tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23164470511538449502024-03-06T03:02:48.003-05:00Girl Meets WorldKristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-65502943241114479652011-03-09T18:06:00.000-05:002011-03-09T18:06:05.112-05:00No Longer a Virgin..I'm so excited!! I'm no longer an award virgin! The lovely Simmarah over at <a href="http://thedatingritual.com/"><span style="color: red;">The Dating Ritual</span></a> just gave me the Stylin' Award! Fun, right? This is my first so I'm pretty pumped.<br />
<br />
Now here are the rules that I need to follow in order to accept this award.<br />
<br />
<ul><li>1. Present seven things about yourself.</li>
<li>2. Name about a half-dozen bloggers you think deserve the award. Contact those people.</li>
<li>3. Create a link back to the person who gave you the honor.</li>
</ul><br />
Let the fun begin!: <br />
<u>7 things</u><br />
<br />
- I dont have my ears pierced<br />
- I graduated college before I could legally go to the bar<br />
- I have a ridiculous addiction to shopping<br />
- On average I read about a book every week<br />
- I have next to zero patience<br />
- Growing up, I moved 13 times in 11 years<br />
- I'm dating my mom's best friends' son<br />
<br />
Now for those I choose to give the award to... drum roll please....<br />
<span style="font-family: Segoe Print;"><span style="font-family: Segoe Print;"><span lang=""></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ldncitygirl.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">Tales of a London City Girl</span></a><br />
<a href="http://living4london.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">Across the Pond</span></a><br />
<a href="http://sloppy2.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">Sex and the Shitty</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.miss-melissa.com/"><span style="color: red;">Miss Melissa</span></a><br />
<span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.absolutelynarcissism.com/"><span style="color: red;">Absolut</span><span style="color: red;">ely Narcissism</span></a></span><br />
<a href="http://www.boyfriendwhispererblog.com/"><span style="color: red;">The Boyfriend Whisperer</span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks again Simmarah! Make sure you all check out the blogs above - my faves for sure!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
xoxo<br />
<br />
Kristy </span></span>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-49110802393971525112011-03-04T12:00:00.000-05:002011-03-04T12:00:10.144-05:00Relationship Commandments<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Commandment #1 – <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Know Thyself</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What a simple concept. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of us think that we know ourselves fairly well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we’re single and immersed in the dating life, we know what’s important to us, what we’re looking for, what we’ll stand for and what we won’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That confidence and drive is what makes us oh-so-attractive to the opposite sex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also makes us feel good about ourselves.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Frequently, when we get into a long term relationship with someone, we pick up some of their traits, habits, jargon, and mannerisms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in turn, they do the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You both make concessions and compromises and eventually fall into a comfortable routine wherein you become a twosome rather than a one+one.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>Which brings me to my next point…</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Commandment #2 – <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Keep Thyself</b> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All too often, when we become the said twosome, we lose our “one”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along the way, the once witty, charming, fun person we once were becomes someone who would rather sit on the couch than go somewhere with no direction in mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A comment we would once laugh at, or have an immediate retort to, becomes just another remark that requires nothing more than a glance and an eye-roll. Although this person looks and sounds unfamiliar to you, you know that these actions and these words are coming out of <em>your</em> mouth. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So you rationalize, you make excuses; You have responsibilites now. People grow up. People change. We can't all possibly be the same person we were 2, 5, 10 years ago.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>-----------------------</em> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When the ex and I broke up I took a hard look at myself and realized I didn’t like the contemptuous, boring, drab person I had become. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who was I? Where was that person that I used to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">love</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where did all that confidence go?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although I’ve never felt my heart break into as many pieces as it did when we broke up, I’m so happy it happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It allowed me to see that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I </b>dropped off along the way and gave me the chance to not only remember who I was, but the opportunity to get me back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although concessions and compromises will still be made and the conformability and routine will eventually return, this time <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I’m coming too</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCN0CiuqIVuzeM7z3UVznVJ5EMQvqewS_hOrvb4OLhRpiCOum-GjzHwFq1kiWeU6fP20aySw1Ah3ycKYp1vZ70EbyfjCX_FNmYNgRGi9ebUwe_B-Noo7BUQbxZk0PtZC9NA257f42pQqJ/s1600/im_back1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCN0CiuqIVuzeM7z3UVznVJ5EMQvqewS_hOrvb4OLhRpiCOum-GjzHwFq1kiWeU6fP20aySw1Ah3ycKYp1vZ70EbyfjCX_FNmYNgRGi9ebUwe_B-Noo7BUQbxZk0PtZC9NA257f42pQqJ/s320/im_back1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-25287738464099320052011-03-02T11:48:00.000-05:002011-03-02T11:48:29.047-05:00(wo)mans best friend<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I'm feeling a little uninspired lately... I got no material... Not really much to blog about</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The girls and I had our bi-weekly dinner date last night which was inspired by <a href="http://citygirlmeetsworld.blogspot.com/2010/10/companys-coming.html">a previous "challenge"</a> and has been going strong ever since. I love these dinner dates.. A place where we can all get together and get/give advice on careers, boyfriends, life, and the pros and cons of shaving/waxing/laser treatment.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Kristina has a birthday coming up and we're all planning on celebrating next Saturday night.. There was talk of what to do, where to go and what the theme should be. We decided that hooker was the theme of the night (this was a suggestion by Lisa saying that she took inspiration from Kristina's typical night-out getup.. much to Kristina's dismay I might add!)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So that should be a good night.. I don't know what rock these girls have been living under, but they said they've never chatted up a guy to get a free drink(s). Really?! <em>(I apologize to my male readers but if you're silly enough to think that buying me drinks will land me in your bed, then I am going to take full advantage of you)</em>. I smell a challenge coming up for next Saturday :)</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My other bestie was also present last night. After dressing him up to look like a little babushka<em> (note: no, I do not know what the word means, but I just love it) </em>I decided that he was just too cute NOT to share with you all!</div><br />
So behold the CUTEST dog <u>ever</u>:<br />
<br />
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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZ4MDV7Shqww3JteMGQtM61q1e3bPLhmQucRVOLOJ4OIOtHMr8TYpUphvb8zK6PCBTHrs4jF_yW29ccLMGeLlvAKQBYOtu2g66Q4RZMQAu6UsX36YhJ8BkD5IvNPtjisgxpC6j1k9c7eH/s320/2636_60642571697_502731697_1481764_6177157_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFByGi5v23ysRiGQyRch1vy6jwIJHMDpDkaZVW_8ljKEdsxZiX0Kf-XlpM9Am0TLJXK-K7yaos_btSgklo1pqRBPW6TNixNhupAGKNkXWRx2APFOsGJL_b5d7cwz1GUMC0hiOJarDrYS7S/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFByGi5v23ysRiGQyRch1vy6jwIJHMDpDkaZVW_8ljKEdsxZiX0Kf-XlpM9Am0TLJXK-K7yaos_btSgklo1pqRBPW6TNixNhupAGKNkXWRx2APFOsGJL_b5d7cwz1GUMC0hiOJarDrYS7S/s320/untitled.bmp" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ZbRDLUkdRhznow6tClIyEOaZ6zrVFsR9aOu71_JJ9BrldeQCK5G0CX6H9hr3FZ2P7hyg3QnEx5fHrwgE0E9h98caxQx-0x61r23xVU1wvuTrYcvyLdjYJAxzvHjYPCXJFaj2vrYShapV/s1600/untitled2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcY0eMh06BLaDfAIah603LxC25hcIXvLZMyTQ0lYXF7NzHGJHzjJkGRtbR-Lm5-LcoT32S_pM0WAuCft6qZpX8acdSKQ7Jdeau_YLSIMW3m7ZBg5vSnveIfmLKUvMLPspNwh8szGovkT9K/s320/untitled3.bmp" width="320" /></a></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-78558816227293526322011-02-25T12:40:00.000-05:002011-02-25T12:40:40.159-05:00Down Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYI4xzvsIDGXiTaCD3aLzFuVTG8lSCNcQbo7Rxvin-68yVxFDpvunDPEw9t_s1pJRE5uYc7bX4APQoYtWlNlDXi98uSwONPQsCxLTaFSS7PKBmeau2MvUPmMjxKusrvDtt11Ogiuw1QI9H/s1600/wwwportraitsocietyorg-1235614744452.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYI4xzvsIDGXiTaCD3aLzFuVTG8lSCNcQbo7Rxvin-68yVxFDpvunDPEw9t_s1pJRE5uYc7bX4APQoYtWlNlDXi98uSwONPQsCxLTaFSS7PKBmeau2MvUPmMjxKusrvDtt11Ogiuw1QI9H/s320/wwwportraitsocietyorg-1235614744452.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes the best nights are those in which you can curl up in your softest <strike>snuggie</strike> blanket, put on some easy listening, brew a cup of tea (or more favourably, pour a glass of wine), and get completely enthralled in your new favourite book.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my favourite pastimes is reading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put a book in front</span> of me and chances are you will not hold my attention for very long.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s funny... you’re either a reader or <strong>not</strong> a reader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those who read get into their books and the characters and the story and can’t wait to pick it up again where they left off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those who don’t read simply can’t understand why you wouldn’t just watch a movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To them, I explain that reading is like watching a movie in your head... you get to imagine all the characters, the scenes, and it can last much longer than an hour and half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(From that description, I usually just get an eyebrow raise and a response such as “Riiight.. I think I’ll just watch a movie”).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So for you fellow <strike>boring people that would rather spend time reading that pumping iron at the gym</strike> intellects, I bring to you a list of some of my favourite books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have read some of the books below and you can think of some that I should read, please comment and let me know!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(These aren’t in any order.. just where they were on my bookshelf)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Little Women – Louisa May Alcott</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Help – Kathryn Stockett</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">East of Eden – John Steinbeck</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sarah’s Key – Tatiana De Rosnay</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Book of Negroes – Lawrence Hill</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Glass Castle – Jeanette Walls</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Little Bee – Chris Cleave</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Still Alice – Lisa Genova</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Princess – Jean Sasson</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Forgotten Garden – Kate Morton</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, and by the way, there’s this really cool app on Facebook called Visual Bookshelf that allows you to search and rate the books that you’ve read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if any of your other friends have the app you can see what they’re reading as well and read any reviews that they’ve wrote. It’s pretty cool actually <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy Reading!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-49237850640497035432011-02-23T13:07:00.000-05:002011-02-23T13:07:20.495-05:00Dear Diary<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneoscnMuv0Igq8Q6XtHXmCoIuKdPOJkyBcnwCj-9l7HEUImQO72x99NfyEFtfFcq21XTf6RgrHiw0OWyd8SXIpWj1Nd_jRN3UCZjT4X8XRd6hQuhoQxKWo44akQ-Y8dOvHW0obAmA0O3a/s1600/diary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneoscnMuv0Igq8Q6XtHXmCoIuKdPOJkyBcnwCj-9l7HEUImQO72x99NfyEFtfFcq21XTf6RgrHiw0OWyd8SXIpWj1Nd_jRN3UCZjT4X8XRd6hQuhoQxKWo44akQ-Y8dOvHW0obAmA0O3a/s320/diary.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Diary of a 6-year old</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Kartika", "serif";">Dear Diary,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Kartika", "serif";">Today was good. Mom let me ware my new barete and even put my hair in 2 pigtails. Yes yes yes I love pigtails! The bad stuff about today was I was on the swings at resses and mary was pushing me relly relly high and I was having SO much fun then I got of and mary and me went 2 to the sand boxs and tommy and all his gross frends were there and tommy ran over and puled my pigtails and then my haire lookd bad and my barete came out and I cryed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I got home mommmy told me that tommy likes me cos he pulleded my hair and thats how you no that boys like you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if he likes me how come he pulled my hair?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Diary of a 16-year old</strong></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dear Diary,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">OMG OMG OMG Jake is a TOTAL asshole! I cannot believe that I ever liked him! WTF?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Steph?? Total slut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She totally knew that Jake and I were texting and stuff and that at that party last weekend, when I drank wayyy too many vodka/OJ’s, I actually grew a pair and kissed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ANNND she knew that he kissed me back!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we were kinda hanging out all night and kissing and I thought that this had some real potential.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jake is so cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s so grown up (well, he IS a senior!! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was wearing American Eagle jeans and had a belt that had a bottle opener on it (!!),<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and had his plaid shirt half tucked and was drinking Coors Light… swoon..!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So anyways, Steph totally knows all this, and she ALSO knows that since Monday, Jake has not even talked to me.. Like, he’s pretty cool and pretty popular and I know he’s got a lot of friends and stuff and can’t say hi to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everyone</i> in the hall, but whatever, I just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knew</i> that he was going to talk to me to today. UNTIL I saw him during 3<sup>rd</sup> period making out with Steph in the hall!! I didn’t know what to do. I froze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I guess they saw me when they came up for air (puke), and when we made eye contact, I ran. Like a baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As if!!!!! I totally should have told them both to go screw themselves!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">THEN, at the end of the day and I’m waiting for the bus behind the school, Jake comes over to talk to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me that he was only doing that to make me jealous and how come I never talked to him this week? And that he’s having a party this weekend and we wants ME to go!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Diary of a 26-year old</strong></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Script", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dear Diary,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Script", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sometimes I just don’t understand Jonathan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve been together for long enough that he should want to move in with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want to put any more pressure on him and push him away, but I’m ready to move on to the next step.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s strange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like he wants to still hang on to his youth and not grow up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He still lives with roommates!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it’s really not a big deal.. Until he has a serious girlfriend for two years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it just becomes a nuisance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does he not want space? Privacy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Script", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I know that he wants to be with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He does really nice things and has introduced me to all his family and friends, and we talk about the future and where we should go on vacation next year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when we talk about anything involving the two of us moving in together, or getting married, he completely clams up! Why? It’s not like he’s 23 or anything.. He’s pushing 30!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Script", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I just don’t understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do I do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does he just want to be with me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right now</i>? He says, no of course not; he definitely sees me in his future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Script", "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I don’t know.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdiqUmP8-5zjGnn3M2Sw4e87zZACt2tMs3BJpzsrN9ECxVtPLSUgZiHrudVhhyphenhyphenipHVFvZ4T1EzZdu0r3RSBbRuR-TcyixX-oRSRdWhNnYWf2R0SsdrwLMMkgrw5h4hP4nsk9WWcjGkr2P/s1600/love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdiqUmP8-5zjGnn3M2Sw4e87zZACt2tMs3BJpzsrN9ECxVtPLSUgZiHrudVhhyphenhyphenipHVFvZ4T1EzZdu0r3RSBbRuR-TcyixX-oRSRdWhNnYWf2R0SsdrwLMMkgrw5h4hP4nsk9WWcjGkr2P/s320/love.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If it’s true that men are such beasts, this must account for the fact that most women are animal lovers. <b>~ Doris Day</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
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</div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-81850235666665367482011-02-18T15:07:00.001-05:002011-02-18T15:08:46.778-05:00The Power of Familiarity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnIrbGvO59-8HPUjdSRkiOUrPzv9b9n9AOnF0VD0OV3zDhD-NHJ8TBo0JH01LsdA5NPs1ivrTsb4tgIW9o07NQ1dMDsx91ngkvdmdQknFew2enToE7G1vmNCXdLcUcPmx1Fpn4d68ovMy/s1600/Ex_Lovers_Lane.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnIrbGvO59-8HPUjdSRkiOUrPzv9b9n9AOnF0VD0OV3zDhD-NHJ8TBo0JH01LsdA5NPs1ivrTsb4tgIW9o07NQ1dMDsx91ngkvdmdQknFew2enToE7G1vmNCXdLcUcPmx1Fpn4d68ovMy/s200/Ex_Lovers_Lane.png" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Quick question – how do you all feel about your girlfriend or boyfriend’s ex?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you ask me, I say they’re bad news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I simply cannot understand those people that are in a relationship that say “oh yeah, my ex and I are great friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My boyfriend/girlfriend is totally cool with it”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How are they ok with it?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m of the opinion that once you enter a new relationship, all ties with the ex should be cut off (exception: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>if the two if you have baggage together – kids, house, dog, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, any communication should be about that only).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does this sound like I’m a crazy, jealous girlfriend?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, it might.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I think I’m just being logical.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You think you know your boyfriend/girlfriend?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Better than anyone else?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s someone else that knows them <u>just</u> as well as you do, if not more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like you, they know:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>What turns them on</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>What turns them off</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Where they like to be kissed</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>How to get them to open up</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>What their dreams, hopes and fears are</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hypothetically of course, put yourself in a room with your ex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you really wanted to hook up with him/her that night, do you think you could do it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you think you could be persuasive enough, to say and do the right thing to get them to go home with you? My bet is yes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m just sayin… The random hottie standing at the bar?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably not worth getting agitated over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The ex, however?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well I can’t say I’ve ever heard of them being <u>good</u> news.</span></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-54103314210609903612011-02-15T14:27:00.000-05:002011-02-15T14:27:51.096-05:00The Chicken or The Egg?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Good news – I have a computer again and I’m baaack!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bad news – I have a couple weeks’ worth of blogs to post</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">--------------------------------------------</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So as you know, my blog is gonig to take a little bit of a different direction now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although the ex and I still haven’t defined anything regarding the details of our relationship (living situations (you’ll recall that he bought a house in a different city), our future, etc.), we have agreed that we’ll be seeing each other exclusively. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m feeling really happy about this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is working for us right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve decided that I’m just going to take it as it comes… no more trying to control my life and living by some sort of “societal clock” that must dictate what comes first and second and when.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And let’s be honest, him and I haven’t really done things by the book in the first place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started by living together and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">then</i> getting into a serious relationship... And <em>now</em> 3-1/2 years later, we’re finally dating.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since we’ve started talking again, he’s shown to me that he really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i> be the person that I need him to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I have considered that his may be the “woo-ing” phase and he’s got to do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">something</i> fantastic to get me back, but I don’t think all these little things are it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The things that he’s doing this time around aren’t things that he <u>stopped</u> doing at some point during our relationship, but things that he <u>started</u> doing now… because I told him that’s what I needed and he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">listened</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don’t get me wrong… We have told each other before the things that we both needed from each other that we weren’t getting, but by the time this conversation was had, we were holding so much resentment towards each other (because they “should have known”), and it was just easier to chalk it up to “hmph… well this is me and I shouldn’t have to change; love me for who I am”. Looking back now I realize how lazy, silly, and completely untrue that is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The things that we needed from each other weren’t personality altering characteristics, but simple things like: for me – him holding my hand; for him – me not reading before bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems so trivial now that these two things allotted for the majority of our arguments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do understand now that these were the “topics” and not the “issues” (thank you Dr. Phil!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The issue comes down to the fact that we were both so tit-for-tat that we wouldn’t do something for the other unless the other did something for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Beneath that, communication… or lack thereof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance, whenever we got in an argument, we didn't speak to each other for about 24 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we lived together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not an exaggeration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We just didn’t talk it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>24 hours later we were both calmed down and went on like it never happened.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>Disclaimer: Granted, we’re still going to do things that bug each other (like me leaving my purse on the floor and him inevitably stepping on the buckle, and him using an inordinate amount of butter when he cooks, and me inevitably gaining a new roll).</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The good news is we’re talking now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Making a concentrated effort to communicate to each other what we’re feeling and/or thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far, it’s working.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Side note: I heard this the other day… <em>Women in a relationship need to feel connected in order to be intimate; Men in a relationship need to be intimate in order to feel connected.</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what comes first? The chicken or the egg?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-59972675555430263492011-02-07T22:27:00.000-05:002011-02-07T22:27:24.878-05:00I'll be back!I know I haven't posted in a while.. but rest assured.. I'm just out of a computer for a while but have written down (literally.. pen and paper!) some really great posts.<br />
<br />
I've got a lot of updates for you!!<br />
<br />
xo<br />
KristyKristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-10512970895379265362011-01-26T20:27:00.000-05:002011-01-26T20:27:13.155-05:00Chub-a-lubRecently, I've been getting a little too friendly with frozen pizza, quesadillas, and pasta.<br />
<br />
This has (as I knew it would inevitably would) let me to gain a new roll. Fawwk.. It's not like my pizza didn't have spinach on it, and my pasta didn't have veggies in it. WTF? <br />
<br />
I mentioned very briefly in a past post that I am just not big on exercising. I would rather be doing <u>anything</u> else. I'm also not that big on dieting (I get <em>very</em> cranky when I'm hungry). Well then, what do I do?? How do I get rid of this extra roll?<br />
I know!! NO MORE JUNK FOOD!<br />
<br />
Ok, done. No more junk food... So now, please excuse me while I go eat all the junk food in my house so I can start my "diet". :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvXNYarQ9gCBfk_Inxj9v7syXOSNp-lnnZ-LjvKQpSamjKxUnnUftVniy1qDJIK2ouwbjs61Q_T3D3tIClbTf99nfq5kIlFYLNStttNIrC4jzSOLr5NFUExzSVpf1EJiq9Ku0RXJwLCMR/s1600/SAM_1695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvXNYarQ9gCBfk_Inxj9v7syXOSNp-lnnZ-LjvKQpSamjKxUnnUftVniy1qDJIK2ouwbjs61Q_T3D3tIClbTf99nfq5kIlFYLNStttNIrC4jzSOLr5NFUExzSVpf1EJiq9Ku0RXJwLCMR/s320/SAM_1695.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-29374680772299628782011-01-19T19:23:00.000-05:002011-01-19T19:23:15.180-05:00Risk vs. Reward<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wrote recently in a past <a href="http://citygirlmeetsworld.blogspot.com/2011/01/well-where-do-i-begin-ex-and-i-are.html">post</a> about the ex and I talking again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well the other night I had my monthly get-together with my group of girlfriends and filled them in on what’s happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needless to say, they were less than happy about what’s going on right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God bless them, they are definitely looking out for my best interests and hoping that I don’t get hurt again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These girls are amazing. They were there for me when I was a complete puddle of a mess after our break up and without them, I probably could not have gotten through it as well as I did. (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So to those of you who are reading.. THANK YOU! </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span>)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That being said, they are very hesitant to taking a positive view of him and I talking again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They told me not to make it so easy for him to get me back again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They told me that I’m ignoring all the bad and remembering all the good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They told me that even though they’re sure I’m going to get hurt again, and they’ll undoubtedly be there for me, I’m making a mistake.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, the good friends that they are, they also told me that it’s my “mistake” to make and that I just need to see this through in order to see their point of view.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My problem however is weighing the risk vs. the reward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the risk is taking the chance (and things working out well), isn’t that worth the reward in the end?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If things don’t work out well, is it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">still</i> worth the reward?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least that way, I’ll know for sure that we both gave it another shot and it just didn’t work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we didn’t… wouldn’t we always be wondering?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He told me the other night the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">real</i> reason for our breakup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an eye-opener if there ever was one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 3 years, I was putting the pressure on… The talk of the <strike>not coming</strike> upcoming proposal, buying a house, having kids, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It scared him off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Could I have known this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would most people think that after 3 years this would be the natural course of progression? I think so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he is a rational person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thinks things through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wants to be prepared.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now I really need to think… The fact that I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">am</i> ready to think of these things…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact that he has told me he’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> ready…but that he’s regretted his decision to break up… Does that mean because I am willing to see him again, that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I </b>am willing to accept him regardless of this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or does it mean that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">he</b> is willing to accept me regardless of this?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We’ve had the discussion of “what we are” and we’ve both decided that we’re not going to label anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Labels add pressure and that’s the last thing we need right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For now, we’re enjoying each other’s company and laughing a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Given that I suck at dating and just don’t know how to do it, I won’t be dating anyone else during this time of “the unknown”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess it’s just a guilty conscience… How could I have a great Friday night dinner with him, and then go have a great Saturday night dinner with someone else?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At this point, even though it may put me in a very vulnerable situation, I think risking the chance of getting hurt again is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">worth</i> the reward if it means we could be happy together again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To be continued… </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">** Pictures of my wonderful friends below (because they love being on my blog <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span>)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ3dOPBgy3BlDW0dlm_gdKwlQ1XXgbOnE2Sl14hk0fi746lWpgVTlQympqVb-2NLvxmEeCsdNst2GN7x8DRNo_xTRj7gUQwFgch-BlBN1CHJHu2iZBCNM0gTdSwcCRMO8vhPrPgpj5CSy4/s1600/Dani.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ3dOPBgy3BlDW0dlm_gdKwlQ1XXgbOnE2Sl14hk0fi746lWpgVTlQympqVb-2NLvxmEeCsdNst2GN7x8DRNo_xTRj7gUQwFgch-BlBN1CHJHu2iZBCNM0gTdSwcCRMO8vhPrPgpj5CSy4/s320/Dani.JPG" width="234" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> Danielle</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8mlbdl1IzkfeEgW7VWxQ635bQqai6-Bry-_BSPALtizb4JO7hUXfENMo5usFWKjIEpW79mSOxyh6eoamBrvF13TlJ8JW5fcOK0vuPS5KoZ16K-NmXRJnL5ctQ-eoTaIt-H0eSAiQxtdR/s1600/Jenn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd8mlbdl1IzkfeEgW7VWxQ635bQqai6-Bry-_BSPALtizb4JO7hUXfENMo5usFWKjIEpW79mSOxyh6eoamBrvF13TlJ8JW5fcOK0vuPS5KoZ16K-NmXRJnL5ctQ-eoTaIt-H0eSAiQxtdR/s320/Jenn.jpg" width="301" /></a></div> Jenn <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3yum5djjsGCgjQ6QNVE_y1d9C8WGRlRRsjikFMUkg5f0krnfpAiaujrBEMWtP5lo7BtwWnzlRa7lDDky9BofCoquSXbHNYrhY35bEJj7VLPTdoSOzcyeK2kmTSmDpVOYExVpRxavKABH/s1600/Kris.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3yum5djjsGCgjQ6QNVE_y1d9C8WGRlRRsjikFMUkg5f0krnfpAiaujrBEMWtP5lo7BtwWnzlRa7lDDky9BofCoquSXbHNYrhY35bEJj7VLPTdoSOzcyeK2kmTSmDpVOYExVpRxavKABH/s320/Kris.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Kristina <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRo_XAnDCrhH3Swx6miVPi5Nrv9fpaXdvYgPhkdYEP7VoVtLJJbV9bXu2OfpP4orqR-r7qRlPY3aEEtuH-Z5FgluqGACScXzivQsDgKUw6_gSz9U6nqja5o6FHn8PZqtAW15Zx-FlHoCN/s1600/Lisa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRo_XAnDCrhH3Swx6miVPi5Nrv9fpaXdvYgPhkdYEP7VoVtLJJbV9bXu2OfpP4orqR-r7qRlPY3aEEtuH-Z5FgluqGACScXzivQsDgKUw6_gSz9U6nqja5o6FHn8PZqtAW15Zx-FlHoCN/s320/Lisa.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> Lisa</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOlbsmIPqY9MSBquI-mvW9s_s97r9qeYkwKvhiXPvLF_C0UAVEMDltVfW-Yq2_FQHoO-XDIbocsF7AYJRWqJL_6cAyUMpQUsKxvRwAeemVGlxZCIE1tbvzo82IGNCy-nCeZIA3PcPZXRG/s1600/Palla.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOlbsmIPqY9MSBquI-mvW9s_s97r9qeYkwKvhiXPvLF_C0UAVEMDltVfW-Yq2_FQHoO-XDIbocsF7AYJRWqJL_6cAyUMpQUsKxvRwAeemVGlxZCIE1tbvzo82IGNCy-nCeZIA3PcPZXRG/s320/Palla.JPG" width="240" /></a></div> Palla <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">LOVE you girls!! xoxo</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-77448193975439090562011-01-15T10:42:00.000-05:002011-01-15T10:42:50.246-05:00Some Solid Advice<div class="quoteText"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em>"You may not be her first, her last, or her only. She loved before she may love again. But if she loves you now, what else matters? She's not perfect - you aren't either, and the two of you may never be perfect together but if she can make you laugh, cause you to think twice, and admit to being human and making mistakes, hold onto her and give her the most you can. She may not be thinking about you every second of the day, but she will give you a part of her that she knows you can break - her heart. So don't hurt her, don't change her, don't analyze and don't expect more than she can give. Smile when she makes you happy, let her know when she makes you mad, and miss her when she's not there." </em></span></div><div class="quoteText"><span style="font-family: inherit;">— </span><a class="authorNameRegular" href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/25241.Bob_Marley"><span style="color: #663300; font-family: inherit;">Bob Marley</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-67764184532178476832011-01-01T20:48:00.001-05:002011-01-01T20:49:01.776-05:00The Ex-Factor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoO5IYHsBQQe_cFVBX7rq5cUZ3OA6bS2XMVATaBU7I9XmqGubSdrya792b30U2uWN87o0rjDjQN6AxvCHhHYGlmEC1xK4imDSueoJuxrftz6GRKBXjDW0WFxDA3Nkb8SD3Tf0UsoWTEWAQ/s1600/confusion+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoO5IYHsBQQe_cFVBX7rq5cUZ3OA6bS2XMVATaBU7I9XmqGubSdrya792b30U2uWN87o0rjDjQN6AxvCHhHYGlmEC1xK4imDSueoJuxrftz6GRKBXjDW0WFxDA3Nkb8SD3Tf0UsoWTEWAQ/s320/confusion+2.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well… Where do I begin?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ex and I are talking again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prior to a week or so ago, we had kept in contact but only for updates on the dog (who has him what weekend), or mail that needed to be picked up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was never any discussion of where each of us is at in our lives or anything that would resemble “friendship”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t get me wrong, I knew that if anything came up and I needed to turn somewhere I could totally turn to him and he would help me in a heartbeat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just hadn’t <strike>wanted</strike> needed to turn to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve got other friends and family that I could turn to first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if I’m being honest, turning to an ex and asking for help, really goes against the “I’m strong and can make it on my own without you” persona.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then a week ago happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He caught <strike>wind</strike> sight of me with another boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What happened after that was the start of what’s happening now… He was never a jealous person while we were together, but for some reason, it really bothered him that I would move on after we had broken up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me how hurt he was that I could move on after 4 months and that he didn’t think me seeing other people was the best idea. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Really? Is there a specific mourning period that I didn’t know about</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My initial reaction was anger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How dare he make me feel guilty?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reminded him that HE was the one that left ME and I was moving on with my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the guilty seed was planted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt awful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that I was out and living my life, but that in doing so I had hurt him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">But I’m over him, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why am I feeling like I need to put his feelings of jealousy and hurt above my feelings of confidence and happiness?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Am I <u>not</u> over him?</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This conversation that we were having is what started us talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Talking about our past relationship; what was good, what was bad, what broke us up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’ve never been in this situation before where ex’s start talking again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never got back together with an ex or done a postmortem on the relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always been of the opinion that if something is serious enough to split two people apart, then going back that person is going back to the problem that was big enough to turn your life upside down.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now however, I can definitely see why people get back together and split up and spend their time yo-yoing up and down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s familiarity, comfort, calmness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s someone being able to look into your eyes for an instant and know every thought that is running through your head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s something that feels so right but that you know is so wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <em> </em></span><em>Is</em> it wrong though?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could it have been right for years, then one day it just turns wrong?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">I'm really big on lists. On writing stuff out and weighing it. Getting a visual sometimes can give one perspective.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Pros of ex's</div><ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">They know you better than a new guy knows you</div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">You <u>know</u> how good your life could be together</div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">They kiss you <em>perfectly</em></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">You get start in the middle</div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">You get a second chance to make things right</div></li>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Cons of ex's</div><ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">You don't get to have the hours of talk and "getting to know you" giddiness that you would have with someone new</div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">You know that when life got tough, they left.</div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">You risk the chance of falling back into the same patterns and behaviours </div></li>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So where does this leave me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As of right now, I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I think this list just confused me even more. I'm not too sure which way the scales are tipping. I know that w</span>e’re not going to jump into anything again any time soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But maybe we both just need some time to think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And probably talk.</span></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-15925494540332966532010-12-14T21:16:00.000-05:002010-12-14T21:16:03.399-05:00Kudos to the Americans<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I recently took a trip to the States for work (for those of you that don’t know, I live in Toronto, Canada).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So when I told people where I was going, I got the typical reaction (mine was the same initially actually… But now, I have a total different outlook).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, so where did I go?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>New J<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ousy</i>ey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For those of you that don’t speak the way I try to write, that actually said New Jersey.. with a Jersey accent.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So what’s your first thought?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Snookie or Jersey Shore?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mine was Jersey Shore… then Snook’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But after that, the thoughts that went through my head were of everything that people told me of Americans that weren’t from the South.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, that American’s are rude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok, no big deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can deal with rude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I deal with rude every day in Canada (cashier’s ringing you through without saying a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">single</i> word, such as “Hi”, or “Your total is…”, or how about when people go through a door and don’t look over their shoulder to hold it in case someone might be behind them, or how about when you let follow driver in front of you and they fail to give the courtesy wave?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could go on and on…) But I digress, American’s are rude. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Got it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So cue to the part where we’re driving through NJ in a 16-foot truck when we see a Burger King which has never looked as good as it did in that moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girl I’m travelling with is driving the truck and I guess in her rush to eat some <strike>delicious</strike> awful Burger King, she jumps out of the truck and locks the keys inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the engine running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh boy.. What to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask someone around to help? No way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cause they’re rude, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when we see that a cop has <strike>thankfully</strike> pulled someone over to the side of the road, so I run over to him and let him know the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tells us that it’s no problem at all, and he’ll send the fire crew right over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amazing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I LOVE firefighters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So hot. So cue the lovely NJ firefighters that are there to save foreign damsels in distress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kudos to you firemen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwPPm-HN8dlkpLmFaf8ixNhyphenhyphenrXO8AEs0pdnOx6EujTBi_HT6sG0t6clWZYMtIQhuEMeMMcfW730sgbfpMIX7kj6JpejC_JT1N7Soo2X7EE8tP-KDm_OCsWUS_G5l3zk9uxQ0eeuyE0qFf/s1600/lock1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwPPm-HN8dlkpLmFaf8ixNhyphenhyphenrXO8AEs0pdnOx6EujTBi_HT6sG0t6clWZYMtIQhuEMeMMcfW730sgbfpMIX7kj6JpejC_JT1N7Soo2X7EE8tP-KDm_OCsWUS_G5l3zk9uxQ0eeuyE0qFf/s320/lock1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYAjJYfSuZvlahTL105Y6qvfGnasxZ0zRt9giB524ug4xvQ1Bn3YvepLTStgrmHtaebu65HP9hdkHo_jLkJQ3pqzfcJ4YphS46VIAiXK3Xov7qXYEm7wa_gxeVN4mg0mkHu7gK7kBToBl/s1600/lock2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYAjJYfSuZvlahTL105Y6qvfGnasxZ0zRt9giB524ug4xvQ1Bn3YvepLTStgrmHtaebu65HP9hdkHo_jLkJQ3pqzfcJ4YphS46VIAiXK3Xov7qXYEm7wa_gxeVN4mg0mkHu7gK7kBToBl/s320/lock2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let’s fast forward about 5 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re at our venue, have unloaded our truck, and are setting up for our event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we get the call that we’ve picked up the wrong setup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we pack everything back up, load the truck and wait for the guy who has our set to come and drop it off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shows up… with a 24foot “transport” truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See below:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfCr1NI0OAGQOIep-Kw6g7Von0AIhEmV5__7Q_62Z9TJRH-f6gSli6IOnFwg76mPuUi6Trd6LY4fsY6dyp4z7XUsqpgbigha3cLLu2i4lk_SwdnssmbCzUiU6nUGo-QuN91_oggBILGmM/s1600/bigger+truck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfCr1NI0OAGQOIep-Kw6g7Von0AIhEmV5__7Q_62Z9TJRH-f6gSli6IOnFwg76mPuUi6Trd6LY4fsY6dyp4z7XUsqpgbigha3cLLu2i4lk_SwdnssmbCzUiU6nUGo-QuN91_oggBILGmM/s320/bigger+truck.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once we get over the sheer enormity of this new truck we have to drive (fully equipped with the “pull-down” cord for the horn and steering wheel that is designed for a school bus mind you), we start to set up the “new” set.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s now 1:30am and we’ve been travelling, working, loading/unloading trucks since 6am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could not be happier to get in this monstrosity, drive to the hotel, and get a couple hours of sleep before launching the next morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BUT as our luck would have it, the truck won’t start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What?! How is the battery dead?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WHERE is the battery?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So as my co-worker and I are staring at this truck in complete bewilderment, a guy that works there comes out to get in his car and drive home after a long day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You guys all finished for today” he yells from across the parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, ya, but our truck won’t start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You wouldn’t happen to know the number to a heavy tow in NJ would you?” we say back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this, the wonderful fellow who I only know as Abraham, comes running over, opens the hood, fiddles around, tries starting it again, but with no luck. (Now, our hopes are crushed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because up until this point it really looked like he knew what he was doing).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he redeems himself instantly by calling his dad (who he said drove trucks all his life), and gets some pointers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amazing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long story short, he got the truck running!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>AND, he even drove in front of us all the way to our hotel to make sure that it didn’t stall while we were idling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let me just say, that this is beyond all hopes I would ever have of a person going completely out of their way at 1:30am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time we’re back at our hotel it’s almost 3am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unreal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kudos to you Abraham.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let’s fast forward again a couple days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The event is over, and we’ve got a full day of travel ahead of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We leave our hotel with lots of time to hit the mall on the way to the airport to take full advantage of the American dollar and the stores we don’t have in Canada.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the truck won’t start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a call to the rental agency, we got the truck up and running an hour and half later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which really puts us behind on the whole shopping trip plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THEN, we get a call from one of the guys that worked the event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tells us not to worry, he’ll come pick us up from the rental agency once we drop everything off, and take us to the mall, then to the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the airport is not exactly close.. and the mall may be out of the way, and we may not even have time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Not to worry” he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You guys were great this week; let me be your chauffer – you run into the mall, get what you have to get, and I’ll wait right out here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And forget about a $70 taxi from the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last time I checked, we were in a recession, right?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to grab a stellar LBD, and we made it to the airport with 20 minutes to spare before boarding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kudos to you Erin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In conclusion, I feel like I need to state that New Jersey is NOT all about Jersey Shore and Snooki (and by the way, I was told multiple times that the only people that are actually from Jersey is J-Wow and Ronnie), but there are some VERY nice people there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very nice Americans.</span></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-12112157622746820862010-11-28T13:44:00.000-05:002010-11-28T13:44:10.423-05:00Yes.. I went there... And I'm not going back...<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ok, so this is probably going to turn out to one of the longest posts I’ve written, but I assure you, it is one of the best.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last night I went on 14 blind dates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, you read correctly.. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">14</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where do I find 14 blind dates you ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why, speed dating of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So let’s back this train up a bit and give some background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple people had previously mentioned to me that speed dating could be one of my challenges that I could take on, and who knows.. I could maybe even meet someone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now to be honest, my thoughts on speed dating can pretty much be summed up by the picture below:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It turns out, the venue was really nice, the lighting was soft, and it wasn’t just a line of people across the table from each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a lounge and each “couple” had a table or couch with a number on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, the women stay seated and the men move from table to table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How it works is at the beginning of the night the host gives you a card and tells you to write down the people’s names that you meet and then when your 6 minutes is up with each person, you tick ‘yes’ or ‘no’ beside their name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If two people both say ‘yes’ to each other, then they’re set up to have more face time together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So now that we all know how this works, let’s get on with it…. First, our outfits: Hot right??</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF68FNexIPQr2SAMbIY7i_BfgyMY6GbA3LjL1IC4tBUesdOF125EFWsv0nZS4izaoP3Kvk0jQI32ZGuClI7xEeOvo_RfvKrD7gs-5uLqnUTDLVvIKAGlfRS0Kd69CzRR2zYy56ENBfXRUP/s1600/SAM_1378.JPGb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF68FNexIPQr2SAMbIY7i_BfgyMY6GbA3LjL1IC4tBUesdOF125EFWsv0nZS4izaoP3Kvk0jQI32ZGuClI7xEeOvo_RfvKrD7gs-5uLqnUTDLVvIKAGlfRS0Kd69CzRR2zYy56ENBfXRUP/s320/SAM_1378.JPGb.JPG" width="261" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBDp3psfKlTAJly3MyTd3E8A1dwKvfZOmiWnv0Dv38N6PxJqG7Ll8KebRAc9hULoPhKnI_aajalfVBOHmpHUhWiavuAwrHQEeL7gd-mf3Q4RuxoWsy0YymLnmqf_2eQMbROw1cbJI9NL7/s1600/SAM_1376.JPGb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBDp3psfKlTAJly3MyTd3E8A1dwKvfZOmiWnv0Dv38N6PxJqG7Ll8KebRAc9hULoPhKnI_aajalfVBOHmpHUhWiavuAwrHQEeL7gd-mf3Q4RuxoWsy0YymLnmqf_2eQMbROw1cbJI9NL7/s320/SAM_1376.JPGb.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, I went with a friend. Was not gonna attempt this one solo.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">For date #1 through #3 I was still kind of getting my bearings and figuring out how to answer the question “so what do you do in your spare time?”… Like really? Nothing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d rather diet than go to the gym, I’d rather be sleeping than playing any sports, and I’d rather have a glass of wine than take up jogging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ahh I digress… So for the first 3 dates, I don’t really remember anything specific about them… Starting with #4 is when I decided that I <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">could not</b> continue without writing something down about them to let the whole world know just what I had to sit through…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take a look below for highlights…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>#4 </strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: So what do you for a living?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him: Well, I just got off probation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: Pardon? (<em>get me the eff outta here now!!)</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him: Well….I was on probation for 3 months</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: (<em>Starting to clue in</em>).. You mean, the first 3 month probationary period at your <strong>job<em>??</em></strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him: Yea, that’s what I meant</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>#5</strong> – Student. Enough said.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>#6</strong> – Student.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously, what students go speed dating?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Answer that question, then put a visual to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what he looked like.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>#7</strong> – The Russian.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drinking straight vodka.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>#8 </strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: Hi, my name is Kristy, nice to meet you</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him: Hi, good to meet you too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are your expectations?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Excuse me? My expectations for what? Tonight?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him: Sure. What are your expectations for tonight?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: Nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (</span><em>given that the past 42 minutes have been a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">complete</b> waste of my life</em>)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>#9</strong> – The gamer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He designs video games for a living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>…next!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>#10</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him: (as he’s writing my name on his sheet) Geez, this pen has been very tempermental all night.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: Ahh.. ya, they can sometimes be a bit tricky! (wtf?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did ya get that working there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him: So what do you do?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: I tell him, then ask him the same question.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I have a great job!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just got promoted to a supervisory position and now I have people working under me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: Congrats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sounds good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what exactly is it that you do?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I work as a security guard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At an apartment building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried to become a police officer and went to college for it, but when I wrote the tests, I failed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s not so bad, cause I love my job now.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>#11</strong> – Works in the IT department and rarely gets out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(his words, not mine)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>#12 - #13</strong> – These guys weren’t too bad… Just pretty normal.. but nothing to <strike>write home</strike> blog about</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>#14</strong> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Let me preface this by saying that this actually really was my last date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t have planned it better myself.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So do you do this kinda thing often?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him: Oh yeah, I do this all the time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: Really?...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I guess you find it successful then? (<em>There’s no way this guy is successful…he’s about as cute as a old brick wall</em>)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him: Ya I have success here, but if you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">really</b> want to get some good results, you need to go online.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: Hmm?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Him: Oh ya!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll tell you all the best sites!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, write them down… He then proceeded to tell me how amazing internet dating is and had me write down 3 of the top sites (which were all free sites by the way)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me: Um, wow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks for the info…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So there it is folks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shit you not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could not make this stuff up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-91964308246734054592010-11-20T13:55:00.001-05:002010-11-28T16:31:11.639-05:00New job - check. New boy - umm.. no.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know I should be updating my blog a little more.. Like really, it’s been a serious couple of weeks since I’ve put the pen to paper (or finger to keyboard.. same diff).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I think over the past couple weeks I’ve deluded myself into thinking that this is a blog about dating… And I’m in a little dry spell (but more of that later).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when I think back to the purpose if this blog it’s to learn more about myself and things that I may have known or may not have.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That being said, I can now blog about my new job!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the last year and half I’ve been working as a sales rep for a Fortune 500 Brand through an agency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a great job and everything, but just wasn’t my bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not enough of a challenge and overall just didn’t satisfy me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I started looking for a new job and landed one a couple weeks ago!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I decided to go back to the marketing industry so I’m in Event Marketing again. </span>This week was my first week and so far so good!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said I wanted a challenge and to be able to think critically and problem solve and that’s exactly what I got.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t worn heels in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">forever</i> and after this first week, my feet are killing me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, I’m pretty exhausted after re-learning how to work 50+ hours a week.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So it was a little nerve racking on the drive there on the first day… Kinda brought me back to the first day of grade 9… Like.., OK, so do I have to sleep with the seniors to fit in and get with the “cool crowd”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Clearly the answer to getting ahead in this company wasn’t to sleep with the seniors (a.k.a. management), but to buckle down and work hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Not that the aforementioned didn’t cross my mind.. joking!!..)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But overall, this first week has gone really well and I’m happy with the change of pace.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now on to the dating scene… I mentioned in a prior post that my girlfriend was supposed to set up me up on a blind date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She did set me up and it was scheduled to happen actually tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prior to that I did get a text from him a week before our date:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Him</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">: Hey, its ____, Danielle’s friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How are you?</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Me</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">: Hey good to hear from you. I’m doing well thanks, u?</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Him</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">: I’m doing well, fairly busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next weekend is still over a week away,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wanted to touch base</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Me</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">: Ya for sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going home this w/e so that’s why it’s kind of a no-go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’m in for next Sat. Do you have something spectacular planned? (No pressure or anything)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Him</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">: Ha, no pressure at all! But no, I don’t have anything planned yet… Did you just use the word spectacular? </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Me</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">: I did indeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too much? Lol. Ok, I’ll settle for dinner. Can’t blame a girl for trying, right?</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Him</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">: I’ll see what I can do </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span> </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So it was all good until he texted me earlier this week saying that he has to postpone our date because he has something to take care of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was I a little disappointed? Sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But my only hope is that he postpones until post-movember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just can’t get into a guy with a stache…</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Other than that, it’s a complete dry spell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the upside though I do have an interesting “date(s)” lined up for next Saturday… more details to follow <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></span></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-6835947865533768432010-11-02T17:26:00.000-04:002010-11-02T17:26:38.206-04:00Slumber Paarty!!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When you think about, when was the last time you and your friends got together and had a slumber party? A real one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the one where your friend came home and crashed on your couch with the catch-of-the-day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Years ago, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the days of the board game Girl Talk?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well my friends and I brought it back the other night.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We decided that it would be a good idea because one girl’s boyfriend is overseas for a month, and she’s the lonely lady with the cat right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did get together on a schoolnight though, so at least we’d keep it tame right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s how the basic equation works out: 5 girls + 6 bottles + 1 board game + 0 boyfriends = chaos. Wonderful, real, genuine, screaming, laughing, chaos.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><em>Starting with a litte dinner</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1zQglQ1ELJiNhbxfpePUd8tbd5L3gaSF8IFGx_-g_dMDoLa_tW725IiOnCLMD-va95_ir5RE_LNKuVhMaaBuvNzOKR3whG2Qyxucp_CtENpmdiM5ahhTWX9rqZuPMxLoQtcpFRtLZGGV/s1600/SAM_1270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1zQglQ1ELJiNhbxfpePUd8tbd5L3gaSF8IFGx_-g_dMDoLa_tW725IiOnCLMD-va95_ir5RE_LNKuVhMaaBuvNzOKR3whG2Qyxucp_CtENpmdiM5ahhTWX9rqZuPMxLoQtcpFRtLZGGV/s640/SAM_1270.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<em>The host with the toast</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nuKg3qGXbzoxBSwxvIdp1JnzmEweqSItgk67v60PdZUAxWbDAJMrWYMOS4HuQgr_C5khovZvAwVQxCQc4VinNz1mTYUi_fzB2a3WCeIrUsjxZD_CitJFnFKSNvp4BKHFUioK7OW7bKA5/s1600/SAM_1272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nuKg3qGXbzoxBSwxvIdp1JnzmEweqSItgk67v60PdZUAxWbDAJMrWYMOS4HuQgr_C5khovZvAwVQxCQc4VinNz1mTYUi_fzB2a3WCeIrUsjxZD_CitJFnFKSNvp4BKHFUioK7OW7bKA5/s640/SAM_1272.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<em>A sleepover isn't complete without someone dying their hair</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjZ6o0DmM_B-fjJ4tTBV57aj45HFS4KxdiNNro7aYaXlPQ6bHkuPZozHFFI-E6ofm36YxJy6wwQiCRJaRRA8wm2SxKPenMgl1NZjWLsmQtav1SW_1AC_fw_ZWyBQyQJcctsZDLHfLD8JF/s1600/SAM_1273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjZ6o0DmM_B-fjJ4tTBV57aj45HFS4KxdiNNro7aYaXlPQ6bHkuPZozHFFI-E6ofm36YxJy6wwQiCRJaRRA8wm2SxKPenMgl1NZjWLsmQtav1SW_1AC_fw_ZWyBQyQJcctsZDLHfLD8JF/s640/SAM_1273.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<em>Cutting said dyed hair though? Now that's a new one...</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkKlULhJ14XxUAROBEkrPEy6ZexuPnLi1vTrNd5cmU05ZN3t8MkG1oWlUztr473mwXesaHh02y1QrB1AXVEKJEdEsWFt8r7OsZHRkAnJMM4DW-OLmAqSq3hlkvxzgBGT8dUt71VTEoGRc/s1600/SAM_1292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkKlULhJ14XxUAROBEkrPEy6ZexuPnLi1vTrNd5cmU05ZN3t8MkG1oWlUztr473mwXesaHh02y1QrB1AXVEKJEdEsWFt8r7OsZHRkAnJMM4DW-OLmAqSq3hlkvxzgBGT8dUt71VTEoGRc/s640/SAM_1292.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<em>But she like's it!! All smiles</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizymnjGcsIU-PbupXV8n5pElQJfNIrA7Zxejg4TGxi8hxx0uO6VHzRctJARC7dhyFC2We4kUFXjTAPY8AAY68_6FU20ANO_CMaWX8bI4RO1CN7JOMf1scQMnWPxUJrf0fPhnKRJFfpCj9G/s1600/SAM_1289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizymnjGcsIU-PbupXV8n5pElQJfNIrA7Zxejg4TGxi8hxx0uO6VHzRctJARC7dhyFC2We4kUFXjTAPY8AAY68_6FU20ANO_CMaWX8bI4RO1CN7JOMf1scQMnWPxUJrf0fPhnKRJFfpCj9G/s640/SAM_1289.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<em>Mmmm... time for some goodies</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5dnE04Wx768ldLZvkROTu8hwZbUapgLmytS5DrAceB_nbzpN-KJaVYDC6TkdFp3XJPlcway0JU_cioj8MHERanaPAQfDPM5Dy129-ZigJTId2C1GZdYW2ssGQnsv5GRFjdSS6Pcb8p_L/s1600/SAM_1279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5dnE04Wx768ldLZvkROTu8hwZbUapgLmytS5DrAceB_nbzpN-KJaVYDC6TkdFp3XJPlcway0JU_cioj8MHERanaPAQfDPM5Dy129-ZigJTId2C1GZdYW2ssGQnsv5GRFjdSS6Pcb8p_L/s640/SAM_1279.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<em>And now time for some ditry jokes about the finger...</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8igFcLlq7_DmWv2bOEz0x1-q7zF76YRfmXessXcNG8xCaPxJHh37y1PcQYyPBOVYZUKr0UfWEreWF_r-lfvEYwnb9RgnmWt7KLxEoKgvO5PL7SNiZ92NdZx-4eDQ_U5aDq0i1Sbxl1AM/s1600/SAM_1280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8igFcLlq7_DmWv2bOEz0x1-q7zF76YRfmXessXcNG8xCaPxJHh37y1PcQYyPBOVYZUKr0UfWEreWF_r-lfvEYwnb9RgnmWt7KLxEoKgvO5PL7SNiZ92NdZx-4eDQ_U5aDq0i1Sbxl1AM/s640/SAM_1280.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<em>Time to do that nails!</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LCb1pGW1_ZGynTbBRLL76xxoAP469vu4sSiQmzUSsbF34is5C_WQNx1CAL06WAmHSY67WVM1wqSOejuS4IveyRMwuT_Qwr4MTot9rOfAKByDLF8BFGkUiJrT14BO5QJMDZhVxko7IaND/s1600/SAM_1294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LCb1pGW1_ZGynTbBRLL76xxoAP469vu4sSiQmzUSsbF34is5C_WQNx1CAL06WAmHSY67WVM1wqSOejuS4IveyRMwuT_Qwr4MTot9rOfAKByDLF8BFGkUiJrT14BO5QJMDZhVxko7IaND/s640/SAM_1294.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<em>You don't know Jacques...</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNddiReX6QlTedAwwV6sVm2qtx9h9fWxM8zvv1mPmA4zs_kJNduNu4czA_cj1lPt_naXv9NQVLDdV47QmnMEH3afZKAxM-3sAiZTT11Z0vduIeCE0XtAHLFnDqdtlILIjosehawXZmOz3/s1600/SAM_1305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNddiReX6QlTedAwwV6sVm2qtx9h9fWxM8zvv1mPmA4zs_kJNduNu4czA_cj1lPt_naXv9NQVLDdV47QmnMEH3afZKAxM-3sAiZTT11Z0vduIeCE0XtAHLFnDqdtlILIjosehawXZmOz3/s640/SAM_1305.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<em>Nothin like a little late night texting...</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFjyrwYKpUSTLqu-Zzylx1qcA15WvQaC_hvje7Z6_0CHsaC3X6pFtKEezBCvwGfuZS_VM0IkiKDg_Oz7dd3hQHdGIYdjkYQwe1HmEVxSt3DFSTfMgH44s-Qrko_iebINBo20-bMrF8Eut/s1600/SAM_1314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFjyrwYKpUSTLqu-Zzylx1qcA15WvQaC_hvje7Z6_0CHsaC3X6pFtKEezBCvwGfuZS_VM0IkiKDg_Oz7dd3hQHdGIYdjkYQwe1HmEVxSt3DFSTfMgH44s-Qrko_iebINBo20-bMrF8Eut/s640/SAM_1314.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<em>PJ party!!</em><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwp8zfQwb1XTyVlHikUOjCZ0GFEze-Hoj7vVsubgk6AYkArMh1YhJE_jr110Em9G9cp66kXK21uWle7CMHqS-kLICg0LT00fG2TXof_CJ_JpcOdxfWdo6YXliYVp5O_cm0yFJbF1a26Aq/s1600/SAM_1309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOwp8zfQwb1XTyVlHikUOjCZ0GFEze-Hoj7vVsubgk6AYkArMh1YhJE_jr110Em9G9cp66kXK21uWle7CMHqS-kLICg0LT00fG2TXof_CJ_JpcOdxfWdo6YXliYVp5O_cm0yFJbF1a26Aq/s640/SAM_1309.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<em>It was about this time that we decided to go to bed...</em><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjBEIlSv33cjp8XV4oJ1UGnhJyhFkUeiXr4mZVZSJpi5hS5EOYaWroxhGaiCMcSsZqmiZ9Ml07MVVwem7c4boIWgsRmUq_BBKniLi0AN7rjIWYq_lTjTQm_gHC9KlrZY4U1gGZgedJlP9/s1600/SAM_1310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjBEIlSv33cjp8XV4oJ1UGnhJyhFkUeiXr4mZVZSJpi5hS5EOYaWroxhGaiCMcSsZqmiZ9Ml07MVVwem7c4boIWgsRmUq_BBKniLi0AN7rjIWYq_lTjTQm_gHC9KlrZY4U1gGZgedJlP9/s640/SAM_1310.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Thought of the night: Gone are the days of Mike's Hard Lemonade, pizza delivery, and single available guys. Welcome to the world of dinner parties, wine, and baggage.Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-57643022447159146162010-10-25T22:30:00.000-04:002010-10-25T22:30:57.567-04:00I just LOVE this!So it's Monday night re-run night on TV, so what to do other than find some good blogs to follow?? As I was skimming through, I found this one... Here's a snippit of "Alice's X's" blogpost... make sure to check her out!! <br />
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<u><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://theboyfrienddrama.blogspot.com/">http://theboyfrienddrama.blogspot.com/</a></span></u><a href="http://theboyfrienddrama.blogspot.com/2010/08/whare-have-all-real-men-gone.html"></a><br />
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<div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">This is a major bugbear for me. The modern age has unleashed a whole new breed of man. Gone are the days of chest hair and stubble, replaced with manliner and manbags. These so called Metrosexuals are roaming the streets looking oh so chic with their designer haircuts and too tight jeans. Don’t get me wrong i love a man who knows how to dress well, but i’d rather date a slug than date someone who looks hotter than me. Think of all the bathroom time they take up just preening themselves and fake tanning their eyelids or whatever. Get a grip guys, i want a lumberjack not a ballerina. Grow some man hair you wimps. </span></span><br />
<br />
Read more: <a href="http://theboyfrienddrama.blogspot.com/2010/08/whare-have-all-real-men-gone.html#ixzz13QajYrbb" style="color: #003399;">http://theboyfrienddrama.blogspot.com/2010/08/whare-have-all-real-men-gone.html#ixzz13QajYrbb</a></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-88293872896818566682010-10-21T21:15:00.000-04:002010-10-21T21:15:59.967-04:00Progress Report<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So it’s been just over a month and a half since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the break-up</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to admit, at the risk of sounding insensitive, it feels like so much longer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’m doing ok.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I think keeping a positive attitude, creating this blog and the project of finding new things to discover have certainly helped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think when we try to take the time to work on ourselves and dig deep, it can sometimes seem a little boring… “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hello?! Digging deep here and can’t find anything… Alright, that’s enough of that”</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve found that there are so many distractions, which compared to doing the hard (some might say boring) work of “self discovery”, it’s almost always easier to give up and do something else.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, over the past month, I’ve really tried to dedicate myself to being dedicated to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve made lists and charts, scribbled down whatever I was thinking, written blog posts, participated in deep conversation, and talked to myself (yes, I just admitted that to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">world</i>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crazy part is it has actually helped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, the way I thought of it was this:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine you were out on a blind date, and you could ask that person <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anything at all. </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(ie: what is the most common emotion that you feel, what makes you want to cry, when was the last time you had not a care in the world, what are the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really dirty </i>ugly parts of yourself that nobody else knows, what quality to you have that you rarely show, etc.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I started thinking of all the things that I wanted to know about someone, I asked them of myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And not just all questions that would make me think, but also questions that are really basic.. What’s my favourite colour, what do I love more the most in life, what’s my favourite genre of music, who are my true friends, etc.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, don’t get me wrong.. I’m not looking to achieve the esteemed Self-Actualization on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs or needs or anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realize that discovering who you are is a life long journey and changes depending on what stage you’re currently at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I’m really looking to achieve is to know who I am <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right now</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I’ve made good progress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In terms of being <u>single</u> however, there’ still some things to be figured out:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What I know:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>how to be a girlfriend</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>I’m probably not ready to be a girlfriend</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>I want companionship </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>I don’t want to be a serial dater</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What I don’t know:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>how to date</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This leaves me in a little bit of a pickle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How to date?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last time I was actively dating guys, was back in 2005 (prior to that, I was in college and was dating a guy for the first a year and half, and a different guy for the last half year).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that means I was single from age 21-22.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since then… you guessed it; in a freakin relationship.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So I did what any girl does when she’s faced with a problem that she can’t see the solution to – I talked to my girlfriends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked each of them to tell me their top 3 tips for dating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s what came up:</span></div><br />
<br />
· Never talk about ex’s (x3)<br />
<br />
· Go in with an open mind (no assumptions) (x2)<br />
<br />
· Be yourself (x2)<br />
<br />
· Put out on the first date (x2)<br />
<br />
· Have full confidence (even if you have to fake it) (X2)<br />
<br />
· Don’t wear underwear<br />
<br />
· Don’t speak of marriage or future plans<br />
<br />
· Bathe and shave<br />
<br />
· When there’s a lull in conversation ask him questions<br />
<br />
· Don’t date just to date<br />
<br />
· Watch for little signs... opening the door, etc. <br />
<br />
· Show a little skin<br />
<br />
· Don’t get too serious<br />
<br />
· Dress comfortable but stylish<br />
<br />
· Never date down<br />
<br />
· Don’t waste your time if they’re not looking for the same thing you are<br />
<br />
· Don’t kiss on the first date <br />
<br />
· If you like him, when the bill comes, attempt to reach into your purse. If he likes you, and if he’s not cheap, he’ll pick it up.<br />
<br />
· If you like him, talk about your past – but not too much!<br />
<br />
· Have fun!<br />
<br />
· Don’t over analyze anything post date<br />
<br />
· Do something active on a first date<br />
<br />
· Smile and be friendly without acting too eager<br />
<br />
· Be ok with silences <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So where does this leave me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A new challenge perhaps?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Possibly a blind date? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I like it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll keep you posted.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span></div><div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-16783451385753413732010-10-18T15:27:00.000-04:002010-10-18T15:27:59.540-04:00Thought of the day...To avoid feelings like that of the post below, here's an idea of how to avoid missing someone:<br />
<br />
Don't stay home alone<br />
.... on Friday night<br />
.... with a bottle of wine<br />
.... while watching 'Say Yes to the Dress'Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-90397064038571723242010-10-15T22:05:00.000-04:002010-10-15T22:05:26.877-04:00Cloudy Days<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let’s be honest here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m doing great since my breakup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve reconnected with old friends; I’ve intentionally subjected myself to uncomfortable situations in the hopes of learning something; I’ve taken the route of looking at the positive side of things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overall, I’ve actually been pretty good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you know what? It’s not all sunshine and roses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes I miss him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes I have an awful day and there’s nothing more that I want then a hug from someone who cares about me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Girl hugs are good, but guy hugs are great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They envelop you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They make you feel safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They make you feel like everything is going to be okay. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do I call him? No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I text him? No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it hard? Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do I feel like this every day? No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’m human.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I miss him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then I ask myself, “Do I miss <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">him</i>? Or so I just miss <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">someone</i>? “I don’t know… I guess that’s the purpose of this journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only time will tell…</span></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-74302242198315042542010-10-12T16:40:00.000-04:002010-10-12T16:40:19.834-04:00Company's Coming...<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As mentioned in my last post, I needed to get my chairs finished for my next challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, my challenge was to host a dinner party!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you may not know, I am not exactly a culinary enthusiast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, most of what I eat now comes in a can, box, or a bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, I really like KD, and Beefaroni, and frozen pizza.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So to say this was a challenge was somewhat of an understatement (or so I thought). Now, of the four girls that I had over, 3 of them work in event marketing and the other one has her own business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That being said, I was anticipating finding a date that worked for everyone to be somewhat of tricky endeavor, but fortunately enough, Thursday night at 8pm seemed to work for everyone!</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now comes the menu planning…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the girls just finished reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Skinny Bitch</i> by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin and has since decided to try out the life of a vegetarian. (Which by the way, if you’re interested in becoming a veggie but just need an extra push to really convince you, I suggest you reading this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another girl actually became a vegan after reading it!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So meat on my menu was out (relief for the girl who knows how to cook no meat except chicken).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pretty sure that leaves only pasta and vegetables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s what the menu consisted of:</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Starter</strong>: Grape tomato bruschetta </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Salad</strong>: Arugula with fresh shaved parmesan cheese and a homemade dressing</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Main</strong>: Pasta shells stuffed with spinach, ricotta, and parmesan cheese</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Dessert:</strong> Pumpkin pie, and chocolate cake</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkww-2tr8fUA7oCTfbWittZwFw3EbdhBE_1UhezzkUumUN9Dp_MavSRaVjFGWKWtiwwyA_6CNADpPoHdbpakcwnkigZJ4WvAl8lw7ONtVAradCqF7LaluUqt2DtqNJDTVx4vNoAv-GG6vm/s1600/SAM_1047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkww-2tr8fUA7oCTfbWittZwFw3EbdhBE_1UhezzkUumUN9Dp_MavSRaVjFGWKWtiwwyA_6CNADpPoHdbpakcwnkigZJ4WvAl8lw7ONtVAradCqF7LaluUqt2DtqNJDTVx4vNoAv-GG6vm/s320/SAM_1047.JPG" width="320" /></a> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I think the reason that I am so hesitant to come to enjoy the art of cooking, is that it just seems so stressful!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You only have one oven and one stovetop but somehow, you need to get the timing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">just</i> right so that everything is served piping hot! Well, upon starting this challenge, I decided to just prep everything I could in the afternoon so that when the company came, I was actually spending time with them and not in the kitchen getting tomato sauce in my hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I was able to cook the bruschetta, slice the bread, make a dressing, and put together the stuffing all before the first knock on my door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(You may have noticed that I didn’t mention that pie or cake… Those came out of boxes…)</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But I have to tell you, I thought this challenge would help me get out of my comfort zone and try to cook something I normally wouldn’t cook, and that would be the end of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out, knowing that I could cook a meal and entertain was not the lesson that I took away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spending that time with good friends, laughing, sharing stories, telling jokes, and being around good people that you really care about was the biggest thing that I took away from this dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could I ever have thought that my friends were just my friends?? Your friends are you support system, your advice givers, and your place where you find solace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySFEjvJD6kI0ZotWMs6GINzu0BQTJveGGKa2ZHgAL1U2q1rEaNnbueKlIikkQ5f8qCBh6j58cKI7hHuCH79vHg8eznRTGHxXuxtLY5B0HfN0dr1uLcHtGEP9JiDPYXSFdxQUALH3Vsx0B/s1600/SAM_1066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySFEjvJD6kI0ZotWMs6GINzu0BQTJveGGKa2ZHgAL1U2q1rEaNnbueKlIikkQ5f8qCBh6j58cKI7hHuCH79vHg8eznRTGHxXuxtLY5B0HfN0dr1uLcHtGEP9JiDPYXSFdxQUALH3Vsx0B/s400/SAM_1066.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are many times when we (especially women), get into a new relationship, and focus all of our energies and attentions on that new guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think when this happens, your friends get it; we’ve all been there before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I think when it eventually becomes habitual to just see your friends when you and your man have nothing going on, is when you start cheating yourself out of experiencing something wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A boyfriend can bring you companionship, love, familiarity, support, and comfort, but I’ve come to realize that he just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can’t</i> give you what your friends can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A friend can give you all the things I’ve just mentioned, but so much more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t describe it, but I know it’s true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I wasn't the only one who felt/thought this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the dinner party was wrapping up, we call kind of looked and each other, and were like “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This is AWESOME”</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We decided to make it a regular occurrence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every second Thursday, we’re going to get together and eat, drink, and be merry.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ll end this blog post with a toast:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To friends and </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">rediscovered truths;</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To laughter and encouragement.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To love lost and love found.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To inspiration, </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">support,</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and advice</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-78075200952097206482010-10-04T18:19:00.000-04:002010-10-04T18:19:33.961-04:00DIY<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So this past weekend I decided to do something I’ve never done before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I real DIY project from start to finish!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In preparation for a new challenge that I’m tackling this coming week, I needed some chairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little background:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I first moved out on my own 7 years ago, I was in the process of acquiring all the furniture needed to make a house feel cozy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went onto Sears’ website and picked out a bedroom set, made my way down to the local furniture store and picked up a coffee table and two end tables, and luckily got a FANTASTIC deal on a couch and love seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(If you’re in the market for some new furniture, I highly suggest you check out Leon’s at 20 McLevin Ave in Scarborough… They have a HUGE as-is section at the back of the store with tons of furniture from couches, headboards, tables, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyways, I got my couch and love seat from there for $150 total!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because it was delivered to a house but didn’t fit in the space; nothing wrong with it at all!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ahh.. I digress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the only thing missing that I needed was a dining room table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time, my step-brother worked for The Brick and called me to tell me that they got a solid wood dining room table shipped to them, and it had 4 chairs, but only 2 seat cushions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I want it? For free? YES!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So for the past 7 years, I’ve been lucky (?) enough to have dining rooms that weren’t big enough to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need</i> 4 chairs around the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I mentioned though, this coming Thursday I will need all four chairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I got to work… I took one chair apart in order to get the seat off (for measurements) and made my way to Fabricland and Home Depot.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wasn’t able to find the exact same shade of fabric that my other seats were in, so I picked something out that was in the same colour and fabric family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then picked up some high density foam for the seats (which by the way, is NOT cheap), and off I was to Home Depot for the plywood bottom and all the nuts and screws and bolts that I needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was shocked when I got to Home Depot and gave them the current seat and told them that I needed this shape (kind of a trapezoid), and they told me I needed a jigsaw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A what??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have one of those…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good thing for family!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my cousins wants to go to school for carpentry, so I shot him a quick bbm and he assured me that he could totally do that – Score!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to mention, that my other cousin, his sister, is a huge DIY’er and she knows how to do pretty much everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I got to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cutting foam, wrapping fabric, stapling batting, until it was complete!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuDK87otfMs0XxKpOChoJO3HwurRpDKzhyphenhyphenICqTjc5SdSl5qwFQr4Jn0-HsX58ELr1SUSYghDfmFZtjXuhPx-eN9aCNlQd90UlQWCCkrC2H0EUvoD2n2zVrjptMRWl4QkavksuvBss6jvh/s1600/SAM_1038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLuDK87otfMs0XxKpOChoJO3HwurRpDKzhyphenhyphenICqTjc5SdSl5qwFQr4Jn0-HsX58ELr1SUSYghDfmFZtjXuhPx-eN9aCNlQd90UlQWCCkrC2H0EUvoD2n2zVrjptMRWl4QkavksuvBss6jvh/s320/SAM_1038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ahhh… I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>wish this story ended on one of those positive notes that I did it and it was amazing, and that my dining room table set is now complete. Not the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got home full of positive energy and determination and the will to DO IT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first disappointment came when I realized I didn’t have all the pieces that I needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow, over the past 7 years, I lost ONE piece of wood necessary to hold the whole chair together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bummer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I didn’t let it get me down.. I still had another shot… For the last chair, I still had all the pieces and the seat that I just made and all new screws and stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3 out of 4 ain’t bad right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ughh.. Well, it started at Home Depot when I showed the man the type of screw I needed and he said that I had a metric not imperial (or the other way around)… Anyways, because of this whole thing, I got a screw that needed a wrench instead of a screwdriver.. Which led to this email to my dad below:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Hey Dad,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">So the screw things that I bought for the chairs aren’t the kind that you need a screwdriver for… You have to turn them with the adjustable wrench thing… But they’re in a small space, so I can turn it like ½ a turn every time… You know that tool that you have (I <i>think</i> it’s called a ratchet), that you turn it then it makes a click-y noise when we bring it back around? Can you bring that over like Tuesday or Wednesday? I need to put these chairs together by Thursday but going at this pace, I’ll be here till next year!!!</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Soooo… I’ll let you know how it goes.. If no chairs, Thursday’s activity may have to be done on the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which, since I have a dog, may not be...interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stay tuned <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-66929269708016059542010-09-30T16:16:00.000-04:002010-09-30T16:16:23.989-04:00I'll probably eat the WHOLE cake... It's my birthday!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, it’s my birthday!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t going to blog today because I really got nothing going on, but I’ll take this opportunity to blog about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stuff</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing really noteworthy comes after this paragraph… No insight, no inspiration… Just me.. talking… Haha</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So my day started off as well as could be expected…I woke up to the incessant buzzing of my alarm clock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I booted up my computer, flung through some junk mail, ate my Honey Nut Cheerios, took the dog for a walk, and got on my way to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Pretty typical, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing “birthdayish” here…)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So I had to change that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given that today is my special day, I figured that I would change my daily mantra of “Strength, Patience, Courage”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For today only, I gave myself permission to repeat the following: “Screw budgeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s my birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Splurge”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out that that is really a great motivator to pick up all those key pieces that you’ve wanted for a while, but guilted yourself into not getting.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m telling ya… Guys, if you don’t go shopping on a regular basis, you don’t know what you’re missing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Girls, I know you totally get it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such a great high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove home in disgusting 401 traffic, and it didn’t have a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thing</i> on me!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just sang along to the radio, and mentally starting packing my bags for this weekend.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So I know you’re all wondering what I’m going to do now that I’m single on my birthday!! (ok, maybe a little presumptuous <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span>)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, sorry to disappoint, but today is kind of like any other day… the only difference is what I do the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">night</i> of my birthday!! Oh yaa.. (don’t get too excited here).. If I was writing this blog on my 21<sup>st</sup> birthday it would probably have something to do with dressing scandalously, going out, doing shots, and picking up boys… On my 26<sup>th</sup> however, I will be going to the Pickle Barrel with my Grandma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’m really excited to do this; I love the Pickle Barrel!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If I’m being honest, the real reason I’m excited to do this is the fact that it just seems like so much <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">work</i> to get ready and go out on a worknight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then there’s the inevitable hangover the next day that follows you around like an annoying little sibling that won’t stop poking you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, that being said, I’ll likely go out this <u>weekend</u> and have a drink too many... The next day, I’ll just dose the kid with Advil till he shuts up and goes to sleep.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you all for reading my blog and making me feel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so</i> good on my birthday!! <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>xoxo</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf79wvT0w1M3OL6aSBdCGqMschNA0g0et24QmqHM1T7TVtEkwDnpcREGzXH8FaQAwTMhlWAAzfiY6xjofRGYw64At1HARhirSN_NpoDDUQaXt8wyrsRbCFpIuw8e1sbT1-exEKxDEDrMQA/s1600/birthday-cake2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf79wvT0w1M3OL6aSBdCGqMschNA0g0et24QmqHM1T7TVtEkwDnpcREGzXH8FaQAwTMhlWAAzfiY6xjofRGYw64At1HARhirSN_NpoDDUQaXt8wyrsRbCFpIuw8e1sbT1-exEKxDEDrMQA/s320/birthday-cake2.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-55065092189875800432010-09-28T20:30:00.000-04:002010-09-28T20:30:33.089-04:00A Path to Self Discovery...<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRH_3PH64MTTVzXyOLBJ0fKz7AWyf-dDSPumzkbT-gM7-PeZGZuhyphenhyphenqtW6YZRT9HnjOMqbQT1MBA4EtPi9svx06b6Ln6LADmFMYSAokOzB-GGtC9VIKPKtyZuYLRNdKJEbar56Vkx4Q7mLw/s1600/SAM_0997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRH_3PH64MTTVzXyOLBJ0fKz7AWyf-dDSPumzkbT-gM7-PeZGZuhyphenhyphenqtW6YZRT9HnjOMqbQT1MBA4EtPi9svx06b6Ln6LADmFMYSAokOzB-GGtC9VIKPKtyZuYLRNdKJEbar56Vkx4Q7mLw/s320/SAM_0997.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So with all these “challenges” so far under my belt, I thought it would be a good time to do some self reflection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing that I’ve got through some embarrassing/awkward/feel-good experiences has given me an increased sense of determination to get to where I want to go; figuring out who I am and what I want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, before I go and follow the Dr.Phil plan or anything like that, I thought I would first do things my way and try to figure out whatever I could on my own before starting any sort of workbook.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought I’d start off with something that may seem pretty simple to a lot of people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started with a “Like/Dislike” list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I literally wrote down everything that I could think of that I liked (from food, to looks, to feelings, and seasons).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then wrote down all the things that I don’t like, using the same random format. I was actually surprised to see how my list came out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of people tell me that I play the devil’s advocate which is true, but I thought that made a little more of a negative person…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out my “like’s” outweigh by “dislikes” times 3! After putting these things down on paper, I literally thought to myself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">why do you stress over the small stuff so much??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are so many more things that you like and enjoy in this world, than things that you don’t.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to say, that actually putting into words, and seeing before me what is in this world that makes me happy and makes me sad, gives me a feel-good feeling.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My second attempt at an exercise to try to get to know myself came about by accident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was out at lunch with a friend and we got to talking about relationships and the good, bad, and ugly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We started talking about what we each other thought were “deal <u>breakers</u>” and “deal <u>makers</u>”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of people can tell you what they don’t want in a person… smoker, drug user, short person, a drinker, etc. etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But do you know what you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">do</b> want in a person?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not as easy to just take the opposite of what you don’t want…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the little things that you want, right? The things that aren’t as easy to put into words?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I challenge you to put them into words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was more difficult for me than I thought it would be… is it for you?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This conversation inevitably led to the question… Well, since you made a list of things that you want and don’t want in a partner, what are the things, both good and bad, that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">you</b> bring to the table?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, well, well…. At that point in the conversation, I could rhyme off a number of negative things that I bring to the table, but the first thoughts that came to my mind when asked about the good things I brought, consisted of things that two people create <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">together</i> (ie: love, companionship, family, etc.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What</i> exactly was it that I brought to the table, on my own, that would lend itself to a happy, healthy, relationship?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, at that moment, I couldn’t think of a thing! (** Which only proves why I should be on a path to self discovery<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span>)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, the food came, and that particular topic of conversation fell to the wayside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It did not however, fall out of my thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will admit, that I am still working on that list, and it’s not being completed in one day. But my hope is that the more I learn about who I am, through being in new situations, experiences different things, and focusing on myself, I’ll be able to put together a list, not of who I’m expected to be, or who I think I am, but a list of who I <u>truly</u> am and what qualities I possess. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then I'll bring them to the table.</span></div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316447051153844950.post-75887693113497197752010-09-24T13:56:00.001-04:002010-09-24T14:53:21.557-04:00Table for One<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Challenge: Dine solo at a fine dining restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rules: No book, no phone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, before I go into how this challenge turned out, I feel I should first tell you what the point of it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I told people this is what I was doing, I got a couple of mixed reactions.. Some people thought that this was a great idea and totally be something that I would never do, had I had a boyfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others didn’t really understand it – ‘shouldn’t this be a time where you hang out and go for dinner with your friends? Not alone?’</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The point of this challenge was to put myself in an uncomfortable and awkward situation, without any sort of crutch (ie: novel or phone), get through it on my own, and hopefully feel good about it afterwards.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So. The restaurant that I picked was called Dimmi’s in Yorkville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had never been there before but a friend recommended it, and it was definitely a good choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I go into what happened when I got there, I’ll just say that getting ready to go on a date with yourself is so weird… As I’m in full concentration mode, looking in the mirror and doing my mascara, I just break out laughing! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What am I doing?? Hahaha</i> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once I arrive, it’s pretty much just as you’d expect; the host is looking at me and then kind of behind me, realizes that nobody’s following me, and says “Hi..”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s my cue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Table for one, please. </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This next part is seriously not a joke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says to me “Where would you like to sit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can sit you here with my nephew if you’d like, or you can sit a little further back in the dining room”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Are you kidding me?! This nephew is about 8 years old, has a million little trinket toys in front of him and is absorbed in his Nintendo DS.. You think I want to sit with him??</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kindly point to the inside of the restaurant, for fear of little Johnny may get his feelings hurt.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Turns out it wasn’t the nephew’s feelings I’d be hurting.. Apparently is was the host, because he sat me right in the corner!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Agh, my plan is squashed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you know how hard it is to eavesdrop from a corner?? (This was going to be how I entertained myself and passed the time)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Somehow throughout the night, I ended up having 3 waiters.. Not too sure how this happened.. but I think they were overcompensating a little.. Maybe they thought I was a critic?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did have my notepad beside me to jot down some emotions/feelings/things that I experienced so that I wouldn’t forget for my blog..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I also asked them to take a picture of me (not embarrassing at all)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmm.. don’t know.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Fortunately, I didn’t get a lot of awkward stares.. Like, people wondering if I was waiting for a date or something – so surprising!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Best Parts of taking yourself out on a date:</strong></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 37.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>I can eat all the bread I want</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 37.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>There’s never a silence that needs to be filled</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 37.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Instead of them just bringing your main course to you, they ask you if you’re “ready” for it (Common? Not sure.. Don’t do the <u>fine</u> dining thing too often)</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 37.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The meal – OMG, if you like Italian food, you’re going to want to check this place out (**I have to admit, I often crave KD, so heed my advice at your own discretion!) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Worst Parts of taking yourself out on a date:</strong></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>There’s nobody to tell you if you have food in your teeth</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>You don’t have the option of going Dutch</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>You end up eating more than normal (There’s not really much to do, so to keep busy, you just keep eating)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overall, this was a really good experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the bill came, I almost couldn’t keep from smiling (at the risk of looking like a crazy person smiling at nothing).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve just done something that I would <u>never</u> have done (on purpose) had I had a boyfriend.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was a weird, awkward, new experience and it was pretty cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know how often I’ll do it, but I suggest you try it; just once. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div>Kristyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10674842102337196994noreply@blogger.com4