Busy...trying to figure out why the BCS sucks so badly.
Busy...working on a million events for work.
Busy...getting ready to buy a new home.
Busy...applying to grad school and thinking about selling new home.
Busy...getting ready to host Christmas dinner.
Busy...figuring out how I can visit my family in El Paso for the Sun Bowl (Missouri is playing)
Busy...playing with this blog.
Just so busy.
12.04.2006
10.20.2006
Magg-nificent
This picture was taken at the mall about 14 hours after he hit the gaming winning homerun! We are so pumped for tomorrow! We are going to start tailgating at 9:00 am with the rest of peeps from our baseball family! Go Tigers!
10.19.2006
1968
This is a picture of grounds crew at Comerica Park painting on the logo this morning. I knew back in August it would be important that the AL won the All Star game! And now it begins! I have to hate my friends, former college buddies, for an entire week and possibly a year! So this is the conclusion I have come to...the Tigers must win so there is no hate!I have to book a flight to St. Louis for next Tuesday! Since that is going to cost a ton plus our game tickets, which one of my kind friends wants to house us?? Anyone???
Here is to 1968 part two!
9.18.2006
The Godfather
Amongst a million other things that have been occuring on a daily basis in our household (new jobs, freelance jobs, housing issues, etc) yesterday was a very interesting day in the search for Justin's actual family tree.
You see, Justin's dad's last name really isn't his biological father's last name. It is actually the last name of Justin's Grandma's first husband. We found out yesterday for the first time that his dad's actual biological last name is Vascassenno. Yes Justin is offically a member of the Sopranos. Justin's dad's dad "peaced out" as Justin puts it, when he was just a kid and has never talked about it to his kids until just now.
So, like any good natured person would do when they find out that they have a whole other family out there that they don't even know about we got on the internet last night and looked him up. And sure enough we found information out about his grandfather and his great uncle. His great uncle, Vito. Oh the jokes don't just stop there. Vito had a son Vito and he is the Director of Operations for Fazoli's. Justin is a huge fan of Fazoli's cheesecake.
This is the single funniest, most screwed up family tree I have ever seen. So on top of everything else going on right now we are digging to find out just how close to The Godfather Justin really is.
It's time to go to the Mattresses!
You see, Justin's dad's last name really isn't his biological father's last name. It is actually the last name of Justin's Grandma's first husband. We found out yesterday for the first time that his dad's actual biological last name is Vascassenno. Yes Justin is offically a member of the Sopranos. Justin's dad's dad "peaced out" as Justin puts it, when he was just a kid and has never talked about it to his kids until just now.
So, like any good natured person would do when they find out that they have a whole other family out there that they don't even know about we got on the internet last night and looked him up. And sure enough we found information out about his grandfather and his great uncle. His great uncle, Vito. Oh the jokes don't just stop there. Vito had a son Vito and he is the Director of Operations for Fazoli's. Justin is a huge fan of Fazoli's cheesecake.
This is the single funniest, most screwed up family tree I have ever seen. So on top of everything else going on right now we are digging to find out just how close to The Godfather Justin really is.
It's time to go to the Mattresses!
8.29.2006
The Money Pit
Yesterday was a huge day for me. A huge day for Justin as well. A huge day because yesterday for the first time in both of our lives we became home owners! Yes, we bought that house that we had been looking at for awhile and decided that we wanted to make this our first house together.
We are extremely excited about moving in to the home and have already made a decision on our first two projects: refinishing the hardwood floors in the home so they are a really deep, rich, dark brown color and building the bar of our dreams (a sports/baseball themed bar of course) in the basement.
So as of November 1 we will finally be settled which is something that both of us feel like we have never had. He has felt like ever since he was 16 he hasn't had a place to call home. We talk about it all the time and it makes me so happy to think that I could do this for him. And in the same token without him I wouldn't have stayed here in Detroit to buy this house. Trust me when I tell you I would have taken the job out in Boston that I was offered.
But here we are at a good place. A new place. And I am excited.
8.15.2006
The Only Word I Know: Busy
So, since the last time I took time to write on here I was in some bullshit job I hated, living in a house that was ok, I guess, and American Idol was still on TV. In that amount of time, I left my job at the IAOD because it was literally the worst organization I had ever worked for and wasn't worth the pay (though not a small amount of money, still wasn't worth it). I have been doing my own event consulting ever since then and love working from home everyday. I have been shopping my resume out across the east coast as well (DC and Boston) and have gotten a couple of good hits (one in Boston and one in DC). I am planning on going out there in the next week or so to take the interviews and then see what happens. Who knows, that is my philosophy right now. As long as I like the position, I will take it. If not I will just continue to do event consulting work on my own.
Other than that, Justin and I found a home that we absolutely love and are looking to buy. It is in Pleasant Ridge (for all of you not in the Metro Detroit area, that is about 15 minutes North of the city and only about 5-10 minutes from our current house). We are sort of in limbo right now on whether to leave the state at the end of October or move to this house. Just another address to have to give out for Christmas Cards.
Last but not least, I got a new car...a VW Beetle! It rules and totally fits my personality. I have named it Zippy because it is bright yellow and I can't seem to go slow in this car to save my life. We are planning on taking it to Chicago in a couple of weeks for a baseball game. (We would bring it to NYC but god only knows where it would be parked.)
So that's about it...I promise to really blog soon, just wanted to let you know that we hadn't fallen off the planet. Oh and let me tell you that this is offically the hardest week in baseball for me. Who do I cheer for: Boston or Detroit?
Other than that, Justin and I found a home that we absolutely love and are looking to buy. It is in Pleasant Ridge (for all of you not in the Metro Detroit area, that is about 15 minutes North of the city and only about 5-10 minutes from our current house). We are sort of in limbo right now on whether to leave the state at the end of October or move to this house. Just another address to have to give out for Christmas Cards.
Last but not least, I got a new car...a VW Beetle! It rules and totally fits my personality. I have named it Zippy because it is bright yellow and I can't seem to go slow in this car to save my life. We are planning on taking it to Chicago in a couple of weeks for a baseball game. (We would bring it to NYC but god only knows where it would be parked.)
So that's about it...I promise to really blog soon, just wanted to let you know that we hadn't fallen off the planet. Oh and let me tell you that this is offically the hardest week in baseball for me. Who do I cheer for: Boston or Detroit?
5.16.2006
Da Vinci, McDisgusting, and Detroit Baseball
I know, I know...you are probably wondering what the hell I am talking about here!
Easy...the three things I am currently interested in as of this very moment.
1) Da Vinci:
Well I fell for it and fell for it badly. I have been a book snob for the last three years that this book has been on the best seller's list. I always thought it was for people who liked to read John Grisham novels like my mom (oh yeah! she has even read this book.) But here I am a week out of the movie's release and reading like a mad dog to finish the book before the movie. Because as a book snob, "the book is always better than the movie." Though I have to say the movie made me make this my next book choice. It was also on my New Year's resolution list of 20 books I was reading by the end of the year. And how is that going...so far I am at one and a half. (I will blog about my last read later.)
2) McDisgusting
If you have been hanging out with me long enough (ok since February) you will know that I got suckered into American Idol. Yes, I said it...American Idol. You will also know that I was beyond pissed off that Chris got kicked off last week and that for every week since the beginning I have hated Katherine McDisgusting. She can't dress and she should be in some off Broadway show for people who were famous once, like Corey Feldman. I swear if she doesn't go tonight I want my $3.60 worth of text messages back.
3)Detroit Baseball
To all of you out there that have made fun of me for still being a Tigers fan...Shove it where the sun don't shine! We are tied for 1st place right now in the Central with the defending Champs. (Not that that says a lot!) And to top it all off, despite the Yankees crazy comeback last night, the Red Sox are still in first by a game. So here is to a great baseball season...so far!
Easy...the three things I am currently interested in as of this very moment.
1) Da Vinci:
Well I fell for it and fell for it badly. I have been a book snob for the last three years that this book has been on the best seller's list. I always thought it was for people who liked to read John Grisham novels like my mom (oh yeah! she has even read this book.) But here I am a week out of the movie's release and reading like a mad dog to finish the book before the movie. Because as a book snob, "the book is always better than the movie." Though I have to say the movie made me make this my next book choice. It was also on my New Year's resolution list of 20 books I was reading by the end of the year. And how is that going...so far I am at one and a half. (I will blog about my last read later.)
2) McDisgusting
If you have been hanging out with me long enough (ok since February) you will know that I got suckered into American Idol. Yes, I said it...American Idol. You will also know that I was beyond pissed off that Chris got kicked off last week and that for every week since the beginning I have hated Katherine McDisgusting. She can't dress and she should be in some off Broadway show for people who were famous once, like Corey Feldman. I swear if she doesn't go tonight I want my $3.60 worth of text messages back.
3)Detroit Baseball
To all of you out there that have made fun of me for still being a Tigers fan...Shove it where the sun don't shine! We are tied for 1st place right now in the Central with the defending Champs. (Not that that says a lot!) And to top it all off, despite the Yankees crazy comeback last night, the Red Sox are still in first by a game. So here is to a great baseball season...so far!
5.04.2006
Boston You're My Home
So I know that I haven't really been good about blogging lately. I just got done with a huge event for work and then we spent this past weekend in Beantown. (You can view the photos of the trip here and here.) I have to admit it was a little bit hard to come home after such a wonderful vacation. Justin's friend Greg was such a wonderful host and we couldn't have asked for a better Red Sox v. Yankees game to go to.
I miss it there so much! The people, the city, the lifestyle, the Red Sox caps everywhere. It made me want to move back right then and there. Justin agreed that it would be a great place for us to be and felt alot better that he could move out there and start his business there because Greg and his roommates had contacts in the business to do so.So where does that leave us now? Well, I am on Craigslist today looking for lofts, etc. Maybe, just maybe, we will finally find somewhere that we both want to be! Oh and I hear they have a pretty good baseball team! Though it will be hard to give up the 1st place Tigers!
3.11.2006
Moving Back
So J and I started talking yesterday about moving back to the east cost. I was asked to come back to the company that I used to work for before my dad passed away, but more than that both Justin and I really are just sort of played out on the whole Metro Detroit thing. I am excited where this takes us. We will be in Boston at the end of April and I am going to spend some time out there looking for a loft and meeting with my old co-workers. Who knows where this is going to take us but I am really excited about it.
I am even more excited that he really wants to do this. For it to be his idea before I even brought up the job opportunity was great. I know when we first met we both talked about moving out there. To see it start to come together is even better!
Oh and Pete Rose was great last night on Bill Maher. I highly recommend checking it out!
I am even more excited that he really wants to do this. For it to be his idea before I even brought up the job opportunity was great. I know when we first met we both talked about moving out there. To see it start to come together is even better!
Oh and Pete Rose was great last night on Bill Maher. I highly recommend checking it out!
3.09.2006
Why I Hate Them Continued
Must read last post to think this is funny:
I just thought everyone would find the email that he sent in December regarding New Years to be oh so funny...once again if we can't do it then no one should. Everyone just bow down to us! Fuck you if you ever think I am going to be like that! And that is all I have to say about that:
December 23, 2005:
A reading from the first letter of Zeus to the Drinking Team: (Totally douche if you refer to yourself in this manner in an email! Anyone else with me on that one?)
In light of the new finacial estimates I believe Brittany and myself out for
Toronto. We have, however, come up with a alternative for others like
ourselves. We are opening our house for a preparty ( I know that puts us
over the limit for friends over, but hey, Nate alone puts us over the
limit). Around 7 or 8, or whenever is deemed neccissary, we shall be
chauffeured by the drunk tank to a local drinking establishment to make
complete fools of ourselves by dancing and drinking. We could then walk
home or get a taxi. Either way HOME is the key word. No expensive hotel.
No expensive party tickets. No 5 hour drive.
Britt and I are thinking Boogie Fever. (The lamest bar in Ferndale or in general..you take your pick!) We have not been there in a while
and it should be good for dancing and drinking and yes, Chris, you still
might be able to pick up hookers given the proximity to 8 mile. (Yes because I love spending New Year's Eve at a bar that I could go to on any given Friday!)
Just a thought, but I don't need to drive 5 hours and pay $300 to hang out
with you guys. (I know I should be paid $300 to hang out with these idiots!) I do that every day for free. Let me know what you think.
I just thought everyone would find the email that he sent in December regarding New Years to be oh so funny...once again if we can't do it then no one should. Everyone just bow down to us! Fuck you if you ever think I am going to be like that! And that is all I have to say about that:
December 23, 2005:
A reading from the first letter of Zeus to the Drinking Team: (Totally douche if you refer to yourself in this manner in an email! Anyone else with me on that one?)
In light of the new finacial estimates I believe Brittany and myself out for
Toronto. We have, however, come up with a alternative for others like
ourselves. We are opening our house for a preparty ( I know that puts us
over the limit for friends over, but hey, Nate alone puts us over the
limit). Around 7 or 8, or whenever is deemed neccissary, we shall be
chauffeured by the drunk tank to a local drinking establishment to make
complete fools of ourselves by dancing and drinking. We could then walk
home or get a taxi. Either way HOME is the key word. No expensive hotel.
No expensive party tickets. No 5 hour drive.
Britt and I are thinking Boogie Fever. (The lamest bar in Ferndale or in general..you take your pick!) We have not been there in a while
and it should be good for dancing and drinking and yes, Chris, you still
might be able to pick up hookers given the proximity to 8 mile. (Yes because I love spending New Year's Eve at a bar that I could go to on any given Friday!)
Just a thought, but I don't need to drive 5 hours and pay $300 to hang out
with you guys. (I know I should be paid $300 to hang out with these idiots!) I do that every day for free. Let me know what you think.
Week from Hell
So this very well could be the week from hell. It is really such a shame because I was excited about this week. I was excited that I have been really focused lately on Justin and I. Not our relationship in the traditional sense of things but about our future...careers, moving, money, etc. It has taken away a lot of the resentment I was starting to feel.
Then came Tuesday...
On Tuesday morning I received this wonderful email from Justin's supposed best friend: (bold is my own commentary on the subject)
Well, Michelle, I am sorry that it had to come to this. I have to write you an e-mail because you will not return anyone's phone calls and I don't know if Justin even gets the message. (He has called us once since the first week in February but whatever!) So I am writing this to get everything off my chest. I think this grudge you are holding is ridiculous. Brittany and I were and still are willing to forgive you for all those nasty things you said about us when you were talking to Lyzz before new years. (What? The things that I said that were true about them...like they can't do anything unless it is their way, that they have both been nothing but rude to me and make me feel uncomfortable...I said them on purpose because they were true!) We were standing right there and heard everything that was said. (No shit! Why do you think I said them?) Then when Brittany tried to talk to you about it you denied everything. (The bitch pinned me in my bathroom, at my house, at 2:00am on New Years Eve, when she was not welcome in my home in the first place, to talk about how she has no friends in Detroit and we were going to raise our kids together or whatever she was blabbing about! Seriously we aren't in college anymore and I was never the girl who had conversations in the bathrooms when I was there!) We don't even care about that though. (If you don't then why are you bringing it up?) It is water under the bridge. All I really care about is my best friend, Justin. It is kind of sad that I saw more of him when he was living with his mom in Oxford and when I was living in Chicago. Now, when we live within walking distance of each other, I have seen him about three times in the last six months. It sucks that someone that I was considering for my best man will not even call me back now. Why is that? What has changed? We have not. (You're so right...It is me the heartless bitch that has changed everything!) Justin, Britt and I have all been together since juniors in college and now somehow Justin doesn't like us anymore? (Yes precisely! He has grown up and you haven't! Black jokes, and drinking at Mike's house every weekend...not cool anymore!) I find that hard to believe. If there is something else going on let us know. I have talked to a lot of the other guys and they are feeling the same way. (One other guy does not constitute "a lot" by the way!) I do not want to lose a friend, my best friend, because of a stupid new years eve party. Please have Justin call me. I would really like to sit down and talk to him somewhere. We really need to see if we can figure this out now before it is too late.
So I of course replied to the email as such:
Justin actually controls my cell phone. He has it in his possession at all times and I rarely use it. He has received all of your voicemail messages and has actively chosen not to respond to them.
This is something that needs to be settled by the two of you. I have nothing to do with his decision to not call you back.
The two of us have made an active decision not to hang out with anyone for the past couple of weeks because putting together Justin's books for his business, getting his taxes finished, and finding a loft downtown have been bigger priorities for us. I don't feel that either of us need to justify that decision to anyone.
And then got this back:
I think you missed the point of the letter. (I didn't miss the point, trust me on that one!) It was not an attack on you or asking you to justify anything. (Yes it was! Don't try to back out of your accusation now!) We are all busy but still have time to at least call people back. (Don't you get the hint when someone doesn't!) And I only wrote you because I know you check your e-mail and I don't think he does. (My ass that is the only reason you wrote it to me!) You do not have to be so defensive. I am trying to make peace. (Peace...like George Bush makes Peace?)
I honestly can not think of anything funnier and more immature than this email. I was sort of reminded of those days back in high school where shit like this happened. And then to top it all off all that kept going through my head was a comment that my friend Jocelyn once made when I lived in DC "E-mail is not a valid form of communication."
What a fucking copout! I don't understand why he wasn't willing to just say it to my face, in front of Justin for that matter, that he feels I am the reason that Justin doesn't talk to him anymore. (No sarcastic undertone there!) I mean it is obvious in the email that is what he was implying and to try and cover it up with "I was just trying to get in touch with him" in the second email was bullshit! Does he think I am stupid and wouldn't pick up on it? Honestly!
And speaking of honesty...my shady boss that I have told you all the wonderful stories about (Like he tells me he knows the President or he charged his roof on the company credit card...yes, we are a non-profit) tried to accuse me of lying to him about coming in for two hours one weekend about a month ago. This just happened about an hour ago. Is he being serious? I told him that I didn't need to be accused of lying and that I was leaving the room. Which I did and I have been sitting in my office with the door closed for the last hour and plan to finish the rest of the day like that.
What a wonderful week, huh? And to think I am still optimistic about things to come. I just wish sometimes that I could go back to the east coast and move into the loft of my dreams with Justin and our dog. I know that I would be so much happier out there with other fun, young people and not stuck in Detroit with a crazy boss and the best friend from hell! ARRRGGGGHHHH!
Then came Tuesday...
On Tuesday morning I received this wonderful email from Justin's supposed best friend: (bold is my own commentary on the subject)
Well, Michelle, I am sorry that it had to come to this. I have to write you an e-mail because you will not return anyone's phone calls and I don't know if Justin even gets the message. (He has called us once since the first week in February but whatever!) So I am writing this to get everything off my chest. I think this grudge you are holding is ridiculous. Brittany and I were and still are willing to forgive you for all those nasty things you said about us when you were talking to Lyzz before new years. (What? The things that I said that were true about them...like they can't do anything unless it is their way, that they have both been nothing but rude to me and make me feel uncomfortable...I said them on purpose because they were true!) We were standing right there and heard everything that was said. (No shit! Why do you think I said them?) Then when Brittany tried to talk to you about it you denied everything. (The bitch pinned me in my bathroom, at my house, at 2:00am on New Years Eve, when she was not welcome in my home in the first place, to talk about how she has no friends in Detroit and we were going to raise our kids together or whatever she was blabbing about! Seriously we aren't in college anymore and I was never the girl who had conversations in the bathrooms when I was there!) We don't even care about that though. (If you don't then why are you bringing it up?) It is water under the bridge. All I really care about is my best friend, Justin. It is kind of sad that I saw more of him when he was living with his mom in Oxford and when I was living in Chicago. Now, when we live within walking distance of each other, I have seen him about three times in the last six months. It sucks that someone that I was considering for my best man will not even call me back now. Why is that? What has changed? We have not. (You're so right...It is me the heartless bitch that has changed everything!) Justin, Britt and I have all been together since juniors in college and now somehow Justin doesn't like us anymore? (Yes precisely! He has grown up and you haven't! Black jokes, and drinking at Mike's house every weekend...not cool anymore!) I find that hard to believe. If there is something else going on let us know. I have talked to a lot of the other guys and they are feeling the same way. (One other guy does not constitute "a lot" by the way!) I do not want to lose a friend, my best friend, because of a stupid new years eve party. Please have Justin call me. I would really like to sit down and talk to him somewhere. We really need to see if we can figure this out now before it is too late.
So I of course replied to the email as such:
Justin actually controls my cell phone. He has it in his possession at all times and I rarely use it. He has received all of your voicemail messages and has actively chosen not to respond to them.
This is something that needs to be settled by the two of you. I have nothing to do with his decision to not call you back.
The two of us have made an active decision not to hang out with anyone for the past couple of weeks because putting together Justin's books for his business, getting his taxes finished, and finding a loft downtown have been bigger priorities for us. I don't feel that either of us need to justify that decision to anyone.
And then got this back:
I think you missed the point of the letter. (I didn't miss the point, trust me on that one!) It was not an attack on you or asking you to justify anything. (Yes it was! Don't try to back out of your accusation now!) We are all busy but still have time to at least call people back. (Don't you get the hint when someone doesn't!) And I only wrote you because I know you check your e-mail and I don't think he does. (My ass that is the only reason you wrote it to me!) You do not have to be so defensive. I am trying to make peace. (Peace...like George Bush makes Peace?)
I honestly can not think of anything funnier and more immature than this email. I was sort of reminded of those days back in high school where shit like this happened. And then to top it all off all that kept going through my head was a comment that my friend Jocelyn once made when I lived in DC "E-mail is not a valid form of communication."
What a fucking copout! I don't understand why he wasn't willing to just say it to my face, in front of Justin for that matter, that he feels I am the reason that Justin doesn't talk to him anymore. (No sarcastic undertone there!) I mean it is obvious in the email that is what he was implying and to try and cover it up with "I was just trying to get in touch with him" in the second email was bullshit! Does he think I am stupid and wouldn't pick up on it? Honestly!
And speaking of honesty...my shady boss that I have told you all the wonderful stories about (Like he tells me he knows the President or he charged his roof on the company credit card...yes, we are a non-profit) tried to accuse me of lying to him about coming in for two hours one weekend about a month ago. This just happened about an hour ago. Is he being serious? I told him that I didn't need to be accused of lying and that I was leaving the room. Which I did and I have been sitting in my office with the door closed for the last hour and plan to finish the rest of the day like that.
What a wonderful week, huh? And to think I am still optimistic about things to come. I just wish sometimes that I could go back to the east coast and move into the loft of my dreams with Justin and our dog. I know that I would be so much happier out there with other fun, young people and not stuck in Detroit with a crazy boss and the best friend from hell! ARRRGGGGHHHH!
2.20.2006
Life, Love and Four Words
I realize that I haven't posted here in quite sometime so I guess I will use this post to do a little life recap and a little thinking about the future.
First of all last week's Valentine's Day was nice. Yeah, I used the word nice. Justin did a great job of cooking me dinner and spending time with me that night but for some odd reason I really wish we had done something else. Ok, I know what you are about to say, "You should be thankful for what you have!" and really I am. I just wish that Justin would think outside of the box sometimes. When we were first dating he used to always say the right things to me and take me out to dinner. Now that we are living together we never go out to eat just the two of us and especially not to somewhere fancy. He conviently never has money when it is Sweetest Day, My Birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day...I guess I just want a little romance in my life. Some that I didn't have to suggest!
Second, I fucking hate my job. I hate it. More than I hated my job with the Pistons, more than I hate Kobe Bryant, more than I hate Justin's old best friend. I hate my job! My boss is crazy, steals money from the organization and is a pathological liar. Can you blame me for hating it so much? I have never come home from work and been so tired everyday from the verbal abuse that I get in the office from my boss.
So with that being said I am once again beginning to try and figure out where my life is taking me. I feel that Justin and I need to start making decisions about our future. If there is such a thing as our future. (I sometimes think I have given up part of my "I" to be a part of this "we" and it has been frustrating.) I am starting to sit down and write down my life goals and what makes me happy so that I can focus on myself for a bit. I need to be focused on my career, but more importantly on what I want out of life. How can I expect to be happy when I don't know what I want. (I hate being the kids of the hippie generation! None of us are happy!) It has been hard for me in this respect because Justin loves having his own company and I wish we lived in Boston. How we are going to compromise on this one should be interesting.
But no matter what is going on in my life right now at least I get to utter these four words at least: Pitchers and Catchers Reported!
First of all last week's Valentine's Day was nice. Yeah, I used the word nice. Justin did a great job of cooking me dinner and spending time with me that night but for some odd reason I really wish we had done something else. Ok, I know what you are about to say, "You should be thankful for what you have!" and really I am. I just wish that Justin would think outside of the box sometimes. When we were first dating he used to always say the right things to me and take me out to dinner. Now that we are living together we never go out to eat just the two of us and especially not to somewhere fancy. He conviently never has money when it is Sweetest Day, My Birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day...I guess I just want a little romance in my life. Some that I didn't have to suggest!
Second, I fucking hate my job. I hate it. More than I hated my job with the Pistons, more than I hate Kobe Bryant, more than I hate Justin's old best friend. I hate my job! My boss is crazy, steals money from the organization and is a pathological liar. Can you blame me for hating it so much? I have never come home from work and been so tired everyday from the verbal abuse that I get in the office from my boss.
So with that being said I am once again beginning to try and figure out where my life is taking me. I feel that Justin and I need to start making decisions about our future. If there is such a thing as our future. (I sometimes think I have given up part of my "I" to be a part of this "we" and it has been frustrating.) I am starting to sit down and write down my life goals and what makes me happy so that I can focus on myself for a bit. I need to be focused on my career, but more importantly on what I want out of life. How can I expect to be happy when I don't know what I want. (I hate being the kids of the hippie generation! None of us are happy!) It has been hard for me in this respect because Justin loves having his own company and I wish we lived in Boston. How we are going to compromise on this one should be interesting.
But no matter what is going on in my life right now at least I get to utter these four words at least: Pitchers and Catchers Reported!
2.08.2006
Super City, Super Bowl
I honestly can't tell you how much I fell in love with my city again this weekend. I fell in love with motown again. I fell in love with Kid Rock, Em, KISS and the White Stripes. I fell in love with Woodward, with the skyline, with the people that frequent the streets of Detroit. And more than anything I am proud and excited for the city that I call home. I am excited for all the things that this city has in store. So to everyone out there in cyberspace, come, visit and share in the excitment that the Super Bowl brought to Detroit.
Now....Are you ready for some football? I have put together three photo albums on my website (link to the right) that show photos from the whole week. Now I am just waiting for my friend Mel and her scrapbooking talent to help me with some ideas of how to put them into some sort of scrapbook.
1.31.2006
Coretta Scott King
Today is yet another sad day in American history. This morning it was announced that Coretta Scott King, wife of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., passed away. Though I wasn't alive during the rise of the Civil Rights movement I am definitely part of the next generation, whose responsibility it is to carry out what everyone fought so tiredlessly for.
With her and Rosa Parks passing and tomorrow being the first day of Black History Month I started thinking to myself...What has my generation really done to keep the fire of Dr. and Mrs. King's words alive?
We tend to sit aloof watching this president take 18 and 19 year old men and women to war, allowing them to risk their lives everyday and he can't even give them or their families a good reason why they are there, dying so senselessly at an astounding rate.
We tend to sit aloof watching on our little cable boxes the struggles of low income (poor) people as they couldn't even afford to find a way out of the city during Katrina. And instead of just helping them with monetary donations we should be creating a national debate about our inner cities and the socioeconomic disparties of this country. Instead we feel better just donating on the internet.
I believe, in my humble opinion, all Dr. and Mrs. King wanted us to do is to treat each other as equals because under the eyes of God that is all we really are...equals. Equal despite your color, religion, sexual orientation, economic class, etc.
Our generation is so devoid of feeling because we constantly are only thinking about ourselves that we are allowing the unequal treatment of others to happen around us constantly. When is our generation going to give a damn? When are we going to be willing to stand up for what is morally right and wrong (not morally according to the Bush agenda either...the most backwards morality I have ever heard of!) When are we going to get off of our iPod's and TiVo's and actually care. If we don't then I am fearful of the future of our society, our country and its people.
With her and Rosa Parks passing and tomorrow being the first day of Black History Month I started thinking to myself...What has my generation really done to keep the fire of Dr. and Mrs. King's words alive?
We tend to sit aloof watching this president take 18 and 19 year old men and women to war, allowing them to risk their lives everyday and he can't even give them or their families a good reason why they are there, dying so senselessly at an astounding rate.
We tend to sit aloof watching on our little cable boxes the struggles of low income (poor) people as they couldn't even afford to find a way out of the city during Katrina. And instead of just helping them with monetary donations we should be creating a national debate about our inner cities and the socioeconomic disparties of this country. Instead we feel better just donating on the internet.
I believe, in my humble opinion, all Dr. and Mrs. King wanted us to do is to treat each other as equals because under the eyes of God that is all we really are...equals. Equal despite your color, religion, sexual orientation, economic class, etc.
Our generation is so devoid of feeling because we constantly are only thinking about ourselves that we are allowing the unequal treatment of others to happen around us constantly. When is our generation going to give a damn? When are we going to be willing to stand up for what is morally right and wrong (not morally according to the Bush agenda either...the most backwards morality I have ever heard of!) When are we going to get off of our iPod's and TiVo's and actually care. If we don't then I am fearful of the future of our society, our country and its people.
1.29.2006
The Auto Show Charity Preview
I know these photos are long overdue but I wanted to post some pictures of Justin and I at the North American International Auto Show Charity Preview. It is one of the biggest nights in Detroit (of course.) It is where all of the car company, political hot shots and over all rich people get together to drink, eat and look at cars.
Boy I love that Mini Cooper
Justin and Piston guard Lindsay Hunter (by the Bentley's of course)
(The $184,000 Bentley)
Boy I love that Mini Cooper
Justin and Piston guard Lindsay Hunter (by the Bentley's of course)
(The $184,000 Bentley)
1.26.2006
Pictures of the Puppy
Ok, everyone has asked for them and here they are...pictures of our new puppy.
Sorry I would have had them up here sooner but it looks like blogger.com didn't want to be my friend last night.
Mr. Fenway
Sorry I would have had them up here sooner but it looks like blogger.com didn't want to be my friend last night.
Mr. Fenway
1.16.2006
And then there was Fenway
So this weekend Justin and I did something out of the ordinary for the two of us. We got up on Saturday morning (after a long night at the Charity Preview for the Auto Show. I know that this is not a big deal for anyone other than Detroiters but wait till I post some photos of the cool new cars up here) and spontaneously decided that it was going to be the day that we purchased a dog. Yeah you heard me right, a dog!
I have wanted a dog since I was 10, but my mom never let my brother or I have pets (the goldfish we brought home from the fair and the ducks I hatched in Bio in high school don't count) so this day has been coming for awhile now. I really just couldn't believe that we did it together.
This is a huge step in this relationship for me. I know that all my friends tell me that Justin is the right one but to know it and start acting on that have been more difficult for me than expected. The decision plays a bigger role in our relationship than I think it leads on to.
Let me explain further...
First, Justin always thinks everything through about 20 times before it gets done. You should see the two of us in Target! I am the one who is like "these chairs would be great for the dinning room table," and he sort of looks at them, doesn't say anything and then moves two aisles over and we forget about it. He is so damn picky about everything. We had been discussing getting a dog for awhile and for him to just act on that decision and not be so undecided was a great thing for me.
Second, I have been working a lot on me lately, trying to figure out what I really want out of life. Why I am happy or unhappy with myself and how that causes problems in my relationship. So to go forward with buying a dog was a real big step in that direction for us. It basically indicated to me that I wanted to be something more with this man than others in the past. (You would have thought the house covered this part!)
Last, It was great to see Justin and I seeing our lives as more than something in the present. I know we talk about getting married and we talk about the future but to actually act upon that future by bringing something else into our lives is a huge deal for me. I have been so hurt by men in the past and to trust Justin enough to think about a future makes me so excited!
I know, I know...it is just a dog but for me this meant so much more. Slowly I will heal from the past and at that point I can't wait to see what this relationship has in store for me.
I have wanted a dog since I was 10, but my mom never let my brother or I have pets (the goldfish we brought home from the fair and the ducks I hatched in Bio in high school don't count) so this day has been coming for awhile now. I really just couldn't believe that we did it together.
This is a huge step in this relationship for me. I know that all my friends tell me that Justin is the right one but to know it and start acting on that have been more difficult for me than expected. The decision plays a bigger role in our relationship than I think it leads on to.
Let me explain further...
First, Justin always thinks everything through about 20 times before it gets done. You should see the two of us in Target! I am the one who is like "these chairs would be great for the dinning room table," and he sort of looks at them, doesn't say anything and then moves two aisles over and we forget about it. He is so damn picky about everything. We had been discussing getting a dog for awhile and for him to just act on that decision and not be so undecided was a great thing for me.
Second, I have been working a lot on me lately, trying to figure out what I really want out of life. Why I am happy or unhappy with myself and how that causes problems in my relationship. So to go forward with buying a dog was a real big step in that direction for us. It basically indicated to me that I wanted to be something more with this man than others in the past. (You would have thought the house covered this part!)
Last, It was great to see Justin and I seeing our lives as more than something in the present. I know we talk about getting married and we talk about the future but to actually act upon that future by bringing something else into our lives is a huge deal for me. I have been so hurt by men in the past and to trust Justin enough to think about a future makes me so excited!
I know, I know...it is just a dog but for me this meant so much more. Slowly I will heal from the past and at that point I can't wait to see what this relationship has in store for me.
1.10.2006
Girls, Girls, Girls
I don't know about the other women out there in cyberspace but I can sometimes use it to find out information that I quite frankly just don't want to see.
For example, I knew of this girl that Justin had a relationship with at one point and being the sneaky little online bitch that I am when I went to view his myspace.com page I found her on there as one of this friends. So I of course read her page and realized two things:
1) Both of us love Gore Vidal and graduated with Political Science degrees.
2) I hate knowing who the other women are.
It has left me with a bad taste in my mouth ever since I knew it was her. Could it be that I know they had some sexual past? Could it be that I think he might have wanted to be with her more than me? Could it be that we as women, always make it out to seem that no one can want to be with us.
I am definitely decision C. I think I just can't believe that Justin would have picked me, the non-snowboarder, Franklin Planner carrying, political person that I am. When will I realize that he likes that person, just plain me. As a matter of fact, he loves her. And then it is realizing that THAT girl, the one who is only on a website, has nothing on the one who shares his life with him.
I am still waiting for that day...
For example, I knew of this girl that Justin had a relationship with at one point and being the sneaky little online bitch that I am when I went to view his myspace.com page I found her on there as one of this friends. So I of course read her page and realized two things:
1) Both of us love Gore Vidal and graduated with Political Science degrees.
2) I hate knowing who the other women are.
It has left me with a bad taste in my mouth ever since I knew it was her. Could it be that I know they had some sexual past? Could it be that I think he might have wanted to be with her more than me? Could it be that we as women, always make it out to seem that no one can want to be with us.
I am definitely decision C. I think I just can't believe that Justin would have picked me, the non-snowboarder, Franklin Planner carrying, political person that I am. When will I realize that he likes that person, just plain me. As a matter of fact, he loves her. And then it is realizing that THAT girl, the one who is only on a website, has nothing on the one who shares his life with him.
I am still waiting for that day...
1.09.2006
The New Year
So I know I am a bit late here on the posting the New Years Resolutions thing but I thought that if still posted it here than somehow cyberspace (and not just my little red Franklin Planner) would keep me true to my resolutions.
This year opposed to in year's past I felt that it was important to develop life changing resolutions. I mean most of the time people come up with things that are good for the moment but aren't really life changing things. So with that in mind I read the Time magazine People of the Year edition right before New Year's and decided that this year was going to be different. I was actually going to do three things that were going to be life changing developments for me.
First:
1) I have decided to regain my healthy living lifestyle. That means no fast food, no crap going into my system. Now this has already been hard going to the bar and having one drink if that. It is hard getting up in the morning and getting to the gym on time before work but I look at it this way...I have two options right now while I am 26. I can live a healthy life and give myself the best chance at staying alive past 50 or I can just eat shit and gain 20 and be totally disgusting. I choose A! I just watched my dad pass away because he didn't do this and I won't let it happen to me.
Second:
2)I have decided to take a mission trip to Africa and travel more this year. I realized a couple of weeks ago that I hadn't been out of the country in ages and for that matter I hadn't been anywhere outside of the midwest since last spring. So I am going to go and visit my friends across the country this year. I am going to see those ballparks I talked about in my Christmas news letter because though I have no money and will never have a savings account with more than 100 bucks in it at least I will have great memories with the ones I love. And as for going to Africa...it is about damn time I stop talking about Americans doing something for the rest of the world and actually do it myself.
Last:
3) Being inspired by my friend Jenny I have decided to read 20 books this year. I have so many great books sitting on these wonderful shelves that Justin built me in our house that haven't been read. They are just there right now to make me feel like an elitest, but I thought this year I would actually become an elitest and read them. So I leave you with the current list of selections. Some have already been read but I feel like reading them again, others I have never touched. Suggestions are of course always welcome and I will give updates as the year goes along.
1) A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn
(How can you not want to read this book a million times?? It is about time someone actually gave a real history lesson)
2) Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
3) Watching Baseball by Jerry Remy
(It's almost that time of year again...better start getting ready!)
4) War of the Worlds by HG Wells
5) Madam President by Eleanor Clift
6) Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
7) 1776 by David McCullough
8) Three Nights in August by Buzz Bissinger
9) One Day at Fenway by Steve Kettmann
(I am hoping to get to this book at about the same time I am going to Fenway!)
10) Don't Think Like an Elephant by George Lakoff
11) Nickel & Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
(Had to re-read this one in order to appreciate her new one. By far one of the best books I have read.)
12) Bait & Switch by Barbara Ehrenreich
13) I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
14) Imperial America by Gore Vidal
(My favorite author...also check out Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace and Dreaming War)
15) Hegemony or Survival by Noam Chomsky
16) The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
17) The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
(I am finally giving in and reading it like the rest of the world...trying to before the movie comes out and ruins it.)
18) On Bullshit by Harry Frankfurt
(One of the best rhetoric books I have read.)
19) Women Who Make the World Worse by Kate O'Brien
(Just couldn't pass up reading some conservative full of shit women...Can't wait till some man takes her job.)
20) Are Men Necessary by Maureen Dowd
(Reading it to get over #19)
This year opposed to in year's past I felt that it was important to develop life changing resolutions. I mean most of the time people come up with things that are good for the moment but aren't really life changing things. So with that in mind I read the Time magazine People of the Year edition right before New Year's and decided that this year was going to be different. I was actually going to do three things that were going to be life changing developments for me.
First:
1) I have decided to regain my healthy living lifestyle. That means no fast food, no crap going into my system. Now this has already been hard going to the bar and having one drink if that. It is hard getting up in the morning and getting to the gym on time before work but I look at it this way...I have two options right now while I am 26. I can live a healthy life and give myself the best chance at staying alive past 50 or I can just eat shit and gain 20 and be totally disgusting. I choose A! I just watched my dad pass away because he didn't do this and I won't let it happen to me.
Second:
2)I have decided to take a mission trip to Africa and travel more this year. I realized a couple of weeks ago that I hadn't been out of the country in ages and for that matter I hadn't been anywhere outside of the midwest since last spring. So I am going to go and visit my friends across the country this year. I am going to see those ballparks I talked about in my Christmas news letter because though I have no money and will never have a savings account with more than 100 bucks in it at least I will have great memories with the ones I love. And as for going to Africa...it is about damn time I stop talking about Americans doing something for the rest of the world and actually do it myself.
Last:
3) Being inspired by my friend Jenny I have decided to read 20 books this year. I have so many great books sitting on these wonderful shelves that Justin built me in our house that haven't been read. They are just there right now to make me feel like an elitest, but I thought this year I would actually become an elitest and read them. So I leave you with the current list of selections. Some have already been read but I feel like reading them again, others I have never touched. Suggestions are of course always welcome and I will give updates as the year goes along.
1) A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn
(How can you not want to read this book a million times?? It is about time someone actually gave a real history lesson)
2) Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
3) Watching Baseball by Jerry Remy
(It's almost that time of year again...better start getting ready!)
4) War of the Worlds by HG Wells
5) Madam President by Eleanor Clift
6) Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
7) 1776 by David McCullough
8) Three Nights in August by Buzz Bissinger
9) One Day at Fenway by Steve Kettmann
(I am hoping to get to this book at about the same time I am going to Fenway!)
10) Don't Think Like an Elephant by George Lakoff
11) Nickel & Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
(Had to re-read this one in order to appreciate her new one. By far one of the best books I have read.)
12) Bait & Switch by Barbara Ehrenreich
13) I am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe
14) Imperial America by Gore Vidal
(My favorite author...also check out Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace and Dreaming War)
15) Hegemony or Survival by Noam Chomsky
16) The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
17) The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
(I am finally giving in and reading it like the rest of the world...trying to before the movie comes out and ruins it.)
18) On Bullshit by Harry Frankfurt
(One of the best rhetoric books I have read.)
19) Women Who Make the World Worse by Kate O'Brien
(Just couldn't pass up reading some conservative full of shit women...Can't wait till some man takes her job.)
20) Are Men Necessary by Maureen Dowd
(Reading it to get over #19)
1.06.2006
The Ferndale Drinking Team
I know that I haven't posted in awhile and that probably those who read on a regular basis have left me now, but I know there are some folks out there who are still interested in the useless things I have to say.
So here is what I have to say on this 6th of January (the Epiphany and First Quarter Moon if you will...I knew that Happy Bunny calendar in my office would serve me right.) I have started another blog with the fellow members of the Ferndale Drinking Team and I think you should check it out.
We should have some photos from New Year's Eve and our Christmas Sweater Party up there sometime soon.
So here is what I have to say on this 6th of January (the Epiphany and First Quarter Moon if you will...I knew that Happy Bunny calendar in my office would serve me right.) I have started another blog with the fellow members of the Ferndale Drinking Team and I think you should check it out.
We should have some photos from New Year's Eve and our Christmas Sweater Party up there sometime soon.
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