Unrealistic relationship expectations thanks to Disney
2008-03-18 20:22:00
First off, happy birthday to my buddy Liz. I dedicate this post to you birthday girl! In fact, you were the inspiration for it.Tonight after work I went to Borders, wrestled past some tourists and grabbed the third-last widescreen edition of Enchanted. Yes, I am in my 20s and I bought a Disney
half-animation film. But as "dead inside" as I may be, I am still a hopeless romantic who swoons at fairy tales. See my previous post about Jane Austen movies, that should have been a hint.Who could resist the thought of Prince Charming riding up on a horse to rescue you or falling madly in love with someone in one glance and give up everything to be with him. And the fashion! I'm not a fairy-tale hoop skirt kind of girl but there's something about ballroom dancing in a big dress, holding up the hem
The cute picture of the day
2008-03-17 21:35:00
So I think it's time to change my contacts because I have been having these horrible headaches all day. They are awful and they make work a bit more challenging. But, I cruised by Cute Overload's Web site today to see if they have any more bunny pictures that I can privately gush at from the privacy of my desk. On another pet-related note, Ryan mentioned this weekend that I should have a cat to help me be "not as dead inside," but then he realized the cat would serve more as an "evil henchman" for me, as I stand in the window of my apartment laughing menacingly and stroking the cat like a haired-Mr. Bigglesworth.Anyhow, I don't care for cats and dogs aren't practical for my work schedule in the city so I find my pet-joy in bunnies. The cutest-wittle-things ever! Included for your pet-joyme
Where's Jess now? Hint: It's not the Midwest
2008-03-21 13:39:00
Hey y'all. Yes, I'm keeping my Southern drawl for one more day. Why? Because I'm in Atlanta, instead of Wisconsin, and no this was not by choice. After another bright and early start today (4:30 a.m. this time). The horrible snow in the Midwest
, especially in Illinois and Wisconsin, has stranded me in Atlanta and made me feel like a horrible mother. I say this because my Macbook is still in Wisconsin - where I will not be going now this weekend. Now my baby girl and I won't be together for two weeks. Tear. I was so looking forward to that. I had a name picked out for her and everything!See below for the full explanation of how I got here (to the airport Sheraton). It's an interesting read. The saga of how I ended up stuck in AtlantaBy: JessicaThis morning started off great. I blissful
Welcome to Pensacola!
2008-03-20 18:50:00
Yes, Everyday Adventures is live in Pensacola, Fla. tonight and ready for bed! The cab pick-up at 4:30 a.m. was painful but fortunately the flights down here were painless. At O’Hare, I was sitting far enough forward in the plane that I could see the baggage handlers putting the luggage on the plane. Anxiously waiting for mine, I smiled when I saw her getting ready to be loaded on the conveyor belt, until an angry worker got frustrated with her and slammed her on the belt, cursing and looking at it as though the suitcase had Anthrax. Shocked, I tapped on the window and pointed menacingly at him. That is a TravelPro suitcase jackass, don’t be so mean to it! Just because you hate your job don’t take it out on me!Then, on my flight from Memphis to Pensacola, which was on a “regional
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Top Chef, CVS going high end and very not happy
2008-03-19 19:54:00
Top Chef: Week 2 - bring the flavor!So it's week two of this show in Chi-town and now that whiny Nimma is gone, let's see who is next to go!Quickfire Challenge: Green City Market (yay) - recipes with only 5 ingredientsGreat challenge. First off, I used to live near Green City Market so I had a mini joy-gasim at the though that Top Chef was near where I used to live. And what was up with Mark being all up in the vendors grill? Lamb? This isn't Whole Foods, and digging in the vendors stuff, not proper etiquette.My winner was Ryan, with the steak, potatoes and greens. Classic and solid choice. Oh and Andrew adding another ingredient? Ew someone wasn't paying attention. But that guy is funny and game for anything so good for him!In the end, Mark was the final winner, which kind of surprised me
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What did I learn this weekend?
2008-03-22 19:07:00
Thank goodness - I'm finally back in Chicago. I never thought that I would be so happy to see the city, even if it's blanketed in snow. Of course, my bag from Atlanta did not arrive on the plane that I was on this morning, instead it arrived about 45 minutes later on another flight and was totally covered in snow and dirt. Why would things end on a positive note??So while napping in the cab and doing nothing other than balancing my checkbook and laying on the couch all day, I've reflected on the last 72 hours and compiled a list of the things I've learn
ed from this experience.What I've learned (March 20-22):Always trust your gut - even if what it's telling you to do isn't all that appealing at the timeNever check a bag at the airport, especially if you're only going to be gone for 48 hours
What to do when you see a co-worker naked at the gym
2008-03-25 20:32:00
First - don't panicSecond - only make eye contact...no matter whatI go to a gym near my office, where I'm fortunate enough to have a corporate discount. So from time-to-time, I go into the gym after work and without paying attention, walk into a row of lockers and I'm greeted with the sight of a woman I work with who is buck naked getting ready to work out.Now it would be rude to gasp and walk away so if I've committed to the row of lockers with my naked co-worker, I tend to offer a smile (so it's not awkward) and do not engage in conversation. Sometimes, if I know the person well, we'll engage in small talk while keeping our backs to one another (like in gym class), otherwise we do not acknowledge each other at all and play dumb.Of course it's a little odd the next day, when I run into th
More things I don't understand
2008-03-24 17:19:00
I've resigned myself to that fact that while I am smart, there are things
that I will never understand.One of the things I never understand is why women "settle" for the bad relationship and/or why some of my friends who are in these bad relationships, choose to stay in them.I bring this up because an old college friend and I were catching up on AIM when she announced that she and her ex-fiance are dating again - and I was so mad I nearly screamed out loud in my apartment. My friend is smart and funny with a great personality and the thought of her being back with this loser guy who emotionally abuses her and makes her pay for everything makes me ill. It's only a matter of time now until I get a wedding invite and I don't know what I"ll do if that happens.I believe that people can genuinel
Big scary me
2008-03-27 19:09:00
Tonight an older woman who emigrated from the Soviet Union (during the "not-so-fun" time) told me that she is afraid of me. And it made me feel like a total bitch.Since I've moved in to the condo that I rent, I've had an issue with the woman who lives above me, specifically the television on at all hours of the day and night - loudly. So after some complaints to the condo board we end up at a noise complaint hearing, which I was not looking forward to. While I can present a good case, I'm not the best at confrontation.The meeting started out fine until Natasha (who I will refer to this woman as) came down with her Russian sister-in-law and started in on me and the board. Rambling on...and on...and on...and on. And while I was trying to pay attention and our audience started gathering, I so
Update: Bridesmaid invite done by mass e-mail
2008-03-26 21:30:00
In February, I posted that a friend of mine was invited to take part in her close friend's wedding by mass e-mail. The e-mail also informed the five potential bridesmaids that one of them would be selected at a later date to be the maid of honor. Since many of you shared in my horror about this story, I'm pleased to say that I have an update.My friend informed me tonight that she, unfortunately, did not make the "maid of honor - Survivor" cut. This did not surprise or disappoint her, but apparently the bride-to-be did not get a good reaction from the way she asked these women to be part of her wedding, so she recently made the "I'm sorry I asked you to be in my wedding by mass e-mail" tour around the city to personally ask each of them to take part. Apparently though, for the bridesmaid wh
Read more: Update
, Bridesmaid
Party time!
2008-03-30 09:47:00
Last night the full Chicago Team Hamster group (Liz, Mike, Ryan and me) went out to celebrate Liz's belated birthday at Tarascas on Wrightwood and Broadway.First off, it took about an hour for me to decide what to wear and then when I was ready on time, my counterpart Ryan was pokey, thus making us 30 minutes late. We were the last to arrive and Liz was already halfway into her jumbo margarita with an umbrella. Ouch.Tarascas boasts a certain charm, such as being crushed in the restaurant like sardines, sitting on cheap, plastic lawn chairs and viewing a wall-sized mural of a topless woman with six-pack abs. But with a pitcher of margaritas on the rocks between Ryan and me, it is all irrelevant.As a note, when ordering your margarita pitcher, don't ask for the house tequila - ours had a "g
Read more: Party
(Late) Top Chef recap
2008-03-28 21:21:00
Top Chef Week 3: Hangin' in the Chicago 'hoodsSo the Lincoln Park Zoo ate Valerie alive last week. Time to kick the carcass to the side and put the group on the chopping block again.Quickfire Challenge: Classing up the tacoFirst off, if I was at an upscale restaurant, I sure as hell would pick a fillet over taco. No matter what.So Rick Bayless from Frontera Grill and Topolobampo (?) is the guest judge and his face appears to be pulled tighter than a sheet which I notice while watching him look visibly nervous on camera and while Andrew looks like he's having a seizure with the other contestants. Rick is sounding like he's going through puberty as he talks about serving "tacos with a twist!" in his fine dining restaurants. I thought your voice was supposed to drop when you're in your teens.
Read more: Top Chef
Why Katie Holmes looks like a soccer mom
2008-04-01 18:44:00
So yesterday's post on Heidi being a "feminist hero," according to the New York Times, seemed to touch a bit of a nerve. And in honor of that and the great feedback I received, let's press on that nerve a bit more.Today I was cruising Us Weekly's site again and was stunned to see that Katie
Holmes
has cut her hair...again...shorter. I didn't think there was anything left to cut. The online picture isn't the best, but I was surprised that it could actually be Katie because she looked like a "too skinny" guy...with great cheekbones and no Adam's apple.And the first thought that went through my head was, "she looks like the Saturday Night Live parody of 'Mom Jeans,'" where they claim "I'm not a woman anymore, I'm a mom!" In fact, Katie is looking more like the Tina Fey character in that parod
Am I hallucinating? Heidi a "feminist hero?"
2008-03-31 21:17:00
I thought that I would have nothing to report on tonight - until I read on Us Weekly's site that someone at the New York Times called Heidi
from the Hills a feminist
hero. I thought I was drunk or hallucinating when I read that. That has to be a misprint but sadly it's not.Heidi is many things, such as a poster-child for boob jobs, too much mascara, bee-stung lips and slutty clothing. All of those things come to mind when I think of her. But feminist hero, somehow that seems like a stretch...by a long shot.The paper applauds Heidi for kicking Spencer to the curb (of course we know is not true because they're back together) and for climbing to a bigger position at work (which she is absolutely not qualified for and likely got because of the MTV cameras). And for anyone who watches the show
More pre-shower shenanigans
2008-04-04 21:09:00
So I am back in Wisconsin, mentally preparing for Sunday's shower carnage (that almost rhymed).And too keep the pre-shower drama going, I met up with my brother to purchase the gift I will be giving him and his fiancee on Sunday. This might sound odd, but considering he is a guy and won't be there for the shower, I wanted him to at least feel like he would be getting something he would enjoy...in a backwards way.So we arrive at Target, the Mecca, but in actuality, finding things on their list that are: a) still available b) within my $50 price range (including wrapping supplies) and c) able to be semi-easily wrapped, proved to be a bit more difficult than I thought.First the Mr. Clean floor brush was too large and awkward to wrap (although Andy mentioned he would be okay with me arriving w
Read more: shenanigans
Top Chef recap
2008-04-03 20:04:00
Week 5: Sadly not that overall interestingSo we learned last week that Eric's tendency to put crap (not literally) on his plate was enough to actually send him home. Good call. Neck tattoos are scary.So let's have some fun and ogle the men - yes Ryan I'm talking about you.Quickfire Challenge: Demonstrate techniques (you mean outside of just cutting your food?)Daniel Boulud is the guest judge and Padma said if we don't know who he is, that we should leave the kitchen. No problem!Nikki is apparently going golfing at Diversey with her plaid hat. Manuel magically isn't Latin anymore and Spike is gong to the beach with a straw K-Fed fedora this week, bitchin! Dale's avocado sashimi on a bucket full of ice was pretty bad ass, and probably costs $40 at Japonais. Meanwhile Richard is crushing on h
Read more: Top Chef
More bad wedding etiquette
2008-04-02 20:01:00
It's officially wedding
season and as you have seen from my recent and February posts, there is plenty of poor wedding etiquette abound!And today, that poor etiquette touched my brother's wedding, which I will be standing up in during Memorial Day. And I have to admit, I have quite a bee in my bonnet about the e-mail I received today.Sunday is the wedding shower (for a whopping 90 people) and leading up to this, my brother and his fiancee told me that her mother or sisters (who are throwing the shower) would be contacting me to talk about it. Why? I had no idea. My name was not on the shower invite and the bridesmaids are not even the hosts. So according to my friends Anne and Margaret, the latter of whom has memorized the Emily Post etiquette book, the only thing I need to know about the
Shower and weekend recap (the good and the bad)
2008-04-06 20:09:00
Thank goodness - I'm back in Chicago!Well today was the highly anticipated shower and let's just say, I was pleasantly surprised but exhausted from being on-the-go all weekend.Below is a recap of the weekends highlights and lowlights (some are not that low, but there weren't enough for an in between category):High points:Day off on Friday!Driving - I love it and I miss itHaribo Gummi Frogs and Milka - you know it's really from Germany when you can't read the packagingSeeing my new computer - my baby!Getting a purdy new case for my babyCoach at Bayshore fixing the mix-ups in my order from Mayfair (also see lowlights)Free movie and dinner with dad and stepmom (Saw 21 - not bad but rentable)Cheesecake at the shower - it was awesome (see picture below)Amtrak finding my "cancelled" ticket from
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Monday Tidbits
2008-04-07 20:41:00
So today was not the best day. I had the same woman that I was speaking with on the phone yell at me twice, once almost so bad that I teared up. Awful. I hope she gets a plantar's wart for that unnecessary action. And then the traffic lights on the Belmont LSD exit going North were out, which lead to much lawlessness and traffic getting home.While the Haribo Frogs comfort me before I go back to work for a bit tonight, I did have two fun things to share.Saturday Night Live "Annuale" drug adOn this week's Saturday Night Live show, it featured an faux ad for a women's birth control pill, Annuale, which helps women only have their period once a year, which means you're pretty much doped up on hormones for 11 months. Whoa.Anyhow, here is a link to Tara Parker Pope's weekly Times column which ha
Read more: Monday
, Tidbits
Who's a pretty princess?
2008-04-09 12:52:00
My friend Katherine sent me this link today, prefacing it by saying, "you have to check this out...this will help eat time out of your day." Right now, that's not really a problem at work, having too much free time, but I selected the link and smiled- it's a "build your dream wedding dress" interactive Web site! And because weddings are a big part of my family life right now, I figured I would stop looking and drooling at Tiffany and play "paper dolls" online...with wedding dresses.I highly recommend the ladies check this out. It's fun and actually does kill time! I was mesmerized for about 15 minutes just on the skirt! Plus, the opportunity to build your dream dress in 3 steps, that's easy enough or me!So below are two pictures of dresses that I created, complete with veil and "trimmings.
The two worst words to start a conversation
2008-04-08 20:14:00
For me it's, "brace yourself." That always gets me. Brace myself? For what?While I was still at work tonight, my friend sent me an IM with those words and immediately I froze. This is the same friend I recently wrote about for making a poor decision by getting back together with her ex-fiance.Before she asked me those two words, I was tempted to ask her about this guy and how they ended up together again, but "brace yourself" was much more compelling. I was expecting any of the following: pregnancy, marriage, engagement or break-up. While I was hoping for the last one, it turned out that number one was right - pregnancy.After yelling (out loud) "oh my god!" she proceeded to tell me that she was not only pregnant but recently suffered a miscarriage. Fortunately, she is fine (thank goodness)
Hot new word: Fetch meet Totes
2008-04-10 20:13:00
So there is a hot new word in my cubicle land: totes.Fetch
meet totes. And what does totes mean? Honestly, I had zero idea when it was introduced into my vernacular but it's a word I sadly overuse a lot in my daily conversation: totally.Totes
= totallyLet's practice using it in a sentence.Old way: Let's totally go to the movies this weekend. I would like to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall.New way: Let's totes go to the movies this weekend. I would like to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall.This might seem odd, but I am guilty of overusing a handful of the same words. It's the nature of what I do, the overused words that you put in your writing and conversations. A girl in the office and I even joked (sadly) about how to have a conversation without the marketing-speak. We tried to but fell into hi
Pet Peeve: Shopping at Victoria's Secret (I hate it)
2008-04-11 22:23:00
I hate Victoria's Secret - primarily because of the people I always run into when I'm there.I'm talking about the tweens and teens swarming the PINK section with their moms, clamoring for the latest piece of cheaply-made cotton capri sweats and short-shorts that say PINK across the butt (it's not Juicy kids). This unpleasant shopping trip was brought on my one of my favorite pieces of mail, the free Victoria's Secret underwear coupon. I always look forward to getting these - a little freebie - until I walk into the store. Let's forget the store's tacky interior, reminiscent of Frederick's of Hollywood, complete with pink neon lights and the word "sexy" used as an adjective for everything. When did the store become somewhat...tacky? My real problem with the store is the how little they seem
Read more: Shopping
Meet my Macbaby!
2008-04-13 10:47:00
To celebrate my 100th blog post, it's time to introduce everyone to the newest member of my Chicago family....my Macbaby.I'm pleased to introduce you all to Lulu...born officially on April 5, 2008 in Milwaukee weighing 5 pounds. The first time I looked at her, I did know what to say. She looked back at me and I knew right away that she was all mine. Even the little Apple book that came with her said that we were "made for each other." *Tear!*After some initial trouble, primarily with merging my Windows iTunes songs onto the Mac, Lulu and I spent a lot of quality time together yesterday during the rain and I think we learned two things. 1) I'm in charge and 2) despite the bumpy beginning, we're going to get along just fine. I'm amazed at how fast she runs, how bright the screen is and how c
The When Harry Met Sally Debate
2008-04-14 19:47:00
The RedEye addressed this recently and figured that I should cover it here because it's definitely applicable to my life.Can men and women just be friends? Yes...sort of. One of my best friends is a guy. And being a single girl with a single guy friend is not always easy but it can work.My guy in question is not really a friend or a boyfriend. It's more like a "heterosexual life partner" or "life partner" as he calls it. It's like dating the guy without the boyfriend benefits. Now I won't lie here, I did at one time have a mini crush, or thought I did, on this guy. But when I met him about 2.5 years ago, we worked together. And after a bad past work/dating experience, I wasn't going to go there again. I would rather have him as my friend than nothing, especially if the dating thing did
Read more: Harry
, Sally
, Debate
Pet Peeve: Bus tidbits
2008-04-15 20:04:00
So after yesterday's more "complicated" topic, I'll keep it light today. Plus, Lulu has picked a very light, happy song from my iTunes library for us to listen to so we'll keep on that trend.Riding the bus to work every morning, I've noticed two new trends on my morning commute, one of which intrigues me and the other that annoys me (I believe it bothers me because it's just too early in the morning). I'll let you pick which is which.CuddlersThis used to be a winter-only trend on my route but now they're out in spring. Cuddlers are the swooning in love people who cannot bear to not have any physical contact with each other on the bus, regardless of how this affects other riders.I once had cuddlers on the bus who were so attached at the hip that they refused to allow other people past them
My cheap and dishonest tendencies
2008-04-17 19:47:00
I try to fight it but my parents raised an honest girl. And according to multiple friends, those who dare to say it, a cheap girl too. Not to be confused with a cheap date, I guarantee you that is not the case.Anyhow, after my free coupon-prompted trip to Victoria's Secret, Rebecca commented again on Monday that I'm cheap. Actually, she said "frugal" but let's be real, it's the same thing. Apparently taking advantage of the free underwear coupon and going into the dreaded store on a Friday to purchase other items makes me cheap. Or further demonstrates that I am frugal.I'm teased because I know how much everyone should contribute to the dinner tab, rarely ever take cabs and I manage and budget my finances like a huge corporation. I agree that I might be a bit...unforgiving about money and
Pet Peeve: Chicago's Summer Bummer
2008-04-16 18:56:00
I try not to list pet peeves two days in a row, but I've had a disgustingly long day so that rule is out the window for this occasion. Today was by far the nicest day in Chicago
that we've had in a very long time. This lovely weather might actually steal attention away from the cougar that was killed in Roscoe Village this week. And it's tough to beat a cougar, it's a wild cougar in Chicago! So with the nice weather, there are inevitable things that happen in the city:The crosswalks become insufferably crowdedTourists - more on that another timeThe summer homeless people come outPeople have very high self esteem about the clothes they wearand the biggest summer buzz kill....Cubs gamesNow before I'm gunned down for saying that, I'm not saying that I hate the Cubs, I'm saying as a Lakevie
Read more: Summer
, Bummer
To the blogs and beyond: How do you blogroll?
2008-04-18 08:51:00
So now that I know a rabid animal isn't under my bed shaking it, waiting to bite my heels - which I thought was the case at 4:30 a.m. when the earthquake hit - I'm appealing to the blogosphere.Jennifer and I were talking the other day about blog rolls and she had a great idea - ask all my fellow bloggers and lurkers how they decide who to add to their blog rolls.So I pose this question into the great beyond
. How do you decide what blogs to add to your blog roll? Are they friends or blogs you read regularly? Or do you take e-mails from people asking for a link exchange?I'm pretty new to this so I'm putting the question out there for people to share their experiences :)
Shopping, movies and cupcakes oh my!
2008-04-19 17:38:00
Thank you to everyone who posted yesterday about blogrolls. I was overwhelmed by the great responses. Thank you and feel free to visit my little Adventures anytime and I will be returning the favor :)So after being inside or running wedding errands the last two Saturdays, today I made up for it with an ultra-productive day.Because of ridiculous movie prices in Chicago ($10.50 for evening shows? Are you kidding?), Anne and I got up early and saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall at the AMC for the first showing price of $6 (a steal!). Then despite my best attempts to get to the gym after the movie, I ended up exercising my wallet and legs walking from store to store. We noshed at Noodles for lunch (love the flatbread), and then hit Old Navy where I stocked up on my favorite tanks at 20 percent off
Read more: Shopping
, movies
, cupcakes
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