Weekend Recap.

I don't feel like writing a big, long weekend recap today..although it was a pretty awesome couple of days.

I'm watching the Grammy's right now, and Beyonce just won for Song of the Year! God I love that woman.

I think I've said enough.

Caturday.

Nothing to Say, Except...IT'S FRIDAY!!!

....and I live for the weekends!!!!! They go by WAY too fast, though.

This is How I Felt When I Filed My Taxes...

It's All Relative.

I'm not sure what made me think of this the past few days, but I've realized that happiness is all relative. I don't think that anyone is completely happy with all aspects of their lives all the time. There's always something.

Let me explain...or try to.

I'm happy. Those of you who are close to me can probably see it. (Mom, maybe not you because you're the one I always call when I'm upset...sorry, I should really knock that off, huh?) I'm having a great time with my friends, I can do pretty much whatever I want, I have some big possibilities in the future, I'm exercising, eating healthfully (mostly), and just looking out for ME. Which I haven't done in a long time. And it makes me happy.

On the other hand, I'm a little sad. I still miss Felix...sometimes alot. I still cry about it, and I still get lonely because I'm not FULLY used to living alone. I miss being in a relationship, and I miss always having guaranteed weekend plans, even if it's sitting at home, because at least I wasn't sitting at home alone. But when Felix and I were together, I was also sad, but for other reasons. I didn't like the fact that I felt like I was stuck in Youngstown. I had become resigned to the fact that if we were going to be together, that's what I had to do, and I was OK with it, but I wasn't HAPPY about it. I missed hanging out with my friends all the time, I missed having a ton of freedom, and I dealt with a lot of issues we had that weren't getting any better. But I was also happy, because I loved him and had fun with him, and loved the comfort of, well, feeling comfortable.

I guess what I'm saying is that the key to happiness is just focusing on the GOOD things in your life at any given moment, because there's always SOMETHING that's worthwhile going on. I'm not trying to sound like I've got all the answers, or that I've had some sort of Happiness Premonition, but I think it stands true that God doesn't give you anything you can't handle, and if you look around, most of the time there's a lot of great stuff going on around you. So try to focus on the GREAT stuff. Obviously, it's unrealistic to push all the bad, sad stuff to the side..that's not healthy and you gotta deal with it at some point. BUT- when you feel sad, let yourself feel sad for awhile, eat a little ice cream or chocolate, but then get over it. And go to the gym. Or out with your friends.

As Leo Tolstoy apparently said, "If you want to be happy, be."

New Girl Crush.

Ok, forget Catherine Zeta-Jones, forget Heidi Klum...forget BEYONCE! (No, wait. I take that back. I can never forget my beloved Beyonce.)

I have a new girl crush. And by girl crush I mean a woman whom I'm insanely jealous of and want to be just like.

Every time I see Elisabetta Canalis in a tabloid, I think of how amazingly beautiful she is. And how George Clooney likes her. (I don't say "love" because I don't think George loves women. Well, maybe he loves WOMEN, but not any single one in particular. Don't ask me how I know these things about Georgey...we know each other in my head. Oh, and Up In the Air? Fab movie, but the ending sucked.)

And you totally have to respect the booty-grabbing going on down below. It takes some big cajones to grab George Clooney's ass in public. Grab it like you own it!! YES!!!

Happy Music Monday!!!

This song came on my ipod mix tonight while I was on the treadmill, and I forgot I had it!!

Weekend Recap...

...I had a great weekend that (of course) went by WAY too fast. I have to go into work early tonight, though and just woke up from a nap, so I gotta get my butt in gear. Maybe I'll write about it later, maybe not. Either way, the weekend was good!

...AND. It's 46 degrees outside right now. At 6:30 on a Sunday in January in Northeast Ohio. I don't care if it's raining, I'll take it.

Caturday.

I Think I'm in Love...

...with the South Beach Diet. It's friday. The scale is down 4 POUNDS since Sunday. I've worked out all week, I haven't eaten a bunch of disgusting, processed foods, very little sugar (I'm starting to think this is KEY), and I feel amazing. Not to mention I'm already fitting into a pair of jeans that has been just a WEE bit too tight.

My biggest worry is the weekend. I seem to throw everything out the window whenever Friday rolls around when it comes to a diet/exercise plan. And I'm not stupid enough to think that these four pounds I've lost won't come creeping back on as soon as I eat a cookie. Or a piece of bread. So...I've already planned a few strategies:

Tonight, my friends Sally and Susan are coming over for dinner. I offered to cook, so that way I can be in charge of what's going into my body (THATS WHAT SHE SAID!). I found a SB Diet friendly recipe for Italian Stuffed Chicken Breast, and Garlic Green Beans. During the first phase of the SB Diet, alcohol is completely prohibited, but really? With my life? That's not going to happen. It says if you MUST drink, drink red wine. So, dinner with a couple glasses of red wine, and I feel like I've made better decisions than I normally would for a Friday night.

As for the rest of the weekend, I have two lunch dates (not actual "dates", don't get excited), and I'll just have to be strong and order chicken salads.

I also have plans to work out Saturday and Sunday, so we'll see if that actually happens.

Ok, it's time to finish watching the rest of my DVR'd episodes of Project Runway, and head to the grocery store. These girls are just going to have to DEAL with my messy apartment tonight, cause I ain't cleanin.

Have a great weekend!!!

Someone Got Paid to Write This?

This is one of the dumbest stories I've ever clicked on. I honestly can't believe I wasted 2 and 1/2 minutes reading it. The title was something along the lines of "Jobs that Go Beyond 9-5". I thought it would be an interesting article about certain careers that involve extra work outside of the actual office. Wrong! Don't even bother clicking on this link unless you were unaware that firemen work around the clock, and not just during business hours.

That's all I got on a Thursday.

Weekend. Soon. Please.

South Beach Chocolate Milk Shake? Yup!

Since "Phase 1" of the South Beach Diet (the first two weeks) is pretty restrictive, I was searching for some different recipes last night to get through the first 14 days...veggies and protein can get kind of boring. After realizing my Dunkin Donuts Latte Lite is NOT allowed for the first two weeks (there's 10 grams of sugar..dammit!!), I decided I needed to find some sort of "treat" so I don't feel like I'm depriving myself. I found it. A chocolate "milkshake" that is absolutely similar to the real thing...I would've taken a picture, but I sucked it down pretty quickly. Whoops! Here it is, and I highly recommend it:

1/2 cup light ricotta cheese
2/3 cup skim milk
1 tsp instant coffee
a squirt or two of sugar free Hershey's syrup
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
3 packets of Splenda
as much ice as you want for desired thickness

Blend all the ingredients in a blender..that's it!! MMmmm..CHOCOLATE!

Random Blurbs.

This is going to be a quick post today because I have soooo much to try and get done before the Biggest Loser is on at 8:00, although I think I'll end up having to DVR it and watch it tomorrow.

In honor of Biggest Loser Tuesdays, as soon as I'm done with this post, I will be doing Jillian Michael's "Banish Fat Boost Metabolism" DVD. 56 minutes of strength-training hell. NOT looking forward to it...but I will do it anyway.

Speaking of diet/exercise, I started the South Beach Diet on Sunday, and when I woke up today, I hopped on the scale and saw I've lost 1 1/2 pounds. It totally motivated me, because I can't remember the last time I lost a pound or two. And I did it in less than two days? Thank you, South Beach! The first two weeks of the plan are very restrictive, and you're basically eating lean protein and veggies. No potatoes, fruit, bread, etc. for two weeks. So far I'm having no problem with it. I've been eating egg-white omelettes for breakfast, chicken salads for dinner, and some sort of protein and veggies for lunch. 13 1/2 more pounds to lose, and 12 more days before I start adding back in some carbs. The real test will come this weekend...because alcohol is STRICTLY forbidden for the first two weeks. Eek!

In other news, I feel like my dermatological problems are getting worse in some ways and better in others. I've been dutifully taking my prescription and using the lotion he gave me, and I feel like all of the wonderful gunk that's stuck deep down in my skin is surfacing. Thank God for makeup, is all I can say...because underneath? It's not a pretty sight. But the spots on my face that aren't breaking out? My skin is friggin gorgeous! Go figure. I go to a NEW, wonderful derm on Thursday, so we'll see what she says about the prescription old Frog Doc gave me three weeks ago.

In OTHER news, it looks like I may have some exciting stuff in the works...keep our fingers crossed for me!!!!

Happy Music Monday!!!

This song needs no introduction...

Weekend Recap.

Just got home a few hours ago from a glorious entire weekend of doing NOTHING at Steph's house. And when I say nothing, I really mean...NOTHING. We laid around in sweats, watched movies, did a little shopping, ate food that is very bad for us, and watched more movies and television. I got lots of sleep and feel glorious.

I also met my Brookville friends Nicole and Becky at Alfred Angelo to pick out a bridesmaids dress for Nicole's wedding. We actually ended up getting a really pretty one, and I'm excited to wear it. I hope by the time the wedding rolls around at the end of August, I can get it altered to about two sizes smaller, which leads to my next announcement:

Tomorrow I start the South Beach Diet. Why not? It's like...no carbs except veggies for the first two weeks, then you slowly start adding good carbs back in. I don't think there's anything unhealthy about it, because you're eating loads of lean protein and veggies..which is the way we should be eating. So, I'll keep everyone updated on my progress. If I can get through the first two weeks, I should be golden. We'll see how it goes.

That's it for today, I got a lot of stuff to do before laying down for my customary Sunday afternoon nap before heading into work tonight. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Caturday.

I Have A Problem.

It's 2:20 Friday afternoon. I need to leave here in a little over two hours to head down to Pittsburgh to see Steph for the weekend...and make a pit stop in Gibsonia to meet Jody for a drink. I haven't showered, I haven't packed, and there's a whole bunch of stuff I should be doing right now.

BUT...

I can't stop watching Jersey Shore.

FIST PUMP!!!

Stupid Girl!

A few nights ago on my way to work, I hit a pothole. HARD. I felt for SURE I had a flat tire, because it sounded like my tire was making kind of a banging noise...and plus I'm paranoid, so I drove the rest of the way to work in fear that my tire was going to fall off my car in Youngstown, at 11:00 at night. Not. Good.
So I get to work, look at my tire, and it's fine. Huh. I went into work and forgot about it. The last two nights driving to work, I've been paranoid that every shake, rattle, and roll meant my tire was going to FALL OFF onto the street, leaving me standed in heels in the snow.
Today, I finally took action and called a local garage based on a recommendation from a guy at work. I called in the morning to make an appointment, they said I could stop in at any time. After I woke up this afternoon, I threw on some sweats and headed to the garage. They were SUPER nice when I went in, and the dude working there immediately hopped in my car and took it for a spin to see if he could notice anything.
I sat there for a few minutes, waiting...and he pulled back in and promptly pulled my poor Chevy Aveo into the garage. Here it is, I thought...My rim is bent, the belt in my tire is busted, I need to get it aligned, all these possibilities are going through my head.
He jacks the tire up (or whatever it is they do), and promptly starts kicking my car! WTF! I look more closely, and see he's kicking this HUGE piece of ice off my car, right by the tire in question. He walks over to me and says, "You're good to go". A FRIGGIN PIECE OF ICE!? Seriously? Talk about being a dumb girl. He said it was rubbing up against my wheel and that's probably why I thought it was acting funny. Hm. They didn't charge me a cent, but I promptly spent $36 bucks right then and there on a full service oil change that I needed anyway.

Needless to say, just another bad experience at a garage where I looked stupid. AWESOME.

Found This in My Work Bag.

I found a piece of paper in my work bag, with this quote copied on it:

"Destiny, I feel, is a relationship-- a play between divine grace and willful self-effort. Half of it you have no control over; half of it is absolutely in your hands, and your actions will show measurable consequences. Man is neither entirely a puppet of the gods, nor is he entirely the captain of his own destiny; he's a little of both. We gallop through our lives like circus performers balancing on two speeding side-by-side horses- one foot is on the horse called "Fate", he other on the horse called "Free Will". And the question you have to ask every day is- which horse is which? Which horse do I need to stop worrying about because it's not under my control, and which do I need to steer with concentrated effort?"

-Eat, Pray, Love

**Need to go back through this book with a highlighter...

*Sigh*

This blogging everyday for a year thing is getting boring. I don't know what to write about.

Damn my dedication. Why do I start projects like this?

Someone give me a topic.

Or someone volunteer to guest blog for me!!!

Happy Music Monday!!!

This song doesn't need an explanation. Listen to this whole video and I guarantee it'll be stuck in your head all day!

Weekend Recap.

Friday.
Since I've been living by myself, I've decided to kind of keep with my overnight schedule through the weekends, instead of trying to get on a "normal" schedule every Friday and Saturday. So, I slept until around 2 in the afternoon on Friday, woke up and got a workout in (that almost NEVER happens on Friday..go me!) Then showered and got ready for the night. I went to Giant Eagle to buy stuff to make a healthier version of Chicken Parmesan (baked!), and my friends Jason, Sally, and Seth came over for the evening. Dinner turned out great, Jason brought wedding soup and some authentic Italian biscotti and some sort of crunchy thing that looked like a mini bagel, and we drank wine, and ate and had a great time. Seth left around 11 because he had to work the next day, but Sally, Jason, and I somehow managed to stay up until 6am. It was ridiculous! Around 3:00 am, I heard a knock on my door, and without thinking, went and opened it up. There were two men (I use the term "men" loosely, the looked like they were MAYBE 20) standing there, clearly either drunk or on something. I exclaimed, "I DON'T KNOW YOU!!" and promptly slammed the door in their faces, locking up all my locks and bolts. They kept knocking and saying, "let us in! Let us in!" Sally and I were thoroughly creeped out. So Jason went over to the door and said, "Get out of here, I gotta wake up at 4 to go to work! What are you doing here?" In his deepest, most intimidating manly voice. Then the guys left. I think they thought they were going to a party or something at one of the apartments and just got the wrong one, but I guess we'll never know. So then, about a half hour later, there was another knock on the door. Jason got up to look, and what do you know? It was the POLICE! AT MY DOOR! In my semi-intoxicated state, I immediately got nervous that I was going to get in trouble for being drunk...in my own house...at 26 years old. They asked if anything weird was going on, and I told them the story about the two guys knocking on my door. The police didn't seem overly concerned, and left. We run to the window to look out, and the next thing we know, the police are frisking these dudes up against the police car in the parking lot! I have no idea what was going on, but they eventually let the boys go, and everyone drove off. Yet another disturbing event in my apartment complex. After that, the night was pretty uneventful. We watched Three's Company, and at 5:30, Sally and Jason left, and I managed to stay awake until 6:00 am (Because Sivillo didn't think I could do it), then eventually fell asleep when the sun was rising.

Saturday.
After the events from the previous night, I opted to stay in all night and watch Entourage Season 3, and just have a chill night at home by myself. Ever since I moved in here, I've been keeping myself super busy, and haven't let myself be alone on the weekends so I wouldn't get depressed and feel like a lonely loser. So, Saturday was also a test to myself that I can sit at home on a weekend night and not wanna kill myself. I went to Target and bought a printer, some workout pants at Old Navy (they were on sale for $12 bucks!! I had to stock up! Their yoga pants are AWESOME), and then came home and settled in for a night of TV. Once again, I stayed up until around 5:30 am, then finally fell asleep.

Sunday.
Felix texted me around noon and said we got our security deposit back, and they sent it to him. He wanted to know if he could stop over after he took his daughter home for the weekend, so he could give me the money. I said yes, and then proceeded to stress out the entire day, about what was sure to be a 3 minute visit. I made sure I took a shower, put makeup on, my best sweats (didn't want to look like I was trying TOO hard), and settled in to wait. My stomach was in complete butterflies the whole day. He got here around 6:00 pm, gave me my check, we made some uncomfortable small talk, I asked him if he wanted to come in, he said no, and with a very awkward hug, he left. It was weird. I felt like he was a complete stranger, not a man I had spent the last three years with, two of those living with him. I guess I should be grateful that he's not one of those guys that's going to string me along and tell me he misses me, and I don't know what I expected, but WEIRD is the only way to describe it. Now that all of the loose ends of our old apartment are tied up, there's no reason for me to ever see or talk to him again. I can't decide how I feel about it. Relieved? A little. Disappointed? Maybe. I just honestly don't know. I would like to be friends, but is that really possible? He's the type of guy that once something is done, it's done. I guess I should be more like that, too. It just feels weird that someone I cared about so much, after just over a month of being apart, it's like I don't even know him. I wonder if it was as weird for him as it was for me, or if he just couldn't wait to give me the money and get the hell out of there? I guess I'll probably never know.

Lazy Friday Night.

I don't feel like blogging tonight so I'm going to be lazy and write about two sentences. I'm watching Entourage Season 3 courtesy of Netflix, and I'm about to go make some popcorn and continue being lazy on my couch. I love it.

Guest Blogger: Sally.

The favorite friends I have since I've entered my mid-to-late 20s are the friends who read. It sounds boring and (maybe?) lonely. But honestly, they are the friends who I really have the most to share with. Don't end a sentence with a preposition. by the way.

The older I get the more time I spend reading. I was sick for the last week and a half , and I finished 4 1/2 books! Sounds anti-social, but I'm not at all. I love spending time with friends, but is there anything more relaxing than ending a day with a book right before you fall asleep? One of my New Years Resolutions is to start a book list of everything I've read, and make it into a list (so I don't read the same Hunter Thompson book twice.) I feel like reading a book is a personal experience, and all those friends like Ashley that make thoughtful suggestions, help create personal experiences. Remember that part in that novel that _____?!

It wasn't until after college, when I finally wasn't forced to read 248,208,334 books that I fell back in love with reading. I'm continuously ecstatic that I have friends that know that feeling, too. Nerd? Mmmmmmaybe. Was I a little sad when Hunter Thompson and Kurt Vonnegut died within year of each other? Yes. Two favorite authors I'll never meet. But I'm always on the hunt for a good book if you have a suggestion.

Snow Day!

The Mahoning Valley is bracing for a BIG snow storm. It's coming down hard right now, and we're going to get 5 inches by morning, and 5 more by Saturday afternoon. I HATE snow. I blame it on my dad. When I was a teenager, he would FREAK if I wanted to drive in a dusting of snow.
"You're CRAZY! You can't drive out there!! The roads are TREACHEROUS!!!!!"
"But dad, it's only flurrying!"
*Cue dad's head exploding here*

I also blame my irrational fear of driving in the snow from the last 5 years of living in northeast Ohio. I know I've said it time and time again, but they DO NOT plow here. I just watched a report on the news about how many O-DOT trucks they have ready and waiting, and how crews are gearing up to protect Valley residents. Ummm......? I think I can count on one hand how many plow trucks I've seen in the last five years here. ONE. HAND.

The worst of it is supposed to be coming down right when I'm driving to work tonight.

Who let me buy a Chevy Aveo?! It sucks in the snow. SUCKS!

Can you tell I'm freaking out a little?

My plans for this weekend? Watch season 3 of Entourage and apply for jobs in warmer places.

Scrambled. Well done. Almost burnt.

Have you ever seen the movie Runaway Bride with Julia Roberts? Well, in it, her character eats plates and plates full of different kinds of eggs because she realizes she doesn't know what HER favorite is. She always bases her likes/dislikes on what whatever man she's seeing likes. For example, if her boyfriend likes poached eggs, so does she! Sunnyside up? Sure! The whole point is, she finally realizes she needs to figure out what kinds of eggs SHE likes.

One of my news years resolutions (among the many...lose 15 pounds, don't be so judgemental..blah blah blah) is to figure out what kind of eggs I like. Not really egg, I already know my favorite.

I don't know what made me think of it today, but I realized I (and probably lots of other women) base many of my likes and dislikes on whatever the man du jour likes. For example, one of the guys I was seeing in college drank Captain and Coke. That was his favorite drink at the bar. So? I drank Captain and Cokes, because they were SO GOOOD! Now that I think about it, I'm not that fond of Captain Morgan. Or at least it's not my drink of choice. With Felix, I drank Michelob Ultra and MGD 64 because that's what HE liked, and it was just easier to agree. Guess what? MGD 64 tastes like ass. I hate it. As a matter of fact, I've figured out my beer of choice (unless I'm getting something special at a bar) is Coors Light. I like it. I don't care what you think.

In a lot of aspects in my life, when I look back, where I thought I was easy going, I was actually being complacent. I'm not going to be complacent anymore.

Another thing...music. I ALWAYS like the same music as whatever guy I like. It's not that I don't LIKE the same music, but with Felix I listened to a lot of R&B and hip hop because that's what he liked and always listened to. I like R&B and hip hop. I think I might actually have a little gangsta in me, BUT it's certainly not my favorite. Do you know how much great music I've missed out on in the last 3 years?! I'm catching up now, and trying to figure out what I like. So far, I like a pretty eclectic mix. I'm not one of those music snobs that tries to find deeper meaning in it, but if it makes me feel good, I like it. I've been exploring iTunes alot, and I'm finding a lot of great stuff that I like. Right now, I'm listening to an iTunes mix and it includes: Train, Pearl Jam, Lil Wayne, Alicia Keys, Shakira, and Kings of Leon.

So, that's one of my resolutions, and I think it's a pretty attainable one. Finding out things I like. It's not like its a really tough thing to do, it's one I'm looking forward to.

Shit My Dad Says.

For those of you reading this that aren't familiar with Facebook (mom), there are things called Fan Pages. You can become "fans" of them, and you'll be notified whenever there is a new post. You can be fans of things (like...Redbull), or you can be fans of artists, celebrities, subjects..pretty much anything someone has created a Fan Page for.
I recently discovered my new favorite page: ShitMyDadSays. It's a 29-year-old man who lives with his 73-year-old father. The son posts all of his favorite quotes from his dad. They are HILARIOUS. Some have me laughing out loud (loling, if you will). Here are some of the most hilarious quotes on the page. If you're on Facebook, go to my profile and click on my fan pages to become a fan. It's worth it. BEWARE...most of it is extremely vulgar. That's what makes it funny. And remember, I'm just copying and pasting. I didn't come up with this crap myself:

“Yes I got him a gift. He had a kidney stone. You piss a rock through your pecker, you deserve more than just a pat on the fucking back."

"Fine, let’s take a vote. Who wants fish for dinner?...Yeah, democracy ain’t so fun when it fucks you, huh?”

"Pressure? Get married when you want. Your wedding's just one more day in my life I can't wear sweat pants."

"Everybody's broke, so here's the rule for Christmas this year; if you still shit your pants, you get a present. Otherwise tough shit."

"No. Tell 'em we're not doing Christmas dinner at a casino... Don't be an ass about it, but tell them why it's a fucking stupid idea."

"I don't need more friends. You got friends and all they do is ask you to help them move. Fuck that. I'm old. I'm through moving shit."

"You worry too much. Eat some bacon... What? No, I got no idea if it'll make you feel better, I just made too much bacon."

"The baby will talk when he talks, relax. It ain't like he knows the cure for cancer and he just ain't spitting it out."

"You sure do like to tailgate people... Right, because it's real important you show up to the nothing you have to do on time."

"Just pay the parking ticket. Don't be so outraged. You're not a freedom fighter in the civil rights movement. You double parked."

"I wanted to see Detroit win. I've been there. It's like God took a shit on a parking lot. They deserve some good news."

"You're being fucking dramatic. You own a TV and an air mattress. That's not exactly what I'd call "a lot to lose."

"I think the baby shit....Well, I'm smelling shit right now, so if it ain't the baby, one of you has a big fucking problem."

"Happy birthday, I didn't get you a present...Oh, mom got you one? Well, that's from me then too, unless it's shitty."

"Here's a strawberry, sorry for farting near you...Hey! Either take the strawberry and stop bitching, or no strawberry, that's the deal."

"I just did an hour on the gym machine. I'm sweaty and I have to shit. Where's my fannypack, this workout is over."

(watching the Little League World Series) "These kids are all fat. I remember when you were in little league.... You were fat."

"Who is this woman?....Kate Beckinsale? Well, you can tell Kate Beckinsale she sucks."

"Your brother brought his baby over this morning. He told me it could stand. It couldn't stand for shit. Just sat there. Big let down."

"Jesus it's hot in here? Right? No? It's fucking hot, you people looking at me like i'm crazy. You're crazy."

Happy Music Monday!!!

I've rediscovered Pearl Jam lately, and the song "Just Breathe" makes me feel good. It's a slow song, and I don't think it's MEANT to be happy, but I just heard it for the first time..and it made me feel happy. So that's why it's today's "Happy Music Monday".

Weekend Recap.

I had a nice, long, three-day weekend because I took off New Year's Eve night...and I was BUSY.

Thursday.
Tried to get some sleep during the day because I worked the night before knew I was in for a long night with Jody and Sally Thursday night...but the squirrel debacle nixed that idea. I slept for about 3 1/2 hours, and then just decided to get up and go. I got to Jody's around 4:30, chatted with her and Sally for awhile, then got all dressed up for the night (see pictures from yesterday's post). Jody had some friends over, we ate dinner (lasagna!), had a few glasses of wine, then headed downtown.
(I need to take a minute here and throw in my endorsement for FIVE HOUR ENERGY. Those things are MAGIC in a little bottle. I mean, seriously. I stopped and got one on the way downtown, and was instantly awake and NOT jittery. It kept me going until 3 am.)
Me, Jody, and Sally rented a room at the Hilton downtown, and after the three of us got down there and enjoyed a little champage, we took a cab down to Pittsburgh's south side. We stopped at our first bar, Margaritaville, and had a few drinks, and met up with some other friends. After that, we started walking down Carson Street and ended up at Mario's (surprisingly the one bar I said I DIDNT want to go to, but it was ok). We rang in the new year there, dancing a little, talked to some people, then got kicked out of the bar when it closed at 2:00 am. Finding a cab back to the hotel was INSANE, and we walked a TON in very uncomfortable shoes. There was a lot of funny things that happened that night, but I'll keep it short by saying it was a great night, and there's no other way I'd rather ring in the new year. Jody and Sally are so much fun...and any worries I had about missing Felix and being depressed were totally thrown out the window. If that night was any indication of my year to come, it's going to be a great 2010!

Friday.
We laid on Jody's couch and ate food and didn't shower ALL DAY. It was a total Fat Girl Day. After Jody made pork and sauerkraut (I actually LIKED it), I headed back to Ohio because I wanted to sleep in my own bed. I hit a REALLY scary whiteout on the Turnpike but made it safely back around 7:30 pm. I had a relaxing night...Watched 500 Days of Summer (great movie) then slept for approximately 10 hours. I needed it.

Saturday.
I woke up and got some stuff accomplished around the apartment. Got my tree taken down and all the Christmas decorations put in storage. I put my tree up the same weekend I moved in, so now I feel like my apartment is empty without it up. Around 3ish, I headed up to Warren to hang out with Lyz and Weyman. We went up to Beachwood (turns out its a VERY ritzy mall in the Cleveland area...Never before have I felt so out of place in a land full of Gucci and Loubitins.) and I found a sweet sweater for five bucks, found out my bra size is WAY bigger than I thought (thanks to those girls at Victoria's Secret and their measurement capabilities), got a pair of black leggings I probably won't ever have the confidence to wear, and a really sweet leather coat at Nordstrom Rack for $40 bucks. After that, we headed back to Lyz and Weyman's, made spicy bowtie pasta for dinner (HOT!), and played yahtzee and watched The Hangover. I came home around 1:30 and stayed up until around 4 this morning, watching Californication on my netflix online, so I could get back on my schedule for work Sunday night.

Sunday.
I woke up around 3:00 this afternoon, made a healthy breakfast (time to get my ass in gear for 2010), and have been lounging around since. The Steelers won! There's still a chance of getting into the playoffs!! YAY! Now I gotta get my butt off the computer and clean my apartment and get ready to go back into work tonight. Thank God my schedule is back to normal and the holidays are over. I'm excited to begin this new year on the right foot...who knows what it has in store for all of us!

Best wishes for the new year!!!

The End of 09 in Pictures!

I finally transferred some pics from my computer to my laptop, so here are my favorites from the end of 2009!!

Sally and I at my Ugly Christmas Sweater Party...Like our sweaters?

Jody, opening her present for winning "Ugliest Outfit"

My new Dooney & Bourke from mom! How pretty is this one?!

Morgan made me a "mug rug" for Christmas. You put your coffee mug on it. Buttons are strategically placed so you're mug may or may tip over. Cutest present ever!

Sister on Christmas 2009

Day after Christmas at Jody's...She was so proud she could fit into her fridge. It was hysterical!

Starting out New Year's Eve at Margaritaville on the South Side of Pittsburgh

Lady GaGa "Bad Romance" was on. We HAD to dance.

This was a nice picture of all the girls, but I had to crop it because Jody was very inappropriately flipping the bird to the camera.

Some more dancing to bring in what I'm hoping will be a wonderful 2010:)

Ha! This is Funny.