Wine, Blogging, and Golden Retrievers

After an evening full of cooking family recipes (Granny's Pork Tenderloin), having a good time, sharing great food with even better friends, and a glass or 3 of wine, I am feeling rather emotional. 

Since I have spent the last 24 hours (and was up until 3 am last night with insomnia- also lending to my current emotional state), once again treating my blog's ailing identity crisis, I naturally felt compelled to take to the blogosphere for a little bit of entertainment.

Mistake #1: the 3rd, and most fatal, glass of Chardonnay.  Once the pork tenderloin and made-from-scratch mashed taters stopped flowing... so should have the wine. 

Mistake #2: opening up my laptop and work email to respond to an "uber important" message from ethis afternoon, that in reality could  have waited until tomorrow.

Mistake #3: The most fateful mishap of the evening, mistake #3, began with a diversion.  A previously open window glared at me from my desktop.  I had to do it.  I needed to revisit my current muse and re-read the stories of Copernicus and Rabittens.  I ended spending the next 2 hours cross referencing blogs (and laughing a lot) until finally arriving at this:  husband to one. father to three. stranger to millions.

To be fair, this blog only first caught my attention based on the fact that it was authored by a married man with children and the subject matter of the most recent post.  Apparently some family in some far off land (I think it was New York), rescused this poor little critter who had undergone some kind of neglect involving a 10 food chain and sharing his dirty water bowl with some farm-grown rats.  Telling Dad captivated me with the gazillions of photos of the precious little mutt and the adoring way he refers to his wife, quietly indicating that she's the real hero in this dog's rescue.  So I read, and read.... and read a while longer.  And then with a little bit of cross-referencing frenzy I dug up this jewel in Telling Dad's crown:

Dory's Bucket List

Needless to say I sobbed through the entire post and read through at least half of the comments.  If I'd gone for glass #4 I would have added "just let her sleep in your bed" to the list (but I am also feeling rather shy tonight).

Read it and weep, my friends. 

P.S.  As I laughed hysterically and then wept into my empty wine glass, T sat beside my stupified and finally asked me if blogging was now going to become an actual hobby.  I informed him that, no, infact, internet cross referencing is my hobby and has been for a few years now (thanks to Wikipedia).  Married 3 months and he still has so much to learn! :)

Not-So Martha

Sometimes I wish I was a little bit different.  I'd love to be a little craft-ier and do-it-yourself-ier.  Sometimes I wish I cared a little bit more about the dishes in the sink or the laundry in the dryer.  I am sure the dog hair on the sofa and carpet is offensive to guests.  I wish I had all of my crap together.  I've got a lot of lists and I wish I was better at crossing them off.   I definitely wish I was a little bit richer to at least pay someone to take care of all these things I am discovering I am not so good at and/or don't care too much about.

It's easy for me to wish I were a lot of things different than the way I am.  I even sometimes get to feeling sorry for myself, wishing I could be little miss Martha Stewart or Betty Crocker or any of those other mildly-offensive but secretly coveted female comparisons.  And then I come across this:

The Bloggess: Like Mother Teresa, Only Better. 

How is it possible that I have managed to survive to my almost-twenty-fifth birthday and only now discovered this amazing, riotous, talent?  While so many bloggers out there (myself included) label posts with "weddings, laughter, DIY" and other such labels completely lacking in creativity and humor, Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, chooses to use labels like "Mixing medications," "Posts that will get me hate mail," and "No one thinks this is funny but me."  She uses profanity and writes a column in "Sex Is" magazine.  Her subject matter includes her anxiety medications and her cats.  I am sorry for anyone who would find this offensive but to me....she. is. FUNNY.  Just plain hilarious, and the best part is she is embracing it.  Her idea of DIY seems to be the home-made valentine cards she made for her first grader after a recent lucky thrift store purchase (see post: Would You Like To Buy A Monkey? all about the haunted, faceless stuffed monkey she dubbed Copernicus). She posts more cartoons and comics to her blog than photographs (which I find fascinating and hilarious).  She's blunt, vulgar, and frank.  Her blog is all in hot pink and black, for heaven's sake.

While I am certain I am not necessarily ever going to be a Jenny Lawson/Bloggess blogger, I also know that I will probably never be a Martha Stewart blogger either.  I just really hope that with consistent blogging and inspiration I will be able to find a happy medium for myself.  I would love to write and make people laugh and provide real, honest, down-to-earth inspiration.  I will always love looking at the pretty blogs covered in paisley layouts (i just love paisley) and fancy photography with fancy filters.  I will probably always envy all of the "project" people in my life who are creative do-it-yourself-ers and are good at doing it themselves.  But if I can ever make people laugh the way The Bloggess made me laugh all night tonight (she even had Tory with the Copernicus story) and fully own the woman that I am the way she does, I think that'd be ok with me.  I'd prefer to leave out the medically treated anxiety disorder though, if I've got a choice.

Brought To You By Youtube

I love a good youtube video.  Seriously, LOVE.  These rediculous pieces of internet magic have made me laugh over and over and over (and over) again and have basically provided a script for the last 5 years of my life (since we all know I like to quote, and sometimes recite entire vids).  It absolutely crazy to say that these videos have defined the last 5 years of my life but I have probably spent hours laughing with my family and closest friends over these crazy things.  Without further ado: the top 10 most defining youtube vids in the last 5 years of streaming video have included the following (in no particular order).

1. Top 60 Ghetto Names

2. Charlie Bit My Finger

3. The Bed Intruder

4. I'm Gonna Kick His Ask

5. The Landlord

6. Beyonce Clown

7. Chubby Cuppy Cake

8. My New Haircut

9. Cri-Tal Gel

10.  Drunk History Presents: Oney Judge

11. (because 10 is not enough) Miss Teen USA

This week I was introduced to this little gem courtesy of a facebook status update and I am pretty sure that after a few more hundreds of times of watching it will find a place in the future top 10.  Something about this poor dog just cracks me up!  Guys, meet the hungriest, most tortured little canine you'll ever find. 

Bike=Life

Today I rediscovered an old past time!  For many of us riding bikes played a major role in growing up.  Our bikes were our source of entertainment, imagination, and transportation.  I can remember riding alongside my parents' cars while they yelled out my speed from the driver's side window (I'm pretty sure my childhood record was 16 mph!), racing my little brother pretending that we were on horseback on the Nickelodeon show Hey Dude.  When I got a little older, my royal blue 10-speed huffy was what I considered my "wheels."  Always reliable, always able to get me down to my friends' houses at a moment's notice.  I had a white Bell helmet with the rainbow stripe down the side... ultra chic.  My handlebars were scuffed and scratched from one too many attempts at jumping the curb, following my brother's lead, a kickstand came as a part of my bike- it wasn't something you had to pay extra for.  Bike=friends, bike=speed, bike=life.

I'd be lying if I said that I was excited about our cycling adventure today.  When T proclaimed that this weekend we'd be renting one of the female bikes from our building's leasing office, my stomach turned in anxiety.  I hadn't riden a bike since I was 12?  13?  You always hear people say you never forget how to ride a bike, but this morning as a laced up my trusty asics I was pretty sure I had.  Tory called down to the front desk to make sure that there was a bike available and much to my dismay, there was!  In fact, according to the concierge, the 4 rental road bikes they keep in storage for residents don't ever really get used. 

In typical Tory style, we did one lap around the park in front of our building before he determined that I was ready to hit the GW trail and head into DC.  I quickly relearned how to change speeds and break without throwing myself off the bike... and we were off!  Down through Crystal City, under the Amtrack rail, and onto the GW parkway.  Much to my surprise and excitement, these "road bikes" are WAY faster than mountain bikes (they also don't take as kindly to rocks and/or potholes.... ouch).  Once I mastered the art of changing gears on the trail, I found myself soaring past walkers and joggers, my legs pumping and burning and enjoying the workout.  I even dinged my bell and hollered "LEFT!" a few times.  Our plan was to ride to Gravely point, park the bikes, and watch the planes for a while.  We got there much faster than I expected and with my go-ahead, we surpassed plane-watching and kept riding.  Up a hill and over the Memorial Bridge and we were into DC.  We stopped at a few tourist-y spots (SO much cooler on the seat of a bicycle) and headed back into Crystal City to Bailey's to watch the second half of the Women's World Cup Final and fill our belly's before hitting the road back home again.  Here are a few highlights from our very adventurous afternoon of cycling in DC and Arlington:

Hey Abe!

 WWII Memorial, Capitol Building, Washington Monument, and Non-Reflecting Pool

 Next Up: Washington Harbour, beautiful Georgetown!

 First timer @ Pentagon Memorial. 



Pentagon and Memorial Benches

 Youngest Casualty @ Pentagon: Dana Falkenberg.  She would be 13 now.

T taking a minute to rest and let me explore.

After 4 hours of bike-riding, picture-taking, soccer-watching, and food-eating, I am thoroughly exhausted and content with life this Sunday evening.   Now, if I could only numb that aching soreness in my booty all would be right in the world!

Cured!

Those of you who have known me for a while probably know that I have struggled with persistant acne basically since puberty.  It was never very severe, mostly just affecting my chin and around my mouth, but for the life of me I was never able to get it under control.  It took a pretty rough toll on my self confidence, especially in the summer when caking concealer all over my chin kept me from diving head first in the swimming pool on the hottest of days.  Every exciting special occasion- prom, graduation, family reunions, friends' weddings- was accompanied by a tinge of dread and worry that I would endure some rediculous outbreak and be photographed looking very much like a pepperoni pizza. 

About 7 months ago, after years of retin-a, clearasil, tazorac, epiduo, benzaclin, differin, and oral antibiotics, I finally made the decision to see a dermatologist about starting isotretinoin... better known as the drug accutane.  It wasn't an easy decision.  My parents and Tory were significantly less confident in the outcomes than I was.  A drug that was originally developed as a type of chemotherapy for certain cancers certainly comes with a hefty stack of side-effects and warnings.  This drug is so effective essentially because it is toxic.  It treats cancer and acne alike by killing rapidly dividing cells that wreak havoc on a body in some sense or another.

I visited my dermatologist last November with a laundry list of treatments that I had already tried and found ineffective.  I was absolutely prepared to hear him say that my case of acne was no where near severe enough for the perscription that I wanted.  I knew this to be the case, but I was literally at my wit's end and wanted to put acne in my past for good. To my surprise, he read my list of treatments and without my even asking, suggested that isotretinoin was likely the best course of treatment for me. 

I quickly learned that when one decides to undergo a course of isotretinoin treatment, you must also commit to monthly counseling sessions to ensure your understanding and risk of the long list of possible side effects and to be absolutely sure that as a patient, you are commited to using not one, but two documented forms of birth control and understand the damage that the drug can do to a developing embryo or fetus, monthly blood and urine tests to determine that you are not pregnant and to ensure that your liver and kidneys are functioning adequately, and strict timelines that you must adhere to in order to even fill a perscription. 

And then came the side effects.  For the first 2 months, I was on a dose that turned about to be significantly higher than the one I actually needed.  My skin was DRY, my nose bled every morning when I woke up, my lips were cracked and chapped, my body ACHED.  Sitting on the floor every day for work was agony on my bones.  I had the worst case of chornic fatigue I could have ever imagined.  I literally fell asleep everytime my body was in a horizontal position for more than 10 minutes and could barely drag myself out of bed in the mornings. 

After these side effects failed to subside my doctor lowered by dose and the relief was instant- most significantly, my bones stopped aching so badly and my nose stopped bleeding.  For the next 4 months I continued to deal with the dry skin, chapped lips, and chronic fatigue, but it became a lot more manageable.  After about 3 months my acne was completely gone- save for the occasional hormonal outbreak once a month.  After 5 months, I had forgotten what it even felt like to have the bumps on my skin and squeeze a pimple into submission in front of my bathroom mirror. 

I am so excited to say that this week I took my LAST DOSE of isotretinoin!  My skin is still dry, my lips are still chapped, and I am still worn out, but above all of that, I still don't have acne!  What I see when I look in the mirror now is a face with no evidence of the ravages I once fretted over every day.  No scars,no scabs, no pits, and no marks.  It takes about a month for the drug to completely leave a body's system so time will tell if the results last (research has indicated that it permanently cures acne in about 80% of its patience).  For now I am able to use normal face wash and don't have to worry about bleaching all of my new sheets and towels with glops of topical medications.  I wash my face and I feel no bumps....anywhere. 

A few other changes I have noticed- my once oily skin is now a normal texture.  I can even use a moisturizer after I wash my face without worrying.  I no longer have to limit the skin and hair products I use to avoid panthenol (an ingredient I found to worsen my acne before isotretinoin)- everything has panthenol, so this has been huge for me!  A few downers: my drier skin does not seem to repel mosquitos as well as my oily skin did.  I have never ever had to wear bugspray- even as a kid- but now I find that bugs seem to enjoy feasting on my legs and ankles.  Also, I am not sure if these are related, but my once curly thick hair has lost it's pizzaz.  It's now more wavy than anything else and signficantly finer than it has ever been before.  At first I was devastated over the loss of my curls, but I am starting to embrace the ease of styling straighter hair and have since chopped off a good 3-4 inches for a super fun, summer-friendly bob!

To say that isotretinoin changed my life sounds a little bit dramatic, but anyone who has dealt with persistant acne knows how hard it is on your skin and self confidence.  This is the first summer since middle school that I have gone to the beach and pool sans make up and felt totally comfortable in my own skin.  My wedding pictures had no trace of any of the pink dots that used to put such a damper on special occasions. I can only hope that my skin remains smooth and clear permanently and that I never have to spend another day worrying about what my skin will look like in the morning!

Enjoying the beach, make-up free, in Jamaica! Cheers to clear skin!

The Hot, Hot Heat

With temperatures soaring over 100 degrees today, it's safe to say that the heat has caused a case of the crazies in Alexandria, VA.  Never have I experienced such sassy parents/babysitters/daycare providers, grouchy toddlers, or disappearing siblings (yes I did say disappearing).  It's clear to me that the sun, humidity, and poor air quality has gone to everyone's head.

My eventful work day included an almost-3-car-pile-up, a tearful mother who believes that I am the one in need of family support services to work with her child, politely being asked to bring my own lunch to feeding sessions (which I actually DO bring and eat in the car on the way to their house), being scolded and receiving the cold shoulder from an old lady babysitter for being 5 minutes late and being informed me that our afternoon appointment time was just NOT going to work for their nap schedule (note: I previously offered them a multitude of available appointment times; all of which are now spoken for.... she chose the Tuesday afternoon spot), and finally a 2 year old who tantrumed in a foreign language for 35 of our 60 minutes, only to be topped by his older brother who actually ran away from home while I was there.  Granted, he only got as far as the backyard, hiding under the deck, but he was very upset when he was found after 20 minutes of searching by 4 adults and 1 angry, barely verbal toddler.

On such an agonizingly hot day as today, there are a million things that I would rather be doing than sitting in my 98 rav4 just long enough for it to cool off before heading into another house with a case of the hot-summer crazies.  Just to name a few:

 Spending a day at the beach (or a tropical island?)

  hiking at Great Falls

 Taking in a sporting event

 Enjoying a Shave Ice, Snow Cone, Popsicle, Ice Cream, anything cold really....

wine tasting!

BEER tasting

a picnic with friends

 and finally...lounging under the shade in a hammock with a good book and some good company.

Here's hoping Mother Nature shows us all a little sympathy in the next few days.  Enjoy those throw back pics in the comfort of a climate controlled, air conditioned space, ya'll!

.... And here's hoping tomorrow's workday is less eventful!

Home Sweet Home

I have had so much fun redecorating and adding new and exciting touches to our tiny little space since recieving so many awesome wedding and shower gifts.  We were lucky to inherit T's bedroom furtniture, some silk plants, and lots of dishes/pots/pans from our parents but the rest of our humble possessions were acquired over multiple trips to Ikea, Target, and Value City Furniture.  These pieces of budget-friendly furniture have been good to us over the last year and for the time being, we plan on continuing to love our Ikea coffee table and Value City sofa... but thanks to our awesome family and friends, we've been able to spruce our little crib up just a little:

New PB bedding courtesy of my Aunt and Uncle

Our monogram is my new obsession!

New throw pillows add a splash of color to our boring brown sofa!

A family friend knit us two amazingly soft (and washable!) afghan's for our wedding!

New bath accessories- love the wicker

New shower curtain and rugs to replace the ones I have been using since college!

Obsessed with our new towels that are so soft and DON'T smell weird (again- same towels from college...)

This cheeseboard was the first thing we got with our name on it!  It found a home on our kitchen wall!

I can't even tell you how much fun I have had making just these little changes and adding tiny details to our place.  Coming home from a sweaty hot afternoon at the driving range today, I had to appreciate how much these small changes and new details make our rental feel a lot like home.  It's fun to start adding things to our place that we have picked out together, rather than having all things that were acquired or inherited from our families and relatives, or held onto from college years (seriously- that is just gross). 

Hooray for new stuff! 



Give Me Something Fun To Do

T and I have shared 2 and a half months of wedded bliss now and I must say that nothing is greater than knowing you've got a companion in every path that life leads you.  I will never be alone with him by my side, in my heart, and on my mind.  Although we shared 9 months of a lease together during our engagement, I can honestly say that the day I changed my name, so many parts of my life changed as well.

Sure, the day to day is pretty much the same: work, eat, sleep, repeat (and try to add in a few adventures here and there), but there are little moments when I least expect them that I am reminded that this man loves me, chose me, and wantths to share every significant moment for the rest of his life with me.  It is such an incredible thing to know that someone wants to spend their entire life with you and wants all of their most important memories to include you.  I am still so amazed and humbled by such a powerful love and keeping it close to mind makes me want to be a better wife, friend, and companion to him. 

I am so excited for my many friends and family members who are recently engaged or soon-to-be married because I know that this is what they have in store for their relationships in the near future.  The excitement of all of the recent engagements and upcoming weddings has also managed to keep me out of the much-talked-about "post partum wedding depression."  It was so exciting to come back from a honeymoon and help my cousin plan her wedding, share in the excitement of LMT's engagement, and hear about all of the exciting wedding plans for a handful of other special ladies I adore.  For a few weeks, I was literally bursting at the seams with excitement for my friends and family.  It is so exciting to know that these special people are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime and share such an incredible love with each other.  This Fall 2011 and 2012 are going to filled with so much love, excitement, and celebration, I can hardly stand it. 

In the words of the amazing Brooke Fraser:

Give me long days in the sun,
preludes to the nights to come
Previews of the mornings laying in all lazy
give me something fun to do like a life of loving you
kiss me quick now baby I'm still crazy over you!

Inspriation?

In an effort to re-inspire myself to blog after another 4 month hiatus, I once again re-vamped, and this time, re-named this tiny piece of webspace.  Unfortunately, I am so unblog savy that I have managed to spend too much time redecorating and left myself no time for actual blogging until later this evening. 

Never fear, I'll be back.