Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Post 23: "You're so picky Jessi"

A few people have told me I'm too picky when it comes to men.

I agree.

I just tell them I know I deserve the best and I won't settle for anything less. Usually I get those looks as if they were saying, oh so you're better than all of us now eh? or they'll just say "well good for you" and walk off.

While I don't necessarily agree that I'm better than any of them, I do however, know that I have a lot of respect for myself.

And so I tell them finding a potential boyfriend (and eventually husband) is like buying cable.

Allow me to explain.

There are three different types of cable.
  • Basic Cable
  • Premium Cable
  • Deluxe Cable

With Basic Cable you have a 50/50 ratio. You get 50% of the channels you want and 50% of the channels you don't want. And while you're happy with basic cable for awhile, you find yourself missing your favourite channels (for me those favourite channels are: The Food Network, VH1 and TLC) and hating the channels you're forced to pay for but don't want, at all (my examples are: Sports Center, The Disney Channel, and LOGO).

After you get bored/fed up with Basic Cable you decide to break up with him and then you meet Premium Cable.

Now Premium Cable is much better than Basic Cable. With Premium Cable you get 75% of the channels you love. You love being able to watch Ace of Cakes on The Food Network, Music Videos on VH1 and What Not To Wear on TLC, as well as your other favourite channels. However, after you get those first few bills you realize you are paying for the 25% of the channels you don't watch and you decide you hate having to pay for Sports Center, LOGO and The Disney Channel.

So you decide to break up with Premium Cable and take a short break before shopping around for Cable again.

Then you meet Deluxe Cable. Deluxe Cable appears out of nowhere, it's like Deluxe Cable waited until you weren't looking before he swept you off your feet with his Deluxe-icousness.

Deluxe Cable is the best of the best. It's like you got to choose what channels you wanted and you could omit the ones you didn't want. You get The Food Network, TLC, VH1 & MTV, HGTV, and that station that plays all of the old shows you watched growing up. Deluxe Cable has 95% of all the channels you love and only 5% of the channels you don't (for example, Sports Center) but you don't care because you have everything else you've ever wanted.

And while you had to wait a little while for Deluxe Cable to come along and yea maybe you had to pay a little bit more for it, in the end it's 10000000000% worth it.

I've dated Basic Cable and I've dated Premium Cable (more than once) and after breaking up with both of them, I'm more than happy to wait for my Mr. Deluxe Cable.

Post 22: Sickness = Suckiness

I sit here at the computer typing in my money pajama pants (the same ones Ben Stone wears in Knocked Up...haha) and thermal shirt. I haven't showered or even brushed my hair yet today. My body hurts, my head feels swollen and I feel like I'm trying to breathe but the room is full of Jell-O. Blah...

Yes, I am sick. Ugh, I used to only get sick once a year and it was always in January. It's not even October and I'm already sick. I tried to sleep last night without taking any cold medicine (I hate taking medicine) but I was so miserable I caved in. So I took some Alka-Seltzer Cold medicine. Let me just tell you it is the most amazing stuff out there. I took two nighttime gelcaps and within 20 minutes I was out.

Have you ever slept so hard at night that you don't move at all and when you wake up your body hurts from staying in the same position for hours?

That was me last night.

It's a good thing I don't have a job at the moment because I had my alarm set but I didn't even hear it go off. I ended up sleeping until 11:30am. I woke up but didn't get out of bed until noon because I was so out of it still.

Next time I'll have to remember to take the cold medicine before 1am if I want to have a life the next day.

After I finally freed myself from my lovely bed I popped two more pills, the daytime Alka-Seltzer cold medicine and now I'm feeling just lovely.

Well as lovely as one can feel with a bad cold.

I have to coach in an hour and a half. I hope these meds stay in my system until then.



Monday, September 29, 2008

Post 21: Mum & the El Camino

While we were leaving Whole Foods tonight Mum starts talking about how she saw an El Camino for sale,
"remember when we were coming back from MVNU a few weeks ago?" Mum asks.
"Yea", I reply with a hint of disgust in my voice, I don't like El Caminos, "why?".
Growing more excited Mum continues, "well I saw an El Camino for sale on the side of the road!".
I turn to look at her as she walks to the car, "ugh! why would you want an El Camino?!" I say with even more disgust in my voice.
"Because they're sweet!", she replies.
"No they are not sweet. El Caminos are dirty and skanky and cheap looking" I pause, "wait a tick, I guess an El Camino is the perfect car for you then!"


Jessi 2 - Mum 0

Post 20: The Best of Both Worlds?

In a conversation that took place about 3 weeks ago.

Babe:[talking to me about Katy Perry's song] "so have you ever kissed a girl and liked it?"

Me: "No, I'm not gay or bi"

Babe: "Duh I know that, but would you?"

Me: "I don't know, I'd probably have to be really drunk" [laughs] "why have you ever kissed a girl and liked it?"

Babe: "No" [thinking] "but wouldn't being bi be like that one song by that one girl, the best of both worlds" [laughs]

Me: "sure i guess if you want to be a part of two worlds, but i enjoy having the very best of one world, rather than just the best of two worlds" [laughs]

Babe: [laughing] "trudat baby"


Post 19: Yet another layout change

I think there's something wrong with me. This is the millionth time I've changed my blog layout in the past week.

I don't know why I do it. I'll change my layout and think, "wow, i really like this layout". Then I'll log on the next day and think, "ugh, i hate this layout. i need to change it asap."

I blame it on my ADD. Or maybe I just get bored really easily. Or perhaps it's both. Who knows.

Post 18: 105 Things About Me

1. I was born on August 15. It was a Wednesday night.
2. I have never been patient; I was almost born at the entrance of the hospital.
3. When I was born I wasn’t breathing and it took the doctors awhile to get me to breathe.
4. I was 10 pounds at birth and looked like an Indian baby (dark skin, jet black hair and dark eyes).
5. I was born in Syracuse, NY but I’ve lived in Wooster, OH; Melbourne, Australia (where my dad was born and raised) and Penn Yan, NY.
6. I currently live outside Columbus, OH and have lived here for the past 11 years.
7. I probably won’t ever move again.
8. I am in the middle of two boys; my mum used to tell me I was the cream in an Oreo.
9. I’m glad I was the only girl in my family growing up.
10. I have a slight stutter.
11. I rarely get embarrassed but when I do my ears turn bright red.
12. My best friend is my little brother. He’s 18.
13. I think Gerard Butler is hot. Especially in 300. He made me want to become a Spartan woman.
14. I’m really good at mimicking accents; however the only accent I can’t mimic is the Australian accent.
15. Which is really weird because A. I used to have an Australian accent, and B. My dad still has an Australian accent.
16. I lost my virginity to a cute boy in the woods near a baseball park. Classy I know.
17. I was way too young.
18. I’ve been in two car accidents.
19. Neither was my fault.
20. The first one happened when a guy (who was driving a mere 2 blocks to buy cigarettes might I add) ran a stop sign.
21. The second was when a lady pulled out in front of me (she claimed she couldn’t see my car, even though it was a summer afternoon and I was in a bright red car). I broke her axel which caused her back wheels to fly off. Ha-ha, take that witch.
22. I hate ketchup and peanut butter. Yet I love Vegemite and Nutella – I guess I’m more Australian than American.
23. I have a cowlick on the back of my head which causes my hair to poof up when I wear it down, no amount of straightening it helps.
24. I once got alcohol poisoning after drinking waaay to much vodka at a college party. I then passed out and ended up vomiting in a litter box.
25. Nearly 3 years later the smell of vodka still makes me gag and throw up.
26. Ask me about the story sometime. It's quite funn.y
27. I'm a cheap drunk. It takes only a couple of beers or a few shots to get me drunk.
28. I’m known as the Movie Quoting Queen. I could probably talk all day using only movie quotes.
29. I know a lot of useless knowledge, mostly about pop culture.
30. I’m extremely sarcastic and witty. Think Juno without all the high school slang.
31. I played soccer for two years in college and I miss it terribly.
32. I coach a high school girl’s rugby team.
33. The team was started my junior year of high school by some of my friends and myself.
34. I think it’s awesome that I’m coaching it now.
35. I still live at home because I can’t afford to live by myself.
36. I really need to move out and be on my own.
37. I’m a photographer.
38. I want to start a photography magazine one day.
39. I also want to open up a coffee shop/bakery/art gallery too.
40. I’m saving up to buy my dream computer.
41. A Mac Book Pro.
42. I have ADD.
43. I was diagnosed my senior year of high school.
44. I was finally put on Adderall after 3 failed attempts at other medication.
45. It didn’t really work so I stopped taking it.
46. I still have a full bottle of Adderall.
47. I’m tempted to sell it.
48. But knowing me, I’d get caught.
49. I’m really clumsy and have really bad hand-eye coordination.
50. I’m much better with my feet.
51. I drive a red 2002 Ford Escape. I think it’s adorable and I love driving it.
52. I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic.
53. I see myself as a realist but I’m often mistaken for a pessimist.
54. This is funny because I’m happy 95% of the time.
55. I love making out.
56. I have three tattoos.
57. I think Dane Cook is hilarious.
58. But only in his stand-up routine.
59. I saw Good Luck Chuck and didn’t find him very funny.
60. I really want to see how he is in My Best Friends Girl.
61. Young girls that I know look up to me as a role model.
62. It is a title that I’m honoured to have, but don’t think I deserve.
63. I tell them to not do things but then I go out and do them.
64. It makes me feel guilty sometimes.
65. Bob Evans makes the best pancakes.
66. My favourite restaurant is a local Chinese restaurant in my hometown.
67. My favourite drink is Chocolate Milk.
68. My favourite alcoholic drink is Amaretto Sours (from Olive Garden).
69. I love watching and going to the movies (Cinematic Adventures).
70. I love writing but I hate reading.
71. I want to write a screenplay and see my movie on the big screen.
72. I bite my nails religiously.
73. I’ve tried to quite many times but gave up because I was sick of failing.
74. I think I’m really smart but I’ve always struggled in school.
75. School makes me feel stupid.
76. I thought about suicide at one point in my life. If it hadn’t been for the love of my family I would’ve jumped.
77. I want to cry whenever I hear about someone committing suicide because I know how it feels to have no hope but I was blessed with the love and support of my family, which is something not many people have.
78. My friends call me the seatbelt Nazi. I won’t drive the car unless everyone is buckled in.
79. I had to watch a video in drivers ed showing what happens to you if you don’t wear your seatbelt and you crash.
80. It was extremely graphic and disturbing.
81. I have no tolerance for people who drink and drive.
82. Or people who do dirty things to children.
83. I was one of those children.
84. My favourite fruit is a tie between pineapple and cherries.
85. I miss red hots (Australian hot dogs), meat pies and my Grandma F’s desserts.
86. I love drinking hot tea and eating fruitcake.
87. My favourite Holiday is Christmas.
88. I really want a dachshund. A female, red smooth coat one.
89. I have the most beautiful niece in the world.
90. I am one of the only single/childless 20-something females in my group of friends.
91. I’m okay with it.
92. I think.
93. My best friend, T-Dawg is marrying her soul mate.
94. I witnessed her going from one bad boyfriend to another, from one bad relationship to another.
95. I can honestly say I cried when she told me about her boy.
96. I was so happy she finally found someone that was good enough for her.
97. I’m a bridesmaid in her wedding.
98. It’ll be my second time as a bridesmaid.
99. I hope I get married before I’m a bridesmaid again for fear of being cursed.
100. My niece is the love of my life.
101. I have a love/hate relationship with my boobs. I love them because at times it's nice having slightly-larger-than-normal boobs. However running is not so fun. I fear one day they'll smack me in my face and leave me unconscious (sp?).
102. My mum has no idea where I got them. Every woman in my family is average/below average. Lucky me. Ugh.
103. I hate closing my eyes in the shower. I have this weird fear that when I open them someone will be standing there. This has resulted in many gallons of shampoo ending up in my eyes.
104. I love Pantene Pro-V Ice Shine shampoo and conditioner. I used K-Ten's a few times when we shared a bathroom in college and fell in love with it.
105. I enjoy watching One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Post 17: Song Lyric Sunday

Where my girls at? by 702

Where my girls at
From the front to back
Well, is you feelin' that?
Put one hand up
Can you repeat that?
Tryin' to take my man see I don't need that
So don't play yourself


Being 3 hours away from my ladies is killing me softly. Ugh I can't wait until Oct 14th when I can get away from M-ville and go to Indy and see them!

Post 16: Sweet Potatos & Oatmeal

My niece EJ (or Mini-LJ) eating Sweet Potatos and Oatmeal. Mmmm.









Saturday, September 27, 2008

Post 15: Boo Bears manhood

A snippet of a conversation we had tonight (about annoying red-necks who have big, loud cars and motorbikes and how they drive them at 9pm) while BB and LJ were opening their presents.

Me: "So you're saying you'd never buy a big truck or a loud motorcycle then?"

Boo Bear: "Nope I don't need a big truck or a loud bike to prove my manliness. The proof is in my pants."

Lovely.

P.S. The Old Bag was amazing. I had fried pickles. Fish & chips and an ice cold Corona. Lovely.


One of Boo Bears senior photos done by D.G.P.

Post 14: Fish, Chips & Beer

Tonight we are celebrating Big Brother and LaJa's birthdays. We're going to a little pub called The Old Bag of Nails. I'm getting fish & chips and beer baby! I'm so excited! They have the most amazing fish & chips, so good.

Happy 27th Birthday to Big Brother & Happy 26th Birthday to LaJa!

Friday, September 26, 2008

Post 13: WTF Mum!?

Girl:[to my mum] "No I don't know where I'll be getting my senior photos done. The place we were gonna go to was really expensive."

Mum:[to girl] "oh, I know of a great person to take your photos. Her name is D.G., she's a friend of mine. She took the team pics last year."

Me:[standing with a look of shock on my face] "Are you serious!" [throws arms out as if to say "WTF!"]

Mum: [stares at me for a split second] "oh, right."


WTF Mum! At least I'll know never to hire you for promoting my business.

Post 12: Clay Aiken

Did you know Clay Aiken is gay?

I had no idea. I feel blind-sided.

Dear Mr. Aiken,
I would just like to say thank you, I’m glad you finally got up the courage to come out of that closet. Phew. I can stop taking Lunesta now and get a good, normal nights sleep.

Thank you again for everything.

-j.

Seriously, is it really that difficult to "come out" nowawdays? I always thought Homosexuality was embraced in Hollywood.

Post 11: High School

Did you marry someone from your high school? No but I’m not married yet so who knows. I did date someone from high school 5 years after we graduated (I was the quiet girl in high school and he was the wild, party boy in high school)…it didn’t last.

Did you carpool? Nope

What kind of car did you have? 1995 Red Toyota Tercel.

What kind of car do you have now? 2002 Red Ford Escape…it's really cute

It’s Friday night…where are you? Probably in Dublin at the movies or just out

Now It’s Friday night…where are you? The same

What kind of job did you have in high school? I was a waitress at Jerry’s, the local Chinese restuarant

What do you do now? I’m a photographer

Were you a party animal? NoWere you considered a flirt? No

Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? I wasn’t that kind of a nerd

Can you sing the fight song? “Go Big Blue…” I can’t remember the rest.

Who was/were your favorite teacher(s)? Mrs. Jack

Where did you sit during lunch? At a table. Mostly with athletes

What was your school’s full name? Marysville High School

When did you graduate? 2003

What was your school mascot? A monarch (lion)

If you could go back and do it again, would you? I used to say no but I think if I were to go back with the confidence I have now, I think I would’ve loved high school

What do you remember most about graduation? The giant monsoon that drenched us and peeling out of the driveway knowing I’d never have to go back!

Who did you take to the senior prom? I didn’t go to senior prom, I went my junior year

Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with? N/A

Are you planning on going to your 50 year reunion? Probably

Do you still see people from school? Yes, around here going to the local Walmart is like going to a reunion. Kinda awkward and annoying.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Post 10: Some of my favourite photos of my friends and me

2005-2006

K-Ten trying to get a suntan while we were stuck in traffic for two hours

Not sure what I'm doing here

K-Ten had a mini modelling shoot on our way to NY



Me and T-Dawg in the Summer of 2005



T-Dawg & K-Ten on our way to another boring class



Adorable K-Ten




2007-2008
I took this photo of K-Ten right after she grabbed her boobs (don't remember why she grabbed them to begin with but she started laughing and i snapped the picture)
Pretty T-Dawg in her new apartment in Indy!


K-Ten being K-Ten

(L-R) Me, J-Long, & T-Dawg

T-Dawg

J-Long & T-Dawg in downtown Indy

K-Ten trying to fly

Twirling T-Dawg...cool pic eh? I took it!

Me & T-Dawg

K-Ten

Me & T-Dawg again

Post 9: Living with a 5 year old. AKA: K-Ten

This story happened in November of 2005. I had just returned from an 8am class and wanted to take a nap before my next class at 10:15am. This is what happened:

I am almost asleep in my bed. Warm and cozy underneath my blankets.

K-Ten: [bursts out of bathroom] “J! J! J! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"

Me: [grumbling] “what! I’m trying to take a nap before my next class!”

K-Ten: [jumps onto my bed and thus on top of me.]“But what about McDonald’s breakfast! Remember? You promised!”

I had forgotten that I had promised K-Ten that I’d take her out for McDonald’s breakfast today. The last time we went it had already ended.

I roll onto my back and see K-Ten with a huge smile on her face and eagerness in her eyes. Similar to a child begging their mum for sweets at the grocery store.

Me: “B-b-but [I stutter] I only have 45 minutes until my next class [pointing to the clock] and I was up late last night writing a paper.”

K-Ten: [With disappointment in her eyes and her smile slowly fading] “Oh, okay.”

I’m on to her; she’s trying to make me feel guilty. I swear I won’t fall for it again. She hops down off my bed and I roll back over onto my stomach and proceed to fall asleep. I now only had 40 minutes to sleep. Ugh I hate class. Not a minute later I hear her jumping on her bed as if she were 5.

K-Ten: [while jumping on her bed] “I want McDonald’s breakfast! I want McDonald’s breakfast! Please J take me to McDonald’s! PLEASE!!!!!!”

Me: [still under my blankets] “NO!”

I hear flop down onto her bed. I hear her start yelling. I look up and see her face down on her bed kicking her legs and waving her arms and shouting “I WANT MCDONALD’S BREAKFAST!” Unbelievable I think to myself.

Me: [staring at her in annoyance and disbelief] “What the hell!? Are you seriously throwing a tantrum? You’re acting like a bloody five year old!”

K-Ten: [stops tantrum and stares at me with a childish grin on her face] “yes I am because you broke a promise and I’m upset.”

Me: [grumbling] “I s’pose you’re not gonna stop until I take you are you?”

K-Ten moves her head slowly from side to side while holding back a smile of accomplishment.

Me: [getting out of bed and grumbing] “bloody hell K-Ten. I feel like your mother and you’re my demon spawn.”

K-Ten: [runs over and hugs me] “Thank you mummy! I wuv you!”

Me: “I hate you”

K-Ten: [grabs my hand and pulls me outside into the cold air] “no you don’t. you loooooove me!”

We walk down the hill to my car and I take her to McDonald’s for breakfast five minutes before it ends.

We grab our food and head back to campus. She skips up the hill and all the way to our quad. I’m such a push-over. I look at the clock. Time for class. Bloody hell.

The lovely K-Ten making one of her lovely faces.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Post 8: Ongoing Battle

Mum: [while laughing] “hey Jessi, did you know you’ve been in college for over 5 years!”

Me: [with a serious look on my face and sarcasm in my voice] “hey did you know you were once in college but got pregnant at 18 and had to drop out after a year!”

Mum shoots me a look as if to say “okay, you’re right. you got me on that one.” or “praise the Lord you didn’t take after me! stay in college as long as you need to!”

Jessi 1 - Mum 0

Mum likes to point out the fact that I’m 24 and still an undergrad and that I’ve been in college since 2003. I like to point out the fact that she was once in college. But got pregnant and dropped out. It’s all out of love. That’s how my family is. The meaner you are to someone shows how much you love them.

Mum (21) & BB (2) in 1983

Post 7: Conversations with Babe

Yesterday was my friend Babe's birthday so after practice I decided to drive to her college and hang out with her for a little while...plus she's been going through some difficult things and I wanted to make sure she was okay (see Post 6: I wish). Babe is great at multi tasking. She was texting some dude, we'll call him Niles, while we were talking. This is a small snippet of the conversation we had while sitting outside her dorm.

Babe: [receives a text] "Ohhh. I'm so nervous!"
Me: "Ummm. Why?"
Babe: "Because he's probably gonna ask me out, just wait..." [texts Niles back]
Me: "So, it's not like you're gonna actually go out with this dude since you already have a boyfriend...are you?"
Babe: "No, I won't...but I'm still nervous. I always get nervous when guys ask me out." [texting again]
Me: [laughing] "Oh, H..."
Babe: "What do I tell him if he does ask me."
Me: "Oh I don't know...except maybe that you already have a boy and don't want/can't handle another one."
Babe: "I know but he's super cute...I wish you could meet him and see for yourself."
Me: [smiling/laughing a little]
Babe: ",What do I do Love...I'm nervous" [laughs]
Me: "Tell him you have a boy...nip it in the bud before it gets worse...duh."
Babe & Me: [laugh]
Me: "So anyway continue on with your previous story..."
Babe: "Oh, right as I was saying...[receives text and shouts] AHAHAHAHA"
Me: "What?"
Babe: [laughing] "He just asked me out, what do I do what do I do???? Tell me! What do I say?!" [stares at me with a look of nervousness and eagerness]
Me: [looks at her with the look of didn't we just have this discussion 1 minute ago]

Okay so for probably all of you that conversation doesn't seem very funny, but if you knew my friend Babe and the thoughts that go on in her head, the things that come out of her mouth...you'd find it a hell of a lot funnier! She acts kind of like a hybrid of Jessica Simpson from Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica and Anna Faris from the Scary Movie movies except unlike those two girls, she's actually really smart and for the most part has pretty good common sense...she's just kind of ditzy and unpredictable when it comes to what she says. Which is why I love her so much. She keeps me laughing. And guessing.

Sadly at 11:30pm it was time for us to say our goodbyes. So we hugged and said our goodbyes. Once she was in her dorm I sent her a text and we had a mini text convo:

Me: "I love you more than oxygen"
Babe: "Haha your silly :) love you too"
Me: "lol..."
Babe: "By the way that was the best birthday present ever"
Me: "lol...what the frosty?" (I bought her a Frosty for her birthday because I'm poor)
Babe: "Seeing You!"
Me: "awwww...really?"
Babe: "Yes :) for sure was the highlight of my day"
Me: "well that says a lot since your day was lame...haha...jk"
Babe: "true...in shower lol :) text after"
Me: "K...have fun"
45 minutes later
Me: "I made it home alive"
Babe: "good! I'm glad!"
Me: "me too"
H during a softball prank at Walmart...she'd kill me I put this pic on here...oh well

Monday, September 22, 2008

Post 6: The ABC's of Me

A. Attached or Single? Single. I don’t really think I’m fully ready to be in a committed relationship yet, as much as I’d love to be in one, I think I’m still a little too selfish.

B. Best Friend? I can’t really just pick one. I have a few.

C. Cake or pie? Cake fo-sho. I don’t really like pie, I love fruit raw and by itself but not really cooked and with other things…I’m weird. The way I see it, if I’m gonna eat a lot of calories like that I might as well waste in on chocolate rather than fruit.

D. Day of choice? Thursday for the fact that it’s the day before Friday and because it’s when The Office is on.

E. Essential item? It’s a three way tie between my cell phone, my car and my ipod. Without my cell phone I’d be far away from my friends (isn’t that sad how a cell phone is your lifeline to your friends?), without my car I’d get super bored (I live in the country) and probably go crazy from not seeing anybody, and without my iPod I’d have no music in my life and that would be quiet and lame.

F. Favorite color? Grayish/Tealish/Turquoise-can you picture it?

G. Gummy bears or worms? Worms.

H. Hometown? Well I was born in Syracuse, NY and raised in Penn Yann, NY; Wooster, OH; Melbourne, Australia; and Marysville, OH – but I’ve lived the longest in Marysville (and I currently live there) so which of those is my “hometown”?

I. Favorite indulgence? Oh jeez…hmmm…buying a really expensive dessert at a restaurant and massages. Ooh and when people play with my hair…I fall into a blissful sleep. Aaahhh.

J. January or July? January-I love snow and hate summer

K. Kids? I like them, not ready for them yet but I’d like to have a few someday. Right now I’m enjoying my 5 month old niece…she’s my “baby fix” for now. Again I refer to the first question, I’m too selfish to be a mum right now, I like to be able to do things on a whim and have time to do what I want…not good qualities in motherhood.

L. Life isn’t complete without? Friends, family, movies and music. Oh and my camera.

M. Marriage date? Sometime in the distant future I’m sure (see “A” and “K”)

N. Number of brothers and sisters? 1 older brother (who gave me 1 sister in law and 1 niece), 1 younger brother

O. Oranges or Apples? Apples. I don’t like oranges. I can’t breath because the smell is too strong.
P. Phobias? The dark (I’m getting better) and heights (not getting better)

Q. Quotes? I have a movie quote for anytime, anyplace and for anything. I’m a movie quoting nerd. But I accept it and have embraced it.

R. Reasons to smile? Oh so many things. My amazing family and friends, my adorable niece, being alive, watching the leaves change colour….so many things but I must move on to letter “S”.

S. Season of choice? Autumn. I love the colours, the smells, the sounds…I love haunted corn mazes, hot chocolate, pumpkins, thanksgiving (which eventually leads to Christmas!), hearing the sound of the fire crackling, cuddling under warm blankets, wearing hoodies and sweatpants and slippers…the list goes on.

T. Tag 5 people: Tricia, Holly, Liv, Josh and Kristen - "You're it, quitsies!"

U. Unknown fact about me? I have many unknown facts. For example I have a heart shaped mole on the top of my left thigh

V. Vegetable? I like most veggies except onions, my mum always told me that when I grow up I’ll learn to love onions…sorry mum but I’m all growed up and I still hate onions…I’ll eat them if they’re soft and cooked in something but I hate the texture and taste…yuck.

W. Worst habit? Biting my nails is numero uno…can ADD be considered a bad habit (diagnosed my senior year of high school…thanks for taking so long to figure out it wasn’t just lazyness)? If so then that’s my number two pick.

X. X-ray or Ultrasound? I’ve had both a couple of times. I hate ultrasounds because you have to hold your pee for a really long time and then they push on your bladder…then again x-rays make you lie still which is difficult for me at times.
P.S. the ultrasounds were on my gallbladder, not my uterus.

Y. Your favorite food? Chinese anything…lo mein, potstickers, orange beef…mmmm…okay now I’m hungry. Dang.

Z. Zodiac sign? Leo. I don’t believe in horoscopes but they’re fun to read.


Picking Apples in 1986. I was two.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Post 5: I wish...

I wish I could take away the guilt she feels inside. The embarrasment she hides. I wish I could make her believe that it will be okay, that she will make it through this. I don't know what else to say to comfort her except that I love her unconditionally and no matter what she does, says or thinks will ever change that. I want her to know that I know exactly what she's going through. I've done what she did, I've been where she was, I know how it feels the next day when you "sober" up and you realize what happened. The shame, the embarrasment, the awkwardness...feeling like everyone knows your secret. That everyone is staring right into your soul like they are watching a movie about your mistake. The looks of shock and awe come across their faces as they witness the event.

To Babe,
I want you to know that I love you like a little sister maybe even like a daughter. My love for you is unconditional and nothing you do will ever change that, ever. I promise you. Your secret is safe with me. Nobody will ever know. I will take it to my grave. I love you, Babe. Don't ever forget that.

- j.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Post 4: Job Searching

I am still searching for a job. It's been almost a month now and still nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. I'm enjoying my time off and being able to watch my niece a couple days a week but my bank account is slowly shrinking and next months bills are coming soon. The only thing I spend money on now are bills and gas, because I have no money to spend on anything else. Which in a way is fine because I guess it prevents me from buying things I don't really need, but every now and then you need to buy yourself something nice. So I buy iTunes songs because they're only $.99 each.

I'm not looking for much, just a flexible job that pays the bills with a little money left over. Ideally I'd love to work from home. I think for me that is the best. It would allow me to still watch my niece and I wouldn't have to worry about it conflicting with my photography businesss. I could schedule shoots more easily because I wouldn't have to worry about my other job getting in the way. Does anyone know of any good work at home jobs?

Well Emma is hungry and ready for her bottle. If anybody knows of any legit work from home jobs please, please let me know! Thanks.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Post 3: Confessions

I am now about to confess something that for the longest time I was ashamed to admit. So here it goes. I enjoy watching One Tree Hill. Yes I know it's shocking. Why do you think it took me so long to confess? Now I know most of you who are reading this do not know me outside the blogger world, but for those of you who do know me outside the blogger world it came as a huge shock. So if you are feeling light-headed, dizzy, faint or are having difficulty breathing please seek medical help immedietly.

I actually look forward to finding out what will happen to Brooke, Peyton, Hailey, Lucas, and Nathan in the next episode. I don't know how it happen. Perhaps it was out of complete boredom or maybe it was that there was nothing else on. Or maybe, I actually really like the show. There. I said it. I like OTH. Jess, Aimee...you can laugh at me now and say "We told you you'd like it"!

Sadly, I've missed the first 3, 4 or 5 seasons (due to the fact that I would rather laugh at my friends in college while they watched it than watch it myself) and so I don't even know what season I'm watching. The latest episode I watched was the episode where Brooke gets beaten up by some guy who steals her latest designs. I believe it was last seasons because Hailey and Nathans kid is now almost 5 or something. I've done a little research on Wikipedia (which is probably the most amazing website out there) to catch up on what I've missed. And I just realized that Soap Net is now showing re-runs from the first season. So I'm slowly catching up. Which is weird because I started watching the show after Brooke, Peyton and Hailey became BFF (which I found out in todays season 1 episode they haven't always been BFF), after Lucas and Nathan became buddies and brothers and after Hailey and Nathan got married and had James Lucas Scott, aka Jaime (which I also found out in a previous season 1 episode, they used to hate each other and Hailey was BFF with Lucas).

So as you can see from my in depth research on OTH in this post, I'm quite into the show. Does that make me a dork? Or a drama loving girly girl? I don't know. Maybe it does, or maybe I'm finally accepting my inner drama-loving girly girl I've kept hidden for years due to the fact that I feared being seen as a dumb, no-brained girl who loves drama so much she watches shows that are dripping in it. Or maybe it's due to the fact that I have zero drama in my life and perhaps I need a little to keep me going.

Well whatever the reason is I do know that I look forward to curling up in my comfy La-z-boy recliner with a warm blanket surrounded by my friends, Brooke, Peyton, Hailey, Lucas and Nathan and watching their never ending drama filled lives.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Post 2: My younger brother, Boo Bear

Boo Bear (he got his nickname when he was about 3. He loved watching Yogi Bear and Yogi used to say "hey boo boo..." he thought it was hilarious so we started calling him Boo Boo, which morphed into Boo Bear) is coming home soon. I'm so excited to see him and to just hang out with him like old times. I miss him so much already and he's only been away at college for a month. I miss just being able to watch TV with him. I miss watching Family Guy with him. I miss hearing him talk like Chris and Peter and making me laugh. No matter what mood I'm in Boo Bear can always make my laugh, or at least smile. I love him so much yet there are some times when he pisses me off and makes me so angry I could strangle him (out of love of course). We always forgive each other, well actually we usually forget why we even started fighting or one of us will say a funny movie quote and we will bust out laughing.

Boo Bear is 18 years old, he's about 6 foot 4 inches and really strong (he can pick me up if that says anything about his strength) and he used to wrestle in high school and he plays rugby. Yet despite all of this I'm extremely protective of him. Even though he claims he's the body guard in our little group (of the two of us). It's funny but even though he's 18 and over 6 feet tall I still see him as that tiny (if you consider 9lbs 4oz at birth to be tiny), red-faced, screaming child that I used to cover with a blanket hoping he'd disappear.

It's funny to me how I'm the OLDER sister but he's the BIG brother. I find not so funny things funny.

I guess now I know what my parents are going through with three grown children, one being a husband and a father. I guess I understand it a little bit now when my mum says to me "oh I remember when you were that little" or "I remember when you used to wear this" (as she shows me your typical mid-80's outfit that resembles something Michelle Tanner wore in Full House). And now that I'm an Aunt I get to witness my niece grow from that tiny floppy newborn to a chubby, smiling, giggling, adorable little girl with a huge personality (she has her mothers patience and her fathers temper-not a good combo, at all). It truly is amazing, a miracle even.

So here's to all the fun times we've had together Boo Bear and to the millions more that have yet to come.


I took this photo of Boo Bear before his Senior Prom. It's one of my fave's.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Post 1: What's in a name?

So you wanna know the story behind my blog title/name eh? Well to be honest, I don't really have a specific story to explain it. I wanted the title "La Vita e Bella" (life is beautiful in Italian) but it was already taken, but I prefer this one anyway. I guess it's just my philosophy to life. You know, kinda like the whole "when life gives you lemons" thing.

I have a few painful stories from my past (but who doesn't right?) that maybe one day I'll share with the blogger community and I have a million things I've done that I'm slightly ashamed of, okay well maybe not a million but pretty darn close I'm sure. But I truly honestly believe that everything happens for a reason. No matter how bad you felt after you did something use it to learn something and change that thing about yourself. If bad things were done to you, use your pain to help others and I think you'll find, as I did, that helping others will in turn, ease your pain.

So I guess that's the story behind my name, if that counts as a story. Regardless of all the crap we've done and all the crap that's been done to us, and despite the pain and unhappiness we may experience at times, or the loneliness we all feel at one time or another we still have so much to live for and so much still to experience.

It is a beautiful life, after all.