Where did all the turkey go?

Shit! I just realized I only have this evening to make a new banner. How did we get through November so quickly? I have to say, I like holidays and months with holidays, but I think I'm ruling that November kinda sucked.

Historically, I think November might be my least favorite month (but it's in a close race with January). My life with November has included truly loved ones dying and bad relationships starting and then a year later (in November again) going through the serious suck phase and ending. In college it means the end of the semester and exams are coming up. It means lots of dreary days of winter again. And in 2006 it means, "Shit, I've been out of law school for six months and all I got was this lousy t-shirt!"

But I'm not completely ready to throw in the towel yet. My labor and delivery nursing contact finally got back to me! She can't fit me in until late January at the earliest, but something is better than nothing! Until then I'm wondering if I should try to take some community college night class. One, it would begin getting prerequisites out of the way, and two, why not? I like class... I think!

There are some great cooking courses coming up in the new year at Sur la table. Hopefully I'll get a chance to cash in over there. But speaking of cashing in, I've been thinking about Christmas gifts. Why are men so hard to shop for? Or maybe it's just my man. I look through the store catalogs and watch commercials on tv, and they always have the section or blurb that says, "Gifts for Him." Then they feature things like a rotating tie rack, an all in one wrench, or maybe a beer mug that says, "man of the house." If I gave one of these things to my boyfriend, I think that would probably be the thing to end our relationship right there. There's so much pressure to find that one thing that would really show your loved one just how much you love them. But what the hell is it?! Men aren't the most forthcoming creatures. With women, maybe they won't say what they want right away, maybe they'll want the man to be able to figure it out on his own, but basically she'll probably cave and just say it.

So, if anyone has any amazing gifts in mind...

Work Blues

I remember the days when I used to sit at work almost bored. At that time I only had a few things assigned to me. Now I have about three or four times the number of assignments I started out with. I want it to be manageable again.

The fast track rat race is not for me. Going in early and coming home late may work for some or even lots of people, maybe they can really throw themselves into it. I come home feeling drained, exhausted, and even a little like I'm being brainwashed. I don't have as much time for the daydreaming or creative thoughts that I was always accustomed to. I need to figure out how to get back on top of things and only work a normal 8 hour day again.

I probably also shouldn't be afraid to take a fake sick day every now and then. It would probably do me good to have some time, even if I'd have to turn off my cell phone because I'm sure that work would call. Hmm.. maybe they'd be real sick days after all.

I keep thinking that I can't wait to veg out this weekend, but that's what I wind up doing most weekends. I don't have the energy to explore the city and try out a museum. Even making plans with friends gets too much for me. I feel like all week long I'm detached from myself, and on the weekends it's time to be with me.

Before I get to creepy and weird, I'll stop. I was just feeling the work blues a little (okay, a lot).

I hate Cosi

I'm sorry to say, this is a bit of a rant... there's just no way around it today.

Have you ever been to a restaurant named Cosi? It's much like Panera Bread, Au Bon Pain, or any other mostly-sandwich-soup-salad-sometimes-breakfast-and-croissants kinda place. It looks like it's a chain mostly in the eastern half of the country.

My first time at Cosi, I went with a coworker during lunch. It was decent, and actually even enjoyable. Their specialty is the flat bread they use to make their sandwiches. The only thing I didn't like about the place was their prices... $7.50 for one frickin' sandwich!

So, I enjoyed it the first time. And I usually don't get that excited about sandwiches or lunch places; I'm much more of a breakfast and dinner person. But my boyfriend loves lunch, and we happened to have a Cosi right next to our apartment also, so I took him.

This place was not crowded like the first one I'd been to. And when I asked for my sandwich, the woman looked confused. She'd never heard of that sandwich... what? She asked me how to make it. It turned out slightly wrong, we didn't get our free side of carrots, most of the registers were closed and we had no idea where to pay, etc. This kind of service doesn't make you feel good about the almost $10 you spent.

We'd sworn off Cosi; the hell with it! Then last week my boss gave me a Cosi gift card that came in the mail. Fine, I'm a sucker for free things. I activated the card online and it was for $10. Great, I thought, that will buy me one whole lunch. Since the first restaurant I went to wasn't that bad, I figured I'd just go back. It was a free lunch, after all.

After waiting in line for almost 10 minutes, which actually feels like quite a while and eats up most of your already too short lunch break, they ordered me the wrong sandwich. When I finally got it and went to pay at the register, the gift card conveniently wasn't working. "Will it work at any other register?" I asked. "No, do you have any other form of payment?"

The whole reason I went was because it would be free! I'm very disciplined about bringing my lunch to work, not going out every single day and flushing away my money, and now I'm stuck paying for an overpriced sandwich that I didn't even want. And I didn't get the damn carrots again!

A more awesome, more assertive person would have just said, "stuff your sandwich, I'm outta here!" But I paid for it, like a jackass. But you better believe I'm not going back this time... not even if I get FIVE gift cards! What a perfect scam for them, mail out some crappy bogus gift cards, get people to put their address online to register it so that they inadvertently sign up for all kinds of junk mail and spam, and then when they come into the store thinking it will all be free, give them a nice punch in the face that they never saw coming!

Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice...

Here are some links to others who hate Cosi... unite!

Cosi vs. Panera
"I went to Cosi for the first time today because I'd hoped it'd be a suitable Panera replacement. It wasn't."

"I hate Cosi! Everytime I get a sandwich there I think WTF did I do!!
$7.00 for a piece of thin ass bread, Mozzarella, tomato, basil, and vinagerette. Oh, and a bag of salty chips....."

The original what's for lunch
"I totally agree about Cosi... sucky for lunch. And the people in the one near my office are so rude - like they're doing you a favour. Argh. Haaaaaate. Speaking of channeling hate. Last time I almost had my card for a free salad filled up I was determined to get the free salad & then never go back. Then, on my free salad day, I got into a minor altercation with the sandwich lady (beyotch wouldn't make me a salad - they can't seem to decide if there's a separate line for salads, or just one line for both) & then the manager came over & said my salad was free! So I had to go back *again*!! Curses!"

"cosi sucks ass. salads are so expensive and they all taste kinda the same...like mcdonald's has something in their food that makes everything from the fries to the quarter pounder have this common taste in it...freaks me out, man."

LizLawson.blogspot.com
"I hate Cosi. I go there nearly every single day for lunch and it's starting to really bug me. It's disgusting. Agh!"

Yelp.com
"I hate Cosi for single-handedly raising the price of a DC lunch by $2-3."

I'm Thankful, Sure

So... everyone have a good holiday?

Mine started off pretty well. I made sweet potato casserole and a pumpkin cake (recipe courtesy of the back of the pumpkin pans I bought from Williams-Sonoma) to take home. This was my first time making anything to bring home, and I was excited about it.

Because I had made this casserole once before for a Thanksgiving potluck and peeling the potatoes had totally exhausted me, I wanted to peel them a night early this time. This is also when I learned that when I made them for the potluck, I was using the peeler upside down and with a protective strip of plastic over the blades... tell me again I should go to culinary school!

So after that fine example of high intelligence, all I had to do was mash 'em, mix 'em with some tasty stuff like brown sugar and put the pecans on top. I think it turned out well (after all the shenanigans early on...).

The little pumpkin cakes turned out well also. I don't know if I'd ever made a cake completely from scratch, including the icing. It was a lot of fun and smelled great.

Of course, making the icing was a little scary... one whole package of cream cheese, one whole stick of butter...

I usually try not to invite heart attacks into my life...

In the Williams-Sonoma cake example pictures they have the icing drizzled over the cake. I don't know how they did it, because this icing wasn't exactly the drizzly kind.
All things considered, Thanksgiving day itself was good. All the food was great. Of course, it's a little disappointing not having a big family or lots of friends to share it with. Thanksgiving, at least to me, seems like it should involve more than just the immediate family. But what can you do when the rest of your family is pretty far away, your brother refuses to cross the Mason-Dixon line, and your friends have family to share it with who aren't quite as crazy. My dinner highlight was my dad thanking the pilgrims during grace...

After dinner at my house, boyfriend and I went to his grandmother's house for Dinner Part II. It's amazing how different our families are. One of his cousins kept showing me dirty jokes and pictures on his cell phone, that was... festive?

I also spent a lot of time at a friend's house. He recently built himself an amazing home theater system. He has a massive project which he hooks up to the tv, dvd player, xbox, and wii. He installed shakers in the couch that vibrate you when there's a lot of bass (watching a loud action movie or blowing up stuff on one of the gaming systems). When he decided he wanted more shake, he purchased another set of shakers; this is the kind used in rides at amusement parks. When it's on, the entire house is shaking and the lights flicker. Probably, his house will crack and implode, but it's probably one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. We endured a very rough Virginia vs. Virginia Tech game on it, then switched to xbox.

The subwoofers were knocking things off shelves. These pictures just don't do it justice.We left early on Sunday to beat the traffic. When we got home I completely vegged on the couch and finished the Angel series. The end left me feeling awful; one because it's somewhat of a cliffhanger, two because I always get that hollow feeling once I finish a series (book or tv). It's like losing a friend! Even when it pisses you off, you're still invested in the characters and the outcome. The end is always too soon, and there's no good way to wrap it all up. I surfed around looking for character or director interviews, trying to give me some finality, but I didn't find anything that satisfying.

It was also a little scary finishing because I'd been watching it for so long. It was my hobby, my thing to do when I wanted to relax. Now do I actually have to face the world? Make decisions? Do grown-up stuff? Take responsibility? I'll have to find something else to hide out with soon!

And how could I forget

This will unfortunately be another brief week because of the holidays, but I'm sure we'd all rather be with our loved ones anyway.

A quick synopsis of things to catch you up:
yesterday I fell on a man in the metro train, and I mean fell hard... not just a light brushing against,
I've been promoted and given a pay raise twice in the four months I've been working at this job,
this weekend I went to a Thanksgiving potluck, and my sweet potato casserole was a big hit!,
I'm making a double batch of the casserole to take home Thursday... it's potato peeling hell for me!,
my nursing contact who works in labor and delivery nearby never got back to me,
I have created an irrational fear of the GRE for myself; when I even begin to think about it my mind completely panics and shuts down,
maybe I'll just go to culinary school,
last week I worked 7 hours of overtime,
the O2 Optix contacts I was given to test at the eye doctor last week aren't working out; maybe I just can't wear contacts while working,
this past Sunday I slept most of the day... including in the middle of the living room floor wrapped in a pile of blankets,
I am on the last season of Angel and it still isn't doing it for me,
I miss the people I used to be closer to,
I want to move to a house and get a dog,
things are all in all good but nothing goes the way I imagine it.


BONUS: Favorite things family members have said to me in the last week:

"Should I pick up some information about the law school while I'm at Notre Dame this weekend?" 
                   - dad

"I always just figured you wore glasses because you were trying to think of a way to standout from me."
                  - brother

After telling my parents I got a raise
"Your company has no idea what it's doing."
                  - dad

It's been a surprisingly light week for mom.  Way to go, team!

Interesting for Monday

Exhausted

Yes, Internet, I did die.

I know it's very unlike me to run off for a while without saying anything. I have had no time for anything this week. Getting to work early, leaving late... this week has seriously sucked.

Be back very soon.

I'm Embarrassed that the Author of this will have to put it on their Resume

Aren't you?

Win/Lose

This has probably been my busiest work week yet. My responsibilities have doubled, and I've been feel rather sick all week as well. BUT...

My "In case of zombies" shirt from Threadless! came yesterday! The design is great, the fabric is good because it's that thinner, softer kind of fabric instead of what you'd expect on a man's t-shirt, but damn am I glad I opted for the bigger size. These things are built rather small, despite what the size chart says. Also shipping took a little longer than what my greedy hands normally like, but hey, I'm flexible.

Earlier in the week my Sunsilk sample also came! The sample comes with a tester of the shampoo, conditioner, and 24/7 creme (you choose which type you need). It also comes with a $1 off coupon on either the shampoo or conditioner and a $1 off coupon on the 24/7 creme! It's a sweet deal, and if you haven't ordered your sample yet I suggest that you do! Today I am trying the 24/7 creme (I had only bought the shampoo and conditioner), and so far I like it. I don't think I've ever used a creme in my hair afterwards; I usually use a gel or mousse. We'll give it the 24 hour test and then see how it is!

Also, Virginia decided she is ready for a Democrat Senator but not for same-sex marriages or civil unions. In fact, Virginia is not for the rights of any non-married couples, even with members of the opposite sex. But, I guess she's come a long way, so I can't complain. I never thought Virginia would have a Democrat in the Senate, she showed me. I honestly had a hard time debating same-sex marriages. But after many conversations with friends and many stories about couples living together for 30 years and then one was left with nothing or couldn't come into the hospital room while their partner was dying, I was able to see it differently. I'm wary of change, I just like to have the whole story and think about it from every angle. But not allowing same-sex couples to be able to commit to and provide for one another seems rather unfair. Maybe next time, Virginia.

And here's another excellent video. Maybe you've seen it before, but it still entertains me every time I watch. Happy Friday!

Sometimes I Feel Like the Kitten in the Kimwipes Box

Don't you?

Seriously?

No, really... seriously?

It's Like Bush vs. Kerry All Over Again

The election in Virginia is CLOSE. Right now Democrats have a slight edge over Republicans, but it's way too close to call. This probably means a recount.

Let's hope we don't have another hanging chad problem.

Ouch, Has Anyone Else Seen this Clip of Faith Hill?

I heard she just couldn't hear who won, but it really doesn't show her in the best light!

Fergie Ferg

I'm looking for it... but I just don't know...

I think I actually saw a bit of Cher in her tonight!
I think it must be that taut, surprise-face thing they have going on.

And if you haven't heard yet, this is an excellent bit of celebrity gossip - byebye, KFed!

Goose Chase

Sorry, no blogging yesterday. I was in a serious future slump. Future as in career stuff, not as in some psychic sadness.

It had been a rough day at work. There are a lot of changes going on there right now, and I will miss someone taking another job (someone who was very relatable).

Boyfriend and I have been watching Angel non-stop. It's a Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff. I never let myself watch it until recently. I have to keep reminding myself that the two are not the same show (Buffy is better), but I'm still enjoying it. Last night we got to the last episode of Season 3, and we don't have Season 4! It was a cliffhanger, too. First we went to the video store downstairs - nothing, the Hollywood Video we usually go to - they have every season except for Season 4, and another Hollywood - only had Season 5. By that point we were both going a little nuts, and we just began driving around aimlessly. We didn't know where else to go, but we finally found a Blockbuster. This Blockbuster not only did not have any Angel, it didn't have Buffy. What kind of craptastic establishment is that!?

We came back defeated. We'll just have to wait until we journey home this weekend and can steal more dvds from his sister. I hate being defeated. But we had some good conversation about my slump. He made an observation that was extremely distasteful to me, but then I began thinking that maybe I got so defensive because he had a point. He suggested that when I begin to become dissatisfied with a job, club, etc. that I usually have someone who I 'awfulize.' He didn't have any idea which comes first - the dissatisfaction or the awfulizing of a person. My job now (which I'm really not that dissatisfied with yet), law school, and some organizations in college and high school, there is usually one person who I don't like. And maybe over time that dislike starts eating at me more. I'm not sure where he was going with this thought entirely. It seems normal to me not to get along with at least one person, and I don't know what to do with this information, but I'll think about it more.

On a lighter yet maybe even more confusing note, why does Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas look so much like Kirstie Alley?

I Want a Party Pink Macaroons And a Million Balloons And Performing Baboons

So my title bar is back (yesssssssss) and all is right with the world?

My grandmother sent me a Halloween card this week and for the first time ever she actually wrote a message in it. Usually it's just, "love, Gram" and that's all. I was impressed by this and called her. This is not another first time ever thing, but I don't call her very often.

Something she said made me feel a little strange. We talked about my job for awhile, then she said, "what do you do outside work?" All I could think of is that I watch a lot of tv during the week and on the weekends friends from out of town usually visit.

So I looked back in time to April 16, 2006, a time when I speak most of my days daydreaming about what I would do after I left law school. Am I closer to getting there? Yes, I have finished novels again. But I still haven't made any art, my digital camera sucks (I want this one), I'm not involved in yoga, and I won't even go downstairs to the gym.

I guess I haven't been out of law school that long (3 months living in the DC area?), and I have done a few really cool things like take all those cooking courses. But, I'm like that lame girl in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory:

Veruca: [singing] I want the world. I want the whole world. I want to lock it all up in my pocket. It's my bar of chocolate. Give it to me now!

I really have come a long way, I should really stop whining and chill.

Well, you may remember this happy little fellow from yesterday. He wasn't the biggest or most detailed jack-o-lantern around, but he had style and class. His toothless grin spread happiness in the hearts of children.


Well, he had a slight mishap. When I left for work in the morning he was fine. But when I came home, that sweet jack-o-lantern just wasn't the same. He was like a disgusting mold pudding straight out of mold heaven. He was slumped over and oozing onto the white carpet. His eye holes were perfectly covered over with green fuzz. His friend wasn't slumped over yet, but he had a slightly less diseased looking white mold all over him.

When we first brought the pumpkins home I joked (but not really a joke) that it would be the boyfriend's job to carry out the nasty massacred pumpkin parts to the trash. But, he wasn't home yet. And the longer I waited, the more sludge I would get on the carpet.

It was pretty awful. I couldn't just pick them up and toss them into my heavy duty trash bag because my hands just went right through them. There was nothing really hard to grab. Mold is gross... sludge is gross... wearing pumpkin mold on your pajamas kind of takes the fun out of pumpkins so that I can't even look at my pumpkin ice cream, and the boyfriend owes me big time.

Happy November

It's a new month filled with new possibilities.  Fall is kicking it up a notch, and I no longer have an excuse to buy (and eat) bags of candy.  Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin bread, awkward family gatherings... that's what November is all about.  I don't know if my immediate family is getting together with the extended family for Thanksgiving, but if so, then I only have a few short weeks to stop looking like a stuffed turkey myself.

I have a lot to be thankful for, and I have a lot to kick myself in the rump about.  We'll see how it all pans out.