I’m taking a little road trip today. I love them!
I’ve taken some great ones. Spring Break with the girls in college – Rochester, NY to Daytona, FL; B’day trip to ‘Bama; Boston for lunch…some great times!
Today, I’m heading out to Syracuse for reasons I don’t want to talk about just yet, but will ask you this: What’s the best roadtrip you’ve ever taken? Was it planned? Who went with you? Where’d you go?
Cute~Ella is Bold, Sassy, & On the Go!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I don’t like Valentine’s Day. (Here’s a brief history if you’d like to read. And here are some other thoughts.)
Too much pressure, too trite, too blahblahblahblah. If I care about you? I’ll find ways to let you know as often as possible. Yes, I do things my own damn way in my own damn time. I don’t need, want or care to know that Hallmark has something to say about it.
(Please note, if Valentines Day is your favorite holiday, I’m not bashing or judging, it’s just not favorite. We can have different favorites.)
First good thing? A few years ago, a drunk text sent to a friend resulted in the holiday I made up that I like to call “Talentod’s Day“. It’s a a celebration of life, love, friendship. Heck, you can celebrate your dog for all I really care. The idea is that when you need something good or a pick me up, to find something good and focus on it. Emphasis on celebration.
So we got a new holiday out of it one year…Second good thing? The candy.
I’m not a fan of chocolate for the most part, but man oh man! Conversation hearts? They might be my downfall of the season. (Just like Easter and Peeps/jellybeans.)
I also appreciate the varied other candies that are also available, but really I can find them the rest of the year, wrapped in whatever color/design Hallmark as deemed appropriate.
I have to get groceries tonight, I should pick up some more conversation hearts. 
(BTW This year? I’m going to karaoke with a bunch of friends and having brunch the next day (I think) with some friends who can’t join us out and about…Tis going to be WILD!! Let me know if you want drunk texts. Warning. They come late into the night. Or early into the morning, depending on how you look at it.)
Just ’cause I’m nosey…what do you have planned for Valentines Day?
Each week, I’m going to post 5 goals that may or may not overlap with the 101 Things in 1,001 Days. I’m doing so in an effort to be more focused about life in general.
News flash – Focus isn’t my strong suit. Well, that’s not true, when I REALLY want to and am insanely caffeinated it works out ok. It would be more accurate to say that while I am awesome at new ideas and starting projects, I’m not so good at finishing them.
I’m working on it. Baby steps, right?
Last weeks goals:
This weeks goals are as follows:
Does anyone else have some concrete goals for the week?
#goalsfortheweek
See the background for Grace in Small Things (#1) here.
I’m continuing this project from last year with a new numbering system.
***
Sunday - lunch, shoe shopping, and a day well spent with a friend.
Monday - supportive friends, reminders to breathe and finding out I didn’t completely screw the goat Sunday night by upsetting someone I care a lot about.
Tuesday - booked a ticket to FL to hang out with Momma, some friends and the sun, found a new cell phone.
Wednesday - easy staff meeting, “sexting” conference call – please let me take a moment to add that they should have let ME do the call, these people were clearly not as informed re: sexting as I am. 
) – interesting turn of events regarding what Life might have in store with me, back on the elliptical at the gym, decent swim lessons, bad reviews on previously stated cell phone, found a different cell phone
Thursday - great feed back, more elliptical at the gym, good swim lesson even though my coworker was a dick, swam for a bit and salad with basil, feta, craisins and a balsamic reduction glaze.
Friday - finally the end of the week, able to cheer up boss at swimming lessons a little bit (I think?), Bones from Thursday night, late night chats with a sexy voice.
Saturday - not smashing my face when I almost passed out at the pool, little kids bday parties, old friends, family, drinks with Lennox, laughs and some seriously awesome texts from someone special.
What are your Small Things for the last week?
***
See others posts with my Grace in Small Things here and say hello to the lady who started it all here.
Welcome to the 2010 edition of getting to know your family and friends! This came to me as an email so please feel free to copy and paste it to others OR fill it out on YOUR blog and let me know via comments that you did!
Here is what you are supposed to do, and try not to be a square and spoil the fun. Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Have fun!
1. What is your occupation right now? Policy wonk.
2. Where do you think number 2 has gone? Down the toilet.
3. What are you listening to right now? Pandora.
4. What was the last thing you ate? Open faced toasted cheese sammich. And I’m going to have some orange juice with ice. Does that count?
5. Can you drive a stick shift? You bet your bippy I can! Tractors too.
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Your mom. She said, “Hi.” (Otherwise, not telling.)
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? The Girl rocks my world.
8. How old are you today? 29…30 is approaching quickly though.
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Hockey, gymnastics,
10. What is your favorite drink? Unsweetened ice tea, ginger-ale, pomegranate cranberry juice and cherry vodka and seltzer. Oh wait! Beer.
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes
12. Favorite food? I like food. Freeze dried strawberries, frozen pineapple and raw green beans are up on the list this week.
13. What is the last movie you watched? Star Trek something or other…the one with Chris Pike
14. Favorite day of the year? Today, unless it sucks. Then it’s my birthday followed by random days off mid week for no reason and any day that ends better than it begins.
15 How do you vent anger? Usually, a good scream helps. I like to call it the “baby velociraptor” cry.
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? Books/Craft supplies. Don’t judge.
17. What is your favorite season? Late Spring, Winter after the snow.
18. Cherries or Blueberries? Both.
19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back/fill this out? If it makes them happy. Sure! If not, meh, whatever.
20. Who is the most likely to respond? Surprise me!
21. Who is least likely to respond? Hm. Dunno. The Bro. Provost.
22. Living situation? I love my little apartment…it’s just for me.
23. When was the last time you cried? It’s been awhile…Monday finding out that I hadn’t completely fucked something up brought tears to my eyes. Keith Urban’s “You’ll Think of Me” did a number too. Hey, it’s Whoremone week. Cut me some slack.
24. What is on the floor of your closet right now? My closet doesn’t really have a floor. There is a coffee table, dresser, and baskets with stuff in them.
25. The friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? I think Meleah is the one I’ve read the longest. BatGirl if she fills it out, The Bro if he sees it takes the cake.
26. What did you do last night? Made a couple hats and had a super duper phone chat.
27. What are you most afraid of ? There aren’t too many things left…losing those I care about?
28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Bacon Cheeseburgers with Mayo, pickles onions and A1 Sauce please.
29. Favorite dog breed? Goldendoodles. The little ones.
30. Favorite day of the week? Sunday afternoon.
31. How many states have you lived in? New York, Confusion, Arousal, Tizzy and Enlightenment
32. Diamonds or pearls? I wear both. Pearls in my ears and diamonds on my hands.
33. What is your favorite flower? Daisy and Sweetpeas.
Ok. Your turn….
#162
1. I know a thing or two about a lot of things; a lot about fewer things, and everything about nothing.
2. From Feb 10th to March 10th when I start my vacation is going to be the longest month.
3. You can’t help but fall for him – he’s awesome.
4. But my douchebag coworker at the pool flexing his supervisor muscles to piss me off can go screw himself; bring it on!
5. Where have you looked today? Forward? Backward? Inside? Deep Down?
6. BatGirl is now available. (See Photo Below)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to finishing a couple projects for tomorrow, tomorrow my plans include swimming lessons and Sunday, I want to sleep!
BatGirl in the BatMobile. Sorry. BatMobile not included.
Trust me. She’s totally awesome even without it.
#161
1. Wouldn’t it be easy to just toss aside our obligations and be free.
2. Right now? I like myself better than ever!
3. I love the taste of soy sauce, ginger and wasabi or steamed veggies and spicy peanut sauce.
4. Various projects in various states of completion are kept in the living room.
5. The first thing we’re going to do is stretch, get some coffee, and paint the town in lovely shades of pink and green.
6. My right nostril still goes drip, drip, drip; fucking bug.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to this week being over, tomorrow my plans include my niece’s birthday party and Sunday, I want to visit my grandmother!
Ok. Your turn!
February 4, 2010
By Rick Levine
You are thinking about the meaning of life today and trying to get a handle on how your choices have brought you to where you are now. This is actually a good day for this kind of contemplation, for you can see a variety of paths ahead, yet you may not be tied to any one of them. But applying a new plan will be tougher than making it, so don’t try to accomplish too much too quickly. Give yourself enough time to let your current ideas develop before turning them into action.
I don’t wish to be overly cryptic or mysterious, but this hits dead on today. I’m ok with the choices I’ve made bringing to where I am now…they’re not the ones everyone would have made, but they have worked out alright for me.
See, I was all set to go back to school, but another door just presented to me and I’m going to see what’s behind it. I don’t know that I’ll be offered it or that I’ll take an offer if I am presented with one…but it’s an option and options are good.
We’ll see.
After swimming lessons tonight, I managed to do the eliptical for 20 min and the rowing machine for 20 min.
It wasn’t as much as I wanted, but considering breathing has been terribly awful for almost 6 weeks, I’ll take it.
Tomorrow, swimming before a private lesson, adult class, and then eliptical again for min of 25 min.
Friday, swimming lessons, swim with the pre-competitive class and eliptical is likely.
Ok. That is all for now. Tomorrow is another Thursday Thirteen and I need a topic. Suggestions?
Cute~Ella is Bold, Sassy, & On the Go!
At work we have a book club now where we are going to read books about business and leadership blah blah blah blah. I like to read and I figure it couldn’t hurt since they were going to buy the book, so I said sure I’ll be part of this. (Plus? These are totally books I wouldn’t normally read so I get to make progress on my 101 Things in 1,001 Days List! Multiaskingwhat?!
The first book we were supposed to read was Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t – Jim Collins.
I read it. I did. Mostly.
Collins writes of how they studied 11 Great Companies and their Good counterparts. (Lots of “case study” like stuff. Skimmed that. What? After 17 fricken psych classes or something, you learn how to read case studies.)
He talks about Leadership levels (5 being the one that was responsible for getting these companies to “Great” status) and the traits of the various levels and how the traits of the leaders influenced how the company performed. (I will caution you that he talks about this a lot and it is seemingly repetitive.)
As a management book, this was a pretty easy read. It’s well written for the average person who might not understand business practices, but wants to learn more. I did find it to be about 85 pages too long though.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need a cup of coffee and some Tums.
