happily ever after?

I'm at a point in my life where I have friends who are running the gamut of relationship milestones. I have friends who are dating (online and otherwise), friends who are happily coupled, friends who are getting married, friends who are newly married, friends who are unhappily coupled, and friends who are breaking up. All of these people are in different places in their relationships, but it is safe to say that they will each at some point (if they haven't already) experience disappointment. Some of the disappointments are small, others become deal breakers.

All in all, however, everyone is doomed to get to a point where some of the shine wears off newly-found love and we have to accept that most things don't end in "happily ever after" and that relationships take work. Sometimes the work isn't worth it, sometimes it is. I am one of the happily coupled people amongst my friend base, but I'm also a realist. The man and I have had our share of ups and downs, and we are in a pretty steady upward trend right now. All I know is that both he and I are happy with one another and are willing to do whatever we must to stay together. We have similar goals and we are realistic: we know that our relationship isn't always going to be all sunshine and rainbows.

I came across this article/photo project that features princesses from a number of Disney stories. The photos show what our favorite fairy tales look like when "The '...happily ever after' is replaced with a realistic outcome and addresses current issues." I've decided to post my favorite:

Go here to check out the rest.

let's panic!

This is a great new site called Let's Panic About Babies! It is an extremely snarky, not-at-all-informational, witty, and terribly funny website about pregnancy and babies in general. It is for people who have babies, people who don't want babies, people who hate babies, people who can't stand to look at babies, people who love babies, and people who tolerate babies. I think that everyone falls in at least one of those categories.

Go check it out, it is definitely good for a laugh.

awaiting the arrival of cricket - potential internet savior

So, you may have noticed that I didn't post this past weekend. My shoddy internet connection via my phone can be thanked for that. Actually, my phone hasn't even been receiving calls with much success over the weekend so there is going to be some customer service dealings going on today after work. In the meantime, I feel the guilt of not posting for a couple days so I will post three times today to make up for it.

In optimistic news, my Cricket broadband modem etc. is supposed to arrive sometime today. The bad news is that a signature is required and I am doubtful that anyone will be home by the time it shows up. My hope is that the man will get home early to receive the package from FedEx, but if my morning was any indicator of my luck for the day, I would sooner expect the apocalypse than anything going my way.

Count this as post #1 of my guilt-induced triple play.

another anniversary

The man surprised me with an anniversary gift last night. Both the gift and the anniversary were a surprise. We don't have an actual anniversary date, but whenever we feel the need or want to do something out-of-the-ordinary, we use our anniversary as the reason. This way we can have multiple, spontaneous anniversaries throughout the year and there is no real date to remember or forget.

Last night I came home from work (late, for the upteenth time in a row) to find this beauty waiting for me in my garage space:

It is a convertible garden cart that can be pulled with the handle like a wagon, or can be converted to be pulled behind the lawnmower. It is wonderful and glorious and one of the best (if not the best) anniversary gifts I've ever gotten. No, it isn't conventional, but we are not conventional people.

The man's friend went along with him to get a present for me. His friend asked where, and was more than a little surprised to hear "Farm and Fleet" as the response to the question. This friend went so far as to try to convince the man to buy something different, something that I might actually like. The man knows me well enough to know that at this point in our financial lives, a usable gift is much more appreciated than something unimportant (like jewelry, for example). I spend at least ten hours a weekend outside puttering around the yard, so this is a most thoughtful gift. This cart is going to be much more Trish-friendly than my current wheelbarrow.

The timing is sort of funny, because although we had talked about getting Cricket wireless internet a while back, it hasn't entered conversation in quite some time. I was planning on it being an anniversary surprise for the man, but he got me first.

I love my gift and I love my boyfriend. I can't wait for the next anniversary.

random question thursdays!

The man is always exasperated with me because I ask a lot of random, out-of-the-blue, how-the-hell-did-I-even-think-of-that questions. A lot. Enough that he just looks at me a certain way while shaking his head and I know that there are probably only a handful of humans on earth who would know the answer to that question.

Anyway, in honor of this particular personality trait I am instituting "random question thursdays." When I post on a Thursday, the post title will be a question, to which...

1. I will research and attempt to provide an answer with the post,


2. I will ask hoping that someone will comment with an answer or link to an answer


3. my readers (hello to my few readers! holla!) will find the question interesting to ponder


4. the question will spark an interest in my readers to ask others.

Today's question fits into the second, third, or fourth category listed above. Feel free to comment - I won't bite!

If you could only take with you the amount of items that would fit in the trunk of a car, what would they be? (The rest would be gone forever.)

Here's my list (thank god my little Fifi is a hatchback):

• the pets (Jack [cat], Jammer [dog], Rue [cat])


• my grandmother's class ring


• the little, thimble-sized doll my neighbor gave to me and asked me to keep forever


• my laptop (a lot of stuff stored on there!)


• my fire-proof box (includes backup drive with all of my photos, passport, other vital information)


• a change or two of clothes


• my favorite sandals in the world - which I believe have been discontinued

That's all I've got for now, pretty much everything else could be replaced and most of my stuff doesn't have any sentimental value.

do crickets chirp?

I have written before about the awful state of Internet access at my house. We cannot get DSL because we are the only house on our road and it isn't worth it for AT&T to extend coverage for one household. Note: AT&T are bastards and have continuously screwed me over the years with their buyout of Cingular and so on and so forth. But enough about that.

I've been using my cell phone as a modem for the past few months and it is very slightly better than dial-up, but drops the connection a lot and doesn't allow me to use my phone while online. Also, it drains my phone battery quite quickly so the most I can hope for is 45 minutes of online use before my full battery is drained. 45 minutes isn't very long when you consider the amount of time it takes for a page to load. Working from home is next to impossible.

After reviewing my finances for the billionth time, I've decided to bite the bullet and upgrade to Cricket broadband, which boasts a stellar signal in my area. I made the purchase last night and hope to be reaping the benefits of the service by early next week. It should only cost me about $10 extra each month and I think I can move around some expenditures and trim enough that this is feasible. Plus, if things work out as hoped, the man has agreed to purchase a wireless router so that we can both utilize the Internet access at the same time (he's hoping he can use his Xbox 360 online with the router).

Oh, to be able to speedily do anything online from home. That would be a joyous event.

june 2009 - two weeks in

It has been two weeks since I set out on my June 2009 goals. These are in various stages of completion:

• read at least one book (pending)
• finish my coffee table project (haven't really begun yet)
• plant vegetables and finish my flower beds (pending)
• prepare the guest bedroom for the "mother-in-law" (pending - it is pretty close)
• go to the farmer's market at least three times (haven't gone at all yet)
• reorganize my paper files (kind of scared to start this unless I have a few solid hours to complete it)

I still think I can get everything finished before the end of the month and undoubtedly will add additional projects along the way. I'm getting kind of interested in feng shui, but have not pursued that yet. I'll be picking up a book about it tonight at the library. It's safe to assume that this will spur additional projects.

i love it, but not enough that a restraining order is warranted

I know that I have mentioned how much I love the FX show Burn Notice before. Well, this is one of the songs that is played in the advertisements for the show. I love it, but I kept forgetting to google it. Today it popped up on my Pandora station. (You can check out my work station by clicking on the link in the nav bar to the left of the posts.) Oh, Pandora, what had I done all of those years before you? I guess I had to remember things and make an effort. Thank God I don't have to do that anymore.

Go here for the video for "Hang Me Up To Dry" by the Cold War Kids. I can't embed the video because it is the "official" version and the folks at Universal are apparently bastards.

it was good while it lasted

I have to go back to work tomorrow. It is only 9:30 PM, which is my general bedtime on weeknights, and I'm mourning the end of my vacation time for June. I have a few hours left to take before the end of the fiscal year (July 1), but I won't be taking any more full days off. Not to mention that I have a major project to finish up and have out of my hands before the end of the month. And that there is potential for a shitload more work to be heading my way once the new fiscal year hits. This is going to be one whirlwind of a summer.

Next weekend is my town's summer festival, which the man and I always attend (I'm looking forward to the pancake breakfast more than the beer tents, to be honest). My parents are visiting in two weeks, but only for a couple days maximum. Two weekends in July will be spent at weddings. The man's mother is visiting for three weeks in July. I am looking forward to seeing her, but the prospect of sharing our space with another person for three whole weeks is making my blood pressure raise every time I think about it. I'm sure it will be fine, and I'm trying not to add it to the stress bucket right now.

As for my time off, I was pretty productive. I can't say that I accomplished everything I had hoped over the past few days, but I did catch up with some friends and get a better grasp on a few things.

I'll post more about my project/goals status tomorrow. Right now I'm pretty exhausted after spending half the day enlarging (doubling) one of the flowerbeds next to the house and moving plants around. I'm off to get a good night's sleep [knock on wood] before facing work tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

eco brushes

Here is yet another of my recent purchases to beautify myself while keeping the environment in mind.

These are EcoTools Earth-Friendly brushes. The handles are bamboo and the bristles are cruelty-free. The carrying case is made from hemp. Quite green, I'd say, and they are super-soft and work quite well. The $8.99 price tag at Target doesn't hurt.

This is my last cosmetics post for a while, I promise. I'm biding my time until I can share my bridesmaid dress with you all - if Pam ever tells me which one she'd like me to wear.

we fit

I hung some sheets and towels and such on the clothesline today. It was the first day when it was warm and the wind wasn’t whipping past my house at hurricane strength, so it was time to save some energy and let some sheets absorb that fresh from the sun smell.

Folding fitted sheets has always sucked for me. I could never seem to get the folded product to look like anything but a mangled ball of wrinkles. This video has made my linen closet let out a huge sigh of relief.

thisclose

I suck. I missed a day. The problem is, when I thought “oh shit, I have to post to my blog,” it was already 12:09 AM. I had just finished watching the new episode of Burn Notice and was about ready to go to bed when it struck me. But, alas, it was too late. Don't worry, I'll make it up to you. I'll post twice today. I promise.

I spent the day yesterday at the mall with my friend Pam, window shopping and making a half-assed attempt to find shoes for her wedding. It was a nice, laid back, do nothing kind of day. Today was once again much of the same. I spent the majority of the day with my friend Kristen, had lunch, spent most of the day outside with her dog, nothing serious or too intense. Tomorrow I plan on waking up early to hit a few garage sales with a couple of friends, then I hope to mow the lawn (if the man hasn’t already finished by the time I get back), and then cook up a couple steaks for dinner.

Thank God it is finally summer.

counting my pennies, and my hatred

Well, well, well...I've been posting about a lot of products and objects and goals and such lately, and have given the bitching a bit of a rest for a while. The bitching is back, my friends, and it is back with a vengeance. At least for today.

I really don't like the roommate...at all. I think he is a worthless, over-sized carcass who takes up space and has been set on this earth to annoy the fuck out of me and my man. I have recently noticed that I don't even look at the roommate anymore. The sight of him annoys me and if I were to make eye contact, a conversation might ensue and I surely don't have the intestinal fortitude to deal with all the bullshit he would try to feed me. Also, it is difficult to make eye contact with someone whose gaze so rarely shifts from either his feed bag or the television.

Anyway, I don't like him and now he has a girlfriend. They've seemingly bonded over their shared abilities to not speak to one another and to be slovenly, couch-lounging, thick-bodied sloths. Okay, she's not terribly over-wide, but when you never get off the fucking couch it is difficult for me to distinguish between cushion and your ass. I've heard them speak to one another only a couple times, always about food, funny enough. Yes, they've been dating for just over a month and she is at the house ever single night without fail. And they only leave to feed themselves then it is back to the couch to watch yet another Deadliest Catch marathon or another Food network program. I have the sneaking suspicion that the girlfriend is annoyed by the dickbag roommate's proclivity to laziness and that she doesn't care to be a fatbody who lays around staring at the tv screen. She has recently taken to sitting next to him on these marathons but instead does crossword puzzles and doesn't stare blindly into Emeril's huge face like the roommate chooses to do.

Why do we still keep him around? Because we are still only thisclose to not needing his rent check. The man's answer to everything roommate related is, "tell him to move out if he doesn't like it." I hope that this means his finances are getting very close to the point that we would be able to live alone. Thus, I'm hoping and praying that the man will soon be the one telling Mr. Lazyballs to move the fuck out and to take his girlfriend and massive load of ugly-ass belongings with him. Personally, my goal is to be able to kick in his portion of the rent by the end of the year, and that we'll be okay to kick his ass to the curb shortly thereafter (this is all independent of what the man can pitch in). Until that time, I'll bide my time and continue to avoid looking in the roommate's general direction as not to be drawn into the vortex of yuck. The vortex has gotten even stronger now that his female counterpart has joined in the sucking worthlessness.

like being naked

I have decided to share with you a new purchase which I love. I have started using a new brand of beautification products: Stript. I was turned on to this product line by my hairstylist, who always looks completely polished.

So far I've only switched over to the eyeliner (color: cocoa) and blush (color: lolita). Yes, there were multiple jokes made at my expense because the color of blush that best matches my fair complexion is Lolita. Even though it has the name Lolita, I don't look like a hooker or a drag queen when I wear it. I have never in my life used blush before, but I think I like it. It makes me look like I have actual cheekbones. Who knew? I like the eyeliner because it doesn't make me look like a raccoon halfway through the day by smearing and bleeding and melting all around my eye holes.

I had my doubts about a vegan product staying put all day and being as effective as my normal products, but I have been quite pleasantly surprised. The prices are a little higher than you'd pay at the nearest Walgreens for beauty products, but are definitely on par with the department store brands. I'm impressed by the company's socially responsible business practices: from eco-friendly packaging to generous contributions to various charities. For more information about Stript makeup and where you can buy their products, click here.

but enough about me...

It was another nasty weather day today: cold, rainy, grey, and dismal. This is the perfect day to start my June book - the one I just borrowed from the local library. I was looking for a light, entertaining read and this one nearly bounced off the shelf and into my lap.

It sports a fun and flirty, girly cover. It has stars and glitter. It is non-fiction, but filled with celebrity gossip. It even has a glowing endorsement from none other than Dolly Parton. It must be good.


I didn't know anything about the book before I picked it up, but I just looked it up on Amazon and the reviews are strikingly positive. Here's a link if you'd like to learn more.

I'll keep you posted.

june 2009 - one week in

Well, let's see what kind of progress I've made during the first week of June. I think I've done quite well in terms of goals and I've even managed to do some things that weren't on my list. Her is what I have accomplished:

• get a library card
• paint the kitchen
• find/purchase a bridesmaid dress

I've done some other things that I've been meaning to do for a long time as well:

• bundle my home and auto insurance, saving a buttload of money (I'm a lazy moron for not doing this sooner, particularly since I at one time held a property/casualty insurance licensure)
• reconnect with some family/friends with whom I've lost touch (however, there is still more to do with this one)
• continue exploring professional development and potential career enhancing moves
• step outside of my comfort zone and attend gatherings I normally would avoid
• upgrade more of my projects to natural and eco-friendly alternatives

Some of these are small things, others have more impact, but all of them are making me extremely happy to add to my list of accomplishments. I'm happy with all that I've done this summer and am looking forward to doing a lot more this upcoming week to get toward polishing off the rest of my June goals.

And, this is day seven of a successful NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month). Woo hoo.

No, I'm not all about self-enlightenment and improvement these days. There is a pent-up rant about the roommate about to boil over and you will reap all of the juicy benefits.

i love me some throwback curtains

I mentioned yesterday that I purchased new pinch pleat curtains for the office and that they are magnificently wonderful. Here is a closeup of the fabulous pattern (I am fully aware that most of you will think this is atrocious):

The color isn't really showing true to form - I hope that the weather cooperates better soon so that I can get some better natural light in the office. The teal is close, but the background is really a lime color with a bit of a cold in the sheen. A better picture will follow. The flash on my moderately priced Canon is not painting a very good picture of my office as a whole today, so full shots will have to wait as well.

More to come.

bargain bandit

Yesterday, after painting the kitchen, I realized that I was in desperate need of kitchenware and felt the need for some retail therapy while on my "vacation." I was uber-successful in my shopping endeavors and found a ton of things that I was not even looking for. This is where the "pretend it's a dress" theory comes in. As I wasn't looking for a dress (or for many of the other items listed below), I was able to find the perfect one. Here is a list of things I purchased today - totaling less than $100:

• two, count them, TWO potential dresses for the wedding
• fabric matching the kitchen paint color (to be made into pillows or cushions for the adjoining living room)
• brocade pinch-pleat drapes for the office - the perfect score (posting pics tomorrow)
• a new shower curtain and liner
• two pairs of heels
• a cute denim jacket
• a yellow and orange, three-piece Pyrex mixing bowl set
• two microfiber pillow shams
• a matte white, faux bois pot

I believe there may have been a couple other little things thrown in the mix, but that's most of it. Yes, I was the bargain bandit. Can't believe what a steal the dresses were. I'll have to get pics after the man gets home so I can post them. Now I'm out for a night of merriment.

whew

I've been busy today. I painted the kitchen, got my hair cut, went to a grand opening party, and had drinks at a couple different establishments. Oh, and I watched the Burn Notice marathon on USA network. I must say that I have a bit of a crush on the leading man. It did serve as good background dialogue for my taping, prepping, painting project. I'd say that's a pretty busy day and I'm still a bit tipsy after my drinking excursions.

I'll post more about my projects tomorrow, when I plan to complete another of my June goals - getting my library card. Oh yes, I'm one exciting chica.

say huh? to the dress

I've been looking for a dress. I will be the witness for my best friend from high school's wedding. I've written about Pam before. It is a small civil ceremony including Pam, her betrothed, their parents, a judge, me and another witness. So, I suppose this role could be equated to maid of honor. This is a role I have never been put in before. Granted, the wedding is not very traditional, so the same rules do not apply, but I'm still feeling a bit o' the pressure.

Anyway, Pam has chosen a very nice J. Crew cotton dress to wear as her wedding gear. I'm now hunting for a cotton something-or-other dress that will be more casual than Pam's dress (which I have never physically seen with my own eyes). Preferably not too brightly colored, and preferably something reasonably priced that I will wear again. Yes, that is a lot of pressure, as dress shopping is a wretched, not fun event in my opinion.

Here are some reasons why dress shopping is not an acceptable form of entertainment and why I am very oft not successful in finding a dress:

• my torso appears to be the inappropriate length for dresses - don't know if this is too long or too short
• my boobs are not big enough to fill out dresses that require boobage to hold them up
• I don't like to try things on
• wearing appropriate undergarments for dress shopping is next to impossible
• I am in the in-between stage - not a junior, not an old lady, not a hooker - very difficult to find a dress that isn't tethered to one of those categories
• When I finally find something that I really like, then look at the price tag and realize I would have to get knocked up, deliver, then sell the baby to pay for the dress

Despite all of these factors working against me, I still need to have something appropriate to wear to the wedding/party. I just need to put on my big girl panties (as my friend Cheri would say) and rise to the challenge.

My friend Kristen has agreed to help me find said dress. She had a similar task when she stood up as her sister's maid of honor last month in Mexico. I'll be in Milwaukee, nowhere near as tropical, but less likely that I'll be getting murdered or come down with the next case of swine flu. Then again, it is Milwaukee, so I'd better limit it to "nowhere near as tropical," the other two are still possible.

I digress, the dress hunt commences next week Friday when I am taking another vacation day off from work. I am hoping that the dress finding adventure takes very little time so that we can also get a fast and friendly Culver's meal and maybe take in a movie as well. Of course I am also hoping that Pam blesses the dress and that I will not be mocked as the "what the fuck was she thinking wearing that to the wedding" attendee of the party. I'll post pics of said dress, when it has been procured, which will likely be accompanied by lovely tan lines, brought to you courtesy of Trish Taunts Skin Cancer.