Last Chance 8K

I set a goal in 2009 of completing 10 races in 2010. I successfully ran 9 and thought that was going to be it. I had planned on running after work today, but was completely surprised when I found out that I would be completing my 10th "race", just in the nick of time, thanks to a couple of thoughtful friends.

It was a great run - I got to try out my new arm warmers I got as a gift, (which are fantastic!) it was a warm 57 degrees, a run through downtown that included 2 bridges, and even a water station! Despite the fact that I was hurting a bit, since my last run before this was almost 2 weeks ago, I still got 1st place! (and a blue ribbon) And a post race snack was waiting for me at the end - Gatorade and granola bar. AND a t-shirt!

Thank you Stacy for thinking of me and coming up with such a fun idea. And thank you JW for organizing the race and for all the surprises along the way.

Goal completed.

Photo Op

At the family reunion this summer, my mom captured an all too precious moment of Regan and my dad that I am absolutely in love with. I thought it would make the perfect Christmas gift for both Regan and my dad so I asked L if she could enhance it a little and this was the final product:

After putting them in frames, I wrapped them up and anxiously awaited for the big "reveal." I asked that they open the boxes together and the looks and "oohs and ahhs" were exactly what I was hoping for, and even a few unexpected tears from my sister. Success! :) Thanks again L for taking time out of your busy schedule to work on this!

89 Wins and Counting

I won't lie, I'm not a follower of women's college basketball, but it's hard to ignore the accomplishment of UConn's team. After the win over Florida State last night, they have broken UCLA's men's team record of consecutive wins.

Obviously, the 89th consecutive win has captured the attention of millions, including President Obama, who called coach Geno Auriemma during the press conference:



Love it!

Holiday Mixtape

While perusing through some music blogs, I snagged some holiday tunes that I've been enjoying so I decided a holiday mixtape was in order. It is available upon request.

1. It's Christmas - Coconut Records
2. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming - Feist
3. Last Christmas - Florence + the Machine
4. Believe In Me - Fun
5. Tiny Tree Christmas - Guster
6. We Come Back - Local Natives
7. The Christmas Song - Owl City
8. Christmas in the Room - Sufjan Stevens
9. Got Something For You - Best Coast & Wavves
10. The Lights and Buzz - Jack's Mannequin
11. Christmas Tree - Lady Gaga
12. Christmas Lights - Coldplay
13. Get Down For the Holidays - Jenny O
14. My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year) - Regina Spektor

Quotables

Kind of a random post, but I was thinking about this on the way home today. I frequently tend to catch myself thinking of song lyrics with whatever it is I'm working on while in the office. Examples:

*When I'm working on an umbrella policy I start singing, "under my umbrella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh." Recently, though, thanks to Glee, it's followed by, "singin' in the rain"

*When I'm releasing a policy, I think of Timbaland, "...but first I got to release!"

*There are lots of options when it comes to working on an auto line: "...now I'm feelin' so fly like a G6" or "crusin' top on the 'cedes low" or even goin a little country when I see a truck-tractor - "she thinks my tractor's sexy".

I've noticed more and more that it doesn't stop at work with songs. It continues into my everyday conversations, usually with TV show or movie quotes - Friends, Sex & the City, Anchorman, and Mean Girls - just to name a few.

I'm not exactly sure why I do it - maybe it's because I believe it gives the illusion that I'm actually funny or because I fail to contribute any intelligence into any given conversation. But, regardless of the reason, it's a fun game - you should try it.

Simon's

Went to Simon's for dinner last night with Les, Stacy, and Jared. Definitely one of, if not my favorite restaurant in Des Moines. Here are a few highlights from the evening:

*Name Game: The four of us decided to make guesses on our waiter's name. Matt, Tyler, Ben, and Bryan were the contenders. After giving our guesses, he informed us his name is, in fact, Hunter. Then we told him to guess our names - Les, Stacy and I were a little freaked out when he guessed our names correctly, only to find out that Jared had tipped him off on the sly - tricky.

*Baked Feta: We ordered this app the last time we went there and very much were looking forward to it again last night. Lucky for us, it did not disappoint.

*Dessert: Although they didn't have the chocolate cake, we were able to indulge in a chocolate torte and an oreo dessert - both very good.

*¡Pan! : We were given free loaves of bread to take home with us, to which we decided would be great for making French Toast.

*Vino: We told Hunter we were going to shut the place down and we did, with the assistance of about 5.5 bottles of wine. We ordered 3 bottles and Simon, the restaurant owner, brought us over about 2.5 more (on the house). Both Simon and Hunter pulled up chairs and we all chatted for a solid couple of hours.

It's not just the cozy and quaint atmosphere or the great food that makes this restaurant stand out to me. It's also the excellent and personable service you experience. Not only was our waiter friendly and never seemed too busy to respond to our sometimes ridiculous questions/comments, but the owner, Simon, is notorious for making the rounds to each table full of guests that patrons his restaurant. For him to not only allow us to stay way past closing time, but to also set down a few more bottles of wine for us and pull up a chair and enjoy a few glasses with us, is such a cool thing.

It was a great evening and I think it's safe to say we all enjoyed ourselves and look forward to our next visit.

Faithful Reminder

A couple of weeks ago I was watching a news program that featured a girl who had been in a terrible car accident. She had to fight for her life, and in the end, she won and lived to talk about it. One thing that was highlighted in this story was the amount of faith she had in God and how important her faith was to her.

She has a Bible verse - Matthew 25:23 written on several pieces of paper that are displayed throughout various areas of her room. "Well done, good and faithful servant." When asked why she has this up she said that when her judgment day comes, she hopes she'll meet God and he will say that very phrase to her.

I was moved by this and thought it was a great idea, so I decided to make a sign (a simplistic sign at that) of my own and tape it to my bathroom mirror. Why there? It's one of the last things I look at before leaving to go somewhere, so hopefully it will serve as a reminder to me to be the kind, loving Christian that I am called to be each and every day.

Yes I Can

I've always turned down the opportunity to parallel park, even if it means parking 2 blocks away from where I'm going. Why? I find it intimidating. I've had very little practice - I even managed to escape having to do it in Driver's Ed, due to my partner taking too long at doing it herself. Because of my lack of experience, I have very little confidence in the parallel parking area. I tried to escape the opportunity once again on Saturday, but it didn't work. After the run that morning, JW and I headed downtown to check out "No Room At the Inn", which was an exhibit featuring different nativity scenes. I informed him of my "rule" as we spotted a free spot that would require parallel parking, but he was not having it. Instead, he positively reassured me that I could do it. Thanks to his excellent coaching, I parallel parked the shit out of my car in 3 smooth steps. I was beaming with excitement and pride. (it's the little things in life)

3rd Place Finish

Saturday morning JW and I ran in the CITA WSR 4 mile trail run. I cannot say it was the most organized race I've ever ran in, but the run itself was a lot of fun. It was my first trail run and I hope it won't be my last. We ran it in a little over 33 minutes - not overly impressive but we weren't really pushing it. The path was pretty narrow and made passing difficult. Despite the mediocre time, I managed to get 3rd place (out of about 10 girls) and scored this sweet trophy of sorts.

Appreciation and Validation

As the end of year draws near, so starts the busiest part of the year at work. Yesterday about an hour before I was scheduled to leave, I was notified that we landed a big account that I'd been working on and it needed to hit the books for November. So I settled into my cubicle, knowing it'd be a while. 3 hours and 15 minutes past quittin' time, it was completed.

I walked into work this morning, feeling like it hadn't been that long ago when I had left, and sat down at my computer, feeling less than excited to be there. However, my day turned around quickly when I saw I had an email from one of the underwriting managers, thanking me for the work I'd done on this account. "We often get to celebrate over here the success of getting a big account, but the truth is it wouldn't be possible without you and all your efforts." I felt immediate validation.

A couple hours went by and I saw I had an email from another underwriting manager. She, too, thanked me for staying late to get the account issued.

And as if that weren't enough, in the late afternoon I got yet another email. "I understand you played a big part in helping us win this account. Thank you for staying late to get this on the books. I appreciate all the work you did." I didn't recognize the name so I looked her up - turns out, she is the AVP of Sales. Whoa, big time. How cool is it that someone from upper management took time out of her busy schedule to send me, a lowly "rater", a thank-you email?! I was more than impressed.

This probably seems hardly blog-worthy, but in the "rater" world, to say this rarely happens is an understatement. To get 3 emails from different levels of management in the same day on one account speaks volumes to me. I know it seems so simple and it only took them a mere 2 minutes to compose such a note, but it means a lot. Feeling appreciated for what you do can do wonders for your engagement.

I marked today down as a good day at work, worthy of a gold star.

The Thrill

Old Navy vinyl pants circa 2001, paired with an oversized hoodie that's 2 sizes too big + Hy-Vee Chinese take-out + reruns of the Office = how I spent my Monday night.

It's okay to be jealous.

What Made the Difference

What do these 3 three things have in common?

They all contributed to my good day.

As I was rounding the corner to enter cubicle land this morning, I was less than excited. However, upon reaching my desk I found the Glee Christmas album laying next to my keyboard and it immediately put a smile on my face. Can't wait until next weekend to listen to it! (must get through Thanksgiving first) Thanks again Sarah!

I was also excited to get out my iPod this morning because I downloaded the new Girl Talk album last night. It made the first one hour, 11 minutes, and 51 seconds of my day fun, as I, of course, had a little dance party in my cubicle.

And last but certainly not least, this afternoon L called me and said, "You need to come downstairs to your lobby right now." As I approached the stairwell and saw her with Starbucks in her hand, I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. It was a great surprise and definitely got me through the afternoon. Thank you L! I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness and taking time out of your busy day to deliver me a cup (the holiday cup, no less) of deliciousness!

Office Talk

While looking through pictures of his new baby

Me: "Oh, she is absolutely precious!"
Co-worker: "Thanks, your next!"
Me: "uh, not anytime in the near future"
Co-worker: "Well, don't wait too long"
Me: "Thanks"

Proud Panther

I'll admit that I get more excited for Iowa games than I do for my Alma Mater, but know that UNI will always be near and dear to my heart. They deserve a shout out since they not only won their game Saturday, but the MVFC title too. Go Panthers!

Over the Last Few Days...

Things That Are On My Mind:
*Dentist Appointment - I haven't been to the dentist for a professional cleaning in over *gasp* 2 years. I'm afraid of what they'll find. Also, this means having to see Dr. McHottie in an unflattering, vulnerable state - with all the tools poking and prodding my mouth, the bib, etc.
*Dr. Bill - I finally got my bill from PT and I think my heart stopped upon seeing those numbers. For the record, I don't feel like I got my money's worth.

Things That Make Me Smile:
*Regan's Phone Call - Before bedtime the other night, Regan sang me the ABC's, Old McDonald, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and the Wheels On the Bus. Of course, hearing her say "wuve you Coco" was the icing on the cake. Love her.
*Tires - After struggling a little with what kind of tires to get/where to go, I finally made a decision and got it all taken care of today. It's a relief and glad it's over with.
*Cousin Outing - I met up with my cousins tonight for a fun dinner outing. It's always fun seeing them and not only talking of what's currently going on each of our lives but also talking about all our fun memories growing up.

Time For a Change

After some careful thought, I decided to stop my compressed work week schedule and go back to a 5, 8 hour day work week. I'm happy to report that after 3 weeks, I'm loving it and am 100% behind this decision and here's why:

*Shorter Days: The hours at work go by a lot faster and I think I am actually more productive in 8 hours than I was on 10. I usually hit a wall anywhere between the hours of 2:30-4:00 where I just shut down and it was almost impossible for me to get motivated to keep working. A "shorter" day prevents me from getting so burnt out.

*Energy: I feel I have a lot more energy when I leave work. It's amazing how those 2 extra hours of being holed up in a cubicle, staring at a computer screen really starts to drain you.

*Time: I feel like I've been given the gift of time. On the 10 hour days, I felt like I only had time for one "activity" per night - so I had to choose whether to go running or run errands or do housework or hang out with friends. Now, my nights seem to last forever and I can do so much more. Today, for example, I ran 5 miles and went to the grocery store, (in the time I'd normally still be at work) then ran some errands, and went over to S&J's for the rest of the evening.

*Sun: I think there's a lot of validity to the whole exposure to sunlight is important idea. It is not fun to go AND leave work in the dark. I did this all of last winter and am relieved to not to have to do it again. Plus, I can get most, if not all of my runs in before the sun goes down.

Do I miss the 3 day weekends? To be honest, no. Although it was great not working Fridays, it started to become a busy day full of errands, appointments, housework, etc and I rarely did anything fun. Now, with having more time and energy in the evenings, I can get more of those "chores" done during the week and still have time to enjoy my weekend. Has it been hard working on Fridays? Not so far. There are actually a few perks to working Fridays - jeans day, the atmosphere is more laid back, and usually it seems to be a quieter day in terms for the workload.

Who knows if the novelty of the "short" days will wear off, but I'm not worrying about that. Right now, I'm just enjoying the change of pace.

A Couple's Cover

While performing at a benefit for Teen Feed, Ben Gibbard and Zooey Deschanel performed this duet. I love when artists use their talents to help give back, so kudos. Also, how adorable are they?! Love him, love her, love them together.



...and because I'm computer illiterate and can't figure out how to stop the screen from being cut off, here is the link. (even though the quality isn't great).

For a Laugh

I've been meaning to post this for a while now. A few weeks ago, while "in the nest" with one of my co-workers, my blog came up. He didn't know I had one, so I sent him the link. He wrote this to me in an email after reading a few of my postings. It's too funny not to share:

"This is so much more thoughtful than Facebook. I tend to read my wife's friends posts (her laptop is in the kitchen ((I'm always eating)), and they are mind numbing. The subjects usually fall into these categories:

• This quote from my child shows how smart they are. "On the way to preschool Grant just asked 'if the government can spend so much money on the war in Afghanistan, why can't they help the thousands of refugees being slaughtered by puppet regimes in the northern coastal countries of Africa?'"
• This quote from my child shows how much they love their [insert family member here]. As I drove Dakota from soccer to dance (hip-hop, ballet, tap and cheerleading) she said "Mommy I want to look as beautiful as you when I'm a Mommy."
• A shout out to someone that they just visited, ie: just had a great time with the Smith's at the Open Sore and Puss exhibit at the Science Center
• A shout out to their spouse on how much they love them (sure sign of marital problems)
• An update on what they are eating (for the 10th day in a row)"

You Ate My Sandwich?!

This picture was taped to the refrigerator in the break room at work this morning:

Reminder

Two significant reminders for the day:

1. The power of a compliment - I received several compliments today from my tights to my nail color. It's funny how such a small comment as, "I really like the color of your nails" from a total stranger can not only make you smile but help make your day a better one. I've been trying to make more of an effort to give out compliments - to those I know and the unfamiliar because I know how good it makes me feel and I want to be able to pass that along to someone else and pay it forward.

2. I am not alone - As I was talking to a friend I ran into at the coffee shop this afternoon, I realized I am not alone in how I feel about certain things in life. It's nice to know others share some of the same feelings I do and makes that unknown a little less scary.

Undercover

The Undercover mix tape is now available upon request.

1. Drop It Like It's Hot (Snoop Dogg) - Neon Hitch
2. Cousins (Vampire Weekend) - Mumford & Sons
3. When You Were Young (The Killers) - Astrid Swan
4. Private Eyes (Hall & Oates) - The Bird and the Bee
5. Crazy (Gnarls Barkley) - Ray LaMontagne
6. Last Nite (The Strokes) - Adele
7. Barracuda (Heart) - Sky Larkin
8. Bring It On Home To Me (Sam Cooke) - She & Him
9. Hurt (Nine Inch Nails) - Johnny Cash
10. When I Grow Up (Fever Ray) - First Aid Kit
11. Tik Tok (Ke$ha) - Sunday Girl
12. Rocket Man (Elton John) - My Morning Jacket
13. Pursuit of Happiness (Kid Cudi) - Lissie
14. Wonderwall (Oasis) - Ryan Adams
15. Single Ladies (Beyonce) - Pomplamoose
16. Forever Young (Alphaville) - Youth Group

Questionable Identification

I've never had someone question the validity of my ID until yesterday afternoon as I was picking up a few things before the Iowa game started. I wanted to get a sixer of beer so I headed over to the liquor part of the store. After perusing through the refrigerated beer section, I decided on Shock Top Belgian White. I headed to the cashier with that, 2 limes, and ground cumin in hand. Not surprisingly, the cashier asked for my ID, so I showed it to him, without taking it out of my wallet. He then asked me to take it out, and of course I obliged. Then he studied it very carefully, looked at me, looked back at my ID and said, "This doesn't look like you." For those of you who haven't seen my ID before, I got it renewed 2 years ago, so my hair was still bright blonde and in this particular picture, it looks almost white. I've had a couple people comment about my darker hair versus the lighter hair in my picture, but I've never had anyone doubt it was me, so I was a little taken aback. I so badly wanted to say, "Listen Pat, congrats on your 8 years of service at Hy-vee, and I'm glad to see that you are taking your job so seriously, but with all do respect, do you honestly think I look like I'm under 21? I mean, I'm flattered, but let's be real. (A.) In the event that I was under 21 and this was a fake ID, do you really think I'd be using it at the Hy-vee Liquor store? No. I'd wait to pull this out at some place like Uncle Bucks or Komodo Club later on tonight. And (B.) If I were, indeed under 21, using a fake ID at your store, do you really think I'd be purchasing a Belgian Wheat six pack of beer? I'd be buying Smirnoff Ice or a bottle of UV Blue Vodka to go along with my Big Gulp cup full of lemonade I have out in the car." But, I kept it short and sweet and simply said, "Well, I don't know what to tell you, that's me. My hair is darker, yes, but if you look at my face, it matches the picture." He gave me an irritated look and said, "yeah, okay." Apparently a helpful smile in every aisle does not apply in the liquor section.

7 Miler

I had a great run today with JW. We ran 7 miles, which is the longest I think I've ran since Dam to Dam (yikes) and I felt great overall. I've been battling a leg injury for about 6 months now and after receiving some treatment (finally), I'm hoping the worst of the problem is behind me. I was a little nervous less than a mile into the run when I felt my leg starting to act up, but I ran through it and by mile 3, I was back to feeling great. It was a great morning for a run - a little windy, but overall the friendly 60 degree temps, the sun trying to peek out through the clouds, the beautiful fall scenery, and of course the great company made the run less work and more fun. It is so encouraging to run without fighting any pain. I'm not convinced I'm 100% cured, but I can only hope I have more successful runs to come.

Good Reading

While enjoying a few hours at the pool everyday in Vegas this past week, I got some good reading done.

First Tattoos on the Heart, on loan from JW, is about a Jesuit priest who started a gang intervention program called HomeBoy Industries. I enjoyed this book immensely and it was so inspiring to read about a man who has such a rare but much needed gift of patience and faith. Definitely recommend this one.

Next, Sh*t My Dad Says. Read this one in a matter of hours - highly entertaining, highly recommend if you want a no-think, laugh-out-loud book. The title pretty much says it all - author writes about what his dad has said about numerous topics over the years. Check out the website here for a little taste of what the book is like.

Commendable Restraint Efforts

As I mentioned in the Vegas post, one of the shopping stops we made was at Anthropologie. Here are a few items I reluctantly left the store without:

A Tale of Two Girls in Sin City

Vegas Vacation, long story...well long...

Chapter 1: Monday
I knew the trip was off to a good start when we glanced ahead to see who was in front of us at the Allegiant desk at the airport - DJ Jay. Who is he? We don't know either, but I could tell by his black tracksuit with iron-on appliques of his name and picture all over it, dirty wifebeat underneath, complete with dog tags, that he was somebody special/important. After a short 2.5 hour plane ride and a $15 cab ride to the hotel, we arrived to the Tropicana and checked in. We grabbed a quick, less than mediocre dinner at the Beach House Cafe and headed out to get ourselves reacquainted with the strip. We were about a half mile into our walk, talking through our memories from our last trip there, when suddenly the clouds parted and the angels from above came down to sing, "Hallelujah, hallelujah!" ...there it was, Adidas. I never knew just how special this particular store was until I visited the stores in Chicago. The store in Vegas is a combination of the Originals and Performance stores, making it a two-story mecca of Adidas wear. Last year L and I scored some fantastic gear there and this year was no exception either. L got a bangin' pair of shoes and track jacket and I got myself a pretty stellar hoodie and a pair of knee high socks. And although I took note of a pair of blue kicks, along with a bag I've had my eye on for over a year now, I showed commendable restraint and denied myself the additional purchases. (maybe if I stalk the website enough I'll catch them on mark down) After a little more exploration, we headed back to the room and called it a night.

Chapter 2: Tuesday
Hit up the pool for a little UV and R&R, complete with a book in one hand and a $10 terrible tasting margarita in the other to begin our day. Then off to Subway to share a $9 footlong (no such thing as $5 footlongs in Vegas apparently) and after refueling, we hit up the Miracle Mile shops. I, again, showed restraint and bought nothing, despite having several items in the Urban Outfitters fitting room. After a few hours of shopping, it was time to get cleaned up for our big night out on the town. We got all dressed up and headed to Tao for dinner. It was a beautiful sight - L in gray, myself in black, both of us in heels, and both of us accessorized with 32 oz cans of Bud Light (classy, party of 2) We grabbed the attention of many suitable bachelors...suitable if you enjoy being neighed and whinnied at (thank you naked women card passer outters) Apparently we also were violators of the law. (boys, put this in your back pocket for a rainy day) "Excuse me, you know it's against the law to have legs that long." After the long walk to the Venetian, we finally arrived to our destination. Instead of waiting for 30-40 minutes for a table, we opted for the Sushi bar. To entertain us for the evening, we had sitting diagonal from us - older married men group #1, sitting next to us - older married men group #2, our waiter, who I lovingly referred to as Ginger, and our bus boy, Ryan. Ginger, we suspected, had his eye on L, but after a conversation about chicken mcnuggets that led us to the conclusion that he had already reproduced several ginger babies, Ginger was out and down for the count. So, enter Ryan. This bus boy was trying to clear more than our eating spaces with his coy glances, the flirting, and what sealed the deal - his gift of Tao's 2 finest pairs of chop sticks to us. L wooed him by showing him how her flip flops fit into her bag. And me? After L informed him that I could recite all the presidents of the United States, you better believe I belted out the tune to prove it. I'm pretty sure by "the Cleveland came back again" I had him. After Tao, we switched out our heels for flip flops and began the long walk back to the other end of the strip.



Chapter 3: Wednesday
By day 2, I was afraid I was catching a cold, and I woke up Wednesday with a seductively low voice and a stuffed up nose to confirm my suspicions. (sexy can I) But that wasn't going to stop me from enjoying my vacation. Breakfast at New York New York, poolside back at the hotel, lunch in the MGM food court, back to the pool, and a short nap sums up our day. Wednesday evening was the biggest display of white trash debauchery I think I've ever been a part of. First, we each downed a $1.99 footlong coney dog (my first footlong AND coney dog in one sitting)



then we found a store we decided to peruse through, which carried many questionable items that of course we had to try on including hideous faux fur coats, trashy dresses, and a pair of Affliction leather pants.





To negate the shameful display of what can hardly be called fashion, we knew we had to head over to the Forum shops to restore our faith in the fashion world. Prada, Gucci, Tiffanys, oh my! The highlight was Anthropologie. This was my first time in the actual store, trying on the clothes, and I was in love. I think L was sick of me because every other thing I saw I uttered something like, "oh my gosh L look at this!" Jaw-dropping pieces everywhere. I tried on several items, lusting over each and every one but my amazing restraint, along with the hefty price tags kept my plastic in my wallet. Before heading back, we caught a couple of fountain shows at the Bellagio, which is one of my favorite spots in Vegas, as a night cap.



Chapter 4: Thursday
Thursday was pretty much a repeat of Wednesday - breakfast, pool, lunch, nap, dinner outing. The pool scene was the most entertaining this day. It wouldn't be a vacation without spotting the chick at the pool who makes you feel less than average - you know the kind - long flowing hair, fake tits that are busting out of her string triangle bikini top, and just in case you had any ounce of self confidence left, you see her two-T'd (toned and tanned) ass peeking out from the Brazilian bottoms. L and I gave her props, where they were due, but it wasn't without our sarcastic undertones, of course. Unfortunately for her, there were not many guys around to oogle her goodies, but there was Creepy McDrunkerton, who had his wife and 12 year old son in tow. On his way to the bar, for what was presumably his 7th drink of the day based on his behavior, he stopped by Tits McGee for a good eye fuck and chat. Feeling confident after this, McDrunkerton proceeds to climb an empty lifeguard chair and only comes down after being whistled at by the on duty lifeguard several times and being talked to by the cocktail waitress. He, not surprisingly, showed little respect for the waitress, who in turn, called security, who basically threw him out, only after being called an asshole by none other than his wife. This soap opera developed right in front of L and I's eyes and I think we both said a little prayer that we'd never have to deal with such a douche. All that excitement got us hopped up to make some excitement of our own...caution, it's pretty intense:



After waking up from another short nap (all that "craziness" makes a girl tired) we cracked open a bottle of wine, turned on the pod, and got ready for the night. We, once again, headed to the opposite side of the strip, making a pit stop at the Bellagio for a photo op



and then continued on to the Fashion Mall for our last supper in Vegas at El Segundo Sol.



The dinner was pretty great, until I looked up at L shortly after taking our first few bites and I saw her face getting red and her eyes watering. After downing a glass of water and half of her marg, she said, "wow, I just bit into something hot." It was only a short minute later, after dissecting her fajita, that she saw she had bit into a habanero. Yikes. Between that and my intense cold, our last night in Vegas came to close, without any dancing (which we were hoping to do after dinner) We made the loonnnggg trek back to the hotel and passed out.

Chapter 5: Friday
We packed up, checked out, and took another $15 cab ride to the airport. After a smooth and quick security check, we were at our gate in plenty of time. The 2.5 hour plane ride back to Iowa was a long one...first, L and I overheard a conversation that broke my Spanish speaking heart. 2 old women discussing how to say hello in Spanish. "Is it ole or whole-ah?" Ugh, I cried a little bit. Second, happy-mic flight attendant couldn't keep his yap off the intercom...I think he announced in 15 minute intervals when we'd be landing in Des Moines. But, we finally made it - ah, home.

I love traveling and vacationing, but I am always excited to come home. I knew it was time when L and I started getting weird (more than we usually are) Friday morning before getting up for the day. L and I discussed how lame it seems that we didn't ever get too wild 'n crazy, but we decided that it's okay. We wanted/needed a getaway and that's what we got...besides, who wants to waste money boozin' it up and feeling like shit the next day? I mean, we can do that here, right? Either that, or we're just getting old.

Thanks again to Jim and Norene for your amazing generosity and making this trip possible for L and I. And thanks L for being a great travel partner, roommate, and friend. Thanks for being a great sport and for being understanding when I needed a nap or wanted to call it a night. I had a blast and can't wait for our next trip!

Keep In Mind...

Here are a few of my favorite "words to live by" given to me over the years:

* "Stranger things have happened" - Pep talk from my high school basketball coach when we were down by 50 points at half time

* "You just have to grin and bear it" - My dad's advice for when the going gets rough

* "God does not give you anything you cannot handle" - Lesson from my high school religion teacher/youth group leader

* "You can lead 'em to water, but you can't make 'em drink" - My dad's favorite thing to say when you can't make sense out of one's actions.

* "Make it happen" - My supervisor (who worked for the I-Cubs at the time) gave out this advice, along with a hat stretcher to one of the players who complained his hat was too small and demanded he get a new one.

Operation Beautiful

I had heard once or twice in passing about the organization Operation Beautiful before, but after reading a short article in a magazine about it tonight, I decided to check out their website. Basically the point of the organization is to anonymously leave notes in public places that encourage a positive self body image. I've spent the last hour looking at all the different post-its and signs people have created - it's fantastic and so inspiring. Check 'em out here.

I decided this is too cool of an idea/organization to not be a part of. Can't wait to start leaving my mark.

One Creative Cat

I have some super talented friends when it comes to the arts. Some of their creations blow my mind. Examples:

L:

Girl's got some fierce talent, right?

LW:

Wicked awesome.

JW:

One word - beast.

These 3 have inspired me to get in touch with my creative side tonight, and I hate to say it, but I think I may have surpassed them all with this masterpiece, I give you exhibit A:


...the verdict is in, I win. I mean, do you see the detail on that chimney? And don't even get me started on how fantastic the typography is.

It's a pretty complicated piece of art, as you can see. It took a grueling 10 minutes, along with some very complex tools:



This piece is already spoken for, but I have all kinds of ideas brewin' so stay tuned and maybe someday something like this can be yours.

I Like That

While getting a few groceries after work today, I overheard a conversation between a customer and a manager that made me smile. A girl had gone out of her way to approach the manager and told him that one of his employees really impressed her when she was there last Saturday. She told him that she witnessed an employee, who was out in the parking lot gathering up carts, stop what he was doing to chase after a runaway cart that was about to hit a parked car. Before walking away she said to him, "It seems pretty simple, but I was very impressed by that and thought he did a good job and I wanted you to know."

I like that. It made me realize that I need to do a better job of reporting good customer service experiences I have. It takes very little effort and time and is only encouraging continued positive customer service experiences. And, having worked retail, I know how much it can mean to an associate when your manager reports this positive feedback to you.

Stay Tunic

L and I have been eyeing a tunic dress at Fossil ever since we saw it in their fall catalog back in July. But the price tag was a little more than we were willing to shell out, so tunic-less we remained.

Our restraint paid off as L got the exact same thing in at her store at half the price! We now have yet another matching item hanging in our closets, to go along with the Adidas track jacket, Columbia jacket, and bow necklace, to name a few. After a successful try-on session, we're both ready to rock the tunic dress, and we've already started discussing all the ways we can wear it. "...and we're the two best friends that anyone can have..."

Thanks L!

The First Big Outing

A follow up post to "A Step In the Right Direction" :

Over the past few months, I've been really bothered by the fact that I feel like I don't contribute to any cause in my life. I get home after sitting at a desk for 10 hours and look back on my day and do not feel like I've made a difference. I knew action needed to be taken. I thought long and hard about what I could do and decided on the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. After 2 interviews, a background check, and a training/orientation session, I am happy to announce that I am officially a "big sister".

This afternoon I had my first outing with my "little". (whom I'll refer to as Lil from here on out) The agency was very emphatic about choosing a low key activity for the first few outings, so the little doesn't get high expectations, so in following their advice, I decided to take Lil to Smokey Row for an after school snack. Lil had never been there before so I was happy to already be introducing her to something new. After ordering, we sat down and just started chatting. I was a little nervous going into it, wondering how talkative she would be, but all worries were set aside very quickly because the girl can talk! We covered lots of topics - school, sports, the upcoming Homecoming dance, boys, and family. I could barely get a word in edgewise! When there was a small break in conversation, I decided to bring out the activity I had planned for us. I created a "getting to know you" puzzle of sorts. I printed out a sheet of blank puzzle pieces and labeled each one with a certain topic. A few examples include, "Favorite Movie", "3 Activities I Want To Do With You", "What I Want To Be When I Grow Up", "Something New I've Been Wanting To Try", and "My Expectations During This Experience". We each filled one out and then talked over each piece. It was a fun way to ask some of those questions without making it seem like an interview.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give my first outing with Lil a 9.5. We have some similar interests and she seems like a really nice girl. She was very polite and respectful and seems to be on board with this program. I'm hoping she can learn a few things from me and I'm willing to bet she'll teach me a few things along the way too. What was the highlight of the outing for me? While sharing the 3 activities I said I wanted to do with her, one of the things I mentioned was doing some volunteering or a service project together. Lil instantly got a smile on her face and said, "ooo, like a homeless shelter or something? That sounds like fun - lets do that next time!"

I'm feeling great after my first outing and hope for a successful second outing later in the month. I'm hoping to be not only a positive role model for her but a friend and confidant and ideally build a strong bond that will last for years to come.

Fall-ing into Fashion

Fall is just around the corner and although I'll be sad to see summer go, I am looking forward to the change in season - football games, cooler temps, leaves changing colors, and the re-introduction of certain items of clothing from my closet. Here are a few things I'm looking forward to breaking out:

*Hoodies/Track Jackets: As much as I love to get dressed up, sometimes there is nothing sweeter than throwing on an eye-catching pair of sneaks, jeans, and a hoodie. Love, love, LOVE hoodie weather!!

*Leg Warmers: May raise a few eyebrows with this one, but I love the idea of pairing of leg warmers with an outfit.

*Knee Highs/Thigh High Socks: Paired with some boots, booties, heels, flats - the options are endless. It's a great way to put a new spin on your minis or dresses.

*Shorts & Tights - I sported this look a couple of times last fall and was thrilled to see this look is "in" again this season.

*Tights: I have a serious addiction to fun tights. What makes a "fun" pair of tights? Patterned (such as argyle, polka-dotted, floral, etc) bright colors, and texture. (e.g. cable knit)

*Jackets/Coats: I have a strong "thing" for jackets - track, trench, pea coat, utility, military - you name it, chance are I'll like it.

*Hand/Arm Warmers - I have 3 pairs now and can't wait to start accessorizing with them.

Favorite Churches

Out of all the churches you've been to, which is your favorite? A couple of weeks ago, JW asked me this very question. It's a question that, for me, seemed easy enough, yet I couldn't come up with an answer right away. After some careful thought and consideration, I've come up with a list of 3. I've been to plenty of different churches throughout the years, of all different religious backgrounds, of all different places, but these 3 are the ones I kept coming back to. When JW first posed this question to me, I immediately started thinking about what the most beautiful church I've ever seen is. However, it turns out, sentiment beats beauty 2 to 1.

*St Patrick Church - Clinton, IA






Clinton used to have 5 different Catholic parishes, until 1990 when they all joined together to form one parish, Jesus Christ Prince of Peace. From 1983-1990, St Pat's was the church I belonged to. The orange padded pews and the hue of greenish paint was a great nod to the '70's....not the most beautiful church I've ever been in, but this makes the list because of pure nostalgia. My sister and I were baptized in this church and my sister received her First Communion in this church. Although I don't remember a lot about our pastor, Father Lou, I do know that we all thought fondly of him and that we all loved him. I can remember going down to the church basement after mass for donuts, which was the highlight of my Sunday as a little girl. I also remember my best friend and I tagging along with our moms as they helped out with bingo. We'd explore the kitchen and closets, and crawl underneath the head bingo table. Sometimes we even got to pull the numbers out. Unfortunately, this church is no longer standing, nor is the school that stood next to it, where I attended Kindergarten and first grade. But at least I have pictures to look at and memories to reflect on to keep this church alive in my heart.

*St Irenaeus Church - Clinton, IA





Once the 5 parishes merged into 1, for many years before our new church was built, most of the churches remained open for quite some time. St Pat's was the first church to close, and we soon frequented St Irenaeus as a family. I was very fond of this church. Not only was it beautiful, but I have many memories and a few "firsts" that go with this church as well. It was at this location where I served for the first time. And my first time as a Eucharistic Minister was at this church. I also gave my first "parish mass" (as opposed to a school mass) speech at this church (although I'll admit I don't remember what I was speaking about...something for the school I'm sure) I spent many Sunday mornings here - first celebrating the mass, then socializing with friends and family afterward. Unfortunately, like all the other Catholic churches in Clinton, with the exception of Sacred Heart, this church is not used anymore.

*Holy Name Cathedral - Chicago, IL






I don't have any emotional ties to this church, but it is just breathtaking. The architecture and the art is just so beautiful. I was in complete awe upon stepping into this church when JW and I were lucky enough to attend Mass here the night before our Shamrock Shuffle run.

One Soda a Day Campaign

I am a huge fan of soda, and it isn't an uncommon practice for me to drink more than 1 a day. I used to be so good about being mindful of my intake and sticking to a 1 soda per day rule, but over the past few months, I've fallen off the wagon, as the saying goes. It's just so tempting when I get into the office everyday to crack open a soda to get a caffeine fix, especially on those mornings when I feel extra sleepy. And I always seem to find one in my lunch bag, and sometimes when I'm eating dinner, a soda just sounds better than anything else.

However, after some careful thought, I decided it was time to reestablish the one soda a day rule to my diet. For the sake of my teeth (and dentist bill) and my overall health, I know this is a good rule to adhere to. The less I'm dependent upon caffeine, the less sugar and unnatural substances in my body, the better. Making an effort to drink more milk, which I strongly dislike (chocolate milk being the exception) juice, and water will surely have a positive impact. Also, as I begin a more serious running regime to prepare for the half marathon, it is vital I stay hydrated. I've felt like over the past few runs that I can perform better than what I've been doing and I think part of that is my lack of staying well hydrated.

The 1 soda a day campaign started last Monday and I'm happy to report that it's been going better than I anticipated. I was afraid I'd have to suffer through a few nasty caffeine headaches, but I've managed to escape those. I have switched to drinking juice or water in the morning and I've been drinking my 1 soda at lunch, which works out well. I also have tried to have a bottle of water at my desk at work throughout the day, with the idea being, if it's in front of me, I'll drink it.

Here's to hoping for another successful week!

A Fun Read

I came across this today and found it humorous enough to share. #2, 8, 14, and 16 are my personal favs.

"Top" Purchase

Ask me what I'm doing right now...go ahead, ask.

You: "What are you doing right now Nic?"
Me: "Oh, you know, just sitting on my bed blogging."
You: "But Nic, how? Don't you have a desktop computer?"
Me: "Why yes, You, I do. But you know what else I have now? A new laptop computer!!"

Yep, after months of thinking about getting a laptop, I decided tonight was the night to take the plunge and go out and make my purchase. I decided on a Sony Vaio. The experience had its high points and low points:

*Getting overwhelmed by looking at all my choices - Low Point
*Narrowing it down between a Dell and Sony - High Point
*Taking a break to look at headphones (which I desperately needed) and having JW sell me on the Skull Candy ones - High (and comical) Point
*Heading back over to the computers and making a decision on the Sony Vaio - High Point
*Waiting for what seemed like an eternity for an associate to help me - Low Point
*Listening to Miles b.s. his way through the questions we had for him - Low (but entertaining) Point
*Signing on the electronic dotted line, finalizing my purchase - High Point
*Not having to do this alone - High Point (Thanks JW for all your help, patience, and entertainment!!!)

I'm so excited - like a kid on Christmas morning - to have a laptop! It's hard to sit down at my desk and email, blog, and do random internet searching when I've just gotten home from sitting at a desk, staring at a computer screen for 10 hours. The simple pleasures of sitting in the living on the couch or laying in bed (against L's advice) with my computer have been highly anticipated luxuries. For the 15 minutes that I've been sitting on my bed with my laptop in my lap, I can tell you I find the experience to be glorious. I'm sure the feeling will wear off, but I'm enjoying ever second of it right now. I know I'll enjoy it even more once I get to the daunting task of transferring all my stuff from my desktop to this computer and customizing it to my liking.

I'm happy to say I'm feeling good about this purchase - confident and excited.

Celebrate Good Times, Come On

26 came and went and now it's time to attack year 27. I've been welcoming it with open arms, and in what I lovingly call "Birthday Month", (yup, it's an almost month long affair) here's a lowdown on all the celebratin':

July 31st-Aug 1st: I met my family at the Little Amanas and shared the celebration with Regan, who just turned 2. We ate some good food, did a little outlet shopping, and played at the indoor waterpark.

Aug 8th-9th: I attended the Black Keys concert with L, JW, and LW. Amazing concert and great company. I talked them all into a post concert drink to welcome in my birthday hour, despite it being a Sunday night and our sweaty appearances. Amazingly, I recovered quite well from all the celebratory drinks and met my mom in Iowa City yesterday to do some shopping. It was a fun day and we both walked away with a few purchases. Here are a few of mine:





And I hopped on the Jegging train. I tried on a pair just for fun and decided I liked them enough to buy them.



Aug 14th: Les & Nic's 2nd Annual Birthday Booze Cruise 2010!! Can't wait!

Aug 20th: Les & Nic's 2nd Annual Dress In Your Best B-day Dinner

My birthday wouldn't be nearly as exciting if it weren't for my family and friends making it so special for me - thank you for all the celebrations and well wishes!!

A Step In the Right Direction

I apologize for the vagueness of this posting, but I do not want to go into too much detail until it is more official. Tonight I am feeling pretty great, as I took the first step in filling one of the things I felt was missing in my life - the feeling that I'm making a difference and contributing to the world.
To say that I'm excited about what is hopefully going to be both an enjoyable and rewarding experience is an understatement. I cannot wait to get started - hopefully I don't have to wait too long for my new "big" project to begin.

SOS

4. This number has been harassing me for the past couple of weeks, knocking at my door, and stubbornly waiting for me to answer. I've been cowering under my bed, hoping it would just go away, but I finally broke down this week. 4. It's been 4 years since I've graduated college. I've been living in Des Moines for 4 years. And I've been in the workforce for 4 years.

I've been asking myself one question, constantly trying to come up with a satisfying answer: What do I have to show for it all?

I feel like my life has been pretty stagnant over the past 4 years. I've definitely had ups and downs - new friends, once and for all final break-ups, moving out and surviving all on my own, new additions to my life, and on the flip side, losing loved ones, a little bit of traveling... - I guess I just feel like I should be farther in life than where I'm at. Maybe because when I was back in college, 27 seemed so far away and so grown up. I just pictured it a little differently in my head.

Reality is I'm rounding the corner to 27 and I feel like I'm in the same place I was at 23. Unattached, same job, and still no clue as to what path I need to be heading down. I still don't know what I want to do when I "grow up".

I feel as though I'm treading water in the middle of the ocean. I'm tired and all I want is for a boat sailing across the water to see me and rescue me, taking me to shore. I know that the likelihood of that happening is slim to none. Most people aren't lucky enough to have something just fall into their laps. I'll be more than happy to have a life saver be tossed my way, and to have the opportunity to work my way towards shore. I just wish the life saver was within sight.

I envy those who know what they're supposed to be doing with their lives. Like my sister - from the time I can remember, she always said she was going to grow up and become a teacher. And sure enough, she is. And even better, she absolutely loves what she does and she is so incredibly good at it. A friend - worked his way through his degree to become a lawyer and a fine one at that. I look back at my choice major and I wonder where I came up with it. I didn't know what I wanted to do, but I knew I had to pick something. It was a shot in the dark...I missed. Looking back, I realize that I never really felt passionate about it. I never was overly interested with my classes. Marketing Strategy just never really whipped me into an excited frenzy. I never felt like I was really working towards a specific end goal. I was just going through the motions, doing what I needed to do, but never had that mentality of, "I'm going to be doing ____________ when I graduate."

The good news is, I recognize the problem. The bad news is I'm not sure how exactly I'm supposed to solve it. I think about this a lot and lately it has consumed my thoughts, to the point where I've grown anxious, upset, and pushed people away. I think I've finally hit my breaking point. Unfortunately, after the cry fest I had last night, I still don't have the answers. But I'm determined to keep searching and I continue to pray for some clarity and understanding.

I know I need to be patient, after all, it's not going to happen over night. And I'm willing to do the work. I have started to locate outlets that will hopefully not only help relieve a little bit of the tension, but can lead me to more/different opportunities. They may be small steps, but steps nonetheless, in creating the necessary changes I need in my life.

I may be losing right now, but I'm a fighter, and I refuse to drown.

Off To the Races

Last night we headed out to Prairie Meadows to see the camel and ostrich races, which I thought would've been the highlight of the evening. Although those 10 seconds were laughable, it did not beat this:



My winnings from one of the horse races! Needless to say, I was a high roller for the rest of the night.

Gotta Have Faith

While driving this morning, I noticed my patience was already wearing thin because of the smallest things: someone not using their turn signal which resulted in a standstill between the SUV and myself, and a truck turning right in front of me, cutting me off. Why I was so easily agitated remains a mystery, but I quickly was put in check when I witnessed what appeared to be a simple, random act of kindness.

The strong storms last night left some people to clean up what looked like disaster zones in their yards - debris, leaves, tree limbs, etc. As I looked around at all the mess some residents were cleaning, I noticed a woman with a helmet on and her bicycle standing off to the side. She was bent over breaking sticks down and putting them in a trash bag. I couldn't help but smile when I saw this. I can only assume this woman was out for a bike ride, saw this particular area and how bad of shape it was in, and decided to hop off her bike and lend a hand to the neighborhood and its residents. In what sometimes seems to be a world full of destruction and hate, it's nice to be reminded that there are good-hearted, kind, selfless people out there.

You Say Puh-TAY-toe, I Say Puh-TAH-toe

While looking at few photos Naomi had posted on Facebook today, I realized how much fun I have with my friends. Whether it's a Chinese take-out/rat tail kind of night or a faux birthday party for a celebrity - we always manage to have a good time. To some, we are probably considered immature and weird. To that I say, think what you will. We have fun and when I look at pictures such as these, I think how cool my friends are.


Glee Party

You may ask, "Did they really dress up for the
premier of a TV show? Yep, we sure did and
had a blast doing it...and I bet you can
see who we were all trying to portray too!


At Red Robin for J-Simps birthday.

You might think it is ridiculous to take a cut out
of a celebrity to a restaurant in honor of her
birthday. I think it's a fantastic excuse to get
together with friends for a fun evening.



Daily Grind

Is it silly that we're in our mid twenties
and still play as though we're
ten? Perhaps, but we also see it as
having a good time.


Hot Sundae

Acting out the Saved By the Bell video may seem
immature, but once you see it, you'd totally
laugh too :)

I love that I have a close-knit group of friends who I can laugh uncontrollably with, who I can vent to and cry with, and most importantly, who I can be myself around.

Beginner's Luck

I participated in my first bracket (ever) during this year's World Cup. Thanks to Spain's victory this afternoon, I climbed my way back to the top of the leader board, after having taken a tumble down to 4th place. I would love to say it was my impeccable soccer knowledge that got me the top spot, but I'm pretty sure it was just pure luck!

Family Reunion

Another weekend over and another reunion in the books. It was another fun-filled family weekend - full of good food and great entertainment.

While driving home this afternoon, I couldn't help but think...

Family is such a powerful thing. There is just something so special and so rare about being surrounded by people who love you unconditionally and to whom you can always rely on. Your worries seem to melt away when greeted at the door with nothing but hugs and smiles. It's a pretty amazing thing, actually, when you take a step back and realize how happy someone can be to see you. It sort of gives you that, "I'm really that special to these people?" realization, which is a great realization to have. You suddenly feel a sense of comfort and contentment - how incredible that this thing we call love can fill your needs.


My favorite weekend moment: riding in the car with Regan over to the lake. We were counting to 10, singing our ABC's, singing the Wheels on the Bus and Itsy Bitsy Spider, and best of all, I was teaching her a few Spanish words. She now knows hola, adios, and besos (to which we'd start blowing kisses at each other)

Life In a Day

While cruising on the information superhighway tonight, I came across this and it definitely piqued my interest

Newest Buy

Patience is a virtue, so the saying goes. I have practiced both patience and self control over one particular item for the past 6 months or so.

I saw a Northface vest at Scheels several months ago and fell in love. But, like all the fantastic clothing Northface has to offer, this too, despite the clearance sticker, had a hefty price tag. So, I put it down and walked away. Every time I've been at Scheels since, I've paid this vest a "visit", would show it off to whomever I was shopping with, and even tried it on a few times. But I never acted upon my burning desire for this vest...

...that is until 2 weeks ago. While walking through the mall with my parents, I showed off this puffy marshmallow-y delight to my mom. While trying it on, I was telling her how long I've been wanting this and it seems like the fashion gods are telling me I should own this because in the 6 months I've been eyeing it, it hasn't disappeared off the rack. She loved it and thought I should buy it. A little out of character for me, I began to list off the reasons why I should NOT buy it - I just moved and have all these moving expenses, I need new tires before winter, I want to get a new computer soon, etc etc, and so, heavy-heartedly, I took off the vest, hung it back on the rack and walked away. As we were walking to a different store, I 90% jokingly said to her, "I mean, if you wanted to help me pay for the vest, I'd be totally okay with that." And my saint of a mother looked at me and said, "okay". "Really?!" I excitedly exclaimed. "Yes, I'm feeling generous today," she said.

And so here you have it, my first Northface purchase: (although I don't think the picture does it justice)



I am by no means ready for colder weather, but this will definitely make it a little easier to step outside on that first cool day.

Thanks again Mom - you're the best!

And the Award Goes To...

For the most ridiculous thing I've seen today.

Yes, that is a dog wearing sunglasses. My supervisor took this photo while walking outside today. I set this as the background of my work computer for the day because it makes me laugh every time I look at it.

Bio Playlist

JW told me about his friend's "Bio Playlist" idea a few weeks ago and it has turned out to be quite the task. I took the idea as making a mix tape that walks a listener through your life - the important moments, fond memories, and a little insight into how you've developed your musical tastes. I've got to say, it's been a lot of fun creating this and as I read through my own playlist again, I feel that it almost serves as a little window into my life - take a look for yourself:


Disc One: Childhood to High School

1. Down in the Boondocks - Billy Joe Royal: I can remember listening to the "oldies" station a lot in the car growing up. This particular song reminds me of when I was just a little girl, riding around in the gray 1980 Ford truck, just me and my dad cruising through town.
2. Macho Duck - From the album Micky Mouse Disco: I wouldn't be surprised if this record was worn out - I constantly listened to this record as a little girl, just singing and dancing along with the Disney characters. I was stoked to find this on i-Tunes and it instantly brought a smile to my face as I listened to the 30 second preview of each song. "Disco Mickey Mouse" comes in a close second.
3. Bell Bottom Trousers - I couldn't find the exact version that we had on vinyl, but it gets the point across. One of my sister and I's favorite things to do when we were kids was get out my parents records and light up the stereo (and our "dance floor" i.e. the living room) and sing, dance, and of course cartwheel. This song, for whatever reason, was one of our favorites.
4. We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel: - One distinct memory of this song - my sister and I holding hands, spinning around in a circle in the living room of our old house, while singing this song.
5. The Little Drummer Boy - Anne Murray: Anne Murray's, "My Christmas Favorites" cassette tape was often played at our house during the holiday season. Anne often serenaded us while we decorated the house and put the ornaments on the tree. Why this particular tune? It's my mom's favorite Christmas song.
6. The Sign - Ace of Base: I was big into dancing when I was kid and my best friend and I would often play "dance" and make up routines to different songs. I can distinctly remember being in my backyard with this cassette tape blaring out of my little boombox as Sarah and I danced and tumbled our way through this song. *side note, maraca snap was not born yet*
7. Insane in the Brain - Cypress Hill: My sister had a huge influence on my musical tastes growing up, even when they were completely age inappropriate for me. My sister was my hero and I wanted to be just like her. So what was supposed to come across as pure devotion to Katie, quickly turned into me being a nuisance. From playing dress up with her clothes, to crying and whining my way into her slumber parties, I was always following her closely. But sitting in her room with her while listening to music was one thing that didn't annoy her. She was big into alternative/rock, listening to Green Day, Sublime, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, and the likes, but she also had a little hip hop in her. This was one of my favorites, although probably more than a little "insane" for me to be listening to at the time.
8. Buddy Holly - Weezer: This kind of ties into what I just mentioned above, but it's because of the video that makes this song stick out in my mind. This was one of Katie and I's favorites to watch, when we were able to sneak in a little MTV when our parents were still at work.
9. Basketball Jones - Chris Rock: For Christmas my 7th grade year, I got my first CD player, along with my first two CD's, Jock Jams Volume 1 and the Space Jam Sountrack. My friends and I were obsessed with the Space Jam soundtrack and my favorite track was "Basketball Jones". My hot junior high boyfriend would always sing it and it would always make me laugh.
10. Just a Girl - No Doubt: Tragic Kingdom still is high up on my list of all time favorite albums. I had this cassette tape, as it was before I got my CD player, but it held strong for the endless times I played it. Even in my nerdy junior high days, I still picked up on just how kick ass Gwen Stefani was and she instantly became one of my idols.
11. Everyday Is a Winding Road - Sheryl Crow: This makes the list for one reason - it's the first concert I ever went to.
12. Like a Prayer - Madonna: 90% of my fondest high school memories revolve around my involvement with athletics. Any time I hear this song, I immediately think of basketball my freshman year. As the tournament time drew near, we would hear this song every time we were in the locker room before our games. We considered it our good luck song, as we became the District Champs, which was the most successful we ever were during my four years there.
13. Fat Lip - Sum 41: While most of the girls in my school were oohing and ahhing over NSync, Backstreet Boys, and the other boy bands out there, I was doing my "rebel without a cause" act and found my groove in alternative/punk/ska bands, like SR-71, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, Blink 182, and these guys. Nick Carter who? One of my big crushes was Deryck Whibley back in the day. This particular tune makes me think of my "back to school" dance senior year, where me and my ginger boyfriend were jumping all over the dance floor, having the time of our lives.
14. All the Small Things - Blink 182: As I just mentioned, I was much more comfortable with the alternative/rock/punk scene than the "Quit Playing Games With My Heart-bubble-gum-boy-band-pop" stuff. Blink was probably in my top 3 favorite bands in high school and Tom DeLong had my heart. Enema of the State and the Mark, Tom, and Travis Show albums got some major playtime on my stereo. Lots of high school memories are associated with them, from the first Blink show I attended, to watching my ginger boyfriend hop around the dance floor as the rest of us circled around him at our school dances, to listening to this same ginger play their songs on his guitar at parties and bonfires.
15. Criminal- Fiona Apple: Along with my "punk" side, I also got in touch with my inner angry girl side in high school and was drawn to the unique and sometimes whiny voices of Ani, Tori, K's Choice, and Fiona. I had a hard time picking which one to put on the playlist, as "Hey Jupiter" and "32 Flavors" also got a lot of playtime.
16. Lean on Me - Club Nouveau: My class established this as our "song" way back in 6th grade. An upbeat, positive message that got us through the years. It, of course, got played at our high school graduation.


Disc Two: The College Years and Beyond

17. Taylor - Jack Johnson: I hopped on the J-Train in the middle of my college years and have never looked back. The first time I heard Jack Johnson was in this little pizza place in Cedar Rapids, while visiting my sister. I had to ask who was playing over their speakers because I was in love with the sounds I was hearing. There are very few Jack Johnson songs I don't like..."Taylor" ranks as one of my favs.
18. Lala - Ashlee Simpson: Questionable performer, yes, but Autobiography was a huge hit with KC and I. This was played countless times the summer going into our junior year of college. I can remember riding around Cedar Falls in KC's "new" black Alero, windows down, sunroof open, and jamming out to this tune while enjoying and exploring our new founded freedom - breaking free from the dorms and moving into our own little party cove, Jack's Manor.
19.La Tortura - Shakira: Shakira grabbed my attention, like most of us, with her "hips don't lie" shaking moves back in her "Whenever, Wherever" days. I remember the first time I heard "La Tortura", I was pumped because I could understand the lyrics, which brought a little more confidence into my choice of minoring in Spanish. Plus, Alejandro Sanz partnered with her in this song, and his vocals send me into a bit of tizzy.
20. Call on Me - Eric Prydz: We hit up Coconuts quite a bit for their 4-for-1 Wednesdays in college. Going there always meant one thing - this video would be played on their big screen. As if alcohol wasn't enough to get you hopped up to make bad decisions...
21. Come On Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners: It's because of one particular memory why this song makes the list. When my sister got married, I told my dad that he had to save a dance for me. He said, "yeah, I'll slow dance with you, but I'm not doing any of that fast dancing stuff." Not quite an hour later, I see him out there in a dance circle, kicking his legs up in the air to this song with some of my family. Katie and I just looked at each other and immediately joined him on the dance floor. It was priceless and one of my all time favorite memories of my dad.
22. Can I Get A - Jay-Z: I realize this song came out in 90's but it still ranks as one of my most played, according to i-Tunes. Jay-Z is pretty fantastic and this song never fails to put me in a more energetic and playful mood. Whenever I'm running with my i-Pod, I anxiously await for this song to come on, purposefully not making it one of the first to play, because it gives me that extra boost I need to keep pushing through my run. "Bounce, bitch."
23. A Favor House Atlantic - Coheed and Cambria: To be honest, I wouldn't have foreseen myself as a Co&Ca fan, but after being introduced to them by my college bf with, "A Favor House Atlantic", I was hooked. It also helped that I was intrigued by Claudio's big fro.
24. All These Things That I've Done - The Killers: Hot Fuss was played repetitively my junior year of college. Whenever I hear "Mr Brightside", "Change Your Mind", or this particular song, I think of warm spring days, windows open in our apartment, music blaring, throwing back a few beers with friends, and just enjoying the life of a college kid. The breakdown of "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" - favorite part of this song.
25. Chop Me Up - Justin Timberlake: Four words - Future Sex Love Sounds. I had eased my way into a little JT once he broke from the boy band image and came into his own with "Rock Your Body" and "Senorita". But once FSLS dropped, I was "lovestoned." Naomi hooked us up with some amazing seats for this concert and we definitely brought "sexyback" that night. And contrary to popular belief (L), Timbaland WAS there!
26. I'm Ready - Jack's Mannequin: My ears were opened (followed by my eyes) to Andy McMahon after college. How I missed his Something Corporate days is beyond me, but thankfully after hearing JM, I was also exposed to that. His voice has the capability of sending chills down my spine and I seem to pick out an exact spot in almost every one of his songs when this happens. (Resolution: "And you hold me down and you got me living in the past; come on and pick me up, somebody clear the wreckage from the blast", What Gets You Off: "...looks better underneath our feet your knees in the dirt", Holiday From Real: "...some cheap red wine (some cheap ride wine) oh the trouble we can get in so let's screw this one up right") In "I'm Ready", my favorite part is actually when he is speaking, "When did society decide that we had to change and wash a T-shirt after every individual use? If it's not dirty, I'm gonna wear it."
27. Cavanaugh Park - Something Corporate: As I just mentioned, it wasn't until I got into JM that I discovered SC. This tune is one of my favs so needless to say I was way excited to hear JM kick it old school and play this at their show at the Sokol Underground. "...man that kid made f-ing up look cool" I'm convinced this hot, piano-playing, sweet-sounding man can do no wrong.
28. Mesa Sou - Stavento: June 2008 I left American soil for the first time and vacationed in Greece with my friend Reenie. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I am fond of this song because it brings back all the memories from that trip, and I remember how excited I was to hear it, being it was the only song I could distinctly recognize while out at the clubs at night.
29. What You Know - T.I.: This pick is pretty simple, reminds me of L and all the great times we've had. One of the best decisions I've made in the past 2 years was to live with this girl, L, whom I'd only met a couple of times before, having no idea she would quickly become not just a roommate but a lifelong friend.
30. Lost - Coldplay: Not that I wasn't a big fan before, but when Viva La Vida came out, my love for Coldplay was renewed and in full force. This album got a lot of PT when I first got it and "Lost", to me, is a hopeful song. "Just because I'm losing, doesn't mean I'm lost....You might be a big fish in a little pond, doesn't mean you've won 'cause along may come a bigger one."
31. Kids - Sleigh Bells: I'm including this as a representation of my ever-expanding musical tastes. From Sleigh Bells to Santigold, to Amanda Blank - the electro/rock/alternative genre (or however you want to classify these artists as) I've grown fondly of in the past year or so.