And So It Begins...

What's that? Why, the holiday season, of course! And begin it did with a very timely white surprise this morning. My wee little silver tree is up in the window and decorated with a lovely mish-mash of ornaments and the order for cards and cute stamps has been placed.

I know this year many people are trying to cut back a bit and try to focus on the truly important things. Sadly, not everyone is the type of person to place others before themselves. The horrific tragedy at that suburban NY wally world is a testament to people's disregard for others and brash, out-of-control consumerism. They fight with total strangers over cheap Chinese electronics and toys. They argue in checkout lines and parking lots. They are probably the type of people who would cultishly dress themselves and their children in Snuggies, too.

Luckily there are a LOT of people who do care about others and can turn the focus towards those in need especially in times like the one we live in today. I've heard of SO many more people "adopting" a family for the holidays, and cutting back on their own familial gift-giving. They begin to see that it's more important to see your loved ones over the holidays than it is to shower them with "stuff". They think harder about the social and environmental impact their gift choices make. An awesome example is the effort by a super-cool shoe maker called Toms. I think my gift to myself this year (and some cool kid in Ethiopia) will be a pair of 'em. And maybe you'll get some, too - IF you've been good that is!

(thanks to Nicole for the info on Toms!)

My nerves are wearing thin!

Anyone who knows me knows I have one hell of a nervous stomach. I woke up today and could already feel it kicking in. Must have been the canvassing yesterday on the Hill because now I'm just plain antsy! I feel like there is nothing left I can do except just sit and wait (and of COURSE get up flipping early tomorrow and vote).

I'm so ready for it to be over. Aren't we all?

Luckily, I have the Duff's Fall Beer Dinner w/ New Belgium Brewery tonight to distract me. Then tomorrow is gonna be a crazy day at the office getting ready to leave for a conference in Boston. Then probably glued to the tube for the rest of the night watching returns and then up again flipping early for a 7:20 flight to the East coast. Hoping that if my eyes are bloodshot and my face is tearstained, it's just from tears of joy (sigh, dramatic, no?).

Ok, fine, I know I said I wouldn't post anything else politcal but that's just not possible. Next week I'll try to come up with something a bit more interesting, non-partisan, and perhaps featuring the latest office drama ;)

WHOA.

100,000 people.

image via www.barackobama.com

Weekend To-Do

Finally have a day to get some stuff done around the house. I'm half-way following the AT Fall Cure, and have pretty much no money so most of my work is going to be in the way of cleaning and getting rid of junk. Was going to go to the Obama rally but couldn't face the crowds...I'm sure it will be amazing though! Really excited that now it's fall weather and I can take the A/Cs out of the windows (they are so ugly), but not worry about the furnace just yet. And best of all, I can cook and bake to my hearts content without sweating buckets. Hooray!

On the list for this weekend (it's quite industrious, we'll see how reality pans out):

1. Vacuum, sweep, mop all my floors, and baseboards (whoa that means moving furniture).
2. Cleaning glass on windows, and dusting/scrubbing windowsills.
3. Laundry - as many loads as my dwindling stash of quarters will allow.
4. Dishes - never seem to catch up.
5. Bake the latest incarnation of no-knead bread.
6. Make something for the week, like soup, mac 'n cheese, or quiche.
7. Go through my paperwork piles and put everything away.
8. Drop off some old clothes at Goodwill.
9. Take both ginormous AC units out of the windows, clean them, and store in basement.
10. Take other junk down to storage (cleaning that out, though not so bad right now, will probably need to wait till another day).

Well, I've put it all out there, now I better get moving. It's almost noon and all I've accomplished is drinking several cups of coffee. :)

Food-Filled Weekend

It seems as though the vast majority of my free time, weekend or not, is somehow tied to food.  Going out to eat, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning up after cooking, thinking about what to eat, thinking about where to eat, etc.  Heck, I've been known to take a cookbook or two to bed for a little light reading before falling asleep.

None of this is really that big of a surprise, I suppose.  I guess my biggest hobby is just "food".  It should also be "running", since the two would complement each other oh-so-well but that concept has yet to click in my head.

This weekend especially has been all about food.  Last night was spent wondering where to go, then going out to eat, then discussing the restaurant and service, then passing out stuffed from an over-sized bowl of thank-you-very-much-for-the-5-lb-weight-gain St. Louis Style pasta.  

We finally went to eat at La Gra and our admittedly low expectations were met.  This place is a fine neighborhood restaurant and they seem to be doing alright from the crowds I see as I pass by on Tamm.  I hope it sticks around, at least for the fact that I like having Cairdeas, the attached coffee shop, around and I think they did a great job on the outside of the building.  It brings back a bit of dignity after the Lehman building debacle around the corner.

The dinner made me wish that I could be a restaurant consultant, someone who got to dine out specifically to make suggestions and observations that the owners would actually take to heart.  It seems like so many people get it almost right and the changes they'd need to make wouldn't be so difficult.  But they don't always see the forest for the trees and wind up not really winning people over.

At La Gra it was that sort of story. We started with a super-salty tapenade HEAPED into a ramekin with some crumbly toasts that mostly went to waste (we used all the toasts and had over half left).  The bartender who served our wine (just teach the servers! It's not that hard!) took like five minutes to get the cork out (I know both of us were just like, let me do it!).  The server was a super fast talker who seemed a bit scripted, maybe nervous, but mostly made us feel rushed. We were asked (same line I had already heard three times at other tables) if "anyone had a sweet tooth tonight" no more than 5 minutes into trying to make a dent in my enormous bowl of penne.  The rich, creamy risotto fritters were served with a rich creamy sauce - and were just screaming for some simple tomatoes.  For $55+tip you just expect a bit better (oh, and a "La Gra" salad was totally uneventul, not worth mentioning).

We will most likely be back, though, only because they offer a $10 corkage and hey, they've got toasted raviolis.  And you can't really mess those up ;)

Luckily, this morning started off on a much better footing thanks to a text from my brother saying he was hawking Mangia's wares up at the TG Farmer's Market.  Already sort of planning to hit it up looking for various fall-like ingredients, I headed down Kingshighway.  Things started looking good for the day when I got the last pack of pasta sheets from the bro (and some cute tri-colored spiral things) and some local chard and salsciccias to make a tasty lasagne for dinner.  A good crowd at the market for the almost-end-of-season weekend, which is great.  I wish I lived closer, and could walk!

I also felt like baking, and banana bread was long overdue on my list of things to make (and perfect-sounding for Sun. morning breakfast).  So after cooking the tomato sauce and salsiccias, assembling the lasagne, and cleaning up my mess, I got to baking.  I usually have a hard time getting my banana breads to cook all the way through without burning on the edges.  This time, my patience, some foil, and and hour and a half did the trick just right.  Hooray!

I'm hoping the lasagne turns out well, too.  I'm going to try roasting a bulb of garlic, too, and if that all goes off without a hitch, well I'll be one proud girl.  The only problem is I'll also likely be totally zonked tomorrow from all this cooking!  But with a happy tummy and that's what really matters :)

And now, here is a little article from the NY Times about gender roles and dining.  I found it interesting, especially since I've thought about this a little bit before.  On the one hand, I dislike anything patronizing.  On the other, I like being taken care of when I am plopping down several dozen hard-earned benjamins.  We've noticed that when it's just the two of us eating out, I tend to do most of the talking (unless it's wine related, but that's not exclusive).  If we are with a group, I usually just sit back and let someone else take the reins.  But not always.  Any other girls out there ever think about this?  I'm totally curious now.

St. Louis' New Chief

The City of St. Louis has a new police chief today, finally allowing us to move on a bit past the drama and uncovered corruption surrounding former Chief Mokwa and the tow-yard scandal.  I am really excited to see this new guy in action, I have a feeling he'll do great.  He even has a blog! Haha :)  Well, of course blogs don't fight crime, or lead those who do (not directly at least) but I have a great feeling about Chief Isom.  I look forward to seeing what he can do to help all across our city, especially in some of the tough neighborhoods where my work has many of our developments.  Real change has been needed in those places for a long time and the new chief seems have the personal experience required to see the problems as they truly are and to hopefully get things taken care of - in an open and honest manner of course.  I look forward to hearing more from him soon!

Warning - Brief Political Rant Below

I'm sorry, I know it's not in the best of taste to discuss political matters among friends who you know might not see eye to eye, but I am just not able to keep myself from sharing this. I can't. It's too important to the future of our pathetically troubled country.

Please take a moment to view the following clip. Luckily there are people out there willing to publicly and unequivocally state the truth. Mr. Cafferty, thank you.



I mean, I almost feel sick to my stomach watching clips from that awful Katie Couric interview. I can't even get through them, I have to fast forward. I am not going to be able to watch the VP Debate, or else risk losing my lunch and my appetite for a least a week. Unless the RNC grants McCain a mulligan on this horrific choice, I just can't see how in the world he'll stand a chance. And if, whooeee and it's a big IF, he is elected and she's second in command, well I'll be on the first train out to Toronto, I swear.

Damn.

This concludes the extent (I hope) of my political ramblings. Thanks to the darling boy for the video link. Even if I nearly vomited upon first watching it.

A little shameless self promotion

Never hurt anyone, right?

I've got a couple things here for ya, promoting two fabulous businesses that are very near and dear to me.

First off - Bon Vivant got blogged in the Bi-State Beer Geek chronicle, STL Hops. Pretty sweet press. This just after two mentions in the Sept. special Sauce issue on Wine and Beer. I'd link to it, but it's not available online. It IS available in print, stuck inside this month's Sauce Magazine (free!). If you don't read Sauce, you should!

Secondly, Duff's Autumn menu began on Tuesday, and I can't wait to check it out. The email below is from their mailing list, which you can sign up for here (click on menu link). Busy busy autumn over there on Euclid! Esp. recommend the Beer Dinner. Sooooo worth the splurge. I can't even explain how good it is.

"Duff's Autumn Menu begins today. To view our new offerings www.dineatduff's.com

The Red Bird Specials continue all year - $10 entrees - 5:00 P.M. til 6:30 P.M. and The Prix-Fixe Menu - three courses for $25 - is available every evening til 10 P.M.

The balloons will glow in the park on Friday, September 19 and race on Saturday, September 20. Check out www.thecwe.com

On September 23 Duff's will donate 20% of lunch and dinnner sales to St. Louis Children's Hospital Foundation. www.stlouischildrens.org

On Sunday, October 5, THE JOE WEST SITUATION will present an evening concert at Duff's from 9 P.M. til 11:30 P.M. - $10 Admission. To learn more about Joe www.joewestmusic.com

Join us on Monday, October 13, when Patricia Corrigan, former restaurant critic and food writer at the Post-Dispatch will read from and sign copies of her new book, EATING ST. LOUIS: THE GATEWAY CITY'S UNIQUE FOOD CULTURE. The book is filled with little-known tales about the past, the present and the future of local restaurants, food manufacturers, grocery stores, farmers' markets, breweries, wineries and watering holes. 6 til 8 P.M. and IT'S FREE!

On Monday, November 3, Duff's partners with New Belgium Brewing Company to present our Eighth Annual Autumn Beer Dinner. $70 includes dinner, beer, tax and gratuity. This is a very fun night so if you like beer, call soon for a reservation.

River Styx at Duff's - always great food for thought - Monday, October 20 and Monday, November 17 www.riverstyx.org

Lots going on - hope that you can join us, Karen Duffy"

Here's a Tip

This little article caught my eye while I was searching for dinner ideas a few minutes ago and after reading it I felt I needed to share the link.  I (for pretty obvious reasons) get finicky when it comes to tipping and making sure that I've left enough...or that I have acted within reason if I decide the service at a restaurant was WAY sub par (it takes a LOT to make me consider withholding a few bucks) and I leave a lower tip than usual.

 

And so, out of the mouths of Bon Appetit themselves, this guy (the "Foodist" - hmmm) presents the clearest and most sensible rules for tipping while dining out.

Checking in...

Not sure why I've been unmotivated to blog anything lately - it's not like I have had a dearth of free time at work, that's for sure. Things seem to go in cycles for me there. And there is so little that I have any control over - so mostly it's just when people (namely my direct boss but others too) give me stuff. My usual "responsibilities" are so banal it hurts and often take little time (and brain power). So there are times when the days drag on and on like nothing else and I think to myself - surely I could be doing something more useful, right?

That might explain why I finally bit the bullet and decided to apply to grad school. I've begun the process - Fafsa, Application, Goals Statement, Gather Letters of Recommendation, etc. Luckily, the program I am interested in does not require the GRE, so that's off the list. My college transcript came and I was relieved to see that I DID managed to pull off a 3.0 overall and I don't think I should have too much of a problem getting in. I am thinking that if all goes well, I'll start in January. Scary and exciting all at the same time.

I want to keep on with something in housing. I know that for sure. Where I go from there, we wil see.

I'm pretty darn excited about the oncoming fall weather. But I am worried that we'll be in for it during the winter. And I totally hate winter. But what can you do about it? Other than enjoy the gorgeous weather while it lasts and keep up your stock of allegra allergy pills. Haha! It's times like these when I wish that I had a patio or porch or balcony of some sort. That is something that will be top of my list when I ever move out of this absurdly cheap place. This weather makes me want to bake things like banana bread and drink red wine (not with the banana bread of course!) and make soups (in my new pot!) and lounge all day with the windows open and the curtains blowing in the breeze. That work thing really puts a damper on those lovely ideas, let me tell ya!

I'm also getting myself in the mode for the typical fall around-the-house nonsense - all those projects that add up over the insane summer months and just scream to be taken care of before battening down for the winter. My list is at 22 things and growing, prioritized by whether or not it requires money and if it's super important. Hopefully I can get cracking and take care of this stuff, esp. if I do go back to school. I've heard that sort of puts a crimp in one's free time - or so they say.

And with that, I'm off to empty out my tupperware cabinet, then put it all back nice and neat. And then make dinner. Which is still TBD at 8:15 pm... :)

Oh, I want this...and this!

http://www.apple.com/keyboard/

I have the hugest pet peeve ever about my clear apple keyboard and
all the junk that gets in it but I absolutely can not rationalize this.

http://www.oldnavy.com/browse/product.do?
cid=15292&pid=529387&actFltr=true

And this but it's totally not weather appropriate given that I should
really be buying fall work clothes not sweet summery dresses.

I think I'm blogging these both though just so I remember in case I
happen to find a spare $100 bill on the street someday soon...it
could happen!

Summer Reading

I'm putting out the call - my first vacation in over two years (unless you count my brief period of unemployment from December 19, 2006 till February 11, 2007) is coming up in a few weeks and I need some ideas for books and books-on-tape (er, CD) to read / listen to in the car ride up and back from Michigan and on the BEACH!

This summer I've read some good ones, including the foodie locavore books mentioned in my last entry as well as a few good novels. I'm up for anything! So please, give me some ideas. I plan on hitting up the library next week and can put in my requests online whenever. Anyone read anything great lately???

I'll probably podcast some This American Life, too, anyone else got anything they love to listen to?

Sorry I Skipped July

That month sort of was insane. I've said it once and I'll say it a million times, summer really isn't too relaxing! And the older we get, the faster it goes and the chances for some real life r&r become fewer and far between. Things are somewhat calming down. Maybe I won't go that long without writing again - at least until next summer.

Let's see - some random thoughts for you:

I've started reading a lot more this summer, and not just super interesting/relevent non-fiction stuff (it's too easy to pick up!) like The Omnivore's Dilemma, Animal Vegetable Miracle, and In Defense of Food (sense a theme?), but crazy old fiction like Atonement (had to read it before watching the movie, and the book def. wins), The Prince of Tides (finally finished on Saturday after over two months), and The Mermaid Chair (easy breezy read compared to the last two). It's been really great getting back into reading for fun. I used to have my nose in a book at all times until probably when I started working full time after high school. I'm glad I didn't lose the innate desire to waste an entire Saturday curled on the couch reading. Besides, what else do you do when it's 90 degrees out and you have no access nor desire to be at a pool (no one needs to see my pale skin like that!).

Work is absolutely crazy - so much to the point of driving me to be literally ill by the end of last week, I think, with the stress. Last week was probably the exception for insanity, and I guess being crazy busy is better than being bored out of my mind. Right? My hardest thing is getting to the point where I feel like I've made a dent in things and ticked more items off my Task List than added to it in a day. That, and leaving on time. It's not like I'm getting O-T you know. Today at 5:10 pm, I was the absolute last person to leave. Yes, I know it's summer and people have vacations and busy schedules etc, but if a tumbleweed had blown past my cube I wouldn't have been surprised one bit. Mostly I am just chalking it up to that glorious point of my life - my mid-twenties, where I have little responsibility outside work and can tally all of this insanity up to some all-mighty resume and character building. Right???

And in my other random thoughts - I've been trying to think about ways to eat better, cheaply, and not waste the groceries I buy (I'm SO much better than I was 4 years ago after first moving out, though, let me tell ya!). So tonight, craving a big bowl of pasta after a long day at work but not wanting to fall back on my easy pesto-from-a-tube and grated parm over noodles I took to thinking (and googling). I came up with a super simple but classed-up version of my easy weeknight at home alone dinner that I'm proud enough to write about. I also got to hone my ever-so-slowly-developing knife skills. It's all about comfort, especially when using the 8" santuko! So to the recipe:

I got some water boiling for the noodles (bow tie) and popped out my back door to cut a few sprigs of basil that I've got growing in my half-successful potted herb garden. I threw a small handful of chopped walnuts on the toaster oven tray and got them going, then minced a clove of garlic. After throwing the pasta in to cook, I dumped the walnuts, garlic and a few glugs of olive oil into my fun mortar and ground it up. I roughly chopped the basil ground it into the paste and the threw in the last of some goat cheese I had in the fridge. After the pasta was drained I mixed it all in and man oh man was it good! Garlicky and creamy and a total step up from my usual go-to. I'm totally proud!

Alright - that's all I've got for now. Stay cool out there!

When you live in an apartment builiding with at least 5 other folks...

Realizing that you are the only ones home on a Friday is pretty much the best thing ever.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

Won't you be my neighbor?

Thanks, Google Maps Street View!




Via: stlstreets

BTW - it appears the Google car hasn't made it to my neck of the woods yet, for some reason, the stretch of densely populated neighborhoods down the central corridor and North of I-44 haven't really been mapped yet. I'm sure it'll happen soon enough.

Blogger?

Not that I blog enough to truly have a case, but I am not so sure I really like blogger. I don't think it's very mac friendly, for one, and I hate how if I email I post to the blog it looks like one thing and if I actually come to the blogger site to post, it looks like another. Any opinions?

(for the record, this was done at blogger's site. The two posts below were emailed).

Taking Pizza Very Seriously

As it should be, I suppose, since I consider pizza to be one of God's greatest gifts to humanity.

Now if I could just find an oven that I could cook said pizzas in without my apartment turning into a blazing hot mess, I'd be in business. Maybe it's time for a trip to Katie's (once I get over my absurd broke-ness, that is). If you haven't been, go. Or get take-away if you don't have a lot of patience for slightly sketchy service (what can you expect though from a baby of a restaurant run by a girl MY AGE, holy crap. I have a hard enough time making scrambled eggs in less than 15 minutes, but that's another story!).

I'm in absolute LOVE with this house

This amazing house has totally caught my eye. What a super cool way to live! I love the fact that it's really tiny but in the middle of big houses and busy streets and I'm in love the idea of keeping the blinds up. I find that this is a way Americans are just crazy. I mean, I'm not gonna walk around half-dressed in front of my windows and not give a damn, but the idea of living all the time with the blinds pulled down really doesn't make sense. What are you hiding from? Is the rest of the world really that bad? One of my favorite things to do in Chicago is to stare into all the apartments you pass while riding the El. Just for a split second you can realize that even among millions of anonymous people in a bustling city, we all have a lot more in common that we'd admit. And that's a good thing.

Summer thoughts

It's absolutely here with a vengeance as all of you St. Louisans might realize. With every ferocious crack of lightning from our all-too-frequent thunderstorms, the past few weeks have meant that heat waves, humidity curls (in my hair), and AC breezes will be accompanying us for the next several months.

As such, I've decided already that:

1. Next time the ice cream man rolls down my street playing it's super-happy song, I'm in. Better gather some dollar bills so I can be ready at the first sounds of "it's a small world" tinkling down the block.

2. I had better start doing multiple sets of sit ups and push ups (girly style of course!) and yoga DVDs, or else! I quit the Y (WAY too big of a drain on the finances lately) and have a trip to Lake Michigan, and therefore a swimsuit, in my relatively near future. Also, I do need to fit into last year's sad selection of shorts and tank tops.

3. I'm pasty, I will always be pasty, and I should probably start embracing it. Though doing something other than laundry, cleaning, or aimless web-surfing catch-up on Saturdays (aka going OUTDOORS) would help.

4. Wait - do I have to wear a swimsuit this summer?? Oh man! I better start the search. It's never fun and like 99% of women, it's absurdly awful for the ol' self esteem. Crossing my fingers I can find something that's a good fit but NOT $100+. Wait, is the 1-piece back in style?!

I can't say that summer is my favorite season...it's somewhat tiring because it tends to be super busy, which is counter-intuitive because you'd think that it was all about relaxing and stuff. But it turns out that it's just when everyone makes tons of plans in the spirit of kicking back and taking it easy and next thing you know you find yourself barely holding your head up after the third cup of coffee on Monday morning wondering if you really needed to eat those three servings of potato salad, two brownies, a hot dog AND a hamburger on top of the mini keg of Bell's Oberon you and your friends took care of in no time. Then you do it again the next weekend.

Oh - and as a tribute to one of my hockey-obsessed readers: NOW it's officially summer, because the Stanley Cup has been handed over to the Red Wings for a victory tour and this winter sport's season has come to a close.

Mini-Hiatus

Back. Sorry 'bout that folks. Just ran out of energy and inspiration to post. Work got totally insane for a bit and things are finally starting to settle down (one of many explanations can be found here). Also ran out of $ and since I took care of most of the inexpensive but drastic de-cluttering, etc. tasks during the Fall Cure, I felt like I needed to take a few steps back from the Spring Cure rather than get all upset because I didn't have any money to make further improvements. Plans have been made (and will likely change), and when I finally do have some spare change, I know where to begin.

Otherwise, life has actually been sort of eventful. In the last three weeks I've been to a wedding, celebrated a good friend's upcoming wedding at her bachelorette party, finally saw my BFF from DC, celebrated the birth of a new cousin, a good friend's engagement, and another good friend's 2nd baby...and I got to see a LOT of friends and family. I'm happy for so many reasons, but tired, too! However, summer is truly here and there is still a lot to look forward to.

Well, that's all for now. I'm sure I'll be back again before another month and a half goes by!

Kitchen Cure Week Three

The Kitchn Cure has its weeks begin on Thursdays, and I have to admit, I slacked a bit during this last one, too. I am feeling a bit unmotivated, mostly due to stress at work, desperation for actual spring-time, and having pretty much no money. Here's the post for week 3. Doesn't seem too challenging, right?

- Cook something from whatever you have in your pantry. Use just what you have.

- Buy 1 - 3 items of locally grown produce and cook with them.

- Finish up and cleaning, organizing, and purging from your kitchen cabinets and fridge.

Well for the first item, that's pretty much how we roll all the time. If we don't feel like going to the store, someone is pretty darn good about McGyvering thing up.

The second item I forgot about, but was also not going to the store any time soon, either. Maybe Friday. I should really be better about this anyway. At Schnuck's I try to buy from the organic selections, but I don't pay much attention to the location things come from. Do they even really say? Also, the two Farmer's Markets closest to me aren't open till May, and the big one is just produce re-salers (not local farmers) until then, too. But Local Harvest is sure to meet these qualifications...I just need to have some cash.

The third item is also something I need to do, and it's just a simple lack of motivation here. I know I can get rid of some stuff, and should finish cleaning the freezer and organizing the cabinet below the china display, but I don't feel like it.

Alright, that's enough whining! I think I'm skipping the post-work wine tasting / happy hour on the Science Center bridge and heading home to be productive. I'm not too keen on spending any more time on work stuff than I have to.

Oh, and before I forget - in other food-related news, we ate at Revival last night and it was AMAZING. Highly recommended. I had yummy beef short ribs and one of our desserts was bread pudding with Dr. Pepper sauce!! Not too pricey and really really nice quality. And of course, that place is a cool spot, anyway. Looking forward to summer-time and checking out their patio.

Ok - back to work! :)

Week 4: Where did you go?

Here I am posting at work again...I promise to be quick. Most of my nights this week are booked though, and sadly enough, Blogger is nicer to use on the Windows PC at work than it is at home on my Mac. It's so sad that I might look into Mac-friendly blog software. But not today...I've actually got a big project that's coming down to the wire and a big fat subsidy for some difficult apartments we own is riding on my shoulders. I'll have my nose to the grindstone here in just a bit.

How did I do on my Week 4? Not so great, as I imagined. Not much I could do (no $), and I took Alana's advice from last week and didn't deal with the photos. Too much distraction, they need a rainy non-Cure Saturday and a few more albums.

My list:

1.) Clean the living room/related closets: Not so much, it wasn't really messy (it is a bit messier now though!), and it doesn't have a related closet.

2.) De-clutter books and media: I'll make a quick swipe through the bookshelf before I drop off my outbox stuff at Goodwill. The CDs and few DVDs I have are all hidden in my TV cabinet. I never look at them, but I don't think they're in the way. Probably need to upload a few, and I'm sure I can get rid of a bunch of them, but who will take them? This is a project for another day, too. At least they aren't on the ugly CD rack in the corner like last year. Hmmm, out of sight, out of mind? Yes.

3.) Cancel 75% of your catalogs: Done, in week 3 actually. I think I posted about it then, too.

4.) Empty your Outbox: Not done. Still growing a bit, and I'll do it all at once. Probably later this week or next.

5.) What do you need to increase/decrease color? Hmmmmm, more color in the living room, and more stuff on the walls in there and in my bedroom. And more pink and navy blue in my bedroom. Just a little of each. And cuter fabric on the chairs in the dining room. And a painted backsplash (grassy green) in the kitchen. Easier to think about that I though!

6.) What do you need to increase/decrease softness? Also a big hmmmm. More stuff on the walls in the bedroom and living room (decreases softness). Maybe some new toss pillows and a throw for the living room (increase).

7.) Cook three meals at home: This is a stretch. Cooked dinner for myself in about 10 mins one night, I made a delish egg sammich breakfast Sunday (with another bloody mary made by the boy), and the boy cooked a really tasty dinner (chicken sausage, couscous, asparagus) on Sunday (ok, I did help a bit on that, too). That's three!

Back to work now! I'll try to post about Week 5 soon, because I DO need to do some stuff with my office corner. Mostly tackling the cords. They seem impossible. I'll probably break out the plastic to help with a solution for that. It's worth it.

Week 4: I'm a Slacker!

So it's Week 4 of the Spring Cure, and I'm not exactly as gung-ho as last time. BUT I think the improvements I made last time (and in the time between then and now), really held strong. Plus, once you get rid of many years worth of stuff, you don't (or I don't) re-aquire that much that quickly.

So the Week 4 tasks are centered around the Living Room, and also how much color and softness you need to add or subtract in your home.

More specifically:

1. Clean the living room and related closets
2. De-clutter all books and media (and I'm including photographs, too - yikes!)
3. Cancel 75% of your catalogs
4. Empty your Outbox
5. Consider what you need to increase/decrease color in each room.
6. Consider what you need to increase/decrease softness in each room.
7. Cook three meals at home.

I'm definitely a slacker though because I haven't made a ton of plans for my living room. It's hard because there isn't too much cleaning and de-cluttering to be done (some, but not much) and all improvements that I'd like to make require $ which I so do not have right now. But I'll work on it, and post some plans soon.

Also, I shouldn't be posting this during the day while I'm at work, but it's getting on my last nerve right now and I needed a break. And that's all I'll say about that. Except that sometimes I just wish I could take out a bunch of student loans to live off of and quit work to go get my MPPA. Wouldn't that be nice?

Week 3: To Do and Have Done

Kinda skipped out on the whole blogging thing this week a bit. But Week Three was an easy one for me, with not so much to do, so I used it mainly to catch up on cleaning and de-cluttering everywhere.

The real to-do list was:

1. Vacuum, dust, mop throughout: Just finished this earlier today. So much easier when you keep up with it, you know!

2. Clean your entry-way and related closets: Easy, too. My entrance is pretty neat already and I don't have a closet that's "related." I consider my hall closet more of a bathroom closet, since it's extra storage for that, cleaning stuff, and random other items.

3. Arrange for all repairs to be completed in the next three weeks: The light fixtures that I want replaced are on my short list - my friend's bf might be able to help me out. I'll check with him next Friday. The dripping faucets aren't too bad and are just gonna have to drip. I read how to do it in a home improvement book and it's over my head, and my landlord won't do it, I can promise. He's an "if it ain't broke" kinda guy, so it would have to be gushing or something. Same goes for the toilet with the leaky flapper. I might try that myself though. I'll also keep working on the squeaky screen door in the back.

4. De-clutter the entrance, move old mail/catalogs/magazines to outbox or recycling and cancel unused subscriptions: Took care of this earlier this week and today. I've been using Catalog Choice to opt-out, and keep track of, all the nonsense catalogs I receive but don't want. I mean, really, I don't think I need to be receiving Delia's and Alloy at age 26. Nor do I need a monthly pound of paper from Victoria's Secret and please, someone, how in the world did I get on Dell's mailing list when I own a Mac? Regardless, I've cancelled 10 catalogs and it's been great for my mailbox for sure. Took care of the junk on the console by the door and I've got the magazines and catalogs I DO like spread out on the floor waiting to have sheets torn and then off the recycle bin for them.

5. Look into what you need to create a landing strip: Well, this is all good to go since last Fall, so that's easy. I did get the idea about moving my cordless phone around the corner from where it is now (dragging the cords around and stuff), into the kitchen. I may even eventually get a fancy new one, because I do like having my land line, and the battery is ready to go, which means you (sadly) might as well get a new phone since batteries are half the price of a new phone.

6. Identify which rooms are cool and which are warm: Not temperature-wise, but in terms of their color schemes. This was easy - Cool: Bedroom, living room, bathroom. Warm: Hallway, dining room (Fiesta-Ware!), kitchen. Pretty straightforward.

7. Apply the 80/20 color rule: This rule means that you have about 80% of your room in neutral colors, and 20% in strong colors. Makes sense, you could think about this in terms of how you dress. Although right now like 99.9% of my clothes are black, brown, or gray, I really should be following 80/20. Most people do. As far as my apartment goes, it's close, I think. The kitchen needs more color since the cabinets and walls are white. I'm thinking of painting the wall behind the sink something bright and fun. The dining room needs more color, too, and I am planning on painting those walls eventually, and then recovering the chairs with something cute and fun and bright. Bed, bath, and living rooms are all fine color-wise, but every room needs more things hung on the walls, in both neutral and strong colors.

8. Cook 2 meals at home: Hasn't happened yet. Cooking dinner tonight though, but tomorrow night is Easter Redux at my Mom's (she was sick last week). Maybe we'll cook some good breakfast tomorrow. Ooohh yes: bloody marys, coffee, pancakes, and bacon. Alright, it's a plan.

So there you have it, my Week Three progress. Not too bad considering I didn't do much until today :) But I have been keeping up with lots of folks, and doing lots of planning in my head for when I have a little extra cash to spend. Cleaning today with the windows open was really great though, and my outlook for next week is good!

Oh, and before I forget, the Kitchn Cure task for this week was:

"I dare you to toss anything artificial, processed, containing MSG, artificial flavorings or high fructose corn syrup."

Haha! Well, that was easy! I had a New Year's resolution to do this sort of thing anyway, so I am in pretty good shape. It's not like you have to get rid of it all, and never buy anything "processed", but it's just that I want to be more conscientious of my food purchases. And amazingly, it hasn't been too hard. Glad to have the support to keep up with it though!

Also, supposed to go through cabinets, junk drawer, etc. and purge excess, clean, and reorganize. I am thinking that's a task for tomorrow (some I have begun, though, and I don't have a junk drawer - you can't really when you only have two drawers to begin with!).

I'll let you know how it goes!

Week 2: Almost Finished

In spite of a nagging head cold that won't let up, as well as the usual Easter stuff, I managed to tick a few more things off the list for Week 2. Some of the kitchen stuff though is going to wait until its appropriate week of the Kitchn Cure. Otherwise I think I'm just about ready for Week 3, which is all about the Landing Strip (aka the entry-way), and color. I think. Gotta finish reading the chapter in the book I guess. Maybe after yoga.

Week 2 Have-Done:

1. Fix one thing: the stove is now considered "fixed" as it is no longer crooked enough to cause oil/water/whatever to slide all the way to the left side of the pan. It was absurdly easy. The back door is not fixed, the WD-40 didn't do the trick and I might try to chip off enough paint to remove the hinge, boil it, and put it back. We'll see.

2. Clean Kitchen: pretty much done, will be following through on the rest of it during the Kitchn Cure.

3. Run your hands over every wall: Yup, every wall is cold, regardless of the fact that it's an inside wall or an outside wall. Some walls are really crumbly and bad. The bathroom walls are the warmest. The dining room should NOT be painted again with flat paint - too much food prep and potential grease spatters in there. Some patching needs to be done for sure.

4. Outbox: so far I have a few kitchen things sitting on the shelf of the china cabinet. I'm sure there will be more when I get to my summer clothes.

5. Flowers: skipped this week - I am BROKE and didn't feel like going to the store.

6. Cook a new recipe: well, I don't really do much of the cooking but we did do a lot of it this week, and I did a lot of cleaning and some prep work. We made new recipes of chicken curry and pasta carbonara (the real way as written in the Silver Spoon). They were both fantastic.

So that's done and I'm ready to move onward but I really really really want to not have a cold anymore. And I'm really ready for some actual Spring weather. Both of those things could have a very positive impact on my productivity. Here's to hoping!

Week 2: Kitchen Week and The Kitchn Cure

Yep, it's a big week for my kitchen. Or so I hope! Still fighting a gross cold so my motivation is blah! But I have realized that scrubbing the be-jeebus outta stuff allows me to vent my frustration with work in a lovely positive manner. Oh, and before any of you go all grammar-police on me, that's right, it's "The Kitchn Cure", so named after AT's sister site, The Kitchn (apparently when they split off with a re-design, all the good domain names were taken. It's grown on me).

So anyway, they decided they wanted in on all the Cure goodness and started up their own 8-week Kitchen Cure, beginning today, the official first day of Spring, and smack in the middle of the Spring Cure's Kitchen Week. There are also a couple of non-kitchen tasks for the regular Cure. But no big deal really.

Here's my to-do lists for the week:

AT:Chicago Spring Cure

Bones
- Fix one thing yourself: mine is hopefully going to be either the crooked stove (not on my list from last week, but because I forgot and someone reminded me! Thanks!!), or the squeaky back door. That requires a trip to somewhere that sells WD-40.
-Clean the kitchen top to bottom, throwing out old food, and de-clutter cabinets/storage: I'm on it! We've done the pantry and fridge and some drawers, and I am keeping on it.
-Buy and use a water filter: done a long time ago. I love me some H20!

Breath
-Run your hands over every wall in your apartment: I did this last time, sort of, but I guess I'll do it again. I know which walls are crumbly and which are cold and whatnot, but it can't hurt seeing things from all perspectives I suppose.
-Clear a spot for the Outbox, then clean a surface and USE the Outbox: I think I'll use the same spot as last Fall, right in front of my doorway, so I see it every time I'm coming and going, and will have to take care of it often. The Outbox is like clutter limbo. You put stuff there when you haven't decided exactly what to do with it or before you actually get rid of it in whatever manner you've decided (give away, sell, donation, storage, etc.). I don't plan on much in my Outbox though. Just clothes and the occasional kitchen item.

Heart
-Buy fresh flowers: Still need to do this but my 19-day old flowers still look amazing.
-Determine your style: They give some guidelines in the book and on the website. I've sort of narrowed it down to the ever-popular "organic modern". Yikes. I don't like putting myself into a box, but I do see how it is helpful when trying to make design decisions. I still like the occasional worldly, retro, mid-century, or otherwise eclectic styles. But I need to focus. Plus the "organic" part of the modern allows for lots of clean-lined solid wood stuff. Which I definitely like.

Head
-Find a new recipe and cook it at home: Maybe I'll do this tomorrow when I need a break at work, and then try to cook something with mostly ingredients we already have. Or cheaply. I'm broke! Just had to pay $150 a stupid "parking violation" aka the reduced charge for my speeding ticket I got in January. Grrrr....
-Choose a date for your "housewarming": Well, you are supposed to throw a housewarming after this is all said and done but I don't know. I WOULD like to have my Grandma and Aunt come see my place since they haven't in the entire 4 years I've been here, and I know they'd like it. Maybe I'll do a little lunch for them or something. Don't get me wrong, I like having people over, and I have been doing it more often since the Fall Cure, but I don't know if I can swing a full-blown party. Although when it's warmer out...well, we'll see.

Now, I've got the list for the AT: The Kitchn Spring Cure

-De-clutter your food! They give these guidelines to get rid of stuff:

• if it has expired
• if it has not been used in the last 6-12 months
• if it has duplicates (combine containers if possible)

Well, that was easy enough, we pretty much took care of it on Sunday morning, and then went out and bought lots of new stuff! You are also supposed to upload your "Before" pictures to their Flickr group, which I did!

I've scrubbed the kitchen floor tonight on my hands and knees, and am ready to go clean a few more surfaces and put stuff away before konking out for the night. Super excited, though, about the possibility of getting my kitchen workspace into tip top shape and then maybe, just maybe, being a more adventuresome cook!

Week 1 Recap

Week One is pretty tame, with some basic tasks to tackle and an overall prep for what lies ahead.

My breakdown of how things went:

Bones of the Apartment

-List all repairs and possible solutions. I've got some dripping faucets, a slow bathtub drain, a flickering kitchen light, a sticky handle on the toilet, and a squeaky back door. There could be others, but hopefully that's it because I think I can fix most of them.

-Vacuum, sweep, and/or mop all floors: Well, I did a lot of cleaning before having company the weekend before last and I was able to open the windows while cleaning. This weekend was a bit too cold so I just swept it all. The kitchen and bathroom floors are the worst and will get "hands and knees" scrubbing during their respective weeks.


Breath of the Apartment

-Remove one item from the apartment and put it outside: Basically, begin the de-cluttering. I didn't really do this during the week either but there is a bag of clothes to take to Goodwill in my trunk from a few weeks before the Cure began. I say that counts ;)

Heart of the Apartment

-Buy fresh flowers: The flowers (Alstroemeria or something...) from last weekend's dinner party were and ARE thriving. And since I spent $100 at the grocery store this weekend, I think skipping flowers is ok. But I'll be sure to replace them as soon as they begin to wilt.

See, they are still lookin' good. In more than one spot, too!



Head of the Apartment

-Sit for 10 minutes in a place you never sit: I did this during the Fall Cure in the two places I never sit, so I didn't have anywhere to sit this time. But I did sit and ponder my kitchen/dining room situation for some time on more than one occasion. It did help with my vision.

-Look into Earth-Friendly cleaning products: Again, I did most of this last Fall and now I don't have too many "un-friendly" products left. For fiscal reasons, I have chosen to use up whatever wasn't Earth-Friendly, and replace it as the need arises. Of course I bought Lysol toilet bowl cleaner right before Method (finally) introduced theirs. I have begun using the Baking Soda/White Vinegar method to clear my stubborn bathtub drain, though. I think it just may work. And it's cheap!

So there you have it. I did get a start on the Kitchen tasks yesterday, with a pantry clear-out and a scrub down of the refrigerator. I'll post the to-do for Week Two soon, and hope to stay on top of things. I did wake up today with a tickle in my throat that won't go away, and some hints that I'm getting sick. Taking things easy tonight (skipping yoga, boo!), but I DO get to listen to the occasional bagpipe serenade from down the street, so it isn't all that bad!

Happy St. Pat's!

Sunday, Wednesday, what's the diff?

So I said I'd be back on Wednesday with my goals for the cure, but I just wasn't feeling it. I did have a bit of relaxation time this week though, which was great because works is CRAZY. Plus we had a lovely preview of Spring this week and I spent a decent amount of time just enjoying the weather and the extra daylight.

But back to the goals. I'll try to keep it pretty straightforward, and I think it won't be too hard because I did so much work last time around, and kept up with things, so now it's getting to the nitty-gritty instead of "de-clutter 4 years of personal belongings." That was fun. ;)

1.) Better lighting all around. I have some fixtures to actually replace, and other lamps that need to be added or changed to better types.

2.) Frame and hang more personal photos and other artwork. Most of my walls are still pretty bare, and since most of them are also white, it's not a great combo. I think this will help add some warmth to the place.

3.) Get both closets into completely functional and organized shape. They've both been decluttered several times but could really stand some rearranging.

4.) Continue turning the kitchen/dining room into a more pleasant and functional place to be. AT's the Kitchn is doing a Kitchen Cure starting this Thursday (FIRST DAY OF SPRING!!!), and I'm anxious to see what it entails. Hopefully this will lead me to more cooking, especially on my own.

5.) The standard Spring Cleaning that goes along with the Cure. Hopefully I can find some way to improve the air quality, too. Allergy season is starting and I am trying to be more mindful of the air I'm breathing. That probably makes a big difference in how you feel, and if you feel good, you'll be in a better mood (though Spring coming is almost all I need to be in a better mood!).

So that's it for the big goals. Obviously there are smaller things to tackle too, but for now, I need to get back to the Week One tasks (the weeks begin on Mondays and end the following Sunday, so you have the whole weekend to get through stuff). I'll probably post a Week One - completed tasks list later today or tomorrow.

Now it's off to clean some floors!

Stuff White People Like

The link is in the title of this post and there on the left. If you haven't heard of or gone to this blog, DO SO NOW.

It's absolutely amazing.

Cure Quiz

The beginning of the Cure book has a quiz that is supposed to give you some insight into what is wrong with your place and what you aspire it to be like. Last time I took it myself but wasn't exactly sure how to interpret things. I guess that's what you miss out on when you don't have an analyst being paid to talk things out with you directly.

But in the spirit of honesty and my hope that maybe someone can glean some bit of meaning from my answers, I decided to post this year's Cure Quiz results :)

FAVORITES - name your favorite:
Actress - Um, Cate Blanchett? Nicole Kidman? I'm bad at movie people...
Actor - Bill Murray (now what the heck is that supposed to mean!)
Artist - JWK - my momma, duh!
Writer - Laura Ingalls Wilder - for reals!!
Restaurant - Duff's (another duh!)
Automobile - Prius or something else equally hybrid-y and cool.
TV Show - n/a honestly.
Clothing - This could be a designer or a store, but really I don't shop too much. I guess Banana if I could afford to shop there more often! With a few things from Anthro tossed in for good measure.

How would you describe your style (give three words)
1. Straightfoward
2. Well-conceived (two words but still!)
3. Modern

Where have you lived?
Born - STL (city)
Grew up - STL (county)
Adult - STL (city - blocks from where I was born)

Name a role model: Dad!

Give three adjectives that describe what you admire about that person:
1. Intelligent
2. Kind
3. Patient

If your apartment could speak, what would it say is the problem?
Hmmm, a little weird, OK - "I'm lonely sometimes and cold and hot at the wrong times! Fix me!"

Describe the problem with your apartment in three words:
1. Sparse (some places) 2. Anonymous 3. Cold! (yeah, I know, it's March!)

What is one thing you'd like to do more of in your apartment?
Cook! But more on my own, instead of just watching the BF. Like for lunch and breakfast. It can be done, I know it!

Eight weeks from now, when you are finished, how would you like your friends to describe your apartment? (in three words):
For the record - none of you smartasses out there better walk in saying these things next time you come over just to mess w/ me ;)
1. Pretty 2. Clean 3. Homey

So there you have it! The Cure Quiz! There is another little check list where you score how you feel your apartment rates in terms of the "Head, Heart, Breath, and Bones", which are four aspects that you are supposed to focus on. I won't go into depth (get the book!), but I scored in a higher bracket this time than last. I got an 11 which means "Healthy, comfortable. Could use improvement in at least one area, and toning overall." I think that's a fair assessment - I've definitely come a long way since last time around!

Tomorrow I'll be back with goals and plans for Week One! I'm sure you'll be on the edges of your seats until then!

An optical illusion of sorts...

Driving home from work tonight felt like I was skipping out early. I had already fixed the clock in my car so I knew it was the right time, but being on hwy 40 going home for the evening while that much light was still out felt wrong! I know it's not completely spring time just yet, but I am going to be basking in the extra daylight for sure!

I really do think I have some form of SAD, because the sunshine coming through my apartment windows right now is making me downright giddy in spite of my stiff shoulders from a day hunched over my desk working on various spreadsheets. Yippee for Spring and Sun!

Oh, and in Spring Cure news, it's technically now Week One. I got the book from the library and I think this week means just cleaning the floors, etc. but I don't really remember. I'll fill everyone in on my to-dos and progress soon.

Week 0: (some) Photos are Up

Over at Flickr :)

Just a few rooms up so far, but more to come in the next few days. It's hard to get good shots with my crappy camera a night.

Apartment Therapy Spring Cure

***3/4/07 Update*** AT is offering the chance to actually "sign up" for the Cure, which I think is a GREAT idea because it'll make you feel super-accountable. The link is here. Oh, and if you successfully finish, you'll get a diploma! Yippee :)


Well folks it's about that time. This week marks the starting point (aka "Week 0") for the AT Spring '08 Cure. I am definitely ready to get things moving again after an obnoxiously wintery few months. (I say this as we are getting ready to have 8-10 inches of snow dumped on us, too).

I'm not sure how I am going to focus things, but I do know that I have made a ton of improvements since beginning the Fall Cure last September. I am just going to try to keep moving on maybe without spending so much $ this time.

Oh, and I am also going to be sure to keep up with my Y visits since I was almost entirely absent last time around, and that was no good. That being said, I'm off to yoga, then to the library to check out the AT book again. Maybe if I have a snow day tomorrow I'll read up to refresh my memory a bit.

Anyone going to join me for the Spring Cure? :) Nothing like some good old peer pressure!

Why People Probably Have a Hard Time Getting Rid of Crap

I had sat around long enough blissfully enjoying a prior-obligation-free Saturday when I decided that I'd try to tackle the five or six boxes of junk and "memories" taking up some valuable space in my hall closet.

The boxes are varying sizes, from tiny to men's shoebox size, and I went for the smallest one first, thinking I could get through quickly and be done with it.

Not so fast...

Turns out that little box was holding about 8 years worth of............ticket stubs.

Now maybe that isn't such a hard thing to get rid of, you say. I mean, I dragged over the recycling bin and had every intention of making quick work of it.

Until questions like this began popping into my head:

- Will my (hypothetical VERY future) children be pissed if I throw away a Weezer stub from the first leg of their infamous comeback tour?

- Is there ANY value that I might be tossing out with a Pointfest 10 ticket signed by two members of Goldfinger? Surely there must!

- Did I REALLY go to a Foreigner concert? WTF?!?

And so on....

I think that it's questions like these that turn people into obsessive hoarders. I consider myself pretty good at purging, and the one side of my brain says "Let it go! Out with the old, in with the new, get rid of all that old energy and make room for new memories." But the other side still says "How dare you consider getting rid of tangible proof of your formative years, no matter how minuscule! This is the fodder of social anthropologists of the future! How selfish to destroy a potential cache that might allow for a glimpse of early 21st century popular culture!"

In the end, it pretty much all wound up in the recycling. But I can't help but hold on to a small envelope with some of the standouts. What if....you know?

Next stop: 10 years worth of greeting cards, invitations, and announcements. Woo boy!

Burning Calories AND Braincells!

Since I sort of promised Gerald that I'd blog today (he mentioned that he always sings the title song when he reads my blog, and then the first song on my Pandora this morning at work was Paper Thin Walls), I was pretty relieved when I had what I felt was an entirely blog-worthy topic in mind.

As I was flipping through the junk mail after work tonight, I stared for a bit at a flier for "Sante" the new fitness club taking over the old fitness club's space in the bottom of the Chase Park Plaza. Just the name made me pretty sure I couldn't afford it, but since I hadn't been to the Y in close to 3 months I figured maybe I should be looking into other venues.

After realizing that they didn't even put the rates on their website it's going to be so damn expensive, I gave up on that idea and googled "fitness" in the STL area. I checked out a few nearby yoga/pilates studios (committing to a class is easier for me than working out on my own), but it all was pretty darn expensive (think upwards of $60/mo. for ONE class a week!).

I should explain right now that I have been PAYING my Y dues in the past three months, I just haven't gone. That's right, nearly $150 down the drain! Clearly I am an idiot. But I digress.

So after looking around some more I get the genius idea that maybe, since it is only 5:45, I should get off my bum and actually GO to my Y. So I did.

I even signed up for and paid an extra $3/week for a Monday night yoga class. So I'm in now for at least one night a week. I love a commitment like that. But let me tell you - there is one thing there now that is going to keep me heading back for more, and I'm going to be getting some serious miles out of the ellipticals now.

That's right - my Y now has LCD TVs on all the back row elliptical machines, and those TVs have your own personal headphone jack AND those TVs have CABLE.

My life is now changed because I can watch Househunters and What Will it Sell For on HGTV. I can watch the latest world dramas unfold on CNN. I can watch Rachel Ray whip up an amazing 30 Minute Meal. I can watch commercials for products I never dreamed could exist. All while sweating it out and toning my thighs.

Hallelujah!

Now, this might seem a little mundane to those of you who have TVs at home that exist in a 21st century lifestyle. But as I mentioned over at Lenger's blog, I am SO not that person. And I might not be for a while. So until then, I've got a whole new motivator to get my bum to the gym, besides it's growing girth.

I tell ya, folks, what WILL they think of next?

Lesson Learned

Tonight I learned a lesson that makes me want to hit my brain-cell losing noggin and say "duh!"

When feeling crafty, and taking advantage of the last (unseasonably warm) day of an extended weekend, consider the fact that it's still February and stay away from all fume-emitting devices. I thought I was being oh-so-motivated when I got started sanding my crappy old dorm couch in preparation for some dark walnut danish oil. The motivation led to mild discomfort when my headache started and two puffs off the inhaler didn't keep me from coughing (and yes, I wore a mask!).

My mild discomfort became slow panic when I realized that in addition to the fumes from my newly stained (and slightly enhanced) couch frame, I was smelling an odd combo of gas/lighter fluid from the direct vicinity of my oven. After confirming (maybe) that all pilot lights were lit, and throwing a hissy fit on the phone w/ both the bf and my mom, I gave up and called Laclede's emergency line.

The lady took my info, told me someone would be on the way, and left me with some half dozen warnings about how not to cause an explosion in the meantime (don't answer the phone, don't turn any switches - I flipped off the furnace before it cycled on, etc.). I got super nervous and sat in my idling but warm car on the phone while waiting for the guy.

When he arrived, I felt the need to first explain why my living room was in mild disarray and that I had been staining the couch earlier in the day - but that the fumes were coming from the oven.

He immediately knew what was wrong, and it kills me that I never thought of this: the pilot lights (on the stove/oven/and furnace) were burning off the fumes from the stain/oil. My closing the windows after the temperature dropped to the 20's didn't help.

So basically my entire apartment was filled with gross fumes and now, so I don't exacerbate the situation, I can't run the furnace (the burners going on would make it worse). He also recommended that I keep two windows open for cross ventilation all night. It's getting down to the teens tonight so I am really looking forward to sleeping in the equivalent of a wine cellar. I did remember to let all of the pipes drip though. Don't need another disaster on my hands!

Lesson learned folks - be careful of those crafty ambitions! :)

Oh the Irony...

As a follow up to my post earlier today, I'd like to share the fact that a water main break has rendered my block soggier than a half cup of special K in a gallon of milk. Not to mention the fact that I have no running water until "?" as stated by the door tag on my apartment building (and as evidenced by the jackhammering I can hear as I write this). And so I find it mildly ironic that this story was playing on the radio as I arrived home (via a lovely detour thanks to the abundance of one-way streets in the d-town). Now who out there still doesn't believe that global warming exists?

Earth Hour 2008

I emailed Mayor Slay to ask if St. Louis could sign up for this year's Earth Hour. I hope we get on board! Either way, I'm in!

Photo of the Day

From the New York Times' article about a charming Jersey tradition called a "beefsteak".

Less is more

Well, maybe not so much in terms of blog entries, so sorry to the two and a half people that have been waiting for me to update......just been lazy really. Busy for a bit, but mostly just lazy.

I think that the phrase, "less is more" is going to make up part of my new year's resolution/philosophy. And yes, I am just now getting around to "resolving" but it's still January! Anyway...this phrase can be adapted to so many things in life and I believe it can help a person to focus on the things that matter while avoiding the extraneous baggage that weighs us down.

I think the most obvious interpretations for a new year's resolution with this theme is the whole "eat less, be healthier" goal. Of course less is more here - fewer calories, less laziness, etc. I think it can be taken to the next level to include things like: less ingredients in your food (i.e. avoiding the glut of processed food that we are exposed to), less distance that your food has to travel, and less waste that accompanies whatever food you buy - be it packaging or the food itself.

Another interpretation that I am going to try to focus on is less stuff. I spent a decent amount of time last year getting rid of stuff, but this year already I have bought a bunch. Not that any of it was pointless (it wasn't - I scored an awesome deal on a couch and used the rest of my year-end bonus on other apt. related things that were pretty much all on my wish/need list). But from here on out I am dedicating myself to living more simply, which means living with less. Honestly, the amount of stuff I still have stored away, piled up in closets, and stuffed into drawers is absolutely absurd. If I don't ever look at it, why do I need it? I've made a bit of headway on this effort already by simply packing up my CDs and getting them out of sight. And to top it off, I even THREW SOME AWAY. That's right - horrendously wasteful but you can't really recycle old CDs and they were mostly just burned mixes or the most random bands and I won't miss 'em. If I can, I'm going to be iTunes only from here on out.

A third goal for my "less is more" theme year is to create less waste, and concurrently recycle or reuse more. Many of these concepts tie together, because you can choose to be focused on the true cost when deciding whether or not you really need that new t-shirt or bag of chips or new release CD/DVD, etc. and find yourself meeting goals in more than one way. So by choosing to bring less stuff into my house, I've created less waste (packaging, gas expenditures, replacing something that doesn't really need to be replaced yet), and I've spent less money and possibly saved myself some needless calories, too. Thinking about the big picture more can absolutely enable me to spend/eat/waste less.

And hopefully all of these goals too will help me meet one more "less is more" objective. Paying off some of my debts so that I can have less concern for my financial situation (which is pretty pathetic right now given the fact that I've been raking in the "real world" paychecks for almost a year...). I've spent a bit more time on planning and working out ideas to achieve these goals, but it's all in the name of motivation and realistic preparation for something that I want to accomplish dearly.

And so...welcome back to my blog for the lovely year of 2008. I hope to be much much better at blogging...I always have things I want to share but am usually too lazy to make the effort of typing it all out - lame, I know. I resolve to be much MORE diligent in the days and weeks and months ahead. ;)


PS: I don't want to forget - I've talked to some folks already, but just an FYI if you would like to join the super fun times of the Apartment Therapy Cure for some spring cleaning and a fresh start, stay tuned. Things should be starting up over at their website on March 3rd. And before then, you can always browse the book - the local library has a few copies and amazon has a bunch of used ones available too (ha ha, remember, less waste, less money, less stuff!).