And it's only Wednesday...

It is a well known fact, even on this blog, that I like to complain.  I have been trying not to complain so much lately, really, I have.  I don't know if I have really been succeeding, but I have been trying.  I am in such a blah mood right now and I don't really know what to do about it, so I am writing this blog.  I am writing to complain. Disclaimer: I know that all of these complaints are petty and that I do not in any way have the right, in the scheme of things, to complain. 

Here is a glimpse into my first three days of "summer break":

Monday:
I woke up early (ish), made a cup of coffee (I'm trying really hard to like it, which doesn't take too much with the new Bailey's creamer we bought) picked up a book (I ordered in February and hadn't had the time to start) and went outside to sit in the sun.  Although I was interrupted by the lawn mowers, I was too into the book to care (see my previous post). I took a break to work on some things left over from school that have been hanging over my head.  I won't go into the details but I will tell you these OTIS assignments are for the birds. I had three write ups to complete.  I was able to finish one of them and submit it (or so I thought, see Tuesday) before my internet died. I have been having an issue with my internet for over two weeks.  It was kind of nice during finals week because I wasn't tempted to facebook instead of study, but I had promised to call insight on Monday.  So I did.  The guy spoke English and was incredibly nice.  Couldn't fix it over the phone so I set up an appointment for a technician to come out.  I was kind of relieved because then I didn't have to sit on the phone for hours trying to figure out things to make it work.  It also gave me an excuse to put off my OTIS write ups for another day and dive back into my book, which I finished. Despite getting a tad sun burnt and eating healthy choice while Anthony was wined and dined at Children's, Monday was a very good day.

Tuesday:
I slept in a bit.  I got up when I got a call from the Insight man.  I went to make a cup of coffee but he showed up before I could get it going.  He was at my house for over an hour but I got a new modem and a new cable box out of it, with DVR, so I guess it was worth it. When he left I resumed making my cup of coffee but my Keurig decided to go crazy.  It brewed the tiniest, stoutest, cup of coffee I have ever seen (or smelled).  I didn't understand what had happened so I tried again.  Same outcome.  No bueno. A little frustrated, I realized it was time for lunch anyway.  I ate a crappy lunch (cleaning out the fridge, I can' remember the last time I went to the grocery store but I am leaving town on Friday and definitely don't want to go now) and settled in to watch Grey's on demand with my new cable.  Still pretty much a happy camper until I realized that my internet had stopped working, ALREADY. Dude hadn't been gone two hours and it stopped working!
When it came back I decided I would get those stupid write ups out of the way so I could really relax. I looked at the status of the one that I had already submitted and realized that I hadn't saved it. Seriously? It was gone, somewhere lost in cyberspace and I don't even know how to redo it.  I sent out emails to professors to figure it out but of course they're on break too, can't be too important then, right? Anyway, I finished the other two and decided to go buy a summer parking permit and head to the gym for a step class.  Half way through the step class, instructor got sick and had to cancel.  Poor girl and her "bad lunch." I got about 20 mins of a work out and my motivation was gone.  Did some abs and headed home.  More cleaning out the fridge for dinner and more TV watching.  Saw that Notting Hill was coming on and got excited.  Decided to watch it in bed.  Found out I didn't get that channel in my bedroom.  Settled for the couch.  Stayed up for 3 hours to watch it (almost 1 am) and the cable cuts out right before the "just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her" scene.  Seriously Insight???  It came back in time for me to see the end and I then went to bed.

Wednesday (Today):
I stayed up much too late Tuesday night reading blogs (taking advantage of my internet while it was working) so I slept in real late today.  I got up and decided to try to fix my Keurig, to no avail.  Just another call to service reps. Got ready to head to the gym for a cardio dance class.  Got in the car, pushed the button, nothing happened.  I had always wondered what my car would do if the battery was dead.  I didn't really want to find out, but I did today.  Called AAA.  An hour and $111 dollars later I have a new battery and a running car but I missed my cardio class.  I decided that the universe was telling me not to exercise (AGAIN). Ate a pouch of tuna and left over cous cous (still cleaning out the fridge) Talked to Mom and she encouraged me (encouraged, yeah that's what I'll call it...) to call Insight again to tell them about my internet.  So I did.  This guy wasn't nearly as nice as the first guy.  Told me they don't see anything wrong with the line but they can send out a technician again tomorrow. I'm now on call from 8am-5pm for the Insight tech, AGAIN.  The only thing I am looking forward to is Modern Family and dinner.  Unfortunately, dinner will probably be more fridge cleaning since I am broke. 

All of this and it's only Wednesday!

I knew that typing all of this out would make me realize how silly I am being for letting these things get me down.  I think my biggest complaint is that I need to see people (other than service representatives)!  I don't particularly like being alone for more than about a day. "Me time" is great but only in moderation.  I am very much ready to go home and see MY people (and dog) on Friday :)

Please forgive me for my complaints.  I am going to go clean my dirty house and get it ready for my new roomie ;) Fingers crossed my internet works long enough for me to post this, or not... 

The Art of Racing in the Rain

 

I have always claimed to not like to read but that is really a lie.  I just need the right book (i.e. anything I select for myself). I read this book today. In less than 12 hours. With at least a 4 hour break. I was warned that it was sad and that I would need a box of tissues.  I made it through with only a few tears shed. If I can do it, you can do it, and you should. SO GOOD!

"To live every day as if it had been stolen from death, that is how I would like to live.  To feel the joy of life, as Eve felt the joy of life.  To separate oneself from the burden, the angst, the anguish that we all encounter every day.  To say I am alive, I am wonderful, I am. I am. That is something to aspire to."

Just read it! :)

It's my Birthday!

I know I have been gone a while, I feel kind of guilty about that.  I'm not sure why I feel guilty, very few people read this blog, but I do.

Today is my Birthday! I am 23 (2nd anniversary of turning 21, right?).  I know 23 isn't old but I feel kind of old.  I remember being 14 and thinking about being in my 20s and how far away that was. Crazy to think that was 9 years ago!  Guess time flies when you're having fun, and I like to think that for the most part I am having fun :)

Since I like lists, here is a short list of important things that have happened/are happening:

• I survived my 3 kiddos in the Peds clinic and got a A while doing it
• I am getting a roomie May 16th. He's pretty cute ;) He is bringing a new-to-me TV and couch, too...which is nice. Oh, and he'll only live here on the weekends as he will be flying cross country most of the week...meh.
• Next week is my last "finals week" ever! Pretty excited, despite the fact that I have yet to take "the most important test of my college career" (as I like to call it).
•   I want a puppy but getting a puppy makes me feel like I am cheating on Tink. Anthony thinks that is irrational, is that irrational?
• I survived nearly 2 weeks of tonsillitis, then 2 weeks later I gave it to Anthony.  You're Welcome :)
• I Skyped with my Saster and Shortcake for the first time today so I could open my birthday present from Beth.  It was so fun.  Then my internet died.  Sad times.
• I have not seen my nails a natural color for more than 10mins since Easter.  I am getting better at painting them myself!
• I have been making delicious cupcakes out the wazoo.  Most recent = Pina Colada = yum.
• I am like a 5 year old when it comes to gifts.  So exciting. (notice the birthday theme to this list, sorry...it IS my birthday, I can't help it!)
• I forgot that this list was supposed to be of IMPORTANT things...ah well.

Calm week and wicked weather

So there has been some pretty wicked weather going on in the Bluegrass today.  Fortunately, Lexington escaped most of the damaging storms.  Unfortunately, there have been several tornado touch downs with deaths and injuries reported.  My thoughts and prayers go out to those communities. 

I just wanted to write a little update on my week.  Pretty uneventful but really nice. 

Sunday I came home from Cincinnati early to have lunch with M&D.  We ate at Mi Mexico, our favorite.  I then took a little shopping trip to TJ Maxx, bought some new shoes, and stopped by Kroger for a few things.  I also picked up these:

I love the manager's special flowers and I can never pass up lilies.  Not too shabby for $3.50.  They have been brightening up my living room all week :)

I have done a whole lot of nothing for the rest of this week.  Besides going to class and doing the necessities, I really have spent a lot of time in the gym (as of today I have lost 3.5 pounds, yay!) and on the couch.  On Wednesday, I had a cancellation in the clinic which made for a short day (even after spending 20 min in the basement during a tornado warning!) so I headed to the gym and then Kroger for stuff to make a healthy dinner: 

 

I made some pasta with mushrooms, squash, and zucchini.  Very simple but pretty delicious.  I just ate the leftovers tonight while hunkered down in my storm palate in the hallway:

 Mattress pad in the most interior place in my house, complete with pillow, blanket, flashlight, Pish, reading materials, and a snack.  Fortunately I didn't really spend too much time there this evening! 

 I am back on the couch now, kind of bummed that the weather cancelled my plans to go see The Vow with the girls.  But that's okay, I'll be home for Friday Bride-day on TLC, my favorite!  

Tomorrow M&D are bringing me Tinker for the night while they join the Parrot Heads at the Yum! Center to see Jimmy Buffet.  And Sunday we are having a baby shower for my classmate, Annie.  She is having a little boy, due in April.  We are all so excited (and nervous) for her!

Fudgy Baby Cakes :)

This weekend has been less than ideal for many reasons, but I'm not going to focus on the negatives for once. 
On Tuesday (Valentine's Day) I got the best pick-me-up when I came home from school:

Beth sent me this book and a cupcake corer for Valentine's Day!

I took some time on Thursday night to look through it, and let me tell you, it gave me baking fever for sure.  I am trying to count my calories and I already had a cheat day when we were in Louisville for KSHA on Wednesday but since I am spending my weekend at home, alone, studying and doing homework, I thought I would treat myself.  So in order to test out the recipes in the book but not be too bad or too ambitious, I picked a very simple cupcake without frosting (I calculated the calories online -- around 200, and I saved enough to have one...or two). They only have 8 ingredients, and they are supposed to crack and fall in the middle, so I didn't have to worry about them falling! I decided to document the process just in case, by some act of God, they turned out good.

They call them "Fudgy Baby Cakes" (Baby Cakes was a short lived nickname of my mine given to me by Beth)

Semi-sweet chocolate squares and lots of butter

Flour, eggs, and a TON of sugar.

 

 

The batter smelled delicious! 

So I popped them in the oven and crossed my fingers.

 

And this is how they looked when I pulled them out of the oven.  Perfect, right? Except they are SUPPOSED to crack and fall in the middle.  Really?!?

 But they just needed to cool a little.  Now they look perfect!

I didn't take a picture of the gooey deliciousness in my bowl with a little scoop of Vanilla ice cream, mainly because my scoop of ice cream was sad and a million different pieces, not very photogenic. Icing-less cupcakes does not accurately describe them.  I would say they are more like half baked brownies, mmmm. I couldn't have just one, and luckily I saved enough calories for two. Now I have 20 of these bad boys left, just mocking me from the kitchen. So if you are reading this and nearby, please come eat these!

A weekend in pictures

So, these next two weeks are pretty much going to be terrible BUT this weekend was wonderful!  Anthony told me a few weeks ago that he had an idea for Valentine's day but he wouldn't tell me what.  He is super good a keeping secrets, even with me badgering him every 25 seconds, but he did let it slip that he was packing a bag, so I knew that we were going somewhere...Louisville, I could only hope!

So this is what I woke up to on Friday morning after Anthony had gone to work:

 

Cute little note on the bathroom mirror.  An envelope full of goodies:

A little teaser article about Louisville food

 

 Reservations for the weekend (he made them in November!):

 

Dinner options for Friday night:

 

We chose Taco Punk.  Neat little place. 

We also checked out a super cool bar nearby:  Garage

I got the District 8.  It was delicious.  I mainly took this picture to help remember ingredients!

And Reservations at our favorite, Varanese, on Saturday night!

I can't get this one to rotate, so turn your head sideways!

 

 

(not a stock photo)

Dinner was delish, as usual.

We walked (brrrr...) to the Comfy Cow after dinner for some dessert.  I had a piece of pecan pie with chocolate caramel pecan ice cream and Anthony and bourbon ball ice cream. It was magical and the place is so cute.

We made it back to the hotel to watch the last part of the UK game!

and we won, of course! (We watched the Cards win earlier from bar downtown, too)

So we uncorked a bottle of champagne:

From the little gift I put together for him:

Really, the least I could do after he gave me such a fab. weekend.

All in all a GREAT weekend in the 'Ville!

I couldn't find the best place to fit nap time into the highlights but this is real cute, so I had to include it!

Not so happy about the weekend being over. So I cheered myself up by making Valentine therapy materials for tomorrow:

And  made delicious (and easy) treats for my beautiful Valentines at school:

http://www.musesofmegret.com/2009/02/13/chocolate-pretzel-buttons/ 

Happy Valentine's Day ya'll!

I got 9 hours of sleep last night and that calls for a blog post!

Life is much better with sleep.  My whole changes with a few extra hours.  Today has been a good day.  Possibly the best non-weekend day since school started back.  School is consuming me.  I find myself overwhelmed 98% of the time and the end of the tunnel is nowhere in sight. I have been trying to make myself believe my new mantra "Life is more than school." I keep reminding myself but it still hasn't clicked yet. But today, I checked off everything on my to do list (oh, I edited it for feasibility, don't worry...there is always something else I could be doing), got in a work out (which is great for clearing your head), and I am spending the night doing laundry and watching TV.  Today might be the first time in two weeks that I feel like I am going to be okay.  Seriously, sleep is crazy good. 

P.S. I am part of a cohort of beautiful, hilarious, and incredible girls (and a couple a boys..who are all of those things too) who keep me smiling and laughing while we all suffer through together.  So thankful for them. 

Mono or _____?

I have often asked myself if I think I am getting Mono or if I am just fill in the blank (sad, lonely, lazy, sleepy)?  I do this because one year after Christmas when I was still high school, my sister left to go back to college and I sat around for two days and moped (not to be confused with a mo-ped) and slept and slept and moped. I just wasn't myself and I didn't know what was wrong. It was so bad that Mom took me to be tested for mono. It was positive and there we had our answer. 

I think about that every year when my sister leaves to go home after Christmas break.  The house feels so empty without her and Shortcake.  Her absence makes me want to stay in PJs, watch TV, and snooze on and off all day (not that I don't do exactly that while she is here, too...it's just different).  So sometimes I think that's what I'll do.  I'll mope and sleep and sleep and mope and blame it on mono.

Beth left today.  I actually left the house for lunch with Sarah but then I came home and curled up in a blanket and watched TV and napped to mourn her absence.  I know that sounds kind or morbid, and I don't mean it to be.  I know she is okay (I just talked to her, she just made it back to Florida safely) and I know that I will be okay too, but I like to give myself a little bit of time to be sad because I will most likely not see my sister again until May.  For just a little while over Christmas break I am reminded that we used to live in the same house and we used to do our own things but at night we had dinner at the same table and slept under the same roof.  So, when she returns to Florida and I am still at home for a few days I have more nostalgia for childhood than usual.

Resolution update:

I spent hours last night perusing Ikea's website making a "future home" wish list which completely violated my wishing away my life resolution, ah well. 

Also, I realized that I left one out: I want to be the best and most creative SLP in-training that I can possibly be this year (and always).

2012

Wow, that was a quick year!

2011 has been really great, I have to say. I have very few complaints about the year as a whole (also, the holiday season was pretty wonderful...I'll try to blog about that a little later), but of course I have a few resolutions for 2012. I try to keep them fairly do-able because I don't like to feel like a failure or anything. Maybe that is bad. Maybe resolutions should really challenge you, but I don't really think that is the point. So here are a few of my New Year's resolutions (in a list of course!):

• Make time for the JC. I have a year and a half left of free gym membership (not actually free, but the price is built in) that I cannot let go to waste. I made the excuse that I have been too busy in graduate school but I know that isn't completely true. Although I have been super busy I am also very lazy so I'm gonna work on that.
• Try to be less judgmental.  I have already admitted that this is my number one character flaw so maybe I should work on that.
• Stop wishing my life away.  I am always searching for something to look forward to or count down til.  Spring break, graduation, next weekend, ahem-  getting married, etc. Time goes by fast enough as it is and all of these things will eventually come (or they won't, whatever) so I shouldn't waste time wishing it away.
• Make all of the recipes on Pinterest.  Haha, that's not daunting, right?  Just kidding.  But I do want to make a lot of them, all of them that seem feasible for me.  I can't eat like a poor college student forever so I need to expand my repertoire in the kitchen. Why not start now?
• Keep blogging! :)

Happy New Year!