Random Tuesday Thoughts

I'm gonna jump right in:

• Tomorrow Sara and Marcel are coming over for dinner. I've been missing her, so I'm really excited! She's going to pick up the Oxalis Folded Card Set for her GIVEAWAY! If you'd like to enter for a chance to win, head over to her blog and follow the simple instructions!
  
  
• I cannot stand the new Boost Mobile commercials. Why? Well first of all, they're all disgusting. The whole "you think this is wrong?" nonsense is idiotic. Second of all, why must the say Boost Mobile? Does anybody really think they mean Boost UNmobile? Nobody in America is advertising house phones anymore*, so adding in the mobile is sorta redundant. Isn't it? Thirdly, I swear they say "Booce Mobile" instead of Boost Mobile. In fact, when I think back on the commercials this is what I remember: You think this is wrong? Booce Mobile. I don't think that was their goal. And I do think it's wrong. Now when Eric and I think something is wrong we say it's Booce, in honor of these stupid commercials.
  
  
• I'm glad I'm not the octo-mom's attorney (right after I posted last week they announced that she'd fired her free help). And I know they call her octo-mom because she had 8 kids at once, but that's booce. That totally overshadows the fact that she has 14 kids. 14! Are you kidding me? That's insane. Furthermore, I don't think this story should be such big news. There are so many important things going on in the world, and instead we're getting 5 minute segments about a woman who has way too many kids. What gives?
  
  
• I can't stop looking at my new red shoes! I just bought them yesterday (I'm smiling just thinking about what a lovely birthday I had).

*I stand corrected. I just saw a Verizon Hub Home Phone commercial. Looks like a giant blackberry or iPhone or something. They specify home phone, so I still don't think Booce has to say "mobile" in their commercial.

Check out The Un Mom and Baby Boogers for more totally random thoughts.

Twenty-Six

My wonderful day revolved around food. I woke up to a surpise breakfast of challah French toast, bacon, grapefruit, and orange juice. Then I got my big gift: Eric took the day off work! 

Despite the rain, we decided to go on an adventure. We headed downtown and wandered in and  out of stores. We went to a camera store (and found out it will cost a lot to fix our camera), Anthropologie, and a few stores in the Pru before heading over to Newbury Street to find somplace to eat. 

We decided to go to Stephanie's on Newbury for lunch. They gave us bread while we waited, and the butter was soft and had a beautiful layer of salt on top. I'm gonna have to try that trick at home, because it was amazing. I ordered the Ahi Tuna Tartare, and Eric odered Fish & Chips. We ended up switching, because I didn't like the texture of the tartare. Oops.

After lunch we walked across town in the rain to visit Rugg Road Paper Company (doing some research) on Charles Street. Since Black Ink was next door, we had to stop there too! Then we walked back through the common and over to the Bromfield Pen Shop, so Eric could look at fountain pens and ink. Our last stop was DSW, because I was looking for some new shoes. Success! Red sneaks. Sweeeeet. They remind me of the 80s a bit, but in a totally good way. 

After our whirlwind adventure we were both pretty tired. We got back to the apartment around 4, and Eric took a nap. For dinner we had sushi from Whole Foods. Now we're eating Ben & Jerry's Creme Brulee ice cream. 

I also had a number of delightful phone calls, birthday cards, texts, and facebook messages interspersed throughout the day! Thank you, everybody, for the birthday wishes; it's been a great one!  :)

FYI: Sara's giving away an Everything Little Miss folded card set. Visit her blog to enter the contest! 

A Portrait Of A Horse

Eric and I went to Harvard yesterday to do luandry, return the crosss country skis to his parents, and change his tires back to summer tires. When we got there his parents were out, so we decided to take advantage of the unbelievably perfect weather and go for a walk. We saw a few horses, but this one was a real ham. He was practically posing for me - it was great!

When we visit Eric's parents we always eat them out of house and home, and yesterday was no exception. We stayed for dinner (family friends also joined us), and it was delicious. Salmon, salad with all sorts of goodies (avacado, cherry tomatoes, orange and yellow peppers, feta cheese, and some more stuff), rice pilaf, and garlic bread. What a treat! I had mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert (I have a killer sweet tooth).  

Today I don't really know what Eric's been up to, but we're both still in PJs (yeah, I know it's 4:30 pm) and we've been sooo busy. I started the morning by hand-lining envelopes for Everything Little Miss. Then I figured out pricing for the new sets. After that I had to write desciptions for each of the new products and edit and upload photos. So after many hours of work (and some help from my roommate), the new sets are available for sale and featured in the blog!

We were going to work on a top-secret photography project today, but it's been too dark out. It'll just have to wait. We're off to the grocery store and Barnes & Nobel. Catch ya on the flip side. :)

Peppy Orangutan & Origami Sticky Notes

What a wonderful surprise! 

My friendly UPS man showed up with 2 packages this afternoon. I was starled to find this peppy orangutan & origami sticky note pad inside the first box. My frist thought was that somebody has screwed up an order I placed the other day. My second was that I'd accidentally opened somebody else's package. After checking I was relieved to find that it was addressed to me, but confused since I didn't order anything from Think Geek. I fished around inside the box and found a packing slip, and then it all made sense. It's a birthday gift from Drew (Eric's brother)! Thank you, Drew. You're the best! :) The orangutan is solar powered and required was assembly (which I obviously enjoyed). Now that he's all put together, he "climbs" a little rope. Fun! 

As I said, I recieved two packages today. Aren't you curious what was in the other one? Okay, okay. Since you're begging, I'll tell you. My new card sets! Check out Everything Little Miss for more information.

Moist Towelette

Okay. When I was little I loved Friendly's for two reasons. 

1. Ice cream*
2. Moist Towelettes (aka wet naps)

A meal at Friendly's was a rare treat.** The waitress would bring it out with the little wet nap on the side of the plate. I'd eat my meal, savoring the deliciously fried and forbidden food, and eye that little towel the entire time, practically bursting with anticipation. I wouldn't use any napkins, because I wanted my moist towelette to be as useful as possible. Once I'd cleared my plate, I would tear the little packet open with joy and carefully unfold the towel. Then I'd clean each finger separately. If I was quick, it would stay moist long enough to also wipe my mouth. If I wasn't fast enough I would try to fake it by pouring water on the towel, but it wasn't the same. 

I loved the smell of the wet naps. I loved that they'd get cold. And most of all, I loved that using them felt like a race against time, because they dry up so quickly. 

I was surprised (and way too excited) to find this little guy sitting on Eric's half of the desk. Where did it come from? Why do we have it? Why am I so thrilled? It's funny that something so small can bring up such a clear memory. What are your opinions about wet naps? 

*I could really go for some watermelon sherbert right about now. 

**As a kid, meals from McDonald's and Friendly's were treats. LOL. Now I'd rather avoid them. 

Little Devils

Look! Little devils! They remind me of the Barrel of Monkeys game. 

Recently, I've been thinking about right and wrong (devils!). As in, am I making the right decisions or the wrong ones? In an effort to find some answers, I went to a career counselor at The Work Place this morning. I'm so glad I did. She was helpful and reassuring. We talked about life during a career transition and steps I can take to make the best of my situation. I left feeling optimistic. I have some short-term goals (cheaper health insurance, part-time job) that will help me meet my long-term goals, which I'm still defining. 

So it was good. Too bad I don't have little angels to photograph! 

*Want to help me with my goals? Tell everybody you know about Everything Little Miss! Don't forget that I do custom work. I also expect to have new cards sets in by the end of the week.

Random Tuesday Thoughts

• A paradox: Some people think I'm much younger than I am (I was mistaken for a 15 year old in September), and other people call me ma'am. Ma'am seems like a title for a more mature woman. I doubt the people calling me ma'am actually think I'm mature, but I suppose they don't know that they could say "miss" instead. If you see a lady who looks younger than, say, 55, call her miss. It'll probably make her feel good. 
  
  
• I saw a cool license plate Sunday: SCRFCE (scar face, right?). I didn't get a photo. 
  
  
• I have an idea simmering. It's about pizza. I'm not yet ready to reveal more.
  
  
•  I won't be gong to business school. What will I do instead? Now would be a really great time for somebody to offer me the best job on Earth. I'm still trying to figure out what I love. What's your dream job? 
  
  
• Thinking of spring. And flowers. 

Check out The Un Mom for more totally random thoughts.

Skiing In Maine

View from Sunday River

Eric, Brendon, & Leif

 We drove up to Sunday River on Friday night with Brendon, Leif, and Alyssa. Saturday was a great day. The sun was out, the air was warm, and we were in Maine to ski, ski, ski! The boys and I hit the mountain around 11:15 and we skied for about 4 hours. I only went once last year, and twice the year before. It's sad, because I used to ski on an almost daily basis in high school and during my winter breaks in college. The half day of skiing was wonderul, but my legs burned like crazy. It was so worth it because skiing feels like flying if you do it right. 

After downhill skiing, we met up with Alyssa. We all went to a late lunch and then headed over to a country club so cross country ski. Yes, that's right - skiing twice in one day! It was like heaven. The course was icy in the shade and slushy everywhere else, so we didn't stay too long. I enjoyed myself though. 

The day was wonderful. We ended it with a late dinner at the Jolly Drayman. It's an Irish-style pub, and everything about it was delightful. The day was practically perfect. We were totally exhausted by the time we went to bed around midnight. Unfortunately, the people we shared a room with (strangers to us) snored really, really loudly all night. Geez Louise!

*Sorry the photos are a bit blurry. The Minolta's on its last legs; it's 6 years old!

Candle Pin Bowling In Maine

Eric on the left, Brendon on right

Eric won 2 of the 3 games

Eric and I went to Sunday River in Bethel, Maine with some friends this weekend. We drove up Friday evening after work. On our way, we stopped to go bowling. It was my first time using a small ball, and I got a big fat zero on my first turn. But I got better as the game progressed. It was great fun. 

The next post will be about our action-packed Saturday in Maine. 

A Quick Game Of Foosball

On Saturday, we stopped at a friend's house before meeting Eric's family for dinner. We didn't stay long, but Eric did have time to play a quick foosball game. I always think it looks fun, but I rarely play because I'm really bad. 

The Kitchen Window Says It's Spring

As much as I love winter (I'm not being sarcastic, I'm one of those rare people), I'm terribly excited about the warm weather. Spring is fantastic, because the air gets warm and suddenly everything comes to life. It's exciting, new, and colorful after a winter of whites and grays and generally subdued hues. 

I had all of the windows open this afternoon. Joy! I particulary liked the way kitchen window lit up; the curtains were almost glowing. Window sill (left to right): oven mitts, some pant that resembles aloe, the plant that's growing like crazy, colorful collection boxes, golden pothos, music box, sea shell.

RandomTuesday Thoughts

I'm giving this a try today. I'm not sure yet if it'll become a weekly feature. Check out The Un Mom for more totally random thoughts.

• Almost all of my plans with friends have something to do with food. Is that weird? It just makes sense to get together for lunch or dinner. I guess it helps that I'm always hungry and love to eat.
  
  
• We're going to Maine to ski this weekend. I went exactly once last year (so sad), and I haven't been yet this year. I don't think it's possible to forget how, but I might be really bad! I hope my legs hold up. 
  
  
• I haven't had an opportunity to wear my new rain boots yet, but I'm not complaining. I'm loving this sunshine today. It's streaming through the window, bouncing off the disco ball, and making the living room a delightful place to work this afternoon.
  
  
• I JUST realized it's St. Patrick's Day. And only because I had to write the date. 
   
  
• I love young adult fiction. I can't help myself. It's easy to read, but the stories are often interesting and captivating. I'm currently reading a series by Scott Westerfeld about a distopia (a la The Giver or Brave New World).

Well I guess the truth of the matter is that I love reading, period. It's fun to be swept away in a story, so I often choose fiction. I guess that's also why I like series, because you stick with characters longer and get to know them. Eric tends to read non-fiction, which can be cool too. 

Alright. I think I'm out of random and really have a lot to do. 

Stop Motion Animation - Bold As Love

I made this fun little video in October 2006, while I was living with my gramma and working in New York City. At the time, I was listening to Continuum incessantly. When I listened to Bold As Love (track 9), I could imagine a short animation. I ordered the toys online and drew up a rough storyborad while I waited from them to be delivered. Once they arrived, I spent a day shooting and editing. It's not perfect, but I really like the outcome. 

Not many people have seen it, and I just redeiscovered it today so I thought I'd share! It was my first (and so far, my only) attempt at stop motion animation. The "actors" are stikfas. The music is John Mayer's cover of Bold As Love, originally by Jimi Hendrix. Here's my storyboard:

Dried Bouquet

One year ago today I was a bridesmaid in Kristen's wedding. I still have the bouquet I carried down the aisle because I dried it in our living room, where it continues to hang. It's still lovely, and some of the flowers really held onto their color.

I haven't seen Kristen since the morning after her wedding, because she and her husband moved to Japan just a few days after she was married. We write letters and emails, but it's not the same as spending time together. Somebody pleeeeease send me on a trip to Japan! 

Happy anniversary Kristen & Giff Y

Sharpened Pencil

There's something really satisfying about using a brand new pencil. It's a simple tool, but it's incredibly useful. Just look at that pointy tip! And the unused eraser. Oooh! 

I love the flexibility of pencils (you know - writing and erasing). I also love the way a really good one feels on paper. A nice pen also feels good, but it's not the same. Eric really likes fountain pens, so maybe he'll write about the three he owns. 

I took this photo the other day when I was re-vamping the Everything Little Miss website. I edited the picture and used it on the homepage to display and link to my contact information. 

My Plant Is Flourishing

My plant is growing like crazy. For a loooong time it didn't do much of anything. After taking this picture I glued/taped some take-out chopsticks together so I could string the poor thing up! It's about a foot tall, and I can't believe it. Seriously, I bought this sweet little pot (Home Depot) in the fall and planted the seed immediately. This sudden growth spurt has only been happening for the last few weeks, and I haven't been doing anything special. Now that it's tied to a stake it looks even happier (my photos were lousy). 

Maybe my plant is just looking forward to sping like everybody else. It's just around the corner you know. 

New Layout

Hey Everybody, 

Perhaps you've noticed that something looks different. This morning we switched over to a 3 column layout and updated the header. Hope you enjoy the new look!

Sincerely,

The Management

A Little Bird Without A Name

I love, love, love this little bird! My dad found it (marked down to $2!) in a bin in the Old Navy fitting rooms. While we were waiting for my sister to try on some clothes, I took a picture of it sitting on a pile of soccer balls. And then I got in trouble. Ooops. The fitting room attendant told me that customers are not allowed to take pictures inside the store and that if his boss saw me she'd yell at me and make me erase the photos. How would I ever know that? As far as I could tell there wasn't anything posted about the "no photos" rule! Even so, I turned bright red and felt really guilty.

My dad ended up buying the little bird for me (and a really cute tote). It always looks like it's waving at me! Any suggestions for names? 

Will + Emma

The Schwarz and I went to Amherst on Saturday, to visit his youngest brother (Will) and my sister (Emma). They're both students at our alma mater, UMass.    

It was a deliciously warm day for early March, and when we arrived around noon Will was dressed for summer. The boys and I went into town to grab sandwhiches at The Black Sheep. YUM. One of my favorite things about going back to visit is eating. We met up with my sister at her apartment around 2:45, when she was finished with dance practice. My parents and brother showed up about 30 minutes later and the Mays and Schwarzes split up for the afternoon.  

Eric and Will went on an errand or two, hung out in the dorm, and ordered wings (yuck) before going to the hockey game (UMass won). 

My family went to Panera to get some snacks before an afternoon of shopping. Not my favorite thing, but it was fun for us to be together. My sister's going to Vegas in 4 days, and she needs clothes and shoes, so we helped her get everything she needed. We ended the day with a great meal at Amherst Brewing Company. Oh. My. God. The sweet potato fries are so delicious. Afterwards we walked (Max and I skipped) back to my sister's apartment and then said good-bye. I got to spend a little more time with Emma before Eric picked me up and we headed to his parent's house for the night. 

We spent yesterday with Eric's mom & dad (and I ate waaaay too many cookies). We went for a long walk with his mom and I sat with him and his dad while the smoked disgusting cigars. 

Today I'm exhausted. I hope this post isn't too long or confusing! 

Card Games

Last night I played solitaire. With real cards. It was so much more fun than the computer version. I won my very first game and it was so ridiculously satisfying! Of course I kept playing and lost the next billion games, but that's why it's fun, isn't it?

The other night The Schwarz and I played war. We played with wild twos (if you have a 2 you can either declare war or win the hand), because that's the way my cousin used to play and it's more fun. I started out strong, but The Schwarz won in the end. 

My favorite game is rummy, but we haven't played that in a really long time. Maybe this weekend!

I like the red cards better (big surprise), but I don't really have a preference when it comes to hearts or diamonds.  Do you have a color or suit preference? Tell me about it in the comments!

Ruffle Heels

I got these shoes for the wedding we went to in January. Believe it or not, I wore them the entire night! They're way more comfortable than I anticipated. I'm not sure if it's because the heel is relatively low or if it's the fit of the shoe, but they're great (typing that made me think of Tony the Tiger). 

I had the opportunity to wear these shoes again this week for a job interview (just found out they promoted from within; I'm not disappointed). I felt so smart in my cute little outfit and adorable shoes. Now that I work from home, I never leave! It felt nice to get dressed up.

The shoes are madden girl, and I got them on sale at TJ Maxx.

An Old Letter From My Sister

My sister wrote me this letter in February 2007, when I'd only been living in Boston for a little over a month. She told me all about her new class schedule and her weird roommate situation. But best of all, she included little drawings. She's always doodling, and sometimes she creates amazingly complex designs. She can also sing and dance! I don't think she knows how jealous I am. Jealous in a good, proud way. 

She has her own photo blog, and sometimes she includes photos of her doodles. It's also filled with the adorable misspellings I mentioned yesterday. 

Look What I Found!

My brother wrote this paper just over 3 years ago now, when he was in 6th grade. I rediscovered it today when I was looking through an old folder. It's probably the greatest thing ever written. Below you can find the full text (including mistakes, which the teacher made no effort to correct - what the heck?). 

The worlds best Person (besides me) 

February 6, 2006

The worlds most important person to me is beleave is or not my sister.

Her name is April May. I can smell April evan if it is January. She smells like freshness and joy (wich is spring). Like every one she can have bad days, but ushually She is as nice and kind as can be. She helps wit home work (she is really good at that espesicaly because she gruated college), she helps clean, and she evan plays games with me. April helps some kids that goe to Sullivan School that have a hard time speaking english, so as you can see she is a big help. April and I do almost everything together all of the time.

I love April. 

Isn't he great? Really, he's wonderful. For those of you who don't know, we're like twins born 11 years apart. And it's true, we do a lot together. Not as much now that I don't live at home, but we have a blast when we do see each other. 

Next time I'll write about how amazing my sister is. She's different than the two of us in many ways, but we also all have an awful lot in common (she makes similarly endearing spelling mistakes)! 

In Case You Didn't Know

This sign is from the subway system, or Tube, in London.  I assume the purpose is to allow people a chance to think twice before attempting to walk up the stairs.  We don't actually remember who took this photo, but I'm taking credit via this post.  I think it'd be nice if everything was labeled in this manner.

Loving Spring 2009 Colors

Can I just tell you that I walked into the Gap today and almost started drooling because the spring colors are so rockin'? If you know me, you know I love oranges and pinks and reds. Looks like I'll be able to stock up on many more candy-colored pieces in the coming months. I didn't buy anything today, but I wanted to (no money, no need - you pick).