 5 lbs, but not this month. I think the scale may have climbed 1.0-1.5 lbs this time around.

10 down, 4.5 to go...

It's been a long 2 months, but it's been well worth the effort. This morning I made it to the 10lb mark. That's right, 131.5! I think that's about what I weighed at the end of my freshman year of college. I even went out for lunch and dinner yesterday!

Well, I've heard that the last 5 pounds is always the hardest, so I'm prepared for it to take up to another month to loose the last few pounds. Also, since I'm switching back to phase 2 rather slowly, I wouldn't be surprised if I gain a bit back over the next week.

back on track...

My week back on phase one has paid off. This morning's weigh-in was 132.5! So, I'm back to phase 2. This morning I got to have a smoothie for breakfast, which was a welcome break from eggs. I enjoy having eggs for breakfast, but they take a little more effort to prepare.

This weekend, I also went to the Gap hoping to find a pair of pants to wear to work. I know that I'm in between sizes but I desperately need more pants that don't look too casual at the office. So, I tried on these on in a size 6...


And, guess what? They were a little too loose. I liked them, but the way that they fit left too much space at the waist. I was reluctant to try the size 4 in case they were much too small. I didn't buy them but I'm thinking of going back next weekend (maybe I'll try the size 4 on then).

back to phase 1...

I had a really hard time sticking to the SBD in Florida. There's tons of fresh seafood and some great produce. Unfortunately, a lot of the restaurants around my BF's parents' house fry their fish. On night we did find a place that had a blackened seafood platter. The fish and seafood were great! But, it was served with fries, hush puppies, and a really small side salad. I ordered an extra side -- veggie of the day -- it was corn. So, once I accepted the fact that I was on vacation and that I would do damage control once I got home, I just enjoyed myself and made the best choices that I could...I also figured ice cream was necessary since it was so hot.

Well, I got home last night and this morning I got on the scale. I gained back 2.5 pounds, putting me at 135.5. So, I'm going to go back to phase 1 for a few days. Depending on how that goes, I might stay on until next week. Today, I'm pulling the book back off the shelf. I'm going to do some meal planning for the week and will probably stop for groceries on the way home from work.

no loss...

Well, I didn't loose any weight this week. I'm holding steady at 133. So, the good news is that I haven't gained back any weight!

I'm going down to Florida for the weekend to see my BF's parents. I'm going to try do my best to stick to the diet, but it is vacation after all. I did plan ahead for the plane ride today. I packed dinner and a snack for both of us. That way I won't have to eat the airport/plane food. Also, my BF's mom is usually fairly health conscious when it comes to cooking...Hey, she could even let me do some of the cooking if she wants a break.

When I get back I will probably head back to phase 1 for a few days. The idea of doing that seems weird since I've hardly added any starches or fruit to my daily routine. However, if I gain any weight back I will definitely cut them out for a few days.

compressed...

I got an okay to switch to an alternative work schedule! Starting in August, I'm going to have every other Friday off. Of course I'll have to work 9-hour days, but the trade off will definitely be worth it.

baby steps...

My BF and I went to a homebuying fair over the weekend. I have been thinking of getting my own home/condo for a little over a year now. Pretty much since we moved in together. It was at that point that I realized that I hadn't really been able to decorate my own dwelling the way that I want. My last apartment had cinderblock walls that and I never put in the effort to drill anchors to hang things. In our current apartment, the landlord has made it clear that he doesn't want us to paint (even though he didn't even clean the place before we moved in).

BF has been scared by the fact that I want to buy a place. He thinks that there is no way that we could afford it. He also has grandiose dreams of moving out of the DC area. Well, the fair settled a lot of that. Even though I've been telling him a lot of good information, he never fully believed me. Well, hearing it from an impartial source has sealed the deal. Also, we both got our credit scores and his wasn't as "bad" as he thought. Actually, his score is pretty good!

So, once we get back from out trip to Florida, we're going to really get this ball rolling!

i wasn't prepared for this...

I hadn't been thinking about this because I didn't really expect that I would loose weight this quickly -- not that 8.5 lbs in 6 weeks is all that fast. But I'm finding that clothes are really starting to hang off of me. For some items this is good. I don't feel constricted. But then there are some items that I've tried on and gotten kind of freaked out.

For example, I bought a pair of jeans in April while I was on vacation. It was before I even though of going on South beach and I was around 142 lbs at that point. I had to try on 8 pairs of jeans before finding the perfect pair...you know, not so tight that I felt self-conscious wearing them but just tight enough to look good. Well, I'm wearing those jeans today and I needed to put a belt on. They still look good but just not the same fit as in April.

I know that tons of girls would die for this problem...heck, even I'm really excited. I just never thought about the fact that I'm going to need to start buying new clothes.

i'm a looser...

It's day 18 of phase 2...I got on the scale this morning and shining back at me was 133.0! I then got off the scale and did a little happy dance. I've made it past the half way mark.

I also had someone at work notice that I had lost weight. I don't really make a huge deal out of being on a diet. It's not that I'm ashamed, but I just don't want to deal with people asking question or looking down their noses because I decided to go on South Beach. Since, I have always brought my lunch and still do, people don't really notice that I'm eating differently. At the same time, it was nice to be paid a complement.

I'm also really excited because I'm going to visit my BF's family in Florida next week. I haven't been to a beach (or in a swimsuit) since high school. So, I went and bought a suit last week. I didn't buy anthing that great because I think I really need a swimsuit. Well, I've lost 2.5lbs since I bought the suit and all of my clothes have been hanging a little more. So, I think I'll be a bit more comfortable wearing it.

phase 2, day 15...

It has been a very slow week. I'm only down half a pound since last Monday. I know I should be happy to have lost anything, but it's a little discouraging.

My period started this weekend, and I think that has a lot to do with it. I've been feeling bloated and tired...not really wanting to do anything. Also, I really craved salty snacks this weekend. Unfortunately, I gave in. On Saturday, we had our friend Matt over so I made some guacamole. Well, at first I told myself that I would just have a few tortilla chips. That turned into a good ol' face full of chips. It's not that I couldn't stop myself...I just enjoyed them so much I wanted more. The next day I was still craving something crunchy but I put my foot down.

All in all, I'm happy to see that I'm down to 135.5 -- 6lbs woohoo! But, I've got to dig my heels in a little more in the next couple of weeks.

almost time for the weekend...

This has seemed like the longest week...even though it was a short one. I am really looking forward to just wasting away another weekend. All I want to do this weekend is knit and grill. If I'm feeling adventurous, maybe I'll go play some pinball.

I'm still not able to concentrate very well and I'm starting to think that it's because I haven't been sleeping very well. Hopefully I can catch up on some sleep tonight and have a bit of energy for the weekend.

phase 2, day 10...

Over the holiday weekend, I took some liberties with the phase 2 food list. I drank way too many beers. I love this diet but I just can't give up the experience of a icy cold beer on a hot DC night. I know that if I cut out beer all together it would be really easy to drop pounds, but I need to keep some things that really bring me pleasure.

I weighed in Monday morning...136 lbs! That's down 1.5 lbs from the week before. I guess it's true that some people tend to loose faster in the 2nd phase. I'm trying to incorporate one starch and one serving of fruit each day. It seems to be working alright so far.

Unfortunately I didn't have much luck yesterday. I had half a cup of brown rice with chili for lunch and about an hour later I felt really run down and tired. Then I ate half an apple along with a tbsp of peanut butter for my afternoon snack. And, about half an hour later I felt like I wanted something to eat. So, I'm going to have to watch out for these foods. Perhaps I'm not ready for apples yet.

can't seem to concentrate...

So, I'm 10 days into the second phase of the SBD, and feel like I have a lot more energy. The only problem is that I can't seem to concentrate on any one thing long enough to get it done. Last night, I was working on packing my lunch for today. In the middle of that project I went into the living room and watched a little TV. Half an hour later I realized that I still needed to finish putting together the salad that I had started.

Now, I'm at work and can't get into anything I need to get done before the end of the week. Perhaps it's just an ill effect of the long weekend.

just like old times...

Last night, I went to good ol' Ft. Reno to see Ted Leo. Seeing teens hanging out took me back to the days when I spent ever Monday and Thursday there during summer. They weren't all there to see the band, but to see friends and try to look cool...kind of like a lot of the nights I went there to hang out. In some ways it's like any other high school scene: which girls have the right clothes and hair?; do you think that guy notices me?; what's she doing here? And I used to play the game a little bit. I used to think that my friends were super-cool and could run the place (or at least our little territory).

But, the cool part really was the music. I got to hear a ton of cool, young local talent start out. It was the first place that I heard Trans Am, Velocity Girl, Unrest, and Ted Leo's former band -- Chisel. (Ah 1993 was a very good year for music in DC). The set that TL played last night really took me back. It was upbeat pop that really rocked. It made you want to jump around and bob your head...because, as my BF says, no one in DC dances. Although that may be true, DC kids (young and old) really know how to support the local scene...

phase 2, day 4...

Just a quick update. I've a few bad days. Although I have enjoyed adding back a few foods--blueberries, oatmeal, yogurt--I hadn't seen any difference in weight. So, I made yesterday a fairly strict day with no "starches" and just one serving of fruit. It paid off! This morning when I got on the scale it read 136.5! Today's breakfast was Kashi Heart to Heart cereal with fresh blueberries. I'm going to try to make it through the rest of the day with all phase 1 foods.

I also started taking walks again. I'm aiming for a basic 30 minutes a day. I'm also going to start throwing the Pilates routine back in the mix.

moving to phase 2...

Well, it seems that I'm not going to loose any more weight on phase 1. I weighed in this morning...137.5lbs, the same as the last 4 days. I think it's a little disappointing that I didn't loose more. But, I have to admit that it's still not too bad for 3 weeks. Even though I haven't found the first phase to be overly limiting, I'm going to start adding some grains and fruit.

For breakfast this morning I had old-fashion oatmeal with some fresh blueberries. I've never really liked oatmeal, but after having eggs for breakfast almost every day for the last three weeks, it was a welcome change. My lunch and snacks for the day are still from phase 1. I am a little worried about dinner. My BF's mom is in town again and we're going to his sister's house tonight. Hopefully whatever she serves is SB-friendly.

3rd week in phase 1...

I'm going to add a third week before I start on Phase 2 of SB. The last 3 days have been really bad and I found myself in situations where I couldn't eat according to the plan.

(1) Beastie Boys show -- I had chili for dinner before the show. When they announced that they were going to be late, the club ordered pizza for everyone. I had one slice of veggie and a beer to keep me entertained.
(2) Saturday we went shopping. I had breakfast and a snack before hitting the road but lunch ran late. We ended up at home-style papusaria and there were no salad/soup/healthy options. So, I ended up with a couple of tacos and a side of cassava...unfortunatley fried.
(3) Father's day -- I made my dad a lemonade cake. And, although the recipes was from cooking light, it still had a ton of sugar in the cake and frosting.

So, this morning I woke up with a headache and my stomach felt a little off. I got on the scale and have gained back a pound. I'm a little disappointed but still feel good that I lost 4lbs in 2 weeks. To make up for the bad choices I made in the last few days, I'm going to extend Phase 1 for this week. I'll start Phase 2 next week, adding in some fruit and perhaps cereal.

beastie brouhaha...

Oh god, I am so tired. Yesterday was really a trial. I actually left work early to get in line to get into the show. I figured that there would be tons of people in line so they could get the best view even though doors didn't open until 6:30. Well, I got to the club at 4:15 and there were hardly 30 people in line. (it could have been the 90+ degree heat that kept people away) My BF met me at the club about 30 minutes later with food. Thankfully we live really close to the 9:30 club. About 30 minutes after that it started raining...actually pouring w/ thunder and lightening. Everyone was nice about the situation. The radio station/promo people were handing out juice and stuff.

They started letting people in at 6pm because another downpour was coming in. We got a really good view from the balcony -- what I like to call the too-old-to-be-young-too-young-to-be-old section. The Beasties were supposed to go on at 8:30 so we knew we had some waiting to do.

At about 8:30 the radio djs came on stage; the crowd was pumped; and they announced that they had some "good news and some bad news." So, the bad news was that the beastie boys couldn't get on their flight because New York airports shut due to weather. The good news was that they were on a train to DC and would be on stage at ~11:30! Well, being older than I like to admit I was kind of pissed. And, my BF had to be up at 4:30 in the morning to go to work. Argh. But, we decided to stick it out...

The Beastie Boys did show up! They went on stage a little after 11pm. They played for about 45-minutes with a good setlist. As usual, they did a solid show...with Mix Master Mike keeping them on their toes.

I was glad I saw their entire set, but I'm really disappointed with the arrangements. I guess I had assumed that they would have been in DC early that afternoon, if not the night before. I know that the shuttle from NYC is really quick but perhaps they were cutting it a little too close. I'd like to know how long the show would have been if it had started on time. Would we have gotten a full 2 hr set?

phase 1, day 11...

I weighed in again this morning. I'm down another 1.5lbs, to 136.5! It feels like the weight is coming off pretty consistently. And, I'm pretty happy being down 5lbs in eleven days. I can tell that my stomach is a little less full/bloated looking. But, I still need to start some kind of exercise regimen to pull everything together, if you would.

I have a couple of bumps in the road ahead that could set me back. First is father's day this Sunday. I think we're going to be eating at my parents' house, probably a bbq. That's a good thing since I'll be able to put veggies on the grill as a side instead of pasta or potato salad. The bad thing is that there will be dessert -- I might even be bringing dessert. So, my goal will be to have just a taste of whatever sweets there are without completely pigging out.

The next bump will be at work next Thursday. My office supervisors are going to bring in lunch for the department and cake to celebrate a co-worker's leaving. So far, they are talking about bringing in barbecue from a local joint. I'm not sure what will really happen...

So, I'm trying to plan for this ahead of time. At this point I still have cravings for things like pasta and bread, but not sweets. I think I'm going to keep myself on Phase 1 for an extra week. Perhaps this will make me better able to deal with these two events.

i've got a golden ticket!

Actually, make that two! I got through and bought tickets. My order number says "nine"...all I know is that I'm going to the show. Thursday at the 9:30 club!

the beasties are coming...

Okay, the last time I had tickets to see the beastie boys the tour was cancelled. Now they have a new album out and are doing a bunch of exclusive shows through local radio stations. Well, I don't have time to sit at home/work and listen to the radio all day and than hope that I'm the right caller. Argh...but I did get an email this morning saying that they would be putting tickets on sale this afternoon for $15. Wish me luck. I hope I can get these tickets!

phase 1, day 8...

So, it's been a week on SB and so far I'm happy. I weighed in today and got a modest 138lbs. So, for the first week, that's a drop of 3.5lbs. It slowed over the weekend, but that's just 'cos I cheated a little.

My BF and I had both had Friday off so we just kind of hung our around the neighborhood. Got coffee in the afternoon; Picked up the ingredients to my new "drink of summer" the sidecar. Over the last month, I have been accumulating the bar tools to make this drink and now it was time to make some at home...which we did Saturday afternoon...tasty! So, I think the couple of drinks that I had on Saturday -- literally 2 -- probably threw a few things off.

But, I'm ready for week two! This week I'm also going to try to fit a 30 minute walk in everyday.

phase 1, day 4...

Well, I got on the scale this morning. To my surprise, I was already down 2.5lbs. So, the day started on a good note. Unfortunately, I didn't remember to defrost my now-usual breakfast fare and didn't eat before leaving the house. Once I got to work, I went down to the cafeteria and made a bad decision. I bought lowfat fruit yogurt. Now, this may seen harmless enough but in the first 2 weeks of SB you aren't supposed to have any fruit and little or no yogurt. So, this will be my slip for the day. (and boy does it taste great). I'm not so worried that the scale will spike back up tomorrow morning. I'll be fine as long as it's a one time thing and I don't get any other barred snacks today.

So far, I'm really enjoying this program. The first day was hard and I felt like I was hungry every second. But, since then I've had no problems. In fact, I can't believe that I've lost any weight with the amount of food that the phase 1 plan has you eat. I have 3 meals and 3 snack every day. I've been living on 2 meals and zero snacks for quite a while, figuring that if I'm not hungry I shouldn't eat. Guess I was wrong!

Reagan holiday...

Dub-ya has declared Friday to be a national day of mourning. That means that I get a day off...and a three day weekend. Now, I am not a fan of Reagan's politics, but I do feel that the pageantry that surrounds his death is just what the country needs right now.

Much of the media coverage has centered on the fact that Reagan focused a lot of his efforts on positive aspects of US culture at a time when there was an emphasis on a negative past. Well, the same seems to be true in death. There are hundreds of thousands of people who are going to be taking time of their lives to honor this man. And, they will be able to distract themselves from the problems of the day, if only for a little while.

Tomorrow night, there will be a procession to bring his body to the Capital rotunda. And, although I am a democrat through and through, I think I will stick around after work to see it.

weighing in...

This morning I stepped on the scale to get my official starting point. The official figure is 141lbs. That's down from my "holiday weight" but still not what I'd like to see. So, I'm going to try to loose 10% (about 14lbs), making the goal weight 127lbs.

On Saturday, I went to the grocery to get everything I needed to get through the first week. I probably went a little overboard in the veggie aisle, but I figured better safe than sorry. And, a lot of the stuff I got will probably keep past this week. Yesterday, I did some cooking so I won't have to spend a lot of time worry about breakfast everyday. I started my adventure this morning with breakfast. And packed my lunch and snacks for the day.

My BF has been really supportive since I told him that I'm going on SB. After the holidays we both put on weight and we've been saying that we should each loose 10lbs. He doesn't want to go on SB too but he says he'll help by cooking dinners that fit in with the recommendations. He doesn't want each of us to have to fend for our own food or cook two different meals.

starting monday...

Back in January, I declared my resolutions for 2004. I even put up some little trackers to show progress. When I changed the template for the blog, all of the links and stuff in the sidebar disappeared. And, unfortunately, I had not backed up the old blog template. So, I've been very slow to put my resolutions back in the sidebar as to not remind myself of my failures. Well, that's going to change!

I will be re-creating the sidebar...And re-doubling my efforts. The most effort will be put to loosing weight. I keep talking about wanting to be a little more fit but never get on a true regimen. Well, this time I've got a plan. I recently got a copy of the South Beach Diet. I know what you're thinking...gimmick! But, it will be my first try at a real diet plan. I have read the book and it makes a good case for why it works. At first read, the eating plan is similar to what I have now. The big differences in the first phase: (1) more dairy, (2) no fruit, and (3) no starches with meals. But, in 2 weeks I'll be able to add some back.

I have a pretty arbitrary goal in mind. I want to loose 10 pounds or 10%, which ever is more reasonable. That will put be back to the weight I was when I graduated college. This weekend, I will be doing a lot of grocery shopping, and Monday morning I will be posting my start and goal weight. Wish me luck!

still standing...

Argh...Work has been such a chore lately. In the last 3 weeks, I have written 6 papers deciding funding issues for next year's budget. On the upside, we had a new analyst start this week. And, there's another newbie starting in 2 weeks! That means that I should have my workload let up a little bit. The person that started this week will be taking some of my assigned units so I'm really happy!

Also, I made it through a visit from my BF's father. He has come to town the last three years in a row. Usually, it's really good to see him...but, he likes to do tourist-y things. This year, like last year, he brought his girlfriend. And, the two them did a lot of thing by themselves. It was really kind of cool. We did meet them for dinner on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, we had them over to our apartment for dinner.

On Saturday, we took them to one of our favorite spots Rhumba Café for tapas. It went over better than expected. They were really cool and tried everything we ordered. Then, we went to Pharmacy...our favorite bar. All in all a good night.

On Sunday, Mr F brought over the stuff that he bought in Michigan and drove down with. It was really mundane stuff...16 rolls of paper towels, 24 rolls of TP, 4 jugs of laundry detergent, 4 gallons of bleach, 6 boxes kleenex, a paper shredder, a vat of cookies, and 5 bags of candy. We have managed find a home for the paper goods. Still need to stash the laundry products. And, a week later we're almost done with the candy...talk about snack attack!

home alone...

I'm really looking forward to this weekend. My BF is going on a camping trip with one of his friends and I'm going to have full reign of the apartment! It's weird...I really love my BF and living with him for the past year has been good, but I especially look forward to the times when he's away. (I hope that doesn't make me sound evil). I just feel like I can get mundane things done without wanting to make him feel guilty for not helping.

For instance, this weekend I am renting a car and will go to IKEA to get some new stuff for the apartment. I have to fight really hard to get him to go do this kind of stuff. I'm going to get a new dresser for myself and probably a lot of storage things for both of us. I'm also going to rearrange our bedroom...assuming that I'm able to move the furniture around myself.

I know if sounds lame, but our apartment could use a breath of fresh air running through it. Since my BF doesn't like to "deal" with this kind of thing, it's time for me to take matters into my own hands. I'm so excited!

busy, busy, busy...

Work is starting to get the best of me. It seems that I got to go on vacation just in time. Since getting back, I have been swamped!

Our budget (for FY 2006) is due in early September and the office is abuzz trying to make decisions about what to include and what to put off. Unfortunately, the process entails a lot of research and writing. This week I need to put out 5 papers making recommendations funding requests. At first this seemed like a do-able task, but not so.

I'm starting to feel the pressure.

an argument for marriage...

My BF's mother is in town this week. She is "d'un certain âge" and is prone to getting a bit emotional. She is staying with my BF's sister, so we went over to see her on Tuesday night. Once she had everyone gathered around -- My BF, his sister and boyfriend, his step-brother, and myself -- the conversation somehow moved to the topic of marriage. His mom has done this in the past, but not nearly such a hard sell.

Well, the conversation included some key catch phases, such as: "what's wrong with you boys?" and "you shouldn't keep stringing these girls along like that..." Well, I was really put off by this whole exchange. She looked at me as if she had just done me some big favor, getting the ball rolling. Well, she didn't! So I told her flatly that her son already knows how I feel about this topic and I tried to leave it at that. I tried to let her know that this wasn't a conversation that she should be having with me. She had every right to say these things to her children...but not with their significant others there!

It's not that the old-fashioned girl in me doesn't agree with some of what she's saying. For me, it just wasn't the time or the place. So, this is still bothering me 2 days later and I just needed to vent.

mixed emotions...

Earlier this week, I got a friendster request from someone out of my past. At first, I really didn't know what to think. This person was one of my closest friend during high school. And at a point, I thought my family was ready to adopt her. (Long story short, her father was moving out of the country and she didn't want to go). When I started college, we stayed in touch and would try to see each other when I was home for breaks. The following year, she started college and that's when things really changed. I think I only saw her once after she went to school, even though she was in B'more. And, that one time was weird. It was bizarro.

Anyway, we fell completely out of touch. Part of me was bitter about the whole thing. I didn't know if I had offended. And if I had, I wished that she had confronted me about it at the time. So, after all of these years, she looked me up. At first that little bit of bitterness peeped it's head. But, then I realized that it really didn't matter. When it comes down to it, I can't dwell in the past.

new features...

Wow! I'm so excited to see all the new things at blogger! Especially the comment feature. Now, I can go back and get rid of haloscan. I never get all that many comments, but at least I don't have to go to a second site to see them.

I also like all of the new templates and the profile. Needless to say, I'm going to be tweaking both blogs in the coming weeks!

i'm back...

California was great. We had perfect weather and some great company. It had been 3 years since I had seen Katie or Maya. And, it was great. My friend Bartek also joined us from Chicago. It was just so cool to catch up with everybody...It wasn't so cool to pile so many people into Katie's apartment but it got the job done! (Thanks again Katie).

The highlight of the trip, of course, was the trip to Napa. We didn't take any of the vineyard tours, but we did tastings at V. Sattui, Peju, Silver Oak, and Stags' Leap. It was all beautiful. Hopefully, one day I'll be able to retire and spend my twilight years as a wine pourer in Napa. My BF and I brought back 10 bottles. Of course some of those are gifts, but half will be for just us. They are all labels that aren't sold outside of wine country, so it was worth lugging them back.

I wish I could tell you that we did a lot of cool group activities, but it's not true. We did a lot of walking around. And SF is such a cool place to walk through. We saw the Haight, Mission, Embacadero, and Fisherman's Wharf. Not to mention dim sum in Chinatown; a jaunt through North Beach - including dropping in at City Lights and a hike up to Coit Tower to overlook the bay and Alcatraz. Plus, time in the East Bay and Berkeley. It was a ton of fun!

on vacation!

It's finally here. I've been planning this trip since January and it's finally time. I leave tomorrow morning at 11am, not too early, not too late. Last night was fairly hectic. I packed my boyfriend's suitcase...I know it sounds cheesy, but it's just better that way. He usually just throws every thing in and pushes down until he can close it. This time, since he had already laid out everything that he want to take, I just took over an neatly packed it in for him.

We also ran to the drugstore for some travel sized goodies. After that I came home an laid out my clothes. I know that I packed too much, but that's okay. My bad is smaller than his! Yup, I got everything that I wanted bring in my carry-on sized suitcase. I still feel inclined to check it. I'm also going to see if it will hold an empty travel bag to bring purchases home.

I am just so excited. Since I don't know if I'll be able to blog, I will say au revoir! I'll see you in about 10 days.

finally spring...

The weather took a great turn this weekend and all of a sudden I feel like I'm in the middle of Spring! Lots of sunshine and heat. I love this weather.

So, yesterday my BF and I went for a walk. Originally we just wanted to get out of the house for a bit. We ended up on a trek down to Georgetown instead. That's about 3 miles. Check out our route:



Once we got there, we got a bite to eat and then contemplated what to do with the rest of the afternoon. In general we dislike Georgetown. And, since it was such a nice day, there were way too many people in the shops. So, we decided to start walking back, with a quick stop at Fresh Fields to get stuff for dinner. When it was all said an done, we had gone for a 4 hour stroll!

Needless to say, I got my exercise for the day!

birthday celebration draws to a close...

Actually, it was over before it started. But, as a recap. I ate out almost every night for the last week, including a super fancy birthday dinner at a restaurant called Palena. It's run by an ex-White House chef and and pastry chef. Fabulous!

Friday night I went and had a couple afternoon drinks by myself. It had been a long time since I had enjoyed a sunny afternoon and cocktails. On Saturday, we finally went to Toys R Us and it ended up being my lucky day. Hoops were buy one, get one free!

That night we had Thai for dinner...and a couple of fru fru drinks. You know, the ones with funny names and fruity flavors. Than a bit of pinball at the Black Cat.

And now, the celebration is over. My BF's gift to me came yesterday. I'm the proud owner of a new sewing machine. As Anne (my BF's sister) said, "If I didn't know you better I might think there was something wrong with you." I know that I'm into really "domestic" things, but I'm not girly!

vacation count down...

Everything seems to be falling into place. I have been trying to finalize our hotel arrangements for the night that I'm spending in Napa. We were able to get a 2nd room through my BF's brother. We're going to be staying here. So what if can't afford any of the spa treatments. It's really convenient to the vinyards. We're also going to visit Berkeley, where our friend Michael is in school.

The best part is that this will be a true vacation. No worries about work. No short weekend trip. It's a full week in Cali!

1. What do you do for a living?
I am a Program/Budget Analyst for the Smithsonian.

2. What do you like most about your job?
The best part of my job is that I get to work here...

3. What do you like least about your job?
The average age in my office is in the upper 40s and most have been doing the same job for nearly 20 years. I fear turning into that girl.

4. When you have a bad day at work its usually because _____...
I've had to wait on information for other sources/people before I can finish an assignment.

5. What other career(s) are you interested in?
I was much more excited when I worked in advertising. I really enjoyed working with people more closely. And, there were some awesome perks to be had.

a year older, not much wiser...

So most people ask you silly questions when it's your birthday. You know the ones: "how old are you?," " do you feel older?," blah, blah, blah.

Well to tell you the truth. I don't feel older. I haven't gotten up and "felt older" since I turned 25. On my 25th birthday, I was in San Francisco and spent a lot of the day by myself while the friend I was visiting was at work. I got a few calls on my cell phone wishing my the best. And, the thing that made me feel older was this...I was the first time that I truly realized that I don't live in the same city, or even time zone, as a lot of my friends. I knew that keep these relationships would take work (and money). I didn't really feel alone, but I did feel like something was different.

At the end of the month, I am going to go back to visit that friend in SF. This time, I'm taking part of my posse with me. And, we're going to celebrate her birthday in style. So, hopefully, for a few days we all feel younger on someone's birthday.

it's my birthday!

So far, I'm in a pretty good mood. I guess there's really no reason to get depressed about turning 28. It's just one of those in-between years while I wait for 30.

I wish I could have asked for the day off, but there are a couple of projects at work that need to be done. That, and my supervisor is on leave this week. So, Plan B entails taking a long, leisurely lunch -- something I don't do often enough -- and then going somewhere nice for dinner. I have one place in mind but it's out of the way and would keep us from going to cakelove for dessert. We've already gone to our favorite tapas spot on Sunday with my parents. Well, I have all day to decide.

so fucking cool...

I've always loved unkymoods. But, today is the best. current mood...knitty!

take that...

I guess the effective writing class I took last month paid off...

You are a GRAMMAR GOD!


If your mission in life is not already to
preserve the English tongue, it should be.
Congratulations and thank you!


How grammatically sound are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

making it official...

My doppelganger is almost ready. I'm just about ready to unleash needleGirl on the world. What that really means, is that this blog is going to be changing too. This page will (hopefully) be defined by judy brown and the rants thereof. On the other hand, needleGirl, will only deal with the rants and raves as they relate to knitting. Wish me luck.

Oh yeah, and this blog will be getting a makeover as well. If I can ever work out a graphic theme for it...I can hear n-Gen calling to me.

it's the latest craze...

I have got to have a hula hoop! I don't know why but last week I started thinking about how cool it would be to have a hula hoop. When I was in elementary school, I would spend the entire morning recess twirling. Sometimes, I would do it until my stomach hurt. So, I told my BF that I want one for my birthday. He kind of laughed and smirked. So, I've mentioned it every day since. I think he's starting to get the message.

This morning I went looking for info and found this. They even have instructions on making your own hoop. If I don't get one for my b-day, I might just have to make one myself! I could even get a super cool yarn and knit a cover for it.

check this out...

i'm trying to establish another blog.

another monday morning...

I'm off to a very slow start this today. I really feel drained, and I'm still having a hard time focusing on any thing. I really have to get it together though.

I had a pretty productive weekend. On Saturday, my BF and I made some headway on the front closet. I was able to get him to reorganize his camping/outdoor gear. Now, it takes up a little less space. Also, we got rid of some books and old cassette tapes as well. Then, we were able to move some of his luggage, putting it under the bed. So, now we have a closet that you can see into. And, there's probably a good amount of space to hang things like out of season coats. Next, I'm going to move all of my things that are stored in the 2nd BR into that closet.

The Spring Fling has begun.

spring fling...

I'm looking forward to this weekend. I know it's gonna sound sick but I kind of like spring cleaning. And, with any luck my BF will cooperate in the endeavor. At this point we've lived together for about a year in our nicely sized 2 BR apartment. And, the things that we have argued over the most are space issues and money. Well, there's not much we can do about the money part but perhaps it's time to address the space issue.

When we first moved in, I thought that the 2nd room was going to be a guest room/office. Well, it seems that I forgot about my BF's tool bench. Yup, that's right, the room is taken up by a workbench and tools, instead of a desk and futon. The futon is in there, but doesn't do much. Most people don't really want to sleep in there since it's usually dirty. To tell you the truth, I don't even get to spend much time in there because it's messy and dirty. Perhaps, once we've complete the portion of the day where we throw things away, we'll think about reworking that room.

eek! the clock is ticking...

So, the announcement for the position that will be my promotion went up today. I have exactly 2 weeks to get my resume updated and an "application" filled out. I used to work really well under pressure...I hope that statement is still true. I'm thinking I'll barricade myself at my cubicle and stay late one day next week.

more active...

As you may recall, becoming more active was one of my resolutions for the year. Well, it's starting to work! Last Saturday my BF and I went for a bike ride. We made it all the way from our place to Old Town Alexandria. That's about 10 miles, and we did it in about 1hr 15 min.



My BF had never been to Old Town so it was about time he saw what it was about. There's really only one way to describe Old Town, quaint. It's not cool hip. So, we walked around for a bit and had lunch. Then we took the Metro back home.

I did talk him into going to the new yarn shop that opened up. I just checked out the space figuring I can go back by myself for their grand opening in a couple of weeks. It space is cute...even though I don't really like the pink theme. And the selection seemed pretty good.

whoa is me...

I'm having a hard to keeping things together. Really, I'm starting to feel like things are splitting at the seams. Knitting is alright and I'm doing alright with the poncho. But, when it comes to other areas, I just can't concentrate. A lot of days I even feel like I stumble my way through.

Usually when I get like this I have to resort to lists. That's right, the dreaded to-do list. So, this week's list is as follows:
__ clean front hall closet
__ switch clothes in trunk
__ finish front half of poncho
__ mail tax returns
__ update resume - for promotion
__ plan meals for coming week

I'm sure this is just a start...but, it's also the bare minimum that I want done by Sunday.

return of...the friday five

1. What was the last song you heard?
yo la tengo - saturday

2. What were the last two movies you saw?
Annie Hall and Anything Else...It was a Woody Allen weekend.

3. What were the last three things you purchased?
yarn (4-ply cotton), yarn (tlc plus), and lunch yesterday

4. What four things do you need to do this weekend?
finish my taxes, call friends, book a hotel for Napa, and grocery shopping

5. Who are the last five people you talked to?
co-workers, my BF, my friend J, mom, and dad

i love cola!

El Presidente finally made it official...I get the rest of my pay raise.

That just means I can feel my little fingers inching. And, even though my pay check will probably only go up about $20 a pay period, I'm thinking of getting something special. Like, maybe the new Rowan magazine and make the the cute top I mentioned the other day. Oh, I can't wait!

pack rat...

There's not other word for it. I love to hold on to clothes...The kind of stuff that you find at the thrift store for a buck. So, at this point I've got tons of really fun vintage clothes. Some that fit really well and some that don't. And, I really hate to get rid of this stuff but it's taking up way too much space in my closet.

I did get rid of a big bag of old, out-of-date clothes this weekend. My BF and I went to a Village Thrift on Saturday morning. The bag has been sitting in my closet since we first moved in together. And, although I was tempted to take a couple of items out I resisted. I also got rid of a pair of shoes that I haven't worn in years.

And, of course, while I was there I picked up some new digs. I got a couple of cute slips, one of them is orange. I figure it can add just a splash of sass to skirts this spring. I also got a couple of tops and a dress.

**Oh, and I'm giving myself 5 pts toward my resolution to straighten up my closet since I got rid of that stuff.**

i'm a winner!

This is one of the reasons I love ebay! I just got the vintage pattern book I won in and auction...



There are some really great looking patterns...maybe 10 in all. And, assuming I can find some yarns that fit with the guages, I'm going to make some Vintage-y sweaters.

crappy weekend!

Friday night I went out to dinner at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in the city. It's small quiet and the food is usually really good and reasonably priced. And, as usual, I enjoyed my meal. Unfortunately, the next day as my BF and I were getting ready to venture out of the house, things started to "not sit well." I had just finished eating some breakfast, but I don't think that the eggs could have turned my stomach in a matter of minutes.

So, I spent the next few hours in pain while my body purged the bad parts. And, since we had plans for dinner, I was hoping that it would all pass by 7pm. By the time we left for dinner I thought things were alright...but, I guess Ethiopian proved to be a touch too exotic for my sensitive stomach. My BF and I ended up hopping into a cab directly after dinner and I went home and called it a night.

Thankfully my stomach had gotten back to normal by Sunday morning, 'cos I had plans to take my Mom to Brunch @ The Castle.

long weekend...

Time to catch up, with blogging that is:

Valentine's Day was great! We just lounged around the house for the day and cooked. We made tapas, 5 different things that all turned out really well. We ate on the floor at our little coffee table, with loads of candles around. It was really nice and cozy.

Sunday, we hung out with my friend Salil who was in town. The afternoon included 2 painful games of Scrabble. Then we ordered some food and watched American Splender. Excellent movie!

i love this one...

You are a warm and fuzzy type who works well with
others, doing your share without being too
weighty. You can be stubborn and absolutely
refuse to change your position once it is set,
but that's okay since you are good at covering
up your mistakes.


What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

my valentine...

Wow! Would you believe it's been 5 years since I met my BF. We didn't spend the first VD together cos I had already scheduled a trip to Chicago. But, we've been together ever since!

So, this Saturday we're going to celebrate our 5th anniversary, VD and everything in between. So far, the plan is to make dinner - tapas. I don't think we'll venture out, since most places will be crowded. And, since he's not the most creative shopper, I already know what I'm getting.

resolution update...

I really am a good friend - I mailed my friend Jill my extra copy of Interweave's winter edition. I ended up with a 2nd copy because my aunt got me a subscription for x-mas. (by the way I think I'm going to try to make this 1% for each good dead this year. hopefully it won't take too long to get to 100! So, I'm going to add 1% for the ReadyMade subscription I gave my friend Matt.)

Sporty - borrowed Winsor Pilates from Anne, did the 20-minute work out twice this week...doesn't count for any thing yet but I'm going to give myself 5% for each week I do a rountine 3 times in that week. does that make sense?) So far I like it because it's not too intense, yet the aching later lets you know that your muscles have been working.

Coming out of the closet - I need to figure out what to do with the rest of my tee shirts. I'd love to think of something crafty that shows off the logos and whatnot. Also, I've begun the hem on my new jeans that will round out the pants/jeans chapters.

new starts...

I had an A.D.D. moment this morning. See, I got the new Interweave magazine in the mail last night!



It made me want to start planning ahead for some great spring pieces. I know that wool is a year-round material, but I really want some lightweight tops this year. Then, I remembered that I had bought some ggh Somoa last year to make this



So, I cast on this morning a few minutes before leaving to catch the bus! And, I'm making time with the 2x2 ribs that make up the body.

You have just won one million dollars:

1. Who do you call first?
You mean I gotta tell people? I guess I'd call my BF.

2. What is the first thing you buy for yourself?
1976 BMW 2002

3. What is the first thing you buy for someone else?
I would send my parents on a long vacation.

4. Do you give any away? If yes, to whom?
I'd give to the Smithsonian

5. Do you invest any? If so, how?
Definitely! Probably by buying myself a house and in a retirement fund. I know it's boring but $1 million doesn't go all that far these days.

la grippe...

I think I'm coming down with some horrible sickness. There's this cold going around the area. First my supervisor at work had it over the holidays. Then my BF had it, then my mom. I've been lucky, but I think my luck is running out. Yesterday I could hardly peel myself off the bed. But, I made it in to work and suffered a bit. I went home ate dinner and was in bed by 9pm. I slept until I heard my BF leave for work at 5:45 this morning! I got up feeling great, but now that it's after lunch I'm starting to drag. I don't know how I'm gonna make it through the end of the day.

digging out...

Today is the first whole work day of my week. It snowed on Sunday night/Monday morning and the gov't in DC decided to give the option of "unscheduled leave." Originally I was going to get off my ass and go to work (albeit a little late), then my BF came home. It seems that the guy he's working with now drove all the way into the city and was so frustrated that he didn't want to work. So, the two of us had the day at home together...It wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

But, I did get some knitting done. I cast on for one of the sleeves for Marsha, thinking that it would be quick. Well, after about 8 inches I was bored. The sleeves are straight, with no increases or decreases after the first 20 rows. So, I decided to put that aside and work the front sections instead. I'll probably make those my bus project. I'm zipping through the front left and will hopefully get it done by the end of the week. This sweater is coming along and all I need to do is figure out how to block it. I think the pieces are going to be bigger than the other projects I've done in the past.

it's back again..the friday five

At this moment, what is your favorite...

1. ...song?
Tonight We Dine on Fumes - The Carlsonics

2. ...food?
risotto...definitely risotto

3. ...tv show?
24...not as good as the first season, but still good

4. ...scent?
paperwhites. I grew them over the holiday season and they smell great. Sweet, and kind of like honeysuckle.

5. ...quote?
"Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns - the ones we don't know we don't know" -- Donald Rumsfeld

skirting the issue...

I have weeded through my skirts to find that I basically have all the skirts I need for spring/summer and I'm in need of a couple of winter wool pieces. So, I've got a couple picked out from Banana Republic -- perfect for work. But then I went to Urban and scored a Seven (for all Mankind) denim miniskirt. What can I say, I've wanted a denim skirt for a couple of years now and this one was only $35!

So, I'm marking this task as done! Next on the list...tee shirts!

LYS...need one closer!

In general I love the DC area. It's home for me. Most things are available by public transportation. So what if you have to go out to the suburbs every once in a while to get something special...Well to tell you the truth I'm kind of sick of this being the case. On Monday, I happened to be in Bethesda having lunch with my mom. Knowing that I wanted to get a cable needle, I had 2 choices. I could either hoof it down to Bruce Variety -- the closest thing to a five&dime left in the area -- or go to the LYS. I chose the latter. So up the steps I went at Knit and Stitch = Bliss. The location has been a yarn/needlework store for ages, though it has had a few different names. Well, I walked in to find that it's just as cramped as ever...although I'm sure many people would call it "cozy." And on the Monday holiday it was crowded with tons of ladies of all ages and a few hangers-on (getting in the way). I had no space to browse and no desire to see what was new in stock. I just got my needles and left.

Although it's a great store stocked with lovely yarns and top-notch supplies, it closes very early...5:30 pm, in fact. This makes it impossible for me to even think of dropping in after work. They do stay open a little later one night a week, but even then they close at 8:00. So, what I would like is a place to open in the city. There seem to be a few SnB groups starting up in DC. So, what's it going to take for someone to start a new store inside district lines?

cabling...

So I've got a good start on Marsha and I'm getting the hang of the cable pattern. Unfortunately, I'm trying to get it done without a cable needle. I've been using a short dpn - thanks to Denise I've got tons of extras. But, I'm finding that it's just a little to long and dangles/twists when I'm working. So, it looks like I'm going to have to hunt down a cable needle this weekend.

Even with this inconvenience, I've made it through the first two pattern repeats and have started the decreases for the shaping at the hips. So far Kim Hargreave's pattern is very easy to follow. I have made a photo copy of the pattern so I can carry it with me on the bus. I also went ahead and crossed out the parts that don't apply to the size I'm knitting so that it's less distracting to the eye. It took me a few rows to get used to continuing the cable pattern while decreasing at the sides, but everything looks great.

I'm using Lion Brand's Alpaka -- The gauge fit perfectly! The label says that it should knit at 16st/23rows with size 8 needles. When I did my swatch I thought I was going to have to work with size 7 to get the 19st/25rows that the pattern called for. To my dismay this didn't work out. So I did a swatch with size 8 and the gauge was dead on!

closet update...

I have weeded through my skirts and it looks like that is that area that will need the more help. I would say that I have 4 work-appropriate skirts in the closet...only 1 of which is truly meant to be worn in the winter. I am still trying to decide which ones stay and which ones go, but it looks like I should definitely try to buy 2 nice, winter/all-year skirts soon.

sometimes i'm a hooker...

This weekend, I made record time with my BF's scarf. I decided to crochet it instead of knitting. I find that crochet goes a lot faster...but the downfall is that seems to use up a lot more yarn. I wanted to make his scarf before I started anything for myself. He watched me make tons of things for family members for x-mas, so now he's got a little something. Anyway, my BF is the proud new owner of a stripey scarf with random sized rows.

picking up the needles again...

So, I've had a couple of weeks off since finishing the Christmas gifts. Now I'm ready to dive into a new year of knitting. So far, I know that I'm going to be making Marsha from Rowan #34. I also think I'm going to make myself a super long scarf. I knew I wanted one but I avoided it because I had a nice scarf that I had crocheted years ago. Well, guess what! I lost my scarf over Christmas! (Actually I think I left it at my BF's sister's house, but I'll use any excuse I can muster). While I'm at it, I think I'll make myself a hat, too! I loved the one that I made for my cousin so much that I have to have one myself...Ooh! Ooh! and how 'bout a pair of those arm warmers!

I will probably also make my BF a scarf as a part of his Festivus gift. Of course, ours is nothing like the Seinfeld version. See, my BF and I met at the end of January in 1999 and had our first real date the first week of February. So, when our first anniversary was approaching it seemed really weird to buy gifts for Christmas, the anniversary, and Valentine's day...So, we have a tradition of rolling them all into on -- Festivus! I made him a scarf last year that had pockets at the ends. Of course, they add a lot of bulk when you wear it under a coat. This your I'll make him one without the pockets...maybe I'll even crochet this one.

hmm...

i had no idea!? ;P


You are the Elitist Prick. You're so consumed with
being on top of indie trends that you've
completely forgotten how to enjoy your
once-hipster status. It may be too late for
you.


What Kind of Hipster Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

What one thing are you most looking forward to . . .

1. ...today?
It's Friday. I have a weekend of rest to look forward to...so simple. Yet so true!

2. ...over the next week?
I'm going to pick up my knitting needles again. I can't wait to make something new!

3. ...this year?
I look forward to a year of full employment, without worrying about job instability. And, getting into the real nuts and bolts of my job.

4. ...over the next five years?
Over the next five years I look forward to becoming a woman. I'm 27 now and still act like I'm 22. In five years, I know that I'll be a much more "mature" person than I am now.

5. ...for the rest of your life?
What my life holds for me, I am not sure. I know that I have found a companion who I would like to spend the rest of my years with (my BF). I know that a large part of what I have to look forward to will be new adventures with him. (god that sounds cheesy)

the closet project shall begin...

I have decided that a lot of my wardrobe is of no use to me. When I first got out of school, I got a job working in an Internet ad firm. Needless to say, I was allowed to wear just about anything I wanted. So, I spent a large portion of my new income on cool clothes...you know the ones that weren't being worn by "everyone." I also fed my habit for kitschy vintage/thrift pieces. Then I got laid off! And I've been trying to deal with my need to change my staple of jeans and funky shirts to a more office-appropriate mix of clothes. It's been about a year since I've had my new job and I really want to be able to wake up in the morning and feel like I have outfits that snap together without too much fuss.

To help in my effort, I asked for a copy of the Lucky Shopping Guide for Christmas. And, I got it! Like the magazine, it's full of great pictures of clothes that look like real people can wear. Also, like the magazine, I finished it very quickly. And, now I'm ready to start weeding out my closet. My plan of attack is to go chapter-by-chapter until I've covered all of the wardrobe basics. I believe there are about 10 chapters and the book starts with skirts. So, this weekend, I'm going to assess my skirts.

moving pictures...

Now that the holidays are over, I'm going to be moving the gifty pictures off the blog. These will now be in my Yahoo! photobook. That should make some more room for new items on the sidebar.

back for a new year...

I'm back and ready to start my new year...so far it's been a little bumpy but I think I'll be able to get things flying right in no time. I'm usually really bad at sticking to resolution, but I feel that this would be the perfect place to declare them. I will claim victory on one resolutions from last year. I quit smoking! I'm not going to say that I was perfect...yes, I even cheated during the holidays. But, the daily habit is gone and the cravings don't bother me much.

This year I will work on the following:
1. Try to be a better friend to the people in my life
2. Become more active - biking, walking, perhaps yoga
3. Lose the 15-20 lbs I've been talking about for the last 3 years
4. Keep a neater/cleaner apartment
5. Clean out closets of old clothes/Create a more fitting wardrobe

What do you think? Are those reasonable!?