No Nudge

charlie

2008-10-20T21:29:00.001-07:00

poor charlie and everything i've put him through tonight! first, we had a doctor's appointment for the second set of booster shots, etc. then, i took him to the dog park. we had a great time, as usual, but there were a couple of dogs that were playing really rough with char (he even yelped once, i was ready to flip out!) and these guys just wouldn't leave him alone. They were slobbering all over him and then pushing him in the dirt - which of course stuck to his fur. So we get in the car, and he basically smells like wet dog spit and dirt, which is always good, so then i threw his ass in the tub and gave him a nice bath.

let's just say he's pretty much knocked out for the night. :)

when one door closes...

2008-06-26T10:10:00.000-07:00

you know that feeling in your life when you realize that one life phase is over, and it's time for a new one? i'm so there. sometimes you fail to recognize these phases when they happen, if they aren't tied to a huge life change of some sort. but i can feel this one coming head-on - and it's great!

i'm now in that place where you hear certain songs, see certain things, smell a certain smell and think of certain times - fond memories. only now you're at place where you realize that those things are just that: memories, things of the past that you've let go of. and i guess at that point, you take a deep breath, hold on, and get ready for the next ride.

diner dash

2008-03-20T11:01:00.000-07:00

i've recently become addicted to the stupidest game on earth. it's called diner dash.

the premise: your name is flo and you have recently purchased a run-down diner after deciding that your big city 9 - 5 job just wasn't for you. customers come in, you take their order, pick up and deliver their food to the table, drop the check, then clear the dishes. but the games adds all sorts of fun twists and turns, leaving you with tons of entertainment.

for anyone who is interested in hours mindless fun: www.playfirst.com.

myers briggs personality test

2008-02-05T16:30:00.000-08:00

has anyone ever taken? ridiculously accurate. reading about all of the weaknesses was just eye-opening and scary. i've taken the test once a year for about the past five years, and i'm always the same thing.

take the test here: http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

then google your letters and the personalitypage.com description for your personality type should pop up first.

my letters: INFP - in fact, the rarest combination. only 2 -3 percent of the population fall in this category.

weight watchers

2008-01-24T14:29:00.000-08:00

at the risk of sounding typical, i swear by weight watchers and think it's a really great program. i participate online and pay only $17/month. the website is full of healthy meal ideas (that actually taste really good), a place to track your weight and view progress charts and of course, a daily food journal where you keep track of your points.

the program is really easy to stick to and i always recommend it to people. it teaches you how to control portion size and make overall healthier choices. healthy weight loss is 1 - 2 pounds a week and if you go over that weight loss when you track your weight every week, a note pops up saying that you're losing a little too much, so make sure you're eating enough everyday (once it even suggested i enjoy a glass of wine with dinner).

since going on weight watchers, i've lost over 20 pounds and have kept it off easily by sticking to the program. i have more energy and sleep better at night, too. i recommend weight watchers to anyone who is just trying to be healthier and have a little bit more energy during the day.

a most enjoyable and surprising progression

2008-01-18T09:12:00.000-08:00

going out after work for just one drink...might as well go for a bottle of wine...which leads to a few pieces of bread...shoot, well since we're here...let's order some tapas...when in rome, after all...leads to more tapas...damn, we're out of wine...another bottle...

i'm starving in the mornings!!!

2008-01-17T09:35:00.000-08:00

i bring a variety of healthy snacks to enjoy during the day. usually, it's something from each food group: fruit (today it's oranges), veggies (carrots), protein (1/2 serving of mixed nuts), dairy (string cheese) and a treat/carbs (100 calorie pack goldfish crackers). plus, i have a lunch and eat cereal, milk and green tea in the mornings (duh nudge). this is my routine everyday.

breaking it down, today i've already eaten: the fruit, nuts, string cheese and i'm ready to dig into the goldfish crackers. but in the afternoon, i'm not hungry at all and just polish off the veggies.

i don't get it...why am i STARVING in the mornings and feel completely fine and full in the afternoons? i guess my body has just adapted to these habits.

and yes, i know what you're wondering and i'll go ahead and answer that question for you: string cheese is just as fun now as it was when you were a kid.

the bathroom

2008-01-15T12:59:00.000-08:00

i'm utterly convinced that i am the only woman who uses the very first stall - out of about 12 possible stalls - in the bathroom on my office floor. every night when the toilets are cleaned, the cleaning crew always leaves the seats up once they are finished disinfecting (i hope) them. so, you can safely assume which toilets have been used in the mornings if the seat is down when you find it. if it's up, chances are either a man found his way in there (omg, remember when T did that?) or no one has used the clean toilet yet that day.

even if it's 2:00pm before the time i go to the bathroom, the first stall (which i usually use - hell, it's right there) always has it's seat up. i find this interesting. it's almost like everyone assumes that everyone else is using the first stall, so they'll use the second or make another random choice, when really, everyone is thinking this so nobody ends up using the first. fine by me!

my favorite week!

2008-01-08T11:45:00.001-08:00

That's right! Next week is Dine Downtown Restaurant Week in Sacramento.

I'm not sure how many cities have a restaurant week, but I know a few in OC did and DC participated as well. Fantastic restaurants all around town will be offering 3-course meals for $30. It's a great deal, and a lot of fun. The menus this year look awesome, and I'm really excited!

http://www.downtownsac.org/?mvcTask=events&yearly=1&id=723

I'll be going to Ella (the yummiest restaurant downtown) with Andrew and also to The Melting Pot with some girlfriends. Who else knows and loves restaurant week?

what the f?

2008-01-04T09:20:00.000-08:00

why is britney spears constantly on headline national news? i metldown just about everyday, as does the rest of america, and it never makes the news. why is it i am forced to know so much about a matter i care nothing about?

i just have to say thanks...

2008-01-02T16:37:00.000-08:00

to merc and ong for getting me started with taking pictures. photography has become such a relaxing and challenging hobby. not to sound completely corny, but learning how to see things through a camera lens has changed the way i see things in general. anything can beautiful, it just depends on how you look at it.

anyway, a truly heartfelt thanks to the both of you for showing me something that i love doing, but never would have found on my own.

the sleep screamer strikes again

2007-12-20T08:46:00.001-08:00

"SOUP? REALLY? WELL WHAT KIND OF SANDWICH ARE YOU GOING TO GET? I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF INTENSE NEGOTIATIONS!"

manicure

2007-12-14T11:08:00.000-08:00

i just full on gave myself a manicure in the office. everyone is wondering what "that" smell is. i'm not going to tell.

eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

2007-12-13T09:55:00.000-08:00

eternal sunshine of the spotless mind is one of my favorite movies. it can be viewed in so many different lights. sure, there is the generic, in-your-face love story, but my favorite plot is the question of whether it's "better" to have the perspective of an adult - to have memories and lessons that you can learn from, giving you a greater understanding of the world - or a child - who comes into the world perfect and adults are responsible tainting them. honestly, since i'm not that deep of a person, the answer to me is obviously both.

however, if you choose to watch it as a love story, there is a great lesson there. i'm currently struggling to find a happy medium between my "single self" (whom, i've even admitted to my boyfriend, i miss greatly) and my "couple self" (who is about 10 lbs. squishier than the single gal). it's odd, i never really get sick of him, but rather i get sick of not being alone and doing things my way.

relationships are never going to be perfect. at some point you just have to throw in the towel and accept the fact that maybe you'll never find that happy medium. maybe i will continue feeling trapped sometimes...but, i've found someone who understands that and even loves that about me, and he has issues too and he can talk to me about those. those issues will never go away - flaws rock.

and that's why i love this:

Joel: I can't see anything that I don't like about you.
Clementine: But you will! But you will. You know, you will think of things. And I'll get bored with you and feel trapped because that's what happens with me.
Joel: Okay.
Clementine: Okay?
Joel: Okay.
Clementine: [pauses, laughs] Okay.

i live with a sleep screamer

2007-12-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

which, mind you, is much different than living with a sleep talker.

one time, in his sleep, andy said, "yeeeeeeeeaaaaaa...we can go there...but it's gonna be a lot of that gangsta shit." hysterical.

last night, he screamed, "CLEVELAND! THE MISTAKE BY THE LAKE!" at which point I started laughing uncontrollably, to which he replied, still sleeping, "ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME? I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU. I'M LISTING ALL THE CITIES WITH SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS!"

bedside book to help get you to sleep: $15
tv in bedroom, left on all night to help you sleep better: $400.
being woken up by a sleep screaming boyfriend who's having anxiety about traveling to ohio while it's snowing: priceless.

what's the rule on christmas gifts?

2007-12-05T09:11:00.000-08:00

if a person you aren't that close to, say a work colleague or friend you wouldn't normally exchange gifts with, suddenly announces that they have purchased a christmas present for you, and are clearly expecting one in return, what do you do? i say just buy them something little so you don't feel awkward, while andrew proclaims that he "doesn't play those games" and would never go out and shop for someone like that - that christmas is supposed to be a time of sharing and gift giving with the people that you love the most and should not be a holiday built on obligation and guilt. while i agree with him, in my eyes it's worth it for me to bypass such an awkward moment for only $15 and a trip to the mall. thoughts?

google

2007-11-29T12:57:00.000-08:00

if i was a fancy internet person, i would develop a button/search option on my toolbar called "return to google". i always think i find what i'm looking for on a page, which leads me to anothe pager, then to another and low and behold, i'm not even close to finding what i'm looking forward. then i have to hit the back button all the way to my google seach page.

is there such an option already? seems like there should be.

napa

2007-11-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

a couple of weeks ago, i had the best trip to napa that i’ve ever had.

our stops:

it started out friday at silverado resort (http://www.silveradoresort.com/). it’s an old antique-type facility that spreads out pretty far over napa. the main mansion is beautiful and is surrounded by little cottages.

saturday morning began at chandon (http://www.chandon.com/) for champagne. normally i don’t care for the wine tasting experiences where they shuffle you through in a herd, you pay your $20 for two tastings and then the show begins for you and about 25 other guests. chandon, while great champagne and a beautiful facility, was no exception.

for lunch, we stopped at the old oakville grocers (http://www.oakvillegrocery.com/default.php). they have delicious sandwiches and snacks!

for those of you who haven’t been to saddleback cellars (http://www.saddlebackcellars.com/) i highly recommend it. the wine is really good, but the best part was their staff and the entire experience. you sit outside on old, very cool red picnic tables right next to the vines. it was a beautiful, bright and sunny, yet crisp day in napa and we were there for about two hours, enjoying a bottle of their merlot with a couple of their pourers! they gave us a generous discount on the bottle of wine we bought (free) and didn’t charge us for most of the tastings.

then we when to napa wine company (http://www.napawineco.com/) to kill some time before our next appointment. it’s a convenient stop location wise, the price is decent and the wine is good, but the staff isn’t overly friendly. i feel like we’re always rushed in and out of there, and they’re not excited to see you hang around and enjoy yourself for a bit.

next, we headed out to elyse (http://www.elysewinery.com/). this is some of the best wine i’ve ever had! we were there for quite a while, enjoying ourselves and getting to know the staff. great family people, great wine and a fun time! they were recommended to us by robert biale (http://www.robertbialevineyards.com/), a fantastic zin maker, that i also highly recommend.

after that, it was over to hope & grace (http://www.hopeandgracewines.com/Main.htm). the wine was amazing and the staff commented that we were the best (and rowdiest) group they’d had in a while.

off to dinner. i ordered chicken fingers (mind you, this is a pretty decent restaurant). the waitress – who was awesome – changed my order to the tri-tip. while chicken fingers sounded delicious, the trip tip was excellent and i’m glad she did that.

birthday thoughts

2007-11-09T14:42:00.000-08:00

last night, we had people over to help celebrate my birthday. we all enjoyed multiple bottles of wine, and andy made mini sliders and mac and cheese for all - delicious! we even played board games, followed by birthday cake and of course, more wine.

tomorrow night, andy is taking me to the kitchen (http://www.thekitchenrestaurant.com/). i've been told that it's an amazing dining experience, and i can't wait!

if your actual birthday is indicative of the year ahead, then 26 is going to be awesome. i had so much fun last night and all day yesterday, and am so thankful for all of the wonderful people i have in my life.

pandora.com

2007-11-07T08:57:00.000-08:00

for some reason, i feel like recently i have been not so great about discovering new music, and thus have been getting somewhat bored with my usual selection. that is, until i was introduced to pandora.

pandora is this great website that helps us music lovers find new tunes. you enter a few artists you like, a few songs, whatever and BAM - they build a personalized online music "jukebox" just for you. with each song that is played, you can rate it thumbs up or thumbs down to lead the next selection. this is how i found one of my favorite new artists, joshua radin. best of all, it's free.

you can enter as many artists/songs as you like. for me, the best music has come from entering joshua radin, the shins and chris isaak. ok, ok...and brad paisley!

www.pandora.com

a new favorite

2007-11-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

http://www.mollydookerwines.com/web/index.cfm

this is the funniest damn thing i've ever seen

2007-10-31T13:22:00.001-07:00

http://dcist.com/2007/07/19/nbc4_anchors_lo.php

there's nothing worse than...

2007-10-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

a bad carrot.

chivalry is not dead

2007-10-26T09:42:00.000-07:00

like few others of my gender (most of those others are people i call my friends), i am not a man-hater. in fact, i think men are fabulous, and usually happen to be really funny...and quite simple - in a good way.

a small observation: men seem to have this rule that they all abide by - when riding in an elevator with other people, they let all women exit the elevator first before exiting the elevator themselves. it never fails. and when it does, if there is another male on the elevator, he's almost embarrassed by the "betrayer", and holds the door with a smile and a nod for all the ladies as they exit.

i'm not sure where you guys picked this up, but it's much appreciated on our part.

some thoughts

2007-10-19T11:28:00.001-07:00

1. first off, if you think you might have Asperger's, click here:

http://www.piepalace.ca/blog/asperger-test-aq-test

a. if you don't think there is even a chance you might have it because you are way too cool, that means that you probably do
b. i hope it's not airborne

2. i am currently enjoying a new drink at starbucks. the non-fat, sugar-free caramel latte is delicious, and only 2 points (I promise, I'm not an asshole).

3. GO TRIBE!!!

right now on my happy list: starbucks, the restaurant Ella, The Office (if you haven't seen the DVD square clip, please click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgaXnQPbDyQ) and the weather today.

right now on the "other" list: verizon wireless and the boston redsox