Funny

Just a quick one. This article cracked me up.  Every so often, I think about how I would react if I ran into T. I'm pretty sure I'd say "hi" and walk away.  The "hi" would come out as if I just got surprised by something crazy and I'm not sure if it's a good thing.

My sister confessed to me this weekend that she'd like 5 minutes alone with T to tell him off. We agreed it wouldn't really be worth the energy.

Anyway:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/22/running-into-your-ex_n_3582280.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003   

Merry Christmas

Just noticed this never went through. Stupid Hudson valley cell service. 

So this is my first Christmas with only one family to juggle. It's brought on some mixed feelings, but for the most part I'm happy with the lack of complications that come with multiple Christmases in different locations.

This morning my hair still smells like fried fish and I can't wait to stuff my face with more of my grandmother's food. Movies later with my parents and brother. :-)

Merry Christmas everyone!

Ikea Emotional Rollercoaster: in 8 Steps

Step one: Plan Trip w/ friend that has vehicle with adequate storage
Primary Emotion: Empowerment

Sub-steps:
-look at items on website to plan out which items you will look at in person.
- resolve to only buy items on the list you've created on the website
- sleep well knowing your apartment is soon going to be the epitome of organization and chicness

Step 2: Drive to Ikea w/ Friend mentioned above
Primary Emotion: Anticipation

Sub-steps:
- spend a lot of time looking for parking and psyching yourself up to only spend $XX
- Optional sub-step: Fuel up in cafeteria and have ongoing social commentary about the cultural prism that is the Ikea cafeteria.
- look at nearly everything in the store even though it isn't on your list
- pick up a handful of things before you're halfway through the showrooms because they cost less than $3 ea


Step 3: Select items to purchase
Primary emotion: Dread

Sub-steps:
-add things to your list that you didn't even realize existed but you NEED
-quickly do math and realize that you are blowing your budget. 
-convince your friend to impulse buy so he/she will return the favor and your budget is retroactively made in pencil

Step 4: Purchase
Primary Emotion: Acceptance

Sub-steps:
- Fight with giant cardboard pallets that are stacked as if everyone in the world is 6 feet tall and really strong
- Try to maneuver pallet cart like the sober person you know you are
- Try not to listen when total is announced by cashier.
- Buy 50 cent frozen yogurt cone which makes you feel better on two levels 1) low fat! 2) Bargain! (It might actually be $1, but whatever)

Step 5: Pack up car
Primary Emotion: Accomplished

Sub-steps:
- curse out your dad for not being Arthur Weasley and putting that charm on the car that makes it hold an obscene amount
- master spacial relations and feats of strength simultaneously (it is appropriate to announce "Girl Power" if your party is all female)
- Get into the car with the renewed sense of accomplishment that your apartment is going to be way more awesome than it was that morning

Step 6: Arrive at Home
Primary Emotion: Dread

Sub-steps
- realize that despite how exhausted you are, your purchases are not already in your apartment nor are they magically assembled
- try to figure out when the eff you're going to get this sh*t together so you can get your apartment back together

Step 7: Assembly
Primary Emotions: Frustration, Self-Loathing

Sub-steps:
- Find a way to move the packages to a large empty space by yourself
- Tear open the box and find the directions and fun little bags of screws
- Ensure that you have all the parts you will need.  (My bff suggested you lay them out in neat piles and as OCD as that sounds, it helps)
- Get to work. (I find it's best to do this with trash tv on in the background, so you can be reminded every so often that you are in fact an intelligent person) 
- Make mistakes that are almost impossible to un-do because those stupid plastic nails don't really work in two directions (Note: the frequency of your mistakes will increase as you go on)
-Complete assembly and wrestle drawers into their place as needed

Step 8: Celebration
Primary Emotions: Accomplishment and Exhaustion

sub-steps:
-send photos to your Mom and various other people
- Have a drink and/or pass out promptly.... you can put things into your new furniture tomorrow.

Sara For The Win

Remember that show on MTV Fanatic? I always would watch wit

h a mix of jealousy and judgement.  On one hand, these people got to meet some famous person (typically a musician), but it was usually because they experienced terrible and this celebrity helped them through a difficult time.  It also always seemed like the fanatic, only liked this one celebrity.  Their bedroom walls were covered with posters and it seemed like this one person was all the pop-culture they would ever need.  I would muse about who I would like to be on the show to meet, but the idea of only listening to one musician ever seemed daunting. 

When I broke up with T last summer, and started this whole healing journey.  Sara Bareilles' song "Gonna Get Over You" had only been out for a few weeks.  I had always loved Sara and been the type of fan that ordered the album before previewing it because I am that loyal. But this song, became my little musical mantra.  I changed my ringtone to it. I hand wrote out lyrics on a vinyl white board cling and hung it in my new single-girl bedroom.  When I found Sara singing "Gonna Get Over You" combined with CeeLo's "F*ck You" on YouTube, I posted it to my Facebook page without really thinking it through. Apparently, someone tipped T off to it. I didn't really mean to musically flip him off so much as I was like "Yeah, Sara! You rock!"

So fast forward several months (holy crap) and I have Sara's new album on pre-order. I check iTunes weekly to see if "Brave" is available as a legit ringtone yet (it's not, wtf). Then, I stumble into Sara's Glamour article on how to be fearless on Facebook. I already consider her one of my imaginary best friends (natch, since we're on a first name basis) but now I feel as though we are kindred spirits. She just got out of a six year relationship? no way! me too! 

The other thing that really struck me was that she's 3 years older than me and in the same place in her personal life. Lately, I've been hard on myself worrying I'm less attractive to the single men out there because I'm already 30 and single.  As much as I know it doesn't accomplish anything to regret, I really wish I was back out on the market at 28, it seems like it would have been so much easier.  I look at who else is out there on jDate and I feel like I'm on the older end of the never married group.  There are divorcees in their 40s, but then a bunch of girls in their mid 20s. Why go for a 30 year old? Do people assume I have issues (only a few) or am baby crazy (only mildly)? Just give me a chance! I promise my boobs are still perky and I won't get pregnant "by accident" after 6 weeks of dating just to lock down a husband.

I digress. Knowing my imaginary bff and I can sing along to her new album as we take fun day trips and be excited for our romantic futures, makes me even more anxious for next Tuesday when my iPhone will magically have her new album somehow.

Hard not to get discouraged

So I got back from Europe and started my new job. Between my job and my school free summer freedom, I feel like my life is so busy. And to think I was worried about being bored this summer without constant boat days.  

Anyway, I signed up for jdate after some family pressure. So far I am not seeing any benefits.  It's hard not to get discouraged, but I feel more pressure since it is a paid site. Also, their interface sucks and their app is worse. I feel like a walking romantic comedy most of the time...where is my Justin Long/John Cusack?