Eric and I had a very nice Valentine's Weekend. Our picture slideshow says it all!
We hope you had a great Valentine's Day, too!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
November and December Projects
My goal for December is to post all of the pictures of 2012 that I haven't put up yet and possibly to blog a bit about each occasion. Since we are officially not traveling for Christmas or New Years, it will be a way to be with our friends and family from the east coast. We'll be thinking about you even though we can't be with you this holiday season!
The reasons for this are the three weddings of our very good friends in May and June next year. I will be staying in Pittsburgh for most of June and once or twice before that. Eric will be coming with me for a couple of weeks. My brother Brenden is coming home next month (I hope!), and I don't know if I will visit home or not to see him, but I am keeping the possibility open. I know he will need some peace and will need to get back in the swing of things. I will also want to be back on the west coast between weddings, as a couple of our good friends out here are having babies! They are saying there's something in the water. Good thing we have a Brita filter.
This November was a busy month. We updated our lease so we will be staying at our current apartment for another year at least. I finally cut down the tomato plant and planted some baby's tears and alyssum in our little yard for a low maintenance ground cover. This was supposed to help with keeping the carpet clean when it rained. However, the rainy season has started and I've had to steam my white carpet four times in two weeks due to a troublesome little chihuahua. I think I must have the cleanest carpet in the entire complex (and the sorest back).
I had two big projects this month. The first was an effort to write and collect holiday cards for our soldiers overseas and our veterans at home. It was really made possible by my meetup girls who were amazing contributors. They put forth a huge effort and made some creative and very sweet cards for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thank you all so much! I appreciate your contributions more than I can ever tell you! More on that initiative to follow, but here are some pictures of our cards:
My second big project this month was participating in NaNoWriMo. The goal was to write a novel in November or at least 50,000 words. I did this along with a million other writers, plus a team of software engineers and published writers to encourage us along the way. I managed to write 26,261 words by November 30th. I am disappointed that I didn't make it, since I can't say that I actually did it. I don't want to make excuses, but when one expects to write a novel in a month one should not also cook for three Thanksgiving dinners, keep up a recipe blog, initiate a letters to the troops project, work, do laundry, and be a social butterfly. I also should have planned out the novel ahead of time since it required hours of research. But I am very proud of my 26,261 words. That's more fiction that I've ever written before. NaNoWriMo really pushed me to start that novel that's been in the back of my mind for a year now. I am determined to keep writing and to see it through to the end. Updates to follow soon, hopefully.
Right now I am in wedding planning mode and on the lookout for bridesmaid dresses. 2012 was the year of visitors, traveling, and accomplishing goals. 2013 is all about weddings and babies. Besides posting the pictures of 2012, Christmas is coming. I've got a whole list of things for Eric and some ideas for the family. We still need to get a tree and decorate. I also need to get out some Christmas cards. That is another big project!
The reasons for this are the three weddings of our very good friends in May and June next year. I will be staying in Pittsburgh for most of June and once or twice before that. Eric will be coming with me for a couple of weeks. My brother Brenden is coming home next month (I hope!), and I don't know if I will visit home or not to see him, but I am keeping the possibility open. I know he will need some peace and will need to get back in the swing of things. I will also want to be back on the west coast between weddings, as a couple of our good friends out here are having babies! They are saying there's something in the water. Good thing we have a Brita filter.
This November was a busy month. We updated our lease so we will be staying at our current apartment for another year at least. I finally cut down the tomato plant and planted some baby's tears and alyssum in our little yard for a low maintenance ground cover. This was supposed to help with keeping the carpet clean when it rained. However, the rainy season has started and I've had to steam my white carpet four times in two weeks due to a troublesome little chihuahua. I think I must have the cleanest carpet in the entire complex (and the sorest back).
I had two big projects this month. The first was an effort to write and collect holiday cards for our soldiers overseas and our veterans at home. It was really made possible by my meetup girls who were amazing contributors. They put forth a huge effort and made some creative and very sweet cards for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thank you all so much! I appreciate your contributions more than I can ever tell you! More on that initiative to follow, but here are some pictures of our cards:
My second big project this month was participating in NaNoWriMo. The goal was to write a novel in November or at least 50,000 words. I did this along with a million other writers, plus a team of software engineers and published writers to encourage us along the way. I managed to write 26,261 words by November 30th. I am disappointed that I didn't make it, since I can't say that I actually did it. I don't want to make excuses, but when one expects to write a novel in a month one should not also cook for three Thanksgiving dinners, keep up a recipe blog, initiate a letters to the troops project, work, do laundry, and be a social butterfly. I also should have planned out the novel ahead of time since it required hours of research. But I am very proud of my 26,261 words. That's more fiction that I've ever written before. NaNoWriMo really pushed me to start that novel that's been in the back of my mind for a year now. I am determined to keep writing and to see it through to the end. Updates to follow soon, hopefully.
Right now I am in wedding planning mode and on the lookout for bridesmaid dresses. 2012 was the year of visitors, traveling, and accomplishing goals. 2013 is all about weddings and babies. Besides posting the pictures of 2012, Christmas is coming. I've got a whole list of things for Eric and some ideas for the family. We still need to get a tree and decorate. I also need to get out some Christmas cards. That is another big project!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Glamour
I've had a subscription to Glamour magazine for about 8 years now, but will not be renewing this year. I used to really enjoy that magazine. Their photographs and tips on fashion and make-up were helpful, and I just loved their focus on female empowerment. While magazines like Cosmo were just about sex tips, Glamour always had great interviews with not only celebrities, but the not-so-famous women accomplishing amazing things. I loved their fiction stories selected from readers, and most importantly, their focus on military women. One of the best parts about Glamour is that it was about all women, no matter what political side that woman was on. It's true that it was sometimes too focused on "being green"--what I like to call a politically inspired way to say one is being frugal (that phrase is dishonest to me). But it never seemed to be politically biased. Glamour loves Condoleezza Rice just as much as Hilary Clinton.
I don't know if I've changed or if the magazine has changed, but there is so much of it I can't stand anymore. Not just because I sent in a picture of me holding an issue of Glamour in my wedding dress and they never posted it in the "Where's Your Glamour Been?" section. I forgave them for that. They only post pictures of readers in their bathing suits. Always. And not just because they named Selena Gomez their "Woman of the Year." Seriously. They really did that. But most of it is the fashion transition into androgyny. This is probably not Glamour's fault, but I can't stand seeing it in magazines anymore. When I go through them I feel like I'm having an identity crisis.
The male models in photographs look terribly metrosexual to the point where they are by no means attractive, but kind of scary. I honestly can't tell the difference between the women and men in some pictures. Women are wearing oxfords and menswear, and men are wearing tight pink things. Not to mention dresses. The last issue had a male fashion designer in a dress.
I love being a woman. I love everything about being a woman, including the fact that we have a look all our own. I love the differences between men and women and I have no desire to be anything like a man, yet I am independent and strong. Isn't that what female empowerment is all about? Women in control of their own destinies.
But I love men, too. When I see pictures of effeminate men I feel an intrusion into my own identity. I know who I am. I expect men around me to know who they are as well. I need a manly man, who is strong, has chest hair, and knows how to be my pillar of strength if I'm freaking out because of a spider in the shower.
When I see the models in Glamour, I feel like my womanhood is being subdued. It's like Glamour is communicating that women are so awesome, men should want to be like them, too. Maybe Glamour is trying to attract a gay audience? I have no idea. But I do know, if that's the case, they are no longer a magazine that's all about women. I also know that I do not feel empowered by a feminine man, on the contrary, I feel threatened. I thought Glamour was a magazine that implied "Go Women!" not, "Everyone's a woman!"
I don't know if I've changed or if the magazine has changed, but there is so much of it I can't stand anymore. Not just because I sent in a picture of me holding an issue of Glamour in my wedding dress and they never posted it in the "Where's Your Glamour Been?" section. I forgave them for that. They only post pictures of readers in their bathing suits. Always. And not just because they named Selena Gomez their "Woman of the Year." Seriously. They really did that. But most of it is the fashion transition into androgyny. This is probably not Glamour's fault, but I can't stand seeing it in magazines anymore. When I go through them I feel like I'm having an identity crisis.
The male models in photographs look terribly metrosexual to the point where they are by no means attractive, but kind of scary. I honestly can't tell the difference between the women and men in some pictures. Women are wearing oxfords and menswear, and men are wearing tight pink things. Not to mention dresses. The last issue had a male fashion designer in a dress.
I love being a woman. I love everything about being a woman, including the fact that we have a look all our own. I love the differences between men and women and I have no desire to be anything like a man, yet I am independent and strong. Isn't that what female empowerment is all about? Women in control of their own destinies.
But I love men, too. When I see pictures of effeminate men I feel an intrusion into my own identity. I know who I am. I expect men around me to know who they are as well. I need a manly man, who is strong, has chest hair, and knows how to be my pillar of strength if I'm freaking out because of a spider in the shower.
When I see the models in Glamour, I feel like my womanhood is being subdued. It's like Glamour is communicating that women are so awesome, men should want to be like them, too. Maybe Glamour is trying to attract a gay audience? I have no idea. But I do know, if that's the case, they are no longer a magazine that's all about women. I also know that I do not feel empowered by a feminine man, on the contrary, I feel threatened. I thought Glamour was a magazine that implied "Go Women!" not, "Everyone's a woman!"
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
What's More Important?
Some quotes that I got in an email recently that remind me of the upcoming election and the past four years:
"You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift."
"You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down."
"You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred."
"You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence."
"You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."
"You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift."
"You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down."
"You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred."
"You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence."
"You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."
Friday, October 5, 2012
Fall Gardening
My tomato plant says it's time for fall. It did so well! I can say that my summer gardening was a huge success and I'm proud I got to take advantage of my sunny patio.
These are the last of my tomato crop.
But my parsley is flourishing!
And I finally have strawberries!
Maybe next year I'll grow pumpkins?
Happy fall!
 |
| It had a good long life! |
These are the last of my tomato crop.
But my parsley is flourishing!
And I finally have strawberries!
Maybe next year I'll grow pumpkins?
Happy fall!
Big Bird
Eric and I missed the first half hour of the presidential debate on Wednesday, so I was very confused about the references toward Big Bird. Eric tried to explain it to me yesterday and it seems so silly. I mean, apparently people are okay with our country going bankrupt as long as they can still watch Sesame Street? Really?
That's what all the arguments are about right? People think they can't live without their government funding and financial protection. Yes, it would be hard to lose funding for different programs and people would need to adapt, but the debt of our country is out of control and needs to be reigned in before we go bankrupt. I see that as the most important issue.
Today I saw a bunch of memes on Facebook with a dejected looking Big Bird so I decided to look into the issue some more.
I found an article from ABC that assured everyone Big Bird would be fine.
"Romney’s proposal to zero-out federal spending for public broadcasting will have little to no effect on Sesame Street’s budget because the show receives “very, very little funding” from PBS, Sesame Street’s executive vice president Sherrie Westin told CNN last week. Westin said the majority of the show’s funding comes from corporate sponsorships, product sales and donations.
So relax you meme-making adults, if for any reason this proposal actually goes through, you'll still be able to watch your favorite children's TV show.
That's what all the arguments are about right? People think they can't live without their government funding and financial protection. Yes, it would be hard to lose funding for different programs and people would need to adapt, but the debt of our country is out of control and needs to be reigned in before we go bankrupt. I see that as the most important issue.
Today I saw a bunch of memes on Facebook with a dejected looking Big Bird so I decided to look into the issue some more.
I found an article from ABC that assured everyone Big Bird would be fine.
"Romney’s proposal to zero-out federal spending for public broadcasting will have little to no effect on Sesame Street’s budget because the show receives “very, very little funding” from PBS, Sesame Street’s executive vice president Sherrie Westin told CNN last week. Westin said the majority of the show’s funding comes from corporate sponsorships, product sales and donations.
“Quite frankly, you can debate whether or not there should be funding of public broadcasting. But when they always try to tout out Big Bird, and say we’re going to kill Big Bird – that is actually misleading, because Sesame Street will be here,” Westin said. “Big Bird lives on.” Read article here.
So relax you meme-making adults, if for any reason this proposal actually goes through, you'll still be able to watch your favorite children's TV show.
Monday, September 10, 2012
My Brother is Going to Afghanistan
I AM AN OLDER SISTER,
I CAN'T PROTECT HIM ANYMORE.
I MUST STAND BY AND WATCH
MY LITTLE BROTHER GO TO WAR.
BUT I'LL BE PROUD OF HIM
AND WON'T FEAR OF AN ATTACK.
DON'T WORRY AMERICA,
MY BROTHER'S GOT YOUR BACK.
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