bowling

Weekly Therapy: healing from the littlest baby tooth that could

- Mel

the week:
I seem to be healing from my tooth extraction. Ready to move on from eating meals with baby food-consistency.

The boyfriend and I had a fun, mid-week date night. We had dinner at Braddock’s downtown and then saw the performance You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up! at the Pittsburgh CLO Cabaret Theater (thanks Yelp!). The show is hilarious — and runs through May 5.

weekend:
Busy couple of days! Friday is our monthly bowling league night (I’m still hovering around a respectable 105 average per game); tomorrow I’m skating in Pittsburgh’s St. Patrick’s Day parade (pending weather; we might be walking instead); afterward, our group will be celebrating at the Toonseum for their ‘Stache Bash.

A full weekend of activities, culminates into the big celebration of our anniversary on Sunday (the lovely story of when two drunk Irish people hooked up on St. Patrick’s Day). Sadly, our special occasion restaurant is closed on Sundays, so we’ll be looking for somewhere new (or making sushi at home) to celebrate FOUR YEARS. Where has the time gone?!

First “date”: St. Patrick’s Day, Chicago 2009. Yep.

seven things, seven days:
1. Squee! Alert: my current obsession, thanks to bird breeding season, are nest cams. Pittsburgh has its own eye on Peregrine falcons at the Cathedral of Learning! And then a friend sent me the link to these adorable Barn Owls.
2. We won our home opener last weekend, but my home team lost the championships (and I nearly lost my head with too many sits in the penalty box).
3. Painting my nails at least once a week, thanks to Julep! {if you access via my referral link, use code 8563093 at sign-up!}
4. Craving fish fry and alcoholic milkshakes… SO RANDOM. But definitely experiencing some sweets-withdrawal.
5. Another AWESOME Sprig box this month (hello, carrot cake cookies — I cannot wait to enjoy you after March 31!). This company is opening my eyes to so many amazing companies making raw, organic and gluten-free snacks.
6. Is anyone else completely freaking out about the retirement of Google Reader this summer?!
7. Seemed appropriate: The Psychology of Flossing

Love and salt-water rinses (blech). And shots of Jameson. Sláinte!

Weekly Therapy: from Me, with love

- Mel

the week:
Happy Valentine’s Day! (to those of you who celebrate). I got my usual cat-card-and-dark-chocolate pairing from the boyfriend *swoon*. And had my six month-cleaning at the dentist (LOADS OF FUN OVER HERE!) Settling in from vacation hasn’t really happened. AT LEAST I GOT THE LAUNDRY FINISHED. I’m sure you can feel me that that was quite an accomplishment in two days. And I’ve been rushing to tidy the house since we’re expecting guests this weekend AND missed our bi-weekly cleaning appointment while we were gone.

Painting estimates and Masonry estimates and Deck Replacing Estimates. Smells like home remodeling season up in here. Picking out paint colors and selecting the order of remodeling projects… in less than a week? SO MUCH PRESSURE. But colors have finally been picked out for all of the rooms on our first and second level (buh-bye orange living room wall).

weekend:
Tonight is Bowling night! And just when I thought I had a “rest day”… I happened to look at my calendar. *sigh* We still haven’t even been able to grocery shop since we’ve been home, which means take out again tonight. And my favorite crepes place in Pittsburgh for brunch tomorrow (which also means take-home macaroons for me – I’m WINNING!)

We’re hosting friends of ours Saturday night for a “date night” of Mexican proportions. I can never have enough Mexican. But apparently I can have ALL OF THE STRESS. {brown paper bag me, please}

52 weeks o’ books:
10. Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. I was completely mesmerized by this book… so much so that I want to read it again. This is exactly the type of social psychology that interests me to my core.

But I’m realizing that I’m REALLY lagging behind in my 52-in-52 goal. Need to find some short books for fill-ins. And use my “free” time at work more wisely.

seven things, seven days:
1. We got a new iMac! (it’s so huge TWSS)
2. I have declared a new major with my intended “new” college. Seems it will take me just as much time to complete my Comm degree as it will be to start over with a Psych program. Sounds like the right time to me.
3. Really wanted these stools from World Market. It seems I blinked, and the went on sale and subsequently sold out… MUST FIND TWO.
4. This week, I received notice that I was hired to work (as a development intern) with a local animal rescue organization on a special adoption campaign. SO EXCITED!
5. Found (and bought) a cute striped bikini in California! Even better, it doesn’t tie around the neck. <3 6. 48 Hidden Images in Black Swan (*omg* this is a little creepy, but all kinds of awesome, if you’re a fan of the movie — like me)
7. From Oh Joy! >> Things Worth Splurging on in Your 30s (AGREE WITH THEM ALL! The “perfect” brown leather tall boots still evade me though… *sigh*)

Weekend Therapy: Rain, Rain, Go Away!

- Mel

the week:
It’s finally stopped raining. Yesterday, we were on six straight days of rain. This kind of weather is so depressing — even a pair Wellies wasn’t enough to make me enjoy the puddles. Alas, I’ve been pretty much living in my new sweatshirt and fleece pants for the entire week because everything is all… blah.

And drinking hot chocolate.

Thankfully, our area was free of damage from the storms, but I had buckets at the ready for any leaks. It was sad to see on the news some of the places of my previous vacation locations underwater and experiencing the devastating destruction of Sandy. My heart goes out to the East Coast (and some friends in Cleveland, who seemingly got the midwest brunt of the storm, and are still without power).

weekend:
I was excited when I didn’t see anything on my schedule for the weekend — it would be an opportunity to relax, catch up on housework, put away all the Halloween stuff… wash my gear. But that “freedom” didn’t last long: Halloween was rescheduled to Saturday evening because of this week’s storms; since I was without a car for an entire week those overdue errands need crossed off the to-do list FOR SERIOUS (I’m also sans car for tomorrow when I was hoping to DO all of this stuff *sigh*); my brothers’ band is touring through town; and I have marketing responsibilities to task for derby.

{deep breath}

I need some yoga therapy, but spinning will probably be more my speed for the next three days.

I’ll also try to squeeze in some time to watch roller derby. CHAMPIONSHIPS!

Oh, look, an extra hour!

If you’re around Pittsburgh, check out the Three Rivers Film Festival (runs through November 17) and Saturday’s Ti Kanaval Cocktail Party (um,did somebody say “UNLIMITED DESSERT BAR”?!).

seven things, seven days:
1. Consider making a donation to the Humane Society or the Red Cross to help with relief work for those people and animals affected by Sandy.
2. This post from J’s Everyday Fashion is a great read: the anatomy of a trend. Are you an early adopter?
3. Currently on a Spending Strike for November. More on that later…
4. Seriously, I made three more batches of this Apple Pie dip — first, for our bowling league last weekend (and another separate just for me because, well…) and another for the boyfriend’s work/food party. EVERYBODY LOVES IT!
5. Speaking of bowling, I had my best game last Friday and totally screwed up my average (95) in the process. Hooray, 121!
6. Back to home team practices next week! As much as I enjoyed personal leave and NOTHING TO DO, I’m ready to be back in my skates.
7. Twelve ready-to-style Fall outfits: time to shop my closet.

Post #2 complete.