Friday, October 23, 2009

Most cozy sweatshirt ever!

You guys all know I am much more a cable-knit sweater and oxford shirt girl than one who wears sweatshirts; however, I could not get this sweatshirt out of my mind since I went to the LL Bean store. I ordered it on Monday and it came on Thursday. It is so soft and perfect for the mid-fall weather in PA.


Oh, my absence, SCHOOL... it has been crazy, but in a good way. The field hockey season is almost over and I am teaching fifth graders and sixth graders for the first time. There is less dorm commitment this year, which is a positive change, even though I feel out of the loop sometimes.

I will post more regularly...promise...keep me to it!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Summer movies

Hangover... a must see because it is SO funny! I went with my neighbor and laughed harder than I had in a long time.

Proposal... this movie was creative and funny, certainly a good chick flick! I loved the Alaska scenery and the message that everything will work out. I left the theater feeling very uplifted.

Up... I saw this movie with my Dad on Father's Day. The movie had amazing animation and had a good message, too.

I am going to see My Sister's Keeper today. I really liked the book; however, I heard the movie has a different message/ ending. We shall see...

Can you tell movies are $4 in Maine and it has been raining? I never see this many movies in the theater in an entire year!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Another great Maine day

Thanks for all your comments on my gift card post. I cannot believe that Mr. Fix-it would expect me to return the gifts. I am happy others concur with this opinion. However, like many things, it was a product of his upbringing. His parents ingrained those types of values in him fairly deeply, which made things difficult to have a serious relationship.

So, here I sit at a lovely little cafe in Maine relaxing and catching up on e-mails/ life. My brother, sister, and some friends were in town for a few days without parents. We had great days of sitting by the lake, swimming, and kayaking. At night, we cooked big communal dinners, drank wine, and enjoyed time together as it is so rare with me living in PA, sister in San Francisco, and brother in NY.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Gift card etiquette... two opposite stories...

Last month, I celebrated my 27th birthday. I was dating Mr. Fix-it and his sister and parents both gave me $20 gift cards. I wrote nice thank you notes and then Mr. Fix-it and I broke up about a week later because we were just too different and the relationship was going nowhere. I saw Mr. Fix-it the other day and he was surprised I did not return the gift cards. Should I have returned the gift cards?

My friends moved up to Maine and I offered to put the stuff that did not fit in the moving truck into my car. I saw them on Friday and we had a lovely day together. They got their stuff and fed me an amazing lunch and dinner. I returned to my parent's house in Maine and saw $50 LL Bean gift card in my e-mail box. This gesture is overly generous. I am going to send a thank you note, but should I also do something like donate money to the new school they are at in their name or should I just appreciate the gesture and order some cool, preppy gear from LL Bean in the fall?

Thanks for your feedback!

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Philadelphia bachelorette party?

Ironically, I could plan a party in NYC a whole lot better than in Philadelphia, even though Phila is much closer to me. Does anyone have any suggestions? We want to do dinner/ dancing, not too expensive or crazy, and very fun for a group of girls.

Thanks for the feedback!

Mrs. Monogram

Do you have bridal showers to go to this summer? Mrs. Monogram was a great help to me... I ordered lovely waterproof cosmetic cases for some lovely brides to be for $18 each with their full names monogrammed on the bags. They have so many colors and font choices.

Check it out: http://www.mrsmonogram.com

Friday, June 12, 2009

I did go to the SALE!

I wandered to King of Prussia to check out the Lilly Sale. I was in a much more frugal mode than last year and only walked out with these two things:


The things in my size were either too plain or too much like what I already have. Cheers to saving money!

However, my friend bought me this for my birthday on Sunday:

Yeah for having one more Lilly item in my closet.

Vineyard Vines... for cheap prices!

http://www.sierratradingpost.com has the following great Vineyard Vines deals:

$17.95 belts

$66 dress

$30 swim trunks- for Father's Day for LPP Dad!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

I did not die...

Why have I not posted for so long?

School
Boarding school is always crazy and the end of the year the pace goes to frantic with parties, graduations, getting kids out of the dorm, giving exams, correcting exams, writing 7-10 sentences on each kid I teach/ live with, ceremonies, and faculty meetings. Today was my annual "crash day" doing almost nothing all day. It was glorious, but I feel bad I was so unproductive at the same time.

Thesis
Minor detail... on June 1st my thesis proposal was due which meant I had to have all the research done and in a certain format to present to my graduate school. Of course, my advisor is nowhere to be found via e-mail or phone to approve said proposal. Grr... I guess this gives me a reason to take a little break for now.

Love Life
Here is my list for my "ideal man":

- college degree
- professional job
- does not live with his parents
- enjoys working out/ eating healthy

I am trying to stretch my comfort zone and decided the next opportunity I had to go out with a guy who did not meet my "list" I would try it. Well, that boy is Mr. Fix-it who I have been seeing 5-6 times a week for two months! He is an electrician and does not have an intense passion for exercise like I do. However, we both love the outdoors, cooking, walking, and spending time with friends. I am trying to get him to start lifting/running. It is going to be an interesting project. On top of this all, he lives in my town. So, advice for you singletons... if you think you would never be happy with a guy that drives around a pick-up truck and still lives with his parents... try it! I like Mr. Fix-it, he may not be the man I want to marry, but he is teaching me more about life and love than I have ever experienced with other guys. He is taking me away for my birthday weekend on Friday- yeah!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Introducing Mr. Fix-it

I would like to introduce a new member of the "cast of characters" in my blog... Mr. Fix-it. We have officially been dating for a month. Unlike Consultant Boy, who lived an hour away, Mr. Fix-it lives less than a mile away... so this explains the lack of posts the last few weeks. Stay tuned for more info... he is knocking at the door to take me out tonight!

Friday, April 24, 2009

So, I may be blowing my clothing budget at LL Bean this spring...

LL Bean just came out with a new line with a "Contemporary Fit." In other words, their clothes will not be baggy... Here are a few of my favorite items:
Of course, I can't decide between the teal or navy skirt. Did I mention they also come in shorts? Maybe teal skirt and navy shorts? There are other new and exciting things at LL Bean, but I will save those for another post!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Bridesmaid Dress Shopping!


My dress in our color, pool. Hate the thing that hangs in the middle... drags on the ground.

I had a NYC bridesmaid dress shopping weekend with some of my girlfriends on Friday/ Saturday. The bride is a people pleaser and with girls in the four corners of the US- DC, Cali, and NY- she chose to get the dresses at David's Bridal.

Pros: lots of colors, styles, around the country, relatively cheap

Cons: TERRIBLE customer service, little selection in stores, not the greatest fit- especially for short women, saleswomen CLEARLY work on commission- told me every dress looked amazing and practically held us hostage before we placed orders

Of course, all the other bridesmaids are size 2-4, small framed, and TALL. So, we got a dress that flatters them. It is not the worst thing in the world, probably won't wear it again. It was a fun weekend of shopping with the girls, however.

I took the train to meet my parents for lunch to celebrate Easter. All in all a successful trip!

3 small world moments:

- In a bar on the UES, we see 4 girls from college we have not seen since I have graduated.
- My college friend is applying to business school, she has been talking to this great guy for advice on which one to choose who she picked randomly from the MBA program's website. He is one of my dearest friends from boarding school, who I saw this Saturday for breakfast.
- I plop down on a train seat to CT and across the aisle is a girl I worked with at my first summer job!

Que pequena mundo es!

iNEEDed one of these!


No boyfriend= no shoulder rubs when I am feeling tense. I decided to solve this problem electronically! I had been looking at one of these for awhile. I got it last week and the verdict is: I love it! It has very HARD pressure. I lay on it before I go to bed and it kneads out the tense knots around my shoulder blades. Does anyone else have those knots? What do you do for them? As for me, the iNEED takes care of some of the tension!

Details: Brookstone $59 (what I usually pay for a massage with tip). They also have a deal that you get a $20 gift certificate for every purchase you make from the store.

Happy Easter


Have a wonderfully pink and green Easter! It was too cold for Lilly here today, but it will be warm soon, I hope!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Quick Check-in

Thank you all for your uplifting comments on Friday night! I had a rough Saturday--ruminating about why I wasted the last seven months of my life and what I was going to do next. I could not eat anything. I went to the gym and ended up having to leave because I started crying. Sunday, fortunately, was much better. I got my appetite back and was able to be productive. It was back to the grind on Monday. One of the great things about my job is that I do not have to much time to think during the week because it is SO busy! First lacrosse game tomorrow... hooray!

Friday, April 3, 2009

Medicine for a broken heart?

So, it happened... A text message this afternoon from Consultant Boy... "I did some thinking this week and we need to talk. Later this afternoon maybe?" He has been amping me up for this weekend... last weekend we talked, said how excited he was to see me... after all, it has been SIX weeks!

He called at about 5... he never felt a "spark" with me and we need to stop dating... why could he have not told me this A MONTH ago and saved my pain and suffering for so long??? So, I have nothing to do this weekend because I had planned it around HIM- ugh!

I am really hurt by this, but glad that I had the experience... back to finding the needle in the haystack :-/.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

New Style Writer-- my friend from high school

My friend from high school was born to be a Style Writer. He has landed a great gig at Radar Online writing about all the newest fashion trends. I am trying to get him to write an article on Lilly's big anniversary. It helps that his step-mother is Angela Moore.

Check out his page: http://www.radaronline.com/category/news/style

A picture of him with Shannon Doherty.


Some of my favorite bracelets from Angela Moore's PINK and GREEN collection!
Nice bright pink and green (would go well with Lilly!)
Classic pink and green whales

How cute!


How cute are these new kids clothes from Vineyard Vines?

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Chillaxin!

Ah... my trip went so smoothly and I am now camped out on my sister's couch in California. I am going to take a walk in this nice warm weather soon... I am just enjoying this relaxation for now. We have big plans for skiing, wine-tasting, and fun the next week. My sister and I bought the exact same "Everyone loves an Irish Girl" t-shirt to celebrate next Tuesday night- hooray!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Blog Reader?

I am finally going to quit Bloglines... I can never get accurate feeds and it is just an annoying interface. I would like an interface where I can make comments easily and does not spaz all the time and list 200 posts as new for 5 of your blogs on a daily basis. Any thoughts? How do you ladies read your blogs?

PS: Can you tell I am on Spring Break and finally have some time to kill?

Ode to small airports...

I have not had the actual flying experience yet, but here is what I like about small airports (why it is worth the extra $$$).

-hardly any traffic on the way to the airport
-super friendly employees
-cheap weekly parking
-less crowds
-no waiting in line
-free Internet

I think I am going to do this more often... maybe not after my tiny connecter plane to DC... we'll see!

The Sisterly Squaw Valley, San Francisco, and Sonoma Soiree!

I am off for an alliterative Spring Break... The Sisterly Squaw Valley, San Francisco, and Sonoma Soiree! I will be going out to CALIFORNIA (perfect timing as it is rainy and 40 degrees here) to see my sister. We will be skiing in Squaw Valley, site-seeing in San Francisco, and sipping wine in Sonoma. It is going to be so fun! I am very lucky to have the time off to do this type of trip. It will be nice to see my sister and her boyfriend. It is also a bonus that my boarding school is having a San Francisco Area Alumni Dinner. Although, I am not Bay Area alumni, I happily called the Alumni Office and got on the invite list. I know about a dozen or so people who will be there. Of course, I also have grand plans to relax, work out, and work on my thesis as well... we shall see what happens!

Sobering Party

My party went off without a hitch on Saturday night! There were 5 unique chilies and plenty of laughs for all; however, there was a markedly different mood than previous years because of the economy. We have not been exempt from the economic crisis that has hit the entire nation and our boss has had to make several "tough decisions." I have been working in overdrive all winter and, for now, my job is safe. I am very thankful and it is going to be hard to say good-bye to some good friends.

Sunday was full of grading and writing extensive comments for all 60 students I teach. It was a beautiful day and I even got outside for some exercise. I went over to dinner at a friend's house. The most sobering thing happened on Monday morning when I woke up with the stomach flu. I hate the stomach flu more than anything! I had not had it in several years. I had my first food on Tuesday night.

Have fun at the Lilly/ Martha event! That show is fun... my uncle was on it last year at this time.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Winter Wonderland

I am trying to enjoy the winter wonderland as I alternate between writing exams, comments, and cleaning my house for the Chili Party. The no Facebook thing is working out really well. I am not as up to date with everyone's lives, but it is nice to free up some time. I am hoping all my students are studying hard for their exams. I made them review flashcards on http://www.quizlet.com which they love! If any of you are taking classes that require memorization of large amounts of words, make some cards on quizlet- it has been a godsend! Back to cleaning...

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Hysterical RSVP

Well, I was about to throw myself a pity party instead of a chili party, then, I received this e-mail from one of my colleagues RSVP'ing for himself and the two other teachers who live in his dorm.

When we've finished our last winter class
We'd love to come share a tall glass
Some chili we'll bring
Your tongue for to sting
And gas to blow straight out your ass

To your domicile many will roam
Seeking beverages brimming with foam
Since no wine had been bought
As your trip was for naught
And your GPS found a new home

The (name of dorm) teachers numbering three
Would like to come eat some chili
We'll laugh with our friends
Hope the night never ends
So consider this our RSVP

Some background, this was my invitation to the faculty:

’Twas the first night of Spring Break
Everyone has been working hard and there are plans to make
The students are all done with their exams
Correcting and writing comments are in our plans

This invitation is sent to bring you good cheer
A night of chili and fun as the spring season comes near
So, get ready to make your chili in your favorite pot--
whether it be vegetarian, mild, or piping hot

It is on Saturday night this year
All the Catholics can eat meat, without fear
If making chili is something your schedule does not permit,
please supplement as you see fit

OK, time to stop with the poetry and work on exams/ student comments.

Friday, February 27, 2009

RSVP etiquette?

Last Thursday (over a week ago), I sent out a paper invitation with a lovely poem inviting people to my annual chili party requesting an RSVP with my phone number/ e-mail. Usually, by this time, several people would have RSVP'd. This year, TWO people have RSVP'd and both can't come (out of about 70 people). I wonder if everyone is just stressed (see previous post) like me or if there is something else wrong... I could also be overanalyzing the situation. The party is a week away... I am hoping the RSVPs start rolling in...

By the way, I gave up Facebook until March 6th (exam day)! I am feeling a little less stressed- thanks to your comments... one thing at a time!

STRESS

We are going through a bit of a meltdown here at Casa LPP. There is one week until Spring Break and I feel as though expectations have jumped from challenging to unreasonable. If I receive any more e-mails saying AND you must do this... I may have a conniption... Already, it has been AND you must have your comments in two days earlier than you usually do, AND you must have your dorm comments in a week and a half early, AND all your comments must be LONGER and more PERSONALIZED, AND you must attend all meals from now until Spring Break, AND you must prepare each student individually for the exams, AND your exams must be written by Monday, AND you must ensure that students do not fail, AND you can not mention that a student is not working hard, AND you must do room inspection and dorm cleanup each day over the weekend, AND you must stay on campus all weekend, AND on top of this all... we are not going to tell you if you have a job next year until the end of March...

Of course, we do all of this, because "we exist here solely to please the students." Can we please the students if the faculty are stretched so thinly that we are about to rip apart, AND have so much stress that it is painful to keep a smile on my face, AND get up at obscenely early hours in the morning to write blog posts only to have to rush to photocopy, go to breakfast, room inspection, dorm inspection... all before the day begins???

END RANT

Monday, February 23, 2009

CB's sense of humor


In the midst of the GPS massacre of 2009, I forgot to mention a funny story from the weekend. When arranging the date, Consultant Boy asked if I wanted to have threesome. He was at the car wash and I could not hear him well, so I thought he was asking if I wanted to have A threesome... NO! He laughed and told me to go to http://www.thumbprintcellars.com. They have a special wine called "Three some" which combines Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. They also have wines called "Four play" and "Climax." The wine was amazing and definitely was a lot more comfortable for me than the alternative!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Lost

After a so-so night with Consultant Boy (he did not do anything to make up for Valentine's Day- pizza, boggle- really simple, but OK) I go to my car to find that it has been broken into and my GPS is GONE! I freaked out, but counted my blessings. My gym bag was in the back seat and still had my ipod/ running shoes. The GPS is just an object and can be replaced. Half the reason I went down to seee CB was to go to a wonderful HUGE wine store that beats the PA wine selection by A LOT! Of course, CB said it opened at 9, but I arrive and it opens at noon. I was planning on picking up some interesting wine for a party I am having in two weeks. I found my way back to my gym without a problem, although I know my GPS would have taken me a quicker way. The GPS was not too expensive to replace (thanks, Amazon!), but not what I need to spend money on now. CB and I are not going to see each other for a month because of conflicting schedules... he is in NYC next weekend, Vermont the weekend after that, I am in California the weekend after, and he is at his sister's house for the weekend for his niece's birthday. He did not seem too upset about this arrangement. Perhaps this will be a good time for me to sit back, think, and entertain my options.
It is the week before exams at school, so it will be busy. Spring Break is on the horizon... 7 more days of classes. The first day of Spring Break means I host a chili cookoff for the entire faculty and staff. It is always so much work, but tons of fun... Off to cleaning and watching the Oscars!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

The Roller Coaster of Life

Happy Valentine's Day, Ladies! I have been on quite the roller coaster... Consultant Boy was originally supposed to be in Chicago this weekend and I was thrilled when he messaged me on Thursday night to say that he was home. Unfortunately, he called me on Friday and explained to me how backed up he was on a project. His team has been reduced in size due to staff cutbacks and he did not get much done at work this week because people asked him questions all day. I invited him over for dinner and he said he would get back to me. He did not get back to me until 3:30 today and wants to do something next weekend because he is going to be working so much. To top it off, he did not even say "Happy Valentine's Day" to me. I am not huge into Valentine's Day, but when you have been dating someone since September, he just needs to say it. I am so bummed and sitting around crying, etc... I did invite my neighbor over for dinner and hope she comes.

On to happier things, the girls loved the personalized heart-shaped sugar cookies I made for them. They took pictures of them and were so excited. It is nice to know someone appreciates what I do!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Recession-proof Pedicure

Everyone wants to get their toes nice for Valentine's day... or the spring-like weather we have been having here... but who can spring for a pedicure in these tough times?

I am trying to put together a pedicure routine, but struggled with the dead skin on my feet. Finally, a cheap solution... Vaseline. I slather my feet with the stuff and then put on old socks, go to bed, and after two nights-- baby soft feet! Hooray!

Any more fun, cheap ideas... bring them on!

Monday, February 9, 2009

Self-improvement day

In order to be constantly giving myself to others, I need to have a little self-improvement every so often. I worked out today and then treated myself to a massage at the gym. In between my shoulder blades gets so knotted up with stress, it is good to have someone else work out the tension every once in a awhile. I had an eye doctors appointment for the first time in five years (!) and came out with new glasses, etc... for only $52. I am very thankful for good health insurance. I bribed myself with a Passion Iced Tea at Starbucks to sit and grade for a few hours and then was off for a therapist appointment. I have only met with this woman a few times and am not quite sure how I feel about her. I am going to see her because I need someone to give me strategies on how to deal with anxiety and it is good to have someone to talk to outside of my friends, family, and colleagues. Overall, I am well-rested to start a, what I call, an "all gas and no brake" stretch of school until Spring Break!

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Sunday, Lazy Sunday

I have not had a real lazy Sunday in a LONG time. I got up late and my friend called to have lunch at his house and play Scrabble. I beat him for the first time in awhile. He made a hot dog casserole that was a little salty, but one of his mom's famous recipes, so I ate it. I went to the gym and now i am just chilling at home. My chicken fajitas last night were awesome and I have some leftovers! I also am loving this 50 degree heat wave- hooray!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

More garlic (and wine), please!

The students and I had a great day skiing, despite the -10 degree windchill. I am still sore- yeah! I was officially off duty this morning and went to yoga, did errands, etc... Consultant Boy called and he has dinner with his family tonight and is orienting a friend to Philadelphia who might be moving here for a job. So, despite my free weekend, we cannot hang out. Bummer! I said that he should come over for dinner next weekend (VALENTINE'S DAY). I have NEVER had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day... Now, this is when I pick up another mini-rant on the economy... He is going to be with his client (most likely) ALL weekend! Trying to save the company he is working for while securing his own job. Ugh! He said: "Maybe we will hang out in a couple of weekends, but don't worry- I will call you."

So, tonight, I cooked up a bubbling skillet of chicken fajitas with plenty of garlic and a sipping a chardonnay (I realized I almost forgot how to use a corkscrew- Consultant Boy usually does this). I redboxed two movies and am enjoying a night in with just me... for a change...

Bring on the garlic... don't have to worry about the bad breath tonight!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Update

Thank you all for your sweet comments on my teaching post.

The agenda for this afternoon is CLEANING, CLEANING, and more CLEANING! My apartment looks unfit for someone to live in it. I hereby am banning myself for the computer for the afternoon/ night to get this goal accomplished.

After I finish, I may watch:

Last weekend, I went hiking and then went down to see Consultant Boy. We watched Slumdog Millionaire- it was amazing! We walked around his neighborhood the next day and went out to lunch. The rest of the day was just relaxing-- playing boggle, watching the tennis match, and then the Super Bowl. I met his best friend (good sign- right?) and stayed late on Sunday night. Needless to say, this week I was exhausted and I can't wait to catch up on some sleep. I also think it is a good idea for me to keep off match.com looking for his profile activity. It upsets me too much.

We have long weekend starting today and classes again on Tuesday- hooray for that!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

All in a day's work

With the current economic downturn, I have many friends who are quitting/ losing their jobs and trying to "make a difference in the world." Many of them are lured by a job that has the summers off and gets out a 3PM-- teaching! I need to be balanced in my discussion of the realities of teaching. Each day I teach a kid something- and usually something about more than just history- about life. I truly feel I make a difference with the students I teach. I also love the process of intellectual growth. I will often teach about a subject I never studied--like the Arab-Israeli Conflict--do a whole bunch of research and then try to make the subject accessible and interesting to a group of 12-13 year olds. I thrive on the challenge. But, all of this comes from a lot of REALLY hard work. Those summers and afternoons "off" are often spent tirelessly preparing for the next school year.

I am not sure why all this is hitting me at once, but I do so much for my students. Just tonight, I wrote about 10 e-mails to students and parents who had a last minute question about my test tomorrow... and of course, I am writing the tests, after all the review sheets, Jeopardy review games, and lessons. This is all while I am taking care of the girls in the dorm... lots of drama tonight- it happens with teenage girls! Off to take brownies out of the oven... just baked for a 14th birthday tomorrow!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

25 Random Things

I just did this for Facebook, and thought I would share with everyone!

1. I always park far away in parking lots. I don’t want to fuss over getting a spot and usually enjoy the walk.

2. I cannot parallel park for the life of me. I have been in several situations when it would have been easier to parallel park, but I have always found a way out of it.

3. The mile took me 18 minutes in elementary school, back when I loved to swim and hated to run. I could have never imagined enjoying exercising as much as I do now.

4. I have been to 19 countries, largely spurred by a semester living (and sometimes studying) in Maastricht, Netherlands.

5. I spent a year working at a military boarding school in the middle of nowhere and LOVED it!

6. In my adult life, I have never paid for cable television. I still have rabbit ears on top of my TV catching whatever they can get.

7. I grew up attached to a dorm of 40 teenaged boys listening to their colorful language each night.

8. My family begins each year writing compliments to one another. It is interesting to look back on previous years and nice to pull out some compliments whenever I am down.

9. One random goal I have is to be self-sufficient enough that I will not need to buy IKEA furniture again. I hate putting it together and always seem to mess up somewhere—example my bookcase that still is not always together.

10. I love to bake—I just got a KitchenAid mixer. My favorite things to bake are brownies and my grandma’s banana bread.

11. I do not understand why some people do not have EZPass and am more perplexed why those people drive in the EZPass lane and try to merge at the last minute.

12. I am more productive and effective when I do things last minute—this leads to a lot of stressful moments.

13. I look forward to sending Christmas cards each year. I usually send about 150 and write personal notes on all of them.

14. I wanted to be on “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego” so much when I was younger that I wrote a letter and was devastated to hear that they only had contestants from the Los Angeles area. Now, I teach Geography!

15. My high school mascot is a rhino and is the reason I have a significant collection of rhino memorabilia.

16. I wanted to tour Yale when I was in fourth grade—getting ahead on my college search.

17. I was born with my left eye shut and have had eye surgeries to correct the issue. My Dad said I winked at everyone and I would not stop winking.

18. My brother and sister could not pronounce my name and called me Dee Dee… the name still arises sometimes. I like my other nickname better—Beena.

19. When I was two, my mother made me a stuffed cookie monster and I slept with it each night until I was 12, when I lost it at camp. My mother found the pattern on E-Bay and gave it to me as a surprise when I was 22.

20. I have hiked sections of the Appalachian Trail in nine states- Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

21. I went to camp in Baxter State Park, Maine. It was $400 for four weeks. My mother called to ask if they served us food, they did.

22. I want to run a marathon at some point in my life.

23. I have little to no musical talent as one of the only students not to play in the band and the one who got the chorus all off key. I do like singing in the car and in the shower, however.

24. I am very thankful for Interlibrary Loan and do a lot of “reading” via books on CD.

25. I am almost done with my Master's degree. I want to get another degree, but I am not sure in what just yet.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Easy Italian Dinner...

I love cooking, but only do it when I have company. So, tonight I made this for myself. Some girls from the dorm actually stopped by because it smelled so good, and I happily shared. I recommend this recipe..... it is easy and tasty!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Nothing to do... almost!

I went to yoga this morning and had a fantastic class. The crowds are thinning out from the January rush "new year's" people. I came home and realized I had NO plans! Normally, I would hurry to figure something out and call people, but I decided to ban myself from the computer until 5PM and get stuff done around the house. I scrubbed, laundered, organized, sorted, and read. However, I just got a call from a girl I take excercise classes with and she wants to hang out tonight. I am off to see her now. It was a nice five hours of bliss without anything to do!

Consultant Boy had to drive back to Connecticut for a friend's father's funeral. He has contacted me each day this week and has not been active on match.com. I could spend all my time obsessing over his life, but I have decided not to. I like him is a person and we have a really nice time together. It took me until now to decide I wanted to commit and doesn't it take men longer? I am going to let it go for another month or so and see what happens.

Have a great weekend, ladies!

Monday, January 19, 2009

Too good to be true

I am slowly defrosting from what was a freezing week in the Phila area. I focused on my classes and putting together an application for a summer teaching program. My boss wrote me a recommendation for the program and it was incredible. I never knew how much she appreciated what I do for the school. Friday night was relaxing... BodyPump and BodyCombat at the gym and then home to watch a movie. I saw The Story of Us-- a wonderful romantic comedy.

On Saturday, I did yoga and then was off for my LONG anticipated date with Consultant Boy. We got take out from his favorite Italian resturaunt and ate in with some good wine. I was cold and he offered me his sweatshirt... and said I looked like a "girl in her boyfriend's sweatshirt." Ah... that would have been the best moment to say, "Am I your girlfriend?" We watched Wanted (it was OK- good action flick) and I asked him if he was dating anyone else or looking to date anyone else. He said no, "It's only you LPP." So, I was REALLY happy. He confirmed it was just me.

I should have just let myself be blissed out. I went on Facebook and he put up a picture of himself as his profile picture with two girls. Earlier in our dating (in November) I checked on match.com to see if there was anyone on there in his area and his age. Sure enough, he was on there, but we had not clarified anything yet. I went on today and not only is he still there he JUST updated his profile and was active within 24 hours. This is so upsetting because he said that he was not looking to date anyone else... I am not sure if I should just enjoy our time together- we do have a really good time- and ignore this OR if I need to bring it up with him. I know I am spying and don't want him to think our relationship is about spying on each other, but I guess he and I have different definitions of what "not seeing other people" is.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Productive Weekend

The weekend is over, but it was productive. It snowed some, which is exciting for some skiing this week. I got some schoolwork done and tons of housecleaning/ laundry. Sadly, I did not see Consultant Boy because I had to be on campus all weekend. We did talk on the phone and online. I was so excited to see him next weekend; however, he wants to get Eagles tickets to Arizona- ugh!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Chick Lit Review

I had a chance to read some great "Chick Literature" over vacation. This series I found particularly amusing about a girl, Chelsea, and her crazy family/ life.
Chelsea Handler's first book My Horizontal Life is a little crude, but hilarious. She definitely spends some time experimenting with different types of guys and has interesting friendships along the way.

When I saw this title, I thought of one of my childhood favorites Are you there God, It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume. This book was way beyond the innocent content of Blume's, but chronicles the adventures of the same character (Chelsea) from My Horizontal Life.

Overall, if you are looking for some laugh out loud, somewhat raunchy, humor to spice up your day, reading this series would be a good idea to cure the winter blues.

The Talk

Consultant Boy has returned from Europe and I am nervous because we have not had "the talk" yet about whether or not we are exclusive. We have been dating since September and spend a fair amount of time together, despite our schedules. Consultant Boy works in Chicago Mon- Thurs and I am busy during the week as well. We see each other on weekends and keep in touch through e-mail and over the phone during the week. He basically works from 7am- midnight in Chicago doing his consulting gig. He plans very nice dates and pays for everything. For example, he has cooked me a multi-course meal complete with proper wine pairings and taken me to nice places/ restaurants. I do not know whether or not to keep on enjoying this "phase" of mystery or to come out and ask if he is dating anyone else. I do not want to scare him into thinking I am too eager about our relationship, but I also do not want him to think I am so casual about things that he can date other girls. I did not have this "talk" with him before Europe because I wanted him to enjoy himself and not worry. We did end up talking over the computer every day for quite awhile. He is back in the states and e-mailed me his photos of his vacation last night and we talked online last night. He has not set up a date for this weekend... I guess Tuesday is a little early. He said he bought me some Belgian chocolates, but did not give me a Christmas present before leaving. So, I guess I am having trouble figuring out how serious our relationship is and what to do next. I have never had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day and don't want to mess things up with just a little over a month to go. Any feedback? Thanks!

Not off to a stellar start.

I decided to get my car inspected at the dealership because it is cheaper than at the local mechanic. I, unfortunately, had my front lower arm control bushings slightly cracked and if they cracked all the way, my tire alignment and steering would be destroyed. I feel bad that I do not know much about cars, but was able to google some things at the dealership. Needless to say, $760 (!!!) later I had these "bushings" replaced and some fluids flushed, etc... This was not a good way to start the year. However, I feel fortunate that I plan for things like this to come up and I had the money to do it. It was not absolutely necessary, but I would rather not ruin my car or end up stranded. I wonder and worry about people that live paycheck to paycheck with every penny budgeted.

All was good because my ebay steal, a new Lilly skirt, had arrived. I went to pick it up, lo and behold, it was a GIRLS 10, not a Ladies 10. Bummer. But, it is so cute... it is back to ebay, to a friend, or who knows.How cute is this skirt?

Today will be busy... first day of class after break and I have some new students in my classes and dorm.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Sprint Phones

Does anyone have Sprint phone service? Do you like your phone? I would love some feedback. I just need the phone for very basic things-- talking and texting. I have no desire to be completely tethered to my e-mail at all times. Thanks for the feedback!

Friday, January 2, 2009

2009

Wow, 2008 was quite a year. Just a few things that happened...

- skied a lot over the winter, here on Wednesdays and a trip here
- got my heart broken right before Valentine's Day
- threw a Chili Party at my apartment for the entire faculty/ staff
- went to take a course towards my Master's degree in Alabama about Civil Rights- a fascinating experience
- coached the lacrosse team to win the league championships for the first time ever
- helped my mother get through an illness and then surgery
- took three grad classes over the summer and finished all my coursework
- started my thesis
- moved and decorated a new classroom
- coached field hockey again
- went on a first date with Consultant Boy in September and we have been seeing each other ever since
- bought my first pair of brand new skis and boots
- celebrated the holidays with family and friends

What do I hope to do in 2009?
- Finish the Master's degree
- Continue to stay in shape and eat healthy meals
- Develop my relationship with Consultant Boy
- Learn how to minimize stress/ people pleasing
- Slowly start to update things in my life- for example, I just bought a new sheet set/ duvet/ comforter because the one I had was a $30 bed in bag from Filenes...
- Take some trips- Tahoe is on the radar for March and somewhere in the summer...

My New Year's was good... I had appetizers at a neighbors house, then dinner at my boss's house, and then went to another neighbor's for dessert. It is called a Progressive Dinner Party. It was nice not to have to drive. I usually have the dinner at my house, but this year I was getting back from Maine too late. I was over the moon when I saw that Consultant Boy had gotten up at 6AM to call me from Barcelona, where he is on vacation. Ah... I want to see him soon!

Here's to 2009!