Brad finished the bar exam yesterday at 4.00 pm. His results won't come back until sometime in October, so I won't have to start referring to him as "Counselor" for a couple of months. He and I are both relieved that it's over. We celebrated with a bottle of cheap champagne at home, a drink with his future colleagues at a Charleston-swanky bar, and Mexican food at Los Agaves. All in all, it was a good night.
*****
Tomorrow we are heading up to PA where Brad will be racing in the Wilderness 101. It should be a good time -- a lot of Brad's friends are doing this race as well and I think I am going to volunteer at one of the aid stations. Nothing beats watching people stumble around incoherently after they've been riding for 8 hours!
I am a bit concerned, as I tend to be, about our dog. She doesn't always get along with other dogs, and sometimes people let their dogs run around, unleashed, at these events. Hopefully it won't be a problem this weekend! I have a 15' leash with which I will tether her to a tree and hope for the best. I'm sure she'll just lie there, peering at me, like she does at home. She's becoming incredibly lazy now that she's almost 4 years old.
*****
Brad and I are suit shopping this afternoon. I have high hopes for the Jos A Bank clearance sale!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
An Actual Conversation
What follows is an actual conversation between Brad and I about my new, hot pink nail polish.
K: Hey, what do you think of my new nail polish? *waves fingers around in the air*
B: You look like a fishing lure.
K: . . .
K: Hey, what do you think of my new nail polish? *waves fingers around in the air*
B: You look like a fishing lure.
K: . . .
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Répondez, S'il Vous Plaît
We sent out 50 wedding invitations two weeks ago.
Guess how many responses we have received? Seven.
Of these seven responses, none of them are from immediate family members. Now, you may think it's obvious that our families will be attending, and it is. However, we have three dinner choices on the menu so we need their selections; we need to know if Brad's siblings are bringing dates and, if so, their names, etc. Is this common? Does everyone usually wait until the last minute? I mean, it's just a little card with a self-addressed, stamped envelope: chicken, beef or vegetarian?
Come on, families! Send those suckers back!
OK, I guess the stress of wedding planning while job searching has started to get to me. I have been on a bunch of interviews, with no calls back, no offers. I have nothing but time to think about all of the things that could go wrong, and my mother isn't helping with her incessant wedding talk and texts (I should never have sent her a text; it opened the flood gates). I don't recall the last time I had a conversation with her that wasn't about The Wedding! and wasn't also riddled with pity over The Job Search!
Meanwhile, I have spent the last three years putting off our wedding plans, only to find myself with less than two months to go and a rising panic over what I haven't thought of, things I haven't yet done. Favors? No idea. Place cards? Only thoughts, no real actions. Gifts for the bridesmaids and groomsmen and our musician friend and parents and officiant? Nada. Wedding rings? Nope. Shit, I have to buy Brad a gift, too?
Sigh. Deep breaths, deep breaths.
Guess how many responses we have received? Seven.
Of these seven responses, none of them are from immediate family members. Now, you may think it's obvious that our families will be attending, and it is. However, we have three dinner choices on the menu so we need their selections; we need to know if Brad's siblings are bringing dates and, if so, their names, etc. Is this common? Does everyone usually wait until the last minute? I mean, it's just a little card with a self-addressed, stamped envelope: chicken, beef or vegetarian?
Come on, families! Send those suckers back!
OK, I guess the stress of wedding planning while job searching has started to get to me. I have been on a bunch of interviews, with no calls back, no offers. I have nothing but time to think about all of the things that could go wrong, and my mother isn't helping with her incessant wedding talk and texts (I should never have sent her a text; it opened the flood gates). I don't recall the last time I had a conversation with her that wasn't about The Wedding! and wasn't also riddled with pity over The Job Search!
Meanwhile, I have spent the last three years putting off our wedding plans, only to find myself with less than two months to go and a rising panic over what I haven't thought of, things I haven't yet done. Favors? No idea. Place cards? Only thoughts, no real actions. Gifts for the bridesmaids and groomsmen and our musician friend and parents and officiant? Nada. Wedding rings? Nope. Shit, I have to buy Brad a gift, too?
Sigh. Deep breaths, deep breaths.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Biiiig Kaaaaaay
Brad and I eat pretty healthy food. Our cupboards are full of things like black beans, quinoa, brown rice. Our refrigerator is stocked with produce, natural nut butters, Ezekiel bread. We drink our water and get our 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables every day.
But I harbor a deep, dark secret. I gave up smoking years ago, I don't do drugs and I don't drink in excess. Yet I still have a vice; one habit that I can't kick despite multiple attempts.
Diet soda.
Every week, our recyclables (which are finally being picked up!) are probably 70% Diet Coke cans. It's like Where's Waldo, except you're looking for the cottage cheese container among the red and white cans.
Diet Coke generally costs between three and four dollars for a 12-pack. Considering I still have not found a job, I was looking for a way to cut back on my DC consumption to save money. I was trying to drink only one can per day, harassing Brad when he dared to drink from my stash, making mediocre iced tea to no avail.
Then, while grocery shopping one day, the heavens opened and a beam of angelic light shone upon my savior -- K-Roger brand diet cola, aptly named Big K. I was already drinking the Big K seltzer water. I decided to give it a try. I've been buying it ever since. It's not exactly DC, but it is caffeinated, sweet and fizzy and it costs $1.77 for a 12-pack.
Score.
But I harbor a deep, dark secret. I gave up smoking years ago, I don't do drugs and I don't drink in excess. Yet I still have a vice; one habit that I can't kick despite multiple attempts.
Diet soda.
Every week, our recyclables (which are finally being picked up!) are probably 70% Diet Coke cans. It's like Where's Waldo, except you're looking for the cottage cheese container among the red and white cans.
Diet Coke generally costs between three and four dollars for a 12-pack. Considering I still have not found a job, I was looking for a way to cut back on my DC consumption to save money. I was trying to drink only one can per day, harassing Brad when he dared to drink from my stash, making mediocre iced tea to no avail.
Then, while grocery shopping one day, the heavens opened and a beam of angelic light shone upon my savior -- K-Roger brand diet cola, aptly named Big K. I was already drinking the Big K seltzer water. I decided to give it a try. I've been buying it ever since. It's not exactly DC, but it is caffeinated, sweet and fizzy and it costs $1.77 for a 12-pack.
Score.
Monday, July 6, 2009
I'll Take You Down to See My Emmeline
My best friend, I have known for 20 years. I sang with her at an NKOTB concert at age 11. She is married to a bona fide genius. She has been through some very difficult times in her life but has conquered them with strength and grace. She lives in Maryland and I live in West Virginia, but she is planning a bridal luncheon for me the day before my wedding in our hometown. She's just like that. She is the most thoughtful and loving person I have ever met.
She gave birth to a baby girl named Emmeline yesterday. From the picture that I saw, Emmeline looks just like her mother, which is to say that she is beautiful. I can't wait to meet her, my goddaughter. I can't wait to find out who she will become. If she is anything like her parents, she'll be awesome.
Welcome, Emmeline. The world is such a wonderful place.
She gave birth to a baby girl named Emmeline yesterday. From the picture that I saw, Emmeline looks just like her mother, which is to say that she is beautiful. I can't wait to meet her, my goddaughter. I can't wait to find out who she will become. If she is anything like her parents, she'll be awesome.
Welcome, Emmeline. The world is such a wonderful place.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Operation Beautiful
Operation Beautiful has hit Charleston. On Monday and Tuesday this week, the ladies' locker room at my gym was decorated with colorful post-it notes with messages such as "You are beautiful just as you are!" There was one on the scale that said something to the effect of, "You are good enough, no matter what I say." It was nice to see this, in a gym especially.
Too often women, myself included, become obsessed with their weight and overlook the good, beautiful things about themselves. I've been trying to lose some weight before our wedding, and the scale isn't moving as quickly as I would like. I've been really, really upset about this. Upset to the point that yesterday, as Brad and I were on a 2+ hour hike at the Kanawha State Forest, my weight was all I could think about. Rather than enjoying the hike, I was telling Brad, I don't know what I'm doing wrong! I'm working out every day! I've cut my calories back to 1200-1400 a day! I ruined a wonderful afternoon, complete with amazing views, 75 degree temperatures, my cute husband-to-be, and a happy, happy dog companion because I couldn't stop thinking about the number on my scale.
That is some bullshit.
I used to be very heavy. But I'm not anymore. And I'm not saying I won't continue to have issues with my body, continue to try to lose weight, continue to track what I eat and what I weigh. But I'm going to try to stop the negative self-talk and appreciate my body for what it is. I'm in the best physical shape of my life right now. I can run, ride a bike, do a full pigeon pose, hike up mountains. I have functioning legs, arms, lungs, a brain and a heart. My body was built to birth a child, for christ's sake. That's pretty damn amazing.
The post-its in the locker room were not there today. I was sad to see them go.
Too often women, myself included, become obsessed with their weight and overlook the good, beautiful things about themselves. I've been trying to lose some weight before our wedding, and the scale isn't moving as quickly as I would like. I've been really, really upset about this. Upset to the point that yesterday, as Brad and I were on a 2+ hour hike at the Kanawha State Forest, my weight was all I could think about. Rather than enjoying the hike, I was telling Brad, I don't know what I'm doing wrong! I'm working out every day! I've cut my calories back to 1200-1400 a day! I ruined a wonderful afternoon, complete with amazing views, 75 degree temperatures, my cute husband-to-be, and a happy, happy dog companion because I couldn't stop thinking about the number on my scale.
That is some bullshit.
I used to be very heavy. But I'm not anymore. And I'm not saying I won't continue to have issues with my body, continue to try to lose weight, continue to track what I eat and what I weigh. But I'm going to try to stop the negative self-talk and appreciate my body for what it is. I'm in the best physical shape of my life right now. I can run, ride a bike, do a full pigeon pose, hike up mountains. I have functioning legs, arms, lungs, a brain and a heart. My body was built to birth a child, for christ's sake. That's pretty damn amazing.
The post-its in the locker room were not there today. I was sad to see them go.
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