Roses.
Chocolate.
Homemade brunch.
Talk of travel and the year ahead.
Snuggling on the couch together with the pup.
Reading books as the day goes on and we contemplate what to do for dinner.
Yes, I realize what day of the year it is. And, yes, I realize that there are people who only do this kind of thing when the calendar tells them to.
But we do this kind of thing fairly often, just because. Not every weekend, mind you. But every so often. It's nice. You should try it.*
*Yes, I know this media holiday is totally aimed at couples, but this is the kind of thing you can also do on your own... I frequently buy my own flowers and chocolate and read books snuggled up on the couch even when Christopher isn't here - and I did it when I was single, too. I just don't talk to myself - out loud - about the year ahead (or at least not quite as much).
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Clothes Make the Man (Sometimes)
A while back, I made a comment on social media that got some odd reactions - mainly from the people who only read half of it.
My comment was basically "Sometimes, when I'm driving through town to work, I see a guy and I just want to walk up to him and strip him down. And then put him in better clothing to see if it makes any difference."
Obviously, the people who only read the first sentence thought that I was simply talking about stripping down random men on the street, probably for prurient reasons. But those who read all the way to the end realized that I was truly trying to focus on the greater good. After all, there are a lot of good looking guys in the world who simply have no idea how to dress.
What's worse is that so often it is guys who obviously have a lot of money who look the worst. They're usually - in my opinion - trying one too many trends at the same time. It's like the old pre-bar adage of needing to take off one accessory before going out. If they're already doing skinny jeans and a lumberjack beard, maybe they shouldn't also do the clunky boots that make them look like they just left Dogpatch. That kind of thing.
But then there are also the guys who seem to find the right thing to wear... once... but then miss the mark the next time, after proving that they can do so much better.
In non-real-world terms, it's like Chris Hemsworth - the guy who plays Thor in the recent movies of the same name. (Full disclosure - one of those is on TV right now as I'm writing this.) For me, I think he looks good in the Thor costume. It gives him good shoulders (although I assume he has pretty good shoulders, anyway) and between his hair and the way the cape attaches to the armor, his neck fills out well. In real life, when you see him, he has a really long, skinny neck. And he looks kind of out of scale.
The times that I've seen him on talk shows, I've thought it would be nice to strip him out of his street clothes and put him in the Thor suit (or maybe just attach the cape to his street clothes, I guess), because that seems to be a better look for him.
I kind of wonder what I would think if I saw him walking across the street in front my car some morning. I don't really know how he dresses in real life, so it could go either way, I guess. And I can't really imagine me whipping out a full set of Norse armor to put on some random guy walking through downtown Minneapolis at 8:30 in the morning, anyway.
Oh... I totally admit that I also could use someone showing up and completely redoing my wardrobe. So if there are any fairy godmothers out there looking for that kind of gig, feel free to send them my way.
My comment was basically "Sometimes, when I'm driving through town to work, I see a guy and I just want to walk up to him and strip him down. And then put him in better clothing to see if it makes any difference."
Obviously, the people who only read the first sentence thought that I was simply talking about stripping down random men on the street, probably for prurient reasons. But those who read all the way to the end realized that I was truly trying to focus on the greater good. After all, there are a lot of good looking guys in the world who simply have no idea how to dress.
What's worse is that so often it is guys who obviously have a lot of money who look the worst. They're usually - in my opinion - trying one too many trends at the same time. It's like the old pre-bar adage of needing to take off one accessory before going out. If they're already doing skinny jeans and a lumberjack beard, maybe they shouldn't also do the clunky boots that make them look like they just left Dogpatch. That kind of thing.
But then there are also the guys who seem to find the right thing to wear... once... but then miss the mark the next time, after proving that they can do so much better.
In non-real-world terms, it's like Chris Hemsworth - the guy who plays Thor in the recent movies of the same name. (Full disclosure - one of those is on TV right now as I'm writing this.) For me, I think he looks good in the Thor costume. It gives him good shoulders (although I assume he has pretty good shoulders, anyway) and between his hair and the way the cape attaches to the armor, his neck fills out well. In real life, when you see him, he has a really long, skinny neck. And he looks kind of out of scale.
The times that I've seen him on talk shows, I've thought it would be nice to strip him out of his street clothes and put him in the Thor suit (or maybe just attach the cape to his street clothes, I guess), because that seems to be a better look for him.
I kind of wonder what I would think if I saw him walking across the street in front my car some morning. I don't really know how he dresses in real life, so it could go either way, I guess. And I can't really imagine me whipping out a full set of Norse armor to put on some random guy walking through downtown Minneapolis at 8:30 in the morning, anyway.
Oh... I totally admit that I also could use someone showing up and completely redoing my wardrobe. So if there are any fairy godmothers out there looking for that kind of gig, feel free to send them my way.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Catching Up
Do you ever get the feeling that all you're doing is trying to catch up to... something?
At work right now, I'm trying to get through a massive edit (over 1,000 pages of text - something like 373,000 words), and although I'm trying to work through it, I seem to keep falling behind.
Then, also work-related, I must admit that my income seems to be lagging behind most people I know. Part of me wants to feel successful because I'm working "in my field," but part of me would definitely prefer to catch up to everyone else.
Studies have been done in recent years about the impact of Social Media on our collective - and individual - psyches. Apparently one of the big issues with most of these sites is that we spend a lot of time comparing ourselves to everyone else. Of course, much of what people put up online is an airbrushed version of their lives and not the nitty gritty. So we're all trying to compare ourselves to something that isn't real to begin with. And this, apparently, makes the rest of us pretty depressed.
Somewhere along the line, instead of Keeping Up with the Joneses, we've all started trying to One-Up the Joneses.
Christopher (and, to be honest, about 50% of the people we know) laughs at me for not having a smartphone. But I have to admit that I like my flip phone. It does what I need it to do (making calls and sending texts), but doesn't force me to be plugged in to the world all the time. Instead, if I turn off my laptop (or simply walk away from it), I'm on my own, in my own little world as I enjoy the great big world.
Perhaps that's part of why I'm having so many problems getting through the book at work. It's so huge that I don't have the time at work to just sit back and stare out the window from time to time without feeling guilty about it. I haven't gone out for lunch in about three weeks - not even to somewhere cheap - so that I don't lose time. All of which - as you might guess - is causing me to feel like I should be getting paid more. (And - look - I've circled back around on all of my topics!)
So, for now, I'm going to keep keeping up with me, instead of the Joneses. I'm not sure it will make me any happier (we'll have to see on that), but I don't think it will make me any unhappier, either.
At work right now, I'm trying to get through a massive edit (over 1,000 pages of text - something like 373,000 words), and although I'm trying to work through it, I seem to keep falling behind.
Then, also work-related, I must admit that my income seems to be lagging behind most people I know. Part of me wants to feel successful because I'm working "in my field," but part of me would definitely prefer to catch up to everyone else.
Studies have been done in recent years about the impact of Social Media on our collective - and individual - psyches. Apparently one of the big issues with most of these sites is that we spend a lot of time comparing ourselves to everyone else. Of course, much of what people put up online is an airbrushed version of their lives and not the nitty gritty. So we're all trying to compare ourselves to something that isn't real to begin with. And this, apparently, makes the rest of us pretty depressed.
Somewhere along the line, instead of Keeping Up with the Joneses, we've all started trying to One-Up the Joneses.
Christopher (and, to be honest, about 50% of the people we know) laughs at me for not having a smartphone. But I have to admit that I like my flip phone. It does what I need it to do (making calls and sending texts), but doesn't force me to be plugged in to the world all the time. Instead, if I turn off my laptop (or simply walk away from it), I'm on my own, in my own little world as I enjoy the great big world.
Perhaps that's part of why I'm having so many problems getting through the book at work. It's so huge that I don't have the time at work to just sit back and stare out the window from time to time without feeling guilty about it. I haven't gone out for lunch in about three weeks - not even to somewhere cheap - so that I don't lose time. All of which - as you might guess - is causing me to feel like I should be getting paid more. (And - look - I've circled back around on all of my topics!)
So, for now, I'm going to keep keeping up with me, instead of the Joneses. I'm not sure it will make me any happier (we'll have to see on that), but I don't think it will make me any unhappier, either.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Too Much of a Good Thing
Twice this weekend, Christopher and I ended up having "too much of a good thing" meals.
Yesterday afternoon, we met two of my cousins for tea at Brit's Pub in downtown Minneapolis. I don't remember how we decided to do tea, but we did, and it was definitely worth it.
The waitress was sweet as she walked us through what we had to drink and eat - even though she seemed to have a few things stacked against her (like one wrong menu, and one tea not available). And we sat and chatted (and ate) for a good couple of hours before walking back out through the boisterous main bar and into the "real" world.
No, the food options weren't really traditionally British, but the civility of it all (with a three-tiered tray of food and individual tea pots) was the perfect complement to an afternoon of great conversation.
We did *not* have dinner last night after we got home. We snacked a bit in the evening, but we had eaten too much in the mid-afternoon.
Tonight, we "crossed the Channel" and went to Le Town Talk Diner for dinner with friends. I believe (though I'm not 100% certain) that the location used to be The Town Talk Diner, but it was purchased and repurposed. Now the menu is "French comfort food" and instead of spending 15 minutes over a quick diner meal, we spent nearly three hours over appetizers, main dishes, and dessert.
The staff there were incredible tonight. Friendly, but not cloying, and the food was nearly entirely spot on. Everything from the steak tartare to the potato and leek soup and the dark chocolate mousse with "caramel crunch topping" was... well... not "amazing" but just so comforting. (The roasted chicken was a little dry, if I'm being honest - though the flavor of the rub on it was very tasty.) It was all slightly surprising, while being exactly what you hoped it would be. (Does that make sense?)
And the conversation mirrored that sentiment. As a group of four, we can end up with some surprising topics, but at the end of the evening, you realize it was all exactly what you expected it would be.
The only problem is that we got home tonight and Christopher and I are both feeling a bit stuffed. It's a good thing, though - caused by eating just a bit too much of too many good things.
Yesterday afternoon, we met two of my cousins for tea at Brit's Pub in downtown Minneapolis. I don't remember how we decided to do tea, but we did, and it was definitely worth it.
The waitress was sweet as she walked us through what we had to drink and eat - even though she seemed to have a few things stacked against her (like one wrong menu, and one tea not available). And we sat and chatted (and ate) for a good couple of hours before walking back out through the boisterous main bar and into the "real" world.
No, the food options weren't really traditionally British, but the civility of it all (with a three-tiered tray of food and individual tea pots) was the perfect complement to an afternoon of great conversation.
We did *not* have dinner last night after we got home. We snacked a bit in the evening, but we had eaten too much in the mid-afternoon.
Tonight, we "crossed the Channel" and went to Le Town Talk Diner for dinner with friends. I believe (though I'm not 100% certain) that the location used to be The Town Talk Diner, but it was purchased and repurposed. Now the menu is "French comfort food" and instead of spending 15 minutes over a quick diner meal, we spent nearly three hours over appetizers, main dishes, and dessert.
The staff there were incredible tonight. Friendly, but not cloying, and the food was nearly entirely spot on. Everything from the steak tartare to the potato and leek soup and the dark chocolate mousse with "caramel crunch topping" was... well... not "amazing" but just so comforting. (The roasted chicken was a little dry, if I'm being honest - though the flavor of the rub on it was very tasty.) It was all slightly surprising, while being exactly what you hoped it would be. (Does that make sense?)
And the conversation mirrored that sentiment. As a group of four, we can end up with some surprising topics, but at the end of the evening, you realize it was all exactly what you expected it would be.
The only problem is that we got home tonight and Christopher and I are both feeling a bit stuffed. It's a good thing, though - caused by eating just a bit too much of too many good things.
Friday, February 6, 2015
Supply and Demand and Roses
Yep. It's that time of year when the price of flowers goes through the roof. I get it - mostly. I know that the demand for fresh flowers goes up exponentially around Valentine's Day (and Mother's Day).
But as someone who buys flowers throughout the year, it's just frustrating. I mean... it's like going out and buying eggs for $2.00 per dozen for 50 weeks of the year, then having them jump to $12.00 for two weeks, just because everyone likes to dye them at Easter.
So I have done what any savvy shopper would do: On my way home from work tonight I bought flowers. If all goes well, they'll still be looking great in a week, and we'll have flowers in the house on Valentine's Day.
And I can spend the extra ten dollars on something more important. Like chocolate.
But as someone who buys flowers throughout the year, it's just frustrating. I mean... it's like going out and buying eggs for $2.00 per dozen for 50 weeks of the year, then having them jump to $12.00 for two weeks, just because everyone likes to dye them at Easter.
So I have done what any savvy shopper would do: On my way home from work tonight I bought flowers. If all goes well, they'll still be looking great in a week, and we'll have flowers in the house on Valentine's Day.
And I can spend the extra ten dollars on something more important. Like chocolate.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Choose Your Own Adventure... Or Don't
What would you do if you found yourself at the airport on a Wednesday afternoon with your passport, your credit card, and no desire to go back to work?
Would you book a flight and disappear?
Would you go to your Global Entry interview appointment, then leave and go back home?
Or would you find some other option?
It's probably obvious since I'm blogging tonight that I didn't fly off into the sunset, but I really did consider it for a little while.
I left work early today to go to the airport to finish the process of getting my Global Entry information set up, so that it will - hopefully - be faster to go through Customs and Border Patrol when I travel in the future. (Because this year I plan to get farther out of the Cities that my parents' house in South Dakota.)
This means that, after four hours of slogging through the manuscript I'm working on, I found myself standing in the airport with all of my documents. I was standing next to the Arrivals and Departures boards and thinking "Where could I go...?"
But then I turned around and headed back to my car to run a couple of errands, grab lunch, and head home.
Then, in a really great turn of events, Christopher and I spent some time tonight looking into our next trip - for which I'll use my passport, my credit card, AND my new Global Entry info.
Choosing my next adventure... made even more exciting because it will be our next adventure.
Would you book a flight and disappear?
Would you go to your Global Entry interview appointment, then leave and go back home?
Or would you find some other option?
It's probably obvious since I'm blogging tonight that I didn't fly off into the sunset, but I really did consider it for a little while.
I left work early today to go to the airport to finish the process of getting my Global Entry information set up, so that it will - hopefully - be faster to go through Customs and Border Patrol when I travel in the future. (Because this year I plan to get farther out of the Cities that my parents' house in South Dakota.)
This means that, after four hours of slogging through the manuscript I'm working on, I found myself standing in the airport with all of my documents. I was standing next to the Arrivals and Departures boards and thinking "Where could I go...?"
But then I turned around and headed back to my car to run a couple of errands, grab lunch, and head home.
Then, in a really great turn of events, Christopher and I spent some time tonight looking into our next trip - for which I'll use my passport, my credit card, AND my new Global Entry info.
Choosing my next adventure... made even more exciting because it will be our next adventure.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Sometimes It's Real
Have you seen the McDonald's ads on TV where they talk about people being able to pay for their food and drinks with a "different kind of currency"? Well, during the Super Bowl, yesterday, they revealed that they were going to be asking people to pay "with love." (You know, it's the whole "I'm lovin' it" thing taken to the next level.)
If you missed out on it, here's the commercial (it's only a minute long, though the video is two minutes, so feel free to just stop it when it starts to replay).
So, anyway...
I always see this kind of offers and wonder who gets to take advantage of them. They tend to seem staged and I figure that they only really do this kind of thing in major markets or whatever.
But today a friend of mine posted on social media that she paid for a coffee with a happy dance.
Yes, the offer is random and there's a very good chance that I won't hear of this happening for anyone else between now and when the promotion ends on Valentine's day, but it makes me happy, nonetheless. And gives me one more reason to stop at McDonald's sometimes soon.*
Mainly, though, I'm just excited to know that it turned out to be a real thing - I may have even done a tiny bit of a chair-happy-dance in celebration of the occasion.
*And of course after the 14th... well... then it will be Shamrock Shake season. So I'm thinking someone over there is being pretty darned smart.
If you missed out on it, here's the commercial (it's only a minute long, though the video is two minutes, so feel free to just stop it when it starts to replay).
So, anyway...
I always see this kind of offers and wonder who gets to take advantage of them. They tend to seem staged and I figure that they only really do this kind of thing in major markets or whatever.
But today a friend of mine posted on social media that she paid for a coffee with a happy dance.
Yes, the offer is random and there's a very good chance that I won't hear of this happening for anyone else between now and when the promotion ends on Valentine's day, but it makes me happy, nonetheless. And gives me one more reason to stop at McDonald's sometimes soon.*
Mainly, though, I'm just excited to know that it turned out to be a real thing - I may have even done a tiny bit of a chair-happy-dance in celebration of the occasion.
*And of course after the 14th... well... then it will be Shamrock Shake season. So I'm thinking someone over there is being pretty darned smart.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)