Heyyy 2009

HURRY UP AND GET HERE! Let's just say that 2008 was a big flop in my book. I was confident that it was bound to get better and the glimmers of hope faded fast. Oh sure, there were highlights, but as a whole, 2008 = the worst.

I'm excited for a new year and a new start.

In a Nutshell

This is what my life consists of lately:

6:00am - wake up, get ready
7:20am - drive to train station
7:42am - get on the train after waiting in the freezing cold for approx. 15 minutes (some days in the rain - let me tell you, I will be investing in an umbrella)
8:10am - get to new job, attempt the Metro crossword puzzle
8:30am - start the work day
5:41pm - wish I was getting on the train
6:38pm - pray I make the train (If not, I call Dad or the boy and hope I can score a ride)
Anytime between 7pm and 9pm - GET HOME :)

I then eat a quick dinner and pass out.

The things I miss:

A 5-minute commute (driving)
The gym
My RPG friends
Sleeping through the night
Seeing the boy at normal hours of the day

My hope is this is just a transition and I will fall into a routine sooner than later. Fingers crossed.

MIA

I know, I know...I've been MIA. BUT I'm back in action. I have a new job and new outlook on life. I'll be back shortly with an update.

My New Pad

As promised, pictures! Still a work in progress, but you can get an idea of what it looks like.

Bedroom:

Bathroom:

Living room:
Kitchen:

Moved!

I am living on my own. I love the feeling of independence, but I've had a hard time falling asleep in a new place. It's going to take some time to adjust to the noises of the apartment and the neighbors upstairs. I swear they wear bricks on their shoes when they walk around up there. I have yet to meet any of them, but hopefully they are good people. I've had several guests visit the past couple days and each has brought wine! Clearly they know me. Pictures of the place will be up soon.


For all my wine, I'm going to need to invest in one of these :)

Moving!

I am moving into an apartment a week from tomorrow. Yikes! Just me, myself and I living on the south-side of Waltham. This will be the first time I live on my own and I couldn't be more excited.

The one thing I wasn't expecting was how much you actually need in an apartment if you are supplying everything. On a trip to ikea with SD on Saturday, I was on a mission for a spatula. A SPATULA! Seriously, is this what my life has come to? I miss the missions of cute shoes and must-have bags. But, I will have independence and that is priceless.

The Newlyweds

I always knew she would be a beautiful bride, but she truly took our breath away. And I'd have to say that the bridal party wasn't that bad either :) The newlyweds make a gorgeous couple and I wish them a lifetime of happiness.


The wedding was an absolute blast. The food, the music, WENKER - and let's not forget the after party. Can't wait to see the pictures from Hawaii.

The Big Day Is Upon Us!

My best friend is getting married on Friday. Two days. Woah.

There are 4 of us that have been through it all together, the highs and the lows and everything in between, and I am thankful for each of them everyday.


Now, the little blonde has found the man of her dreams and they are about to start their life together - and I couldn't be happier. They make an amazing pair and I wish them only the VERY BEST.

I love you the most xoxo

Transitions

I'm at a definite transition in my life - in a lot of ways. I'm trying to use the next few months to figure out what it is that I want and need out of this world and figure out who and what will make that a reality.

The cliché is to follow your heart, but life is not that easy. A good friend and one of the smartest women I know recently gave me her words of wisdom: "To know something is right, deep down inside - mind, body and soul must be in unison."

I'm working toward that goal and I truly believe that things will all work out just as they should.

Horoscope

SCORPIO: It seems like lately there's always someone who thinks he or she knows better than you do about what you should do next. It's unlikely, though not impossible, that this person will give you advice you can actually act on to win the prize. Listen only to the super-informed and your inner guidance system.

Trying to figure it all out...

BSue's Wedding

The weathermen were right. The day was humid and rainy (the worst combo for what I hoped to be a good hair day), but the wedding itself was breathtaking. Someone described B as angelic and that she was. She looked absolutely gorgeous and she and her hubby were glowing. All my love to both xo.

Angels - more to come:

Hope Floats

"Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that counts the most. Try to remember that when you find yourself at a new beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up. And it will."

Just the movie I needed today. Happy Labor Day, all!

Mermaid Wedding

Saturday was one of my best friend's bachelorette parties in Portsmouth, NH. It was a crazy 24 hours and I couldn't have asked for a better time or better people to be with.

I will give my best David Letterman Top 10 list of the festivities, but most will be personal jokes of the evening - here we go:

10. Anatomically correct penis cakes
9. The cigar roller - whoever tries this, report back
8. The dirty seagull - if a guy is reading this and knows what that is, shame on you
7. Ginger bean soup - this would not have been as funny if we weren't blacked-out
6. Tiger/Bruce/Hu G...
5. The virgin dance - no words, just a propelled bracelet
4. Dollar bill/picture game - one reason why the pictures of the night are horrifying
3. Alizé - straight up passion
2. A rediculous amount of mermaids
1. The running man turned into a swift kick to the balls - guy never saw it coming

Love you all, can't wait for the 26th!

Weddings Galore

It's official - my cousin and his girlfriend are ENGAGED! I've known for a few weeks and I've been having the hardest time keeping it a secret. He popped the question on Friday night and we celebrated all weekend - maybe I celebrated enough for the both of them, but hey, I'm excited.

AND I'm in the wedding!

The Pill = Bad Relationships?

A recent study found that birth-control pills could screw up a woman's ability to sniff out a compatible mate. And they really mean sniff - I guess the body sends out aromatic molecules that indicate genetic compatibility.

In my life, this makes perfect sense.

My guy choice while on the pill resulted in:

My guy choice while off the pill:

For all of you girls out there looking for Mr. Right, maybe it's time to take a break from BC. It's worked for me so far.

Pandora

For those of you that haven't tried Pandora Radio, I highly recommend it. I just started using it this morning and I've become a fast fan.

The program pretty much designs a personalized radio station based on your fave tunes. All you have to do is choose one of your favorite songs or artists and it will quickly find songs with musical similarities to your choice.

This not only helps you find new songs you might not be familiar with, but also helps the day fly by because you aren't constantly scanning through your iPod to find just the right track.

Frank - thanks for sending this my way :)

Meet The Parents

No, not the Ben Stiller movie.

Real life, ME, meeting the parents, TOMORROW. I'm hoping for a casual meet-and-greet, but this is big. Wine will help.

More updates to come - OW OW OW!

Theme Song

What is your "song"? You know, the song that always puts you in a good mood and the one you don't mind belting out in the car even with the person in the next lane staring at you like you're insane.

I can think of a handful that I can blast on my iPod when I'm struggling through the end of the day at work or if I'm having a terrible day. Currently, these are my top faves in no particular order:

1. Got My Mind Set On You - George Harrison
2. I Wanna Be Rich - Calloway
3. No Surrender - Springsteen
4. Oh Sherrie - Steve Perry (always)
5. Sweetheart - Mariah Carey

What are yours? I need some new material for my iTunes. Donchita, I know you have a few special karaoke jams you can share.

Today Is My Friday

I'll be on Vineyard time until Sunday. No cell, no email, just beach. And maybe an excessive amount of wine, but hey, it's vacation.

Firepit Anyone?

I'm in the market to buy a firepit for our backyard. With friends coming over Saturday night, I thought it would a nice addition to a night of drinking.

So I conned N into coming with me to find one. I used the ploy, "I need to use your truck, a firepit won't fit in my matchbox of a car." He graciously agreed to join :) So he and I spent the day together going in and out of the likes of Home Depot and Lowes. Not one firepit to be found. Seriously?

I've asked around and I guess they are sold at Target and the Christmas Tree Shop. The two places we didn't check. Even though we didn't find one, everything worked out - good day, good night and we borrowed our neighbor's firepit. It was a hit.

Hilarious

This article really made my afternoon. The list is a year old, but has some of the best celeb baby names I've ever heard.

Fifi Trixibell?
Diva Muffin?
Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily?

This was sent to me for a good laugh, but this is real life for these people. I know the parents are famous, but that doesn't mean their kids won't be tortured in school. For the attention of the media, these parents are setting their kids up for disaster. Goodluck in the future, Fifi.

What is the most rediculous baby name you've heard of?

"A Breath Of Fresh Air"

And that it was. Things are really starting to look up and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Another Day At The Office

Yesterday, I had a great conversation with a few girls from work. Below I've included the highlight of the discussion.

When talking about the possibility of dating a 29-year-old:

#1: Guys are so immature in general, go for an older guy. There are so many reasons why older guys are better...
#2: (With a nonchalant shrug) Yeah they make more money than younger guys.

And there you have it. A perfect/honest response. We were all in agreement, even one of my male co-workers. I'd like to think he really agreed or maybe it was because he was surrounded by 10 women, but either way, might as well give it a shot.

Madonna and A-Rod?

Say it ain't so! I'm patiently waiting to hear that the Yankee and the Material Girl are just friends. But either way, the truth always comes out.

Is it really that difficult to be monogamous? Or honest for that matter? It shouldn't be. I hope love prevails in this case, but as I'm told, "everything happens for a reason."

Why I Love The 4th Of July

Fireworks. And only white fireworks. Not to say there is something wrong with the red or purple or blue ones, but they definitely don't pack the punch white fireworks do. They are magical.

You would also think that based on how much I despise thunder storms that I would have a problem with the deafening sound they make. But I'm totally fine with going to a park, crowded with 1,oo0s of people and not being able to hear what someone is saying next to me just for the simple pleasure of a couple bursts of light in the sky.

For those reading, have a happy and safe holiday!

Happy Birthday, AL!

You deserve only the very best - enjoy your day xoxo

Angel Shower

Today was BSue's Wedding Shower and it was beautiful. I'm pretty jealous because the perfect couple now owns half of Crate & Barrel. Aside from the Happily Ever After part, I can't wait for the day I can register for all sorts of fabulous gifts. Much love to the lovebirds.

Hello Angels xoxo

In The Words Of Kenny Rogers

"You got to know when to hold em', know when to fold em', know when to walk away."

Sometimes it's through an omen, or sometimes you just have a gut feeling, or sometimes, like in this case, the information hits you like a ton of bricks.

Either way, it hurts like hell. But I believe in karma.

Paradise

Bermuda.was.amazing - the weather, the beaches, the food, the people. The ocean was so blue that I even went in for a swim. For those of you that know me well, I know you are proud.

Unfortunately, I am slowly getting over a stomach bug, so I'm having an even harder time getting back into the swing of things at home. A week ago today I was loungin' at St. Catherine's Beach (below), so really, can you blame me?

Packing Is My Worst Nightmare

I will be in Bermuda next week! I will be cruising out of Boston with my immediate family, my grandparents and my uncle and heading for the tropics. The 7 of us traveled together last June to Ireland and it was absolutely amazing - however, that trip was about visiting the "homeland" and this trip is strictly R&R.

A few things I'm looking forward to: eating dessert at every meal, sun, sand, piña coladas and the towels they contort to look like animals.

I have been trying to pack all week. I have gotten as far as throwing my summer clothes on my bedroom floor. They are not going to pack themselves, so I've dedicated tonight to organizing what I really need. For the normal person, this would not take the whole evening, but I'm an "over-packer" and I almost always forget a necessity - think toothbrush or contact lens case.

Wish me luck and think of me next week enjoying a piña colada with a pink umbrella.

A Delectable Drink

Generally, I am not a fan of Chinese food, but I can't stop raving about PF Chang's. The restaurant recently opened at the Natick Collection, otherwise known as the "Rolls-Royce of shopping malls," and my boyfriend and I decided to try it out.

As much as the food (specifically Chang's chicken lettuce wraps) and the atmosphere are great, that is not the best part. They serve the BEST martini I've ever had - Chang's Key Lime Pie Martini. Here is a brief description from the website: Vanilla liqueur and key lime juice shaken with cream and served with a graham cracker rim

Looking over the drink menu, I wasn't sure what to order - everything sounded delicious. But the graham cracker rim sealed the deal. The key lime makes it a perfect drink for Summer and it is so delicious it can even be ordered for dessert.

I will definitely be taking full advantage of my new hot-spot after a long day of shopping at the "Collection."

Well Worth the Wait

I saw the Sex and the City movie this weekend and I loved it. Loved Big, loved the girls, loved the clothes. After all the hype, I wasn't let down.

Can you imagine actually living that lifestyle?

And it's safe to say, any woman who saw the movie has a new-found appreciation for Beethoven.

May Showers

My fellow bridesmaids and I have been planning my friend's wedding shower for about two months now. Tomorrow is the big day. This morning I opened up my iGoogle homepage and this is what I saw:

Doesn't look good for a party outside. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weather(men/women) are wrong.

How I Spent My Memorial Day Weekend

My family took a trip to Ogunquit, ME to celebrate my sister's college graduation - congrats AL. We had a blast. Here are a few of the highlights:

• Mini-golf (twice)


• The Egg & I


• Jager Bombs


• Karaoke at Maxwell's Pub


• "Breeze" at Barnacle Billy's


• First lobster roll of the summer

Saving the Environment or Saving a Buck?

I dusted off my old bike this weekend. With the help of my boyfriend, we adjusted the seat and handle bars to fit my current size (the last time I rode it, I was probably 10). My intentions are to ditch my car twice a week and ride my bike to work. I know a lot of you might think, "wow, how economically friendly," but as much as I'm all about "going green," it kills me to fill up my gas tank.

So, if you see me riding the streets of Waltham on a bright purple Huffy, you'll know why. Let's see how long this lasts.

How to Name a Blog

Talking with friends, SD and Donchita (both have chosen their own pseudonyms), I thought about what to name my blog. I came up with Tallula Bean. This will mean nothing to most people reading, but a select few will get a chuckle.