I made this dip for Evan's party Saturday and a couple of people asked for the recipe. You'll love it or hate it. I love it. Libba introduced us to it last year when she brought it as an appetizer to a spur-of-the-moment "dinner party" at our house.
I remember the night well because it's the night Meg removed a Swaddle Me blanket from her child so I could wrap it around my own flailing, screaming one. My sanity was hanging on by a hair at that point, and the discovery of a swaddling blanket with Velcro helped save it.
That also is the night it clicked for Matt and me that dinner parties really are about the company and conversation; if those are high-quality, the food you serve hardly matters. That particular evening, if I recall correctly, we dined on leftovers from Meg and Drew's fridge. (Meg's a great cook, by the way, and even her leftovers are a treat.) In our harried state as sleep-deprived parents of a newborn and a 1-year-old, our small epiphany came as quite a relief. Because we were in no shape to try to impress anyone.
Back to the dip. I know I just said the food doesn't matter, but on the other hand, discovering a delicious new recipe is never a bad thing. I got Libba's recipe as soon as possible and have made this dip many times since. Here is our slightly modified version:
Mix together:
2 green apples, chopped (I leave the peel on because it's my favorite part of the apple)
1 4- or 5-ounce tub of crumbled blue cheese
4 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise
Lemon juice to taste
Black pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
(Celery and pecans are optional. They were not in the version at Evan's party.)
Cover and let sit in the refrigerator a couple of hours, if possible, before serving; it's better when the flavors have meshed. I've tried this with many types of crackers, and they're all good.
Showing posts with label free advice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free advice. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
If Corduroy were a dresser
Ever since Matt's mom showed me how easy, inexpensive and fun it is to transform furniture with paint, I've been constantly on the lookout for future projects. I don't think there's a room in our house that doesn't feature some piece I found at a yard sale, thrift store, Freecycle, the dump, or that was handed down from family. And you should see our garage -- it's full of discarded furniture patiently awaiting new life.However, at some point even I have to concede that a person only needs so many tables, dressers, chairs, bookshelves and mirrors (a particular weakness). So today I would like to share the love and let you know that a diamond-in-the-rough dresser is available at the Coalition on Pennsylvania Avenue in Southern Pines.
For the bargain price of $15 (!!!) this can be yours:
It's big -- wider than it looks in the picture -- and solid. The wood is definitely worn but easily covered by paint. I saw only one somewhat significant flaw: A piece of one of the drawers is broken off. This is cosmetic only and wouldn't affect functionality but if you did want to fix it I'm not sure how easy it would be.
Slap on some paint, replace the handles, maybe work on that drawer and you have a gorgeous, sturdy dresser at a nothing-to-lose price, plus a good story for every person who compliments it for years to come. Somebody, hurry to claim this -- and by all means, if you do, let me know!
P.S. Shout-out to Matt's dad, who babysat for us tonight while we went to dinner and then Bible study. We had a great time, Ron had a great time and I know the kids did too. Not to mention we didn't have to pay a babysitter. Let's see, I think that would be a win-win-win-win situation. Thank you, Ron!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Buying for a baby
Next up, from Ally: "I'd enjoy reading advice you have re: how to prepare for your first newborn, e.g. what you should really buy (and shouldn't), etc."
What you should and shouldn't buy for a newborn is an interesting topic because it differs so much from person to person. I did so much product research before Claire was born -- studied "Consumer Reports' Best Baby Products," analyzed friends' baby registries, and asked a million questions of more experienced moms. I had fun with it, but in retrospect I think it was fairly useless. Babies are so individual, and what works for one won't necessarily work for another one. As such, "must buy" lists are almost entirely subjective.
My friend Sonya wrote just such a post recently: "Top 10 Baby Gifts." We have pretty similar parenting philosophies, but there was not a lot of overlap between which products she considers essential and which ones I do. Not only that, but I could create entirely different lists for Claire and Evan, who were very different babies.
I think that's enough disclaimers. Here are some of my thoughts on baby products.
In general: - Borrow or buy used whenever you can. There's no point buying a shiny new bouncer; you might have a baby like Evan who hates it. Even if you have a baby like Claire who loves it, it won't be shiny and new for long, so why pay more?
- Buy gender-neutral products! Unless you're sure you'd be OK with your son sitting in a pink high chair (or you're willing to potentially buy two of everything). It can be surprisingly difficult to find gender-neutral options, but the effort will pay off when you have a second kid and it's the opposite sex of your first.
Recommended: - Pack-and-plays, or "play yards," are essential for traveling with kids -- even if that just means going to a friend's house during naptime. Buy the cheapest, lightest one that you can. We have two of them: an expensive Chicco with lots of bells and whistles, and a cheaper Graco. Anytime we need only one, we use the Graco. It's lighter to carry, easier to set up and just as comfy for a sleeping baby.
- We used the Bumbo baby seat all the time, especially for Claire. Around the 4- to 6-month mark, babies love to sit up and look around, but they can't quite do it by themselves and bouncers are too reclined to help. The Bumbo helps them sit upright and happily check out the scene.
- We love the Sony Baby Call monitor. It has great battery life, great range and lots of channels to minimize interference. Best of all, it has a voice-activation feature so you hear silence (not static) when all's quiet in the baby's room.
- We never used any kind of swaddling blankets with Claire, but I don't know what we would have done without the Swaddle Me blanket for Evan. It is a lifesaver for babies who like to flail their arms and get themselves worked up when they're supposed to be falling asleep.
- I probably would have found it impossible to justify buying the pricey Medela Pump in Style breast pump, but I was lucky enough to borrow one for both kids (borrowing these is not officially recommended). In retrospect I think it would have been worth the splurge. It worked very well -- fast and efficient -- and except for the fact that it sometimes spoke to me I had no complaints.
- If you're going to use disposable diapers even occasionally, you're probably going to want something more than a regular trash can for dirty diapers. We have a Diaper Dekor (the smaller size, because we use cloth diapers about half the time) and have been really happy with it. It keeps odors at bay, it's simple to empty, and buying bag refills is easy.
- It seems like most babies love either their bouncer (Claire) or their swing (Evan). With Claire, we could have skipped the swing altogether. But I think most people would find a bouncer to be useful for the first few months, if only for keeping an eye on your baby while you shower. They're light and portable; when Claire was very young we sometimes even used it as a traveling bed. She also sometimes napped in it outdoors when she was still a newborn, and we used a handy-dandy netted bouncer cover to keep bugs off of her (it was summertime).
- When we were shopping for high chairs the Fisher-Price Space Saver high chair seemed like the obvious choice. We now have two of them and we still don't understand why they aren't more common. They attach onto a dining chair instead of replacing one (which means you don't have a displaced chair to store) and otherwise work just like any other high chair. I think they transition to a booster seat for toddlers, but Claire went straight to a regular chair from hers. Whatever high chair you go with, don't spend much money on it. They. Get. Gross.
- We didn't use a noise machine with Claire, although she did have an air filter in her room that served that purpose if I knew the house was going to be noisy while she was sleeping. We also never used a noise machine with Evan -- until we moved to this house. Which I love, but the walls are thin, the floors creak and Claire's room is directly beneath Evan's. It only took a couple of days before I realized noise machines were not going to be optional here. After some online research I bought two Marpac Sleepmate 580As and they are fantastic. They provide plain old white noise, not lullabies or heartbeats or anything else that noise machines are prone to provide. They run on household electricity, not batteries., and they're small, lightweight and portable. They don't block all noise, but they take the edge off without being obnoxiously loud. Love these.
Overrated: - My Brest Friend and other nursing pillows. The sweet friend who sent me a Brest Friend included a note saying she wouldn't have survived without hers. I found it to be bulky and not needed.
- Baby Bjorn and similar carriers. I thought I would love the Bjorn, and I did use it sometimes for Claire, but overall I thought it was more trouble than it was worth for quick errands. However, these are easy to find used, so I definitely recommend giving them a shot.
- Baby-wipe warmers, baby-food makers, pacifier sanitizers, etc. If it seems over-the-top, it probably is.
- Most store-bought toys, at least in the first year of life (and, I would argue, beyond). This is so cliche, but it's true: Babies are very happy exploring your kitchen cabinets, dumping rocks from one measuring cup to another, playing with anything that rolls or bounces, examining the dust on your floor, etc. You don't need many toys with batteries. Of course, I am in favor of accumulating as many books as you can get your hands on. :)
- Most baby-proofing items. We do have outlet protectors in most of our outlets and a baby gate a few steps up on the stairs (so Evan can practice climbing without risking serious injury). We have never babyproofed door knobs, cabinets, etc. (Really dangerous stuff we put far out of reach; undangerous but gross stuff, like toilets and trash, or things we don't want ruined, like unread magazines and laptops, we teach the kids not to play with. They have fairly free reign over most of the rest of the house.)
I know this is not nearly comprehensive. What products am I leaving out? How different are my "must haves" from yours?
What you should and shouldn't buy for a newborn is an interesting topic because it differs so much from person to person. I did so much product research before Claire was born -- studied "Consumer Reports' Best Baby Products," analyzed friends' baby registries, and asked a million questions of more experienced moms. I had fun with it, but in retrospect I think it was fairly useless. Babies are so individual, and what works for one won't necessarily work for another one. As such, "must buy" lists are almost entirely subjective.
My friend Sonya wrote just such a post recently: "Top 10 Baby Gifts." We have pretty similar parenting philosophies, but there was not a lot of overlap between which products she considers essential and which ones I do. Not only that, but I could create entirely different lists for Claire and Evan, who were very different babies.
I think that's enough disclaimers. Here are some of my thoughts on baby products.
In general: - Borrow or buy used whenever you can. There's no point buying a shiny new bouncer; you might have a baby like Evan who hates it. Even if you have a baby like Claire who loves it, it won't be shiny and new for long, so why pay more?
- Buy gender-neutral products! Unless you're sure you'd be OK with your son sitting in a pink high chair (or you're willing to potentially buy two of everything). It can be surprisingly difficult to find gender-neutral options, but the effort will pay off when you have a second kid and it's the opposite sex of your first.
Recommended: - Pack-and-plays, or "play yards," are essential for traveling with kids -- even if that just means going to a friend's house during naptime. Buy the cheapest, lightest one that you can. We have two of them: an expensive Chicco with lots of bells and whistles, and a cheaper Graco. Anytime we need only one, we use the Graco. It's lighter to carry, easier to set up and just as comfy for a sleeping baby.
- We used the Bumbo baby seat all the time, especially for Claire. Around the 4- to 6-month mark, babies love to sit up and look around, but they can't quite do it by themselves and bouncers are too reclined to help. The Bumbo helps them sit upright and happily check out the scene.
- We love the Sony Baby Call monitor. It has great battery life, great range and lots of channels to minimize interference. Best of all, it has a voice-activation feature so you hear silence (not static) when all's quiet in the baby's room.
- We never used any kind of swaddling blankets with Claire, but I don't know what we would have done without the Swaddle Me blanket for Evan. It is a lifesaver for babies who like to flail their arms and get themselves worked up when they're supposed to be falling asleep.
- I probably would have found it impossible to justify buying the pricey Medela Pump in Style breast pump, but I was lucky enough to borrow one for both kids (borrowing these is not officially recommended). In retrospect I think it would have been worth the splurge. It worked very well -- fast and efficient -- and except for the fact that it sometimes spoke to me I had no complaints.
- If you're going to use disposable diapers even occasionally, you're probably going to want something more than a regular trash can for dirty diapers. We have a Diaper Dekor (the smaller size, because we use cloth diapers about half the time) and have been really happy with it. It keeps odors at bay, it's simple to empty, and buying bag refills is easy.
- It seems like most babies love either their bouncer (Claire) or their swing (Evan). With Claire, we could have skipped the swing altogether. But I think most people would find a bouncer to be useful for the first few months, if only for keeping an eye on your baby while you shower. They're light and portable; when Claire was very young we sometimes even used it as a traveling bed. She also sometimes napped in it outdoors when she was still a newborn, and we used a handy-dandy netted bouncer cover to keep bugs off of her (it was summertime).
- When we were shopping for high chairs the Fisher-Price Space Saver high chair seemed like the obvious choice. We now have two of them and we still don't understand why they aren't more common. They attach onto a dining chair instead of replacing one (which means you don't have a displaced chair to store) and otherwise work just like any other high chair. I think they transition to a booster seat for toddlers, but Claire went straight to a regular chair from hers. Whatever high chair you go with, don't spend much money on it. They. Get. Gross.
- We didn't use a noise machine with Claire, although she did have an air filter in her room that served that purpose if I knew the house was going to be noisy while she was sleeping. We also never used a noise machine with Evan -- until we moved to this house. Which I love, but the walls are thin, the floors creak and Claire's room is directly beneath Evan's. It only took a couple of days before I realized noise machines were not going to be optional here. After some online research I bought two Marpac Sleepmate 580As and they are fantastic. They provide plain old white noise, not lullabies or heartbeats or anything else that noise machines are prone to provide. They run on household electricity, not batteries., and they're small, lightweight and portable. They don't block all noise, but they take the edge off without being obnoxiously loud. Love these.
Overrated: - My Brest Friend and other nursing pillows. The sweet friend who sent me a Brest Friend included a note saying she wouldn't have survived without hers. I found it to be bulky and not needed.
- Baby Bjorn and similar carriers. I thought I would love the Bjorn, and I did use it sometimes for Claire, but overall I thought it was more trouble than it was worth for quick errands. However, these are easy to find used, so I definitely recommend giving them a shot.
- Baby-wipe warmers, baby-food makers, pacifier sanitizers, etc. If it seems over-the-top, it probably is.
- Most store-bought toys, at least in the first year of life (and, I would argue, beyond). This is so cliche, but it's true: Babies are very happy exploring your kitchen cabinets, dumping rocks from one measuring cup to another, playing with anything that rolls or bounces, examining the dust on your floor, etc. You don't need many toys with batteries. Of course, I am in favor of accumulating as many books as you can get your hands on. :)
- Most baby-proofing items. We do have outlet protectors in most of our outlets and a baby gate a few steps up on the stairs (so Evan can practice climbing without risking serious injury). We have never babyproofed door knobs, cabinets, etc. (Really dangerous stuff we put far out of reach; undangerous but gross stuff, like toilets and trash, or things we don't want ruined, like unread magazines and laptops, we teach the kids not to play with. They have fairly free reign over most of the rest of the house.)
I know this is not nearly comprehensive. What products am I leaving out? How different are my "must haves" from yours?
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Nothing a pot of coffee can't cure
Sunday night I went to bed at 7:15 (before Claire) and that uninterrupted stretch of, I guess, almost 11 hours of sleep worked wonders. When I woke up yesterday morning I was still tired, but like a normal person is tired, not like a zombie who might actually fall asleep standing up.
Being somewhat rested felt so good that last night we were in bed before 10, but if I had to guess, in another day or two we'll be back to our old ways. I tend to forget very quickly how much sleep matters.
----------
I've been spending a lot of my "free time" lately listing items on eBay (they now allow 50 free listings per month). The main thing I've been selling is clothes -- lots and lots of clothes. I'm learning what works: well-known brands, lots of measurements, stupid-low start prices. Then the market does its thing.
Buyers seem to love a robust bidding war. I can start a skirt at $7.99 and it will sit and sit and then expire, but if I start it at $2.99, it will get eight bids and sell for $10. I'm pretty fascinated by the emotional and psychological components of pricing, buying and selling.
It's interesting that I would drive across town to save $20 on a $40 grocery bill, but not to save $20 on, let's say, a $10,000 car. $20 is $20.
Also interesting that I spend hours and hours each month clipping, organizing and using cents-off coupons -- yet I hardly bat an eye when we decide to (yet again) drop the price of our house by thousands of dollars.
And don't even get me started on money spent eating out and my (mostly) irrational justifications for it. That's fodder for a whole 'nother post.
Time to sleep. 10:36 p.m., for the record.
Being somewhat rested felt so good that last night we were in bed before 10, but if I had to guess, in another day or two we'll be back to our old ways. I tend to forget very quickly how much sleep matters.
----------
I've been spending a lot of my "free time" lately listing items on eBay (they now allow 50 free listings per month). The main thing I've been selling is clothes -- lots and lots of clothes. I'm learning what works: well-known brands, lots of measurements, stupid-low start prices. Then the market does its thing.
Buyers seem to love a robust bidding war. I can start a skirt at $7.99 and it will sit and sit and then expire, but if I start it at $2.99, it will get eight bids and sell for $10. I'm pretty fascinated by the emotional and psychological components of pricing, buying and selling.
It's interesting that I would drive across town to save $20 on a $40 grocery bill, but not to save $20 on, let's say, a $10,000 car. $20 is $20.
Also interesting that I spend hours and hours each month clipping, organizing and using cents-off coupons -- yet I hardly bat an eye when we decide to (yet again) drop the price of our house by thousands of dollars.
And don't even get me started on money spent eating out and my (mostly) irrational justifications for it. That's fodder for a whole 'nother post.
Time to sleep. 10:36 p.m., for the record.
Monday, January 3, 2011
I'll be back
I don't consider myself a snob about customer service but I do hate when it's bad (click here and here) and love when it's good (click here and here). Last week, the Nordstrom at Phipps Plaza in Atlanta raised the bar.
First, to review, I am a little bit in love with 7 for All Mankind jeans. Most of my clothes come from thrift stores, outlet stores and TJ Maxx, but all my life I have had trouble finding jeans that fit me well, and 7s are they. I have three pairs, and I justify their expense because they cost me pennies on a per-wear basis. I wear these jeans to death.
My favorite pair has become threadbare with wear over the years. There are no actual holes yet, but if you hold them up to the light you can see through them. I was bemoaning this to someone who told me she'd heard you could trade in holely 7s for a new pair.
Clearly, that sounded too good to be true. But I knew we'd have access to a Nordstrom while in Atlanta, so I brought along the jeans (bought at Nordstrom.com) in case we had a chance to check out that claim.
We did. Long story short, the salespeople politely told me there was no such policy for 7 jeans, that my jeans' condition was considered normal wear and tear. I told them I completely agreed, there was no defect with the jeans, but I thought it was worth asking. (This is where it gets good.)
They asked if I had my original receipt. I did not. They asked if I had the credit card I had used to pay for the jeans. I did.
Somehow, they searched month by month through the last four years of my credit card transactions and found my purchase of these jeans. And then ... they refunded my money. $153. Cash.
I could not believe it.
Sadly, this story does not end with a picture of my awesome new replacement jeans. We had both kids with us, one of whom was melting down because it was her naptime, and it just wasn't good timing for trying on a bunch of pairs of pants. Also, I'm still carrying a little post-pregnancy-and-holidays weight, and I'd rather be back at my normal size and shape before spending that kind of money on jeans. So I walked out with the cash. But when I do replace them, it will be at Nordstrom.
I have told this story to everyone who will listen. This is why good customer service is good for the customer and for the company.
Are you listening, Walgreens?
First, to review, I am a little bit in love with 7 for All Mankind jeans. Most of my clothes come from thrift stores, outlet stores and TJ Maxx, but all my life I have had trouble finding jeans that fit me well, and 7s are they. I have three pairs, and I justify their expense because they cost me pennies on a per-wear basis. I wear these jeans to death.
My favorite pair has become threadbare with wear over the years. There are no actual holes yet, but if you hold them up to the light you can see through them. I was bemoaning this to someone who told me she'd heard you could trade in holely 7s for a new pair.
Clearly, that sounded too good to be true. But I knew we'd have access to a Nordstrom while in Atlanta, so I brought along the jeans (bought at Nordstrom.com) in case we had a chance to check out that claim.
We did. Long story short, the salespeople politely told me there was no such policy for 7 jeans, that my jeans' condition was considered normal wear and tear. I told them I completely agreed, there was no defect with the jeans, but I thought it was worth asking. (This is where it gets good.)
They asked if I had my original receipt. I did not. They asked if I had the credit card I had used to pay for the jeans. I did.
Somehow, they searched month by month through the last four years of my credit card transactions and found my purchase of these jeans. And then ... they refunded my money. $153. Cash.
I could not believe it.
Sadly, this story does not end with a picture of my awesome new replacement jeans. We had both kids with us, one of whom was melting down because it was her naptime, and it just wasn't good timing for trying on a bunch of pairs of pants. Also, I'm still carrying a little post-pregnancy-and-holidays weight, and I'd rather be back at my normal size and shape before spending that kind of money on jeans. So I walked out with the cash. But when I do replace them, it will be at Nordstrom.
I have told this story to everyone who will listen. This is why good customer service is good for the customer and for the company.
Are you listening, Walgreens?
Monday, October 25, 2010
Claire's taking a long nap, so ...
Two posts in one day, what? This is what happens when you go on "maternity leave" (the work-at-home-mom version) because surely you're about to have a baby -- and then the baby procrastinates.
So, let's see. This weekend was so great. Thanks to Ron, Matt and I got to go out without Claire on Friday AND Sunday nights. Friday night Stephen had people over for a cookout and a big campfire with drinks (I had O'Doul's for the first time -- not bad), s'mores, and lots of experimenting with different materials in the fire. Lots of pyromaniacs with a buzz. It was a really fun night. I don't think there's much better than literally uncontrollable laughter.
Saturday we had planned to go to Raleigh to return some stuff, poke around the mall, eat at Remington Grill and just get out of the house, but we weren't really in the mood to drive so instead we stuck around home. Yesterday, after church and chili and football, Matt and I went on weekend date night No. 2. Many thanks to Ron -- even though his fun was cut short by Claire crashing at 6:30 p.m. It is so nice to be out by ourselves sometimes.
Great news -- my fantasy football team finally won a game this week! I have avoided writing about my fantasy team this season because it is just depressing. Only Matt truly understands. I have a fantastic team -- my only weak spot is tight end, which hardly matters -- but almost unbelievable bad luck with matchups. As of last week (because this week's results aren't final until after Monday Night Football), I was 0-6, dead last, bottom of the heap. But I only had three fewer points than the guy in second place with a 5-1 record. It is quite discouraging. Anyway, at least my losing streak is broken now. Gooo, Adrenaline!
Last week Matt was so sick with what seemed like the flu, but wasn't because it lasted only one day, that he stayed home from work for the first time I can remember. All night the night it hit him he was feverish and back and forth from sweats to chills. And he had a splitting headache for basically 24 hours. All day the three of us just camped out at home and except for Matt's utter misery, it was a nice change of pace. We read about a million books and ate popsicles and stayed in our pajamas and didn't leave the house. It felt like a snow day.
I got my flu shot the next day. I had been meaning to anyway. Claire got hers a few weeks ago. Matt is still unprotected.
Also last week I got my hair cut pretty short (too short for a ponytail) and highlighted. I'm really glad I got that out of the way before Evan's birth. I like this length, I just wish I knew how to style it. But realistically, the bigger problem is that I'm lazy. Also, I don't like the feel of products (mousse, hairspray, etc.) in my hair. So my hair will always look just good enough. It's a price I'm willing to pay.
I finally broke down and bought a few of my favorite parenting/child-development books. I kept renewing them at the library or borrowing them from friends and finally it was obvious they were resources I would continue returning to. Also, I wanted to be able to underline the really good parts. :)
I think most pop-psychology books are stupid, whether they're about relationships or raising children or living your best life now or whatever. I've given many parenting books a chance but only finished the handful that I didn't think were completely ridiculous and based on the author's opinion/agenda/personal experience. By far, my two favorites are "The First Three Years of Life" by Burton White and "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth. Excellent books. Many thanks to the friends who recommended them!
This is way long. I should go clean the shower or something.
So, let's see. This weekend was so great. Thanks to Ron, Matt and I got to go out without Claire on Friday AND Sunday nights. Friday night Stephen had people over for a cookout and a big campfire with drinks (I had O'Doul's for the first time -- not bad), s'mores, and lots of experimenting with different materials in the fire. Lots of pyromaniacs with a buzz. It was a really fun night. I don't think there's much better than literally uncontrollable laughter.
Saturday we had planned to go to Raleigh to return some stuff, poke around the mall, eat at Remington Grill and just get out of the house, but we weren't really in the mood to drive so instead we stuck around home. Yesterday, after church and chili and football, Matt and I went on weekend date night No. 2. Many thanks to Ron -- even though his fun was cut short by Claire crashing at 6:30 p.m. It is so nice to be out by ourselves sometimes.Great news -- my fantasy football team finally won a game this week! I have avoided writing about my fantasy team this season because it is just depressing. Only Matt truly understands. I have a fantastic team -- my only weak spot is tight end, which hardly matters -- but almost unbelievable bad luck with matchups. As of last week (because this week's results aren't final until after Monday Night Football), I was 0-6, dead last, bottom of the heap. But I only had three fewer points than the guy in second place with a 5-1 record. It is quite discouraging. Anyway, at least my losing streak is broken now. Gooo, Adrenaline!
Last week Matt was so sick with what seemed like the flu, but wasn't because it lasted only one day, that he stayed home from work for the first time I can remember. All night the night it hit him he was feverish and back and forth from sweats to chills. And he had a splitting headache for basically 24 hours. All day the three of us just camped out at home and except for Matt's utter misery, it was a nice change of pace. We read about a million books and ate popsicles and stayed in our pajamas and didn't leave the house. It felt like a snow day.
I got my flu shot the next day. I had been meaning to anyway. Claire got hers a few weeks ago. Matt is still unprotected.
Also last week I got my hair cut pretty short (too short for a ponytail) and highlighted. I'm really glad I got that out of the way before Evan's birth. I like this length, I just wish I knew how to style it. But realistically, the bigger problem is that I'm lazy. Also, I don't like the feel of products (mousse, hairspray, etc.) in my hair. So my hair will always look just good enough. It's a price I'm willing to pay.
I finally broke down and bought a few of my favorite parenting/child-development books. I kept renewing them at the library or borrowing them from friends and finally it was obvious they were resources I would continue returning to. Also, I wanted to be able to underline the really good parts. :)
I think most pop-psychology books are stupid, whether they're about relationships or raising children or living your best life now or whatever. I've given many parenting books a chance but only finished the handful that I didn't think were completely ridiculous and based on the author's opinion/agenda/personal experience. By far, my two favorites are "The First Three Years of Life" by Burton White and "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth. Excellent books. Many thanks to the friends who recommended them!
This is way long. I should go clean the shower or something.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Grammar hammer
Dear [editors],
I'm glad to have begun writing on a freelance basis for The Pilot. I've been assigned interesting stories and the pay, if not princely, is always prompt.
I particularly enjoyed writing about Sandhills Farm to Table, a movement that in both principle and practice exemplifies so much of what I love about our community.
When I read the first installment of this series this morning, I was disappointed to find that two mistakes had been inserted into my copy. As mistakes go, they're minor -- an ill-advised apostrophe and a questionable capital letter. But it's always disheartening when copy editing, which is meant to guard against errors large and small, and above all should do no harm, does just that.
My main quarrel is with the addition of an apostrophe in the following sentence: “What this does is guarantee the farmers’ purchase of their produce,” McAllister says. This apostrophe makes "farmers" possessive, as if they themselves will be purchasing their produce. Which, of course, makes no sense.
I also noticed the capitalization of "the" in the following sentence: "The hope, adds McAllister, who oversees distribution at The Village Chapel location, is to create a win-win situation in which 'every Moore County resident has secure access to sufficient local farm and food products.'" The Village Chapel's proper name does include "The," so its capitalization in a given sentence is a question of style as much as of technical correctness.
The closest AP style opinion I could find was this: "The definite article is generally lowercase in AP news stories about universities, professional organizations and the like." But Bill Walsh, a copy editor at The Washington Post (or, a Washington Post copy editor), addressed the question on his blog, http://theslot.blogspot.com.
"Don't go capitalizing 'the' in something like 'the Hague-based International Court of Justice,' even if you normally cap 'The Hague.' In that instance, 'the' goes with 'International Court of Justice,' not with 'Hague,'" he wrote.
Likewise, in my article, "the" goes with "location," not with "Village Chapel."
Again, as mistakes go, these are small, and few readers will notice them. But they're still mistakes. And taking care with details like punctuation and capitalization implies you're also committed to accuracy with the facts. Inversely, sloppiness in the details can cast doubt on the credibility of the content, not to mention the writer and the publication.
Print being print, it's too late to change the hard copy. But could you please correct the online version of this article?
Thanks so much.
I'm glad to have begun writing on a freelance basis for The Pilot. I've been assigned interesting stories and the pay, if not princely, is always prompt.
I particularly enjoyed writing about Sandhills Farm to Table, a movement that in both principle and practice exemplifies so much of what I love about our community.
When I read the first installment of this series this morning, I was disappointed to find that two mistakes had been inserted into my copy. As mistakes go, they're minor -- an ill-advised apostrophe and a questionable capital letter. But it's always disheartening when copy editing, which is meant to guard against errors large and small, and above all should do no harm, does just that.
My main quarrel is with the addition of an apostrophe in the following sentence: “What this does is guarantee the farmers’ purchase of their produce,” McAllister says. This apostrophe makes "farmers" possessive, as if they themselves will be purchasing their produce. Which, of course, makes no sense.
I also noticed the capitalization of "the" in the following sentence: "The hope, adds McAllister, who oversees distribution at The Village Chapel location, is to create a win-win situation in which 'every Moore County resident has secure access to sufficient local farm and food products.'" The Village Chapel's proper name does include "The," so its capitalization in a given sentence is a question of style as much as of technical correctness.
The closest AP style opinion I could find was this: "The definite article is generally lowercase in AP news stories about universities, professional organizations and the like." But Bill Walsh, a copy editor at The Washington Post (or, a Washington Post copy editor), addressed the question on his blog, http://theslot.blogspot.com.
"Don't go capitalizing 'the' in something like 'the Hague-based International Court of Justice,' even if you normally cap 'The Hague.' In that instance, 'the' goes with 'International Court of Justice,' not with 'Hague,'" he wrote.
Likewise, in my article, "the" goes with "location," not with "Village Chapel."
Again, as mistakes go, these are small, and few readers will notice them. But they're still mistakes. And taking care with details like punctuation and capitalization implies you're also committed to accuracy with the facts. Inversely, sloppiness in the details can cast doubt on the credibility of the content, not to mention the writer and the publication.
Print being print, it's too late to change the hard copy. But could you please correct the online version of this article?
Thanks so much.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Propinquity, etc.
I may have blogged about this before, but a concept that has fascinated me ever since it was introduced to me is that physical proximity plays an important role in relationships. Generally speaking, the more you're around someone, the more likely the two of you are to establish a friendship.
For me, casual relationships with neighbors (especially in close quarters, e.g., dorms), clients, co-workers, randomly assigned members of group projects and many others who serendipitously dropped into my life have all occasionally developed into full-blown friendships. In high school, I played a sport every season, so every few months I had a different group of friends to commiserate with and share water bottles with and procrastinate practicing with and gossip with on the way to games. In many cases that team was our only common denominator. Without, we literally might never have had a conversation. (In retrospect this is probably the aspect of high school sports that I most value.)
Similarly, it's starting to dawn on me that sometimes I'm quick to write people off, but when I actually spend time with them, I frequently find that I've misjudged their friend potential. Quirks that initially got on my nerves often start to seem endearing. I'm not sure why this is true; it's counter-intuitive. But I'm thankful for it, because let's face it, all of us do things and have habits that other people find annoying. If you think you're an exception, I promise that you are not.
(I have to add this disclaimer: No one in particular inspired this line of thought! I'm never sure exactly who reads this blog, but no one should get paranoid that they're my formerly annoying friend.)
No one's perfect -- which is a great thing to remember in friendships as well as marriages. I'll give Elisabeth Elliot the last word:
"Many women have told me that my husband’s advice, which I once quoted in a book, has been an eye-opener to them. He said that a wife, if she is very generous, may allow that her husband lives up to perhaps 80 percent of her expectations. There is always the other 20 percent that she would like to change, and she may chip away at it for the whole of their married life without reducing it by very much. She may, on the other hand, simply decide to enjoy the 80 percent, and both of them will be happy. It’s a down-to-earth illustration of a principle: Accept, positively and actively, what is given. Let thanksgiving be the habit of your life."
For me, casual relationships with neighbors (especially in close quarters, e.g., dorms), clients, co-workers, randomly assigned members of group projects and many others who serendipitously dropped into my life have all occasionally developed into full-blown friendships. In high school, I played a sport every season, so every few months I had a different group of friends to commiserate with and share water bottles with and procrastinate practicing with and gossip with on the way to games. In many cases that team was our only common denominator. Without, we literally might never have had a conversation. (In retrospect this is probably the aspect of high school sports that I most value.)
Similarly, it's starting to dawn on me that sometimes I'm quick to write people off, but when I actually spend time with them, I frequently find that I've misjudged their friend potential. Quirks that initially got on my nerves often start to seem endearing. I'm not sure why this is true; it's counter-intuitive. But I'm thankful for it, because let's face it, all of us do things and have habits that other people find annoying. If you think you're an exception, I promise that you are not.
(I have to add this disclaimer: No one in particular inspired this line of thought! I'm never sure exactly who reads this blog, but no one should get paranoid that they're my formerly annoying friend.)
No one's perfect -- which is a great thing to remember in friendships as well as marriages. I'll give Elisabeth Elliot the last word:
"Many women have told me that my husband’s advice, which I once quoted in a book, has been an eye-opener to them. He said that a wife, if she is very generous, may allow that her husband lives up to perhaps 80 percent of her expectations. There is always the other 20 percent that she would like to change, and she may chip away at it for the whole of their married life without reducing it by very much. She may, on the other hand, simply decide to enjoy the 80 percent, and both of them will be happy. It’s a down-to-earth illustration of a principle: Accept, positively and actively, what is given. Let thanksgiving be the habit of your life."
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A rant
Dear Walgreens of Aberdeen,
I won't be able to fully express how frustrating my experience with you today was, but I'm going to try.
You were supposed to have flu shots -- only 50 of them -- available starting at 10 this morning. I woke my 3-month-old daughter from a sound sleep to drop her off at my parents' house and arrived at your store at 10:05. I was the 10th person in line. One by one, we filled out the paperwork. All of us were told the shots would be given based on our place in line, that we would be paged when it was our turn, and that meanwhile we could shop.
An hour later, most of us had tired of walking in circles around the store and had returned to the pharmacy area, where we flipped through magazines or chatted with other waiting people as the clock kept ticking with no sign of the pharmacist. Finally, he emerged and gave about five flu shots, then scooted back behind the counter and out of sight. Forty-five minutes later, he returned and gave five more people their shots.
At that point it became obvious that the shots were not being given in order, as no one in that second round was among the first 10 in the initial line. When several people asked when, approximately, they might get their shot (since the first-come, first-serve method was obviously not being applied), the pharmacist got snappy and said he didn't know. That was reassuring.
It was about this time that my parents called saying my daughter was hungry and crying inconsolably. (Having never expected getting the flu shot to turn into an all-morning ordeal, I'd left her with only one bottle.) I asked a pharmacy worker whether she had any idea at all how much longer it would be before my name came up. She did not. I asked her if I could leave, feed my daughter and return. I told her I could be back within 45 minutes or at any time later in the day. She said I'd lose not just my place in line (worthless anyway) but my claim on a flu shot if I left.
I called my parents to tell them this wasn't worth the trouble and I was coming home. My phone call woke my daughter, whom my dad had finally gotten to sleep. She was screaming so loudly he couldn't hear anything I said, but he told me my mom and grandmother were on their way to my house to get a bottle for her, and that I should just stick it out at Walgreens. After all, I'd already devoted a whole morning to the cause.
So I stayed. Another round of people got their shots. Not I. By this time the pharmacy area was full of irritated people, all of whom were sick of waiting and completely confused as to the order in which flu shots were being given out. Some late arrivers were getting their shot before others who (like me) had been waiting for two and a half hours. Mixed in among us were people waiting not for a flu shot but one, two or three hours for a prescription to be filled.
If there was a method to the madness, all of your employees refused to disclose it. Seriously, it felt like we were unknowing participants in some kind of psychological experiment. I finally got my shot at 12:30.
Walgreens, you really dropped the ball on this one. The fact that you were still giving flu shots when almost everywhere else in town was out of the vaccine was an opportunity for you to impress potential new customers with your efficiency, competence and service. Instead, I'm happier than ever that we have kept our prescription business with a local non-chain drug store that's served us well for years. I had plenty of time to talk with the people waiting with me this morning, and many expressed similar sentiments.
If you're going to provide flu shots, do everyone -- that includes you, since I'll be shocked if you don't lose some customers over this -- a favor and figure out a system that works. Hire more pharmacy workers so someone can focus on people who are there just for the flu shot. Or have special early or late hours only for giving the flu shot.
And be candid with your customers about how long you expect the wait to be. Most of the people I talked with this morning didn't mind the wait itself; it was the wait's open-endedness that was maddening.
If I'd been told at 10:05 a.m. that it would be, let's say, at least noon before I could get the shot, I could have used that time well. I could have gotten an oil change, dropped by my office, picked up our dry cleaning, gone to the library, done a week's worth of grocery shopping or met my husband for an early lunch. I could even have worked out at my gym, right across the street, or driven to my parents' house and fed my daughter, avoiding a huge headache for my parents.
Instead I spent all morning getting more and more frustrated, composing this letter in my head and vowing not to return to your store anytime soon. The first thing I did when I got home was announce to my 331 Facebook friends: "I am confident that getting the flu would be preferable to today's maddening flu-shot ordeal at Walgreens." The second thing I did was write this letter, which will be posted on my blog and copied to Walgreens' corporate headquarters. Third, I ate a very late lunch.
I would be remiss, however, not to mention one of your pharmacy workers, Taylor. All morning she was incredibly courteous and patient with the dozens of disgruntled people venting their frustrations to her. She reflected really well on your store.
Thanks for the flu shot, but next year I may just take my chances with the flu.
I won't be able to fully express how frustrating my experience with you today was, but I'm going to try.
You were supposed to have flu shots -- only 50 of them -- available starting at 10 this morning. I woke my 3-month-old daughter from a sound sleep to drop her off at my parents' house and arrived at your store at 10:05. I was the 10th person in line. One by one, we filled out the paperwork. All of us were told the shots would be given based on our place in line, that we would be paged when it was our turn, and that meanwhile we could shop.
An hour later, most of us had tired of walking in circles around the store and had returned to the pharmacy area, where we flipped through magazines or chatted with other waiting people as the clock kept ticking with no sign of the pharmacist. Finally, he emerged and gave about five flu shots, then scooted back behind the counter and out of sight. Forty-five minutes later, he returned and gave five more people their shots.
At that point it became obvious that the shots were not being given in order, as no one in that second round was among the first 10 in the initial line. When several people asked when, approximately, they might get their shot (since the first-come, first-serve method was obviously not being applied), the pharmacist got snappy and said he didn't know. That was reassuring.
It was about this time that my parents called saying my daughter was hungry and crying inconsolably. (Having never expected getting the flu shot to turn into an all-morning ordeal, I'd left her with only one bottle.) I asked a pharmacy worker whether she had any idea at all how much longer it would be before my name came up. She did not. I asked her if I could leave, feed my daughter and return. I told her I could be back within 45 minutes or at any time later in the day. She said I'd lose not just my place in line (worthless anyway) but my claim on a flu shot if I left.
I called my parents to tell them this wasn't worth the trouble and I was coming home. My phone call woke my daughter, whom my dad had finally gotten to sleep. She was screaming so loudly he couldn't hear anything I said, but he told me my mom and grandmother were on their way to my house to get a bottle for her, and that I should just stick it out at Walgreens. After all, I'd already devoted a whole morning to the cause.
So I stayed. Another round of people got their shots. Not I. By this time the pharmacy area was full of irritated people, all of whom were sick of waiting and completely confused as to the order in which flu shots were being given out. Some late arrivers were getting their shot before others who (like me) had been waiting for two and a half hours. Mixed in among us were people waiting not for a flu shot but one, two or three hours for a prescription to be filled.
If there was a method to the madness, all of your employees refused to disclose it. Seriously, it felt like we were unknowing participants in some kind of psychological experiment. I finally got my shot at 12:30.
Walgreens, you really dropped the ball on this one. The fact that you were still giving flu shots when almost everywhere else in town was out of the vaccine was an opportunity for you to impress potential new customers with your efficiency, competence and service. Instead, I'm happier than ever that we have kept our prescription business with a local non-chain drug store that's served us well for years. I had plenty of time to talk with the people waiting with me this morning, and many expressed similar sentiments.
If you're going to provide flu shots, do everyone -- that includes you, since I'll be shocked if you don't lose some customers over this -- a favor and figure out a system that works. Hire more pharmacy workers so someone can focus on people who are there just for the flu shot. Or have special early or late hours only for giving the flu shot.
And be candid with your customers about how long you expect the wait to be. Most of the people I talked with this morning didn't mind the wait itself; it was the wait's open-endedness that was maddening.
If I'd been told at 10:05 a.m. that it would be, let's say, at least noon before I could get the shot, I could have used that time well. I could have gotten an oil change, dropped by my office, picked up our dry cleaning, gone to the library, done a week's worth of grocery shopping or met my husband for an early lunch. I could even have worked out at my gym, right across the street, or driven to my parents' house and fed my daughter, avoiding a huge headache for my parents.
Instead I spent all morning getting more and more frustrated, composing this letter in my head and vowing not to return to your store anytime soon. The first thing I did when I got home was announce to my 331 Facebook friends: "I am confident that getting the flu would be preferable to today's maddening flu-shot ordeal at Walgreens." The second thing I did was write this letter, which will be posted on my blog and copied to Walgreens' corporate headquarters. Third, I ate a very late lunch.
I would be remiss, however, not to mention one of your pharmacy workers, Taylor. All morning she was incredibly courteous and patient with the dozens of disgruntled people venting their frustrations to her. She reflected really well on your store.
Thanks for the flu shot, but next year I may just take my chances with the flu.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Matt looks married again
OK, that post with the gross pictures can only top my blog for so long. Let's move on.
But keeping with the theme of Matt's hands, it's been nearly two months since I swore we were going to get around to having his wedding band resized after the football incident (which happened two months before that), but we never did. Last weekend we finally called some jewelers to compare prices. One of them told us they might be able to just stretch it. Huh? But it was a reputable place, so ...
We brought it in, and five minutes and $20 later his ring fit! Apparently it works only for bands that have never been resized and that have no stones. Also, I'm sure there's a limit to how much stretching can be done; Matt needed less than a half-size. It's definitely worth asking about next time you need a ring sized, though.
On another subject, I know it's old news already, but I was so shocked by Michael Jackson's death! Ironically, the day he died I'd been working on a story about celebrity "trainwrecks" -- people who seem to have it all but throw it away because of stupidity, greed, arrogance, addiction, etc. MJ was one of the featured trainwrecks; I described him as "the poster child for weird celebrities," or something to that effect, which, yes, made me feel a little guilty when I read he was dead.
I'd turned in the story weeks ago, but when it went to layout there was room for about 300 more words, so I spent an hour or so Thursday morning adding to it. Unlike most of the other people I wrote about, MJ had retained a solid fan base and actually seemed on the upswing with the 50 sold-out shows in London that were supposed to start in July.
On a normal morning MJ never would have been on my mind -- I don't like a single song of his -- but because of the article, on Thursday he was, so I was unexpectedly jarred when I heard he had died that afternoon. (Lauren G., one of the first things I thought about was how strongly you defended him at the beach last year.)
But keeping with the theme of Matt's hands, it's been nearly two months since I swore we were going to get around to having his wedding band resized after the football incident (which happened two months before that), but we never did. Last weekend we finally called some jewelers to compare prices. One of them told us they might be able to just stretch it. Huh? But it was a reputable place, so ...
We brought it in, and five minutes and $20 later his ring fit! Apparently it works only for bands that have never been resized and that have no stones. Also, I'm sure there's a limit to how much stretching can be done; Matt needed less than a half-size. It's definitely worth asking about next time you need a ring sized, though.
On another subject, I know it's old news already, but I was so shocked by Michael Jackson's death! Ironically, the day he died I'd been working on a story about celebrity "trainwrecks" -- people who seem to have it all but throw it away because of stupidity, greed, arrogance, addiction, etc. MJ was one of the featured trainwrecks; I described him as "the poster child for weird celebrities," or something to that effect, which, yes, made me feel a little guilty when I read he was dead.
I'd turned in the story weeks ago, but when it went to layout there was room for about 300 more words, so I spent an hour or so Thursday morning adding to it. Unlike most of the other people I wrote about, MJ had retained a solid fan base and actually seemed on the upswing with the 50 sold-out shows in London that were supposed to start in July.
On a normal morning MJ never would have been on my mind -- I don't like a single song of his -- but because of the article, on Thursday he was, so I was unexpectedly jarred when I heard he had died that afternoon. (Lauren G., one of the first things I thought about was how strongly you defended him at the beach last year.)
Monday, May 25, 2009
Grow old along with me
Today's helpful hint: Marry someone you really, really like and respect.*
Today's flashback photos: May 25, 2002 (click here for a couple more wedding pictures)
* This sounds really obvious until you think about the couples you know and how many of them seem to have nothing but disdain for each other.
One of my college pastors told us this true story: A guy was getting married at our church and in the course of premarital counseling the pastor learned the guy's best man was actually going to be a woman -- his best friend. The pastor's reaction? "You're marrying the wrong woman!" Whenever I think about this advice I think about that story.
Today's flashback photos: May 25, 2002 (click here for a couple more wedding pictures)
* This sounds really obvious until you think about the couples you know and how many of them seem to have nothing but disdain for each other.One of my college pastors told us this true story: A guy was getting married at our church and in the course of premarital counseling the pastor learned the guy's best man was actually going to be a woman -- his best friend. The pastor's reaction? "You're marrying the wrong woman!" Whenever I think about this advice I think about that story.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Anniversary eve
We've already had a fun, full weekend -- Meg and Drew Friday night, college peeps in Greensboro last night -- and in a couple of hours we're headed to Bald Head Island with the usuals for a few days. I am READY. (Mentally, that is; I haven't packed yet or anything.) Happy Memorial Day to everyone!
--------------------
Today's helpful hint: Never threaten or even joke about divorce.
Today's flashback photo: Seven years ago today, at our rehearsal dinner
--------------------
Today's helpful hint: Never threaten or even joke about divorce.
Today's flashback photo: Seven years ago today, at our rehearsal dinner
Winding down
Today's helpful hint: Assume the best about the other person.
Today's flashback photo: Fall 2001. We didn't have formal engagement portraits taken, and this is the picture we used instead for the local newspaper's engagement announcement. However, it was supposed to be cropped just below our faces so as to eliminate the drinks we were holding. When submitting it to the paper I included explicit written instructions and marked the picture where I wanted it cropped. The result? It ran full size, exactly as you see it below. Stay classy, San Diego.
Today's flashback photo: Fall 2001. We didn't have formal engagement portraits taken, and this is the picture we used instead for the local newspaper's engagement announcement. However, it was supposed to be cropped just below our faces so as to eliminate the drinks we were holding. When submitting it to the paper I included explicit written instructions and marked the picture where I wanted it cropped. The result? It ran full size, exactly as you see it below. Stay classy, San Diego.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Vacation is around the corner!
Today's helpful hint: Marriage is not a 50/50, meet-you-halfway proposition; each person's goal should be to give 100 percent.
Today's flashback photo: Winter 2004 or early spring 2005 (is my timeline right, Lib?), at an engagement party for Lib and Jorge
Today's flashback photo: Winter 2004 or early spring 2005 (is my timeline right, Lib?), at an engagement party for Lib and Jorge
A dollar short
Today's helpful hint: Let it go.*
Today's flashback photo: Fall 2001
* This has a million applications: Move on (permanently) after an argument is over. Overlook minor annoyances that don't really matter (a spouse's habit of leaving half-drunk drinks all over the house isn't worth fighting about). Et cetera.
Today's flashback photo: Fall 2001
* This has a million applications: Move on (permanently) after an argument is over. Overlook minor annoyances that don't really matter (a spouse's habit of leaving half-drunk drinks all over the house isn't worth fighting about). Et cetera.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Need sleep
Today's helpful hint: Don't create drama.
Today's flashback photo: Spring 2001, senior year in college -- sometime before May, because I was working on the one and only baby blanket I ever crocheted, for Kaleigh
Today's flashback photo: Spring 2001, senior year in college -- sometime before May, because I was working on the one and only baby blanket I ever crocheted, for Kaleigh
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Pinebluff-bound
Congratulations to Maegan and Lee on the birth last week of their second beautiful daughter (in two years), Grace Carraway! I LOVE that name, Hemphills, and can't wait to meet the little sister.
The "w" key on my keyboard is starting to go and it is driving me out of my mind.
I've got a new freelance editing thing going on as of last week and I'm pretty excited about it. It pays by the article instead of by the hour, which I like. I'm supposed to work at least 12 hours a week (with flexibility for things like vacations and having babies), but if I want to work more there's no maximum and no shortage of articles. Plus, I get paid every week, which I don't think I can say for any other job I've ever held. It seems like it will fit in nicely with the other bits of freelancing I'm doing, plus real estate.
Even though I've had a string of bare-bones posts lately, I'm quitting here because I really want to get out of this office and go visit Amanda and Bri. So ... later.
--------------------
Today's helpful hint: Happiness is not getting what you want but wanting what you've got.*
Today's flashback photo: The Ashland era, summer 2001
* Sure, this is a cliche, but it's true. And it applies not only to relationships but to life. It's not an excuse to settle, just a reminder that the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence.
The "w" key on my keyboard is starting to go and it is driving me out of my mind.I've got a new freelance editing thing going on as of last week and I'm pretty excited about it. It pays by the article instead of by the hour, which I like. I'm supposed to work at least 12 hours a week (with flexibility for things like vacations and having babies), but if I want to work more there's no maximum and no shortage of articles. Plus, I get paid every week, which I don't think I can say for any other job I've ever held. It seems like it will fit in nicely with the other bits of freelancing I'm doing, plus real estate.
Even though I've had a string of bare-bones posts lately, I'm quitting here because I really want to get out of this office and go visit Amanda and Bri. So ... later.
--------------------
Today's helpful hint: Happiness is not getting what you want but wanting what you've got.*
Today's flashback photo: The Ashland era, summer 2001
* Sure, this is a cliche, but it's true. And it applies not only to relationships but to life. It's not an excuse to settle, just a reminder that the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Uh ... Monday brevity
Today's helpful hint: Men are not women and women are not men; adjust your expectations accordingly.*
Today's flashback photo: The Wilmington era, fall 2002. I had a bad haircut but such a hotttt husband.
* This is actually one of my favorite pieces of relationship advice, but it doesn't condense into one sentence very well. I may elaborate on it later.
Today's flashback photo: The Wilmington era, fall 2002. I had a bad haircut but such a hotttt husband.
* This is actually one of my favorite pieces of relationship advice, but it doesn't condense into one sentence very well. I may elaborate on it later.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Sunday brevity
Today's helpful hint: Love is a choice.
Today's flashback photo: Sometime in the college years, probably 1999 or 2000
Today's flashback photo: Sometime in the college years, probably 1999 or 2000
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Too much green grass
This will be short and sweet. I spent today showing houses and just woke up from a much-needed nap. My head's still foggy.
Our grass is so healthy, thick and fast-growing that I must concede it's time to buy a "real" lawnmower. We'd have to mow every other day for our free, environmentally conscious manual mower to keep up.
Matt has borrowed Jacob's gas mower for the past two weekends and that can't go on forever. We thought about paying the teenager next door but that feels like a waste if we're going to bite the bullet eventually (and we will -- this is probably the least grass we'll ever have). Anyone have a Lowe's coupon you don't plan to use?
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Today's helpful hint: "Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife." (Proverbs 21:9)
Today's flashback photo: Senior prom, spring 1997
Our grass is so healthy, thick and fast-growing that I must concede it's time to buy a "real" lawnmower. We'd have to mow every other day for our free, environmentally conscious manual mower to keep up.
Matt has borrowed Jacob's gas mower for the past two weekends and that can't go on forever. We thought about paying the teenager next door but that feels like a waste if we're going to bite the bullet eventually (and we will -- this is probably the least grass we'll ever have). Anyone have a Lowe's coupon you don't plan to use?
--------------------
Today's helpful hint: "Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife." (Proverbs 21:9)
Today's flashback photo: Senior prom, spring 1997
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