Playing Catch Up, Questions & Other Miscellany

Warning: Complete Randomonium to follow.

First: You guys rocked the music quiz yesterday! I am very impressed. However, how did no one guess Bob Marley's One Love? I am hoping it's because I put that song up last and not because I have no Marley fans as readers. That would be sad.

I posted a playlist of most of the songs below so have a listen! (Some of the newer songs weren't available and the version of "One Love" that I really like is on yesterday's post if you want to have a listen.)

Second: I was nominated for a few awards this year and have failed to pass them on - until now! The first one is a "You Make My Day" award. Thanks Jenni and Kate for nominating me - of course both of you newly engaged women always make my day, too! I want to hear more about the wedding planning!



I am passing this on to: Christa, Rachel, Blogging Barbie, Each, Elysa, Miriam and Kari because you guys always make my work day a little brighter.

The next one is the "E is for Excellent" award. Thanks B2G and Pessimistic Redhead for the honor! :)



I'm going to pass this on to a few blogs I've recently been exposed to that I think are highly entertaining: Whoorl, Jenn, Chelsea and Single + Cats.

Third: Remember how I told you guys about Peep Torture week? (I know you all secretly loved the peeps melting in the microwave.) Well, here is Day Two - Peep Burnout!

Last But Not Least: I don't know if anyone noticed, but back in the days of NaBloPoMo you guys asked me a bunch of questions. I answered a few and then sort of... forgot about the rest. Don't worry! I will posting all of the answers next week. And it's not too late - feel free to leave me any questions to answer in the comments.

Happy Hump Day!

What I Learned This Weekend

I had a fabulous weekend. Hope you all did too! Here's a weekend recap "What I Learned" style:

• Virginia is even more awesome in person than her blog leads you to believe.
  
  
• If John McCain becomes President, it's because no one was listening to a word he said. They were all focused on the facial abnormality jutting from the left side of his face. Has anyone else noticed this?
  
  
• When visiting rich people in gated communities, be aware that the security guards may be dressed as if they're on safari. Hat and all.
  
  
• An anti-Superbowl party for two can be just as fun as a Superbowl party. Halftime show listening to the great Tom Petty, movies, pizza and more. Who needs football?
  
  
• I won the Best Big Blog category in the 20 Something Blogger Awards. Holy cow! Thanks guys!!
  
  
• Dane Cook is not a great actor, but he needs to have a spot in my Top 5.
  
  
• Ben & Jerry's Half Baked ice cream really is that good.
  
  
• 3M makes non-slip pads for the bottom of heels/boots. They totally up-sold me at Baker's when I bought new boots this weekend. I'm a sucker.
  
  
• My cat, Holly, has magical powers and can get into my purse and pull out whatever she fancies. I'm talking anything, even if the purse is half zipped and what she is after is at the bottom stuffed between my wallet and cell phone. Opposable thumb, who needs that?
  
  
• I want Jessica Alba's body. (OK to clarify - PRE-pregnancy Jessica!!)
  
  
• Apparently I didn't know the correct lyrics to Benny & the Jets. But I've decided to make it my new ring tone after seeing 27 Dresses. Is that scene not the best?
  
  
• The 4th season of The L-Word came out on DVD.
  
  
• I am an exceptional player of Scramble - the new game on Facebook that is much like Boggle. 1st place in the live games? But of course. Move over Scrabulous, I've found my new best friend.
  
  
• Washing cashmere can be done without ruining the sweater, however be prepared for de-linting everything you own.
  
  
• I will never look at penguins the same after seeing the unrated edition of Good Luck Chuck. Stuffed penguins + Dane Cook = hilarious yet disturbing sex scenes.
  
  
• And just this morning: my favorite radio station marries couples at White Castle every year on Valentine's Day. The officiator? Reverend Slider. Disturbing, no? Excuse me while I go sign up.

Happy Monday!

A Shameless Plug

The lovely Lisa selected me for Featured Blogger of the Week on the Twenty Something Bloggers site! Thanks for the nomination! In case there are any new readers stopping by (hi!) and since 2007 is approaching its end (thank goodness) I decided to do a [sort of] year end review.

I started blogging back in February of this year and to be blunt - my posts sucked. I didn't really understand what blogging was all about or what people would actually want to read. They were a jumbled mess of ideas, stresses, and hour by hour accounts of my day.

I found the BlogHer site over the summer and began reading blogs by other twenty-somethings that were really interesting. I figured out that your posts have to have a point. One cohesive idea that brings it all together. The first few posts I wrote after that I was actually proud of (Going Up? and Spawn of Satan). From there ideas came easy. Not every day of course, sometimes I had bloggers' block, but for the most part I was catching on. I have always loved writing and I finally was beginning to feel my style breaking free.

Then my life took a nosedive in October. But the support I received from my blogging friends was AMAZING! I never expected anything like that in a million years. I was bombarded with emails, phone calls and care packages every day. A smile was back on my face after days of tears. It was the best feeling in the world.

I was finally able to move on after a night of pure craziness, that's the way it works right? And I moved into my new condo that same weekend.

Thrown back into the dating world, I decided to make the best of it. My first attempt was a let down. I never thought I'd have to tell someone "I'm just not that into you", but I suppose it's inevitable. Then there's FF, the guy who swept me off my feet so to speak. It's always the unattainable ones that make your heart flutter isn't it? He still has me by a few [very thin] strings, but I'm onto him and his Delete Radar capabilities.

Then there's GQ. The one that makes me feel 15 again. He's still in the picture too. We'll see where it all goes. Isn't my dating life so exciting? Ha. Trust me... "the grass is always greener." I'd love to be married like some of you, and have a guaranteed snuggle buddy to spoon with every night. If you only knew.

My last adventure was the best of all. I set foot on a plane for the very first time in my life! I flew cross country to California and met my fabulous IBFF (internet best friend forever) Sarah. We had some crazy times and I am so glad I took the trip. I needed to get away from it all and hell- I deserved it after all the crap I'd been through with The Ex!

Overall, 2007 was a rough year for me BUT I began this blog which led me to all of you, so it can't be all bad right? Let's stay friends, ok?

Here's to a better, more fabulous 2008! Meeting new bloggers, finding the man of my dreams and living happily ever after! What do you say?

p.s. New Year's Resolutions to come next week :)

What Makes Me Happy :: A Photo Essay

1. Going out to breakfast with one of my best friends, Rachel, while I was home.
   Damn that pumpkin muffin was goood.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. My new RED! HAIR!
   I almost forgot - my hair dresser told me I looked like Addison from Grey's. He's a keeper. ;) Oh and you can sort of see my manicure that my mom gave me. A pretty deep fall red. Toes are done too! Woot!
   
   
   
   
3. A SPOOOKY lunch
   One of the many reasons I love my job. We also watched the Thriller video on the SmartBoard in our Board Room.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Care packages from wonderful friends!
   Sarah sent pumpkin bread too, but ALAS it's all gone! I wonder how you all knew I liked pumpkin foods....hmmm. Oh and the book she sent is It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Receiving the Totally Fabulous award for this post ~ Thanks, Lisa (I think you're fabulous too!)
   
   
   
   
6. My babies!
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Alynda passing on some Blog Lovin'! Thanks my dear, I love your blog too!
   
   
   
   
8. The recipe book I designed for work. I entered a recipe in it too! :)
   
   
   
   
9. And this jacket my mom bought for me while I was home last weekend! Heart <3!!
   
   
   

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Just Another Nice Girl

What a way to start a Monday! Hardly any traffic, no honking bus driver, AND I come to find that Alynda, another nice blogger, nominated me for the Nice Matters Award. Isn't she nice? (Let's see how many times I can get the word 'nice' in by the end of this post, k? So far we're at five.)

Since she was nice enough to pass her nomination along, I thought I'd do the same and nominate a few bloggers that I think are nice and deserving of this prestigious badge on their webpage. Instead of taking the easy route and saying MY ENTIRE BLOGROLL (since you all are completely deserving, of course), I'm going to narrow it down to 3.

1. Rachel AKA "Puremotif" - This girl has been a friend of mine (outside of the blogging world) since college and is one of the nicest people I've ever met. Not only did she talk to me when I worked up the nerve to approach her on our first day of college, she also has become one of my best friends and fellow "designer in crime". Love you Rach! BDFFs :)
   
2. Libby AKA "Chasing Libby" - Not only does this girl share my passion for reading (chic lit of course), but she is super nice! She has taken our Blogging Book Club by the horns and got the ball rolling. Seriously though, she never fails to have an interesting blog posted when I show up for work in the morning, AND she always reciprocates comments of her blog visitors. Gotta love her.
   
3. Molly AKA "These Little Moments" - One of the first blogs I started reading via BlogHer and loved her blog right away. Her posts were completely relateable to my life as a fellow twenty-something and knew I would become a frequent reader of her blog. So nice, and she visits the blogs of most commenters to her site as well - and there are many!

So that wraps up my nominations. And Alynda, does receiving this award mean that I have to be nice the rest of the year?! I kid, I kid.

This post has been brought to you by the word "nice" - 13 appearances.
And here are synonyms for the word nice just to prove that I do know some:

• charming
  
• becoming
  
• swell
  
• kind
  
• friendly
  
• pleasant
  
• cordial

Let's keep the 'nice' list going folks... Happy Monday!