Month: July 2012

Tuesday Randomness

Posted on by Amy

Well hello from Nashville! It is amazing what a change in job and location can do for your attitude. But never fear, I still have some snarky randomness left in me.

  • In my dreams I am an Olympic gymnast. . .I tried gymnastics briefly as a latchkey kid. The only even that I really, really liked was the beam.
  • I guess it is a good thing I didn’t go far with that dream, I would have ended up in a full body cast!
  • I can still hear Bela Karolyi screaming “YOU CAN DO IT!” at Kerri Strug
  • I love watching the Olympics even if it reminds me of how uncoordinated I am
  • My commute is a dream, well I could change my mind when school starts back but as of right now, I am really enjoying it!
  • Wookie woke me up early this morning crying, I believe he was having a nightmare
  • My apartment is currently clean, HA!
  • There is no betting allowed as to when it will be destroyed
  • I have been reading a book about Queen Elizabeth II, I am really enjoying it but man, it is taking me a long time to get through it
  • I have to get back on the horse in terms of working out, I am dreading the first few workouts
  • While I really enjoy watching the swimming competition, the way the guys in particular flap their arms kind of creeps me out. Maybe it is the whole wingspan thing, it is wider than I am tall. . .
  • I am loving my new job and being back home, it is exciting to realize I don’t have to rush around to get everything in during a weekend visit
  • I am very thankful that I got the opportunity to come back

And with that, I am hitting the hay! Wook wants me to read to him, silly cat.

Packing is for the Birds

Posted on by Amy

I am beat, tired, sore, sweaty and overwhelmed. One would think that after about a million moves, that I would have this down to a science. Um, no. I am very guilty of holding on to things and not wanting to get rid of them. This has become a running joke among friends and my mom.

To date, I have thrown away I don’t know how much stuff as well as left a very large pile of items to be donated and I still have some stuff to pack. Luckily the kitchen is done. That is my biggest challenge with every move. I love to cook and with that love comes a lot of pots, pans, utensils and spices. A huge thank you to Bird who helped me tackle this Saturday. Sister, you are the best thing since sliced bread. Thanks for unpacking that mess two and a half years ago and thank you for packing it back up this past weekend. I would still be staring at it probably debating on chucking it instead of taking it with me.

As usual, mom has given me tips, pointers, mild suggestions and full on insults when it comes to all of my stuff, my cleaning ability and Wook’s litter box. I can safely say I did not get the neat gene from her. I am a disaster when it comes to keeping my place put together.

I also got some help in the muscle department when it came to getting rid of stuff via the dumpster. I don’t think I would have been able to toss what I did if it hadn’t been for some extra hands. I will try my best not to accumulate so much next time. I said try. . .

Two and a half years ago I had to face a reality that I didn’t much care for, it was a bitter pill to swallow. While I did grow up here, home is Nashville and I hope that my friends and family here understand that this feeling isn’t about them. I found myself in Nashville, I grew up there, created a family of friends and could be myself. It’s where I learned to live on my own.

I looked at other cities when looking for a new opportunity, but I always came back to Nashville. I am a city girl at heart and Nashville gives me a taste of the city but always lets me be a couple hours away from the parental unit. Hopefully this go around they will visit. Mom prefers the beach, dad prefers the mountains and Nashville has neither. As I have repeated often to them, at least I didn’t pick up and move to DC or NYC or Baltimore. See this could have been much worse, well at least for them!

I feel like I am coming out of a long term funk, one that was temporarily raised during my time with Chandler. He knew better than I did at the time that this wasn’t home to me and that my happiness was in a city that by all accounts, he strongly disliked.

As I have told the Queen, I am going to make an effort to do more this time. I am going to be thankful every day to be home. I am also going to take advantage of my really long list of restaurants that I want to hit.

But first I have a bit more packing to do, two more sleeps here and then the Wookster and I are heading home. Bless my cat for having to endure the back and forth. I am quite the lucky girl to be heading back there and have a great group of friends that are ready to help me unpack and probably tease me for having so much stuff.

Tuesday Randomness

Posted on by Amy

Up to my ears in lists, stuff and more stuff. I am excited about the move but man, as often as I have moved, you would think I had this down pat. Not. So here we go, next to last Tuesday Randomness here in Chattanooga.

  • My cubicle is packed, don’t ask me how I managed that. I also purged, so there you go!
  • I have been going through my stuff, dividing out what to take, what to toss and what to give away.
  • Biggest goal will be my clothes. what can’t be hung or fit into a drawer will need to find a small home to hang in for the duration of the move.
  • The kitchen will be dealt with Saturday with Bird. Pray for her, this could get ugly!
  • Things that keep popping in my head: Central Time! I have missed you so much, life is so much easier on Central Time. . .
  • Friends, oh my, I can’t wait to see all of you; never take for granted the love of your friendships.
  • The restaurants! The shopping! The wandering around in the city that I love, yes life is good.
  • But if anyone wants to be tortured, please feel free to stop by and help (especially if you have a truck). I am purging and need to get it all out of here before the movers arrive next Wednesday.

Holy crap! In one week, I will be a resident of Davidson county again! I am so thankful and can’t wait. Now back to packing and purging. . .

Where The Streets Are Paved With Gold

Posted on by Amy

Chandler used to say this all the time about Nashville and my love for the city. Well, I am happy to finally say, I AM GOING HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After two and half years back in Chattanooga, I am finally relocating back to my home. I can’t stop smiling, laughing and pinching myself because this just seems all to good to be true. The streets aren’t really paved in gold but it has almost everything that I love there.

Now I am up to my armpits in organizing, packing, purging and trying to remember everything that I need to get done, all in a very short amount of time. Poor Bird gets the honor of helping me pack up my kitchen, bless her, she had to unpack it (with the help of my mom) when I moved back.

Wookie is excited to be heading back home but I don’t think he has figured out the whole, “we have to be in a car for a couple of hours” part. The Queen, Cherry, Debbie Do, Shy and many others have been put on notification that I will bribe them with food and drinks to help me unpack. Plus a little pool time might help as well. . .

I am so excited at this new opportunity and the chance to live in Nashville again. I can’t wait to get back into my routine, hit up the farmer’s market, hang out with friends, walk around Radnor and get reacquainted with Nashville.

I love and will miss all of my friends and family back here but my heart belongs to Nashville and this girl has a lot of stumbling through life there.

WOOT!

Tuesday Randomness

Posted on by Amy

This post is brought to you by RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sweet, glorious, where have you been all summer RAIN. And it could also be brought to you by humidity, big hair and some cooties (just for good measure).

  • It has rained two days in a row here! Of course the total time that it has rained only amounts to maybe an hour, but we got some rain
  • Downtown flooded a bit and I got to see pictures of umm, interesting people “surfing” on random pieces of wood
  • I am beyond thankful to not have to deal with temps in the 100s currently, I know that some people love the heat but me? Throw me some snow and I will be a happy camper!
  • Working out when it is that hot is a lot harder than it should be since I am indoors
  • My trainer likes to really throw it at me when all I want to do is get into a kiddie pool filled with ice
  • Last week I talked my trainer into doing one handstand pushup for me in exchange for a five minute high intensity treadmill romp (normally during circuit training I do cardio for two minutes and then lift weights)
  • I should have made him do two for my five minutes
  • I was in a cooking mood this past weekend, I made baby quiches (which I decided I didn’t care for, I prefer the other way) and a pizza
  • I got the dough from the deli section at Publix, rolling it out is a pain
  • I tried to do the toss and spin thing that I have seen done before. . .
  • My floor now has flour on it, oops
  • I finally tried this cake recipe mom had been talking about, you get a box of Angel Food mix and a box of our favorite cake mix, combine in ziploc bag; use three tablespoons of mix with two tablespoons of water in microwave safe ramekin, cook for one minute
  • A tasty treat and just the right size as well!
  • I am finally purging crap out of my apartment, it only takes two years of thinking about it before doing it
  • Now I just need to get the old mattresses out to the dumpster
  • Oh and rebox all of my Christmas ornaments. . .didn’t quite do that when I took the tree down last year
  • Yes, I am a disaster
  • Yes, please come help me
  • My rash or as I like to call it, my cooties are still with me and it is driving me crazy

So pardon me while I go make another list of things I need to do (and will ponder for another two years) and itch all my itchy spots!

The One Where I Miss a Tuesday

Posted on by Amy

I had an excellent reason why I didn’t blog this past week. . .it’s called Def Leppard and The Rock of Ages Tour. Money well spent and I will already say, I can’t wait to see them again. For those of you scratching your heads as to why I am so old school when it comes to concerts, well; if I am going to spend my money on a show I am going to hit up the acts that I really want to see.

At one point,  I had a small interest in seeing Van Halan, but after talking to Hooch, I am so glad I didn’t. Seems Roth’s voice is shot. No thank you. And as much as I liked Lita Ford growing up (seriously loved the girl rockers of the 80s) she didn’t sound too hot opening for Def Leppard. Poison? I did enjoy their set but I would give my eye teeth for someone to pull Brett Michaels’ weave off his head. Dude, let it go, your hair is gone, it isn’t that big of a deal.

The people watching was top notch. The neon colors of years past is back, as is the skimpy ho dresses. To keep with my, I so don’t look like someone hitting a Leppard concert, I wore capris and my madras dress which is still being used as a long shirt. I got Stace to take this picture with the British flag in the background.

While it would have been nice to have gone to the Atlanta show, I am kind of glad I didn’t. The heat would have killed me! Overall, it was worth the time, money and drive up to Nashville.

I also got in one last visit with Sonia and her family. They are heading up to Baltimore at the end up the month for a job. I will miss them but that just means I can visit and we can hit up all the great places in DC. And NYC.

I have been hiding indoors most of the week although I did manage to hit the pool for a bit today. And the one time I don’t take my phone with me, my parents blow it up about meeting for lunch. I looked a little rough but that’s okay.

Hopefully I can get back on schedule and maybe, just maybe, we will get some rain. . .

I’m Melting

Posted on by Amy

The heat is killing me. I know it has to be killing everyone else as well. And I am completely grateful for air conditioning and working inside because I really don’t know how those who have to work outside manage it.

It is one thing for me to be dripping with sweat during and after a workout. I don’t particularly love it but I can deal with it. But walking to my car and dripping sweat because I happen to be outside heading to my car? Not a fan. . .

This weekend provided a lot of entertainment for me indoors. I went with Bird Friday night to see Magic Mike. Now this type of movie may not be everyone’s cup of tea but visually speaking, it was nice. A few minor hiccups went into the viewing of this movie.

I really enjoy seeing people who act as if this is there very first time out in public. A large group of women (and a token man) came into the theater at the last moment, celebrating a birthday. They all wanted to sit together but seeing as how they arrived so late in the game, they had to settle for several rows somewhat piecemealed together.

They then proceeded to chat, take pictures and upload them onto Facebook. In fact, they even used their flash on their phones while taking pictures during the previews. I would personally like to thank them for temporarily blinding me. Then I got to hear them as they all laughed about dinner and each others posts on FB about being together.

Seriously? You pay almost $10 to go see a movie, with friends and spend the majority of the time on social media instead of watching the movie? You must either have a money tree or crap out money because this was over the top. At one point, they had all finally settled down to watch the movie and the person right in front of Bird started checking her phone and sharing with her seatmate. Since I wasn’t in the mood to climb over half of the birthday party I started kicking the back of her seat. She turned to look and I just smiled.

We were also treated to commentary through part of the movie, a la Mystery Science Theater 2000. Apparently the commentators preferred the sex scenes and stripping scenes more than the plot. I get it but dude, you can be heard by the whole of the theater. We don’t care what your thoughts are, we care about getting our money’s worth. Someone from behind my row finally yelled, “Shut up” and they finally did.

Sure the plot was predictable, the acting wasn’t Oscar worthy but the visual. . . that was nice. And sometimes I just want to see some form of entertainment without having to use my brain. It is a fantasy not reality.

And for the record, if I were with a guy and he wanted a guys night out and was all excited to see something similar I wouldn’t mind. This could be my age talking, but if I am with someone, I trust them and never take issue with this. Plus, I understand there is a difference between fantasy and reality.

Last night I went to the other extreme and went to see The Trousdale School’s annual musical. It was wonderful, as usual. And my buddy K, who is my favorite bag boy at Publix, showcased his dancing skills once more. I was quite impressed with his number and after the program went to give him a hug. He said he had yelled my name twice while dancing. I love all the students at the school but K is my buddy and I am always thrilled to get a hug from him each time I am at the grocery.

Today I have been dealing with laundry and as Snug’s mama calls it, taking a nippy nap. Now I am going to look for a vat of ice to sleep in tonight. I did wash my car today, so I am hoping that brings some rain to us really soon.