Completed!!!

Last night, I spent the night hanging out with Karen, Chris, and Karen's 17 yr old brother watching movies and drinking. It gave me an excellent opportunity to finish my scarf! Thanks to Karen's mom for helping me fix my oopsies this morning...and I even figured out how to do fringe, thanks to the book I got the pattern from! Let me know what you think! I can't wait for it to get cold!

Extraordinary Me

We all have those devils and angels that live within us. The devils point out our failures and insecurities and the angels point out our strong points and tell us we'll be okay. Sooo...thanks to some suggestions from Dave, maybe I'll list some of the things that make me extraordinary...the angels are making me do this, I swear!

1. I'm strong (sometimes).
2. I can love.
3. I have faith.
4. I'm wacky, fun, and unique...I'm ME.
5. I've been hurt before and I've bouced back. I can do it again.

5 Goals

1. Engage in a healthier lifestyle (ie No more chocolate and go to the gym!)!
2. Keep up with my knitting. Learn to knit alligator mittens (from Stitch and Bitch Nation).
3. Spend time with ME. Work on loving me.
4. Spend time with my wonderful, amazing, awesome, loving friends. I have the best
friends in the world. Really.
5. Stay away from dating for a long period of time.

Knitting Away!

Well, my knitting really is taking off with a passion! I am doing well with the chunky orange yarn and size 35 needles I bought a couple days ago. I am knitting a warm and soft, pumpkin colored scarf. Its wonderful! So much in fact, that a couple friends saw it and asked me to knit them an orange scarf just like it! But imagine that? I knit everyone I know an orange scarf? I told them no. Any color but orange!

My Brilliant eMac

Well, well, well, I finally did it. With my brand-spanking-new-no-APR-for-6-months-Visa, I got my eMac. Wow, life is certainly sweeter on a Mac, isn't it? I absolutely love it. Everything is fun and easy on this baby. I've been enjoying creating a documentary of Norton on iMovie. iPhoto is absolutely brilliant--the photos on here that I took look 1000 times better than they looked on my Dad's Dell. I love the photo quality and even the red eye reduction works! It didn't work on my Camedia program that came with my digital camera! I've already downloaded some fun widgets. Dancing Monkeys and Hula Girls and a Tigergotchi thing. My sister downloaded the HotorNot widget because I love rating people on there. If you can't get these widgets (if you don't have a Mac), then go to this site (www.hotornot.com) and have some fun. Sorry, I couldn't insert a link. Blogger doesn't like me today and won't let me do it! I'm sure my blog will soon get much cooler because I'm using a Mac. I'm sure I will get better at computing now.

MacMacMacMacMacMacMac...

I want a Mac! An eMac to be more specific! I've really wanted one for the past year but really hope to get one very soon! I spent some time in the Short Hills Apple store last night with a very helpful sales guy last night. I really really want one! It will be my first Mac, but I hear once you go Mac, you never go back! If anyone who reads this uses a Mac, I'd love comments! That would be tres cool!

Last night, I hung out with some friends, and we saw the movie 40 Year old Virgin. It was sooo funny, go see it, go see it!

My Mini-Break

Mini-Break. Thats what they call short vacations or weekends away in Britain. At least thats what I learned by reading British chick-lit and watching Bridget Jones. So I partook (is that a word?) in a mini-break up in Watkins Glen, New York. Thats Schuyler County and Watkins Glen sits right on Seneca Lake, the largest of the finger lakes in New York State. What a beautiful area! Watkins Glen is actually a village! It's a small town that (with the exception of a yucky Walmart) is wonderfully uncommercialized. In lieu of a Starbucks, there are two delightful cafe/coffehouses. One is a bookshop, the other is a deli-cafe. There is a fabulous bar and grille that brews its own beer! It is called the Crooked Rooster in case y'all were wondering. There is plenty of fun to be had in this town and Robin and I sure did have fun!

We stayed at a rustic and clean motel which combined the wooded atmosphere of a campground with the convenience of bathrooms and televisions. Our first day, we enjoyed activities such as walking near the water, checking out the shoppes and buying some important supplies, such as Zima, hand sanitizer and a beach towel (I know, I forgot). Lucky us, they were featuring a free movie in the park! So Robin and I layed under the stars and watched Hitch! It was a cute movie!

Wednesday was a big day for us. We started the day bright and early by patronizing our favorite cafes in town and then hit the kayak rental on the lake at 10 AM. The water was smooth as glass and we were excited to hit the lake in our double kayak rental. I've kayaked a couple times before, but this was Robin's first time. We were sailing smoothly, until we realized we kayaked too far out and the water was too rough to kayak back. As hard as we paddled, we kept going in circles. But its okay. We got rescued and "towed" back. I hope to go kayaking again before school starts. On smoother waters.

After kayaking, it was time to hike the Gorge trail at Watkins Glen State Park. It was a 3 mile round trip hike. Intense and lots of stairs but gorgeous and worth every second. I treated myself to a full fat but delicious ice cream but deserved it after the kayaking and hiking.

We also enjoyed visiting a couple wineries. I brought home four bottles of wine and can not wait to pop them open! Another highlight of the trip was visiting Farm Sanctuary. Its an animal rescue farm--there are actually two of them, one in New York and one in California. Check out my pictures and then check out the website to find out more about what they do over there. Its an amazing place!

Coastin' Along...

Isn't it funny that people pay good money to ride on of these babies...I'm a sucka for the wooden ones myself. As the coaster nears the top of the hill, inwardly I panic and then, down we go and I'm screaming and laughing and throwing my hands up in the air. But a part of me says how irrational to even take the chance...one electrical problem and you're dead! Hey, it happens...

Isn't life like that though? I am better at giving advice to others than giving it to myself. I tell hopelessly-wishing-they-were-in-love friends that the right person will come along, and not to worry. I tell my friends love (life, too) is like a roller coaster. You experience the greatest highs but you have to ride out the lows. When you are having a panicky feeling and wondering, "What the fuck am I doing?" remember that you have another high just around the corner. Next thing you know, you'll be lying on a blanket at an outdoor concert with your favorite and most handsome boy in the sticky heat-- and it'll be the best thing in the world. Really.

I really need a high right now. I've already got that panicky-almost-at-the-top feeling. Are we there yet? This past year, I made it through plenty of lows. Just when I think, I'm almost there, and I'm about to hit the sweet spot...down I go...

You may be wondering what I'm talking about here. Well, I think I just needed to vent and didn't feel like sharing with the whole Internet my sob story. For those of you who know me, get in touch with me and I'll share.

Its 2:14 am and I'm supposed to be leaving first thing in the morning for Watkins Glen, New York for 2 days. Maybe this girls only trip will be just what I need. Outdoorsy and rejuvenating activities await us such as visiting Farm Sanctuary (an animal rescue farm), hiking, kayaking, and visiting wineries. Maybe we'll even take in a drive-in movie.

Road Trippin!

Well, inspired by Jennifer's post on Thursday and my semi-boring Saturday night, I called a couple guy friends, Andy and Dennis, and suggested a road trip to Dave and Busters in the Palisades Mall in Rockland County, NY. Sunday afternoon traffic was not bad and we made it to the megamall in about an hour. We ate a delicious lunch at Dave and Busters first--for me, it was a salad, poblano chili, avocado and shiitake quesadillas, and a few forkfuls of Andy's and Dennis's chocolate desserts. So so yummy! Then we spent a good hour in the supersized arcade. I love simulator games and I played a variety of racing games--whitewater rafting, motorcycle, horse racing, 18 wheeler--and skeeball! A $14 card lasted me an hour and after Dennis and Andy shared their tickets with me, I was able to "buy" a little stuffed dog--Pupster the Cuddlemonkey, he is to be called, along with a mini-frisbee, and a yo-yo. Thanks guys! Can I say that this was my first experience in Dave and Busters OR the mall and I was amazed by both! This was the largest mall, I'd ever entered--4 levels, a zillion stores and restaurants, including an IMAX theatre! It was a fun day but I'm looking forward to a relaxing evening at home tonight!

My (un)eventful Saturday Night

Last night, I went out for a yummy Thai meal at Royal Thai with my brother and fiance and a couple of their friends. Afterwards, I rented a couple of movies--Bride and Prejudice and the Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

Under just about any circumstances, I would not have sat at home by myself on a Saturday night. But these were my choices for entertainment. A) I could have went fishing on the docks of Carteret? Besides the fact that I am a vegetarian, fishing in Carteret? I'd probably get shot! It ain't happening! B) Take a train into New York and go to the Hard Rock Cafe. That option did sound like fun, but I just didn't have the energy.

So, Norton and I watched Bride and Prejudice last night. It was really a fantastic movie. Its by the director of Bend it like Beckham (another superb film), and its a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Its Bollywood style with lots of song and dance but its all in English. A must see!

Napoleon Dynamite

Right now, I'm sweaty and purple faced. But I'm not dying or having a heart attack. Robin and I embarked on a bike ride and I'm just not great in the heat. But here are some KILLER Napoleon Dynamite links. Use this one for making prank calls to your loved ones. Watch Napoleon dance dance dance.

Take a quiz and find out which character you are!


You are Trisha.


Which Napoleon Dynamite character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Knitting...

Well, can you guys believe that I am actually knitting??? I am finding it quite addicting and Monday night, decided to start knitting my first scarf. So I am in the process of knitting my first scarf. Its orange and will match beautifully with my orange and red striped winter hat (although it may be the wrong shade of orange, but fuck it)! I think it will take me forever to knit this scarf but I'm hoping to be knitting at a superhuman rate soon so it will take me a little less time. Well, today I'm actually going to try to get something done, before I spend the day knitting and watching tv again.

Last night, I watched Napoleon Dynamite and it was one of the funniest movies I ever saw! I was hysterical laughing for most of the movie. It was great!

Strange but True

Well, since my Monday afternoon doctor visit, I have been spending great amounts of time knitting and watching television. Hello? Is this me? I'm actually doing pretty well with the knitting considering the fact that I just learned how yesterday!

On Sunday, I bought this hilarious book (for 99 cents), Think You're the Only One?: Oddball Groups Where Outsiders Fit In. The funny thing is that Monday evening, I spoke with Jennifer and discovered she bought the same book on the same day! She blogged about it as well and has links to some of the funny groups in this book so check her blog out!

Another really funny book which I don't own but highly enjoy is Food Court Druids, Cherohonkees and Other Creatures Unique to the Republic. You can read about these groups through this book and the hilarious website that goes with it. You could be a silver surfer, an asphalt ranger, a flexisexual or a TGIF. Check this book out the next time you are at Barnes and Nobles, you will pee your pants with laughter.

My busy weekend

Well I enjoyed a fun but very busy weekend. I spent Friday night at Karen's in Spring Lake. We sat on the boardwalk and watched the ocean crash with Robin and then had ice cream here. Saturday night, Jenn, Dennis, Andy and I went to New Hope, Pa. Its a great town for those of you whom have never been! We ate dinner and sampled the local brew at Triumph Brewery. Then we went here and to another bar where we sat at the outside bar. It was a fun evening but a late night! Sunday, Andy, Dave and I checked out the Middlesex County Fair. We had a good time there until it rained, then went to Barnes and Nobles, Ruby Tuesday and Coldstone Creamery.

Today I woke up absolutely exhausted from my weekend but went to my very first knitting class. I didn't do so bad! Then paid a visit to my doctor to learn I have strep throat...fun,fun...

Yay for the Matrix!

Well, en route from Wildwood last Friday, my reverse stopped functioning on my car. Kind of an important feature, I would say. So on Tuesday, my repair guy gave me the sad news that, alas, my trusty old Saturn would need a new transmission. With the miles I put on that baby, it just would not be worth fixing it.

So yesterday, the car shopping began, first with internet research and then visiting car dealerships. I first had my heart set on the Ford Escape or Pontiac Vibe. After checking out a few vehicles, I opted against large SUVS because of their poor mileage efficiency (and I commute many miles to work!) and higher price tag. I test drove the Toyota Matrix last night, which is basically the Japanese version of the Vibe, and fell in love with it. So today, after visiting several dealerships to get the right price, I purchased (well, financed) my very own 2005 silver Toyota Matrix. I am very excited about all the features on this baby (my old car didn't even have power locks). It is a 4 wheel drive with a moonroof, 6 cd changer with 6 speakers, fog lamps, cruise control, keyless entry, alarm system, and extended warranty. Its a great car and I'm sure Norton will love it! Yay!

Catch up...

Well, my apologies to my 2 or 3 readers who religiously checked out my blog all week to see the non-existent updates. I spent a week down in Wildwood Crest with family. It was like a big family reunion. My uncle rented a condo and we had 16 people staying there most nights. I had a great time, though, drank and ate way too much. But anyway, now I'm home and trying to get back on track.

Saturday, I went to see DMB rock out Randalls Island. It was an amazing concert and I'm happy to say that I figured out how to download the show and am listening to it right now! DMB is so cool that they let people professionally tape the show and then you can download the shows right through this site. Pretty cool!

Lately, I have been feeling like I want to be more domesticated. By the end of summer, I'd like to be able to knit and can jams and pickles. Today, I signed my sister and I up for knitting lessons and also bought some freezer jars to make jams. So we'll see how that goes!

Feelin' Lucky today!

Okay those of you who spoke to me yesterday know I had a pretty miserable night. It was as if everything that happened this week hit me all at once. But after talking to some good friends last evening and relaxing a bit, I feel pretty good today. So, tomorrow, I am going to Wildwood Crest for six days to vacation with my family. I decided to go to the library this morning to get some reading material for vacation and for the next month of summer. So here is what I borrowed.

1. Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination (renewed)(Helen Fielding)

2. Under the Tuscan Sun (Frances Mayes)

3. The Bean Trees (Barbara Kingsolver)

So I check out my books and pay my overdue fees and notice there is a book sale today. $1 for a bag of books. So I take a bag and start filling it up with tons of kids books for school. Most of the other books are old or just not really of interest to me. But then I come across a couple good ones. One that I already have but will give it to a friend who doesn't (In her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner--excellent read!) The other is a book I've been wanting to buy but is currently only available in hardcover because its pretty new. Well, the library was giving away the free advance copy they'd received. So I'm really excited about that one. Its called Chloe does Yale and is a Sex in the City type book on the campus of Yale. Should be a fun summer read!

Relaxing

Well! I finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince today! Wow wow wow what a book! I want to reread it! By far, this one is the best one yet! Anyone out there who finished it, email me and share your thoughts. I don't think I can wait 2 years for the next one to come out! Oh boy, oh boy!

My friend, Karen, is coming over soon and we're going to have a Girls Night. We're going to drink and eat and watch movies and play checkers chasers . I'm excited! I decided to be comfy so I'm clad in my pumpkin pajamas pants, pink tank top and red pullover. Yippee!

Harry Potter

Well, I am about halfway through Harry Potter #6. I think I'll finish it and then watch the third movie, which I haven't seen yet. I think I'll have a Harry Potter movie night. Anyone interested? Here's a link to something I found on Jennifer's blog. Its's pretty funny and very long but stick it out until the third time you see Snape.

Productivity

On the whole, I guess I'm not a very productive person. I'd much rather waste time on the computer or lay in bed and read or hang out at Barnes and Noble rather than do any kind of work! In fact, usually, I forget what I am supposed to do! But today, I'm going to attempt to have a productive day. I'm going to see my grandfather, rejoin Weight Watchers, go to David's Bridal to get a dress for Karen's wedding. She picked the dresses out and they are really pretty. The David's Bridal link goes right to the dress Karen picked for her bridesmaids. Anyway, I also need to go to the gym and get some stuff done around here w/ my parents being away. So lets see what I actually get done today.

May she rest...

Poor, poor Shayla. Our old tender-hearted golden retriever was suffering. She spent 24 hours at the kennel. When we realized we weren't going on vacation to Wildwood this weekend due to my cousin's accident and a error in dates booked, my sister and I went to the kennel today to retrieve the dogs. Poor Shayla could not even walk and it took the assistance of two employees to help her to the car. Lets just say Shayla wasn't in great shape as it was and the stress of the kennel only made her condition worse. So tonight it took four of us (my parents, myself, and Rich) to hoist Shayla into the car and she was put to rest at the emergency clinic.

I'll share some Shayla memories with everybody.

1. She loved being sneaky and eating the cat food. Sometimes the cats would be fed several times a day because she'd keep eating it. Whenever Shayla had fish breath, she was the culprit!

2. Before Shayla was fixed as a puppy, she had her "time of the month" twice. I have fond memories of Shayla in underwear (with a hole for her tail!)!


3. Shayla loved the snow. She liked to eat snowflakes and catch snowballs in her mouth.

4. Shayla loved giving her paw. Once she gave it to Striper, one of our kitties.

5. Shayla loved Norton. Even as an old girl, she tried to keep up with him.

May Shayla Monster/Shayla Maydala rest in peace. We loved her very much and she will be missed by everyone who knew and loved her, people and animals alive!