News You Can USE!

I haven't gotten a "pedi", as the kids are calling it, yet. Megan pinched my toe ever so slightly on Saturday and I actually yelled at her. So I may not be ready. She agreed.

In other news Calaban the Unemployed Cat (pictured here refusing to put on a tie and go to his temp job) will live to see another day! He just got a good (ish) vet report after worries that he was not doing well. We are very happy and glad. Happy AND glad! Whoa. And maybe pleased even!

I'm kind of in the mood to bite people's arms really hard or throw a shoe at a face today but I think I can feel it passing.....maybe. I think it best if I spend the night alone with a good book that's shaped like a bottle and made of glass and full of chardonnay.

Oh and we were the victims of a splatting of some kind over the weekend. I like to think it's a tomato thrown at the precise time I made a horrible joke but Jason says it's paint...and he sort of likes it....says "I think it's artistic!". Uh huh...i bet you do Jason.

Suspect #1....Jason.

Suspect #2...the Greek Mafia (I have my reasons).

Suspect #3......The Crackingtons down the street.

Suspect #4.......................oh let's say Madam.

Things to do before my 35th B-day....and on-going list.

1. get a pedicure for the first time. I have been putting this off for years because I have very sensative feet and they hurt a lot due to a joint problem. But I'm going to do it. Like next week. I don't want feet that feel like sea shells to the touch anymore. Like right now there are three band-aids falling off my toes and blood on my side foot. I mean....come on. Don't be so gross, me. I will report back.

In other news I made this for Matt in honor of his birthday. I did it in 1 min flat. Concept through execution and posting on facebook. I have a real future in smart assed, vaguely racially inappropriate birthday cat pictures and captions. Hire me!

Ain't Nuthin A'Gona Break'a'my'a'Stride

You KNOW I'm rocking a good attitude when in one day I was given a chair on the train because the man thought I was pregnant AND 30 minutes later was called "sir" on the phone by a hotel worker and I still feel like I had a pretty good day.

Indeeed

Back from my work trip to Indy. It was overwhelming but great. I was thrilled to be back in our air conditioned apartment with Jason and Calaban and the giant tv last night though. I haven't much time (haven't makes it sound dire....it's not...just felt like some fancy talk) but I'll forget this if I don't get it down.

Last night's convo before sleep.

Jason: Should we just let the cat in so that we can feel the a/c?
Me: No. (jason stands there with the door open and stares at me) No Jason. (stares) NO! He will keep us up all night. We just need a stand up fan and we'll be fine.
Jason: the fan will be like "What's the DEAL with air conditioners?"

Then we couldn't stop laughing for about ten minutes. It's good to be home. Even though our room smells like hot weather and hard times.

Calaban remains unemployed.

Slacker.

Night Terror.

I was having a nightmare about Edie Falco and whispering and a card board cut out that turned out to be a dead body and I woke up totally creeped out. I'm finally shaking it off and starting to fall back asleep when creeptown, nighttime, totally asleep Jason WHISPERS my name!

"cressssscent......"

God! It was so freaky. So then I get up to walk it off and get some milk and when I come back he's awake. I told him that he whispered my name RIGHT after I had a nightmare and what does he say?

"maybe it wasn't me."

Thank you very little, Jason.

Ooo Oooo Ooooo oooo oooooo...I got a new attitude!

Look! I have a VIEW! A VIEW!!!!!! I love it here so far. It's hard work but great people and a wonderful environment. I feel like a new woman honestly. 20lbs lighter (20 to go), working for a living, a plan for grad school, and MONEY COMING MY WAY AGAIN! It's just the best. I haven't felt this happy in awhile.

Now that I have a LAPTOP I can blog more now again. (weird sentence)

My eldest seester and her hus and her son are coming up for Ribfest this weekend so it will be a great visit in the yard with bbq and beers and a festival right up the street. I can't wait. I do wish I had some kind of powers that made my apartment clean....you know other than my power to clean it. I mean like hands free powers....blink and it's done powers.....Susan Pow-ters, I hear she needs the work. (Ohhhhhhh snap! Take that The 90's!)

HOORAY!

I got the job! I start Monday and am so excited. It's a great agency and will be challenging but I think pretty good for me. I'm just looking forward to being someplace new and making some MONEY!!!!!!

That's all for now. That picture is the delicious Prosecco Jason opened in honor of the day.

Thanks to all for your support over the past four months of my ups and downs. I can actually buy you a drink as a thank you now!

Le Decision'.

Welp I'm applying to grad school. After lots of talks with my sister and my friends and Jason I've decided to attempt a masters in social work. This might sound a little out of left field but I assure you it isn't. I've been trying to figure out a career and life that matters and reaches outside of my own little world and social work is the fit. I'm going to focus on family and couples counseling I think OR non-profit management OR hospital case work. Or maybe some other facet will catch my eye. They all really appeal to me and feel like a calling as self aggrandizing as that sounds.

On the job front, I had a second interview with a company I would love to work for and am hoping I get the job. I feel like I might but who knows. Here's hoping.

Also, lots of love and good vibes to my mom today who is having surgery on both of her knees. Ugh. But hopefully it will give her some pain relief once they heal.

Anyway, like I always say, every time something difficult happens it's closely followed by a great opportunity or, at the very least, a sense of clarity. That's the one thing you can really, truly count on in life, thankfully.

And for no reason at all I give you earless Calaban.

Phew!

Firstly, thank you Hixx and Mark for being so great. Hearing your stories and knowing I am not alone really helps. I will take your advice.

In fact, I already have. I'm feeling like a new person this week. I think it was a combo of a wonderful game night on Friday and then a trip to Milwaukee on Saturday with Jason. Just doing different things really helped my 'tude.

Monday I worked all day with Jason at a big industry wine tasting then got to go to the fancy dinner afterwards. It felt so good to work hard and use my brain for a day! I was terrified at first because as much as I enjoy the drinking of the wines I really don't retain much info about them. I was lucky to have the support and knowledge of Jason and his co-workers though so by the middle of the day I felt like an expert on 2007 Rufina Chianti and the other three wines that I've now forgotten.

AND I got a call for a possible phone interview for an ad agency that I'm dying to work at! (bad grammar alert!) At which working at I am dying to? Dying to work at this place am I? Whatever....point is it's good news and just the little bite I needed to feel like there are good things in store.

I'm going home this weekend finally and can't wait to see my house and my street and my yard. It's going to be sunny and warm and all of us will be there at once! I plan to ride my mom's awesome brown bike all around my old haunts and will probably eat some Italian Fries from The Springville Wharf and might even hit the square for some 1.50 beers.

So thank you all for letting me have my week of poor me. I can't promise it won't happen again but today feels great and that's where I'm going to live for now.

Also I've lost almost 10 lbs just by being kind of depressed last week! Let's hear it for looking on the bright side!

Love and kisses,

C

Unemployment....month 2

I've hit some weird phase in this process that is making me feel like crying, literally, every second. I hate it. It's been three or four days of this and I can't shake it. I'm not like in off myself mode or anything, I just have this awful blanket feeling that I've taken pretty much all the wrong turns possible career-wise. I feel kind of dreamless and lost and embarrassed and disappointed in myself. It's a heady and unattractive brew, let me tell you. I've never wanted to be around myself less.

Oh and our new grill was stolen in the night. Obviously not a tragedy but dang. That is the SECOND time in our marriage that someone has given us a grill and then someone bad has stolen it off our property.

It's so against my nature to even TALK like this but I think maybe just being honest about it might help a little. It embarrasses me to be this down but I just am and people say that's okay so it must be. Although I want it over now. I'm tired of it and have to find a way out asap.

SO here's a list of things I'm going to try to do to feel better:
bike ride
zoo
volunteer
remember how many great friends I have and that THAT is a true success
go home next week (was supposed to go this weekend but something else came up)
have fun in Milwaukee this weekend (that's what came up)
leave the house more so Jason has some time without me pouting around
don't take yourself so seriously
don't be so sensativo all the time
floss
go to church
brush hair more
stop furrowing brow
get into a book
be thankful you have such a wonderful family and husband
try and watch some more bloopers with hats flying off and/or cats meowing words

What a maroon.

Oh Calaban. What would I do without you.

Remember Pacino?

I had a dream last night that I worked for a sit com called "Remember Pacino!?". It was about his addiction to caffeine. I was the narrator and started the ep with a voice over saying "How many cups has Al had TODAY? Remember Pacino??".

So the scene starts with Pacino looking totally strung out and pale talking to his personal assistant who was this total 80's type sit com nerd.

Archetypal 80's Sitcom Nervous guy: "Uh Mr. Pacino, Sir, would you like to fly out of O'Hare or Midway?"

Pacino: MIDWAY????!!! Is that a crack about how much coffee I drink???!

(Studio Audience goes wild with laughter and applause)

Park de la Oaks

So I spent a few hours on Wednesday in Oak Park, IL. I just got on the train and went without a plan. I ended up checking out the Hemingway Museum which was interesting. Then I just walked and walked and walked and looked at giant houses that I loved.
I want to live in all of them. At once.

Next week I'm going to the Conservatory and am very excited.

Today we go to Madison for my dad and sister's b-day parties and my nephew's first gig with his band. Also, meatballs are involved so I'm pretty stoked.

Detox? I hardly know her!

I'm taking this week to not drink, not take cold meds at night and not to worry too hard. So far so good even though it's only Tuesday.

I just felt a need to really clear my head and regroup a little. Don't get me wrong....Sunday night I'll be enjoying a glass of wine for sure. Just maybe in a different way and not following it with the rest of the bottle. Maybe. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Anyway, I will keep you posted. I'm also going to go to a movie alone. Take the train to Oak Park. Find a volunteer opportunity that fits my life and wants. Trying meditation.

Stay tuned for the antics that are sure to follow each and every one of these activities.

Love,
C

Unemployment....Day...whatever.

hello.

Quick story.

Yesterday I woke up and got on the compy. A few minutes later my cat starts meowing like crazy and proceeds to have the cat craps all over the side of his box. The OUTside. I have had a cold so I've already got the coughs. So I'm trying to hold my breath while cleaning it and accidentally took a real deep one and started gagging and coughing and I threw up on my own floor. Ask Jason. It's all true. So I had to clean up cat poop and my own vomit. Good thing I don't have a job or I would've missed out on that.

Other than that things are going great.

Love,
Crescent

Unemployment....Day One

I feel very weird. I haven't been without a job in years and even then I was such a different person that I don't even really remember how I coped. If I recall correctly it was....well....poorly.

This time I have my head on straight(ish) and really wonderful and supportive friends and family. I wasn't fired so there's no bad blood or punch to the ego. None the less I still just feel really weird. Hixx (who recently went through the same thing) said that this is normal and will balance out. She also told me to rebel a little and I think that's good advice and makes me feel enpowered even if I don't totally know how to go about it.

Anyway, here was my day in a nutshell....or pictureshell.

Went to apply for unemployment for the first time in life only to find it's on a maintence break. Hmmmm I wonder what is going on BEHIND my computer. (when you hear the ding....turn the page to find out!)

DING!

It's Calaban! He was hiding. Awww. I better rub his ears and belly for an hour or so.

DING! He's still there! Maybe he would like an ice cube and some lap time.

DING! Having one bloody mary while I watch Arrested Development is okay. It is!

DING!

Having two bloody mary's while watching Wife Swap is totally acceptable. It is! Stop looking at me like that.

DING! Jason's home! Thank GOD. I can talk outside of my head now. That's a load off. Hi Jason! How was your day? What are you doing? What's that you're making? Pork chops? Great! Can you make mine extra salty and garlicly? What's that you say? You AREN'T going out tonight? That's great! We can play cards right here!!!! Why are you crying? What do you MEAN "personal space"? Anyway, I have 62 hours of America's Funniest Home Vids on the DVR! Let's cuddle! Do you have wine? Stop crying!

Better.

Jason and I (really mostly Jason) washed all our bedding yesterday and so I got a good nights sleep last night. Man that helps the world not seem so terrifying, doesn't it? When Jason got home from cards and got into bed he said "Whoa! It smells like clean blankets!!!". Such a small but wonderful thing in THIS economy.

Also music. I must remember to listen to music at work until this storm passes. It really makes all a difference. Or makes things feel more like a movie which for some weird reason makes me more hopeful about life in general. Like my story is going to be up and down but in the end I'll surprise everyone and do something important or something.

Hanging in there kitties. That's all we can do.

Also, Michigan this weekend. That will be a lifesaver.

Ran Domes.

Work times are scary. Will know more on Wednesday hopefully.
Our cat is peeing on the bed for some reason.
I'm finally feeling better thanks to doing nothing but sleeping and eating on Saturday.
I always miss Jason on Monday mornings.
Old peepers. (for Jason and Tim)
Duffy's is a terrifying place on Sunday afternoons in which there are sporting events in Illinois.
Feast was a much less terrifying place for Sunday brunch. Glad that's where we ended up.
If I'm still around at work I have a four day weekend coming up thank GOD.

Love,
C

upon further reflection...

We can't make this work. That "apple dessert" made my eyes water. Good thing I have a drawer full of my new favorite thing in the world....no not Big Macs....although can you IMAGINE???

No these. Paul Newman's (RIP) Pretzels. They are so good I could kick a pool shark. (newman ref.)

UPDATE

the chicken kind of tastes like water wings used to smell. Or rafts.

Still okay over all though. However, I think this warrants changing our dating status to "it's complicated".

So LC and I are dating again.

He's CHANGED! I swear. He's different when it's just the two of us.

I'm trying the full meal again. Chicken with penne and veggies and "an apple dessert". So that's a little vague but I'll live.

What it's supposed to look like: (except the "apple dessert" is missing in this pic....extra mystery EDITED TO ADD! NO WAIT! THERE it is in the background!)

What it REALLY looks like:

I was extra hesitant on this one because Jason has been rocking out the meals lately and making frozen food seem so very last year. BUT it's good! I like that the sauce isn't too garlicky or thick. The noodles are the perfect texture and the veggies don't terrify me.

The "apple dessert" I haven't gotten to yet, but I did eat a noodle that fell in there and it tasted pretty alright!

So yeah. Lean C gets another chance but that's IT! I'm serious. Make me almost barf once, shame on you. Make me almost barf twice, shame on me.

I love you,

Crescent

FurFurFriday!

Well I had a weird/rough week but made it out unscathed (so far). I still think bad things are afoot at the Circle K (job) but I'm going to stay positive and enjoy my weekend.

I just sneezed a million times in a row. I'm not even exaggerating you guys. One million. I counted. Maybe a little under but not much. I hope this cold goes away over the weekend. Tonight I plan to eat the hottest foods I can find at Korean BBQ and sizzle my sinuses clear! Hopefully it won't also clear the rest of me. Youch! Ahhhh bathroom humor. Is there anything it CAN'T do? (doo)

I love you.
Crescent

Good things

1. My mom has turned a corner for the better today. My dad says she is out of bed for the first time in a week or two and thinks she might be on an upswing. I can't even begin to express the load off my mind THAT is. There's more healing and work and doctors in the future but at least she's not so so so sick.


2. A boss told me I smelled good today. THAT I was not expecting since I overslept and my socks might not match or be clean.


3. My friends are so funny and fresh it's not even funny...or fresh.


4. My weekend is going to have to be a cheap/free one but I'm totally stoked about it none the less. Sometimes being kind of poor is a nice excuse to just relax and watch your giant t.v. with your husband and cat.


5. Our new giant T.V. and great last names.

Calaban sayz......

Randoms:

I'm a cat person through and through and so is Jason which is so great.

Jason and I are a good team. Like not just in marriage but in games and dog sitting.

Lost!!!! Top Chef! What a night of television!

My mom is really sick so please send her some healing vibes if you can. I think/hope she'll be okay with some new meds but we're worried and want her better faster.

Bad Girls Club ruled last night, son.

I don't like the Subway Club anymore. Too much meat harmony. I like my meat segregated.

Infamy indeed.

That was an unexpected visit from the borderline abusive boyfriend from high school that tells you that you hang out with your friends too much.

Holy Toledo. The BBQ sauce is still burning my tongue. The apples blew up in the microwave and then tasted like peels. The potates were not even worthy of my nickname of potates. They were more like.....puketots.

I'm so glad that's over. I'll probably need to talk with the guidance counselors a few more times before I feel ready to go back to chem lab but for now I think I'm gonna make it.

Let's just end this now before anyone else gets hurt.

What it was supposed to look like:

What it really looked like (and don't be fooled. just because he looks good in a pair of chinos don't mean he knows how to treat a lady):

What it ended up being:

GOOOOOD night!

oh dear.

It's a nightmare. Going to Subway.

oh dear.

It's a nightmare. Going to Subway.

A Day That Will Live in Infamy.

Ya'll ready for this?

Today I try the all inclusive...the Cabo San Lucas Apple Resort Vacation package of frozen diet lunches.

BBQ Chicken breast? check.

Roasted potates! sure!

Broc! fair enough.

Apple type dessert? What do YOU think?

Stay tuned. Today's lunch has the potential to blow minds and delight tastebuds!*

*or it could be totally sick and gross.

Stay tuned!!!! Lunch at 1!

Diet Lunches 2009!

I am trying a few new things this week so stay tuned for diet lunch funtimes! (everyone try and stay off the edge of your seats please)

Today: I took a break from the frozen meals to try the new Fresh Mixer pastas. As of this week I'm going to be working on lowering my sodium intake along with the weight loss. I don't salt stuff but these diet lunches are sometimes loaded with it. Healthy Choice tends to be lower sodium so you'll be seeing a few appearances by Him this week. That's right. Healthy Choice is a boy.

What is is supposed to look like

What is really looks like. Pretty close this time!

It's easy to make and has a cute little strainer lid included. I like my pasta a little undercooked so instead of leaving it in for 3 and a half mins I just left it in for 3 and that was perfect...for me at least. The sauce is good but really sweet. And the noodles are teeny tiny just so you know. I was expecting big rotini for some reason which is kind of dumb of me since I could see the noodles in the store before purchase. I guess I thought they were maybe like those dinosaurs that get giant in water. They aren't.

I rate the Fresh Mixer as the new guy at school who is very smart but not always as funny as you want him to be. Also, he wears jazz shoes with jeans sometimes.

7 out of 10.

Post Holiday Post.

We had a great holiday, of course. The only thing you need to know is this:

On our way to Madison it was blizzarding like mad and as joke Jason rolled down my window. Ha ha ha. Then the window never went back up. It was stuck. Totally stuck all the way down.

We tried to tape a garbage bag over it but the second we hit the highway it was sucked out the window.

We had an hour left in our drive IN THE SLEET AND SNOW. I put on all my packer outdoor gear and Jason made up Christmas songs and commercial jingles to pass the time.

Once we got to my sister's Jason and Jon (brother in law) had to take off the door panel and finally were able to get the window back up, thank jeebus.

That is all. I just don't want to forget that story because it was classic Jason and Crescent and for some weird reason made me love him even more.

Love,
Crescent

Don't blog with your mouth full...

What? I'm sorry I didn't catch that....did you ask "so Crescent, how much weight have you lost?"? You did? Oh well I hate to blog out of school but I've lost TEN POUNDS mutha flippaz!!!!! I'm very excited. I can't really see it yet but I can feel it, if that makes sense. I don't feel so "OW! MY KNEES!" or "DAMN! MY BACK!" as I did before. I have a long way to go (35 more lbs) but damn it feels good to be a gangsta.

SO in light of that I treated myself to the Smart Ones ravioli Florentine today along with my salad of carrots and greens (has anyone seen the dog whisperer South Park where Cartman is all changed and says "don't worry mother...I'm simply having a breakfast of lean ham and melon" or something like that? Anyway, that's how I read that last line in my head voice.)

I gotta say, these Smart Ones are winning the race and my heart.

What it's supposed to look like:

What it really looks like:

Oh.....whoops. Sorry about that. But I guess that will serve as my rating for today.

Walk a few feet in my shoes.

In the past 20 minutes I have:

• Learned how to set up a video conference with laptop capabilities.
• Seen a horrible image of how I look on a video conference in this outfit and with my hair not really "done" that I shant soon forget.
• Had a stomach emergency (due to stupid Lean Cuisine Stir Fry bowl. I'm not even blogging about it I'm so mad)
• Dumped hot coffee all over my front. I shall smell of work coffee for the rest of my days.
• Dumped MORE hot coffee all over the floor trying to get it into a carafe'.
• McGuyver'd that shiz by figuring out a way to get the coffee out of the giant dispenser and into the carafe' via a measuring cup in a timely manner WHILE enduring possible 7th degree front of body burns.
• LOUDLY dropped an ice cube pincher in the middle of a meeting
• Found out the meeting I was REALLY worried about setting up tomorrow is being taken care of by someone else....which honestly makes the last 20 minutes totally worth it.
• Someone is going to sleep like a champ tonight.

PS!

I also have fallen into a crazed hysterical lust with THIS product.





It tastes just like you are eating a giant Asian salad even though it was only carrots and greens. AND it's one calorie a squirt! (I think the preferred nomenclature is "spray" but I gotta be me).



Paul Newman's dressings in general are the best around.....nothing is gonna EVER keep them down. Not even DEATH!

.......too soon?

A dark horse...

I may have found my frozen diet meal love of a lifetime. We are talking about maybe getting a little place together in the burbs (I typed the burps the first time....that too) and buying a few pure bred dogs and cars. We are THAT in love.

What's it's supposed to look like:

What it REALLLLLY looks like:

This is the one you guys. The chicken is perfectly cooked and tastes like an actual chicken breast as opposed to most frozen chicken dishes. The sauce was like some awesome divey Italian restaurant with Chianti bottle candles on the tables and checkered bibs to wear. The NOODLES....dear god...the noodles. They are fat like an opera singer and tasty like an...um....thing that tastes good. (BOOOO!!! Audience throws tomatoes at my head).

Morgan (hi Morgie!) and I hit the Jewel last night and she talked me into some diet frozen lunch risks. I usually only get Lean Cuisine but I gotsta tell you......Smart Ones might just have my number.

Rating: making out on the pier with this lunch and forgetting to go to bio lab.

"Give it a minute....it's going to SPACE!"

I stole this from another blog but it's perfect. Jason you will extra love this.

Lasagna.....Guest blogger Fabio from Top Cheeef!

What it supposed to look a'like:

What it a' REEAly look a'like:

How it taste!: Just'a like a'the real ting! (Kisses fingers and says "MUAH! Deliciousio!" and tosses a pizza pie up in the air and catches it and winks)

What I give dis: Many keeeses on a'your'a face! 9.5! (winks again)

Thanks Fabio. You are a REAL Italian and a national treasure.

Cool new feature!

So it's finally happened. I'm on Weight Watchers and it's going very well actually. I'm down 5 lbs in 2 weeks and not feeling TOO homicidal.

Anyway, I thought I'd rate my frozen diet lunches a few times a week because EVERYONE wants to know about dis!!!!! Right? Right.

Today's Lunch: Lean Cuisine Sesame Stir Fry with Chicken

Points: 6

What it's supposed to look like:

What it ACTUALLY looks like:

How it tastes: Pretty decent. The little beans are sad and dry but the noodles are good and let's face it....that's what I'm in it for. If I can't lose weight by going home and eating a giant pan full of buttered noodles with cheese then I need some noodle in my day to day.

Rating on a scale of 1-5 (1 being "you kept me from punching people today, dear lunch" and 5 being "Why can't you be more like Big Mac, you failure."):

3.5 I just wish there was more of you. Like five more servings. Plus the chicken ooged me out a few times.

Tune in tomorrow for one of my all time favorites.....Lasagna. It's little but it almost makes you not want to eat your hand.

Love,

Crescent

Thanks! Giving!

Hi.

We had the best Thanksgiving weekend of all time. Seriously. OF ALL TIME!!!

In other news....I had a dream last night that I was on a reality show again. This time the challenge was to jog in place for 3 hours. I knew I was going to lose and started crying. I hate reality show cryers, but there I was. Bawling and knowing I was going to be kicked off. I woke up before the elimination but I bet if I would have stayed asleep I would have said "You haven't seen the last of Crescent. I'm not here to make friends. They threw me under the bus."

I had a great dream about Leona's though so that made up for it.