...That's not great.

Five for Friday: 2008 Resolution update.

Remember this post?

Yah, me too.

Well, I thought it might be a good time to give an update on what I had listed as my "resolutions". 

1. Keep a better sleep schedule. I'll give myself a 7 out of 10 on this one. I've been MUCH better about no staying up SUPER late one or two times a week; instead getting to bed at a decent time most nights. I would like to get that bedtime to be earlier, but I'm getting there.
2. Get back on board with meal planning.  You may have noticed I've been listing my meal plans here. Actually, I have been doing it even when I haven't listed them on here, so I am happy to report that this is going well. Believe me, I don't claim that my meals are anything fancy. By preparing simple meal plans, I am more likely to be able to get something decent on the table that EVERYONE will eat, and then I am more likely to hear, "We're eating as a FAMILY," from my son. Swoon.
   
3. FINALLY lose the last 10-15 pounds.  Let's be honest. It turns out it was more like 17 pounds. I did South Beach (which I believe helped me kick my SUGAR! SUGAR! SUGAR! addiction), and lost about 6 pretty easily. Since then I've been doing a less restrictive diet, but trying to do more intuitive eating. I watched a couple of those I Can Make You Thin specials on TLC and as shticky as they are, he has some great advice. What hit home most to me was the four rules of naturally skinny people. It was basically the same concepts that I learned in a body imagine class in college (eat what you love and stop when you are full). I'm now down a total of 11 pounds and feel really in control of my eating, which hasn't always been the case. The 130s are just a few pounds away! 
   
4. Be less distracted with the kiddos. This is going really well - I think just admitting what was going on helped me be able to step back when things got a bit crazy. Though, it's a constant struggle of balancing work, home, chores, kids. Lather, rinse, repeat. 
5. Do more with less. Like some other folks on the internets, I went on a shopping diet at the beginning of the year. It was a hard process to learn from, as if made me recognize the sort of rush I get from shopping. The good news is that with my slight weight loss, I'm able to "shop my closet" for clothes hat didn't fit until just recently. Score!

Five for Friday: One day and $1,864.71 short.

So, it's not Friday anymore, but we DID just pay off the remainder of my college loans (thanks to our tax return). No more monthly $250+ payments. That's a great way to start the weekend, for sure.

Here's five things we'll be up to on this beautiful, sunny Seattle weekend:

1. Some spring cleaning. This morning I vacuumed out the slider doors, cleaned and set out the outdoor furniture, cleaned all the window blinds and used our leaf blower to clean up our driveway and walkway.
2. Design my kids dual birthday party invitations. It won't be too difficult because I'm planning a little tongue-in-cheek invite, basically using last year's invite. We had this wonderful spring party at a park planned for 2007, and it ended up raining torrentially. Even though we had rented a large picnic shelter, the party was over in like 45 minutes. The kids still had a great time. So my plan basically have the same party (with references to "re-do" or "make-up"), except this time we'll include a back-up plan and a rain out number to call.
3. Upload a backlog of old pictures into Flickr. Jayesal (PS, don't you think just looks just like Pam from The Office?) has shared a great way to override some of the Flickr standard protocols for the order of pictures in your photostream.  Using her advice, I can upload photos, and they will go into my photostream in the location in regards to the date they were taken, not the day uploaded (which is Flickr's standard). I was hesitant before to go back and upload my pre-Flickr photos, so I wouldn't overwhelm my Flickr friends with all these supposedly "new" photos, that were actually three years old. Noone is interested in how bad my hair looked three years ago.
4. Date night! RD and I are headed out to dinner at the Spag (free dinner vouchers!) and to go see Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I do love my Judd Apatow comedies.
5. Work. On Sunday. Again. This month's workload as been insane - I have TEN grant and letter of intent deadlines in the next two weeks.  Hopefully just this Sunday and maybe the next Sunday.

What are you up to this weekend?

Five for Friday: the Tri-cities edition.

I just returned yesterday from a work conference in the Tri-cities, specifically Richland.  It's an annual conference I attend, usually with one or two fellow staff members.  Because of who I go with, we have a great time exploring the locality.  Since the west side of the state is having such a crappy spring (BTW, it SNOWED today!), it felt so wonderful to feel the warmth of a 75 degree day (due to the rain shadow effect of the Cascade Mountain Range).

So, here's the five best things about the Tri-cities:

1. You can literally drive through all three of the Tri-cites in about 20-25 minutes.  State Route 395 to I-82 in one big circle, which, yes, we did do.
2. The sheer volume of Mexican bakeries and taco trucks.  DELICIOUSNESS everywhere.  I even brought some home with me.
3. The abundance of wineries and wine bars.  On our way to the conference we stopped at Hogue in Prosser and also hit up a few wine bars in Kennewick.
4. Winco Foods.  I had never seen what ten pounds of ground beef in one single package looked like until we went to one of these LARGE scale grocery stores.
5. Ah, hello, the rain shadow effect.  This one alone should be worth a few points.

Five for Friday: The Links Edition.

RD and I are headed out to see the Dalai Lama and Dave Matthews at Seattle's Key Arena this evening for the Seeds of Compassion concert.   How cool is that? It starts at 4:30 pm and the kids are staying over at a friends house so it's officially a date night.  We may even do something crazy like go out to dinner after the concert.  Whoa.

On a much lighter note, here's my Five for Friday list.  My favorite links recently:

1. Passive Aggressive Notes.  The ones related to the fridges in office kitchens could LITERALLY be from my very own office.
2. Overheard in the Office.  I just found this site a few days ago and seriously laughed out loud at some of the entries.  It's updated often, so the laughs are plentiful. 
3. Apostrophe Abuse.  I am guilty as charged when it comes to having too many commas in a sentence, but these people LOVE their apostrophes.
4. Maggie Mason's list of 100 Things Worth Doing.  I'm working on my list, what about you??
5. And, unless you've been under a log for the past week, you have already heard that Flickr now hosts video.  And the internets are really happy/pissed about it.  I totally agree/disagree with them.

Five for Friday.

I have the reputation in my family (The Sister will confirm) of being able to remember the most random events and details from our family's past. These are my fondest memories of growing up and the types of experiences I want my own kids to have (and remember).

1. Going to Mt. Hood to cut our own Christmas trees.  Preparation for this yearly event would start weeks before.  We had to see if our "Moon Boots" (snow boots) still fit, and if not, was there a hand-me-down pair available (we went with our cousin's), and if not, off to the store we would go.  My dad would have to get the permit to cut the tree from the state and my mom would pack snacks for the car.  We would head out to my cousin's house, were we would all try to cram into the back of my uncle's Caprice Classic station wagon (seat belts?  who cares!).  We would get up to the mountain, slog around for awhile until my mom found her perfect tree and my dad and brother would cut it down.  They'd tie it to the top of the car and we would head down the mountain for lunch at the all-you-can-eat buffet outside Sandy.  That is some good times, people.
   
2. The Christmas experience.  In our family, the Christmas season was a special time.  The preparation of Advent, the buying and shipping of gifts to our far-off relatives, the brown packages that would arrive from our grandma via UPS, putting together the goody bags with peanuts and nectarines for the Christmas Eve service, Silent Night sung by candlelight; the list goes on and on.  With both of our parents in education, we usually had a solid two weeks off at Christmas together as a family.  Oh, and of course, THE PRESENTS.  In our family, we opened presents from our parents and relatives on Christmas Eve, after we returned from church.  Then, on Christmas Day, we would get up and open the presents and our stockings from Santa before church.  That's just what we did!  And as RD and I started to create our own traditions with our kids around the holidays, this issue of present opening has come up.  His family did not open any presents on Christmas Eve (a contributing factor to this is that RD's father's birthday was also December 24 and he insisted on a separate celebration).  I didn't know the reason why my family did presents this way, but I did a bit of research and apparently the way our family did it is the way the Germans traditionally celebrate Christmas (we're German, BTW).  I thought that RD and I had settled the present opening issue 3 years ago, but it came up as an issue again this past year.  For me, it does make sense that we spread out the present opening so that the kiddos don't get overwhelmed.  Plus, I think it makes the Santa affect that much more magical.   So, I got my way (but don't tell him that!).
3. Playing Little League softball.  I played Little League softball from the age of about 7 until I was 18.  And if I could have played beyond that age, I would probably still be playing.  I do love me some softball.  Since we attended parochial schools, playing in the local Little League allowed me to make some neighborhood friends and to have some consistent activities during the summer.  It was a real family activity since my brother played Little League baseball and The Sister would keep score for my team. I also had some great coaches (Mike Sr.) and experiences (being the first girl to win my particular Little Leagues best 12-year old award). In high school, my dad would send me to the batting cages with rolls of quarters and I would be there for HOURS.  There is something pure about the game and I am hoping my daughter will find the same joy playing softball.  Or else. 
4. The age of thirteen.  I'm not sure why this sticks out so much to me, but it does.  To my mother, thirteen was the magical age.  The age at which a girl became a women and was allowed to wear hosiery (she called them "nylons"), rather than tights, and get her ears pierced.  (It would seem logical for me to include my first bra purchase here, but it occurred a year or so before I turned thirteen and consisted of my dad taking me to Mervyn's and pointing me in the direction of the girl's bras and telling me to come find him in the men's section when I was done.)  Of course, my fashion rules at the age of thirteen were even more bizarre then than they are now.  I would (over the objection of my mother) wear natural colored nylons (yuck) with white socks over them with dress shoes.  All of that is bad, very bad.  I think RD and I have decided that Sis won't get her ears pierced before she turns thirteen and she will never EVER be allowed to wear natural colored nylons.  That disaster will end with me (and RD will not be taking her to get her first bra either).
5. Summer vacation with our cousins.  Each year my family and my dad's brother's family would head to Black Butte Ranch in central Oregon to spend a week swimming, relaxing, eating and playing.  Even though this set of cousins lived in our same town and we saw them often, this yearly experience bonded us.  I am happy to report that this tradition has made it's way to the next generation, and we even were able to all get together (bringing our own kids with us) for several vacations before my mom's illness restricted our travel options for vacation.  Even though we now have our vacation close to our parent's home, our immediate family (my sister and brother and their kids) have a great week every summer.  I want my kids to grow up knowing and loving their cousins (even though we live far apart from them).  It's important to me and I know it's important to my siblings as well. 

Five for Friday: The Kidney Stone Edition.

Kidney stones; the ailment that keeps on giving!  So the word from my appointment with my general practitioner was basically, "Suck it up, bitch. Oh, and here's a referral to the urologist."  Wow, I am SO glad I paid my $15 co-pay to hear that.  The good news is that I am feeling somewhat better, although peeing through the strainer all week has produced nary a stone.  Bummer. 

So, in honor of my kidney stones (and in the hope that they are on the way out), here's my top five things that make kidney stones AWESOME (sarcasm intended).

1. Your husband will drive you to work (as long as you are still taking the pain meds).
2. You receive not one, but TWO, strainers for your urine.  One for home and a kicky travel one with it's own ziploc bag (trademarked name: Calcucatch).  Fancy.
3. You have a good excuse to wear your business casual clothes every day of the week.
4. Co-workers will look at you longingly when you return from the bathroom, as if to say, "Anything yet?" And, better yet, sometimes they actually say it out loud.
5. All you have to do is mention kidney stones and doctors hand out vicodin prescriptions like candy.

Five for Friday.

In keeping in the general "fashion whore" genre, here's a list of my top five personal fashion rules.  They may not mean anything to you, but I've learned these items NEVER work on me.

1. Just say no to side-zip pants.  I'm not saying that this looks bad on everyone, just me. 
2. I know I'm not a 50s housewife, so my shoes and handbag don't have to match, but I am generally okay with the combo of black shoes and a black bag (or brown and brown).  However, I own a pair a silver ballet flats and a silver handbag and I will NEVER wear them together.  Too matchy-matchy.
3. Ankle-length pants.  I see people wearing them and they look so great, but on me it looks like my pants are too short (and NOT on purpose).  I would love to wear them; I have great ankles!
   
4. I have this weird need to balance what I am wearing above and below the waist.  For example, if I am wearing wide leg trousers, I have to wear a fitted sweater or jacket.  Or, if I am wearing a skirt, I'll make sure my neckline doesn't dip too low (if you know what I am saying). 
5. Black and brown TOGETHER = general discomfort (although I can't put my finger on why).  It all started in high school (go Bluejays!!); I had a classmate who would wear black jeans (shut up, it was in style in 1993) and brown shoes and socks.  To this day, I classify outfits as inherently "black" or  inherently  "brown".  And never the two shall meet!

Five for Friday.

This is going to be short and sweet because it has been one of those weeks.  My mom came down with a respiratory illness; prompting a hospitalization (for her) and a trip to keep her company (for me).  I had mad deadlines at work (not helped by being out of the office).  And, gosh darn it, my vacuum is on the fritz.

So, in my theme of "crappy", here's the top five things currently DRIVING ME CRAZY (I know, how inspired).

1. The vacuum situation.  It still seems to run, but it's not really picking stuff up.  I've cleaned it inside and out.  They weird thing is the suction on the hand tool unit works fine.  Who's got recommendations on a vacuum (don't even bother recommending a Dyson - I'm not paying $600 for a vacuum unless it cleans toilets, too)?
2. My hair.  I am overdo for a trim and my current cheap-po shampoo and conditioner (I tried Sunsilk) has left it drab.  And flat.  And stringy.  I'll suffer through by giving myself a bang trim and calling next week to get an appointment.  Oh, and replacing the crappy product. 
3. The task of putting the basement back together.  At last the carpet was replaced this week (it flooded almost 3 months ago), but now we have to replace the baseboards, set the furniture back up, re-fill the storage area, etc.  If I could pay someone to do this for us, I would.  This is all compounded by the stray carpet fibers left on the carpet that I am currently unable to vacuum up (see #1 above).
4. My daughter wanting to dress herself.  Today she left the house in a powder-blue sweater dress and black stretch pants with red hearts.  Everyone that knew me as a child is thinking to themselves, "Payback is a bitch, isn't it?"
5. The weather.  "Are you there God?  It's me, Bethany.  Please send spring." 

Five for Friday.

In a new feature here at ...That's not great, I'll be boring you every Friday will random lists of my "top five" things in a particular category.  If there is a category you would like me to list my "top five" of; just drop me an e-mail or comment below.

After a brief hiatus last week (for no good reason), Five for Friday is back.

In the movie High Fidelity, John Cusak plays a slacker who owns a vintage record shop, a massive collection of LPs, and innumerable top-five lists in his head.  Several conservations revolve around top-five lists, mostly relating to music.  So I thought I would do a few Five for Fridays in that vein and share my taste (or lack of) with the internets.

Top Five Albums.  In the age of singles, iTunes and downloads, the art of the creation of an entire album is a lost one.  It's all about the single song, and most albums have a few "hits" at most.  My favorite radio station, The Mountain, refers to these as "Desert Island Discs" (although, in their practice, it's only three albums, so work with me here). To make my list, these are albums that are for me, listen-able from start to finish, and while each song may not make my list for favorites songs ever, I never have to push the fast forward button on my iPod.  And that's a good thing. 

1. Crash - Dave Matthews Band (1996).  Now, I am a big DMB fan, and could probably easily listen to any of their albums (live or studio) happily from start to finish.  So, as to not bore you with a list of only Dave-adjacent albums, I I had started to listen to DMB my freshman year in college, as their album Under the Table and Dreaming came out.  Crash was released about two and a half years later and cemented my obsession with the band. 
2. Live - Barry Manilow (1977).  Did I just write that?  Yes, it's true, I do LOVE me some Barry.  My parents had this double LP and I remember listening to it all the time (on original VINYL, people!).  "Weekend in New England"?  "Lay Me Down"?  That is some good stuff!  In high school, I had this on two cassettes and would listen to it on my walkman on the bus coming back from St. Paul or Gervis or whatever small town we had just played ball in.  Yes, I was very cool in high school. 
3. How to Save a Life - The Fray (2005).  I know, I know, it's a recent, pop album; but trust me, it's the shit.  Totally and completely listen-able from start to finish, with pop sensibility and awesome lyrics; I've never understood why The Fray's music didn't have huge impact on the music scene much past their massive hit ""Over My Head (Cable Car)".
4. Rites of Passage - Indigo Girls (1992).  While not their biggest hit, this album holds a place in my heart because it contains three of my favorite indigo girls songs, "Galileo", the haunting "Ghost", and "Virginia Woolf".  I was a bit late to the Indigo girls phenomenon, so this album was sort of a soundtrack to my senior year of college.  I'll let you ponder why.
5. The Story - Brandi Carlile (2007).  Man, this women can sing.  What I love about this album is that is was recorded live in studio (without the use of overdubs), giving it a fresh, pounding sound.  I have trouble picking my favorite songs from the album (since they keep changing), but right now I'm really into "Not Today" and "Josephine".  AND, the Indigo Girls provide the backing vocals on "Cannonball".  SCORE!

What are some of your favorite albums? 

Five for Friday: the books edition.

In a new feature here at ...That's not great, I'll be boring you every Friday will random lists of my "top five" things in a particular category.  If there is a category you would like me to list my "top five" of; just drop me an e-mail or comment below.

After years of refusing to read anything more complex than a Real Simple magazine, I've recently gotten back into reading books.  You know, different from the back of the Cheerios box, the directions to the bottle warmer or .  And you know what?  I've missed it.  I've been plowing through two books or so a week from the library.  Nothing earth shattering, I know, but it's keeping me busy and it's a good way to relax.  So in celebration of my renewed love for the written word, here's a list of my five favorite books:

1. Howard's End, by EM Forester.  I first read this book in my senior year of high school English class, taught by Mr. Thurman (THURMAN!).  This heartbreaking exploration of the class struggle in England after World War I, and its affect on two families.  After the death of a family matriarch (Mrs. Wilcox), her family discovers that she has left the beloved estate, Howard's End, to the older of the two Schlegel sisters.  It is the conflict here that take years to percolate, with devastating results.  I actually gasped during the last chapter. 
2. A recent addition to this list is Love is a Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time, by Rob Sheffield.  The author is a well-published music critic (you've probably seen him one of VH1's pop culture shows) and this is his own story of the life and tragic death of the love of his life, his wife Renee.  The combination of story-telling through real-life mix tape song lists and eloquently simple devotion to Renee is beautiful and profound.
3. The final of my "teen angst" books: The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier.  How can I not include a novel where the first line is, "THEY MURDERED HIM."?  As a child, I, too, hated to participate in fund-raisers, so I identify with the protagonist.  Plus, there's a character named "The Goober" and there ain't nothin' wrong with that.
4. A book that made it easier to explain how I can be a liberal and religious:  God's Politics: Why the Right Gets it Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get it, by Jim Wallis.  I have never understood how many conservatives can justify spending so much time and energy on renouncing homosexuality (mentioned a handful of times in the Bible) rather than addressing poverty (mentioned too many times to count in the Bible - AND Jesus himself spoke of many times).  Though truly not liberal or conservative, Wallis asks us ALL to head the call of morality our response to social issues like war and poverty.  His latest book came in late January and I am excited to read more of his work. 
5. Of course, this list would not be complete without a foray into so-called chick-lit.  While, I am not generally a fan of the genre, I loved In Her Shoes, by Jennifer Weiner.  It's the story of a caretaker older sister and her wilder younger sister and what they discover about themselves and their mother's death when the younger sister finally takes too much.  I cried real tears, people, REAL TEARS.  PS. The movie (even with it's break in plot from the novel) is also a favorite of mine.

Since I am apparently reading for pleasure again, I would love to hear your recommendations on books I should add to my "to-do" list.