Me, in Fours...

Here's a meme I came across recently. While I've been lazing through the weekend with the inlaws, I thought I would include a litte trivial information about me that you may, or may not know.

4 Jobs I've Had
1. Theatre Usher
2. Ice Cream Parlor Counter Person
3. Dance Teacher for kindergartners
4. Daycare Assistant

4 Movies I Watch Over and Over
1. The Princess Bride
2. Back to the Future
3. Big Night
4. Bring it On (I don't know why, but if I find it on, I have to stop and watch - it's like a train wreck)

4 Places I've Lived
1. New Jersey
2. New Jersey
3. New Jersey
4. Woo Hoo - Staten Island (I left New Jersey)

4 Websites I Check Daily
1. Care2.com
2. Bloglines.com
3. Spoiler Fix.com (well, not daily, but often)
4. Grist.org

4 TV Shows I Love (that are no longer on the air)
1. buffy the vampire slayer
2. angel
3. Night Court
4. X-Files

4 TV Shows I Love that are still on the air
1. House
2. Lost
3. CSI (Vegas, baby)
4. 24

4 of My Favorite Foods
1. Meatballs and shells
2. chili
3. Potatos (mashed, baked, fried, chipped - any way)
4. summer jersey corn

4 Albums I Can't Live Without
1. No Reason to Cry - Eric Clapton
2. Layla and other assorted love songs - Derek and the Dominos
3. Blue - Joni Mitchell
4. Bitch Epic - Deborah Conway

4 Places I'd rather be
1. Anywhere there's a fireplace
2. Anywhere my honey is
3. Soaking in a bubblebath
4. Anywhere my friends are

Breaking Up is Hard to Do...

We had been together for years. We had gone through so much. I hate the thought of not being there, but I had to give it up. The relationship just wasn't working for me anymore, and there were better offers out there. So I ask, is it wrong to want to write a Dear John letter to your cell phone provider?

I've been a member of Working Assets for years. Long Distance, wireless - I even have their credit card. At my previous job I used them as well for our phone banks. So when our new home phone was giving us issues (been staticy and noisy since we moved in - even after Verizon has "fixed it" 3 times), we decided to go to the digital phone and just grab the "triple play" package offered through the cable company. And, J and I decided it was finally time to go on the "family plan" for wireless the best offer came if we stuck with his current provider. So in one day I cancelled both my long distance and wireless with Working Assets.

And it hurts. I know it's silly, but I really liked them. Not just cause they sent me ice-cream when I first signed up. And not just because I knew they gave $$$ to progressive causes. But because everytime I called to do anything they were nice, kind, helpful and friendly. And the sales rep I dealt with through work was the same person for 4 years. Tell me that Verizon will have the same person for 4 years answering your calls and I've got a great bridge to sell you.

I want them to know that it was nothing personal. And I look forward to the day that I can go back to using them for all my phone needs. Until then, I'll just have to be satisfied with using the credit card and knowing that it was good while it lasted!

January 13th

I know it's the 14th, but yesterday was a very important day, Well, first it's the official countdown to the wedding - 365 (well now, 364) days till our happy nuptials. Guess that means that I actually have to start really working on things.

The other important thing about today is it's a special anniversary. 20 years ago, young adults all over the globe were told "life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around, you might miss it". Yes, ladies and gentlemen Ferris Bueller taught us all that skipping a day of school could be the best day of your life.

I love John Hughes films. An FBDO after 20 years, if you ignore the white fringe leather jacket and cowboy boots, doesn't really feel very dated. And there is still so much wisdom, like the line above, that came out of it. Ok, maybe wisdom isn't the right word, but it certainly puts things in perspective.

So, since this weekend's gonna be kinda uky - weather wise, maybe it's a good time to hunker down with a copy and see what Abe Frohman, Cameron and the rest are up to.

My First Souffle...

For Christmas, J and I recieved a set of souffle dishes and what better way to use them, but try a few dishes. For our quiet, romantic new years weekend, we explored a simple cheese souffle for the main course. Very basic, using a recipe from my latest favorite food guy, Alton Brown. It puffed anc crusted beautifully, and although it began to fall as I was perfecting my shot, I still think it looks as good as it tasted. Creamy, cheesy and wonderful with some champagne.

Not to be outdone with just a cheese souffle, dessert was a yummy molton chocolate cake, which while not a traditional souffle, I got to use the mini ones with the set. Keeping things mixed up a bit, we added cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, freshly ground thanks to R & J's present, to have a lovely wintery spiced cake. And who doesn't love icecream with their cake?

So, for my first attempts, I'd say I did pretty darn well. Oh, and using the tripod on the camera is completely helping my picture taking abilties as well, dontcha think?

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Farewell 2005

So, it's 2006. I really feel as this whole holiday season went 100 mph while I was standing on the side of the road. It usually does, but even more so this year with all the newness in the life. In a little way, I'm quite sad about it, because I love the holidays and I feel they didn't get the ritual or celebration they deserve, but then again I saw friends and family, even if I was less prepared this year than in the past.

J and I rang in the new year in style this year. Jammies, good food and our sofa. And while we regretting saying no to Metuchen fireworks, or an evening of hot tubbing, with everything over the past few months, we needed some good quality time with each and a weekend without any demands on our time. Saturday took us for some last minute food shopping, where we decided to try one of the supermarkets we hadn't been to yet, to see if it was closer than our current favorite. That turned into a 3 hour excursion where we started taking side roads, and a bit of exploring, leading us to two different and wonderful Italian Markets, one with fresh and frozen pastas of all kinds, sausages, and good cheese while the other had an amazing deli counter, really good prosciutto balls and strufoli.

And now that it's 2006, it's time to put my together my photo album for the year. As I began to go through my 2005 photos, I realized it was, to quote Frank, a pretty good year. The home front brought time with family to a new level through many more wonderful weddings, my niece getting bigger and talking, walking and just being the cutest thing. My parents are both getting healthier, loving their role as grandparents, and still taking good care of "their little girl" even if she is not so little anymore.

Good friendships got even better as the "Cool Table" continued our monthly night on the town (even if now I may not make them as much anymore). Old friendships got closer as a grammar school buddy moved into my neighborhood (even if two months later I moved out) putting us only an hour away instead of the 5 that we were for the past 13 years. Friends got married, had children and changed jobs and through it all we laughed at the silly things, continued traditions, listened when it was needed, and supported each other through trials and tribulations of growing up. And even now that I'm no longer a few minutes from my "jersey" friends, I love the time I spend with them, and look forward to lots more dinners, movies and dips in the hot tub.

2006 promises to be another hectic year so while I'm taking a bit of a breather today, I wish all my friends and family the best. Happy New Year!

Happy New Year

New Year, new design - and I think I like this one a lot. Shouldn't do too much more tweaking, but playing a bit with the font colors. And the nice thing - it should translate for much more eas of use with other images. Not that anyone but me really cares.