This would be a much more substantial post if this were the end of me blogging entirely, of course. That would be a sad day indeed. But that is not the case - I'm simply moving to here! So I hope all of you
Hasta la vista, people!
Saturday, September 13, 2014
The End
Well folks, the end of this blog has finally come. Considering the fact that there have been very few posts within the last two...let's be honest...years, that can't be too much of a surprise.
This would be a much more substantial post if this were the end of me blogging entirely, of course. That would be a sad day indeed. But that is not the case - I'm simply moving to here! So I hope all of you11 10 followers (one of them was admittedly me) will keep coming back there instead of here.
Hasta la vista, people!
This would be a much more substantial post if this were the end of me blogging entirely, of course. That would be a sad day indeed. But that is not the case - I'm simply moving to here! So I hope all of you
Hasta la vista, people!
Friday, July 4, 2014
21 Days
I'm down to three weeks. Three weeks until we head to the church, say some vows, slip rings on our fingers, eat a meal with friends, and then head off into the... sunset. Sort of. Sunset won't actually be until quite a few hours after the wedding, so I guess if we're being exceptionally technical, we'll be heading off into the afternoon.
At this stage in the game, I'm full of an odd mixture of nerves, anticipation, and contentment. I suppose that's the right place to be...I think that marriage should be approached with just the slightest bit of fear and trembling, lest we become too complacent and neglect to invest. Underneath everything there's a quiet fear that says, "But what if we do it wrong?" I'm ignoring that particular voice. There's nothing to be gained by paying attention to it, because if we're living purposefully, lovingly, and reverently, the what ifs will not become reality and there is nothing to fear.
I've always wondered what a bride thinks on the eve of her wedding. I guess I'll be finding out in three weeks. Until then, I suppose I'll keep pondering all of the thoughts that go along with nerves, anticipation, and contentment as we continue to make never-ending decisions about the smallest of wedding details.
At this stage in the game, I'm full of an odd mixture of nerves, anticipation, and contentment. I suppose that's the right place to be...I think that marriage should be approached with just the slightest bit of fear and trembling, lest we become too complacent and neglect to invest. Underneath everything there's a quiet fear that says, "But what if we do it wrong?" I'm ignoring that particular voice. There's nothing to be gained by paying attention to it, because if we're living purposefully, lovingly, and reverently, the what ifs will not become reality and there is nothing to fear.
I've always wondered what a bride thinks on the eve of her wedding. I guess I'll be finding out in three weeks. Until then, I suppose I'll keep pondering all of the thoughts that go along with nerves, anticipation, and contentment as we continue to make never-ending decisions about the smallest of wedding details.
Monday, May 5, 2014
How to Travel: A Humble Guide from a Coach Class Business Traveler
One of the perks/downsides to my job is that it necessitates a fair amount of travel. As someone who very much enjoys traveling, I often consider it a perk rather than a downside, but there are some disadvantages as well.
Pros: I get to go to a bunch of cool places this year. At the very least, I'm heading to Bethesda, MD (holy rich area), Seattle, and...drumroll...Amsterdam! I'm pretty psyched to go to two out of three of those places. Nothing against Bethesda, but it doesn't quite cut it when compared to Amsterdam. Or even Seattle! Seattle has become one of my all-time favorite cities.
[Pike's Place, Seattle, WA: 2012]
Cons: While it sounds a little snotty, traveling for business sometimes gets lonely and even a bit boring. The movies elevate business travel to something for the rich, famous, or elite, but I can tell you from experience that eating in a restaurant by yourself in a city that you don't know at all is far from the world of the rich, famous, or elite. Instead, it's pretty isolating.
[The Alamo, San Antonio, TX: 2012]
But over time, I figured out a few traveling tricks that have saved me time, money, and, of course, the inevitable absolute heartache of hanging out in a strange city by myself. So without further ado, here they are. Maybe they'll help you too.
[A ridiculous store in a mall in Bethesda, MD: 2013. I told you they're rich.]
1. This probably goes without saying, but wear uncomplicated shoes for flying, since the TSA makes you take them off in the security line. You'll be annoyed at yourself for the time it takes to get your shoes off and on again, and you'll be annoyed at the people behind you in line because they'll be annoyed at you for taking to long. Just don't do it. Don't be a disturber of the peace. Don't be like Gandalf.
2. If you're at all in a rush, avoid security lines with families with small children. It's a fact of life that anyone traveling with kids is going to be stressed, because not only are there more people to chase after, but there's more stuff that needs to be wrangled. Don't make the stressed out family more stressed by standing behind them and inwardly seething because the baby is crying, there are bottles that can't go through the machine, the toddler is running away, and the parents are trying to get all the bags on the belt and all the shoes off the people without sending the kids through the xray tube. Plus all the plastic bins will be gone. It's in everyone's best interest for you to just pick a different line.
3. Don't dress like a slob for the flight(s). There's really no excuse to look like a hobo in the name of comfort. You're in a public place, and therefore it's worth making at least some sort of an effort. More importantly, you're representing your company. If you strike up a conversation with anyone, you want to make a good impression both for yourself and for your employer.
[Undisclosed location in Columbus, OH: 2013]
4. If you bring a computer, put it in your bag so that you can get it in and out in the most efficient way possible. You have to take it out to go through security, and it's a total pain to have to unzip four zippers, unstrap some Velcro, put the computer in its own bin, send it through the machine, get it back in the bag on the other side, re-strap the Velcro, re-zip all the zippers, and then have to deal with all the rest of your stuff.
5. Have all your travel documents easily accessible so that you can get through security and on to the plane as quickly as possible. Doing that helps avoid the stress of trying to find it while everyone else in line is waiting for you. It's also good to have on the destination end, so that if you're renting a car or checking in at a hotel, you can get in line faster.
6. Speaking of lines, BEAT EVERYONE TO THE RENTAL CAR DESK. Those lines seriously take an age and a half to get through. I don't know why, but I swear... rental cars are by far the slowest part of the entire traveling process. I don't care how you do it, but get there first. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.
[Times Square, NYC: 2013]
7. Do everything in your power to fit all your stuff into your carry-on bag. There's no reason to bring two extra pairs of shoes if it's going to cost you $25 dollars to check your bag. Plus if you have to wait at the baggage carousel, there's no freakin' way you're going to get to the rental car desk first, and that is paramount!
8. While in the city, avoid all the awkwardness of eating by yourself. I usually don't want to eat a long, heavy meal while traveling, so I usually just find the nearest grocery store, grab some yogurt and granola, and call it a night. That meal can even double as breakfast, and I save a lot of money on my eventual expense report. Note: if you do that... make sure the hotel has a fridge in the room. Lukewarm yogurt is gross (voice of experience here, people).
9. If you're somewhere you've never been before, use one of your evenings to do something! Go see a movie. Check out one of the main tourist attractions. Walk to the nearest Starbucks. Make sure you're in a good part of town before doing that. Don't hide in your hotel just because you're by yourself!
10. If it's the same price, choose a king sized bed when booking your hotel room. Having that much bed real estate (especially when accustomed to a twin sized bed) feels like the most luxurious benefit out there and brings you one step closer to the rich, famous, and elite. Because that's obviously what you're going for.
[Somewhere over the US: 2012]
So there you have it. Those are my 10 tips for traveling. Anyone else have some travel ideas worth sharing?
Pros: I get to go to a bunch of cool places this year. At the very least, I'm heading to Bethesda, MD (holy rich area), Seattle, and...drumroll...Amsterdam! I'm pretty psyched to go to two out of three of those places. Nothing against Bethesda, but it doesn't quite cut it when compared to Amsterdam. Or even Seattle! Seattle has become one of my all-time favorite cities.
[Pike's Place, Seattle, WA: 2012]
Cons: While it sounds a little snotty, traveling for business sometimes gets lonely and even a bit boring. The movies elevate business travel to something for the rich, famous, or elite, but I can tell you from experience that eating in a restaurant by yourself in a city that you don't know at all is far from the world of the rich, famous, or elite. Instead, it's pretty isolating.
[The Alamo, San Antonio, TX: 2012]
But over time, I figured out a few traveling tricks that have saved me time, money, and, of course, the inevitable absolute heartache of hanging out in a strange city by myself. So without further ado, here they are. Maybe they'll help you too.
[A ridiculous store in a mall in Bethesda, MD: 2013. I told you they're rich.]
1. This probably goes without saying, but wear uncomplicated shoes for flying, since the TSA makes you take them off in the security line. You'll be annoyed at yourself for the time it takes to get your shoes off and on again, and you'll be annoyed at the people behind you in line because they'll be annoyed at you for taking to long. Just don't do it. Don't be a disturber of the peace. Don't be like Gandalf.
2. If you're at all in a rush, avoid security lines with families with small children. It's a fact of life that anyone traveling with kids is going to be stressed, because not only are there more people to chase after, but there's more stuff that needs to be wrangled. Don't make the stressed out family more stressed by standing behind them and inwardly seething because the baby is crying, there are bottles that can't go through the machine, the toddler is running away, and the parents are trying to get all the bags on the belt and all the shoes off the people without sending the kids through the xray tube. Plus all the plastic bins will be gone. It's in everyone's best interest for you to just pick a different line.
3. Don't dress like a slob for the flight(s). There's really no excuse to look like a hobo in the name of comfort. You're in a public place, and therefore it's worth making at least some sort of an effort. More importantly, you're representing your company. If you strike up a conversation with anyone, you want to make a good impression both for yourself and for your employer.
[Undisclosed location in Columbus, OH: 2013]
4. If you bring a computer, put it in your bag so that you can get it in and out in the most efficient way possible. You have to take it out to go through security, and it's a total pain to have to unzip four zippers, unstrap some Velcro, put the computer in its own bin, send it through the machine, get it back in the bag on the other side, re-strap the Velcro, re-zip all the zippers, and then have to deal with all the rest of your stuff.
5. Have all your travel documents easily accessible so that you can get through security and on to the plane as quickly as possible. Doing that helps avoid the stress of trying to find it while everyone else in line is waiting for you. It's also good to have on the destination end, so that if you're renting a car or checking in at a hotel, you can get in line faster.
6. Speaking of lines, BEAT EVERYONE TO THE RENTAL CAR DESK. Those lines seriously take an age and a half to get through. I don't know why, but I swear... rental cars are by far the slowest part of the entire traveling process. I don't care how you do it, but get there first. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.
[Times Square, NYC: 2013]
7. Do everything in your power to fit all your stuff into your carry-on bag. There's no reason to bring two extra pairs of shoes if it's going to cost you $25 dollars to check your bag. Plus if you have to wait at the baggage carousel, there's no freakin' way you're going to get to the rental car desk first, and that is paramount!
8. While in the city, avoid all the awkwardness of eating by yourself. I usually don't want to eat a long, heavy meal while traveling, so I usually just find the nearest grocery store, grab some yogurt and granola, and call it a night. That meal can even double as breakfast, and I save a lot of money on my eventual expense report. Note: if you do that... make sure the hotel has a fridge in the room. Lukewarm yogurt is gross (voice of experience here, people).
9. If you're somewhere you've never been before, use one of your evenings to do something! Go see a movie. Check out one of the main tourist attractions. Walk to the nearest Starbucks. Make sure you're in a good part of town before doing that. Don't hide in your hotel just because you're by yourself!
10. If it's the same price, choose a king sized bed when booking your hotel room. Having that much bed real estate (especially when accustomed to a twin sized bed) feels like the most luxurious benefit out there and brings you one step closer to the rich, famous, and elite. Because that's obviously what you're going for.
[Somewhere over the US: 2012]
So there you have it. Those are my 10 tips for traveling. Anyone else have some travel ideas worth sharing?
Sunday, May 4, 2014
The Homebrewing Experiment: Part 1
First, a little background: this year, Official Blog Fiancé has made it a goal to try a bunch of craft beers. Over the last several months, it's become a fun hobby! Whenever we're in a new place, we'll try to pick up a few individual bottles and then we stash them away until it's time to break one out with dinner (or something). This new-found interest made it easy to figure out a birthday gift for Official Blog Fiancé this year!
Northern Brewer Homebrew Supply makes some really nice quality homebrewing kits. There were three difference options for kits, so I picked the middle one. Having never tried it before, the deluxe homebrew kit seemed a little intense, but the beginner one seemed a little too simple. So the intermediate one was the answer. The best thing about it was that it came with a recipe kit including all the ingredients, so I chose the one that I thought Official Blog Fiancé would like best and put it in my shopping cart.
When it arrived, the boxes were HUGE. I had tried to tell UPS to let me pick it up from their warehouse/store, but it turns out they only got it right for one of the packages. The other got delivered to my apartment, which really meant it got delivered to my landlords. Oops. The lovely elderly people downstairs had to move a large box with Northern Brewer advertisements boldly emblazoned all over the sides to the foot of my stairwell. I swear, landlords...it wasn't even for me!
Intro complete. On to the interesting stuff.
We made the beer this weekend! Actually, we really just started it, since it has to ferment before it's actually beer. First, we watched a fun/corny/educational video that described all the steps. Then we dumped a lot of purified water into a large pot and steeped some grains like you would steep tea.
This picture was clearly taken after we took the beer tea - or wort, according to the directions - off the burner.
Once the wort had cooled down enough, it was time to pour it into a large bucket to start the fermentation process.
The entire house smelled like hops. The Catholics were having mass in the church right down the street, and you could smell the hops from outside the house. I'm pretty sure the scent wouldn't have reached the church, but in case it did... Catholics: my sincere apologies. It didn't smell great. The smell of dinner soon overtook the beer smell though, so it didn't last too long!
After pouring, we added more water and then sealed up the bucket. We stuck in the aerator, shook the bucket a little to get some extra oxygen in the mix, opened it back up, added some yeast, and the process was done...
FOR NOW!
This whole process took us a good four hours, so we're really hoping that our efforts pay off. I think we'd both be disappointed if all the work turned into bad beer. But if it's good, we'll invite you over to try it!
Northern Brewer Homebrew Supply makes some really nice quality homebrewing kits. There were three difference options for kits, so I picked the middle one. Having never tried it before, the deluxe homebrew kit seemed a little intense, but the beginner one seemed a little too simple. So the intermediate one was the answer. The best thing about it was that it came with a recipe kit including all the ingredients, so I chose the one that I thought Official Blog Fiancé would like best and put it in my shopping cart.
When it arrived, the boxes were HUGE. I had tried to tell UPS to let me pick it up from their warehouse/store, but it turns out they only got it right for one of the packages. The other got delivered to my apartment, which really meant it got delivered to my landlords. Oops. The lovely elderly people downstairs had to move a large box with Northern Brewer advertisements boldly emblazoned all over the sides to the foot of my stairwell. I swear, landlords...it wasn't even for me!
Intro complete. On to the interesting stuff.
We made the beer this weekend! Actually, we really just started it, since it has to ferment before it's actually beer. First, we watched a fun/corny/educational video that described all the steps. Then we dumped a lot of purified water into a large pot and steeped some grains like you would steep tea.
Eventually we figured out that we didn't need to hold the grain sack there the whole time. The pot had some pretty helpful handles.
We steeped until the water temperature made it to 170 degrees. After that, we removed the grains, boiled the water/beer tea, and then added some malt.
I wish I had gotten some pictures of the malt, but it was a two-person job. The malt was a quart of liquid that weighed a full six pounds, and the pot needed to be stirred constantly while it was added. Ergo... no hands to spare.
After the malt, the stuff boiled for an hour, and we added some hops at regular intervals. While it boiled, we sanitized the next equipment.
The sanitization process looks simple, but picture this: a 7-gallon bucket needed to be filled with purified water from a Brita filter. Official Blog Fiancé worked on the sanitization process while I was cutting up potatoes and putting herbs on a large pork roast for dinner in the same area. Water is running, large pieces of brewing equipment are lying around the kitchen, raw meat is sitting on the counter in the corner, and the two of us are dancing around each other trying to both use the sink at the same time. In retrospect it was fun. At the time, it was amusingly stressful.
This picture was clearly taken after we took the beer tea - or wort, according to the directions - off the burner.
Once the wort had cooled down enough, it was time to pour it into a large bucket to start the fermentation process.
The entire house smelled like hops. The Catholics were having mass in the church right down the street, and you could smell the hops from outside the house. I'm pretty sure the scent wouldn't have reached the church, but in case it did... Catholics: my sincere apologies. It didn't smell great. The smell of dinner soon overtook the beer smell though, so it didn't last too long!
After pouring, we added more water and then sealed up the bucket. We stuck in the aerator, shook the bucket a little to get some extra oxygen in the mix, opened it back up, added some yeast, and the process was done...
This whole process took us a good four hours, so we're really hoping that our efforts pay off. I think we'd both be disappointed if all the work turned into bad beer. But if it's good, we'll invite you over to try it!
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Working Existence
I spend a lot of time these days in an office building sitting in front of a desk. Side note: sitting for 8 hours a day + normal amounts of food + added chocolate + no exercise = not healthy. I don't recommend it.
I digress.
Look! Here I am! Sitting at my desk!
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I digress.
Look! Here I am! Sitting at my desk!
Yes. Yes I did take a selfie in my office by myself. I'm awkward like that.
For a long time (oh, two years), I sort of forgot that in order to make life interesting, you can't just go to work, talk to clients, go home, and repeat. Of course, that's not what I did all the time, but it often felt like most of my "living" was only happening on weekends. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and do something about it.
Step 1 happened without trying. Making friends at work is easy when you're surrounded by good people! So...check. One thing off the list. Maria and Erica are awesome (one time Maria gave me binoculars - the mark of a true friend), and now they're bridesmaids. Win. Also I work with my fiance. Double win.
It probably should have been sufficient to stop there. Having good people surround you should be enough to make you a human instead of a request-answering robo-drone, right? No. I stayed stuck in my little routine, and I remained mostly dead.
Enter step 2: making my office interesting.
I got a cool bookshelf. I added an amusing grammar phrase in a frame. Later, I added an engagement photo. (That certainly helped because every time that I see it, I smile.) Then I added some fake plants.
That was almost enough. I even added a snazzy (real) succulent (also courtesy of Maria and Erica).
But as I continued carrying on and feeling numb, I finally realized that filling my office with stuff and even having wonderful people around me wasn't enough for me to come out of my stupor and back to life. I mean, the fact is that I still look at this for most of the day:
Well, if I'm looking down and to the left.
The bottom line is that I can't count on external forces to make me an interesting person with an interesting life. I'm responsible for doing that. I'm not sure how I lost that for so long, but the eureka moment arrived, I felt like I woke up. And I'm hoping I can stay this way! I don't ever want to get bogged down like that again.
As Julie says in the best movie of all time (Julie and Julia, in case you were wondering), "I could write a blog. I have thoughts." And that's where I am now. I can write a blog. I do have thoughts. I answer a lot of work requests, it's true. But no one says that the things I happen to do during the day need to govern my entire existence.
But just to make sure, perhaps I too should consider going to culinary school.
P.S. If you haven't seen that movie, do it now. Then tell me. But don't tell me if you hate it, because that's just not allowed around this part of the world wide web.
Friday, April 25, 2014
Bad Advertising
I mentioned yesterday that the shredding company managed to spill all their highly secure documents on the most windy day of the month so far. I wasn't lucky enough to grab a photo myself, but another guy at work snapped one that was far better than any I could have gotten from my viewpoint.
Enjoy!
You can't really see all of the papers that were flying around, but trust me. Not only was the back yard covered, but some even managed to blow up over the top of the building and land in the center of the pond on the other side. They didn't retrieve those. I suppose they were counting on the fact that ink mixed with water yields illegible documents.
So much for "secure document destruction," eh?
Enjoy!
You can't really see all of the papers that were flying around, but trust me. Not only was the back yard covered, but some even managed to blow up over the top of the building and land in the center of the pond on the other side. They didn't retrieve those. I suppose they were counting on the fact that ink mixed with water yields illegible documents.
So much for "secure document destruction," eh?
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Thoughts of Late
For the first, oh, 23 years of my life, things just went along fine. There were struggles and joys, of course, but I can't say there was anything too out of the ordinary in either direction.
I feel like that's changed in the last two years. If we're talking day to day existence, life is very routine: I get up, I go to work, I do my job, I come home, I eat some food, I go to bed, and repeat. That, I think, is a major difference from college and prior, because during college and prior, every day somehow felt more unique. I would get up, go to a class, get some food, hang out with friends, go on various adventures, and find plenty of blogging material.
I think that's why I've struggled with writing these days. There aren't enough minor, daily adventures to fill the (web) pages with regular goings-on. Life, it seems, has gotten...bigger. The things that happen are more profound, more important, and somehow less blog-worthy. Or perhaps more blog-worthy. I haven't yet decided.
Previously, low points were friendship tensions, tough classes, and extreme amounts of homework. High points were random escapades, living with dear friends, and enjoying short term milestones. Now? Low points look more extreme - it seems like I hear of death far too often these days. My brother's best friend. An acquaintance from high school. A beloved community member from home. A college professor. Two grandparents. That type of life-content certainly isn't bloggable. Nor should it be. High points are also extreme: weddings, engagements, new babies (I'm not exaggerating when saying that I know approximately 10+ people who are expecting). Some of that is bloggable, but those events aren't things that are happening on a daily basis.
All that to say, it seems like the bits of life that I got used to writing about are now fewer and farther between. And I don't think that's bad. It simply means that I need to look at my life with a new viewpoint. Daily existence isn't boring. It's just different, and I need to train myself to look for the daily things that are worth capturing in writing. The routine doesn't need to be turned up to a hyperactive degree in order to see small, blog-worthy adventures. In case you're looking for examples, here are a few that happened just this week!
1. It was pretty windy this afternoon, which made for a bad day for the paper shredding company that was visiting our office building. Suddenly, the entire "back yard" of the office was covered in thousands of pieces of highly sensitive documents in need of shredding, and our entire team was glued to the windows watching the poor shredding people pick up the mess!
2. Wedding planning status: checking a ton of things off the list. Hooray for productivity!
3. Official Blog Fiance comes home from his 1,298,237,546,892nd business trip to London tomorrow!
4. I thought I made it through the entire season without catching a cold. But alas - I came down with illness the day after Official Blog Fiance left for London. Yuck.
5. This whole working-at-a-desk-all-day thing means a serious lack of exercise, and that's bad news right before having a wedding dress fitting. Enter 3-day diet. Thanks, Pinterest, for providing me with something that feels like it's working miracles. I think I'll do it again next week...
So there you have it. Five items that should have been blogged earlier but weren't. I apologize for both this post and yesterday's - I definitely don't think they have been the most exciting reads, so if you've made it this far, you deserve a reward! Here's an entirely unrelated picture that requires some recognition.
My brother is awesome.
The end.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
An Announcement
People.
I finally - finally - have internet in my apartment.
With less than three months left at this lovely abode, I'm finally wired up and can actually blog. From my bed. Or my desk. Or from wherever the spirit leads. Prepare to see an increase in blog posts in the near future.
Stage Note: Drastic subject change.
Lately I've been chomping my way through a lot of books. Just in case you want some recommendations, here's what I have to say about what I've read.
1. Memoirs of a Geisha: ok, ok, I'm way behind the bandwagon on this one. Seriously...I think it's probably required reading for some high school somewhere, and I originally picked it up because I saw it on a list of "100 Books that Every Person Should Have Read" and I was convicted. I hadn't read it! I should have read it! I needed to read it right then!
But honestly, I was mesmerized the whole way through. The writing was so good that I was almost convinced that it was non-fiction. While I can't say that I was totally in love with the main character (I though her motive through the entire story was a little silly), I can say that it was a very compelling plot, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I'd give it 4 stars.
2. Doomsday Book: I wouldn't consider myself a sci-fi fan, so even though this book is technically considered sci-fi, I don't think I'd put it in that camp. Yes, there was time travel involved. But that wasn't the point. The point was that the story showed how people cope in the face of massive suffering and death, and how regardless of time period, people all struggle. Obviously, it was a really happy book (insert sarcasm here). If you feel like reading about that, I'd tell you to pick up this book. Although be forewarned - I finished the book and couldn't sleep until I'd done Wikipedia research on the bubonic plague to remind myself that it was something that happened in history, and wasn't happening to people that are my nearest and dearest friends. I'd give this one 4.5 stars.
3. I Am Malala: I thought this book was fascinating. Since it's non-fiction, it's a little different than my usual fictional fare. But it was well worth the departure from the norm! I got to the last page and felt like I'd learned a ton about Pakistani culture. I think this is an important book - it helped open my eyes to the fact that the American perspective is certainly not the only one, and if we're going to try to help people, it's best to really understand them. What a concept, right? Atticus Finch really had something going on when he mentioned walking a mile in another person's shoes...4 stars.
4. Theft of Swords, Rise of Empire, and Heir of Novron: These books are just pure fun. I haven't read anything quite that good in a long time, and I have nothing but good things to say about them. There are two smaller books in each book (in the style of Lord of the Rings), so reading all of it is definitely a commitment. Technically it's in the fantasy genre, but I think the beauty of it is that it's just a good story. How often does adult literature aim to just tell a good story? I won't give you a synopsis. Just go read it and enjoy. 5 stars, no question.
This certainly hasn't been my most interesting post as of late. But I think it's probably better than nothing, and who knows! Maybe you'll now go pick up a book. What should I read next? Throw me your best suggestions!
I finally - finally - have internet in my apartment.
With less than three months left at this lovely abode, I'm finally wired up and can actually blog. From my bed. Or my desk. Or from wherever the spirit leads. Prepare to see an increase in blog posts in the near future.
Stage Note: Drastic subject change.
Lately I've been chomping my way through a lot of books. Just in case you want some recommendations, here's what I have to say about what I've read.
1. Memoirs of a Geisha: ok, ok, I'm way behind the bandwagon on this one. Seriously...I think it's probably required reading for some high school somewhere, and I originally picked it up because I saw it on a list of "100 Books that Every Person Should Have Read" and I was convicted. I hadn't read it! I should have read it! I needed to read it right then!
But honestly, I was mesmerized the whole way through. The writing was so good that I was almost convinced that it was non-fiction. While I can't say that I was totally in love with the main character (I though her motive through the entire story was a little silly), I can say that it was a very compelling plot, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I'd give it 4 stars.
2. Doomsday Book: I wouldn't consider myself a sci-fi fan, so even though this book is technically considered sci-fi, I don't think I'd put it in that camp. Yes, there was time travel involved. But that wasn't the point. The point was that the story showed how people cope in the face of massive suffering and death, and how regardless of time period, people all struggle. Obviously, it was a really happy book (insert sarcasm here). If you feel like reading about that, I'd tell you to pick up this book. Although be forewarned - I finished the book and couldn't sleep until I'd done Wikipedia research on the bubonic plague to remind myself that it was something that happened in history, and wasn't happening to people that are my nearest and dearest friends. I'd give this one 4.5 stars.
3. I Am Malala: I thought this book was fascinating. Since it's non-fiction, it's a little different than my usual fictional fare. But it was well worth the departure from the norm! I got to the last page and felt like I'd learned a ton about Pakistani culture. I think this is an important book - it helped open my eyes to the fact that the American perspective is certainly not the only one, and if we're going to try to help people, it's best to really understand them. What a concept, right? Atticus Finch really had something going on when he mentioned walking a mile in another person's shoes...4 stars.
4. Theft of Swords, Rise of Empire, and Heir of Novron: These books are just pure fun. I haven't read anything quite that good in a long time, and I have nothing but good things to say about them. There are two smaller books in each book (in the style of Lord of the Rings), so reading all of it is definitely a commitment. Technically it's in the fantasy genre, but I think the beauty of it is that it's just a good story. How often does adult literature aim to just tell a good story? I won't give you a synopsis. Just go read it and enjoy. 5 stars, no question.
This certainly hasn't been my most interesting post as of late. But I think it's probably better than nothing, and who knows! Maybe you'll now go pick up a book. What should I read next? Throw me your best suggestions!
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Relocation
Precursor: I started using Bloglovin once Google Reader stopped existing. (Seriously, Google? How could you? I'm still mad!) That link is here.
Getting married involves moving. It's inevitable, seeing as my current apartment is much too small for two people. But here's the thing:
I hate moving.
I mean, just think about it. I have to put all my stuff into boxes. I don't have any moving-sized boxes (confession: this isn't quite true...I have three). Boxes are heavy, and boxes have to be carried down a somewhat narrow staircase. Then the boxes need to be put in a car, which will involve multiple trips. After that, the boxes need to be moved into another place, and unless there's a good plan ahead of time, all of the stuff in the boxes needs to have a place to reside after it's been removed from the boxes. And then I'll need to figure out what to do with the boxes, because unless they're moving stuff, boxes don't really have a good purpose unless I'm in an apartment with a basement or an attic.
Let's have a pity party for a moment.
..........
And that moment is over.
In reality, I'm getting ahead of myself. The first step in the process is actually finding a place to move into. Let's look at some of the options.
"The bathroom is comprised of all the components of old-world charm such as a pull chain commode...."
YES. I've always wanted to live in the late 1800s!
"Cozy studio-sized guest house (aka cottage) that's private. Inside is barn wood, so it's got a country feel to it. The cottage was built to be eco-friendly, so it's an efficiency kitchenette and bathroom."
Ok. Next time someone says, "Do you live in a barn?!?" I'll say, "Why, yes! How did you know?" (You know. Because people ask me that every day.)
"BRAND NEW, FREE RENT + $500 GIFT CARD, LIMITED OFFER"
I am 100% sure this is a scam.
SIDE NOTE: In an effort to avoid Craigslist, email me if you're interested in purchasing a dining room set. Dark wood table plus six chairs.
But if I'm being honest, I'd say that I'm actually really excited to move, because it means that two lives are becoming one, and I get to spend every day with this guy. And that is a truly wonderful thing.
(Photos by Peter Morse Photography)
Getting married involves moving. It's inevitable, seeing as my current apartment is much too small for two people. But here's the thing:
I hate moving.
I mean, just think about it. I have to put all my stuff into boxes. I don't have any moving-sized boxes (confession: this isn't quite true...I have three). Boxes are heavy, and boxes have to be carried down a somewhat narrow staircase. Then the boxes need to be put in a car, which will involve multiple trips. After that, the boxes need to be moved into another place, and unless there's a good plan ahead of time, all of the stuff in the boxes needs to have a place to reside after it's been removed from the boxes. And then I'll need to figure out what to do with the boxes, because unless they're moving stuff, boxes don't really have a good purpose unless I'm in an apartment with a basement or an attic.
Let's have a pity party for a moment.
..........
And that moment is over.
In reality, I'm getting ahead of myself. The first step in the process is actually finding a place to move into. Let's look at some of the options.
"The bathroom is comprised of all the components of old-world charm such as a pull chain commode...."
YES. I've always wanted to live in the late 1800s!
"Cozy studio-sized guest house (aka cottage) that's private. Inside is barn wood, so it's got a country feel to it. The cottage was built to be eco-friendly, so it's an efficiency kitchenette and bathroom."
Ok. Next time someone says, "Do you live in a barn?!?" I'll say, "Why, yes! How did you know?" (You know. Because people ask me that every day.)
"BRAND NEW, FREE RENT + $500 GIFT CARD, LIMITED OFFER"
I am 100% sure this is a scam.
SIDE NOTE: In an effort to avoid Craigslist, email me if you're interested in purchasing a dining room set. Dark wood table plus six chairs.
But if I'm being honest, I'd say that I'm actually really excited to move, because it means that two lives are becoming one, and I get to spend every day with this guy. And that is a truly wonderful thing.
Moving means building a life together. Moving means creating a home. And moving means the start of a new tiny family.
And that makes moving entirely worth the effort.
(Photos by Peter Morse Photography)
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
On Planning a Wedding
If I were being totally honest, I think I would tell you that I'm sort of over the whole wedding thing. Not because I don't want to get married - I have the world's greatest fiance, and I can't wait to get married! - but the whole planning process is such a massive undertaking. In a way, I guess I look longingly at the days of yore when people would gather a few family members, head into town when the itinerant preacher was around, and tie the knot. Think Laura Ingalls Wilder-style. It seems a bit unnecessary to have this long, drawn out engagement processes that enables the betrothed couple to plan what feels like it needs to be the greatest party that anyone has ever planned, and heaven help us if all the of the details don't come straight from the world's most trendy Pinterest board. Because that's not what a marriage is all about, right? A wedding should be about two people joining their lives together in the sight of God, surrounded by witnesses. Heck, in this case, I don't even think it needs to be a "great cloud of witnesses." Just a few would be fine.
I suppose that I sound entirely ungrateful. Do I want a nice wedding? Yes. Do I want to have dear friends there? Definitely. Do I want them to enjoy themselves and feel like the trip to get there was worth it? Absolutely. It's just that when I'm in the midst of how many tables will you need to have? and do you want white napkins or colored napkins? and if you want to spend $13,000, you could have the best catering service ever! and you need to read these 33 cool ideas for groomsmen, it doesn't feel like it's about joining lives together in the sight of God. It feels like an industry.
I suppose that I sound entirely ungrateful. Do I want a nice wedding? Yes. Do I want to have dear friends there? Definitely. Do I want them to enjoy themselves and feel like the trip to get there was worth it? Absolutely. It's just that when I'm in the midst of how many tables will you need to have? and do you want white napkins or colored napkins? and if you want to spend $13,000, you could have the best catering service ever! and you need to read these 33 cool ideas for groomsmen, it doesn't feel like it's about joining lives together in the sight of God. It feels like an industry.
[via my email inbox]
Maybe it's just something that comes with the territory, and I'm ranting about nothing. I mean, I will admit that I sort of enjoyed looking through the 33 cool ideas for groomsmen (though I can't say I was into all the groomsmen wearing black tuxes while the actual groom wore a white one, or even groomsmen wearing jeans). But something about the you-need-all-this-stuff-to-have-the-ideal-wedding just bothers me. Why is it that I need to spend thousands of dollars to get everything just right? Why should this period of life - preparing for marriage - include the undue stress of throwing the party to end all parties?
Conclusion: I'm a hopeless paradox. The girl that looked at wedding magazines for years, but when it became real life, found out that looking at magazines is much less stressful than using the magazines. The girl that wants a lovely wedding, but doesn't like the wedding industry. A girl who loves shopping for a wedding dress, but doesn't like spending buckets of money on a reception.
Is this normal?
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Super Bowl 2014 - A Live Blog by a Fair Weather Football Fan
Alright folks, here's the back story:
Official Blog Fiance is from Seattle, and (it should probably go without saying) he's a Seahawks fan. I've never been a huge football lover personally, but in an effort to add to pre-marital bliss, I'm now officially a Seahawks fan myself.
Official Blog Fiance unfortunately had to go on a business trip to Abu Dhabi over Super Bowl Sunday (whaaaaat??!), so he had to miss one of the few times that the Seahawks actually made it this far. Because I didn't want him to miss out entirely, I figured I'd do a live-blog version so he can experience the game without having to watch the entire thing after the fact.
6:17 - The Seahawks head to the field. Kurt Russell gives them a glowing intro speech.
6:19 - The Broncos hit the field. Kurt Russell gives them a glowing intro speech too. (Why didn't they pick two different celebrities for that?)
6:23 - Renee Fleming sings the national anthem five million times better than anyone else who's ever sung at a Super Bowl.
6:32 - Three out of the four of us miss the kickoff while going on a house tour. Peyton Manning apparently misses catching the football, and Seattle mysteriously ends up with two points.
6:57 - We all finish making homemade pizza. Seattle is up by 5 points, and we're six and a half minutes away from the end of the first quarter.
7:11 - I take the pizza out of the oven. Seattle scored a field goal during the 10 minutes I was in the kitchen.
7:16 - First quarter ends. Score report: Seattle: 8. Denver: 0.
7:22 - Seattle makes a touchdown! The following field goal brings the score to 15 - 0 (Seattle).
7:24 - Commercials. More pizza. This is definitely the best homemade pizza I've made yet! Pepperoni and ham. Good combo. Tim Tebow's commercial gets shown!
7:38 - Denver has possession, Seattle intercepts, and runs the ball ALLLLL the way to the other end. Touchdown! Seattle: 20. Denver: 0. Shoot.
7:39: Field goal follow through. Score report: Seattle: 22. Denver: 0.
7:52 - Finished my pizza!
7:54 - Peyton gets to around 20 yards on 4th down. Seattle intercepts and it's back in their hands.
7:57 - End of the second quarter. Time to make cookies! Oh. And the half time show. "Oh yeah yeah. Oh yeah yeah yeah yeaaaaaaah...."
8:10 - WHAT. Bruno Mars can play drums? Really well? "That's cool," says the audience in attendance here.
8:11 - Bruno predictably starts with the few measures that have been in every halftime commercial up until now. Who knew that there's more to the song that "Oh yeah yeah..."
8:13 - This is a shocker. I'm actually enjoying the halftime show. I think I'll dance around the kitchen while making the cookies.
8:16 - Well, scratch that. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are pretty much the worst. I mean, they're shirtless and wearing black shorts with patterned leggings. What the heck.
8:55 - Yet again, we have a ball turnover from Denver to Seattle. I'm starting to feel pretty bad for Peyton. But...Seattle's winning. So I don't feel that bad.
8:57 - Awww. Budweiser outdid itself with commercials this year.
9:01 - Mmm. Framboise Lambic is good from a bottle. Now it's gone.
9:02 - Seattle makes yet another touchdown! This. is. crazy.
9:03 - Field goal. Score report: Seattle: 36. Denver: 0.
9:10 - I'm beginning to think that my high school SAT class teacher was right - I'm the world's worst guesser. I guessed that the Broncos would win, and it looks like I'm being proved wrong. I'm glad about this fact in this particular case.
9:11 - The Broncos finally get a touchdown! There are zero seconds left in the third quarter, but they still get a 2-point conversion attempt, I guess, since they're still playing.
9:12 - Annnnnnd they get another 2 points. Yay, Denver. (Pity yay.)
9:13 - A commercial with a montage of teams including Seattle shows Pete Carroll saying, "We're going to New Jersey!!" Audience member responds, "Wow, that's the first time that going to New Jersey is good news..."
9:15 - Fourth quarter starts, and it's Seattle's ball.
9:23 - Seattle makes another touchdown. WOOOOOO.
9:23 - All the Broncos players look totally demoralized. Pete Carroll looks beyond elated.
9:23 - Field goal. Score report: Seattle: 43. Denver: 8. 11:45 minutes left in the game.
9:28 - Richard Sherman is apparently hurt (for the second time). Timeout.
9:32 - We're back, but we're now on injury number two. Didn't quite catch which Seahawk it was. Richard Sherman is out for the rest of the game.
9:41 - 6:30 left. This is looking good.
9:44 - 5 minutes.
9:46 - 3:45. Another ball turn over from Denver to Seattle.
9:50 - Richard Sherman is on crutches, but they're all so happy that he doesn't seem to care at all.
9:50 - 2 minute warning.
9:52 - I'm racing my computer battery here. 14% to 1:59 on the clock. YOU CAN DO IT, OLD COMPUTER!
9:54 - Russell Wilson dumps an entire cooler of yellow Gatorade on Pete Carroll's head...out of extreme joy?
9:55 - THE SEAHAWKS WIN THE SUPER BOWL!!!
Well. There you have it. And if you too want to become a Seahawks fan, just watch this video and you'll never turn back.
Official Blog Fiance is from Seattle, and (it should probably go without saying) he's a Seahawks fan. I've never been a huge football lover personally, but in an effort to add to pre-marital bliss, I'm now officially a Seahawks fan myself.
Official Blog Fiance unfortunately had to go on a business trip to Abu Dhabi over Super Bowl Sunday (whaaaaat??!), so he had to miss one of the few times that the Seahawks actually made it this far. Because I didn't want him to miss out entirely, I figured I'd do a live-blog version so he can experience the game without having to watch the entire thing after the fact.
6:17 - The Seahawks head to the field. Kurt Russell gives them a glowing intro speech.
6:19 - The Broncos hit the field. Kurt Russell gives them a glowing intro speech too. (Why didn't they pick two different celebrities for that?)
6:23 - Renee Fleming sings the national anthem five million times better than anyone else who's ever sung at a Super Bowl.
6:32 - Three out of the four of us miss the kickoff while going on a house tour. Peyton Manning apparently misses catching the football, and Seattle mysteriously ends up with two points.
6:57 - We all finish making homemade pizza. Seattle is up by 5 points, and we're six and a half minutes away from the end of the first quarter.
7:11 - I take the pizza out of the oven. Seattle scored a field goal during the 10 minutes I was in the kitchen.
7:16 - First quarter ends. Score report: Seattle: 8. Denver: 0.
7:22 - Seattle makes a touchdown! The following field goal brings the score to 15 - 0 (Seattle).
7:24 - Commercials. More pizza. This is definitely the best homemade pizza I've made yet! Pepperoni and ham. Good combo. Tim Tebow's commercial gets shown!
7:38 - Denver has possession, Seattle intercepts, and runs the ball ALLLLL the way to the other end. Touchdown! Seattle: 20. Denver: 0. Shoot.
7:39: Field goal follow through. Score report: Seattle: 22. Denver: 0.
7:52 - Finished my pizza!
7:54 - Peyton gets to around 20 yards on 4th down. Seattle intercepts and it's back in their hands.
7:57 - End of the second quarter. Time to make cookies! Oh. And the half time show. "Oh yeah yeah. Oh yeah yeah yeah yeaaaaaaah...."
8:10 - WHAT. Bruno Mars can play drums? Really well? "That's cool," says the audience in attendance here.
8:11 - Bruno predictably starts with the few measures that have been in every halftime commercial up until now. Who knew that there's more to the song that "Oh yeah yeah..."
8:13 - This is a shocker. I'm actually enjoying the halftime show. I think I'll dance around the kitchen while making the cookies.
8:16 - Well, scratch that. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are pretty much the worst. I mean, they're shirtless and wearing black shorts with patterned leggings. What the heck.
8:20 - It's ok. Bruno came back, told everyone that we're beautiful just the way we are, and redeemed the show.
8:31 - Quarter 3 starts, and it's Seattle's ball.
8:31 - Seattle gets an immediate touchdown. DUDE. Percy Harvin takes the cake.
8:32 - Field goal. Score report: Seattle: 29. Denver: 0.
8:55 - Yet again, we have a ball turnover from Denver to Seattle. I'm starting to feel pretty bad for Peyton. But...Seattle's winning. So I don't feel that bad.
8:57 - Awww. Budweiser outdid itself with commercials this year.
9:01 - Mmm. Framboise Lambic is good from a bottle. Now it's gone.
9:02 - Seattle makes yet another touchdown! This. is. crazy.
9:03 - Field goal. Score report: Seattle: 36. Denver: 0.
9:10 - I'm beginning to think that my high school SAT class teacher was right - I'm the world's worst guesser. I guessed that the Broncos would win, and it looks like I'm being proved wrong. I'm glad about this fact in this particular case.
9:11 - The Broncos finally get a touchdown! There are zero seconds left in the third quarter, but they still get a 2-point conversion attempt, I guess, since they're still playing.
9:12 - Annnnnnd they get another 2 points. Yay, Denver. (Pity yay.)
9:13 - A commercial with a montage of teams including Seattle shows Pete Carroll saying, "We're going to New Jersey!!" Audience member responds, "Wow, that's the first time that going to New Jersey is good news..."
9:15 - Fourth quarter starts, and it's Seattle's ball.
9:23 - Seattle makes another touchdown. WOOOOOO.
9:23 - All the Broncos players look totally demoralized. Pete Carroll looks beyond elated.
9:23 - Field goal. Score report: Seattle: 43. Denver: 8. 11:45 minutes left in the game.
9:28 - Richard Sherman is apparently hurt (for the second time). Timeout.
9:32 - We're back, but we're now on injury number two. Didn't quite catch which Seahawk it was. Richard Sherman is out for the rest of the game.
9:41 - 6:30 left. This is looking good.
9:44 - 5 minutes.
9:46 - 3:45. Another ball turn over from Denver to Seattle.
9:50 - Richard Sherman is on crutches, but they're all so happy that he doesn't seem to care at all.
9:50 - 2 minute warning.
9:52 - I'm racing my computer battery here. 14% to 1:59 on the clock. YOU CAN DO IT, OLD COMPUTER!
9:54 - Russell Wilson dumps an entire cooler of yellow Gatorade on Pete Carroll's head...out of extreme joy?
9:55 - THE SEAHAWKS WIN THE SUPER BOWL!!!
Well. There you have it. And if you too want to become a Seahawks fan, just watch this video and you'll never turn back.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
And...Re-start.
For the past several months, I've felt like I'm in a get up-work-go home-eat-sleep-repeat rut. I tell myself that I have nothing worthwhile to blog about, and therefore I don't write. This is bad, and in reality it's just not at all true. The fact that life if more of a routine than it was during college does not in any way, shape, or form mean that it's less interesting. And while it is true that much of my time is spent at a desk each day, there's a lot of life that happens outside of work. For example, here's a list of things that I haven't blogged about and should have over the past several months (in no particular order):
1. At least four business trips to places I've never been to before.
2. The fact that Potomac, Maryland has the most enormous mansions. And a Tesla store in the mall.
3. The gardening project on my office's windowsill (I'm now a gnat-killing ninja).
4. Downhill skiing after not skiing for over six years.
5. Buying a wedding dress.
[No picture available due to pre-wedding secrecy.]
6. Traveling to Milwaukee to see a Tolkien exhibit in two days.
7. Hiking in the rain in New Hampshire.
8. A trip to the Grand Cayman.
9. Making new friends from work.
[Well, I guess I don't have pictures of said new friends...yet.]
10. The gloriousness of crock pot cooking.
[Yet another thing I didn't take a picture of.]
11. My new-found obsession with NPR. (I'm the nerd with the NPR app on her phone...)
12. 2013's goal of trying several new restaurants in the area.
13. Not-so-small brother heading to college.
14. Oh, I don't know...planning a wedding. Obviously not a big deal.
[There is no picture. We're too busy emailing people.]
15.Getting engaged. (BOOM. DONE.)
So clearly, my imperceptive view that nothing exciting happens anymore is a total and complete lie. College does lend itself to random, exciting, blog-worthy activities, but college ended more than two years ago - and for crying out loud - my life is just as good (if not better) than it was then. So in short, I am without excuse. The no-internet-in-my-apartment thing is just a cover. If I'm going to "suck the marrow out of life," as Kelle Hampton is fond of saying, then I better start recognizing the fact that everyday life is worth capturing. I've said it before, but I think there's a good chance of succeeding this time: it's time to bring this blog back from the dead. I might even give it a fresh coat of paint. Here's to 2014 - the year of weddings, blogging, adventures, and the beauty of the routine.
1. At least four business trips to places I've never been to before.
2. The fact that Potomac, Maryland has the most enormous mansions. And a Tesla store in the mall.
3. The gardening project on my office's windowsill (I'm now a gnat-killing ninja).
4. Downhill skiing after not skiing for over six years.
5. Buying a wedding dress.
[No picture available due to pre-wedding secrecy.]
6. Traveling to Milwaukee to see a Tolkien exhibit in two days.
7. Hiking in the rain in New Hampshire.
[The view from the top.]
9. Making new friends from work.
[Well, I guess I don't have pictures of said new friends...yet.]
10. The gloriousness of crock pot cooking.
[Yet another thing I didn't take a picture of.]
11. My new-found obsession with NPR. (I'm the nerd with the NPR app on her phone...)
12. 2013's goal of trying several new restaurants in the area.
13. Not-so-small brother heading to college.
14. Oh, I don't know...planning a wedding. Obviously not a big deal.
[There is no picture. We're too busy emailing people.]
15.
[This photo is actually two years old.]
So clearly, my imperceptive view that nothing exciting happens anymore is a total and complete lie. College does lend itself to random, exciting, blog-worthy activities, but college ended more than two years ago - and for crying out loud - my life is just as good (if not better) than it was then. So in short, I am without excuse. The no-internet-in-my-apartment thing is just a cover. If I'm going to "suck the marrow out of life," as Kelle Hampton is fond of saying, then I better start recognizing the fact that everyday life is worth capturing. I've said it before, but I think there's a good chance of succeeding this time: it's time to bring this blog back from the dead. I might even give it a fresh coat of paint. Here's to 2014 - the year of weddings, blogging, adventures, and the beauty of the routine.
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