Last weekend, Minnesota was hit with one of the worst winter storms we've ever had. We all woke up on Saturday to a thick, drift-y blanket of soft powder that swallowed up cars and consumed city streets. Minnesotans are a tough breed, but this tested us. The snow storm was immediately followed by sub-zero temperatures. Mother nature is a real bitch sometimes.
That night, a friend of mine who lives 5 blocks away invited me over to have some wine and cheese and to just generally hunker down. 'Hunkering down', for those of you who may not be native Minnesotans, is what we call being inside during a storm. You can hunker down by yourself, but it's more fun to hunker down with others. It creates the illusion of having a good time while the weather spews its evil outside.
In any case, I bundled up, packed a bottle of wine into my bag, and headed out the door. The sidewalks weren't shoveled, and there was thigh-deep snow there and in the streets. It took me almost 30 minutes to walk the 5 blocks to her house.
This storm got me thinking about what it's like to grow up Minnesotan. For one thing, it makes you physically tough. Your blood becomes a little thicker, your skin a little rougher. The weather is something to survive, not enjoy. When non-Minnesotans talk of being cold, you scoff at them. Cold? You think you're cold? It's -30 in Minnesota! Now that's cold! Choosing to live in this weather, to endure its cold hell every year, is a badge of honor. Yes, sir, I am that tough.
But I think it does something else to a person. I think it makes people mentally tough, too. I was thinking that surviving a Minnesota winter is sort of like being a captured spy, and winter is the enemy. It pushes the envelope when it comes to testing your will. No, not with bamboo shoots under fingernails, but with icy winds and dark mornings scraping a layer of ice from your car, only to find it is too cold to start. Not with sleep deprivation and water torture, but with frostbite on the skin between the cuff of your coat and your mitten. And the thing is, we don't have the option to say 'Enough! I'll tell you the location of the uranium!' or whatever. It's something we have to endure, every year, for the rest of our time here. And if you're a real Minnesotan, you must endure it with a big smile on your face.
On Sunday, I went out to shovel my car from its icy tomb. I shoveled for over an hour and a half, and then decided to take a break. As I turned to go back inside, one of my neighbors stopped shoveling, too. At the same time, we looked at each other, gave each other the exact same 'Do you believe this?' look, and started laughing in unison.
And I think that's why we all stay in Minnesota.
xo
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
On the 16th Day of Christmas
This Christmas season has been drastically different for me than others in the recent past. See, I used to be one of those people who loved Christmas and felt really Christmas-y for the 6 or so weeks preceding Christmas. When I was little, we'd always light candles on an Advent wreath, one candle for each of the weeks, and it was really special to mark the time and get excited. My family would get together and have little rituals--opening presents in order by age, reading the Christmas story, singing song, looking in our stockings and eating cookies and meatballs and the Russell Stover's candy assortment.
But something happened--I can't say exactly when--and all my warm feelings about Christmas went away. I think it was around the time I began to realize how much stress Christmas can induce. After all, until I was about 12, all I had to do was enjoy the holiday--to eat the meatballs and open my presents. Sometimes I was called upon to read the Christmas story aloud, but it was a small price to pay for the fun of the day.
One year, I noticed that I really didn't feel any differently on Christmas than I did on any other day. In fact, I felt kind of sad, as though I'd outgrown something really special and important to me. There was pressure to buy the 'perfect' presents for people, pressure to impress my family at our get-togethers, pressure to be appropriately grateful, pressures that I had never noticed before because I had been too busy enjoying the day. I tried everything, but I couldn't make myself feel that special Christmas feeling. This has sort of been the theme of Christmases since for me. It's nice to see my family, nice to get and give presents, nice to eat special things, but I've missed that unique, awesome, happy, Christmas feeling.
Well, this year, I think I have it again. I have been listening to non-stop Christmas music for over a week--I'm talking non-stop, 8 hours a day here--and I still love it. Every time that little tinkly piano starts at the beginning of that song from A Charlie Brown Christmas (you know... the 'Christmas tiiiime is heeeere' one), I get excited. The first few notes of any version of Jingle Bells makes me grin. I want to bake gingerbread cookies, drink warm, adult beverages, put up a tree, hang a wreath, and listen to Burl Ives ALL THE TIME. It's fantastic! We'll...it's fantastic for me. I'm pretty sure my co-workers want to kill me.
In any case, I hope your Christmas season is equally Christmas-y! Happy holidays!
xoxo
But something happened--I can't say exactly when--and all my warm feelings about Christmas went away. I think it was around the time I began to realize how much stress Christmas can induce. After all, until I was about 12, all I had to do was enjoy the holiday--to eat the meatballs and open my presents. Sometimes I was called upon to read the Christmas story aloud, but it was a small price to pay for the fun of the day.
One year, I noticed that I really didn't feel any differently on Christmas than I did on any other day. In fact, I felt kind of sad, as though I'd outgrown something really special and important to me. There was pressure to buy the 'perfect' presents for people, pressure to impress my family at our get-togethers, pressure to be appropriately grateful, pressures that I had never noticed before because I had been too busy enjoying the day. I tried everything, but I couldn't make myself feel that special Christmas feeling. This has sort of been the theme of Christmases since for me. It's nice to see my family, nice to get and give presents, nice to eat special things, but I've missed that unique, awesome, happy, Christmas feeling.
Well, this year, I think I have it again. I have been listening to non-stop Christmas music for over a week--I'm talking non-stop, 8 hours a day here--and I still love it. Every time that little tinkly piano starts at the beginning of that song from A Charlie Brown Christmas (you know... the 'Christmas tiiiime is heeeere' one), I get excited. The first few notes of any version of Jingle Bells makes me grin. I want to bake gingerbread cookies, drink warm, adult beverages, put up a tree, hang a wreath, and listen to Burl Ives ALL THE TIME. It's fantastic! We'll...it's fantastic for me. I'm pretty sure my co-workers want to kill me.
In any case, I hope your Christmas season is equally Christmas-y! Happy holidays!
xoxo
Sunday, November 21, 2010
While the Cat is Away, the Mouse Will Miss Him
Hey all! I know that some of you really depend on this blog to get you through your monotonous jobs or to break up your weekend or generally to keep you entertained during times of desperate boredom, and that I've let you down by not writing very often. While I'd like to promise you I'll write more, the fact is that I probably won't. If anything, the frequency might go down as the holidays approach. On the other hand, Chris has been in Alabama since November second for work and will return there after Thanksgiving for some undefined amount of time, leaving me with hours of uninterrupted time at home after work, so we'll see.
Yes, that's right, Chris is in the South. He's being treated to all the fried-food buffets and right wing politics he can handle! Actually, he's moved on from Alabama and is now in Florida, staying in a beach side hotel and eating sea food. That's how I like to think of it. The reality of the situation is that he is working 70+ hours a week and coming home to watch hotel cable. I want him home. I want him home with me right now.
In other news, last night, a couple friends and I went to Hot Pants, an old-school music dance party which used to be in a legitimate bar but has since been relegated to abandoned warehouses and other venues. Last night, it was in a gutted building with a semi-working bathroom, no heat, no liquor license(obviously) but a table with beer for sale, and no cover charge. In the third level of the building, there was apparently some kind of 'water puppet show'. What does that mean? I honestly don't know. Wet hand puppets? A tank of water with weighted marionettes? I could continue to speculate but the images that come to mind when hearing 'water puppet show' are too vast and strange for this blog. Anyway, it was one of those nights that starts somewhere relatively sane (Dulono's pizza, in this instance) and ends up in an unheated basement, dancing in your winter jacket to funk and soul while an aquatic puppet show happens two stories above you. You know how it is...right?
So...Alison and I left the party to find that Minneapolis had been coated in a sheer layer of ice. I promptly fell on my face. We ice skated to the car--I required assistance from a large, possibly drunk guy getting up the slight hill, thanks to the slippery soles of my new suede boots--and made our way home through a parking lot of a highway, complete with 15 cars blinking their hazards on the shoulder. It took an hour to drive the 1.5 miles. Alison was a crafty and able navigator. I've rarely been so happy to be in my little, toasty-warm basement apartment.
Alright, that's it from me for a while. I will try to write more. I really will.
xoxo
Yes, that's right, Chris is in the South. He's being treated to all the fried-food buffets and right wing politics he can handle! Actually, he's moved on from Alabama and is now in Florida, staying in a beach side hotel and eating sea food. That's how I like to think of it. The reality of the situation is that he is working 70+ hours a week and coming home to watch hotel cable. I want him home. I want him home with me right now.
In other news, last night, a couple friends and I went to Hot Pants, an old-school music dance party which used to be in a legitimate bar but has since been relegated to abandoned warehouses and other venues. Last night, it was in a gutted building with a semi-working bathroom, no heat, no liquor license(obviously) but a table with beer for sale, and no cover charge. In the third level of the building, there was apparently some kind of 'water puppet show'. What does that mean? I honestly don't know. Wet hand puppets? A tank of water with weighted marionettes? I could continue to speculate but the images that come to mind when hearing 'water puppet show' are too vast and strange for this blog. Anyway, it was one of those nights that starts somewhere relatively sane (Dulono's pizza, in this instance) and ends up in an unheated basement, dancing in your winter jacket to funk and soul while an aquatic puppet show happens two stories above you. You know how it is...right?
So...Alison and I left the party to find that Minneapolis had been coated in a sheer layer of ice. I promptly fell on my face. We ice skated to the car--I required assistance from a large, possibly drunk guy getting up the slight hill, thanks to the slippery soles of my new suede boots--and made our way home through a parking lot of a highway, complete with 15 cars blinking their hazards on the shoulder. It took an hour to drive the 1.5 miles. Alison was a crafty and able navigator. I've rarely been so happy to be in my little, toasty-warm basement apartment.
Alright, that's it from me for a while. I will try to write more. I really will.
xoxo
Friday, September 24, 2010
Office Life
I've had the good fortune, up until now, to have been able to work in a field I really like. Most of my work and educational experience has involved a ton of hands-on work and patient care. Before I came to this office, I was working on an inpatient mental health unit. It was a fun, difficult, sometimes emotionally-demanding job, but it was the best job I could have ever imagined. There were many times when I would find myself doing something at work, or seeing something happening there, and it would make me feel so proud or happy or thankful to the universe for putting me there to be part of it. I left every day, even after double shifts, feeling thankful for the chance to have been there. It was the kind of job I'd still do if I won the lottery. I loved it.
For a bunch of reasons, I left that job to come here, to my little cubicle, which is filled with paperwork and things that need to be organized and flowcharts tacked to the walls.
*Side note: Flowcharts are the bane of my existence, except for this one: http://www.nytimes.com/images/blogs/laughlines/panflute-flowchart.jpg.*
About 2 days into my employment here, I had two thoughts. Thought One: Oh, my God...I'm trapped here. Thought Two: Why did they hire me for this kind of job?
It's difficult to explain what I do, but here's the boil-down: I cross-check a bunch of information with a log of information and make the necessary changes. Then I call people, often without result, in an attempt to offer to schedule therapy and other kinds of appointments. Yawn!
The thing is...I've started to shift my outlook on things as a result of working here. Little things really bug me--things I never expected to bother me, and probably shouldn't. Here is a Top Ten list of things that are bothersome in my office life:
10. They just told us we can't listen to the radio on our computers because it takes up too much bandwidth. The radio used to be the thing that kept me sane here. It's too quiet now!
9. The candy dish. My boss continually fills a little glass dish in our office with candy. No, it's not the temptation or anything that gets to me. I don't really have much of a sweet tooth, which is great because if I did, I'd have packed on about 20 pounds by now because it is always, always full. No, the thing that bugs me is my boss and the candy dish. She comes over and gets candy about 10-15 times a day, each time telling me how 'if the candy dish is far away from her desk, she at least has to get up to get some, which makes her eat less of it'. She also sings little songs about chocolate when she's over there. She's like a heroin addict, but her addiction is glucose.
8. The temperature. The office next door is affected by our thermostat, so there is a little, passive-aggressive war waged every time the heat is adjusted. Minutes after we turn up the heat, someone from the other office will slink over and make it look like they're using the fax machine. Then you hear that little 'hisss' noise of the thermostat being turned down. It is alternately hot, then freezing, then hot again, throughout the day. I don't know how to dress anymore.
7. The bathroom. I could write an entire book about the psychology of women in a shared bathroom, but I won't get into it too far. A few weeks ago, someone left a note that said, "I KNOW MOST OF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT HOW CLEAN THIS BATHROOM IS BUT SOME PEOPLE DO SO WHY DON'T YOU RESPECT US AND CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELVES!" I love the all-capital lettered, poorly-punctuated sentiment.
6. My boss. My boss is oddly passive. As in, she'll send out an email to everyone that is not really directed at anyone, but is clearly aimed at one person in the office. She uses 'sandwiching', which is a Psych 101 classic. It's where you tell someone bad news, but cushion it on either side with good news. Like, "Hey, you're doing a great job here. We're going to have to let you go, though, because you really screwed the pooch on that report last week. Your hair has never looked better, though!"
5. The technology. I hate the copier and fax machine with most fibers of my being. Their beeping and malfunctioning may someday give me an ulcer.
4. Smokers. Why is it that this office rewards people for leaving their desk, going outside and standing there for 10 minutes every hour while polluting their bodies and my air? What if I took my cup of tea outside for 10 minutes on the hour, and then still took my lunch hour? Oh, that's not OK? Hmph.
3. My cubicle. It's like being in a small, cramped, messy shoebox full of post-it notes.
2. The fact that they're turning something as important and humane as mental health care into a money-making business, and I'm just sitting in my cubicle, along for the corporate ride.
1. It's not my other job.
With that said, I feel incredibly lucky to have a job. Maybe I shouldn't even post this....nah, I'm going to.
Hope you all are well!
xo
For a bunch of reasons, I left that job to come here, to my little cubicle, which is filled with paperwork and things that need to be organized and flowcharts tacked to the walls.
*Side note: Flowcharts are the bane of my existence, except for this one: http://www.nytimes.com/images/blogs/laughlines/panflute-flowchart.jpg.*
About 2 days into my employment here, I had two thoughts. Thought One: Oh, my God...I'm trapped here. Thought Two: Why did they hire me for this kind of job?
It's difficult to explain what I do, but here's the boil-down: I cross-check a bunch of information with a log of information and make the necessary changes. Then I call people, often without result, in an attempt to offer to schedule therapy and other kinds of appointments. Yawn!
The thing is...I've started to shift my outlook on things as a result of working here. Little things really bug me--things I never expected to bother me, and probably shouldn't. Here is a Top Ten list of things that are bothersome in my office life:
10. They just told us we can't listen to the radio on our computers because it takes up too much bandwidth. The radio used to be the thing that kept me sane here. It's too quiet now!
9. The candy dish. My boss continually fills a little glass dish in our office with candy. No, it's not the temptation or anything that gets to me. I don't really have much of a sweet tooth, which is great because if I did, I'd have packed on about 20 pounds by now because it is always, always full. No, the thing that bugs me is my boss and the candy dish. She comes over and gets candy about 10-15 times a day, each time telling me how 'if the candy dish is far away from her desk, she at least has to get up to get some, which makes her eat less of it'. She also sings little songs about chocolate when she's over there. She's like a heroin addict, but her addiction is glucose.
8. The temperature. The office next door is affected by our thermostat, so there is a little, passive-aggressive war waged every time the heat is adjusted. Minutes after we turn up the heat, someone from the other office will slink over and make it look like they're using the fax machine. Then you hear that little 'hisss' noise of the thermostat being turned down. It is alternately hot, then freezing, then hot again, throughout the day. I don't know how to dress anymore.
7. The bathroom. I could write an entire book about the psychology of women in a shared bathroom, but I won't get into it too far. A few weeks ago, someone left a note that said, "I KNOW MOST OF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT HOW CLEAN THIS BATHROOM IS BUT SOME PEOPLE DO SO WHY DON'T YOU RESPECT US AND CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELVES!" I love the all-capital lettered, poorly-punctuated sentiment.
6. My boss. My boss is oddly passive. As in, she'll send out an email to everyone that is not really directed at anyone, but is clearly aimed at one person in the office. She uses 'sandwiching', which is a Psych 101 classic. It's where you tell someone bad news, but cushion it on either side with good news. Like, "Hey, you're doing a great job here. We're going to have to let you go, though, because you really screwed the pooch on that report last week. Your hair has never looked better, though!"
5. The technology. I hate the copier and fax machine with most fibers of my being. Their beeping and malfunctioning may someday give me an ulcer.
4. Smokers. Why is it that this office rewards people for leaving their desk, going outside and standing there for 10 minutes every hour while polluting their bodies and my air? What if I took my cup of tea outside for 10 minutes on the hour, and then still took my lunch hour? Oh, that's not OK? Hmph.
3. My cubicle. It's like being in a small, cramped, messy shoebox full of post-it notes.
2. The fact that they're turning something as important and humane as mental health care into a money-making business, and I'm just sitting in my cubicle, along for the corporate ride.
1. It's not my other job.
With that said, I feel incredibly lucky to have a job. Maybe I shouldn't even post this....nah, I'm going to.
Hope you all are well!
xo
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
I'm Taking My Lunch Hour Back!
It's a little childish of me, but I'm writing this on company time. This is because yesterday, one of my co-workers was out and I ended up not only working late, but working through my lunch hour, and because they had me sit through an hour-long presentation about what my own department does, complete with statistics and facts, during today's lunch hour. Note to management: Giving me pizza does not affect my judgment. I'm not fooled into thinking I've had a break from work!
So, I've been doing a little looking around at what other people blog about, and it's come to my attention that I am in the minority as a blogger because I don't write about God or babies. Seriously, click through the 'Next Blog' feature at the top left. It is almost certain that you will run into a blog about people's babies or their opinion about God in less than 3 clicks. That got me thinking about who exactly reads people's blogs. I happen to know exactly who is reading this one (hello Chris, Mom, my father-in-law Peter, and Mary!). Maybe all blogs are limited to people's close friends and families, which explains all the baby news. But the God blogs? Who's reading those?
This blog won't venture into the topic of God or babies. Wait, I will mention that my mom did remind me to start taking Folic Acid if I want to have babies soon, and my dad recently bought a set of children's books 'for the future'. And while I'm sure that any babies Chris and I have will be quite literate, I'm also surprised that the biological clock's tick is loud enough for my parents to hear, too. That's all on that!
Since I last wrote, Chris and I have been out to Scotland for his sister, Alison's wedding. It was an incredibly beautiful ceremony and was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. I would post some pictures, but once again, I am at work. Alison was a beautiful bride and I'm pretty thrilled to have her husband, Martin, as my new brother-in-law.
Chris has kept his employment at Wunderlich-Malech. They like him a lot over there, and he doesn't hate it, so it's a win-win situation. I am also still employed, as you know (since I'm writing this from work) and it's pretty OK. Meh, I don't want to talk about work. Plus, what if they have some kind of 'Internet spyware thing' and they read this? Trust me, you're not missing anything interesting.
Chris, my mom and I ran a 10-mile race on Saturday! I keep thinking back to my college years when running 2 or 3 miles felt like a big deal. I also think back to my mom's first run, when she ran less than half a mile and announced she didn't want to run anymore, ever. We both kept going and then we did this, and it's pretty amazing. Also, I'm amazed at how awesome/unfair it is that Chris can just decide to run 10 miles and be done with it, while I have to really give it some effort and train for it for months. Lucky duck...I acquired some bruised toenails during the race, which I've been told are a badge of honor for distance runners, so I feel legitimate now. The day after the race, I managed to step on a rusty nail and had to get a tetanus shot. Between the nail mark and the toenails, I've had to accept the sad truth that I will never be a foot model. Sigh.
OK, that's it from me for now! I hope you're all doing well.
xo
So, I've been doing a little looking around at what other people blog about, and it's come to my attention that I am in the minority as a blogger because I don't write about God or babies. Seriously, click through the 'Next Blog' feature at the top left. It is almost certain that you will run into a blog about people's babies or their opinion about God in less than 3 clicks. That got me thinking about who exactly reads people's blogs. I happen to know exactly who is reading this one (hello Chris, Mom, my father-in-law Peter, and Mary!). Maybe all blogs are limited to people's close friends and families, which explains all the baby news. But the God blogs? Who's reading those?
This blog won't venture into the topic of God or babies. Wait, I will mention that my mom did remind me to start taking Folic Acid if I want to have babies soon, and my dad recently bought a set of children's books 'for the future'. And while I'm sure that any babies Chris and I have will be quite literate, I'm also surprised that the biological clock's tick is loud enough for my parents to hear, too. That's all on that!
Since I last wrote, Chris and I have been out to Scotland for his sister, Alison's wedding. It was an incredibly beautiful ceremony and was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. I would post some pictures, but once again, I am at work. Alison was a beautiful bride and I'm pretty thrilled to have her husband, Martin, as my new brother-in-law.
Chris has kept his employment at Wunderlich-Malech. They like him a lot over there, and he doesn't hate it, so it's a win-win situation. I am also still employed, as you know (since I'm writing this from work) and it's pretty OK. Meh, I don't want to talk about work. Plus, what if they have some kind of 'Internet spyware thing' and they read this? Trust me, you're not missing anything interesting.
Chris, my mom and I ran a 10-mile race on Saturday! I keep thinking back to my college years when running 2 or 3 miles felt like a big deal. I also think back to my mom's first run, when she ran less than half a mile and announced she didn't want to run anymore, ever. We both kept going and then we did this, and it's pretty amazing. Also, I'm amazed at how awesome/unfair it is that Chris can just decide to run 10 miles and be done with it, while I have to really give it some effort and train for it for months. Lucky duck...I acquired some bruised toenails during the race, which I've been told are a badge of honor for distance runners, so I feel legitimate now. The day after the race, I managed to step on a rusty nail and had to get a tetanus shot. Between the nail mark and the toenails, I've had to accept the sad truth that I will never be a foot model. Sigh.
OK, that's it from me for now! I hope you're all doing well.
xo
Friday, May 21, 2010
The Wunder of it All
Well, hello. It's been awhile!
A lot has happened since I last wrote. So much has happened, in fact, that if I were to attempt to write about all of it in one posting, it would quickly become much too long to be enjoyable, and halfway through it you would say to yourself, "Yikes, enough already--I get it!" or something similarly irritated. To avoid this, I'll make another Top Five List.
5. I'm still working at the same job. It is a sort of monotonous job with great hours and great benefits, so I can't complain too much. It is just...so mind-numbing. So, SO mind-numbing. However, I work with a colorful cast of characters including the woman who thinks her baby is the most interesting and adorable baby on Earth, the guy who wears a 3-piece suit every single day, the chipper new girl who does not have an internal dialogue and snorts every time she laughs, and the pair of ladies who hover around the microwave and discuss their tumultuous personal lives during standard lunchtime (I always rush to microwave my veggie corn dog/burritos/soup quickly so as not to disturb them or hear too much).
4. Speaking of work...Chris started a job at an engineering company called Wunderlich Malech! I could not be more happy and proud of him. It's not any kind of motherly pride, either, it's more of a 'Ohhh yeah, my wagon is hitched to THAT star' kind of pride. He's SO good at this new job, in fact, that they've practically begged him to work overtime, even though it will cost them a boatload of cash. He's that good. Sorry, ladies, he's taken.
3. Speaking of being taken, Chris and I had our official wedding celebration. Chris' parents and his sister and her fiance came over for the party. It was so nice to say our vows in front of his family and our friends. The party was so much fun, and I spent most of the evening either laughing, dancing, hugging people and crying (happily). Mary made a speech that made me laugh and cry (it was a top ten list!), the food was great, and we made out like bandits on the dollar dance. It will probably go down as one of the happiest nights of my life.
2. Chris' family had planned on being in Minnesota for a week, but that Icelandic volcano erupted and everything got disrupted. They ended up getting to stay for another week! The weather was great throughout their trip and it was so nice to get to spend more time with them. The next time we see them will be in August for Alison's wedding! Chris and I are really excited for that trip. She is getting married in a castle (which, according to Alison, "everyone does") and all the women can wear big hats. Is this not the best-sounding wedding ever? Let me just repeat that: Scotland, castle, BIG HATS.
1. One of the best things to happen since I last wrote is that Chris got his Green Card! We had our 'big, scary' interview (which turned out to be not-so-big and only a little scary) last week. I guess the Department of Homeland Security just needed to hear it from Chris that he did not have any plans to overthrow the government and that we are, in fact, a real couple. He found out he was approved on Wednesday. Since some people have asked, I will clarify: He is NOT an American citizen now. He can't vote or...well, I think that's where the limits start and stop. He just can't vote. Anyway, he doesn't have dual citizenship or anything cool like that. He just gets to live here if he wants.
There are a few other smaller things--my mom and I starting training for our 10-mile race, seeing Frightened Rabbit at the Varsity, our weekend at The Otter up north--that will, unfortunately, not make it into this post. It's for your own good--this post could go on for days if I let it!
Hope all of you are well.
xo
A lot has happened since I last wrote. So much has happened, in fact, that if I were to attempt to write about all of it in one posting, it would quickly become much too long to be enjoyable, and halfway through it you would say to yourself, "Yikes, enough already--I get it!" or something similarly irritated. To avoid this, I'll make another Top Five List.
5. I'm still working at the same job. It is a sort of monotonous job with great hours and great benefits, so I can't complain too much. It is just...so mind-numbing. So, SO mind-numbing. However, I work with a colorful cast of characters including the woman who thinks her baby is the most interesting and adorable baby on Earth, the guy who wears a 3-piece suit every single day, the chipper new girl who does not have an internal dialogue and snorts every time she laughs, and the pair of ladies who hover around the microwave and discuss their tumultuous personal lives during standard lunchtime (I always rush to microwave my veggie corn dog/burritos/soup quickly so as not to disturb them or hear too much).
4. Speaking of work...Chris started a job at an engineering company called Wunderlich Malech! I could not be more happy and proud of him. It's not any kind of motherly pride, either, it's more of a 'Ohhh yeah, my wagon is hitched to THAT star' kind of pride. He's SO good at this new job, in fact, that they've practically begged him to work overtime, even though it will cost them a boatload of cash. He's that good. Sorry, ladies, he's taken.
3. Speaking of being taken, Chris and I had our official wedding celebration. Chris' parents and his sister and her fiance came over for the party. It was so nice to say our vows in front of his family and our friends. The party was so much fun, and I spent most of the evening either laughing, dancing, hugging people and crying (happily). Mary made a speech that made me laugh and cry (it was a top ten list!), the food was great, and we made out like bandits on the dollar dance. It will probably go down as one of the happiest nights of my life.
2. Chris' family had planned on being in Minnesota for a week, but that Icelandic volcano erupted and everything got disrupted. They ended up getting to stay for another week! The weather was great throughout their trip and it was so nice to get to spend more time with them. The next time we see them will be in August for Alison's wedding! Chris and I are really excited for that trip. She is getting married in a castle (which, according to Alison, "everyone does") and all the women can wear big hats. Is this not the best-sounding wedding ever? Let me just repeat that: Scotland, castle, BIG HATS.
1. One of the best things to happen since I last wrote is that Chris got his Green Card! We had our 'big, scary' interview (which turned out to be not-so-big and only a little scary) last week. I guess the Department of Homeland Security just needed to hear it from Chris that he did not have any plans to overthrow the government and that we are, in fact, a real couple. He found out he was approved on Wednesday. Since some people have asked, I will clarify: He is NOT an American citizen now. He can't vote or...well, I think that's where the limits start and stop. He just can't vote. Anyway, he doesn't have dual citizenship or anything cool like that. He just gets to live here if he wants.
There are a few other smaller things--my mom and I starting training for our 10-mile race, seeing Frightened Rabbit at the Varsity, our weekend at The Otter up north--that will, unfortunately, not make it into this post. It's for your own good--this post could go on for days if I let it!
Hope all of you are well.
xo
Saturday, March 27, 2010
The Top Five Things That Have Happened Since I Wrote Last
In no particular order...
1.) Chris and I went to a bridal shower in Austin (where I grew up). On the drive down, we hammered out the rest of the wedding details (which resulted in me reverting to a 15 year old, but was actually pretty helpful). The shower was fun--we played some games and ate delicious coconut cake and then Chris and I opened the biggest pile of presents ever. At one point, the pile was getting smaller and I was already beginning to wonder where all these new things were going to go in our tiny apartment, and then I looked over to the other side of the room and realized there was ANOTHER pile of presents over there, and that we were only halfway through. And then I got to thinking, wow, people sure are generous when you get married, which is sort of odd because, technically, when you get married, you are much more financially stable than when you're single... But then someone gave us a cool set of stacking green colanders and a stainless steel toaster and all thought went out the window. Afterward, we got to spend some time with Mary's family. At this time, there are 6 boys between the ages of 17-21 living in that house. Our time there was like being inside a fun, talkative, testosterone tornado....with pizza!
2.) Speaking of the wedding (and aren't we always?), I ordered the cake yesterday. Well, wait, let me clarify--I ordered the sheet cake yesterday. I stopped by the Rainbow bakery to see if I could order from them, and the girl who took my order was so nice, I ended up placing the order then and there. After talking about the order for a bit, she asked "Is this for your wedding?" When I confirmed that it was, she exclaimed, "Are you SO excited?!" And I realized that yes, YES I AM! I am excited! She also wanted me to get some sort of an inscription on the cake (she suggested 'We're so happy to be married!') but I gently steered her away from that. So, everyone will be enjoying wordless chocolate cake with buttercream frosting and pink roses.
3.) Chris went back in for his second appointment to get fingerprints taken as part of his Green Card applications. I didn't mind having to take the morning off work, and he said it was easier this time, and we're both hoping this is one of the last steps until he gets his permission to work! He has been patient for five months, but I think his patience is starting to wear a little thin. I don't blame him. I would have been writing a novel consisting of only 'No work makes Christina a dull girl' by now.
4.) Chris and I joined a gym! It's great. I'll spare you the sweaty details and say only that I am enjoying TurboKick and Chris is rowing his way to even manlier arms.
5.) We got the car back from Feist! I think after the last blog posting, it was another 6 days until we got the car for good. I think they were quite embarrassed about the whole thing because when I did go in to pick it up for the last time, no one came out to talk to me. Someone just handed me the keys and sent me on my way. Lame.
Hope you're well!
xo
1.) Chris and I went to a bridal shower in Austin (where I grew up). On the drive down, we hammered out the rest of the wedding details (which resulted in me reverting to a 15 year old, but was actually pretty helpful). The shower was fun--we played some games and ate delicious coconut cake and then Chris and I opened the biggest pile of presents ever. At one point, the pile was getting smaller and I was already beginning to wonder where all these new things were going to go in our tiny apartment, and then I looked over to the other side of the room and realized there was ANOTHER pile of presents over there, and that we were only halfway through. And then I got to thinking, wow, people sure are generous when you get married, which is sort of odd because, technically, when you get married, you are much more financially stable than when you're single... But then someone gave us a cool set of stacking green colanders and a stainless steel toaster and all thought went out the window. Afterward, we got to spend some time with Mary's family. At this time, there are 6 boys between the ages of 17-21 living in that house. Our time there was like being inside a fun, talkative, testosterone tornado....with pizza!
2.) Speaking of the wedding (and aren't we always?), I ordered the cake yesterday. Well, wait, let me clarify--I ordered the sheet cake yesterday. I stopped by the Rainbow bakery to see if I could order from them, and the girl who took my order was so nice, I ended up placing the order then and there. After talking about the order for a bit, she asked "Is this for your wedding?" When I confirmed that it was, she exclaimed, "Are you SO excited?!" And I realized that yes, YES I AM! I am excited! She also wanted me to get some sort of an inscription on the cake (she suggested 'We're so happy to be married!') but I gently steered her away from that. So, everyone will be enjoying wordless chocolate cake with buttercream frosting and pink roses.
3.) Chris went back in for his second appointment to get fingerprints taken as part of his Green Card applications. I didn't mind having to take the morning off work, and he said it was easier this time, and we're both hoping this is one of the last steps until he gets his permission to work! He has been patient for five months, but I think his patience is starting to wear a little thin. I don't blame him. I would have been writing a novel consisting of only 'No work makes Christina a dull girl' by now.
4.) Chris and I joined a gym! It's great. I'll spare you the sweaty details and say only that I am enjoying TurboKick and Chris is rowing his way to even manlier arms.
5.) We got the car back from Feist! I think after the last blog posting, it was another 6 days until we got the car for good. I think they were quite embarrassed about the whole thing because when I did go in to pick it up for the last time, no one came out to talk to me. Someone just handed me the keys and sent me on my way. Lame.
Hope you're well!
xo
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
An Open Letter to Feist Auto Repair
Dear Feist,
We need to talk. Actually, I have some things to say, and you need to listen. I brought my car to you because you were close to my workplace. You see, my car was overheating and bringing my car to you for a fix would allow me to go to work. I've had water pumps replaced before--I know it shouldn't have taken more than a few hours.
On the first day, you called me with a sort of sensible-sounding estimate. Sure, $470 is a lot of money, but the last water pump I replaced cost me $400, and you, Feist, said my belts need replacing. Things made sense. I trusted you. I should have just driven away while I could...
I have to tell you, I began to doubt that I could trust you completely when you told me, at the end of the first day, that the parts you ordered for my car hadn't arrived. I got a small boost of confidence when you offered to loan me your Jeep Cherokee so I could drive around over the course of the weekend. I was grateful to you, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw you had left 3/4 of a tank of gas for me.
On Saturday, I had to visit you again to pick up something I had left behind. My heart skipped a beat in a different way when one of your creepy mechanics cornered me in the parking lot and told me my poor car needed an additional $1,000 in work. I left you, but you stayed in my thoughts for the rest of the weekend.
On Monday, Feist, you called in the afternoon to say you weren't done with my car. I thought this was odd, since the last time I had this done to a car, it only took about 7 hours. 'Maybe Feist is having a tough time letting go', I thought.
On Tuesday, I didn't hear from you. Finally, I couldn't wait any more. I broke down and called you, but instead of ending things, things got more complicated. 'Things' weren't finished. I left in the Jeep Cherokee, unfulfilled.
Finally, on Wednesday, you called me. It took you quite some time, but you sounded so happy to hear my voice. 'It's over', you said, and I thought our relationship was really coming to an end this time.
I went to you for what I thought was the last time. You charged me a little more than what I had expected and got upset when I questioned it, but we worked through it. I was ready to leave you. I got in the car. With bated breath, I turned the key...
...but the car wouldn't let me leave. It wanted desperately for us to be together. I went back to the store, and you came out to look at the car again. It started, but I wasn't ready to go. I told you it had never had this problem before, that it had always been easy to leave, and you reassured me everything was going to be OK. Although I had been hurt before, I trusted you.
I got home. Late at night, I got the urge to test out your theory. I bundled up when I should have been sleeping and went outside. Because I trusted you, I wasn't nervous...
...but the car wouldn't go. You told me you'd take me back, and I had no choice but to go with you.
Feist, I want to leave you, to forget that I've ever met you, but you won't let me. Please, please, let me go.
Yours forever (apparently),
Christina
We need to talk. Actually, I have some things to say, and you need to listen. I brought my car to you because you were close to my workplace. You see, my car was overheating and bringing my car to you for a fix would allow me to go to work. I've had water pumps replaced before--I know it shouldn't have taken more than a few hours.
On the first day, you called me with a sort of sensible-sounding estimate. Sure, $470 is a lot of money, but the last water pump I replaced cost me $400, and you, Feist, said my belts need replacing. Things made sense. I trusted you. I should have just driven away while I could...
I have to tell you, I began to doubt that I could trust you completely when you told me, at the end of the first day, that the parts you ordered for my car hadn't arrived. I got a small boost of confidence when you offered to loan me your Jeep Cherokee so I could drive around over the course of the weekend. I was grateful to you, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw you had left 3/4 of a tank of gas for me.
On Saturday, I had to visit you again to pick up something I had left behind. My heart skipped a beat in a different way when one of your creepy mechanics cornered me in the parking lot and told me my poor car needed an additional $1,000 in work. I left you, but you stayed in my thoughts for the rest of the weekend.
On Monday, Feist, you called in the afternoon to say you weren't done with my car. I thought this was odd, since the last time I had this done to a car, it only took about 7 hours. 'Maybe Feist is having a tough time letting go', I thought.
On Tuesday, I didn't hear from you. Finally, I couldn't wait any more. I broke down and called you, but instead of ending things, things got more complicated. 'Things' weren't finished. I left in the Jeep Cherokee, unfulfilled.
Finally, on Wednesday, you called me. It took you quite some time, but you sounded so happy to hear my voice. 'It's over', you said, and I thought our relationship was really coming to an end this time.
I went to you for what I thought was the last time. You charged me a little more than what I had expected and got upset when I questioned it, but we worked through it. I was ready to leave you. I got in the car. With bated breath, I turned the key...
...but the car wouldn't let me leave. It wanted desperately for us to be together. I went back to the store, and you came out to look at the car again. It started, but I wasn't ready to go. I told you it had never had this problem before, that it had always been easy to leave, and you reassured me everything was going to be OK. Although I had been hurt before, I trusted you.
I got home. Late at night, I got the urge to test out your theory. I bundled up when I should have been sleeping and went outside. Because I trusted you, I wasn't nervous...
...but the car wouldn't go. You told me you'd take me back, and I had no choice but to go with you.
Feist, I want to leave you, to forget that I've ever met you, but you won't let me. Please, please, let me go.
Yours forever (apparently),
Christina
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Picosa? More like Stupid-cosa!
Hi again! I know what you're thinking--two posts in one day? Yes, well, I have a good reason. I mean, it's as good a reason to blog as any reason to blog. Chris and I just went to the WORST restaurant we've EVER been to! It's a little thrilling to say that actually. I can't wait to write about it, hence the late-night blog.
OK, here we go. So, this afternoon, Chris and I decided to use a gift certificate we'd gotten to Picosa, so I called to make a reservation. I think I should have been alerted to how bad things were going to be by the fact that, when I asked for a table at 7:30 or 8, the guy laughed and said "Oh, no problem, you can come either time!" in a way that implied he didn't expect anyone to be there.
Anyway, we arrived and realized the street parking available was lined with meters that are monitored every day until midnight. That's not the restaurant's fault, but it's just an irritation. We fished as many quarters as we could find out of our pockets, purses and jackets, which bought us 1 hour and 15 minutes. I thought that should be enough time to go in and have a moderately-paced dinner.
We were seated at 8:00. No one acknowledged us after that for awhile. We sat there for about 15 minutes before a sweet but sort of harassed-looking waitress came over to take our drink orders. I ordered a vodka tonic and Chris got a bottle of beer. I'm not a certified bartender, but I don't think those drinks require 20 minutes to make. Why we had to wait that long is a bit of a riddle wrapped in a mystery. Finally, they arrived, sans glass of water, which just meant that I drank my drink like water and spent a portion of the evening in a boozy fog. This, I think is why I didn't mind waiting almost an hour for my first course. Chris had duck empanadas with some sort of sauce-trio (one of which was orange and, surprise-surprise, tasted of oranges), and I had a shrimp, scallop and asparagus thing that was pretty OK. Midway through his first course, Chris commented that his empanadas tasted like a chicken bake, which is a British fast-food thing, like a hand-held chicken pot pie. In any case, it wasn't a compliment. When the waitress eventually got to our table to clear the plates, she informed us we should keep our silverware (just like at Grandma's on Thanksgiving!).
After our little dishes, we got a plate of tacos to share. The waitress brought out a single plate, but then offered to go back and get a second plate. Not wanting to ask too much of her, and not wanting to wait that long, we just said we'd share. Now...tacos aren't really a thing that you can eat without a plate underneath you. We ended up taking turns eating. My tacos (beef and veggie) were pretty bland. The beef one tasted like taking a big bite of a roast beef dinner with sour cream. Even the guacamole was bland. Chris looked decidedly disappointed while eating the pork and chicken tacos. When it was over, the waitress didn't come over for another 20 minutes. At that point, our meter had run out about 20 minutes ago. I did one more search for quarters, but found none. Chris took a pitiful handful of change to the bar and had it converted into two quarters, which bought us 30 more minutes at Picosa. We needed them.
We decided to use the rest of the gift certificate, even though every ounce of ourselves were urging us to drop the payment on the table and run away. The poor waitress came back and we ordered a piece of tres leche cake. When it arrived almost 25 minutes later, it was good, but by then we were just ready to leave.
In short, the food was alright and the service was teeeerrrrriiibbbblle! Just effing terrible!
That's all. Happy Sunday!
xo
OK, here we go. So, this afternoon, Chris and I decided to use a gift certificate we'd gotten to Picosa, so I called to make a reservation. I think I should have been alerted to how bad things were going to be by the fact that, when I asked for a table at 7:30 or 8, the guy laughed and said "Oh, no problem, you can come either time!" in a way that implied he didn't expect anyone to be there.
Anyway, we arrived and realized the street parking available was lined with meters that are monitored every day until midnight. That's not the restaurant's fault, but it's just an irritation. We fished as many quarters as we could find out of our pockets, purses and jackets, which bought us 1 hour and 15 minutes. I thought that should be enough time to go in and have a moderately-paced dinner.
We were seated at 8:00. No one acknowledged us after that for awhile. We sat there for about 15 minutes before a sweet but sort of harassed-looking waitress came over to take our drink orders. I ordered a vodka tonic and Chris got a bottle of beer. I'm not a certified bartender, but I don't think those drinks require 20 minutes to make. Why we had to wait that long is a bit of a riddle wrapped in a mystery. Finally, they arrived, sans glass of water, which just meant that I drank my drink like water and spent a portion of the evening in a boozy fog. This, I think is why I didn't mind waiting almost an hour for my first course. Chris had duck empanadas with some sort of sauce-trio (one of which was orange and, surprise-surprise, tasted of oranges), and I had a shrimp, scallop and asparagus thing that was pretty OK. Midway through his first course, Chris commented that his empanadas tasted like a chicken bake, which is a British fast-food thing, like a hand-held chicken pot pie. In any case, it wasn't a compliment. When the waitress eventually got to our table to clear the plates, she informed us we should keep our silverware (just like at Grandma's on Thanksgiving!).
After our little dishes, we got a plate of tacos to share. The waitress brought out a single plate, but then offered to go back and get a second plate. Not wanting to ask too much of her, and not wanting to wait that long, we just said we'd share. Now...tacos aren't really a thing that you can eat without a plate underneath you. We ended up taking turns eating. My tacos (beef and veggie) were pretty bland. The beef one tasted like taking a big bite of a roast beef dinner with sour cream. Even the guacamole was bland. Chris looked decidedly disappointed while eating the pork and chicken tacos. When it was over, the waitress didn't come over for another 20 minutes. At that point, our meter had run out about 20 minutes ago. I did one more search for quarters, but found none. Chris took a pitiful handful of change to the bar and had it converted into two quarters, which bought us 30 more minutes at Picosa. We needed them.
We decided to use the rest of the gift certificate, even though every ounce of ourselves were urging us to drop the payment on the table and run away. The poor waitress came back and we ordered a piece of tres leche cake. When it arrived almost 25 minutes later, it was good, but by then we were just ready to leave.
In short, the food was alright and the service was teeeerrrrriiibbbblle! Just effing terrible!
That's all. Happy Sunday!
xo
10 Things that Happened This Week
10. My car began to overheat, which lead to me taking it in to the garage, which lead to them estimating it would cost over $470 to fix. NOOOOOoooooo!
9. The new girl started at work. For some reason, they hired the 'fresh-out-of college' girl who lives in a house with 8(!) other people over someone with a Master's degree and lots of experience. Um...what?! Granted, I may be biased because I know and like the person they turned down, but I just can't see what happened here. (Don't worry, I'm being nice to her. We're just busy and we need her to 'get it' soon, and I'm concerned, that's all.)
8. My mom's nice friends hosted my very first bridal shower on Tuesday. It was nice--we watched Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (which surprised me by being sort of really enjoyable) and they gave me presents! Who knew that all you had to do to get new home accessories was find the right person and commit to them for the rest of your life?
7. I was sick on Wednesday. I took my first sick day at the new job and just laid in bed and felt feverish. Gross.
6. Alison gave me a bunch of clothes she was going to donate. Two days this week, I've worn what I call 'Alison outfits'.
5. Chris and I joined the YMCA. I'm going to Body Pump with Dessia this morning. I swear, I've heard more about Body Pump in the past 2 years (yes, I heard about it in Scotland!) than anything else. I'd estimate 57% of my conversations in the past 2 years have somehow included at least one mention of Body Pump. I am expecting the exercise equivalent of crystal meth.
4. Speaking of crystal meth, Chris has got me watching Breaking Bad, which is a show about a high school chemistry teacher who, because he is diagnosed with lung cancer, begins to cook crystal meth with a former student in hopes of leaving a lot of money behind for his family.
3. I walked 4 miles during my lunch break yesterday to get a Michael Pollan book from the library.
2. Chris and I went to Twilight: New Moon last night. I am embarrassed. It was AWFUL.
1. I went to a wedding planning meeting and had to choose between white and ivory linens. I chose white.
9. The new girl started at work. For some reason, they hired the 'fresh-out-of college' girl who lives in a house with 8(!) other people over someone with a Master's degree and lots of experience. Um...what?! Granted, I may be biased because I know and like the person they turned down, but I just can't see what happened here. (Don't worry, I'm being nice to her. We're just busy and we need her to 'get it' soon, and I'm concerned, that's all.)
8. My mom's nice friends hosted my very first bridal shower on Tuesday. It was nice--we watched Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (which surprised me by being sort of really enjoyable) and they gave me presents! Who knew that all you had to do to get new home accessories was find the right person and commit to them for the rest of your life?
7. I was sick on Wednesday. I took my first sick day at the new job and just laid in bed and felt feverish. Gross.
6. Alison gave me a bunch of clothes she was going to donate. Two days this week, I've worn what I call 'Alison outfits'.
5. Chris and I joined the YMCA. I'm going to Body Pump with Dessia this morning. I swear, I've heard more about Body Pump in the past 2 years (yes, I heard about it in Scotland!) than anything else. I'd estimate 57% of my conversations in the past 2 years have somehow included at least one mention of Body Pump. I am expecting the exercise equivalent of crystal meth.
4. Speaking of crystal meth, Chris has got me watching Breaking Bad, which is a show about a high school chemistry teacher who, because he is diagnosed with lung cancer, begins to cook crystal meth with a former student in hopes of leaving a lot of money behind for his family.
3. I walked 4 miles during my lunch break yesterday to get a Michael Pollan book from the library.
2. Chris and I went to Twilight: New Moon last night. I am embarrassed. It was AWFUL.
1. I went to a wedding planning meeting and had to choose between white and ivory linens. I chose white.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Top Ten
Chris says if I want more people to read my blog, I should write a few 'top ten' lists. Apparently, lists in general are a hot commodity on the Internet. But since I don't really mind the fact that it's mostly just Chris and Mary that read this, I thought I'd write a 'top ten' list about them.
So...here are my top ten favorite things about Chris and Mary.
10. Almost every day, Chris offers to get out of bed at the crack of dawn, even though he doesn't need to, to make me breakfast and/or to pack a lunch for me.
9. Mary and I can have an entire conversation with our eyes and facial expressions. This ability develops only after 20 years of friendship.
8. Chris likes to play with me. I come home most days to Chris wanting to play cards or Monopoly or Mario Brothers with me. I feel really lucky to have someone who loves and likes me and wants to play games with me.
7. The look I gave Mary in Mexico when I saw something in front of me that was shocking, which, without a single word, prompted an "I know!" from her.
6. Chris lets me put my ice-cold feet against his warm legs in bed.
5. Mary moved in, then out...and then back into an apartment because I needed her to. She still speaks to me. THAT is friendship.
4. Chris always fills up my water bottle for me before bed, every single night, so when I wake up thirsty I always have a drink waiting.
3. Mary shares her family with me. We lived together at her house and laughed all the time, and her mom loved having us both there (at least that's what she said).
2. Chris gets along well with my family. More often than not, I find him and my mom cracking up together. My family all love him and everyone thinks I made the right choice. (I agree!)
1. Mary likes Chris, and Chris likes Mary. Best. Thing. Ever.
So...here are my top ten favorite things about Chris and Mary.
10. Almost every day, Chris offers to get out of bed at the crack of dawn, even though he doesn't need to, to make me breakfast and/or to pack a lunch for me.
9. Mary and I can have an entire conversation with our eyes and facial expressions. This ability develops only after 20 years of friendship.
8. Chris likes to play with me. I come home most days to Chris wanting to play cards or Monopoly or Mario Brothers with me. I feel really lucky to have someone who loves and likes me and wants to play games with me.
7. The look I gave Mary in Mexico when I saw something in front of me that was shocking, which, without a single word, prompted an "I know!" from her.
6. Chris lets me put my ice-cold feet against his warm legs in bed.
5. Mary moved in, then out...and then back into an apartment because I needed her to. She still speaks to me. THAT is friendship.
4. Chris always fills up my water bottle for me before bed, every single night, so when I wake up thirsty I always have a drink waiting.
3. Mary shares her family with me. We lived together at her house and laughed all the time, and her mom loved having us both there (at least that's what she said).
2. Chris gets along well with my family. More often than not, I find him and my mom cracking up together. My family all love him and everyone thinks I made the right choice. (I agree!)
1. Mary likes Chris, and Chris likes Mary. Best. Thing. Ever.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Adjusting
After many fitful nights of nightmaring about forms and policies and the American Immigration system, Chris and I officially mailed off his Green Card application. Let me just say that I can not take credit for much of this amazing feat. Chris toiled away for days and days over this application, and even walked about 7 miles in temperatures that hovered near 0 degrees in order to attend various medical appointments, all for the chance of being granted the privilege of staying here, with me, in America. I say to you all: THAT is love. Any guy can buy a dozen roses. It takes real love to fill out the I-485.
Want to know something interesting? I had to sign a form that says I promise to support Chris at a rate of 125% of the poverty level. If I fail to do this at any time, Chris can sue me! I told him, "Sure, you can sue me...if you can pay for the lawyer!" and then we had a chuckle about that. Then, he looked up the definition of the 'poverty level' and discovered that, with my current income, I could actually be supporting 5 immigrants. So...if you know anyone who wants to cram into this tiny apartment with us, I'm putting my support up for grab.
In all seriousness, as sort of long and laborious as this process may have felt for the past 3 or 4 weeks, I have really thanked my lucky stars that Chris and I are native English speakers, and that we have enough money to do this and still afford to eat and pay rent. We have also had the good fortune of having a very patient, nice couple who have gone through this exact process to give us advice. We are very lucky to have had the chance to do this. Now, the wait begins!
Hope you're all doing well and staying warm!
xo
Want to know something interesting? I had to sign a form that says I promise to support Chris at a rate of 125% of the poverty level. If I fail to do this at any time, Chris can sue me! I told him, "Sure, you can sue me...if you can pay for the lawyer!" and then we had a chuckle about that. Then, he looked up the definition of the 'poverty level' and discovered that, with my current income, I could actually be supporting 5 immigrants. So...if you know anyone who wants to cram into this tiny apartment with us, I'm putting my support up for grab.
In all seriousness, as sort of long and laborious as this process may have felt for the past 3 or 4 weeks, I have really thanked my lucky stars that Chris and I are native English speakers, and that we have enough money to do this and still afford to eat and pay rent. We have also had the good fortune of having a very patient, nice couple who have gone through this exact process to give us advice. We are very lucky to have had the chance to do this. Now, the wait begins!
Hope you're all doing well and staying warm!
xo
Sunday, January 24, 2010
A Whole Mess of Change
Hi, everyone.
Since the last time I wrote, quite a bit has changed. I'll run down the list.
1.) Chris and I got married! We were married by the ever-honorable Judge Lloyd Zimmerman on January 7th and have been living in marital happiness ever since.
2.) My grandpa passed away a little over a week ago after a long battle with cancer. I know my family won't be the same without him. He was a very special person. In my almost 27 years of knowing him, I never saw him lose his temper and was certain that he loved and accepted me just as I am. I believe his ability to offer this to everyone was just part of why he will be missed.
3.) I began a new job at Behavioral Healthcare Providers. I am tucked away in an office auditing records and insurance information, and setting up follow-up care for people who visited the ER during a mental health crisis. I really like the people I work with and am enjoying the perks of having a regular schedule, health insurance, and my weekends off.
4.) I entered my late 20s. Today, I am 27. I'm ready for the year. Ever since I was about 24, I've predicted that 27 will be a special year for me, so I'm just waiting for it all to start. It's Day One.
I hope you're all staying warm in this drizzly weather!
xo
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Frozen Hills and Wedding Bells
Well, it's that time of year again. You know, the time of year where you say, "Gosh, it's cold. I'm stuck inside. What should I do?" What I've decided to do is to get a 9-5 job and get married...in the same week. That's right, folks. It's happening, and it's happening now. I am becoming a Real Adult.
Chris and I are getting married on Thursday! Can you believe it? I can! This way, we can apply for what we now know is called an 'Adjustment of Status'. We're hoping to adjust the heck out of his status. Yup, we're just going to adjust that status riiiight up. Plus, getting married is one way to ensure that we get to spend the rest of our lives together, and I, for one, really like that idea.
So, right, wedding on Thursday, and then I start my new job at Behavioral Health Care Providers on Monday.
Other than that, I've just been hanging out with various people, working and not working, and using the crock pot my parents gave us for Christmas. Tonight, I came home to find that Chris had used one of the recipes in our new crock pot cookbook to make dinner. It was called 'Easy Chicken and Biscuits'. Chris announced it looked like 'a big bowl of snot'. After that, we couldn't eat any more. Tonight's plans may or may not involve a second round of dinner.
Hope you all are having a happy new year!
xo
Chris and I are getting married on Thursday! Can you believe it? I can! This way, we can apply for what we now know is called an 'Adjustment of Status'. We're hoping to adjust the heck out of his status. Yup, we're just going to adjust that status riiiight up. Plus, getting married is one way to ensure that we get to spend the rest of our lives together, and I, for one, really like that idea.
So, right, wedding on Thursday, and then I start my new job at Behavioral Health Care Providers on Monday.
Other than that, I've just been hanging out with various people, working and not working, and using the crock pot my parents gave us for Christmas. Tonight, I came home to find that Chris had used one of the recipes in our new crock pot cookbook to make dinner. It was called 'Easy Chicken and Biscuits'. Chris announced it looked like 'a big bowl of snot'. After that, we couldn't eat any more. Tonight's plans may or may not involve a second round of dinner.
Hope you all are having a happy new year!
xo
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