Just a Survey to Close Out the Year

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
I didn’t change my hair color. Not by choice, but by necessity. Now I am bored and itching for a change.

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I am not really sure that I made any hardcore ones last year. Lose weight – did that for a bit… I am making some for this year. They are outlined in my previous blog post thank you very much.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, my best friend Michele.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not this year, thank you.

5. What countries did you visit?
I visited Mexico on a cruise. One of my resolutions this year is to travel more. I hope to have something more to say to this question, this time next year.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Direction.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
No one in particular sticks out in my mind. Must not have been a very memorable year for me.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Probably improving as a wife and friend. Something I’d like to continue to do for the rest of my life.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not having more confidence in myself.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not really. I am thankful for that as well.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My car. Woot Woot. Gangsta!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Us. We managed to fill our emergency fund, start a Roth IRA, buy a car and remain debt free during this heinous financial year with no raises.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Tiger Woods. Not because I really care that much about his from day to day, but his behavior was despicable. And I think that it just came as such a shock that tarnished that wholesome image of his.

14. Where did most of your money go?
This is a question we ask ourselves a lot. I guess most of our money went to the mortgage (read: the interest on our mortgage). But there was a lot of other spending sprinkled in there too.

15. What events did you get really, really, really excited about?
My cruise! Both families together – such a good trip!

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Obsessed – Mariah Carey, this is thanks to my awesome new friend .

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- Happier or Sadder? Happier
- Thinner or Fatter? The exact same. I mean literally. WTF.
- Richer or Poorer? Emergency fund full – check. No debt – check. Being richer financially can lead to be richer with life in general.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Traveling.
Spending more time with the people that enrich my life.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Eating… Why can’t I catch anorexia for a little bit at least. Just long enough to get skinny.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas with both my family and Zach’s family at his parents house. It was so nice to be with my parents over the holidays. Round 2 with extended family happens this weekend. Can’t wait!

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
No one. Those of you that know me, I don’t talk on the phone. I don’t know what the problem is, I just don’t like it much. This is something I am working on.

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Yes, I fall in love every year. Just don’t tell my husband. ;)

23. How many one-night stands?
None. Being married takes care of that for you. Unless of course you are Tiger Woods. See #13.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Glee. Ummmmm. I might be obsessed now. I am listening to the soundtrack as I type. I also really love Criminal Minds, but that is an obsession all on its own - one of the brown sugar persuasion. On another note, SYTYCD was horse shit this year.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don’t HATE anyone.

26. What was the best book you read?
Cookbooks. I am in love with cooking.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery or rediscovery?
See #24.

28. What did you want and get?
I wanted an iPhone – got one
I wanted a Wii fit – got one
I wanted a happy healthy year – I got one.

29. What did you want and not get?
??

30. What were your favorite films of this year?
Slum Dog Millionaire. I am not sure if it came out in 2009, but I saw it for the first time this year and loved it.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 28. I spent it with great friends at a bar. I repeated myself a lot. I tend to do that a lot when alcohol is involved.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
It is hard to look back now and speculate what would have made you more satisfied. The journey is what gets you to where you want to be, not the looking back.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Trying to stay on trend as long as a cardigan is involved. Kind of my staple.

34. What kept you sane?
My friends.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most/least?
I don’t really fancy any celebrity, but Twitter has made my stalking legal.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Oh Lord. What issue didn’t?

37. Whom did you miss?
I am blessed to still have all those that are close to me still with me.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
@TheAustinReed – he has added a new dimension to life. We have a very tight group of friends and he just slipped right in. Tear.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Patience is a virtue.

40. Quote a song that sums up your year:
I am not sure if sums up the year or is an outlook for next year… Probably more of the latter.
“Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes: and leap!”

Pet Peeves of the Day

So everyone has those things that make them tick. I do as well. Let me lay them out there now.

Slow Drivers - Nothing infuriates me more than the lack of driving abilities of people. Yesterday it was snowing/raining all afternoon/evening. I would love to reiterate to those who seem to forget it - snow is just snow, it is not ice, it is not golf ball sized hail. It is a delicate paper thin flake of cold rain. You do not have to slow down to 40mph on the highway. You really don't. It is not as if as soon as it hits the ground (that is above freezing might I remind you) that it turns to a sheet of ice. It is just wet - get over it.

Closed Toed Shoes - Why is frowned upon to wear open toed shoes in the winter? Let me just tell you how much I hate, hate, hate, closed-toed shoes (unless they are boots of course). Every time I got up to walk around today, when I looked down, I was so disappointed with what I saw. I just wish that I could get away with wearing them. You know what... I am gonna do it. I am breaking them out. I don't keep these feet pedicured to keep them in hiding all the time. Come on out piggies...

Dieting - As you may have (read: probably haven't) read, I am determined to lose weight, again. This mean, however, that I can't eat my weight in Breadwinners cookies anymore. Contain your laughter - studies have shown that they do contain traces of crack which have led to my addiction. Anyway, back to me... I have to watch what I am eating now. Today, for instance, I did the Subway diet. I could probably survive off of this and never get tired of it so this wasn't a sacrifice, but something to look forward to. However, eating this way is not enjoyable at the start of a new diet.

Let me walk you through what I have eaten today.
Breakfast - Oatmeal - 160 calories.
Lunch - 6in Turkey on Wheat, lettuce, onion (hell yeah!), light mayo and sweet onion sauce (money) and a bag of baked lays - 490 calories
Snack - Smart Pop Kettle Corn - 120 calories
Dinner - Same as Lunch - 490 calories.
So today I have eaten 1260 calories. Not enough to keep a Smurf alive.

Pardon me while I voraciously gnaw off my own limbs. Seriously.

New Year, New Outlook

My New Year's Resolutions - The Same as Every Other Year.
That is really discouraging...


1. Stop Biting Fingernails.
So, I am already underway with this and OPI Sapphire In The Snow is helping me out with this one.

2. Lose Weight.
This one is made every year... well at least since I got fat. This year, like all others, I am going to make happen. Sore muscles mean you are doing something right, right? I have joined 3 websites, started working out on the wii fit/biggest loser program, and started back at the gym. Somethings gotta give!

3. Do Unto others...
This one I need to really work on. What I call teasing/joking might be hurtful to others. I need to take a step back and make sure that I am not just saying things to get a rise out of people. Feels like I am back in elementary school. Humphf.

4. Keep the closet clean.
This room, and yes, it is as big as a room, makes me so mad. I get the damn thing clean and them somehow overnight it is a disaster again. I keep hoping to walk in and the clothes scattered everywhere were my husbands... damn, foiled again.

5. Shop smarter.
Those super cheap clothes are super cheap for a reason, they are super cheap! I am not saying that I need to head over to Nordies and get the latest, but getting some decent (read: not cheap/not expensive) things might last longer and save money over time. But since nice clothes are only made for skinnies, see #2.

6. Do More.
I am not 30 yet. I don't have kids yet. I want to vacation more. End of story.

7. Save more.
Kind of goes against #6, but I need to get rich so I can retire. Scrimping is the new black.

8. This one is a secret.
I know what it is and it is important to me over the next year.

9. Start my legacy.
I want to really work on what I will be remembered for.

10. Have as much fun as I can in 365 days.

Best Day Ever

OK, so hands down Thursday was the best day ever. All for reasons that I will explain now.

Thursday was a big day for me to start with. It was the last day for collections for the Santa's Helpers Toy Drive. I have never been more proud of the people that I work with than that day. Last year, with a goal of 1,000 toys, we managed to scrape in 500. That was with an "anonymous donor" aka CEO demanding more toys and getting them himself. We totally got showed up with the one bike we got with the 18 anonymously donated one. Sheesh. Since I am in charge of all events I was determined to turn this year around. I lowered the goal to 800 and begged. I mean begged. I went out and dropped a cool $75 on kids ( it is my favorite part of Christmas, hands down). I made it a competition - with no prize at the end, but it worked. We pulled in 900 toys. So many in fact that I had to rent a u haul to get them all downtown.

This leads into the next amazing part of the day. On my way back to work driving said u haul I get a text from my giddy co-worker, Shemeka (a boy, but nonetheless, this name works). "Jessica Alba and her husband are at the office". Great. The day I decide to drive a u haul... I park out from and casually walk into the building - which is more than I can say for the throngs of girls running around looking for the celebrity sighting. I casually walk up the stairs with Shemeka and who starts walking down? Cash Warren and the stunning Jessica Alba, followed by my husband who is getting the view from the back-side. Cash then says hi to Shemeka and me. Woah. I am now famous.

Shemeka and I run back to our desk and immediately "follow" Jessica and Cash and send them @replies. Now never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect to get anything back in response...

Booya! I am kdubbers!



Ok, back to the rest of the day now...
Our plan was to take the toys down to the Santa's Helpers drive-thru drop off downtown. This may or may not have been because my meteorologist quasi-crush was leading the donations. I have always had a thing for weathermen and it doesn't hurt that my man - PD, is the nicest person you will ever meet. When I got downtown, we pulled into the drop off area and threw open the u haul. The helpers there were astonished. I guess they never expected to see a u haul pull up full of toys to be donated to kids. It really was one of the best feelings in the world. As the toys were being unloaded I was spotted by PD, did I mention that we had met before and we tweet all the time. I guess that is a whole other story. He walked over and hugged me (and kissed me on the cheek - heaven). I am not saying I that big of a deal, but I was asked to move the u haul and come back to talk and hang out. I did. Since I was not alone, my story can all be confirmed. We are practically best friends now.

I really thought the day could not possibly get any better, but then he mentioned us on tv that night! Holler!

Company Christmas Parties

This is the time of year when you have to go to parties that you don't want to and then there are nights like last night. I went to one of the most entertaining and enjoyable x-mas parties I have ever been to. Now maybe it was because we were all dressed ridiculously, but I am pretty sure that it was the company we were keeping. We have a very tight circle of friends and that has recently expanded to include a new member. I have not properly given him a nickname and since I have now been named "Grandma" I think I will call him Mariah. He knows why and totally owns this name.

Mariah hosted a ugly x-mas sweater party last night. Insane.
There were a ton of people from work (about 90% of this party) that I don't usually communicate with on a regular basis and within 20 minutes we were gathered around a table screaming at each other while playing circle of death - the best drinking game ever. It was more fun than I have had in a long time. It was definitely because it was an ugly sweater wearing, strawberry shortcake mixed drink making, kicking the ceiling kind of night. This is the kind of "work party" that I enjoy. It is not one of those pretentious parties that often arise during the holidays. Enter my department (probably typical to most department) holiday party.

This department party will start out super fake like we are all best of friends and it will end segregated into the usual cliques. It is no fault of anyone, it just happens. My cool team will end up sitting on a log around a campfire while the other sit on the other side talking about how we are not social. Plus since the head lady had a baby, now all spouses and babies are invited. I am all about parties that include spouses since I like to take advantage of this when I can. But I work under the umbrella of HR (no Mariah, not for HR) and my husband works for the same company as me. How fun is it to go to a party and constantly be under the microscope disguised as shallow conversation? So it is a known that he will not be there and I completely respect that. Thus making the divide even greater, HR and their spouses and the rest of us. Thankfully this year the party is early, so it does not take the whole night. And thankfully, my teammates are cool as shit and we will make this party fun.

9 Reasons to Join a Gym

So as I get back into the swing of going to the gym I am reminded why it is so damn entertaining to go.

1. FNA's (Fat Naked Asians)
Not that I have anything against the Asian race, there just seems to be an unusually large number of elderly Asian people at my gym. I am not sure if it is something in their culture, but they are completely OK walking around the dirty hot locker room naked. Not just like, topless naked - naked naked (that one is for you Abe). They all come out of the water aerobics class that must let out .2 seconds before I typically arrive and strip out of their awesome 1980 Speedo swimsuit and just walk it out. They dry their hair naked, fix their makeup naked and even clip their toenails naked. Yes, I said it. This did actually happen in front of me and I am not sure that is a picture that I will ever get out of my head.

2. Mr Muscle Man
Ok, this one is tricky. This stout little man is probably very strong, but he works out incredibly strange. He will hog a machine for oh, let's say 5 minutes and just does baby reps. The leg press for example, he will jump around for a minute, compose himself and take a seat. He then throws in the pin just under 400lbs. Then he psyches himself up and gets his legs ready. Now is the time that you really expect something amazing to happen. He thrusts that stack high in the air and starts his reps... moving maybe 2 inches. He is practically pulsing 400lbs. And that is it. Now, I only took 1 quarter of weight training in college, but my brain does not find this to be effective at all.

3. Mr Faker
The most entertaining part of any good workout is to watch those that are not actually working out. Sure, he is dressed the part, but have you ever actually seen him lift a weight or jog for a minute or 2? No, he likes to walk around playing the part, but socializing instead. Sometimes I time him to see how long he is actually upstairs without doing a damn thing. That is an expensive way to talk to your friends.

4. Mrs You Are Going Down
Ok, Brownie (Mr. Overly Competitive) this is where you and I see eye to eye. I can't stand it when the person next to me has a higher resistance and incline level than me, or even worse, they have burned more calories than me. Yes, I am that person that peeps over to the machines next to me to see what is up with the person next to me. I will stay on a machine longer than the person next to me kicking their ass at the made up competition in my head. This may be the reason that I am wheezing with a soaking wet shirt. Hmmm. Oh well, I always win.

5. Mr Grunter
This man drives me up the damn tree. Back when I was running all the time, he would inevitibally end up right next to me. He starts off quiet enough, but get him past the 5 minute mark and all hell brakes loose. It starts out as more of a huff, then it becomed more of a groan, then it ends up at a full out grunt. Every time his right, or is it his left, nope, pretty sure it is the right foot hits the ground, this grunt escapes. One day it was so bad that I had to leave. I could not get the music up loud enough. I laughed to myself when I was walking out of the front door of the gym and I could still hear him going strong.

6. Mr Creeper
This one is obviously just there to watch other people work out. He typically show up fully dressed like he just came from work and decided those were good enough clothes to work out in. Then the warmer he gets, he strips them off while walking on the treadmill. He then finishes up his "work out" by sitting in the stretching area. Only, he is not stretching, just watching. He only happened to be in there one time when I was there. But once was enough for me. I walked back there for my end of workout routine - crunches to the musically styling of Lady GaGa and saw him just sitting there. The entire time I was back there I was not sure if he was dead or just perverted. Turns out that he was just a weirdo.

7. Mrs Metallica
There are actually several of these at the gym, mostly older women. But there is one in particular that I love to watch. She isn't there all the time, but when she is - it is a great day. She has those old school headphones that cover your ear and she wears them proudly. I am not sure what it is that she is listening to, but it really pumps her up. Her head is bobbing, she is finger drumming on her handles and she is in the zone. Most times her eyes are closed and she is lip syncing. For anyone who wants to know, trying to ellipticize with your eyes closed is a recipe for disaster, but this white haired diva makes it work!

8. Mr Hot Pants
This guy is extra special to me. He is about oh, 50 and he is looking hard for a date of the male persuasion. He is gray haired, buck toothed and sporting a man thong. I mean, he really has to be. His clingy, and I mean clingy if you catch my drift, cheerleader shorts (that I am not sure I could rock when I was 12) leave no panty lines and very little to the imagination. I really don't need to know if you are circumcised or not. He also is a big fan of the 80's muscle shirts. You know, the ones that show all your ribs as well as your bulging (read: non-existent) biceps. I am not really sure I want to know what kind of guy he is trying to pick up with this ridiculous attire. This man is one of those that you can catch the eye of someone else that had just spotted him and share in a silent high-five. \

9. Mrs "I Don't See You"
This is me. There is nothing worse than working out at a gym half a mile from work. Well, wait, there is something worse - seeing practically the entire office at the gym when you are wheezing like a dog squeaker while "running" (if you can even call it that) on the elliptical. I am really good at spotting people from afar and then suddenly becoming so enthralled in the Dr. Oz talking about poop on Oprah that I just cannot be bothered. Of course, there is that awkward moment when you see the VP of Legal in his baseball cap and shorts while you are so sweaty that your once gray shirt is now black and you actually make eye contact. It is then and only then you have to concede that you have been spotted and give the head nod and smile. Ugh.

And, yes there are only 9 reasons. Get over it.

I'm Sorry to Tell You, You Are Not The Biggest Loser.

While watching The Biggest Loser tonight I realized something... I am a lazy bitch. I just watched people that started on the show as gigantic blobs run a marathon. A freaking marathon. Now, I have never been, nor likely never will be a runner... but I am pretty sure that I could not do that now or ever. These people lose anywhere from 8-30lbs a week. Not a year, a week. Some guy just lost 59lbs in 2 months! WTF! I have lost the same 5 lbs over and over again for a year. A year. It makes me literally want to blow my brains out.

I complain that I can't lose weight while I watch the show eating dinner sitting on my ass. I really need to get some perspective. Now I know that they work out for their jobs and I don't. They also have hundreds of pounds to lose and I don't. But can't a girl catch a break? At one point, I was working out 5 days a week. Nothing. I was eating 1200 calories. Nada. After an injury, I had to stop for a while. Guess what happened, nothing. This really keeps me motivated to keep working out when it is obviously doing such a good job that when I stop, I don't gain. Doesn't that mean that I am actually not doing any good when I am working out if I get the same results lounging on the couch? To me that means, I can work my ass off, starve myself, or do nothing and nothing will change. Great. That is pretty motivating. If only I could catch some anorexia, I would be golden. I just like food too damn much.

I am going to try this one more time. I will work my ass off again for 1 more month. If nothing happens I just don't know where to go from here. I have considered going to the doctor to see if there is something that is actually wrong with me, but what if she says "nope, your just a fatass"? I am pretty sure that would send me over the edge.

You people out there with your fast metabolisms and ability to eat anything and stay skinny - You can kiss my soon-to-be-shrinking-ass.