Bloomsday Child

NEW ME

2011-04-21T19:22:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time. That's because I've been so incredibly busy quitting smoking and going to the gym! Now the gym thing isn't new, but the quitting smoking is. As of right now, I have been a non-smoker for exactly 7 days, 21 hours, and 14 minutes. I've saved $56.00. It's pretty great. There are still moments where I reflexively reach for a cigarette, but the actual physical cravings are gone. It's all mental at this point.

I've also upped my gym attendance because I'm petrified of reversing any progress I made there over the past few months as well as gaining weight due to quitting smoking. I absolutely refuse to let that happen. I'm trying desperately to transfer my addiction to working out, but I don't think I'll ever be that person.

There is one bad thing about not smoking anymore. I'm sick. Apparently this is not unusual amongst the recently quit. There's lots of medical reasons for this that are too long and boring to get into, but it's kind of infuriating. I make a conscious decision to live a healthier life, and as a result I get sick. Now I know that it's my fault for smoking in the first place, but let me have my rage, OK?

PERFECTION

2011-04-08T17:15:00.000-04:00

ICK

2011-04-05T18:44:00.000-04:00

As some of you may know, sometimes completely random or insignificant things will annoy the shit out of me. While at the gym today, there were two instances of this phenomenon.

First - unless you're a little kid (and even then it bothers me, but less), there is no acceptable reason to have a mohawk or a fauxhawk or any kind of hawk. Its stupid. Knock it off.

Second - you know those guys who are always at the gym, just wandering around and never really seem to do any kind of exercise? They're fucking creepy. Work out or go home.

PROGRESS

2011-04-01T17:02:00.000-04:00

I had an appointment with my doctor today to talk to him about quitting smoking. I'm just like a commercial! We had a nice chat and I explained my concerns about my pre-existing anxiety making the withdrawal worse. Apparently, I'm not that crazy for thinking that. He wrote me a prescription (not for Chantix, that stuff scares the crap out of me) that I need to take for 2 weeks before I stop smoking completely. He told me to taper off and let the meds build up in my system. It's still not going to be easy, but supposedly I won't feel like I'm having a nervous breakdown. So that's good.

Also discovered at the doctor's office? I've lost 12 lbs. since December!

SO. FUCKING. HARD.

2011-03-31T13:29:00.000-04:00

It's not like I thought quitting smoking was going to be easy - I'm not a moron. But I had absolutely NO IDEA just how hard it would be. I'm on day 2 and I feel like a crazy emotional mess. I can't use the patch, I can't chew the gum, so I'm left with the old-fashioned way. Cold turkey. And after smoking a pack a day for almost 17 years, that is not going to work.

So I called my doctor and am waiting for him to get back to me. One thing is for sure - I am quitting smoking. I'm even more determined now than I was before, due to the fact that I hate losing. I refuse to allow this to get the better of me. My method has to change, but the end goal is still the same.

THE END

2011-03-29T20:22:00.000-04:00

Tonight is my last night of smoking.

My original plan was to just stop. No patch, no gum. Then I thought that seeing as the patch was available and would make it easier, why not? So I googled all sorts of info about the patch. There was a little blurb about how if you're taking medication for depression to call your doctor. I'm not taking medication for depression, but I am taking medication for anxiety, which also happens to be used as an anti-depressant for some people. So I went to CVS and it turns out that I can't use the patch without my doctor adjusting my meds or something. So back to the original plan! Of course I'm still worried that I'll blow it, but I'm kind of looking forward to the challenge of it. And the extra money ($200 a month) I'll have as a result of not buying cigarettes.

My dad smoked Lucky Strike non-filters like a chimney for close to 40 years. One day he just stopped, cold turkey. I pray to god that I inherited his willpower.

HOME

2011-03-27T22:32:00.000-04:00

This one is going to be short because I'm exhausted.

It was a great weekend with Danny and BA in Li'l Rhody. We ate, drank, and built a garden. Hopefully the next time I get up there the peas we planted will be sprouting. It should also be a little warmer, which will be nice.

For now I'm content with cuddling with the super sleepy pug (it was a very stressful weekend for her, being bullied by her sister) and enjoying my Monday off.

STUFFED

2011-03-26T22:18:00.000-04:00

Day 2 started out with cinnamon buns from a tube. We needed a good breakfast because we had a lot to accomplish today. We were building a gardening bed for the backyard. There's already one bed, so the method was already established, making things a little easier.

While we were out shopping for lumber and seeds, we stopped at Christmas Tree Shoppes and Michael's to buy the makings of a very special project that will make an appearance in the summer. All you need to know right now is that it's awesome, and you'll love it.

BA and I also picked up some yarn and knitting needles for me because she is going to teach me how to knit. Since I'm quitting smoking on Wednesday, BA figured it would be good to find something to keep my hands and my mind busy. The yarn is really pretty, we just have to hope I don't screw it up.

Last but not least, when we got here we found out (well Danny and I did, BA already knew) that it was Newport Restaurant Week. We were very excited to try one of the crazy expensive restaurants that we would otherwise never go to that happened to be participating. Unfortunately (but not surprisingly), all those restaurants were "fully committed" for tonight. We ended up going to a place called the Speakeasy Bar and Grill. We had Portuguese Mac and Cheese (with chorizo!), Lobster Fritters, and pizza with lobster and truffle cream for appetizers. The mac and cheese and fritters were amazing but the pizza was a little too truffle-y. Then there was Filet Mignon with Stilton Butter, Pork Chops with Mushroom Demi-Glace, and Shrimp and Scallop Scampi for entrees. Again, 2 out of 3 were fantastic (the scampi was not).

I'm stuffed and exhausted, but we've had a great time and actually accomplished quite a bit this weekend. I also learned that if you need something fixed, just give Danny some electrical tape and he'll take care of it for you.

DAY ONE

2011-03-25T23:15:00.000-04:00

This morning I hopped on the train for the first leg of the journey to Zuckerland North. BA and Danny picked me up in Brooklyn, and off we went.

The first thing I have to say is that it was very nice to not have to drive. I lounged in the back with a couple of comfy pillows and even dozed off for a bit, which Danny apparently caught on film. When I woke up, we were getting off the highway and driving through Kingston. Not bad at all.

We went in through Newport this time because we wanted to stop for chowder at the Black Pearl. Conveniently, the Aquidneck Lobster Company is right there also, so we picked up Pinchy for dinner. After the world's best chowder and grabbing some wine and other dinner fixins, we decided to take the traditional drive down the Esplanade. For those of you in attendance at the Zuckerland nuptials, this may look familiar to you.

Then we took Danny to see the Purgatory Chasm (ask him about it, the word "crevasse" will most likely be used) and headed to the house. We watched some TV and had some snacks and then the main course was served.

All in all, it was a very good first day. Stay tuned for more briny adventures tomorrow!

MINI-VACATION

2011-03-24T20:39:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow morning, Sister Sassy, Lugo Lounge, and myself are heading to Zuckerland North! It's just a weekend trip, but I'm really looking forward to it. Chowder! Ocean! Donuts!

I took a half day today so I could get packed up and drop off the wonderpug at my parents' house for the weekend. Just because they don't have any grandchildren doesn't mean they are exempt from babysitting while I go away. I miss the little pugger already, because I'm a crazy dog person. There's worse things to be.

Hopefully the Forced Marchers will be blogging a play-by-play of our wonderful weekend. Stay tuned.

TAPPED OUT

2011-03-22T20:48:00.000-04:00

It's official.

I've run out of things to blog about.

22 days is a pretty good run though, right? So I'm not feeling too bad about posting some cute Sadie pics to get through today.

Before dinner:

After dinner:

NEIGHBOR

2011-03-21T20:15:00.000-04:00

There's a new guy downstairs who is apparently a lawyer. He's quiet and friendly, but he has a few strange habits. The only reason I know of these habits is because despite the fact that we live in a pre-war building, the walls are pretty thin. You can hear pretty much everything.

In his short time here I have learned that he loves to sing (badly) in his bedroom around 11 o'clock at night. He also has a keyboard that he sometimes plays when he sings. We're talking an old school Casio kind of keyboard, at least that's what it sounds like.

The other thing that he loves? JESUS.

When he moved in my super came to me immediately to tell me he thought that he was scary because he had some kind of makeshift pulpit set up with the Bible displayed proudly. And then when the singing started, I realized they were hymns.

Like I said, he's a nice guy. And I don't know what it says about me (and my super) that we are both so freaked out by the ultra-religious dude downstairs. It's not like he's a serial killer or anything. Maybe if I lived in the south this wouldn't be so weird to me?

I LOVE A PARADE

2011-03-20T20:18:00.000-04:00

I really do. St. Patrick's Day parades, specifically. Bagpipes, fifes, and drums? LOVE them. I may have missed the Newport parade, but I went to the lovely hamlet of Pearl River, NY for the Rockland County parade today. After NYC's, this is the second largest parade in NY. It was quite impressive for such a small town. But this small town is overflowing with Irish people. And men in skirts!

The bagpipes were followed by corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, and Rockland Bakery rolls.

LAZY SATURDAY

2011-03-19T21:47:00.002-04:00

I'd like to think that I spent today resting up for giant-moon watching. But in reality, I just sat around doing nothing, unless you count watching Miami Vice season 1 as doing something. Crockett and Tubbs really are just as awesome now as they were 25 years ago. I was worried it might not hold up, but boy did it ever. Michael Mann was good. Now I just have to wait for Netflix to send me the next disc and no one will see me for a few days again.

The weekend wasn't a total nothing-fest. Last night I watched the Devils play miserably and eventually lose to the Capitals. It was good to see Ovechkin* skate and the Devils did wear their old red and green (affectionately known as "Christmas uni's) uniforms, which I loved. And tomorrow is a Larkin Fest. My Aunt Kathy has a St. Patrick's Day party every year on the day of the Rockland county parade, which is the second biggest after the NYC parade. When she invited me this year, she told me it was a tradition. I'm 34 years old and this is the first I'm hearing of it. Such is the plight of being part of the NJ branch of the family.

* for those who don't know (or care), Ovechkin is a ridiculously good hockey player. Ridiculously good. He's the closest thing to Gretzky the game has these days.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

2011-03-18T08:37:00.000-04:00

What follows is a typical conversation at my office. All you really need to know is that it's pretty casual, and no bosses get here until at least ten.

Me: I'm gonna go paint my toenails.

Her: ARE YOU SLEEPING WITH SOMEONE!?!?

Me: No, it's open-toe shoe season!

ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

2011-03-17T19:06:00.000-04:00

I feel like I'm shaming my Irish heritage today. With the exception of wearing green, I have done nothing that would be considered traditional today.

I'm not going out drinking (it's a school night, and I'm old!) and I did not cook corned beef and cabbage, even though I love it. I don't have a crock pot big enough to fit everything in and if I started when I got home from work, I wouldn't eat until 10 o'clock. Basically, I'm not feeling very festive. Maybe this weekend I'll get loaded and eat corned beef?

Also, I have chosen a NO MORE SMOKING!!! deadline. March 30th is it. In the meantime, I've started trying to cut down to maybe make it a little easier when the time comes. Of course this doesn't mean that I won't still be an awful bitch to be around for a while. I wouldn't want anyone to get their hopes up.

QUITTER

2011-03-16T14:14:00.000-04:00

When I woke up this morning, I had a moment of clarity. I don't want to smoke anymore.

So I'm going to quit.

I need to pick a day over the next 2 weeks and that'll be that. It's going to be hard (I've smoked for 16 years), but it's time. It's expensive, it's bad for me, it makes me and my apartment smell, and it can't be good for the wonder-pug to be around. I'm going to need a lot of help and encouragement, as well as patience, from my friends. I'm worried that I won't be able to do it.

THE IDES

2011-03-15T19:22:00.000-04:00

I'd like to start this post off with a self-congratulatory pat on the back. I have now blogged for 15 straight days. Yay me! And let me tell you, it has not been easy. The fact that I am a crazy competitive weirdo is the main reason that I have been so diligent about this. I might not win (it's a competition, right?), but I will not lose.

I'd like to think that Forced March will lead to me blogging with more frequency, but something tells me that I might need some time off after 31 days of talking about me (and my dog). Anyone who's been reading this will probably want some time off from hearing about me.

Random thought for today: Man on Fire is such a good movie. If I ever get kidnapped, somebody call Denzel.

BONUS POST

2011-03-15T08:36:00.000-04:00

DAYLIGHT

2011-03-14T21:21:00.000-04:00

It's amazing how an extra hour of daylight can affect me (and many others). The prospect of winter ending and spring/summer beginning has put me in an unusually good mood. Yes, it's pitch black when I wake up, but who cares? I'm not doing anything but going to work then anyway.

My good mood might also be due to the fact that my kitchen clock is right for the first time since September.

To celebrate, here is a picture of the wonder-pug, staring into the sun:

WRAP-UP

2011-03-13T21:42:00.000-04:00

The weekend started out looking pretty grim. I hadn't eaten food since Tuesday and it wasn't looking like I was going to any time soon. But then, a miracle!

I was in Upper Montclair returning a pair of jeans (they were too big, huzzah!) when I was overcome by the smell of burger. Having not eaten anything other than a bagel in 4 days, I think I may have actually started to drool a little. And I decided fuck it. I wanted a burger, consequences be damned. And there were no consequences! Despite not being able to even eat a plain bagel without getting sick, I somehow managed to stomach a grease-bomb from Five Guys.

So the weekend ended up being better than I thought. All because of a cheeseburger.

QUIET TIME

2011-03-12T19:21:00.003-05:00

One of the main reasons I moved to Montclair (and my apartment specifically) was it's proximity to the train. Even though I'm only 12 miles from the city, that 12 miles can often take an hour with traffic and cost a lot of money with bridges and tunnels. As it is now, I walk across the street and pay 11 bucks, and I'm in the city in a half hour without any hassle. One thing I never expected was how much I would grow to love the sound of the train, it's rumbling and vibration and the train horn itself.

When I moved here, there was already an ordinance in place that prohibited any train horns between 7 pm and 7 am. Recently, the town adopted an ordinance making it a "Quiet Zone". This means any train horns at any time are not allowed. Ignoring the obvious safety issues that may come with this, it bothers me because I miss that sound. There was something oddly comforting about it.

I moved here knowing full well that there was no shortage of snooty, entitled a-holes. But this is what they decided to focus time and energy on? If you don't want to hear trains, why move to a place that has had them for years?

Every now and again some rogue conductor comes through, blasting the horn with reckless abandon. I love that guy for two reasons. First, because I miss the hell out of that sound. Second, because you know some uptight jackass is furious about their peace and quiet being disturbed. I just can't figure which reason makes me smile more.

ENOUGH

2011-03-11T19:36:00.000-05:00

So I went to the doctor on Tuesday feeling as if a sinus infection or bronchitis was coming. They told me I had a fever of 101 and gave me some antibiotics. I walked out thinking this was good, the beginning of feeling better. The best part was I didn't even feel that bad - I only went to the doctor because I have a pregnant co-worker and an 82 year old boss with basically no immunity. I didn't want to be responsible for anyone else getting sick.

Tuesday night was the first dose of the antibiotics. I haven't been able to eat food without getting sick since then. And I still have to take this poison for one more day.

I'm SO HUNGRY.

LUCK OF THE IRISH

2011-03-10T17:56:00.000-05:00

My mom always said if I didn't have bad luck I'd have none at all. Once again, though it pains me to say, my mother was right.

After making it through the height of winter and avoiding being sick, my immune system finally betrayed me. Unfortunately, it chose a really shitty time to do so. The 4th Annual Sisters St. Patrick's Day Spectacular has been canceled because I'm too sick! It sucks and it pisses me off. But my sister is being super understanding about it and we've rescheduled for next weekend. Sure we'll miss the parade, but I bet there will still be sales.

SICK PT. II

2011-03-09T19:03:00.003-05:00

Because I'm sick, and the medicine is making me feel worse, I feel like today is the perfect day to use my get out of blogging free card. So please enjoy these pictures of Sadie while I go sleep some more.

SICK

2011-03-08T19:03:00.000-05:00

I started to feel a little icky this morning at work - a cough and tight breathing and slightly feverish. As you know, this coming weekend is very exciting (and tradition!!) for me, so I immediately made an appointment with the doctor. Turns out I had a fever of 101 and swollen lymph nodes and my ear looked on its way to infected. It seems I have the beginning of an upper respiratory or sinus infection. So the doc gave me my Z-Pack and off I went to buy fluids. Lots and lots of fluids. I need to feel better, and it needs to be before Friday.

My hatred for icky co-worker has grown, immensely. Because I am sick. And it's her fault.

RELISH?!

2011-03-07T14:19:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts of the day:

If you're gonna sell tuna and you put relish in it, some goddamn signage indicating that would be super. It's a bit of a shock when you bite into it expecting one thing and getting another.

My boss can't use his EZ Pass on the windshield because his Mercedes (la ti da) glass is bulletproof or something. Poor rich people and their problems.

The Villanova basketball team is breaking my heart.

My co-worker announced today that she's pregnant. Yay, other people's babies!

BLERG

2011-03-06T16:47:00.000-05:00

My back hurts, I had to do laundry, and it's raining. I'm basically just a bitchy bitch today. The only thing that is making this day salvageable is the non-stop flow of Dexter. Netflix saves the day!

And also, as to not be one-upped by Sassy:

A ROLLER SKATING JAM NAMED...

2011-03-05T09:15:00.000-05:00

Saturday! Finally, the weekend. And exactly one week until the 4th Annual Sisters St. Patrick's Day Spectacular.

You see, it all began 4 years ago when Sassy and I decided to go to Newport for the weekend and check out their annual parade. Newport is full of Irish folk, so we figured it would be pretty bitchin', as Carlos Estevez would say. We also intended to look for dresses for Sassy, for her upcoming Zuckerland nuptials. While on the hunt for dresses, we discovered something that would make this a trip we would take every year - SALES. Lots and lots of sales.

In Newport, they sort of consider the parade weekend as the official end of winter. So all the stores get rid of their winter stock to make room for summer gear. And they do this by marking everything down, drastically. Most stores had 70% off, while one store we went to was selling everything in the place for $10. Sassy picked up a dress there and we joked about how funny it would be if she wore a $10 wedding gown. She didn't wear it, but who cares? It was ten dollars!

We're both really looking forward to this weekend, and there may a special guest this year, depending on how brave (or stupid) I feel.

DAY 4

2011-03-04T14:19:00.000-05:00

I take competition very seriously. It's not like I'm going to win a prize for blogging every day, but a challenge was presented, so I'm all in. That being said, it's only day 4 and I am digging deep to find something to ramble on about. If I'm flaming out now, you all are in for some serious garbage time for the next 27 days.

Now I know I'm going to lose some of you with the next sentence, but whatever. I was telling Sassy last weekend that I finally stopped watching General Hospital* because it had gotten too ridiculous even for me (this is saying a lot). James Franco's douchebaggery or not, I was done. So now I just do what most crazy housewives in Texas do. I read blogs about it to see just what kind of crap I'm missing. And boy is there some serious crap. Whether you watch or not, you must read this blog about GH. It's hilarious, and the fact that a show that is this terrible is still on the air is mind-boggling.

* the only other person I know who even watched this crapfest was Heather. She probably gave up too.

OCD?

2011-03-03T09:39:00.000-05:00

So there's a new girl here at work. She's only here twice a week for 10 hours total. For the most part, I like new girl. Except for a few things...

Since she started in October, I don't believe she's ever not been sick. She has three young kids - I blame them.

She never covers her mouth when she coughs, which is all the damn time.

She doesn't wash her hands after using the bathroom (eew! and don't ask how I know this.)

Now I don't consider myself to be some kind of Jack Nicholson when it comes to germs and neatness, but these things really freak me out. It takes all I have in me not to yell "COVER YOUR MOUTH!!" every time I hear her cough. I also need to buy stock in Airborne™ because I've been taking it like candy to try and not be infected by her.

Am I alone in being grossed out by these things? Do I have some kind of low-level OCD?

CRAZY TRAIN

2011-03-02T09:25:00.000-05:00

I'm no media or pop culture expert (but she is!), but I have to talk about the crazy that is Charlie Sheen.

At first, I was disgusted that someone who is so obviously in the throes of some kind of mental breakdown was being exploited so gratuitously. But then I thought, fuck it. He's not being exploited, he's exploiting himself. He is most certainly not a victim. This is some crazy, hilarious (and yes, sometimes a little scary and disturbing) shit. Is he serious? Or is this some kind of joke he's playing on all of us with himself as the punchline? All I know is that the man is everywhere, and it seems that that's his choice.

Then this morning something happened that made me disgusted all over again. I saw video of his children being taken away in the middle of the night. His 23-month old sons, taken away in their little footie pajamas. I'm not saying whether they should or shouldn't have been taken away from him; I just know that it's a horrible situation and that it's definitely not something that should have been immortalized by the paparazzi. I forgot that this guy is not just some crazy d-bag who's impossible to look away from. He's the father of 5 kids, 4 of whom are essentially babies. I think we should all look away now.

On a lighter note, you might have noticed the blog looks a little different today.

Knowing absolutely nothing about html code or website building myself, sister sassy flew in to the rescue and jazzed this here blog up.

FORCED MARCH

2011-03-01T08:00:00.004-05:00

I have been instructed by my sister that I am required to blog every day for the entire month of March or spring will not come. Thus begins Forced March.

I make no promises about the quality of these daily posts; my life just isn't that interesting. It's pretty much a guarantee that at least one day will be an adorable pug pic and nothing more. But I do appreciate the swift kick in my blogging (or non-blogging, as it seems) ass. So let's start with my most recent foray into the world of Montclair food, shall we?

My father had spotted a restaurant named Saveur Creole the last time he was in town. He decided that we must go immediately. So following his afternoon movie date with my brother, he came to town for a dinner date with me. We met at 5:30 (he's retired and old) and were of course the first people there. I had never had Haitian food before so I was a little concerned about how spicy it would be. I had the Chicken Etouffee, and it was amazing.

That only leaves about 50 other restaurants I need to try. Maybe I could just eat my way through town and blog about that?

*Update - I figured I should include a list of the Forced March participants, so here they are:

Nick (he has 2)

Ryan

RESULTS

2010-12-05T10:19:00.002-05:00

So I'm still going to the gym with regularity. I still enjoy it, too. I also thought that some of my pants seemed a little loose, but I chalked that up to the fact that they were old and stretched out, and wishful thinking. Logically, it seemed way too early for me to see any results. And then...

I pulled out a pair of jeans that I haven't worn since I bought them over a year ago because they were suffocatingly tight. But I had to do laundry, so I figured I could suffer until my wash was done. Much to my surprise, THEY FIT!!! Comfortably!!

I love you, New York Sports Club.

BETTER LIVING THROUGH CHEMISTRY

2010-11-21T15:02:00.000-05:00

So I mentioned a while back that anxiety attacks have made a surprise appearance in my life. Unfortunately they are not going away, at least not yet. I do have hope that this is just a weird bump in the mental road, but until then I have to find ways to deal with it.

One of these ways is medication. I know a lot of people get all weird about taking pills, preferring to try and get through it with sheer willpower. I am not one of those people. If I can't control it myself (and seeing as they have only gotten worse over the past 6 months, obviously I can't) I see absolutely no problem and feel absolutely no shame about going to the doctor and getting shit taken care of. Sure, it's a drag having to take pills every day. But you know what? I feel better and really that's all that I care about. Feeling as if you've lost control of your mind is scary, and if a pill or two a day can fix that? Sign me up.

The other way I've decide to try and make myself feel better is by joining a gym. Considering that money is one of my main anxieties, this endeavor was made possible by my mom, who is the best mom in the world (everyone says that, but I assure you in this case it's true.) I've always thought that exercise was beneficial not only physically but also mentally, and now I can honestly say from experience that it is indeed. The most surprising part of all this? I absolutely LOVE going. I never thought in a million years that I would. I was at work the other day and at around two o'clock I found myself thinking, "I can't wait to get to the gym." Weird, right?

Now of course this could just be because it's something new, and I also get to buy new sneakers and yoga pants and sweats and stuff. Anyone who knows me would tell you that anything that gives me an excuse to buy new things without feeling guilty is something I'm gonna be into, but I'm hoping that's not the case. I'll have to get back to you on that.

PUMPKIN ROLLS

2010-10-26T18:38:00.000-04:00

When Sunday arrived, I had no tickets to any football games so I decided to pretend to be my great-grandmother and bake. From scratch. Now I've done plenty of baking in the past, but I've always been afraid of any kind of dough. The rising and proofing is something I was always sure I'd screw up; it's too temperamental. But this recipe was just too good to pass up. So I went to the store and got everything I needed, held my breath, and gave it a shot.

I let the yeast dissolve, mixed it all up in the Kitchen-Aid and prayed to God it would double in size as it sat for 3 hours (as the recipe told me it would.)

Ta-da! There it is, my pumpkin dough. Doubled in size!!

Next step was fairly easy. I had to smear butter and brown sugar and toasted pecans all over it. No problem. Then came rolling it up. Keep in mind that I had rolled it out to about twice the width that you see above. I also did this with the dough room temperature, which made it a little tricky, but I pulled it off.

After proofing and ready for the oven.

Now all I had to do was wait 20-25 minutes. I made the brown sugar glaze for the top while time ticked away. My apartment smelled amazing. I just had to hope that they looked and tasted as good as they smelled....

Fresh from the oven.

With brown sugar glaze and extra toasted pecans.

The result?? THESE ARE SO FREAKING GOOD. You have to make them. The recipe yields a lot of buns (I had 18) so either freeze them or bring them to work for extra brownie points (that's what I did!)

BIG BLUE

2010-10-24T14:11:00.002-04:00

Remember how I mentioned how my bosses are sometimes awesome? Well, they have done it again. This time by giving me tickets and a parking pass to last Sunday's Giants game.

The seats were great (26th row!) and it just so happened that my friend's birthday had been that week, so it was nice to be able to take him and my brother-in-law along for the fun.

We got there pretty early because we had some friends who have a Giants RV (painted blue and everything) and they always get there at 8 in the morning because they are INSANE. Usually I'm not a fan of the whole tailgating thing, but I really enjoyed myself this time. I got to hang out with a lot of old friends who I hadn't seen in a while.

Unlike the Devils game, this time the home team won!! By the skin of their teeth, but I guess a win's a win.

HUNGOVER OWLS

2010-10-14T14:13:00.001-04:00

When I stumble across something this amazing, I feel the need to share.

http://tumblr.com/xdqjvfqt5

GAME ONE

2010-10-09T12:13:00.001-04:00

So last night was the NJ Devils season opener at The Rock in Newark, NJ. Because my bosses have season tickets and have been known to be awesome, I got to go!

I only live a few miles from Newark and we got a parking pass along with our free (!) tickets so we opted to drive. This turned out to be a bad idea due to the Holland Tunnel traffic that had clogged up Route 280, but we still got there with plenty of hockey left to be played.

The seats were great and the game was close the whole time. The third period ended in a 3-3 tie, so we went to 4-on-4 overtime hockey. Unfortunately, the Devils defense was not up to the task and they gave up a game-winning goal to the Stars pretty quickly. Not the ending I (or the Devils, I imagine) was looking for, but we still had a great time.

Also, if you haven't been to The Prudential Center in Newark, you really must get there. It's a beautiful arena and there's also lots of great places to eat before or after the game in Newark. I know it gets a bad rep, but there have been a lot of changes in downtown Newark over the years and you should definitely check it out.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX?!

2010-10-01T14:37:00.002-04:00

Sick pug transitioned into sick human this week. My crappy doctor (soon to be ex-doctor) tells me I have a viral infection, whatever that means. Basically I have to take DayQuil and NyQuil and steam my sinuses and pray that I feel better. Snuggling with the pug has been my treatment of choice. Well, that and the couchnest (copyright Older Sister). I also gave the pug a bath because she STUNK.

But what I've really been doing all day is eating Mallomars. Lots of them.

I bought the box yesterday and they're almost gone. Gluttony!! I love them so much that while I was lying in bed last night trying to sleep, I started to think what an awesome thing the "Mallomartini" would be. Has anyone ever made one? What would I need to make it taste like the world's most delicious cookie? What kind of booze would work for the marshmallow flavor? I even decided that I would dust the rim of the glass with graham cracker crumbs. Presentation, people!!

Sort of related Mallomar story:

As you know (or maybe not, if you're not a junkie like me) they are only available for a limited time each year and some grocery stores only let you buy them in limited quantities. Well my friend was telling me that her mother loves them. Loves them so much that she goes to her local grocery store, buys the allowed amount, brings them to her car, and then returns to the store and buys the allowed amount again from a different cashier. She sometimes takes as many as 3 trips in at a time. She then freezes her take so she has Mallomars all year long. This woman is a genius.

SICK PUG

2010-09-27T16:51:00.000-04:00

Sadie was having some "evacuation" issues the other day. I decided to bring some puppy pee to the vet to see what was up. Turns out the little lady has a urinary tract infection. They called me this morning and told me she had crystals in her bladder (and possibly stones) and that I should bring her in for x-rays. So I did and luckily, no stones! But I still have to give her antibiotics twice a day-which is going to be interesting-and change her food.

Poor pug.

It was a long and stressful day for Miss Sadie (and me), but thank God it's nothing too serious and everything will be fine.

RAGE

2010-09-21T13:54:00.000-04:00

During a quiet moment this morning I decided to check my bank balance. I knew there wasn't much (seeing as Friday is payday and my balance is usually pretty pathetic by this point.) What I didn't expect to see was that my account was overdrawn. Overdrawn because of a charge to Directv.

I DON'T HAVE DIRECTV.

After a momentary freak-out, I called my bank and explained this to them. I did not authorize any payments to Directv, I told them. How does this happen? Apparently someone got hold of my debit card numbers and the super secret 3-digit code on the back and decided, "Well shit. My cable bill is due!"

I'm one of those dorks who always checks ATM machines to see if it looks like it has one of those skimmer things you always hear about on the news. I haven't made an internet purchase in forever. So all that leaves is that I handed it to a store clerk at some point, and the son of a bitch copied my card info. So they could pay their cable bill.

BACK TO THE GRIND

2010-09-17T22:21:00.000-04:00

It's been quite a while, but I'm back.

After my last post about RI dreams, I decided to just do it. So I put in for the time off and I spent a whole week doing as little as possible in the biggest little state in the union. It was wonderful and perfect and there was sun every day but one. The uni-freckle was achieved.

In other awesome news, remember how I said that I had no computer so my blogging would be limited? Well worry no more, internet. My sister (who really is just too good to me, and I'm not just saying that because she might read this, I swear) gave me her old laptop! Now all I need is something interesting to waste your time with...I'll have to get back to you on that.

L'IL RHODY

2010-08-03T10:23:00.002-04:00

I can't stop thinking about it. Every night when I lay down to sleep, I imagine myself on a sunny beach staring at the ocean.

I have gotten to the beach a few times this year, but only for a couple days. Because I'm greedy, I want to do it again for an extended period of time. I feel like the summer is slipping away and I haven't gotten that full week of L'il Rhody awesome that I so rely on to keep me sane for the rest of the year.

And of course, I need to work on my uni-freckle*.

*For those of the freckled-ginger persuasion, this refers to getting so much sun that all of your face freckles blend into one giant freckle, giving the illusion of tan.

PANIC!

2010-08-02T11:56:00.003-04:00

In April of this year, I had my gall bladder removed. That's where it all started. The whole situation was weird in that I never really felt any kind of strong emotion about it. Outwardly, I was handling it like a champ. I wasn't freaking out or nervous at all (at least consciously). And then I decided to take a trip with my sister to Rhode Island...

Now I've taken this same trip countless times since I got my license (17 years ago?? ACK!), but this time was different. As I cruised along I-95, I suddenly felt light-headed and I couldn't breathe. I felt like I was going to pass out, so I pulled over. At this point I'm exactly halfway to my destination, which means I have a 2 hour drive either way. I met my sister at the halfway point and we had pizza and I cried. I explained that I thought I was going crazy, and that really, could it have happened at a worse time?

Even then, I knew what this was - a panic attack. As anyone who has ever had one can attest, you know exactly what's going on as it's happening, but that doesn't make you feel any less like you're going to die. I kind of figured that this was pre-surgery jitters considering the trip was 2 weeks before the scheduled useless-organ removal. However, in the back of my mind, I was concerned. VERY concerned. You see, my family is full of anxious (and medicated) people. I had convinced myself that I had somehow made it over the hump, as they say, due to the fact that I was in my thirties and had never had any problems. So I tried to reassure myself that once the surgery was done, all would return to normal in my world.

And it did!!* Until a few weeks ago. I was just sitting at home, watching TV with the dog, when those all too familiar symptoms returned. And then they returned again the next night. Since I am not one of those people who is uncomfortable going to a doctor and saying "medicate me, please!!!", I immediately made an appointment the next morning to get this taken care of. More than anything I was really pissed off. How dare my body/mind turn on me like this?

So the next morning I went to Dr. ReallylongnamethatIcantpronounce. She asked if there was anything that I was worried about, and until this moment with her, I really thought there was nothing. And then it happened....I suddenly realized that I was upset, I was worried.

Like 80% of the country, I'm constantly worried about money. I mean crazy worried. Irrationally worried. That I can work on though, so on to the next one.

Small disclaimer about this next part...A lot of you out there will not understand this. I envy you for that. The situation is a unique one, and I realize that as hard as it is, I am also very lucky to have grown up this way. Anyway, here it goes. Immediately after I was born, my parents brought me home. Home to the house that my parents still live in, all these years later. It is the only home I have ever known. Yes, I have an apartment, and technically that is my home, but you get the idea. Every single memory I have of growing up involves that house, that yard, that street, that neighborhood. My father has recently retired and my parents have been fixing up the house for months now so that they can sell it.

TO STRANGERS.

MY FUCKING HOUSE.

The idea that I will never drive down that road and pull into that driveway EVER AGAIN has affected me in a way I never would have imagined. The phrase "going home" will never apply to me again. It'll just be some townhouse my parents happen to live in.

So the way that I've decided to deal with this particular issue is to try and help my mom buy new stuff and to look for fancy townhouses that I wish I could afford and make them buy it. That and Xanax.

*except for when I drive. I'm so worried that it'll happen again, that I sometimes make it happen. What can I say, I'm crazy.

OLD

2010-07-29T13:56:00.001-04:00

So I've been feeling old lately. Now, I know that in the scope of things I'm not old old. My feet are firmly planted in the 30's. But I'm not exactly young anymore either. Maybe it's just because I'm nuts, but I feel like I'm constantly reminded of that fact.

You see, I work with a girl I'll call Marta, who's in her mid-twenties. And not a day goes by where something she says in casual conversation doesn't make me think, "God she's young." She's never even seen The Godfather for chrissakes! Or Jaws! I really like Marta, and I consider her a friend as well as a co-worker, but damn she makes me feel like a granny.

And then there's the ever present gray hair. This started a long time ago for me, because I am a ginger. We are lucky enough to go gray before the rest of the soul-having world. I am also now one of those crazy bitches who spends way too much money on anti-aging cream and exfoliating wipes or whatever the hell. I NEVER thought I would be that chick. Yet here I am. And the truth of it all?? None of it really matters. The years (and birthdays) will just keep on coming, and I really need to find some kind of peace with that, or else I'm going to end up being one of those people who ages really ungracefully. Man I hate those douches.

HELLO!

2010-07-27T13:37:00.001-04:00

Good day, internets!

I have been agonizing over what exactly I should discuss for my first EVER blog post. I came to the conclusion that I should keep it short and sweet.

I have no theme for this here blog, so you should expect anything and everything, from pictures of my pug or Rhode Island to my rather embarrassing affinity for General Hospital. I'll spare you the "details about me" chat because I figure sooner or later, through other blog posts, that'll come out in bits and pieces until you know more about me than you ever wanted to. I promise to try and update often, but that could be hard (did I mention I don't actually own a computer?).