Cranky Christmas

I'm cranky. For no particular reason. I should be feeling Christmasy-- the lodge where I work is decorated tip to toe, and Christmas music piped in, and snow falling... but I'm cranky. I think it's too much working and not enough fun. I've worked every day since last Tuesday and I'm working 11 hour shifts and I'm done of it. I will be off in time tomorrow night to go to Christmas Eve services at church with my friends and am off all day Christmas Day. So hopefully, a few mugs of spiked cider, a few hours of Christmas movies, and a little cuddling with my kitties will bring me back to my normal Holiday cheer level.

The snow here is just beyond belief. It didn't snow, and it didn't snow, and then... IT SNOWED. And snowed. And it's still snowing. Feet and feet of snow. It's so pretty when everything is white and the big fat fluffy flakes sort of float down. Today, however, it was a white-out and not so fun. But I was safe inside and that was good. It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow with more snow to come on Christmas Day. This is what I get for years of wishing for a White Christmas! Here's a picture of the place I work, I took this walking in the other day, this was about 2 feet of snow ago.

Layers of MeMe

Layer One:
- Name: Sadie
- Birth date: September 23
- Birthplace: Memphis, TN
- Current Location: Rocky Mountains, CO
- Eye color: Green
- Hair Color: Brown
- Height: 5′ 9"
- Righty or Lefty: Right handed
- Zodiac sign: I'm on the cusp between Virgo and Libra. But I'm totally a Libra.

Layer Two:
- Your Heritage: Southern Mutt
-The shoes you wore today: Knee high lace up brown boots. They're hot.
- Your weakness: I have several, including food with cheese melted on it, a certain smile, and overspending.
- Your fears: being submerged in a vehicle is my greatest fear.
- Your perfect pizza: I've recently discovered I like artichoke hearts, maters and ham.
- Goal you’d like to achieve: getting out of debt.

Layer Three:
- Your most overused phrase on AIM: I use google talk, but probably "k."
- Your best physical feature: my waist/hip ratio.
- Your most missed memory: If I'm missing a memory, how can I know I'm missing? I don't get this question.

Layer Four:
- Pepsi or Coke: Coke, but Diet Pepsi
- McDonalds or Burger King: BK. No doubt!
- Single or group dates: Single
- Adidas or Nike: Neither. I wear Saucony.
-Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Neither. I don't make iced tea at home.
- Chocolate or vanilla: Vanilla ice cream, chocolate shakes
- Cappuccino or coffee: Plain old coffee, if at all.

Layer Five:
- Smoke: Never
- Cuss: Frequently
- Sing: Alto. I'm a belter; some notes I can only sing if I really push em out. Which pretty much means you don't want to be in the car with me when I'm singing full out, cause it's LOUD.
- Take a shower everyday: Just about. I only wash my hair every other.
- Do you think you’ve been in love: No, I KNOW I've been in love. Several times, in fact.
- Want to go to college: Yeah, done with that. I like learning new stuff but I don't like classwork or papers.
- Liked high school: Notsomuch.
- Want to get married: Believe it or not, yes. I'm still a believer.
- Believe in yourself: Most of the time. I'm working on that.
- Get motion sickness: Rarely, but it does happen.
- Think you’re attractive: Sometimes I think I'm HAWT. Sometimes, I don't even want to look in the mirror.
- Think you’re a health freak: No, I know I'm not
- Get along with your parents: Yes, my parents rock.
- Like thunderstorms: I do. We don't get many here, though. Certainly not compared to Memphis.
- Play an instrument: I play the flute. Or I did, anyway. I haven't tried in a while. I would like to find an outlet so that I don't completely forget how, but there aren't any community bands or groups around here.

Layer Six: In the past month….
- Drank alcohol: Yes
- Smoked: No
- Done drugs: Only the prescription ones
- Made out: No. :(
- Gone on a date: Yes
- Gone to the mall: Not really. There's a little mall that I snuck into but I don't think it counts.
- Eaten an entire box of Oreos: No
- Eaten sushi: Yes, actually.
- Been on stage: No
- Been dumped: No
- Gone skating: No.
- Made homemade cookies: No.
- Gone skinny dipping: dude. It's ELEVEN degrees.
- Dyed your hair: Yes
- Stolen anything: *Sigh* Yes. I stole a lip gloss.

Layer Seven: Have you ever….
- Played a game that required removal of clothing: Don't you people know me well enough to know that OF COURSE is the answer to this question
- Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: Again. Of course.
- Been caught “doing something”: Actually, not that I can think of.
- Been called a tease: Yep. Jerk ass 16 year old boy. Would have gotten further if he'd been sweet.
- Gotten beat up: Nope.
- Shoplifted: See "lip gloss" above.
- Changed who you were to fit in: Not to fit in with a crowd, but to fit with a boy, yes.

Layer Eight:
- Age you hope to be married: I've learned enough not to try to set a deadline
- Names of children: Merlin and Dobby
- Describe your dream wedding: I don't know... maybe here in the mountains.
- Where do you want to go to college: I went to U of Memphis, as you know. I don't really ever wish I'd gone to any other particular school, though sometimes I wish I'd gone to a location far away, just to be someplace different
-What do you want to be when you grow up: I wish I knew
- What country would you most like to visit: Italy. And France. and Ireland. And Germany, Switzerland, England, etc. And that's just Europe.

Layer Nine:
- Number of drugs taken illegally: Only marijuana. But it is a gateway drug, you know. Kids: drugs are bad.
- Number of people I could trust with my life: Very few
- Number of CD’s that I own: Not very many. I ripped them all into iTunes and sold the cds.
- Number of piercings: 1 in each ear, plus 1 in my belly button.
- Number of tattoos: 2. And I don't exactly still love them.
- Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper: A couple, for letters to the editor I wrote. And when I passed the Bar. And in high school when I went to the USSR.
- Number of scars on my body: Several, I'm clumsy. None are surgical, though.
- Number of things in my past I regret: Oh. That's a tough one. Who's to say, though, where or who I'd be if I hadn't done some of the things I've done?

Christmas meme

You know I love a meme! This one was found on Stacy's blog.

1.Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. I've used bags on occasion for large unwieldy hard to wrap things, like a suitcase.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial and pre-lit. I grew up with real trees only, but switched to artificial one year when I was living in an apartment and would be away from home for several days over Christmas and wouldn't be able to water it. I loved not having to string lights or clean up needles, and I lit some lovely smelly candles and I was golden.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually Thanksgiving Day or the day after. This year I was a little late.

4. When do you take the tree down? New Year's Day or the day after. Or whenever I'm finally forced to acknowledge it's time.

5. Do you like eggnog? No.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I remember a remote controlled Barbie Corvette of which I was particularly fond.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? No.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My Mom or my sister. or Maybe my StepDad. Pretty much my whole family is hard to buy for.

9. Easiest person to buy for? My brother-in-law, he of the Amazon Wish List.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't know...

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? My all-time favorite is Holiday Inn.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually early to mid December. Because I like torturing myself. This year I have yet to purchase a single gift because I am broke.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I can think of.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Ham. And ham. And mashed potatoes. And ham. With some mashed potatoes.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear.

17. Favorite Christmas song? I can't pick one. My favorite album is John Denver and the Muppets A Christmas Together, and I also really like all of Amy Grant's Christmas albums. Oh, and Sarah McLachlan's "Wintersong" and "Song for a Winter's Night."

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Over the past few years, I've mostly traveled. This year I hope to travel to be with my family, but have not finalized plans yet.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Grew up with an angel, but I don' t have one I like right now for my own tree. I have a pretty star that I use now.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? It was Christmas Eve when I was a teenager, but it's Christmas morning now because we have a youngun in the family (my niece).

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? I don't know. I do most of my shopping online so I don't have to deal with crowds or malls (the closest real mall is 2 hours away), which were my previous holiday peeves. Around here, the traffic spikes remarkably at the holidays with skiers, but I don't have to deal much with it. So... I'm good.

23. What I love most about Christmas? Oooh, snow and decorations and holiday music, and everybody being in a good mood and eating good food and sparkly lights and warm mulled cider and MORE SNOW.

99 Things Meme

Here's one you've probably seen before, most recently from Lois. The items that pertain to me have been bolded and italicized:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit- several. It counts if you're the attorney, right?
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

A to Z

Borrowed from Sera Strawbridge:

• Accent: In Memphis I was always been told that I don't have one, but out here people can hear it, on some words stronger than others. Even here, I am still told I don't sound very Southern. When I talk to my family or friends it gets stronger.
  
• Breakfast or no breakfast: I used to skip breakfast but now I eat a bowl of Special K or I get really really really hungry.
  
• Chore I don’t care for: I hate cleaning out the fridge. Leftovers will remain in my fridge forevah.
  
• Dog or Cat: I love both, of course. Currently living with two kitties.
  
• Essential Electronics: iPhone, DVR
  
• Favorite Perfume: I really like Burberry London in the fall and winter. I don't remember to spray it on very often, though.
  
• Gold or Silver: Silver.
  
• Handbag I carry most often: I have two that I currently use: one is black and the other brown. I tend to fill my purse no matter how big it is, so I try not to carry big giant bags anymore.
  
• Insomnia: Not too bad. I take 3mg melatonin every night, and I use a sound machine, and lately I've been listening to my iPod until I fall asleep. I used to watch TV until I fell asleep but I stopped that because I didn't have cable in room for a few days and discovered I could sleep without it. IF I have the iPod, that is.
  
• Job Title: I am perhaps the only two-state-licensed-attorney Lead Concierge in the world.
  
• Kids: Not now, please. Not exactly the best time.
  
• Living Arrangements: Just moved into a one-bedroom apartment with quite a lovely view of the mountains and the ranch next door.
  
• Most Admirable Trait: Wow. Um... Apparently it's modesty cause I can't think of anything.
  
• Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: I really wasn't bad. At least, not so bad I can think of much.
  
• Overnight hospital stays: Never.
• Phobias: Being submerged in a vehicle.
  
• Quote: "All roads lead to truth, though some will take you there a whole heck of a lot quicker than others. Be honest with yourself."
  
• Reason to smile: Obama won!
• Siblings: I have a sister.
  
• Time I wake up: Depends. I was sleeping way too late when I was working 1pm-9pm, but switching to the day shift, getting up early for the moving, and the time change all helped set me back to about a 7:30 wake up without an alarm. This is a first-time occurrence for me, and I expect that it will slip back to normalcy before long. Normalcy = dragging myself out of bed after hitting snooze three times with barely enough time to get to work.
  
• Unusual Talent or Skill: I don't have any that are unusual, my skills and talents are all pretty... usual.
  
• Vegetable I Refuse to Eat: Brussels sprouts. Hate.
  
• Worst Habit: I’m a teeth clencher. Awake, asleep, doesn't matter. I'm clenching.
  
• X-rays: Had lots of head/jaw X-rays when I was getting treated for TMD. I have had a few on my wrist before I was diagnosed with ulnar impaction syndrome (my ulna bone is too long and bangs against other wrist bones, also ripping my ligaments, the only remedy for it is bone shortening surgery. Yeah.). That's about all I can think of. Oh, I broke my baby toe in 9th grade.
  
• Yummy Stuff: Cheese. Beer. Pizza. Pasta. And cheese.
  
• Zoo Animal I Like Most: Tigers, of course.
  

Here We Go

I'm sitting in a bar watching election results. You all can probably
guess how I hope things turn put tonight, but I wanted to say one
thing. Starting tomorrow, we're all on the same team, and we're all in
this together. I hope everyone can remember that. :)

Sent from my iPhone

I'm... not packing

I begged off of Halloween revelry in Aspen tonight, because I'm moving tomorrow and haven't really packed... anything. So... I'm packing, right? I'm filling boxes with all my worldly belongings, getting rid of things I don't need or use, and otherwise preparing myself for this. Right?

Notsomuch.

Last time I moved (at the end of June), I was packing at the last minute, in a hurry, and so everything got packed. Everything got thrown in a box and brought to my apartment or put in storage. EVERYTHING. So there's tons of crap in there that needs to be culled. It's a time in my life where I need to purge, move on, and start fresh. And yet, am I doing that right now?

Notsomuch.

But I am looking forward to getting into my new place. The place I'm in now is furnished, so I will be reunited with my furniture tomorrow, and the place will feel more like my own. Also, it's a one bedroom and I won't have to worry about ending up with an unsavory roommate like I had over the summer (that is another story for another post). So it'll feel more real and permanent instead of just an employee housing unit. And it has lots of good windows for making kitty cats very very happy. :)

On another note... I went the other day to be trained to be a poll watcher on Election Day. All that talk about protecting the right to vote, helping people, etc stirred up a little teensy bit of interest in returning to the practice of law. Also stirring up that same thought? My empty bank account. ;)

So that's what is up with me. Tomorrow I will be in (another) new spot, starting a new chapter in my life. Doors are closing, so I just have to look for the opening windows...

More meme!

… another meme shamelessly stolen from Sera Strawbridge. I'm totally pilfering all her ideas.

1. Name something you have in common with all your siblings?
I have one sibling and two step-siblings. The only thing we ALL have in common is our parents. My sister and I have a lot in common. We look alike, we sound alike. We both like sports. We both have advanced degrees (she's an MD) that don't get regularly used (she doesn't work full time, and I don't use mine at all presently).

2. Do you fold your underwear?
Nope.

3. Who is the last person you wrote a letter to on paper?
Holy crap. A cover letter with my resume, probably. I can't remember the last personal letter I sent.

4. What was your first job?
I was a hostess and then a waitress at The Dutch Pancake House in Memphis. I still don't know how I managed to get up at 6am every Saturday and Sunday that summer.

5. Aside from Driver’s Ed, who really taught you how to drive?
My mom. I don't remember ever having "lessons" though, I just learned by watching and then by doing. I did take Driver's Ed, though.

6. What did you do today?
I woke up, watched a little news, took a shower, make-upped and hair-styled, then drove less than a mile to work. And now I'm at work.

7. Are you emotional?
Used to be. Lately I'm not. I think my crier is broken. Or worn out, perhaps.

8. Have you ever had the same dream more than once?
I have had recurring dreams about being chased. They're not the same. I haved also dreamed about being back in school (usually high school) and sometimes it's my high school, sometimes I'm at a new school. Eventually, in the dream, I realize that I graduated high school already and don't have to be there, and the dream always ends. I haven't had either dream in a long time.

9. If you were in an emergency situation and you had to deliver a baby, could you?
Heck, I dunno. Would I have a cell phone where I could call my sister the doctor for instructions? Or 911? Or anything? I could catch a baby if everything went according to nature's plan, I suppose.

10. What was the most recent thing you bought?
Last night I bought two bottles of wine to take to dinner at a friend's house.

11. What is on your refrigerator door?
Nothing. On the SIDE of my refrigerator is a calendar, my work schedule, some of my favorite Notes from the Universe, and a NFL schedule.

12. Name something you have to do tomorrow.
I have to go vote early. And also go through boxes and purge stuff. I'm moving into a different apartment and I need to get rid of some things.

13. Would you ever want to swim with the sharks?
Nope. No way.

14. What are you wearing?
A brown suit.

15. What was the last thing you ate?
Special K.

Might as well Meme

I borrowed this from Sera Strawbridge who borrowed it from Ajooja who borrowed it from LeSombre.

1. Who did you last shoot a dirty look at?

Huh. I can't really think of doing that.

2. What kind of car do you drive?

Harriet, a white 1998 Land Rover Discovery. She has some power steering problems, but she's my faithful and trusty friend. :)

3. Have you ever had a garage sale?

Only once in my adult years. I can't remember if I made very much money, I just remember that it SNOWED in MEMPHIS on the one freakin' day I was going to have it. Talk about a business killer. I had to repeat it the next weekend and had it indoors because I'd already moved out of my house, so everything that was left was for sale.

4. What’s for dinner tonight?

I don't have any idea. Maybe homemade pizza.

5. What is the last drink you drank?

Crystal Light Pink Lemonade.

6. Last time you were sick?

In May I had a terrible, awful, no good, very bad respiratory infection. Hacking cough, completely stopped up nose (to the point I made funny nose noises when I tried to swallow), etc. It was not cool at all.

7. Are you happy right now?

Yeah. Mostly. Lots of changes are happening in my life right now, but I'm rollin' with it.

8. What is your favorite key chain on your keys?

It's a Memphis purse hook thing. I can't find a place that's selling it still, although I've seen them before at Tiger Book Store and Tennessee Sports Zone.

9. What is in your pocket?

My lip gloss.

10. Who is the last person you had a phone conversation with?

The last non-work-related phone call was with a co-worker of mine who just found out that the baby he and his wife are expecting is a girl. Yay, girls!

11. What’s something fun you did today?

I slept late, that was fun. Actually I woke up super early (like 5am), laid there for a couple hours, and finally fell back asleep.

12. What are you going to do after this?

I need to be sorting through my stuff and packing boxes (I'm moving again), but I'll probably sit in my comfy chair and clear out my DVR. That's much more appealing.

13. What is something you need to go shopping for?

I need some new flannel sheets and a long winter coat.

14. What was the last thing someone you love said to you?

"Hope it's worth it!" said by my friend Pebbles (totally not her real name) who just drove 12 hours to visit her boyfriend. ;)

15. What is a compliment you receive way too often?

No such thing!

Links for Today

I'm having trouble coming up with blog material. My mind just ain't workin' that way anymore. So instead, I thought I'd share the things that I'm reading online today to fill my time.

Babies Don't Lie: A great election post-- one of my favorites of the whole election cycle. It's partisan, but not offensive if you don't agree with the blogger's position. Just cute and funny.

Margaret & Helen: another political blog. Entirely partisan. :)

Guarding Her Nap: The sweetest Daily Coyote post EVER. Seriously. And if you're not enjoying the daily cuteness of this site, you should be.

Black Heels to Tractor Wheels: the series of blog posts in which The Pioneer Woman shares the story of how she met a cowboy and it changed her life.

Full Court Press: "During this 10-episode series, Rivals.com goes behind the scenes of the Memphis Tigers basketball team as they prepare for the 2008-09 season. With unfettered access to the Tigers and their coaches, new episodes of “Full Court Press” debut each week through Dec. 17."

So Much For That

I really intended to blog regularly. But I see it's been 10 days...

I guess I'll answer some questions that were asked about my entry before last...

Nope, no golf in the winter. ;) The course will be covered in feet of snow, so the Members can cross country ski or snowshoe on it. The Club gets very slow in the winter, except at the holidays. We are not right on a mountain, so we don't get a huge ski crowd. The summers here are CRAZEE because we do a lot of golf and fly fishing. I'm looking forward to the winter, though, it'll be a nice long break.

And yes, Neila, you bad girl, I have seen two celebrities, but neither would I want to "get happy with" for one night... ;)

And I do have both kitties with me, but not Max. I miss him a lot, but I wanted him to be happy, and I thought his living situation would be better where he is than if he came with me. But every day I very much miss his sweet face. I thought that I would be able to get some time with him on occasion, but that doesn't seem to be agreeable. :(

Manic Monday: Leaf

Graphic by Janna at Jannagraphics

I took this picture last week while taking a drive to see the fall colors. Actually, many of the leaves had fallen already, but there will still many beautiful views. I took so many pictures, but this one is my favorite.

I'm participating in Manic Monday today with the theme of Leaf.
Click here for more about Manic Monday and to view other participants.

So Much To Say

Cue Dave Matthews Band, cause I do have so much to say. The life I am living today is almost unrecognizable compared to the last time I posted. I'm not going to get into ALL of it (yet), but I have been absent for so long I have been missing this blog, my blog peeps, and the catharsis of writing every day. So I thought I'd update you a little on what's going on in at least one area of my life: my job.

I'm not practicing law anymore. I left my law firm in May (for a variety of reasons, which I'm not going to get into here), and took a job at a private golf club/resort as Lead Concierge/Hospitality Manager. And you won't effing believe it, but....

I LOVE IT.

Believe me when I tell you that no one is more surprised than me! I thought I didn't like people! I thought I didn't like being friendly! I didn't think I'd be particularly good at it, that's for sure. But you learn something new every day. And I am in love with this place. It's not perfect, no place really is, but from the very beginning I have felt at home here, the kind of "home" and belonging feelings I haven't felt since I walked the campus of University of Memphis. I have moved into an apartment on the property, and every day when I head up to the lodge where I work, I look at the incredible landscape and think to myself how lucky I am to live and work here. It's something of which I don't tire at all, and it makes me feel happy and grateful and blessed.

Just to briefly address some other aspects of my life (or really, one major aspect), to head off questions my regular readers (are you still out there?) will have, though most of you know the answers: I live alone in my apartment, and will be re-naming this blog. That should be enough information for now on the state of things in my personal life. If you have blog name suggestions, let me know. I could just put a "NOT" at the end of the title. Or an "UN" in front of "married." I hate to give up my URL. ;)

Are you Registered?

Please make sure you are registered to vote! The last day to do so in Colorado is THIS COMING Monday, October 6. Go here to find out about voter registration in your state, no matter for whom you plan to vote.

Mosaic

1. Sadie 'The Tongue', 2. Neon Spaghetti on Lombard, 3. Sunset Bridge Two - Memphis, TN, 4. Anan Brown Bear #1, 5. Clive-Owen_020, 6. Red Red Wine, 7. "La mia casa è il mare e con un fiume no, non la posso cambiare", 8. Apple Turnover, 9. rich beach, 10. for my Karma family, 11. I'm Hungry, 12. Sadie Series #5

Stole this from Marilyn.

What you do:

1. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
2. Using only the first page, pick an image.
3. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker).

My Answers:

What is your first name? Sadie

What is your favorite food? spaghetti

What college did you go to? Memphis

What is your favorite color? brown

Who is your celebrity crush? Clive Owen

Favorite drink? Red wine

Dream vacation? Italy

Favorite dessert? Apple turnover

What you want to be when you grow up? Rich

What do you love most in life? My family

One Word to describe you. Hungry

Your flickr name. sadie923

Weaknesses

Ask anyone that knows me well my weaknesses, and if he or she is honest, the two things most likely to be named are as follows: 1) I am financially irresponsible/have a spending problem/fail miserably at living within my means, and/or 2) I fail to apply myself/have a crappy work ethic. These two traits rear their ugly heads in my life repeatedly, and I know that until I figure out how to tackle them, they will continue to do so.

These are certainly the two things that I dislike most about myself. Several times, I have recommitted to a budget, or some financial plan. I start listening to Dave Ramsey and I get all fired up about being debt free. But it doesn't last, and I fail. I revert back to my standard status quo-- keeping my head barely above water, when there is clearly enough money to make ends meet, but I continue pushing the ends further apart. Finding a solution to this problem is all on me... it will just take commitment and dedication and a real decision from me to make it happen. And I do believe I'm ready for that.

However, work ethic is a much more difficult problem to solve. How does one change her work ethic? I have asked this question before. Those people with a good work ethic don't know how to answer me, because for them it's just natural. The advice is usually, "well, you just do it." Oh. That's easy, right? Actually, I understand this, because I have trouble explaining something that I easily understand to someone that struggles with the idea. It just makes sense, why don't you get it? I know that's how people feel when they talk to me about working hard.

Or they love their jobs so much that it's easy. "Find what you love," they'll say. Dude, I love snacks and television. "What have you ever gotten excited about or worked hard at?" they ask. This is an interesting question, because truly, the hardest I've ever worked in my life was in law school. But even that is misleading, because, again... I didn't work that hard. Law school is not memorization and rules. It's ideas and ways of thinking, and I just got it. I just understood. But I loved it. I loved getting called on in class when I knew the answer and no one else did, because I'm just that big of a dork. I loved surprising my friends who didn't think I was all that smart because I'd played dumb for so long to make my idiot boyfriend feel less stupid. I liked irritating the Type As in my classes who studied constantly and didn't do as well as I did. That's what I liked. How do I turn that feeling into a career, I ask you?

Do I find something that I just get? Something I do well? Something that comes easily to me? Whatever it is, I haven't found it yet. But I'll keep looking.

So here's what I want to know... those of you out there with strong work ethic-- and you certainly know who you are-- any hints for me? Is it something you were born with? Something that you ever even think about? Is it borne of necessity, nurture, or nature? Can you give me some step by step instruction? Some secret motivating idea? Anything at all?

Well, frack.

I've not been doing so well with the whole "regular blogging" thing, have I? I guess it just might take me a while to get back in the swing, it's been SUCH a long time since I was really in the swing. A few random thoughts:

• I recently used "frack" as an expletive when I stubbed my toe without even thinking about BSG.

• I wish there was a community band around here. The nearest is in Denver. I miss playing my flute. Also, I watched August Rush today which made me want to go to Juilliard. It is irrelevant that even when I played I was not good enough to go to Juilliard.
  

• I have been sick for over two weeks now, and my ears, nose, and lungs are being very mean to me. The good thing to result is that since I cannot taste food at all, I'm not eating very much. I've lost four pounds.
  

• When Nashville Star starts next week, I will be recapping the show for TV Grapevine. the show starts next Monday, June 9, at 9/8c.
  

Some Things I Like

1. Ziploc Zip N' Steam bags-- for vegetables in the microwave. Love.
2. Dry Nail polish-- Costs $3.74 right now at Walgreens, and only has enough color strips for me to get 1 manicure out of it. But. It lasted at least a week which is highly unusual for me and nail polish. It would be good for a vacation or something. Or, for good nails every day for $4 a week.
   
3. Magic Blush-- Smashbox O-Glow comes out of the tube clear and then turns the perfect color on your cheeks. Looks different on everyone, and it's the most natural color I've ever seen on my own cheeks. Very awesome. It's a small tube, but I've been using it for 6 weeks now and I don't think it's halfway empty. I just bought some of Almay's similar but much less expensive product to see if I could save myself major buckage for the same result.
4. Magic lipgloss-- Smashbox O-Gloss. Same idea, clear from the tube, perfect shade for you on your lips. It's MAGICAL.
5. My new Crocs. I've never been a fan of Crocs, because I'd never tried them on and I thought that they were kinda fugly. But these ("Malindi") are super cute and so comfy and I love them.
6. Twitter. I'm in love with Twitter. You should join! Join, and follow me.
   

A few years back (okay, at least 10 years back) I worked at the Homewood Suites hotel. I worked the 11pm to 7am shift as night auditor. I was trained by a coworker for my first few shifts, and then I would see her often either when I would come in to work or when I would leave. We were both students at the U of M, though I didn't ever see her on campus. She was cute, and fun, and always happy. Even at 7am.

After I left that job, and we both had graduated, I would see her at U of M events. She worked for the University Alumni Association. I didn't know her that well, but she was a nice girl, and she was very enthusiastic about our university.

Last week I heard she was sick. A malignant brain tumor. She died on Friday. When reading this post written by her father, I realized she was married to another friend of mine. A guy I had known in band in college. He and I weren't close, either, but we were friends. And he was close with several of my friends. Her funeral was today. It would have been only their first anniversary.

Do I Need a New Blog Title?

I was reading this advice for new bloggers, and it made me wonder. If I'm coming back into blogland, should I choose a better title for my blog? I like the idea of using the song "Sadie, Sadie, Married Lady," but it's long. And that URL seriously takes a while to type.

Whaddya think, is it okay? Should I change it? If so, to what? For some reason, of all the areas in which I have creative ideas, blog naming ain't one of them. If you have any thoughts, let me know. And I'll be working on a new post to catch you up on where the heck I've been for so long.

Anybody still out there?

I just wondered if anybody still had me in their Reader or something... if anyone would notice if I surfaced again... Anyone? Anyone?



Bueller?