Wednesday night B came home and told me he had heard from his boss at his former job. She wanted him to call her. In a nutshell, they reorganized the department (which spreads across 4 local hospitals/clinics), fired everyone, and made everyone re-apply. After round 1 they had an open position running the clinic at a hospital only a few miles from us. Although some other internal people were applying for the position, she specifically recruited B. The catch - the job closed Thursday (the next day) so he had to apply right away. He decided to do it.
I decided to take a bath shortly after that call. While I was reading a book and relaxing, B was messing around on the internet and I heard him let out a hearty laugh. I cried. It wasn't until that moment that I realized it had been weeks since I'd heard him laugh. S.A.D., being miserable at your job, and family stressors are no joke. Just the mere thought of being out of his job lifted his spirits and allowed him to laugh.
Thursday morning the boss set up a lunch interview with B - and she came to him! Thursday at 5pm she left him a message to call her, and at 5:15 he called her back and was offered the position. He asked for the evening to talk it over with me, even though it was a no-brainer. It's a rare hospital nursing job (9-5:30, days only, and no weekends), and it's back working with patients. Needless to say he accepted early Friday morning. It's now been 3 days and I feel like the fog has been lifted.
I took Friday off to help move my grandma. While it was sad, the overwhelming stench of urine and hearing my mom whisper "she wet the bed again last night" made me realize we were getting her out of a bad situation. My uncle and cousin came to help, and as a team we helped move her to her new place. She may only have a small bedroom and en suite bath to herself, but the house is beautiful. It smelled lovely, the sun was shining, and her new caregivers are so nice. Day 1 they were so patient with her and they were already working with her on some physical therapy for her back. We're all hoping this is a better place for her.
Today (Monday), I had a meeting with my supervisor to go over the results of my 360 review. Although I wasn't worried, it's always nervewracking. We're rated on 16 items on a 1-5 scale, plus there is a section for comments. I suggest 2 people to review me, my supervisor picks 2, and she rates me too. Overall, I got a 4.5 out of 5, which is virtually unheard of (high). She said she was really proud of me, and then proceeded to tell me that one reviewer had actually suggested I be a member of our Leadership Development Team, and yet another suggested I be promoted!! She thought this was a good idea, but she wanted to talk to me about what the promotion would mean. I was SO flattered that one of my reviewers would say I deserve a promotion, and even more flattered that my supervisor agreed. I'm talking with a few people that have made the transition from my current role to the potential new one to see if I'm interested in it, and I'm supposed to get back to her.
So to sum up my past week:
Wednesday: B gets possible job opportunity
Thursday: B gets interviewed and gets job
Friday: B accepts job and we move my grandma into a lovely new place
Monday: High praise from my boss and the offer of a promotion
YES! Insert heavy sigh of relief (and jumping up and down with excitement) here! Finally things are moving in the right direction, and I couldn't be happier.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
I'd like a break
Yeesh, someday soon I hope to have something happy to write about! In the meantime, this is certainly a low time in my life. What was supposed to be a happy event on Saturday (my cousin's wedding) quickly turned scary. In the middle of her reception, there is a lot of activity going on at the table my parents are sitting at. My mom is in a panic, and my dad is extremely pale. His eyes are closed and my mom tells me he's very dizzy, having trouble seeing, and he can't stand up.
My mom is about to lose it, and she tells me to call 911 (which my uncle has already done). Before I know it, a zillion EMTs, paramedics, and hotel staff are surrounding my dad. I've never been more grateful to have a husband for a nurse. He was calm, did some basic assessments, and made me feel much better about everything.
After a trip to the ER and a CT scan, they decided it was vertigo and "near fainting" and they sent him home. A much better diagnosis then the stroke they were worried about, but still very stressful.
Sunday was spent packing up my grandma. About a year ago my mom and uncles moved her from her huge house into assisted living. A few months ago she was diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer's Disease, and in the last month she has deteriorated rapidly. She's blind from macular degeneration (sp?), and she's no longer able to find the bathroom on her own. She is easily confused, and her care facility has been doing a very poor job of caring for her. She pays a whopping $5,500 a month to basically be neglected, so my mom found a great new place for her. The new home is run by a mother/daughter pair, and they have 3 people maximum. Right now there is only 1 other person.
Thankfully she is happy to be moving, but packing her up is so sad. She is confused about a lot of things, and she can no longer do the things she loves (sewing and quilting) because her brain can no longer process how to sew. She wouldn't even answer the phone while we were there because she "couldn't find it" even though it was right next to her.
On top of those things, I'm dealing with a potential job offer in Denver (to move or not to move?), a husband in the throws of S.A.D. and a job that makes him miserable, and my own job stress. I'm trying to be supportive of my mom who is dealing with both my dad and her mom, but I'm trying to maintain my own sanity in the process. It remains to be seen if I'll be successful! I'm looking forward to 3 week of 4-day workweeks. This Friday will be spent moving my grandma, but the next two Fridays will hopefully be relaxing and spent with a good book.
My mom is about to lose it, and she tells me to call 911 (which my uncle has already done). Before I know it, a zillion EMTs, paramedics, and hotel staff are surrounding my dad. I've never been more grateful to have a husband for a nurse. He was calm, did some basic assessments, and made me feel much better about everything.
After a trip to the ER and a CT scan, they decided it was vertigo and "near fainting" and they sent him home. A much better diagnosis then the stroke they were worried about, but still very stressful.
Sunday was spent packing up my grandma. About a year ago my mom and uncles moved her from her huge house into assisted living. A few months ago she was diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer's Disease, and in the last month she has deteriorated rapidly. She's blind from macular degeneration (sp?), and she's no longer able to find the bathroom on her own. She is easily confused, and her care facility has been doing a very poor job of caring for her. She pays a whopping $5,500 a month to basically be neglected, so my mom found a great new place for her. The new home is run by a mother/daughter pair, and they have 3 people maximum. Right now there is only 1 other person.
Thankfully she is happy to be moving, but packing her up is so sad. She is confused about a lot of things, and she can no longer do the things she loves (sewing and quilting) because her brain can no longer process how to sew. She wouldn't even answer the phone while we were there because she "couldn't find it" even though it was right next to her.
On top of those things, I'm dealing with a potential job offer in Denver (to move or not to move?), a husband in the throws of S.A.D. and a job that makes him miserable, and my own job stress. I'm trying to be supportive of my mom who is dealing with both my dad and her mom, but I'm trying to maintain my own sanity in the process. It remains to be seen if I'll be successful! I'm looking forward to 3 week of 4-day workweeks. This Friday will be spent moving my grandma, but the next two Fridays will hopefully be relaxing and spent with a good book.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Work traveling
As I write this, I’m sitting on a plane bound for Denver, then on home to Portland. Of course, the seat in front of me is reclined so far that I can’t even open my laptop fully, but I’m lucky to have one of 3 open seats next to me. I think the 6’4” guy in the aisle seat is even more grateful for the open seat so he can sprawl a bit more. I just finished watching Eat, Pray, Love, which (minus the 30 minutes I fell asleep during), was just as bad as I had heard it was.
I’ve been in DC for work for the past week. I don’t travel for work frequently – just enough for people to think it’s a huge perk. Let’s face it though, I really don’t enjoy traveling for work. I don’t like being alone, in a city I don’t know anything about. I don’t like jet lag, coupled with the expectation that I’m going to be awake enough for meetings that would be boring were I not jet lagged and sleep deprived. Now that I’m married, I loathe sleeping alone. B is a natural furnace, so although we sleep in 65-68 degrees at night, I have to crank up the heat to 76 and wear a long sleeved shirt, yoga pants, and socks to stay warm enough when I’m alone. I miss my kitties. I miss my routines. I miss my husband (even though he’s sick, so being apart has probably helped spare my immune system). I constantly find myself thinking that it would be so much fun if I had my traveling buddy with me. Exploring restaurants on your own isn’t nearly as much fun. I love my boss, but she’s not super chatty, so going out with her can be awkward.
While I generally don’t like traveling, there are certainly some perks. On this trip I got to have dinner with 2 high school friends. It was fantastic to catch up with them, and we’ve made plans to get together when they come home for Christmas (they are sisters). I also found time to squeeze in lunch with a colleague from my old work. Although I was sad to hear that she is still unhappy at her job, it was really nice to catch up with her and give her some support. If I find myself in DC again soon, I might try and actually meet some bloggers in person as well. It’s definitely a perk that work pays for all of my food, and luckily the hotel this time had lots of places close by. One night a group of us had yummy vegan Chinese food, and last night we got Persian take-out. So while overall I’d rather be home, this was a work trip that had a nice amount of fun in it. I also felt very accomplished that I was able to navigate the DC metro system quite well. If only every town signed everything so well.
In about 5 hours I’ll be home, snuggling up to my love and likely getting mauled by the cats. I can’t wait. In the words of Dorothy, “there’s no place like home.”
I’ve been in DC for work for the past week. I don’t travel for work frequently – just enough for people to think it’s a huge perk. Let’s face it though, I really don’t enjoy traveling for work. I don’t like being alone, in a city I don’t know anything about. I don’t like jet lag, coupled with the expectation that I’m going to be awake enough for meetings that would be boring were I not jet lagged and sleep deprived. Now that I’m married, I loathe sleeping alone. B is a natural furnace, so although we sleep in 65-68 degrees at night, I have to crank up the heat to 76 and wear a long sleeved shirt, yoga pants, and socks to stay warm enough when I’m alone. I miss my kitties. I miss my routines. I miss my husband (even though he’s sick, so being apart has probably helped spare my immune system). I constantly find myself thinking that it would be so much fun if I had my traveling buddy with me. Exploring restaurants on your own isn’t nearly as much fun. I love my boss, but she’s not super chatty, so going out with her can be awkward.
While I generally don’t like traveling, there are certainly some perks. On this trip I got to have dinner with 2 high school friends. It was fantastic to catch up with them, and we’ve made plans to get together when they come home for Christmas (they are sisters). I also found time to squeeze in lunch with a colleague from my old work. Although I was sad to hear that she is still unhappy at her job, it was really nice to catch up with her and give her some support. If I find myself in DC again soon, I might try and actually meet some bloggers in person as well. It’s definitely a perk that work pays for all of my food, and luckily the hotel this time had lots of places close by. One night a group of us had yummy vegan Chinese food, and last night we got Persian take-out. So while overall I’d rather be home, this was a work trip that had a nice amount of fun in it. I also felt very accomplished that I was able to navigate the DC metro system quite well. If only every town signed everything so well.
In about 5 hours I’ll be home, snuggling up to my love and likely getting mauled by the cats. I can’t wait. In the words of Dorothy, “there’s no place like home.”
Sunday, November 14, 2010
New hair and movies
I only get haircuts about 4 times a year. I justify splurging on my expensive lady since I don't go all that often. Last weekend I decided it was time for a cut and color.
(Pardon the non-showered, weekend grungy me)
Before:
After:
It was lovely to have 3 hours to myself at the Salon. I cut off a good amount and lightened it up with some highlights. I'm liking the results, although next time I do highlights I think I'll have her go a little more dramatic. I don't color often because I'm lucky to have blonde hair that naturally lightens in the summer, so it will likely be next fall before I dye again.
After getting my hair done B took me to see Waiting for Superman. We'd been really looking forward to seeing it. If you haven't heard of it, it's a documentary about the education system. I looked forward to learning a lot. Instead, I walked away feeling totally depressed. Parents, stuck in shitty school districts due to finances, put their kids in the lottery system for limited slots in charter/magnet programs. All but one kid (the one who was already in a good school) didn't get in (one did end up getting called from the weightlist). It was as if you knew in that moment that these kids were likely destined to live in poverty forever. The movie offered no suggestions for improving the system and was an all-around depressing bust. It was riveting though for sure as you waited to see if the kids would win the lottery.
I'm also back to being two-footed! 6 weeks in the boot are complete, and my fracture has healed. Hooray! Mostly I'm happy about just getting in the car and not having to take off the boot, put on a shoe, and put the boot back on at my destination. I think B is happy to have his walking buddy back too. Now to decide if I'm brave enough to walk to work in Portland fall/winter.
(Pardon the non-showered, weekend grungy me)
Before:
After:
It was lovely to have 3 hours to myself at the Salon. I cut off a good amount and lightened it up with some highlights. I'm liking the results, although next time I do highlights I think I'll have her go a little more dramatic. I don't color often because I'm lucky to have blonde hair that naturally lightens in the summer, so it will likely be next fall before I dye again.
After getting my hair done B took me to see Waiting for Superman. We'd been really looking forward to seeing it. If you haven't heard of it, it's a documentary about the education system. I looked forward to learning a lot. Instead, I walked away feeling totally depressed. Parents, stuck in shitty school districts due to finances, put their kids in the lottery system for limited slots in charter/magnet programs. All but one kid (the one who was already in a good school) didn't get in (one did end up getting called from the weightlist). It was as if you knew in that moment that these kids were likely destined to live in poverty forever. The movie offered no suggestions for improving the system and was an all-around depressing bust. It was riveting though for sure as you waited to see if the kids would win the lottery.
I'm also back to being two-footed! 6 weeks in the boot are complete, and my fracture has healed. Hooray! Mostly I'm happy about just getting in the car and not having to take off the boot, put on a shoe, and put the boot back on at my destination. I think B is happy to have his walking buddy back too. Now to decide if I'm brave enough to walk to work in Portland fall/winter.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Alaska Part 3: Glacier Bay
Yikes, I forgot about my blog for a bit there! I'm always in awe at the people that manage to blog every day. I can barely remember to blog more than once a month.
Glacier Bay National Park was the highlight of our trip. Although it was the 3rd day on the boat, it was exciting to finally have "real" Alaskan scenery. The usual cruise route goes partially in up to John's Hopkins Glacier and then partially up the neighboring glacier (I'm blanking on the name).
Our captain wisely decided to spend the entire cruising time in John's Hopkins and get reeeeeallllly close. It turns out that Johns's Hopkins Glacier is the location where 80% of the harbor seals in Alaska birth and raise their pups, so late September is the only time cruise ships are allowed to get close. Lucky us! The park ranger that joined our ship said it was the closest he'd been to the glacier in his 25 year career!
We started off the day in the Crow's Nest, which was the bar at the top of the ship with stunning views.
Although it was pretty cold out (we saw a few flakes of snow), the weather was actually pretty good. I'll let the photos mostly speak for themselves.
Glacier calving (pieces breaking off). Interestingly, John's Hopkins is one of the few glaciers that is growing - by about 10-15 feet PER DAY! Of course, there are pieces breaking off too, which was fun to watch. It made a huge booming sound that was quickly followed by a whole bunch of "oooohs" from the cruise crowd.
I think we'd all agree that the cruise through Glacier Bay was the highlight of the trip. It was stunningly beautiful, and it was amazing to be so close.
Glacier Bay National Park was the highlight of our trip. Although it was the 3rd day on the boat, it was exciting to finally have "real" Alaskan scenery. The usual cruise route goes partially in up to John's Hopkins Glacier and then partially up the neighboring glacier (I'm blanking on the name).
Our captain wisely decided to spend the entire cruising time in John's Hopkins and get reeeeeallllly close. It turns out that Johns's Hopkins Glacier is the location where 80% of the harbor seals in Alaska birth and raise their pups, so late September is the only time cruise ships are allowed to get close. Lucky us! The park ranger that joined our ship said it was the closest he'd been to the glacier in his 25 year career!
We started off the day in the Crow's Nest, which was the bar at the top of the ship with stunning views.
Although it was pretty cold out (we saw a few flakes of snow), the weather was actually pretty good. I'll let the photos mostly speak for themselves.
Glacier calving (pieces breaking off). Interestingly, John's Hopkins is one of the few glaciers that is growing - by about 10-15 feet PER DAY! Of course, there are pieces breaking off too, which was fun to watch. It made a huge booming sound that was quickly followed by a whole bunch of "oooohs" from the cruise crowd.
I think we'd all agree that the cruise through Glacier Bay was the highlight of the trip. It was stunningly beautiful, and it was amazing to be so close.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Alaskan cruise part 2: Juneau
Thanks for all of the broken ankle sympathy. Orthopedics appointment is tomorrow, but I'm getting more used to the boot and the pain is virtually gone unless I walk too much.
I've decided to talk about Juneau next and leave Glacier Bay (the best part) for the third post. The drawback of an Alaskan cruise at the end of the season means you are likely to hit rough water. Our original itinerary had us going out in the open ocean to head up to Sitka for Day 2. Unfortunately, the evening/night of day 1 saw 30 foot swells! The captain wisely decided to switch course at 2am and go up the inside passage. I was grateful for a smoother ride, but that meant no Sitka, an entirely changed itinerary, and 3 days at sea before our first stop. We were certainly happy to see Juneau when we got there!
As if on cue when we got off the boat, this eagle swooped down and landed right in front of us.
We didn't have any tours planned (they were crazy expensive), so we wandered around for a bit in the tacky shops and along the water.
It turns out that not paying for the expensive cruise arranged tour is a really smart idea. We found a local tour that was usually $50 (compared to the $120 the boat wanted), but they only charged us $30 each since we were the last group of the year. It was a 2-3 hour van tour, and we learned a ton about Juneau and saw some beautiful sites.
This church (the Shrine of St. Therese), hidden on a former island in the trees.
It was raining like crazy and super cold, but it was a very peaceful spot. They also had a prayer labyrinth.
I think this photo speaks for itself (and how irreverent we are!)
Next up was a stop at a lake fed by Mendenhall glacier (in the back left of the photos). It was just gorgeous.
Love this family photo :)
My dad picking up a large chunk of glacier ice:
It was a bummer that it was so cold and rainy, but the stop was nice and learning about Juneau was really interesting. Our guide was funny and entertaining, and it was a well-spent $30. It was a beautiful place, although I'm not sure I'd like living in a town that is only accessible by boat or plane.
I've decided to talk about Juneau next and leave Glacier Bay (the best part) for the third post. The drawback of an Alaskan cruise at the end of the season means you are likely to hit rough water. Our original itinerary had us going out in the open ocean to head up to Sitka for Day 2. Unfortunately, the evening/night of day 1 saw 30 foot swells! The captain wisely decided to switch course at 2am and go up the inside passage. I was grateful for a smoother ride, but that meant no Sitka, an entirely changed itinerary, and 3 days at sea before our first stop. We were certainly happy to see Juneau when we got there!
As if on cue when we got off the boat, this eagle swooped down and landed right in front of us.
We didn't have any tours planned (they were crazy expensive), so we wandered around for a bit in the tacky shops and along the water.
It turns out that not paying for the expensive cruise arranged tour is a really smart idea. We found a local tour that was usually $50 (compared to the $120 the boat wanted), but they only charged us $30 each since we were the last group of the year. It was a 2-3 hour van tour, and we learned a ton about Juneau and saw some beautiful sites.
This church (the Shrine of St. Therese), hidden on a former island in the trees.
It was raining like crazy and super cold, but it was a very peaceful spot. They also had a prayer labyrinth.
I think this photo speaks for itself (and how irreverent we are!)
Next up was a stop at a lake fed by Mendenhall glacier (in the back left of the photos). It was just gorgeous.
Love this family photo :)
My dad picking up a large chunk of glacier ice:
It was a bummer that it was so cold and rainy, but the stop was nice and learning about Juneau was really interesting. Our guide was funny and entertaining, and it was a well-spent $30. It was a beautiful place, although I'm not sure I'd like living in a town that is only accessible by boat or plane.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Broken
That sprained ankle I mentioned in the last post? It's now housed in a large, clunky black boot. While the PA that read the X-ray said it was just a sprain, the radiologist that looked at it 3 days later clearly saw a distal lateral malleolar fracture. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I broke my ankle playing ping pong. I'm that talented. So for the last 3 days I've been hobbling around in a boot.
It's a pain in more ways than one. My hips hurt because my gait is now uneven. The outside of my ankle hurts because of the rubbing of the flat brace. I can't walk well due to the broken ankle (I usually walk to work). I can't drive easily because it's my right foot, and the brace doesn't bend to allow for driving. Each time I get in the car I have to undo the 5 velcros and put on a shoe. Each time I get out I have to put the brace back on. Chasing after my friend's toddler yesterday wasn't easy. Sleeping with a boot is uncomfortable. Needless to say all of this has made me kind of cranky.
I still don't even really know what's wrong. I have to wait for a call from the orthopedist, then set up an appointment, then find out how long I have to wear the boot. Thankfully they didn't force me to take the crutches (I'd been walking on it for almost 2 weeks), but the boot is still hard to deal with.
Enough with the whining! More Alaska this week.
It's a pain in more ways than one. My hips hurt because my gait is now uneven. The outside of my ankle hurts because of the rubbing of the flat brace. I can't walk well due to the broken ankle (I usually walk to work). I can't drive easily because it's my right foot, and the brace doesn't bend to allow for driving. Each time I get in the car I have to undo the 5 velcros and put on a shoe. Each time I get out I have to put the brace back on. Chasing after my friend's toddler yesterday wasn't easy. Sleeping with a boot is uncomfortable. Needless to say all of this has made me kind of cranky.
I still don't even really know what's wrong. I have to wait for a call from the orthopedist, then set up an appointment, then find out how long I have to wear the boot. Thankfully they didn't force me to take the crutches (I'd been walking on it for almost 2 weeks), but the boot is still hard to deal with.
Enough with the whining! More Alaska this week.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Alaskan cruise part 1: the food
Last Friday we returned from our week long Alaskan cruise. We both came home with colds, and I have a sprained ankle from a rockin' game of cruise ping pong, so I'm a bit slow with the blogging. I'll post about the trip in parts, and today is all about the food.
Anyone who has been on a cruise knows that it's an eating fest 24/7. Buffets, 3 course meals, afternoon tea, midnight buffets, room service - it's neverending.
This was my breakfast from the morning we did the sit down breakfast. What was innocently titled "breakfast sandwich" showed up as this enormous platter of food! What a way to start the day!
Bryan's English breakfast the same day. They also had Swedish, Irish, and Japanese breakfasts.
One of the appetizers one night:
Afternoon tea:
Shrimp cocktail appetizer:
Bryan's lamb chops one night in the dining room:
My surf and turf in the main dining room:
The ship had a formal, reservations-only restaurant that was a $20 surcharge. We were given 2 dinners for free with our cruise, so we went one night. At almost 3 hours, it sure was an experience! It started with 4 kinds of breads, 3 flavored butters, and 3 kinds of sea salt that were "good for your immune system." After the main meal (no photos - lobster for me, filet mignon for him), they gave us this pretty tray with our coffee accouterments and some delicious chocolate wafer things.
We ended the fancy meal with these (3 kinds of creme brulee - chocolate, mocha, and regular; grand marnier lava cake:
All in all, the cruise food was decent, but it was SO SO rich. By about day 3 I was sick of looking at food and always feeling awful after eating. I made a decision to stop eating so much (do I really need a 3-course meal for lunch AND dinner??) and I felt tons better. Eating less, coupled with even a few days at the on-board gym, meant no weight gain for me. After the whopping +10lbs on our honeymoon cruise, I was quite please.
Part 2: Glacier Bay.....coming soon.
Anyone who has been on a cruise knows that it's an eating fest 24/7. Buffets, 3 course meals, afternoon tea, midnight buffets, room service - it's neverending.
This was my breakfast from the morning we did the sit down breakfast. What was innocently titled "breakfast sandwich" showed up as this enormous platter of food! What a way to start the day!
Bryan's English breakfast the same day. They also had Swedish, Irish, and Japanese breakfasts.
One of the appetizers one night:
Afternoon tea:
Shrimp cocktail appetizer:
Bryan's lamb chops one night in the dining room:
My surf and turf in the main dining room:
The ship had a formal, reservations-only restaurant that was a $20 surcharge. We were given 2 dinners for free with our cruise, so we went one night. At almost 3 hours, it sure was an experience! It started with 4 kinds of breads, 3 flavored butters, and 3 kinds of sea salt that were "good for your immune system." After the main meal (no photos - lobster for me, filet mignon for him), they gave us this pretty tray with our coffee accouterments and some delicious chocolate wafer things.
We ended the fancy meal with these (3 kinds of creme brulee - chocolate, mocha, and regular; grand marnier lava cake:
All in all, the cruise food was decent, but it was SO SO rich. By about day 3 I was sick of looking at food and always feeling awful after eating. I made a decision to stop eating so much (do I really need a 3-course meal for lunch AND dinner??) and I felt tons better. Eating less, coupled with even a few days at the on-board gym, meant no weight gain for me. After the whopping +10lbs on our honeymoon cruise, I was quite please.
Part 2: Glacier Bay.....coming soon.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Random bulleted updates
- On Friday night we went to dinner with the Groupawn. Josh is living off of Groupon (and the kindness of strangers) for a year. In case you haven't heard of it: The premise is simple: No cash. The Groupawn (customer chosen to Live Off Groupon) has nothing but a year’s supply of Groupons good for the best things to eat, do, see and buy across the country. From skydiving and upscale cuisine to body waxing and foreign language classes, Groupon deals will shape the Groupawn’s daily life. He will need to rely on the kindness of strangers for social niceties (like tax and tip) and basic human needs (like somewhere to sleep and a ride to any of Groupon’s 60 cities.). Josh was in Portland for a few days, so we met up with him, our friend/former realtor, and 4 strangers for dinner. It was really fun, although the service was horrific and the waitress a bitch. Josh is 4 months in, and if he makes it the year he'll get $100,000.
- We're headed on a cruise to Alaska in 2 weeks. In preparation for the cold, we each got new jackets. Said jackets came in a paper bag with handles, and our cats have gone CRAZY over that bag. Ruby loves to dash into it, and Dexter runs after her and thus begins the great bag battle. It's hysterical, and they are doing it as I'm writing this.
- Finally tried out Five Guys Burger and Fries. It was delicious, albeit gluttonous.
- Living in the city is still awesome. We have plans many nights of the week because everything is so close and/or our friends are willing to come to our new location.
- We're trying to get back into exercising, and it is REALLY painful. I've never liked to exercise, even when I was a competitive athlete. It's frustrating that the results are so slow in coming, although our penchant for eating out probably isn't helping ;)
- Speaking of eating out, at happy hour last week we had bourbon chocolate chip ice cream. The alcohol makes it really smooth and creamy. It was delicious.
- I have to go to the dentist tomorrow for TWO HOURS of drilling to start a bridge. I am dreading it.
- Over Labor Day we went to a friend's house and finally tried Rock Band. It was much harder than I expected, but it was really fun. I was too chicken to try singing in front of many people I didn't know, but maybe next time. They had a projector and a huge space. B is now obsessed with wanting Rock Band, even though our living room is tiny.
- And most exciting...2 weeks until we're on a boat, not thinking about work. We haven't had a week-long vacation in over a year, so we're both well overdue.
- Most exciting #2...we decided not to wait another year before we take a long vacation, so we just booked a 9 day Mexican cruise for the end of February.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Packed weekend
Wow, what a fun and packed weekend we had!
It started off with a visit from my BBF Stacey on Friday. We've been friends since we were 6 years old, and she's that kind of friend that we can lose touch for a year, yet catch right back up. She's on her way to new adventures in grad school in NY, and it was awesome to see her before she headed off. We enjoyed a new restaurant with her and capped off the night with some unique ice cream (thai chili for B, ginger cookies and cream for me, coconut and hazelnut for Stacey).
Obviously the "food" was a bit sparse, but it was interesting (see menu above).
We had a good time and tried 2 additional sakes. Admittedly I didn't really like any but the really sweet ones, but it was fun to try something new. We also got a tour of the sakery and learned all about making sake (basically rice, koji mold, and water).
We bought a few bottles (plum sake and coconut lemongrass that we thought would be fantastic with thai food).
After getting home, I turned around and went to my parent's house to get my mom for a volunteer appreciation picnic. We are both involved in a local cat rescue, and every summer they have a picnic for the volunteers. It was nice to catch up with some of the volunteers we haven't seen in awhile, although the picnic was a little boring. Cat trivia just isn't my thing! My mom enjoyed it though, and it was a feel-good event for her.
I got home about 7pm and then barely moved for the rest of the night :) We watched The Food Cart Challenge (or whatever it's called) and called it a night. It was a packed weekend, but so much fun!
It started off with a visit from my BBF Stacey on Friday. We've been friends since we were 6 years old, and she's that kind of friend that we can lose touch for a year, yet catch right back up. She's on her way to new adventures in grad school in NY, and it was awesome to see her before she headed off. We enjoyed a new restaurant with her and capped off the night with some unique ice cream (thai chili for B, ginger cookies and cream for me, coconut and hazelnut for Stacey).
Saturday we were going to go test drive a car we were interested in (the Ford Fusion) and then a trip to a Sake place that we had a groupon for. Weeeelllll, we got a little sidetracked when we learned there were a few different car dealerships out by the Ford one (we hated the Fusion by the way). We wandered over to Mazda/Subaru/Nissan. That little "why not, since we're here" detour led us to trade in this:
and this:
for this (not our actual car):
It's a Mazda 3 hatchback, and ours is dark grey. Since we're a 1-car household now, we decided to get the top-of-the-line model (leather, sunroof, dual climate, 6 disc CD, etc). So far we love it, although it sits in the garage more often than we drive it!
The car shopping/buying ended up taking the entire afternoon/early evening, and we quickly headed off to a BBQ at my sister's. It was mostly people that we didn't know, but they all knew each other from meeting at a bar! Really! I have no idea why I think that's so cool, but I do (since everyone was in their 30's and 40's). They are all real life friends now because they drink at the same watering hole. It was fun, but we were tired and headed home for some much needed sleep.
Sunday we had to head back to the dealership (almost an hour away) to give them my car, and we then headed on to the Sake tasting. Our Groupon was for a shock flight, which was 5 Sakes paired with food.
Obviously the "food" was a bit sparse, but it was interesting (see menu above).
We had a good time and tried 2 additional sakes. Admittedly I didn't really like any but the really sweet ones, but it was fun to try something new. We also got a tour of the sakery and learned all about making sake (basically rice, koji mold, and water). 
We bought a few bottles (plum sake and coconut lemongrass that we thought would be fantastic with thai food).
After getting home, I turned around and went to my parent's house to get my mom for a volunteer appreciation picnic. We are both involved in a local cat rescue, and every summer they have a picnic for the volunteers. It was nice to catch up with some of the volunteers we haven't seen in awhile, although the picnic was a little boring. Cat trivia just isn't my thing! My mom enjoyed it though, and it was a feel-good event for her.
I got home about 7pm and then barely moved for the rest of the night :) We watched The Food Cart Challenge (or whatever it's called) and called it a night. It was a packed weekend, but so much fun!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Summertime and the livin's easy
It's always a good idea to blog while slightly tipsy, right? Right? It is when you're bragging about living in a place where you can walk to at least 2 dozen happy hours! We live diagonally across the street from a brewpub with a fantastic happy hour. They have 15-20 items on their menu, and so far everything we've tried has been good.
Although I frequently use my blog as a venting space, things are going really well. The weather has been great, so I've stopped driving to work. Instead, I walk the .62 miles to our light rail and take that into work (it stops 1 block from my office). It's delightful to start my day off with a walk in the fresh morning air. While I can't promise I'll continue when the rainy season starts, it's great for now. Once they finish repairing the bridge near our place I might ride my bike as well.
In my entire life I've never lived in a place where I could walk everywhere. I'm totally loving it. The closest grocery store is 1 block away, Whole Foods is just a few blocks, Trader Joe's is a few more blocks, and the restaurants are too numerous to count. We lived in our house for almost a year and only really knew one neighbor, yet already in our apartment we know several people and we've been invited for wine around the fire pit. We've enjoyed fresh cookies while sitting in the courtyard, and we've wandered the neighborhood in the evening after work. We feel a new-found sense of freedom with an extra hour after work since we have short commutes. Bored and want a movie to watch? Just walk across the street to the Blockbuster box or take the mile walk to one of THREE local theaters. It's ideal in these warm summer days.
In an ironic twist to the rant about Comcast, our "free" wireless they promised doesn't work at all on my computer, and intermittently on Bryan's computer. While they are "actively working on it" and appreciated me letting them know it didn't work, it's really hard to live without internet (or TV). We can't have any type of dish due to other buildings, and the rabbit ears only got 1 channel well (CBS - unless you count the Jesus stations that came in perfectly clear!). We had to cave and get Comcast again. The bright side is we got a great deal ($59.99 for cable and internet) and no contract. We hope our building gets everything figured out before our promo deal ends in 6 months so we can cancel. It sucked to have to give them our money again, but we're paying less than half of what we paid before, so we're still "saving" money.
Although I frequently use my blog as a venting space, things are going really well. The weather has been great, so I've stopped driving to work. Instead, I walk the .62 miles to our light rail and take that into work (it stops 1 block from my office). It's delightful to start my day off with a walk in the fresh morning air. While I can't promise I'll continue when the rainy season starts, it's great for now. Once they finish repairing the bridge near our place I might ride my bike as well.
In my entire life I've never lived in a place where I could walk everywhere. I'm totally loving it. The closest grocery store is 1 block away, Whole Foods is just a few blocks, Trader Joe's is a few more blocks, and the restaurants are too numerous to count. We lived in our house for almost a year and only really knew one neighbor, yet already in our apartment we know several people and we've been invited for wine around the fire pit. We've enjoyed fresh cookies while sitting in the courtyard, and we've wandered the neighborhood in the evening after work. We feel a new-found sense of freedom with an extra hour after work since we have short commutes. Bored and want a movie to watch? Just walk across the street to the Blockbuster box or take the mile walk to one of THREE local theaters. It's ideal in these warm summer days.
In an ironic twist to the rant about Comcast, our "free" wireless they promised doesn't work at all on my computer, and intermittently on Bryan's computer. While they are "actively working on it" and appreciated me letting them know it didn't work, it's really hard to live without internet (or TV). We can't have any type of dish due to other buildings, and the rabbit ears only got 1 channel well (CBS - unless you count the Jesus stations that came in perfectly clear!). We had to cave and get Comcast again. The bright side is we got a great deal ($59.99 for cable and internet) and no contract. We hope our building gets everything figured out before our promo deal ends in 6 months so we can cancel. It sucked to have to give them our money again, but we're paying less than half of what we paid before, so we're still "saving" money.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
City life
I've never been able to be a consistent blogger, and moving sure isn't helping. It's been so long since I've stopped to write, but every night between packing to move and unpacking from the move it's all I can do to stay awake until 10pm.
We're finally out from our house, but not without a few snags. First off, the closing estimate said we'd get ~$1,800 back. Now I know this is just an estimate, but these people do estimates for a living. You can imagine our shock when we got the final closing statement and we owed $750. We certainly were NOT expecting to have to write a check to get out. It turns out they "forgot" about 2 months of interest. We will get about $700 of it back, plus the $485 for homeowners insurance the bank decided to pay 3 weeks early, but it was still frustrating.
The second snag was the movers forgetting about us. What follows is my Yelp review:
I made the moving appointment a month in advance, and I got a confirmation number. I scheduled for 9am. At 9:15am on move day, I called to see where they were. Without asking who I was, the woman said "they are on their way." I told her she didn't know who I was, and when I told her, she starts flipping through paper and I hear an "uh oh." That is NOT what you want to hear on move-out day for a house that is closing that day.
She then tells me she "forgot to transfer me from her notebook to the wall," which was her way of saying "I forgot about you, and you have no movers coming." She assures me she'll get someone to my house by 11am at the latest, and that a crew is on their way in. 11:30am comes, and no movers. I call her back, and she says she is still waiting on a mover, and when he gets there they are still at least 30 minutes away. She apologizes profusely and says we "won't be charges for any drive time," since this was her fault and she knows this is a huge problem for us. 12:15 the mover calls and says they are on their way.
2pm STILL no movers, and we have to leave to sign on the sale of the house. The move is supposed to be long over by now, and still nothing. I had to beg my mom to come wait for them. 2:15 they finally show up. The 2 movers are kind, and they are the good guys since they came in on our day off. However, one of them is only in his 3rd day of the job, so he needs lots of coaching and direction from the lead mover. This significantly slows them down.
To make a long story less long, they arrive over 5 hours late and take a whopping 5.5 hours to move things that are all within one room of our house (we were super organized). They got stuck in an hour of rush hour traffic, which we were charged for, despite her saying we wouldn't be. She was rude when I called her, and made herself sound like the hero that "hadn't charged me for 2 hours of driving, or the overtime since it went past 7pm." Um, they had overtime and all of that driving because of an accident and rush hour traffic that wouldn't have happened IF YOU HAD PUT US ON THE SCHEDULE. Needless to say, we'd rather throw all of my stuff away rather than use Thunder Movers again.
**********************
So yeah, it was stressful. In the end the owner did wave the hour of drive time, although we still feel overcharged. The happy part of the story is we are moved, mostly unpacked, and loving city life. Work is super close, and we've been able to explore the new neighborhood some. We can walk to things like the farmer's market, which we did tonight. It feels lovely to have simplified, and once we got things unpacked we realized this is plenty of space for us. While we don't think this is where we will be long-term (the 2 months free made it affordable, but we're unlikely to get that if we re-sign in a year), we're looking forward to what this year of urban life has to bring.
We're finally out from our house, but not without a few snags. First off, the closing estimate said we'd get ~$1,800 back. Now I know this is just an estimate, but these people do estimates for a living. You can imagine our shock when we got the final closing statement and we owed $750. We certainly were NOT expecting to have to write a check to get out. It turns out they "forgot" about 2 months of interest. We will get about $700 of it back, plus the $485 for homeowners insurance the bank decided to pay 3 weeks early, but it was still frustrating.
The second snag was the movers forgetting about us. What follows is my Yelp review:
I made the moving appointment a month in advance, and I got a confirmation number. I scheduled for 9am. At 9:15am on move day, I called to see where they were. Without asking who I was, the woman said "they are on their way." I told her she didn't know who I was, and when I told her, she starts flipping through paper and I hear an "uh oh." That is NOT what you want to hear on move-out day for a house that is closing that day.
She then tells me she "forgot to transfer me from her notebook to the wall," which was her way of saying "I forgot about you, and you have no movers coming." She assures me she'll get someone to my house by 11am at the latest, and that a crew is on their way in. 11:30am comes, and no movers. I call her back, and she says she is still waiting on a mover, and when he gets there they are still at least 30 minutes away. She apologizes profusely and says we "won't be charges for any drive time," since this was her fault and she knows this is a huge problem for us. 12:15 the mover calls and says they are on their way.
2pm STILL no movers, and we have to leave to sign on the sale of the house. The move is supposed to be long over by now, and still nothing. I had to beg my mom to come wait for them. 2:15 they finally show up. The 2 movers are kind, and they are the good guys since they came in on our day off. However, one of them is only in his 3rd day of the job, so he needs lots of coaching and direction from the lead mover. This significantly slows them down.
To make a long story less long, they arrive over 5 hours late and take a whopping 5.5 hours to move things that are all within one room of our house (we were super organized). They got stuck in an hour of rush hour traffic, which we were charged for, despite her saying we wouldn't be. She was rude when I called her, and made herself sound like the hero that "hadn't charged me for 2 hours of driving, or the overtime since it went past 7pm." Um, they had overtime and all of that driving because of an accident and rush hour traffic that wouldn't have happened IF YOU HAD PUT US ON THE SCHEDULE. Needless to say, we'd rather throw all of my stuff away rather than use Thunder Movers again.
**********************
So yeah, it was stressful. In the end the owner did wave the hour of drive time, although we still feel overcharged. The happy part of the story is we are moved, mostly unpacked, and loving city life. Work is super close, and we've been able to explore the new neighborhood some. We can walk to things like the farmer's market, which we did tonight. It feels lovely to have simplified, and once we got things unpacked we realized this is plenty of space for us. While we don't think this is where we will be long-term (the 2 months free made it affordable, but we're unlikely to get that if we re-sign in a year), we're looking forward to what this year of urban life has to bring.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Ode to Comcast
We've sold our house and we're moving soon. As part of that move, we called up Comcast to move our services. Keep in mind that I (and we) have been Comcast customers for years. At ~$150 per month, they have made a ton of money off of me.
B signed us up for whatever package we have here (triple play, plus HD box, plus second box, etc). That came with a 2 year contract. Our new place has free wireless, so we don't need internet anymore. We also only have the phone line since it's virtually free with the package, but we don't need it since we both have cell phones. B calls to transfer our cable to the new place, and he's told there is a $150 fee for breaking our contract. Keep in mind we don't want to cancel Comcast, we just want to only have cable (still about $60-70 per month). He talks to both their online chat and to a person on the phone, and both refuse to help. He says we'll just cancel, sets a termination date, and then has me try a few days later.
The rep I get understands what I want, and he understands that I think it's short-sighted to lose a long-term customer over $150. He looks into my account more, and then decides I'm a liar about the free internet since other people in my building have Comcast. Yes, I patiently explain, they do. We get free wireless because we live across from the party room. He still refuses to transfer our service without the fee, so I confirm our cancellation date and ask where we return all of the boxes.
So the moral of the story is that Comcast would rather lose a customer over $150 than continue to get at least $60-70 per month from said customer for at least another year (and likely many more years). The fact that we have paid thousands and never had a late bill means nothing.
I was mad at first, but now that I realize we spent a whopping $1,800 a year on Comcast services, I'm thrilled to have that much extra money to spend on vacations, Netflix, eating out, and generally having a good time. Suck it Comcast!
B signed us up for whatever package we have here (triple play, plus HD box, plus second box, etc). That came with a 2 year contract. Our new place has free wireless, so we don't need internet anymore. We also only have the phone line since it's virtually free with the package, but we don't need it since we both have cell phones. B calls to transfer our cable to the new place, and he's told there is a $150 fee for breaking our contract. Keep in mind we don't want to cancel Comcast, we just want to only have cable (still about $60-70 per month). He talks to both their online chat and to a person on the phone, and both refuse to help. He says we'll just cancel, sets a termination date, and then has me try a few days later.
The rep I get understands what I want, and he understands that I think it's short-sighted to lose a long-term customer over $150. He looks into my account more, and then decides I'm a liar about the free internet since other people in my building have Comcast. Yes, I patiently explain, they do. We get free wireless because we live across from the party room. He still refuses to transfer our service without the fee, so I confirm our cancellation date and ask where we return all of the boxes.
So the moral of the story is that Comcast would rather lose a customer over $150 than continue to get at least $60-70 per month from said customer for at least another year (and likely many more years). The fact that we have paid thousands and never had a late bill means nothing.
I was mad at first, but now that I realize we spent a whopping $1,800 a year on Comcast services, I'm thrilled to have that much extra money to spend on vacations, Netflix, eating out, and generally having a good time. Suck it Comcast!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Back soon
I have lots of updates stewing, but lack of time to post. In the meantime, dear reader from Watervliet, please say hello. Do tell how your town got that name too!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Oblivion
I'm sure we all know "those people." The kind that do something that everyone else notices, yet they are totally oblivious. B was my second blind date from Craigslist. The first was a kind lawyer, but he had one glaring fault. He was a spit sprayer. We weren't sitting particularly close since we were on a first date, but repeatedly my face got wet while he was talking. I can't imagine that no one had ever told him that it was disgusting to be spit on when someone was talking to you. He just seemed clueless that he was even doing it. Needless to say, that squashed any chance of a second date (and he was fairly boring to boot).
There are also those kind of people that never take fault for their role in anything. There is a woman at work like that. I've been warned never to work with her because she always blames someone else for her screw-ups, even if is painfully clear that she was the instigator of the problem. She is well-known for making other work staff cry. I find it hard to believe she doesn't know about her reputation, but she either doesn't care or (wait for it), blames it on others.
Finally, there are those people that love to create drama where there is none. I'm not sure if their lives are boring or what, but it can be exhausting. When I sold my house in NY, the buyer was overly dramatic. She threatened to pull out of the deal ON.THE.DAY.OF.CLOSING because she noticed a missing window lock (that had been missing all along). It was this huge drama, which I easily settled by going to Home Depot and spending a whopping 45 cents for a new lock. I screwed it in in about 30 seconds. Was she even aware of how silly she looked over a 45 cent lock?
Maybe we all need to remember that it is helpful to step outside of ourselves often, and see how things appear to others. Maybe the spitter would keep his fluids to himself. Maybe the mean co-worker would realize she's hurting herself and others, and she would choose to be more kind. Maybe the buyer of my house would realize that 45 cents isn't worth causing 2 realtors to get in an uproar about losing a deal. Maybe my in-laws would realize that judging B based on my words is ridiculous, and it isn't helping to mend any fences - in fact it is creating irreparable gaping holes in the fence (hello - I know you're all reading). Maybe not being oblivious to several honest, heartfelt conversations would be a great start.
One can only hope. And, almost 5 years later, I do wonder if the spitter has ever found a woman. He told me on that date that NONE of the men in his family with an advanced degree were married. Of course, I couldn't help but wonder if they were a family of spitters :)
There are also those kind of people that never take fault for their role in anything. There is a woman at work like that. I've been warned never to work with her because she always blames someone else for her screw-ups, even if is painfully clear that she was the instigator of the problem. She is well-known for making other work staff cry. I find it hard to believe she doesn't know about her reputation, but she either doesn't care or (wait for it), blames it on others.
Finally, there are those people that love to create drama where there is none. I'm not sure if their lives are boring or what, but it can be exhausting. When I sold my house in NY, the buyer was overly dramatic. She threatened to pull out of the deal ON.THE.DAY.OF.CLOSING because she noticed a missing window lock (that had been missing all along). It was this huge drama, which I easily settled by going to Home Depot and spending a whopping 45 cents for a new lock. I screwed it in in about 30 seconds. Was she even aware of how silly she looked over a 45 cent lock?
Maybe we all need to remember that it is helpful to step outside of ourselves often, and see how things appear to others. Maybe the spitter would keep his fluids to himself. Maybe the mean co-worker would realize she's hurting herself and others, and she would choose to be more kind. Maybe the buyer of my house would realize that 45 cents isn't worth causing 2 realtors to get in an uproar about losing a deal. Maybe my in-laws would realize that judging B based on my words is ridiculous, and it isn't helping to mend any fences - in fact it is creating irreparable gaping holes in the fence (hello - I know you're all reading). Maybe not being oblivious to several honest, heartfelt conversations would be a great start.
One can only hope. And, almost 5 years later, I do wonder if the spitter has ever found a woman. He told me on that date that NONE of the men in his family with an advanced degree were married. Of course, I couldn't help but wonder if they were a family of spitters :)
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Simplify
Recently B told me his motto right now is "simplify." I love how that reflects our lives right now. Ways we are working to simplify:
- We sold our house! I commute an hour each way which isn't simple in any way. It is very stressful to sit in traffic for 2 hours each day.
- We're downsizing. Sure, 2300sq ft is nice, but why do 2 people need that much space? We spend so much of our free time cleaning rooms we don't even use. 2 people do not need 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
- Our new place is 1,100sq ft, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. We're going to have to purge some of our stuff, but it fits nicely with the simplify motto.
- B was working a job that is 4 shifts per week, but never the same 4 days. Every other weekend he worked, plus the drama there was through the roof. Starting Tuesday he's starting a new job that is a normal M-F 8-5 nursing job. To say we're excited to have more time together is an understatement.
- B's new job is NINE BLOCKS from our new apartment. My job is 2.2 miles. Those two things scream "simplify." We'll be downsizing to one car. Who needs 2 cars when we can both bike/walk to work?
- Family drama was a huge stressor in the past year. B has made the conscious decision to not participate in it any more. At a certain level you have to let things go, especially when you've tried everything possible and things don't get better. That simplification has made a HUGE difference in our quality of life. It's been interesting to watch what happens when you refuse to feed into the drama.
- Making an effort to let work stress go. My job can be very stressful, but by no means is it life and death. I have to constantly remind myself that the world isn't going to end if I need an extra day to do something. Life is about enjoying the rare sunny evening, not working late to get that important-but-not-really-important work task done.
What's mostly amazing to me is that the effort to simplify really came together all within the last week. B was offered the new job, we got an offer on our house, and we found a fantastic, new, urban apartment. I'm looking forward to our new way of life.
- We sold our house! I commute an hour each way which isn't simple in any way. It is very stressful to sit in traffic for 2 hours each day.
- We're downsizing. Sure, 2300sq ft is nice, but why do 2 people need that much space? We spend so much of our free time cleaning rooms we don't even use. 2 people do not need 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
- Our new place is 1,100sq ft, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. We're going to have to purge some of our stuff, but it fits nicely with the simplify motto.
- B was working a job that is 4 shifts per week, but never the same 4 days. Every other weekend he worked, plus the drama there was through the roof. Starting Tuesday he's starting a new job that is a normal M-F 8-5 nursing job. To say we're excited to have more time together is an understatement.
- B's new job is NINE BLOCKS from our new apartment. My job is 2.2 miles. Those two things scream "simplify." We'll be downsizing to one car. Who needs 2 cars when we can both bike/walk to work?
- Family drama was a huge stressor in the past year. B has made the conscious decision to not participate in it any more. At a certain level you have to let things go, especially when you've tried everything possible and things don't get better. That simplification has made a HUGE difference in our quality of life. It's been interesting to watch what happens when you refuse to feed into the drama.
- Making an effort to let work stress go. My job can be very stressful, but by no means is it life and death. I have to constantly remind myself that the world isn't going to end if I need an extra day to do something. Life is about enjoying the rare sunny evening, not working late to get that important-but-not-really-important work task done.
What's mostly amazing to me is that the effort to simplify really came together all within the last week. B was offered the new job, we got an offer on our house, and we found a fantastic, new, urban apartment. I'm looking forward to our new way of life.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Turning 29
My 29th birthday was Friday, and what a weekend! So much to write about.
Most notably, we got an offer on the house. It was a disappointing $20k less than our asking price. We decided we're okay walking away without our down payment, so we countered at $5k more than what they offered. They have until tomorrow at noon to respond, so keep your fingers crossed.
Most of my birthday day was spent at a super boring conference for work. I skipped the last session and was happy to discover B had also gotten off of work early. He's not a fan of berry picking, but since he knew I loved it he took me to a local farm to pick some hood strawberries. Yum! The day was beautiful and sunny, and it was nice to spend some time together outside.
On Sunday (today) I turned those berries into some awesome freezer jam. I love making freezer jam because it is SO easy.
First you wash, de-stem, and mash your berries.
Next you heat the pectin, sugar, and water.
Then add the mash to the pectin/sugar mix.
Stir.
Put in freezable containers.
That's it! In less than an hour you have quite a bit of jam. For us this lasts most of the winter. It's delicious and I love knowing that we made jam from berries that we picked.
Saturday night we went to the local balloon festival. At night they light up 6 hot air balloons and there is a festival with food, a live band, rides, and random booths. It was nice because we rode our bikes there and enjoyed the summer weather. Sorry for the blurry shots - night photos are a challenge!
This weekend also included dessert out with my family, a trip to the spa with my mom (heavenly), and finding an apartment we love if we get good news tomorrow. I also helped out at the cat shelter for their annual kitten adoption event. 54 cats and kittens found new homes! All in all, it was a fantastic weekend and a very nice start to 29.
Most notably, we got an offer on the house. It was a disappointing $20k less than our asking price. We decided we're okay walking away without our down payment, so we countered at $5k more than what they offered. They have until tomorrow at noon to respond, so keep your fingers crossed.
Most of my birthday day was spent at a super boring conference for work. I skipped the last session and was happy to discover B had also gotten off of work early. He's not a fan of berry picking, but since he knew I loved it he took me to a local farm to pick some hood strawberries. Yum! The day was beautiful and sunny, and it was nice to spend some time together outside.
On Sunday (today) I turned those berries into some awesome freezer jam. I love making freezer jam because it is SO easy.
First you wash, de-stem, and mash your berries.
Next you heat the pectin, sugar, and water.
Then add the mash to the pectin/sugar mix.
Stir.
Put in freezable containers.
That's it! In less than an hour you have quite a bit of jam. For us this lasts most of the winter. It's delicious and I love knowing that we made jam from berries that we picked.
Saturday night we went to the local balloon festival. At night they light up 6 hot air balloons and there is a festival with food, a live band, rides, and random booths. It was nice because we rode our bikes there and enjoyed the summer weather. Sorry for the blurry shots - night photos are a challenge!
This weekend also included dessert out with my family, a trip to the spa with my mom (heavenly), and finding an apartment we love if we get good news tomorrow. I also helped out at the cat shelter for their annual kitten adoption event. 54 cats and kittens found new homes! All in all, it was a fantastic weekend and a very nice start to 29.
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