The dreaded budget...

So...it has come to our attention that we spend way too much money on crap.  In order to keep track of our spending we use one credit card throughout the course of a month for all purchases.  This serves twofold, as we also use this credit card to accrue points (which are a joke by the way, but that is rant for another day).  We tend to crisscross the country by default a couple of times a year just visiting family and let's face it...the dreaded air travel can be less than affordable.  But I digress.

We spend way too much on crap, and each month we notice our credit card statement climbing higher and higher...and higher.  So in order to remedy we have implemented a budget.  We have done this (unsuccessfully) before and I don't understand how we can have absolutely no will power to stick to it.  It is like dieting for me.  I do really well one day and fall off the wagon for the next 29.  Well, not this time.  Unlike dieting, I fully intend to stick to this so I can finally purchase furniture for the empty room in the front of the house.  I swear, people driving by would think our house was a foreclosure.   

I have been doing a lot of research on just where we can cut the costs.  Unfortunately, we have to eat and food prices seem to be the biggest budget buster of all.  I blame it on all the hoopla on buying all natural and organic.  This is what I came up with - DIY is the best remedy ever.

1.  I have decided to make my own bread.  I stay at home and if I spent less time on the computer while little girly naps I could make enough batter for three loafs of bread for a grand total of $1.75 a piece.  My bread will probably not be very good, but since bread is the downfall of my diet, perhaps I will eat less of it.  Reminder:  Dry bread does not mean add more butter.

2.  Adding sweat equity into our home.  Okay - so this is probably my worst idea yet, but I figure as the home prices in AZ rise, there is something I can do to help our house gain a little footing - just in case it gets so hot that we have to move.  I am starting in the back of the house and moving forward.  The first step?  The master bath.  Let me ask you something - who decided that carpet in a bathroom was a wise idea?

3.  Using my photography as artwork to cover all our bare walls.  I'm not a good photographer, but I've seen worse art in people's homes that has cost way more than the developing fee at Costco.

4.  I also found that buying memberships to places I bring Norah is far less expensive than paying on per visit basis.  This may be a no brainer for you budget savvy people, but I never realized just how much we do the same thing over and over again.

I'm sure there is more, but I am spending too much time on the computer.

Motherhood...

After 11 months of inactivity, I have decided to return to the blogging world - as a mother.  Yes, my husband and I welcomed a baby daughter on May 13th, and couldn't be happier to have her here!
My pregnancy was awful - I was sick for the first 4 months, followed by 5 months of doctors visits to try and diagnose my mystery illness; which, by they way, merely turned out to be pregnancy itself.  Due to my "mystery illness" my doctor recommended that I be induced in order to guarantee she would be able to attend the delivery.  I jumped at the opportunity to finish being pregnant at 39 weeks and scheduled the induction for Friday, May 13th and this was the first of my 3 mistakes.  I will never be induced again - girl scouts honor.  I won't go into details, but lets just say that the morning of the induction, magically my platelet count dropped and in combination with my "mystery illness" I was unable to receive and epidural.  I was not informed of this little...inconvenience...until I was 4 hours into the induction.  Be that as it may, I was not at all prepared for childbirth...mistake number 2...I was sure to call all my pregnant friends immediately after I scarfed down my Burger King double bacon burger and large fry and try and convince them to take childbirth classes no matter how much hooey they thought they were.  I didn't want to wait to let them know, lest I lay eyes on my new, beautiful daughter and magically forget all the pain.  P.S.  I still remember the pain. 
You may be wondering what mistake number 3 was...evidently, it was not keeping my cell phone on during the delivery.  My mother, clearly worried that I hadn't called her every step of the way, took it upon herself to call the delivery ward of the hospital.  You wouldn't think that you could be embarrassed after the delivery of a baby...not at all true.  When the nurse entered my room moments after delivery and asked me if I knew "so and so."  I felt my face flush as the entire room erupted into laughter when I admitted that it was my mother and shooed my husband out of the room to answer her call.  Needless to say, she arrived the next day.
So far motherhood has been pretty decent.  In the beginning it was more or less like I had reverted to college - only without the booze.  There was no sleep, numerous outfit changes in a day and I tried to read all the books I should have read before she was born in mere days.  No matter how hard I tried, historical fiction always beat out the parenting books.  Evidently, I felt as if parenting would come just as naturally as the childbirth I also failed to read up on. 
After a little trial and error on our part, we have pretty much settled into our new life with the little girl.  She is slowly, but surely, starting to sleep through the night and everyday it seems she does something she didn't do the day before.  I think I might be okay with this new role...

To Mexico and back again...

Well we made it...I'm not going to sugar coat it; living in Phoenix we are constantly barraged with the going ons in Mexico along the border and frankly I was just a {smidgen} scared of venturing into the country.  But I was pleasantly surprised. 

The husband and I landed in Cancun on a Wednesday to 90 degree temperatures and 100% humidity.  At first it was a nice change from 108 dry heat of the Sonoran Desert.  Waiting for our transport to Playa del Carmen we enjoyed an adult beverage from the over-priced airport cantina under wispy palms, relishing the soft ocean breeze.  The transportation representative was reassuring us that it would only be two more minutes before our resort van would be there to pick us up; this would be our first taste to just how different time is viewed from country to country.  Two minutes passed by, then ten and fifteen.  "Just two minutes more, Senor," we were assured.  My drink was gone in the first two minutes and now I was left with a lime and melting ice, but we were not let down and soon we were being ushered to our awaiting van and swept off to our resort, a mere 50 minutes from the Cancun Airport. 

Upon reaching our resort we were met with friendly faces and some sort of appletini...I think.  Another {short} two minutes and were being led to our room.  I was impressed by the room, albeit the bed was a bit hard, but after a scrumptious dinner filled with Italian fare of linguine and clams and a couple more beverages any bed was a welcomed sight. 

The next morning after breakfast we made our way out to the Caribbean to catch some rays and enjoy some reading.  This didn't last very long as the pages in my book begin to look as if someone had given them a perm.  Note to self:  Paper and humidity do not mix.  I would have to finish the book I renewed from the library, four times to date, another time.  This did, however, free our time to enjoy the "tranquility pool" on the roof where little did I know I would incur the most epic sunburn of all time. 

Yes, my nose was purple, but that does not compare to the disaster that used to be my chest.  It was so burned it was white.  I didn't even know this could happen! Regardless, after encountering the dry, freezing air on the plane coming home, my skin has begun to look like a broiled chicken thigh, the kind with the crispy skin. 

With a burn of such epic proportions, I felt it was important to try and avoid the sun as much as possible for the rest of the trip, but we were in Mexico.  Outside of the water the sun and humidity started to become a little oppressive, so I found myself applying sunscreen every 15 or so minutes and submerging my body as far as I could into the water.  I managed to not re-burn the already too burned portions of my body and I am content with that.

Surprisingly I made it through the wedding with only several people commenting on the unhealthy hue of my skin.  I must give credit where due and most were quite couth simply stating, "Oh, my, you got a little pink, dear."  Indeed I did. 

For the rest of the trip I managed to stay virtually unscathed, outside of the infamous toe stub that landed me a date with a paramedic.  Just for the record, it wasn't at all serious; I think that all other countries must view Americans as a liability.  I feel silly that I was afraid to visit this country - I even ventured off the resort and into the marketplace.  If I would have skipped it, I would have missed a very beautiful wedding and missed out on seeing what a wonderful country Mexico really is.  Next time I visit Playa however, I think I will skip the resort, stay in the shopping district and visit in the winter. 

113 and still climbing...

It was 113 today; it will be 115 tomorrow and 116 the day after.  People often shake their heads and say, "Oh, but it's a dry heat." Yeah?  So is an oven - just think, your food warmer is set at 120 degrees.  Now comes the time every Phoenician dreams of moving to the north where there are seasons and the summer season temps top out at 100 degrees - and that is HOT.  Every summer we dream of moving, every winter we are thankful for the absence of the ice and snow.  Nothing beats cruising in your car the day after thanksgiving with the windows down, shorts on and Christmas music blasting.  I'm trying to let this luxury distract me from the fact that tomorrow I will wake up to 91 degrees at 5:30 a.m. 

The heat is especially noticeable to the husband and I now that we have returned from our vacation in Montana.  We cruised into Montana on a rainy Saturday where the temperature topped out at about 60 degrees.  For the first half of the week we enjoyed 60s and 70s with rain showers off an on.  By the end of the week the temperature rose to a balmy 85 degrees just in time for Boat Float.

What's Boat Float, you ask?  Boat Float is the one weekend of the year that puts Big Timber, Montana on the map.  Hundreds of miles of river are tackled every year by a horde of drunken sailors during the second weekend of July.  I'm pretty sure all 50 states and several different countries are represented as rafts, drifters and hand-crafted boats alike float down the river sounding the universal call of BOOOAAAATTTT FLLOOOAAT!  This year I had the pleasure of sailing with some of the finest as three rafts were tethered together creating our own little floating island of fun.  We were in want of nothing as our chef prepared bistro style sandwiches with turkey/pesto and ham/tapenade; beer was aplenty and I believe I even saw homemade margaritas!


We pulled off the river after 7 hours and 40 miles to mingle with old friends and taste some home-brewed beer.  Sun-kissed and drenched, we stumbled about gaining our "land-legs" and gawking at all the other sailors - most of which are still calling out BOOOAAATTT FLLLOOOOAAATT in desperate attempts to rally the troops - their fallen comrades who aren't answering back can usually be found passed out in the rafts, back of pick-ups or off in a grassy ditch somewhere.  It is best to let them rest, because tomorrow is another day of sun, floating and beer.

Only 360 days left until next year's boat float - you stay classy, Montana.  I promise we will be up again next year - hopefully having recruited a new batch of boat floaters.

It's not a Diet!!!

Is it me, or does a brown van driving up the street playing creepy "come and get ice cream" music, scream something out of a horror movie, or Richard Bachman's "Regulators"?  A brown van cruises my neighborhood every night around 5:30 or 6:00 and occasionally on the weekends.  I think it used to carry seafood in its former life, because, as most cars in Phoenix with any appliques, there is faded paint reading: "come and get your crab"on the sliding door.  Regardless, I never see kids running to it like in the movies, and I tend to run from it when I hear it creeping up the street behind me while I take my dogs for their evening stroll.  Funny enough, tonight as I sit watching my back-to-back episodes of Friends on TBS (dreading my required hour of gym time that is still glaring at me from my to-do list) I now want ice cream.

Good thing I have my sugar-free raspberry Jell-o *gag* to kill my sweet tooth.  I don't want to call it dieting but I am going back to my hometown in July, and have this neurosis that is preventing me from eating any more than three balanced meals a day - no snacking.  Ugh, it is miserable and I am always staring lovingly at the candy drawer at work, but at least when I eat I can eat more than an ounce of boiled chicken breast and a quarter cup of whole grain rice without the dreaded calorie counting.

Why is it that you always want to look good when you see people you haven't seen in two years, but when you were living there it was no big deal to drink yourself into a stuper and find yourself being rescued by your brother after you passed out on the catering tables in the back room of the local Legion Post?  It is okay to get completely obliterated and have public displays of affection (this was never, ever me) with complete strangers at a street dance after a rodeo, participate in wet t-shirt contests (not me either) and throw drunken scenes in bars with your parents' friends present, but heaven forbid you put on five pounds from the last time you were home...two years ago.

While I feel them judging me for becoming fat, I also sense their disapproving stare, especially in the middle of the summer, and then they say, "I thought you were living in Phoenix, where is your nice tan?"  I want to scream at them, "Have you ever sat on metal pool furniture after it has been sitting in direct sunlight for 6 hours in 115 degree heat?"  Phoenicians that are tan in the summer are tan by other means - none of which include lounging in that heat.  All that aside, I am excited to come home - I miss it; it will always be "home" to me, and besides it wouldn't be home if you weren't ready to run screaming from town at the end of the week :)

I don't want to be that girl, but...

I'm tired. I took entirely too much school too quickly with way too much job. (Bear with me, my rant is almost finished) I would very much enjoy curling up and finishing my Arthur trilogy without that constant nagging feeling that I should be doing something else. The worst part about the whole school ordeal is that nearly 10 years ago I completed AP English in high school, tested out of English 101 in college and graduated with an English degree. Fast forward 10 years and here I sit, taking English 102 because evidently I need to have that class for my new degree. So as I write my paper on an all too predictable dichotomy of "superhuman" woman protagonist versus the bioengineering misogynistic antagonist, I find myself dumbing it down so the professor doesn't catch on to the fact that maybe I might have spent five years perfecting my bullshitting skills and in turn read my papers with the "I know you graduated with an English degree; this is not your best work" eye. (Is that a run-on sentence?) End Rant.

Recently I picked up running again, probably about 5 weeks ago, and I am finding that when done correctly and in moderation running can be a decent stress reliever. The husband and I competed in our first 5k race of the year last weekend; it was a skirt chaser race...and that is not just a clever name. The women racers were granted a 3 minute head start and all were wearing skirts - my husband still raced past me at just about the 2 mile mark. Regardless, I finished and though I won't mention my time strictly because it is still quite embarrassing, it was a good 6 and 8 minutes faster than my last two 5k's. We are thinking we may do the half marathon again in 2011 if the training holds up; we are both in agreement that running 13.1 miles without training is a very silly decision. Our next race is in Tucson in March, we are boarding the dogs and making a weekend out of it, finally visiting Tombstone and the O.K. Corral!

The husband and I have planned a few getaways this summer, with the first one being a trip home. It will be two years in August since I have been back to Montana, and am very much looking forward to it. I have told my family that there are two things I must do before returning to Arizona...camp and float. I think between my father, sister and brother-in-law I have my bases covered...I just wish I weren't wishing it were July already - nobody in their right mind wishes for summer around these parts. We have another wedding in August, this time in Cancun...I know poor me.

Random Thoughts of 2010 and Other Updates

Can I just say that I LOVE Mario World Wii.  It is a mixture of all the best Mario Worlds AND you can play two, three or four player at the same time, so you do not have to wait turns!  Mostly it is me using Luigi, who is played by my husband, as a trampoline or a human shield - its music is even reminiscent of the original Mario World for the NES!

As I attempted to conquer World 8, a thought descended on me...why is that when I get touched by lava I immediately die - not just shrink or lose a power but die; yet I can crawl all over metal that has been submerged in lava and escape virtually unscathed?  I know, I know, the entire purpose of the game is to defeat a dinosaur after conquering worlds of walking mushrooms and turtle/duck looking things all to save a princess named Peach (who might I add is constantly getting herself into trouble - I'm beginning to think bitch deserves to be locked in tower, she isn't very smart) it isn't meant to be realistic, but I couldn't help but feel that this game, geared towards children, gives the skewed idea that metal is a poor conductor of heat.  It is a core principle in Chemistry and I'm sure they'll learn, most of them do the hard way.

Needless to say Mario World mixed with a little Human Anatomy and Physiology has taken a lot of my time lately and I have been unable to get much of my book marathon complete.  I started "Pilgrim's Progress" only to become increasingly peeved at a poor attempt at a Christian Allegory...it wasn't an allegory at all; John Bunyon made no attempt at all to make this a figurative piece of work, it was simply a sermon.

I started "The Winter King" - not on my list, but a very good novel about King Arthur's rise to power in Britain.  Quite different than any other Arthurian literature I have read in the past, and I can't wait to read the entire series.  I am 8th on the list to receive Bernard Cornwell's final book in his Saxon Stories series from the library, and maybe after that I will start the book marathon training again...I have a hankering to read Lord of the Rings again, and it is on the list.  I usually begin strong only to sputter to a halt with Tom Bombadil.  I think Peter Jackson was on to something when he left him out of the movie.

Happy Holidays!

Is it surprising to anyone else how quickly 2009 flew by?!?  As we end the year, I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and all the best in 2010.

The husband and I will be spending Christmas 2009 in San Diego, and wish everyone safe travels wherever this holiday season may take you!

See you in 2010!

Library Adventures...

So I have decided to put Don Quixote on the shelf for several months and start with something a little less daunting.


I continued to read, but the more I read the more I thought, "Is this going to be reading the same adventure repeated for 987 pages?" I realize this is most likely not the case, but nonetheless I became increasingly annoyed with old Don's madness and decided to return the book to the library. So last night after my monthly trip to the gym, I made my way to the Phoenix Public Library. First, I got lost and yelled at by a lady with 5-inch fingernails. Apparently it is NOT okay to return your books where you checkout...I should have known better.

I finally found the book return and stood in line for a few where I witnessed the best thing I have ever seen in a public library. Now I always think public intoxication is hysterical, it reminds me of the good ol' days, but I think it is 10 times as funny when it happens in a place like a library. Maybe it is just that funny because growing up you are taught that a library is a quiet place and a strict librarian once reprimanded you after a sneezing attack in a library aisle. (dust your damn books old woman, some people are allergic). I digress.

A youngish fellow, I don't want to profile here, but he looked homeless, wandered into the library with an 18-pack of Budweiser under his right arm. "I'm sorry, sir," a library employee said as he stopped him just before the cushy couches in the lobby, "but can I see what is inside your box?"

"Excuse me?" the young man shouted, drawing everybody's attention, "What do you need to see in my box for?"

"I'm sorry, Sir, but you are not allowed to have alcohol in the Library."

At this statement the young man yelled, "These cans are not open! You show me where it says I cannot have closed container alcohol in the library!" The employee asked the young man to follow him over to the desk where he would gladly show him where it said no alcoholic beverages were allowed in the library.

"No!" the young man shouted, "I want you to bring it to me. Here!" (My guess is this had worked someplace before where once they could not find where it was actually written that alcohol was not allowed on the premises they had no choice but to acquiesce) The library employee had security detain the belligerent young man and went to his desk where he pulled out the "rules manual" and read the list of rules regarding food and beverage to the young man. As he read, the young man stood nodding his head, listening to the employee spout off all the things you could not have in the library. Standing by listening, I carefully slipped my opened water bottle into the waistband of my shorts and pulled my t-shirt over the top...these library guys seem tough, I didn't want any shenanigans.

Finally, after the list was cited, the young man calmly nodded his head and said, "Well, I stand corrected." He then calmly left the library. I stood watching, still fearful that I would be asked to leave once they spied my open water bottle; however, no action was taken against me and I was able to successfully return my book.

Feeling a bit dangerous I decided to keep my water bottle hidden in my shorts and made my way to the Children's Fiction section to find the next book on my list. Evidently, books written in 1611 and re-published in 1921 are considered rare books and are not able to be checked out. They do have them on downloadable MP3 files, because evidently children don't need to learn to read now that they have iPods and other such MP3 players. So it looks as if I will be buying the next book on my list from Amazon.



 

Update...

So a little over one week ago I set forth on my glorious 100 book marathon.  As of today, November 9, 2009 at 2:40 p.m. MST, I have officially read a total of 86 pages.  I am beginning to think my reading marathon is going to go the way of the 1/2 marathon I decided to "run" on a whim last year...pathetically slow. 

I just made such a big show out of the whole ordeal that I feel I can't turn back now without everyone I know saying...oh, that's just Kristen.  Remember the time she said she was going to knit that sweet sweater?  Or, remember when she had an inkling that she was the best mosaic-maker on the planet so she bought a bunch of glass and grout and never used it? (In my own defense here, that sweater was turning out to be about 4 times too large due to the fact I can't seem to figure out just how measuring tape works and my dogs ate my mosaic tiles...I'm not even joking...) I'm beginning to think that people are going to start using the phrase "pulling a Kristen" to express lack of motivation to finish projects. 

Long story short...I still, in fact, plan on finishing Don Quixote...all 900 pages left...

My New Project

So, as many of you know, I am back in school...this time for the sciences.  Not to toot my own horn here, but I just aced a Chemistry exam containing information I taught myself. (I'm doing it all online thanks to full time work). I should have probably done the Science degree in the first place as I am pretty sure a Bachelor of Arts in English does not even equal a high school diploma in the real world. 

Despite my career change, I remain passionate about literature, and to include this passion in my new endeavors, I have decided to begin my own little "marathon training".  I have found a list of 100 books you should read before you die.  I reviewed many lists I found online, but this one included more books I haven't read in comparison to the many of the books I read during my tenure at the U of M. My intentions at this point are to read all the books on the list I have already read again with the exception of Catcher in the Rye and As I lay Dying for I am neither a fan of Salinger nor of Faulkner and I'm not sure I could stomach reading them again. 

First on the list is Don Quixote and no, I have not read it before. FYI,  I just heard all ye literature-loving gurus gasp in disgust from here.  I just came fresh from the Library with a brand new library card and book in tow and I have to ask, what the hell happened to libraries?  Granted the City of Phoenix Library is not the same as the small, haunted library in my hometown, but what is with all this new, fangled equipment?  I haven't used a library for pleasure reading since grade school, but let's just say you no longer pull out the checkout card and get an ink stamp with a due date.  Now you get a due date, email reminders your due date is approaching, and the chance to click a button and renew from your home to avoid all those nasty late fees.  Something tells me these fees are no longer $.25 per week - just a hunch. Had my husband not informed me that I am no longer entitled to buying books just to read once, I never would have been aware of this new and improved literature Mecca.  

So now I begin with Don Quixote and plan on moving down the list as printed.  My only exceptions are when Bernard Cornwell releases his next "Saxon Stories" in January and when A Dance with Dragons is released, though I have a sneaking suspicion I will be done with all 100 books before I read that one. 

Happy Halloween to all and Happy Reading!! 

The Massachusetts Wedding...Read at your own Risk!

Well...I think it has been about 2 months since my last blog posting. Since then, husband and I have traveled to Massachusetts for his younger sister's wedding, enjoyed some cooler weather in the valley of the sun and all in all have enjoyed the end of summer.

The wedding in Massachusetts was very nice and even hurricane Danny couldn't put a damper on my enjoyment of the "festivities," and by "festivities" I mean the endless hosted supply of Jack and diet coke. - Yes, I am the holiday drunk...I'm pretty sure that I will only be invited to husband's family functions when social conventions dictate that I must. My only words of advice to any girl out there trying desperately to change a the in-laws impression of you...do not attempt to channel Ren McCormack's wickedly awesome dance moves while wearing a strapless dress...unless you trying to show everyone your boobs...I noticed my the SIL did not post any pictures of me on her website so I'm sure she is impressed, I know the random groomsman dancing near me was.

Maybe these New Englanders just need a Montana girl to show them how to party...

Needless to say, I was excited to get home; I don't think I ate much of anything solid for the entire trip. The night before the plane took off for Phoenix, I ordered a chicken sandwich with a summer salad, a plate of seasoned french fries and a vat of dipping sauces via room service. I settled in on the bed with a diet coke and Sex and the City on HBO. I probably should have stuck to the virgin diet coke all weekend. I have to go to Connecticut in December for my final wedding of the year...I think I will stick with water - I don't want to be 86'd from New England entirely.

Falling Behind

Okay, so I haven't been the best about blogging lately. I have come to the conclusion that this may be attributed to one of two possible excuses. The first being that I am extremely busy and just don't have time to sit down and type out pure brilliance. The second, and more truthful, of my excuses is that I just don't have much of a life, and have a difficult time finding things in my day to day worth writing about.

Lately I spend most of my time wishing life, or summer, away. (For those of you that have been to Phoenix in May, June, July, August, September and most of October, you completely understand) I've taken a few trips up north with the husband and the dogs, gone out for a few drinks with friends, and enjoyed a few good books, which is better than nothing. (I'm going to praise Bernard Cornwell here - for those of you that love historical fiction, pick up a few of his books - I highly recommend the Saxon Stories) I feel that authors (not going to mention any names here) that finish their books when they say they are going to definitely deserve some free publicity, not that there are folks lined up to read my blog.

We leave for a family wedding in a few weeks so there will be a 6 day break from the heat; it will also be nice to see everyone, weddings are always...most always...a good time. I should be refreshed upon returning to Arizona, and will hopefully have something good to write about.

Music

I love driving around in my car listening to radio stations that play a little variety from "80's, 90's, and Today" and catching that one song that brings you back to a time when things were a little less real...and a lot more fun.

I was driving to my dentist's office today and had two such moments. The first was Amy Grant's pre-gospel, "Baby, Baby." Suddenly I was eight, spending my summer in New Jersey, playing in the pool at some obscure relative's house during a family reunion. The second moment happened two songs later with "Champagne Supernova." Now I'm thinking about polyester, shiny shirts and Dr. Martin's, hanging out in my friend's dad's basement playing Lode Runner and chatting on compu-serve. (Back in the days when you had to wait after 9:00 p.m. to use the Internet because the minute by minute cost would put your phone bill off the chart!)

Music in general, in my opinion, is the best way to reminisce. One hit of Alanis Morrisette and I am back to hanging out in a friend's kitchen swearing that it is Jagged Little Pill, not Jagged Little Pig while munching on blue frosting straight from the can. While a shot of K's Choice brings me to my sophomore year, driving up to Bozeman to party with my older sister in the blue/green cavalier.

In college I had to complete a final project in which we were to create a presentation, paper, or really anything creative to explain how music played a role in our lives. I wrote some cock and bull paper, quoting (legally of course) any piece of literature I could find that used music to define an occurrence and put it to a life event that had "happened" - hey, I lead a rather uneventful life - and helped shape who I had become up to that point. It's humorous now that there is no deadline and nearly 5 years have passed that I understand that really music didn't define me, but it certainly laid the soundtrack to one good story.

Humph...

Well it is summer again in Phoenix. We have reached the 100+ mark and judging by the weather forecast (yes, I am my father's daughter and I love the Weather Channel...don't ask) we will remain there for the rest of the summer. Summer in Arizona is like winter in Montana...never ending. I'm thinking that I should have picked an in between before moving from one extreme to the other. It is just that when you are battling your fourth month in a row of subzero temperatures the Phoenix warmth sounds outstanding.

I first visited Phoenix with my sister in January of 2006. We spent 4 days lounging by the pool in the glorious sun. When I returned to Montana, we flew into Bozeman and landed at about 9:00 p.m. After leaving my sister's apartment for the trip home, I was stuck in Livingston because the highway was shut down due to high winds and blowing snow. That was the proverbial straw, and upon arriving home I promptly packed my bags, said goodbye to the dad and stepmother and hauled my ass back to Arizona.

My first summer in Arizona, it hadn't rained for 180-some days. The sun was brutal and I began to think that maybe I had made the wrong choice. The rain came, it cooled down, and lo and behold, Arizona was fantastic once again! Here I am starting my fourth summer and things aren't so bad anymore. It is true you get used to it. It helps that all your friends and family in the Northeast and Northwest hold all major events (weddings, family reunions, etc.) during the summer. Spending the time away helps assuage the continuous heat.

So when people ask, how can you handle all that heat. It's simple. Spend as much time in it as you can, travel up north, and dole out the cash for the air conditioning bill. You do get used to it.

Ah, the Last Day of April

Yes, that is a sigh of relief. This month has been brutal. March was fantastic! Wedding, honeymoon, work was fairly stable...but now...eh, not so much.

I'm not sure the industry I work in is going in the right direction. Many folks are cutting back on the non-essentials in life, and I'm guessing sports memberships could be considered a non-essential. (Try telling your Red Sox obsessed husband that baseball isn't essential and you'll get a different answer) But that is just it! Husband will sit at home and watch it on TV (instead of driving the three miles to the baseball park) while working. In fact the baseball field is getting so desperate for fans to come to the games that they are throwing around the option of letting them take in their own food. A baseball game with homemade chow will save you at least $50.00. Take away the two Diamond dogs, a plate of nachos, 4 12 oz. beers and some water for the drive home in the heat...you probably have enough saved to purchase enough food for a week of meals.

People aren't getting enough playtime now. We took too much during the boom years and now we are resorting to working 90 hours a week because we feel there really isn't any room to screw up or slack off because you don't know when it is going to land you in the unemployment line. I am officially refusing to play this game.

I am going to work, yes, but I am going to play too, and I am going to officially stop sweating the small stuff. (Good thing I have those crazy pills) I really dislike the person I have become...all tight laced and such. Starting this month is sloshball...this is the first time I will have participated, but it's like kickball with beer in hand and kegs on bases. Then I'm going to play flag football. It never hurts to meet a lot of people - both for networking and friendship. Apparently husband and I only carry on long-distance friendships and really haven't ventured out much.

We'll see...

Mrs. Fuller!

I can't believe it has come and gone! Husband and I had quite the amazing and stressful past two weeks. (okay stressful first week, relaxing second week with a stressful ending) As everyone is aware, we were married on March 20th. The wedding turned out flawless and everything was just wonderful - except I forgot that it was Lent and mistakenly neglected to put fish on the dinner menu for my Friday wedding...whoops. For those of you who are interested in seeing the pictures let me know at kris.cuneo@gmail.com and I will forward you the website url.

Jamaica was fantastic! The airport was a little crazy, but what airport isn't when you are jumping out of your pants to get to the beach for a little R and R. The ocean was as blue as could be and the husband and I enjoyed at trip zip-lining through the trees and kayaking down the Grand River just south of Montego Bay. Fortunately for us, we were the only two on the tour, so we and our guides had a lot of fun telling obscene jokes and taking pictures. (I will post a few on the blog when I get them all in order).

The way home from Jamaica was another story. We had a few minute delay leaving Montego Bay and then got stuck with "mechanical problems" in Miami. I was quite tired and ready to go home, so sitting on the tarmac for an hour and 45 minutes was quite trying. Not to mention, an hour outside of Phoenix, there was a medical emergency on the flight and we had to sit in place on the plane once we landed and wait for the paramedics to help the person off the flight. I completely understand having to wait, but we were already traveling for about 12 hours.

Next day, we were running errands when we notice that our car (the one left at the condo) had been broken in to while we were gone and all insurance information and adapters had been taken...Not too bad considering, but I hate the thought of scummy people sifting through my personal belongings. All in all, the last two weeks flew by and were, for the most part, very exciting and fun! Perfection is boring, right?

Pictures to come!

T-minus 9 days

Well we are past the double digit benchmark of this 15 month journey. Fiance and I have been engaged since December 9, 2007. I never thought it would get to this point; we have 9 days left before we are officially Mr. and Mrs. Company begins to arrive this coming Sunday, which means T-4 days to make sure my house is clean, T-4 days to make sure my dogs are clean, T-3 days to get all the goodies together for the hotel rooms, and T-2 days to finish all the work I have left for school. Someone didn't plan this very well.

Fiance and I had a very productive week so far. Final head count has been given to the caterer and cake lady, photographs are planned out - down to the last detail, all gifts have been purchased for all those who have made this so much less painful than it should have been, and I we are still planning on getting married next Friday. You can't ask for much more. I am down to tomorrow and Friday left of work for, let's count them...16 Days, and just 11 days from the beautiful Caribbean beaches of Jamaica. Bring on the Rum...(Damn, I wish I enjoyed Rum even a little bit). Starting Friday night - well, maybe Saturday, I fully plan on documenting all days in pictures...as best I can for the Wedding Week festivities.

Lazy...

Yup, that's me. Had a full weekend planned, but after a severe sunburn on the gut and entirely too many trips to the gym this last week, I found myself passed out more than awake. Also, I am playing a little guessing game with myself on whether or not this quasi-case of flu-like symptoms will fully consume me this week, but I guess better now rather than three weeks from now.

One thing I did get out of my bout of laziness was motivation to lie on the couch and watch the Oscars. Somehow whenever Angelina's name is mentioned a sea of awkward comments and actions follow. Miley Cyrus had a good one - she is a tool, by the way, how is she even famous? - when she mentioned that she wanted Angelina to adopt her. Really isn't it enought to be the daughter of Billy Ray - Let's not start on this strange father/daughter relationship. Knowing how my father reacted to certain choices I made at the age of 15, he indubitably wouldn't have let me parade down a red carpet with my ta-ta's hanging out. But I digress.

The second awkward moment of the night was that Jennifer Aniston was a presenter. Period. What is wrong with this woman? Does she seem completely off her rocker to anyone else? And what was with the shots to Angelina during this presentation...yes, yes, I realize that she was co-presenting with Angelina's Kung Fu Panda co-star, but could we have picked a more unbalanced duo? We had the comedic (some may disagree with my choice of words here but...) genius of Jack Black (have you ever seen Saving Silverman? Come on!) with the unexciting, tanning booth addicted, crazy mess that Jennifer Aniston has become. Is Hollywood truly hurting enough to drive gossip by pairing Jen with Jack, when they knew Angie and Jack starred together in a movie that was being presented as an Oscar nominee...I was really turned off by this.

Whatever happened to old Hollywood? Glamorous Hollywood? Classy Hollywood?

T minus 30 Days and Counting

Today marks 30 days until the wedding, however, I cannot wait for everyone to visit in the coming month. Already we are planning a week full of wedding festivities from golf to concerts and parties. It doesn't stop after Friday, either. Fiance's cutie little niece will be having her 2nd birthday party on Saturday and then we are all going to Spring Training games on Sunday. (Can't beat cold beer, baseball and warm sun on a Sunday afternoon.)

On Monday morning we leave at 5:00 a.m. as Mr. and Mrs. and head to sunny Jamaica for a laid back honeymoon (5 nights), before we return to all the hustle and bustle of everyday routine. We have booked the pooches their own all-inclusive stay at a new boarding house with a built in water park. Bella could not ask for more - except for maybe her couch and her "baby" (which has gone by way of the garbage truck as she was black and nappy, covered with dog slobber)

The wedding plans are complete. The only thing left is to receive all the RSVPs and do a preliminary head count this Friday!! After that we have a run through of how things are going to be done and any last minute changes that need to be made 2 weeks before the day. All in all, I'm glad the "wedding planning" experience is over. I can't tell you how many times I was ready to throw it all out the window and head to Vegas. (Being a mere 4.5 hours - speeding slightly - away from Vegas doesn't help) Now on to the fun part. !!

Who knows, at the rate I am posting, my next blog will probably not be until after the wedding...pictures to come :)