Thankyou

Well as my last post was a bit of a downer, I decided to take a page from bayjb's book...er...screen from her blog? and make a list of things for which I am grateful:

- my health
- the ability to work (hey, I may not have a job at the moment, but I at least am able to look for work and I'm capable of just about anything)
- Ben <3 (and knowing that he is only a phone call away)
- my family, for being there when I needed them most and taking me in
- being well-fed
- my dog Jack (the one constant in my life)
- sunny days
- the colour pink
- free trial gym memberships
- chocolate
- the Daily Show and the Colbert Report
- my blog buddies (yes, you!)
- my music
- new lipgloss
- having a car that gets 28 mpg in the city and 32 highway (I may not have a lot of money, so at least I'm not spending it all on gas!)
- Sonic Drive-Ins
- pink lemonade
- living in the Midwest...be it Illinois or Michigan, I love this area!
- being short
- Vanilla Coke

I could probably go on and on, but I've done enough to where my mood has been brightened considerably. Think about your own lists...it really works!

Wild, the Beautiful and the Damned

Hello to everyone in blogland (especially those whom I met for the first time last night)...I have decided to grace you all with an update. The job hunt is still chugging along, though I haven't had any calls yet. Right now I'm focusing on jobs in the Chicago area and Michigan, and I'm pretty optimistic about a few of them.

My more immediate concern (other than bills, obviously) is my lack of a permanent place to live. Unfortunately due to various reasons - Jack being one of them - I can't stay long-term with any of my relatives out in Illinois. My folks don't really want me moving back home, so basically I have two alternatives: either be shuffled around like a foster child (where each of my foster families loves me and takes care of me, but I have no true sense of home), or move in with my boyfriend's parents, neither of which are particularly attractive options.

Now I certainly don't mean to sound ungrateful...I know no one HAS to take me in, and Rachel & Dan have been incredibly nice in letting me stay with them, especially while they are, um...trying to have a baby and...wanting to do the things that are necessary to have a baby....

But I still can't shake the feeling that I am being a burden, and I know I will feel that no matter who I end up living with, until I am in a position where I can pay my own way.

I'm not exactly crazy about the idea of moving in with Ben's parents because he is working at camp for the summer (won't be around, in other words), and so there is a certain amount of awkwardness there. Not to mention the fact that watching your boyfriend's dad beat the shit out of your boyfriend is slightly off-putting. But on the other hand, they already have a nice bedroom set up with my own things (from the apartment), and they are more than willing to take in Jack.

So....in conclusion...I'm not sure what to do. And I have to make a decision soon, because I'm going to need a part-time job to pay my bills.

*sigh*


On a completely separate note, Frank is awesome. Thanks for coming over and bringing soup! I owe you one! (...when I have some money, that is.)

All You Need Is Me

So after many requests (....OK, so really just one. From my mom.) for a new post, I have decided to oblige. However, since not much has happened lately - still unemployed, still broke - I'm gonna take the easy way out and just do a meme. This will inform you of my awesomeness and inspire you to continue reading my blog, even when I have boring patches. Enjoy!


Four jobs I've had:
1. district exec for the boy scouts
2. ecology/conservation director at a boy scout summer camp
3. sorter of cutlery at a Cornell dining hall
4. water slide test pilot (heh, I wish!)

Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. Super Troopers
2. Boondock Saints
3. Robin Hood (Disney version)
4. Donnie Darko

Four places I've lived:
1. Trenton, MI
2. Ithaca, NY
3. Wheaton, IL
4. Metamora, MI

Four TV shows I love:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. NCIS
3. The Daily Show
4. Dirty Jobs

Four places I've vacationed:
1. Paris
2. the Florida Keys
3. Phoenix
4. Cedar Point

Four of my favourite dishes:
1. chocolate-covered strawberries
2. Ben's veggie fried rice
3. my mom's Italian beef
4. salmon cooked just about any way

Four sites I visit daily:
1. .......well, blogger, DUH
2. facebook
3. Questionable Content
4. cyanide and happiness

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Cedar Point
2. D-A Scout Ranch
3. in the lap of luxury
4. uhm....not....in debt?

Four bloggers I am tagging:
1. Rachel (ha!)
2. Frank
3. JenBun
4. Mom (there you go! a topic for your first post!)


do it.....do it....do it....DO IT

Everybody Eats When They Come To My House

I have been spending quite a bit of time lately with my niece Diana. She is taking my vagrancy as a sign that I am to become her permanent playmate. Well, I *am* living in her playroom, after all. I don't mind, though. I think it's a nicely positive spin to put on the whole situation.

'No, I'm not unemployed and homeless. I'm an au pair!'

Diana's current favourite game is 'making' birthday cakes for various animals - her stuffed cat, my dog Jack, and most recently Clifford the Big Red Dog. Diana sits with a box and a wooden spoon and instructs me to retrieve various ingredients from her toy fridge. Her cakes are part realistic ingredients, part based on the picture of groceries on the inside of the fridge, and part whatever random plastic food is in sight. For example, Clifford's cake consisted of:

22 eggs (she kept sending me back for more, usually in the quantity of "five and two and one")
9 cupcakes
honey
strawberries
sugar
milk
a piece of Swiss cheese
a slice of pizza



.........and beer


"You want me to get beer?"

"Yes."

[pause]

"Um, how old is Clifford?"

"He's really big."

"I know, but how old is he?"

"Ummm.....four million."

[a longer pause]

".......OK, well I guess he's legal."


I'm trying to get her outside more often.

Gimme Some Truth

OK folks, I guess it's time to clear up the rumours. I am said vagrant living in Rachel's basement...at least until Thursday. To make a somewhat long and painful story short, I have found out certain things about my boyfriend's family that have complicated our plans. I don't really want to get into all the details, but I'm keeping a positive outlook as best I know how. In the meantime I plan to take a break from blogging for about a week or so to get things sorted out.

Take care, everyone.

Oh, and many thanks to Rachel, Frank and Jenbun for their support! You guys are awesome!

Help!

gruigoagn agjiojtreg AAUUUUUGGGHHH PACKING!!!!!!!!

There will be a real post. One of these days. As soon as I can surface from these boxes.


grr.....

The Tension and the Terror

Frank and I spent the day yesterday at Rachel's and she was kind enough to feed us and take me grocery shopping (many thanks again!). Today I have spent the majority of my time packing (there is visible progress now) and watching a CSI marathon on SpikeTV. But I figured rather than boring you with the mundane details of my day, I would instead share with you a story that took place a few years ago...


Spring Break, my junior year of college. I was at my parents' house for a few days before travelling on to Chicago. I'd been milking it for all it's worth, staying out late with friends still in the area, and sleeping in until the early afternoon.

On this particular weekday, I had woken up on the early side (10:00...c'mon, that IS early for spring break!). My parents were both at work, and my youngest brother Spenser was in class at Trenton High, a few blocks away. (For those who are wondering, Frank was still in Illinois, as our colleges' breaks didn't coincide.) Around 11:30 I decided to take a shower, and dutifully locked all the doors. I don't like feeling vulnerable while I'm naked. I had just locked the front door when I heard someone outside the house. I debated for a moment on checking, then decided whoever it was could come back later. Probably just UPS anyway.

Then the backdoor received a vicious pounding. Definitely not 'UPS! I need a signature!' Nope, this sounded ANGRY. More of the 'OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW OR I'LL @%&#ING KILL YOU!' variety. I froze. I considered calling out to find out who it was, but I was too terrified.
I waited in the hallway, breathless, and then things were silent. I tried to shake it off and got ready for the shower. (Side note: Whenever I am really scared I pretend my niece is with me and so I have to act brave so she won't know how frightened I am. Also, I sing songs from her favourite TV shows.) I was safely in the shower, but only a few lines into Dora the Explorer's 'We Did It!' song when to my horror there was that same angry knocking on the bathroom window, right next to me. The window is made of those thick glass blocks that distort everything (obviously so no one can see in), but this also meant I couldn't see out. I only knew that there was an extremely pissed-off stranger in my backyard, and that I was home alone, and naked.

So I did what any self-respecting girl would do. I called my daddy.

I wrapeed my hair in a bright orange towel (my parents are inordinately fond of colourful towels, bless them) and threw on my dad's blue fleece robe with a Superman logo on the back. My dad asked if I wanted him to call the police. I said I wasn't sure. Then came the loudest banging yet, on the dining room window. I wanted to be brave, to scream 'GO AWAY!' but my voice died in my throat. In tears I told my dad to call the police. I remained in the hallway (far removed from doors and windows), cowering, terrified while hating myself for it. After a few minutes' time, I crept to the front window to peek through the blinds and saw a squad car pulling in front of my house, to my immense relief. As I eased open the front door and stepped halfway onto the porch, the officer began walking up the driveway, talking to the person who was hidden from my sight around the corner of the house. 'Excuse me, what's going on here?' the officer asked.

'My sister locked me out of the house, and I can't get in,' said a very familiar voice.
I immediately stuck my head around the corner and saw an extremely sheepish-looking Spenser. I was so relieved he wasn't a burglar I didn't know whether to cry or laugh. The policeman went on his way (and probably had a good laugh at my expense. You're welcome.) Apparently Spenser had walked the two blocks home during his lunch period to grab some money to get food from the Little Caesar's that was next to the school. Of course, all he would have had to do is call my name, or announce himself, or say just about ANYthing and I would have recognized his voice. Though by that same token, if I had asked 'Who is it?' then this whole mess could have been avoided.

Then again, if I had done that, I would have been at a loss for a story today....

Here Comes the Sun

I took my dog for a walk today, and it was fairly warm out, so I wore shorts. It was only then that I noticed how disturbingly pale my legs are. In fact, they've shot so far past pale that they're practically translucent. You can see veins and everything. Ugh.

Now in general, I like my body. I have a pretty good figure, if I don't say so myself. And I know that 'pale is the new tan' (what does that even MEAN?), and that going tanning increases your risk of skin cancer, and all that. I know these things. But still, when I am getting out of the shower and being confronted by Narnia's White Queen in the mirror (I thought about saying Casper the Friendly Ghost, then realised what an unflattering comparison that would be. At least the White Queen isn't quite so shapeless.), it kind of gets to me. I'm so self-conscious about it that I usually don't even wear shorts if I can get away with it.

I know, I know. I'm vain. And this problem is easily remedied enough. But I'm not laying out in my bikini because I *hate* tanlines (the ridiculous tanlines I would get from working summer camp in a Boy Scout uniform were absolutely intolerable). I don't want white boobs and a white butt. And besides that, I would need to spend $100 to get the keycard so I can access the pool in my apartment. $100!? Seriously!? If I had that kind of money to blow I would just go tanning in a salon!

For now I have settled for a bottle of Dove self-tanner that I had purchased last summer but didn't use much. Here's hoping it doesn't turn me orange...I would be crushed if I ended up looking like Lisa.

Sympathy for the Martyr

On Saturday I went downtown with Rachel, Dan, Diana and Dan's family. It was good times, check out her blog for some photos. I took some as well, but you won't see them because A- my camera is essentially the digital equivalent of a disposable, and B- I can't be bothered to upload photos from my camera except every couple months or so. I just posted pictures on my facebook from September. I am photographically lazy.

The Next Food Network Star was on last night. There was no Lisa-related drama (she actually was one of two winners of the day's challenge), but Nipa had this big prima donna meltdown. Toward the end of the show, when they were critiquing the contestants' presentation style and dish, they were somewhat focusing on Nipa (though not being overly harsh), and she abruptly said that she couldn't do this anymore and left the room. Everyone, judges included, looked completely dumbfounded. It was pretty amusing.

So she went back to her room, pouted for about 5 minutes, and came back (most everyone was still standing around looking confused, though some people were defending her). Then the judges slowly narrowed the contestants down to Nipa and Kevin...and Nipa FREAKING STAYED! They let her stay! At that point I began to seriously doubt the wisdom of these so-called 'judges'. She just seems like such a bitch. Maybe they just felt sorry for her. Well, I don't. She is almost the exact opposite of the type of person I would watch as a cooking show host.
I'll have to see what happens next Sunday...I just may end up switching to Hell's Kitchen. Gordon Ramsay doesn't take shit from anyone.

New American Classic

For his birthday, Ben got the Simpsons game for our XBox 360. I'm not much of a gamer, myself (Marvel Alliance being about the only exception), but I must say that the Simpsons game is without a doubt the funniest video game I've seen. I've spent the last few evenings watching Ben play - I didn't join him initially as I was engrossed in a book about Robert Wadlow, the world's tallest man - and I can't wait to try it out myself. It borrows from several games, including Pokemon, Space Invaders (yes, the original), Grand Theft Auto, and a sort of Guitar Hero/Dance Dance Revolution crossover. It was endlessly entertaining, even just to watch. You play all of the Simpsons family at different levels throughout the game, and near the end you battle the Creator, Matt Groening himself (with whom I share a birthday, by the way) who sends none other Zoidberg and Bender to protect him.

In closing, a few memorable quotes from the game:

'I drink the blue juice under the sink!' Ralph Wiggum

'I can't believe you forgot our names! You've known us since we were born!' Bart & Lisa
'Yeah, but it's not like we're thinking about you all the time.' Lenny

'Where is Smithers? My eyeballs haven't been moistened in minutes.' Mr Burns

'I wish I could transform into a giant car that flies, and kicks everyone because it has kung fu feet!' Nelson

'I won't eat sushi. Unless it's covered in chocolate, and there's no sushi in it.' Homer

'Bart! You'll have to fight him! I'm too drunk to!' Homer

I Write Sins Not Tragedies

Well, on Rachel's orders, I am making a list of 100 facts about me. I'm not planning to tag anyone else, however, so this particular chain will be a dead end here. Hopefully this won't take too terribly long, and I won't scar you with my revelations.

Enjoy!

1. I am left-handed.
2. I worry that I will never find a job I enjoyed as much as working at Boy Scout summer camp.
3. While living in Michigan/New York, I used to think of Illinois as home. Now that I'm here, I realize that Michigan is my home, and always will be.
4. I regret not running cross country in college.
5. I made the Dean's List my final semester at Cornell.
6. I once had fire engine red hair.
7. I don't regret leaving my last job.
8. I regret losing the income.
9. I have seriously considered joining the Navy.
10. I enjoyed high school a lot more than college.
11. I stand up for what I believe in.
12. I am very much my father's daughter, in that I am a very laid-back kind of person.
13. I am frightened of centipedes.
14. I only care about politics as it relates to the environment and gas prices.
15. I will never understand how airplanes can fly.
16. I want to learn how to drive a motorcycle.
17. I want to eventually own a motorcycle.
18. I wish I understood my youngest brother better.
19. I am a relentless optimist.
20. I hate when people bite down on their cutlery while eating.
21. I enjoy washing dishes.
22. I don't like any other kind of housework.
23. I am both scared and excited about the future.
24. I am told I do an excellent Eminem impression.
25. I am less confident than I appear.
26. I miss camping.
27. I have an incredibly poor sense of direction.
28. I can laugh at just about any situation (even when inappropriate).
29. I absolutely *love* that Bridgestone commercial where all the animals are screaming.
30. I could watch NCIS and Grey's all day.
31. Sometimes I do.
32. I have a slightly crooked front tooth that intermittently annoys me.
33. I can't wait to start running again (once I can afford new shoes).
34. I was briefly a member of the Wheaton Rotary Club.
35. I have a scar next to my right eye from a rock.
36. I love the colour pink.
38. I absolutely love reading. I will start a book and stay up all night until it's done.
39. I love the Civil War.
40. I believe everyone deserves a second chance.
41. I drive a red Subaru Impreza.
42. I want to trade in my car for a Dodge Caliber.
43. I only swear when I'm really mad.
44. I always want to live somewhere where I can see the fall colours.
45. I have been to France twice.
46. I had my first cigarette in France.
47. I like Coke much more than Pepsi.
48. I once had my cell phone run over by a minivan.
49. I have had bouts of depression ever since I became unemployed.
50. I still believe things will get better for me.
51. I had some amazing (and huge) margaritas in Texas.
52. I have bottle fed a baby squirrel.
53. I am a very patient person.
54. I have one tattoo, and no desire for more.
55. My favourite wings from B-Dubs are Mango Habanero.
56. I accidentally deleted this fact while fixing some typos, and I don't remember what it said (see #69).
57. I really want to visit Disney World again.
58. My favorite beer is Guiness Draught.
59. I wish That 70's Show was still on.
60. I love David Sedaris.
61. I would like to visit London someday.
62. If I could eat poutine everyday (and not die), I would.
63. I'm not sure what all the hype is about bacon.
64. The Millennium Force is my favourite roller coaster.
65. I want to do a cross-country road trip.
66. I get pretty handsy when I'm drunk.
67. I used to play the drums and the oboe.
68. I once faked being able to play the trumpet so I could 'play' during graduation and see my best friend walk.
69. I am worrisomely absent-minded.
70. I love Canada.
71. I have had my driver's licence for less than a year, and have been hit twice.
72. I have over 4,000 songs on my iTunes.
73. I have met Bill Nye 3 times.
74. I fractured my skull at age 3 (and had the audacity to do it on Rachel's birthday).
75. I love hookah.
76. I have been told that I look like Catherine Willows from CSI.
77. I don't believe them.
78. I think Macs are awesome, and I want to get a Macbook.
79. I believe we need to do more to slow global warming.
80. I haven't yet figured out where God fits in my life.
81. I don't see the appeal of 'Lost'.
82. A Knight's Tale is one of my favourite movies.
83. I cried when Heath Ledger died.
84. I have days when I feel like I look pretty.
85. I know I am capable of more than I am.
86. I am the go-to person for wildlife questions.
87. Fish Ecology was my favourite class in college.
88. I don't have many close friends, but the ones I am close to, I am very close.
89. Most of this is because of distance.
90. I am terrible at returning emails, facebook messages, and the like.
91. I can be very stubborn.
92. I hate people who talk on their cell phones as if they're on a helicopter.
93. I like to stay with things through their completion.
94. I once fainted during high school play rehearsal due to dehydration and exhaustion.
95. I love listening to music, no matter what I'm doing.
96. The Beatles are my favourite band.
97. I have never seen E.T.
98. My proudest moment in running was beating Allen Park my junior year in the 4x4 at the League Meet, which we then won. Martie Wagoner and I were puking in the grass next to eachother.
99. I am still learning.
100. I have a headache, and now I'm going to bed.

Start!

Last night Ben and I watched the series premiere of 'Next Food Network Star'. I had never watched the show before, but after a week or so of commercials, along with the fact that I am a fan of Guy Fieri's 'Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives' (he was the first winner of the show), I had decided to give it a chance.

Well, it was great. It fulfilled that henceforth unknown void in my life of food and drama ('Iron Chef America' comes close, but the characters aren't as entertaining). 10 contestants arrived on the scene, and I knew instantly who I was going to like (and hate). I won't bother giving a rundown on each person - that would take wayy too long, and most of the people are too nondescript at this point. I need to give them more time to distinguish themselves.
However, thus far, here is my list of people to watch:

Shane: prodigy who is the youngest graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (18). He has some potential, but might be too overemotional. He actually cried while Bobby Flay et al. were criticizing his dish (and not unkindly, I might add).

Lisa: holy crap. This woman obviously has no real friends, or else they would not have let her appear on national television with such a brilliantly orange skin tone. Both Alton Brown and I find her extremely irritating and her culinary "point of view" was quite confusing. Something to do with "fashion food" and her "3 C's". Yawn. Still, she could prove to be one of those people you love to hate. She was at the bottom two at the end of the first episode, so she may not be around long enough to grow on me.

Nepa: She was born in India, but for the first challenge, she made a curried potato dish that was curiously devoid of curry. She also seems astonishingly overconfident, to the point of arrogance (though Bobby Flay called her out on that!). She claimed to not be afraid at all when presenting her dish to a roomful of Food Network stars. Seriously?! I mean, if she wasn't nervous, she's either emotionally dead or just kidding herself.

That's all for now - those are the notables who stuck with me. The best part was watching everyone come in to present their dishes. Everyone (except Nepa, apparently) looked pretty nervous, and with good reason. Just about everyone was there - Sandra Lee (probably good to party with - a bit of a lush - but I wouldn't eat her food), Bobby Flay, Paula Deen, the Neelys, Morimoto, Alton Brown, and 2 other judges. I would have killed to be at that table.
I'd much rather have been seated than be presenting food. I like to think of myself as a fairly decent cook, but I don't do it often enough to where I could think of a recipe off the top of my head and make it within a half hour. "Hi, thanks for having me here. I'd like to present my dish....pepperoni Hotpockets."

Next week they are facing a challenge with Robert Irvine, which to me, would be one SERIOUSLY nerve-wracking challenge. He can be a very frightening man, and he's huge. Ben commented that he wouldn't want to face Robert because he could beat me up. I pointed out that Bobby Flay could probably beat me up, if he so desired (though he seems pretty laid-back and not all about the ass kicking), and that Robert was infinitely more scary.
I'll be following the show throughout the summer, so you'll at least get weekly updates!