Jennifer

This journal is hardly Friends Only (where all posts are restricted to people on my "Friends List"), but this is the official notice that most posts concerning my personal life will be restricted. You will, as the casual reader, be privy to most articles, quizzes, memes, random observations, etc. I have no particular standards, and will friend just about anyone (yes, that means you!). This is just my way of making a space where I can say things with more honesty. And for those people who don't have a Live Journal account, starting an account is easy, and you don't have to post or log in when you want to read something.

I made a purchase at Amazon.com yesterday.

the latest jars of clay cd
12 bags of ranch sunflower seeds
48 bags of corn nuts

I am so stoked for the corn nuts.

What would you consider "American food"? I'm thinking more than just hamburgers and hot dogs, but what common attributes or tastes (if any) describe American food? And would you consider Italian food ethnic? Tim and I had this conversation today, and I'm interested in other answers.

Long evening.

Came back from NJ and found puppy had another bowel distress incident in his crate. We got that all cleaned up and I worked on the taxes. And by the taxes I mean filing for extensions. Tried to pay PA online but that didn't work, so and fought our cheap printer. Finally done with that but the puppy is crying, and it doesn't sound like he'll stop anytime soon.

Anyone want a free puppy?

So I talked to my mom today, and she was telling us about one of dad's coworkers who married a French man, and had a baby recently, and how cute the baby was, how big his cheeks were, how he'd smile so much, yadda yadda.

So I sent her this link.

So I know I owe the second job post, but I wanted to instead tell everyone that we booked our next cruise! Over our birthday/anniversary/Labor Day weekend, we will be going cruising the high seas!

So we sold the house (money is in the bank and everything - what's left of it, at least) which has been a big relief. So, we're finally able to start doing that "planning" thing that we've held off on. (PS- I love budgeting. Love love love it)

Anyway, with the Global Recession, we've been trying to be somewhat conservative, at the same time spending freely because we want to use it before the government takes it. We spent about $100 last weekend buying our emergency food stash (Tim thinks it's for the Zombie Apocalypse, but I think it's more for the Global Economic Collapse hyperinflation. I'm not sure which I fear more.) We've got what I think would be about a month or two's worth of food in the basement, as long as you don't mind being a little hungry. Life does get more complicated if there is no electricity to cook with, in which case we have about a week's worth of food unless we can convert our fireplace into a stove.

In case you get any ideas about stealing our food stash, we also have a dog that does NOT cotton to strangers in his house.

We'll try and stimulate the economy by doing some improvements to the house, too. I've got grand plans to redo the kitchen this year. Grand plans, I tell you! I just need to find someone willing to do them for the money I'm willing to pay.

My amazing husband "fixed" the treadmill. He claims he didn't do anything that take the cover off. That may be true, but something started working that didn't work before.

Regardless, today we turned it on and put Pavlov on it. He went a good 2 minutes or so at first, and then we put him on again and he probably did 5 minutes.

At least someone is using it!

So I bought this today. So here's the question - if you saw me on the scooter with my dog and a helmet (gotta be safe, you know), would you laugh at me?

Poll #1344441 Would you laugh at me?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Would you laugh at me?

I just called my parents in Beijing... for free! We downloaded skype, which seems to work pretty well. And, since my new purple laptop has a webcam, they were able to see me and the cats! The cats, however, were not so interested in being held in front of the computer.

They inherited their poopyheadedness from Tim.

So I bought this backpack and this helmet today. I was going to get this towel but Tim put his foot down.

Anyway, I feel good about these purchases, but I don't hike and I don't bike. I hope to bike (or trikke) someday, so the helmet is an investment in the future. I figure biking with the dog will help alleviate his energy with minimal expenditure on my part (I have thought about walking him with the leash out the window of the car, but I figure that might not be safe). As he is not necessarily a good dog (going to the trainer on Wednesday) a helmet is a good idea.

As far as the backpack, I think it'll be a good travel backpack. We'll need something in China, and what we used in HK was not too efficient. This one has a waist strap! I love waist straps! In Italy I tried the "I'm too cool to be a tourist so I'll use a large-ish purse" strategy, but I think in China I'll go for the "cool backpacker" look. Besides, traveling with my mom means that we'll have a lot of bottled waters and other miscellanea, so a large capacity will be helpful.

As would an amazing wicking towel, but I guess I'll never know.

2008 Year in Review

January starts out extremely excited about our upcoming trip to Rome. Which, for the record, was entirely worthwhile. To celebrate MLK Jr Day, our church brought in a black speaker and I ate fried rice.

In February, I celebrate Chinese New Year midwestern-style with tasty, but bastardized Chinese food. And, of course, we go to Rome! To celebrate the leap year, I obsess about what to feed the neighbors.

March brought appreciation of the 80s. The joy was entirely gone by the time that we found out that an ex-coworker of mine had died. And, the approach of Pupster 6000 was anticipated with fear and trembling.

April started naively enough with the anticipation of buying pretty things to replace stuff the puppy destroyed. As a harbinger of the future, I get the urge to quit my job and bake cheesecakes. The next day brings a lucrative offer to quit my job for wads of cash. The thinking and the job applications begin.

The thinking continues in May, with much pondering of long term goals. Pondering ends mid-May, when I realize that quitting a job is pretty great for self-esteem.

June brings the joy of a job offer and the pain of a rejection (moderately softened by the passage of time). The puppy starts his quest to dissuade us from ever having children. And, I win a Jennifer vs Tim poll.

We journey to Washington in July. Luckily, we both get sick but much fun is had in the TC. Tim discusses our drive back on his journal.

As a goodbye to Indy present, we went to St Elmo's for dinner in August. In preparation, Angel shows us her amazing knowledge of steaks. I also came the closest I've ever been to a woman in labor. Since my birth, at least. And yes, we left Indiana. And moved to PA. And put an offer on a house. And started a job. What didn't happen in August?

September was a continuation of the activities of August. We did our walkthrough of our new house which we did eventuall close on. We worked (Tim got a job, which was not recorded here). We lived in PA. And Tim cared for me when I got sick.

In October, Puppy went to a new doggie daycare in an attempt to calm him down. I think it has just upped his stamina, but there is no way to know. I got potentially age-motivated kudos from my new bosses.

I mused about our new neighborhood in November, and started a new job assignment. Tim was also awesome, and I won another Tim vs Jennifer poll.

December brought a new purple laptop! I went to my first office holiday party for my job, and the pets wished everyone a Merry Christmas

And it's purple! Very excited about it... Ever since my last computer died (RIP), I've been thinking about a new laptop.

So in researching, I was researching what features I would need, and found out that Dell sells purple laptops. Awesome. Unfortunately, they were a little more expensive than what I could find elsewhere for the same specs.

But... today someone posted a coupon code for discounted refurbished laptops from the Dell outlets! And I nabbed one! In purple!

Woo!

I made some tea eggs today.

They are awesome.

I just wish I could eat them all at once.

Poll #1302401 Layering jeans
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Layering jeans - reasonable or weird?

ETA - It is exactly putting on one pair of jeans on top of another.

This may be tmi, but I like to lie in bed with Tim and talk over our day, cuddle, etc. Also, I'm old and like to go to bed early while Tim's a night owl, so he comes to bed with me and cuddles and then goes back to his computer when I fall asleep. Anyway, so last night as we were talking I told Tim to make he feel special and give me compliments, so he gave me a bunch of kitten themed compliments (ie, you are as cute as a kitten lying on a bunch of blankets).

I come home today after work, and he met me at the door and said we were eating a fancy dinner.

So since we've been married, every so often Tim prepares a fancy multi-course dinner, prints out a nice menu, we dress up pretty like and we feast! Now neither of us have any cooking skills, so the dishes include delicacies like popcorn, but it's still a nice treat.

Today, he put on his new purple shirt and tie, and he served me a wonderful 3-course dinner (no menu, though).

And, then we watched Nanny 911 and resolved again not to have kids any time soon.

We had Totino's party pizza for dinner. I thought about following it up with Ramen noodles, but I thought that may be too college for me.

For what may be the very first time since we brought Pavlov home last spring, all 5 higher order members of the family are on the same floor without one member experiencing all-encompassing fear and distress.

Pavlov went to the doggie daycare again today and is very contentedly gnawing on a slobberly, albeit surely tasty bone.

Thiele had to be brought downstairs, but she is sitting on the couch next to me and even has freely taken her eyes off of the disgusting dog for a few seconds at a time.

Plato is sitting next to her with his eyes closed in an intense moment of relaxation.

Tim and I are of course on the laptops.

Ahh, family togetherness.