It's A Lot of Life

OBX

2011-08-24T11:44:00.004-04:00

It's starting to feel like fall in the mornings. I'm not ready!!

Hal and I walked around the lake the other day and I saw the leaves turning already. And now with a hurricane almost upon us it certainly feels like summer is moving on, and the days of sun bathing will soon be days of leaf peeping. Not prepared for a change of season, I turn to memories of our vacation to the Outer Banks to provide comfort.

The ocean was full of beautiful, foamy waves

Kite flying for little boys

Kite flying for bigger boys

Sunrise at 6:24am on the beach

I manage to spot a self-proclaimed genius along the way

Oh to feel the sand in between my toes again..

I married a savage...Hal married one too

2011-08-03T22:01:00.003-04:00

Is that a giant chunk of raw meat Hal's biting into?

No, it's just our way of celebrating National Watermelon Day.

Like hungry beasts we just kept taking bites of the watermelon, not even bothering to cut it up. That's how we roll.

Will you go seedless today?

2011-08-03T08:16:00.007-04:00

Today is National Watermelon Day (who comes up with this stuff?) and we're celebrating in my house, primarily due to coincidence. Last night, Hal and I had a hankering for the thirst quenching fruit so we went out and got one - a 17 pounder that Hal "made" me carry throughout the supermarket. I of course was convinced its weight was equivalent to that of a small child, not an 8-month old. With my arms awkwardly holding this rotund fruit, I couldn't help but think of the line, "I carried a watermelon" ala Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing.

Go to http://youtu.be/OO21DjXFFMo for a clip that I'm sure is remembered by a plethora of women in my generation.

Happy Watermelon Day!

A title by any other name...would make it less obvious

2011-08-02T23:55:00.000-04:00

The other night we watched "Top 50 Worst Movies" on Netflix. Most were unfamiliar to us (although Howard the Duck made the list), but a common thread quickly emerged featuring Bela Lugosi as the star and Ed Wood directing.

From the various clips we saw, the"plots" were campy, the production quality nonexistent and the acting laughable. But the movie titles ruled! Self explanatory with consequentially ridiculous plots, these titles really don't leave anything to the imagination, and I kinda appreciate that.

My Top 5 Faves:

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
They Saved Hitler's Brain (This one however does beg the question, what did they do with it?? Not much, I believe.)
Hillbillys in a Haunted House
The Incredible Melting Man
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla

My favorite plot line had to be the #3 movie pick, "The Thing with Two Heads". The description is as follows: A rich, white, racist man's only chance for survival is to have his head transplanted on a black man. But as the title indicates, they have to share the black man's body. The film stars Oscar winning actor, Ray Milland, which only begs the question - what the hell compelled him to do this movie? Even the movie poster is glorious.

And just to be thoroughly informative, the number 1 worst film chosen was: "The Incredible Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed Up Zombies". I'm telling you, we need more movies with titles like this.

In a NY Minute

2011-08-01T21:41:00.012-04:00

We took a vacation day last Thursday to walk around NYC and every single spot we hit was completely new to us, which gave me a sense of accomplishment by the end of our long day.

Our first stop: The High Line. The High Line elevated park begins at Gansevoort Street in the meatpacking district where the smell of sausages is ever present; by no means am I complaining here. The park is impressively renovated with flowering plants everywhere, flanking long concrete planks that seem to maintain the integrity of what was once the rail yard, along with selectively situated wooden benches and loungers that feel organic and inviting.

The walk was quite lovely with interesting and different scenic views along the way. Plus we got gelato and gelato makes everything a bit more pleasant.

Perhaps one day we’ll go back for the sunset.

After some Boylan’s Pure Sugar Cane Cola and dumplings from a food truck, we made our way to the subway and serendipitously found ourselves at a street corner staring at B&H. We were exuberant considering we’ve been trying to get to this store for two years. While Hal walked in awe of all the electronic eye candy around him, I was amused by all the bowls of actual candy everywhere. Their colorful cellophane wrappers instantly caught my eye and I eventually made a beeline to one of the bowls, hoping to remain inconspicuous as I plucked one out of the pile. Assuming Hal was behind me, I gleefully turned to show him my newfound treasure when I noticed two salespeople staring at me. Like a kid with her hand caught in the candy jar (literally) I looked guilty and apparently confused since one of them asked me if I needed help finding something (other than candy). I just told them I needed help finding my husband and quickly went on my way, red faced but triumphant.

There were no photos of my candy caper but the enjoyment I experienced drinking this cola made up for any embarrassment at B&H.

We subwayed (yes, I make up words) up to the northern most area of Central Park since neither of us had ever explored that part. This was of course after an inebriated man in the subway station introduced himself to each of us, chatted Hal up and then asked my husband for $1.85. I wanted to ask Mr. Buggy-eyes what he could possibly buy for a $1.85 in this city but figured I shouldn’t prolong this encounter. He eventually left us alone much to our relief and I immediately took out the hand sanitizer.

The upper part of Central Park is definitely a quieter area that sans all the camp kids is probably serene most of the time. Hal informed me along our walk that George Washington once stormed these hills back in the day. In flip flops with sore feet, I was hoping we weren’t about to reenact this moment. Fortunately we ended up leaving the park headed towards the Museum of the City of New York. But I have a feeling we’ll be going back one day and I’ll be required to wear sneakers.

We arrived at the museum to find that half of it (the good half probably) is under construction. We toured what we could anyway, our favorite part being the Stettheimer Dollhouse. Besides being visually intriguing with its detailed rooms and décor, the dollhouse features miniature works of art by famous painters of the day. How cool is that?! I kept trying to get a closer look at everything forgetting that it’s incased in glass until my nose hit the pane, leaving a smudge I’m sure; this happened multiple times.

We finished up our day in the city with a long-anticipated stop for some frozen hot chocolate. Yes, we went to Serendipty 3, famous for its cold and delectable elixir of cocoa, chocolate, milk and ice topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. It was worth the 45 minute respite outside the restaurant watching and commenting on passersby. And while we’ll probably never endure that kind of wait time again, we enjoyed every ounce of that sweet goodness.

This photo was taken with my iPhone hence the graininess. But I think you can easily see the bliss on Hal's face, which was unmatched by any other moment of the day.

So I lied. This is not a summary done in a NY minute. It certainly took more than a minute to write and it takes more than a minute to read unless you’re a turbo speed reader – props to you if you are. But really, who can do NY in a minute?

PS, did I mention that in addition to the frozen hot chocolate we shared a banana split? We couldn’t finish it even though I was almost certain that Hal had a bottomless capacity for ice cream.

unEDucated

2011-07-07T15:31:00.001-04:00

I love watching the reruns of Sex and the City on TV, commercials and all. I go through this love-hate relationship with the main characters where I find myself more frustrated with them than I remember being the first time I watched these episodes, but it doesn't matter because ultimately I love them all. Being that they are shown on both E! and the Style network, on a good day I can lose three hours to this show and not even realize it. But what does Hal think of SATC? Who cares...actually, I believe his opinion is summed up in the following conversation.

Hal: You're watching this again?

To say his tone was exuberant is like saying my expression is ecstatic when he puts on another old X-files episode.

Jenn: Trey and Charlotte just got married and he's having some trouble in the bedroom. Say, what's the difference between ED (erectile dysfunction) and impotence?

Hal: How should I know?!?

Jenn: You're male. Doesn't every male educate themselves on this so you can look for signs?

Hal: NO!! Absolutely not.

Hal sat down and watched as Carrie waxed poetic on getting waxed (the Brazilian kind) and Samantha cozied up to Hugh Heffner. By the time Carrie made it back to NY from LA wearing a pink fanny pack, Hal had reached a saturation point and stepped away from the couch, the tv, and the wife so drawn into the brain candy. He pointed an accusing finger at the television just as the next episode was starting.

Hal: This, this is ED!

Flashback

2011-06-29T13:29:00.001-04:00

Not only does Lady Gaga’s song, “Edge of Glory” sound like something Cher should be singing, but some of her dance moves in the video remind me of Molly Ringwall AND Anthony Michael Hall getting their grooves on in The Breakfast Club. Perhaps this is Gaga’s homage to the 80’s.

PS, Is it just me or did Molly Ringwall invent the Carlton dance?? Check her moves out again! Just the thought of the Carlton dance makes me giggle.

Hoppy Holiday

2011-04-25T20:35:00.014-04:00

For Easter, Hal and I enjoyed a quiet night in, just the two of us. I made lasagna for two (yes, that’s possible and my new go-to recipe) accompanied by the cutest and most delicious little popovers.

24 baby popovers to be precise. Perfectly baked, with just the right eggy-ness to airy-ness ratio.

And we ate them all...

No butter needed.

A Handy Hubby

2011-04-13T14:40:00.008-04:00

We’ve been looking at houses for sale and one that piqued our interest definitely needs some TLC, more than a facelift but less than full on demolition (we hope). For the most part, these “projects” do not intimidate my husband. He has an adequate collection of tools (a collection I’m sure he considers insufficient) and I know he relishes every opportunity to use them.

So as he went down the laundry list of items that potentially and would need to be addressed at this house, I considered how his fix-it skills have come in handy and saved us money over the past few years.

1. He installed an outlet in our bathroom. I know you must be thinking, what bathroom doesn’t come with an outlet? Now every time I plug in the hair dryer, I am that much more grateful for my husband.

2. He fixed our kitchen ceiling when it fell. No more needs to be said about this.

3. He fixed our washing machine when it stopped draining. That’s when we discovered that my tiny little socks could get stuck in some very important part of the machine. We also noted that I should avoid leaving bobby pins in my pockets.

4. Most recently, I arrived home to find someone had knocked our mailbox off the post. I automatically assumed we were going to have to replace the whole thing but thanks to a piece of wood, some kind of saw and a drill, Hal secured the box back to its rightful place in the world.

There have been other instances in which his handiness has been advantageous, and I know he likes getting his hands dirty once in a while. So when I heard him watching “how to” videos on home repair last night, I half expected to find him armed with a tool belt and ready to buy the house. We’re not there yet, but I have a good feeling he’ll be prepared for the undertaking when the time comes.

He has his own headlight. How much more prepared can he be?!

Bands of Spring

2011-04-12T15:18:00.005-04:00

On such a dreary, wet day it's hard to picture spring as the season of blossoms, even though I know the rain does help facilitate this blossoming. April showers, May flowers...yada yada...I want sunshine!! Looking at these photos of Holland's tulips makes me yearn for spring even more but this also excites me that hopefully our own tulips will be blooming very soon!

These aerial shots are amazing!

photos via lemmemakeit

Baby (Poop) Talk. Not for the squeamish.

2011-04-08T13:54:00.008-04:00

Thanks to another blog I read, Hal and I got on the topic of cloth diapers and whether they’re really a viable option. While the blogger was most concerned with how eco-friendly and cost-saving they are, Hal and I focused on one question and one question only: how do you clean them?

Hal: How do you clean cloth diapers?

Jenn: You put them in the wash, I think.

Hal: With the poop?! What do you do with the poop??

Jenn: I don't know. Put it in the wash with the diapers?

Hal: Ew, that’s disgusting. If you took a dump in your underwear would you just put them in the wash?

Figuring that was a rhetorical question, I Googled “how do you clean a cloth diaper”.

Most responses said put them in the wash, without any further detail other than advice to prevent pilling. One website did suggest using a pail of some sort where you would store the dirty diapers and then sprinkle them with baking soda until you’re ready to wash them. There is no diaper genie for cloth diapers apparently, other than the magic of baking soda, I guess.

As neither of us was pleased with this lack of explanation for what do with the poop, I then Googled, “How do you clean a cloth diaper with poop in it”, which led me to a webpage entitled How to clean poopy cloth diapers. BINGO!

There is something called a diaper spray whereby you hook up a spray nozzle next to your toilet and you can hose down the poop into the bowl before the diaper goes into the wash. While conceptually this makes sense, it sounds like it could get messy if your aim isn’t perfect or if, as Hal put it, the poop is like pudding.

Alternatively, you can use flushable liners, which act as a barrier between the poop and the cloth diaper. But depending on the consistency, this may not yield a clean diaper either.

Feeling grossed out, Hal and I weren’t convinced that cloth diapers were a clean enough option that wouldn’t leave us up to our elbows in baby doo, especially when we learned that within the first couple weeks, babies poop 12 times a day. 12 TIMES! Doesn’t that seem excessive for such a tiny, little person?! And while it did state that this frequency eventually decreases to 1-2 times a day, I was hoping that this miracle occurred by the third week; it’s more like the sixth month.

I'm all about saving money and being environmentally conscientious when possible. But with all this baby doo doo, cloth diapers seem like a baby don’t don’t.

By the way, we're not in the market for diapers be it cloth or disposable, but it did pique my interest when I saw you could potentially save thousands of dollars with the cloth ones. Never hurts to start thinking about these options. I do love options!

T.M.K.

2011-04-05T15:37:00.004-04:00

Saturday Hal and I had a Netflix perusing marathon where we didn’t actually watch anything but rather looked through all the new arrivals, suggested movies, and instant play options, at times stopping to read the descriptions or to see who was starring in said B-flick. The films and shows are all categorized, some very specifically, such as, “Controversial Dysfunctional Family TV Comedies”. And here I was just going to call Family Guy an animated sitcom.

While looking through the foreign films we stumbled upon Tees Maar Khan. It’s not just an Indian film, it’s a Bollywood movie! The minute we saw it tagged as such we decided to watch a few minutes, you know, expand our notions of cinematic greatness. Cinematic greatness it was not but for the few minutes we did subject ourselves to this, it was “interesting” to say the least.

The overacting began with the very first scene featuring a pregnant woman watching television on the couch. Her husband returns home and their interaction was just so affected; it was like they were trying to act poorly, and succeeded.

The first musical number began shortly thereafter featuring the fetus, yes the fetus, in the womb. The fetus not only dances and sings to the music but has back up dancers that are oddly enough two Caucasian blond women. At one point while the women are dancing around a pole, the baby is dancing around its own umbilical cord, all three presumably doing this in the amniotic fluid.

Most of the time Hal and I just sat there wondering what to make of this peculiar scene before us. There really is no rational response.

You then learn that the baby grows up to be the title character, Tees Maar Khan, which must be pronounced in a high pitched, sing-song voice like in the film. I’ve had it stuck in my head and should you choose to watch the trailer so will you.

As described in the movie, Tees Maar Khan is only half Robin Hood. He steals from the rich but does not give to the poor. And he’s so dark that when the lights are off he’s basically invisible except for his glowing smile, which onscreen looks like the man overdosed on Go Smile Teeth Whitening.

We only lasted 10 minutes or so into the 2 ½ hour movie before we turned it off. The story line and acting were just too bizarre to bear. The only thing I regret was never seeing a full blown Bollywood number sans the computer generated baby. But for a taste of Tees Maar Khan, check out the trailer. It’s a sight to behold.

Adele

2011-03-30T00:01:00.004-04:00

It’s not very often a song can bring me to tears without even having provoked personal memories, sad or happy. But there are the occasional songs that just reach inside and squeeze your heart for those few minutes it lasts. It’s the perfect symbiotic union of singer, lyrics and instrumental. It’s Adele’s, “Someone Like You”. The song manages to be tender and powerful at the same time. It’s mesmerizing to listen to, which is why I haven’t been able to stop yet.

Just Fine

2011-03-07T09:59:00.005-05:00

A stressful week is upon me but I've adopted the encouraging and uplifting words of Mary J Blige to get me through it, along with incessantly playing her music in the background.

PS, I really want that black wrap number with the hat that she wears in the video. And I'd like 8 extra inches so I actually look good in it.

Love in Lockdown

2011-02-22T16:20:00.003-05:00

Every once in a while I find myself getting caught up in those real life story documentaries. I am interested in the guy who’s part man, part tree, or the half ton teenager whose mother is a complete enabler. I’m not sure why I’m so fascinated by the hoarders and the addicts or the gang members. But admittedly, my guilty pleasure is the prison shows. I watch the women of cell block 6 with curiosity, hoping that Janice, the 19 year old mother of two, can stay off of meth. Or that Mama Jo, as she’s fondly referred to by her fellow inmates, can help the newbie, Carla, survive inside those cement walls.

And then I discovered, Lockdown: Indiana State Prison. MSNBC was showing a marathon this weekend and I was hooked, especially when I saw all the cats. Cats, you ask? Yes! Indiana State Prison has a cat adoption program whereby inmates can adopt cats from a local shelter and care for them on prison grounds, in their cells. It began when strays would come onto the property and the inmates would informally take care of them. The prison instituted the cat program upon realizing the positive effect these felines had on the prisoners, who became genuine and devoted caretakers. The prisoners that adopt the cats are truly invested in their furry companions and it’s actually quite touching to watch. And just for the record, I believe inmates apply to adopt a cat and they’re not provided to them willy-nilly.

Stone, an inmate takes his cat everywhere. Self described as a rebel rouser, the prisoner talked about how the cat keeps him in check because he now has something in his life that’s dependent on him. He strolls the grounds with this rather large cat resting over his shoulder and you can tell that he loves Jinkster.

When they featured Aaron, who was awaiting a new kitten from the latest round of adoptions, I too felt anxious and excited for him. He showed the cameras how he had prepared his cell for the new arrival with a litter box, handmade scratching posts, and a couple of cat beds, along with the book he was reading on cat care. Gaia, his new kitten arrived at just 15 weeks old and she was the most adorable, tiny ball of kitten fluff. She immediately took to him. As someone serving a 50+ year sentence for killing his parents when he was 16, he obviously has his good days and bad days. But the calm and contentment his new kitten brings to his life is pretty amazing.

Aaron even enrolled his kitten in a program where he takes Gaia to the rehabilitation ward to provide comfort and company to prisoners suffering from mental problems.

I was so excited when they showed adoption day and they brought 5 new kittens onto the property. I think I may have started to tear up at moments. Plus the cats were really cute, providing unconditional love in the one place that it’s bound to be nonexistent. Who knew that a prison show could be so heartwarming?

Tokens of Love

2011-02-14T18:18:00.006-05:00

For Valentine's Day...

Hal got me roses

And I got him ice cream cake.

Neither will last very long but we’ll both thoroughly enjoy these tokens of love while we have them. It’s the little things we appreciate and it’s why he’s forever my Valentine.

PS, I put that heart on the cake myself.

Music's most important night

2011-02-14T00:45:00.002-05:00

I did not watch the Grammy Awards but thanks to multiple websites I got the general gist. My takeaways…

There are 109 Grammy Awards
Really? There’s that much new music out there that warrants 109 awards? I think I live under a rock, a rock of quiet oblivion apparently.

What is the difference between:
Best Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals versus Best Collaboration With Vocals

Btw, definition of collaboration: process where two or more people (like a duo or group?) work together to realize (perform) shared goals (vocals).

No difference. Just an excuse to add more awards to the list.

Now ain’t that some sh*t
If you missed it, you should check out Cee Lo’s performance. He’s not only morphing into Elton John but he hired the muppets to join him on stage. It’s incredibly entertaining simply because it’s so bizarre. And I believe Gwenyth Paltrow is wearing some serious Louboutins.

And the winner for best new artist is…

Jenn: Esperanza Spalding? Who is Esperanza Spalding?I don’t know who half of these artists are. But I know what a Beiber is. Do I get points for that?

Hal: In fact, you get points off for that.

Go figure…

Lady Gaga has hatched
So she showed up in an egg. I had to repeat that several times to Hal and provide visuals so he would believe and comprehend what I was stating. We now say “Gaga” in my house like it’s a bird calling, which elicits much laughter. Hey, if you can’t laugh with her, laugh at her.

Seriously, watch the Cee Lo performance.

A little perspective

2011-01-27T12:34:00.004-05:00

After watching this clip, I just can't complain about shoveling anymore. Have your tissues handy!

I am warrior, hear me roar?

2011-01-24T01:43:00.006-05:00

I spent an afternoon cleaning out old files and paperwork and came across a folder that contained the one piece of evidence I have that proves I played a team sport during my childhood. I am not and was never very athletic. Short legs don’t run very fast. Poor hand-eye coordination can’t hit or catch balls. And no upper body strength meant I couldn’t throw things very well or far. I did dance, drama and art. Activities that didn’t involve a field and were the least likely to cause injury. And while I did play youth soccer, I don’t recall enjoying any second of it.

That was probably because I was bad at it, coupled with the fact that I didn’t want to do it. But like most parents, mine wanted me to be well-rounded, active and involved in stuff that included other kids. To say soccer wasn’t a good fit is an understatement. I was so bad I once kicked the ball towards my team’s goal and then this girl yelled at me and then I started to cry...while still on the field. I’m telling you, this picture did not bring back great childhood memories that are now some 20 years old. But I tried it and stuck with it for a season, and luckily we all moved on. I swear, I’ve moved on.

Come this June, my athletic “prowess” will be put to the test in something called the WARRIOR DASH (this must be yelled out with the force of a Viking making its latest conquest). By its own admission on its website, “Warrior Dash is a mud-crawling, fire leaping, extreme run from hell”. Yay. It was brought to our attention by Hal’s paintball buddies who are all signed up. Normally, the men do their own thing with an unspoken “no girls allowed” rule. But since two significant others are joining the guys, I was invited and encouraged to participate in the fun.

When I heard that there was mud and fire involved, I adamantly shook my head in refusal. It’s not that I mind getting dirty but choosing to crawl through mud while running a 3.5 mile dash and ending the course with a final leap over fire sounds unappealing and hazardous to my 29 year old body. Whose idea was it to leave the fire until the end of the race? There’s also a wall to climb over, a cargo net to climb up and something with logs you have to jump or swim over. In an attempt to market the fun of this, Hal reinforced the team effort involved and how the gang sticks together through it all. He also said something about beer and warrior helmets given out to the participants but I was busy reminding Hal that my short stature may be a huge detriment to my ability to complete this course. Mostly, I didn’t want to be that girl that slowed everyone down by having a heart attack trying to crawl through the giant pipe.

In the end, my desire to get to know Hal’s paintball friends and experience the camaraderie was enough to sign up. And while I continued to show great trepidation, Hal reminded me that we survived an unexpected and strenuous rock scramble not because we were experienced hikers but because we were there to support one another through it. So come June, it really won’t be our athletic prowess that will be tested. It’ll be our ability to get each other through this in warrior-like fashion.

Let the warrior training begin!

So that's a McDreamy and a McSteamy

2011-01-20T00:11:00.004-05:00

I don’t watch that much mainstream television. I have never seen an episode of Gossip Girl or Beverly Hills 90210 redux. Ask me to name one character on Friday Night Lights and I’d say, Jack, because isn’t there always a Jack or a Tom. Perhaps with these shows it’s more likely to be Grady and Callum.

And when I have caught on to the latest and greatest in TV land, it’s usually in the show’s 4th season. I feel like such a late bloomer that way. I think that’s when I started watching The West Wing, in its 4th season and of course had to promptly start from the beginning once I recognized its brilliance. When Hal and I were first dating, I would watch Lost with him but I believe it was already in its 5th season and I really never knew what was going on (I think even die hard fans were in a similar state of being). Trust me when I say he never appreciated my ceaseless line of questioning during the broadcast. I don’t know why. I was merely showing interest in smoke monsters and oversized time capsules.

Most recently, I caught an episode of a Grey’s Anatomy rerun. I attempted to watch the show once years ago when it was the talk at the water cooler but I thought the main character, Meredith Grey, always looked and sounded teary-eyed (like Neve Campbell on Party of Five) and I found that intolerable. I didn’t understand its huge following but having suddenly been bitten by the GA bug, I’m more willing to keep an open mind. I still can’t keep all the characters straight and it doesn’t help that the episode that hooked me was the season 6 finale, but with Netflix Instant Play I’m working on a Grey’s Anatomy retrospective. I didn’t feel the need to start from the beginning so I started from season 5. Random, I know. I don’t much care for Katherine Heigl so bypassing the previous 80+ episodes in which she appears is fine with me. And the show definitely has its share of annoying, over achieving and over acting characters. I think I’m starting to realize why I never got into this.

But there are some pretty well-written moments and it is nice to see just how much McDreamy has grown out of his awkward years, although he looks like he’s going to cry most of the time too. Is being a surgeon in Seattle really that emotionally burdening? As I get caught up, it’s like watching a prime time soap opera that helps pass the time while I’m on my elliptical. And while I’m curious to know what’s going on right now in season 7 with these characters, I have absolutely no idea what day and what time Grey’s Anatomy is on. I’m okay with that. I just wish there was a way to attach my iPhone to the Bowflex so it acts like a mini TV and then I wouldn't have to miss a minute of "my stories".

A depressing swan song

2011-01-13T10:07:00.003-05:00

I watched Black Swan while I was home for the snow day. I had the video going on one side of my screen while I was answering emails from work on the other. I’m not sure what presented itself first, frustration with work or frustration with the movie, but three quarters of the way into the film I was officially in a bad mood.

It’s a Darren Aronofsky directed film, the man responsible for Requiem for a Dream, one of the most depressing movies I’ve ever seen, so I should have been more prepared for the onslaught of negative emotions that coursed through me while watching Black Swan.

Natalie Portman’s Nina Sayers appeared pathetically meek and timid for a good portion of the movie, which I guess can happen when you’re experiencing a downward spiral of paranoia and insanity. Her bone-thin body is not just that of a ballerina but it seems to personify just how emotionally fragile her character is. If that’s what they were going for, it was very effective. During many of the dance sequences in which Nina is trying to invoke her black swan, it almost sounds like she’s whimpering. Maybe that was me whimpering in my mind.

Much like Requiem, the film was dark with embittered characters and a loss of hope midway through that things would end well for any of them. You could tell Natalie Portman played the role exactly as the script and genre warranted. She convinced me she was losing her mind but I wasn’t exactly routing for her character to regain it; I think that was ultimately the issue for me and this film. Despite my feelings on the movie as a whole, they should just give Portman an Oscar already. She plays feeble and dysfunctional to perfection, and deserves some credit for morphing into a bird.

Even though I expressed bouts of irritation, I watched Black Swan to the end because good or bad, I resolved that I could never get that hour and forty minutes back so I might as well gain a sense of closure. And once I did, I quickly reminded myself that now I never have to watch it again.

Namaste

2011-01-12T03:06:00.004-05:00

Like salmon, everyone says yoga is good for you. It helps strengthen your core and it’s aimed at breathing away stress from your body. The most dedicated yoga doers manage to stay fit and toned so I have to imagine it’s an effective form of exercise.

I have attempted it a couple of times, once as part of a high intensity exercise regimen and Yoga eXtreme nearly killed me. It was then that I decided I hate yoga. Hate may be too strong a word but I just can’t seem to get into it, and I choose to blame the yoga. I’ve tried to discover the appeal. I even own yoga-to-go cards so when I’m traveling I can keep up with my nonexistent routine. I don’t know where those are at present, and let’s face it lying in bed with my Kindle sounds much more appealing than holding warrior’s pose for five minutes while trying to exhale deeply.

How I feel about yoga is how Hal feels about salmon. He wants to like it. He knows he should eat it because of all the health benefits. But every time he tries it he quickly remembers just how much he loathes it. No amount of loathing, however, has kept him from trying it at least once a year.

So for 2011, I set a goal that I would try yoga. Thanks to Netflix, I took a stab at becoming one with my yoga self tonight while waiting for a foot of snow to fall. Set in an all white room, the video began with calming music and instructor with an accent that made it difficult to understand anything she said, but I made do.

The instructor first had us sit with our legs crossed and breathe. Sounds simple enough, right? Well the exercise involved pinching my nostrils shut and then letting each one go so I could inhale through the left and exhale through the right. But when your right nostril is all stuffed up, exhaling properly becomes a real challenge and results in a choking effect. Not a good start.

Then she had me lay on my back and swing my legs over my head, which is when I came to the conclusion that my legs are so short touching my toes to the floor was going to be an impossibility. I was not feeling very calm at this point, especially when I realized that there may be a leg-to-torso ratio necessary to fully engage in the yoga and I was not measuring up.

Finally I got in some position where I was supposed to resemble a crab, on my back, hips arched up, hands grabbing my ankles. I have to say, I wasn't even sure my body would let itself do this. The instructor told me to feel the blood flow down my back but that was overshadowed by the strain through my hips and thighs. And then the video stopped all of a sudden as it does with Netflix sometimes and I found myself stuck in crab pose. When it started to become painful, I detangled myself, got up and turned the video off.

When Hal asked me how it went I told him the exercises were too slow. He was apt to point out that it is yoga. I think by nature yoga is just not a good fit for me. I like something with a faster pace where I can break into a sweat and not from the stress of trying to contort my body into shapes it clearly rejects. I gave yoga another chance and now I think I’m done.

And so I bid it, Namaste.

1.1.11

2011-01-03T09:18:00.004-05:00

The start of the New Year has already been marked by a few moments that are characteristically "us". They were a refreshing yet comforting way to begin 2011.

Our first walk of the New Year to the pier thanks to mild January temperatures.

Our first blazing fire

And our little mischievous kitty getting into trouble already

Happy New Year!

The perfect pair

2010-12-19T12:42:00.017-05:00

Last year we started what has become a tradition in which we celebrate the 12 days leading up to Christmas by exchanging a stocking stuffer a day. It's fun and brews excitement for the big "C", and who doesn't like to open presents!?!

I went above and beyond the call of duty last year. Not only did I create a scavenger hunt for each stocking stuffer by providing clues to each gift's hiding spot, I coordinated that particular day within the 12 days with the gift. For instance, on the second day of Christmas Hal got a pair of French hens. Just kidding. He got a pair of boxers though. Instead of 11 pipers piping, I gave him 11 scratch off tickets. You get the drift. As fun as it was to be creative with both the gifts and the clues, it was a bit exhausting coordinating it all.

This year, the holidays seemed to arrive all too quickly and I have been feeling a bit rushed. We're still doing our 12 days, and yes, it's still a scavenger hunt but Hal's lucky to be getting even one gift a day as I'm feeling supremely disorganized. Hal claims to be without the creative mind to create a scavenger hunt for me but he did manage to create a really nice surprise for our first day of Christmas. I received the following email at work on Monday:

On you first day of Christmas when you arrive home this evening come in and find the flashlight on the shelf next to the tree. Try not to move it but turn it on. The light should point to the first part of today’s joy and merriment. As you’re looking on with X-Mas joy try to take in the whole scene and maybe you’ll find the second half of your surprise.

It was a clue! To say I was excited and intrigued is an understatement. When I got home that evening, I went to the strategically placed flashlight and clicked it on to find it shining on one of the cutest ornaments we've ever had.

The bride and groom marshmallows are actually sitting atop a piece of chocolate and a graham cracker, the makings of a s'more! Not only is this ornament perfect because it's our first Christmas married, but I had introduced Hal to his first s'more ever. I hugged him with sheer delight because how often does a single gift encompass so much sentimentality.

Then Hal mentioned that this ornament felt incomplete and I should continue looking to find the "missing piece" to our first Christmas as Mr. and Mrs. And there they were!

I have to admit, I look at Hal like that quite often. He's so sweet and thoughtful, he's simply irresistible. Our holidays were off to a good start. And with these two additions, our tree is finally complete.

Happy Holidays!

Obvi

2010-12-06T23:08:00.001-05:00

I realized after reading over my last post that I really stated the obvious with the captions but I guess that's my way of gushing...

Little creatures

2010-12-06T10:35:00.007-05:00

I found these adorable crocheted items by Sabahnur on her Etsy store. I'm really trying to avoid accumulating chachkis but these are so sweet looking and I want them all.

Hootie hoot, I'm cute!

It's a tiny hedgehog

A lovebird with a huge heart

A festive chick

There are a lot more crocheted creatures that just personify cuteness. They just make me smile every time I look at them.

All photos compliments of Sabahnur.

Lights, Camera, Christmas!

2010-11-29T23:16:00.003-05:00

This past Sunday we bought out Christmas tree! It stands over 7 feet tall and has sturdy branches - perfect for hanging lots of ornaments. It's our fourth tree together but our first one as newlyweds so it feels a bit more special this year.

Getting ready to put the lights on as
Miss Kitty (looking quite possessed) stands guard.

Rascal, looking equally possessed, decides to take a more stealthy position. I even saved this photo as "satan kitty"

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I even bought us a new tree skirt to commemorate
our first Christmas as a married couple.

"Fun"ctional gifts

2010-11-17T13:25:00.017-05:00

I've been doing some research online for this year's gift giving season and came across some items that put the "fun" in "functional" (wow, I really did write that didn't I). These would be great gift ideas for a certain husband that may or may not be seeking assistance while he's looking for Christmas gifts...I'm just saying...

I'm not always good at hiding what I feel as it tends to get written all over my face. So I figured why not wear what I feel too. I LOVE BBQ! And thanks to this cute shirt from CafePress, I can tell everyone.

I actually think these insulated mugs from West Elm are pretty cute. A lid to keep the heat in but a silicone band to keep from burning myself - how practical! Plus, the reindeer looks a bit like a funny little character raising its arms and cheering. And why shouldn't it cheer, it's so darn adorable.

I guess this one is for the kid in me who also likes to create pretty things but is not always motivated to do so. This fun coloring book from Amazon looks like just the cure for those days I'm feeling artistically inclined but not creatively inspired.

One of the best gifts I could receive is feeling organized. I realize a feeling is hard to wrap up and stick under the tree so I'll stick to the tools that help me feel organized, and the prettier the better. I usually keep all appointments in my iPhone as well as on a wall calendar in my office but I never turn down just one more way of keeping my life in check. Kate Spade seems to have the answer with this cute desktop calendar. In addition to the usual form and function of a calendar like this, there are also 12-months of spirited suggestions designed to surprise, delight and inspire. I wouldn't mind being surprised, delighted and inspired in 2011, especially if I don't get that coloring book.

My little helper

2010-11-16T09:20:00.005-05:00

I’m in the midst of the laborious task of writing the thank you notes, the ones from Hal and me. And yet I’m the one crafting what to say, writing them out, addressing the envelopes, stuffing and stamping them. But there’s no “I” in team, right, and Hal and I are now a team. So last night I asked my teammate for help.

Task 1: Seal the envelopes, please

After 6 of them were completed…

Hal: I’m done with the envelope sealing.

Jenn: What do you mean? There are more to go.

Hal: I just gave myself a paper cut from licking them.

Oye.

Task 2: Place return address labels on them, please

Jenn: On second thought, maybe I should do this.

Hal: Why?

Jenn: Last time I asked you to put stamps on for me, they were kind of crooked.

Hal: Well how would you like them then?

Jenn: Straight!

Nevertheless, Hal took on the task and was doing a fine job. I had forgotten that I had placed half the envelopes upside down so that the pile would sit evenly. My bad.

Hal: Whoa, whoa, what are you doing to me?

Jenn: What do you mean?

He pointed an accusing finger at the upside down envelope.

Hal: You can’t throw me off like this. If I hadn’t noticed this, it could’ve been disastrous!

Oh boy.

It was a good effort but maybe these tasks were too much for my teammate. I mean, after he was done he did settle back onto the couch looking rather exhausted. I have a feeling that for the next round the team is going to consist of me, myself and I. This way all potential disasters are avoided and there are no injuries on the job.

PS, Hal was still nursing the paper cut on his lip this morning...

Last licks

2010-11-15T00:28:00.003-05:00

When Hal and I returned from our honeymoon it was already the beginning of November, way past peak leaf-peeping time. But we've managed to soak in what's left of autumn with a couple of local nature hikes. The colors are still somewhat vibrant allowing me to enjoy the last looks of my favorite season.

Hook Mountain hike

Hal looking very seasonable during our walk around Talman Park

Honeymoon

2010-11-07T23:11:00.012-05:00

So with nearly 3,000 photos to go through from our honeymoon, where to start is a daunting question. Hal didn't even have his camera in Athens and he still managed to take more pictures than I did. If you look at most of our photos, they're mainly scenic shots. But we managed to get in a few if only to prove we visited these places together...

In Cannes, France overlooking this very exclusive resort city that is also home to the best (and only) French macarons we've ever had .

View from the Ponte Vecchio. A rainy day in Florence made for an adventure in staying dry and trying to keep the rain out of our eyes as we looked at Il Duomo and the Piazza Signora.

Yes, that's the Parthenon in the background. What you can't see is how terrible Hal is feeling thanks to some food poisoning the night before. He was such a determined trooper though, managing to tour the Acropolis and Cape Sounion without a bathroom close by.

The ruins of Ephesus were all around us at one of our favorite stops during the honeymoon. The restoration work was just so impressive. We look like such tourists.

Ah, Santorini. The reality of this place lives up to every image and picture you've seen of it. It feels like a wonderful escape when you're surrounded by such a beautiful and picturesque landscape of azure water.

Somehow we forgot to take a photo together during our tour of Herculaneum in Naples so I had to improvise. Herculaneum, a town also affected when Mt. Vesuvius erupted was like a huge playground for us where we could wander freely amongst most of the ruins, much of which was remarkably preserved by the mud and ash that had settled there. This is a mosaic that was still very much intact.

And one more photo just to prove we actually did take a cruise and spent some time on the ship.

Reality bites

2010-11-03T11:36:00.004-04:00

A reminder that not long ago all I had to worry about was my camera running out of battery life.

View from the Acropolis overlooking Athens

Kudos to the husband

2010-10-17T15:16:00.005-04:00

I just have to give props to my husband for being so resourceful. In trying to determine if our suitcases were over the 50lb weight limit, Hal realized that we could weigh them on our Wii fitness board.

The suitcase had a BMI of 7.18. Glad we're doing something useful with the Wii.

And now we're off on our honeymoon adventure!! xoxo

The excitement is brewing

2010-10-15T09:30:00.004-04:00

Soon we'll be sailing to far off lands where adventure awaits us - the history will be ancient, the food will be scrumptious and indulgence will be required.

And once I get through this whole packing thing, the excitement will be overflowing!

When it comes to apples, I welcome the low hanging fruit

2010-10-08T02:18:00.004-04:00

Last Sunday, we went on our annual apple picking outing - our first time as a married couple (yeah, those "first's" haven't gotten old just yet) - and we easily picked an entire bag's worth. Even though most of the apples were low hanging, Hal still got the picking pole since that really is his favorite part of this experience. The trees were filled with Macintosh and Red Delicious and I was in my glory.

The branches appeared so laden with apples they reminded me of bunches of grapes.

Hal using his picking pole.

A happy Hal gets the goods.

And as usual, I find myself reaching for all the good ones.
They were worth the stretch.

One week and a day

2010-10-04T14:38:00.003-04:00

That's how long we've been married, but who's keeping track.

Our first week off from wedding planning was a shot back into reality. Your coworkers may be happy for you but the work itself doesn’t care about recent milestones reached nor does it stop to let you bask in wedded bliss. So we’ve had to steal those moments for ourselves.

Since the wedding, Hal and I have been eating pieces of the 8” round version of our wedding cake the bakery gave us to enjoy. I think we’re supposed to freeze it and eat it on our one year anniversary, but the idea of defrosted wedding cake didn’t appeal to either of us so we’ve been indulging ever since. We’ve actually gone so far as to slice pieces together as if we’re at our cake-cutting ceremony all over again. Admittedly, I get a kick out of it every time.

On Friday we received our marriage license in the mail. We were so excited. Hal was the first to see the envelope and called me immediately because he knew whatever my mood, this was going to make it even better. It kind of felt like our officiant was pronouncing us husband and wife all over again.

Most of the time, the every day is very similar to pre-married life but those moments when we’re reminded that we’ve just celebrated a life-changing milestone are surreal in a refreshing, almost exhilarating way. The other day, Hal realized that he didn’t even feel his wedding band, he’d gotten so used to it already. He was really excited about that, which didn’t surprise me since it’s always the little things that make us so happy. I went out Saturday night to pick up pizza and almost became giddy when I got to tell the pizza guy that my husband was being really indecisive about what he wanted.

They say don’t sweat the small stuff but there’s nothing wrong with appreciating the small moments.

Dum dum dee dum

2010-09-02T15:51:00.007-04:00

19 days to go...

Last week I was exhilerated becuase it was wedding month and now I'm like oh my crap, it's wedding month and I've got less than three weeks left. I’m really trying to enjoy the million and three things that still need to get accomplished and not stress too much since I know I’ll miss this once the big day has come and gone. It's all about taking deep breaths. Hal’s just hoping I’ll stop watching bridal shows after the wedding. I'm not making any promises.

Friday we went for our marriage license. I must have looked like a kid on Christmas, I was just so excited. The woman at the town clerk's office was supremely nice, and when she turned to Hal and asked him, "Is this your first and last marriage?", he didn't even bat an eye as he confidently said, "yes". "Wow," she said as she looked at me, "He didn't even hesitate. He's a keeper!" Yes he is!!!

The process took less than fifteen minutes and we were handed a paper that would legally bind us as husband and wife, with the help of our officiant of course. I was so happy I could've skipped to the car when we were done but I was holding Hal's hand and he's not a skipper. Standing in the middle of the hallway, Hal and I looked at each other, smiled and realized this is real. We're going to be Mr. and Mrs. very soon.

As the big day gets closer, the wedding bells in my head get louder and louder. I just can't wait!

Ahh, domestic bliss..

2010-08-26T15:59:00.002-04:00

I walked into the kitchen last night to find our dinner dishes washed and the kitchen looking clean, almost.

Jenn: Thanks for washing the dishes!

Hal: You’re welcome!

Jenn: Hal, why is the coleslaw still sitting out?

Hal: What?

Jenn: Why didn’t you put the coleslaw away?

Hal: I didn’t want you to feel left out of the cleaning up process.

If you believe that, then I've got a bridge to sell you.

It's really not just a look

2010-08-20T08:07:00.012-04:00

Even though Hal often, and quite literally, tells me how much he loves his little Asian fiancee, sometimes I wonder if he forgets that Asian is a race and not a look. I'm so Americanized that I think I forget too sometimes. However,I'm often reminded when other Asians come up to me hopefully, asking if I'm Chinese (yes, this does actually happen). When I tell them I'm Korean, they optimistically ask, you speak? When I tell them I don't speak Korean, it feels like I've just told a kid there's no Santa. They look so damned disappointed!

It's nice to think that those who know me and love me become "colorblind" to my ethnicity and don't apply stereotypical expectations. For the record, I'm not a math whiz, I don't worship Hello Kitty and I hate karaoke. And if I ever tried to dress like a Harajuku girl, I'm fairly certain Hal wouldn't let me come home. But that doesn't mean that the rest of the world wears blinders, and I need to remember that.

Anyway, I digress. Here's one of our after-midnight conversations where I have to remind Hal (and myself) that not everyone likes a tiny, cute Asian.

Hal: Would you rather live next to a white supremacist or a Hasidic Jew?

Jenn: Hasidic Jew.

Hal: Why?

Jenn: At least a Hasidic Jew would leave me alone.

Hal: What do you mean?

Jenn: (pause) Have you forgotten what I look like, and that I'm Asian? I don't think the supremacists like my kind.

Hal: Oh. Right. Well you're very white on the inside.

Jenn: I don't think they care about my insides. I'd rather not have a cross burning on my front lawn every night. It's not good for the grass.

Hal: Good point.

and Good Night...

Why?

2010-08-19T08:19:00.005-04:00

I owe Hal an apology. I inaccurately described the shirt in my last post as having flames along the bottom but alas it only has them on the sleeves.

Still, you look at it and you have to ask yourself, why?

When you can't burn the shirt, "burn" the shirt wearer

2010-08-18T12:55:00.011-04:00

For his groomsmen’s gifts, Hal’s thinking of getting the guys Hawaiian shirts. It’s so apropos that the second he suggested it I thought it was a fantastic idea. Yes, that is my fiance’s signature style, the (crazy) Hawaiian shirt. I don’t mind them to be honest and to a practical extent, I could see the appeal. They’re extremely soft, meant to be a little baggy and very comfortable. In comparison to some I’ve seen, Hal’s shirts are not too wild and crazy; they don’t burn my eyes or give me a headache when looking at them, and they’re worn infrequently which helps. Hal recalls getting most of his collection at Kohls actually (I don’t remember Kohls looking like a tiki hut surrounded by white sand on the island of Maui, but who cares about authenticity). But alas these are not part of their 2010 summer line.

So we started looking online for Hawaiian shirts since apparently that’s not the popular style to carry in any store that’s not called Tommy Bahama. And while Tommy Bahama may smell like Hawaii, sunscreen and mai tais exploded in it, their shirts seem exorbitantly overpriced for a style that is so clearly not everyday wear.

Hal wasn’t liking anything we saw on the Internet. It got the point where he seemed to be arguing with alohashirts.com.

Hal: These shirts are supposed to tell a story! And the front is supposed to be one flowing image when it’s buttoned, not broken up like this. And what does the back look like on these shirts?! The back is supposed to have a design too! Let me show you.

Hal dragged me to his closet and started pulling out shirts from the larger than expected collection, starting with a white shirt with a rather subtle Hawaiian pattern running along the bottom of it and on the sleeves.

Hal: This is my first shirt. Someone gave this one to me. See how faded it is.

There was a glint of pride in his eyes at this moment. And I crushed it.

Jenn: Babe, it's not faded. I think it’s inside out.

Hal: Oh.

The showcase kinda went downhill from there.

Hal pulled out a much more colorful shirt with blue skies, green palms, maybe a beach and some waves, and then on the back there was a 50’s style pinup girl lounging in a martini glass surrounded by bubbles. (I recognize that visuals would help here but I didn’t have the energy to take pictures)

Hal: See what I mean, these shirts tell a story.

Jenn: What story does this tell?

Hal: It’s a woman in a martini glass. Women and martinis, these are good things don’t you think?

Jenn: I think you don’t know the definition of a story.

Burn number 2 from the future Mrs. Skelley.

After looking at most of the collection, Hal suddenly got very excited upon realizing that he still had one of his all time favorite shirts tucked in the back of his closet (for good reason!!!!). So excited he put it on.

This is not a Hawaiian shirt. This is not an acceptable shirt to be worn in public. And it does warrant a photo so one will be posted tomorrow, but I’ll do my best to paint the picture now. It’s a black button down, possibly velour; it’s soft like curtains you might find in a bordello. It has red and orange flames on it, coming up from the bottom with a matching set along the sleeves. The shirt used to be worn with matching orange pants. I know, yikes! We’re not done yet. Accompanying the shirt on the hanger is a vinyl, faux leather jacket with what looks to be a permanently popped collar. There are matching pants to this jacket as well but I was told that they had to be thrown out since they got “stuck” to something. Like how you can get stuck to vinyl booths at a diner?

With the shirt and the jacket on, Hal posed while I looked on with mild amusement.

Hal: See, I look like…I look like…

Jenn: You look like True Blood meets Euro trash!

Final burn. End scene

Not for forever stamps

2010-08-10T08:04:00.005-04:00

When Hal offered to pick up stamps for me I thought, how sweet of him. Not sure why I was expecting the Forever stamps but I was a little surprised when I found these waiting for me...

Jenn: (literally looking perplexed) What are these?

Hal: The stamps you asked for.

Jenn: Oh. Why did you get these?

Hal: Why did I get the stamps you asked for? Because you asked for them.

Jenn: Why didn't you get the forever stamps?

Hal: What are forever stamps? You didn't tell me there were specific ones!

Jenn: But why did you choose these?

Hal: Why not? (he's starts to look a bit defeated)

I could hear my own voice echoing in my head...he tries to do a nice thing and this is what he gets

Jenn: It's okay. I love them!

Despite the fact that they take up one fourth of a notecard envelope, they're starting to grow on me...

Let them eat cake!

2010-07-28T15:56:00.005-04:00

And we will. After this past weekend, we now have a pretty and delicious cake to serve to our wedding guests as well as an officiant to make it a wedding and not just a really expensive party.

The Officiant
As his closing to all of his emails, our officiant writes “All Ways, Rev Stuart”. The “All Ways” refers to his open-mindedness and willingness to perform pretty much any type of ceremony. Rev Stuart is his name and marrying peeps is his game. Don’t worry, I made up that line; it’s not part of his shtick. Upon meeting him, both Hal and I got a good feeling about him instantly. The Rev is down to earth, all about the love and the commitment of marriage, and easy to talk to. He’s also a jazz musician and I have this feeling he may carry around a comedy routine tucked in his back pocket just in case. In case of what? Who knows but he strikes me as the type who’s ready to entertain at a moment’s notice. He brought to the table some unique ideas that we could integrate into the ceremony to make it special and our own, which I appreciated. As we were leaving, I jokingly commented that now that we have an officiant, Hal has to marry me. The Rev laughed and said, “You bet he will if I have anything to say about it!” I think I like the Rev more and more.

The Cake
Initially, we considered going with something more exotic and by exotic I mean red velvet cake or something with chocolate mousse. We had the opportunity to try out three different cakes and fillings and we were pleasantly surprised to find that the yellow cake with strawberries, vanilla custard and butter cream was delicious. It’s considered a “basic” cake but why mess with a good thing. Then we had the design to consider. I asked for Hal's opinion on the cake design and even though he feigns disinterest, he certainly knows what he likes and doesn't like. Hal and I have differing tastes, and the cake design evidenced this once again. I liked the smooth look of fondant with a very simple but contemporary cluster of flowers toward the top tier. It looked very clean. Hal preferred the grapes cascading down the length of the tiers, and buttercream. In the end, we compromised and found a middle ground with a nice balance of buttercream and flowers and no grapes. I'm happy. He's happy I'm happy. And with the extra 6" cake they provide the bride and groom on the side, we can have our cake and eat it too!

68 days and counting

2010-07-20T15:24:00.004-04:00

With 68 days to go, we are definitely in wedding mode. This Saturday alone we’re meeting with our officiant for the first time, doing the cake tasting (yum) and trying out a potential restaurant for the rehearsal dinner.

Yesterday we met with our DJ, David, for the first time since booking him. We chose him because we appreciated his passion for DJ-ing and he brings an immense enthusiasm to the wedding process. I think he truly loves weddings, and couples and all things DJ related. He loves the love story.

David’s also very meticulous and detail-oriented, which is what he asks of his couples to some extent. I don’t mind this one bit. He’s essentially in charge of the flow of the event so he really should know what’s happening and when, and who’s involved. Makes sense. He also prides himself on being an energetic Master of Ceremony, an entertainer if you will. While I truly think this is a good thing, it worries me at times. My image of the entertaining MC is the corny, in-your-face guy at the Bar Mitvah with a firm grasp on the microphone and sweat beads dripping down his face from being in the spotlight so long. Not exactly subtle. There’s creating a sense of fun energy (good thing,) and then there’s creating nervous, awkward energy (bad thing). Obviously I’m hoping he comes from a school of fun energy, and so far it appears that way, thankfully.

At one point we discussed contingencies for if there’s a lull during the evening. I fear this possibility, when small talk dies down and all you hear are forks hitting the plates, so I’m certainly open to his ideas. One of his go-to solutions, however, is a game with the table centerpiece as the prize. All he had to say was “game” and I’m cringing inside, and probably outside too since my poker face is nonexistent. I squeeze Hal’s leg, better than choking David before he can continue. He proceeds to run through the scenario which involves dollar bills, knowing your right from your left, and somewhere along the way he claims hilarity ensues. Hal nods his head the entire time and I can’t quite tell if it’s an automatic response or if he actually thinks it’s a good idea. Even when Hal says, “I like that,” I hope he’s just being polite.

David recognizes my lack of enthusiasm over this insertion of “fun” into the wedding day and quickly emphasizes that it’s just an option, just an idea, and not at all a reality. I think the dollar game is out along with that round of musical chairs (which is never actually suggested but I was bracing myself for it). Other forms of entertainment are suggested which leave a better taste in my mouth and I end up having much to digest from this meeting.

All in all, we were productive, more than enthusiastic, and excited to check another thing off the list, always knowing that with every task completed, it brings us closer to the big day!

Summatime

2010-07-01T08:50:00.004-04:00

Sometimes you just see something that personifies summer. I think this does it!

How mouthwateringly beautiful does this look?!? The green stuff is a basil granita. And it's so neatly packaged. To make your own delicious summer creation, go here for the recipe.

Welcome to Mee-am-mee

2010-06-28T16:25:00.003-04:00

I actually wrote this on a piece of paper (I know, who uses paper anymore?) in the Miami airport while waiting for my flight back to NY.

It seems weird to be writing about my trip and first impression of Miami as I’m sitting at the airport getting ready to leave. The flight to Mee-am-mee, as the locals say it, was uneventful despite intermittent bumpiness and the woman who kept kicking my seat. Past the age of five, the seat kicking thing is unacceptable as the dirty look I tossed her way expressed, ineffectively I must admit.

While still sitting on the Newark tarmac, I noticed three very tan, metrosexual guys boarding the plane with their perfectly coiffed, flammable hair and their shiny Ray-Ban sunglasses that glistened like the rest of them. Dressed in fitted jeans with brightly colored polos that popped against their bronzed skin, they didn’t look over the top which is why I assumed they were not of the Jersey contingency. They were clearly headed home to South Beach, which is exactly when I realized that I dressed like Morticia Addams on a casual day was not going to fit into the SoBe lifestyle.

First impressions…Miami is hot, from the weather to the beautiful people that bare it all, it’s a steamy city. I was sent down to South Beach on business and while I was actually resistant to going, I’m glad I finally got to see a snap shot of this very distinct cultural mecca, strewn with art deco. As I assumed, Miami has a heavily infused Latin flavor, but there’s also a clear European influence where they make a life of leisure look incredibly chic. And the people are confident, in a nutshell. From the bare-chested homeless man playing on his bongos while showing off his toothless grin to passersby, to the women walking around in their bikinis down in the shopping district, relying solely on the humidity to keep their bathing suits glued to their bodies, the people in Miami are comfortable in their skin. And even though there were some you wished had chosen a cover up before stepping out that day, that kind of confidence is admirable.

Miami is a sensory experience, much like NYC, but what your senses pick up sound, smell and feel completely different. If I think of Manhattan, I can smell dirty (hot) dogs in a second. Miami smelled like an open bottle of Banana Boat suntan lotion. In NYC you can hear the nonstop energy of people constantly moving and doing. The traffic, the footsteps, the subways, you hear constant momentum. In Miami, you hear music and the sound of leisure, be it laughter, ice cubes rolling around in a glass or rollerblades hitting the pavement by the beach. NYC is not without these sounds but what your senses predominantly pick up is often indicative of the kind of lifestyle that surrounds you.

South Beach was certainly a change of pace with a different kind of energy that exudes a love of life and a good time. Why wouldn’t I want to be part of this all the time? Truthfully, the girl that embraces black, is far from being a sun bunny and hates humidity (did I mention how hot it was?), enjoyed the snap shot but would happily take the smell of dirty dogs to sun tan lotion any day.

PS, if you've never been, one should stop by Mangos in SoBe. It's a bar with a dedicated tropical theme. There's dancing on the bar...even the men...without shirts! It's fun for everyone!

It always happens in three’s

2010-06-21T16:00:00.003-04:00

FIRST
It began on Saturday when I was sitting on the toilet lid and leaned over to the pet Miss Kitty. I went forward while the lid slid back in an unnatural way. Hal witnessed the whole thing and we both realized that I had broken it. But when he asked me, did you just break our toilet? I looked him square in the chest and said, no. Yet, when I went to stand up and had to push the lid back into place, I succumbed to the guilt even while repeating, it’s fine, it’s fine. I guess a trip to Home Depot is in order.

SECOND
Anticipating a hot weekend, Hal put in all of our air conditioners last Thursday. The mother of all our ACs sits in a large living room window, is 12,000 btu’s (I really don’t know what this means but I know it’s a good thing) and has been effective at cooling off our entire area. So Sunday, when it was disgustingly humid and everything felt sticky and damp, Hal went to plug in the air conditioner. But the reset button wouldn’t reset making our relatively new AC defunct. Understandably, Hal was frustrated since it’s only two years old and trying to get it serviced is as convenient and cost effective as purchasing a brand new one. He of course took the machine apart (because why wouldn’t you?) but there was no blinking light signaling “I’m the broken part”. I guess a trip to Sears or Costco is in order.

THIRD
I needed to print out something for the wedding, a piece that required Hal’s pagination* skills. We struggled with this piece between laying it out, printing it straight and cutting it to size. During the process, I was getting more and more frustrated but my very patient fiancé managed to talk me down from the ledge long enough to remind me that we’re only going to do this once so we should enjoy this time. Just as we hit our groove and like a well-oiled machine things were progressing smoothly, our printer stopped working. As Hal put it, there’s no power going to it. All I heard was it’s broken. At that point I just wanted to yell, Nooo, not the printer tooo. I guess a trip to Staples is in order?? Nope! Fortunately, Hal managed to use his wits and talent to fix our finicky printer and half past midnight we were back on track. Thank goodness for levelheaded fiancés who know how to rally when their brides-to-be are not feeling this special, special time.

And at the end of the day, after everything seemed like it was breaking and technology and toilet lids wouldn’t cooperate, Hal sat me outside to stargaze for a moment. And that’s when we saw a red moon! It was very low in the sky and gorgeous. I’ve never seen that before. After this frustrating trifecta of mishaps, this crescent of a fireball in the sky was like being given the cherry on top of a melting sundae. And I thoroughly enjoyed it.

*Pagination is the system by which the information on a newspaper, bookpage, manuscript, or otherwise handwritten, printed or displayed document is laid out. I know, there’s really an official name for this, and it’s considered a system!

And then there was that time...

2010-06-11T11:44:00.002-04:00

I was shopping in Urban Outfitters back during the Beantown days of college when the 20 bucks in my pocket was for lunch, dinner, and a shopping “spree”. It had to be the end of winter since most of the warmer clothing was on sale. I pulled out this soft, very thick furry piece of clothing whose purpose was indeterminable at the time. On the hanger, it looked like a very short skirt made out of the fur of a blond bear. The top opening was slightly narrower than the bottom, it had no visible zippers, and while it was definitely mini-sized I figured with thick tights, it could pass for cute. Did I mention how incredibly soft it was?!

I waited in a very long line to try this on, like Disney World long. I noticed a couple of people including the Outfitters peeps eyeing my find skeptically. It’s not a good sign when the people at the store look unsure about their merchandise. In the dressing room, I confirmed there were no zippers so I just pulled it on up to my waist. I felt silly immediately, and if it weren’t for my utter, overriding curiosity for answers about this bear hide, I wouldn’t have stepped out of the dressing room to show my friend and the rest of the Urban world my “outfit”.

My friend just kind of stared at me. Neither of us could really find the words to express the ridiculousness of it. But one of the Outfitter’s salespeople managed to speak after looking at me up and down.

“Um, sweetie, that’s supposed to be a tube top”.

Oh. So I guess I’ll have to wear more than thick tights to pull this look off…I actually wasn’t as mortified as I probably should’ve been. It was more of an “ah ha” moment, riddled solved, I now feel closure about this furry apparel. All is well with the world again.

Nowadays, the only soft, fur-like pieces I own are blankets but I occasionally think back to that "skirt" and wonder if I could've rocked it anyway.

Hair! Flow it, Show it

2010-06-10T08:57:00.003-04:00

I went to get my hair trimmed yesterday. It needed it as the ends were getting a bit tired and worn. When I told my hair dresser I only wanted an inch cut off, she looked displeased. “Alright…” she said in a tone I found rather judgmental to be honest. It was like she was channeling my mother who always wants me to get my hair chopped off short, like a cut I had circa 1991, and my requested proverbial inch was such a disappointment.

And then the hairdresser asked me, “does Hal like it long?” as if that was the reason I’ve been keeping it this length since 2003 (four years before I even met Hal). When I said yes, because he actually does like it long, she nodded her head knowingly, that’s what I expected. I wanted to explain that Hal’s opinion really doesn’t influence what I do with my hair. The only opinion that matters is mine quite frankly, and I love it long. Please let me repeat, I love it long.

If Hal told me tomorrow that he would love to see my hair short, I would say so would my hairdresser and my mother but it’s not going to happen.

It’s funny how people will provide their opinions on everything especially when they’re unsolicited. And when you don’t agree, they get miffed. I don’t get that. Why is it people feel that their opinion of your appearance (or job, or lifestyle, or life choices) is more important than your own? As if they know better.

It makes me wonder if people, by sharing their opinions and suggestions and judgments, are really seeking validation, and even in the most innocuous, inconsequential situations. If I suddenly decided to cut my hair short, would my hairdresser feel more influential and therefore more empowered, at least at that moment because that’s what she wanted? What does it matter? Ultimately, the length and shape of my hair has no real impact on anyone else’s life but my own.

Maybe the roots (pun intended) of this issue do not run so psychologically deep at all and people are not that complicated. Maybe it’s just about being able to say, “See, I was right.”

So at the end of the trim, when she said, “Alright Jennifer, we didn’t cut much off but it does look beautiful,” I thought to myself, See, I was right.

The mouse

2010-06-09T11:37:00.003-04:00

It was after midnight when we arrived at the beach house in Virginia on Sunday (well technically Monday I guess). It’s located at the end of a dark, desolate road that Hal’s grandmother aptly describes as spooky, especially at night. The house itself was lit up, a comforting welcome at the end of a long trip.

When Ariel, Hal’s aunt, is there we’re usually greeted by her dogs, but this time we were met with just the sound of the waves hitting the beach. That alone seemed to make the drive worth it.

The house had been vacant for a while and it was somewhat evident of that, but we didn’t care. There were beds waiting for us, and the beach was a stone’s throw away. What more could we need?

We were just about to head up to bed when I saw it, a small mouse that had gotten stuck to one of those sticky pad traps (the worst kind by the way). The poor little mouse with its huge terrified eyes was helplessly scrambling to get his two back feet free from this torture trap. Hal and I looked at each other and we both knew we needed to help it. They say there’s no rest for the weary; well, there’s also no rest for the guilt stricken.

A few months ago, Hal had actually researched how to remove a mouse from a sticky pad after this very situation occurred at my office. Unfortunately, that mouse’s fate was doomed at the time, since none of us thought to Google how to save a mouse from the most inhumane trap in existence. But this time, Hal and I were armed with a solution.

Canola oil. Hal had read that cooking oil would release the mouse from the trap so we carried everything outside and I attempted to dab his little feet with the oil. Even though his feet managed to become unstuck, he started to scramble rapidly causing other parts of his body to stick to the pad. What an unfortunate sight. Eventually, we just poured the oil onto the pad in hopes that the underside of his body would become so coated he’d just slip right off. And indeed, this tiny fur ball broke free! I “Yay-ed” with glee and much relief. Of course, after all that the first thing the mouse tried to do was run back inside the house, unsuccessfully. Crisis (and guilt) averted.

The next morning, we awoke to a cool breeze and the serenity of the beach, and the hope that the little mouse was also enjoying another day of scurrying about along the sand.

And then there was that time…

2010-06-04T08:27:00.000-04:00

Hal decided he’d practice his karate moves on me. In an effort to swing his leg over my head, his foot caught the side of my head and hit me with a thwack. While the force didn’t render me unconscious, we definitely both looked at each other like, did that really just happen?

That may or may not have also been the time Hal put on all his black Under Armour gear which is skin tight, including the head gear, and pranced around our house like a ninja. Do ninja’s prance? I know there were attempts to leap out and scare me as well as spontaneous kicking.

How is it we don't have our own show on Bravo yet...

Rolling on the river!

2010-05-20T08:00:00.004-04:00

While attempting to get to the Tappan Zee Bridge this morning, I noticed the man in the car in front of me seemed agitated. He was shaking his fist about and flailing his arms in what appeared to be frustration. I even said out loud, "It's too early to be this angry". Then he turned his head to the right and I realized he was belting out lyrics to whatever song was keeping him company in the car. His flailing was him grooving to the music, I guess. Seemed like angry music based on his movements but hey, whatever gets you through the commute.

I in turn chuckled, found Proud Mary on my MP3 player and attempted to dance like Tina Turner, which is not easy when one foot is always occupied. If the guy in front of me looked like an angry person, then I looked like a crazy person. As usual, I didn't care. I've choreographed whole dance numbers while on my way to work. And let me say, Tina is a fantastic motivator in the morning. In case you didn't get your Tina fix, here she is performing Proud Mary in 2000.

At 2:20 mark she starts to sing and at about 4 minutes, all hell breaks loose. It's fantastic!

A lady unless the game's on

2010-05-18T11:20:00.004-04:00

I’m generally the sports spectator in our family. Hal is not a big fan. He claims to like watching hockey and basketball at times but I have never caught him doing either. When the Giants played in the Superbowl a couple of years ago, I was glued to the game with a couple of his friends while he and his buddy were putzing around on the computer. When there was loud cheering (a cue that something good has happened), Hal would come over to watch the replay and cheer with us, again.

Truth is I’m extremely grateful he’s not a sports fan as it keeps me from becoming a crazed sports widow. But there are the occasional moments (like during last night’s Yankees-Red Sox game) when it would be nice if he felt more engaged in the game, like I do. By engaged I mean, you exhibit moments of loud clapping, whooping and a string of profanities yelled at the television. This is me watching a baseball game in the comfort and privacy of my own home. I like to call the pitches, and subsequently yell at the umps when I think the strike zone is ridiculously too wide. I comment on nearly every play and display extreme exuberance when the Yankees have done something favorable. This may involve leaping to my feet and clapping in a deafening manner. And when things go wrong or not to my liking, I say things that no lady should utter. All the while, Hal just gives me a look that says, Just so you know this is not the pretty side of you. This is not the side of you I fell in love with.

I hid this side from him for a while until he caught me one night a few years ago. It was top of the 9th, Mariano Rivera at the mound attempting to get a save and secure a win for the Yanks. There were two outs, one man on second and Rivera’s pitching balls. Three to one count and I’m screaming at the television, yelling at Rivera to do his job, get the batter out already, throw a damn strike! Like I said, it’s not a pretty sight. Our bedroom, which is usually our sanctuary, has the energy of a downtown pub as if a brawl is about to start. Hearing the spew of a frustrated Yankee fan, a sound foreign in this household, Hal yells to me, “Are you okay? Who are you yelling at?” Everything’s fine in fact. This is status quo for a game, which doesn’t ease the situation for Hal one bit.

So last night as we sat on the couch, Hal with his laptop while I’m glued to the baseball game, the fun began and I adopted the personality of a truck driver.

He gave me that look again – Really? It’s just a game. I don’t even know who you are right now.

But before he could put me in a padded room, I made my case.

Jenn: Look, one of us has to teach our children how to yell bad things at the tv during baseball games.

It’s never just about the game, or my love of the Yankees, or the fact that I hate the Red Sox. It’s that wonderful feeling of being invested in something that holds no real bearing on your actual life. It’s great…until your team loses.

But the Yanks pulled it out last night and got the win. So suck it Boston!!

Sound of (Monday) Music

2010-05-10T08:30:00.007-04:00

After less than 4 hours of sleep and not enough coffee, this video was just what I needed this morning. It proves happy energy is infectious.

Plus - not only is this the first time I've heard a song from the Sound of Music remixed, check out how they pay a brief tribute to the macarena....fantastic!

So after I found this, I searched "flash mob dance" on YouTube (because that's what this is called apparently - spontaneous choreographed dancing by a huge mass of people in a public place), and so many fun things came up!

If you've ever seen the video with the inmates in the Phillipines who dance to Michael Jackson's, Thriller, these flash mobs are all kind of like that except they don't take place in a prison yard, and the seemingly ordinary people participating are not all wearing matching jumpsuits. I'm also fairly certain that these flash mob dancers aren't being carefully watched by armed guards.

So in love

2010-05-07T08:57:00.002-04:00

Some of our engagement photos have been posted on our photographer's blog. We don't look too dewy or flushed as previously feared considering it was hot and humid! We look happy and in love (and very serious at times thanks to some artistic posing by our photographer), and I am even more in love with our setting, Fort Tryon Park. I can't wait for our wedding day since I know our photos are going to be fantastic. A small sampling below, or go to http://dantewilliamsphotography.blogspot.com/ for more!

This is what I dubbed our Adam and Eve shot...with clothes on of course.

I just can't get enough of him...

Like kids again

2010-05-05T09:53:00.006-04:00

Hal and I had been talking for weeks about how we’d been craving a Friendly’s Reese’s Pieces Sundae. I actually was craving the Cone Head sundae you got as a kid - vanilla ice cream with hot fudge-dipped sugar cone, whipped topping and Reese's® Pieces® candy (description courtesy of Friendlys). My favorite part of that sundae was the way they used to sneak Reese’s Pieces candy in the bottom of the dish so when you ate all the ice cream there was a wonderful surprise waiting for you. So good.

So we agreed to go get Friendly’s on Saturday. Following a few hours in Fort Tryon Park smiling for the camera in 80 degree weather (yay for probably looking dewy and flushed in our engagement photos), then a long nap, and numerous complaints about it being so hot, we finally headed over to Friendly’s. It was like taking a step back into my childhood.

The smell of the grease was ever so familiar and hit me like a wave of nostalgia. The restaurant was loud with families all enjoying their sundaes, Fribbles and kid’s meals. The floor was predictably sticky. As we sat down in the booth, I was excited to note that the ever-present sundae and ice cream menu was exactly how I remembered it. Thank goodness some things never change.

We indulged just like everyone around us at that restaurant, young and old. Hal enjoyed every morsel of his grilled cheese while I couldn’t put enough ketchup on my waffle fries. He got a Reese’s Pieces Sundae (that-a –boy!) and a Fribble (oh my), while I actually opted for a Happy Ending sundae (yes, that’s what they call it) – 2 scoops with whipped cream and your topping of choice. I would’ve opted for the cone head but alas I can no longer pass for a 12 year old. We enjoyed every bite, mostly because the experience was exactly what I hoped it would be – satisfyingly unchanging and a tasty reminder of how carefree childhood can be, where sticky fingers are acceptable and calories just don’t count. As I watched a kid in the booth next to us ponder between bites of his quesadilla what kind of sundae he wanted, I thought to myself, I kinda miss the days when the biggest decision I had to make was choosing between ice cream flavors.

At least the cherry on top still makes me giddy even if pigtails are a thing of the past.

Say Cheese!

2010-04-30T12:06:00.007-04:00

Tomorrow, Hal and I are having our engagement photos taken, a year and 12 days following the date we actually got engaged. We didn't procrastinate so much as life and then winter time got in the way and we finally had a chance to schedule the shoot. I'm very excited since it's been almost a year since we've seen our photographer so it will be nice to get reacquainted with the man who'll be responsible for capturing all the memories of our wedding day (no pressure). I'm also a little nervous. Truth be told, I don't love to have my photograph taken, and Hal and I aren't ones for the spotlight. So why are we doing this? Really it's to hang out with Dante (said photographer) in Fort Tryon Park (love it there) and have a collection of nice photos of the two of us (as compared the the usual ones taken with one arm outstretched where someone's head always gets cut off). It's a 9am shoot which should be interesting since neither of us is at our best in the morning, but it's going to be fun and I'm sure if Dante can't get me to smile, Hal will!

Less than 5 months before the big day. How did that happen?! Dum, dum da dum...

Stars shining bright above you

2010-04-19T11:55:00.001-04:00

Every once in a while, usually after 9pm, I’ll look up to find Hal walking towards me, carrying my coat and shoes. As he hands them to me he says, “I need you to put these on and come with me”. His serious tone is offset by the glint in his eyes and I know exactly where we’re going.

This “stop everything” moment happened last night as I was putting together my lunch. It’s a familiar scenario as I quickly put on my jacket and boots, while Hal goes to get the binoculars. We shut off all the lights in the kitchen and he tells me to close my eyes as we head outside onto the back deck. We sit together on one of the chairs and I wait for my cue to open my eyes. “I’m just letting our eyes adjust. We’ll open them soon”, he says. Cozy and contented, I don’t really care when we open our eyes. I could probably start dozing but then Hal nudges me and I open my eyes to see a perfect crescent of the moon, so bright in the sky, surrounded by lots of stars. It’s beautiful and I’m reminded of just how much I love to stargaze, especially with Hal.

Hal lifts the binoculars to his eyes while I admire the night’s sky with my naked, nearsighted eyes.

“You can really see the dark side of the moon”, he says excitedly. I anxiously wait my turn with the binoculars, and suddenly we become excited kids discovering the solar system for the first time.

And like the sap that I am, Mama Cass’s version of “Dream a little dream of me” starts playing in my head and I begin to hum and sway as Hal moves around our porch trying to get a better view of the stars. This is pretty typical of us, me the romantic, him the explorer. But we’re both enjoying the moment together…and continue to for a little while, despite the mysterious animal that scampers out from beneath our deck.

And in your dreams, whatever they be...dream a little dream of me....

A little extra something

2010-04-12T23:23:00.015-04:00

First, some exciting news: Hal and I booked our honeymoon! We’re going on a 12 Night Mediterranean Greek Isles cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas, which begins its voyage in Barcelona and goes to Provence, Florence, Rome, Athens, Ephesus, Santorini and Naples/Capri before heading back to Spain. I’m so excited!! The booking agent and I shared a woohoo once we finalized the down payment. We have a room with a balcony on the left side of the ship which will hug the coast as we travel from Barcelona to Rome. We haven’t taken an extended vacation since the summer of 2008 so I absolutely cannot wait!

Now the actual post...
I’ve come to the realization that in the past month I’ve put on the dreaded comfort weight. It’s the weight you put on when you’re feeling all nestled into a relationship and you feel comfortable enough to eat your way through a Costco bag of pita chips while he holds the container of hummus out for you. At some point in the relationship it’s inevitable, like the freshman 15. I’m kind of surprised it came 3 ½ years into our relationship.

It may also be a result of a stressful March. I don’t generally turn to food when I’m stressed (I turn to coffee), but I do take a lot of shortcuts when it comes to choosing meals. The faster the better, which generally results in the less healthy option. Or, you end up dining out more frequently in the name of convenience. Currently, I have only put on a few extra pounds but when you’re 4’10”, it feels like the freshman 15. It’s a reality no woman loves to face or really talk about, but I did, with Hal…poor Hal.

I refrained from asking him, “do you think I’m getting fat?”, and instead gave him options.

Jenn: Do you think the weight I’ve put on is due to gaining muscle or fat?

My question is met with silence. Shocking.

Jenn: I want your honest answer. It’s okay, really. I won’t be upset.

Is there an honest answer?

Hal: I think you look beautiful.

His answer does not help either of us.

After we talked about it (and Hal handled it rather sensitively and diplomatically), we chalked it up to what most weight gain is a result of: unhealthy eating and lack of exercise. In my mind, I considered more specific things that I could credit.

My love of:

Carbs
Dark chocolate covered pomegranates
My couch
Cheese
Sleep (in lieu of exercise)
Did I mention carbs, and I think they’re usually the complex kind

And I hate: Running on the elliptical

For me to feel better about myself and be healthy, the weight needs to go. So beginning in April, Hal and I started this new exercise regiment: P90X. The “X” is for EXTREME!!!! We’ve done a series of exercise sessions already and they range from manageable to sheer torture.

More to come on just how extreme we can get before it renders us immobile. More importantly, we'll see how much, if any, of the extra pounds it sheds in hopes of feeling less like one of those marshmallow snowballs...which sounds delicious right about now.

Hello blogging world, it's been a while.

2010-04-06T11:36:00.008-04:00

The trade show madness is over and warm weather has arrived...life is good.

Flowers are starting to bloom which brightens everything up, and Hal and I have certainly been taking advantage of the sunshine and longer (more leisurely) days.

Taken during a walk around Rockland Lake as the sun was starting to set, which explains why we're being blinded. We smiled through the pain.

Trip to Fort Tryon park to scope out sites for our engagement pictures. Right before this was taken, a girl got yelled at for climbing on the rocks. Five minutes earlier and that would've been me getting reprimanded.

And with the simple touch of planting pansies, spring is making an appearance at our house too.

I love our mushroom and sleeping gnome. Just the right amount of cuteness.

All grown up

2010-03-18T09:11:00.006-04:00

I feel so accomplished. For the first time ever, I did my own taxes. Equipped with a pencil, a calculator, lots of forms and a helpful fiance, I sat down in front of a roaring fire and went to it. 2 hours later and a pair of burning eyes, I was done with the hard part. I felt triumphant and it helped that Hal was my cheerleader through the process.

It only took me 28 years to put on my big girl panties and fill out my own taxes. Who knows what it will be like filing next year. I'll be married and we may have a house...and I may be the one cheering Hal on as he fills out our 2010 tax returns.

Fit for radio

2010-03-09T09:42:00.006-05:00

Ah, morning talk on the radio. A few headlines caught my attention enough to send me searching for the news story online once I got to work.

Woman sleeps with 900 men in 9 years

Victoria Betteridge, a 28 year old British woman revealed that she has slept with 900 men in 9 years. She was quoted as saying, “Men do it all the time, so why shouldn’t women?”

I’m getting tired of this argument being used to justify any kind of behavior. Men also pee standing up but there’s a reason women shouldn’t. She’s obviously proud of her sexual history or she wouldn’t be boasting about it to the press. That’s fine, but don’t be surprised when the judgments start rolling in because there is no fair play when you let your bedroom antics hit the billboards.

Restaurant, Klee Brasserie using wife’s breast milk to make cheese

A chef at a trendy New York bistro is letting diners munch on cheese made from his wife's breast milk.

I have nothing to say to this.

Botched butt jobs

Six women in Jersey were hospitalized with infections caused by a black market butt job they received. They were injected with a cocktail of stuff including household caulk!

I could make a really bad, tasteless joke about filling cracks, but I won’t go there. Suffice it to say, one should stay away from anyone claiming they can perform plastic surgery while they're wearing a tool belt and using a work bench in their garage as an operating table.

An Oscar Haiku

2010-03-08T09:02:00.005-05:00

I was surprised but not crushed when I realized Sunday morning that ABC had indeed "gone dark". Gone dark - sounds like it was some rogue mission to the save the world when in fact it was just two greedy companies who were having a spat in the sand box. I didn't realize that channel 7 came back 15 minutes after the Oscars started until well after 10:30pm, which is when I started watching them. And it still took 45 minutes before they announced any winners that I remotely cared about. I have to admit, I was more interested in seeing Avatar lose than finding out who won. And since I put almost every acceptance speech on mute, ignored the 20 minute presentations for announcing any winner of any category, I thought it best to be brief, an approach the Oscars will never attempt.

My 17-syllable summary of the Oscars.

JLo’s dress. Um. What?
Nobody likes blue people
Sandra made me tear

I could tell you, but then I'd have to...

2010-03-02T08:27:00.017-05:00

So I've been purposefully remiss in sharing my latest form of distraction even though I've declared this blog a 'no judgment' zone. Sure I'm swamped at work and the wedding to-do list won't get itself done, but amidst the growing number of stuff to accomplish over the next few weeks, I've managed to find one more thing to occupy my time: Mafia Wars on Facebook. I don't consider myself an invested participant since I'm not willing to "friend" complete strangers to grow my Mafia, unlike a certain fiance who got me hooked on this game. I don't "fight" people because I usually lose and have no defenses. I basically do jobs and earn millions of mafia dollars by owning property - I wish it was that easy. When you master jobs you go up a level, which is supposed to be gratifying, and I have to admit, it is kinda. And it's a new activity that Hal and I can bond over.

When I first started, Hal walked me through the lay of the land. He showed me where I can go to buy property, do jobs and where to find my inventory of stuff. You know, the must-haves of the mafia: crowbars, various pistols, a hacksaw. Nothing was especially challenging about any of it, but it was all very new to me having never played anything like this, until I went to the inventory page.

Hal: This is where you can see all the weapons you own and how many you have. It's all listed on the side.

This looks familiar!

Jenn: Ooo, it's like a wedding registry!!

Hal: (rolling his eyes) Yes, yes it's exactly like that.

Jenn: This is gonna be fun.

Hal: Oh brother...

My inventory

You just can't register for a good crowbar at Crate and Barrel. Add a couple of place settings and a pizza stone, and we are set!

Strange TV

2010-02-22T13:12:00.002-05:00

The only reality shows I watch are the ones usually on TLC, Discovery or A&E about people leading "interesting" lives, for lack of a better term. From women behind bars and life as a Hell's Angel, to 'I have a 60 pound tumor growing out of my face' or the 600-pound virgin, I'm fascinated by the sordid, challenging and in some cases, downright crazy lives people lead. This interest really began in college when my roommate and I would plant ourselves in front of the tv in hopes of catching a marathon of medical mysteries, murder mysteries, plastic surgeries gone wrong, etc... So when she suggested a new documentary that I "just had to see", I didn't hesitate to search for it online.

It's called "Strange Love: Married to the Eiffel Tower". Part one may be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STCOo9Hh5lE. And part two at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5Yuc7XSCJ4&feature=related. It is a documentary about women who fall in love with inanimate objects. Strange – yes, like the title says. Addictively intriguing – absolutely!

You really have to see it to believe it.

More brain candy

2010-02-20T21:56:00.011-05:00

I no longer window shop. I web browser shop.

1. Banana Republic's Leather Knotted Belt

I'm not a big belt fan since all my shirts sit past my waistline so I always think, what's the point? But I recently bought this cute dress that begs for a belt, and this one has a unique design beyond the standard look. However, I hope the more intricate design is not indicative of a complicated buckle. Another possible reason I've stayed away from belts...

2. Elva Fields Bright and Possible Necklace

I'm starting to love all things green. Admittedly, I don't wear a lot of it, but it adds a certain pop and makes for a perfect accessory color. Unless it's a drab olive or outdated forest, green looks cheery and reminds me of spring in bloom. Others must have agreed since this necklace is completely sold out. Oh well, it's still fun to look at.

3. Michael Kors Uptown Astor Sandal

Don't get me wrong, I love Michael Kors with his fake-and-bake, orangy glow (as seen on Project Runway) and those melodramatic, sardonic critiques he likes to dole out. But I have to say, when I look at this sandal I think "yikes". Between the studs, the animal print and then the rubber sole (which is the part I appreciate most about this four-inch heel), I just think it looks like he's trying to accomplish too many trends in a single shoe, making it look a bit tacky. I'm sure the Housewives of Orange County already have their pairs.

Damn those macarons! Please, stop being cute

2010-02-15T23:16:00.006-05:00

So I've been very upfront with my feelings on macarons and their (somewhat) incomprehensible popularity. Well, Bakerella and her annoyingly creative abilities (yes, I'm going to be a hater for a moment) with all things sugary on a stick may have started to sway my opinion. How cute are these?! Besides the fact that I have a developing festish of miniature foods, these macaron pops personify all that is adorable and delightful.

Dare I try to make them with the recipe provided on bakerella.com. Nah, I'll just stare at them with a cheeky grin and wish I had the patience to draw little hearts on little cookies.

Bzzz

2010-02-15T14:15:00.004-05:00

Patty Stanger, the "Millionaire Matchmaker" on the Bravo channel, calls it like she sees it and does not hold back one bit, even when her words are like acid to your ears. You wince a little, and it confirms that the truth hurts.

But it's the image of her yelling into the phone at her "Botox Bitch" client (her choice description, but very fitting), "YOU ARE NOT ALL THAT", that has consistently popped into my head today, and I wouldn't mind sharing that sentiment towards a few people I've encountered myself.

Wouldn't we all like to dole out a touch of the Stanger Sting at times.

A weekend that satiates

2010-02-15T00:29:00.003-05:00

Productive weekends make me happy, whether it’s accomplishing tasks that affect the quality of my life or just the quality of my meals that day, I relish in getting stuff crossed off the list.

Here’s the quick rundown from the weekend:

Hal made us tasty chili on Friday, and the realization that we had lunches for the following week made me supremely glad as I portioned them up into our glass containers for individual helpings. For some reason this just sounds very Martha Stewart to me, but no, Hal did not ground the chili meat himself nor did I hand blow the glass. Although, I did clean out our pantry shelves and yes, everything has a shelf life.

On Saturday, I labeled our pantry shelves thanks to my label maker, which still has me smiling since Christmas. After having our fill of chicken lettuce cups, we later enjoyed sundaes with homemade ice cream and brownies – well worth the stomach ache that ensued the next morning. Eating an egg sandwich with overly charred ham is the key to getting over the belly pain, apparently.

Sunday was not celebrated with sentiments of saccharine love (although I have been enjoying the flowers Hal gave me), but stuffing our save-the-dates did warm my heart. Devouring the Indian buffet at Karavalli for dinner was truly our Valentine’s Day treat.

Laundry, going to an open house, bonding with the elliptical, and that dreadful work stuff were also added to the mix. But I can’t complain, especially when the weekend finished on such a delicious note. Reading this over, it looks like my productive weekend was mainly defined by making and/or eating lots of good food, and I'm totally okay with that. Bring on next weekend!

Our updgrade to a 20th century bathroom

2010-02-07T22:56:00.012-05:00

This morning marked a glorious moment. For the first time in nearly 2 1/2 years, I dried my hair in our bathroom. Sounds like it shouldn't be a big deal, right? Well, it is if you've lived without an outlet in your bathroom. The sound of the hair dryer was music to my ears. Thanks to the future hubby aka handyman a la casa, we can plug electical things into our bathroom wall, which has us both giddy.

Hal inspecting the wires by which I mean attempting to not electrocute himself. Notice the fashionable light strapped on his head. He loves that thing!

Our nifty new switch and outlet. So pretty...

Hal did all the work but somehow that earns Rascal the down time.

3 pieces of brain candy

2010-02-06T20:52:00.016-05:00

The weekends have become the only time I can really read through all my wedding and gossip blogs as well as catch up on fashion and food magazines. I know it's not intellectually stimulating in any way but this brain candy keeps me from banging my head against the wall from all the work stuff eating away at my mind. When I sit and do my internet thing or flip through those glossy pages, it's like exhaling from a long week. It's lovely really.

As I mentioned, it's brain candy but here are 3 products that caught my attention:

1. 2 Love My Lips lip gloss

Created by the Brits, not only does this product give your lips a pretty or sultry, shiny sheen, it detects whether someone has slipped a date rape drug in your drink. Crazy right?! If your drink's been tainted, your lips will turn blue! So before you leave the bar with 'that guy', make sure you check yourself out in the mirror to see if your lips are a scary shade of smurf.

2. Spanx for Men

It's about time a company recognizes that men are body conscious too. While I have yet to try Spanx, I hear they're the wonder undergarments. I just don't know if guys will really buy into a "compression" undershirt that firms, flattens and supports for $58 when they can just stick to their Jockeys or Hanes 3-packs for $10.

3. SJP NYC

Inspired by her character on Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker's latest perfume is described as flirty and floral. The bottle displays a menagerie of patterns which is funky and very SJP. I have taken a whiff thanks to a magazine sample and I have to say it's fun and youthful (but not in a bad throw back to pre-pubescence when it was Exclamation! perfume all the way). I'm looking forward to its debut, which I believe is this month.

And that's all I found in the candy jar that's fit to print.

Sesame paste

2010-02-03T00:00:00.007-05:00

Monday night I used tahini for the first time. I was prepared for its paste-like consistency, similar to that of peanut butter. I was even prepared for the separation of the paste from its natural oils, which you have to mix together. I was not, however, prepared for how difficult it ended up being to thoroughly blend the separated mixture to an edible form, nor was I prepared for how disgusting it would look in the process. Hal heard many an "ew" and "gross!" coming from the kitchen before he came to my rescue.

But ultimately it did its job and transformed our eggplant dip into the right consistency, putting me one step closer to matching that of The Greek Village's recipe.

Yes, this dip (which was on its way to our mini food processor) may look gross, but it's very tasty with warm pitas and flatbreads. Tahini by itself? Not so much.

And when Hal had trouble locating the tahini in the grocery store, he suggested we make our own. Ha! I couldn't imagine how many sesame seeds you'd need to ground, and thanks to the stuff that comes in a can, I don't have to.

A Day of Condensed Bridal Stuff

2010-01-31T22:24:00.006-05:00

Hal and I went to the "Bridal Day" at our wedding venue where we got to sample more of their food, participate in a Q&A and get contact information for area vendors that they recommend. I think my favorite part, quite honestly, was when we got to taste 5 different cake samples from the bakery that will be making our wedding cake. So scrumptious!

While I know I should have been focusing on how this "bridal day" impacts my bridal day, I couldn't help but get distracted with people-watching. Think about it - you're surrounded by almost 200 strangers, yet connected by the common thread that you're all getting married within the year and celebrating at F.E.A.S.T. So essentially, you're all on this prenuptial planning boat. Let the entertainment commence.

Hal and I noted that most of the couples were on the younger side, in their twenties, with a few scatterings of those clearly in their 30's or older. There was the perky (anxiety-ridden) blonde, with her wedding folder permanently attached to her arm who had a million questions. There was the high-maintenance brunette with the fiance that doodled through the entire Q&A period, while she got frustrated that her wafer thin arm was being ignored, or maybe she was getting tired from raising it.

And then there were the parents of the bride who had an opinion about everything. They only stayed to try the food while their daughter seemed to cater to their every thirst and hunger pain, leaving her fiance to fend for himself. A highlight for Hal and me was listening to mother-of-the-bride and future son-in-law get into a debate about the videographer that she claims they need, while he wants nothing to do with it. He's going to use his Flip camera, after all. But my favorite moment had to be watching her pick at the smoked salmon as she said, "I love how this looks with the edges dark like this. So classy!" Meanwhile, her husband (father-of-the-bride) was voraciously tearing the salmon apart on the plate. Such an entertaining juxtaposition and in many ways sums of the day.

You could look around the room and see the excited brides, the anxious ones, and even the high maintenance ones. And then you saw the grooms. For the most part, they all looking mildly interested at best and a bit pained at the same time. After the Q&A, Hal was done. He was overwhelmed with too much "condensed wedding stuff" as he put it. And while I could sympathize to some degree, I was actually comforted by the fact that all those emotions the 70 brides in that room were feeling, I was feeling as well.

Roasting away the stress

2010-01-27T18:14:00.002-05:00

Both the fiancée and I have been super busy lately. Sadly, the least of our time is being consumed by wedding planning. Work and school (the latter only applies to Hal) have eaten away at brain matter making it difficult to do anything else remotely productive.

We did manage to take down our Christmas tree this past weekend and said farewell to one of the best trees we’ve had. But it wasn’t a feel-good accomplishment since I miss seeing all the pretty lights and decorations every night.

I also attempted to replicate this amazing eggplant dip that Hal and I always devour at The Greek Village in Northvale, NJ. I scoured the Internet for recipes and managed to combine a couple I liked but left out the tahini; not the best decision. The dip tasted great, fresh but smoky from roasting the eggplants, but the consistency just wasn’t the same. Mission partially accomplished. No photo sadly, as we ate every morsel.

Besides sleep, the occasional workout, and debates over our wedding registry, work has become the focus of our energies. Our one consolation prize, however, has been a wonderful little treat that packs so much satisfaction with every bite – S’MORES! Last night, Hal came home from class and instead of a “hello” I got “S’mores?!” And I didn’t hesitate to take out the ingredients. Crunchy graham crackers, melted chocolate (mine had bits of toffee) and a charred marshmallow oozing out from the sides.

Is there anything more comforting? Hal might say a foot massage, but that’s why I write this blog and not him.

What I meant to say, not what I actually said

2010-01-25T08:01:00.020-05:00

Last night while persuing the Nordstrom website for shoes, I get the fiancee's input, sort of.

Hal: What about that ballerina slipper?

I do not see a ballerina slipper, or anything close to it but I acknowledge that Hal's image of one may be open to interpretation, so I begin moving the mouse around the page pointing at every flat shoe I see.

Jenn: This one?

Hal: No.

Jenn: This one?

Hal: No. C'mon babe, what looks like a ballerina slipper?

Jenn: None of these!

Hal: What looks like some middle eastern dance slipper?

What is he talking about? And then I spot it.

Jenn: Oh, this sandal. (said sandal is below) That isn't even close to a ballerina slipper.

Hal: Whatever.

Jenn: I actually kind of like that. It caught my eye before.

Hal: Really?! I was totally kidding!

Jenn: What do you think about it in the dark?

Hal turns to face me with his eyes closed.

Hal: Yes, they look great in the dark!

Oh brother.

I later pulled up an image of a ballet slipper to demonstrate just how very off his image was, to which he said, "It's all about what I meant, not what I said. What I say could have no resemblance to any reality. I acknowledge that fully."

Say what you mean and mean what you say? Yes, only if ballerinas start doing pirouettes in gladiator sandals.

PS, Ladies beware, the average heal is a platform and sits 4 - 4 1/2 inches high. Are they trying to cripple us?

Childhood “scars”

2010-01-21T14:47:00.002-05:00

It’s funny how certain childhood experiences stick with you no matter how inconsequential and banal they actually were. Of course, they didn’t feel that way at the time or else we wouldn’t be sharing “war stories” 20 years later.

At the mere mention of wheat germ last night, Hal’s face contorted in disgust. “I had a bad experience with wheat germ” was all he said. This is our bedroom talk; so romantic, huh? He further explained that when he was in his early teens, his mom went through a wheat germ phase and put it on everything. He didn’t eat hot cereal for years because it had been destroyed by the wheat germ. And other foods were casualties as well - yogurt, and its breakfast peer, oatmeal. No wheat germ will be entering our home, ever, apparently.

Puffed Rice cereal, that was my wheat germ growing up. While kids across the country were eating cocoa puffs and Trix cereals, I stared at a bowl that was filled with the most unappealing breakfast a kid could imagine. Tasteless and chewy, it was an edible version of Styrofoam. I could be overdramatizing the situation but as a kid I don’t really recall there being a middle ground when it came to food. You either liked it or hated it. I hated puffed rice.

So when I got to college, I was determined to eat all the cereals I was deprived of throughout my childhood. Cocoa puffs, cinnamon toast crunch, lucky charms and pretty much anything that turned the milk a colorful shade of sugariness. Then I discovered Kashi cereals and decided to board the healthy fiber train. As my dad refers to it, I ate those twigs and gerbil food like it was my job. It was as if I came full circle and was back to eating no fat, no sodium, and no taste cereal. I eventually got off that train when I came to the uncomfortable realization that one can have too much fiber in her diet.

It’s been at least 15 years since I last ate puffed rice but I swear, I bring up the memory of it at least once a year to someone. I don’t know why. I really should move on. So in my attempt to do so, for breakfast I had hot chocolate and a pop tart. And it was delicious!

Randomness

2010-01-20T09:08:00.013-05:00

This video makes me laugh every time I watch it. I love the momma panda's reaction.

I was listening to the Glee soundtrack on my ride in, so fun! However, it did not inspire enough glee to keep me from yelling at the stupid, self absorbed driver in his Audi going 40 mph in the left lane of a 55 mph interstate. Get off your cell phone!

I've been in the mood to bake something delicious (and I'm looking for an excuse to wear my new, cute little apron). Perhaps this weekend I'll take a stab at one of the following options:

S’mores pie: recipe (and photo) compliments of Smitten Kitchen. While this looks amazing, I would take as many shortcuts as possible. Make my own graham crackers? I think not!

S’mores cupcakes: recipe (and photo) compliments of Bakerella. Cupcakes not out of a box are a bit of a deterrant, I'll be honest. But they look very tasty.

Or be a purist and just make s’mores. Although this isn't technically baking but don't they look yummy?! And it could be an excuse to have a fire.

Happy Hump Day.

Haiku review

2010-01-18T09:14:00.002-05:00

I finally saw two movies I’d wanted to see for a while: The Blind Side and Julie & Julia. Rather than comment at length about them, I’ve crafted a haiku for each.

The Blind Side

Tugs at the heart strings
The ultimate feel good film
Sandra Bullocks' butt

Julie & Julia

Julie Powell wines
Julia plus Paul equals love
Meryl is worth it

Because I love you...and CGI

2010-01-15T08:52:00.005-05:00

Hal: How about going to see that movie you've been wanting to see with what's her name?

Jenn: What are you talking about?

Hal: Sandra Bullock, that Sandra Bullock movie.

Jenn: (enthused) You want to to go see The Blind Side?!?

Hal: No. I just want to be perfectly clear, I don't want to see it.

Jenn: Sooo, why all of a sudden are you willing to go now?

Hal: Because I love you and I know you want to see it.

Awww...but wait! I wanted to see this months ago. Didn't he love me then too when he kept side-stepping any opportunity we had to go see it?

Jenn: No really, why are you willing to go see it now?

Hal: I told you, because I love you.

And then it dawns on me.

Jenn: You want me to go to see Avatar, don't you? That's why you're willing to see The Blind Side with me so I'll go see your blue people movie that's over 2 and a half hours long!

Hal: (smirking. He's just so transparent sometimes) Yes. I want to see Avatar in 3-D before it leaves theaters...but I do love you!

Jenn: Fine. And I love you too.

I guess relationships are all about compromise and the little things we do for love.

A FEAST to behold

2010-01-13T11:54:00.014-05:00

Sunday, January 31, Hal and I are headed up to our wedding venue for a tasting/bridal show. I can't wait! We booked the place so long ago, so this is the perfect opportunity to get super excited about it all over again. When we discovered FEAST, we had the good fortune of sampling some of their hors d'ouevres which are delicious. Ahh, memories of duck burritos and the brie with raspberry sauce are still very vivid in our taste buds.

And now we'll get to sample specialty stations filled with cultural cuisines. Food, how I love you.

I'm most excited about seeing the place again and picturing our celebration there in September!

I'm feeling Wednesday

2010-01-13T08:32:00.008-05:00

Today has the feeling of Hump Day, the height of the uphill climb and the struggle to get through the rest of the week.

This morning's media has of course been filled with news about the earthquake in Haiti. The devastation is severe and just when you think the poor couldn't get poorer, many have been left with nothing. I think the latest report stated that much needed relief aide will be able to reach the country after all; thank goodness. Times of natural disaster remind us that at the end of the day, we're all the same. We're all humans vulnerable to the unexpected, experiencing pain and loss in the face of tragedy.

At the same time, it is amazing to see how the Internet is playing such a primary role in human connectedness. Aside from being a source of real-time news, people in Haiti are uploading content to the web- video, pictures, comments to blogs - showing the absolute and real devastation they've succomb to. People are even twittering to let family and friends know their whereabouts in Haiti and whether they're safe or not. I'm amazed that we can be connected to all this so quickly (I know I shouldn't be since it is the information superhighway), and it truly showcases the power of the Internet to share information, stories, and people's experiences right at this moment. It also reveals just how much people care, and how quickly they're willing to react and help when others are in need. I've been following a NY Times blog that's providing updates but also allows people to leave comments. http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/gleaning-information-from-haiti-online/?hp

In other news...

This is random but I read on Cup of Jo's blog that there's a weird occurence happening in San Francisco. Apparently, all the sea lions that used to sunbathe at Fishermans Wharf at Pier 39 have disappeared and marine biologists have no idea why. It's just so strange.

The two times that Hal and I have been to San Fran, we made it a point to visit The Wharf. It contained the three S's - sea lions, sourdough bread and saltwater taffy. But now the pier is vacant of these characteristically slumbering sea lions, and I honestly feel disheartened by their absence. This link shows a then and now photo that emphasizes this oddity: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/12/disappearing-sea-lions/.

Makes you wonder, what do they know that we don't? It also makes me think of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and how the dolphins left Planet Earth. I'm expecting to see an inscription on the pier: So long, and thanks for all the fish.

Fun way to amuse yourself

2010-01-12T13:31:00.002-05:00

For a nostalgic feel, check out the Polaroid Image Maker. You simply download the program and you can easily transform pictures into 'polaroids'. When you drag and drop the file onto the polaroid camera, you hear a fun click sound as if the picture is being taken and you can watch it develop, just like a real polaroid. A thumbnail image (it's actually larger than that) will pop up on your desktop and you can drag it around. You can also save the image by right clicking on it. Visit http://www.poladroid.net/download.html.

Happy "picture taking"!

I love random thoughts

2010-01-12T09:20:00.002-05:00

It's amazing how a simple but heartfelt gesture can make your day. Like your fiancee emailing you just to say how much he loves you and is lucky to have you in his life. I'm on cloud nine and it's not even 10am yet!

Bow-flailing

2010-01-08T08:49:00.004-05:00

Hal and I have been Bowflex-ing (somewhat) regularly for the past couple months. I usually work out my arms and have recently started doing leg exercises. For me, the deterrent to working out my legs is that some of the exercises require putting attachments onto the Bowflex, which are generally too bulky and heavy to easily maneuver. That’s why I get Hal to set them up for me. This also means that the fiancée is around to witness my performing the leg exercises. Not such a fan of this, as I’ve previously noted.

There’s one exercise in particular that makes me feel especially self conscious: the lying leg curl.

This is not me as she looks like
she knows what she's doing

First off, it works your hamstrings and butt, neither of which is very toned on me so I end up only being able to curl 10lbs for each leg. Second, getting into position makes me look like the most uncoordinated person. I have yet to find a graceful way to hike my leg over the bench, lay face down on my stomach and tuck my feet under the curl attachment in one smooth motion. Once on the bench, I generally flop and slide down to be on my stomach and then attempt to blindly stick my ankles where they’re supposed to be. The other night, I got into position but kept having to decrease the weight so I had to do the plop and slide 3 times; all the while Hal was running on the elliptical next to me. I was a bit exhausted just from getting on and off the machine so I’m sure at one point I looked like a beached seal struggling on the sand.

Hal doesn’t quite understand why I’m so self conscious. We live together, he says, and we’ve seen the good and the not as good. That may be true. However, with my butt in the air, my little weak legs struggling to lift this nominal weight, and the sounds of me panting, it makes for a wholly embarrassing image that I’d rather not expose Hal to that often.

I think I’ll stick to squats.

Ode Christmas Tree

2010-01-07T00:23:00.005-05:00

Apparently, David Murbach, the man who has made it his mission for the past 26 years to find the perfect Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has passed away at the young age of 57.

While belated, it does seem fitting to post a picture of the Rockefeller tree which Hal and I saw on December 18th. It was a brutally cold day but worth seeing NYC at Christmastime.

I said it to Hal then, the tree looks like its covered with those tiny dot sprinkles. It was very pretty, especially at night. Mr. Murbach chose well...

Sorry Jersey Shore, I just can't do it

2010-01-06T12:47:00.002-05:00

With practically every television show on winter break (and the fact that the loss of the Food Network has left a void in my life), flipping threw the channels at an A.D.D. pace was a frequent activity over the holiday break.

With Hal armed with the remote, I never knew what we’d end up watching. The history of military bombers? It was possible. When dinosaurs roamed earth? Very likely. Something on the Discovery Channel? Usually.

Then he stumbled upon a different kind of show, Jersey Shore, and for some reason his trigger finger stopped its rapid fire of channel switching.

Jenn: Are you actually going to watch Jersey Shore? (I asked him with a tone of mild disgust)

Hal: Is that what this is?

Hal gave me the “don’t judge” look which I often give him when he catches me watching the Real Housewives or Bridezillas. I figured I’d let him find out for himself how intolerable this show had the potential to be.

Within the first few seconds of watching, I could see Hal staring with bewilderment at the over-tanned, over greased guy, flexing his muscles while trying to utter coherent sentences. Whether voluntary or not, Hal began shaking his head as if trying to shake the image of Jersey’s finest guido from his mind.

30 seconds later (if that), he changed the channel to Discovery and the intellectual comforts of MythBusters.

Hal: I don’t think I can watch that. I mean, I really don’t think I can do it.

Before the half hour was up, Hal switched back to Jersey Shore. This time, he could only watch for 10 seconds before quickly turning the channel.

Hal: Nope, can’t do it.

Having never seen an entire episode myself (actually, I think Hal’s 40-second viewing of Jersey Shore is about double what I’ve seen of it), I perhaps am not in a position to judge the show’s ‘merit’. However, these people seem especially vapid, which I imagine is the entertaining part. Similarly to the macaroons, I’m trying to understand the allure and seeming addiction to this show, but may just save my brain cells and pass on this one.

Crazy for Macaroons?

2010-01-05T12:06:00.008-05:00

There seems to be a craze for macaroons (or macarons if you want to be French proper). They’re everywhere, and by everywhere I mean every wedding blog and site features these little colorful cookies on them. Personally, I’m more familiar with that sweet mound of egg white and sugar covered in coconut and occasionally dipped in chocolate. I have yet to try the sister cookie, but the round French version seems to be so popular it’s being integrated into wedding décor all over the place. I have to say as far as edible decorations go they appear to take the cake (or cookie). Apparently, they can be made into a multitude of colors, and regardless if you choose vibrant shades or soft pastels, they always look inviting (for the most part). Bright blue cookies? Why yes, I’m intrigued.

They’re adorable and elegant at the same time. So what keeps me from gravitating toward this latest trend? Like the cupcakes, it feels like this fad is a bit overdone. Some sites suggest the macaroon is trumping the cupcake as it’s not only being incorporated into wedding décor like the now infamous candy buffet table, but macaroons are showing up on wedding cakes, as wedding favors, even place cards. Do people love them that much? Are they that tasty? I may have to sample one the next time I hit up a bakery just so I may fully understand the allure of these delights. Honestly, they are starting to feel overrated to me already. I think I’ll stick to what I know, and love…Mmmm

All it took...

2010-01-03T22:41:00.006-05:00

...was a wink. ;)

Christmas Day '09

Three years ago today, we met for the first time. And the rest is...just the beginning.

2009-12-27T19:58:00.009-05:00

One of my favorite conversations from Christmas while unwrapping presents...

Hal: (inspecting each wrapped gift before giving it to me) I put codes on all your presents so I would know what they are.

Jenn: (smiling) Of course you did.

Hal: But now I can't remember what the codes mean.

Jenn: Of course you can't.

None of it mattered once I opened one of the best gifts ever - a label maker!! To say I was excited is an understatement. How Hal knew that I wanted this especially when I hadn't asked for it is purely and wonderfully fortuitous. And later my mom gave me a cutting board with a built-in colander. Christmas couldn't have been better!

Merry Almost Christmas

2009-12-24T10:02:00.007-05:00

We have presents under our tree.

We have lots of food and goodies to look forward to.

We have a cozy home to nestle in.

We are celebrating with loved ones.

We have each other.

I am extremely grateful this Christmas since many are not as fortunate.

Here’s to filling the holidays with laughter!

The first step is admitting you have no time

2009-12-22T08:32:00.010-05:00

So I have to admit that in hindsight I was perhaps too ambitious to think I could make holiday cake pops for Christmas, especially since it's only four days away and I have nothing, no ingredients,no lollipop sticks and no room in the freezer. The more and more I look at my recipe options for these cute confections on a stick, I find that even the short cuts seem like a long road to sugar heaven.

Thus, I've been exploring alternatives and think it's more likely I'll end up making these:

Pignoli Cookies
Extremely delicious, equally sugary,
almost as delightful to look at

But, to be truly honest (to myself, mainly) I may end up contributing these for dessert:

Clementines
Extremely delicious, not always equally sugary, somewhat delightful to look at

It's the thought that counts, right....

Daily plea

2009-12-20T20:58:00.010-05:00

Every day for the past few days we've had this conversation...

Jenn: (so, so hopeful) Can I open a gift?

Hal: No!

Jenn: (defeated) Well, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Who wouldn't be tempted if you saw this under your tree?

Cat nap

2009-12-20T18:04:00.004-05:00

I give him free reign over the entire bed, but Rascal manages to fit his entire body onto my long johns.

Now that's kitty love.

And yes, I do own long johns.

Indulging and it feels so good

2009-12-16T09:57:00.005-05:00

The holidays have become a time of indulgence and if your bank account won’t allow for it, certainly your stomach will. The voracious appetite I acquire for all things sweet, buttery and outrageously bad for you is insatiable during this time of year. Pignoli cookies? Yes, please. Butterscotch toffee covered cashews? As many as I can stuff in my mouth at once, thank you. Fresh linguini with truffle cream sauce? It haunts my dreams.

As a cruel twist of fate (not so much fate as daylight savings), since it gets darker earlier my body becomes tired earlier making it much harder to work out. Lately, I just stare at the elliptical with a loathsome glare as if it’s the machine’s fault I need to work off the 9,000 calories I ate during the day. Even the Bowflex stands there like an enemy challenging me to take it on. In the end, I usually call defeat and go sit on the couch. I keep reminding myself that in less than a year I have to fit into a beautiful wedding gown that I love, and can currently breathe in without a problem. Then the Food Network’s umpteenth holiday special comes on and I’m reaching for the green and red Hershey Kisses, and trying to figure out just how difficult a Yule log would be to make.

So I’ve decided my one holiday treat goal is to try making cake pops. If you haven’t seen them, they’re balls of cake on a stick, usually covered in chocolate and other fun sugary accoutrements. This blogger, Bakerella, does cake pops like it’s her job and they come out adorable. I’m not so ambitious so I’ll be starting off simple. Wish me luck! I just hope my kitchen doesn’t end up looking like a bomb of devil’s food cake went off with shrapnel of sprinkles flying everywhere.

Bakerella's Tree Cake Pops

What I'm hoping to achieve...

I guess if there’s any time to treat yourself to the delectable things in life it’s the holidays. And maybe birthdays. And other special occasions, like anniversaries. Why not, right? We only live once and before I know it, I’ll be singing this same tune next December 2010.

A Priceless Holiday Follow Up

2009-12-14T10:53:00.002-05:00

62 – the degrees at which our house was during dinner. Yes, our guests were freezing unbeknownst to me. Thank goodness for dessert by the fire.

3 – glasses of wine with dinner, which is probably why I didn’t realize how cold it was in our house.

10 – lbs of roasted vegetables. We have at least 6lbs left over. I think I overestimated our guests’ appetites.

2 – chatty parents, mine. My dad’s line of the night was “To make a long story short…” followed by a long story of course. My mother was characteristically jolly throughout the evening and conversed up a storm making my parents an unstoppable team of talk. But we were entertained nevertheless.

1 – silent dad, Hal’s. His lack of oratory participation made us wonder if he was tired, bored or if all the cashews he ate were not mixing well with his diverticulitis.

71 – attentive nods from Isadora as she listened to all the conversations buzzing around her. When she did volunteer commentary, her tone was as always chronically reassuring, which I’m convinced has been developed from years of psychotherapy.

4.5 – hours of bonding, mainly between Hal and me, as we made it through another family gathering together with much laughter and few mishaps.

Priceless Holiday

2009-12-11T12:07:00.003-05:00

6 of us cramped around a small table : requires cozy dining in the kitchen

4 dietary conditions to take into account - lactose intolerance, wheat allergy, diverticulitis, and no shellfish : a challenging menu that may not be edible

2 days (less actually) to clean house, food shop, cook, put up last minute decorations and get merry : team work will be required, especially to achieve “get merry”

1 evening with family, around the fire and surrounded by holiday cheer : irreplaceable and worth all the effort.

Married (Happily) with Issues...And?

2009-12-10T14:32:00.006-05:00

Every once in a while, I read something that hits a hot button (in a thought-provoking way, not aggressive provocation) and I find myself frantically typing all the thoughts and observations I have on my relationship with Hal as if this is the first treatise ever to be written on the subject. That’s hardly the case.

There is so much one could say about relationships, and there is so much that has been said about them. Maybe too much. Perhaps we’re overloaded with conceptual ideas of how relationships should be that we begin to seek out remedies for issues that don’t exist. We have ‘experts’ giving us steps for creating the “perfect” syncopation between partners. But they don’t know you or me or us. And, maybe people are not so different from each other, but the individual experience over the course of lifetime cannot be summed up in a text book or guided through a set of rules.

A recent article in the NY Times, Married (Happily) with Issues, as shared with me by a good friend is interesting to say the least, and I’m honestly not sure how I feel about it. It’s a snapshot of a couple attempting to fix their marriage, or as they put it, make it better. What began as a marriage renovation evolved into a marriage revelation, as questions about automony, monogamy and commitment abounded. Initially, everything that is ‘broken’ about this marriage is seemingly implicit, tucked under rugs or projected through passive-aggressive behavior, until they voluntarily break the dam, and elicit the help of marriage self-help books, therapists and relationship seminars. They run the gauntlet of relationship counseling, and it’s exhausting even for the reader to witness. Sure, there are candid observations, raw insights shared and thought provoking anecdotes, but it really needs to be read through the looking glass, as an outsider peering into the life of this couple that is in the fishbowl. Otherwise, you begin to wonder if their's is the inevitable condition of the 21st century marriage. That when you peel away the layers of a relationship, you discover there's no such thing as a good marriage.

It’s a lengthy piece that you can relate to, object to or just stop reading if your eyes get tired. It seems honest and chockfull of revelations, that I’m sure a book deal helped secure to some extent (I’m so jaded at times). But it’s ultimately fodder for thought, and I guess someone else’s journey through misery is always fascinating on some level. As my friend said, it would be interesting to read this again years later to see if personal perception has altered at all. However, if you’re in a happy relationship right now (whatever that means to you without judgment), this article should encourage you to relish in it for the moment rather than scrutinize it.

One of the things I did find fascinating in this article was the verbiage used in all these relationship books and studies. They sound like such hyperbole and make the subject very melodramatic.

“Marital ghetto”. “Intimate Terrorism”. “Vindication of love”.

They make love and relationships sound scary and dangerous. It all seems like a mind game at times constructed by the psychotherapy community. We’re telling you love is scary and dangerous so you need to talk to us to get over how scary and dangerous it is. Now I’m just babbling unconstructively.

Anyway, read the article here. I recommend curling up somewhere comfortable with a large cup of coffee or your choice of liquid energy.

Twas 18 Days Before Christmas...

2009-12-07T22:03:00.010-05:00

The stockings are hung.

The tree is dressed

with some of our favorite decorations

and now it looks festive!

Rascal attempted to help

but ended up creating an artistic shot of our tree.

Happy Holidays!

O Christmas Tree

2009-12-03T23:16:00.007-05:00

Presenting our naked tree!

It's our third Christmas tree together and I think we got a good one this year.

Hopefully we'll get it dressed with holiday cheer this weekend.

In the meantime, we've been enjoying our new pine and its piney smell.

Tell Santa what you want for Christmas

2009-12-03T10:22:00.004-05:00

The holidays are magical; they always manage to bring out the most anxious, stressed, impatient sides of our selves. Holiday spirit becomes more like holiday aggression, and the pressure to find the perfect gifts, buy enough gifts, rewrap the regifted gifts can easily send us over the edge. And our household is not immune to this.

As Hal and I discussed what we each wanted for Christmas, we came to a dead end for the most part. We have a lot of stuff and to use the holidays as an excuse to accumulate more stuff just doesn’t seem as appealing. However, I do have an idea brewing that may make Hal’s holiday a little more fun than usual (which has me excited at the prospect of this), but the mere mention of this sent him into stress mode like I’ve never seen him. He actually appeared to get aggravated that I was brainstorming thoughtful gift ideas FOR HIM. His exasperation, Hal explained, was more due to the pressure he was suddenly feeling to be equally thoughtful in his gift-giving, a pressure I can understand. I told him that I would be happy with whatever he got me, which I sincerely meant, but he was unconvinced.

Hal: I just don’t want it to end up like my first Christmas living in Tomkins Cove as a kid.

I’m immediately picturing poor Ralphie from A Christmas Story dressed in the bunny suit praying for that Red Rider air rifle. But as Hal explained, it was more a situation of ‘procrastination is the thief of time’ (and good gifts, apparently).

A brief anecdotal moment compliments of Hal:
The first year we lived in Tomkins Cove, little Hal apparently waited too long to ask Santa for what he wanted so by the time I did, my parents had already gotten me stuff I didn’t ask for. When I opened them on Christmas, I thought Santa made a mistake and dropped the wrong presents at our house. So I wrapped them all back up again and waited for my real presents to come. I was really disappointed when my real presents obviously never showed up. And I’m sure the whole time my parents were like, “What the hell, Hal?” So I don’t want either of us to feel that way because we never asked Santa for what we really want.

So a list was made for Santa Hal in hopes of relieving some stress while attempting to capture more of that holiday spirit. But now after thinking about 9-year old Ralphie, it kind of makes me want to ask for a set of cozy footie pajamas, sans bunny ears.