The Beat on Bordentown

Birthday Week!

2012-01-22T17:38:00.011-05:00

Yes, I claim the entire week!

It's the time of year when I get showered with freebies! Free drinks at Starbucks, a free Panera goodie, free appetizers. Huzzah!

We kicked off the countdown to 26 with lunch at Bonefish Grill in Langhorne, PA this afternoon. It was delicious and filling, and the leftovers are in the fridge in anticipation of dinner tomorrow. After lunch we wandered around the Oxford Valley Mall for a bit to ward off the food coma. It was a typical mall, but it did have two fun and "different" stores in the form of Teavana and Williams Sonoma. I got myself a little owl tea cup to keep at my desk at work with the little ceramic pot Mom got me for Christmas. Now I can truly sip in style. Ohm.

Love the clever doodles they give you on your leftover container.

Owl mug from Teavana!

The week will be typical...work, home, work, but then for the weekend we're heading to lunch at Rat's and then down to Voorhees for the All South Jersey Chorus concert, conducted by the amazing Mike Doheny (my high school director). After the concert we'll crash at Casa Maureen's Parents and on the morning of my birthday (that's the 29 for those of you playing at home), Mom, Dad, Hubby, and I will go and check out a new tea house, The Tea Place, that opened in a nearby town. Should be fun. I'm looking forward to some tea sammies and scones. YUM!

In other homefront news, we're doing a mini-redo in the office. Since I haven't used my desk in over a year and a half, I decided I want it outta there! It had really just become a collector of junk and dust, and stressed me out every time I went around that corner. So the desk is now out and in the living room (before temporary storage in the basement and off to its final destination of my parents' house for their computer station), and we've put an old bookcase in there to house John's myriad school books and some of my office-need stuff. AKA drop zone for laptop, pens, paper, etc. It's nothing overly thrilling, but it makes me happy to know there's a bit more order in there. Heck, I felt better once all the backlog of wedding stuff was out of there. It had become craft/gift/invitation/card mayhem!

Lastly, we had some snow overnight Friday into Saturday. Nothing grand, and it all turned to sleet eventually, but this lazy Sunday morning started with baking cinnamon muffins and sipping almond-amaretto tea. Sad to see the weekend go, but what a nice way to send it off.

Well, now it's time to relax in preparation for the Giants game, and probably some more (re)reading of Mockingjay. I can't believe I just blew through the whole Hunger Games triolgy again--a task I will likely repeat again before the release of the first movie on 3/23. Whoot!

Cheerio, mates.

A Little Bit of Resolve

2012-01-06T16:02:00.004-05:00

Complain less (at least out loud)

As always, have patience
Be more conscious of when my idea of "funny" may actually be hurtful
Get over the small stuff quicker
Invest in good running shoes and get out there more often
Find more healthy-dinner staples
Stop being intimidated by my Le Creuset and use it already!

Waiting for Winter

2011-12-31T14:53:00.005-05:00

With mere hours left of 2011, we're still waiting on winter to truly arrive. This time last year we were still recovering from the Boxing Day Blizzard, unaware that it was only the beginning.

Hubby and I have completed our holiday circuit with both the Egan and Riggi sides of the family. We're relaxing now in anticipation of the New Year's Eve gala at the Adventure Aquarium. We're very excited to go, as we've been wanting to for many years now. No time like the present, eh? What a great time of year to be a newlywed.

Today is also Hammy's 4th birthday! Since we brought him home on October 31 and he was 10 months old at that time, we just added two months and chose 12/31 as his birthday. We truly can't imagine our life and home without him in it--he really makes the apartment feel alive, and he's always making us laugh. Well, when he's not annoying us by singing opera for his dinner or headbutting me at 4am for breakfast... So happy birthday to our little kitten, or I guess as we should start calling him, our big boy!

Here are a few pictures. Stay tuned for some shots from the party tonight, which will conclude with primo views of the Philly fireworks at midnight.

Checking out a little stocking we hung on his cat tree.

Super Hammy and his tissue paper cape.

Family portrait included in our Christmas cards.

Ch-ch-changes

2011-12-10T16:58:00.002-05:00

I am now officially and legally Maureen Riggi. I have completed the rounds to Social Security and the DMV and switched over my name. I also sent out name change notifications to my utilities, etc. who need to update my information. I updated my alumni listing at Stockton. I have my new ID at Princeton. I have added my spouse to my benefits at work. I feel very married now, and it feels wonderful.

I'm still waiting on a few official things, so in some respects I'm still in limbo, but for the most part I'm all done. I have long since gotten over the name change anxiety discussed here, and am really just eager for the transition to be over. I am still thinking of people I need to contact--someday, this list has to run out, right?

So after the holidays, what's on the horizon for Mr. and Mrs. Riggi? Birthdays--my dad's, mine, my brother's. I'll be 26 and he'll be 21. How did that happen? Sheesh... Then after that is Valentine's Day and John's and my 7-year anniversary (hot dang!). Then things calm down a bit. There are, of course, birthdays and little holidays sprinkled in, but then we can start gearing up for our summer vacation to Las Vegas to visit my godmother. By then, she'll be a grandma, as my cousin and her husband are expecting their first baby. What an epic year.

Once January hits, it's also the countdown to Commencement and all the Pton students going home. Meaning life at work slows down and the blood pressure can get back to normal. I love my job, but by this time I'm definitely craving the slower months.

But that's all out there. Right now I am truly enjoying the holidays, after feeling like last Christmas totally got away from me. I feel like I missed the whole buildup and the little things that make merry and bright. This year I'm consciously drinking it all in. We may not make it to NYC to see the tree, but there's plenty of holiday spirit close to home. In our small-town America life, it's easy to feel the cheer by simply taking a walk through town.

So here's to hoping my readers' seasons and jolly, and wishing you all a healthy start to the new year!

First Married Christmas

2011-11-29T20:09:00.006-05:00

So it's almost been a whole month since our wedding, and John and I finally have our official marriage license. Now I can start the process of legally changing my name. I've started using Riggi at work in an unofficial capacity (ie I'm not listed under the new name yet, but I've started the transition in my email signature and on the plaque outside my door). Next steps now are to change it up with Social Security and the DMV and then I can make the zillions of phone calls it'll take to switch over the remaining things. Time to really start practicing that new signature! Don't want it look like a 5-year old signed my DL! haha

Thanksgiving was wonderful and spent with John's family. It was different since I had never spent it with anyone but my parents, but we visited with them on Sunday for a post-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving. And then the hubby and I did two things we have never done before: ventured out for some Black Friday shopping and decorated before the calendar hit December. Gasp! We're just so excited to celebrate our first married Christmas, so we want to make the season last as long as we can.

Here are some Christmassy pictures from Disney, as well as some from our 2011 decorations at home.

Train station at Magic Kingdom.

Looking down Main Street, USA.
Ginormous (real) gingerbread house under construction at the Grand Floridian.
Not Christmassy, but just cute. Upon entering Epcot.
Our special souvenier to commemorate our Disney honeymoon.

The "mommy and daddy" tree.

Hammy's tree.

Happily Ever After

2011-11-17T21:21:00.003-05:00

John and I have returned from our honeymoon in Disney. Adjusting to real life is going okay, though I do miss the service...oh, the trials and tribulations of having to drive myself, cook for myself...oh, woe is me! haha

Mr. and Mrs.

2011-11-07T09:28:00.002-05:00

We were so lucky to have beautiful, if a bit chilly, weather for our wedding weekend. It was an absolutely perfect day.

For now, I offer you this impromptu pic I took with my phone while taking the limo from ceremony to reception. It just happened to come out really good!

Cheers, and love from Mr. and Mrs. Riggi!

Counting on one hand

2011-11-01T08:44:00.002-04:00

4 days, everyone! FOUR!

Looking forward to my friends and family arriving on Friday afternoon. Looking forward to finally relaxing and enjoying the rehearsal and dinner. Looking forward to putting on my dress and not fretting anymore about having lost or gained too much weight. Looking forward to my first dance with John as husband and wife. Looking forward to watching girls scramble for the bouquet. Looking forward to seeing John's grandparents dance. Looking forward to seeing my mom and dad dance. Looking forward to seeing everyone all dressed up.

Looking forward to being married. Looking forward to Disney.

Working On, And This Post Will Be Disorganized

2011-10-27T21:07:00.004-04:00

I'm a chronic complainer. It's a problem, and I know a lot of the time I can be extremely negative. Work has been totally kicking my ass lately, and that coupled with the wedding and general home life's demands on my time, I've been very stressed and very complainy. I keep filing away mental notes to be more conscious of when I'm complaining, but in the moment I mainly think I just don't have the energy to care enough to stop myself. Someday maybe I will actually make progress here.

Anyway, just wanted to put it out there for the public void. Any advice from fellow chronic complainers, recovering complainers, or general ideas on the topic?

Next week is fall break here at the U, and most of the students go home, so at least the work portion should lighten up a bit. I plan to spend most of next week getting things in order for when I'm on vacation. I'm currently at work, and a bit sad cuz I'd clearly rather be home, but I'm also grateful cuz it's given me a chance to catch up on all the small stuff that's been backburnered like filing, tidying, and general tidiness tasks. This is my mental mini-break.

Tomorrow night John and I will make one of our last pilgrimages to the reception venue to take care of some last minute business. Then I'll spend most of the weekend getting centerpieces, palce cards, favors, courtesy baskets, and whatever else needs to be there for the reception ready for delivery mid-week next week. Yesterday we went to the county clerk's office to sign and submit out application for the marriage license--boy, did that make it feel real!

Official countown is 9 DAYS. Hot dang!

More to come as we get even closer. Apologies for the higgledy piggledy-ness of this post. I need to upgrade my mental RAM...everything seems to jumble together these days.

Namaste,

Guess What?

2011-10-15T22:13:00.003-04:00

I'm getting married in 3 weeks. Guess what else? This is how I spent my afternoon:

Happy 40th birthday, Stockton! So glad for the 4 great years, the wonderful friendships I formed, and the inspiration from so many fabulous faculty members who are truly what makes the college so special. I am Stockton.

In case you're wondering

2011-10-10T16:51:00.011-04:00

what my office looks like these days, it's almost complete. Some photos. Let's look again at the before, in progress, and present:

Looking in from hallway

BEFORE
IN PROGRESS

PRESENT

Looking at the copier station from my desk

BEFORE

IN PROGRESS

PRESENT
My desk, view from copier station

BEFORE

IN PROGRESS

PRESENT
The only thing I'm waiting on now is a bulletin board, which will go underneath the cabinets, and will bide the ugly power cords for my task lighting. I'm still settling in and trying to figure out the best use of the space. You can also see I now have a pretty, matching shelf that runs the length behind my desk (versus the green monstrosity that had been camped out there since the 80s. You can see it in the very first picture up at the top.

And that's that.

In other news...26 days til I'm Mrs. John J. Riggi. Aw, snapdragons!

Til next time. I owe you pics of the Princeton-Bucknell football game (they kicked our butts), and some pics from a friend's engagement party over the weekend. Also in the hopper: this weekend is Homecoming/40th Anniversary at Stockton. I'm going with some girlfriends to a tea house on Sunday. Pinkies, out! Final dress fitting next weekend. Then Longwood Gardens, and then the true descent into pre-wedding madness. Stay tuned. : )

I owe you updates!

2011-10-02T18:55:00.007-04:00

So there's been a lot of improvement going on here on the homefront. We've gotten a nice hunt board for the dining room and replaced the giant UFO dome on the ceiling fan, and have finally completed our journey to a new couch with its delivery today. It's very hard to find a sectional couch for a small apartment's living room, and I had gotten a scratch-off sale offer from Mealey's furniture, scored a sweet deal, and so off we went to see if they had anything that would work for us. Lo and behold, they did, and a week later, here we are. The only T left to cross is that we're missing one of the back pillows for the corner piece.

Firstly, here are some pics of our beautiful hunt board credenza:

The tall corner hutch is now on the opposite wall (it was ludacris how much furniture was on that one wall. You'll see an updated pic below). Not relative to the hunt board, but while we're talking about the dining room, here is our table, set for autumn:

I picked up the gourd basket at the Cranberry Festival in town this afternoon.

And before the big reveal of the living room, let's take a last look at how it has looked since we've been here (almost two years), and wave goodbye to the two couches we've had for the last 3 years, which had long lives with their previous owners as well. Get out the Kleenex, everyone...

And finally, here is the new couch in all its glory. I'm not sure how it photographs and shows up for you, but it's a very pretty blue-grey, which perfectly compliments the blues in our carpet, and also has me second-guessing putting blue on the walls...more musing on that in a later post.

And here I am, looking glam in a pic John snapped right after I plunked down for the first time:
More pics to come as the space evolves (and after we've gotten the actual missing cushion...for now we've made due with two of the throw pillows that came with the couch).

It's Only Natural

2011-09-11T20:05:00.011-04:00

Well, sitting on this side of camping is very nice. On my couch, kitten snuggled next to me. Cooked a delicious meal with my full stock of supplies at my fingertips. But let's not get ahead of ourselves...

We did most of our packing and prep Friday night so we were able to just get up and go as we needed in the morning. Thanks to Irene, we had two gallon jugs of water in the freezer, so we loaded those into the cooler to both help keep everything cold as well as to be a self-maintaining cold water supply (which worked beautifully, by the way! I enjoyed my yogurt with breakfast this morning). We were the first to get the camp site, so we plunked down in our camp chairs, lathered up in bug spray, and ate lunch, waiting for the rest of the crew. We weren't naive enough to attempt tent setup on our own. We lounged and read some magazines and brochures we picked up at the check-in office, and that's when the first round of trouble began for me.

The place was already swarming with mosquitoes (oh, and a daddy long legs tried to climb onto me from the table after about three seconds of sitting down). I should probably mention to those of you who don't know it I am like honey to a bear when it comes to mosquitoes...I swear they plan their family reunions around me. But I was encouraged to see them land on my arm, take a nice whiff of the citronella spray I had on, and take off without dipping onto my blood supply. After about half an hour, though, I started to feel a bit itchy on my back, and searched for a stray hair that had gotten caught on my bra strap. I asked John if he could see anything. "Oh...uhm, yeh...I see something." There were about 15 mosquito bites blossoming into being across my entire back. I had John spray me down, but the damage was done. It was all I could do not to claw my skin raw. Fortunately--or unfortunately--many bites were (are) out of my reach, so I can't get to them anyway.

By the time Ashley and Tim and Tapan arrived, I was already a bit skeptical, but their company was a welcome distraction. It became clear, though, that due to the enormous amounts of rain we've gotten, the bugs were going to be a problem.

Once our crew had gathered, we settled in for tent assembly, snacks and fire building. We had a pretty cozy setup, and I got a little more excited once we had a little home base set up. I could even almost see myself sleeping in the middle of nature.

After several applications of bug spray we were getting hungry and planning dinner. Of course, also by late afternoon several other camp sites had filled up and we seemed to be in the middle of a rather rowdy crew. Everyone seemed nice enough, just...rowdy... John and I brought some sliced bell pepper to sautee up over a nice fire as well as some veggie burgers. There was a brilliantly placed farm stand across from the camp grounds entrance that we all hit up before dinner. We picked up tomatoes that John sliced up to cook with the peppers. Donna and Rachel had a delicious tofu fajita station they were gracious enough to share--deeelish!--and Tim and Ashley made some yummy seasoned carrots and green beans. I can't remember what Tapan had as the main course, but he gave each of us a superb little pistachio cake thing. It looked like a Baby Bell, but it tasted like a smooth cheesecake. Absolute yum. Of course, we all know what I was waiting for...

SMORES. With GINORMOUS marshmallows.

Oh yeh. It was ooey, gooey, messy, and good. John whittled us some sticks to pop the mallows on. They were so big most of us just had one and called it quits. We had two chocolate offerings: milk chocolate and sea salt milk chocolate. The salt one was such a nice balance to the extreme sweetness of the mallow and the honey in the graham. Mmm. Guess which chocolate ran out first? haha

It was so refreshing when the temperature and humidity finally cooled off and even though the neighbors were flaring camp fires 8 feet in the air (someone decided it would be a great idea to shoot lighter fluid into the flames...), it was much easier to appreciate the beauty of being out in the pine barrens. The mosquitoes even took a nap and let us breathe for a few hours.

Perhaps my favorite hijink of the night was when one of the camp chairs broke and we booby trapped it so the next person who sat on it would fall through. It was every bit as satisfying as we anticipated it being.

The evening passed without too much incident. Took forever to fall asleep and it seemed just as I'd drift off some noise outside would wrench me awake. Grr. I really only got about 4 hours of sleep, but once I finally conked out, they were 4 solid, uninterrupted hours. I was grateful to see that it hadn't rained overnight, and everything was just slightly damp. It had cooled off to the 60s overnight, and it was a wonderful feeling to be able to snuggle in under the flannel sleeping bag and breathe in the crisp air. Made it seem like autumn is really coming.

By about 8:00 we were both feeling restless, so we decided to get up and start to unload the tent and repack the car a bit while we waited for the others to wake up. Oh yay. The mosquitoes were back. Also, when we got around to taking down the tent, I did encounter what I like to think was the only creepy crawly in the forest...it was a big scary spider. Ugh, it makes me recoil just thinking about it. John tried to get a fire started to make breakfast, but all the wood was too damp. Thankfully, Tim had brought a propane grill so we fired that up and got breakfast going. Yogurt, a Clif bar, a pita, and oatmeal for me, and an apple, Clif bar, and oatmeal for John. Tim cooked up the potatoes he and Ash picked up the night before and made some home fries. Tapan was still sound asleep when we left around 11. I was slightly envious. haha

By the time breakfast was done, there was nothing left of me for the bugs to bite, so we made our goodbyes and headed home. Not without first stopping at the first CVS we came by to pick up a heavy-duty itch cream to soothe my back, which is currently marred by some 30+ bites. I won't torment you with a picture of what that looks like, but I'm sure you can imagine what it feels like. Yup: like hell. I'm about to tape oven mitts to my hands.

All in all, though, my only complaint was really the bugs. I would totally camp again--in the dry season. So there you have it. Maureen VS Nature. I'll call it a draw.

Time Keeps on Slippin...

2011-09-02T17:56:00.002-04:00

This is not news: I am a very anxious person. And when I start to feel overwhelmed by stress and anxiety, I tend to fling it all in one direction. A few weeks ago, that direction was my wedding dress.

I had gone for my first fitting and put it on for the first time in seven months. I wasn't really worried until I had it on. It fit fine, but then I started to panic over it looking right (aka OMGAMIFAT?!?!?!?!?!), and it being comfortable (I know it'll never feel like sweatpants and a tee shirt, but you know what I mean). It was so hard to imagine it all coming together as I stood there with pins all over the place for alterations, and at that moment, it all became real: all the months (and years, really) of planning caught up with me in that one instant. I have the deer-in-headlights-look pictures to prove it. But I'll save them for a post-wedding blog when I can truly laugh at my anxiety levels, and--duh!--so I don't spoil the surprise for everyone and ruin Le Grande Reveal. After freaking out and vowing to really REALLY watch everything I eat, I calmed down and have resumed somewhat normalcy.

Now my worries are manifesting themselves in the honeymoon. I feel like every trip planner I read is for planning your Disney vacation as if you're planning a war. I can't help but wonder how these people manage to have fun, and why they ever want to go back. So I'm worrying about getting to reservations on time, about the trams/boats/monorails, about the sheer scale of the parks (the maps on the website make it seem like it's going from one end of Princeton's campus to the other, when in reality, each park is likely much larger than the entirety of Princeton's campus), and mainly I just worry about worrying so much I don't enjoy it. As you can see, I'm terrible at relaxing. I should schedule a nice massage in there somewhere...

This, too, will pass in a few days, and I'll find somewhere new to shine my crazy light, but until then, this will consume me. Thank goodness it's a three-day weekend, and thank goodness we're taking care of some (fun!) wedding errands tomorrow. We also hope to visit with John's family and my parents are coming up on Sunday. Monday I hope to just relax at home and go with the flow.

Coming attraction:

Maureen VS Nature. Yes, friends, your very own Maureen Egan will go camping. Overnight. In nature. Sleeping in a tent on the floor. I'm sure plenty of hilarity at my expense will ensue. I don't like getting dirty. I hate bugs. I like showers and peeing in toilets rather than squatting in bushes. But I also really freaking love s'mores, so I'm giving this whole thing a whirl. Stay tuned.

After the Eye, and Hammy's Misadventure

2011-08-28T13:30:00.006-04:00

We are now waiting for the backside of the rain bands to come through--still under lots of flood watches, and we're seeing pictures come in from all over the tri-state area with water-covered roadways and other scary things.

Following my last post, both John and I went to get some sleep since the tornado watches had been lifted, and we were pretty much zonked out until about 8:00 this morning. We got up, resumed our vigil of Weather Channel, ABC News, and NBC news while we ate breakfast (we were absolutely starving from the hours and hours of severe anxiety).

Here we are in our cozy little bunker:

We were fortunate, though. We woke to a little wind and light rain, but our TV was also still on, as was everything else. We hope the power will remain on as the threat of more wind and rain approaches. Outside, there are a few small downed branches, but no major damage from what we can tell. John went out a little while ago to check on our cars--no damage, just a few bamboo trees that had snapped and were laying across our rooves.

Our main excitement came this morning, after breakfast, and after I had showered. Before I did, we decided to open a few windows to let in the fresh rain-cooled air while there was a lull in the storm. Yesterday morning we had taken out the window AC unit in our room for fear of winds ripping it right out of the sill. Guess which window I chose to open in there this morning. We hadn't replaced the screen. I sauntered into the shower, eager to feel refreshed. When I had gotten out and dressed and came into the living room, John was heading for his turn in the shower. I looked out the living room windows, and saw a cat on Jon and Marisa's porch. My first thought was, "Hey! Look, a kitty!" That immediately turned into "Wait...THAT'S MY KITTY!!!!!!!!!!" I shouted to John, "Hammy got out...he's outside!" When I opened the window, I had no idea the screen was missing--it totally slipped my mind. I slipped on my galoshes and tore outside to try and coax him to me.

When I got out there and started calling for him, he was behind the bushes and was yowling a terrified kitten yowl. I called and called, and I was sobbing like a lunatic, but he was just too scared--he was muddy and getting rained on. He kept running between Jon and Marisa's door and the door to the adjacent building, following the little path behind the bushes. John came out around back hoping to chase him into my path so I could grab him, but of course no luck. Panicked to my core, and feeling certain that if we continued this charade he'd bolt someplace we couldn't find or follow him, I had an idea. He had huddled up behind a bush under Jon and Marisa's windows. I was on their porch, John crouched somewhat insanely in the bushes. I layed on the doorbell til Marisa came to the door. I blubbered what I assume was a sufficient explanation of the situation, and she held open the door. As I hoped, he recognized the alcove as a safe place that led to home and darted inside.

He, of course, ran upstairs rather than into their apartment, but he was an easy catch once he was inside. We all piled into Jon and Marisa's and I blubbered a thank you and a few incoherent words about my fear and how I was glad the plan worked. Hammy explored their place for a bit, even snuggling into their bed for a few minutes, and we eventually wrangled him into the carrier, which John had come home to retrieve.

Here are two pics of Hammy after we got him home. He didn't look terrible, but was surely wet and a bit muddy:

So we're all back home now, hours and some naps later. Hammy has been bathed (using what are essentially baby wipes for cats) and brushed. John found his collar, which had popped off, under our window by some dig marks where he had tried to burrow his way back into the basement. So for the moment, all is well at the Eagn-Riggi household. We checked in with our parents this morning, and they had fared well. John's parents, who had gone to upstate NY to camp out with friends, are kinda stuck for now because all the roads leading out are flooded or blocked from downed trees, so we're staying in touch with them.

No idea what it's really like out there or what tomorrow will bring as far as venturing out of the homefront, but I'll be back with updates as I'm able.

I hope everyone in Irene's path is safe and sound, and if you're sitting in the dark, I hope that is the worst trouble you have.

Until next time,
Maureen, John, and Hamlet the wanna-be wild animal

Top O' the Mornin...

2011-08-28T03:46:00.004-04:00

I know the tag says John, but this is Maureen writing.

It's currently 3:47am, and John and I have spent about 3 hours total hunkered down in our basement. We set up a pretty cozy bunker (will post pics later) with my laptop, some flameless candles, water, blankets, and of course, Hammy tucked safely in his carrier. While he wasn't happy, he seems to know that something is different, and he's been sticking close by us and has even been borderline cooperative in getting him into his carrier.

Jon and Marisa joined us in the basement for about an hour around midnight as much of their basement is underwater. Our upstairs neighbors were down with us around 9:30 (gosh, that feels so far away now...), too.

We're currently upstairs watching various news channels as we wait for the eye to move over the beaches of South Jersey.

Hoping everyone is doing well with the storm and with nerves--we're pretty much running on 100% adrenaline--and we will catch up with you again soon. Been keeping up with updates on Facebook as well (in times like this, social media seems like the best invention on the face of the planet).

Love love love,
us

Come on, Irene, too loo rah eh...

2011-08-27T11:22:00.002-04:00

Well, folks, we've done our best here to prepare for Irene's arrival in New Jersey. We have water and flashlights and crank radio and flashlights, and board games and books and magazines; we've secured the basement should it flood, and have food and water for kitten as well.

Some of John's family has evacuated to friends' or other family members' homes, and our coastal friends have migrated inland as well. We've encouraged the trees to be strong and to not fall over--we like them just as, and where, they are.

Now the agonizing waiting game as we watch Irene's impact on areas south of us and try to estimate how bad things will get here. We're relying on TV and internet as long as we are able to spare our (power-sucking smart) phones for use once we lose electricity.

And so we wish you all common sense and safety, and we'll check back in on the other side of the storm. Cameras are charged up and ready to go, so I'll hope to post some documentation of our area as best I can.

Lots of love,
Maureen, John, and Hamlet

Office Check-Up

2011-08-24T17:32:00.017-04:00

In case anyone cares, here are some before-and-during shots of my office construction. I hope the ledge behind my desk will be completed this week, and I won't get my overhead cabinets until October (gasp!), but things are coming along quite nicely.

In other fun furniture news, the piece John and I ordered for the dining room is ready for pickup! We hope to get it tomorrow after work from The Furniture Mill, and will post pics once it's all settled in its new home.

Progress

2011-08-14T19:44:00.005-04:00

Firstly, I want to extend a humungous thank you to our wonderful friends and family who attended my bridal shower yesterday. It was a wonderful surprise full of good times, good food, and people we haven't seen in a while. Even the weather held out--it was mercifully overcast, and didn't start to rain until most of the guests had left. I couldn't have asked for more.

John and our friends packed his car full of goodies, and we trucked it all home safely, if not a little more slowly than usual with all that added weight. Once shuffled inside and piled in the dining room, we kind of stepped back and took it all in. I'm actually still processing it all now, I think. It made it all seem more real: in addition to crafts, there is hard evidence here that a wedding will indeed happen in 80-some days. Whew!

It's been wonderful to receive RSVPs in the mail not only with yesses checked off, but with happy notes jotted in the margin. This has been a long time in the making--John and I are actually "celebrating" our 6.5 year anniversary today. Amazing.

Here are a few pics from the shower. Since I was kind of the guest of honor, I didn't take many, so I'm hoping friends and family will post their pics on Facebook soon. (I also hope they'll exercise discretion and will omit any where I look too awkward!)

In other news of progress, my office is undergoing construction as I get a new desk, new cabinetry, and a new printing and coolating station. New furniture arrives on Tuesday, and I'm hoping most of it will be done before I leave on Wednesday since I'm home on a staycation Thursday and Friday of this week.

Wednesday is Longaberger bingo (an annual tradition where Tara and I have an anxiety attack and fend off the old ladies and housewives), then Tara's visiting here on Friday and Sunday is my first dress fitting--I can't wait to put it on again. It's been 7 months since I bought it, and I'm of course anxious about how it will fit.

In closing for now, here are some pics of my office, pre-reno:

Wedding planning

2011-07-25T11:00:00.004-04:00

I know I rarely, if at all, post on the blog. Here's something for the fans out there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw

Thinking

2011-07-21T19:08:00.002-04:00

On the radio this morning, the jockeys were talking about grandparents, and loss and absence thereof (when I tuned in, the conversation was specifically about grandparents and weddings). This will sound harsh, but let me explain: I don't often dwell on my grandparents. Firstly, I only have one remaining--my dad's mom. My mom's parents have been gone for longer than feels real--my grandpa passed away from Leukemia when I was about 13, and my grandma passed away from Alzheimer's when I was about 18. I never knew my dad's dad. With the maternal set, it was scary to watch them deteriorate over a number of years, and especially so with my grandma because she was living alone, and we were so far away.

Leukemia was scary, but I was too young to really understand it, I think. It was more, "Grandpa is sick, and he will probably not get better," according to my brain. I distinctly remember when my aunt called that he had passed, and probably always will. It was the first death I can remember. My grandma was tough. It started with depression, and whether it was the Alzheimer's or not at that point, it just went downhill from there. It terrified me because my mom had a relationship with her mom like the one my mom and I have--extraordinarily close, and I, too, was very close to my grandma. It was totally awful to watch my mom and aunts go through that much worry and pain. Of course, we all "had time to prepare" in both cases, but that doesn't really mean or help much when it comes right down to it: no matter how much time, it's never enough, and you're never prepared.

My dad's mom is in her late 80s, and has been blind from diabetes for a handful of years. In a way, it's easy because we're far away so we're not in the thick of it all, but at the same time, it's a rather crippling feeling to be so far removed from the rest of my dad's family.

This has all been on my mind more than usual in the last year as we've been planning the wedding. Growing up, you always assume everyone will be there for your greatest moments of happiness, but then reality reminds you that sometimes that can't be. Sometimes I get very sad and overwhelmed at the prospect of not having my maternal grandparents there, and having my paternal grandmother there, but overwhelmed by the noise, and unable to see me walk down the aisle. She has never seen John. A funny, but sad, memory is of her saying hello to him at my college graduation party--she kissed his cheek and said, "Oh, you have a beard?"

My mom's mom would have loved John, and I know he'd've found her to be a riot. I'm sure he's heard enough stories and seen enough photos to kind of get a sense of knowing her, but it will never be the same.

I am very grateful to have a wonderful and loving relationship with John's family, and his grandparents took me in as their own from day 1--something I have both craved, but also had mixed feelings about. So much of his grandparents, his family in general, feels like my own family--maybe it's because both his family and mine grew up on Staten and Long Island, respectively. It's such a close-knit community where everyone's aunts and uncles all lived within a short drive of each other, and where Sunday BBQs were a given. This has helped me cope with losing and, in a sense, regaining grandparents, but I do still sometimes find myself feeling tremendously sad when I'm in their company because I wish John could come to my grandparents' home for dinners and gatherings. It's the whole idea of feeling alone in a crowded room, or looking into someone else's window from outside.

I know this is kind of all over the place, but I just wanted to commit some of this to writing. Speaking of writing, my grandparents remain one subject I cannot write about in poetry. I haven't quite figured out why yet, but when I try and channel the feelings into a poem, it's like my mind locks up, and nothing comes. I guess I still have healing to do, and I probably always will to a degree.

So, that's all. This is just to serve as a cosmic "hello" and "I miss you" to Stella and Edwin.

I owe you pics!

2011-06-12T17:11:00.006-04:00

I FINALLY uploaded my photos from my new camera...here is a small sampling:

At Renault for a pre-Father's Day brunch:
John, in his vinter best.

A kind gentleman who didn't know how to work my camera took our pic. My dad looks like he's eating the statue. I promise you he's not.

Some Princeton shots:

Pudgie budgie on a bench.

This is Meatball, our office's domesticated squirrel. He's finishing an apple I left for him. He's clearly loving it.

Prospect Garden in full bloom.

Oh yeh, it's been really HOT:
Hammy does not approve.

In other news, John and I bought our wedding bands yesterday--I can't wait to get them! It'll kill me knowing they're here but we can't wear them. Oh well. Before we know it the wedding'll over and we'll be on our way to Disney, starting our life and Mr. and Mrs., and we'll both get to wear and look at our rings every day FOREVERRRRR! muah ha ha Seriously, though, we're both really happy with them, and I will post pics for all to see AFTER they make their debut on 11/5/11. : )

That's all for now. There are some exciting events on the horizon, like a New York City trip next weekend, and a few friends' gatherings. Ah, summer.

VACATION DAY!

2011-06-10T12:06:00.002-04:00

Hooray! Taking my first vacation day of the summer today, and it's glorious. Most of the heat has broken, I'm doing laundry, I got my new drivers license, and I may--if I'm feeling so motivated--even go down to the florist in town to talk wedding flowers.

Sunday, John and I are meeting Mom and Dad at Renault for an early Father's Day brunch. Yum! We'll then go on a tour of the winery, and Mom and I will do a tasting. After that, John and I may go down to Stockton to walk around for a while is the weather is nice enough.

For now, it's lunch time. And about those pictures...I'm working on migrating files to this lovely new machine, and will upload my camera software soon. Hopefully I can even use the editing software that came with our Flip cam...my old comp was like, "Ahhhh, new technology...does not compute!" Poor thing.

TTFN, all.

Checking In

2011-06-07T20:23:00.002-04:00

And the season of crafting begins!

The semester is finished at Princeton, and summer is in full swing--well, as fully as it can swing at the beginning of June. We're on our summer hours, the students are gone, and vacations are beginning. It's like we can all finally breathe.

It's getting hot, which is another sign summer is coming. Hammy is getting lazy, and has taken to sprawling out on cool surfaces. I feel bad for him in the heat...he's so floofy! But he still loves all the snuggles he can get.

Wedding plans are chugging along, and it's now getting down to the details. We just picked up the beginnings of our centerpieces. We're starting to think about music for the reception, having settled on a DJ. I need to make my first fitting appointment soon, and I seriously need to up the ante on my search for shoes. It's suddenly starting to feel like crunch time for real--we're now less than 5 months away! Eeep!

I'm also proud to announce that I'm writing this on my new laptop! After suffering a dying processor for more than a year, I finally shopped around and landed this beauty. It's so wonderful when things work as they're supposed to. : ) It's especially nice to use a laptop when it's hot out and not have it overheating and burning your thighs through your jeans!

So that's all for now, I think. Just checking in as I settle into summer.

Until the next update...

PS: I also recently got a new camera, but was waiting to get the new computer before loading the software, so I promise to have some pics up here soon...I have much to post!

Timing Fail

2011-05-22T19:05:00.002-04:00

I just got my driver's license renewal notice. BOOO! Do I have to pay another fee when I get my name changed in like 5 months?

What's in a Name?

2011-04-11T21:25:00.002-04:00

(Insert Shakespeare-y eye roll here.)

I've been thinking a lot--probably more than is healthy--about how my name will be changing in about 6 months.

My first thoughts are, of course, full of excitement because I think of it in terms of signing our marriage license, having our witnesses sign the license, and just enjoying our wedding day. I can't wait to have John refer to me as "wife," and I can't wait to finally and officially call him "husband." As Mora blogged when musing about being newly married, there is just a sense of legitimacy and clout in having a spouse. When you call someone your boyfriend, it can tend to seem new and somewhat of a question mark. Then you get a fiance, which causes excitement and congratulations. It seems every time I mention my fiance in front of someone new, congratulations and wedding questions almost immediately follow. But again, this can sometimes set off "new" and "young" vibes. Once you get to husband, though, it seems generally accepted that you are an adult, and that your relationship has actual "meaning." It sounds firm when you say, "I can't come in to work today. My husband fell and broke his wrist" versus "My boyfriend broke his wrist"which may be translated as "OMG my bf got a boo boo!" There's a true sense of need and belonging, and of social togetherness. I'm looking forward to all of that as much as I have enjoyed the process of getting to this point (almost 7 years in the making, thank you very much). I've felt for a very long time that John has been my husband, and now we simply get the legal documentation to prove it.

My second thoughts are of things like having to learn a new signature. I'm sorry, but the double-g i thing kills me. I have yet to discover the secret formula to make Maureen Riggi look good as a signature. But I'll have plenty of time to get it right. I also think a lot about re-establishing myself at work under a new name. Thankfully I've built steady relationships with coworkers both in and outside my office, and many of them know about the wedding, so that will be simple. And for those who I haven't worked with yet, they'll just have to search me under my new name. The HR aspect is a bit daunting, honestly. Do I get a new email address, or keep my current one since it's really just my first name anyway? Do I update my listing from Egan to Riggi? Do I hyphenate for professional use? What's the best way to transition?

This leads to what is probably the most stressful, and that's the legal aspect. I don't have a personal HR department to help me switch my name on all my various documents...DMV, SSN, bills, etc. I know it'll get done, and it's a bit frustrating, but the thought of it now is kind of overwhelming. I'll be gaining a legal alias. Hence I've been holding off on getting a passport. It's not worth it to get one only to have to update and switch it in a few months anyway.

Another thing I keep mulling over is how I'll be known as Maureen Riggi for longer than I've been known as Maureen Egan, and that's a strange thought. I mean, our parents have always been, for the most part, known to us and Mom and Dad Last Name, which is also my Last Name. Until we're older we don't really give much thought to Mom's life with Old Last Name. I know this is all way deeper thought that is normal or necessary, but this is what I've been thinking about as I doodle my name plus John's last name. It's a mini identity crisis, dag nabbit! Also, and I tease John about this endlessly, I love having an identity so obviously Irish. Several visitors to my office ask my name and as soon as I say, Maureen Egan, the immediate response is, "Oh, what a beautiful Irish name." It makes me sad that that will now be buried under Riggi. John and I were watching a program on NJN about contemporary Irish music (it was around St. Pat's), and the host was a young woman with blue hair and curly blonde hair. I forget her last name, but it was Italian. John said, "Gosh, they couldn't even get someone Irish to host?" And I snapped, "She probably is, but her married name is Italian." But it's true. It's not that I'm not equally proud of my Italian background, but I do like being so easily identified by my name and my features (a gentleman recently told me I was a classic Gallway Girl and referred me to the song). I wonder if, as I'm known as Riggi, if I'll look "more" Italian to people.

I'm, of course, happy to take John's name, and all of this is also a way of deferring some of my other wedding stresses, but I think there are more than a few concerns in there that I can't be alone in having. I'm clearly overthinking all of this. But like I said, I'm sure these aren't unique thoughts--someone has had to have shades of even the craziest crap I wrote up there.

Married friends, how did you feel as you approached your wedding date, and how was the transition to your new name and new identity as Wife? Thoughts? Advice? Anecdotes? Please do share.

Love,
Maureen

PS: another ridiculous thought...do I change Hammy's name on his vet records? He's currently Hamlet Egan. haha

House Dreams

2011-04-05T21:02:00.002-04:00

I love our apartment. It's adorable, is the perfect size most of the time, and has many of the qualities I hope for in whatever house we wind up in: charm, hardwood floors, a layout that makes sense, an extra bedroom.

But I am just as often reminded of all the things I couldn't live without for much longer. I am continually frustrated by two spaces, which are two make-or-break points in a house sale: the kitchen and the bathroom. Both spaces are fine if you're alone. The problem is that, almost every day I'll be in, say, the bathroom brushing my teeth, and then John will wedge in and attempt to brush his teeth, too. Standing practically implanted in my side. As we fight for spitting room. In the pedestal sink. We inevitably knock things over cuz there is no room to rest anything since there is no counter. The other day on such an occasion, my toothbrush wound up on the floor. Thankfully it was after I had finished with it. But still, in that moment, I yelled, "HIS AND HERS SINKS AND A BIG BATHROOM IS A MUST IN OUR HOUSE!!!!!!" I'm pretty sure I then smoked out the ears, and blasted a hole in the wall with the lasers coming out of my eyes. While John and I were bumbling to get out of the bathroom, Hammy comes trotting in, chirping away, and rubs against my ankles. A picture of overcrowded, claustrophobic perfection.

My second biggest pet peeve also occurs in the kitchen. I'll be putting away groceries, which takes up nearly every square inch of the room, and John will waltz in, deciding he wants tea, or needs to throw something away that very second, or worse--tries to help, but just winds up getting more things in my way. His method of helping is emptying out all the bags onto the one square inch of counter space we have. Which infuriates me because I have a very specific method. It works. It doesn't involve putting everything on counters. It's sad that it upsets me because he's trying to help, which I genuinely appreciate. But this scenario is another that ends in yelling, throwing of reusable bags, and unceremonious chucking of yogurt into the fridge. And, as if on cue, Hammy comes in, selects his favorite burlap bag and lays down on it, looking up at me and purring contentedly. ::sighs::

So here it is, my HGTV Property Idiot First Time Home Buyers Wish List:
1. Preferably one floor
2. Hardwood floors (but some carpet might be nice)
3. A screened in porch for Hammy to enjoy (and to act as a buffer to enter the house should he try and escape)
4. 2/3 bedrooms
5. John needs a mancave
6. DISHWASHER
7. Washer/dryer on main floor if there's a basement or upstairs if there are 2 stories. I'm tired of nearly plummeting to my death doing laundry. Who decided a narrow, dark concrete stairwell only needed light switches and a frigging DOOR to manipulate...genius).
8. Preferably 2 bathrooms

Something also pissing me off these days: my computer, which becomes more and more senile every day. I am literally counting down to buying a new one. I almost throw this one out the window every single time I try and use it.

That's all for now.

Wedding 101, or The Beauty and Stress of Planning

2011-03-30T19:40:00.003-04:00

Things I'm learning, mainly about myself, as our wedding comes ever closer:

Planning a wedding has only made me even MORE obsessed with organization. My life is basically maintained on my Google Calendar, and now that I have my Droid, I'm even more reliant on the calendar to keep myself straight. This is especially beneficial when wedding stuff crops up and I am away from home/computers in general. My calendar is my lifeline in keeping all of the different payments, due dates, and various to-dos in check. I'd be hopelessly lost without out. And for that, Google Calendar, I thank thee heartily.

What I've also mastered in planning is that I've become a (self-professed) financial guru. Not only do I manage "regular" bills, but it's now at the point in planning that we have to think about when payments are due to various vendors, how to make the payments coincide with paychecks, and when to mail things so they arrive on time. This morning I did a marathon of financial planning to think out photographer payments. An easy enough task alone, but when coupled with other deadlines and such, the bigger picture is a bit hairy.

Sometimes I feel like an incredible grown up. haha Another triumph includes planning a big vacation, aka honeymoon, which is BOOKED. We will be in Disney for a week. AWE. SOME. We get to book our restaurant reservations in May, meaning...more planning. We've narrowed down where we'll be on what days, and thus planned our meals and restaurants accordingly. We'll be down there for the Food and Wine Festival, so that'll be a really fun day in Epcot. Luckily, we have a private Disney guru in one of my BFFs at work, who has basically grown up in the Mouse's backyard.

Not necessarily related to the wedding, too, is the fact that I am about to (almost) pay off the balance on my credit card using my federal refund money. Paying off the credit card is a victory of a few sorts. Firstly, I'll finish payments about 4 months ahead of my initial 12-month plan (thank you balance transfer with no interest for first year!). Check. Secondly, in paying off the balance, I will finally be able to put my unemployment behind me. Check. The balance ballooned mainly after Hammy's hospitalization last year, as well as having to foot some grocery shopping and other charges while I was scraping pennies from my unemployment checks. Thirdly, I can finally invest in things I've been putting off for a loooong time, like replacing the laptop on which I am currently typing. The processor is so old that it really struggles to have a brainwave, taking an obscene amount of time to boot up and be functional. Better days are ahead. I can almost feel the smooth new keys beneath my fingers now. That said, current computer, I still need you--hang in there!

Other general observations about wedding planning: it's hard to accept that I can't please everyone individually and that I have to know that everyone is happy for us, and everyone will have a good time, and yes, everyone will even have something to eat. A big stressor has been the menu...there are diets, allergies, and diet preferences to consider. But you know what? We do our best, and everyone will be fine. Another stressor is hotel rooms and the following equation:

Ceremony Location PLUS Reception Location
DIVIDED BY 40 minute drive in between
TIMES lots of out of town guests from both north and south
EQUALS Maureen's head exploding

But again, people will deal, be happy, and maybe have to be a bit inconvenienced. And it will all be okay.

And of course we have yet to find a DJ and limo (last two big things to check off our list), and then it's all the small details--shoes, jewelry, centerpieces, hair style, nail color, bouquets--that will haunt me until I'm on the plane heading to Disney. It's mainly a fabrication problem. We see it in our heads, it's just a matter of making it in real life.

Oh yeh, I guess I should also acknowledge that I clearly survived my surgery. Two weeks later, I'm feeling basically normal, but so much better than my old normal. I can BREATHE, and breathe deeply and wonderfully. Singing feels so much better, and even just walking feels better now that I'm not passing out from lack of oxygen. My nose is still a bit swollen inside, and is still a bit tender to the touch, but it gets better every day, and this sinus rinse (similar to a Neti Pot, but it doesn't look like a jacked teapot) is amazing--I'm keeping it up even after I'm healed cuz it's pure bliss to have a free and clear nasal passages (read: no boogers! LMAO).

So that's all for now. More to come as more happens. And I'll try and get some pics up here in an upcoming spring post. I wanna take pics around Princeton's campus as trees and plants begin to bloom. There are small suggestions that spring is coming, and I'm anxious for it to arrive. I'm over bundling up.

Musing

2011-02-18T19:50:00.002-05:00

I'm constantly surprised by my cat's resilience. He'll be an annoying jerk when I walk in the door because Mommy's arrival = dinnertime. He'll be insolent, insistent, and incessant in his desperate cries for food as if I had been purposely starving him. As soon as I feed him, he melts into a ball of purring joy, all sin forgotten.

He will run around like a crazed lunatic at 3:30 in the morning, and I will grumble and chase him around until I catch him, both our hearts pounding, and put him in kitty time out in the office, where he--thankfully--waits patiently and QUIETLY until John wakes up, which means breakfast. He will scarf his food, clean himself, and then come running into the bedroom the second he hears my alarm go off. He'll hop onto the bed, nuzzle my face, and curl up against my side, purring and looking at me like I'm the love of his life. I accept this as his apology.

Most of all, I admire how much John and I mean to him, and how we equal home. When he came home after 3 days in the hospital last winter, as soon as he got inside, I could see him relax. He ate, drank, went to the bathroom, and curled up on the couch with us as if to say, "I'm so happy to be back." No one could have been happier than us, though.

We recently had an ordeal that realized one of my biggest fears as a pet owner: getting him into his crate and out of the house in an emergency situation. Super Bowl Sunday started calmly enough. John and I prepared the turkey to roast in the oven, I got sides and appetizers ready, and finished up my cleaning. Then, after about 2.5 hours, I opened the oven door to check the bird, and our carbon monoxide detector went off, blinking, "Move to fresh air!" We called the police, who transferred us to the fire department, who told us to wait for them outside. Hammy had run under the bed as soon as the detector started to beep, and was firmly planted in the center where the noisy monster--and we--couldn't get him. We eventually got him out in a panic, put him in his carrier and headed outside. He cried because it was cold, he was scared, and was in a weird place. After a while, our neighbors and good friends invited me, Hammy, and my parents (who had since arrived) inside to keep warm. They let us let Hammy out of his carrier to hopefully calm him down a bit and feel less like he was being punished. He came out and was immediately confused...it looked familiar like home, but everything was backward, smelled different, and looked different. He saw me and my parents, and friends he knew, but was just plain curious.

He did a quick lap, then he stood up taller, his tail periscoped into the air, and he was off and exploring. We eventually got back inside, the problem having been an old pilot in the stove that had to be fixed (we got a whole new oven the next day!). They repaired it to last us the rest of the day (so we could finish cooking the turkey), and Hammy was heartily rewarded with a piece of turkey once it was done.

Snow Day!

2011-01-27T12:29:00.002-05:00

My birthday gift from Princeton? Early dismissal yesterday and a full-fledged snow day today! Whoot! Just a half day tomorrow and then it's party time. : )

Stay warm, stay safe.

Happy snow day!

Merrily We Roll Along...

2011-01-22T13:49:00.003-05:00

January is coming to a close, meaning my birthday is now a mere 7 days away, and we're another month closer to W Day.

Last weekend I bought my dress...it's strange to now have an actual image of how I'll look. I always had a kind of fluid idea, but now I can really picture myself walking down the aisle at the church, dancing at the reception. The dress is mercifully comfortable and I had a really great consultant who was like an extra Mommy--she took such good care of me, my mom, and Tara. We had a really fun day, and I was just really impressed with the whole experience. I even came in well under budget--more money to go toward another aspect of the day. It was a win-win. haha

I think my favorite story involving the dress so far actually involves my dad. When Mom took it home, she went to hang it in the closet, but the bar wasn't high enough, and so I guess it sagged on the floor a bit (safely tucked in its garment bag, of course!). I want to digress a moment to add a note about my dad. He and I have taken quite some time to get to where we are now--when I was younger there was a lot of not understanding him (I'm sure that went both ways), and so it was hard to forge any true sort of relationship. I think a lot changed when I was in college, and since moving out we've developed a much easier relationship, which makes me really happy--conversation comes easier, and I think we relate to each other better, and probably respect each other more since we're not piled on top of each other in the same house anymore. This is a pretty typical story of children growing up and growing closer to their former rivals.

That said, my dad is still not a very vocal man when it comes to emotions--he's always been sentimental, but has also always chosen to show rather than tell. For as long as I can remember, he has always brought my mom Just-Because flowers and takes time to pick just the right card. So his daughter's wedding dress on the ground wasn't quite good enough. He ran out to the store to find a hook to fix in the ceiling in the corner of my (former) bedroom to hang it.

I know it's small and kind of silly, but that is one of my dad's ways of saying I love you in way that's been difficult to say in voice. I love you, too, Dad, and I hope I make that clear every day. That said, it's still not okay if you step on my train! ; )

Also coming up is my 25th birthday. I told John instead of a party this year, I'd much prefer a getaway weekend since we haven't had a vacation since Las Vegas, and won't have one again til the honeymoon. So we thought a bit about Atlantic City and The Hotel Hershey, but John found an amazing deal for winter getaway at Renault Winery, and we jumped on it. It includes a 6-course dinner, champagne brunch, a winery tour and tasting, and take-away bottle of champagne. Sounds good to me! I can't wait. I even took a half day this coming Friday to start the celebration a bit early. I'm very glad my birthday will be on the weekend next year, too. Bday 27 will be on a Monday, though--yucko. But one thing at a time.

I think that's about it for now. Just enjoying the winter and hoping Tuesday's storm will yield a SNOW DAY! Jammies inside out, everyone, and think snow. : )

More to come, friends. Til next time.

Let It Snow

2011-01-07T08:47:00.007-05:00

As the first big snowstorm this winter happened while I was on vacation, I missed seeing Princeton blanketed. Today's snowfall won't be nearly as eventful, but just enough to make everything look like gingerbread houses. Okay, gingerbread mansions.

I haven't seen much else of campus yet, but hope to snap a few more pics when I venture out for lunch in one of my favorite Hogwarts-esque buildings.

For now, I can't really complain cuz every time I turn around and look out my window, this is what I see:

Happy winter everyone.

Santa

2010-12-29T20:20:00.003-05:00

Christmas was, again, wonderful, and full of time with families, good food, and good presents. Big wins are the Wii Santa brought us, a Flip video camera from the in-laws, and a nice assortment of smaller awesome objects (lots of textured tights, Christmas wine glasses, wine to put in the glasses, CDs, clothes, gift cards, and lots I'm forgetting at the moment).

Christmas Eve was up at John's aunt and uncle's, and is always a relaxed and good time. We then went to midnight mass in town, and though we were sleepy, the church looked beautiful--poinsettias everywhere you looked, four trees on the alter, and huge swags hanging on each pillar. I wish I had my camera. It was pretty breathtaking. We then walked home at 1AM, and promptly passed out, leaving the trees on to guide Santa.

Christmas Day was at my parents' and Boxing Day we went to Casa Branin. And thus began our phase of vacation in which we were snowed in. Some 12 inches, loads of wind, and a day without plowing later, cabin fever was setting in, even with all our cool new toys. It wasn't until today we were able to get out and about in the world. We had a nice breakfast date at Panera, then set out for some shopping for the weekend, which we will spend at my friend's. Happy to ring in another new year surrounded by people I love. And what a year 2011 will be.

2011 was run in in Maryand at my friend's apartment. It was a nice road trip with John, and it was great to see Dana for the first time since the summer, and to see her new home and get a little tour. Sadly, the weather didn't cooperate with our original plans, and we had to stick indoors most of the time, but that was okay, too.

So happy January, all, and happy 2011.

More to come.

Christmas Season in Pictures

2010-12-13T20:29:00.004-05:00

Welcome home:

Hammy's Tree:
Big tree:
Gingerbread house:

Not necessarily Christmassy, but here's our new dining room set:

From Frost Fest at Dillon Gym at Princeton U:

And from Saturday, the tree at Rockefeller Center:

Less than 2 weeks and counting! More pics to come as Santa gets closer.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

2010-12-09T19:40:00.002-05:00

Christmas has once again come to Bordentown, as John and I prepare for our first Christmas in our (not-so) new apartment, and for our last Christmas before we're married. Weird thought.

This year we sprung for a 6.5 foot (artificial) tree since we finally have the space for it. It's decked out with lights, red, green, gold, and silver ornaments, and gold garland, despite John's protestation (I win!). We also have a fluffy red tree skirt, that Hamlet has claimed as his new favorite bed. Saw that one coming. Our door is decorated with a live balsam wreath purchased through our church, and man it smells so delightful. It just feels so much more like home this time of year when everything is shiny and happy and welcoming.

Shopping is almost done, I'm planning my baking, and we're planning our holiday travels, which will finish with an exciting getaway to visit Dana in her new home and new state of residence! I get a nice heap of time off work, my first vacation since I started here back in May--that's right. I'm well overdue, and totally ready for it. I've been doing a bad job of taking care of myself, so it'll be nice to stop for a while and catch up on a little gal named Maureen.

This Time Last Year...

2010-11-10T19:34:00.002-05:00

In my head, I've been composing a look back at the past year, as so much has changed. And now I'm finally sitting down to write it.

This time last year, I was in the deep depths of a depression after getting the boot from my job. I won't say, "It was the best thing that happened!" because it wasn't. I had never been so down on myself or on my future, and it was just a generally dark 6 months. I was truly unhappy at the job, but I liked the people with whom I worked, so going in every morning was a little less cumbersome. But now, I am finally in a place where I feel like I have direction, where I am truly appreciated, and where I feel like I am important, not just as an employee, but as a person and a friend. While it wasn't ideal, I see now that I am where I am supposed to be.

This time last year, we were living in our first apartment, eagerly anticipating moving out. After a no-win scenario concerning our downstairs neighbors and the living noise of us being 20-somethings with a kitten, we just had to go somewhere we didn't feel afraid to move in our own home. So we came here, where we are much happier with the layout, with the apartment itself, with not having to go outside to get to the laundry machines, and with the fact that two of our greatest friends are across the lawn.

This time last year, John (unbeknownst to me), would be picking up my engagement ring in 2 days. We were planning our trip to Central Park to explore the zoo and to hunt for Shakespeare's statue. I can't believe we're already coming up on the one-year anniversary of getting engaged. We've come a long, long way from talking about a fall 2011 wedding, and now we've got our church, reception, and photographer lined up.

This time last year, I couldn't imagine how it was all going to get better, but here I am: 365 days separated from that self. I am surely stronger, happier, and maybe a little more happy-go-lucky. All in all, I feel like I've come out of the darkness, and landed on a sunny beach in Florida. I'm just soaking it up because I know hard days will come again, and I'm sure I'll forget that things will right themselves, and I'll always get back to feeling just like this.

So now, I offer a look forward: this time NEXT year, John and I will be married and off on our honeymoon in Disney World!

And with that, goodnight.

Until next time...

October!

2010-10-05T11:12:00.002-04:00

I still feel compelled to draw a pumpkin in my "O" every time I write out October.

I'm home sick today, recovering from a massive, all-day allergy attack on Sunday. I muscled through work yesterday because it meant, at the end of the day, going to Barnes and Noble and meeting Alton Brown as he launched his new book tour. He was literally what made me get out of bed and go to work. Having taken care of the Monday business, however, I felt okay about taking off if it means resting and actually feeling better rather than continuing to simply fight my way to 5:00.

So, yes. Mr. Brown. We got there right at 5 when seating started, and nabbed seats in the 3rd row! Then I started worrying. What if he was a jerk in person? What if he literally looked and acted like he wanted to be anywhere but here? But as we talked excitedly about him, his shows, books, recipes, general wonderfulness, the anxiousness started to go away. Around 6:40, the B&N lady said she just got confirmation they were entering the area, and would be here to promptly start at 7, as planned. Everyone started buzzing and craning their necks to try and be the first to spot him. When he was announced, everyone's butts left their seats, and there he was...every bit as handsome and charming as he is on TV. Maybe more so.

The format was simply a Q&A. He arrived, coffee in hand, assistant in tow, and rather than sitting stiffly, he grabbed the mic, and walked around, talking with everyone, relishing the kids' questions, and really just appeared to be enjoying the energy of the room. It was fantastic. Then he did autographs and photos once the chatting was done, and he made a point to personally go to the families with small children first so they could get off on their way--it was a school night, after all. What a gentleman.

Favorite quote of the evening? Upon talking to a strict vegetarian in search of non-fish ways to take in iodine, Alton said, "I understand. I really am a vegetarian, too. I just get most of my vegetables...through a cow." Sitting with my vegetarian (though pescatarian) friend, we both whipped out our notebooks and jotted that gem down. haha

It was a great night, but my allergies were flaring again, and I was grateful the autograph line moved fast and I was home before nine.

In other news, John has been away since Sunday night at a conference in Atlantic City. It's been lonely, and I'm glad he'll be home tomorrow night after class. I have to say it's been nice to have 100% control of the TV and house, and Hammy's been on his best behavior (maybe he thinks John's return is contingent on him NOT yowling at 4:30am for food) and been my little shadow. But John is enjoying the conference, is learning a lot, and is apparently enjoying some good eats of his own. : )

That's all for now. Pumpkin picking soon! Whoo hoo!

This seems familiar...

2010-09-01T17:39:00.002-04:00

So I'm currently at Stockton while John attends his graduate school orientation. He will start classes next Wednesday, and I'm really excited for him. I think he feels he lost part of his connection to the science world when he left Stockton, and will be really good to get back into an academic community and to use that noggin again. Of course, I'm not fully ready for John the Student yet...the homework stress, the long days, the papers. But I really am proud of him for achieving a goal he's had his mind on for a very long time.

I am also thinking that by the time our families come for his graduation, they may need a new set of directions...the Campus Center is well under construction (very different from the heap of dirt and feeble foundation that I saw last), there are new signs all over campus, there are newly-paved roads, and there are fewer familiar faces here now. For example, my brain automatically tuned to, "Let's go see KT!" Then I was reminded, gently, that he retired. So sad to imagine a Stockton without one of its founding fathers. The new generation of LITT kids is truly missing out.

As classes get closer and closer (next Wednesday evening will be John's first class), I'm beginning to think about how I'll spend my evenings alone. Eating alone kind of depresses me, but it also is kind of freeing to cook whatever I want, in a quantity for one, I can watch my girly TV indulgences, and I can hog snuggle time with the cat. But I don't want to just be a couch potato. Hopefully as the weather gets nicer I can work up to jogging again, and eventually I'll have wedding DIY stuff to do...make bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages...place cards, etc., and that will be nice to occupy my time cuz I've been craving a creative outlet that will allow me to work with my hands. I have two problems with the need to be crafty, however. One, I lack storage space for anything I create (so clutter-producing hobbies are out immediately), and two, I need something either free or cheap.

I realize that I am very isolated from my friends. Geographically, I mean. If I'm lonely on a Monday night, I can't really call someone up and say, "I'm bored. Let's hang out." I've been really lazy with writing, too. I just haven't felt very inspired and also haven't worked very hard to get inspired. That is frustrating and sad.

Today has had me thinking a lot about my time at Stockton, about community, and about how strange it is to be an alumni. I know these halls, these grounds. But I feel starkly out of place here now. I have no patience for the freshmen moving into the dorms and have had to flee groups of them all afternoon, and to go over by the lake will put me in proximity to the upper classmen, so that relaxing Adirondack chair by the Island won't be as serene as it is in my head. I'm an outsider now looking in on my own past. Very strange.

In other news, I was at the ENT this morning, and that was an adventure...had a camera shoved up my nose by a nice young doc, and it was, indeed, determined that I have a deviated septum on the left, and that my right half is equally a mess. So sometime in the next week or so I will have a CT scan to take a peek inside and see what the damage is, and then we'll go from there to determine a plan to get me breathing comfortably for the first time in my entire life. I can't imagine life without a stuffy nose, can't imagine actually enjoying breathing through yoga poses, being able to smell properly. It also scares me--if I actually need surgery, what if they mess up my nose? I'm sure the surgery to fix a septum is less invasive that a Heidi Montag Special, but still...I don't wanna look like Dumbledore in my wedding pics. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

More to come on the start of John's grad career, and on the Adventures of Maureen's Stuffed Schnoz.

Goodnight to you all from lovely Pomona, NJ.

Bah

2010-08-20T18:28:00.002-04:00

Wedding planning may actually kill me. ::sighs::

There are just so many balls in the air at this point that I can't imagine things coming together. Granted we have over a year, but we're at the point where we need to start whittling options. I really believe that you can have a beautiful wedding on a small budget. I also believe, and am fast finding out, that to do so successfully takes about five times the effort having lots of money to throw around takes. Money makes problems go away. We don't have oodles of money, but we do have a strong set of problem-solving skills. haha Let's hope they help.

Simply choosing a location is hard enough. I'm not talking about a reception site, I'm talking about a geographic location. We're basically down between a Bordentown-central plan or a Sandy Hook-central plan. Either of those means at least a half hour commute between ceremony and reception, and while not uncommon or unreasonable, certainly something to consider and take into account with the day's agenda. I also have to remind myself this is really the only time I can be demanding of people, and ask them to be inconvenienced for like 24 hours. So there!

Maybe it's all also overwhelming because it's all still hypothetical. We don't have a ceremony site to work with yet. We don't have a reception location to work with yet. We're interviewing and contacting places, crunching and recrunching numbers every time we talk to someone. I'll feel better when things are in progress and there's an actual goal in sight.

I know everyone will have a good time in the end and we'll be proud that we survived it (and we will celebrate with a sweet, sweet cake!). I have to keep that in mind as I'm pulling my hair out.

Cheers,

Mini Vacation

2010-07-30T16:13:00.003-04:00

So I took today off as a mental health day. After basically winding up in tears the last three Fridays, I was motivated to take off partially by fear of going 4-for-4, and partially by necessity. I just plain needed a break. I can't say I haven't been jealous of all my coworkers' vacations, so I decided I'd like a little time, too.

But I forgot that I suck at doing nothing. I could never be a staycation girl. I was almost more stressed sitting at home with nothing to do than if I had to be locked in my office to protect myself from a lunatic parent (as I had to do two weeks ago). The day started with a ticket. I was parked on the street, and on Fridays, there's a sign that says a street sweeper comes between 10AM and 11AM and you can't park on our side of the street during that time. Now, having been home for many, many spring Fridays, I had never once seen a street sweeper. I thought maybe it was an old sign since I had yet to see this damn vehicle. Well, of course the day I take off, I'm there parked on the street, sweeper comes, and I (as well as the car behind me) get ticketed. Damnit. My day off just ate $17 out of my pay. ::sighs::

In other news, I had an AWESOME yoga class last night. The last three weeks, it's been just me showing up, so I've had private lessons. Which is awesome cuz we can just kinda do what we want and not have to worry about less experienced classmates. Not that mind, but I'm definitely in the mood for something that will whip me into wedding-dress shape, and I need something intense. Last night was a series of sun salutations (my arms are screaming, but it hurts so good! Hello, triceps...I've missed you!), then warriors and lots of forward bending with some wheel, bridge and ab work to finish off. Awe-some.

Anyway, I'm currently enjoying a swirled Coolatta from DD (coffee and vanilla, thankyouverymuch), and thinking about the mini-vacation we're going on this weekend. We'll be up on my home island, Long Island, through Monday visiting family and friends. Saturday night's agenda is a Mets game, and Sunday we'll be out at the beach. Whoo hoo!

So, friends, I hope I'll feel a bit rejuvenated after the fun and sun. See you on the other side.

This is What Happiness Looks Like

2010-07-20T19:29:00.005-04:00

This past Saturday, my dear friend Angela married her boyfriend of 10 years, and it was a fantastic day. She was probably the giddiest, bubbliest, happiest bride I've ever seen. She was literally bouncing in her seat, and kept lightly slapping Matt's knee as if to say, "I can't believe it!"

This, friends, is what happiness looks like:

Below are some of the better photos I took:

To honor the groom, a hockey player.

Look closer...

That's them on the cake! Matt has a hockey stick, and Ang has a book.

First dance to "I Wanna Grow Old with You," From The Wedding Singer.

This was the first wedding where I wasn't qualified to catch the bouquet. Is it weird that that makes me sad? haha

Tutors, yoga buddies, Chapstick addicts, friends. : ) Good times.
All the best to the new Mr. and Mrs.!

Cheers, Mate!

2010-06-24T18:41:00.003-04:00

Today at work we had a farewell tea party for a much-beloved coworker before she embarks upon graduate work at another Ivy League institution. Thankfully, the rain held off, and it was overcast and breezy so we didn't fry to death.

The garden was beautiful behind an historic house on campus, ripe for photography opportunities! There were vintage hats for wearing, cucumber water for sipping, tea sandwiches for eating. Imagine the tourists walking by, looking at us in our fancy getup in a setting that could easily pass for time-accurate if only with the help of a sepia finish. It was awesome. Here are some pictures from the event:

Garden setting.

The noms.

The guest of honor shows off her gloves.

Lovely ladies. : )

Thinking on a Beautiful Friday

2010-06-18T18:13:00.002-04:00

Today many thoughts crossed my mind on my trek up to my building. I realized, as I do every day, how incredibly happy I am at Princeton: I feel it is where I am meant to be. I am taken aback by the beauty of the campus every single day. I often wonder how long it takes people there to take it for granted. I work with amazing people who welcomed me like family, and it already feels like I've been there for years. My job is fulfilling, something I had been lacking since tutoring. The people I work with are also incredibly gracious and appreciative. As someone who thrives on (for better or worse) outside reinforcement, it is wonderful to be told I am doing a great job, that I am the perfect addition to the team, that as soon as they finished my interview they all got together and said, "She's it--we don't want anyone else." After leaving a job where employee morale was low and few people felt important and appreciated, it's just refreshing.

I am constantly aware of how lucky I am to have found the job that I have. I had decided, just after I applied for the position back in March, that higher education was where I wanted to be. I know it's rare to find what we want, and to find a job where you feel genuinely valued. I know it was a long road to get here, and I just need all those who helped me to know I will not forget your help, I will not forget that struggle, and I will not take for granted what I have.

I also realized a few things on my way home from yoga last night. One, yoga makes everything in life better. I may not have a ripped bod, but there two asanas in which I always feel strong, balanced, and fearless: Warrior two and Triangle. When I need a boost, I will practice these asanas and instantly feel more centered. And I always, always feel good about myself when I am practicing regularly. Yoga is the only place I can officially turn off the worries of the world and go inside. I can reconnect with myself, and let my body lead and my head follow. By the time savasana comes, I am totally at ease and at peace.

The yoga "studio" I attend is in town, in the old fire house. I love that I can walk there, I love the walk itself, I love that as I'm arriving, the bell atop historic City Hall is chiming as its new hammer clangs against the bell (no longer just a recording). I love that when I walk home, I am ushered by a bagpipe corp practicing behind the community center. I love small town life. My own Stars Hollow at last, walking into town never feels old--there's always a new flower in bloom, or a new side street I haven't yet explored, or someone new to talk to.

I am in a really good place, mentally, after half a year of turmoil and questioning everything. I am engaged to a wonderful man who, though he has his flaws and I have mine, seems to understand me and supports me. I have a great cat who I'm sure I was destined to bring home. I have superb friends. And my family, of course, is super star amazing.

John just got accepted to the graduate program at Stockton. He will be accomplishing a lifelong goal of earning his master's degree. I hope this will instill in him some of the faith I have that he doesn't see in himself.

We have so much to be thankful for, and to be happy about, but I think all the stars really do have to align in order for all those things to also align and for us to be able to see them, to number them on our fingers (and toes if necessary).

That is all. I hope you take a minute to think about all the good things in your life, and then maybe help someone else find them in their life. For now, I am off to spend the evening with good friends in celebration of John's current and impending achievement of grad school.

Dear Pedestrians

2010-05-19T19:47:00.002-04:00

Dear Pedestrians,

I am one of you. I understand the need and desire to jaywalk when the crosswalks are far away from where you want to be. I also understand the new law where cars must come to a full stop when you (we) are in the designated crosswalks; however, lady in Burberry shawl on Nassau Street yesterday afternoon, you neglected two very important points while you jaywalked in front of my car, immersed in your cell phone screen without even glancing up at the motorist world...

1. The law is that cars must come to a full stop. This, however, does NOT relieve you of your duties as a conscious being. You can't just dart out whenever you feel like it and think you're almighty. If a car is about two seconds from the crosswalk/your body, let the car pass. That is an impossible stopping distance, and you will lose the lawsuit because you were negligent of your own responsibilities.
2. You were not in a crosswalk, and thus had no business even crossing the street in such an aloof and inconsiderate fashion. I watched you park your fancy BMW SUV, get out and fiddle with the parking meter, take your phone out of your pocket, then stare at something I can only imagine was immensely riveting, WHILE YOU STARTED TO WALK ACROSS THE STREET WITHOUT LOOKING BOTH WAYS. I'm sorry to say that wherever your mother is...she failed. Once you got to the other side of the street, you almost collided with two students waiting to safely jaywalk when cars were at a stop.

Job well done.

A Capella

2010-05-13T19:06:00.004-04:00

As if Glee weren't a big enough reminder of how much I miss performing, today I witnessed a random act of A Capella. I am working late tonight, and was taking a dinner break, sitting on the stone patio behind my building, when all of a sudden, from somewhere not too far away, harmonies floated my way. I knew they had to be in one of the archways of the many dormitories that are near my building, but couldn't place where. Then I saw a small crowd gathering, and closed my book to walk over and see what was going on.

It was a small group, maybe 12 people strong, singing what sounded to me like Indian hymns and folk songs. It was beautiful. Here I was, an hour to kill with nothing to do, and right across the courtyard an impromptu concert erupts?

Now, for those who know me (musically), you know I am vry easily affected by music. Just the whole thing of it--the beauty of the architecture with the beauty of the voices, and the excitement of the singers for having attracted such a crowd on this sunny Thursday evening to the excitement of the passerby who happened to stumble upon such a wonderful event--the wholw thing had me choking back tears. In that moment, I missed singing and performing so much it literally hurt.

Singing in my car is not enough. I worry I will forget how to read music, how to find harmonies in songs. I've been inspired to look into vocal groups here and see if they are open for anyone to join, or if they are classes for students only. Watching this group made me think of the days we'd perform in the stairwells of my high school and faculty, on their way out after long stressful days, would gather to listen to a few numbers. Singing is such a huge part of who I am...it makes me enormously sad to have let it get away for so long.

To be continued...

Yay!

2010-05-01T17:43:00.005-04:00

For those hiding under a rock, or those who have been waiting for this to blast on the weblog, I will be once again gainfully employed as of Monday!

I have been temping in Princeton for the last three weeks, and my first week there I also had an interview at another office on campus, which led to a second interview, which led to an interview with HR and some testing, which led, finally, to an offer for the position on Tuesday afternoon. And I'm still pinching myself.

I have orientation on Monday morning to go over my ample new hire packet and get set up with parking and an ID and all that stuff. Then I'll have a lunch break, then head to my new office to get situated there. This week will probably be pretty intense and overwhelming, but at least I'm coming in at the end of the semester, and will have the summer, when things should be lighter than usual, to get acclimated before diving in full speed in September.

I feel incredibly lucky, and am a little intimidated of going back to work full time for the first time in 6 months. But it's a good intimidation. Mom is coming up tomorrow for shopping, lunch, and exploration. Pics and more stories to come...

Til next time,
Cheers.

The Life of Cat Ownership

2010-04-28T19:51:00.002-04:00

So, Hamlet is very intelligent. Too intelligent for his own good most of the time. For instance, we cannot let pots and pans soak in the sink unattended because Hamlet will see them as tasty watering holes. And we usually know he's up to no good out of sight by hearing him, specifically his name tag, clanking against said watering hole. But another of his favorite games to play is "Climb Mommy's Closet."

This is a game where he will attempt to leap onto the top shelf of my closet any time the door is open. No matter where he is in the house, he'll hear the door slide open, bolt in, and start thinking about how best to get up there. He has managed this on more than a few occasions, most impressively after jumping over my shoulders from the night stand and landing with a soft thud on my folded pile of sweatshirts. He also knows how to open the doors, and can let himself in to play around with my hamper and yoga bag. We know he is opening the door because we'll hear him pawing at it, which is pretty loud as the door rattles in its track.

Tonight, though, his logic was tested. I heard him banging around in the bedroom, and knew he was attempting to open the closet door. It went on for a while, then John and I got annoyed enough that I went to investigate. Now, John is currently in the office, where his closet is, and I was (and am) in the living room. I was slightly confused when I went into the bedroom and flipped on the light, and saw no kitten. If he was banging at John's closet, he would have chased the little furball away. So I opened my closet and found my hamper had been knocked over, and Hammy had gotten into the closet, closed the door, and couldn't figure out how to open it again from the inside to get out... ::forehead slap:: Oy.

And now he is howling because he drank soapy pasta dish water, and probably has a belly ache. Happy Wednesday, all!

John's 26th Birthday Weekend

2010-04-24T20:51:00.004-04:00

We kicked off John's birthday weekend this morning with a surprise trip to the Battleship New Jersey in Camden. We did the self-guided audio tour, which was fun cuz we pretty much had the area of the ship that our tour covered all to ourselves. And fear not fellow claustrophobes--as this is a "city on the sea" it was actually really spacious, and not really crampy at all. So I was happy. Here are a few pics from our adventure.

Can you find John?

Bunkin.

I see zem, Cappy-tin!

C-wiz: 20mm rounds, 3000 bullets/minute.

Up next is lunch with the in-laws in Barnegat tomorrow to celebrate, then a quite celebration Monday on John's actual birthday. Lots of fun. : )

Cuteness

2010-04-07T20:54:00.002-04:00

Here are some new Hammy tidbits. In case you are lacking. : )

Hammy's alter-ego, Mysteriso, likes to hide behind curtains.

Snuggling Daddy.

Heat Wave: April 2010

2010-04-07T20:35:00.005-04:00

Whew, it's hot out there! I've been taking advantage of the warm weather to open the windows and enjoy the outdoors. John and I even ventured to Howell Living History Farm to soak up some sun.

Also, the poem a day challenge has been going relatively well. : ) I'm chugging along quite nicely.

Lambie luncheon and nap.

The oxen received hair cuts in the morning in preparation for warm weather.

It's almost like we weren't in NJ anymore.

This lamb just really wanted to win the fight against this husk.

April Showers

2010-04-01T11:37:00.003-04:00

Happy April, Happy April Fool's Day, Happy Easter, and Happy National Poetry Month!

I'm glad to see March go because hopefully the coldest weather is behind us. John and I have plans to garden outside in the vacant beds where there are just a few bushes, and I wanna get a few container gardens going, too. Also, I want to open my windows and let nice warm breezes come in rather that brisk, chilly ones.

Easter is upon us, and Sunday we will travel, as always, to John's grandparents' to have a small holiday. I'm all about low-key family gatherings because they're much more conducive to catching up and talking. It'll also be fun because we just locked up our bridal party over the past week, and John's sister is VERY excited to be a junior bridesmaid. I'm just looking forward to a nice day with nice conversation and enjoying being happy and surrounded by family and not worrying too much about the harder things in life these days.

Today, however, kicks off National Poetry Month, and I have been encouraged to undertake the challenge of writing a poem a day. I am accepting this, with the stipulation of not beating myself up too much if I fall a bit behind. But I made a list of prompts in case I'm feeling less than inspired, and have already written an inspired poem today. I also carry a notebook and about 12 pens with me at all times as a general rule, so should inspiration strike at a less-than-opportune time, I'll be ready.

In other news, my house smells like a delicious mix (except for Honeydew) of candles. I had a PartyLite show recently with Tara, and the orders arrived yesterday. Everyone's stuff is packed and ready to be distributed. I've already got my pillar garden on the dining room table, and have Apricot Daisy votives in the living room and Tropical Waterfall in the bathroom. Mmm! I'm glad to finally not be burning my Christmas candles cuz that was all I had! I was quite over pine trees.

So with this, I leave you with wishes for a happy spring, a happy weekend, and a happy holiday!

Till next time!

To Spring

2010-03-09T14:30:00.003-05:00

I'm enjoying this beautiful weather, and am ready for a change of season in more ways than one.

Keep the sunshine coming. Hamlet agrees.

Oh, Mommy! What wondrous smells!

I can has squirrel?

... _ _ _ ...

2010-03-02T11:42:00.003-05:00

Why is it so difficult for a smart, educated, young professional to get a job?

I don't like a being a victim. Being on unemployment is embarrassing, and I am tired of letting the world judge my worth and beating me down to believe they are correct.

I am tired of applying for jobs, going on interviews that tell me I have the qualities they are looking for in an ideal candidate, then having them pick someone else. I am tired of getting the stock, "We appreciate your time and talents, but we ultimately went with a candidate who was better qualified." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? What's worse, is that I've built good rapport with more than one interview and then they just never get back to me...get off your high horses...you were here once, too. A small, insignificant speck before you got the corner office and awesome salary. I'm over you.

In my job hunt, I've been advised against a few things.

1. Don't let on that I'm engaged
2. Don't make it apparent that I'm a recent college graduate

These things upset me for a few reasons. I am naive and idealistic. I don't deny this, nor do I regret it. I still think that people should be judged based on their person, their talents. Isn't refusing a job to someone who would be a great fit in 10 more years even though they meet the requirements now an act of ageism? I'm sorry, but you haven't been answering phones professionally for nearly long enough. Try us again when you're older.

And what does it mean to not let them know I'm engaged? Do I not wear my ring to interviews? Should I buy a cheap sterling band so it looks like I'm already married? I mean, either way, there is going to come a time where I GET MARRIED. Wouldn't it be better to "come clean" from the get go rather than, a month before the wedding, asking for two weeks off?

I'm so sick of looking for a job where the people are just so totally unconcerned with the people with whom they're dealing. I'm sick of jumping through hoops for a room of blind people.

I am running out of time, out of patience, out of respect for myself and out of options.

I'm tried of living every day feeling like the world is trying to kill me, and having gotten to the point where I believe it to be true. I am tired of fighting with my utilities companies, with scrounging for money I don't have. I worked so hard my whole life in school to prepare for me jobs. Why do I feel now like that was a total waste and I'm gonna end up folding shirts anyway?

These last 5 months have totally broken me, and taken away a lot of the joy I found in life. I am jaded beyond jaded, depressed, and pretty much hopeless at this point. I keep thinking it'll get better, and it gets worse. If there's a bottom I'm not at yet, how much further can I possibly fall. That's a scary question...I hope it's not answered.

If anyone out there has any new directions I can take my job search, I'd really appreciate it. I've out CareerBuilt myself, slayed the Monster, and am scouring Craigslist as well as a few smaller job sites.

Consider this my official SOS.

Ladies and Gentlemen, my Friend, Tara

2010-02-13T17:32:00.003-05:00

So just a little while ago, I got a text from Tara. It is possibly the best text I have ever received.

From Tara:
"I just cut the tip of my thumb off cutting potatoes and it hurts like a MOFO!!!! It won't stop bleeding--what do you think I should do?"

I, of course, called her immediately, and, when she answered her phone in giggles that must have been part delirium and part embarrassment, I yelled, "YOU TEXTED ME THAT?! REALLY?!" Apparently, by the time she consulted me, the clear medical expert, it had been half an hour of bleeding with no signs of stopping. This, plus holding her arm above her head for 30 minutes explains the delirium. When John and I inquired what kind of knife she was using, she declared, "It was a butcher knife. A really nice one--it was Wolfgang Puck!"

Then I learned the true chain of events.

1. start cutting taters
2. cut finger
3. run to bathroom, where husband is showering, to demand a band aid and help
4. Google search "how do I stop the bleeding after cutting off my thumb"
5. text me

I feel like after step #2, a nice call to a local hospital or doctor's office would have been prudent, but then we'd have no story.

And this, the latest text update from the knife0-wielding wonder herself:

Open Letter to People of Snow-Bound Areas

2010-02-10T10:35:00.004-05:00

Dear People of Snow-Bound Areas,

Why do you lose your minds? Why? Yesterday, I needed to pick up some essentials at the food store before the second half of this one-two punch storm came through. Like many of you, I thought it wise to accomplish this in the afternoon before the bad weather arrived in the area. Why this means that the otherwise pleasant aisles of my local Shop Rite turned into a disaster area looting site, I do not know.

Mothers, I saw your carts careening, babies thrown willy-nilly as you played Supermarket Sweep in your head: FORMULA! DIAPERS! MUFFINS! CHOCOLATE! All I could do was pull my cart over and stay the hell out of your way, psychos. And just barely.

Elderly people, you at least maintained the same slow pace, clogged the aisles with your double-parked carts, and blocked entire displays of canned fruit. The problem, of course, in this unique situation is that you also blocked the emergency pull-offs for the rest of us, leaving us at the mercy of the zooming shoppers.

And why do people lose all conception of where things are? I must have seen the same woman pass me like five times going from one end of the store to the other and back again to pick up who knows what. MILK! WHERE IS THE MILK? WHERE IS THE COLD STUFF!

I was so happy to get out of there and come home. I can only imagine what it was like when the 9-to-fivers started filling the stores on their way home, heavy snow imminent. Oy.

And so, People of Snow-Bound Areas, I hope you enjoy your stash of goodies picked up yesterday, and in case you're wondering, that toe you ran over will be just fine.

Kudos

2010-02-04T16:31:00.003-05:00

...to Yahoo for being cheeky. This is a response from everyone's favorite bot personality, Mailer Daemon.

Thu, February 4, 2010 3:00:25 PM

From:	"MAILER-DAEMON@yahoo.com"

Hi. This is the qmail-send program at yahoo.com.
I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following addresses.
This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.

Playtime with Kitten

2010-02-03T15:37:00.004-05:00

These are videos I had taken before Hammy got sick, but I didn't want to post them until he was feeling all better. So here, without further adieu, is Hamlet VS Toy and Hardwood Floors!

And here are some pics of Hammy checking out the many squirrels that live in our yard. This one is perched on the corner of the chain-link fence in the patch of land John and I hope to garden in come spring.

This is Hammy, post-hospital stay, with his naked tummy.

An Update on our Patient, Hamlet

2010-01-26T21:16:00.002-05:00

Hello, all. Sorry I've been MIA the last few days, but as you know, we've been in the middle of kitten drama. We were able to visit him in the kitty hospital last night, and he was discharged into our care while we waited for the results of some cell samples they took from his colon, which was thickened. The concern was/is that it was/is a tumor which was/is the result of lymphoma. Of course, John and I were pretty much inconsolable at that possibility, but we are determined to do what we can to get Hammy feeling better. Another main concern of the vets' was his lack of interest in, and thus lack of intake of, food. He hadn't eaten a real meal since Friday night's dinner, which he vomited up Saturday morning. But he ate pretty well yesterday afternoon while still in the vets' care, and he nibbled some kibble while we visited him. Once we got him home, he perked up and we saw that immediately he was more comfortable and happier. His tail, which had been down and apprehensive popped up like a little periscope--he was curious. And boy was he ready to eat! He gobbled a regular-sized meal of mixed dry and wet food. His personality was pretty much back, though he was sleepy from the anesthesia he had while they were doing the abdominal ultrasound.

So we were very happy to have him home, but also nervous. We are sure to watch him closely, and we have to give him some medicines, an antibiotic as well as an appetite stimulant.

This afternoon Mom came to visit and keep me a little saner, and while we were in Bed Bath and Beyond, I got a call from one of his doctors and she said she had just gotten the lab results from the pathologist and couldn't wait to call me. She said, as suspected, the fine needle asperit test didn't yield very many cells, but it was enough to make a pretty good preliminary call. She said based on what they saw, it doesn't look like lymphoma, but rather a bad inflammation. She said, of course, something more serious can't be ruled out cuz it was a small sample from an isolated part of the colon. But his behavior at home is very encouraging, and he'll have a follow-up exam and new ultrasound in two weeks to see if he's improved, worsened or stayed the same and we'll figure out the next step(s) from there. Some exploratory surgery may still be recommended based on how that goes, and that would include a full-thickness biopsy of the colon, which means major (read: expensive and scary) surgery. So we're just taking it one hurdle at a time and helping our little guy to feel better.

He's currently curled up with me on the couch, snug as a bug in a rug. He snuggled us all night last night, and we can just tell he's overjoyed to be home with him mommy and daddy.

So keep sending good thoughts our way, and hopefully Hammy will keep on the path to recovery. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for all your love, support, and well wishes,

Maureen, John, and Hamlet

Are We Done Yet?

2010-01-24T20:30:00.003-05:00

Those of you reading this probably already know what a trying weekend it's been for me and John. Saturday morning at 4:30, Hammy started throwing up, and didn't stop until 9:00 that night. We took him to his regular vet at Banfield, who wasn't sure what was causing the vomiting. They treated him for the upset stomach, re-hydrated him, and gave him a dewormer in case he had picked up a parasite or something, and after watching him for a few hours, sent him home into our care. He threw up almost as soon as we got him home, and started going into the litter box almost religiously every half hour. He'd do nothing more than a sprinkle of pee, and then he'd gimp back to his crate in the office to rest some more. It wasn't until around 11 when I heard him crying in the litterbox and watched his muscles tense that I realized he's probably walking funny cuz he's constipated or blocked. I immediately called Banfield to get the 24-hour ER vet's number, and we took him there at 11:30. The staff at NorthStar was amazing. Not only were we glad they were so attentive with Hammy, but they were also great at soothing our worried little human minds.

So, he's been there for almost 2 whole days now, and while he's stopped vomiting (last time he did was last night when we got to the ER vet's) and is now peeing regularly, we're still waiting for him to poo--he ate something that has been stuck in his GI tract, and our humble theory is that once he goes potty, everything else will start to get better, too. He hasn't eaten since Friday night, but if you were having tummy troubles, would you be interested in food?

So it's been really hard on us, and today when we visited him and met with the vet I just lost it. I had been suppressing a lot and it just needed to come out. So if you can think healing thoughts for Hammy, send them our way. I want him home, healthy, and happy ASAP. : (

Home, Sweet Home

2010-01-22T19:45:00.004-05:00

Well, as of tomorrow, we'll have been here a full week, and the new place is fantastic. It felt like home almost as soon as all of our stuff was in the door, and while it took Hamlet a few days (and a few rough nights) to get used to his new surroundings, he's quite settled and happy now. Today we bought an area rug for the living room to make it a little more barefoot friendly, to add some extra (visual) warmth, and also to give kitten a place to play where he doesn't have to worry about ice skating or running in place on hardwood. Playtime has been a challenge. haha

Here's a quick video tour with my usual idiotic narration, and stay tuned for some photos that are in my camera but I'm too lazy to upload presently. : ) Next weekend we'll have our first party--my 24th birthday celebration!--so it'll be great to welcome a few of our closest friends.

Moving Day Countdown: 1 day

2010-01-14T19:57:00.003-05:00

[begin transmission...]

Yes, we are able to start the move tomorrow! And I'm really excited cuz--and remember, I'm a real math genius--I apparently mis-measured the bedroom, and shorted myself 3 feet in width (again, I remind you--whiz with the numbers!). So now that I have accurate measurements, our furniture will fit with no problem! Yay!

I probably won't post on here till we're settled in, and I'm glad for the long weekend. John has off tomorrow and Monday, which of course makes a happy Maureen.

Peace out, and commence radio silence...now.

[end transmission]

Moving Day Approaches

2010-01-12T17:06:00.003-05:00

I've been shuttling things from current home to future home over the last 2 weeks, and finally, this Friday, we are able to move in. We have a storage unit downstairs in the basement, which is where most of our non-essentials are hibernating until we can move. I was able to get into our apartment today and take a peek around and get some measurements. Most discouraging is going to be figuring out the bedroom, which, it looks like will be a VERRRRRRRRY tight fit, and we actually won't be able to fit everything in there. ::sighs:: But that should be our only big challenge, so we'll see how it pans out.

Here's a sneaky peek at the new digs:

More to come!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2010-01-06T16:45:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was my dad's 60th birthday! Wow! We celebrated over the weekend with friends, and this is my favorite moment. They tricked Dad with those candles that never go out, and when he got tired, my godfather stepped in to lend a hand...or, lung. Also, please enjoy Nancy trying to extinguish a candle by slapping it with a metal cake server.

I present to you Gary versus Candles!

Welcome, 2010!

2010-01-01T20:50:00.004-05:00

John and I rang in the new year at Donna and Rachel's with a few good friends. It was relaxed, fun, and Wii-rific. We also checked out Dublin Square for lunch, which was delicious and awesome. Here are a few pics from Christmas and New Year's.

Cheers!

Christmas Eve Eve in Ventnor.

Kitten checks out his Christmas gift.

My stack of Paula Deen cookware! Whew!

John's big gift from me: flat screen monitor!

Dublin Square Pub and Restaurant in your very own Bordentown.

Look. I know my birthday is coming up, but really? I'm not even halfway to 50 yet! Come on. We know I'm the queen of thinking ahead, but, uhm...leave me alone! How ridiculous.

Happy 2010, everyone! Hope it's a good one.

2009 Draws to a Close

2009-12-27T21:04:00.002-05:00

Well, it was another wonderful Christmas, and I'm so thankful for the things we were able to give to our families as well as grateful for the thoughtful gifts we received from them. Among other things, we have a near-fully furnished kitchen thanks to John's family. I have all new pots and pans, a tea kettle, and a coffee pot from the Paula Deen collection! Finally, a totally non-stick cooking set! John got me a beautiful sweater, earrings, and a CD I've been craving. I got him some books, a movie, a calendar for work, and a flat screen monitor for his computer. From my family we got gift cards to restaurants, clothes, books and movies. Also, as an engagement gift from John's aunt and uncle we got a cake serving set to use at our wedding. : ) Hooray!

Hammy made out pretty darn good, too! We bought him a new feather fishing pole toy since his old one had like one feather left and it was just sad. He also got a pack of jingly balls and mice from John's sister, as well as two fishing pole toys, one with ribbons (which he is currently obsessed with!) and one with feathers that we'll probably use once he destroys his other feather game. This Thursday is his second birthday, too! I can't believe we've had him for over a year, and that he'll be two already. Oh that kitten. : )

The kitchen sets remain in their boxes, though, cuz I figure since we're moving next month (actually, in about three weeks--gulp!), I'll just unpack them then and get rid of the hand-me-downs we've been using for the last year-plus. Yes, folks we're moving! We'll still be in B-town, but in a new complex about a half mile down the road we're currently on. We'll have hardwood floors, two bedrooms, cheaper rent, and better utility access, namely laundry! It'll be great, and I we're very eager to get settled in there. I'm not really looking forward to packing everything up, but we'll also be getting a rather large storage unit in the basement there, so we can declutter the living space by having an actual home office as well as putting things unnecessary for daily life in the storage unit. Score! If anyone needs our new address, let me know and I'll get it to you.

So hopefully there are good things ahead in 2010 for the Riggi-Egan clan. I can't wait to watch Hammy explore our new home, and I'm hoping the fresh start will keep the good karma flowing.

Until next time, I hope the remainder of 2009 is kind to you. Cheers!

The Great Blizzard of 2009!

2009-12-20T11:30:00.006-05:00

Lots of coverage of Bordentown's big blizzard! I asked for it, and I sure got it! I love every inch of it. It's been a long time since we've had any sort of real snowstorm, and Saturday's totals were more than all of last winter combined for the area! Now that's what I call a good snow day.

John begins shoveling a path as the snow tapers off Saturday night.

Pretty streetlight with icicles and falling snow.

Giant mound from the snowplow's multiple sweeps of the parking lot!

We also introduced Hammy to the snow. Since I don't have a harness and leash for him yet, we brought some snow inside and let him explore.

We finally ventured out this morning to begin excavations and see what total damage was wrought...

Snow-capped recycling bins.

John: King of the Mountain!

Badass icicle that fell from the lamp post. I could stake an ice vampire with this!

Our backyard.

The snow packed around my car so tightly that my bumper and license plate got imprinted!

Happy!

Hope you all had a safe, warm, and snowy weekend! Stay tuned for more as Christmas comes ever closer. Dare I say it may be a white one?!??!

Christmas Has Come to Bordentown

2009-12-08T12:01:00.002-05:00

Some pictures from our holiday preparations:

What you see first upon coming in the door.

Yay! Little tree!
Dining room.

Dining room table centerpiece.

Kitten likes to remind us he's a gift every day. haha

Give Thanks

2009-11-25T20:45:00.003-05:00

This year, as always, I am aware of how much I have in my life for which to give thanks. Here is a short list of things I can rattle off:

1. I am thankful for my family, who are always the first people to rush to support me, who listen even if they don't have time, and who have always not only understood that I operate a little differently, but appreciated me for it.
2. I am thankful for John, who has felt like family pretty much from the get-go. I am thankful for all we've experienced together, and look forward to all the things ahead of us.
3. I am thankful for John's family, who have made me feel welcome since day 1. I couldn't ask for a better bunch of in-laws.
4. I am thankful for my amazing group of friends. Many smiles behind, many smiles still ahead.
5. I am thankful for my kitten. I'm pretty sure it was destiny that we found each other...he is exactly the kind of cat I dreamed of having.
6. I am thankful for laughter, and for things like this:

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. : )

W O W !

2009-11-17T15:40:00.004-05:00

Saturday November 14: on our 4 year and 9 month anniversary, John got down on one knee in Central Park, and asked me to marry him. I obviously said yes. : ) Highlights of sharing the news:

1. Calling my mom and avoiding the topic until I was about to burst, and hearing her scream.

2. Telling John's younger sister, who had no idea. A brief recap:

Me: Hey, your brother did something silly today.

Her: Uh oh, what'd he do?

Me: Well, we went to Central Park, and he asked me to marry him.

Her: ::high-pitched scream::

Me: And then I did something silly, cuz I said yes.

Her: ::silence:: screaming, JOHN ASKED MAUREEN TO MARRY HIM! ::silence:: AND SHE SAID YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was absolutely my favorite moment.

3. Listening to John's aunt fumble as she tried to figure out how to put us on speakerphone. Eventually, she gave up and just turned the volume all the way up and made everyone gather around the phone.

In more good news, the artists' reception for the Medford Arts Council is this Thursday night. It'll come at a good time because today was a rough day as far as job hunting, so an evening of validation will be good.

Stay tuned for more pics.

In a Time of Professional Crisis, Personal Triumph

2009-11-09T14:31:00.002-05:00

So this is about a week delayed, but better late than...well, you know.

Last week I went to the mailbox, a usually unexciting chore considering we usually get an assortment of mail for people who no longer live here, useless ads, and bills. We are seriously lacking in interesting correspondence. So imagine my surpirse when I opened the box last Wednesday and was greeted with only two items: a postcard solicitation from an insurance company for John, and an envelope from the Medford Arts Council addressed to me. I stared at it for a minute, and then ran upstairs to tear it open.

The envelope had two things in it: an invitation and a folded-up letter. First I looked at the invitation--it was shiny and pretty. It was for the artists' reception and reading from the poetry contest I had entered. In my excitement, I only half-read the invite, and judging by the front assumed the reading was going to be held at Braddock's in Medford, which looked rather swanky. After I calmed down a bit, though, I read that the reception was actually the Medford Arts building, and assumed the picture was one of the winning photographs from the contest run along with the poetry one. Once I opened the letter, I saw that I had won not only first place, but third as well! The poetry contest only awarded first, second, and third place, and it literally made me laugh out loud when I realized I dominated 2/3 of the prizes...I never expected to win let alone win twice. What impressed me even more was that 53 poets from Burlington County had entered, and between the 53 of us there were 135 entries...and I had won twice. Aside from excitement, what I felt was a classic Maureen-ism: discomfort.

I am really bad at accepting praise, and am even worse at believing I deserve that praise. I was mentioning this to Tara, who told me about an article she had read about how it's not uncommon for women to underestimate themselves, and then to make excuses for and to undersell their achievements. I can't say I know that to be true of other women, but it's definitely true of myself. When I succeed at something, I automatically assume it was because I was just the best pick based on what must have been sub-par competition. Call it the getting-picked-last-in-gym syndrome. But now that I think about it, I'm not only selling myself short when I make that ssumption, I really undermine the people with whom I am in competition. I don't know why it's so hard for me to value myself and my work, but I do know that the pieces I submitted were pieces I felt good about, I was proud of, and that I thought had a real shot at winning.

And this couldn't have happened at a better time, just when I was getting really frustrated with my job search and when I was getting depressed about being out of work. What I've told people about the poetry contest is that I feel validated as a human being. My job wasn't who I am, wasn't what makes me a passionate person. It was what I did to pay the bills. But writing is who I am. It's pretty much how I define myself, and how I want to be presented to the world. That I've been recognized for that just feels darn good.

So that's all for now. The job hunt continues, and there are a few things I've applied for that I feel I have a chance for, but that remains to be seen. Until next time, cheers.

The Next Chapter?

2009-10-27T12:58:00.003-04:00

First things first. Fallout from the poo incident: Never got a call back from the landlady. Maintenance did come and apologize the next morning, which was nice. I still wrote a letter to the property management company cuz they need to know the whole thing was unacceptable. So this remains to be continued. Piggybacking on that, that was the final straw for me, and John and I are planning to high-tail it outta here as soon as humanly possible. We'll be staying in Btown, and already have a place picked out, just gotta get all of our ducks in a row.

In more...well, in other news...today, Tuesday, October 27 is day one of my unemployment. Navigant decided my performance wasn't good enough to make it worthwhile to keep me, so at 5:25 yesterday afternoon, the big department boss called me into the lovely conference room to give me the boot. He did tell me that everyone loves me, and that I was a really great person, but I was ultimately not doing as well as I should be. So I took a minute, I went back to my desk, sent a quick email to my closest friends telling them what happened, and then my wonderful little network of friends all converged on my desk and helped me pack my stuff into one of those dreaded Hammer Mill boxes (for which I have exciting plans of destruction) and carried it out to the car for me.

I have many, many, many thoughts and fears, with a few tiny glimmers of hope in there. Here are the clearest of my thoughts at present:

1. I have two paths here: I can roll over and die, or I can look at this as one of the defining moments in my life, and use it to make changes. My goal is achieve the latter. I am taking the philosophy that the world has opened up before me, and is mine for the taking. Now, I just have to find something that I want to take, something that will suit me and make me happy(er) than legal data entry. I was shriveling up in there...my creative mind needs somewhere it can spread out.

2. Jobs do something funny to us. They make us feel like what we do in the 9-5 defines us, that what our job is is what we are. And in the working world, all your employers care about is what you are 9-5. No one at Navigant (aside from my friends) cared that I am a poet, creative, that I graduated cum laude with a Litt degree, that I love design and photography, and that few things make me happier than kittens. What started to bother me a while ago was that I beginning to let my job define me. But I finally found a way to handle the "So, what do you do?" question. When someone asks this, they are almost always asking what you do for a job. But that's not how they phrase it. So when someone asks me, "Maureen, what do you do?" I respond, "Well, I do a lot. What would you like to hear about?" Mainly this catches people off guard, and puts me back in control. Then hey almost always then ask, "What do you do for work?" To which I'd quickly respond with the appropriate answer, and then add in a few of the things that really make me who I am. "I do A, B, and C, but I'm also a poet, I love singing, and I miss acting." Something like that, anyway.

3. Being unemployed is scary--I wish there was a job search engine like Match.com or eHarmony. Now, never having been on Match.com or eHarmony, I assume you answer those questions and you still get a gazillion responses. "You said you like tall, blonde men between 25 and 31, but here are a bunch of short redheads 45 and over who you might also like." Cuz I know when I get those emails from Monster that are supposed to be "tailored to my keywords" I find myself wondering where I typed in that I have a PhD in Psychology or that I have 5+ years' experience in teaching physics. ::shakes head::

So my immediate game plan is one of survival: today I am not doing too much job-hunting. I'm just working on being kind to myself, and letting it all sink in before I spring into action. I have two more paychecks coming from Navigant, then I'll shuffle over to the old bread line and file for unemployment benefits. Hopefully I won't need them for long. I like to think the perfect Maureen job is out there, sleepily opening its eyes, getting ready to come and find me...

The Most Recent Reason I'm Disturbed

2009-10-19T19:26:00.002-04:00

I know, it doesn't take much. But this, friend, will shock and frighten you. And hopefully gross you out as much as I was...

So the last week or so, we've had the pleasure of having the company of what we assume is a squirrel or similar large rodent trapped in our wall. We hear it along the back of of the house, and then we won't for a night or two (when it's gone down to bother our neighbor). So today maintenance and the complex's pest control service came to set some traps in the attack. Which is all fine and well cuz I want that sucker gone. He makes Hammy go banana sandwiches all night and the sound itself makes my stomach churn. So what's the problem, you ask?

The attic access is through my closet, meaning when they opened the panel to get in there and take care of business, various samples of various rodents' poo and nests, as well as insulation and God knows what else had fallen all over the floor, the shelf in the closet, and most disgusting of all...it was covering my CLOTHES. Yes, there was poop in every fold of every fabric, every hood, and in pockets, shoes...you name it. It took me a good 15 minutes to shut my curious kitten in the bedroom, clear the closet, shake out the poo from my clothes and my shoes, and vacuum it all up. It will take far longer to clean this memory from my mind.

I mean, I know it's not their job to clean my apartment, but if you see that happen (I don't want to think about what happened if the guy's face was up by the panel), wouldn't you think to either A) clean up what you could, and/or B) at least leave that in the note! Like, When we accessed the attic, we made kind of a mess in your closet...we're sorry, and will make it up to you. I now have to wash half the clothes in my closet, and I really want to ask for compensation for all the extra laundry I now have to do to clean up the disgusting mess.

Please insert therapy and encouraging words in the comments section...it will be much appreciated. Follow-up to come once my landlady returns my call tomorrow.

On Driving

2009-09-26T19:33:00.002-04:00

I am already an anxiety-ridden person. Driving to work is often not an issue; however, over the last two weeks, the morning trek has been particularly stressful and eventful (against my every will). I now present to you my newest phobia: the dump truck.

I was driving into work, and it was kinda trafficky for no apparent reason on 295N other than it was raining, so we were all going like 15 mph. I was stuck behind this big open dump truck with one of those tarps across the top, and it was spewing all these pebbles and stuff, and I was so annoyed and worried my windshield was gonna break. Then it started to rain a little harder, and I'm like, "Uhm...what's this brown water coming down my window? This truck is filthy!" So I'm behind this truck the whole 10 minutes I'm on 295, and when it finally got off the exit before mine, and I finally read the lettering on the side, I read the three most terrifying words you can read after your beloved vehicle has been peppered with pebbles:

SOLID MUNICIPAL WASTE.

It was a poop truck! And there was POOP all over my car...sadly and in the most literal sense.

After a car wash, and a slight case of PTSD, I am recovering well, and expect to be back to 100% soon.

In non-poo news, next weekend (!) is Jon and Marisa's wedding! Wow...I get a nice (UNpaid...thank you, non-converted status...10 months later...I'm not bitter!) 4-day weekend when John and I journey to upstate New York for the celebration. Hopefully the foliage will be in bloom, and the weather will be kind. On this end, we're working on getting all of our loose ends together, as the countdown is now in the single digits! My best friend is married, and now John's will be in a matter of days. So weird, this growing up business, huh? Be ready for a blog o' wonderful pictures!

Quick Thoughts

2009-09-11T20:00:00.002-04:00

1. I just applied for a writing/editing job that sounds like an exciting match to my personality and skills. It's close to where I'm currently working, meaning a still-awesome commute. It made me feel accomplished, strange enough, and reminded me that there are chances out there to be happy in work and to find things that are at least somewhat meaningful. I even went ahead and ordered business/calling cards from VistaPrint tonight in my zeal over job applications. I figure it can't hurt to keep a few on me in case I meet a great contact and on the off chance (though it'll never happen!) I have no pen or PostIts.

2. I am going to enter some poems in a county poetry contest. I'm not ready yet (maybe I am and I'm just too scared to try) to pursue publication, but reading about my friends' successes are making me excited about writing for the public again. Lately I've been working on lots of stuff, but, being disconnected from my former writing community, have largely kept it clutched closely to my chest, not sharing with anyone.

3. I got Tara a really super awesome bday gift and I can't wait to give it to her Sunday when she comes over to do a PartyLite show for me. I know it's early, but I'm really bad at not giving gifts as soon as I acquire them. haha I love watching people open them cuz I really only buy things I know they'll love. Shameless plug: do you like top-quality, highly-scented candles? Call Tara and book a show through her consultant website.

4. I had a good week this week, and I'm feeling really energetic and happy with life and its possibilities. And by that I mean I am able to see that there ARE possibilities. Lately I've been in such a fog of dread and feeling like this was it: this was as good as I can do and it was really starting to rot my from the inside out. It's good to gain perspective, even if it comes from unusual places.

That's all for now. More thoughts and ideas as they come.

I'm back!

2009-08-27T19:19:00.012-04:00

I've been REALLY lax with posting, I know...but I bring you bounty!

Tara and I went to our second Longaberger Horizons of Hope Breast Cancer Fundraiser recently at Shannon's Catering in Atco. After losing everything at PartyLite Bingo (well, Tara did win a hand cream she wanted as a door prize), we were both ravenous for prizes and somewhat defeated as we entered the banquet room and surveyed the prizes we would assuredly watch go home with other people. We also made the grave Bingo-rookie mistake of juggling more than one card...oy. We were down to our last three games, and neither of us, nor anyone at our table, had anything to show for it. As we heard shouts of, "BINGO!" ringing from table after table that was not ours, we were all just about ready to throw in the towel. But then, something miraculous happened, and maybe it was the points I had stored up in the karma bank, but I noticed that I just needed one more number to score a diagonal Bingo. Number called; not mine. ::tension:: Number called..."BINGO! I WIN!" I actually won something, and got to yell Bingo! Tara was, understandably, a mixture of happiness and roiling hatred. Since I was so convinced I wasn't gonna win anything, I hadn't even been paying attention to what the prizes were. So now I was afraid I had won a basket of baby supplies or something equally useless. But it was actually a basket of school/office supplies! SWEET! Next game, no dice at our table. Final game, I won again! A quick recap:

Me: Oh, Tara, you're about to be mad as hell if I win again.

Tara: blank stare

Lady at table: What number do you need?

Me: B53.

Bingo caller: B53!

Me: BINGO! I WIN AGAIN!

This time it was a HUGE basket filled with Xmas decorating/party supplies...a cookie dish, napkins, potholders. Awesome! And so even though I got home at almost 11, I tore into those suckers to check out my loot. Hammy's favorite part, of course, was the cellophane that made the most amazing crinkling sounds ever.

School supplies!

Holiday goodies!

Hammy loves crinklies!

In other fun news, my friend, David, and I have discovered the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail that picks up behind one of the buildings in our corporate complex. We took a quick walk down there on Tuesday on a whim, and ate at our desks prior to our actual lunch break today so we could spend a whole hour exploring. It was soggy and really buggy, but rather freaking awesome. There's one more direction we'll be able to check out in our hour of freedom, and beyond that we'll just have to imagine. Here are some pics I took on today's adventure:

In one last story, I must relate my store-brand Lucky Charms fail...in an open letter to Shop Rite, I'd like to say: Thanks for my new box of Marshmallow Dreams. I had been craving some sugary cereal to break up my Cheerios routine. I woke up, excited for breakfast, grabbed the box, tore it open, poured it into my bowl and...HEY! WHERE ARE MY MARSHMALLOWS?! That's right...I certainly WAS having marshmallow dreams. I had every intention to take the box back and DEMAND that I be given either A) a lifetime supply of the cereal or B) receive a box filled with only marshmallows to mix with my box of, essentially, frosted Cheerios. But then John had a heaping bowl, and the box was about half gone, so John just finished it off. I attempted another box this week, with 100% success. ::wipes brow::

Until the next adventure, friends!

Another Wet Sunday

2009-08-02T13:26:00.006-04:00

We had a mini-repeat of last Sunday's weather with less tornadic activity, but just as much rain. Since the thunder, lightning, and wind were not as bad as last week, I was actually able to get out and take some pictures of the flood.

Before I post them, though, I just want to reply to an earlier post where I was mad about the Harry Potter/IMAX thing. Our local theater, AMC 24, did indeed show HP6 in IMAX 3D, and John and I went to a showing on Friday night. A.Maz.Ing. Dream fulfilled, and it was everything expected. ::dreamy look::

Yesterday I went to a friend's bridal shower at Femmina's in Medford Lakes. I didn't know anyone there, really, except for the bride and a few other people, but it was really fun, and I sat with a great group o' gals. : ) The wedding is in 2 months and counting, and it's just getting to the point where it's really exciting to think about it. The groom is John's best friend from college, whom I've now known for as long as I've known John, and we've been friends with the bride for a little over a year now I guess. PLUS they live right around the corner from us, so we love having them close by. A great afternoon.

And now, without further adieu, Storm, Parte Deux:

Lake Parking Lot

Overflowing Storm Drain

Swirling vortex over another drain. Yes, that truck is still in the same exact spot as it was last week...just asking for trouble!

The Aftermath of a Random, Very Severe Thunderstorm of Doom

2009-07-27T18:12:00.005-04:00

Massive Thunder, incredible lightning, high winds, hail, and a flood. Welcome to my Sunday evening.

Around 7:45, a huge cell passed over ye Olde Bordentown, and hot dang was it a crazy hour...our power flickered once, then came right back on, then about 10 minutes later it went out again. And didn't come back on until 12 hours later. 12. Hours. Later. HUH?!?!?!?! Also, it rained so much that our storm drain backed up (likely with the help of the flooded nearby creek and our position in a valley amidst hills), and so we had a rather bad flood happening in our parking lot. It was so bad that the dumpsters that usually sit flush with the curb actually floated a foot or two away and toward our cars. The car parked closest to the drain would have been in serious danger of being mejorly submerged, but thankfully the water started to retreat on its own within about half an hour. The water flooded about half way up our lawn, and when idiot drivers decided to try their luck and drive through the madness, they actually created a pretty substantial wake!

A tree down the way from us looks like it split and broke almost in half. We saw a big group of people in the road down there but it was too dark to see what was going on until we went out this morning and saw branches and limbs all over the place.

In the end, nothing was ruined, no one was hurt, and the only casualties were a few items in the refrigerators that couldn't last 12 hours without coldness. So below, please enjoy the few photos I was able to snap when I got home from work today. Let's not repeat this kind of thing for a long, long while, huh?

Uhm...these wandered a little too far away for my comfort....

If you look closely, you can see the water line just under this guy's bumper. Thankfully my car and John's car were uphill far enough to escape this. The water reached barely halfway up our tires.

Debris lines from where leaves, etc. got washed up onto the lawn.

Exhausting but Fun Weekend, and Some Musings if I Have Energy

2009-07-26T18:34:00.006-04:00

Last weekend was A) the opening of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (which I just saw for the second time today), and B) Rachel's Bday Campout. The movie is just freaking amazing, and even though I disagreed with some pf the license the director took, I trust him wholeheartedly with finishing out the series (David Yates directed 5 and 6, and will finish the two-part installment of the final book), so I just rolled with it in the hopes it'll all come together in the end.

And I have to say John and I didn't Camp for real, we "camped"--aka hung out until we missed flushing toilets, running water, and our own bed under the sweet cover of a solid roof. That said, we would like to give Camping a try, perhaps in the fall when it's cooler out and I'll feel less scuzzy having not showered. But we'll see. John's been bitten by the camping bug big time and is just about ready to go out and buy a tent, an air mattress, and an extra sleeping bag. I'm a little more reserved in my eagerness to make such investments, but we'll see how things pan out. I'm always up for new things, and I do want to push the boundaries of my comfort levels. I did canoe for the first time last weekend, which was really fun! We didn't wander very far because we had kids with us who were hungry, tired, and bored with un-plugged-in life, but hopefully we can have a big-people trip where we get in some good time on the water. : )

After baking in the sun at Atsion Lake and then nursing the bad bad bad sunburn that followed--let me just say my legs and feet are STILL red, but my back just looks toasty--John and I met my parents and brother for a Trenton Thunder game on Sunday. I've been to a lot of minor league games, but I've never actually gotten anything except for a free hat at the now-defunct AC Surf. At this game, though, it seemed like they gave everyone something every inning. It was hot as anything and sunny to boot, too, so the mascots were walking around with big water guns hosing us off to lessen the mass heat stroke I'm sure wasn't far away. Not to mention the players....I didn't want to MOVE let alone imagine playing 9 innings out there. No thanks.

In between the fun of last weekend and the fun of this weekend, I did a lot of soul searching and self-evaluating at work this week. I've been writing a lot, mostly in the afternoons when my mind starts to wander away from the databases, and I can't help but feel trapped. I mean, I take inventory of all things I'm good at (or think I'm good at), and I feel like I'll never be able to do any of them for a living barring a huge karmic pat on the back or act of divine intervention. I'm a planner, so I can't just be one of those people who quits her steady job to go Tahiti to paint for a year and the see where the wind blows her, but at the same time, part of me wishes very much that I was like that. That I could just walk out, go to wherever feels right and do all the creative things you can't on the canvas of corporate America. I mean, I can think of the careers I could have if I were ballsy enough to pursue them: full-time poet, photographer, interior decorator, professional organizer, party planner...boy what a useful bunch of talents I've drummed up. haha Not to say they are not lucrative, I'm just saying HGTV hasn't exactly knocked on my door with a sweet deal yet. But I guess as long as I can utilize these creative genes in some capacity, whether it's decorating friends' cubes at work with my poems and sketches, or changing up the apartment every now and then, it makes the 9-to-5 doldrums a little more bearable. Or maybe I just tell myself that to make it all seem wrothwhile. Who knows? I'm 23, and somwhere out there is the perfect opportunity for me. We just need to meet at the right time.

Anyway. Last night, John and I had a Christmas in July party, which was freaking fantastic...we have so much food and booze left we're set for quite a while. haha I made lasagna and lingonberry cookies, we bought a mushroom focaccia to heat up, Donna brought beer bread, Tara brough cranberry-orange muffins, Lisa brought brownies...boy it was a feast! A feast which will make delicious lunches this week. Nom nom nom. I even busted out some decorations to add to the festivities in addition to rotating classic holiday movies on the ol' DVD player. Good times. So who will host 4th of July in December? Anyone, anyone?

Lastly, our dining room table pretty much bit the sawdust after the party, but Mom and Dad gave us their old one, so we have that all assembled in the dining room and since it's a little smaller the space feels more open and has a little more comfortable flow to it. At least we can pull it away from the wall when we need and seat 4 people around it, which we couldn't do with the other one.

So till next time, friends...adios!

Grounds for Sculpture

2009-07-11T16:56:00.015-04:00

Today John and I spent about 3 hours walking the 35 acres of Hamilton Twp.'s Grounds for Sculpture. For lack of a more sophisticated response, it was AWESOME.

We first watched a short movie in the visitor's center about the history and evolution of the Grounds, which has expanded on the original site of the NJ state Fairgrounds. They have a really diverse collection of permanent sculpture in the outdoors grounds, and two seasonal featured artsists in two of the buildings. What was most interesting to me, aside from the art obviously, was what pieces John was drawn to versus what I was drawn to.

John and some big rocks.

I love the framing of the tree in the middle of this huge rock wall.

The lady on the hill. Reminds me of Mary Poppins.

A running theme at the park was realistic sculptures of Victorian people who were equal parts eerie and intriguing.

Probably my favorite sculpture we saw all day. Not just because it's from Shakespeare--give you one guess--but because it is just absolutely beautiful and full of emotion. Love. It.

If you've got $10, really comfy sneakers, and a few hours, I definitely recommend this as a local staycation. There are three dining options, ranging from cheap noshes at The Gazebo, moderate lunches at the Peacock Cafe, and fine dining at Rat's.

Speaking of, why is it called Peacock Cafe? Well...

The place was busting with peacocks, including ths family. I had never seen a baby one before! So cute!

Till next time and the next adventure, ciao!

The Half Blood Prince and IMAX as a Reminder Society Has Us by the Balls

2009-07-09T20:09:00.003-04:00

Listen. Most of you know I'm a huge Harry Potter fan. Well, I was mad when Half Blood Prince was scheduled to be released in the fall, but then Warner Brothers pushed back the date to make it a summer blockbuster. Strike one, WB. So here we are, mere days before it will be released for REAL, and I finally live close to an IMAX theater...insert realization of a dream here: seeing Harry Potter, opening day, in IMAX. Insert here the realization that the only IMAX theaters showing it are in the big "real" cities like NY and basically the state of CA. Strike two, WB and strike one IMAX. ::sigh::

Also, I had some guy back into me last month (one of the stupidest things ever, too...one of those things where all you can do is watch cuz you have nowhere to run and no time to react even though it was happening in slow motion as far as I was concerned). So yes, there was no body damage and just a section of paint was peeled back where the guy's hitch hit me. So I finally took it to the dealer's body shop to see if they could just touch it up, which they could. A short conversation:

Dealer Guy: Okay, the paint's all touched up, and here's the bottle in case you ever need it.
Me: Thanks, it looks much better.
DG: And here's an estimate for getting it actually repaird.
Me: Wait...what's "actually repaird?"
DG: Well, we'd basically give you a new bumper.
Me: For a scratch in the paint? There's no body damage.

So I thanked him, took the estimate, and walked away planning to opt against the new bumper. Sheesh. Is that normal?

What else? I think that's all I'm angry about at the moment. Just needed to vent.

Pics and vids coming soon. I'm just too lazy to upload and post them.

Till next time...

Maureen and Tara: Hairbrained Idea #????

2009-06-28T21:24:00.008-04:00

So firstly, John and I went to roller derby Saturday night with Donna to see the Penn Jersey She Devils' Dishonor Roll, and, as expected, we obviously want to join! haha Now accepting ideas for my own derby name/alter ego. I've got a few up my sleeve, not all of them family-friendly. It was fun, mildly violent, and entertaining. If you've got an evening, a few bucks, and are in the Marlton area, do check it out. : )

Today, I went to the 'Ville and spent the day with Tara. We went to Olive Garden for lunch and then spent like 10 hours wandering Target. But I must say the sole purpose of this particular post is share with you:

1. A shameful act
2. Laughter
3. The launch of Tara's and my new business endeavor with 0% of fail, and 100% chance of bringing us riches beyond our wildest dreams!

So, in the order outlined above, I present:

1. Tara...bought...a two-pack...of Shamwow!
2. So we had to try them out when we got back to her place. We did poor and giggly recreations of two of the tests you see in the infomercial:

3. Tara brilliantly observed that we should author a weblog performing consumer reviews. We find the latest wonder product, test it, post a video where we try some of the things in the ad, and then write a review of how the real deal compares to the hype.

In related news, WHAT THE CRAP WITH BILLY MAYES?!?!?! Did anyone see that coming? I'd like to say it's sad that I'm more shocked by his death than by Michael Jackson's (and yes, some of you will turn on me...), but it's just the truth.

That's all for now, I believe. Next softball game is tomorrow night, and it looks like my parents will be coming up to watch! Hopefully I'll have good news to report following the game. Fingers crossed!

Hammy Recouperates

2009-06-25T18:21:00.005-04:00

Well, it's been more than 24 hours now, and Hamlet seems to be bouncing back. We gave him dinner around 8:30 (we had to wait at least 2 hours after getting him home) and he SCARFED it. He hadn't eaten since dinner the night before, so I imagine his tummy was rather empty.

Just look at this face!

I think Tara's description of him as a drunken sailor was pretty accurate. Apparently he was all wet from the dental cleaning--like people, water and stuff sprays all over the place--and so his fur was sticking up like he had lots of cowlicks. He started to socialize a bit around 9:00 and let me brush him around 10, so at least he started looking a little less like Oliver Twist. haha

I must say that since he was still getting medicine out of his system, I slept VERY well since he was quiet and didn't start yelling at at 5:30 AM for his food like he usually does. Ah, sweet sleep.

So I came home today to a much better kitten. He's still bouncing back to his usual self but his personality is definitely coming back. I took the bandage off his back leg where the IV was and so now he's free as a bird. And for those of you wondering what his bald patches look like, please enjoy my still somewhat under-the-weather kitten:

Not enjoying the camera's flash one bit...

"MUH-OM! This is just embarassing! How undignified."

Like I said, the real show was yesterday but since they did an eye exam as part of the comprehensive, his pupils were still huge and I didn't dare use a flash around him. Plus, he looked so pathetic I couldn't publish that.

Well that's all for this installment. : )

Toodles.

The latest in the Saga of Pet Ownership

2009-06-24T19:51:00.002-04:00

Now, maybe it's because after his declaw, Hammy was kept at the vet overnight so he was a little more coherent by the time we got him back. He still looked like my kitten, despite his mangled paws and his sleepy face. So I'm just saying that when he came home from a comprehensive physical exam and a dental cleaning and he looked like he was tossed out of a car and into a giant puddle...::sighs::

First of all, I knew he'd be a little out of it cuz they have to anesthetize (spelling, please?) him, but he looked like a bobble head--a funny description, I know, but it was unnerving--and what alarmed me most was the fact that his two front legs and one of his back legs were SHAVED. He looks like someone tried to make him into a poodle! I guess they needed to do that since they had him on IVs and even had to catheterize him...but oh my God he looks like such a mess. Not to mention he was terrified of anything that moves. So of course all I wanted to do was hug and squeeze and kiss him, but now I'm just happy that he's laying under the bed and resting. He wanders out every now and then to check up on us, and he's looked a little better each time. He even let me pet him and gave me some nuzzles.

He also hasn't mewed or spoken, so I'll feel better once he starts talking again. I just want my kitten back. : ( And obviously he's so traumatized at the moment that pictures are certainly a no-no, but maybe I'll snap a few in a day or so and let you judge what's been done to him.

Has anyone else had an experience like this? The only other time he's had a cleaning was when he was already under for his declaw surgery anyway. And so you know, all of this would have cost close to $1200, but because I have him on what is essentially an insurance policy through Banfield, it cost us $42. ::wipes brow:: That $21 month for the insurance feels worth it every time I look over the bills.

Okay, that's all for now. More to come later. Think healing thoughts for my kitty. I never thought it'd be ANYTHING like this just to get his darn teeth cleaned.

A Pictorial Tour of Recent Days

2009-06-23T19:22:00.012-04:00

Stop one, Winslow Twp. HS graduating class of 2009, of which my brother was a proud member.

What a handsome devil! And with a new haircut.

What a good-looking family. But wait, someone's missing!

There we go! Brother and sister. : )

Processional. After taking about 3 failed photos of guys I thought were Kevin, I finally had a WIN!

The ceremony was actually really nice. I was rather impressed with the student speakers, and they didn't drag anything out--I couldn't believe how fast it was over. Hey, anything had to be better than mine: thunder, lightning, and pouring rain anyone? And yes, we were out on the football field, near electrical equipment and on aluminum bleachers. Needless to say, it was unclassy, uncomfortable, and maybe a little too memorable. ha

Congrats, Class of 09!

Next stop, Dana and Megan's college graduation party, out in Sea Isle! It was rainy, but the weather did allow us some nice breaks, and even an opportunity to go down to the beach for a while. Perfection.

Best friends since 03. Great, great memories.

LOVE this pic. One of the rare great ones.

Yay.

COMING SOON: pics of my first oceanic fishing trip! My office is having a fluke fishing trip off Point Pleasant this Saturday, and I'm sure hilarity, fishiness, and perhaps some good eats will follow. Stay tuned! Oh yeh, we may also be going to roller derby with Donna Saturday night...yes, please! More stories, I'm sure.

Till next time...

It's almost mid-June.

2009-06-14T11:34:00.003-04:00

Sorry it's been so long (again). The last few weeks have been a whirlwind, and they probably won't calm down until after next weekend.

1. In exciting news, John and I have been helping Donna and Rachel get their new house ready for moving in, which they did officially as of yesterday! Last weekend was a painting bonanza and this weekend was the bog move. I can't wait to see it finished and with everything in its place, and I can't wait to see how they'll make it feel more like home. I must say, though, it made me grateful that John and I are settled and not going anywhere for a while. haha

2. This Friday is my brother's high school graduation (holy crap!), Saturday is a college grad party for my two best friends from high school, and then Sunday is Father's Day...lots of shopping is in my near future. haha I feel like I haven't stopped shopping since Christmas.

3. In non-sequitor news, if you know me, you know how much I love bad cinema. Currently we are enjoying a little SciFi Channel flick called, When Good Ghouls Go Bad. I love terrbile scripts acted out by terrible actors with terrible special effects and soundtracks. And I don't know how Christopher Lloyd got roped into this mess, but I say YES and PLEASE! Ah, no better way to spend a lazy afternoon, I say. : )

4. Sadly I don't have any good news on the softball front...we lost our second game 15-4, and I'm blaming the wet field, as it had been pouring rain all day. Plus that team clearly got together and practiced like three times a week. I guess I should just be glad we didn't have to forfeit--at game time we were still one player short of a full team. John pinched as catcher for a pitch or two until two more people showed up. And then the creaming began. This past week was much better, but we still lost, 6-5. At least the gap was much smaller, and John has joined the team officially so now we have one more garaunteed player since we carpool on game days anyway.

Well I think that's all for now...it's lunch time and I'm rather hungry. Hopefully more to come soon!

Navigant Softball Season starts 1-0!

2009-05-27T20:19:00.004-04:00

Yes! We won our first softball game today, 9-8! Wahoo! I, of course, was up at bat on the final out every time, but at least I got a hit each time (even if it was a foul, a foul, and a grounder). I made it to first on the grounder, but sadly the ball beat me to the base. But hey, I touched 1st! haha Next week maybe I'll make it to 2nd.

So, yes. It was a lot of fun--most of my friends are on the team--and the weather was kind to us...not too hot, sunny, and clouds and a cool breeze rolled in toward the end. Here are some pics from game 1 (photography courtesy of John):

Throwing practice with Kevin, out of frame.

Sports card pose! haha Too bad I suck at batting. I think this was my first up. Upon which two balls were thrown and I was out already...who knew you only get 2 strikes in softball? Hmph.

Whoo hoo...on my way to first...bah! Grounded out. I'll get em next time.

Also, please enjoy this ridiculously acrobatic squirrel from Veteran's Park on Monday afternoon:

Till next time...

It's a two-for night!

2009-05-21T20:15:00.003-04:00

Shortly after the previous post, I ventured over to Cheezburger, and while I enjoyed the kittehs, Hammy discovered the wonder of the interwebs...please do enjoy:

An Attempt at Art (no pun intended)

2009-05-21T19:43:00.005-04:00

Please forgive the crudeness of the drawings, but I've taken to stick figure sketching lately (as my desk at work can testify) in a series I call Black and Red--for obvious reasons. : ) Please enjoy "For Emily, Wherever I May Find Her" inspired by the Simon and Garfunkel song.

This isn't my favorite recording, but for lack of energy to scour YouTube all night, I give you this also wonderful rendition:

Mini Post/Swoon

2009-05-12T19:43:00.004-04:00

Please excuse my near monthlong absence. But here I am, alive and well.

Even though lots of things have been going on, I feel like I've got nothing to say. So maybe I'll first talk about (gasp!) the new Star Trek movie, which was rather effing amazing. Now, I'm not a Trekkie by any stretch. My association with show is basically this: I know the cliches like Beam me up; Live long and prosper; and the major characters. My interest was piqued, however, as soon as I heard Zachary Quinto would be playing Spock. Let me just say my ears got a little pointier at the prospect. John was immediately excited (he loves him some USS Enterprise), and I said I'd gladly tag along to see it (insert alterior motive here). All that said, I thought it was a FANtastic action movie. You didn't need a well-versed background to follow the plot (you just miss out on the inside jokes and references). We saw it in IMAX on opening night, which made it that much cooler. It was not only visually awesome, but the wit was great--I was cracking up at the often dry humor of the characters. And, yes...Mr. Quinto was just a dream. I later learned that he was coached by Leonard Nimoy while filming, a luxury none of the other actors had unless I am mistaken. So you must all go see it, even if it's only to drool over the sexy cast, whomever your Trekker of choice may be.

Also, I'm excited to go to the Philadelphia Zoo on May 30! I've been wanting to go since last fall, but we literally kept forgetting to plan it. So now we have a date and it's on the calendar, so no excuses!

Later this month, too, I will start playing softball on my company's team! Pictures and medical bills to come, I'm sure. haha I think that's all for now! See you all next time!

Storybook Land was a Bust/Easter/Hamlet will Save the World

2009-04-21T20:01:00.006-04:00

So much to cover! First I wanna plug the Stockpot reading tomorrow night: 7PM, TRLC, Stockton campus. I'll be there. : ) The editor emailed me and asked if I had anything current I could submit. I did, and got one poem accepted, so I get to read tomorrow evening at the launch party. From what I've seen, the cover art is quite amazing, and I can't wait to read what the creative writers are up to these days. I've been kinda a slacker this National Poetry Month, but I have managed to keep up with my poem-a-week goal, even though some have been silly frivoulous poems for sheer laughs that I won't pursue further. But hey, I'm writing and I'm thinking. Last night, though, was a poetry win! I FINALLY wrote a poem that had been rattling in my head for months. You know when you get an opening or closing line that pops in there in a flash of sheer inspiration? Then you know how you have to sit and wait for the poem to form around it? Yeh, that had been me for a looooong time. I'm excited to have a new piece with which to be consumed. And I'm sure being among fellow writers tomorrow will help fan the fire of the writer in me. I'm sure I'll have a post about the reading later this week!

And sadly, Becky, Lisa, and I trekked to the faraway kingdom of Storybook Land, only to find it was closed. I mean, it WAS pouring, so we wouldn't have enjoyed ourselves anyway, but still. Bummer! We're gonna plan a redeux for some weekend next month. For I shall ride and conquer Bubbles the Dragon once again! Instead, we went to the mall, the played with bubbles in the parking lot of Stockton.

Easter was nice. John and I colored eggs and made up little baskets of goodies (aka tooth-rotting candy! : ) ) for each other. We also got Hammy some cat grass as his edible basket, but he was mainly confused by the mixed message it conveyed: wait, you tells me I can't eat your plants, then you shove this in my mouth? What is going ON? Needless to say, the grass died, uneaten, and we threw it away.

Lastly, tonight as I was folding laundry, Hammy, as is his custom, followed me into the bedroom, hopped up on the bed and started sniffing my clothes. I grabbed a nice, warm tee shirt and wrapped it around him. He purred so happily and lay down. Then I decided to make him a cape. What followed was Super Hamlet! Behold the newest super hero, with the power to heal the most broken of hearts, and to defeat his greatest foe, the bad mood.

Why I am a (Geek) kid at heart...

2009-04-06T19:43:00.004-04:00

So, I was parusing the Preston & Steve website (those awesome morning show guys from 93.3 WMMR) and I found this cool sleeping bag.

I mean, if I were a kid, I'd want to buy this. If I had money to burn and could fit into it, I'd buy this. When I have kids, I will buy this for them. The only thing more cool would be a Yoda pop-up tent, an X-wing fighter bed or a Millenium Falcon sled. I mean, c'mon. Great toy ideas like this need to be nurtured and developed, more so than those awful Bratz dolls or any of the effluent that sits on the store shelves of American.

Well, that's all for now.

Catch you on the flipside.

I mean, wouldn't you be comfortable sleeping in this?

Insight into Life with Hamlet: First Ear Infection

2009-04-02T19:33:00.002-04:00

So after a week or so of watching Hammy fixate on his right ear, I decided it was time to visit the vet to see if my suspicion of an ear infection was founded. Alas it was, and not only an ear infection, but a double ear infection. Delightful. So $160, a cleaner, medicine, and some flea and tick meds later, we came home to attempt to get the cleaner (twice a week) and meds (twice daily) into my sick little kitten. Luckily John and I kinda got a routine down after we needed to give him oral antibiotics and pain meds after his declaw surgery. Basically, we chase him around and then wrap him in a towel like a little purrito, as below. Tara inspired me to take a pic when she said he must just look adorable all bundled up. Adorable? Yes. Defeated and now publicly humiliated? Also yes. But hey, he's a cat, and can't read, and doesn't care about the internet. So here you go. Dr. Maureen presents:

In Sad Infomercial News...

2009-04-01T19:41:00.005-04:00

What's more annoying than the ShamWow guy?

The ShamWow guy selling a veggie chopper. That's right. The Slap Chop. Now they're giving him sharp objects? Hm...

I just don't see the necessity of the Britney Spears microphone. And please visit the SlapChop website (linked above) for a picture sure to give you nightmares until after you're dead.

If that's irritating, what's next is terrifying. Piggybacking on my last blog on the ridiculousness of modern reality TV, how can we neglect our favorite pitch man, Billy Mayes? Ah, where would we be without being screamed at about Oxi Clean, Mighty Putty, the Hercules Hook, and whatever other dog and pony crap is being peddled? Well, the Discovery Channel asked just that. "Hey, executives. How can we bring down the value of our usually awesome programming? I mean, we're kinda big on reality. There's that guy we drop in the middle of nowhere then laugh while he almost dies, the guys who blow stuff up, and that guy who's always covered in poo. What's the next step?" Well, apparently that step is jumping on the craze started by elimination shows because coming soon to a Discovery Channel near you is...Pitch Men, hosted by none other than Billy Mayes. The resident laryngitis' dream will attempt to find someone to out-shout and out-irritate television viewers. Think I'm making this up? Behold:

What is happening?!

Your Daily Dose of Cute

2009-03-29T18:06:00.006-04:00

For no good reason, and pertaining to nothing...

Post-laundry adventures!

Don't you just wanna cuddle this face?

Bath time!

Less amusing post-laundry adventures.

I obviously want to be Cheezburger's competetion.

Some Steam on a Rainy Day

2009-03-26T19:42:00.002-04:00

Firstly, I just wanna ask this: WHY DO PEOPLE NOT KNOW you are legally required to have your headlights on when your wipes are on? It's rainy, it's the rush hour commute. How do you NOT realize you're the only jerkazoid without your lights on? SO annoying. I can't tell you how many cars I saw today driving sans lamps. That just makes me mad. Almost as mad as the people who drive for miles with their turning signal on. Uuuuggggghhhhh.

Also, I'm SICK and TIRED of reality TV. Sick of it in general, yes (though if it goes away, what will I do without one of my favorite shows on Earth, The Soup?!), but mainly sick of shows like VH1's Tool Academy (which I discovered through The Soup), and just about anything that casts "hot" chicks from music videos to cohabitate and fight all the time. Now, the basic principle of Tool Academy is this: girlfriends take their cheating, loser boyfriends to the Tool Academy to reform them. Uhm...hello? Instead of taking your moronic man waste of space on national television (God help us if it's internationally broadcast as well) and showing us how awful he is with the intent of making us feel bad for you, then proud of them--and you--if and when he changes, why not just leave him? I mean, I guess I could refute this and say, "But if the girls just left them, they'd just go and mistreat some other girl." The show's intent is to make the guys look awful, but really it's the girls who look like the losers. There are some things love can't fix, and being a Tool is one of them. What message is that show relaying? It's okay to settle. You may even get $100,000 and a (first) husband out of it. In this time of real female empowerment, I feel shows like this are completely reversing everything we've gained. And this is the image we're sharing with young girls who are inevitably watching this crap: be drunk, stupid, lewd, and scantily clad, and you'll get everything you want in life: attention, money, even celebrity! Hooray!

I don't often think about having a family, but I think these days, with instant access to everything, younger and younger children "needing" cell phones and laptops and tiny clothing and bleeped out versions of the latest music, it's a terrifying age in which to raise children. How do you combat something as huge as global media? How do you take what you establish at home, and make them carry it in their pocket as theygo out in the scary world? I guess you just have to hope for a good piece of clay and take it from there.

But let me stop myself before I go too far. I just needed to outgas some of the things occupying space in my head.

Till next time...

Nothing Major

2009-03-21T14:47:00.003-04:00

Just checking in. Life with my Versa is wonderful. : ) Still need to work out a few kinks (namely, figuring out my tire pressure light), and I'm waiting till the engine is broken in enough to get the awesome MPGs promised. But I can't complain.

I guess I should finally write about Profapalooza, which was like two weeks ago. It was a super-awesome night at the House of Blues in AC. The basic premise was this: three college bands populated by professors come together for some rocking and rolling. Stockton's Faculty Band opganized the event which was, in the end, in memory of Paul Lyons, who had the brilliant idea to put together such a jam. I'm feeling kind of lazy, so pardon the lack of links in this one.

There were three bands, Stockton College, Susquehanna University, and Colgate University, and the music was just about as different as each school. Colgate started the evening with Danger Boys, a three-man ensenble playing modern rock covers of popular music. I have to admit I was a little disturbed when they played Avril Lavigne's Boyfriend, so imagine my horror when they said they were gonna attempt a Beatles cover...what happened was a pretty amazing rendition of Eleanor Rigby which was true enough to the original, but sounded like what the circa-2000s Beatles would have composed. So I was able to breathe, and enjoy.

Next came the four-man band from Susquehanna, Faculty Lounge. I can't really classify their style...but maybe...if country music originated in New York? They looked like rockers, played like rockers, but had a rather distinct seasoning of country. But maybe it was just me. They played a lot of original songs, and the covers they did were obscure (to my ears, at least), so I couldn't tell the originals from the "real" songs unless they said, "This is one of our own." They absolutely blew me--and probably most of the crowd--away with their final song, though. They cued up the opening to I'm a Believer...then proceeded to sing the entire song in translated German. Frickin. Awesome.

After Faculty Lounge finished, John and I left the balcony section where we had been sitting and went down to the floor to dance and rock to the home team...good old Stockton Faculty Band! Now, SFB is really different for many reasons...one, we boast a lineup of about a dozen; two, we are hippies from a hippie school; three, how many other schools have such a diverse smattering of study backgrounds? I mean, from philosophy to marine science to math? We basically have someone from every discipline.

Once the instruments were tuned up and everyone was feeling good, frontman Frank Cerreto called the crowd to attention, and off they went! Definitely more my pace, they played the usual 60s and 70s tunes from My Girl to the closer Honky Tonk Women (for which Danger Boys and Faculty Lounge joined them...brought down the house!).

It was just a really awesome night, and the ticket sales benefitted the various scholarship funds offered to students. That it was dedicated to Professor Lyons gave the evening a really special feeling, too, and I think the SFB felt the electricity of it. Needless to say, the HoB staff had to boot us all out cuz we didn't want the party to end. We trudged back to our cars and headed home, ears still buzzing, hearts still pounding out the rhythms, and feet still tapping to the beat. Word.

In other news, tonight John, Mom, and I are going to the Winslow HS production of Grease. I'm at the point now where I graduated almost 5 full years ago (whoa), and everyone I knew in the drama department (aside from the teachers) have moved on, so there won't be many familiar faces on stage. I usually see a lot of my classmates and more recent graduates in the audience, though, and I always look forward to that. Another favorite treat is to go on closing night and to see the whole cast and crew sit on stage together and sing along to Piano Man. Good memories.

Well that's all for now. We have March of the Penguins on, and we need to get going to my rents' in a bit. So peace out till next time. Adios!

Insight into Life with Hamlet

2009-03-08T19:46:00.005-04:00

I couldn't stop laughing when I saw the below pic on Cheezburger because it is an exact representation of my and John's life with Hammy.

Also, this:

more animals

That's all I've got for now.

Peace.

Good times

2009-03-08T19:35:00.010-04:00

With the winter thaw approaching (not including that monster of a Monday snowstorm I drove through to work) there have been good times approaching. And even more in the forecast... (like my 25th birthday!)

First off, for my anniversary gift from Maureen (4 years, wow) she got me a backstage ticket to Adventure Aquarium Adventure (redundant, but fun) to feed the sharks in the shark realm exhibit. Score! So, I went behind the scenes. Saw where the hippos lived, and then got a quick briefing on the sharks, the tanks, the pole-feeding apparatus and just the mechanics of doing it. I didn't really need the science lecture, since I've been there and done that, but skipping that gave me more time to ask questions about the habitat personnel. Breeding of Sand Tiger sharks? Maybe in the future.. Cool! So, with the briefing done I moved onto prepping the food for the Brown Sharks (Sandbar?), Sand Tigers, Green Sawfish and Nurse sharks; which entail taking some nice mackerel and placing some multi-vitamins behind their operculums (gill flaps) for the sharks. One a week they get a vitamin and they are feed on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Once that was taken care of and my hands were thoroughly covered in fish blood and oil, we moved onto the catwalk to feed the SHARKS!

I then was given a harness and latched in (no need for me to feed the sharks more and my idea of riding them like a bucking bronco did not go over well) and then shown the two-pronged PVC pole to feed with. Basically you put the two fish, eyes first into the prongs and jam them till they can't go any further. Then lean it over the water, tail side up (don't want to drop the food too prematurely for fear of fighting and all) dip the pole in the water, wait for a hungry shark to swim up, line up the food with the front, wait for a strike and WHAM! Feeding sharks! Also, to make sure that you let pole have some give and don't fight the shark, reload and back again. (There was a particularly grumpy Sand Tiger who decided to take food and pole for a ride, at which point I handed that issue off to the staff) Once I fed most of the sharks, the staff fed the sawfish and nurse sharks. Once I was unlatched, I checked out some the behind the scenes things, washed up and took stock in the large wet spot on my pants from saltwater, fish juices and felt good.

I met up with Maureen, we picked up my photo here:

And also some other photos as well:

An awesome day at the aquarium, if I do say so.

Random Rant: Commercials

2009-03-02T19:30:00.003-05:00

I now have supporters of my theory on the Glade spokeswoman (same woman, different house in every commercial...and she's ALWAYS overdressed! Why does she wear that black dress that has the Glah-day sticker on her butt when her friends come over in jeans and tee shirts?). Maybe I can gather a few supporters on this annoyance, too.

Does anyone else think the Campbell's Soup Casserole commercials are a little over-the-top? Remember the simple days, Campbell's? What happened to opening a can and saying it's "Mmm Mmm Good!" Now we have a monstrosity of a sentence/jingle that insists on listing just about every ingredient in said casserole...it started innocently enough. "Campbell's green bean casserole...possibilities." (You know you just sang it. And I hope you did...it'll help make my case stronger.)

The most recent incarnation of casserole goes a little something like this: "Campbell's cheesy chicken and green bean casserole...possibilities." I'm pretty sure they list a few more ingredients, too, cuz what it sounds like to my ears is "Campbell's cheesy chicken and green bean casserole with some carrots and crunchy things on top and oh yeh this has no MSG so suck it Progresso and did we mention the garlic and parsley seasoning whoops our alloted time for this jingle is up...possibilities."

What is next?! Stop reading me ingredients, lay off the green beans, and go back to tomato soup with Goldfish or cheddar cheese added by happy little kids. Seriously.

Holy Cow

2009-02-28T12:05:00.004-05:00

I just bought a new car. I. Just bought. A new. Car.

Something I never thought I'd be able to afford, and something I now I hope I can continue to maintain...any sort of investment is risky in this economy, but I bit the bullet, I feel good about it, I had been planning for months for this, and all I--anyone--can do these days is to just hope for the best.

So economic uncertainty aside, I am SO EXCITED about the car. A 2009 Nissan Versa...tres chic! I'm tentatively naming her Victoria. She's a classy broad. : )

Before I get to pics of that, though, I have to share some pics from my company's pep rally before this week's basketball game. I led a cheer squad (I know...I'm the first to acknowledge the irony), and it was just a silly, fun, time. We lost the game, but it was thisclose to being a tie in the very last second (AKA we scored, but the ref wouldn't give it to us!). And this was the first game that a bunch of my coworkers came to, so it was really fun, and it was a really close and exciting game the whole time.

Goooooo, Navigant!

Okay, now I'll post pics of the car, since I know that's what you're all interested in. haha

It's such a nice change from my beloved Cavalier. The ride is so much smoother, and it's both exciting and overwhelming to have so many modern conveniences. Power windows and locks? Tilt steering? Alarm system? WHAT? haha So many buttons and gizmos compared to my very simple setup in the ol' Chevy. It'll take a while to get used to, but I absolutely love it.

As for now, I'm gonna have lunch, maybe nap (I'm still trying to kick this monster cold out of my system), and then see where the afternoon takes me. Tomorrow John and I will go to my parents', drop off the Cavalier so they can have it, then go to the Adventure Aquarium so John can have his anniversary gift: preparing food for and feeding the sharks in the main exhibit! Yay!

Definitely stay tuned for pics and stories about that. Maybe John will actually pop on here and write about it himself. ::wink wink nudge nudge:: : )

Peace.