melissahead yabberings

The Eleventh Day of September

2011-09-11T15:35:00.000-04:00

It's the ten year anniversary of 9/11. I haven't watched any of the news coverage. I don't exactly want to relive those moments of fear and confusion and sympathy. I'm a very lucky person. I wasn't there. I didn't get hurt. I didn't know anyone that was or did. But I can't help but feel awful when reading or hearing stories about those that lost either their lives or their loved ones that day.

I do recall how things changed. There really was a sense of unity in this country. We had put aside our differences and realized that life is too short to argue over pettiness. How could we be upset over something trite knowing that there were bodies in the rubble at ground zero.

But that perspective eventually changed. People went back to being jerks to each other. We lost our humility and regained our arrogance, and this country is more divided than ever. It honestly feels like our nation is acting like two rival sports squads, battling only because they wear jerseys of differing colors. When did they forget that we're on the same team?

I try not to get too upset over all that. Barring another national tragedy, nothing will change. The only thing I can do is vow to live my own life with compassion, kindness, and tolerance for others. And maybe on the anniversary of this devastating event, a few others will come to that realization and do the same.

HOW Design Live: A Life Changing Experience

2011-07-01T17:47:00.005-04:00

I had given up on this blog for the most part, but I really wanted to document my HOW Design Live experience, and this seemed like the best place to do it. I will be upfront and say that this will most likely be the longest blog post I have ever written because I have so much to say and to be honest, I don't want to limit myself for the purpose of entertaining reading.

I had been awaiting this conference for a while now. Things had been starting to feel a bit stagnant for me. I haven't been posting much on Operation NICE. My job has been stressing me out to no end. And I feel as if I have creatively and professionally plateaued. Know what I mean? So I was not only excited to see my friends, meet new people, and party like a wild woman, but I was ready for a creative recharge.

Friday, June 24, 2011
I should have known it was going to be an amazing trip right from the start. I like to bring a little box of chocolates for the flight crew when I travel. They have tough jobs and get more grief than appreciation. So I handed it to a flight attendant on my way in and said, "This is for the crew, just to say thanks." They were really grateful and ended up giving us a free bottle of wine!

Every aspect of the travel was perfect. We got to baggage claim and our bags were on the carousel. We walked up to the train station right as the train arrived. We got to the Hyatt Regency Chicago, and because they love people who tweet about them, we got upgraded to a junior suite. Everything was perfect.

And to make things even better, my BFF Maria was already there, waiting for me in the lobby. I hadn't seen her in almost two years, so it was a wonderful reunion!

(Reunited and it feels so good!)

I headed to the conference area with Maria to pick up my badge and she went off to a session. As I waited in line, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to see Nate, a friend I made at the Denver conference last year, who promised me a hug in Chicago. Well, he delivered. As soon as I turned, I got a quick "hi" and then I was launched into the air and spun around at least four times. Seriously, this was a hug so good I had to blog about it. Oh yes, this was going to be a good conference.

(I like to ruin perfectly good photos.)

Later on in the day I met up with Maria, Nate, and some others at a balloon-filled happy hour. I was finally starting to get into the conference groove. HOW speaker superstar, Von Glitschka, had mentioned me and Operation NICE in his session earlier in the day (how lucky, right?!), so I got this a lot: "Hey, are you that nice girl?" Yes, yes I am. "That nice girl" is a pretty great way to be recognized. I handed out some buttons and met some new, super-cool people.

At this point, the Impenetrable Force was united when Amy arrived! Maria, Amy, and I met at the HOW conference in 2005, which also took place in Chicago, so it was a real treat that we could have this reunion. And by the way, they aren't just "conference" friends. Amy and Maria are my family, my true blue bestie best friends. And yes, it sucks that they live out in Arizona, but it really makes moments like this so much more special.

(We're much better looking now than we were in 2005.)

Keynote time! The topic was about being available in the moment. Well, we took advantage of the moment and snuck out the back. It was not something that I found useful. What I DID find useful was our trip to Walgreen so I could get some Advil for my splitting headache and some 5 Hour Energy drinks. We got back to the conference as the resource center opened and piled into a chunky stew of designers fighting for free tees and posters.

As the crowds wound down, we parked on a couch and got to know our new friends, like Mike and Ali, sitting next to me and Nate here. Also, I am holding a Blues Brothers rubber duckie, courtesy of my girl Jamie at Neenah Paper. :)

I love HOW. Can you tell? My heart hurts actually thinking about it because I love my friends so much, and I know I won't see a lot of them for a long time. Depressing, right? I know. Thank god for the interwebs or I would be a lonely, lonely girl.

After the resource center, we made our way to the lobby bar. I swear, the lobby bar was the most inspiring area of the entire conference. That's where the good conversations took place. Amy and I spotted a dude with a giant fruity-looking martini, so I walked over to ask him about it. This is where I must make a note. I am NOT a typically social person. In fact, I tend to avoid social situations unless Rob (my crutch) is with me. Would I ever do this back home? Probably not. I sometimes joke that at home I'm Melissa, but at HOW, I'm Mel. Two different personas. And I need to infuse a little Mel confidence into my Melissa life. Okay, back to the drink.

That was the first of three, thanks to Jason and Justin who kept us well-hydrated. Eventually, knowing we had to wake up for 9am sessions, we headed off to bed. One day down, two and a half more to go.

Saturday, June 25, 2011
At past conferences, it was not unusual for me to treat it a bit like college and skip a class here and there to catch up on my sleep. However, this year, I went to every single session because I didn't want to miss out on anything. And I'm so glad. Saturday started with a session by Sam Harrison, who happens to be the author of the HOW article "Putting Lines Around Ideas" that I contributed to a few months ago. He spoke of the importance of being playful and silly. Well, I got that in the bag! He also told us to make mistakes. We must "fail earlier to succeed sooner." Also, question whether parts of my life are inspiring or tiring. This is something I definitely need to do more often. Also, did you know that I am the best Melissa Morris Ivone-style designer in the world? Because I totally am.

(The session ended with some galumphing.)

The girls convinced me to hit up the session by Method's Matthew Loyd next. I love me some Method products, and it was worth going just to check out how they work. One thing he said resonated with me. He talked about how soap is NOT exciting. But they do amazing work with a product like soap. So of course, that made me think of my own career. Although hospice might be a little trickier than soap.

After a delicious lunch skillet, we went to Brian Miller's Above the Fold: From Print to Web session. I've been doing the Lynda courses in Dreamweaver because I really need to up my web game. This session has some useful nuggets but was pretty basic, even for me. And then it was off to Mig's session. I met Mig in Denver. This guy is so amazing that you totally want to hate him, but you can't help but love him. So smart, talented, and incredibly nice. Which is why we had to heckle him.

Mig's talk was entertaining and inspirational. I keep repeating his one quote, "Inspiration is temporary." Gotta take advantage of it when it arises. He really encourages trying everything and making lots of stuff because you never know where it might lead. If you have an idea, run with it. Why not? And it's okay to create work that sucks. We all do it. Even Mig.

At this point in the day, the girls and I snuck in a quick nap and got ready for the Shutterstock/Big Stock party.

(Well coordinated, as usual.)

Free drinks! What what! And they had a "photobooth" set up. Not quite a booth though. But we stopped by the get a few photos.

And one with Mig.

And later on in the evening, a few with Nate.

(Seriously though, how bad ass is this photo??)

A few more drinks, a few more photos, and we were ready to move along to a new spot. I'm going to give you the super fast synopsis of this part of the evening. Beers. Watching people eat chili dogs. A really swervy cab ride. Me not feeling so awesome. Humiliation. Aaaaaaaand back at the lobby bar. As Steve would say, I earned my sleep that night.

Sunday, June 26, 2011
The morning started out sad with Maria leaving. She was there for an earlier conference so she had to get back to her family. Sad face. At least I get to see her in August!

So even after my rough night, I got up and headed to my 9am session with James Victore. Thank god he had the good graces to blow up the place with some fantastically timed F bombs! Woke me right up from my stupor! "F*&K Adobe!" was one phrase I will hold with me forever! Okay, okay, I'll stop relying so much on my tools and start innovating. James Victore thinks, "I've always wanted to see chickens walking on my work," and he makes it happen. Seriously.

Next was a session I was really looking forward to. I was lucky enough to meet Justin Ahrens last year at HOW, although we didn't have much time to connect. Thankfully, through the power of the interwebs, I've been able to keep up with him. He is really passionate about making a difference through design, and unlike a lot of folks, he follows through immensely. Through trips to Africa and working with Life in Abundance, Justin has made a huge impact on the lives of many. He even worked to create a documentary film called This Is My Normal which illustrates what poverty is like for those living in Nairobi, Kenya. Amazing. So Justin was speaking about "seeing and doing different." He posed two thoughts that have stuck with me. First, "Are you living the life you were created to live?" Well crap, I probably am not living to my full potential by taking a gazillion naps. And two, "What in this world drives you crazy? Change it!" That's what I started to do with Operation NICE, but I haven't done enough. Clearly. People believe in me. I just have to believe in myself.

Amy and I had a lunchtime "session" where we discussed how difficult change can be. All of these sessions tell us to follow our dreams and reach for the stars, but that's incredibly scary for a gal lacking high self-esteem and possessing a high mortgage. We ate our chicken nuggets and commiserated.

After lunch came another one of my favorite sessions. Is it possible to have like five favorites? Anyway, Amy and I were going to have a post-lunch nap, but I wanted to check out Chris Chapman, Creativity & Innovation Director at Disney. For some reason I didn't take notes, and there was so much that he covered, so I hope he posts his presentation. Or I may need to get the mp3. I'm blending together his session and his panel which took place on Monday morning. I think this came from the panel. "You're office is not where you work, it's where you execute. Get out of the office." I don't know how well that will go over for me personally, but it's so true. He also had a great comment about what happens when an outsider makes a comment like, "Can you make that bigger and green and maybe have it glow?" I get that kind of stuff a lot. Ask the question, "What is this piece NOT achieving?" and then go from there. The response might allow for a better solution. "Have them tell you what needs to be achieved, not how to do your job. You are the designer." Also, don't let the haters hate. Even Walt Disney had naysayers, but he believed in his ideas. Good thing because I really want to go to Disney World in November!

And my last regular session was from the folks at Design Army. Meh. They are awesome, for sure. But this session wasn't exactly something I could apply to my situation. So I just looked at the pretty pictures.

Aaaaaaaaand, it's night time. Time for the big ole closing reception. Theme this year? Night of Chicago Blues, heavily influenced by the Blues Brothers. So Amy and I put our thinking caps on a month or two ago and started plotting our outfits. Somehow we came up with a Gaga-infused Blues Brothers get up. This was the result.

I think it's safe to say we were a hit! I felt like a prop because everyone wanted a photo with us! Papa-paparazzi! We strut our stuff like we owned that ballroom. Or PWNED that ballroom. A total HOW highlight came just a few minutes after arriving. My girl Cami walked over with none other than Chris Chapman, Mr. Disney! And he started talking to me about Operation NICE! WTF. Seriously? Fangirl alert! He even told me a nice story that he experienced at the airport. Ohmagah, I was frozen. He is a huge supporter of kindness and positivity and authenticity. Kick ass. KICK ASS! Okay, I'm still being a bit fangirl about it.

The rest of the party involved more photos, more drinks, more dancing. And a big group shot.

After the party it was back to the lobby bar. This is where the real meat 'n potatoes of the conference happened for me. I got some quality one on one time with Nate where I got to pick his brain, ask a bajillion questions, hear his opinions...real conversation. Not that I don't love drinking giant martinis and making jokes about 80's sitcoms! But the entire conference was loud and fast and overwhelming, and I really wanted to sit down and learn something from a friend. Hearing about his experiences and sharing my own was comforting yet also motivating. And I'm so grateful that I got that. I don't think I can thank him enough, but I'll try!

At one point, some other friends joined my and Nate's conversation. Nick, Mig, Amy, Julie, etc. And it turns out, they all have way more faith in me than I have in myself. Hearing them talk about Operation NICE or about how they think I'd make a good speaker or liking my sketches, well, it made me want to bawl my eyes out. It felt so good. I felt supported. I really needed this since I had been having some serious doubts lately. It was a great night. A long night. I don't think I went to sleep until after 4am.

Monday, June 27, 2011
It was back to the ballroom at 9:45 for a creativity panel. Great, fine, dandy. And then the closing keynote with Sally Hogshead. Great, fine, dandy. I actually really enjoyed it, but my brain had been so full at this point that nothing else was getting in. And after the keynote it was time to say goodbye to Amy. Sad face take two!

And as one last event before everyone left me, we had a big group lunch. This was also really awesome for me because Rob and I were able to ask Nick and Nate their opinion about what to do with Operation NICE, and they had fantastic advice. They were positive and encouraging, and now I'm sure I can do anything. :)

And one more group shot!

Followed by a giant group hug! I'm in the middle there. :)

And well, that's my experience in a nutshell. A really long, drawn out nutshell with a lot of detail. I don't really expect anyone to read through this. I just wanted to document it for my own purposes, so in two months when I start to fall back into my routine, I can read this post and remember that people believe in me...I am awesome...and I need to get off my ass and make them (and myself) proud! It's time to change the world.

Dream a Freaky Dream

2010-05-26T10:37:00.002-04:00

I don't know what I've been eating before bedtime, but over the last week or so, I have been dreaming the most bizarre dreams. In case I ever want to use these freaky ideas for a future blockbuster screenplay (don't steal my dreams!), I'm documenting them here.

Freaky Dream #1 - This one was as if I was watching my dream like a movie. I actually wasn't involved. A young hispanic boy, maybe ten years old, was spending time with his new step dad. In an effort to bond, the step dad brought the child to a rooftop soccer league where they were signed up to participate together. While the boy is preparing, the step dad spots a pet store across the street. He heads over there and decided to buy two teeny tiny white kittens for the boy.

At this point, I realize that the step dad has a weird metal robotic arm. Long and metal with lights and buttons and doohickies. As he's paying for the kittens, two cops enter the store and accuse the man of using his robotic arm to smash car windows and steal the vehicle contents. He pleads with the cops, explaining that he'd never do such a thing. While the arguments ensue and the cops whip out the handcuffs, the two tiny white kittens wander out of the store and into the busy highway! OH NOES!

The robotic-armed step dad sees the kittens and rushes out into the street to save their lives! The cars don't even realize what's going on, and as a car skids toward the kittens, the step dad uses his robotic arm to block the car and save them from certain death! WOOHOO!

Freaky Dream #2 - I'm hanging out at a convention with Rob. He calls me over to a Starbucks where we see Tom Selleck ordering coffee. Woah! I gawk at him while standing near the creams and sugars. He stumbles my way, and that's when I realize he's drunk. Reaching for sugar right near me, he aggressively shoulders me out of the way. What a jerk. With a new distaste for Tom Selleck, we wander off when I run into Bill Cosby. Not having anything eloquent to say, I point at his face and shout, "BILL COSBY!" He smiles and nods. And that's pretty much it.

Freaky Dream #3 - Okay, so maybe I shouldn't have played Plants vs. Zombies before bed. But I didn't think the slow, goofy, cartoon zombies would have any sort of effect on me. Except for the fact that I had zombie hunting dreams all night. And they weren't cute little zombies like in the video game. These were scary-ass Zombieland zombies, and I was assisting Woody Harrelson with the fight. (Let me mention that I have not seen that movie.)

So I had to spent time that I should have been peacefully sleeping shooting zombies and protecting my brain. And the worst part was that every time they started getting close, I ran out of bullets and couldn't figure out how to reload my gun. Shooting off-screen a la House of the Dead was not an option. I think I survived, but I was exhausted when I woke up.

Freaky Dream #4 - This was last night. I was back in college. I'm not quite sure what course it was, but it was final exam day, and my professor was Eddie Vedder. After the exam, we took a trolley through town. I sat in the front, and Eddie Vedder walked along side of the trolley, giving his final lecture. As he spoke, like a rock star guitar-player would toss his pick into the crowd, Eddie tossed a small, plastic protractor onto the trolley. I caught it. He let us know that to signify the end of the course, we'd be screen printing celebratory t-shirts. V-neck track shirts from American Apparel....my fave.

Veggies on my doorstep

2010-03-01T13:02:00.003-05:00

I have so much I've been meaning to blog about. I didn't even write about my experience at New York Fashion Week, mainly because I haven't bothered to upload the photos from my camera!

And I have a bajillion other things going on. Like my yoga class finished. And I survived! I've even gone so far as to do yoga at home. Yep. Seriously. And my book arts class is still going. Check these bad boys out.

I wish I could find more time to make books, but I've been feeling really overwhelmed at home. I don't know why. I haven't actually been overly busy. I think the winter has gotten to me. All I want to do is sleep. I really need to change my habits. I'm starting to get frustrated with how messy I am too. It's like every day there's a new pile to clean up, but I get lazy and leave it. Did my motivation fade with the warm weather last year? I can only hope it'll return with spring!

In my quest to change my life for the better, I decided to order some organic food. And because I love shopping online, that's exactly what I did. I ordered a trial bitty box from Door to Door Organics. This means two things. I have to start eating fruits and veggies. And I have to learn how to prepare them. Ugggggghhhhhh. But hey, it's worth a shot. And maybe I'll even like some of them!

Anyway, I have more things to post, so hopefully I'll get around to it sooner or later. Happy March!

Wii Will Rock You!

2010-01-24T19:24:00.002-05:00

I finished my second yoga class yesterday. I was proud of myself when I saw how many people dropped the class. And you know what? I didn't hurt half as bad this time. In fact, I feel like I might even stretch a little throughout the week. Rob asked me to accompany him to Dick's today, so I picked up some yoga blocks and a yoga strap while I was there. I'm doin' this!

I've been meaning to share something else with you guys. A few weeks ago, Katie from the ridiculously awesome Broken Umbrellas blog (of which I had submitted my own broken umbrella photo to in the past) sent me an email. She was hosting a "Wii Party" for area bloggers and asked if I'd like to join in on the fun. After getting some details, I realized it's a "marketing" party, put on by the fine people representing Nintendo. We get some goodies in exchange for spreading the word about the products.

Well, they picked the right person because I am a Wii proponent! You might remember my post from when we bought our Wii back in January 2008. This is the only system I've owned since the original NES, and I love it.

So I went to the party last weekend, and it was a great time! Great people, great food, great games. And even though I've had my Wii for two years (exactly yesterday), I learned a few things I never knew. First, for some reason, I never downloaded the internet channel. So all these times Rob and I huddled around my 12" iBook to watch a Youtube video, I could have just put it on our tv. Doh!

The second awesome thing are the game demos that they have in the WiiWare store. At the party, they were playing this game called World of Goo. It was way fun! I'm all about puzzle games. Those and music/dance games are all I really play. I'm just not into RPGs. But World of Goo is just building little bridges of goo balls, based on the laws of physics. Kind of reminds me of The Incredible Machine from my days of yore.

Anyway, World of Goo is available as a demo, so you can try it out before buying it, which is always nice. Because really, I'm not going to want to buy a game that I suck at. It can be a little frustrating, but watching those silly little balls of goo get sucked up a pipe makes it all worth it.

The only bummer of the Wii party was that nearly everyone left with a shiny new Wii. I had thought that everyone attending would receive a shiny new Wii (therefore I had planned to "donate" mine to my mother), but unfortunately there was a little miscommunication, and only the people who didn't previously own Wii's got one. Drat! Sorry Mom! But I can't be greedy. I did get a nice little gift pack with an extra controller and 2000 Wii points which I already used to buy the full version of World of Goo. :)

So it's obvious that if I had to officially "review" the Wii, it'd get two thumbs (and both big toes) way up. And this is coming from a girl who is definitely not a typical gamer-type. But I feel like it's not a typical gaming system. I can tell you that my mother wouldn't know what to do with an XBox or Playstation or whatever fancy stuff they have out there. But set up a Wii bowling match in the living room and she's all about it!

I was thinking about getting a yoga game. I have Wii Fit, which I have barely used lately. Then I go and try to use it tonight and I can't find the disc! Dang it! It's gotta be in my house somewhere. Anyway, maybe I'll try Just Dance, the game that makes me break a sweat and look like a total fool. Gotta love it!

Hip Hop Hooray!

2010-01-22T08:18:00.003-05:00

First, for those that asked, yoga was awesome and awful at the same time. :) I already knew how inflexible I am, so all the bending was tough. But it was a great, informative 90 minutes. I really loved it! And I left feeling like a bowl of Jell-O. I was loose and warm and stress-free (which was the best part). It was better than my last massage.

Eight hours later and I wasn't exactly feeling the same way. I was HURTING. Bad. My arms and shoulders were very painful. I know that's probably because I stretched those muscles for the first time in my life and they were very angry at me. But I'm starting to feel pain-free again. Right in time for my 2nd class tomorrow! Ha!

In other news, last Saturday we finally had our Hip Hop Holiday party. (We try to have a Christmas party every year, but this year it was cancelled due to a winter storm.) Hip Hop was our theme, which Rob loved. We made a 9 hour-long soundtrack for the event which he's been playing nearly every day since I first made the playlist. My favorite part was dressing up. I love a good theme party, and I take my attire very seriously.

Here are some pictures from the event. The Oriental Trading Company backdrop really made the photos. :)

Class Act

2010-01-15T14:19:00.003-05:00

It's a new year and a new Melissa. 2010 is going to be about improving myself, and I'm starting right away. A few weeks ago I signed up for a Book Arts class at the Fleisher Art Memorial in Philadelphia. It starts next Thursday. I've been eyeing up this class for years now. YEARS! So I finally bit the bullet and registered. It's been so long since I crafted out of pure joy, and I think this will help me feel more creative.

And then earlier this week, I did something crazy. Something atypical. Something that makes the people who actually know me gasp in shock. I signed up for yoga. It's true. A new yoga studio opened last week down the street from me, and it just looked so cute. And I figured I could use some peace in my life, so why not. Sure, I can't touch my toes. In fact, I can barely reach my ankles. And yeah, I get winded climbing a flight of stairs. But it's the year of the new Melissa! Plus it was a good opportunity to buy a cute yoga mat, bag, and outfit. :) I got this mat shown here in purple. I signed up for a five class beginner's series. It starts tomorrow at 11:30, and I'm super nervous. I'm optimistically hoping that I love it, and it becomes a new hobby of mine. I'll let you know if I feel the same way on Sunday.

2010? WTF?

2010-01-06T16:29:00.003-05:00

Where did 2010 come from?? I swore it was mid-2009 the last time I checked. But look, here we are, starting a brand new year. Dang it. I didn't even get on Oprah like I had resolved.

Well, this year started off kind of insane for me. It was like a good film, filled with lies, betrayal, drama. I'm hoping that since 2010 went in like a lion, it'll go out like a lamb.

I have a bajillion goals/resolutions this year. Typical stuff like eat healthier (it wouldn't take much), be a better wife, get my crap organized, end world hunger. But I need to really spend some time working on my creativity. Okay okay, so the 160 Pages project didn't turn out so great. I gave up after 43 pages. That's barely 25%. Well, this year, I need to get back into it. But I'll put less pressure on myself, hopefully drawing here and there when I have some extra time. I might even forego a nap occasionally. (Side note: Is it bad that I want to spend all my free time napping? Rob seems to think it isn't, but I worry.)

Anyway, even though I wanted to go to sleep, I knocked out a sketch the other night, and oh man am I rusty! I felt like I had to learn how to hold a pen again! Well, I'll keep chugging along. And maybe I'll even eventually fill a sketchbook one of these days.

I spy...

2009-12-16T10:08:00.003-05:00

...myself in this video. You can see a photo of me as well as "real-life" me (and Rob) in this video. This is from the look book launch party where I "modeled" for my stylist.

Kind of bizarre to see yourself projected onto a big ole screen.

More Best of 2009

2009-12-07T14:08:00.002-05:00

It's hard enough keeping up with one blog. So this one doesn't get my love. But since I'm determined to answer all of Gwen's Best of 2009 prompts, I have to keep chugging along.

December 4: Best Book
Secrets of Simplicity - I didn't actually finish the entire book/workbook, but the chapters I read were thought-provoking. It makes me realize how complicated I make my own life. I should probably pick it up again!

December 5: Best Night Out
I have two. The first was my quintessential girls' night out. I don't get too many of those, usually only when I visit Arizona, which is when this one took place. We got dolled up, had our makeup done, and went dancing. I wish these girls' nights could be monthly instead of annually, but I'll take what I can get.

And when I was in Austin, I went out on a gay pub crawl, where I joined a group on a tour of the city's best gay night spots. I was dressed like this, and had an absolute blast! I ended up giving parts of my outfit to random gay men all night! The last one, who took my suspenders, was especially appreciative!

December 6: Best Workshop or Conference
I only went to one this year, and that was the HOW Design Conference in Austin, where the above photo was taken. Thanks to a kind group of designers that took me in as one of their own, I had a fantastic time! It was a great mix of education, inspiration, and recreation!

December 7: Best Blog Find of the Year
I also have two answers for this one. When I started sketching again back in the summer, I came across the blogs of these two artists, and they amaze me. I'm always excited when I see a new post by either one of them in my Google Reader.
Three Letter Word for Art
Pete Scully

Best Article of 2009

2009-12-03T20:30:00.002-05:00

December 3: Best Article

I admit I'm not a big reader, so this was a tough category for me. Luckily I've documented a few of my favorite articles on Operation NICE. This particular article had me weeping instantly.

And my first runner up, out of complete vanity, is the The New York Times article that discusses Operation NICE. That was pretty dang awesome.

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge!!!

2009-12-02T16:22:00.003-05:00

I haven't been blogging much lately, so when I found Gwen Bell's blog challenge via Twitter, I knew it would be a great opportunity!

Here are the deets.

I missed yesterday, so I'm going to answer both BESTS today.

December 1: Best Trip
I had a lot of great trips this year, actually. My weekend trip to NYC. My recent trip to Arizona. My trip to the HOW Conference in Austin. But I'd have to say my favorite of the year was my vacation in San Francisco. After years of "long weekends," I felt like this trip west was a REAL vacation. We did so much and saw so much. It was a wonderful (and exhausting) experience!

Created with flickr slideshow.

December 2: Best Restaurant Moment
This was hard. Of course I've had great meals with great friends over the last 11 months. So picking one that was especially memorable was tough. My mind went to a little spot in Brooklyn where Rob and I had his birthday lunch. Now, we ended up enjoying a fabulously fancy sushi dinner at Megu in Tribeca that night, but this casual little restaurant was by far one of my favorite places of the year.

It's the Dumont Restaurant, and I found it via Design*Sponge, I think. I researched a ton of places and settled on this one for its outdoor garden. We had never spent time wandering around Brooklyn, so I mapped out our course, hopped the subway over there, and brought Rob right to the Dumont. After a morning full of travel, it was the perfect spot to relax with a great meal.

The weather was perfect, the food was delicious. I would relive that lunch daily if I could.

Thanksgiving Karaoke!

2009-12-01T14:24:00.003-05:00

I know that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is always a good night to go out. No work the next day, just pigging out. And I've been wanting to try out Yakitori Boy, a karaoke bar in Philadelphia. Since private rooms are half price Sunday through Thursday, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to give it a shot.

I had a blast! Karaoke is always at the top of my "most fun" list, and my cohorts just made it that much more hilarious! I made a little video montage of our experience.

And here's the full version of myself performing Superfreak, by Rick James. One of my better karaoke performances. Enjoy!

Potato wave! For real this time!

2009-10-29T11:10:00.003-04:00

I gotta give them credit. Pearl Jam was actually really good. I had low expectations. I mean, I only knew their radio songs. And depending on my mood, sometimes I'd leave it on and sometimes I'd change the station. But I actually had a great time at the show last night!

Eddie Vedder seems like a cool dude. Like he actually cares about his fans. And speaking of the fans, they are certainly dedicated. Singing along to every song. Taking breaks only to inhale from their pipes. I only had an incident with one drunk girl who, I guess, wanted to give me a free lap dance. Luckily the seats behind me were empty so I was able to escape.

Because the first World Series game was also last night, they had a chick in a showgirl outfit carry around a sign with the score between some songs. The entire place erupted in cheers each time because, thankfully, the Phillies were up the whole night.

I can safely say I wasn't bored once. There's just something about an entire stadium singing along (even if I can't participate) that makes me happy. You don't get that kind of stuff at the tiny shows I usually attend. So that was a nice treat. They played the final song with the house lights on. I had to take a little bit of iPhone video. Potato wave, everybody. Potato wave.

Grown-up Furniture

2009-10-13T11:01:00.002-04:00

After years of living without a dresser or night stands, and basically sleeping in a room with only a mattress on a box spring, Rob and I finally bought ourselves some grown-up furniture. It all matches! Incredible.

When we went furniture shopping yesterday, we didn't think there was any way we'd make the decision to buy, but thanks to a little haggling, we got a great price on this set from Raymour & Flanigan and couldn't pass it up. It comes on Saturday, which means I have four days to paint the bedroom! I put it off for a year, but now that the furniture is on its way, I have no choice. I have to get it done.

I'm black and blue!

2009-10-05T11:36:00.003-04:00

So I went to get my hair done on Saturday! Between all of the processes and treatments necessary for my hair and the cut and trying on outfits for the photo shoot, I was there for over six hours. It was a LONG day. But I left with an amazing cut, and as promised, blue streaks! For free, no less!

When I'm not out in sunlight, the blue pretty much blends into the black. My boss came in to chat this morning and didn't even notice that my hair was blue until I mentioned it. So I suppose that's good. I do kind of feel like a comic book character, sporting my Wiggy McBob look. It's so shiny and feels really healthy compared to how my hair was.

Now I can cross "blue hair" off of my "things I've always wanted to try" list!

Clothes Galore!

2009-10-02T09:04:00.003-04:00

So I mentioned briefly how my stylist asked me to pose for her salon's look book. The big "shoot" is on October 19th, but I go for my cut and color tomorrow. And she wanted to do a "dress rehearsal" of sorts. So this week I had to go through my closet and pull some outfits that might work for the shoot.

This was much harder than I thought it would be! But it was also kind of fun. I have to be fairly conservative at work. Can't wear jeans, except on Fridays. And even then, we have to wear "work appropriate" tops, meaning no tees or tanks. And I once got reprimanded for wearing the little green number below. Makes me yearn for the luxury of wearing whatever the heck I feel like wearing!

Just a note. These were taken after two very long, very anxiety-filled days at work, which might explain the bags under my eyes. :) Also, I have no idea how to pose, so I'm going to need to study up with some episodes of America's Next Top Model before the 19th!

My Socks Have Been Rocked

2009-09-29T11:38:00.003-04:00

Saw Phoenix at the Electric Factory last night. Tickets were a birthday present from Rob. To be honest, my expectations were low. I mean, I like their latest album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. But I hadn't given it much of a listen, and I didn't know anything about them, other than the fact that they are French.

We got to the Factory and scoped out a spot. Since Rob hates people, we tend to end up away from the crowds, but I prefer to be right in the middle of it all. It's a better experience. Plus I can dance without looking foolish. So we started out near the bar, in a big ole space. But Rob scoped out a spot on the end of the front railing. So we held our position and enjoyed a great view of the show.

(crummy iPhone photo)

Those boys rocked the eff out! I danced. I clapped. I stared with wide eyes. And I left with a greater appreciation for this band. Best recent show I've attended, by far.

(crummy iPhone video)

Keeping Busy

2009-09-21T09:55:00.002-04:00

You know how I love a packed schedule. Who needs relaxation?? There's too much to see any do! And yeah, maybe I have ten pairs of shoes sitting in our foyer because I can't find time to clean up, but who cares? We had this past weekend open on our calendar, so we decided to spend it in NYC. I swear, every time I leave, I dream about how amazing it would be to live there. It just feels like home. Well, at least I can visit when I want.

The last few weeks at work have been a bit insane due to a big conference this week. But I made all my deadlines, which is what matters, I suppose. Tonight we have dinner at 10 Arts. Tomorrow night is a Sufjan Stevens show at Johnny Brenda's. Wednesday night we're going to see Marjane-Satrapi, the author of Persepolis, speak at the library. I think Thursday is going to be a perfect candidate for a sick day.

The following week I'm seeing Phoenix on Monday and Ra Ra Riot on Friday. Then we also have tickets to see Built to Spill, Pearl Jam, Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter, and the Monsters of Folk throughout the next few months, along with some authors and other random events.

Plus, I get to pretend to be a model, which will be super fun! My hair stylist asked if I would model for her salon's look book! I get a free cut and color, which is so neat. And at the launch party there will be blow ups of the model pictures! How hilarious is that?

I haven't gone through all my San Francisco photos yet, but here's a few, if you're interested.

Created with flickr slideshow.

San Francisco Recap - Take 1

2009-08-31T11:19:00.004-04:00

This was the most exhausting trip I've ever taken. I filled out itineraries to the brim and we even had to weed out a few things because there just wasn't time. Or because I was too exhausted by the end of each day. I have a million photos that I'll share as the days go by. We're still weeding them out. But here's a quick recap of how our trip went down.

Day #1 - Flew to San Francisco; went to a food festival and didn’t eat anything; ate at a taqueria in the Mission; watched Rob get shoved by a crazy homeless guy in Starbucks; walked Union Square and Chinatown

Day #2 - Walked the Mission; ate crepes; had drinks with internet friends; bought a pair of TOMS; shopped; took photos; visited a street fair; had really good sushi

Day #3 - Walked around Chinatown; struggled to get up some steep hills; visited City Lights Bookstore; saw the street from the opening credits of Monk; took photos; went to Coit Tower; walked to Fisherman’s Wharf; ate lunch at Pier 39; saw the sea lions; visited Lombard Street; did the nighttime tour of freezing cold Alcatraz

Day #4 - Went to SFMOMA and the Cartoon Art Museum while Rob wandered the city; rode inside a crowded trolley; had ice cream at Ghirardelli Square; watched the Giants beat the Diamondbacks; tried to figure out public transportation

Day #5 - Went to Golden Gate Park; walked through the Conservatory of Flowers; saw the Japanese Tea Garden, but only from the outside; saw the De Young Museum and the Academy of Sciences, but only from the outside; had lunch in the Haight; shopped; took photos; visited Alamo Square; went to Japantown and had terrible sushi

Day #6 - Walked to the bike rental place because the trolley line was too long; biked with wobbly legs across the Golden Gate Bridge while being tormented by Rob about my lack of fitness; had lunch in Sausalito; took the ferry back while Rob biked back; Rob beat the ferry; ate more ice cream at Ghirardelli Square; waited 40 minutes in line just so we could ride on the outside of the trolley, and it was so worth it; passed the eff out from exhaustion

Day #7 - Had breakfast at a diner; watched a homeless guy get thrown out of the diner; flew home on a very shaky plane

Overall summary: San Francisco is a beautiful city with loads to do. There are tons of crazy homeless people, way more than I anticipated. And they are far more energetic and brazen than the homeless in Philadelphia. The hills are killer, especially for a weakling like myself. And it was COLD. Like three layers of long sleeves and a scarf kind of cold. We'll hopefully go back in a few years to do all of the things that didn't make the cut this time.

The last of my 20's

2009-08-29T23:29:00.003-04:00

Today I turned 29. One year until 30. Although I hear from Rob that 31 was tougher than 30. I'm happy with the way I'm aging. I still have that youthful glow. Misery and cynicism hasn't hit me yet. And hopefully they never will.

Here was me last year, if you're curious.

I have a bajillion photos from San Francisco and plenty of stories to tell. Those are to come.

P.S. Rob, achieved a birthday Epic Fail. No gift, no card, no cake, no nothing. He claims that our vacation inhibited his birthday-planning abilities. So I gave him a week long extension. I really don't care, though I admit, I miss the days of my childhood where I was so excited about my birthday that I'd count the days, and it was always filled with joy and surprise. Today was really just another day, but I guess that's how I know I'm an adult.

"The Plan Won't Accomplish Anything"

2009-08-20T16:43:00.004-04:00

I hope these Built to Spill lyrics aren't true because I've been planning my butt off for my upcoming San Francisco trip. I want every little thing to be perfect, so I scour the internet for the perfect hotel, flight, restaurants, activities, etc. Yeah, that might seem to take the fun out of exploring, but really, planning is half the fun for me.

First I had to pick a place for our vacation. I looked at London, Seattle, and San Francisco the closest. SF happened to be the most affordable option, and it's been somewhere Rob and I have wanted to visit for years. Picking a hotel is always an issue since Rob is a germaphobe. Cleanliness is very important. So I went with Parc 55, a lovely 4 start hotel right next to Union Square.

Next came the fun part. Researching things to do. I didn't know much about San Francisco. I was visiting my parents when I booked the trip and my dad said, "What are you going to do there?" I had no idea. Rob's only stipulation was a San Francisco Giant's game, and then later he decided he also wanted to visit Alcatraz. Everything else was up to me.

I started putting together a document with my "must see" spots. Attractions, museums, restaurants, shops. All that good stuff. This is the first of ten pages.

Then I mapped out the hot spots, just so I could get an idea of where everything is in relation to each other.

And after that, I put together a rough itinerary, based on which days certain places are closed, etc. I'll run this by Rob, which I'm sure he'll breeze through and agree to.

We leave on Saturday morning! I can't wait!

My Dopplegängers

2009-08-19T14:51:00.004-04:00

I look like a lot of people. I always get stopped by strangers who say I look just like their third cousin's best friend's sister or something. Last Friday I was told that I looked like some dude's friend's girlfriend, who happened to be a total bitch. I had to convince him that I was a nice girl.

But I think it's kind of neat. Okay, not when someone tells me I look like Velma from Scooby Doo, but when I see people that kind of look like me, I think it's hilarious, in a very creepy sort of way.

Like when my friend Devon sent me this picture that she found on Design*Sponge from artist Esther Kim.

Or this picture sent to me by Irit, my internet friend from Israel.

Those are both pretty much me. It's freaky. I look more like both of those images than Velma. Right??? (Please say yes, please say yes.)

Sunday Matinee

2009-08-10T10:43:00.003-04:00

Rob and I went to the movies this Sunday afternoon and saw Adam. I really enjoyed this movie. It was a little bit girly, which was good for me, and also significantly depressing, which was good for Rob. I suppose it's a love story, but it's pretty darn sad. Empathy was on full blast.

Check out the trailer:

We can't see any movie without Rob feeling like he needs to learn more about something. So now he's on a mission to read about Asperger's syndrome. We always joked in the past the he has a mild case himself, and I chucked a few times when the character in the movie did things that are so Rob-esque.

Duckie Rocks My World

2009-08-07T09:20:00.004-04:00

So sad about John Hughes. No one captured the 80's quite like he did. My absolute favorite character from any John Hughes movie I've seen has got to be Duckie from Pretty in Pink. Not my favorite movie of his, but Duckie owns my heart. Seriously, any guy that can do this (see visual aid below) is perfect in my eyes. Andie missed out.

Potato wave!

2009-08-06T09:04:00.003-04:00

I got Rob Pearl Jam tickets for his birthday. Pearl Jam used to be his favorite band back in the day, and he's always wanted to see them live. I never really got into them, but we'll see how the new album sounds.

Anyway, when I think of Pearl Jam, two things come to mind. The first is Adam Sandler's Opera Man. I couldn't find the clip, but he does his opera-thing to Even Flow and it always cracked me up! The second is this video of misheard lyrics for Yellow Ledbetter. I will never be able to listen to this song and not hear "Potato wave."

Whatta guy!

2009-08-05T16:23:00.002-04:00

My hubby, Rob, wins major, MAJOR points today. I've been struggling lately. I feel lost, like I don't know what I should be doing with my life. It's emotionally draining. And on top of that, I've been overwhelmed with tasks, for work and outside of work. I basically feel as if I'm drowning. To be honest, it's my own fault for taking on so much. I shouldn't, especially since I'm horrible at prioritizing.

Anyway, today proved to be another rough day. I was so frustrated midday that I called Rob blubbering about my unhappiness. He listened. He advised. He rationalized. And then I went back to work.

Two hours later, as I'm fighting with my printer, Office Space style, I see Rob out of the corner of my eye holding lunch, a card, and these:

Gestures like these from Rob the Robot are few and far between, but they always seem to come at the moment I need them most. I know that no matter what, Rob will always be there to support me, encourage me, and help me through rough patches. I'm a lucky gal!

Do I have bitch-face??

2009-07-31T10:04:00.002-04:00

I'm a nice girl. I try to smile a lot and come across as friendly. But I'm starting to think I have a case of the bitch-face.

Two of our friends were over last weekend, and Rob made a comment about girls being scared of me, just kidding around. Our friends commented that I look tough with my angular hair and such. I couldn't tell if they were being sarcastic or if they really think that I look "tough." All 110 pounds of me. Since in reality I am the furthest thing from "tough," I assumed it was a joke.

Then on Wednesday at the Yeah Yeah Yeahs show, I'm standing in line before the doors open. Rob wandered off to find a bathroom, so I was by myself. This guy from a local radio station was hitting up people in line to sign up for something or other. He approached the people in front of me in line, skipped right over me, and began chatting with the people directly behind me. Huh?? Do I look like someone that would tell that dude to "back the eff up!" or something?

I honestly don't mind either way. But I thought it was pretty funny since I'm the poster girl for niceness. I'm about 90% ready to go get my wrists tattooed, so perhaps that will make me even more edgy and unapproachable.

Here's a video from the YYY show. The sound is pretty terrible, but I could stare at grainy video of the love of my life rockin' out on the guitar for hours upon hours. Plus the confetti explosion at 4:12 makes it worth it.

More shows, more shows!

2009-07-28T10:16:00.004-04:00

I can't help it. I'm addicted. Tomorrow night we're seeing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I actually would have been okay passing this one up, but Rob really wanted to go, and it's not like I'll say no to seeing the beautiful, pale, scrawny, vampire-ish, guitar-playing love of my life on stage.

And speaking of scrawny, pale, vampires, I just got an email this morning about Monsters of Folk, which consists of one of my other indie-rock boyfriends, Conor Oberst. Along side him will be M Ward and Jim James (of My Morning Jacket). Tickets went on presale this morning, and I thought about it long and hard. Maybe for 8 minutes. But how could I pass up these seats?? I got row AA, seats 2 and 4. Come on, those are pretty kick ass.

I know I need to cut back. I also really want to see Ra Ra Riot this fall, and maybe even Phoenix, but I have to be selective. And I do love shows at the Academy of Music because I won't get trampled on by a bunch of 18 year olds. I'm too old for that.

I Heart NY

2009-07-24T09:38:00.003-04:00

I haven't given this blog much love lately. I keep meaning to, but I've been super sick for the last week and a half. Ugh. This evil phlegmy cough will NOT go away. Finally I was able to sleep without any coughing fits last night, so I at least feel more human today. It came at a terrible time because last weekend was our getaway to NYC for Rob's birthday. I was a trooper. I sucked it up and dealt with the cough for the most part, but Saturday night in the hotel was a challenge. Rob wanted to smother me with a pillow because I could not stop coughing. So neither of us got much rest that night, which made Sunday kind of a wash. But it's all the more reason to go back soon.

We took the train into the city. For us, it's a 45 minute drive to the train station and then an 75 minute train ride. Not too bad. It's much better than driving.

When we arrived, we headed up to the Bryant Park Hotel. It was only 11:30 am, so I wasn't expecting being able to check in, but we figured we'd check our bags and head out. Lucky for us, they were able to give us a room. The hotel was really great. Perfect location. Very nice room. Clean. Modern. Friendly staff. A little pricey, but for me, it was worth it.

Then we hopped the subway to Williamsburg Brooklyn. I had picked out this great spot for lunch, the Dumont Restaurant. I read that they had a great outdoor garden eating area. It was awesome. The food was delicious. The atmosphere was perfect. Absolutely loved it!

After lunch we wandered around a little bit. We never explored this area before. I can't wait to go back. So many great shops and interesting buildings.

We even did a little rock climbing at a playground we passed by.

I had mapped out a bunch of shops to hit while we were there. While we were in Artists & Fleas, which is sort of like an indoor year round craft show with people selling their wares, I was asked to participate in a street wear fashion photography project. Sure! I could tell I would never make a good model. I was so stiff and the photographer had to get me to loosen up. But it was fun!

And if you want to see the finished photo, click here, click on Street Portraits, and scroll to the right a little. There I am!

We left Brooklyn and headed back to Manhattan to rest up before dinner. We had a little bit of time to kill, so we sat and relaxed in Bryant Park for a little while. I never spent much time in that park prior to this visit, but it was great!

I had made a reservation at Megu in Tribeca for Rob's birthday dinner. There's nothing he loves more than sushi! The restaurant was really fancy shmancy and our waiter was so sweet. While Rob was in the bathroom, he asked his name and whether or not he liked chocolate. Then after dinner, which Rob said was the best sushi he's ever had, the waiter brought out a little surprise!

Even though I was coughing too much to really enjoy the meal, it was a great time.

Like I mentioned, Sunday was a bit of a struggle because of our lack of sleep. We wandered aimlessly around SoHo and Greenwich Village, met up with some friends, did some shopping, and headed back home. I can't wait to get back up there. Hopefully when I'm at 100% again.

New Blog: 160 Pages

2009-07-07T15:32:00.002-04:00

I decided to give my journaling its own blog. So you can find it here:

160 Pages: A Journey Through Journaling

07/06/09 - Day #8

2009-07-06T21:45:00.002-04:00

Obviously I need a calendar because I wrote the wrong date at the top of my journal entry for today. WHOOPSIE!!!

To be honest, the burger wasn't that great today. I think the bread was stale.

07/05/09 - Day #7

2009-07-05T16:01:00.000-04:00

Okay, not EVERY day can be exciting. Sometimes the best part of a day is watching your husband argue with an air pump.

07/04/09 - Day #6

2009-07-04T17:10:00.002-04:00

I'm having so much fun with this project so far! I've never considered myself a very good "drawer." Mediocre at best. And those of you who have said otherwise in your comments are super sweet, but I have much to learn. I think as the months go by, the practice alone will really make a difference, so I'm looking forward to it.

07/03/09 - Day #5

2009-07-04T16:33:00.002-04:00

I actually finished this one earlier yesterday, but I forgot to post it here. I knew that an iPhone drawing and a Starbucks drawing were inevitable. So I figured I'd knock 'em both out in one shot.

07/02/09 - Day #4

2009-07-03T10:31:00.002-04:00

I was a little worried I wouldn't get to this one yesterday. I was going out to dinner and a movie with some girlfriends, and I REALLY wanted to nap beforehand. But like I said, I'm serious about this project, so I forced myself to walk right past the super-comfy futon and into my office to churn out a journal page. Sure, it's a bit redundant to my post yesterday. Hopefully you won't mind.

I think it's funny how we both look like we're about 14 years old. Obviously I have some work to do with proportions.

07/01/09 - Page #3

2009-07-02T08:55:00.002-04:00

Three days in a row! Holla!

I wasn't sure if I'd get to this one because my robot husband and I went to see Up last night. Not only did he refrain from shedding a tear, he actually laughed at me for weeping. He claims he feels "no emotions toward cartoons." Technically, he feels no emotions toward anything. Did you know Rob is short for Robot? Me either, but I do now.

So anyway, I got home from the movie and really just wanted to sleep, but I couldn't skip my third day. That would start the downward spiral to failure. I knew I wanted to sketch my goofy costumed pose from Austin, so I gave it a shot. I admit, I actually had a blast doing this! Who knew drawing could be fun?

Two Days Down!

2009-07-01T09:26:00.001-04:00

YESSSS!!! I made it two whole days so far!

Sketch Comedy

2009-06-30T09:39:00.003-04:00

More like Sketch Tragedy. I came home from the HOW Design Conference feeling inspired, but I also felt like a slackass. I haven't kept a sketchbook since college. And even then, I didn't sketch regularly. So, like I always do, I went out last night and bought a sketchbook with all intentions of being really good this time!

I figure the easiest way to get into the habit is to do something that takes little time and makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something. So I'm going to try to do a little daily journal entry. A comment on the day. This will hopefully get me used to doodling again. Who knows.

I've been Slankified!

2009-06-05T09:08:00.002-04:00

I came home yesterday to find a mysterious package on my doorstep. The return address? "The Slanket."

I yipped like lapdog and ran inside to tear that baby open. Most amazing gift ever, courtesy of The Slanket Fairies, Jeope and Devon.

I Have a Dream

2009-06-03T11:46:00.002-04:00

I've been a little off all day because of a dream I had last night. It sort of messed me up. Ever have a dream where you've done something wrong, and it's so vivid that you feel incredibly guilty when you wake up? I can't get it out of my head.

And all of this makes me wonder, where do dreams come from? Are they based on truth? What the fudge is my psyche trying to tell me? Can I please ignore it and go back to my regularly scheduled life?

Mad Love in the Illadelph

2009-06-01T11:29:00.002-04:00

Devon and Jeope are much more prompt than I am, but I'm finally getting around to posting a few images from their voyage to the P-H-L.

What can I say? I had a fantastic time. I'm so grateful that they made the trip out here, and I hope I don't have to wait a few more years before we get together again. They are ma homies, and I have mad love for them.

And huge virtual hugs to Dave H., Patti, Karma, Keith, Jenn, Nikita, Marta, Dave S., Steph, and Chele who also helped make the weekend superb. Gotta love the interwebs!

Holy poop!

2009-05-24T19:45:00.002-04:00

Operation NICE was mentioned in Sunday edition of The New York Times! The NEW YORK FREAKING TIMES!

Now I just have to sit back and wait for Oprah to call. Come on, Oprah! Gimme a jingle!

I'll be blunt.

2009-05-15T10:44:00.004-04:00

Well, my hair cut will be blunt. I got my first trim in 8 months. It's pretty much exactly the same, but with all the dead stuff cut off.

EDIT: Okay, you know what rocks? When a stranger tells you they love your hair the day after you get a hair cut. Thank you Sephora lady! You just put a HUGE smile on my face!

Are you there, Universe? It's me, Melissa.

2009-05-08T11:05:00.003-04:00

You ever have those situations where you think of something random and them you see or hear another something having to do with that initial something? Does that makes sense? Like you think about a friend you haven't spoken to in years, then out of nowhere, you get a call from them? Or you mention and old tv show you liked as a kid, and then a coworker coincidentally brings up the same thing the next day?

I guess "coincidentally" is the key word. They are like crazy-bizarre coincidences. Stuff like that has been happening to me a lot lately.

For example, this morning I heard "Float On" by Modest Mouse on the radio. That led me to think about how I saw Ben Lee a year or two ago. A coworker was opening for him and gave me free tickets. Score! Anyway, for his encore, he performed a cover of that song. Then I thought about how I don't have any Ben Lee albums, even though his music always puts me in a good mood.

At the same time that these thoughts are going through my head, I was also thinking about how Shazam (my awesome iPhone app that identifies mystery songs playing on the radio) hasn't been working. So I download the update. I test it out on some singer songwriter chick, but it gives me an error still. Hmm. The next song comes on the radio. It's fun. I like it. So I test out Shazam again, assuming I'll get the same error I've been receiving for months. But no, it works. And who is it? Ben Lee. All this happens in a five minute period, and I just thought it was kind of strange.

I never got past the first chapter of Creative Visualization because I put it aside for later. (Later hasn't arrived yet.) But I remember the first chapter talked about how everything in the universe is linked. And how coincidences like that are proof that the thoughts in your head are connected to what can actually happen in the real world. Crazy! I really need to read that book.

So anyway, I've been trying to think about brownie sundaes and stacks of cash, but so far it hasn't worked.

License to Grill

2009-04-27T16:44:00.002-04:00

I have never used a grill before in my entire life. Unless you count my tiny George Forman, leftover from the college era. I have never wanted one. Rob is completely against the idea of owning one. So you can imagine my surprise when I found myself coveting this beauty from Crate and Barrel.

It's so pretty! I'm sure I'd use it once, consider it a hassle, and it'd turn into a dust collector like our Target sandwich maker. But come on. It's green. It coincidentally matches the pillows I bought for our new bench. Wouldn't it look perfect on our newly decorated patio?

I know it's not much yet, but this is how I spent my Friday. I've even been out there watering the plants everyday, in hopes that I won't destroy them with my poisonous touch. I'd love to get some more cute accessories for out there, but the wind off the river can be so darn fierce. If it can blow a full garbage can three blocks away, I can imagine what it would do with a candle lantern. Maybe if I can manage to keep these plants alive for a week or two, I'll trust myself to buy some more.

My New Favorite Person

2009-04-16T21:45:00.002-04:00

The cashier at Friendly's is my new favorite person. I went in there and ordered two double thick chocolate milkshakes, paid, and had a seat on the bench in the waiting area.

(After two minutes.)

Friendly's Guy: Hey, you're the girl from that season of Top Model, right??
Me: Ummm, no, but thank you!
FG: Really?
Me: Really.
FG: Aww, I told her (motioning to other waitress) that you were!
Me: Actually, someone else made that same comment a while ago, but I've seen every season of Top Model, and I can't figure out which girl I look like!
FG: Every time you come in I think, "Wow, she's so pretty, she must be that Top Model girl."
Me: Really?? Wow, you just made my month!! Thank you! Are you just saying that so I'll keep coming back?
FG: Nah, I don't need to do that. You're already in here a lot.

Alright. Now I know I'm okay-looking. I've grown out of my teenage "I hate everything about myself" phase. And with some good cosmetics, I can pass for cute. But this dude thinks I'm a Top Model girl! That is one of the most flattering things I've ever heard, and I'm going to reread this blog post every time I'm having a fugly day.

Thank you Friendly's Guy! I think I love you!

Jam Packed

2009-04-08T10:20:00.003-04:00

Holy moly. It has been quite a few weeks. Aside from being the absolute busiest season at work (where stress has brought me to tears at the office twice in a week), it coincidentally happened to be one of my busiest seasons socially due to the Philadelphia Film Festival. I figured I'd give you the abridged review of my last two weeks.

Thursday, March 26
(500) Days of Summer - Absolutely loved it! Quirky, creative, funny, sweet. Go see it!

Friday, March 27
Art & Copy - documentary about the advertising industry; enjoyed it, kind of neat hearing about how some of the biggest ad campaigns came about
Eldorado - bizarre film from Belgium; kind of felt like a long short film, slow, quiet, strange; but there was a lot of humor to be found in simple things, like the way the characters looked at each other

Saturday, March 28
Love, Soccer, and Other Catastrophes - I really liked this one; funny Italian film about a club soccer team and their relationships

Sunday, March 29
It's Not Me, I Swear - one of my favorites of the festival; dark comedy about a dysfunctional (and seriously evil!) little boy

Monday, March 30
Goodbye Solo - another one of my favorites; beautiful (yet heart-wrenching) film about an unexpected relationship

Tuesday, March 31
Kisses - Irish film about two young neighbors with dysfunctional families who try to escape their lives; pretty good

Thursday, April 2
Heart of Stone - emotional documentary about a Newark NJ high school principal; the only movie where I cried my eyes out

Friday, April 3
The King of Ping Pong - big disappointment; looked like it would be a quirky Swedish film, but halfway through I started checking my watch

Saturday, April 4
Children of Invention - film about a single mother who gets caught up in pyramid schemes and how her two young children cope; I enjoyed this one quite a bit
Ray LaMontagne show @ the Tower Theatre - only in Philly could a drunken brawl erupt at a Ray LaMontagne show; he was incredible, and if I could marry a voice, it'd be his

Sunday, April 5
Is Anybody There? - cute little film starring Michael Caine and Bill Milner (from Son of Rambow, my favorite Film Fest pick from last year); not life changing, but cute anyway

Monday, April 6
Lymelife - another dysfunctional family film, starring two Culkins, a Baldwin, and a few other stars; I enjoyed this film; maybe I just think this because there are Culkins in this film, but it has kind of an Igby Goes Down feel

Tuesday, April 7
Ra Ra Riot, Cold War Kids, Death Cab for Cutie show - awesome; Ra Ra Riot only played for about 20 minutes, and I wish they would have played for another hour, I love them; I could take or leave Cold War Kids, not crazy about them; Death Cab rocked the hizouse; in other news, I wanted to punch the people sitting next to me for talking at full volume throughout the whole show

And that's it! I have a free night tonight!! Then tomorrow it's roller skating with Rob's students, parents' house on Friday, Rob's family's place for Easter, yadda yadda yadda. But after that whole two week stint, I feel enriched. :) Now I need a nap. Oh yeah, and my job is driving me bananas.

How are YOU doing???

Lady Crusaders!

2009-03-25T08:52:00.002-04:00

Some folks know that Rob has been coaching middle school girls' basketball this year. It has been quite a hectic activity due to changes and cancellations from the board or education. I won't get into it all, but let's just say that I hope next year goes more smoothly for Rob's sake.

Rob asked me to come by yesterday for their last game to take some team photos. It was the first time I've been to his new school. Middle school kids are so small! And boy are they rowdy. All I kept hearing was "Miss!! Take a picture of me!! Take a picture of me!!" I ended up taking 160 because they were such hams. I still need to edit the majority of them, but here are a few.

Go Lady Crusaders!

Don't Feel Neglected

2009-03-20T17:04:00.002-04:00

I know I haven't been around much. Things are so busy at work, and then my second technological priority is Operation NICE, so it doesn't leave me much time for saying hello over here.

Hello.

I just got back from an AMAZING long weekend out in Arizona to see two of my favorite people in the world. Aren't they goregous??

It was just what I needed to de-stress and regain my focus. I wish scientists would hurry up and invent a teleportation machine so I could go there more often. C'mon! Get with it boys!

Plenty of other things going on in my world. I bought this book because it stood out on a Barnes and Noble table, and I'm really enjoying it so far. It motivated me to take charge of my inboxes. My personal accounts were over 600 messages and my work account was over 700. So I spent the morning creating folders, organizing, and deleting like crazy. The result? All my inboxes are zeroed out!! WOOHOO! This is the clean slate I need.

And concert season is among us. Going to see Ra Ra Riot/Cold War Kids/Death Cab, Ray LaMontagne, Nine Inch Nails (believe it or not), possibly Beirut, possibly Alexi Murdoch, possibly The Decemberists and who knows who else. Oh, and I bought tickets to see This American Life at my local theater, which I think will be pretty awesome.

So I guess that's it. Life is busy. I like it that way. Hope you're well!

Where's my brain's "off" switch?

2009-03-04T16:35:00.002-05:00

I've been having trouble sleeping lately. For some reason, my brain refuses to take a nighttime break. So I lie there, with thoughts of work, chores, errands, Dexter, groceries, etc. all prancing through my head. And no matter what, I just can't stop it.

Even when I do get to sleep, I'm having high stress dreams about getting stuck at work until 2 am or my parents' house getting robbed. I will audibly tell myself, "Relax!" and sometimes I'll even count to 100, or down from 100, while picturing the numbers as clearly as possible, trying to distract myself. But even while doing this, the thoughts sneak in and my mind decides to multitask.

Last night was the worst, but I think that might have to do with the fever. I had to take a half day just so I could get some sleep this morning, since my stupid brain kept me up all night.

So what can I do to shut my brain off??? I just want to relax and not think about my ever-growing to-do list. But how?

Award-Winning Performance

2009-02-15T20:39:00.002-05:00

I had an awesome time at the Twestival last Thursday. There's nothing like being in a room filled with other social networking nerds to make you really feel like you're a part of something special.

For weeks I was anxiously awaiting the Rock Band tournament. I'd come home from work and sneak a little bit of practice in before Rob got home from work to ridicule me. I was gonna WIN this thing!

And here it was, Thursday night, my palms sweating, my stomach churning. The first two bands played. They were good, but I was still confident. I volunteered to go next. I asked my two assigned band mates if they would mind if we did "So Whatcha Want" by the Beastie Boys. They didn't care a bit. I looked out into the sea of geeks, my heart pounding, and began.

The result? I got 100% on Expert, which meant the closest someone could get to me would be a tie! I had succeeded! Take that, Mom! Who said video games would get you nowhere?!?!

I had first choice of prizes. Rob "encouraged" me to take the most valuable prize, two floor seats to see the 76ers play the Miami Heat, worth $305 a ticket. Unfortunately for me, I'll be in Arizona during the game, so I won't even get to enjoy my prize. Rob's going to take his dad instead. It's probably better that way. I wouldn't enjoy it as much anyway. And now, the leverage that I hold over Rob is more valuable than any prize I could have won. He owes me. He owes me big. And there's a room full of nerds that will make sure he repays me.

:::99 things:::

2009-02-08T10:55:00.002-05:00

Saw this here and I felt compelled to participate. However, I can't just follow the rules like Adriana did. I'm going to have to make some comments on the items below. I think having not been to Europe eliminated about 20%.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars - (I was in a tent, does that count?)
3. Played in a band - only Rock Band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland - I've been to Disneyworld
8. Climbed a mountain -it wasn't very tall
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo - played flute solos
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - last Tuesday, ehem
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon - hells no!
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse - only "of the heart"
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community - Rob's dad lives in one, but he's not Amish
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - I'm satisfied with what I have now
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud - on the same day as #52
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - I'm going to say melissahead is more hobby than business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching - I wanted to vomit the entire time
63. Got flowers for no reason - my first bf did this all the time
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - I don't meet the weight requirements
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - my mom trashed them all when I wasn't paying attention
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle - it was probably barely going over the speed limit
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book - not yet!
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper - YAY!
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House - only the outside, is that what they mean?
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox - during #33
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous - define "famous"
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Melissa Through the Years

2009-02-02T09:39:00.002-05:00

On my 16th birthday, my grandmother gave me a little album that she titled "From Sweet Baby to Sweet 16", and it was full of photos of me throughout the years. I pulled out the album last night for a little reminiscing and I decided to scan some in.

Here I am with my mom. This was the first picture ever taken of me. Yeah, I was a pretty big baby. Chubby, red-faced, and cross-eyed. Very attractive. I eventually grew out of all three traits.

Look at how happy I am to be with my parents and grandmother! Does this photo scream 80's or what?

There's really nothing like looking back on old grade school photos to make you cringe.

Clockwise from top left:
1st Grade (I think); 3rd Grade (nothing says 3rd Grade like fake forest backdrops); 4th Grade (I was at my tannest); 5th Grade (I was vomiting in the bathroom this day, but I wouldn't go home because of class photos); 6th Grade (the dreaded bad perm phase); 7th Grade (the dreaded denim shirt phase)

And here I am, years later, and I've defaulted back to the banged hairdo.

From Philly with Love

2009-01-28T15:54:00.005-05:00

I'm coming out of craft hibernation for two hours on February 7th. Luckily I have two Rubbermaid containers full of note cards and other paper goods, even some Valentine's Day stuff, so I won't have to scramble to print last minute items. It's going to be held at Tbar (a tea bar, get it?) in Philly. Should be a good time! If you're in the area, definitely stop by!

Want more details? CLICK HERE!

Here are a few of the things I'll have with me. Going through all of my old inventory really makes me want to start crafting again. But lord knows I can barely keep up with the stuff I have going on right now!

Maybe even some of my "Niceness is Priceless" prints? Who knows!

Oh yessssssss

2009-01-27T12:56:00.002-05:00

I just heard on the radio that these three bands will be performing together at the Tower Theatre on April 7th. I will DEFINITELY be there!

Slacktastic Weekend

2009-01-12T09:55:00.004-05:00

I meant to accomplish stuff. Seriously, I did. But the bed was so soft and warm. All I wanted to do was lie around in it and read magazines. I guess I need that occasionally, but I had planned to write and take down my holiday decorations, which will probably stay up until March now.

I did, however, venture out to the new Shop Rite and I think I'm in love with a grocery store. It's so new and fancy! There's a doughnut machine in the middle of the bakery department! And free samples of gooey cinnamon rolls! They sell aloe leaves and big sticks of sugar cane and coconuts! I will never buy any of those things, but I like looking at them! And it's super cheap. Screw Acme! You are second fiddle now, my friend.

Thanks to a Starbucks Doubleshot Energy + Coffee at 7pm on Saturday, I had a weird burst of energy from 8pm - 1am. I started thinking about prints that I could make for Operation NICE. Mainly because I had the slogan "Niceness is Priceless" stuck in my head. So I played around a bit and made this up.

And then, thanks to Mary over at suffix.abuse, I started working on creating a Big Cartel shop. It's easy. I don't know if I'll move forward with it. We'll see. But I already decided on a second slogan. "Put the 'kind' in mankind." Snazzy, right?

In other news, I'm "famous" again! MavenMag Philadelphia did their cover story on me for their brand new website launch this month, and it came out this morning. YAY! I feel like I look a little weird, but I guess everyone feels that way about themselves. I love the article! Alexis is awesome! Take a look at the site, it's a pretty neat place!

2009 Ambitions

2008-12-31T10:14:00.003-05:00

Now that it's New Year's Eve, I should probably think about what I want to do with 2009. January 1st starts a clean slate. If I want to modify my behaviors and habits, now's a good time. Rob always says that New Year's resolutions are for the weak, but he's just mean. Besides, he's made the "I'm going to have less road rage" resolution about 10 times throughout the last 12 months.

I did a TERRIBLE job of sticking to my goals of last January. But you know what, I had an amazing year anyway! I think my problem was that I might have made the goals too measurable. Instead, I think this year I need to set some ambitions. Suggestions. Keep them vague.

I have one major goal. Do something with Operation NICE.

See? I said "something" which really leaves it quite open for interpretation. Operation NICE is the best thing I've done in 2008, maybe even ever. It has brought me so much happiness, and I can really see this project turning into a significant part of my life. In fact, it already is. So in 2009, I need to develop a plan and figure out exactly what I want to accomplish with Operation NICE. You know, like get on Oprah. (The show, not the woman.)

As far as my other ambitions, there are the standards. Eat better. Exercise (the Wii Fit I got for Christmas should help me out with this one). Spend less. Save more. Be more organized. Be more creative. I try to make those resolutions every morning when I wake up, but I tend to forget them by the time I walk out the door. I think I blow dry them out of my brain or something. So aside from the one mentioned above, I really only have one ambition.

This year, I resolve to be happy, to have fun, and to be as good of a person as I can be.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T10:55:00.002-05:00

As a major procrastinator, holiday stress is inevitable. This year it was alleviated a bit, due to the fact that the number of gifts purchased decreased due to an increase in charitable donations in lieu of presents. But still, it's tough to plan it all out. Particularly when you have a husband that renounces all things Christmas.

Overall, I'm very happy! My parents gave us a goat and two chickens. (Well, not to us, but in our honor.) I gave them a nice donation to Feeding America. Along with Rob's family, we'll be making a nice donation to Heifer International. I was able to make a donation to Children for Children. So I feel like I got that whole "giving" thing down pat. Not to mention the fabulous gift that is going to make Rob regret putting me through jingle hell throughout this holiday season.

But anyway, since I probably won't have a chance to say it tomorrow, have a wonderful Christmas! I hope Santa brings you everything your heart desires! (And I hope your heart desires some peace and quiet for little ole me!)

Merry Christmas, Geeks!

2008-12-18T09:50:00.001-05:00

Technology:A Geek's Guide To Surviving Christmas

That girl wish list is pretty accurate, but as a girl geek, I would also enjoy video games and dvd's.

He'll save children...

2008-12-15T10:29:00.003-05:00

...but not the British children.

I can't get this song out of my head!

Warning: NSFW due to hysterically foul language and cartoon violence.

Dating Catastrophes

2008-12-12T12:01:00.002-05:00

My friend told me that she had so many terrible dates that she could write a book about them all. I suggested a blog! (Of course I did, being blog-obsessed and all.) So, after a little encouragement, she signed up.

It was such a fun concept that I couldn't resist designing it for her! I whipped this up in a jiffy.

I think this could be really fun, don't you?? I personally don't have any bad date stories. Maybe one, and it wasn't even that bad. I met Rob when I was 20, so I didn't do much dating in my life. No one really "dates" in college. I'm excited to see what kind of stories she gets. Her stories alone are worth the read!

Check it out!

Holiday Photos

2008-12-11T14:21:00.003-05:00

Courtesy of the Pho*ho*hoto Booth.

Rob's came out so much better than mine. It's tough to get it to work right with the bangs and the glasses. I know this is something I could easily do using Photoshop, but there's something about their models and backgrounds that just work so well!

Mission: Accomplished!

2008-12-08T11:23:00.003-05:00

In my opinion, the food drive was a success! I had a fabulous time organizing it, and I really felt like I did something valuable with my time. I'm basically reposting what I wrote on Operation NICE, but here's how it went.

I didn't get any nasty-grams, like I was afraid of. Phew! Last Monday, I came home to a bag of non-perishables on my doorstep, left by my sweetheart neighbors, Jen and Max. My first donation! I was so thrilled! Mid-week I received a call from another neighbor, letting me know he had some items to drop off. Friday rolled around and there were two more donations waiting for me when I got home. Later that night a neighbor dropped off some bags of food and told me that he was going shopping the next day and would pick up some diapers to donate. Wow! The next morning a sweet woman named Marcia came by with a giant plastic container packed with food.

Then I went out for my drive around the neighborhood. I shrieked with delight each time I saw a bag on a doorstep. And as I walked around, filling up my trunk, I had the biggest smile on my face. One household had four full grocery bags on their porch. I was a little nervous that they had their groceries delivered or something and I'd be taking them unknowingly! But they were all in different bags, so I think I'm safe.

Here's the pile of food and goods that I collected, minus the box of diapers which came later and the two bags of food that I grabbed from my own cabinets.

I went to the Food Bank of South Jersey this morning to drop everything off and the grand total was 277 pounds of food and goods! Woohoo! I'm really looking forward to doing this again next year!

The Shins, eh?

2008-12-04T09:18:00.004-05:00

I was over visiting Cleverly Eleanor, and she had a post about her 25 most played songs in iTunes. Hmm, I never checked. So I took a peek, and it seems I must have gone through a phase where I played Wincing the Night Away on repeat or something. I'm kind of surprised. I definitely thought I'd be Radiohead, which is great work background music, or Maritime, which I honestly did play on repeat for a while there. But no, The Shins and Aqualung edged out the crowd.

(I'm glad my list doesn't reveal my Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch obsession.)

Speaking of tunes, I got some new stuff from eMusic. That is the best service ever. For $15 a month, I have downloaded SO MANY wonderful albums. My most recent fave is Ra Ra Riot's The Rhumb Line. In addition to that, lately I've downloaded The Duke Spirit, Art Brut, The Unicorns, The Spinto Band, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Okkervil River, Marching Band, Los Campesinos!, and others. Super awesome!

melissahead, in print!

2008-12-03T20:03:00.003-05:00

I was contacted a year ago to submit some images of my cards for a book about handmade greetings. Of the cards I submitted, six had been chosen for the book, and I sent 'em in to the author. I eventually forgot about the whole thing, until a few weeks ago. I decided to look into it, and I saw that the book was available for pre-order on Amazon, so I went and ordered it. It wasn't supposed to be available until January, but lo and behold, it arrived on my doorstep yesterday!

So, here it is!

1,000 Handmade Greetings: Creative Cards and Clever Correspondence

I'm pretty stoked! It's really exciting to see my work in a real, life, published book. It makes me wish I was still crafting and not on "hiatus"!

Rockin' Around My Christmas Tree

2008-12-03T15:55:00.002-05:00

As you may know from my previous posts, putting up my Christmas tree is a big deal. It connects me to my grandmother, who really was the only person in my family with any holiday spirit. So now that she's gone, I'm all by my lonesome. My husband runs so quickly from me when I'm decorating, you'd think he was allergic to cheer. He might be, actually.

Like I've done the last few years, I put on a Christmas album and carefully placed each ornament, reminiscing on holidays of yore. It's times like this when I wish I had a large family to share in the spirit of Christmas. But I suppose for now, I'm in this alone.

I was disappointed with the way the green ornaments blended into the tree last year, so I went out a bought blue ones. Now I almost feel like my tree is patriotic, but I still love it. All I need is a lovely red, tree skirt and I'll be all set.

Maybe this Christmas will mean something more
Maybe this year love will appear
Deeper than ever before
And maybe forgiveness will ask us to call
Someone we love
Someone we’ve lost
For reasons we can’t quite recall
Mmm, maybe this Christmas

"Maybe This Christmas" by Ron Sexsmith

Look both ways!

2008-12-03T13:08:00.002-05:00

I had a scary morning yesterday. I saw a woman get hit by a car.

The street in front of my building is a narrow one way street. People cross it all the time because the door to my building is in the center. No point in walking to a corner cross walk. Well, anyway, walking back from Starbucks at 7:30 am, I had to cross that road but an SUV flew by, so I waited, then I crossed. Afterward, I noticed the SUV, which had almost made it down to the end of the street, had stopped and started to reverse...quickly. Even though my back was to the road, I had to turn around because I was so surprised at how fast the SUV was traveling backwards. I checked to see if anyone was in the middle of the road, and I saw a 40-something woman start to cross. I had just enough time to think, “Oh no,” when he slammed right into her. Thank god he didn’t run her over!! He must have seen her at the last minute and braked.

I dug through my purse for my phone and called 911 while a small crowd formed, including my coworker who gathered the woman’s things and told her that help was on its way. She wasn’t bleeding, but she looked terrible. Shaking and moaning. When the ambulance came, I heard the driver tell the paramedic that he was only going 10 mph, but that was a complete lie. It put a humongous dent in the back of his SUV!!! So it’s not like he gently pushed her over! I made sure to tell the cop that I saw everything, and I gave him my statement. I know it was an accident, but what that driver did was beyond careless.

A few hours later, my coworker came into my office to let me know that the woman was fine! Her husband came by looking for her cell phone and he said she just had a mild concussion and he was taking her home. Crazy! I was so relieved. But I keep replaying that moment in my head, watching her get hit. I'm still a bit freaked out. It might be dramatic, but I keep thinking that I crossed that road 15 seconds earlier, so it could very well have been me. And being as frail and stickly as I am, I definitely would have snapped in half.

Now I'm going to be extra cautious and look both ways before crossing, even one way streets!

The Demon Barber of Nathan Drive

2008-12-01T09:55:00.002-05:00

That's me. For some reason last week, I decided that my outgrown bangs were ruining my "look", so I was going to get a blunt cut. But since it was a holiday week, I couldn't score an appointment with my stylist. Drats! So thanks to some coaxing, (thanks a lot, Jeope) I got the idea in my head that I could cut my own hair. I used to do it. And there were rarely any disasters, except for the time my mother took the scissors to my bangs the day before 9th grade class pictures and they ended up a whole inch shorter than I wanted.

I stopped at the grocery story on the way home from work last Wednesday and bought a $20 pair of barber shears. I stormed into the house and shouted to Rob, "I have to take care of something!" SNIP!

Whoops.

That first snip was a little shorter than I wanted. Dammit!!! Well, it was too late now, so I had to do the whole thing. I walked out of the bathroom with a new 'do and said to Rob, "I think I made a terrible mistake."

The next few days I started to get accustomed to my fringe. And now, I don't hate them at all. I might even like them. I think it'll look even better once my non-bang hair grows longer.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Mine was delightful. Spent the day with Rob's family and then went to my parents' house for the weekend. I have instilled a love of Rock Band in my father. I'm so proud.

This morning I went around the neighborhood hanging door hangers for a neighborhood food drive. I got the idea a few weeks ago and I'm pretty excited about it! My only fear is that some crotchety neighbor will leave me an angry voicemail about leaving garbage on their door. But hopefully people are filled with the holiday spirit. Here are the door hangers I whipped up.

So I suppose that's all that's going on right now. I'm also trying to organize our holiday soirée, but it seems that a lot of people already have plans on the 20th, so it may end up being a small group of us pigging out and playing games. I'd be perfectly happy with that!

How old am I?

2008-11-23T16:43:00.003-05:00

I'm 28. But that doesn't mean I'm too old to dress up in costumes and make stupid videos.

Last night there was some Rock Band fun in my living room. Hot Sundae was formed, bonus points if you get the reference. We made a few music videos in the process of taking over the world. Enjoy!

Sabotage
Kay on vocals | Christina on drums | Melissa on guitar |
Crystal as ghostly figure | Cinematography by Rob
Key moment: Rob discovers zoom and Crystal takes the elevator behind the armchair.

Ballroom Blitz
Melissa on vocals | Christina on drums | Kay on guitar | Cinematography by Rob
Key moment: Christina laughing behind her mask and Rob makes a special appearance accidentally during a fancy camera shot.

Say It Ain't So
Christina on vocals | Kay on drums | Melissa on guitar | Cinematography by Rob
Key Moment: Christina standing two inches away from the tv so she could see without her glasses and Kay sweatily tearing off the gorilla mask.

Preparing for the Holidays

2008-11-18T15:55:00.005-05:00

It's creeping up quickly. Christmastime. Pretty soon I'll be pulling my grandmother's tree out of the garage and struggling with hanging lights. But I'm vowing to make this Christmas different. Come on, I'm the NICE girl, right? It would be out of character if I didn't try to do something socially responsible.

At Barnes and Noble the other day I picked up this book, 1001 Ways to Do Good. When paging through, one jumped out at me.

#361. Organize a Neighborhood Food Drive

Hmm. Well, I live in the perfect neighborhood. It's a small, confined suburban development filled with townhouses and condos. I could hit a lot of homes in a short amount of time. The more I started thinking about, the more I liked the idea. I could design little cards to leave at their doors...no, door hangers! And I could ask people to either bring their bags to my house or leave them on their doorstep at a particular date and time and I could go around the neighborhood picking them up. Easy! I mean, everyone must have some cans or boxes of something they aren't using in their pantry. Right? So I contacted the Food Bank of South Jersey, and they are super supportive of the idea! My goal is to do this the first week of December. I really hope all goes well. If it does, I'd love to make it a yearly tradition!

My other good thought was actually Rob's step mom's idea. She mentioned at the last family function that instead of buying gifts, she'd rather just chip in and buy a family a llama, something her mom continues to do with her friends. We chuckled at the idea, but I really think it's brilliant! Every Christmas, we painlessly stand in front of the grocery story gift card wall and select presents for Rob's family. And you know what? We get the same things in return. Not that I'm not grateful! But it seems a little pointless to give someone a $50 Lowes gift card when they give you the same exact thing right back.

So in that book, they mention Heifer International, where you can provide needy families with resources like cows, llamas, sheep, chicks, etc.

I'm going to print out the info and bring it along to Thanksgiving. I feel like I might be maturing. (Finally, at 28 years old!) Normally, I'm pretty greedy. I want gifts. Good ones. Lots of them. But really, for the first time this year, I don't want anything. And I can say that in all honesty. I always thought my parents were crazy when they said things like that, but maybe they are right. Maybe I got to the age when I have everything that I need. A wonderful husband, a good job, a beautiful home, a loving family. What else could I ask for?

I mean seriously. I already have Rock Band.

Introducing The Bean Freaks

2008-11-12T14:13:00.003-05:00

I went to my parents' house last weekend for my mom's birthday. Saturday night we had a friendly family (me, my mom, and my dad) poker game and I happened to win the big pot...20 whole dollars. I gave the $20 to my mom who was headed to Atlantic City on Monday and asked her to make me a rich woman. I wrote "Melissa's Lucky $20" on the bill and handed it to her.

Monday afternoon my mother called my cell phone while I was at work. When I answered, I could hear the huge smile on her face. She popped my $20 into a video poker machine and won $500! 2000 quarters, to be exact. Since she did all the hard work, we're splitting the winnings. But that gave me more than enough to cover the purchase that I have been talking about for weeks!

Oh yes! I am the proud owner of Rock Band! I played for about three hours last night while Rob was out, and I guarantee that this will stop all productivity in my household. No eating. No cleaning. Just rocking! I sang a bunch, but that was really easy. So I switched to the guitar. On the medium level, I was doing pretty well, so I switched over to hard and nearly had an anxiety attack! I should have video taped it. Maybe tonight I'll try drums.

Oh, The Bean Freaks? That's my band name. They asked me so suddenly and that was the first thing that came to mind. Don't ask why. Yeah Bean Freaks!

And so the obsession starts...

2008-11-06T21:48:00.002-05:00

Yes, I bought my first feathered headband a week ago. Yes, I have already purchased another.

But get this! I wore my first one out last Friday and a friend of mine mentioned that his sister makes them. Come on. Now that's like feathered fate, right?? So I took a peek at her etsy shop. Her headbands are gorgeous! I couldn't resist and I bought one right away.

This one is much more "hey look at me!" so I may have to save it for nights and weekends. I don't know if my coworkers could appreciate the fabulousness of such an item. (Hey, side note. Fabulousness is a real word. Hmm.)

EDIT: More photos to share!

2008-11-04T15:51:00.003-05:00

I'm editing this post to include all of the "submissions."

This is what happens when you post a photo of yourself on a graphic design forum. Photoshop war! They took my nice, little, happy "Vote here today" photo and turned it into...well, you'll see. I love how two of the designers had the exact same idea at the exact same time! Obviously I was good inspiration!

I enthusiastically voted!

2008-11-04T09:27:00.002-05:00

It was a tiny room with one voting booth. But it moved along swiftly and I was out in less than 15 minutes. Pretty sweet considering my Philadelphian coworkers had 2 hour long lines.

I hope you all (that live in this country) had a pleasant voting experience!

Post Halloween Blues

2008-11-03T13:31:00.003-05:00

I love Halloween. Why? Because I'm all for any excuse to wear a wig and a ridiculous outfit. For example, last year's Björk swan dress. This year I went in a different direction. While in a thrift store a few weeks back, I saw a hideous fur coat on the rack. I thought it might be funny to douse it in red paint and play a PETA victim (though I know they don't do that....anymore). I got Rob to play along as an animal rights activist. I even rigged up the paint can with some red streamers for a high tech paint-tossing effect. Here's the result.

I was a little concerned with the shortness and sparkliness of the sequined mini. I'm normally one against the skankification of Halloween, and I think quite a few people mistook me for a dead hooker. But all in all, I was satisfied.

It was a great Halloween weekend! We ended up hitting four different events, two on Friday, two on Saturday. I already can't wait for next year. We're toying with the idea of going as two wild and crazy guys, but I suppose we have a year to figure that out.

I hope you all had a splendid Halloween!

Headbandwagon

2008-10-31T09:05:00.003-04:00

I've jumped on the "headbandwagon", which means I bought myself one of those sickenly trendy, yet oh so cute, feathered headbands. I was in Urban Outfitters yesterday, and I just couldn't help myself. I blame Kenley from Project Runway. Despite being a massive beyotch, she was freakin' adorable. I don't know how I feel about it. Something in me tells me that I can't pull it off. I don't have that "retro" look going on, no matter how much eyeliner and red lipstick I slap on. But hey, it's worth a shot.

I'm going to Making Time tonight. (Making Time = sweaty, crazy, indie rock, dj, live band, dance party) I'm pretty stoked. And then we have two parties to attend tomorrow night. Busy weekend!

Today is the Phillies celebration parade. Depending on whether or not I feel like walking in that direction to get lunch, I may pop over to see it. But it's not a priority for me like it is for the other 1.5 million people here. So many of my coworkers have ditched out today, which means it's extra quiet for me. Just how I like it!

Ooh, a tag!

2008-10-27T15:27:00.002-04:00

I feel so special! Annie of imogene tagged me!

favorite artist/designer: I've always loved Keith Haring
I love to create using: paper
what inspires me: music, really creative advertising, my insanely talented friends
favorite medium besides my own: letterpress, I wish I could do it!
most inspirational city: NYC
ideal weekend off: wandering around a busy city on a beautiful day and sitting on a park bench reading a great book with a cup of coffee in my hand
favorite color: lately it's been plum
favorite musician: (of all time)- tough call, i love stuart murdoch of belle & sebastian, or elliott smith, or thom yorke
favorite movie: I have to steal Annie's answer and say Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
favorite song: "pyramid song" by radiohead or "don't leave the light on, baby" by B&S
favorite song lyric: "Give me my money back. Give me my money back, you bitch. I want my money back. And don't forget. And don't forget to give me back my black t-shirt." Ben Folds Five
If I could have any other job it would be: Does "singer in a crazy punk rock band" count as a job?
I wish: I had more free time to do all of the things that I want to. Take classes, go on vacation, craft, write, draw, hang out with my family, volunteer, read, cook, clean, decorate, organize, sleep, shop, sew, etc.

Okay peeps, here's who I'm tagging: Maria, Devon, and Jules.

Slack-a-dack-a-ding-dong

2008-10-24T14:15:00.002-04:00

Yeah, I'm slacking, I know. Blogging is hard!!

I took off work today so I could work on a project, but I haven't even started and it's 2:15 pm. That's bad. And it's all your fault! I could have started, but nooooo. I had to post for you! You'd better feel special.

Anyway, I wanted to get some work done today because I'm not going to be around this weekend. We're headed up to my parents' house tonight, since they are closer to NYC. Tomorrow we're going on a walking food tour in Greenwich Village with my in-laws. Unfortunately, the weather couldn't be crappier. "Windy with morning showers evolving to a steady, soaking rain in the afternoon." Awesome. That's kind of putting a damper on the fun of the whole thing.

In other news, I wanted to share this with you. Suzie, who is an absolute sweetheart and writes the blog Button & Squiggle sent me a package of goodies! Blog readers, meet Gelb (left). Gelb, meet my blog readers. She was holding a little blog contest for Gelb and she ended up making a bunch of Gelb friends so that she could send one to everyone who had entered! He's so lovely! She also sent me an assortment of paper goodies too, which you know always wins my heart.

But in addition to all that, I got a special treat. Suzie creates these beautiful illustrations, and she drew a picture of me and Gelb! I think it's the best drawing of me that exists! I was so excited about it that I ran out to Target to buy a frame, and I hung it in my office. Isn't it great?!

Other than that, I have no news. I'm working on this project, sort of having to do with Operation NICE. If all works out, it could be really amazing, but I don't want to get my hopes up just yet. I'm not going to share in fear of jinxing anything, but I'll let you all in on it when the timing is right.

Rob called me when I was in the middle of this post. After our conversation, he said, "I love you, now go right." I replied, "What?" And he kept saying, "go right, now, go right." So I look right, and there's my window. I'm thinking, is he outside and he's trying to tell me he came home early? "Huh??" Then he says, "Write, like type. Go write!" Ohhhhh. Those dang homonyms. They get me every time.

Sleep-talking Nonsense: Part 2

2008-10-14T10:24:00.004-04:00

I have mentioned before, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and just start talking nonsense. I'm half awake, but I really believe that what I'm saying makes perfect sense.

The other night I woke up, turned to Rob, and said, "The ducks can't pronounce the g's." He thinks this is the most hilarious thing. So he tries to convince me that I'm babbling about ducks, but in my head, I feel like I really need to explain what I mean. I'm not insane! So I go off about how the ducks are on a game show, but they just can't pronounce their g's. Finally, when I feel like he just doesn't "get it", I frustratedly roll over and go back to sleep. But I'm awake through this event. When Rob brings it up the next day, I remember the whole thing! It's then, and only then, that I realize I was talking like a crazy person.

Pick a Flick

2008-10-14T09:49:00.002-04:00

Once again, I've resorted to posting videos so that I don't have to write much on here. But this is for good reason. There are so many good movies out right now, and I've been trying to get out to see them. But between Rob's soccer practice and the baseball playoffs, he hasn't had much time to see a movie, let alone four or five!

I'd like to see Religulous. Rob, surprisingly, isn't as interested. Mainly because he thinks Bill Maher is a "dick". But I think this will be a nice companion to The Year of Living Biblically, which I'm currently reading and loving. It's making me think about religion differently.

And then there's Towelhead, a movie by the same writer of American Beauty and creator of Six Feet Under. Part humorous, part disturbing.

Trouble the Water is only in the theater here for a few more days, so if I want to see it, I should go on Wednesday. I have a feeling this one will make me feel like crap, and I'll probably cry my eyes out.

And lastly, I kind of sort of want to see Choke and Burn After Reading. I won't post those trailers because they are mainstream. So, have you seen any of these?? What do you think?

I love scarf weather!

2008-10-03T13:30:00.002-04:00

I love wearing my plaid tweed blazer, complete with elbow patches along with a wooly scarf. That always seems to be my uniform for attending the Collingswood Book Festival, which happens to be tomorrow. The weather should be perfect. By the time we start (10am), it will be just chilly enough to justify a cup of hot chocolate.

I always leave Rob alone to do his nerd thing while I wander the farmer's market, stuffing my face with cheese samples. Then I'll probably pull up a bench and start reading. Rob thinks it's funny that I'll bring a book to a book festival, but I can't even keep up with the ones I currently have, so I'll take that time to relax, read, and people watch. I might even bring my moleskine to jot down some notes.

Either way, I'm really looking forward to it! I won't even be sad if the Stewart's Root Beer truck isn't there. Okay, maybe a little.

Keeping Busy

2008-10-02T16:23:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! I've been around, I swear. I know you've noticed that my posting has not only diminished in quantity, but also quality. Sorry for the lame video posts, life has been a tiny bit overwhelming lately. Work is...well, work. It's busy season for us. And unfortunately our busy season is much like the baseball season. Excruciatingly long. (Um, I mean, go Sox!)

Aside from work, Operation NICE has been quite the time-sucker lately. I mean that in the best way possible! I love this project, I do. But sometimes it's tough sitting in front of a computer for 9 hours straight and then eating a quick meal only to sit in front of a different computer for a few more hours. Do you know how behind I am in Top Model, Project Runway, and Gossip Girl?! Egads! But in the end, it's all worth it. (Oh, side note. There's a giveaway going on over there now, so you may want to stop by.)

My Roberto has been coaching soccer, which means he isn't around to do his wifely duties like dishes, vacuuming, and laundry. And lord knows I'm not pickin' up those tasks! Therefore, you can imagine the state of our home. I could probably write "WASH ME" in the layer of dust on our hardwood floor.

In hilarious news, my mother called me today to tell me that they had a sewage blockage which resulted in the explosion of their bathroom. An explosion of poop! My clean freak mother bleached the entire area approximately 40 times, but she claims she can still smell poop in the house.

Excuse me for a minute.

HAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHA!

Okay, I'm back. I tried to show her how funny this situation is, but she doesn't see it that way. One day she will.

No other news to report, as of yet. I hope you all are doing super duper!

Don't Vote

2008-10-02T13:37:00.001-04:00

Seen on Jenn Ski Studio Blog:

I'm not Jewish...

2008-10-01T10:33:00.002-04:00

...but I'd be willing to make The Great Schlep.

You know, if I had grandparents in Florida. But I don't. So I'll stay put.

Either way, this video cracks me up! Oh Sarah Silverman, please tell me, how can I be as delightfully funny as you are?

Warning: This video has hilarious NSFW language.

The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.

Mosaic of Mel

2008-09-26T10:06:00.003-04:00

Found this on Danielle's blog, Midwest Modern Girl, and I couldn't help myself. There's nothing like a flickr distraction on a rainy Friday.

1. Melissa Vogue, 2. Flickr Loves Sushi. Mmm., 3. Toms River High School North Marching Band, 4. Lime Green Window Shutter, Red Flowers and a Rail, 5. Nick Zinner, Yeah Yeah Yeah's, 6. Fitz's Root Beer, 7. Greece, 8. Chocolate Mint Brownie Sundae , 9. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, 10. 3 / 52: creativity, 11. Le Carnaval de Nice - 1 : flying papers, 12. melissahead buttons!!!

My answers:
1. What is your first name? (melissa)
2. What is your favorite food? (sushi)
3. What high school did you attend? (toms river high school north)
4. What is your favorite color? (lime green)
5. Who is your celebrity crush? (nick zinner)
6. Favorite drink? (root beer)
7. Dream vacation? (greece)
8. Favorite desert? (brownie sundae)
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? (rich and famous)
10. What do you love most in life? (creativity)
11. One word to descibe you? (nice, duh)
12. Your flickr name? (mel829)

So here's the deal...you answer the following 12 questions about yourself (my answers are in parentheses):

Wanna play? It's addicting! Type your answer to each of the above questions into Flickr's search. Using only the images that appear on the FIRST page, choose your favorite and copy and paste each of the URL's nto the Mosaic Maker (or make it yourself in photoshop). Have fun (and post a comment here if you do it)!

{photo credits are listed above}

Now what?

2008-09-26T09:15:00.002-04:00

Things are going super, thanks for asking! Yesterday, my virtual baby Operation NICE was featured in the Daily Candy weekend guide, which was pretty freakin' awesome. My total hit count for yesterday was 8,345. Just to give you a basis of comparison, I normally average around 400. Insane right?

So, now what? I sort of feel like I just reached a goal, and now I need a new goal. Do I make Operation NICE a non-profit?? I'd love to, but that businessy stuff, well to be honest, it frightens me. But I have thoughts about things I'd like to sell. And you know what else I'd love to do? I'd love to do workshops or give talks about the importance of niceness. Kind of funny to hear coming from a self-proclaimed introvert. But I actually love public speaking. I know, I'm weird. Also, I was talking with some friends of mine about the idea of a book...maybe. I don't know.

I feel like I'm at a crossroads, but instead of two roads in front of me, I have twenty. My dad always said that there is no "wrong" path. Each path will lead you in a different direction, but none of them are "wrong". That's comforting. But I also don't want to take the really windy, treacherous, never-ending path. The short, flower-lined, well-paved path is good for me!

Melissa: The Last 10 Years

2008-09-21T18:56:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was my 10 year high school reunion. I debated whether or not I wanted to go for over a month. I was one of those people that graduated and promised myself I'd never go back. But you know what? I'm glad I did. It was an enjoyable experience. I reconnected with some people who I wish I would have known better when I actually was in high school. And I also discovered that things haven't changed much, even though I have.

While watching everyone drink their $50 worth, I realized WHY I was an outcast in high school. It wasn't because I was a geek or a loser. It was because I shared nothing in common with nearly everyone else. I really believe that my high school was filled to the brim with one-dimensional, superficial people. Many of them came from wealthy families. And that just wasn't me. And it isn't me. So going last night was sort of an epiphany. Closure. I was truly happy that I wasn't "accepted" by the "in crowd" back then. As cliché as it sounds, it made me who I am today. And the folks who I enjoy spending time with usually had a similar experience in high school. So there must be something to it!

Also, I was talking with someone about the experience, and they stated that the majority of people peaked in high school. Not me. I'm peaking now. Late bloomer, I suppose!

But I will say this. I looked fabulous! Haha! Thanks to the voters, I went with the shirt dress and ended up getting a FANTASTIC pair of brown and purple snakeskin heels. So, here's me!

And just for fun, I scanned my senior portrait in and did a little comparison. My hair got shorter yet bigger. I'm much paler. But all in all, I think the years have treated me well!

News and Outfit Help

2008-09-19T10:43:00.002-04:00

I haven't been around much, I know. But I've been waiting for this for a week or so. Awesome, right?!

Anyway, I'm really posting for a reason. I need help. My 10 year high school reunion is on Saturday, tomorrow. And I don't know what to wear! First of all, I wasn't going to go. But after a month of going back and forth, I'm just going to see what's up. But, since I was a huge dork in high school, I have to do the stereotypical thing and show everyone how FABULOUS I am now. Heh heh.

Do you like any of these outfits???

I don't know if I do. I couldn't find anything with enough WOW factor. I may have to go shopping after my hair appointment. But I thought I'd get some opinions. Let me know!! THANKS!

BarackRoll'd??

2008-09-11T09:28:00.000-04:00

Okay, this had me nearly in tears!

Alphabeautiful!

2008-09-09T12:59:00.002-04:00

I received my gorgeous wall decal from TastySuite the other day so I attempted to put it up last night. I wasn't quite sure where to put it. I knew it had to be in my office. And there's this huge empty spot above my computer, but nothing seems right there. I was thinking maybe a picture rail with a collection of framed artwork. Who knows.

Anyway, I decided to put the decal above my Expedit bookcase. Seemed like just the right amount of space. I love it!

So I haven't been blogging as much lately. I think it's because most of my blog time has been taken up by Operation NICE. Speaking of that, some pretty awesome news to come regarding that next week!

Let's see if I have any updates worth mentioning. Well, I went out to see my friend's cover band in New Hope last Friday and the old DJ dude called me Sarah Palin. Yes, because all women with glasses look alike. I was a tad bit offended, but I suppose that's better than saying that I look like Janet Reno.

The Red Bull Soap Box Derby was not a ball of fun. I was pretty miserable actually. Soaked. Irritated. Sweaty. Squished. All around uncomfortable. But the Ben Folds show was the redeeming event of the day! Dang he's good. And with an orchestra?! Unbelievable. I nearly cried like five times because the music was so moving.

I actually don't even have any purchases to speak of because I've been good! That is most likely because I STILL haven't worn all the new clothes I bought. Once I get through them all, I'll go back to shopping like a maniac. In the meantime, I should put some money into my savings account quickly, before I know any better!

Rain Rain Go Away

2008-09-05T11:00:00.004-04:00

Rob and I really try to hit every fun Philadelphia event that we can. Which is why we were super excited to hear a few months ago that the Red Bull Soapbox Race was coming here, on the Manayunk Wall no less! Race day is tomorrow, and it was bound to be a great party with awesome photo potential. "Was" is the operative word here.

But it looks like Mother Nature hates soapbox races because she sure is trying to ruin this one.

They claim that they are racing rain or shine, but heavy rain and wind is definitely going to put a damper on this event. I know there will be a few hardcore partiers out there no matter what the weather, but I'm sure there will be few parties, fewer people, and much soggy discomfort for the folks that stick it out.

Knowing Rob, we're going to try to go no matter what. Unless there's lightning. He hates lightning. So maybe I'll put those rain boots and new trench coat to good use. Either way, I get to end the night with one of my loves, Ben Folds! Plus a full orchestra! And considering the forecast, I'm glad I sprung for regular seats instead of the lawn!

Here's what tomorrow could have been like:

Dumb Luck?

2008-09-04T09:27:00.006-04:00

You can see on the left hand side of my blog that I'm currently reading this book called, The Power of Kindness: The Unexpected Benefits of Leading a Compassionate Life. I love it. I'm about halfway through, and last night I read the chapter on Mindfulness. I need some help in this area because I always tend to worry about the past or the future, without focusing on the present. So that's something that I'll work on.

But one part was talking about how lucky people really aren't lucky. They are just more mindful. They notice things around them. They are aware of the good and therefore stumble upon what folks would consider lucky. Sure, makes sense. But for a self-proclaimed mindfully-challenged individual, I've had a lot of luck lately!

I noticed it this morning when I received an email from Rachel over at Red Prairie Press saying that I had won the scarf contest on her blog! Yay! My fingers were crossed for that Pink with Poppies scarf that she had.

Amazing! I was so happy to find out that I won! Then I thought about it and realized that it was the THIRD blog contest that I had won in a matter of a week and a half. Earlier last week I received an email from Justina of perch saying that I won the TastySuite wall decal contest on HER blog! I narrowed it down to two and asked her to choose her favorite, so it would be a surprise.

And then also last week, Niki from Niki's DesignO'Blog let me know that I won her UPrinting.com business card giveaway! She said they would contact me and I haven't heard from them yet, so we'll see what happens. But isn't that kind of crazy?? It's not like I'm the only person entering these contest. I'm feeling pretty lucky! Maybe it's good karma. Maybe it's the creative vizualization. I mean, I totally visualized myself wearing that pink scarf, handing out Operation NICE business cards, and applying my wall decals. Maybe it works.

Whatever it is, perhaps I should buy a lottery ticket.

I need help!

2008-09-01T18:28:00.000-04:00

I've always joked that I have a shopping problem. But I think it's becoming serious. I honestly can't walk into a store without buying something. Lately, dressing nicely has been very important to me. Not sure why. But while I've always loved clothes, in the last year, I find myself wanting more and more. I need pants in every style and color. I need more skirts and dresses. I need accessories that match every outfit I own.

Luckily, I don't have any credit card debt. I'm fairly responsible when it comes to my finances. The only thing is that I could be saving A LOT more than I am. I'm hoping that once it gets cooler outside, I won't be going out to shop as much. As long as I can cut out the online shopping, I'll be all good.

Just to give you an idea of what I do, this is a list of all of the clothing items I purchased LAST WEEK. Now, just so you know, it's not like I haven't shopped in months or even weeks. I buy clothes every week. The previous week I most likely bought half as many items, but still. I'm going to need a second closet soon.

pink short sleeve button down
gray short sleeve button down
cream lace cami
black lace cami
light brown long sleeve wrap
black long sleeve wrap
yellow ballet flats
tiffany blue ballet flats
yellow corduroy blazer
purple scoop neck tee
purple scarf
white scarf
silver necklace
purple shirt dress
teal short sleeve scoop neck sweater
brown pin striped dress pants
gray dress pants
black pin stripe dress pants
black pin stripe vest
5 pairs of tights (2 black, 2 yellow, 1 burgundy)
black trench coat
gray long sleeve cardigan
pink long sleeve button down shirt
red skinny belt
black skinny belt

This is the only reason I'm happy to go back to work...so I can wear my new clothes. It's excessive, right? I wish I had photos of all these items so I could make a ridiculous mosaic. But check out these two pairs of shoes I bought! Aren't they the cutest?? I blame that purchase on Danielle.

I'm stopping now. I swear. If I post about anything else that I bought, please reprimand me.

28 years young!

2008-09-01T17:56:00.005-04:00

Last Friday was my 28th birthday. One year closer to 30, as my grandchildless mother likes to remind me. It was a fun day, particularly since I didn't have to work. I took this photo in the morning, so I have one to document my 28th year. People still think I look like a kid. I suppose that's a good thing.

We started our day with breakfast as a nearby café. I heart breakfast foods. Pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, toast. Mmm. Artery-clogging goodness! Then we went to see the Real Pirates exhibition at the Franklin Institute because I had received free tickets via Starbucks. (Thanks Starbucks!) It was really neat. I was blown away when I saw the real pirate's treasure spilling out of the cliché treasure chest. We were even able to touch some of the "pieces of eight", but Rob refused because "do you know how many people have TOUCHED that????"

Afterwards we headed to Marathon Grill for a burger and then I had a delicious milk shake on the way home. I was able to rest for a few hours before we headed back to the city for bowling with our friends.

The best part of the night was the end of our final game. The boys side finished early because they had one less player. Rob had the lead with a 149. When it came to my 10th frame, I had a 130. I told everyone that I needed either a strike then a spare or a spare then a strike, which was highly unlikely, to beat Rob. But everyone was rooting me on because apparently no one ever wants Rob to lose. Plus it was MY birthday! My first ball ended up being a strike. The crowd cheered! My next ball was a 6. Not great. The pressure was on. I threw that final ball and we all watched intently. It felt like slow motion. SPARE!!! I won with a 150, highest game of the night! Haha! It was glorious!

After bowling we went to the 700 Club and boogied down to some old school hip hop. There's nothing like a little Skee-lo on your birthday. All in all , a way fun night!

I was teasing Rob because he kind of blew it a bit. The bowling party wasn't a surprise, since he had to ask me for my friends' phone numbers. And he didn't buy me a birthday present. No card. No cake. Nothing. And his reasoning? "You don't need anything." Well duh. He said that my present was breakfast, lunch, and bowling. He's right, I don't need anything. But I admit it was a little sad not having any gift to open. And no surprises. Even if he would have picked up some grocery store flowers of something, it would have been a surprise. But Rob has never been the greatest with surprises, so I kind of expect it now. That's why I spoiled the heck out of myself that whole week. Someone's gotta, right? Luckily I take good care of myself since my hubby isn't the "spoiling" type.

But I loved my birthday! And I have a feeling my 28th year is going to be a really great one!

I'm always late.

2008-08-28T21:39:00.002-04:00

I know most of you are probably familiar with what has happened to fellow blogger Stephanie and her husband Christian. If you aren't, please visit this site. For those that are aware, you know that today (Thursday) was declared Nie Nie Day by Design Mom.

Being the procrastinator that I am, I missed the deadline to submit my blog to Design Mom, but I felt I should do my part anyway. Technically it wasn't procrastination. I was away in NYC all day with no laptop. So anyway, I'm holding a silent auction of my own over at Operation NICE. Even if you aren't interested in my things, I'd love it if you could check out the Design Mom blog because she has over 275 listings of silent auctions, so there might be something out there for you! All proceeds go directly to Stephanie and Christian's recovery.

Thanks for reading!

I Can See (physicially and spiritually)

2008-08-25T17:44:00.003-04:00

I came to my parents' house this morning for a few days of quality family time. On the agenda for today was a manicure, eyeglass shopping, lunch, and a trip to Barnes and Noble.

Picking out frames was much easier today than it usually is! I normally go through a good hour of indecision before I decide on a pair that I really feel so-so about in the end. But today I found about five similar frames, and I really did like all of them. But the pair I ended up buying was the easy winner. Check 'em out!

While waiting for Lenscrafters, my parents and I went to kill time at Barnes and Noble. At the recommendation of my father, I picked up Creative Visualization. I have this feeling inside of me that I should be doing something more meaningful with my life than formatting faxes or powerpoint presentations, so I'm going to see if I can find a bit of guidance. My father is a brilliant man, and I take his opinions very seriously. He truly believes in the idea of creative visualization, so I'm going to give it a shot.

I visualize myself doing some serious shopping tomorrow with my mom. I think I can make that happen.

Excited for a new look!

2008-08-20T08:23:00.002-04:00

Next Monday I'm going to spend some time with my parents for a few days. The one thing that I'm excited for is picking out a new pair of glasses! I love buying new glasses. It's like a whole new me. I've been getting a lot of use out of my brown frames, which I got last summer, but I could use a new pair of stylish black frames. You know, to match my hair. Gotta coordinate.

So when my mom asked what I wanted for my upcoming birthday, I already knew my response. We're headed to lenscrafters! I was browsing around their website this morning to get an idea of what they might have, and I picked out a few of my faves.

I am absolutely in love with the top pair. It's exactly what I was looking for. So I hope they look right when I put them on!

Weird incident this weekend #1

2008-08-18T12:01:00.005-04:00

I feel like since I started the nice blog, there's been this weird gravitational pull around me.

Yesterday, as we were driving to Barnes & Noble, we noticed something in the street in the middle of an intersection. Rob drove past slowly and realized it was someone's wallet, so he pulled over. He brought the wallet back in the car and looked for a phone number. I suppose no one really ever puts their cell # in their wallet, but gosh, I think I'm going to start because tracking this guy down was more difficult than expected!

I did a reverse address lookup on my trusty iPhone and came up with a phone number for a household about 25 miles away. We called a few times. No answer, no voicemail. Rob tried to call the guy's Blockbuster to see if they could give us a number. Turns out he gave them a bogus number because owes them "a lot of money" according to the Blockbuster lady. On our fifth attempt calling the number I dug up, an older man answered. I asked if was the residence of Mr. so and so. He said no.

No? But his address is the same and the last name is the same. Weird.

Anyway, a few hours later, that same number calls me back. It's the wallet-owner's dad. He thought I was a telemarketer, but his son must have contacted him about the wallet because he thought I might be the one who found it. So, long story short, we met up and returned the wallet. Good deed for the day!

Rob said it was a good thing we found it because he feels like only 30% of people would make sure the wallet was returned. I don't know about that. Maybe I have more faith in humanity than is deserved, but I'd like to think that the majority of people would try to return the wallet. What do you think??

I'm so sneaky, in a nice way!

2008-08-18T10:07:00.004-04:00

I know I need to keep this blog separate from Operation NICE, but the things I do for that blog always seem to be worth mentioning over here! And I know I'm being redundant because I'm assuming that the people that read this blog also read that one, but I can at least talk about things more personally over here.

My "assignment" for today was to leave little nice notes scattered about. So of course, I had to be the first to perform this task. I whipped up some little notecards and took a quick walk outside this morning. Hey, I needed to get my Starbucks anyway. So I took a brief detour and left four notes in Philadelphia.

This one was on a park bench outside of my office building:

Then I walked up a few blocks and stuck this one on a pole at an intersection:

I wanted to go over to the Comcast Center, since it's such a busy building with a lot of business-folk that could probably use a little "nice", so I put this one on a fence near the bike rack:

And lastly, I snuck one into the napkin dispenser at Starbucks:

All of this was done around 9am, which is a crazy busy time in the city, so I felt a little odd sneaking around, taking photos of my notes. I'm sure tons of people saw me and were wondering what the heck I was doing. But on my way back to the office, I saw my bench note was still there. I'm really excited about the idea of someone finding my notes! It would be great if they would visit Operation NICE and let me know how it affected their day. We'll see. And I sure hope some other folks decide to attempt today's assignment.

EDIT: Okay, something is wrong with me. Above the 2nd picture, where I wrote "walked up a few blocks", I had to edit it because I initially wrote "walked up a few blogs". Oh my gosh. I need help.