Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Wednesday's Word

Openhanded / OH-puhn-HAN-did / adjective
1. giving freely; generous
2. done with an open hand

From his mother's mother he inherited a sense of fete and a gift for cosmopolitan and openhanded hospitality.
-- John Russell, A Magnificent Mischief-Maker, New York Times, July 27, 1997

Lucius remembers his father as a warmhearted, larger-than-life but openhanded man.
-- Janet Burroway, Still Looking for Mr. Watson, New York Times, November 23, 1997

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Our Closing Date

Our closing date was finally set. Drew and I will be homeowners on Thursday at 1 PM.

I can hear the Hallelujah chorus now, can't you?

They Let Him Fix Airplanes....

My husband just walked out to the living room and asked me look up how many Alka Seltzers he can take. I told him that it should say it on the box. So, he walks away.

About three minutes later, he comes back out to the living room and says that he must be blind because he doesn't see it. I start looking at the box and after reading the side and back, notice that there is a part that says "Lift to Continue". So, I lift!! And what do you know, the continuation of the directions and also the recommended doses.

Don't worry folks. He only fixes freight or corporate planes. And somebody else always has to sign off on it too.

I'm just giving him a hard time. But I always pull that phrase out whenever he does something pretty dumb that normal folk shouldn't do. I still love him!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Happy Birthday!

Today is Drew's birthday. The big 2-9! Next year is the big one so I think he's feeling a little bit sour about this one.

Since we're broke, and moving soon, we decided to forgo gifts for our birthdays this year. He did surprise me with a candlelight dinner on my birthday. I'm going to tell him that I'm going to cook for him all day today. I never cook, so I know that he'll enjoy this.

Happy Birthday Drew!!!! I love you!!!

Friday, February 20, 2009

Did Someone Say Slacker?

My wonderful hubby brought dinner home with him when he got off work. As we sat, eating our wonderful dinner of chinese for him and Burger King for me, he told me about his day at work. He's working 2nd shift hours at the moment and was complaining about some of the people that he has to work with. He was upset because he feels that some of the guys on that shift don't really pull their weight.

Of course, that got me thinking. I remember when I first starting working at the bank. I would come home after working all day and absolutely gush to Drew about how great it was that people actually did work there. It was fantastic that the office was clean and everything was in the spot it was supposed to be in. You see, before the bank, I worked in a retail store where I basically worked for three people on any given day. A lot of the workers there didn't know the meaning of hard work. The store was a disaster all the time. The bank was such a breath of fresh air. It still is that way. Everybody works like they should and, with the exception of trying to find a decent rubber band, everything is where it should be.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

We're Just About Homeless!

Everybody keeps asking me what the deal is with the house. And the answer is that I really don't know.

We were originally scheduled to close on Monday, the 16th. That obviously didn't happen. Remember me talking about the paint on the house? Well, it got painted. But, from what I'm understanding, the appraiser took his time getting back out there, and the final inspection didn't get submitted until last Friday late afternoon.

Apparently, the paperwork is still sitting, waiting to clear. The underwriter who has been working on our file has been out sick this week. So.... the earliest that it can clear, at this point, is tomorrow. But then, the title company is booked until Wednesday. That means that the earliest our appointment can be is Thursday. That means that if we close on Thursday, we'll have a grand total of two days to move all of our stuff out of our apartment. Fan-freaking-tastic!!!!!

Um, would anybody like to tell me how we're gonna pull that off when we'll both have to work? Drew is out of vacation time and I would like to actually use mine for a vacation. Drew's boss is pretty cool, so I'm hoping that they can be flexible with his schedule and our moving. I don't know what I'm going to do about my schedule. Drew will probably be moving on his own!

Thank God we didn't order our appliances earlier and scheduled to have them delivered this week. That would have been a huge hassle to try and fix. I think we'll probably go this weekend and order them and schedule delivery next Saturday. (We better be in the house by then, or else we're moving in with the damn seller and appraiser who couldn't get their act together.)

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Wednesday's Word

Consternation / kon-ster-NEY-shuhn / noun
sudden dread or paralying terror

To our consternation, the phone rang just as we were about to leave.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Need a Laugh?

I really needed this laugh today! A girl I went to high school with linked to this video on her FB page. Oh man, I can't thank her enough!!!

I was never THIS bad, but yeah, I still have a tendancy to dance around in my underwear with the music full blast. And I happily admit it!!!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Northern Illinois University slideshow tribute

Forward, Together Forward

February 14, 2008 is a day that students at Northern Illinois University will never forget. One year ago today, shots rang out on our beloved campus. Shots that wounded 22 and took the lives of 5 members of the NIU family. Our lives were changed forever.
I know that I, along with probably most other people, think that a campus shooting is something that could never, or would ever happen to me. But it did! A little after 3 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, a gunman entered Cole Hall and opened fire on a room of college students. He fired 54 rounds.
I was not on campus at the time of the shootings. I had already attended classes and was at work. I remember looking at my phone while at work and noticing a couple of calls from my mom. I was a little worried at that point. That was when I walked to the drive thru and heard on the radio what had happened. Panic hit! I had friends and family who were on campus. Where were they? Are they hurt?
More answers became known during the days that followed. As I learned the details of what had happened that day, my heart hurt. I had class in that building! My classes were held on Monday and Wednesday at that time. If it had been one day earlier, that could have been my class.
Five lives were taken from us one year ago. Ryanne Mace, Daniel Parmenter, Catalina Garcia, Julianna Gehant, and Gayle Dubowski.
I remember reading in an article something that a family member of Julianna Gehant said. She had served 12 years in the Army and Army Reserves. They said that they worried about her getting injured or killed while serving, but not while going to school. I think that that one statement is what broke my heart and hit closest to home for me. I never thought that our lives would be endangered while going to school. I never thought that I would have to fear for my life as I try to educate myself. I've always thought that school is one of the safest places that I could be. And now, it wasn't.
I can't even imagine the pain and suffering that the victims and family and friends still feel to this day. Our prayers still go out to everyone who has been affected by this tragedy and tragedies like this.

Friday, February 13, 2009

A Letter

Dear ----------,

Fuck You!!!!

Sincerely,
Tania




***Disclaimer***
I know that there are some family and close friends that read this who are probably pretty alarmed by my sudden outburst. I know, it's not the typical me to be so blunt and open about my feelings. Please, don't judge me! I'm just super sick of getting shit on by so many people in my life. And I know that it's partly my fault. I know that I let people walk all over me by not standing up for myself. Today has made me realize one thing though. I need to find and do something for myself. I need to quit worrying about pleasing everybody else. I spend so much energy and effort trying to please everybody else that I put myself at the way bottom and I think that I just end up screwing everything up. Maybe it's like that saying "You can't expect anyone to love you unless you love yourself". Maybe I can't expect to make everyone else happy until I make myself happy. I really need to dance again. Or work out. Or punch the shit out of something. (Or someone... tee hee!!)

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Almost Famous

If you remember here, I told you that I received a very interesting email in my inbox. Well, I'm going to go ahead and let you in on that email since it seems that nothing will really be happening.

I woke up on a Saturday morning and decided to check my email before heading into work. In my inbox was an email from a woman named Jennifer who is an associate with MTV. Apparently, they want to do a True Life: I'm a Newlywed show and were interested in Drew and me. She had found my blog and liked it. I was absolutely shocked! People from MTV have found my lil ol' blog and were reading it!!

I talked to Drew about it and he seemed ok with the idea, so I emailed Jennifer back. She basically wanted to know what married life was like. She emailed back and asked for a contact number which I provided. After playing a little phone tag, I talked to a woman named Jeanette. She basically talked to me about married life and what was different and what was expected and unexpected. After we talked for about 20 minutes, she said she wanted to talk to Drew too, so I gave her his number. She never called him.

I told the girls at work when I first received the email so they've kinda been in the loop the whole time. Tricia keeps asking if I've heard anything and the other day I told her that I'm kinda assuming they're not going to use us. She said that we obviously didn't have enough drama in our lives. She then goes on to tell me that I should have told them that Drew slept with our upstairs neighbor and that I sorta forgave them, and now we're thinking about letting them live in our new house with us (the basement would be perfect for us to rent out) but we don't know if that's something we really want to do considering they slept together. I died laughing!!! That would be some great drama wouldn't it?

Oh well! So, we almost had our 15 minutes of fame. I'm disappointed. But at the same time, it's ok too. I can be a snotty little bitch to Drew sometimes, and it might be best if the whole world didn't see that!

Wednesday's Word

Tome / noun
a large, often scholarly, book

An unabridged dictionary is a tome.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

It's Not Our House

Today, I worked at one of the branches that is closer to our apartment. Because of that, I could come home for lunch. Since Drew is working weekends (grumble, grumble, grrrrr!!!) he was home also. I began making my lunch when his phone rings. It's our realtor, Brad. I answer the phone and Brad proceeds to tell me that he have a problem with the closing. My heart sinks!

Apparently, the appraiser won't pass the house because there is a piece of the wood siding on the house that isn't covered with paint. The appraiser won't pass it until that part has been painted. The seller of the house is too old to go out there and paint it and he had it quoted at $100 to have it professionally painted. Apparently, he can't afford to do that. So, our realtor was suggesting that we go paint the house.

WTF!!! It's not our house yet! Why the heck should we go out there and fix something on a piece of property that we don't even own yet. If I had had longer than 20 minutes, you can bet that I would have argued with him. But, alas, lunch ended and I had to go back to work.

Drew went over to his parent's house and, from what I understand, his dad had quite the conversation with the selling realtor. Basically, he told the realtor that they would be getting quite the sum of money from the sale of this house and if they wanted to risk that on $100 to paint the house then they were being pretty dumb. Drew's dad said that if the house didn't get fixed and pass appraisal, that we would take our earnest money and walk away. I guess that lit a fire under the realtor's butt, because when I was told about the story tonight, she had painted the house.

All this headache is making me never want to buy a house again! And can you imagine, we're only buying; I shudder to think the headaches that would arise if we were selling also!

Friday, February 6, 2009

My Birthday

Today is my birthday. I decided to work today and take the weekend off because I figured that Drew would have the weekend off too. Unfortunately, the higher powers at his place of employment decided that this weekend would be a good weekend for him to start his new weekend shift. Boo to them I say!



Anyways, I called Drew when I got off work and told him I was on my way home. He then asked me to stop at Woodman's and pick up a bottle of wine. Huh? "You don't even like wine. Why should I get some wine?" He says that it's my birthday and he can have some wine with me. I told him I would get him some beer since there was no point in him drinking something he doesn't like. I'm also a little perplexed that he asked me to stop at the store. You have to have some major balls to ask me to stop anywhere Friday night after work. He then asks me what I want for dinner. I tell him that I didn't know because I had no clue what was in the cupboard. So then, he proceeds to tell me that we'll figure it out when I get home. Again, I'm perplexed. You have to have some major balls to tell me that we'll figure out dinner when I get home at 7:30 on a Friday night. I sorta shrug off his weird behavior because I have a feeling he's up to something.



And he was. This is what I walk into when I get home.





He had a super sweet candlelight dinner waiting for me. He had some soft music playing in the background and he had baked some brownies so the house smelled really good. Yep folks, that's my husband!


We sat down and started to eat dinner and that's when it happened.....

Lessons Learned

.....Drew started having trouble breathing.



He went to the doctor a few weeks ago because he wasn't feeling too well. We don't have a regular family doctor because we rarely get sick. Well, sick enough to go to the doctor anyway. So we went to the immediate care clinic. The doctor there told him that he had high blood pressure, along with some other things, and put him on some blood pressure medication. He eventually ran out. Instead of going back to the doctor, he decided to just take a few days of his dad's blood pressure medicine until we found a family doctor.



D-U-M-B!!!!! Dumb, Dumb, Dumb!!!!



He started to "wig out" as I like to describe it. He has trouble breathing, complains of cotton mouth, feels the need to pace, he just feels weird he says. He spent the rest of the night trying to calm down and eventually fell asleep.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Sign It Away

We officially have a closing date....

Monday, February 16, 2009 at 11AM.

Drew and I will go to the title company, sign the next 30 years of our life away, and be handed the keys to our first home. Squeeeeeeaaaaalllll!!!!!!

When we signed the preliminary paperwork, we realized that we will be paying the loan until 2039. I will be 54, Drew will be 59! (That's, of course, assuming that we don't refinance or move or do anything else to screw up the timeline.) If that's not scary, I dunno what is.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Wednesday's Word

Virtuoso / adjective
1. a person skilled in the techniques of an art, esp. playing a musical instrument; by extension, a person with a cultivated appreciation of artistry
2. showing mastery in artistic skills

They applauded the virtuoso's performance.

1001 Day Project Update

I started the 1001 Day Project on January 1, 2009 and I have promised to provide updates at the beginning of every month. Here's February's update:
(The items in Red are what have been completed!)

1. Take Drew to Arizona
2. Read the Bible
3. Visit the Daughtry's in North Carolina
4. Visit the Landgren's in Colorado
5. Make dinner every night for a week
6. Go to church at least one Sunday a month
7. Take a dance class
8. Move out of our apartment
9. Buy a house
10. Start our family
11. Pay off all credit cards (0/4)
12. Go to a Cubs game with Drew
13. Watch at least 5 Cubs games each season with Drew (and not complain about it) (0/15)
14. Learn sign language
15. Learn to play the piano
16. Go on a spontaneous overnight trip
17. Go snowboarding or skiing
18. Don't drink pop for an entire week
19. Go to Florida
20. Read 5 book that have turned into movies (1/5)
21. Watch the movies too (0/5)
22. Do a drastically different hairstyle
23. Get braces
24. Read the Twilight series (1/4)
25. Organize the closets (0/3)
26. Host Christmas Eve for my side of the family
27. Go to bed before 10 PM at least 60 times (0/60)
28. Go on a second honeymoon
29. Organize address book
30. Find 4 new recipes to cook for dinner (1/4)
31. Start a family tradition with Drew and me
32. Find a family doctor
33. Have 8 girls' night (0/8)
34. Take a yoga class
35. Get a massage
36. Go to Starlight Theatre three times (0/3)
37. Clean out Drew's clothes
38. Pick and print out wedding pictures for frame
39. Go to the movie theatre with Drew
40. Try 5 new restaurants (1/5)
41. Stay off the computer after work for one week
42. Get a job in my field
43. Take a cooking class
44. Put my feet in the Atlantic Ocean
45. Put my feet in the Pacific Ocean
46. Go golfing
47. Make a new friend
48. Teach someone something
49. Play hookie with Drew one day
50. Play a video game with Drew
51. Pick apples from the apple orchard
52. Plan a big surprise for Drew
53. Make dinner for my family
54. Make dinner for Drew's family
55. Spend a day with my brother
56. Let Drew teach me something new
57. Learn one new word a week and blog about it (4/143)
58. Put at least $20 into my savings account every two weeks (2/71)
59. Eat dinner at the Signature Room again
60. Volunteer anywhere
61. Be a Chicago "tourist" - Go to the Museum of Science and Industry
62. Be a Chicago "tourist" - Go to Shedd Aquarium
63. Be a Chicago "tourist" - Go to the Field Museum
64. Be a Chicago "tourist" - Go to the Hancock Observatory
65. Be a Chicago "tourist" - Go to Adler Planetarium
66. Go to Navy Pier
67. Stay at a Bed and Breakfast
68. Go to Brookfield Zoo
69. Go on a picnic
70. Go camping
71. Read "What to Expect When You're Expecting" when I become pregnant
72. Take a photography class
73. Cross stitch a picture
74. Set up a 401k
75. Get a physical once a year (0/3)
76. Pay off bills as soon as they come in rather than waiting until they're due
77. Host Thanksgiving
78. Throw a surprise party for someone
79. Send out birthday cards every month for a year (0/12)
80. Completely clean bathrooms every week for a month (0/4)
81. Recycle
82. Completely clean the tables off every night for a month (0/4)
83. Vacuum and dust every week for a month (0/4)
84. Don't swear for a week
85. Go skydiving
86. Become known for making or doing something
87. Take a ballroom dancing class
88. Take an acting class
89. Research getting an MBA
90. Drink only water for a week
91. Splurge on a spa day for me
92. Splurge on a spa day for me and a friend
93. Encourage at least one other person to make a list like this one
94. Purchase a china cabinet
95. Purchase 5 new pieces of clothing and DON'T feel guilty about it (2/5)
96. Host a game night with our friends
97. Clean and organize garage
98. Do something I don't want to that will make someone else happy
99. Preserve my wedding gown
100. Donate $5 to a charity for any uncompleted items on this list
101. Make a new list at the end of the 1001 days and include any items I didn't complete on this list