Oy, ridiculously long meme

I know lots of people are doing this, but I stole it from L at Trapped in North Jersey

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
I moved into a hotel for a long term stay.  AND, I moved to PA.  I've never lived in this state before.  It's been interesting.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't usually make New Year's resolutions.  I find that the actual act of making them makes me nervous and just sets myself up for fail  However, last year, I think I said I wanted to exercise at least 3 times a week every week.  I didn't do a TERRIBLE job with this.  For the majority of the year I kept up with this.  I slacked off a lot when I moved up here, but I'm doing better again (ignoring this past week when I was dying of some awesome lung infection). 

I also said I would cook more and eat out less.  I did terribly with that in Virginia, however, since moving up here, surprisingly, I've been eating out A LOT less than I used it.  Which is odd since I have no real kitchen area to cook in.  But I'm doing it! 
So, I did better than I expected on the resolutions, but I have lots of room for improvements. 

I don't think I'm really going to set any resolutions this year, but I have a few things that I plan to continue working on.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, my sister! Yay Baby V!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my grandfather.  I still expect him to walk down the stairs everytime I go visit my grandma.  It sucks. 

5. What places did you visit?
I went to Costa Rica with L and her husband and kids.  What a lovely trip (in fact, I think that trip was the very first thing I blogged about on my new blog).  I visited places in Virginia I had never been to before.  But, truthfully, I didn't really go anywhere else.  As much as I love traveling, I haven't really gone that many places this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
I didn't really LACK anything in 2010.  There are things that I would like to have in 2011, but nothing really that I can say was lacking in my life. 

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
April 7, 2010.  Found out mid meeting my grandfather had passed away. 

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I worked up the guts to do something I had been wanting to do for 12 years.  And...that is all the information you will be getting from me. :-)

9. What was your biggest failure?
Um, sadly, I don't really REMEMBER much of my biggest achievement.  Alcohol is bad. 
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
My knee was originally hurt in 2009 I believe, but it continued to plague me for much of 2010. So I will count that. 

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I didn't really buy anything big or exciting.  Just kind of boring necessities. 
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My friends were awesome.  They were so supportive and understanding of me this year.  I couldn't ask for a better support group. 
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
This question sucks.  I'm not answering.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Nowhere exciting.  Mostly just paying off debt or into savings.  Super fun. 

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to Costa Rica.  Meeting Baby V.  And I don't know if this counts as a "really, really, really" excited, but I was excited to move back north and to re-get to know old friends I had lost touch with. 
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Bottoms Up by Trey Songz

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? much happier
b) thinner or fatter? I think I'm actually exactly the same.
c) richer or poorer? I don't have a lot more money in the bank compared to last year, but I do have a lot less debt, so I count that as richer.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I feel like I'm actually pretty happy with my 2010 year and I wouldn't really change much.  Maybe I wish I had saved more at the beginning of the year? 
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I wish I had not let stupid people get to me as often.  I wish I had learned to take things less personally. 
20. How did you spend Christmas this year?
Same as always, Christmas Eve helping my mom wrap gifts, and Christmas day with my family
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
Um, there were moments.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
I became obsessed with NCIS.  It's sad, I know.

23. What did you do for your birthday in 2010?
I had to go to work.  Then, we went out to dinner and the bars with some of my friends. 

24. What was the best book you read?
The Physics of Superheroes: Spectacular Second Edition by James Kakalios.  Seriously, this book is really interesting and educational at the same time. :-)
25. What did you want and get?
A new mp3 player.  I put off buying one for so long, that I got it as a Christmas gift and it's awesome.  I also wanted a new camera, and L gave me her old one.  I'm on fi-ah with the gifts this year. 
26. What did you want and not get?
I wanted a new car.  However, I did not NEED a new car and thus did not get one. 
27. What was your favorite film of this year?
hmmm- I liked a lot of movies this year.  I can't pick just one.  However, the most recent movie I saw and liked this year was Easy A.  Very cute.

28. Did you make some new friends this year?
I became friends with people I was previously only acquaintances with.  I also renewed some old friendships.  I think this counts.

29.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Seriously, I'm happy with my past year.  I don't know that it could have become immeasurably more satisfying.  Maybe losing tons of weight and winning the NY marathon?  I mean, if I'm going for something that is impossible...might as well go big right?
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Casual, cardigans, khakis, comfortable. 

31. What kept you sane?
Talking to Revolting R and my sisters and running.  Always with the running.
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Seriously?  Um...I like Emma Stone and Ellen Page.  I have huge girl crushes on them. 
33. What political issue stirred you the most?
gay rights.  Argh.  are we really in 2010 and still don't believe in equal rights for everyone?

34. Who did you miss?
My grandfather, Revolting R, and all my friends I left in VA.
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
Don't sweat the small stuff, and it's ALL small stuff. 

I want to be where your heart is home*

Things that made Christmas awesome this year:

• Awesome friends.  On Thursday, I was hanging out with Revolting R (yeah, sorry, that name is still sticking) and was already having a great time.  We got sushi and made fun of the mail order bride and her suitor sitting next to us (seriously, these people were hysterical and their conversation was painfully awkward).  It was just like old times and I was having a blast.  Then, Mike stopped by on his way home and gave me an unexpected Christmas gift.  A while ago, I complained my sansa clip was old and didn't have a micro SD slot so it didn't hold a lot of songs.  And, for Christmas...surprise!  A new sansa clip that holds a card for expandable memory.  And...it's blue!  Or purple...or royal blue...whatever you want to call it.  It's pretty!  I put an image of the Sansa Clip below but mine isn't a bright blue as this.  Mine's prettier.  (I have some great friends that apparently DO listen to me when I complain). 

• An awesome family.   My sisters got me a David Sedaris box set that I've been wanting for forever (and I didn't even have to ask for it, they just noticed it on my wish list on paperbackswap.com and got it for me).  My mom and dad got me some great things, including an apron my mom made me and some orange kitchen tools (like measuring spoons and such).  My aunts got me a leash to use while walking Oscar (it has a built in flashlight and baggie compartment) and a chew toy that Oscar loved so much he pretty much has already killed it.  My uncle gave me this beautiful square bowl that I can't wait to display (And it's SQUARE!  NOT ROUND!  My favorite!).  And of course, gift cards to bookstores.  So excited.  I unfortunately do not have any fun pictures to post here.  I didn't really take any pictures of my gifts yet.  That will be later. 
• Awesome nieces and nephews.  Seriously, the cuteness is just overwhelming!

All in all, it was just a generally awesome Christmas, and now I'm snowed in at my parents.  I'll let you decide if that's a good thing or not :-)  (Also, if the pictures line up funny, I apologize.  I spent a ridiculous long time fighting blogger to make them line up as I wanted.  And it's not working on my laptop.  Hopefully it looks normal to everyone else).  Argh. 

*She and Him

It's the hap-happiest season of all...

So, totally laming out on the post.  Here's the Christmas gifts I made this year:

For my awesome sister J:

It's a silk/wool blend that's an off-white color (this pictures didn't really do a good job showing the color).  It's also really long (It didn't fit diagonally across my king size bed while trying to block it).  

Next, my also awesome sister L:

The scarf and hat is actually a dark turquoise color, not the blue-grey it looks in the picture and is 100% cotton b/c L hates anything else touching her skin.  Apparently she has sensitive skin that itches all the time.   

For my brother in law D (L's husband), I made a hat using a navy blue cotton yarn.  It's nice and squishy and soft and warm.  I am making myself a hat out of the same yarn.

And JP, my other other brother in law, got these socks.

He should feel honored.  I hate making men's socks.  Their feet are just too damn big.  Also, I really hope he likes/wears them.  

Lastly, I made my aunt P a necklace. 

I kind of wanted to keep it.  

So...that was my attempt at giving gifts this year.  I hope everyone liked them!

Good news will work its way to all them plans*

I went to Dunkin Donuts this morning for my normal iced coffee.  It kind of pisses me off these people can't seem to remember what I want.  I go at least 3 mornings a week since I've moved here. 

Anyways, this morning I got into a big "argument" with the guy behind the counter.  (I wasn't really fighting, I just couldn't think of a better word).  I ordered, iced coffee with cream and sugar.  Like always. 

However, this morning, our conversation went as follows:

Iced tea with lemon or no lemon? 
I don't want iced tea, I want iced coffee. 
Ok, ma'am, it's the same price.  Iced tea with lemon?
No.  Iced coffee with cream and sugar.
Ok.

A few minutes later, he handed me my iced tea with cream and sugar. 

Sigh.

I also had an embarassing moment last night at CVS trying to buy tampons and liners.  All the store had was JUMBO packs of each.  Like 50 per pack.  And I was kind of in dire need of them, so I figured, eh, just buy them.  You'll be set for a while. 

Except, up front, hottest guy ever at the register.  And yes, I realize he sees much worse purchases every day, and I can't say I normally give a crap about buying these items, but seriously.  JUMBO PACKS. 

Double Sigh.  

Anyways, tomorrow I will be spending the day in my car, so don't expect a post from me!  :-)

*Modest Mouse

Make my wish come true, all I want for Christmas is you*

So, I'm taking the week off of running.  I went on Sunday evening (yes, I worked up the energy to go), barely.  I felt so lethargic while running.  It was such a struggle.  I just felt awful.  

Then, on Monday, I felt horrible all day.  I was ache-y and kept getting hot then cold all day, and I had that weird crawly skin feeling where I didn't want anything touching me.  It was very un-fun.  I was supposed to run, and just had no energy to do anything but come and sit on the couch and wait for dinner.  

Then, I woke up today, and my throat was killing me, I had no voice, and my lungs felt hurt-y (yes, these are all technical descriptions).  

So, I am taking a break this week.  No running.  Just getting as much sleep as I possibly can.  

I also am trying to get better as quickly as I can because Revolting R is back in NJ and I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HER and I don't want to be sick (oh, yeah, also, Christmas is coming.  Would hate to be sick for that as well...).  

Hope everyone is having a lovely week!

*Mariah Carey

Nothing is different, but everything's changed*

So.  

I've been a little slack on the whole posting thing this month.  But it's almost Christmas.  There's so much to do!

On Thursday, I had to fly to Richmond for a few hours (yes, a few HOURS), and actually spent more time  in airports than I did in Richmond.  I had to get up at 3:30 to catch my early flight that morning.  Going there was surprisingly not a terrible ordeal.  We were only about 20 minutes late overall (even with the snow in Richmond) and it was a surprisingly painless trip.  Then, coming back, I ended up stuck in Laguardia airport for about 6 hours, and FOUR cancelled flights, before finally making it back to Philly.  It was a terrible day.  

I was so tired that day I didn't even want to do any knitting which is crazy talk for me.  I always knit while traveling.  

Luckily, I had already finished all my Christmas gifts (including the ugly monkey) so at least this didn't throw me off schedule or anything.  I'm working on taking pictures of everything I've made, so that after Christmas I can post pictures.  Yay.  

Unfortunately, I've been so busy knitting and working, I haven't felt like running.  I've only managed to go once this week.  I'm attempting to work up the energy to go now.  It's not going so well. 

I had planned to go right after the Eagles game, but then we WON!  And it was INSANE!  And then I had to watch the post game shows and all the replays.  And now I'm sucked into the Jets/Steelers game, so it would be wrong to leave now.  Right?  (See how good I am at not running?)

So, anyways, while I try to overcome my lethargic attitude, here's a picture of the ugly monkey.  

I think I shall call her Carlita.  

*Paul Simon

We're just tryin' to be friendly, Come and watch us sing and play*

So, the ugly monkey.

More progress has been made.  The ugly monkey has a face, a very busted face, but a face none the less.  

  

I'm not going to lie, I made the face and thought the monkey got even uglier.  Which I didn't think was even possible.  Then, I started making the dress.  And oh the dress.  Looks HIDEOUS on the needles.  I couldn't understand what these whack-job pattern writers were thinking.  

Then, I decided to see what I thought of the monkey with the dress so I could decide if I was completely wasting my time trying to make this, or if it was salvageable.  

The dress is only half finished, so it's quite...short and indecent right now.  But, oh what a difference it makes!

 She actually, kind of looks like a SHE, and not hideously ugly.  I'm amazed at the difference an ugly dress makes.  I'm slowly starting to LIKE the monkey and I'm not as horrified to give it as a gift.  It looks kind of like a sock monkey!

I'm speechless.  :-)

On a completely different note.  It's cold again today (obviously not 20" of snow cold...but cold anyway). I went for my run this evening and did not really protect myself clothing wise as I maybe should have.  I was warm enough once I started running (as in not shivering or anything like that), but my legs need more protection I think.  The wind was so bad, that about halfway through I realized my skin felt numb from the waist down.

It was not the most pleasant of feelings.  I may have to start doubling up my pants.  Blah.

And just to give you an idea of how windy it is here.  I took Oscar out for his last walk of the day, and the wind blew him over.  Literally, blew him off his feet on to his side.

I am the meanest mom b/c I just laughed hysterically at him while he looked around with a WTF just happened look on his face.  Poor little thing.  I guess he needs to gain some weight or something!

*The Monkees

Lately things just don't seem the same, actin' funny but I don't know why*

I am planning a weekend of driving.  I seem to do this a lot. 

I don't really have any friends in the immediate area right now.  The friends I DO have, tend to go away on the weekends, so, I drive kind of far to reduce the number of nights I am sitting alone in my hotel room.  (Ha!  I sound so pathetic!). 

Tonight, I shall be meeting JH and potentially others in New Brunswick for dinner and drinks.  Nothing too hard core (nothing like the bar crawl last month), just a night out with friends in a social setting and not sitting on my sofa waiting for my laundry to finish...which is how I would otherwise be spending my Friday night (oy, I really AM pathetic :-P). 

Then, on Saturday, I shall be heading to Delaware to babysit the adorably precious Baby V while her parents go get merry at their Christmas party.  However, I most likely will be spending a lot of time sitting on THEIR couch while Baby V is sleeping.  So, it won't be the most social of evenings.  I'll just have to squeeze all my socializing in while she's still awake.  :-) 

However, that's a lot of driving in two days. 

Sunday I plan to spend running, doing laundry, and just being lazy on the couch watching movies.  Feel free to come visit!  :-)

*Jimi Hendrix

I finally figured out some things you'll never know*

Let me start off by saying:

Happy Birthday Grandma!  (Hey...I still have an hour to post this and still have it be true!).  I love you! 

I'm also really tired, so here's a fail of a post telling you the fun (ha!) things I did today:

• Mailed my Christmas cards.  I apparently don't know how to count.  I bought 24 thinking that was enough, but I was definitely short.  Some people will be receiving e-cards.  Yay e-cards!
• Finished JP's Christmas gift.  His was the last gift I was officially planning to make.  I still have to make the dress for Baby T's ugly monkey (as shown a few posts earlier...I'm too lazy right now to find the link).  And I may try to make Little J and H the Viking hats as requested.  
• Gave the scary ugly monkey a face.  She looks a little...rode hard and put away wet?  Seriously.  U-G-L-Y...she ain't got no alibi.  I'll try and post a picture tomorrow for everyone to laugh at. 
• And I am almost finished buying gifts for this year.  I hope.  Although I seem to keep remembering other people I have to buy gifts for.  Argh.  

I also watched Fantastic Mr. Fox on TV today.  I absolutely adored the book growing up, and while I'm usually ok with books changing for movies, I was a little...disappointed...with how they changed the story. Don't get me wrong, the movie itself was a cute movie.  And if I hadn't loved the book SO MUCH growing up, I would have thought it was a great movie (actually, it WAS a great movie...just not what I was expecting).  

I also watched Transformers 2 and UGH!  What a terrible movie.  Just terrible.  

*SPOILER*

WHO THE EFF KILLS OPTIMUS PRIME IN A TRANSFORMERS MOVIE????  REALLY????

And obviously there are plot twists and devices in an attempt to make the movie work, but I swear that happened and I was so angry and we weren't even an hour into the movie.  Just RAR!  

Anyways, so that was my day.  Not very exciting, but at least it's been productive.  :-)

Happy almost end of the week day!

*Better Than Ezra

If I go everywhere you want me to go, how will I know you'll still follow?*

I am a very bad dog owner.  One of the things you're supposed to make sure you do, is establish yourself as the alpha in the "pack".  Your dog should never think he's the one in charge.  I have completely failed at this.

Whenever Oscar is around me, he is very very very protective of me.  He is very aggressive towards other dogs.  He doesn't like to meet new people.  He just barks ferociously anytime he senses a "threat" to me (or in his opinion, his rightful attention from me).  Basically, he's a socially retarded dog that hates everyone else and thinks he can hurt them by biting off their ankles or something.  (Ok, once he realizes you're ok, he's one of the SWEETEST dogs ever.  He just likes to make sure you know he's in charge when you meet him).  

However, apparently he's also the BIGGEST COWARD ever.  

Today, I had a really long meeting for work that lasted until about 9PM.  I asked one of my co-workers that lives in the hotel to take Oscar out when he got home from work so he wasn't having to hold it in for 14 hours.  

Z stopped in and Oscar does his normal freak out barking at someone being in the room.  Z opens the crate to let him out and Oscar still barking starts inching out.  Z kind of crouches down and puts out his hand to let Oscar sniff him and Oscar turns tail and cowers in the back of the crate.  

Z spent 20 minutes trying to get him out of there and couldn't.  He finally had to give up because he had go to an appointment.  

I find it so funny how different he is if I'm around vs if I'm not.  If I was there, Oscar would have been all about showing Z that HE is the man of the room and he's going to protect me, and Z can just step off.  But, I'm not around, and he cowers in fear.  

So, Oscar is apparently the alpha male, and I am a terrible owner.  Grrr.

*Silversun Pickups

Don't worry you will find the answer if you let it go*

Before moving back north, I used to romanticize how much I loved the weather here.  I loved that it wasn't 100+ degrees every freaking day in the summer.  We get snow here, and I can wear my winter hats and gloves and scarves that I knit so frequently, and yet never was cold enough to wear in Virginia. 

What was I thinking? 

I spent FIVE minutes outside on Friday night walking Oscar and all I could think was, OH MY GOD IT'S EFFING COLD and it's going to get COLDER!  (I think my blood has maybe thinned out from living in the South, because I seriously don't remember it being SO COLD). 

And, to make it even more exciting, last week was my first week of "training" for my proposed next big race I'm trying to do.  However, my training is involving a VERY SLOW build-up of miles (like 48 weeks slow building up).  So, my last week consisted of a grand total of EIGHT miles (please, hold back the laughter). 

Breaking that down, it was four, 2 mile runs (outside...IN THE COLD).  However, on Friday, my knee was feeling a little twinge-y for some reason, and it was cold, and I was tired, and I had to drive to Delaware to visit J, and I just didn't want to run.  SO...I skipped the 2 mile run, and did my Burpees again and just ran as planned on Sunday. 

I thought a grand total of 6 miles and 55 burpees were totally the equivalent of 8 miles.  Also, I have FORTY EIGHT weeks to train. 

However, this week has shown me that I'm not really fully equipped to run in the winter up here.  In Virginia, I owned ONE pair of running tights, that were capri length, and sometimes felt like overkill (too warm) for the brisk Virginia winters. 

I wore these tights on Wednesday and Sunday's runs, and both nights I swear to God my ankles/lower calves were going to freeze mid stride and my foot was going to break off when I stepped down.  They were so cold.  The rest of me was actually somewhat ok (well, my face felt like it may fall off as well, but there's not much I can do for that), but, oh my poor ankles. 

So, my next purchase is going to have to be a pair of long running tights.  Because, this is just not going to work for me much longer. 

Oh, but on a completely different note, but still pants related.  I ordered a pair of snow pants (I'm supposedly learning how to ski this winter) and they arrived on Sunday.  I put them on and they are fantastically warm.  I tried to buy this awesome blue, green, and orange plaid pair, but they did not have my size.  So, I was stuck with plain black.  Boo.

However, the insides are SHINY!  (They have the emergency blanket technology on the inside to keep you warm).  So I suppose that will have to do.  Now I just need to find some sort of foam material I can wrap myself in that will protect me while I spend the day falling... 

*Sarah McLachlan

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts*

I have been doing a lot of Christmas knitting and gift making lately, this means I don't really get to take pictures of it and post it until after everyone receives their gifts.  

However, the recipient of this can't even read yet, so I'm pretty sure she's not going to accidentally stumble upon this picture of it.  So without further ado...Baby T's sock monkey:

This thing doesn't have a face yet (I still have to embellish and give it eyes and define the mouth), so it is even creepier looking than it will be, however, I still think this thing has a busted face and I'm pretty sure Baby T will think it's kind of hideous...but...oh well.  

If I have time before Christmas, this little naked monkey will be receiving a dress (nothing like dressing up the fugliness), if not, she's just gonna be a streaker.  

*Monty Python