some (more) things you may not know about me.

Thought it was time for an update to this old list (most of which are still true)

• I fall asleep nearly every night with my lamp on, propped up on my husband pillow and more often than not still holding the book or magazine I was reading. Brad says this makes me older than my years. He is probably right.
  
• I still listen to, and buy, Jay-Z's music. Ever since The Vegan told me Jay feature dogfighting in his 99 Problems video, I've felt guilty every time I admire his lyrics (Save the narrative/You saving it for marriage/let's keep it real/you saving it for carats). I HATE Michael Vick for glorifying dogfighting, why not Jay-Z? I'll tell you why-- I <3 near-rhyme
  
• When Joe and I got engaged in Vegas, I repeatedly told him we should "just get married and look we can do it right here!" However, we were NOT pre-married.
  
• Before Joe and I went to Vegas and got engaged, I told my mother I thought "Joe and I should just get married in Vegas." She agreed.
  
• I also told HotCop, who knew Joe was planning to propose and called him immediately to warn him. She also suggested we "buy you a nice white shift dress, just something to wear in case."
  
• I also told my friend Jen I wanted to get married in Vegas. She said "Aww, but it would be so fun to come to your wedding."
  
• I can't remember if I mentioned any of this to Joe prior to the Vegas trip.
  
• Our wedding and surrounding events were just about the most fun I've ever had.
  
• I enjoy watching The Girls Next Door. The girls are, for the most part, annoying and stupid. But I can't stop watching.
  
• I am obsessed with cycling movies on my Netflix queue. For a while I was even taking the movies to the post office mailbox because I thought they were getting returned faster (the next day as opposed to two days later).
  
• Though I do miss Virginia, I don't miss the weather or the bridge-tunnel.
  
• I love food. (You may have known this about me already).
  
• Chances are, I read your blog.
  
• I am far more scandalized by some of the things my college-age relatives and friends seem to be doing than I should be -- considering the stupid things I did at that age.
  
• I REALLY want to buy a king-sized bed with our tax return money. Also dining room chairs. Does this mean I'm a Real Grown Up?
  
• My mother told me she is still waiting to feel grown up.
  
• I know grocery shopping on an empty stomach is dangerous. I also know buying stuff that isn't on my list is dangerous -- that is how we end up with THREE cans of whipped cream.
  
• I have been more sniffly and sneezy this year than any year in the past.
  
• I once texted Joe to ask if there was anything LESS sexy than nasal spray. He proceeded to picture-message me a photo of Beatrice.
  
• I still think nasal spray is less sexy than my cat.
  
• I'm not sure how I raised such a poorly-behaved and sometimes mean cat. I hope this does not bode ill of my parenting skillz.
  
• I would need to get ride of shoes, purses and clothes in order for there to be room for a kid in our current home. If you've met me you know this ain't happening.
  
• I'm excited for 1.20.2009.

What are some things I may not know about you?

four weddings and a funeral

2008 was a year of change. Isn't every year one of change? I guess it would be more apt to say 2008 was a year of Change.

Of this variety:



(photo by Dave/David/The Choice)

And this one:



Rest in peace, Grandma

Also this:



This:



(Not Joe)

And this:



I would not be me if I failed to mention this:



YES WE DID!

And my hair is darker:



I hope 2009 brings us all many unexpected joys.

who's that girl?

thought it was time for a change.

anticipation

Now that I'm halfway into my second Fat Tire, I wonder if I should have saved my two-beer nite for tomorrow. Celebrate victory or drown my sorrows.

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG. Thank goodness Presidential elections only come every four years. My poor weak heart couldn't take it.

i just want to go the effing library.

Ughhhhhhhhh. It's just so irritating that the two freaking municipalities can't come up with an agreement so I can go to the library that:

1. I like
2. is convenient to my home.
3. is conveniently on my way home from work.

I was mad at Louisville for wanting more money from Superior, then mad at Superior for wanting me to PAY FOR MY LIBRARY CARD. I've had a library card since before I even had an allowance. Growing up in my family meant getting a library card as soon as you learned how to write your name. I had that freaking card with my name scrawled on the back in blue ink until I moved to Colorado (and I may still have it). LIBRARY CARDS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FREE. Now, of course...

Since forking over the cash is no longer even an option for me, all I can think is that I'd pay the $30 they wanted, and would probably pay more than that. BUT THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE WON'T TAKE MY MONEY. Literally. Therefore, they get nothing. Not my money, not the town's money. BUT I AM* THE ONE WHO LOSES.

My anger is probably irrational, as I think I can join Broomfield or Boulder (and may even be able to use my card in Louisville, my righteous indignation has prevented me from researching thoroughly). But the fact is I already HAVE a library card. I EVEN HAVE A FINE!!

Ugh, this post is going nowhere and writing it is making me madder still. I am being a baby and I don't care. At least you can just close your browser window or navigate elsewhere. Poor Joe has to listen to me.

*Also any other Superior residents who use the library but whatevs.

internets, it's true. we took advantage of them.

Here is my advice: if your is closing its doors, don't invite Joe, Brad and me. Chances are we'll perform some illegal and/or shady maneuver.

Here is my request: don't turn us in to the authorities.

I didn't even remember this first anecdote until last night. We were headed to a local Mexican place which was closing down after over 30 years of business. We were discussing what the restaurant would be like on its last night when Joe said "Knowing us, we'll walk out on the bill."

And that's when it came back to me. We neglected to pay our last tab at the infamous Wonder Bar. The place was mostly empty and only one bartender was working that night-- the random guy who always provided the worst service of all the waitstaff at WB. I think we only had one drink each that night. We discussed it for 10-15 minutes before ducking out when the bartender was at the other end of the bar. Please don't turn us in, we practically kept that place in business!!

I actually feel more guilty about what happened last night-- and I wasn't even party to it. When we arrived, the place was packed. I dropped off the guys to get our names on the list while I parked the car. When I got in, there were maybe 20 people waiting (mostly in parties of 3 or 4) and the guys were no where to be found. I called Joe. "We're in the back, at the table." Uh, ok.

I sat down at what was clearly a 2-top set for three and asked how they got seated so quickly.

When they walked in, Brad explained, the hostess was calling for "Joe, party of two." Joe (who claimed to be unaware of the fact that Brad had not yet put in our name) said, quite truthfully, "I'm Joe. Except, we have three. Right? Three?" He looked at Brad.

"Yep."

The hostess said it was fine, they could easily remedy that. Thus, we stole the table from poor Joe and his or her husband/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/friend/companion/etc.

And the queso tasted that much cheesier.

baked goods in August

So, I've been temping some days... but the days I'm not working I get bored sometimes. Since I'm my mother's daughter, and my sister's sister, this means I've been cooking. Baking, even, although if I were truly my mother's daughter I would refuse to turn the oven on as "it heats up the house."

Meh. I wanted cookies. Chocolate chip cookies, to be exact. We (or, for the sake of clarity *I* ate some of them) and Joe took the rest to work. This time I remembered to use the high altitude recipe and they actually looked like cookies, rather than wafers with lumps where the chips were. I haven't yet perfected them 100%, but we are getting closer.

Then I made brownies, again with the high altitude recipe. From a box, not very exciting.

This morning I wanted muffins-- so I got out How to Cook Everything. (When he says everything, Mark Bittman means it -- there is a recipe for Gefilte fish, yick). Anyway, so I'm tooling around in the Muffins and Biscuits section... when I find popovers!

I remember my mother making popovers when I was a kid and in my memory they are a light, eggy muffiny type thing, the perfect vehicle for Nutella, jam, butter or whatever spreadable goodness you want.

I worried a little about the altitude issue, but decided I wanted to try anyway. They didn't POP as much as I'd hoped and are kind of shrimp shaped, but turned out nice and chewy and browned:



NOT PICTURED: The three I already ate.

All in all, a success-- and a recipe I will be revisiting soon.

BTW, since I stopped measuring success by whether or not anyone else in my house wants to eat my baked goods, my success level has increased tenfold.

Dear Blog Readers,*

(I guess I could say "Dear Joe & Brad, since they are the only ones I know read my blog.)

Hi! What's new & exciting? Things have been busy around here. Beatrice is fine, thanks for asking.

Joe and I have had a hard time staying in the same state since we got married. We have visited these states in the past (almost) three months: Virginia, North Carolina, California, Iowa, Maryland, Virginia (again), Nevada. With the exception of the trip to VA for the wedding, none of these travels have been together. Still on the agenda: Illinois, Iowa and Pennsylvania. Two out of three together. Tra-la!

Additionally, I quit my job. No, I do not have a full time job in CO yet. I'm temping, which is actually quite nice so far. There are several advantages to this:

• I do not work for my old company anymore.*
  
• I don't feel trapped in the house.
  
• I don't wake up at 5 am with the urgency to GET STUFF DONE and think "MIGHT AS WELL WORK."
  
• I don't have the urge to throw up anymore.
  
• I am FREEEEE, tra-la!
  

Seriously, I'm much happier now. I didn't realize how much happier I was until Joe and I were taking a walk last night. You seem happier, he said. I am. I really, really am. Don't ask me where my next effing paycheck is coming from, tho. (It may be from the lady at the temp agency who said "Oh, I see you used to work at D-Company. My husband used to own a game store." I guess her husband liked STCCG and their son played YJ. Small world! She said the name of the store and I recognized it. Turns out I recognized it because there is one by the same name in Australia, I think.)

Joe benefits, too, not only from a happier me but from tasty, gourmet dinners! Yesterday I made a penne w/ pesto, chicken and toasted pinenuts and today I made roulade of chicken, ham, sage and sundried tomatoes with a sage-garlic-lemon pan sauce. TRA-LA! There was also rice. I burned the crap out of my hand, though, when I grabbed the handle of the pan that had been in the oven. (Go ahead, grab the handle of one of your pans. See how many fingers it impacts?) Also in our kitchen now: homemade pound cake and leftover tortilla soup.

Other than that... business as usual.

*Also known as the post wherein I liberally use the phrase "tra-la."
**I could tell you tales about the massive changes that took place since I moved last year. Not here.

feeding 2 addictions at once

Heard this on my NPR stream while playing one of my nine active games.

Oh, Hasbro, why do you hate us??

(Also, Joe emailed me about this the other day. But I wasn't playing Scrabulous when I read the email. I was reading my email.)

worst movie to watch when still fresh from a funeral, and your husband was out of town.

P.S. I Love You

Cried through most of the movie.

Vodka in the lemonade doesn't make it worse.

tweet.

Does anyone have Twitter? If so, email me your username or find me so I can follow you.

If not, get with it people! Sign up! I need a new way to stalk you!

foodstuffs i used hate, now i don't.

Foodstuffs is a stupid word.

• Mustard (many a fast food burger was scraped for me by Mom and Dad)
  
• Mayo
  
• Tomatoes (no sauce on my pasta, no tomatoes on my BLT, no SALSA)
  
• Any cheese that wasn't white (pretty sure it was limited to American)
  
• Crab (no seafood)
  
• Calamari (no seafood, really)
  
• Tuna (I mean it)
  
• Onions
  
• Salt and vinegar chips
  
• Beer
  
• Diet Coke, Pepsi... Diet Anything.
  
• Hot sauce
  
• Sushi (I still only eat the vegetable kind)
  
• Beans, any kind.
  
• The heads of broccoli
  
• Artichokes
  
• Mushrooms. Although I guess I don't LIKE those so much as TOLERATE them.
  
• Sour cream (what was I thinking??)
  
• Salad dressing (any and all, and then I started to like Italian).
  

seriously, this is why i don't bake.

Joe and I split the first piece of the cinnamon-raisin bread I whipped up in the new bread machine. I ate the REST OF THE LOAF.

In other much sadder news, I'm flying to Cedar Rapids, IA (yes, that Cedar Rapids) on Sunday for a family emergency involving my 94 year old grandmother, Mable Valentine. She lives in the northeast corner of IA, in a small town called Sumner. I can't remember if there is a stoplight in the town.

at the top of my to do list: don't have a nervous breakdown.

Four million other things follow it.

Don't worry, I'll still have time to play Scrabulous. Priorities, people.

it's not a secret.

Brad, Joe and I are going to the Lifetime of Secrets event in FoCo later this month. Woo hoo!

Since we're (Joe and me, of course) already engaged, I don't think this will happen (at least not to me). But I hope there are many new secrets and that Frank will sign my book(s). I am so excited!

[Here is where a picture of the tickets would go, except Brad has them]

sunny day in CO

Enjoying the new bistro set on our balcony.

friday. relief.

I know you don't smoke weed... I know this. But I'm gonna get you hiiigh today, 'cause it's Friday; you ain't got no job... and you ain't got shit to do ...

This post has nothing to do with Mary Jane, and everything to do with my utter relief today is Friday. And also that I need to queue up the movie Friday, for two reasons (1) I'm quite confident that Joe hasn't seen it, and I can't marry him until he does and (2) I haven't watched it in maybe 5 years.

oh oh oh oh oh HANGIN' TOUGH

Listen up everybody if you want to take a chance...


Are you serious? Dude, they're like... adults and stuff.

Eighteen years later, they're still "Hangin' Tough." The oldest "Kid," Jonathan Knight, now a real estate developer, will turn 40 later this year. Since the band's demise, former members Donnie Wahlberg, 38, and Joey McIntyre, 35, have seen acting success, while Danny Wood, 38, has worked as a music producer and Knight's brother, Jordan, 37, has continued to record.

Who was is your favorite New Kid?

(I use the "music" tag loosely here.)

Facebookers, take note.

If there is no Scrabulous, I will not remember to log in.


click

merry and happy and all that, belatedly.

We spent the last week back in Virginia, where we told the same stories to various groups of friends. At one point Joe said "Are you really going to tell that story again?" I had to explain just how this works-- that I was, in fact, going to tell the same story again. It was new to THAT group of friends, tho he had heard it twice the day before.

We stayed a week which, as it turns out, is a little long to stay with one's parents. Or, more accurately, one's in-laws. I just want to go home, Joe kept saying. As I just moved out of their house in September, I was ok. It was so nice to see some of the old kids again, including Mike, Stephanie, and Frances (picture from 06); The Widow and The Choice; The Aw-zee and his GW; My Lovely Nora and Eddie; HotCop and Mr. HotCop (P-har); and my good friend Michelle.

But we missed so many people, too. I blame the fact that I went to the office on Friday. Never doing that again, unless the company pays to fly me across the country. It turned out to be impossible to cram in time with all our friends, even as Joe was ready to escape my parents.

If we missed you, I'm sorry. We'll see you next time. And, for those of you we did see, I'm sorry we didn't have enough time together. Come visit!!