No one's gloomy or complaining, While the flatware's entertaining!
Weekend in Review (Quick Summary: it wasn't fantastic, but it could have been worse!):
* I discovered on my drive home Friday night that my windshield has a crack in it, damnit. Grrrrrrrrr.... Poor Godiva :(
* Parents did not make it over from Wenatchee, due to weather/storms in the passes. BOO! All this cleaning wasted (I know, I know, it needed to be done...). They called Thursday night upon realizing they wouldn't be able to drive, and wanted to get train tickets. You can't book tickets online at that late of notice for Wenatchee, because they don't have any place to pick up said tickets. So I spent half an hour on hold with Amtrak ("Thank you for waiting, your hold time is thirty one minutes," cut to Elton John Muzak, lather, rinse and repeat), and got them reservations that they could pay for once on board the train. New schedule was leaving Wenatchee at 5:30am, arriving Seattle 10am, matinee at 2pm for Riverdance.
Cut to 8am Saturday morning. My phone rings, and it's my parents... they haven't even left Wenatchee! The train was delayed coming out of Chicago and then again from Spokane because of the weather. The train wasn't even due to arrive in Wenatchee until 10am at the earliest, which means they would get here too late. So they cancelled the reservations, and let Shawn and I take the tickets. I have to say, I was really disappointed. I look forward to my parents vists, and Mom has always wanted to see Riverdance and this was their farewell tour. But, I guess things happen like this, and I can't fight the weather (yet... someday, someday, all will bow to my dominance, yes?).
* So Shawn and I went to Riverdance, as no one was available to take the 3rd ticket. We almost didn't get in, as the tickets printed off my PDF funny, so they scanned okay, but they didn't print the seat information, just gobbeldy-gook. So the box office had to look it up by name, and I felt like a prize idiot for not noticing. And at this point, the only thing I was waiting for was an 8-block walk in heels in the rain to make it a trifecta of problems!
The show was really good, the quickness of the dancing is INCREDIBLE. My only bones to pick were at the beginning, where the male lead fell on his ass, although he got right back up and the only thing that gave it away (besides the fact that Irish dancing does not involve breakdancing) was the momentary look on his face of "wait, that wasn't supposed to happen!" And then at the end of the 1st act, when the company came out, the women were in skin-tight, ice-blue, irridescent dresses that showed every little jiggle of every breast on the stage. A highly uncomplimentary costume even to women as obviously fit as they were.
The Russian Dervish dancers and the Flamenco dancer were lovely as well. The storyline was "Riverdance: A Journey" and had much pagan symbolism in the setting of the dances. A great performance, I only wish my parents could have been there!
As planned, we followed up with dinner at Jak's - prime porterhouse for him, butternut squash ravioli for me! As always, the food was delicious and the service impeccable. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite restaurants, mmmmm. I know that if I can learn how to cook steaks like this, I will be able to keep Shawn around forever and ever.
* My man is having major back problems. He did a lot of motor replacements last week, and even though he had a helper he was lifting and installing multiple 200 lb. motors. He was clearly in a lot of pain all weekend, and I tried to help with a massage, but he thinks it's more in the spine than in the musculature. I told him to get thee to a chiropractor! I am worried about him. :(
* Super Bowl Sunday at Allison's house, to which I attempted to take a lemon meringue pie... which turned out to be lemon meringue gunk instead. On the plus side, I'd had the foresight to wrap it up well before transporting it, so it didn't spill all over the car. But still, a failure at making pie (instant jello + instant pudding + premade crust + whipped cream = fail?). However, somebody brought a bucket of cream puffs from Costco and that satisfied me. And I was worried that there would be a confrontation, as Allison had invited the Dumbletwit Fucktard Loser, but sadly, he's in the hospital getting his large intestine removed. Boo hoo. Otherwise, a fun party, and yay for the Giants (I didn't care who won, although I was somewhat rooting for the Patriots just because Tom Brady is hunky despite all of his baby-mama drama).
So, it was not my usual weekend of win. But I guess it has to balance out somehow, right? And really, it wasn't all that bad, some parts of it were really nice and really fun. I just kinda felt like things weren't going quite the way I wanted them to (learn to let it go, Ash, let it go...)
I wanted to check on how I'm doing for my goals for 2008.
1. More financial responsibility.
Well, I did get a nice raise and bonus, so that will help. I need, need, need to start keeping my checkbook updated more, so that still needs work. However, I have plans for the extra money, including: paying back Mom & Dad for the deductible from my hit and run (planned for Friday), increase my 401(k) contribution back up to 5% from 4%, pay off Comcast overage and finish Best Buy card (should be done this month, next month at latest), setting up a new CD at Cascade Federal (planned for Saturday). This is a lot of money going out this week, with rent and all, but it will be good in the long run to get the interest building on the savings and CDs and paying off the cards.
Still to do: Put more money back into savings, budget for fun stuff like a Banya5 pass and nights out along with the bills. Overall, this is progressing pretty well, but time will tell.
2. Read 75 books this year.
I know I haven't posted any book reviews yet, but trust me, it's coming. I happen to be on my 11th book so far, but since they have all been from the same series I figured I would just save up and give a general review all at once. Plus I just bought 6 more!
3. Better organization overall.
I need, need, need to go a little Stacy & Clinton/What Not to Wear on my closet - I have a crapton of clothes that I need to get rid of, and I've started on this, but I really just need to purge it thoroughly. Also, I should go through my books and get rid of more, and get a new bookshelf for the ones I'm keeping as well as my recipes (have discussed having book exchanges with people online, should follow up on that...). Should also work on managing my time better at work! Like not updating LJ, right?
I have gotten a pretty new recipe file and started a recipe blog (cooking_thyme, yes, I know I need to update it). But as noted above, need to work on the checkbook thing. I also got a lovely new address book, to help with all that type of stuff (note: need to send out thank you notes from Christmas/Birthday!).
4. Lose 20 lbs. In a safe, healthy way involving excercise.
Well, I'm excercising twice a week, although my doctor told me a couple of weeks ago to up it to 5 times. Weight Watchers is being offered at work for the lovely price of $180, which would not be conducive to keeping goal #1. I have to admit, I've been eating a lot more of what I've felt like rather than what I should have. Candy instead of fruit, pizza instead of sandwich, that kind of thing. I know better! Although people have been saying lately that I look like I've lost weight, my clothes still aren't fitting quite right, in fact my pants are getting distinctly tight around the thighs and butt.
I am going to try to start working out once more per week at the office, and once an evening at home (there are excercise programs on Free OnDemand). Look at signing up for Body by Glamour, or doing Weight Watchers online (I think it's $12/month) for the food issues. Progress has not really happened in this, and I know it's because I really don't like dieting OR excercising. Also, get back into Aerial.
Sidenote: I've been thinking a lot about how I lost a lot of weight in London. That was because I walked a couple of miles a day just between home and Tube stops and school, but also because we went out and DID a lot of stuff, like museums or taking tours through certain areas. Some days we walked for hours and hours(do you remember this, eriksdb?). My feet used to hurt because naturally I did it all in high-heeled boots! In contrast, nowadays I sit on my tushy a lot at work. I want to get out and explore Seattle more, does anyone want to be an Exploring Buddy, to take tours and get cool pictures and learn about our neat little city? I remember talking to native Londoners, and many of them had never explored the city they lived in, and I don't want to take Seattle for granted like that. I will be resposting this part later, because I highly doubt anyone's still reading this majorly long entry!!!
5. Begin laying groundwork for career change.
Honestly, have not started much yet. First step will be to get a membership at MOHAI so that I can start volunteering (fuck, when am I going to find the time?), but I had to wait for the raise to be able to afford it. This will get me connections within the field and the community to assist with grad school recommendations.
Next step will be to take some additional training classes at work on Excel, Outlook, etc. It will look good on a resume. I've already taken one on How to Look, Act and Dress Like You Mean Business. Even if I don't leave McK for a while, it will look good for my record there, too! This is all going to be important in the long run, but it's going to be a long process. Baby steps.
Now I'm going to watch Law & Order: SVU (or possibly something on Free OnDemand) and do my nails. This WILL be a good week, yes? I need to make an Amaretto cheesecake for an office birthday (and as a trial run for Lupercalia), I do hope it turns out! So I will leave you with a picture of my Pistachio Pudding Cups from Girl's Night on Thursday:
* I discovered on my drive home Friday night that my windshield has a crack in it, damnit. Grrrrrrrrr.... Poor Godiva :(
* Parents did not make it over from Wenatchee, due to weather/storms in the passes. BOO! All this cleaning wasted (I know, I know, it needed to be done...). They called Thursday night upon realizing they wouldn't be able to drive, and wanted to get train tickets. You can't book tickets online at that late of notice for Wenatchee, because they don't have any place to pick up said tickets. So I spent half an hour on hold with Amtrak ("Thank you for waiting, your hold time is thirty one minutes," cut to Elton John Muzak, lather, rinse and repeat), and got them reservations that they could pay for once on board the train. New schedule was leaving Wenatchee at 5:30am, arriving Seattle 10am, matinee at 2pm for Riverdance.
Cut to 8am Saturday morning. My phone rings, and it's my parents... they haven't even left Wenatchee! The train was delayed coming out of Chicago and then again from Spokane because of the weather. The train wasn't even due to arrive in Wenatchee until 10am at the earliest, which means they would get here too late. So they cancelled the reservations, and let Shawn and I take the tickets. I have to say, I was really disappointed. I look forward to my parents vists, and Mom has always wanted to see Riverdance and this was their farewell tour. But, I guess things happen like this, and I can't fight the weather (yet... someday, someday, all will bow to my dominance, yes?).
* So Shawn and I went to Riverdance, as no one was available to take the 3rd ticket. We almost didn't get in, as the tickets printed off my PDF funny, so they scanned okay, but they didn't print the seat information, just gobbeldy-gook. So the box office had to look it up by name, and I felt like a prize idiot for not noticing. And at this point, the only thing I was waiting for was an 8-block walk in heels in the rain to make it a trifecta of problems!
The show was really good, the quickness of the dancing is INCREDIBLE. My only bones to pick were at the beginning, where the male lead fell on his ass, although he got right back up and the only thing that gave it away (besides the fact that Irish dancing does not involve breakdancing) was the momentary look on his face of "wait, that wasn't supposed to happen!" And then at the end of the 1st act, when the company came out, the women were in skin-tight, ice-blue, irridescent dresses that showed every little jiggle of every breast on the stage. A highly uncomplimentary costume even to women as obviously fit as they were.
The Russian Dervish dancers and the Flamenco dancer were lovely as well. The storyline was "Riverdance: A Journey" and had much pagan symbolism in the setting of the dances. A great performance, I only wish my parents could have been there!
As planned, we followed up with dinner at Jak's - prime porterhouse for him, butternut squash ravioli for me! As always, the food was delicious and the service impeccable. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite restaurants, mmmmm. I know that if I can learn how to cook steaks like this, I will be able to keep Shawn around forever and ever.
* My man is having major back problems. He did a lot of motor replacements last week, and even though he had a helper he was lifting and installing multiple 200 lb. motors. He was clearly in a lot of pain all weekend, and I tried to help with a massage, but he thinks it's more in the spine than in the musculature. I told him to get thee to a chiropractor! I am worried about him. :(
* Super Bowl Sunday at Allison's house, to which I attempted to take a lemon meringue pie... which turned out to be lemon meringue gunk instead. On the plus side, I'd had the foresight to wrap it up well before transporting it, so it didn't spill all over the car. But still, a failure at making pie (instant jello + instant pudding + premade crust + whipped cream = fail?). However, somebody brought a bucket of cream puffs from Costco and that satisfied me. And I was worried that there would be a confrontation, as Allison had invited the Dumbletwit Fucktard Loser, but sadly, he's in the hospital getting his large intestine removed. Boo hoo. Otherwise, a fun party, and yay for the Giants (I didn't care who won, although I was somewhat rooting for the Patriots just because Tom Brady is hunky despite all of his baby-mama drama).
So, it was not my usual weekend of win. But I guess it has to balance out somehow, right? And really, it wasn't all that bad, some parts of it were really nice and really fun. I just kinda felt like things weren't going quite the way I wanted them to (learn to let it go, Ash, let it go...)
I wanted to check on how I'm doing for my goals for 2008.
1. More financial responsibility.
Well, I did get a nice raise and bonus, so that will help. I need, need, need to start keeping my checkbook updated more, so that still needs work. However, I have plans for the extra money, including: paying back Mom & Dad for the deductible from my hit and run (planned for Friday), increase my 401(k) contribution back up to 5% from 4%, pay off Comcast overage and finish Best Buy card (should be done this month, next month at latest), setting up a new CD at Cascade Federal (planned for Saturday). This is a lot of money going out this week, with rent and all, but it will be good in the long run to get the interest building on the savings and CDs and paying off the cards.
Still to do: Put more money back into savings, budget for fun stuff like a Banya5 pass and nights out along with the bills. Overall, this is progressing pretty well, but time will tell.
2. Read 75 books this year.
I know I haven't posted any book reviews yet, but trust me, it's coming. I happen to be on my 11th book so far, but since they have all been from the same series I figured I would just save up and give a general review all at once. Plus I just bought 6 more!
3. Better organization overall.
I need, need, need to go a little Stacy & Clinton/What Not to Wear on my closet - I have a crapton of clothes that I need to get rid of, and I've started on this, but I really just need to purge it thoroughly. Also, I should go through my books and get rid of more, and get a new bookshelf for the ones I'm keeping as well as my recipes (have discussed having book exchanges with people online, should follow up on that...). Should also work on managing my time better at work! Like not updating LJ, right?
I have gotten a pretty new recipe file and started a recipe blog (cooking_thyme, yes, I know I need to update it). But as noted above, need to work on the checkbook thing. I also got a lovely new address book, to help with all that type of stuff (note: need to send out thank you notes from Christmas/Birthday!).
4. Lose 20 lbs. In a safe, healthy way involving excercise.
Well, I'm excercising twice a week, although my doctor told me a couple of weeks ago to up it to 5 times. Weight Watchers is being offered at work for the lovely price of $180, which would not be conducive to keeping goal #1. I have to admit, I've been eating a lot more of what I've felt like rather than what I should have. Candy instead of fruit, pizza instead of sandwich, that kind of thing. I know better! Although people have been saying lately that I look like I've lost weight, my clothes still aren't fitting quite right, in fact my pants are getting distinctly tight around the thighs and butt.
I am going to try to start working out once more per week at the office, and once an evening at home (there are excercise programs on Free OnDemand). Look at signing up for Body by Glamour, or doing Weight Watchers online (I think it's $12/month) for the food issues. Progress has not really happened in this, and I know it's because I really don't like dieting OR excercising. Also, get back into Aerial.
Sidenote: I've been thinking a lot about how I lost a lot of weight in London. That was because I walked a couple of miles a day just between home and Tube stops and school, but also because we went out and DID a lot of stuff, like museums or taking tours through certain areas. Some days we walked for hours and hours(do you remember this, eriksdb?). My feet used to hurt because naturally I did it all in high-heeled boots! In contrast, nowadays I sit on my tushy a lot at work. I want to get out and explore Seattle more, does anyone want to be an Exploring Buddy, to take tours and get cool pictures and learn about our neat little city? I remember talking to native Londoners, and many of them had never explored the city they lived in, and I don't want to take Seattle for granted like that. I will be resposting this part later, because I highly doubt anyone's still reading this majorly long entry!!!
5. Begin laying groundwork for career change.
Honestly, have not started much yet. First step will be to get a membership at MOHAI so that I can start volunteering (fuck, when am I going to find the time?), but I had to wait for the raise to be able to afford it. This will get me connections within the field and the community to assist with grad school recommendations.
Next step will be to take some additional training classes at work on Excel, Outlook, etc. It will look good on a resume. I've already taken one on How to Look, Act and Dress Like You Mean Business. Even if I don't leave McK for a while, it will look good for my record there, too! This is all going to be important in the long run, but it's going to be a long process. Baby steps.
Now I'm going to watch Law & Order: SVU (or possibly something on Free OnDemand) and do my nails. This WILL be a good week, yes? I need to make an Amaretto cheesecake for an office birthday (and as a trial run for Lupercalia), I do hope it turns out! So I will leave you with a picture of my Pistachio Pudding Cups from Girl's Night on Thursday:
