Blogroll… please!

(Get it? Like: “Drumroll… please!” I’m witty) Since I can’t seem to think of anything interesting to write and I’m riding the wave of high blog stats the last couple of days, I figured I’d introduce you all to the sites on my blogroll. Share a little bit of the love:

• Blogging Project Runway
  I’m a huge Project Runway fan. And, like any crazed fan, I like reading the blogs as much as actually watching the show. And sometimes more. This is the best Project Runway site on the web. It’s well organized, easy to follow and has GREAT writers and contributors. Best of all, it’s well established and many of the designers/producers/models from the show allow access to behind-the-scenes stuff.
• Meanderings by Bonnie Schuenemann
  Bonnie is a friend of mine from college who has a job that takes her around the world. On her blog you’ll find write-ups of her travel adventures, including logistical debacles, local color and loads and loads of pictures. It’s not updated very regularly, but grab a cup of coffee for one of her posts and prepare to be entertained, amused, and (I have to say it) a little bit envious.
• Dispatches from the Island by Jorge Garcia
  Garcia plays Hurley on Lost. I love Lost. I love Hurley. I love this blog. Mostly because he’s such a regular guy and posts regular-guy stuff. There aren’t Lost theories or spoilers on here, but it’s fun to check in and see how the “real life” Hurley is doing.
• illini_girl
  illini_girl is a friend from high school. Her blog inspired me to start one of my own. She proves that the everyday can be interesting and has quite the following. You’ll see frequent comments from me there as well as posts that are interesting, inspiring, and sometimes downright hilarious.
• Pop Candy
  It’s the USA Today pop culture blog and one of my top 5 daily “must visit” sites (along with myspace, facebook, yahoo, and now wordpress). Whitney Matheson is the blogger there and links to the best stuff– music, movies, web sites. Although it’s pop culture, it’s not really celebrity-driven. You’re more likely to read an interview with Joss Whedon than the latest Britney/Lindsay/Paris scandal here. Which is why I like it. Plus, I might have a teeny girl crush on Whitney.
• The Fink Link by Lisa Fink
  Lisa is a friend/coworker of mine. Her brand-new blog is all about her family houseboat trip this summer. I’m hoping she’ll continue to blog now that she has returned.
• Scott Filkins’ blog
  Scott is another friend/co-worker who started his blog as part of the inaugural National Writing Project site at the University of Illinois. Most of his posts center on literacy/teaching kinds of stuff, but you’ll find the occasional post about his family. Much more cerebral and deliberate than many blogs, you’ll find Scott’s is full of substance and ideas. And Baseball.  Scott is a Cubs fan, so it’s not all serious!
• Stuff White People Like
  Just a funny blog I like to read. Lately it’s become more of a promotion for their book. Apparently, lots of bloggers are signing book deals. Not me, though. Damn. Maybe we should find a way to spin “Kristi’s last flingus” into the next big thing in blogging.
• Post Secret
  Again, nothing earth-shattering or new here. Also turned into a book. I like to periodically check in and read other peoples’ secrets. One of these days I’m going to submit one. But I’m so vain I’d probably have to link to it from here for bragging rights :)

So, consider yourself introduced. If you have a blog or a favorite web site you think I should add, let me know. I’m always looking for more ways to waste my time!

Kristi’s Bachelorette Party Boat Trip

It’s official… Boat Trip 08 was a raving sucess! In typical fashion, I spent more time hanging out than taking pictures, but here are a few highlights:

The limited-edition Boat Trip 08 huggie: (yes, it’s camo)

Hambone’s Hunnies Boat Trip 08

Becoming Mrs. Cuni-Lingas...Priceless

The Homeade Banner. Kristi’s soon-to-be-husband’s last name is Lingas. As you can imagine, we get a LOT of mileage out of that joke :) And, yes, there’s a grammar mistake. I’m over it already.

Kristi's Last Flingus

a closeup of the sign

Friday Night– Bachelorette Party at Skeeters

After a great deal of pre-drinking on the deck, we decided to head to Skeeters for dinner and a little bachelorette party/karaoke fun (check out Kristi’s bachelorette gear… HA-larious!)

Yes, they're flashing #3... no, we're not race fans

some shots to start out the night

Kari giving Kristi the Suck 4 a buck shirt

Kristi is a trooper

And I just think this pic is hilarious

This is one of the "tamer" sucks

Saturday– LAKE DAY!

This year’s new addition to the Boat Trip was the Docking Island that Erin and Jaime bought. Although it took a year and a half to inflate, it was mos def a good buy. Unfortunately, I didn’t take many pix at the lake. I was a little too busy sunning, swimming, jumping off house boats and jet skiing to worry about pix. Here are a few, though:

The best purchase ever-- docking island (the bobber cooler, however, left something to be desired)

Kim--early on, BEFORE she threw her sunglasses in the lake

Kristi-- is she getting in? Getting out? Or doing something else????

Kari B on the boat

Megan and Brooke

Chachi

Saturday Night-

After a minor boating crisis (thank GOD we had our nautical experts on board), we made it back to the hotel, had dinner, cleaned up and went back to Skeeters. It was their annual New Year’s Eve party, so we watched the fireworks and danced a bit. Some people stayed all night, but I was pooped and went back early.

Erin will kill me for posting this, but it’s HILARIOUS!

Kari is always up for a New Years party!

 Once again, it was a great, great time. I’m already looking forward to next year!

Boat Trip Memories

On the eve of the 4th Annual Boat Trip, I thought I’d re-post a blog I wrote last year.  I promise more stories/pictures next week… enjoy!

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Boat Trip ’07 or. . .  Why I Heart My Friends

Friday brought the 3rd Annual Boat Trip. The first boat trip was kind of a thrown-together thing… a bunch of girls decided to go to Shelbyville for the day, rent a pontoon boat and get drunk. After that first year, we decided that going down & back in the same day was just too much (even though it did result in the MOST FUN CAR RIDE EVER), so we rented a ‘cabin’ at the Coon Creek Lodge. I use the term ‘cabin’ loosely.

This year, we decided to stay at Sullivan Marina (close to Skeeters) and that we’d stay two nights. We also got personalized huggies and made a sign for our boat. This thing just keeps getting bigger and bigger. At first I was afraid we were doing TOO much, but as usual, everything worked out okay.

So, we get to Sullivan a little before 4:00 and start drinking. We’re just sitting around, telling stories and getting drunk. Steph, Kristin & Brooks show up around 5:30 or so….. we have dinner and some of the peeps go out to Skeeters. I’m a loser and stayed back. I wanted to save myself for the lake.

However, when the girls get home, Kari decides to see if she can do gymnastics over me and accidentally knees me in the eye. Sure enough, I have a black eye…. well, a bruise anyway. Oh, well!

Sat morning we get up, get our stuff together and we’re on the lake by 9:00…. Problem is, it’s cold and kinda overcast. We’re all huddling under our towels for warmth. We get to Party Cove and we’re the FIRST ONES THERE. LITERALLY. I mean, we’re always AMONGST the first, but this time it was just us…. Being the troopers we are, we decide to start drinking. And then we never stop.

All in all, it was a good day…the sun finally came out around 2:00, we made some new friends and LOTS of new memories. We did a lot of sunning, swimming & laughing. We had the worlds longest push-your-friend-in-the-water contest ever and definitely had enough drinks to last for a while. There was some drama, but that’s to be expected.

When we finally got off the boat at 8:00 I think everyone had had their fill. Tons of stuff happened that will likely become inside jokes between our friends for years to come. . . As much as I love my mySpace friends, I’m not gonna share it because 1) it’s personal and 2) you probably wouldn’t think it was funny anyway….

All I have to say is that every time I get together with these girls I’m reminded of how special our friendship is. Yeah, there was some drama that–honestly–I wish I hadn’t participated in, but it doesn’t mean we don’t all love each other (I really am sorry!).

How many other late 20-somethings have what we have? We’ve all grown up together and have known each other most of our lives and even though most of us are married with kids, we still make a point to get together and go to the lake and have some fun.

I don’t really know of many other people who have girlfriends like I do and for that I’m really grateful. We get on each others’ nerves and piss each other off, but what we have is so special that none of that matters. I realize I’m getting a little too mushy here, but it’s true. We truly are lucky to have one another and it’s weekends like this that remind me of that.

Here are a few pix… I didn’t take many (and, as you can see, I’m not actually *in* any of them), but it was defintiely a great time.

I’m clearly not hip . . .

But I just don’t get why people are crazy about Coldplay.  I like them.  I find their music pleasant, but there’s really nothing exciting or memorable about them.

On my way to work this morning, I was listening to their new song (iTunes tells me its called Viva la Vida). About halfway through I realized that I hadn’t paid a BIT of attention to the song at all, so I listened to it again.  I still don’t know what the song was about nor can I remember any of the words.

Maybe there’s something musically sophisticated that is lost on me.  Or maybe there is lyrical genius in the songwriting and I miss it because the music itself is so mellow, but–to me–there’s just nothing interesting about it.  I know Chris Martin is considered genius and LOTS of people love them.  I even own a couple CD’s myself, but I still don’t get it.

Anyone want to enlighten me?

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.

What I’ve Been Up to Lately

It’s hard to believe it’s already almost the end of July.  Summer always seems to fly by.  Most of my free time has been filled by the following:

• Boot Camp– We started the second session of FitCamps4Chicks.  I can’t stress how much I’ve enjoyed these sessions.  The trainer, Bobbi, is great and the workouts are fun.
• Biking– I started biking to work last week. I was only able to bike 3 days and I’ll probably only get 3 days in this week, but I’ve finally figured out my route and I’ve worked out a few kinks, so I’m excited to get back in the saddle.
• Boat Trip– Our annual girls’ boat trip is next weekend.   This year we’re combining it with Kristi’s bachelorette party.  A day on the lake with my fave girls in the whole world.  Can’t beat it!

• Work– well, it always takes up my time, but I’m nearing the end of a huge project and I can’t wait.  One more week and then vacation!
• Pool– My friend Kim has been nice enough to let me use her pool all summer.  As a result, I actually have a bit of a tan.  It’s nice to not have to worry about being pasty white in July.

Blog-a-rific!

Here goes nothin’ . . .

I’ve finally decided to take the plunge and create a public blog outside of mySpace.  I’m hoping that this can be a place for family and friends to check in and find out what’s happening in the not-always-exciting-but-typically-interesting world of me.

By their very nature, I think blogs favor those of us who are a little more extroverted and comfortable sharing our lives with the rest of the world, but I’m going to try to remember who my audience is and avoid hurting anyone… It should be fun!

Biker Babe

I’ve decided to become a biker, as in cyclist, not a Harley Chick!

I got my old bike out of my mom’s garage, aired up the tires and took her for a spin.  I’ve been biking around town for fun and exercise, but now it’s time to take the leap and bike for transportation.

A fruitful trip to Target yielded a new bike lock (which I don’t 100% understand), a padded gel seat, and a backpack to carry my stuff.  I tried out all my new “gear” on a short trip to the grocery store.  Everything worked out well except I underestimated how much room my groceries would take up. I was hoping to get everything in my backpack, but I had to use a plastic bag instead.  Lesson learned.

Tomorrow will be my first attempt at commuting to work on 2 wheels.  It’s about 3.5 miles from my house to work and I’ve ridden it in about 1/2 an hour.  But that was at night. Without traffic.  I figure I’ll have to leave about 40 mins early to give me enough time to get there and “freshen up” before everyone arrives.

I still don’t know what I’m gonna do about the clothing situation.  Part of me thinks I should have seperate biking clothes and change into  my ” real” clothes when I get to work.  The other part of me is cringing at the thought.  Plus, my bag isn’t really big enough to hold an entire change of clothes.  I guess I’ll just see how tomorrow goes and then decide.

I’m pretty excited about this new adventure… I kinda thought it would be fun to do and write about my experiences.  Apparently so did the News-Gazette’s “roving reporter.”  She started last week.

A day late and a dollar short, I guess!!