Friday, December 28, 2007

Drinking Lunches

One of the great things about a holiday break from work is actually a very simple pleasure in my world: drinking lunches. See, when I am at work, we go out for Mexican at least once a week. It's a pretty great time for us to get out of work and hang out as a group in the middle of the day while gorging ourselves on burritos and chips and salsa. Heaven. One thing missing from our gatherings, though, is margaritas! And no one loves a frozen strawberry margarita more than this girl...

So, when my mom, sister and I went to our favorite Mexican establishment in my hometown for lunch, mom asked, "Are we having a drinking lunch?" My response--duh! After some pink goodness the conversation with my little sister about her college planning steps (or non-steps) was much more bearable.

And, now that I've finished my red rita and lunch #2 (to those of you who are familiar with my #2 at La Casa, it's the same here at Monterreys--weird huh?), and had to eat the whole thing myself because B$ (better???) wasn't here to split it, I'm a little bit fatter and back on the couch where I will probably remain for the next ten or eleven hours--with a little laundry and packing mixed in there.

I'm thinking I'll head back toward the metro area tomorrow and have a few days to just hang out before I have to head back to work. With all the running and going and visiting and shopping and people involved with the holidays, it doesn't seem like you actually get a chance to relax until it's all over. I have to be grateful for an employer who gives us a very generous holiday break (even though I actually kinda sorta miss my friends from work, but don't tell them that, I don't want them thinking I'm a big softie!!). :)

Hope your holidays are lovely!

I would also like to give a shout out to all my friends, family, and other readers to say thanks for stopping by--especially the mysterious GB for following and commenting! :)

Monday, December 24, 2007

Married with Children the sequel....

I would just like to let everyone know that at my grandma's tonight I opened up a gift from a cooking supply store. It was a soup mix called "Tomato Soup for Singles...." Hmmmm....

Married with Children!?!?!

Sister: "You could be married with a baby on the way by now if you weren't so stupid."
Jamie: "You do realize that's my worst nightmare realized??"

It seems that during the holidays, the fact that I don't come in a pair is magnified a thousand times. Autumn comes home and brings that guy she married (who has yet to appear passed out on the bathroom floor, but don't worry, there are many days to go), and her cute little baby. Their pair has become a trio. The high school sister brings the not high school boyfriend. I bring myself. Always. Stag is my trademark.

Now, see, the thing is, I don't mind coming home alone. I can sleep when I want, drink what I want when I want, and worry about entertaining no one but myself. If I don't want to shower for three days and revel in my greasiness I don't have to worry about that guy looking at me and being disgusted! If I want to play Bejeweled online, I can. If I want to play tennis on the Wii with Brother in Law (BIL) I don't have to worry about leaving anyone sitting pouting on the couch. If I want to call Beth and talk about all of our totally socially inappropriate thoughts, I can.

But, then, when the family gets around, the questions and comments come up.... "When are you getting married?" "When Jamie has a baby at least Emerson will have someone to play with." "Are you ever going to bring a boy home?" "BIL would be happy if he had someone to play with." "I know this nice boy that works up at the grocery store if you want me to introduce you!" "You're not getting any younger."

And, although I understand the importance of a biological clock that works, I feel like 22 is a little too young to start worrying about my eggs shrivelling up and falling out of me.

With that being said, I'm off to the store to grab a few bottles of wine, and head to grandma's house--stag and happy! I'll be sure to self medicate before the questions start barrelling in.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Friday, December 21, 2007

Heading out...

So, I’m going to both of my parents houses for several days over the holidays, and last night as I was packing and 3 glasses deep into a bottle of wine, I realized that it’s nearly impossible to know what you are going to FEEL like wearing days from now.

After I sat there putting together outfits and stacking them in separate piles on the floor, I became frustrated—what if I don’t want to wear THAT green shirt (all my shirts are green it seems) with THOSE jeans?? I ended up reverting to my college ways, and throwing my favorite shoes, shirts and pants in a suitcase and putting the overflowing laundry basket in the backseat of my car. I figure if it’s in the laundry I’ve worn it recently, so I probably like whatever is in there. Plus, if I ask nicely, my mom might wash those clothes for me. That’s settled.

On another note, it’s casual day at work today—no one is going to be there because it’s the day before break and I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up talking to myself or twitching from the lack of human contact. We also get off at three, so after that I can head back to my place, grab the things I forgot, and head on out for this lovely three and a half hour drive. The whole family will be there tonight though, so it won’t be too bad. With any luck my mom will have bought a bottle of tequila and my brother in law will end up passed out on the bathroom floor (I’m not saying that’s ever happened, I’m just saying).

Little Emerson will be there too—I’m including her most recent picture for the holidays so you all can see how friggen’ cute she is! ... I KNOW!


In case I'm not back here before (even though I likely will be), MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Making a list, checking it twice...

The Christmas season--a time of love, happiness, togetherness, Santa, lots of smiling children, hot chocolate, and eggnog, right? Wrong. This morning I decided that I would try to go finish up the one seasonal task I find no delight in--Christmas shopping. I made a list of names and possible ideas. I'm trying to be organized. I dread shopping on the weekends at this time of year, but, of course, I have to get it done at some point. I knew as soon as I walked into Target that it was a bad idea.

There are all sorts of people sipping on their peppermint non-fat mocha lattes, meandering through the aisles without a care in the world--until their children come back into view at which point they start screaming and the caffeine high that they're on makes their voices just chatter chatter chatter as they yell at little Tommy to stop pushing the cart into the clothes racks. Or, the one kid that decided he was done shopping and so just threw himself on the ground and grabbed onto the cart as his dad just drug him along. As I watched this all (and thanked the lord that I wasn't shopping with child), I realized I was examining gift bows and wondering if I unravelled them, would there possibly be enough ribbon there to hang myself?

Anyway, after I realized that the ONE thing I wanted to purchase at Target was sold out, I looked at my other loot--shampoo, conditioner, deodorant. Once I made my way to the checkout I decided that no B.O. I could ever muster was bad enough to make myself stand in that line. I should probably apologize in advance to my coworkers--it might not be pretty tomorrow.

People also drive like they've lost their brain. Their whole brain. I almost got run over on three different occasions in parking lots as people zoomed passed my face, and the doink in the mini van clearly cannot read the big red sign that states DO NOT ENTER.

And that was just the first store!!! The mall. Oh, the mall. Forget about waterboarding, this is torture in the purest of forms. Shrieking children either super excited or super freaked out to see the fat guy in the big red suit. Parents pushing carts that were clearly not designed to be navigating through these jam packed stores, a frustrated customer wondering why she can't use both 20% off coupons, and the poor cashier who looks like he would rather stick his head in the cash drawer and smash it shut a few times than be talking to this woman.

And don't get me started on those bell-ringers. I understand the point--I think it's a noble cause to be raising money for different organizations during the holiday season. But I'm not kidding, I think I'm going to start chucking quarters at every bell-ringer I see simply to make them stop the ringing.

Anyway, a couple hours later I finally made it home with a little larger dent in the list of shopping I need to do before next week. And at the end of it all, I can't help but wonder, where can I buy some Christmas spirit?

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Schizo.

I'm not big on routine in a lot of aspects of my life. The one area that I am 98% okay with being in a routine for: my TV shows. There are a select few on the list of those it literally pains me to miss, and that list includes: Private Practice, Grey's Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters, and Notes from the Underbelly. I don't have to tell many people, either, about my roommates and my life changing addiction to Sex and the City. Some people like to shoot up to relieve the stress of a long day--me, well, I like to pop in a DVD of my four favorite women and float away on the sarcasm and quick wit.

I think I enjoy these shows most of all because none of them portray perfection. Sometimes they're a little dark, dysfunctional, sarcastic, witty, honest, and mostly, real. People die, hearts break, friends betray. I mean, let's be honest--that's life. That happens. Life is not made up of daisies and roses and dark chocolate...but it would be kind of sweet if it were!

Anyway, there is one quote from Grey's that I particularly like. The last five minutes of that show are my favorite because that's the point at which Meredith comes back into the picture and says something so deep that everyone's story is caught back up--their loose ends are tied, and the things she says just so happen to relate to the story line of every character in the hospital--that happens in my life, too. At 4:25 every day, that little voice comes into my head and wraps it all up for me, yep, that happens--no, I'm not schizophrenic.

So, the quote I was thinking of is this : "You know how when you were a little kid and you believed in fairy tales, that fantasy of what your life would be, white dress, prince charming who would carry you away to a castle on a hill. You would lie in bed at night and close your eyes and you had complete and utter faith. Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Prince Charming, they were so close you could taste them, but eventually you grow up, one day you open your eyes and the fairy tale disappears. Most people turn to the things and people they can trust. But the thing is its hard to let go of that fairy tale entirely cause almost everyone has that smallest bit of hope, of faith, that one day they will open their eyes and it will come true."

I think it's true. I might be kind of cynical; I might not have a lot of faith in a lot of things, but I do know that there is at least a little spark of hope in there for something out of my childish imagination. Realistically, do I think it will actually happen? Probably not, but I think Meredith is on to something when she talks about turning to people we can trust. I have the coolest friends, and I know that (don't tell them--that will spoil the hatred they think I hold for them), and my family is actually pretty neat.

The thing is, at the end of the day, although there's no Prince Charming or Santa (hopefully I didn't spoil that belief for anyone!!!) I can't help but be thankful for the things I do have in my life. Maybe it's the Christmas season, but this blog is a little sentimental for my liking. Psssh. It wont happen again.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Snow morning

It's a snow morning. I remember a little thing called snow days, where you got the whole day. I remember having them in high school, but in college, as I went to school on a residential campus, they were virtually non-existent. Maybe twice in four years...maybe. Anyway, today, after this lovely ice storm, I have a snow morning. No work til ten.

This should be exciting for me, right? I should be in bed catching up on lost sleep, dreaming away about Ryan Gosling or Chris Noth or Taye Diggs...

I'm not. I'm watching GMA becoming depressed about the economic situation of this country and listening to my stomach growl. As I was on my way out of the door this morning I realized I forgot my scarf--ran back upstairs to get it, and received the text message--10 am start! Wahooo!

Okay, GMA just got happier--a nice little line of ppl at a Starbucks bought coffee for the car behind them. It lasted two hours. I think that's sweet.

Anyway, ice storm. I changed back into sweats and went to the cupboard to see what I would be eating as I am now iced in. I have a can of chicken noodle soup, a few Cheezits, a can of fruit, and a half a bottle of wine. Hmm...looks like a pretty exciting day in (if it turns into a day rather than just a morning--fingers crossed!!).

Drive safe if you decide to...

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Another random blog...

This is not my first experience with a blog. I have a different blog; it's just that I find some of the things that rustle through my mind are not necessarily appropriate for the other blog I have. What was my solution, you ask? Maybe I decided to continue to stifle those thoughts--to shove them back into a deep black crevice in my brain? Maybe I said them out loud so they went away, or put them in a bubble and blew them off into the universe? Maybe I decided to change my attitude and allow my cynicism to disappear as the steam does after a shower?

Heavens no. The only logical explanation I could come up with was to start another blog. A blog where I could post whatever came to my mind--pessimistic, cynical, hopeful, inappropriate, whatever! You're wondering what might have struck this transformation, perhaps? Well, it's been on my mind for a while. Then, this week, while at work, I came up with an idea of a question to post on my blog...you see, a while ago I had a pretty traumatic mishap with a box of dark brown hair dye and accidentally died my hair basically pitch black (I only tell you this because I think humility is important) and from then on, two of the guys in the office (and sometimes SC) heckled me continuously about being goth. I'm not really goth, I mean, I like black clothes and sometimes I wear black fingernail polish, but I don't own black lipstick or anything like that. Well, the hair has come a little closer to normal, however, I haven't gotten rid of any of my black clothes--I like them too much. Anyway, the other day I wore a black turtleneck and black pants--with a pinstripe. I was wondering if the pinstripe in the black pants made my outfit look any less black? I thought I'd blog about it, but then decided that the function of the other blog is not to make people wonder whether I am actually goth. It was at that point that I decided I must have a separate blog. With this new blog, I really don't care--wonder away.

So, dear reader, whether you've followed me from my previous blog, or are getting your first taste of my literary candy, read your heart out. I'll be back frequently.