StinkyLemsky: A Child of the 80s Grows Up

Isn't it amazing...

 What 32 ounces of water can do?

Before:

After:

Turns out this whole "water your plants" thing actually has some merit to it. Who knew?! Mother Nature never ceases to astonish me. Stay tuned, 2003 pics to come soon!

In a brief aside, I introduce you to my brown thumb

Remember how I was SO excited that Mitch and I had gotten some yard work done? How it inspired me to do a series of before / after posts that everyone was so graciously complimentary on? Remember how I never shared the photos of the yard work with you? Well, here goes nothing...

A few weeks ago, on a dark dismal Memorial Day Monday (hey, it was cloudy, work with me), I woke up to a frightening sight by my curb:

 

AHHHH! Run for your lives!!!!

Okay, okay, that photos isn't exactly a 100% accurate portrayal of what my mailbox looked like, but use your imagination for a moment... picture overgrown, mostly dead, hideous bushes on top of dirty river rocks that were hiding under a layer of leaves, vermin, insects, and dirt. Shudder. Blech. THAT is what my mailbox looked like BEFORE we got out of bed on that dark Memorial Day weekend.

Then, after a trip to Home Depot, some cold hard cash changing hands (okay, in the interest of full disclosure it was really some cold hard debit card swiping), and three hours of intensive labor, THIS is what we had to enjoy as the fruit of our labor...

 

Awww! Isn't that, oh I don't know, about a bajillion times better? I mean, REALLY? I know the stone looks like it's 2 different colors in this pictures, but the darker ones were just more wet than the lighter ones and they're all the same color now.

The plants, well. Hmm. The plants on the other hand - turns out your really shouldn't plant sun-loving-only-water-me-once-a-week-during-very-dry-spells shrubs right before a five day rainstorm. Um, yeah. Not so much a good idea.

 

Sigh. I tried giving them daily pep talks as the rain poured down and I retrieved the mail, "hang in there, little daisies - it'll be over soon and it'll be hot as the dickens out here!" and "don't give up hope my friends!" And, so far, they've stuck around. Well, kind of. I'll have to keep you posted, however, as it just rained AGAIN today.

The one silver lining on the multiple rain clouds? At least it's been raining so much that I don't have to water my hanging basket plants! Surely the awning hasn't protected them from the loving caress of at least TEN INCHES OF RAIN, right?

 

Uh, oops.

A quick update on hubby...

Other than the stress caused by the fact that Hell's Kitchen is to be replaced by So You Think You Can Dance for the summer, it appears hubby's heart is in excellent condition! He passed his stress test and Echo with flying colors and his blood work came back, in a word, "perfect." Yes, that is exactly what the doctor said, Katie, so you can continue to tease your brother relentlessly about his unerring perfection. And we have the lab work to prove it! Next up is a visit to the nuerologist - though it's a very unlikely scenario, the doctor just wants to check his noggin and make sure he didn't do any damage. Seeing as how they did a CT at the ER, we're not worried. The main inconvenience is that he's still not allowed to run until after those test results come back, which is really a big downer for someone like my husband.

(Who, coincidentally has not gained weight since he stopped running 20 - 25 miles per week, but rather lost weight! Please, share a moment in the unfairness pity party with me. Thank you).

La Casa StinkyLemsky has been quiet these days! All Mitch does is study and all I do is train for the triathlon. I had a five mile run last night (which, really, at this point should feel "easy") and I'm not quite sure how I'm going to do that AFTER swimming a 500 and biking 21 miles. I waffle daily between "yes, I can definitely do this" and "what the heck am I thinking?!" Overall, the race will probably take me three and a half hours. My longest workout to this point has been two hours- so you can see why I'm nervous. However, I still have four weeks of training, so maybe I'll feel more confident as the race gets closer.

Either that or I'll crawl to the finish line. I. will. finish. I may be last, I may be walking at the end, and I may be disappointed in my time, but I will finish.

In other news, did you watch American Idol? I won't spoil it for those who didn't, but I will say that the winner looked suspiciously like his fly was down the last five minutes, which was hilarious. It may have just been an unfortunately placed seam, but still! Though even that chuckle wasn't as funny as Kara's bit with bikini girl - loved it!

Just keep swimming

I really don't have too much to say, but it's been a few days since I posted. So, I figure, why not just start typing and see what comes out?

The first topic that comes to mind is this: I absolutely cannot stand Tyra Banks and just do not understand how her talk show is still on the air. (Not to be confused with America's Next Top Model which I record weekly and quite enjoy. That's beside the point. Pay no attention to the man behind the green curtain). Yes, her talk show -- very non-ego-inflatingly titled "The Tyra Banks Show" or something equally clever and witty. (Although I love Ellen so I guess I'm being slightly hypocritical here - I cannot be held responsible for my free-form thoughts, people). I mean, come on, Tyra. Do you really need to set up the secret video cameras again? Really? You will never be the next Oprah. Deal with it.

Second thought? Well, I have to stop that thought from forming because I can't talk about my job search in my blog post today for fear of losing readers due to blunt-force-trauma-inflicted-by-head-crashing-into-monitor-itis. Hopefully I'll have good news this Friday, and I'll leave the job search topic at that. 

If you didn't close your internet broswer after reading the words "job search" above, then you're still with me. Thanks for soldiering on! Would you like to discuss faux-spring pros and cons next? Pros: sunny weather, buds on trees, birds chirping. Cons: wanting to roll down the windows in your car and discovering that your automatic window control button no longer works. Wearing sandals and then realizing you haven't yet had your season-opening-pedicure. Oh, and Mosquitos. In March. Can't we at least enjoy a few days of faux-Spring before we have to whip out the sunscreen and bug repellent? Is that too much to ask? (Sorry, I have a slight phobia of mosquitos after being attacked on our honeymoon. I had over 25 bites on my legs. You haven't lived until you've convinced a Mexican security guard to let you through the gates of a private party so you can get to "la farmacia" in time to buy some Benadryl and Calamine lotion. Grand total: $32).

Let's see, what other interesting stories are rolling around in my brain today? Oh - have I told you about the time I was confused for both a college student and the parent of a college student in the same day? Apparently, I have a look that just screams "twenty year age range." Mitch and I were at the Ohio State synchronized swimming meet, cheering on the Buckeyes (if you ever had a doubt about my husband's allegiance to Buckeye nation, please re-read that sentence), and we were literally the only fans there. Well, us and our merry band of Buckeye friends - a group cobbled together in an interesting way that could make a funny story on its own. So - there we were. All five of us, cheering the girls on alongside their family and friends in the bleachers. At one point, a mom in the group leaned over and asked us if we were college students (I'm guessing the synchronized swimming team doesn't normally have much of a fan base). I smiled and said no - just alumni. I sat back and giggled to myself, heartily cheered by the idea of looking 18 to 22 years old. Little did I know that (not ten minutes later), a gentleman would stop us on our way to the concession stand and ask which girl was our daughter. Ouch.

All right, I guess that's all the blog-worthy material I'm likely to extract from my brain today. Maybe I need to start recapping my travels again - I never run out of blog material when there are pictures involved, right?! 

Productivity, thy name is caffeine...

I haven't had a Sunday this productive since... well, since... December, at the very least! Yes, December. Way back when I was finishing up my MBA and had quite a bit more on my plate. Well, on my to-do list, actually. You know that saying, "if you want something done, get a busy person to do it?" Well, that statement fits my personality perfectly. I thrive when I'm busy busy busy - spinning multiple plates and reaching tight deadlines while keeping things organized and under control at the same time. Being bored has never suited me - even when I was a child. My mom used to teach me new tricks all the time to keep me occupied. "Bored again, Becky? How about you take this keyboarding textbook and teach yourself how to type... Wouldn't that be fun?" I even taught myself to read around the age of three (not exaggerating) and would read a book every morning before pre-school started. Granted, it was probably more along the lines of Dr. Suess' "Are you my mother?" and not "Moby Dick" or anything, but still. I cannot handle being bored, people. 

So, this morning, instead of cleaning out the Tivo and laying on the couch all day, I decided to tackle some of the projects I've been ignoring. I cleaned the whole house, am almost finished with the laundry (including sheets and towels), worked on my Blurb book for 2009, watched a Netflix movie I want to return, and now I'm even writing a blog post! On a weekend! Can you imagine?!

I guess I was just ready to stop laying around being a slug & feeling anxious about all the change coming up in my life. I'm a total Peter-Pan-syndrome-girl at heart and I don't take change well (or growing up for that matter). Having to box up my desk and train my replacement, knowing I haven't yet found a new job, has taken its toll on me the last two weeks. BUT - I'm not going to be mopey in this post! No sirree bob, I am going to be happy, optimistic, invigorated, even... I've got the windows cracked open, the weather is gradually getting nicer, and the house is clean. What more could a girl ask for, really?

Writer's Block

It's been a bit rough for me the last few days and I'm kind of at a loss as to what to write. Now, let me point out that my "rough" is not anywhere equivalent to the kind of "rough" that I've been reading about elsewhere in the blog-o-verse. Yes, I'm losing my job in three weeks. Yes, I don't have a new job yet. Yes, I'm spending my work days training my replacement. But... things could be worse. Things could always be worse. I'm trying to keep that perspective in mind when I write and not just post a bunch of "woe is me with my roof over my head and my groceries in the fridge" drivel here daily.

So, I'll try and keep this short and sweet and minimally laced with whining. Here are the details... I'm expecting a phone call Thursday from the events company with whom I've had three interviews. I'm hoping this is the call where they either hire me or say 'thanks, but no thanks," because I am so completely done with waiting patiently. I've had at least two emotional outbursts over the seemingly years-long wait (seriously, my first interview was back in November), and I'm not sure how much more my family can take of anxiety-ridden-I-can't-handle-change-Becky. I'm guessing they've reached full capacity on that particular personality trait.

Also, please don't think I've been betting the farm on that one particular company / job. I've applied for dozens of positions in the recent weeks and networked with nearly everyone I know. Short of posting a plea for employment on Facebook, of course. A girl's gotta have some dignity, right? (Who am I kidding? I'm a heartbeat away from buying one of these shirts).   I've reactivated my application with a local headhunter and even have a few friends at work putting out feelers in the local marketing / advertising community.

The nets have been cast - now I wait.

A quickie

Hi everyone... sorry for the blog-land silence. I know I owe you a few posts about Disney World (and I promise I will get cracking on those this week), but in the meantime I just have time for a quickie post today... Also, fyi - I will be using the majority of that time to satisfy the curiousity of those of you (waiting with bated breath, I'm sure) who wondered what movie my previous post was refering to in the title "We're home, we're safe, we're alive."

Now, first of all, don't beat yourself up too much because the quote was really more of a reference than an actual line from the movie... Let me set the scene for you. Janey and Lynne arrive home from dance practice and discuss the potential for romance with Jeff (Janey's dance partner).... Suddenly (through a show of sibling generosity) they have to come up with an excuse for Janey's absence at choir practice ("sister Natalie called?!") They stumble in the doorway - where Lynne exclaims "You're home, you're safe, you're alive..." and gushes a ridiculous story about prying Janey's fingers off the uneven parallel bars.

Ringing a bell? No? Okay - am I the ONLY person who has seen Girls Just Want to Have Fun?! I did get the title of my blog from the movie, after all.

Sheesh. You would think more people would remember a line from Sarah Jessica Parker's most amazing cinematic masterpiece. (Other than Flight of the Navigator, of course).

Not just tomorrow, but today and every day

    It's time for a break in your regularly scheduled blog programming for a post acknowledging Thanksgiving. This year, Mitch and I will be staying in St. Louis (we'll be in Ohio for Christmas with his family) and eating dinner at my mom's house. It's really tough living in a separate state from your in-laws; especially if you, like me, have won the in-law lottery. The best solution we've been able to come up with for the holidays is that one family gets Thanksgiving and one gets Christmas (each year they swap). That way, when we're with one family we're 100% with them. My older sister's in-laws are in St. Louis for the holidays, so she's often scrambling to four or five family obligations over Christmas alone. At least we aren't faced with that.

    But still, it's hard.

    I'm really trying to get in the mood for the holidays and stop looking at them like they're just obligations on the calendar (put the tree up, decorate, arrange flights, get to this party, get to that party, find dresses for the above). It seems like Thanksgiving gets brushed over in favor of Christmas, and that's really a shame because I know I have so much to be thankful for.

    So, without further adieu, here is my reason for posting today... My short (not to be considered all-inclusive) list of gratitudes.

* I am thankful for my family. For their health, friendship, and companionship. I am thankful for the doctors who helped my nephew recover from spinal menengitis - they are angels.

* I am thankful for my husband. For his patience and his humor. And his obsession with the Buckeyes, of course. As I look back on our amazing wedding, I am thankful for the generosity of our parents and guests. It wouldn't have been the same without them and my memories of that weekend will last a lifetime.

* I am thankful for my job, though it often drives me crazy. I am thankful for the many leads that have come my way and I am thankful that some of them may come through in February when our office moves.

* I am thankful for my friends. Many of them live in different states, and I am thankful, oh man - am I thankful that cell phones don't charge long distance. Or roaming.

* I am thankful for my education (three more classes until graduation) and the gift of academic talent. I am thankful for the financial stability to cover the cost of school, textbooks, and parking.

* Finally, I am thankful for this chance to just be - for a few moments on a sunny Wednesday in November of 2008 - happy. My life is blessed, and I am grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!    

    

There should be a time limit on these things... Or at least more alcohol

I was at my friend's baby shower this weekend, chatting with her in the kitchen when one of her coworkers joined in the conversation. Wait, let me set the scene... S, the mommy to be, is standing there cutely in all of her 4'11" glory. She's got a tiny basketball belly bump and looks great. She's holding a plate with a very reasonable amount of food on it - I'd even venture to say that her plate held quite a bit less than my own, to be truthful.

As her coworkers walks up to us, she crassly blurts out, at a decible level comparable to the average Hannah Montana concertgoing tween, "Well, should we just strap a feed bag on you now?!"

Me: "..." <jaw drops to the floor>

S: <sweetly> "Oh, this is going to be my breakfast and lunch, you know I don't really eat a whole lot."

Good thing she didn't see my plate - I wouldn't even have an excuse for taking two-whole-mini-chicken-salad-sandwiches and some cake. Plain gluttony I suppose. And I'd just like to state for the record that my reaction would probably have been slightly different than S's. Just sayin'.

Now I'd love to recap in-full-blog-worthy-detail the remainder of my weekend, which included an amazing "staycation" with my husband in downtown St. Louis (and free tickets to the Blues game); but I really need to get back to studying. I have a Logistics project that is threatening to overtake my weekend - and seeing as how I'll be in Chicago for the OSU vs Northwestern game, I had better remedy that situation immediately, if not sooner.

Project Runway Spoiler and Severe Ramblings Enclosed (proceed with caution)

Would you like some onomatopoeia-type descriptions of the last three days in la casa StinkyLemsky? Cough, cough. Ah choo. Ehhh. Cough, cough. “I think I have a fever, waaaah.” Translation? I've officially come down with whatever is ‘going around’ these days and I’ve been miserable since Wednesday. Coincidentally, I still came to work that day (take THAT, mean lady at the office!), though I stayed home yesterday.

A quick side note… I had NO idea that onomatopoeia was spelled that way. I thought it was closer to ‘onomonopia’ because that is exactly how I pronounce it in my head. I hate it when I find out I’ve been mispronouncing a word for years. Though- it could be argued that there's not much use for the verbal pronunciation of onomatopoeia anyway, but that's hardly the point.

So, yes, I took a sick day yesterday. I suppose I could have come into work, but I did have a slight fever and I really don’t see the point in spreading around my germs (because not everyone at work deserves my symptoms), and it’s not like I have piles of important, crucial, life-altering work to take care of anyway. Instead, I was a big lump and sat on the couch all day – tivo-ing shows to my heart's content and enjoying commercial-free entertainment all day. I watched two re-runs of Gilmore Girls (though I’ve seen every one and my family owns seasons 1-6 on DVD), several baby shows on TLC (I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it), two episodes of the DCC, making the squad 3 (that’s the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders for those of you without my penchant for bad reality TV), and I even set aside some time for an episode of 90210 (this season’s, not 1990s).

Which, let me take a moment to talk about 90210. Are you watching it? Katie convinced me to give it a try (after I persuaded her to watch Gossip Girl and she became addicted I suppose it was only fair of her to pass on another obsession in return) and I do enjoy the brainless entertainment. But, and I should say BUT, I do have a problem with a few key elements of the show. (1) The main character, Annie, is entirely TOO thin. Painfully thin. Nicole-Ritchie-a-few-years-ago-thin. The-Olsen-sisters-plus-ten-pounds-thin. Now, I’m sure she’s just eating nicotine for lunch and that’s not one of the nation's recommended four food groups, so that could have something to do with her lithe physique. But I’m just sayin’. (2) Have the actors on this show ever met brothers and sisters? Because their portrayal of Annie & her brother’s (Duncan?) relationship is laughable at best. Full House may have been able to pull off the cheesy-music-loving-sister act, but come on, this is a little ridiculous. I know I don’t have any brothers, but I confirmed with Katie (who grew up with my husband as a twin brother so has some experience in the matter) that my theory is correct. We decided it was just so unrealistic we would have to outright ignore it (much the same way every plot of Gossip Girl is so unbelievably, laughably, ridiculously exaggerated and at times happliy defying the laws of time, physics, and nature). You don't question reality in some television shows - it keeps everyone happy. Don't even get me started on Grey's Anatomy. Gah.

Speaking of television’s guilty pleasures… am I the only one who was incredibly disappointed with this season of Project Runway?

(spoiler alert)

Leanne?!?!  REALLY?! I thought Korto was the obvious winner – her collection was unique, cohesive, and incredibly well constructed. And, yes, I wouldn't have been able to write that sentence without the help of Tim Gunn’s jargon because I have no idea what I’m talking about when it comes to fashion (which every single member of my family can confirm). However, please tell me I’m not alone in this… Please? After seeing three pieces of Leanne’s collection I started to get déjà vu because everything looked exactly like the piece before it. I know, I know, she was “inspired by waves,” and the “architecture” of her “pieces” was flawless, okay. Fine. But, STILL. Korto’s clothing was amazing. And, Kenley. Oh, my. Kenley. I’m sure there are some people out there who would applaud her style and technique, especially since her pieces supposedly resembled those of other famous designers; but, wow – I thought most of her line looked like it belonged in the 80s. This may again be a glaring example of why I’m not employed in the fashion industry, who knows. It did irritate me a bit that they wouldn’t cut her some slack, “So and so did the whole painted fabric thing a few years ago…”  Really? Because painting on fabric can only be done once in the history of fashion?

However, that doesn't make me a fan of Kenleys's line. No, no, no, it does not. But, with a few lessons in personality and manners, she may have received better compliments from the judges all around. We'll never know.

Still though... LEANNE??