Life lately, according to my iPad

So- I got on to post this and saw that my friend did a similar post the other day... so this one is for all the copy cats out there in the world. Thanks for the inspiration, Amy.

January marked a special birthday for my oldest nephew. The BIG EIGHT! So of course, that required an epic cake!

When I first moved in, I had another "look ma, no man!" moment. My dryer came with the wrong cord and the fix it place wouldn't... well, fix it. So they gave me a cord and made me do it myself. Which I DID! I know so many people will just say, "that's an easy fix" but for a girl who really doesn't know how to do anything, it's a pretty big deal!

Friday I went and had my hair done. Seriously- I'm not complaining... but I have so freaking much hair, it's really not fair to small, bald countries. This is what was cut off- and this is just the bulk. none of it was length (well, the tiny wet ones at the bottom of the picture were length, like maybe an inch).

Easter is upon us... and with it comes one of my greatest weaknesses: Zachary's marshmallow eggs. They're the cheapie charlie kind of candy that I can't resist. I single-handedly keep this company afloat.  It's not an addiction. I can stop it if I want to.

A bad way to get motivated

I did something really stupid tonight. I got off work and came home all jazzed to watch Captain America on Netflix. Yeah- it's not there anymore. Jerks. HOW am I supposed to get excited for the new movie if I can't watch the whole marathon?!?

ANYWAY-

There was no other movie that I wanted to watch- so I just flipped channels. I very stupidly landed on TLC. I stopped watching TLC like, 10 years ago when Trading Spaces started getting too ridiculous (gluing moss to the walls? Really Hildy? Who does that?). I'd heard of the show My 600 Pound Life and I'd seen clips of the show Hoarders but I'd never seen either of them. I don't know why I was intrigued to leave it on that channel tonight instead of watching reruns of American Pickers, but curiosity won out.

Can I just say... Ew. Just.... ew.

 I don't know if I can shake the heebie jeebies I got watching that poor old man live in a complete infestation of roaches. I haven't seen a roach since New Jersey (Amy- you know what I'm talking about... dinners? roaches running up your leg?) and it just brought back too many creepy crawly memories.

And that woman used so many of the same excuses I use for not working out and working hard. I say I'm trying- but I know it's a half @$$ effort.

I can't say that I will make watching these shows a regular habit (because honestly I'd rather watch Star Trek reruns) but maybe every once in a while when I need a little motivation... it worked because first thing tomorrow I'm going to the gym- and as soon as I get home from work I'm scrubbing every inch of this house.

Erin Go Bragh

Did you honestly think I'd let a St Patrick's day go by without a post? Sigh... how little you know me.

I don't know why- but I just love it. Is it because of all the green? Is it because of my partial Irish heritage? is it because there's a little bit of me that hopes for a wee bit o magic?

For my coworkers I made these magical cupcakes;

they didn't turn out quite how I planned them- but they were pretty last minute so good enough- I guess.

Dinner tonight was... well, some of it was nearly authentic.. and some of it not even close, but I tried hard.

I'm still trying to figure out this cooking for one business. I only know how to cook for a multitude.


And there was a visit from a little green fairy.

More like a jolly green giant- but you get the idea.

Concerning Flirting

I'm opening a forum. Please please PLEASE chime in.

Today at work I was accused of having a "flirt voice". I wasn't offended... just kinda bugged. I submit that I do *not* have a flirt voice. I admit- I flirt with firemen. Who doesn't? seriously? Other than saving lives and putting out fires, that's about all their good for. But when I was accused, the person I was talking to at the time was a married doctor in whom I less that zero interest and we were talking about his family.

I know I'm just being nice- and that's all that matters. But are other people perceiving me to be flirting with married men? Just because I can laugh and talk with them a lot easier than I can with single ones? I'm not flirting. *That's* the more normal me. My poor co-workers generally see the bored-out-of-my-mind-please-just-make-it-come-to-an-end version of me. So maybe they don't know that usually- in normal company (although I'm a little out of practice) I'm generally thought pretty charming and fun to talk to.

Is that flirting? I don't think so.

I think the definition of flirting is using charms in a "hey, I want you to notice me" kind of way. Not a "I'm just a nice person and I'm genuinely interested in what you have to say" kind of way. I mean- I know when I'm flirting. I act like an imbecile. At least I *feel* like I'm acting like an imbecile. But when I'm just talking to someone- I'm just being the awesome person that I am.

Weigh in here folks. What is flirting? I mean, I know it's more than the wink and "come hither" stare... and more than the Tribbiani, "How YOU doin?" When I was 19 I got an article from a magazine that talked about flirting. It had the tips on The Arm Grab, and how to twirl your locks in an alluring way (never did master that one), and dangling your sandals from your toes (seriously, that's flirting???).

I don't know- maybe I've been doing it wrong all these years and that's why I'm sitting here, writing about flirting at 11:30 on a Tuesday night.

My Weekend According to Pinterest

My sister Kim and my mom came to visit this weekend. We partied it up real nice for my mom's birthday (and by "party" I mean we went to lunch at Leatherby's) and Kim helped me get my house put together (yes- I give all the credit of the previous post to her).

But during the times I was avoiding work saving my energy, I pinned some fun things that describe my life on Pinterest.

I haven't found that tutorial yet- but I'll die trying. Along these lines... I've just learned that my BluRay plays YouTube...

I've given up.

I'd just like to mention that I've found a new (to me) show called The IT Crowd. Frickin hilarious!

When you have a weird work schedule, sometimes this happens.

Which is why it's best to avoid it.

This is how I felt when my neighbor's invited me over for dinner. They're very nice- but meeting new people isn't my favorite thing.

and then there's this...

Sneak Peek

Ok, Ok geez! I KNOW you've all been dying to see my new place! Calm yourselves... wait.. any calmer and you'd be dead. BREATHE dammit!! BREATHE!

Ok... now that THAT little drama is over...

The place is still a work in progress. I was hoping to be able to present the whole finished product to you all at once. Since I've run out of money- I can't do that and instead of making you wait another 17 years- I'll just have to do it bit by bit.

I wanted to start on the living room since that is the room I spend the most time in (especially now that I have TV and Internet! My Friday nights are booked for the rest of my life!) and the one that should anyone dare come to visit- it is the (only) room they'll see (bathroom's next).

Here is the before:

The walls were a kind of egg shell. That thing is built into the wall... I'm not going to show you what's going on on that wall yet- because it's not done- and hopefully when it is, it will be awesome!

Here is some of the after:

Isn't that clock freaking awesome!? I looooooooooove my clock! and I love sound of the tick tock tick tock. The peacock is a little something my mom created years ago and it hung in her room for my entire childhood. The fireplace is a loaner from my sister, Kim. It's really funny- looking at these pictures you can really see the difference in the wall colors- but most people when they come over (and by "most" I mean like, my aunt and cousin and three friends) can't see the difference. It's really subtle- but you can really REALLY see it in this picture- but all the walls are grey.

This is my picture wall. There are no pictures yet- but seriously, I love it so much I was dying to post these. The pictures that will go on this wall though will be stuff like my Mom's graduation photo, a picture of my Grandma in her 20's and other such awesome black and white pics.

Here is a fuller view. Isn't my rug AMAZING!?! Oh my gosh! I honestly believe in love at first sight because the second I saw this rug a few months ago- I knew it was the one for me!

Aaaaanyhoo- there is your first glimpse of my place. Hopefully it won't be toooooo terribly long before I can show you the next one.