Sleepless in the Snow

Yup, it’s official. I’m not a snow bunny anymore. After over a dozen years of living in Chicago, and then spending just 9 short years away living in Colorado, followed by Italy, the fascination with snow has completely disappeared. I’ve only been in Ohio for 7 months, but I’m all over the snow. I don’t ever need to see it again in my life, much less drive in it. Strangely enough, people around here really don’t know how to drive in the snow. Icy roads to some people here apparently means, “please, go faster and hit my car”. I missed the memo on that one. I want to go some place warm ASAP. And to top off my love of the snow and all things icy, I was leaving work the other day and guess what happened: I slipped and fell on my ass. Pretty hard, too. Hard enough to make my elbow feel a little useless and leave bruises in places I didn’t know could bruise easily.

I’ve also decided to write a self help book for mom’s called “I’m not a bad mom just because I don’t make cupcakes from scratch.” Because seriously? I’m sick of some of the P.T.A mom’s I’ve been running into at B’s school acting like it’s a sacrilege because I buy cookies from the store for bake sales at school. I don’t think they get it makes a person feel like they’re a bad mom. I have more than half a dozen things on my plate and baking at 2 in the morning so I can look like an oh-so perfect mom isn’t high on that list. I’d rather been an imperfect mom who puts things like that on the back burner so I can spend time with my kiddo.

And that whole thing reminded me of an episode of “Top Chef” I watched about a month ago. This is one of the few reality show’s I’ll sit down and watch because I enjoy it. Normally, I can’t stand reality shows. So, I’m watching this, and the chef’s quick fire challenge is using food items that you normally find in the canned goods isle at the store. All of the chefs are used to “fresh” ingredients. Nothing condensed or crappy for them. Everything’s got to be fresh. Their looks were the first thing that set me off. It was this disgusted “I can’t believe you’re asking me to this” look that everyone seemed to share. Now, there was this one chef I was rooting for. (and, yeah, I put extreme emphasis on was) Radhika, who said the one thing that really ticked me off. She said “This is what stay at home mom’s use to cook with”. Does she even have kids? She really shouldn’t open her mouth unless she has actual personal experience, because if she had kids she’d probably know that it’s not always possible to hand make your pasta or make your tomato sauce from scratch. She really irked me when she said that. Let’s just say I was really, really happy when she had to pack up her knives.

Well, I’m done with my high horse moment, so I’m off to bed.

More dysfunctional than the norm

I have a new favorite show, even though the show's been cancelled for three years. "Arrested Development" is a surprisingly refreshing humorous show. The Bluth's possibly the most dsyfunctional TV family I've seen in a very long time. I can't even begin to describe it. From Gob (pronounced Job), the talentless magician to Lindsay, the self-centered activist, everyone in the family brings something to the table. I've treated myself to mini-marathons in between the daily grind that is my life.

How can you not love this family?

I finished two of my classes and I just started two more this week. Strangely enough, one of the classes is being taught by an author I have a few books by. She's my English 102 class. I guess she tells me I suck at writing, I can probably give up my novel writing dreams for good.

I also stole, I mean borrowed, these photos my best bud uploaded on her myspace page from our time as bridesmaids.
I love this picture. Aren't we all purdy? We look happy, natural and not at all stressed about being bridesmaids. But I still stick by the theory that we were probably the worst bridesmaids in history and we should have been fired at the wedding. And my arms don't look that huge.

Also, I've actually written more of my book, and at this point, (but even that will be replaced soon) I have 57 pages. That's really huge for me. Like I might actually finish writing this thing for once.

Homecoming

This is completely inspiring for me.

Homesickness is where the Heart is. . . .

It's hard to believe that just a year ago I was still living in Italy. I never thought I'd miss it as much as I do, and to be honest, it still feels more like home than Ohio does. I'm afraid it always will. I won't say I ever hated Italy (I was SO stoked when I found out I was going), but for a time when I first got there, I was so homesick for the States, I would have given anything to be back here just so I could see a mall and have normal internet. After a little bit of time, I got used to Italy and the European way of life. I enjoyed it, I loved traveling, eating the local food (lots and lots of pasta, my favorite form of carbs), shopping in the shoe store down the street to pick up the latest pair of boots. It became home to me. Even now as I sit here writing, I'm homesick for Italy. Out of every place I've lived in the last nine and a half years, Italy was the one place I felt completely at home in. Right now, I'd drop everything in heartbeat if I was given the option to go back. It's HOME to me now.

Trying Not To Do Work

I should be finishing my 3 - 5 page final for one of my classes, but I'm finding everything else in the world 10 times more interesting than doing what I need to be doing. I've been catching up on all my Hollywood gossip, like are Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen really engaged? I don't know, but now I really need to know. Well, not really, but it's a hell of a lot more interesting than school work. Even looking up songs I don't know the title to on Itunes is a billions time more fun than homework. I'm even willing to sit through the Cowboys-Eagles game to avoid it, and I'm not a Dallas fan. Not even close, but I will admit to partially watching on account of Tony Romo, hee. But I should get back to my very, very sad little paper that I'm sure will suck lolipops.

I've Done It Again . . .

Yeah, I know. I'm an extreme slacker. It's been over two months since I've written. I've been bad, I know. But I have a few excuses. Well, I like to call them excuses.

Excuse 1: Work. The job I hate and wish I could quit is pretty much sucking the life out of me. It's also taken up most of my time. I need to win the lotto. And very soon I might add. Anything to get away from this thing I call a job.

Excuse 2: House. Sad, but true, I'm still unpacking. If it wasn't for reason #1, I'd have more time to get my house and life more organized.

Excuse 3: B. My bright, sunny and bubbly 6-year-old takes up even more time. Between homework, tap dance and cooking, she's my biggest job.

Excuse 4: Sleep. Unfortunately, I actually need this to survive. I mostly wish I didn't need it. Then I could get a whole lot more done in my life.

And excuse 5: Those darn Volkswagen commercials are addicting!

In Mourning . . .

a little. Today was the first New England Patriots game of the season (well, it was everybody's first game sans the Giants and Redskins). And anyone who knows me well, knows I'm a Pats fan (though most of my heart does belong to the Bears, my home team) and an even bigger Tom Brady fan. Girl with a big crush here. Sadly, Tommy Boy didn't even make it through the first quarter. :( Very sad now. He limped off the field with no help, so he might be okay. I hope it's nothing serious. The Patriots need him. And I like watching him play. He's got a cute butt. ;) But I do hope everything's all right. Here's hoping there won't be a surgical outcome to this.

*Sigh* This is my most favorite picture of him in the world. Gisele's one lucky chickadee.

I guess the upside is football isn't going anywhere anytime soon. That's a weekly beer guarantee, right? It just won't be the same though. And, I forgot to mention, I won Fantasy Football this week and I got the highest score. Yay, FFL!!!

Official Slacker

Yes, I admit it. I am officially a slacker. I haven't written in my blog in forever, and I haven't finished the chapter in my book. But I do have a valid excuse. As you all know, I just moved back to the states. Well, I finally moved into my house and I've been busy unpacking, and lets just say the unpacking is slow going.

This is my sad little dining room as of last week. It looks a little sad, doesn't it?

I'm a little ashamed of the state my room was in last week. But it is looking better. That's all that really matters, right? That's what I keep telling myself.

I was also a bridesmaid in one of my best friend's wedding up in Chicago this past weekend. My feet still hurt, but all in all, it was a pretty good day. I had fun. So did my break dancing six-year-old. Yes, break dancing, along with the "snake". In a dress. In the middle of the dance floor.

Speaking of six-year-olds, I also have to prepare for the start of the school year. Yeah. Did I ever mention how much I love back to school shopping? Yup, it's loads of fun. It's my favorite time of year.

Also, up until yesterday, I've been pretty much Internet-less. So no online surfing for me. Which is good, because there's no way to get distracted from unpacking when there are no distractions. But I still have TV and cable. Did I mention I love cable? I've been finding all these shows I've missed out on because I've been overseas. And I also have DVR. OMG. I LOVE DVR!! Now I don't ever have to miss my favorite shows when I'm at work. Besides Ghost Hunters, I found another new show. It's called "Ace of Cakes". It's a reality show about a bakery, Charm City Cakes, and the daily grind of what I really want to be doing with my life. Anyone who knows me well, knows I love baking. I just never get to spend the time I want on it. Well, I probably could, but then I'd never sleep, and I already have issues with sleeping, and I'd rather not add to that and become an insomniac.

Yeah, I want to open my own bakery.