Tag: sports

Adulting in 2018

Posted on by Amy

While those crazy millennials keep turning nouns into verbs and calling themselves cool, I will take on the adulting word that we all mock. I am in a unique position, at almost 44 (dear lord say it ain’t so!) I still sometimes live like I am in my early 20s.

With no spouse or kids (or major debt, well except for student loans) I get to enjoy the spoils of having a nice size disposable income. I am also enjoying not having a car payment, so between my entertainment budget and travel budget, life isn’t all that bad for me. I can also opt for cereal for dinner or leave my clothes in a pile because it’s just me!

But I did have to adult on Friday morning and it did make me a little pissy (actually a lot because really, I hate spending the money on practical stuff). I got to purchase four brand new tires for my car (they really should last much longer than they do). I also need to do the whole maintenance check since I am getting close to 60K miles. I looked over the items that need to be checked/replaced and I feel fairly confident that I could do most of the work myself although my parents have no faith in my ability. But on the upside, I decided that I deserved a new Nashville Predators jersey since we are creeping up on my birthday. I can’t wait for my Ellis jersey to get here!

Of course I would have preferred to spend the tire money on shoes, travel or even more hockey but I was a good adult and did the responsible thing. I will continue to bitch about it though because I can. Oh yeah and I am single, so it’s basically me whining to the Wookster about it. And he doesn’t care as long as I keep giving him the good food.

Sometimes adulting can be fun but then there are times like now where I have to make grown up decisions about the Wookster. He is in kidney failure (or kidney disease, I am not sure and don’t want to have the conversation with the vet again). Currently we are doing the special diet, iv fluids and blood pressure meds. It isn’t easy, there are times where he is in no mood to have me insert an IV into him and last month he decided he didn’t like the can food that was a part of his special diet. So the momma bear in me say screw it, I am getting his Blue Buffalo can food that he loved. We are taking it day by day. I am trying to get comfortable with the idea that he won’t be around. I talk to him about it and I am spending a lot more time at home. I canceled planned trips and will not be traveling because I can’t leave him. Not even for one night.

I know some will mock me but we’ve been together for 18 years and when you are single with no kids, the fur kind become your babies. I have had two friends tell me that as their guardians we have to take their wellbeing into consideration and make those hard choices. I am still trying to toughen up so I can do that. Stace has a room reserved for me that is nice and padded when the day arrives. My employer knows that I will miss at least a day. And I still have a hard time even thinking about the future without him.

I would much rather deal with the debacle of hockey tickets (half vs full season), training for the 5K I am doing next month, going without chocolate and I would even consider cleaning my place on a weekly basis. But I am taking everything day by day and being grateful for what I have, which is really the key to life.

There are times when I am hard on myself for my choices or how my life has unfolded but then I realize I wouldn’t be where I am if it had turned out differently. I am me because of my experiences.

Tuesday Randomness

Posted on by Amy

I experienced a total eclipse of the heart sun. . . oops, as you can see I am clearly a product of great 80’s music. And while I should do a whole post about all the great music I grew up on it’s Tuesday, I’m tired and well, I felt guilty for not coming downstairs to basement to write a whole bunch of randomness.

  • Does anyone else have issues with their typing? My parents made me take a typing class in high school (umm, yeah that’s no longer offered) so I could have a skill after graduation. I can type quickly and even type without looking at the keyboard but then I have days where it doesn’t matter if I was looking down at the keyboard and typing very slowly, it turns out looking like a bunch of gibberish.
  • I can also rock out a number keypad like it is going out of style, thank you Kmart service desk and the need to balance drawers throughout the day.
  • The eclipse. . . as in that rarity of rarities happened yesterday. I have heard all kinds of feedback from the experience. Me? It was okay. I appreciate what it was but the temp didn’t drop, I missed the dancing snakes from the reflection of the sun and I was sweating to the point where I was convinced I was melting. I enjoyed it, I had the glasses, took a gander, took some pictures and video, enjoyed watching the street light come on and the crickets chatting but then it was over. Poof! I feel like maybe I missed a few steps.
  • A coworker who does photography on the side posted some beautiful pictures he had taken, so thinks like the diamond ring phase that I missed, I was able to see from his posts. He also recently came back from Cuba with an incredibly large collection of photos from the trip.
  • I would like to go to Cuba one day but he did mention it was very depressing. . . maybe I will just stick with London.
  • Preseason football is upon us and while I enjoy getting my football fix a bit earlier I question if it is wise to really push the players. It seems that more are hurt and sidelined before the season starts. But this is also helping me with my fantasy football draft.
  • In a little over a week, college football will be back and that means Gameday on ESPN and SEC channel. I was starting to struggle finding things to watch on tv.
  • And a month from now preseason hockey will start! I cannot wait although I really have to do some hard thinking about buying a new sweater or not. . . I still have to put my patches on my current sweater.
  • I found some possibilities for mounting my Ryan Ellis (#4) hockey stick and a display shelf for the hockey pucks I have; initially my plan was to dress up my basement that is a second den/office with sports memorabilia but decided after spending the cash on the stick that I would have it on display upstairs.
  • Funniest thing I heard today. . . a friend said she found out why a mutual friend and husband defriended me on FaceBook. I wasn’t liking their posts. Gee, that’s not immature and petty at all is it? My thought, I guess we weren’t really friends then if you can use that as the reason, no biggie. As I have gotten older, I have had to cut out some relationships and I have been cut out before.
  • I cooked jambalaya from scratch for the first time yesterday. I can safely say that I knocked that little recipe out of the ballpark.
  • I believe I have finally settled on a tattoo shop for my touch-up needed to my first one as well as the three I want to add. I am excited and once I get all the estimates back, I will prioritize via budget what I will be getting and when. I love tattoos and the meanings behind them. It took me a while to settle on locations but I can safely say that these three have been on my to do list for three plus years now. I also put them where you they will typically be covered. There is one more that I want but I haven’t found anything with my Popa’s writing on it. I want his initials because the man wrote his name, his initials, his address and anything else he could on any item that would sit still long enough! He basically taught himself as he dropped out of school in grade school to help with the farm (pre depression era).
  • The Wookster has come up with yet another new routine for me, when I work from home he will come downstairs about three times a day. Each time he cries, whines and yells at me but then he comes to my chair and wants me to pick him up. I set him on my lap and work for about ten minutes, then he starts biting me, I set him back on the floor and he saunters back upstairs for a nap. #rotten
  • The Cubbies are looking decent and I am cautiously optimistic about the post season.
  • My Steelers need to tighten up defense and offense, along with finding a proper/decent backup QB. Big Ben isn’t going to be around forever and we are lacking in the depth department. I feel like we kind of half ass the draft sometimes but when you are sitting in your living room you do feel bullet proof and all knowing!

So yeah, we could paraphrase all this nonsense to football, hockey, Wookster, tattoos, silly social media crap, typing, travel and that little thing called the eclipse. Have a great week everybody. . . I am ready for a vacation!

Tuesday Randomness

Posted on by Amy

I think I deserve a cookie for posting Tuesday Randomness two weeks in a row! Maybe I am finally out of my slump. There are times when I think that when Chandler left and Alan entered stage wrong, my desire to write went with Chandler. Now? I don’t think it was that necessarily, it was knowing how uncertain things were with Alan. . . never wanting to jinx it. But then again he had an awfully hard time staying faithful so maybe it is best that I didn’t really document that time. Live and learn right?

Let’s see, I am still the same dorky Amy, addicted to all things sports. I finally became a season ticket holder with the Nashville Predators (yay #smashville!). I went to the Used Equipment Sale this past weekend and picked up a Ryan Ellis hockey stick. He is my favorite Canadian ginger! Love him! Now I have to figure out if I can ever get him to sign my stick. I plan on mounting it on my living room wall with my growing collection of hockey pucks.

Once the hockey season was over (oh, that was in June people) I washed all the rally towels, t-shirt giveaways, my hockey sweater and oh yeah. . .my probably really rank jeans that I refused to wash during playoffs. My lint trap looked like something Gnash might have puked up. I also had to admit I have a slight problem. .. see I have clothes for work, a limited supply of casual wear for warmer weather and the rest of my closet looks like a sports store threw up in it.

Gee, I didn’t realize this was going to be all about puke/things that come up. Sorry?

Anyway, I was on a roll last fall with my Cubbies (LOVE!) so of course I had to pick up all kinds of playoff t-shirts. Then I broke down and bought the Steelers (LOVE) infinity scarf so I could be kind of dressy at work. Which led to a late hockey season decision to purchase the Preds scarf which was then worn through a good portion of June (oh yeah, did you know we made a run for Lord Stanley’s Cup?).

And I will go ahead and admit, I am a very lucky girl. I was able to attend most of the games through the playoffs. And let’s just say that playoff hockey is on another level and then add our crazy crew who let’s face it, took a few traditions from football and hockey, smashed them together and all the sudden we were the talk of the NHL. Traditional markets didn’t care for us, said we were loud, rude, obnoxious while some saw a great storyline coming out of a southern town.

We are a smaller hockey market, that came in with three other teams. One of the expansions no longer exists in it’s original city. And it wasn’t us! We had a huge scare ten years ago and I remember the fight to keep them here. I attended plenty of games where we sucked, we lost most of the games, the barn wasn’t near capacity and an owner who wasn’t completely honest about his financials.

But that’s the funny thing about Nashville. We have a lot of self loathing (look no further than Music Row and the execs), the multiple personalities when it comes to the neighborhoods and some neighborhoods that just can’t figure out their identity. But there are two ways to identify someone that is considered a Nashvillian. .. if we spot someone famous, we may nod their way but we don’t stop and chat, take pictures or ask for autographs and the other is when you ask us how long it takes to get from Bellevue to say the arena. .. we will say 15 minutes. The second is so bad because the only way you can get anywhere in this town within 15 minutes is either via helicopter or it’s one am and you’ve been able to arrange a road block so you can get from point A to point B within the 15 minute timeframe.

So our little market that could had a grassroots movement of sorts to save our Preds. Sure, in the beginning most of us didn’t understand icing, power plays, shots on goal, hooking or high sticking however. .. we can read. So between learning how this sport worked, we got a quick intro into going all in with a team to keep them here. I give mad props to the marketing team because they really got our community. They had ticket reps feeding tickets to people on the street and slowly taking them away with the allure of game packages. And soon little pockets of fans creeped up throughout the city. We had the Cell Block, our rowdy friends in the upper deck who really got the chant thing going. And no, we don’t have practice or meetings to discuss the chants. In the advent of social media, the chants spread like wildfire.

I remember chanting, “we want tacos” when we needed one more goal since five goals got us a free taco. Thank goodness they went to Frosties at four goals. Hey, we will yell our hearts out for the free dollar item! Some things I miss, like the Predator like blimp that would fly around during the game and spit out tickets for prizes. They still show some of the old graphics (Get Loud Nashville. . .I believe that was one of the first ones).

And because we are Music City, crazed football fans who love our hockey players. . . well I think everyone knew we were going to kick it up a few notches when we strolled into the Western Conference Division finals. Our first time to that dance before the big one and man, we were crazed. The catfish flew everywhere, I held one (I would have kissed him had he been a bit fresher) and downtown transformed to a golden city. And then we arrived to the big stage, fighting for the glory of Lord Stanley’s Cup.

And in true Music City, only in Nashville can this happen, a trifecta of a perfect storm: Bonaroo, Fan Fair (wait, sorry CMA Music Fest) and then hockey in JUNE! All at the same time. Parking downtown on a normal evening is not pleasant, parking down there when you have major events happening at the same time, a high school graduation and an awards show was moved from our barn to the Music City Convention Center and the chaos from providing some over the top entertainment for the NHL stage. . . umm yeah, a lot of bad words were uttered. The parking lots gouging us had to be a part of Dante’s seven circles of hell.

Mayor Barry, please, please, please. . . mass transit for all. PLEASE!

But overall, I am so proud of my boys! It didn’t end the way I wanted it to but what a ride. And we are all anxiously counting down until October to raise the banner and keep showing the nation just how much we love our hockey!

But I am kind of really, OMG, I can’t wait, excited that football is here (I will take preseason by this point just to have it back on my tv).

The One With the Longest Week

Posted on by Amy

Most of the time, it seems like the weeks fly by and I am usually thinking, how is it already (enter month, holiday, season, what have you)?! However, this past week has felt like the longest week ever. To be fair, I typically spend most of the time thinking exactly what day it is because of the work I do (I normally work two to three months in advance). The added layer of confusion is I desk share (awesome program by the way!) that has my desk partner and I switching our remote days each week. I like to think of it as a way to really exercise my brain.

But then there are weeks like this past one that I kind of have to stop, scratch my head and wonder what in the world I did to end up with a week like this. Work has been hectic, but that is normal. I also prefer to be busy, as long as I can manage to keep up with the work. But it was the rest of my life, the one that isn’t consumed with work, that felt off most of the week.

There were a couple of bright spots, Wednesday I went to see Queen + Adam Lambert with Chandler’s mom and older sister. Besides enjoying spending some time with them (which included dinner at Hattie B’s) we headed downtown to my second home. We walked around the second floor by the Patron Club while I gave them some tidbits about the arena, the Preds and pointed out pictures of past performers and players displayed on the walls. Once on the main floor, we hit the merchandise booth and for the first time in forever, I bought a shirt.

I knew we had great seats just by reading the seat assignment but the reality was far better than I could have imagined. We were the section next to the stage, about nine rows up. Well hello there Queen + Adam Lambert! There was no opening act, so it started later than most concerts. But once the show started, I was a happy clam, thankful that I bit the bullet and paid what I paid to attend.

Adam Lambert addressed the big ole pink elephant in the room almost immediately. There is only one Freddie Mercury and he felt really honored to be working with two legends. Then they went back to the music. If you watched my FaceBook live feed, you would notice that most of the time, my camera was fixed on Brian May or Roger Taylor. I like Adam Lambert but I was there to see two of my heroes perform, an opportunity I had never believed would happen.

The show was fast paced, loud, full of energy with touching tributes to Freddie interspersed through the show. And I had a couple of moments where I got teary eyed, Brian May came out while the others rested/changed to talk to us. He then did the acoustic version of Love of My Life, one of Freddie’s songs he used to sing all of the time. And I almost lost it. Then later in the show they did Who Wants to Live Forever and once again I got teary eyed. Or as Chandler would have said, CRYBABY! Yeah, I will own that.

That concert for me was one that I never dreamed of attending. I love Freddie Mercury, having listened to a heavy rotation of Queen growing up. His voice and personality was larger than life and the world is a little dimmer having lost him but May and Roger, along with Lambert managed well. And I can say that I have now clapped along with the crowd during Radio Ga Ga. I feel pretty special now.

But between lack of sleep, the week taking it’s sweet time to get to the weekend and the weather (summer can go away, right now, not going to miss it). I was in a funk.  I have also been rereading a series that apparently affects my mood (I will take it off the rotation after this round). By the time I got home Friday from work I was a wound up mess. And beyond grateful that I had two days to decompress and adjust my attitude.

That whole am I imagining things or could something really be there seems to more in my head than reality. And yes, that pissed me off too because hello, I know better. Been there, done that and it never ends the way I think it should. So then I did the whole lecturing myself for being so stupid, letting the walls down a bit and all that fun stuff. As I have said plenty of times before, I am my own worst enemy.

So I have spent the weekend reading, napping, running a few errands, getting a mani/pedi and finally the last bright spot for the week. I went to the Preds Used Equipment Sale today and that was pretty cool. I ended up with my favorite ginger Canadian’s hockey stick (Ryan Ellis) which I will work on mounting on my wall with my vast collection of hockey pucks.

So all in all, it was a really long week that was meh with reminders of what I should not do. If I were a brave person, I would just have a chat with the person but after everything he has been through keeping my big mouth shut is the better option. Here’s hoping to a decent week with a Monday that flies (because we all know I hate Mondays).

Tuesday Randomness

Posted on by Amy

Well looky here…it’s Tuesday and I am digging up an old habit of mine…let’s tell a story of random stuff that really doesn’t belong anywhere else.

  • It’s been a million of Tuesdays since I’ve done this…actually it’s been awhile but I highly doubt a million
  • My bathroom looks like an Aveda store yet my hair looked all kinds of wrong today…sorry Niffer
  • I’m slowly starting to learn my way around lower middle TN and northern AL due to my job, for this alone I don’t ever want to give my territory up
  • Yesterday’s hail storm proved that the trauma from some very bad storms are still there
  • I, umm, well, I was at a stop light while it was hailing and covered my ears and tearing up at the terror of the last drive in a hail storm
  • Umm, yeah four years ago I thought I could out drive a storm, a tornado passed behind me and that was the first recorded death
  • oh, didI re anyone happen to see the Ole Miss AL game? HOTTY TODDY YALL!
  • My sales rep noticed my tag today…he wanted to rip it off my car. He’s a Bama fan…
  • First thought when I talked to my dad after the game? Oh man, Uncle Don would be screaming and turning red right about now. He was a Bama fan.
  • The Steelers won Sunday, it was a good day.
  • I really need to find a date for the Steelers Titans game
  • I’m currently stalking DHL & USPS for my viviofit, Hooch hooked me up…now I’m just waiting
  • I think it stopped in Memphis for ribs
  • My coworker Syd and I are adolescent boys at heart, it makes the day go faster
  • She also tore her ACL and got pink eye
  • She loves hand sanitizer…I’m not a fan. Now who got pink eye? LOL
  • I love my germophobic friends
  • As long as they don’t give me their cooties
  • I believe my leaf blower is one of the best things my parents ever got me
  • But I have asked for a torch, just for the kitchen though. No need for a flamethrower
  • I’ve lived at the new place since Memorial Day but still need to hang pictures and unpack a few boxes
  • I’ll do it this weekend unless I get distracted by football and naps
  • I did actually vacuum this past weekend

To sum it up it, football, HOTTY TODDY, rain, storms, anxiety, football, I could use a date and my domestic skills still suck…yeah, I think I remember this whole Tuesday randomness thing. Hump day tomorrow and the hope that I can get caught up and way ahead at work. Or as Wook calls it, the day during the week that that blonde person stays home and feeds me all day.

The One Where I Got a Life

Posted on by Amy

You know how people, when in an argument, will say, “Get a life”? Um, yeah, I got one and have been struggling to write since my life took an unexpected, yet very happy turn. Life with Allan is fun, busy, never stop with lots of eating to break up the monotonous tone. A couple of weeks he mentioned he hadn’t seen a post of any kind and told me to get on it. Then he asked about it last week and tonight I thought he might hold my dinner hostage if I didn’t write, so finally, I am sitting down to mark this off my to do list.

Where to start? Do I snark on how Reese Witherspoon got mouthy in Atlanta and got her tush thrown in jail? Or the ever klassy Kim Kardashian and the divorce proceedings that lasted well past her marriage? Do I comment on how stupid I think the brothers in Boston were last week when they decided to take their hatred out on their adoptive country?

For now, since I have missed out on so many opportunities dealing with current events and pop culture, I will just hit the highlights in my world.

  • After Wook’s constant binging and purging a few weeks ago, I finally got brave and took him to the vet. All is good, he just likes to binge and purge (all for the low, low cost of $189)
  • At the vet everyone commented on just how pretty my baby is and what a gentle giant he is
  • Allan offered to donate him to the vet. . .
  • At the one year mark of Chandler’s passing and his birthday, Allan has managed to say something to make me smile, understanding that he was such a special part of my life
  • While telling Allan not to engage the ass at a hockey game the other week I ended up being the one mouthing off to said ass
  • Walking into Target a few weeks ago to meet Stace I came face to face with the boy, without even missing a beat, I sped up, flipped my hair into my face and kept on walking
  • I have watched many a hockey game, can even name players and understand most terminology
  • I still just go for the fights and Crispy
  • I was talked into joining a fantasy NASCAR league, I don’t know the first thing about this so called sport but really, how hard is it to turn left?
  • My team, Mullet Mafia, is currently ranked seventh
  • I watched the Masters for the first time in a million years it seems, I still prefer playing but Allan won big betting on it
  • Who knew you could bet on golf?
  • Allan is taking me to Vegas this week, my first trip, his tenth. . .
  • Vegas to Allan = Amy to NYC
  • While he is in his conference I will be lounging at the pool. . . it’s a rough life but I will take it

Life is good, I am a very lucky girl and have been spoiled to death by him. There are days where I pinch myself because if you had asked me after the October debacle that things would work out I would have laughed but I guess sometimes you have to go through a bunch of crap to get to the good stuff.

The snarky, pessimistic girl is still here but for once, I am making sure that I enjoy the good times. But I will say the best line ever uttered to a police officer goes to Reese Witherspoon. . . you may have won an Oscar sweetie, but not everyone cares or knows who you are. . . bless her heart.

I will try to post while in Vegas because I really want to document this trip and I have to collect a few slapper cards. . .

Tuesday Randomness

Posted on by Amy

After what seemed like the world’s longest week last week, this one seems to be going a little quicker. Of course, still no snow but I’m not bitter.

  • While watching the Preds play Sunday night I kept tabs on the Grammys by reading my news feed on Facebook, a special shout out to Son and her sister for entertaining commentary
  • I will go ahead and admit that I have been trying to sniff out Girl Scout cookies the past couple of weeks, as of today, I now have 12 boxes ordered.
  • I blame Allan. . .
  • Originally I had ordered just two boxes since I tend to shove the whole box down my throat in under 30 minutes
  • This isn’t going to be pretty
  • This football obsessed girl is really starting to understand hockey, this could get interesting
  • I am finally getting to go to a game this Thursday, it has been way too long
  • Best Valentine’s Day date ever. . .gumbo, hot dogs, cocktails and a cute boy
  • Loved, loved, loved Kelly Clarkson’s performance Sunday
  • Still scratching my head at John Mayer’s getup but then again I still think he is a schmuck
  • I learned yesterday that Magnolia Bakery now ships, be still my beating heart
  • Now if I could get Lombardi’s pizza here
  • In the category of first world problems, I dropped my bracelet off at Tiffany’s to be fixed. Currently it is hanging out in NYC getting repaired and will not return to BNA until the 26th
  • Why does it seem like my jewelry gets more trips to NYC than I do?
  • Stace’s FB status update about laughing in her sleep and wanting water last night was great, her hubby has video and I cannot wait to see it
  • I am being schooled on all things Vegas by Allan
  • I am currently preparing to leave bread crumbs while there so I can make it back to the room
  • My love for Loveless Cafe’s biscuits was rekindled this past weekend. . .so good

With all this talk of food, the temptation to run out and get something yummy is strong but I will be a good girl and just go to bed. My thighs will thank me for this. Guys, make sure you do a little something for your women. Sometimes a card or another simple token can go a long way. And I might not even wear black like I normally do. . . somebody smack me, I have entered the world of cheesiness.

Tuesday Randomness

Posted on by Amy

It’s going to be one of those weeks again, I can just feel it. . . when I get a Monday off it always ends up throwing the rest of the week off. I’ll suck it up and deal with it because it is nice to have an extra day off though! It is really cold here but per the weather report, next week will be almost like a heatwave. Mother Nature has a bit of ADD.

  • No matter where I am, what I am doing or how long it has been since I last heard it. . . Love Shack by the B52s will always make me think of hitting I75 South to Atlanta. 
  • Stu shared infinite wisdom with me the other day, if only our love lives could be directed by John Hughes. . .
  • Mine would most definitely end with Jake, a birthday cake and sitting on the table enjoying it. . .
  • As a Steelers fan, I have huge issues with cheering for the Ravens but when it comes to having to choose between them or the Pats? Yeah, I’m going to pull for the Ravens.
  • If there was an MVP for most emotional, over the top behavior within the first three minutes of a game, it would go to Ray Lewis
  • After all the theatrics Sunday, I cannot wait until the Super Bowl
  • Of course I will miss the tradition of Pats players’ wives complaining about the outcome of the game
  • Is it preseason yet? I miss football
  • I am learning more about hockey, it helps to have a very large tv to watch it on, I can finally keep up with the puck
  • Kind of ready for a new batch of commercials to be released during the Super Bowl, one can only watch the Farmers commercials so often
  • Most useless sport ever? NASCAR, I can drive really fast in a circle so I am not sure what all the fuss is about
  • Best thing about the commentators for hockey? The accents and the use of the word keister. . . how many sports actually use the word keister? LOVE!
  • I believe I am going to spend the whole of the week confused about what day it is since I was off yesterday
  • I have a house I am desperate to stalk in town, the guy who lives there put together an air compressor and water hoses to create snow. As of the six o’clock newscast he had about nine inches of snow
  • Fair warning to this guy, I may never leave your yard once I find it
  • I NEED snow

Now I have to go back to watching the hockey game and giggling each time I actually figure something out. . .and yes I actually pull for the Nashville Preds, not a fan of the Fang Fingers but at least I am cheering for a local team.

2012: A Year in Review

Posted on by Amy

There were some great things that happened in 2012 and like most people, some shitty things happened as well. I am guilty of diving deep into the crap and allowing it to rule my life. I think that is a natural reaction to life. But I have also been able to step back, acknowledge the bad but still be thankful for what I do have in my life. I haven’t gotten all Pollyanna on you, trust me.

The good? Well, I ended up spending a few days with the Queen in Atlanta leading up to my birthday. Good food, great times with the Queen, IKEA! and a guy even hitting on me in IKEA! I followed that little trip up with a weekend in Nashville. Again, great food, friends and some quality time at Green Hills Mall.

I was a bit delusional when it came to the boy, thinking that our little road trip to DC might put things back on track in February. I also dealt with guilt for not reaching out to Chandler after a conversation with his sister. The shoulda, woulda, couldas have come in waves throughout the year and I have to hope within my heart of hearts that Chandler did know that he was always on my mind. Chandler gave me one final gift when he passed, he opened my eyes to see the boy for who he truly is and that helped me close the door for good on that mistake. Thank you Chandler for pointing out what everyone else could see.

Saying goodbye to Chandler at the end of February was probably the hardest thing I have had to do. For a time I didn’t want to be around happy people, going to the mall pissed me off and the idea of having to even be somewhat social seemed more like torture. I held close the memories we had created together but also knew it was time for me to really focus on getting back home, getting in shape and finding me again.

Apparently in March I tried to find some humor and offered up my embarrassing Spanx story, shared with you my weight (I had already shared my big girl jeans vs. my skinny jeans with you the previous fall) and the time I fell on my tush while working out with my trainer. I also sprinkled in random thoughts throughout the year with Tuesday Randomness. While these may seem a bit boring or um, redundant, it has forced me to write something, anything every week (although I have missed a few. . .).

April reminded me just how great I have it in terms of friends, I spent a weekend at the Queen’s house, met up with a bunch of mother hens for drinks, caught up with an old friend and really thought long and hard about an opportunity in Raleigh. I also got to deal with an allergic reaction to who knows what to my skin. The itching was out of control and the only thing the doctor could come up with was I happened to be allergic to something blowing in the wind. Yes folks, for the price of a copay or two, I learned that my skin was sensitive. Sadly, I have known that since I was a little kid.

I continued to workout with my trainer in May, offered up an explanation as to why I suck at dating and admitted that I was a dork. I also decided after reading an article that I really needed to make a statement and just go ahead and marry myself. If everyone else gets celebrated for every milestone under the sun, why should I let the inability to get a guy to commit to me make me miss out on those milestones? I ended up not going through with it but I will keep it in the back of my head.

June brought hot weather and my impatience at finding anything in Nashville career-wise. I was unhappy with my job, location and lot in life. I did manage to sucker Stace into going to the Def Leppard concert at the beginning of July and lucked into two job interviews while I was in town. I headed to The Trousdale School’s annual musical grinning ear to ear with what was coming up the following week; a concert, two interviews and spending time with friends.

I was a mess after my second interview, kind of feeling like I do most times I go on a date; thinking it went well but never hearing from them ever again. Then I did the phone interview with the recruiter. . .oh July you could have gone either way but on the 13th (my lucky number) I was offered the job and was planning my move back home, to Nashville in under two weeks. I dealt with packing, roped Bird into packing my kitchen, mom helped tons and dad made sure the chair didn’t move while they were there. Wook looked at me like I had lost my mind but agreed to deal with the car ride and chaos a move brings. I started my new job, met my new coworkers and instantly knew I was going to like it here.

I challenged myself to appreciate all the move brought to me, going out with friends, working on myself and doing my very best at my job. A text to Allan one evening led to me meeting John Corbitt and breaking the unspoken rule in Nashville: don’t bother the famous people. Thankfully he was really nice and Allan is probably still shouting he doesn’t know that guy. I also got to warm up in terms of watching football. Oh dear, if the football season could be year round I would be a happy girl.

September came and went in a blur, a lot of football, a lot of time hanging out with the guys and random sightings of the boy as I would head home from work. I was counting down until MTSU’s homecoming, ended up seeing some great guys I hadn’t seen since college and remembering the campus as if I had just left it the day before. Millions of texts to and from Allan seemed to be the norm and I admitted to two friends that I might just have a crush on him. Allan had also voiced his dislike of his first blog name and for the first time in history, I changed someone’s name. That should have been my sign.

I realized I must be bad luck for my beloved Steelers after witnessing first hand the loss to the Titans, one of the worst teams in the league. One of the crudest lines I have ever uttered was finally yelled back at me courtesy of Allan. Text messages flew in after the game and the next day from friends teasing me about the loss. Yeah, I know and we shouldn’t have lost. A fateful weekend spent with Allan caused us to cross the line in our friendship. I was thrilled, very happy and couldn’t believe my luck. I was back home, I had a great job and somehow ended up with a guy whom I considered to be in the best friend circle as something more. All of the sudden, tons of plans were made for parties, trips, football and everything else under the sun.

Then high school drama happened, I saw a side of my friend that I didn’t realize was there and a girl pulled a very childish stunt in order to get her way. I fought for him and then realized that he was in my shoes from years ago with Bubba. I offered him one last piece of advice, do not ever ask me why I stayed with Bubba for so long when everyone knew it was bad. Pot meet kettle. Square peg in round hole still won’t fit. Roller coaster, high school drama still doesn’t make a relationship. And finally, my favorite thought, people change and sometimes it isn’t for the better. Oh and always, always question someone who tries to lay blame on others for their mistakes.

The rest of October was hard, I was in a complete and total funk. I was also very angry at myself for letting someone in when I know how it always ends for me. I refocused on my weight, working out and eating habits. I managed to get into a pair of size ten jeans. I also somehow managed to take the higher road when Allan stated on Facebook he was now in a relationship. I am not a saint, I have said some really not so kind things about the whole situation and I won’t even get into what has gone on in my head. Yes, I was a bit on the bitter side but I still want to know why the one who follows the rules, is nice, responsible and well. . . ends up with the short end of the stick.

November rushed in and I had to get my place in order for my parents’ visit during Thanksgiving. As I have admitted to them, I did prepare myself for a last minute cancellation but that didn’t happen and we had a great time. I ended up with an early Christmas present (a HUGE tv), they got to meet my BFF Stace’s little boy E, Rach’s kids and husband and I think I drug mom around a good portion of Davidson and Williamson counties on Black Friday. It was also the month that dad got an iPhone. I think I have converted him. . . at least I hope so!

I realized in December why I have had such a hard time getting everything Christmas up and out. I haven’t held my dinner party since 2008, which means that I haven’t had a deadline to deal with the tree. I got the tree up this year and some decorations out but waited until the last minute to make the peanut butter chocolate balls for Bird. I watched a ton of Christmas movies, continued my weight loss, watched way too much football, brought bad luck to the Titans when I went to the game at the beginning of the month and watched Mr. E on several occasions.

I also had to say goodbye to my stinky boyfriend, Shadow. I felt horrible for Stace and her husband as well as felt beyond helpless. I have always been proud of the fact that I can handle most anything life hands me (even if I cry or shut down at some point, I have managed to deal with it) but Shadow’s passing shined a light on a weakness about myself.

I headed to my hometown to spend Christmas with the parents and Bird. Her girls still aren’t 100% happy for my move but I am hopeful that when they are older, they will understand. It turned out to be a low key visit, which I enjoyed. I also probably sent mom over the edge introducing beef tenderloin as a great holiday meal since dad is now convinced they should have it monthly. I have also given the gift of Starbucks addiction to dad. At least the barista at his local place doesn’t know his name and order. . . I don’t have to utter a word now if I don’t feel like it.

I also got to visit with Chandler’s mom and sisters while I was there. While the tears do not come as often or quickly, as soon as I see them I am a blubbering mess. I would give anything for Chandler to be back with them, even if it meant we were not meant to be. I still think of him often, love him dearly and talk about him with my friends. As I was getting ready to leave, his mom asked Bri to take me to his room to pick out a couple of things. With each step down the stairs, the tears came faster. . .to be able to see things just as they were when I left made me smile but miss him terribly. I will always wear his Notre Dame shirt with pride and love (and cheer for them too!) as well as his Cubbies hat.

I ended the year on my own instead of going out or hanging with friends. Part of it was I just didn’t want to be around others but the other part was, I was tired, overwhelmed with what I have experienced this past year and the biggest part, who doesn’t want to ring in the new year with the most neurotic cat ever? Plus, NYE is amateur night. I would prefer not to share the road with the crazies. Instead I Facetimed with Son, Snug and T, my parents and chatted briefly with Stace, offering up the I am a loser and this headache is driving me insane (which it has been for several weeks now).

Here’s to 2013, may all your wishes come true and if I ever start talking excitedly about a guy, please smack me. And then point me to my blog.

Tuesday Randomness

Posted on by Amy

How in the world is it Thanksgiving next week? Where did the time go? And is it possible that this next weekend not be in the 70s? I am beginning to get a complex when it comes to picking out clothes to wear each day.

  • The past couple of weeks I have indulged myself by taking Friday off. Apparently I needed it. The Friday before last I took it so I could deal with my guest room. . . but I didn’t even so much glance at that room.
  • Last Friday I knew I had no choice but to deal with it because I also needed to buy a bed for my parents and the current state of the room didn’t exactly welcome a queen size bed.
  • Because I rarely sleep in anymore, I got up and dealt with the room first thing. This never happens, so I was shocked as I went through the stuff that had been thrown in the room; putting everything in a tote and stacking them in the closet.
  • FYI–guests will not really have room to hang stuff in this closet, oh well. At least it is no longer an episode of Hoarders. 
  • I also managed to gather the random junk mail, paper and other crap that seems to camp out into a trash bag to take to the dumpster.
  • I started laundry, dealt with the kitchen and finally got cleaned up.
  • The nice part of taking a Friday off from work, it gives me a chance to get stuff done but not feel rushed. I knew I would need to get out to run a couple of errands but instead of running out of the door as soon as I got cleaned up, I read, watched some tv and piddled around.
  • I went to a couple mattress stores and giggled when the salespeople wanted to point me to the higher end models. Seriously? I need a basic queen set and frame. Doesn’t have to be fancy people. And while I could have dragged my very old queen set back up here when I moved, I didn’t want to torture any future guests.
  • I am sure it used to be a very comfy bed but in all fairness, how comfortable is a 30+ year old mattress?
  • My trusty, I am never ever going to part with it, like ever rocker is sitting in the guest room, waiting for the bed to come so it won’t be lonely.
  • Background: this poor rocker is as old as me. I was rocked in it as a baby, my mom’s dog used to hike his leg around it in a fit a jealousy and it was re-upholstered sometime in the late 80s. Dad also broke the base so if you sit in it a certain way, it will tip over with you in it.
  • But I love that thing and it has moved about 100 times with me. I will eventually get it fixed and recovered.
  • I was told a few years ago that being an Ole Miss fan is one of the tougher things a person could do. . . they were right. So close, yet so far Saturday night; Vandy beating us AGAIN. Not enough Jack in the world to get me through those losses.
  • I did get to witness two, um, interesting women get into an argument about football teams in the bar. The drunker one of the two did the whole up close, bump you with my chest and let the bar stool fall on the floor. She was ushered away to cool off and the other woman quickly paid her tab and left the bar.
  • I am still wondering why drunk one didn’t get kicked out or cut off. She came back, did a few more shots and wallered (is that even a word? I mean, I use it when talking about the cat not leaving me alone. . . ) on a few men.
  • It was all Klassy with a K.
  • I believed I OD’ed on football Sunday and watched the ESPN 30 on 30 documentary, Ghosts of Ole Miss. It was a wonderful documentary and left me conflicted on what I know is right and traditions.
  • Monday night was filled with a lot of pacing, gripping the arm of my chair, yelling at the tv and thinking I might need oxygen
  • All because the Steelers almost lost to another crappy team
  • They pulled out the win but my man Rothlisberger is hurt
  • I am officially a sad panda
  • I am doing fairly decently on try # 1,875,139,471 of losing weight, getting into smaller sized pants but I need to get back into walking, ugh

Now I must go deal with my fantasy football team, I won this past week but I need to deal with some players going on bye this week as well as some players that are questionable. I also need to have a talk with my Steelers, I need them to beat the Ravens. I need them to go into the playoffs and not as a Wild Card. I also need to talk to Coach Freeze about Ole Miss needing to win so they can go bowling this year.

Clearly I have issues. . . I am also waiting for Bettman to throw greed to the side and get the NHL season going. I haven’t been to a game in forever and I always loved going when I lived here before.