I have lots to update/discuss, so I split it up. November has been ACTION PACKED!!
#6 - The TBA project finished with time to spare! TBA project = This "Memory Lane" drawing I did for Monica and Tim's wedding gift! I had to get it framed and even though I brought it into Michael's two weeks before the wedding, they gave me a ready date of 11/21...NOOO!!!! So I practically begged them to have it done by Friday the 16th. Well, turns out it was really a day earlier than that! I picked it up the Thursday night before the wedding. More about this gift in big blog part two!
#17 - John caught a cold last weekend, so on Monday night I went to the store and bought all the Katie's Chicken Stewp ingredients to make Johnny healthy again!
#45 - Some of these recipes are crazy easy, but with Nov being as insane as it was, I'm surprised I had time to cook anything new, let alone make 8 recipes...
to continue:
3. Roast a pumpkin (to use the pulp for a later recipe)...this was SO easy and I'll have to do it again next year!
4. Pumpkin and sweet tato casserole mmmmmm! (fulfilling #50: eating real pumpkin!)
5. Roast pumpkin seeds with spices (nutmeg, all spice, cumin, cayenne, etc)
6. Black bean and pumpkin soup (notice the theme here?)
7. Warm green bean salad with toasted pinenuts (for Thanksgiving and also task #46)
8. Ranch Potato Casserole (also for T'gives)
#54 - Alright so I'm not going to be able to get my hair cut for the fall season, but I'm using the fact that I got it professionally styled for the wedding take the place of a haircut. I've never had my hair done before and it turned out really nice! Plus the stylist I had was so adorable and I've decided to go back and have her cut AND color my hair in January.
#77 - I've already started making my Christmas cards this year!!! They are turning out SO awesome too...every year I get better at this :) I've made like nine so far and have about 30 more to go?? haha! But I think if I ever get #14 going (build up a collection of crafty goods), Christmas cards are going to be on that list.
#87 - I listened to a few new-to-me artists on itunes because of the So You Think You Can Dance concert earlier this month: BT , Joshua Radin, James Morrison, Craig David, Devotchka, and The Presets to name a few! But I also must mention that while Duran Duran is by no means a new band, their recently released album Red Carpet Massacre is definitely a new sound and by new, I mean brilliant. LOVIE!
#51 - EATING OUT!! Man this has been hard, and I've even slightly cheated five times! Ok with one more day to go, here are the cheats:
1. Aforementioned German restaurant after John's grandma's funeral
2. Rehearsal Dinner at Maggiano's (and I went to town, let me tell you!)
3. Wedding Dinner (I had salmon, but I also tried Monica's chicken, ate TONS of garlic mashed tatos, as well as all of my delicious wedding cheesecake)
4. Every year after Thanksgiving, my fam shops the Black Friday sales starting at 7am. We ALSO eat lunch at some mall restaurant. We went to California Pizza Kitchen this year, but I was good and most definitely ordered a salad (Thai) with dressing on the side (of which I only used half)
5. About a month or more ago I emailed this local soup place (that makes my fave soup ever: spinach artichoke!) and asked if they were going to make a pumpkin soup this season. They emailed back and said that that was a really great request and they’d see what they could do! Well on Monday I got an email from them personally telling ME that they were going to have pumpkin soup on Wednesday (yesterday)...SO NICE! So I went over there and they even had “By request!” up on the dry erase board where the menu is! Once I got my soup, I told them “thanks for the requested pumpkin soup!” And the chick said “oh that was you?! Fun!” Awww!!! So even though I’m not supposed to eat out, I gave myself a dispensation because they were nice enough to make a whole pot of soup just because I requested it!
In any case, I've also turned down MAAAANY offers or ideas to eat out over the last month...I mean no breakfast at Denny's the morning after the wedding, no going out to Elkhorn with John to eat with him and Grace on Wednesdays, no adorable Bee's and a Movie with John after seeing the Mist this past weekend. So even with the cheats, it's been hard! And I feel like I'm counting down the hours until December 1st. Who knew that I rely on restaurants so heavily? And this is coming from a person who actually loves to cook at home!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
big blog part two
Ok part two will be devoted to artsty musings:
Today Nicole sent me this link to a guy, Nick Pitera, who I think (if it is the same guy) is this amazing artist...both audibly AND visually! Currently he seems to be gaining popularity on youtube for his VERY unique rendition of The Little Mermaid's "Part of Your World":
So strange, but so completely awesome if I do say so myself! In any case, if you check out this Nick Pitera's blogger page, you'll also find he can draw like a MF! Don't you love finding people who can do 23948392042 things really well?? Well, to be honest, it's more like a love-hate relationship because I'm tooooootally SUPER jealous ;) And you know what made me even MORE jealous? Looking at the work of all of his fellow blogger friends (who also attend Ringling College of Art & Design I believe). DIES!!! I wanna BE them! Why can't I be that talented?!! I reeeeally want to post some of their work below, but I should probably ask first. For now I'll just give a couple link0's to my faves:
Kelly Versaggi
Her "Patricia Portrait" "Kitties" are fab, but the "Monster Under a Lamp" (toward bottom) is unbelievable cool.
Kim Kuchenbecker
Her adorable "Small Tribute to Bill Watterson"...and the accompanying story made me a little teary!
Anyway, I want to be talented when I grows up!! I seriously need to work on some stuff. At least I finally got a chair from the rents so I can work on my mac at home jeez! For now I'll just post a sampling of item #6 on my 101 List...my Monica Tim Wedding Gift/TBA Project. It's sort of self-explanatory, but the street contains tons memories and inside jokes that Monica and Tim share. This thing is 3 feet by 1 foot in size...HUGE! Hopefully they find a place to put it? Yikes! Anyway, I really like how it turned out and I think they did too! :) So here is the badboy in its entirety with a smattering of closeups:
clickie here for larger version!
The manhole cover is a Dharma symbol!! LOST!
The kitty has an engagement ring around his collar: this is how Tim proposed to MoniCAT!
Today Nicole sent me this link to a guy, Nick Pitera, who I think (if it is the same guy) is this amazing artist...both audibly AND visually! Currently he seems to be gaining popularity on youtube for his VERY unique rendition of The Little Mermaid's "Part of Your World":
So strange, but so completely awesome if I do say so myself! In any case, if you check out this Nick Pitera's blogger page, you'll also find he can draw like a MF! Don't you love finding people who can do 23948392042 things really well?? Well, to be honest, it's more like a love-hate relationship because I'm tooooootally SUPER jealous ;) And you know what made me even MORE jealous? Looking at the work of all of his fellow blogger friends (who also attend Ringling College of Art & Design I believe). DIES!!! I wanna BE them! Why can't I be that talented?!! I reeeeally want to post some of their work below, but I should probably ask first. For now I'll just give a couple link0's to my faves:
Kelly Versaggi
Her "Patricia Portrait" "Kitties" are fab, but the "Monster Under a Lamp" (toward bottom) is unbelievable cool.
Kim Kuchenbecker
Her adorable "Small Tribute to Bill Watterson"...and the accompanying story made me a little teary!
Anyway, I want to be talented when I grows up!! I seriously need to work on some stuff. At least I finally got a chair from the rents so I can work on my mac at home jeez! For now I'll just post a sampling of item #6 on my 101 List...my Monica Tim Wedding Gift/TBA Project. It's sort of self-explanatory, but the street contains tons memories and inside jokes that Monica and Tim share. This thing is 3 feet by 1 foot in size...HUGE! Hopefully they find a place to put it? Yikes! Anyway, I really like how it turned out and I think they did too! :) So here is the badboy in its entirety with a smattering of closeups:
clickie here for larger version!
The manhole cover is a Dharma symbol!! LOST!
The kitty has an engagement ring around his collar: this is how Tim proposed to MoniCAT!
big blog part three...sheesh!
#101 - Ahhhhhh the wedding!! It's officially over :'( BUT SO MUCH FUN! I can't even tell you how nervous I was about my toast. I couldn't start eating until AFTER it was over because I honestly thought I was going to throw up.
Anyway, for my last maid of honor duty, Monica asked me to come up with a top ten list (our most favorite thing to do!), so I'll try to whip one up right here:
1. Day before the wedding (Rehearsal Day)...driving around the greater Milwaukee area running last minute wedding related errands and either listening to Seal or Duran Duran OR turning off the music and practicing my toast 39482930429 times. People driving next to me must have thought I was a nut with all my hand gesturing!
2. John playing with my friends Josh and Tina's son Ethan at the Rehearsal Dinner...totally adorable!!
3. Opening the door to the bridal room in the church and seeing Monica for the first time in her dress...I...freaking...died. She seriously looked like the most beautiful lady I had ever seen in my whole life.
4. Bawling like a baby for the first 20 minutes of the wedding ceremony. Monica walking down the aisle and bawling herself...Tim crying as he took her hand and walked her up to the steps, etc etc etc. I honestly had to tell myself to 'STOP IT!' three dozen times so I wouldn't look like a blubbering mess for the cameras. Ha!
5. "YOU'RE an Octopus Balloon!" and all the crazy shenanigans at the Domes, especially Guido and his Chuck Norris action figure posing for pix.
6. The limobus ride from the Domes to Whitnall high school to The Forum restaurant to the Radisson Hotel. We watched Anchorman and Old School, drank Miller Lites and took swigs from Happy Face Vodka, and drew naughty pictures on the steamed windows...my ultimate fave part of this experience was seeing Monica eat Wheat Thins in her wedding dress and tiara...hilarious.
7. Sitting up at the head table, next to my bestest friend and the most important lady of the day...and looking out to the sea of people who were all so excited this day was finally here! And then, of course, getting through my toast in one peice...whew!
8. Getting crazy choked up at the reception during "Bittersweet Symphony" part of the video montage and then later when Monica and Tim had their first dance to Chicago's "Will You Still Love Me".
9. Dancing related fun and adorableness: Tim doing his patented arm wave dance, Monica doing her patented arm pumping dance (in her wedding dress hilarious!!), Marne dragging John onto the dance floor at least three times, dancing with John to Climax Blues Band "I Love You," and seeing John ask Monica to dance at the very end of the reception :)
10. Getting Monica's txt message the morning after the wedding. I don't have my phone with me right now, but it said something along the lines of: "I got up this morning and saw the sunrise...I thought about everything, the toasts, and started to cry." Aaaaand of course that made ME start to cry!!
Man...and to think the planning only took seven months. It simultaneously feels like forever in the making and yet such a blur! But absolutely one of the best experiences of my short life. Not only did it make Monica and I even closer friends, but to be a part of something so beautiful and happy...I try not to be too big of a sap, but it truly was hard not to be emotional about the whole thing. Love.
Anyway, for my last maid of honor duty, Monica asked me to come up with a top ten list (our most favorite thing to do!), so I'll try to whip one up right here:
1. Day before the wedding (Rehearsal Day)...driving around the greater Milwaukee area running last minute wedding related errands and either listening to Seal or Duran Duran OR turning off the music and practicing my toast 39482930429 times. People driving next to me must have thought I was a nut with all my hand gesturing!
2. John playing with my friends Josh and Tina's son Ethan at the Rehearsal Dinner...totally adorable!!
3. Opening the door to the bridal room in the church and seeing Monica for the first time in her dress...I...freaking...died. She seriously looked like the most beautiful lady I had ever seen in my whole life.
4. Bawling like a baby for the first 20 minutes of the wedding ceremony. Monica walking down the aisle and bawling herself...Tim crying as he took her hand and walked her up to the steps, etc etc etc. I honestly had to tell myself to 'STOP IT!' three dozen times so I wouldn't look like a blubbering mess for the cameras. Ha!
5. "YOU'RE an Octopus Balloon!" and all the crazy shenanigans at the Domes, especially Guido and his Chuck Norris action figure posing for pix.
6. The limobus ride from the Domes to Whitnall high school to The Forum restaurant to the Radisson Hotel. We watched Anchorman and Old School, drank Miller Lites and took swigs from Happy Face Vodka, and drew naughty pictures on the steamed windows...my ultimate fave part of this experience was seeing Monica eat Wheat Thins in her wedding dress and tiara...hilarious.
7. Sitting up at the head table, next to my bestest friend and the most important lady of the day...and looking out to the sea of people who were all so excited this day was finally here! And then, of course, getting through my toast in one peice...whew!
8. Getting crazy choked up at the reception during "Bittersweet Symphony" part of the video montage and then later when Monica and Tim had their first dance to Chicago's "Will You Still Love Me".
9. Dancing related fun and adorableness: Tim doing his patented arm wave dance, Monica doing her patented arm pumping dance (in her wedding dress hilarious!!), Marne dragging John onto the dance floor at least three times, dancing with John to Climax Blues Band "I Love You," and seeing John ask Monica to dance at the very end of the reception :)
10. Getting Monica's txt message the morning after the wedding. I don't have my phone with me right now, but it said something along the lines of: "I got up this morning and saw the sunrise...I thought about everything, the toasts, and started to cry." Aaaaand of course that made ME start to cry!!
Man...and to think the planning only took seven months. It simultaneously feels like forever in the making and yet such a blur! But absolutely one of the best experiences of my short life. Not only did it make Monica and I even closer friends, but to be a part of something so beautiful and happy...I try not to be too big of a sap, but it truly was hard not to be emotional about the whole thing. Love.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
and this too shall pass
It sure is amazing how things happen...I mean crazy explosions of things...out of nowhere. Today at work, we're all mourning the loss...of our department? The scary thing is how close it was to being the entire department or rather the entire company! My little Zettlebug didn't escape the hatchet :( And my loyal commenter and dear friend Nicole is patiently (well, to the best of her ability) teetering on this odd concept of an edge...with no idea how she'll fall. So that's great. Things are awkward at best here at work, with employees who were fired sitting within feet, INCHES really, of employees that were not. I'm sure you can imagine how lovely that feels. It also feels pretty lovely to assume that I'm hated by a couple people here. For really no reason whatsoever. I had nothing to do with this...I'm a peon like everyone else. And actually, a few of the people in my dept are in the same boat I'm in...still here, but feeling massive guilt for being here. For some reason though, and it could just be the narcissist in me, but I feel like some people here think I'M the Big Bad. Well, if those people feel like making me, or anyone else that's innocent, the scapegoat...I guess that's their prerogative.
Well, like all insane turns of events, with time it'll all feel so insignificant. Hopefully people will move on and find better things (like I always say: sometimes you have to take a step back to go forward). But speaking of backs, hopefully I won't get SHOT in the back in some dark alley :( If I am, you may know whom to prosecute?? In the meantime, while we wait for wounds to heal...or wounds to get another job and get out of here...its going to be a loooong few months. 2007 wasn't such a good year afterall. People getting their hearts broken, grandparents dying, debts deepening, and this...while it doesn't hold a candle to 2002, it certainly is a shady cousin. 2008 couldn't come soon enough...
Well, like all insane turns of events, with time it'll all feel so insignificant. Hopefully people will move on and find better things (like I always say: sometimes you have to take a step back to go forward). But speaking of backs, hopefully I won't get SHOT in the back in some dark alley :( If I am, you may know whom to prosecute?? In the meantime, while we wait for wounds to heal...or wounds to get another job and get out of here...its going to be a loooong few months. 2007 wasn't such a good year afterall. People getting their hearts broken, grandparents dying, debts deepening, and this...while it doesn't hold a candle to 2002, it certainly is a shady cousin. 2008 couldn't come soon enough...
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
eating and stuff
A few food related updates:
#45 - I made a Turkey Pumpkin Chili recipe in late October, but was still eating it in November so whatever, I'm counting it! Then on Monday I actually made macaroni and cheese (RR recipe - #46) from scratch! Well I didn't hand make the noodles or anything, but I fulfilled my #48 task of doing the roux/béchamel sauce, adding cheese, etc. I used gruyère and smoked gouda...and the recipe is even better when you add the following: bacon, green onions, and Baby Ray's BBQ! It wasn't half bad for my first stab at macncheese! I'd love to try again sometime...maybe some different cheese combinations!
Meanwhile, I've been able to avoid eating out except for this past weekend. John's family reconvened at this German restaurant in Kenosha after his grandma's funeral service. It was sort of like a wedding or shower meal situation because they offered you the choice of pot roast or stuffed chicken...so no baked fish or salad with dressing on the side for me!! What was funny was that, prior to finding this out, everyone was ordering alcoholic beverages and eating these delicious-looking pumpkin mini muffins...but I refrained thinking that I was going to stick to my salad/fish rule and eat that ONLY! Well as soon as I discovered that I was going to have to go balls to the wall, I gave up! I ordered my stuffed chicken (with AMAZING red cabbage), bowl of chicken and spätzle soup, a glass of wine, had 2-3 muffins, AND a slice of Mindy Segal cake: chocolate/vanilla frosting with fresh strawberries! Yeah I went a little overboard :) But I'll count it towards my "guilty pleasure" meal! (#68) I'm going at it again when Monica has her rehearsal dinner at Maggiano's next Friday...and then of course the actual wedding meal on Saturday at the reception! But in that case, I'm actually having salmon :)
Anyway, speaking of eating, I've got six more recipes to go for November, but hopefully I'll be able to fulfill several of them at Thanksgiving...only two weeks away!!! Which means the wedding is only TEN days away, count 'em TEN! I'm totally crazy nervous already and I'm not even the bride!!!
And speaking of, um, projects...my TBA project is making me SUPER nervous. PLEEEEEEEASE be on time!!!!!!!!
#45 - I made a Turkey Pumpkin Chili recipe in late October, but was still eating it in November so whatever, I'm counting it! Then on Monday I actually made macaroni and cheese (RR recipe - #46) from scratch! Well I didn't hand make the noodles or anything, but I fulfilled my #48 task of doing the roux/béchamel sauce, adding cheese, etc. I used gruyère and smoked gouda...and the recipe is even better when you add the following: bacon, green onions, and Baby Ray's BBQ! It wasn't half bad for my first stab at macncheese! I'd love to try again sometime...maybe some different cheese combinations!
Meanwhile, I've been able to avoid eating out except for this past weekend. John's family reconvened at this German restaurant in Kenosha after his grandma's funeral service. It was sort of like a wedding or shower meal situation because they offered you the choice of pot roast or stuffed chicken...so no baked fish or salad with dressing on the side for me!! What was funny was that, prior to finding this out, everyone was ordering alcoholic beverages and eating these delicious-looking pumpkin mini muffins...but I refrained thinking that I was going to stick to my salad/fish rule and eat that ONLY! Well as soon as I discovered that I was going to have to go balls to the wall, I gave up! I ordered my stuffed chicken (with AMAZING red cabbage), bowl of chicken and spätzle soup, a glass of wine, had 2-3 muffins, AND a slice of Mindy Segal cake: chocolate/vanilla frosting with fresh strawberries! Yeah I went a little overboard :) But I'll count it towards my "guilty pleasure" meal! (#68) I'm going at it again when Monica has her rehearsal dinner at Maggiano's next Friday...and then of course the actual wedding meal on Saturday at the reception! But in that case, I'm actually having salmon :)
Anyway, speaking of eating, I've got six more recipes to go for November, but hopefully I'll be able to fulfill several of them at Thanksgiving...only two weeks away!!! Which means the wedding is only TEN days away, count 'em TEN! I'm totally crazy nervous already and I'm not even the bride!!!
And speaking of, um, projects...my TBA project is making me SUPER nervous. PLEEEEEEEASE be on time!!!!!!!!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
slipping into a warm bath of pumpkin spice latte
Over the last couple days, I've compared "having a negative attitude" to slipping into a bath. In the respect that it's really easy to slip into a bad attitude, and for some strange reason, it comforts you, it feels familiar and oh so inviting. But it only comforts you in a superficial way that wears off almost immediately and then leaves you a chattering, disheartened, miserable, shriveled mess. What kind of comforting bath is that?! Well the wide-eyed four year old in me coos: In heaven I think warm baths never get cold! They stay that nearly-too-hot temperature, the bubbles never pop, and your skin never wrinkles!
Lately work has thrown a few of us some frustrating curve balls and shakes our patience to its very core. The worst part is that it isn't even work-related! I mean in a way it is because our place of business is involved, but mostly it's just plain personal...which is the worst kind of work frustration. It's the kind that leaves the office with you and goo's all over your psyche, only to fester and rot all over your deepest inner workings until you seriously feel like even your mitochondria are screaming for relief. ......Sigh.
In any case, today I got back from a double dose of pilates at lunch and after reading a link from my sis re: Starbucks' delicious Gingerbread Lattes, I literally Googled Starbucks 'Pumpkin Spice Latte' Blog and continued to be dazzled...DAZZLED...by the amount of PSL fans out there. No, 'fans' is putting far too lightly. More like absolute grounds for idolatry pumpkin spice worshipers. And I loved every second of it!!! For the whole concept of being head over heels excited over a coffee drink...and a Corporate coffee drink at that...is just so frivolous it makes the complicated, emotional overload of life so much easier to take. Mandsi and my Serenity Now Mantra lately has been "....simpler times". Ahhhh simpler times, my dear pumpkin spice latte.
Now with it being November 1st, I'm a little sad that dear PSL will only be around another week or less...perhaps it's already gone! But yes, PSL's comforting cousin Gingerbread Latte will be a sufficient replacement, even if it does mean that autumn is quickly winding down and winter is right around the corner. But for now, I'm going to try desperately to focus on the more frivolous, almost child-like stuff that life has to offer (reconsider collecting scratch-n-sniff stickers perhaps?). I gotta quit taking everything so seriously (uhh, didn't I just write a blog about that?). Because while there will always be frustrating coworkers in the world, there will also always be warm, sugary, coffee drinks at my disposal. And no, I'm not going to bathe in said sugary beverage...but maybe on some level, my bruised psyche can?
Lately work has thrown a few of us some frustrating curve balls and shakes our patience to its very core. The worst part is that it isn't even work-related! I mean in a way it is because our place of business is involved, but mostly it's just plain personal...which is the worst kind of work frustration. It's the kind that leaves the office with you and goo's all over your psyche, only to fester and rot all over your deepest inner workings until you seriously feel like even your mitochondria are screaming for relief. ......Sigh.
In any case, today I got back from a double dose of pilates at lunch and after reading a link from my sis re: Starbucks' delicious Gingerbread Lattes, I literally Googled Starbucks 'Pumpkin Spice Latte' Blog and continued to be dazzled...DAZZLED...by the amount of PSL fans out there. No, 'fans' is putting far too lightly. More like absolute grounds for idolatry pumpkin spice worshipers. And I loved every second of it!!! For the whole concept of being head over heels excited over a coffee drink...and a Corporate coffee drink at that...is just so frivolous it makes the complicated, emotional overload of life so much easier to take. Mandsi and my Serenity Now Mantra lately has been "....simpler times". Ahhhh simpler times, my dear pumpkin spice latte.
Now with it being November 1st, I'm a little sad that dear PSL will only be around another week or less...perhaps it's already gone! But yes, PSL's comforting cousin Gingerbread Latte will be a sufficient replacement, even if it does mean that autumn is quickly winding down and winter is right around the corner. But for now, I'm going to try desperately to focus on the more frivolous, almost child-like stuff that life has to offer (reconsider collecting scratch-n-sniff stickers perhaps?). I gotta quit taking everything so seriously (uhh, didn't I just write a blog about that?). Because while there will always be frustrating coworkers in the world, there will also always be warm, sugary, coffee drinks at my disposal. And no, I'm not going to bathe in said sugary beverage...but maybe on some level, my bruised psyche can?
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