So my dad has this habit of telling stories for entertainment value. The problem is that he is likely to change a detail or two for "entertainment" purposes, or to make a story better, thus resulting in a twisting of events the likes of which haven't been seen by those other than History textbook editors. Last night, while out for dinner with Dad, StepDad and Stepdad's high school friends, my dad starts to tell a story about my most drunken night in Ireland. Most of the events were the same, and I'll admit I've had my fun getting a little mileage out of the story myself, but it's always awkward to hear about one's own antics.
The Real Story, as I tell it:
It starts with a couple of beers at a local pub in Cork. Dad's friend, H, who lived there was determined to send us back to Dublin with a raging hangover. Some time after my third beer, Dad comes back from the bathroom and tells me that there is a 29 year old girl from Chicago and she had two guys buying her drinks. He comments that I am prettier than this girl and I could certainly get those guys to buy me drinks instead. I laugh, but think nothing more of it. Then H brings us all a shot of Whiskey, after which my dad says, "I bet you could." And I started thinking, "I bet I could."
So I go over to the bar area, under the pretense of buying a round for the table. I hear the girl talking to the guys and at first I think twice about embarking on this bet. But then I hear her using the, what I call, "stupid girl" routine. You know the one. Anything and everything they said she knew absolutely nothing about and would they please tell her everything because they were absolutely the most interesting people in the entire world. They asked her what type of drink she would like and she asked them for an "Irish Car Bomb." First of all, that is just rude. Second of all, they don't drink those in Ireland. She has to explain to the bartender and the guys exactly what it is.
I take that opportunity to interrupt the conversation and tell her that I couldn't help but notice she was American. She tells me she's from Chicago and I immediately ask her about Devil In The White City. She had heard of it but hadn't read it yet. So I launch into my respect for Landscape Architects and how it's akin to the Space Progam, etc. The guys say, "you're very passionate." I say "About Landscape Architecture? Naw, I just read the book. Now what I'm really passionate about is...." They ask me what kind of drink I want and refer to Chicago's "Car Bomb." I say I can drink anything they can and if they wanted to test it they should pick a whiskey off the shelf. They did and were amazed that I could drink it with relative ease.
Dad interrupts the story at this point to say that he was returning from yet another bathroom trip and he sees the girl furiously text message someone while I'm conversing. She eventually excuses herself and leaves for the evening. It's then that I realize not only have I won, but I have the full attention of these two Irish gents. So it would have been rude to go sit down with my friends and ignore them the rest of the night. I talk to both of them and then the one I didn't find particularly attractive asks me, "How strong are your hands?"
My mind thinks of all sorts of answers and reasons why he would ask this, none of them I would repeat to my father. So instead I say, "Why do you need to know?"
"Because I have 70 cows to milk in the morning," he says. This is by far the worst pick-up line I've ever heard.
"Does that usually work with local girls?" I ask. The the attractive one backs him up and say that he is indeed a dairy farmer. But the unattractive one has already moved on to greener pastures. Pretty much that is the meat of the story. I stayed and talked a little bit with the attractive guy and even exchanged e-mail addresses. I had no fear of drinking anything because I knew I had three people who would make sure I didn't leave without them. (And H is pretty scary at 6 feet.) Dad came over eventually and told me it was time to go, by that point I'd already had another two beers and one more shot of whiskey so I was ready to leave.
I stumbled back to the hotel somehow and then realized walking up stairs was not going to work. So I ended up crawling up the carpeted stairs on my hands and knees. I know it wasn't pretty, but it was better than falling down.
Showing posts with label ireland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ireland. Show all posts
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Angel vs. Spike
@whedonesque The Friday Poll - if you had to choose which vampire with a soul should become human, which one would it be? Angel or Spike?
*NOTE: This was posted on whedonesque's twitter some Fridays ago. I wrote about it in my livejournal and am reposting it here so as to avoid missing days while I am on vacation in Ireland. Hopefully my friends and family won't mind reading it again, but it will be new to any readers not privy to my livejournal.
As viewers of the show are aware, both Angel and Spike want to become Human again. (cue: Disney song) They both posses souls and a certain amount of passion for one blond slayer. Angel has had a chance at being human, in season 1 of Angel, and gave it up for a very specific reason; he can't be a hero if he's human. Being human is very important in the Buffyverse, but not in the way we think it is. All of the main characters in the Buffyverse walk a thin line between being a monster and being human.
Through seven seasons, we see Buffy struggle with her supernatural abilities and her very human life. So we know that one must have a healthy dose of both in order to be a successful slayer. One must have a reason to make the right choices. Faith has major problems because she doesn't have that motivation. She doesn't have the "normal" things that Buffy does and therefore succumbs to the "monster" within. Angel without his soul is simply a monster. Spike, now he's a different story. As I've said before, he and Drusilla have a very different vampire relationship. They "stink of humanity" in that they have the ability to love.
Let's start with defining "human" in terms of the Buffyverse. Human will refer to one's physical state of being and should not be confused with behavior. Being Human means that one does not have a supernatural ability. They do not heal quickly, nor do they possess any inherent martial arts abilities. Of all the characters in BtVS, only two of them are true humans: Xander and Dawn. (Dawn is definitely questionable since she started out a ball of energy and was formed into a human being, but for our purposes she is plain old human.) Giles is not entirely a regular human. We know he dabbled in magic in his past and has some extra abilities. Willow starts out a plain old human until she begins her magic training. Then she becomes a powerful Wicca, capable of destroying the Earth (until her friend appeals to her human side). At several points in the show, Xander is cruelly reminded of his inadequacies and he helps Dawn to deal with her own lack of "specialness." Yet, they are still able to hold their own when fighting with Buffy. They come up with plans and make connections that further the efforts of their supernatural friends. They are also, in many cases, the anchor that keeps their friends tethered to their individual humanity. In other words, just because they don't have super powers it doesn't mean they are completely useless.
Spike and Angel are different from other vampires in the show because they possess a certain amount of humanity. They are, by no means, human but they do feel love and pain as human characters would. They are vital to Buffy's struggle against the Hellmouth in that they have both the desire to stop evil and the means to do it. (Obviously, Spike does not start out helpful but by the end of the series is on par with Angel.) As we learned in "I Will Remember You", Angel is unable to protect Buffy with normal human strength. He is injured and feels useless. No doubt, in time he would have been able to find a niche in her life; some way to help her in the battle. But he knows that being human has tipped the balance in favor of evil and made Buffy's struggle more difficult. She needs warriors as well as friends around her, in order to succeed.
*NOTE: This was posted on whedonesque's twitter some Fridays ago. I wrote about it in my livejournal and am reposting it here so as to avoid missing days while I am on vacation in Ireland. Hopefully my friends and family won't mind reading it again, but it will be new to any readers not privy to my livejournal.
As viewers of the show are aware, both Angel and Spike want to become Human again. (cue: Disney song) They both posses souls and a certain amount of passion for one blond slayer. Angel has had a chance at being human, in season 1 of Angel, and gave it up for a very specific reason; he can't be a hero if he's human. Being human is very important in the Buffyverse, but not in the way we think it is. All of the main characters in the Buffyverse walk a thin line between being a monster and being human.
Through seven seasons, we see Buffy struggle with her supernatural abilities and her very human life. So we know that one must have a healthy dose of both in order to be a successful slayer. One must have a reason to make the right choices. Faith has major problems because she doesn't have that motivation. She doesn't have the "normal" things that Buffy does and therefore succumbs to the "monster" within. Angel without his soul is simply a monster. Spike, now he's a different story. As I've said before, he and Drusilla have a very different vampire relationship. They "stink of humanity" in that they have the ability to love.
Let's start with defining "human" in terms of the Buffyverse. Human will refer to one's physical state of being and should not be confused with behavior. Being Human means that one does not have a supernatural ability. They do not heal quickly, nor do they possess any inherent martial arts abilities. Of all the characters in BtVS, only two of them are true humans: Xander and Dawn. (Dawn is definitely questionable since she started out a ball of energy and was formed into a human being, but for our purposes she is plain old human.) Giles is not entirely a regular human. We know he dabbled in magic in his past and has some extra abilities. Willow starts out a plain old human until she begins her magic training. Then she becomes a powerful Wicca, capable of destroying the Earth (until her friend appeals to her human side). At several points in the show, Xander is cruelly reminded of his inadequacies and he helps Dawn to deal with her own lack of "specialness." Yet, they are still able to hold their own when fighting with Buffy. They come up with plans and make connections that further the efforts of their supernatural friends. They are also, in many cases, the anchor that keeps their friends tethered to their individual humanity. In other words, just because they don't have super powers it doesn't mean they are completely useless.
Spike and Angel are different from other vampires in the show because they possess a certain amount of humanity. They are, by no means, human but they do feel love and pain as human characters would. They are vital to Buffy's struggle against the Hellmouth in that they have both the desire to stop evil and the means to do it. (Obviously, Spike does not start out helpful but by the end of the series is on par with Angel.) As we learned in "I Will Remember You", Angel is unable to protect Buffy with normal human strength. He is injured and feels useless. No doubt, in time he would have been able to find a niche in her life; some way to help her in the battle. But he knows that being human has tipped the balance in favor of evil and made Buffy's struggle more difficult. She needs warriors as well as friends around her, in order to succeed.
There are obvious reasons why a vampire would like to be Human again.
1) Sunlight. - Angel relishes being in the sun on the rare occasions he is allowed to exist in it. (The Gem of Amarra being one such time, his journey to Pylea being the other.)
2) Food - A vampire with a soul can't really enjoy snacking on humans and must exist on animal blood instead. Hamburgers must seem a lot more appealing.
3) Family - Vampire don't have the ability to father children. When you live forever there's no need for a legacy.
4) Dying - As Darla expressed in Season 2 of Angel, some things were meant to end. As a vampire there isn't much more than a pile of dust when one dies. The soul departed when one became a vampire. So what happens to a vampire that's been en-souled? Certainly after a few centuries there must be something appealing about growing old and dying naturally.
2) Food - A vampire with a soul can't really enjoy snacking on humans and must exist on animal blood instead. Hamburgers must seem a lot more appealing.
3) Family - Vampire don't have the ability to father children. When you live forever there's no need for a legacy.
4) Dying - As Darla expressed in Season 2 of Angel, some things were meant to end. As a vampire there isn't much more than a pile of dust when one dies. The soul departed when one became a vampire. So what happens to a vampire that's been en-souled? Certainly after a few centuries there must be something appealing about growing old and dying naturally.
Plus, I believe there's a certain amount of wanting to be "normal." Having a soul in the body of a vampire can't be easy. To have the knowledge of what you once were and what you are now must be very troubling. A feeling of being "unnatural" must color every part of your life. Which bears mentioning the gay-allegory in vampire mythologies. (Of course, this can also be true for any group of people who are seen as outside the acceptable culture.) The desire to be like everyone else. The feeling that something isn't right, or that one is evil. Wouldn't life be easier if one were like them?
For a Buffyverse Character, I would say this isn't true. Being Human isn't going to make all your troubles go away. The "bad guys" aren't going to leave you alone because you changed, it will simply make you easier to kill. It will have you relegated to minor parts within story-lines and won't get you your own spin-off comic/tv show. Does Xander have his own comic? Would they build an entire series around his character? No. He's an integral part of an ensemble, but not one that would be able to carry his own franchise without developing some sort of special ability.
I don't think either Spike or Angel should attain their heart's desire. For that (being regular humans) would render them uninteresting. There wouldn't be any more to their story, except the humdrum the rest of us deal with. It would be the "happily ever after" of a fairy tale. The thing about life is that there are rarely "happily ever afters." There is always something else, some other obstacle. These obstacles are interesting only to those involved. For a fictional character, this is equivalent to death. We watch the shows and read the comics as a way to escape the mundane as well as to understand ourselves. A fictional character like Spike or Angel has to have larger than life issues in order to reveal a truth about our own. Their struggle to deal with their issues, their internal contradictions, and their hope for something better makes them more human to the audience than a mortal life ever could.
For a Buffyverse Character, I would say this isn't true. Being Human isn't going to make all your troubles go away. The "bad guys" aren't going to leave you alone because you changed, it will simply make you easier to kill. It will have you relegated to minor parts within story-lines and won't get you your own spin-off comic/tv show. Does Xander have his own comic? Would they build an entire series around his character? No. He's an integral part of an ensemble, but not one that would be able to carry his own franchise without developing some sort of special ability.
I don't think either Spike or Angel should attain their heart's desire. For that (being regular humans) would render them uninteresting. There wouldn't be any more to their story, except the humdrum the rest of us deal with. It would be the "happily ever after" of a fairy tale. The thing about life is that there are rarely "happily ever afters." There is always something else, some other obstacle. These obstacles are interesting only to those involved. For a fictional character, this is equivalent to death. We watch the shows and read the comics as a way to escape the mundane as well as to understand ourselves. A fictional character like Spike or Angel has to have larger than life issues in order to reveal a truth about our own. Their struggle to deal with their issues, their internal contradictions, and their hope for something better makes them more human to the audience than a mortal life ever could.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Selfishness?
It's very easy to get wrapped up in the tragedy of own lives and forget the struggles and pains of others. Mine has been so loud in my ears that it has drowned out the words and kindnesses of others. It's made me feel alone in a crowd. I feel like there is no one to see me, the real me, the me inside. Like I am on the peripheral of people's lives after having been in the center ring of someone's, even if for a short period of time; a side character in someone else's sitcom. This feeling has not yet gone away, nor has it really diminished, but I have been reminded that there are worse things in this world.
I spent my day off on Saturday in DC with a dear friend, her husband and an old school friend of hers. I wasn't really myself, but I was there and that was important for me. She and her friend hadn't seen each other in 11 years and spent a good deal of time catching up. Mostly talking about their chronic illnesses. This is something I will readily admit, I have a hard time listening to in general. My mother had some serious emotional health issues a few years ago and leaned rather heavily upon me. So much so that I have to check myself whenever someone mentions Fibromyalgia or other unexplained chronic pain problems. I know that these are legitimate problems for other people, but my knee-jerk reaction always takes me to that place where I dealt with my mother. These are my issues, not theirs and I always try to keep an open mind about it. My friend talked about her own depression, related to her health problems, and the feeling of helplessness she had and I felt like a total asshole. She talked about having a tough time and not wanting to do things with people and how people just stopped calling her to hang out. I was one of those people. I'd tried to get a children's group started with her around that time in her life and had only been frustrated by her inability to make plans and attend events the way I was. I just didn't understand and, dealing with my mom's issues at the same time, I didn't really try.
As it turns out, my friend's friend had major health problems last summer (of the Ulcerative Colitis variety) and actually had her colon removed late last year. I connected with her on Facebook today, and Ravelry since she is a crafter by trade. In doing so, I discovered her website and blog. I read through a couple of her entries and was just overwhelmed by this feeling of selfishness. She talks openly and honestly about her health problems and what she experienced. I've spent the last few weeks torn up by this simple thing of a broken heart and I haven't had to experience any of the frightening things she talks about in her entries. Yes, I had the gall bladder problem last summer, but that's about the scariest thing I've had to deal with in a very long time.
Today, my boss asked me how I was doing. I said, "fine." I didn't really want to get into things at work. One never wants to over share, you know. But then she asked me if I'd heard from him and of course that set me off. I had to tell her about my discoveries last weekend and the message I'd received this weekend. She was very sympathetic and supportive. Told me she felt I was dealing with it very well all things considered and that I had to look at the big picture. She reminded me that it was okay to be angry and sad and feel the way I did and I shouldn't feel bad about it. But I know that her husband is still in the hospital after a couple of weeks. He has a major infection in his body that they can't determine the cause of the cure right now. It has to be incredibly frightening for her and her family. Yet she sat and listened to me; told me the story about how she met her husband and assured me that there would be something similar in my future.
My own dear friend, M, is going through his own heartbreak. His was much more serious, much longer in time and much deeper in mutual attachment. Though he's had a few months to work through it. But he will sit and listen to me complain about everything. He's a much better friend to me than I've been to him lately.
I am sad, I am angry, I am confused. I feel alone, I feel unlovable, I feel diminished. All of these things are valid emotions, but I can't let them be like a train in the background of my interactions with people. I need to remember that we all have our struggles and if all I have to worry about is my broken heart, I should count myself lucky. I have my health, I have a good job, I am going to Ireland, I have family and friends that care about me even when they don't see me. I've worked very hard on improving my life and I am starting to see that work pay off, I just need to realize that this break-up is not the worst thing that will happen to me and I can't let it overshadow all of the good things I do have nor let it break down those positive habits I've set in place.
I spent my day off on Saturday in DC with a dear friend, her husband and an old school friend of hers. I wasn't really myself, but I was there and that was important for me. She and her friend hadn't seen each other in 11 years and spent a good deal of time catching up. Mostly talking about their chronic illnesses. This is something I will readily admit, I have a hard time listening to in general. My mother had some serious emotional health issues a few years ago and leaned rather heavily upon me. So much so that I have to check myself whenever someone mentions Fibromyalgia or other unexplained chronic pain problems. I know that these are legitimate problems for other people, but my knee-jerk reaction always takes me to that place where I dealt with my mother. These are my issues, not theirs and I always try to keep an open mind about it. My friend talked about her own depression, related to her health problems, and the feeling of helplessness she had and I felt like a total asshole. She talked about having a tough time and not wanting to do things with people and how people just stopped calling her to hang out. I was one of those people. I'd tried to get a children's group started with her around that time in her life and had only been frustrated by her inability to make plans and attend events the way I was. I just didn't understand and, dealing with my mom's issues at the same time, I didn't really try.
As it turns out, my friend's friend had major health problems last summer (of the Ulcerative Colitis variety) and actually had her colon removed late last year. I connected with her on Facebook today, and Ravelry since she is a crafter by trade. In doing so, I discovered her website and blog. I read through a couple of her entries and was just overwhelmed by this feeling of selfishness. She talks openly and honestly about her health problems and what she experienced. I've spent the last few weeks torn up by this simple thing of a broken heart and I haven't had to experience any of the frightening things she talks about in her entries. Yes, I had the gall bladder problem last summer, but that's about the scariest thing I've had to deal with in a very long time.
Today, my boss asked me how I was doing. I said, "fine." I didn't really want to get into things at work. One never wants to over share, you know. But then she asked me if I'd heard from him and of course that set me off. I had to tell her about my discoveries last weekend and the message I'd received this weekend. She was very sympathetic and supportive. Told me she felt I was dealing with it very well all things considered and that I had to look at the big picture. She reminded me that it was okay to be angry and sad and feel the way I did and I shouldn't feel bad about it. But I know that her husband is still in the hospital after a couple of weeks. He has a major infection in his body that they can't determine the cause of the cure right now. It has to be incredibly frightening for her and her family. Yet she sat and listened to me; told me the story about how she met her husband and assured me that there would be something similar in my future.
My own dear friend, M, is going through his own heartbreak. His was much more serious, much longer in time and much deeper in mutual attachment. Though he's had a few months to work through it. But he will sit and listen to me complain about everything. He's a much better friend to me than I've been to him lately.
I am sad, I am angry, I am confused. I feel alone, I feel unlovable, I feel diminished. All of these things are valid emotions, but I can't let them be like a train in the background of my interactions with people. I need to remember that we all have our struggles and if all I have to worry about is my broken heart, I should count myself lucky. I have my health, I have a good job, I am going to Ireland, I have family and friends that care about me even when they don't see me. I've worked very hard on improving my life and I am starting to see that work pay off, I just need to realize that this break-up is not the worst thing that will happen to me and I can't let it overshadow all of the good things I do have nor let it break down those positive habits I've set in place.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Swindon UK
I recently starting reading the new Thursday Next book, written by Jasper Fforde, and I've decided I would like to try and visit the real-life Swindon when we fly to Bristol. It's about 40 miles East of Bristol, so I'm not sure how plausible this is. I could, of course, always go by myself and find my way back to Cardiff to meet up with the Dads before our flight back to Dublin. (This might solve more than one problem, as my sister is quite upset that we're going to Wales together.)
It looks like it's only about 35 minutes from Bristol so it is entirely possible. The only question is whether or not I would want to go by myself.
It looks like it's only about 35 minutes from Bristol so it is entirely possible. The only question is whether or not I would want to go by myself.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Weight Watchers at Work - the day before launch
Tomorrow starts our first ever Weight Watchers at Work meeting. I am going to be paying about $12 more per month than the plain old monthly pass I have right now. But it will mean that I actually go to the meetings every week and that I'll develop a support network at work. So the benefits outweigh the costs right now.
I am very excited about getting this started and even more excited that I was the one who got it all organized. Well the girls in the company upstairs really put us over the top and made it possible, but I've done all the leg-work with Weight Watchers and finding a meeting space, etc. Part of me feels that we should have some sort of special lunch time food as part of the meetings, but then that sort of defeats the whole purpose of the meetings. Unless we could turn it into a healthy foods potluck kind of deal where everyone brings in a dish, with the point values labelled, to share. Maybe we can do this for our last class. Though that wouldn't be a terrible idea for the group either, since they could guarantee at least one day on plan a week.
Heading over to the Dads' tonight, to plan our Ireland Trip! Lots of good things are in the pipeline right now. But I am not looking forward to the boyfriend's mom coming to visit. I know he will be glad to see her and I don't begrudge him that at all. It's just that I know we are not quite at that level where we are meeting parents and I won't get to see him that much while she is here. She's helping him decorate and get his new house set up so she'll be here for a whole month. He and I have had one other long separation like that, when he went home to visit his family last September, and that wasn't a problem as things have continued to develop since then so I am not entirely sure what part of me is worried about. I get those doubtful thoughts swimming around my head, though. I know I'll miss him, but will he miss me? Am I important to him, etc. Though there has been nothing in his behavior to justify this line of thinking. In fact, our interactions continue to indicate the opposite of these second guesses. But it's difficult to relax and just let it be sometimes.
I am very excited about getting this started and even more excited that I was the one who got it all organized. Well the girls in the company upstairs really put us over the top and made it possible, but I've done all the leg-work with Weight Watchers and finding a meeting space, etc. Part of me feels that we should have some sort of special lunch time food as part of the meetings, but then that sort of defeats the whole purpose of the meetings. Unless we could turn it into a healthy foods potluck kind of deal where everyone brings in a dish, with the point values labelled, to share. Maybe we can do this for our last class. Though that wouldn't be a terrible idea for the group either, since they could guarantee at least one day on plan a week.
Heading over to the Dads' tonight, to plan our Ireland Trip! Lots of good things are in the pipeline right now. But I am not looking forward to the boyfriend's mom coming to visit. I know he will be glad to see her and I don't begrudge him that at all. It's just that I know we are not quite at that level where we are meeting parents and I won't get to see him that much while she is here. She's helping him decorate and get his new house set up so she'll be here for a whole month. He and I have had one other long separation like that, when he went home to visit his family last September, and that wasn't a problem as things have continued to develop since then so I am not entirely sure what part of me is worried about. I get those doubtful thoughts swimming around my head, though. I know I'll miss him, but will he miss me? Am I important to him, etc. Though there has been nothing in his behavior to justify this line of thinking. In fact, our interactions continue to indicate the opposite of these second guesses. But it's difficult to relax and just let it be sometimes.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Mr. Beer
I would say that the whole process is a lesson in patience and cleanliness. (My boyfriend talked me through the whole process and I couldn't help but make the Mr. Miyagi comparison since we both know I lack a certain amount of patience.) First, there is a cleanser that must be used in all steps. This keeps contaminants from getting into the brew and ruining it. This step alone made me wish for a beer. It's a lot of scrubbing and soaking of all materials that are to be used. Then, there is the boiling of the mixture and the eventual combining of all ingredients into the Mr. Beer keg. Once this has had time to sit and brew for at least a week, better for two, then one can bottle the beer. Though at this point it is still not exactly beer. The bottles must be cleaned with the same cleanser and then sugar is added. This combines with the yeast in the beer mixture and carbonates the whole thing. This is kind of tedious but fun. The bottles must also sit for at least a week, better for two, before one is able to enjoy them.
All in all, I had fun learning to do this and I can't wait to see what the St. Patrick's Stout tastes like. We added a little bit of coffee for flavoring, so it should be interesting.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Planning Birthdays and Vacations
I set up my official birthday invites on Facebook. I really wanted to send invitations in the mail and even purchased an acceptable paper for the purpose, but when I started thinking about the whole informality of the events I wondered why I would even bother with it. My Saturday, as previously discussed will be spent at the bar with friends. I am not sure exactly which bar, though I wrote Max's Taphouse on my invitation. I haven't really decided if I would like to base my celebration in Baltimore City or in Columbia. They both have their benefits. For example, parking will not be an issue in Columbia but there will be more options for spontaneity in the city. I have the whole thing starting at Max's Taphouse in Fell's Point and figured we could stop at a few other bars before making our way over to Birds of a Feather. Though we could just as easily start at Frisco Grille in Columbia and make our way over to the Aida Bistro and Wine Bar or Café de Paris. Or we could head north a little bit and hit up some of the bars near dad's house. Though I think the real issue is that I don't have a bar I specifically go to. I go all sorts of places that other people frequent, but I haven't developed my own place. Makes me wonder if there is something near my house that I could check out in the mean time.
As for Vacations - I just received my State Tax Refund and I'm putting most of it away for my trip. I am also putting some of it away to purchase a Kindle and renew my passport before I go. It looks like nothing has changed for my sister and she is still unable to go with me. Things are not looking very positive for the Dads, either. As of right now, I know I will use at least 6 days of PTO time this year; 3 days for the NC beach vacation with the family, 1 day for the NKOTBSB trip to Greensboro, 1day for the Friday before my birthday, 1 hour to pick mom up at the airport, 5 hours for the piano movers, and 2 hours for doctor's appointments already scheduled. This should leave me about ten PTO days to use for various other things like my trip to Ireland. I don't know that I could afford a long trip if I go alone; the hotel costs are more expensive for one person. So I may not use all of my remaining PTO.
I have three places I definitely want to visit in Ireland and the tricky part will be coordinating it by myself. I am sure it will be easier to travel with just one person and I won't have to compromise on what I want to do on x, y, or z day of the trip. But if there's a problem, I am the only person there to figure it out.
As for Vacations - I just received my State Tax Refund and I'm putting most of it away for my trip. I am also putting some of it away to purchase a Kindle and renew my passport before I go. It looks like nothing has changed for my sister and she is still unable to go with me. Things are not looking very positive for the Dads, either. As of right now, I know I will use at least 6 days of PTO time this year; 3 days for the NC beach vacation with the family, 1 day for the NKOTBSB trip to Greensboro, 1day for the Friday before my birthday, 1 hour to pick mom up at the airport, 5 hours for the piano movers, and 2 hours for doctor's appointments already scheduled. This should leave me about ten PTO days to use for various other things like my trip to Ireland. I don't know that I could afford a long trip if I go alone; the hotel costs are more expensive for one person. So I may not use all of my remaining PTO.
I have three places I definitely want to visit in Ireland and the tricky part will be coordinating it by myself. I am sure it will be easier to travel with just one person and I won't have to compromise on what I want to do on x, y, or z day of the trip. But if there's a problem, I am the only person there to figure it out.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Vacation Registries
In preparing for my 30th Birthday, and subsequent trip to Ireland/UK, my friend suggested I check out one of the registry sites her friend had used for her wedding. Basically, one registers the honeymoon/vacation on a website and let's everyone know that this is the registry. It's a neat idea and really perfect for couple that already owns the typical wedding gifts.
Check out:
http://www.travelersjoy.com/ (Specifically for Honeymoons)
or
http://www.tripgiftregistry.com/ (For any occasion)
I have sent a test e-mail to my sister, so we'll see how this goes.
Check out:
http://www.travelersjoy.com/ (Specifically for Honeymoons)
or
http://www.tripgiftregistry.com/ (For any occasion)
I have sent a test e-mail to my sister, so we'll see how this goes.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Success in Small Doses
My Piano was delivered yesterday and I was able to clean out my storage unit at the same time. So I know have three items I can cross off my 2011 goals. I've also managed to workout this week and have kept my points consumption pretty low, so hopefully it won't be long before I can cross off that goal as well.
I am feeling very positive about things right now. I am very motivated to finish the goals I have set for myself and in calculating my potential tax return today I learned that I most definitely will not owe the government any money. Not only will I get a refund, but it is going to be a larger refund than I previously expected. Potentially enough to pay for my trip to Ireland and maybe even my sister's portion. I know she said she wouldn't be able to go, but maybe if she doesn't have to worry about the cost it will change things. Though, right now that is an extreme posibility. I still have to wait for the W-2 from my second job before I know for sure what my refund will be.
On the one hand, I am glad that things are working out. On the other, I am concerned that there is an unknown catastrophe around the corner waiting for me. This is usually how things go for me. I know that sounds paranoid and a little bit pessimistic. But I have learned that when I am able to set aside a large sum of money there is usually something other than my own plans that will come along to consume it for me. I should take a small amount of it and put it in a CD somewhere just in case.
I am feeling very positive about things right now. I am very motivated to finish the goals I have set for myself and in calculating my potential tax return today I learned that I most definitely will not owe the government any money. Not only will I get a refund, but it is going to be a larger refund than I previously expected. Potentially enough to pay for my trip to Ireland and maybe even my sister's portion. I know she said she wouldn't be able to go, but maybe if she doesn't have to worry about the cost it will change things. Though, right now that is an extreme posibility. I still have to wait for the W-2 from my second job before I know for sure what my refund will be.
On the one hand, I am glad that things are working out. On the other, I am concerned that there is an unknown catastrophe around the corner waiting for me. This is usually how things go for me. I know that sounds paranoid and a little bit pessimistic. But I have learned that when I am able to set aside a large sum of money there is usually something other than my own plans that will come along to consume it for me. I should take a small amount of it and put it in a CD somewhere just in case.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Bookshelves
My bookshelves are scheduled to arrive tomorrow between 12-4. I am far too excited about this event and I realize this as my friends have started to stop me mid sentence when I mention the impending arrival. It's another step in the right direction for my new year's goals. I realize I may not have stated my exact goals in previous entries, so here they are:
1) Pay off all Credit Cards
2) Keep Credit Cards Empty (this is more ongoing)
3) Lost 15-25 additional pounds and make it to the maintenance phase of Weight Watchers.
4) Do not gain weight after reaching goal weight. (Again, more ongoing)
5) Buy IKEA Billy Bookcase system and FULLY unpack ALL books.
6) Move Piano out of storage
7) Close storage unit completely
8) Quit Second Job.
9) Plan and take a trip to Ireland/UK as celebration of my 30th Birthday.
If I can complete number 5, I can move the piano and then cross off 6 & 7.
1) Pay off all Credit Cards
2) Keep Credit Cards Empty (this is more ongoing)
3) Lost 15-25 additional pounds and make it to the maintenance phase of Weight Watchers.
4) Do not gain weight after reaching goal weight. (Again, more ongoing)
5) Buy IKEA Billy Bookcase system and FULLY unpack ALL books.
6) Move Piano out of storage
7) Close storage unit completely
8) Quit Second Job.
9) Plan and take a trip to Ireland/UK as celebration of my 30th Birthday.
If I can complete number 5, I can move the piano and then cross off 6 & 7.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Travels
News from my sister that she may not be able to go on the Ireland trip we've been planning for a year. Last year at my birthday, I set certain goals for myself: lose weight, spend next birthday in Ireland on fabulous trip I paid for myself, and meet my future husband while in Dublin.
The weight hasn't been a problem and I've worked very hard to get where I am. I finally have the means to save for this trip and could very easily take it by my birthday. This was not as difficult as weight loss. As for meeting my future husband, well two out of three isn't bad. And clearly that was a little jokey-jokey put in there to compensate for my, at the time, very broken heart. It was all about taking control of my life and doing things for me. Also to stop taking things for granted and realize that for everything I didn't have I had two other things that were equally, if not more, fabulous.
And when I thought about who I would want along with me on this amazing celebration of my new awesomer self, it was a very short list. I wanted to go with my sister. The person who had shared almost everything with me up to this point. For this level of important life events she was the only choice. And now my choices are go later or go without her.
I think I may have to go without her. For years I've been saying I wanted to take Shane to Disney World and every year I just didn't have it. Now he's 13 and there isn't much point, though I am sure he would enjoy it. But I don't want Ireland to become the new Disney World for me; something I always talk about doing but never seem to get my act together enough to do it.
I am going to be 30, I have a decent paying job and no credit card debt. This is the time to do the things I say I am going to do. If I keep putting off, it will never happen and then I'll be 40 or 50 wondering why I didn't make the time. There's always a good reason not to go on a vacation. Some bill that comes up unexpectedly, unemployment, or difficult financial times. But choices must be made and life must be lived.
The weight hasn't been a problem and I've worked very hard to get where I am. I finally have the means to save for this trip and could very easily take it by my birthday. This was not as difficult as weight loss. As for meeting my future husband, well two out of three isn't bad. And clearly that was a little jokey-jokey put in there to compensate for my, at the time, very broken heart. It was all about taking control of my life and doing things for me. Also to stop taking things for granted and realize that for everything I didn't have I had two other things that were equally, if not more, fabulous.
And when I thought about who I would want along with me on this amazing celebration of my new awesomer self, it was a very short list. I wanted to go with my sister. The person who had shared almost everything with me up to this point. For this level of important life events she was the only choice. And now my choices are go later or go without her.
I think I may have to go without her. For years I've been saying I wanted to take Shane to Disney World and every year I just didn't have it. Now he's 13 and there isn't much point, though I am sure he would enjoy it. But I don't want Ireland to become the new Disney World for me; something I always talk about doing but never seem to get my act together enough to do it.
I am going to be 30, I have a decent paying job and no credit card debt. This is the time to do the things I say I am going to do. If I keep putting off, it will never happen and then I'll be 40 or 50 wondering why I didn't make the time. There's always a good reason not to go on a vacation. Some bill that comes up unexpectedly, unemployment, or difficult financial times. But choices must be made and life must be lived.
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