Carich Likes/Dislikes

LIKES . . .	DISLIKES . . .
Modern Family, Better Off Ted, The Big Bang Theory	American Idol, Jersey Shore, Grey’s Anatomy*
Being home to make dinner every night	Working out at 5 a.m., cleaning up from dinner
My Real Friends	Facebook-only “friends”
Working out at the gym—yes, even the treadmill!	Being sore from working out 4 days in a row
Sleeping	Work
Sporcle, Wheel of Fortune, Family Feud, Scramble	Facebook “games,” Xbox 360 shoot-em-up games
Blog lurking	Blog writing
My incredibly unfashionable snow boots, striped purple cardigan, oversized hoodies, and wooly red socks	Just about every other item of clothing in my closet
Warmer weather, no snow	Rain (and corresponding headaches)

*to be fair, I’ve only watched 1-2 episodes of each of these shows… but enough to know I don’t get what the fuss is about!

What I learned on my walk home last night

• Not all teenagers are “meddling  kids”
  I thought for sure I was going to get pelted with eggs as part of some sort of egg war.  Nope… it was just a Boy Scout troupe playing hide-and-seek.
• People have really funny names for their wireless networks
  Like “this aint’ yo crib” and “don’t even think about it.”
• It’s possible to get lost… in your own neighborhood…. with a fancy GPS-enabled phone
  Turns out you actually have to be able to read the map.   FAIL.
• Walking in heels is a bad idea, even if it’s just a short distance
  See above.  My 1 mi walk turned into 2, maybe 2 and a half.  I’m counting it as cross-training as my knees/feet hurt today.

Bloggity Bloggity Boo

I’m going to stop apologizing for not posting more often.  To paraphrase a popular book/movie title:  I’m just not that into it.

But, since you’re all dying to know what I’m up to, here’s the rundown:

• Halloween– I was going to do a Foto Friday each day this month of my favorite costumes from prior years.  But, well, I didn’t.   Look for one soon.  Maybe.   I’m working on my costume for this year.  Last year I was lame and didn’t dress up.  This year I’m dressing up, but I don’t have any definite plans, so my costume might be lame.  Whatever.
  
  
• Family stuff-  Last weekend we threw a shower for my sister-in-law. It was fairly low-key but I think she got lots of stuff.  There were LOTS of babies there.  We figured out that out of the 7 “kids” in my mom’s family, 6 of them will have a new grandchild this year.  Yowzah!!   I’ll post pictures if I ever get any (I am still sans camera).After the shower my friend Kelly and her two kids stayed with me overnight.  It was the first time I had youngsters at my house.  It was fun and I  survived!
  
  
• Running--  I made it one full week on my new program and then completely fell off the wagon.  I started back yesterday.  I was hoping to run a race in late November, but it is already full, so I’m looking at one on Nov. 1.    There’s a 10K option and a 5K option. I can’t decide which to do.  I won’t “technically” be done with my 10K program by then… but maybe if I sign up for it, I’ll have the motivation to kick it into high gear?   Or should I just do the 5K and work on getting a better time.  (note: Nov 1 is the day after Halloween and thus far my longest run is only 4 miles.)Oh, and I still haven’t bought my “rewards” for the last 5K. I’m thinking of getting an iPhone instead of a sports watch.  They have apps for running PLUS it has a camera and I’ve wanted one for a long time.

• Friends– I have another wedding in November. The bride’s sister had a super fun couples shower a couple of weeks ago complete with HILARIOUS scavenger hunt and newlywed game.  Alas–no pix of that either.   The bachelorette party is in a couple of weeks.  Hopefully I’ll be able to take pix by then.   Posts without photos are just no fun!
• Pop Culture stuff– Besides running (or not) and planning parties, I just watched the entire season of Warehouse 13.  Good, not great– Kinda like an Xfiles/Alias mixture with some Star Wars references mixed in.  The first season just ended, but I’ll probably watch next season.  I’ve also been catching up w/Glee on Hulu.  Hopefully I can start watching in real time this week.   This week’s Mad Men (which I just watched yesterday) had me dumbfounded.    I’ve been trying to watch Season 2 of True Blood, but I have to rely on the kindness of others for that since I gave up HBO (damn economy!)   I also watched the Rob Zombie movie House of a Thousand Corpses this weekend.   It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be.  Kinda reminded me of a Nine Inch Nails video. 

Proof that my friends are awesomer than I am

Friend #1 ( Yesterday, via IM):  Hey, did you know that Cross Canadian Ragweed is playing here in a couple months?

Friend #2 (Today, via email):  Air Supply is coming to Indy.  Tickets are CHEAP.

See…  my friends not only know my obscure quirky really *cool* taste in music, they also know that I’m always down for a live show!

i refuse to wear leggings

• I don’t care how trendy they are or how many stores send me promos for them, I’m NOT wearing leggings.  No way.  No how.
• My paint still isn’t done.  It’s almost done.  That’s like almost being pregnant.  I don’t want to talk about it.
• Yesterday I almost started an office fire with a pop tart and saw a guy riding a bike with a ferret around his neck.   All in one day!
• I had a minor case of baby fever this morning when my co-worker brought her twins in.  This has never happened before. I must be 30.
• I spent entirely too much time  looking for a picture of a bulldozer running over some records for an “inspired” blog post idea.   Suffice it to say I abhor that song about “doing the Helen Keller.”   FAIL.
• I’m going on vacation in a little over a week.  I finally decided two days ago.  My planning skills are sub-par while my procrastination is at an all-time high.
• I had granola bar on the front of my shirt all morning.  Which is sad, because I thought I already brushed it off.  Twice.
• “I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face”   And update my iPod.  Bruce is getting old.  Literally and figuratively.
• I’m starting to remind myself of the “Always Wear Sunscreen Guy.”  You know what I’m talking about, right?  (Fine. I’ll go look it up for you)

(didn’t know Baz Luhrmann did that.  Hmm.)

That is all.

I don’t mean to complain, but . . .

Have you ever noticed that when someone starts a sentence with “I don’t mean to ___, but”  they usually end up doing/saying/being whatever it is they claim to not MEAN to be?

This is one of those times.

I don’t mean to complain, but…   I realized I haven’t been shopping  bought anything for msyelf in AGES.    Sure, I’ve been to the grocery store.  And I’ve bought shampoo and whatnot at Walgreens, but I honestly don’t remember the last time I bought myself clothes.  I think the reason it’s bugging me is that I’ve been shopping plenty of times– just not for myself.

Like everyone else, I’ve been trying to cut back.  And I’m having my house painted, so I need to pinch my pennies.  But every time I open my email or go to my mailbox there are coupons and “big sales” luring me in.

Maybe one pair of shoes won’t hurt….

Long time, no blog

I know the “too busy to blog” excuse is getting lame.  But it’s true.  I was hoping to write some proper blog posts, but since some of you like lists (shout out to Harley Quinn– I loved your last comment!), I figured I’d save myself the trouble of actually having to write anything.

In the last week and a half or so I:

• Witnessed masked Mexican wrestling in Chicago.  It was awesome.
• Tasted cucumber-flavored candy.  It was awful.
• Learned that you really can’t just miss your connecting flight or your entire ticket is invalidated.
• Re-booked my ticket.  Twice.
• Got hit on by a Greek waiter in Chicago and a Mexican bar patron in Minneapolis.
• Spent entirely too much time on Sporcle.  Finally learned the correct spelling of Kazakhstan.  It comes in handy.
• Ate some killer Malaysian food in MPLS.  Heard a great (albeit very broken) story about a fire in a Malaysian place in Chicago.
• Witnessed and responded to an on-the-job accident. Not real common in my line of work.
• Learned I like tamales.
• Congratulated a friend on her recent engagement. Yay Keem!
• Almost forgot, and then lost, and then found my journal/notebook.
• Saw Star Trek. Loved it, despite zero familiarity with the original.  Reminded me a lot of Star Wars, actually.  And Lost.
• Met (and held!) another newborn baby.
• Picked up a new nickname (which I’m trying HARD to not let stick).
• Ran my second 5K, less than a month after my first, with no iPod. After being gone for a week and out drinking the night before.
• Mowed my lawn immediately after the 5K.  Bad idea.
• Learned that I was selected to be a Nielsen “family.”  I can’t wait to report my 2.5 hours of TV watching a week.
• Improved my ability to ride public transportation.
• Received a comped dessert because dinner took so long.  Waited about 20 mins for said dessert.
• Had multiple weird conversations about weight loss.  Including one that started with “I hope you’re not offended, but…”  Um, no, not offended!
• Took a photo next to a statue of Mary Tyler Moore.
• Met a friend’s new boyf.
• Spent Mother’s Day with my mom, brother, and sister-in-law. Against our advice, my mom insisted on having it at her house and making all the food.
• Ran in Chicago.  Gave unsuspecting motorist directional advice.  Felt really bad afterward.
• Attended a baby shower and graduation party.
• Received invitations to two other baby showers.
• Witnessed teachers literally FIGHTING over free books.
• Engaged in some tipsy shopping.  Bought books and a belt between happy hour and an awesome wine-fueled dinner.

Things I haven’t done

• unpacked
• watched last week’s Lost
• slept, at least not much

Alive. Busy. Tired.

I’m still here… and I have tons to blog about, but I don’t have time to make anything more than a list.  So, here’s what I’ve been up to:

• Dog-sitting: for my mom last week and for a friend this week
• Locking myself out of my car while dog-sitting
• Re-training Roxie (again!)
• Struggling with Evite.  If you haven’t received 15 messages from me about my 30 days of 30 and want to participate, let me know.  Everyone else– sorry for the ridiculous number of emails. I’m blaming Evite
• Oh, and work and Christmas and all that other stuff

Each of these things could (and might) become a blog post in their own right, but I’m too flippin’ tired right now.  Maybe tomorrow.  Maybe not.

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Oh, and BTW– for those of you who have recently told me you’re reading my blog… thank you! It’s nice to know I have readers, even if they’re just lurking.  So holla and let me know that you’re there.

Good Fences

You know that old saying about good fences making good neighbors?

Well, I have a pretty good fence, but . . .

I have this one neighbor.  She’s super friendly and nice.  She came over to introduce herself before she ever moved in, told me her whole life story (she was in the process of divorcing her husband, etc.)   She’s the ONLY neighbor I talk to… we go on occasional walks together, we share the cost of garbage collection, she asked me to house-sit.  Whatever.

The other day I had just gotten back from a bike ride and was attempting to change my clothes while also talking on the phone (not an easy feat, I might add).   Next thing I know, Roxie is barking hysterically at the door.  I go out to see what she’s barking at and there’s my neighbor, standing on my steps.  I quickly put on a robe, hung up the phone, and went to talk to her.

Apparently, she saw my bike outside and noticed I had the door propped open, so she just let herself in.  I was clearly a little flustered, but she continued to talk to me for, like, TEN minutes.  About nothing!  Finally, I said: “uh, well, I’m gonna finish changing clothes now” and she left.

Then a couple days later I was sitting outside and she came to throw away her garbage AGAIN (how one woman has this much garbage is beyond me).  This time I didn’t even get up.  I sat in my chair and she leaned on the fence for a good 15-20 minutes telling me the most inappropriate/personal things… about her health, about her ex, about her kids.  It was weird. weird. weird.

Maybe I should build a moat.

Good Samaritan

I’ve decided to stay home all weekend.  Yep, that’s right. I’m spending an entire weekend at home. By myself.  With the dog.  Instead of having happy hour last night, I made the girls come over here and it was actually a reallygood time.

My dog had surgery yesterday, so I’m sticking close to home to keep an eye on her. During one of our short trips outside, I saw another little dog coming down the street.  Without a leash.  He came ACROSS THE STREET into my yard, so I picked him up and took him inside.  His name was Pickles and he had a phone number on his tag, so I called.  No response, so I left a message.  Here are some photos of Pickles:

     

The owner called back.  Apparently she lives in Virginia and her partner still lives here, but her partner is also out of town, so they’re having a friend dog sit.  She gives me the friend’s phone number, but he isn’t home either, so me, my dog, and Pickles all hang out together for a while.   My dog didn’t quite know what to think of Pickles, especially since she’s ‘injured,’ but it worked out.  The owners friend came to pick up Pickles and all was well.

I think that this, combined with the LAST time I took in a stray dog and my reporting of the possible child endangerment qualifies me as a Good Samaritan.