Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Bedroom

So, the last things we need to replace in the bedroom are the bedside tables. We currently have cheap, mismatched tables that suited us before, but don't match any of the new(er) furniture that we've gotten since we got married. I'm thinking about this table for each of us. I currently have a table with a drawer and a shelf, so I require that of any new table I might get. Josh currently has what is more of a modular 12" square bookcase, so anything would be a relative improvement over that. Bonus is they're only $50 each, so I'd probably spend the $12 or so to replace the knobs on them with little green ones from Anthropologie. So, here is the rest of our bedroom accoutrements. Think these tables will work out alright?

Bed & bedding:





















Bookcase & TV stand:
























Bedroom "art":

Monday, September 24, 2007

Bad Luck

Well, more car troubles this morning. Looks like even the trip to San Antonio is off now. A little sad, for sure, but it's alright. We'll probably still take a couple days off work and bum around together- go to the zoo, have a picnic, watch movies, play board games, and undoubtedly eat a lot. Any free time includes good eats, right? Maybe we can do a better job of saving and do something a little bigger, a little better, for our 10 year dating anniversary in the spring. Guess only time will tell. Hopefully we won't have to buy a new car by the time that rolls around.

Oh, and I decided to go with a Nikon D40. I read a lot of reviews, not just on the camera, but the lens the kit comes with. Searched through flickr for pics taken with them, and after careful thought figured what the hey and bought it. It should be arriving either the end of this week or beginning of next. I was hoping in time for our trip, but now I don't have to worry as much about that.

Today's lunch should be yummy, minestrone, a small salad, and yogurt. I have an apple to snack on later too. Guess I'm gonna eat.

Weekend Roundup

Friday:
-Work, blah
-Make chicken, spinach & feta pizza for dinner
-Eat while watching What Not To Wear
-Goof around on laptop while watching more TV
-Go to bed

Saturday:
-Wake up bright and early
-Have toast, yogurt, and coffee for breakfast
-Watch Rick Steves' Europe and Mexico One Plate At A Time
-Read some Newsweek
-Watch Dinner For Five disc 2
-Eat Chick-fil-a
-Shower
-Get ready
-Hit the mall and Target looking for a top for going out
-Head home
-Eat sammiches and watch The Simpsons
-Straighten hair
-Get ready
-Head to Dallas
-Manage to survive Chemistry Set show
-Head home
-Stop off at Whataburger for late night sustenance
-Eat while watching 30 Rock
-Go to bed

Sunday:
-Oversleep
-Eat toast
-Take forever putting together weekly menu plan and grocery list
-Get ready
-Head to Central Market and Minyard's for groceries
-Get home and unload all the goods
-Make yummy frozen pizza and watch Rope
-Chill together
-Hit the hay

Friday, September 21, 2007

Gotta Get Away

So, we aren't going to San Francisco for our first anniversary, thanks to unexpected car repairs. Oh, and us not actually saving any money for it, ha. But, we are going to San Antonio! It's just going to be a little 3 day jaunt, but we're excited all the same. I've spent a lot of my spare work minutes here and there looking up ideas. We're going to stay in a hotel on the River Walk, and obviously we'll visit the Alamo. I've got a list started of restaurants to eat at too. Food is inevitably one of my favorite parts of a trip. For our honeymoon I had a list of 20 restaurants to try in Santa Fe, despite the fact that we were only in town 4 days! I'm not trying quite as hard for this little excursion, but I want to know if there is any place that we really shouldn't miss. My friend Valerae lives in San Antonio and recommended a place that supposedly has the best burgers ever. She promised I could kick her in the shins if I disagree after our visit, so it's worth a try. I either get an awesome burger or I get to kick someone, it's win-win, right? And I'm sure we'll eat at some little place on the River Walk to enjoy the view. The best resource, in my opinion, for planning a trip is Trip Advisor. Reading other travelers' opinions and seeing their candid photographs, especially of hotel rooms, can be so helpful. And I love the My Trips section where you can save hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other ideas. I must have 20 different trip folders set up in my account- ranging from the impending San Antonio trip, to the French Riviera, to Thailand. Even if you know you won't be taking the trips for quite awhile it's still fun to look!

Thursday, September 20, 2007

To Market, To Market....

...to buy a new camera. So, I got a small bonus at work this week. I get little bonuses here and there when the other office employee, a.k.a. my mom, is out sick. When she's out sick it's usually a week or so. Which can get a little stressful, as I'm sure you can imagine. I've been needing a better camera for awhile now. Pretty much ever since I started my food blog really. I don't mean to diss my camera, especially since it was a gift, but it's just not going to help create works of art. Anyway, I decided the best way for me to save up to get a new camera would be for me to set aside my little bonuses. I now have $400, which I think will either net me a pretty nice new camera, or will put me a lot closer to one. But which one? To be honest, I'm pretty inept when it comes to technology. And I know that I am not a terribly good photographer. In fact I would call myself skill-less in that department. So, I definitely need a camera that has some ease to it. My biggest worries are that I will get something that won't work for what I need, or that I will spend a lot of money on something with a bunch of functions I won't use. Mostly I want it for taking pictures of food, but I also want to be able to use it to capture our daily life just as nicely. And then it would be great if it would work well in dark places, so I could finally take some good pictures at Chemistry Set shows. I've tried reading a bit online today, but so much information comes up when you search for help, it's almost overwhelming just on it's own. I think I've figured out that I need something with:

-a decent macro setting
-adjustable white balance
-manual focus
-high ISO
-at least 4MP

The trouble is, I don't even know if my current camera does any of that. Well, I'm pretty darn sure it doesn't cause I've pushed a lot of wrong buttons and none of that information has ever come to light. So, I'm not really sure how to make sure I find all that in a camera. Do I need a really good point-and-shoot, or do I need to lay down serious money for a DSLR? If you happen to read this and can offer me any advice, please do! Do you have a camera you love? Have you used a terrible camera I should avoid at all costs? Do you know so much about cameras that you can tell me exactly the one for me? If anyone falls in that last category it would seriously rock.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Getting Hitched

All this week AMC is showing two Alfred Hitchcock flicks per night, back to back. Last night they showed two of my personal favorites, Rear Window and Dial M for Murder. Grace Kelly is riveting in both films. We actually have the Dial M for Murder poster hanging in our living room. Tonight I can't wait to catch, or at least dvr for later viewing, Rope. Rope stars James Stewart, and is very interesting, as it was shot in a mere ten takes or so. If you are looking forward to the chills of the Halloween season then you should tune in to AMC this week and get a head start. And don't forget to look for Hitch's infamous cameos!

Weekend Roundup

I did stuff this weekend. Really, I know I did. I just can't think of it all. Especially after I only slept about 2 hours last night. By the way, this isn't a cure for insomnia, as it turns out. What can I remember about this weekend right now?

-Beating Josh at Monopoly
-Watching a lot of 30 Rock
-Cleaning out more clothes from my closet (seriously? two identical pairs of gray slacks? three pairs of brown pants that don't fit me? wtf.)
-Grocery shopping
-Enjoying a whole lotta Bob Dylan while sketching a terrible picture of him
-Trying to plan fall wardrobe necessities
-Washing the bed linens
-Eating ice cream
-Searching eBay for sales viability for some of the closet evacuees

Last night before Josh fell asleep he told me he would miss me today. And then 45 minutes or so later he barely awoke, rolled over, gave me a smooch and told me again that he would miss me today. I remember this vividly because it was oh so sweet. And because I was wide-freaking-awake. My plan of action for tonight goes something like this: head to Target after work to pick up a few things (which hopefully includes some of those fall wardrobe necessities), go home, start laundry, dinner, finish laundry, shower, and get into bed by 10:30. Then I shall read, and read, and read. I don't know why I didn't do that last night, but I am so behind on my reading it isn't funny. I might as well put all this non-sleep time to good use. And hopefully the lugging of laundry back and forth will help exhaust me too. I've been through this what feels like a thousand times before, but it doesn't stop it from feeling like the most overwhelming problem when it rears it's ugly head. It hasn't gotten to the point yet where I want to smack Josh with a pillow for sleeping so peacefully beside me. And as long as he keeps sweet talking me I think he'll be safe.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Not My Life, But...

For whatever reason, I still have a strong urge to frame this picture.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Sicky

I've been feeling under the weather since I woke up yesterday morning. Unfortunately for me, so has the only other person in the office, besides the boss-man. They beat me to the punch, which means I'm the one stuck at work when all I really want to do is lay in bed and groan. I'm working on recuperating as quickly as I can. I'm using the Zicam that saved me around this time last year (a cold that close to your wedding can be a frightening prospect), got some apple juice, ginger ale, and Kleenex at the grocery store last night, and I'll be having some hot soup for lunch. Tonight I will go heavy on the garlic and veggies for my spaghetti to try and boost my immune system, and the vaporizer will be bedside as I try to get some rest. But I really wish I wouldn't have to climb out of bed tomorrow morning for another 11 agonizing hours in the dry office air conditioning and florescent light.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Weekend Roundup

Friday:
-Make the bed
-Tidy & dust the bedroom
-Wash delicates and bathroom laundry
-Do the dishes
-Clean kitchen counters
-Move laundry to dryers
-Scrub kitchen sink
-Sweep & mop
-Put laundry up
-Scrub tub, tiles, and shower doors
-Scrub bathroom sink
-Sweep
-Vacuum living room, dining room, and bedroom
-Watch How Clean Is Your House and You Are What You Eat
-Read blogs
-Watch more TV, waiting for Josh to get home
-Order pizza
-Watch Most Haunted re-run
-Finally eat pizza with Josh and Matt
-Try to watch some of Dinner For Five, Season 1 Disc 1
-Go to sleepies

Saturday:
-Wake up
-Enjoy coffee and watch PBS shows
-Decide to make pancakes
-Make rookie mistake with pancakes- baking powder dude, not baking soda
-Eat second-rate pancakes
-Shower
-Get ready
-Head to Rock School show
-Hang out with Cory, Wagner, Taylor, and of course Josh
-Watch Josh make his singing debut!
-Load up equipment
-Head to Mroz's house for pizza and more beer
-Have good times hanging out and talking Rock School shop
-Head home
-Eat more leftover pizza and try to rehydrate while watching Graham Norton
-Fall asleep watching Doctor Who

Sunday:
-Sleep in far too late
-Make weekly menu plan
-Shower
-Pick up prescriptions at Walgreen's
-Hit Central Market for tiramisu ingredients
-Never find lady fingers, despite there being an aisle specifically marked 'lady fingers'
-Buy pre-made tiramisu from the bakery, and some Santa Fe Nut Brown Ale since I've been feeling honeymoon-sick
-Stop by the apartment and head to Mom-in-law's house
-Cruise youtube.com for funny videos with the little bro-in-law
-Enjoy delicious fettuccine alfredo, salad, and ridiculously cheesy bread for dinner
-Coffee and tiramisu for dessert
-Watch half of Meet the Fockers with Mom-in-law while Josh and little bro play video games
-Head home
-Watch rest of Dinner For Five dvd
-Try to go to sleep
-Sleep incredibly poorly, perhaps I shouldn't have had that coffee and espresso dessert after all

Thursday, September 6, 2007

The Final Countdown

I haven't been paying a whole lot of attention to the individual months passing since we've been married, but today is the 11 month mark. Which means we're a mere 30 days or so from our one year anniversary! I was trying to remember what this time must have been like last year, and actually it's really quite difficult. I'm sure that's probably a good thing, because at the time I was surely ready to pull copious amounts of hair out. Thankfully things have been a breeze since then. Josh said it's been the shortest 11 months of his life. I couldn't agree more!

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Music To My Eyes

Despite the fact that it feels like the local music scene is shriveling ever smaller lately, I did receive a pleasant surprise within the latest issue of Blueprint. Their School Of Rock article featured not one, but 2 bands with a DFW connection. Now, I know that Midlake has more or less made it big. I mean, not obnoxiously big, but Spin runs announcements for their latest concert and EP release. I think that counts for something, especially when you're a band from Denton, TX. So, I'm not surprised that they get press. But I am surprised when I see them in my Martha Stewart publication, ya know? I mean, to be in a Martha Stewart magazine is a whole new kind of famous in my mind. And, I was so shocked by this that at first I didn't realize that they also gave a shout out to The Earlies, a UK band featuring the former front man of the now-defunct Dallas based The Danes. I was reminded of the article when Midlake's drummer came out to the Chemistry Set show this past Saturday. Every time I see the Midlake videos I remember how we went over to their house with Cory and I got to see the fox head just sitting around while we listened to the barely finished Roscoe.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Weekend Roundup

Friday:
-Oversleep
-Tidy house
-Daydream about eggrolls
-Make next week's menu plan
-Make grocery list
-Order and devour sweet & sour chicken
-Watch televisions
-Sleep

Saturday:
-Oversleep
-Coffee while watching my PBS morning shows
-Lounge around in bedroom watching HGTV
-Peruse fall back issues of MS Living
-Shower
-Straighten hair
-Finish getting read
-Head to Denton
-Unload equipment
-Walk to Jupiter House for mocha milkshake and giant cookie
-Have lots of laughs with Steve and Meri
-Head back to club and wait till showtime
-Enjoy the show and dollar beers
-Hit gas station on the way home for sustenance
-Eat while watching dvr'd Simpsons episode
-Hit the hay

Sunday:
-Oversleep (yes, again)
-Be lazy
-Work on the computer
-Matt comes by for a bit
-Go to Spencer & Deb's for dinner
-Enjoy awesome surf & turf and great company
-Head home
-Fall asleep on couch watching Speed
-Crawl into bed

Monday:
-Oversleep (it's what holidays are about people!)
-Shower
-Grocery shop
-Finish Monty Python Season 1, Disc 1
-Watch Crimes & Misdemeanors while playing Risk
-Watch Arrested Development with more Risk
-Lose Risk, 3-0 :(
-Read more MS Living back issues while Josh plays PS3
-Nighty-night

So, as it turns out I got very little of what I was expecting to do done. Oh well, there's always next weekend. Know what the second best thing about having a Monday holiday is? It's that it makes my work week only 3 days long!

Tonight Josh and I are going to try and figure out if we can scrape enough money together to do something for our anniversary. San Francisco is more or less out of the realm of possibilities after the $1k car repair bill last week. But we're hoping to be able to pull something out of our back pockets to celebrate. And I need to start brainstorming on what I'll prepare when we have Spencer & Deb over to repay the dinner favor.