1. I usually start the new year with my poop in a pile ready to get down to business.
As discussed yesterday, in the opening week of this year my poop is more like a Jackson Pollock painting. I've been holding my planner in a kung fu grip so I can get my shit together before vacation in a few weeks.
2. Last weekend we went to the shore to take pics of the house so we could
list it on VRBO. If you know someone who's looking to rent in the southern Jersey Shore region, specifically in Ocean City, please share the link with them. Thank you! Outtake: MFD also decided to winterize it...and turned the water off before he told me he was winterizing it. Then as soon as I found out the water was off, I had to go to the bathroom
because that is always the way.
3. Countdown to Africa: 12 days. This week I got a typhoid shot and picked up my prescription for malaria and cipro. And fought with MFD about if we needed a yellow fever shot or not. He says no, I say why not. So if all you see from Africa is photos of us being detained in the airport, you know who to blame. Just kidding, the CDC agrees with him. People who have survived 14 hour flights - please share your tips! And drinking booze and taking pills don't count. If you have noise cancelling headphones that didn't cost an arm and a leg, hook a sister up with a link please.
4. Did I tell you guys I got a bluetooth type device that is going to tell me where my keys are every time I lose them? Stay tuned to see if this works. I really need it to work based on all the
key fuckery that I subject myself to.
5. Just a reminder as we start a new year:
6. So I broke my gel nails on vacation only rule and got them over Christmas. Now I want to take them off and I have to do it at home so I'm avoiding it. People who remove at home, any tips?
7. I finished Making a Murderer this week. I have some opinions about innocence in regards to these two subjects of the docuseries, but most of the takeaway for me was about fair trials and preconceived notions we might go in with, regardless of our role in the system (judge, law enforcement, lawyer, accused, juror). What an eye opener about the legal system and what people are up against - especially uneducated people. One of the many lawyers said something in the last episode that has really stuck with me about how you think the system works until it works against you or someone in your family, and then you really see the cracks. And that it could happen to any of us. I'd like to share more thoughts but I don't want to ruin it. Watch it with an open mind!
8. The next Show Us Your Books is on Tuesday. I had a little over two weeks of meh reads - I bounced back and forth between a few books that were not really lighting a fire under my ass. I picked it up this week with
Black-Eyed Susans. We also have a new button if you're interested, and you can get it on the right sidebar.
9. Blah blah I know. Look, us looking gross with our dogs over the holiday slow time:
10. I'm putting my money where my mouth is in regards to raising money and awareness for homeless youth, one of the most under-served age groups in the homeless population. On March 18 I'll be joining friends for Covenant House's Sleep Out to Support Homeless Youth. I'll be sleeping outside to raise awareness and money for homeless kids - homeless teens on their own often slip through the cracks with few places to turn - they are the most under-served group in the homeless population. Covenant House is the largest privately-funded agency providing food, shelter, immediate crisis care, and essential services to homeless youth in 27 cities in North America.They strive to move each young person forward down a path to an independent adulthood, free from the risk of future homelessness. I need to raise $1,000 for these kids by February 19. Thanks to the generosity of my people, I am within $200 of that goal. Any small amount helps. If you can donate, please click
here. p.s. did you know you can age out of participating in this? You can. I'm in the last year of eligibility with my old ass. Thanks to Catie & Joe for opening my eyes to this opportunity and for the invite to join their team!
11. Ecard of the week:
Steph, kudos for having the courage to put yourself out there & being upfront about how you feel about lift at the moment. It's refreshing to read because we all have the same doubts and concerns about life at times! As for the bluetooth Tile I have to tell you my husband also suffers from the annoying key tracking disease & has been using Tile for about a year. He has one on his keychain and in his wallet. As long as they're somewhere in the house ( & he can find his phone to use the app!!) he has been successfully keeping track of them. I bet you'll love it!
ReplyDeleteSteph, kudos for having the courage to put yourself out there & being upfront about how you feel about lift at the moment. It's refreshing to read because we all have the same doubts and concerns about life at times! As for the bluetooth Tile I have to tell you my husband also suffers from the annoying key tracking disease & has been using Tile for about a year. He has one on his keychain and in his wallet. As long as they're somewhere in the house ( & he can find his phone to use the app!!) he has been successfully keeping track of them. I bet you'll love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lauren! No shame about struggling...we all do it sometimes!
DeleteYay, so glad the Tile is working for you. Hopefully it'll be working for me too.
When I went to Germany it was 12 or 13 hours, the flight had a TV in each seat so I watched some movies and TV, read and slept. It went by quicker then I thought. Also get up every hour or so so you get some circulation going. I need to jump on the Making a Murderer bandwagon it sounds really good. So awesome you are doing the sleep out, heading over to donate.
ReplyDelete1. Both you and Brie would be so proud at how much I've been utilizing my new Erin Condren.
ReplyDelete2. I'm thrilled for you and Mike! The house looks fantastic, kudos to everyone who helped!
3. Steve got new headphones for Christmas, I'll look on my Amazon history and send the link. He loves them
4. What will they come up with next?
5. A-fucking-Men
6. Soak them in acetone. Or you can do what I did and pick off all the polish while watching 10+ straight hours of Making a Murderer. I would not recommend this.
7. The most compelling thing I've watched in awhile. It's frightening, maddening and disheartening to see how the uneducated/underprivilaged are preyed upon. I could go on and on, but, I won't.
8. I was wondering if you would touch on this subject. When watching, and realizing what was unfolding, I was like HOLY FUCK!! I think I was in shock before it dawned on me how ignorant and hateful it was. But an end to The Mummers?? No. Just no. Don't ruinn the best day in the city bc of a few fucking douchebags.
9. Love
10. Go girl! Heading over to donate!
11. You and Brie would have a field day with this!
I have friends and family who rent in Ocean City during the summer so I will be sure to share your link with them!
ReplyDeleteI have been to Thailand twice (4 - 17 hour direct flights) by the fourth flight I took a Tylenol PM and slept 10 hours. I would imagine with your love of reading just have many books available. Usually those flights have TV's with a pretty good selection of movies.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I try and take my shellac off at home I think 'it's so worth it to pay them the $5 to do it'... so no, no tips here... it always takes me forever and way too much effort!
ReplyDeleteSo many things to comment on, lady. So exciting about Africa. I met a woman on our cruise who said it was her favorite trip and now it's REALLY on my list. I look forward to hearing all about your adventures. And that quote is so true. Miserable people are SO NOT worth having in your life, debbie downers and cathy complainers, NO THANK YOU!!!!
ReplyDeleteFor the nails, have you tried the cotton balls soaked in remover attached to your fingers with tinfoil for 20-30 minutes method? I have heard good things but haven't tried it myself. Also, I think post-vacation, guns blazing Steph will be back. It's always hard for me when I know I have something out of the ordinary coming up to focus on the day-to-day until that very big something is over, if that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI second what Lauren said, soak the cotton balls with Acetone and then lay each one on a nail and pinch tinfoil around it to keep it in place. Let it soak as long as you can and then use a cuticle tool to scrape the polish off. It should come off pretty easy after soaking. That's amazing that you are supporting homeless kids, it breaks my heart thinking about them on the streets and being overlooked! Very excited for your trip to Africa, hope it's even more amazing than expected!
ReplyDeleteSo apparently I need to hop on the Making a Murderer train. I have seen a few people talking about it, but I know you wont waste time watching just anything. I love that you are sleeping outside for homeless teens, that is amazing! Such a great cause and I guess I never thought about them slipping through cracks but I can so see that now.
ReplyDeleteso cool that your beachhose is listed!! i wanna stay if i ever make it up there! I'm going ot need that blue tooth device.
ReplyDeleteSerious question: how scary is making a murderer? I want to watch but i'm such a nervous person!
Totally just pinned that quote. Couldn't agree more!
ReplyDeleteThe countdown is ON... so excited for you. Cant wait to see your pictures from Africa!!!
ReplyDeleteYou'll have to tell me how that thing works for your keys - my husband is the WORSTTTTT at loosing his keys.
Love, love the beach house!!! I wish it was here or I was there! Hmmm... I need to get into Making of a Murderer because I love those shows but the legal system and it's flaws gives me rage... I am afraid that I would need wine.
ReplyDeleteWe've already discussed MAM. You know how I feel. And I am OBSESSIVELY reading all the internet things about it now.
ReplyDeleteI'm calling my last month of reading the month of meh because that's how all the books were. I'm hoping the next 3 I have lined up break me out of that.
LOVE the sleep-out! Can't wait for Africa. My grammar/spelling mistakes embarrass me greatly when I realize I've made them - please point them out discreetly so I can fix them post haste!
ReplyDeleteThat's an excellent price for a 4 bedroom near the beach. I would definitely rent it if I make my way to Ocean City. The first time i heard about Mummers was from your blog and then I saw it on the news a day or two later.
ReplyDeleteI do everything you're not supposed to and peel mine off at home. I usually wait until they are starting to come up at the cuticles a bit and do them in the shower; the water and heat help but obviously, the acetone and the cotton and foil is the better option.
ReplyDeleteThe CJ system is so fucked up. My hope is that by more and more people learning more about it, we can fix it. I teach my students all the time how effed up it is (yet, still so so much better than most other countries) and that we need the next generation of CJ system practitioners to fix it.
Africa sounds so exciting (minus the shots and long flight). Where exactly are you going?
I just typed a whole reply and it disappeared!
ReplyDeleteI can't watch MOfAM. Sean told me about it.
Fly business class for a long flight! I will be donating to your sleepover for Covenant House. Homeless youth is unthinkable.
Keep on being you. I am so proud of you. Love. Your. Momma.
the shore house looks AMAZING!
ReplyDeletei have survived many a long flight! ok, most of them were only 13.5 hours with one at 16.5 but i'd say that gives me enough experience. my best best best best advice is to sleep. not even advice, but if you can sleep, you should. it is the ONLY thing that will make the flight go by fast. however, if you are unlucky like me... bring lots of books and don't watch any movies 6 months prior so you have plenty to watch on the plane. because not sleeping, i swear, it adds many an hour to a flight. but um.. good luck?
i can't believe people are so stupid - there are assholes everywhere. the only way to get rid of assholes in this or that area is to get rid of all assholes, that would be nice.
**SPOILER ALERT to those reading comments that haven't watching MAM**
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I saw the investigator in the room by himself with Brendan, I thought of how many rules of Professional Conduct that defense attorney had violated. There are RULES that we as attorneys have to PLEDGE to take seriously. It made me so angry and embarrassed. I did a lot of work with the Death Penalty Clinic while in law school and most of the stories were the same: wrongfully convicted because they're not very smart and poor. It's so disheartening.
Only a lighter note, just this morning I asked Leland for noise cancelling headphones for my birthday before the honeymoon trip (because March is just around the corner!), and he sent me this link and said his coworker has them and they've gotten great reviews across various websites. My plan is to have a few books and podcasts ready to enjoy on the plane. For sleeping on the plane, I'm going to attempt to shift my sleeping schedule a little the week before so that I'll almost be sleepy when it's time to head overseas. I have no idea if that will work.
Hope you have an amazing time in Africa! That show sounds like something I would like to watch, my fiancé might even be into it too! I can't even imagine trying to have all of my stuff in order by the new year, I don't know how people do it. I feel like I need at least a month to recover from Christmas before I can start getting my life together again!
ReplyDeleteA month to recover from Christmas sounds awesome. Let's get that on the calendar! LOL
DeleteIm sure Africa will be an awesome trip! I can't wait for you to share all about it once you guys get back (well, once you leave and then get back haha). I agree with you on Making a Murderer. I have lots of thoughts on the whole thing and have been thinking about it since we started (and finished)!
ReplyDeleteI like your reminder--there are people out there who make you feel less than because a decision you make is different from theirs (and for some reason their decision/lifestyle is the end all be all). I was friends with someone like that, who made judge-y comments about silly things like things we were and weren't going to do in our wedding, all the way to when we were going to try for kids. Why do my life choices have any impact on your life? Answer: they don't. And that's why that "friend" got kicked to the curb.
I've taken gel off at home before and I've done the same thing they do at salons - soak a cotton ball and then put it on your finger with tin foil. I've had pretty decent results. I'm dying to watch Making a Murderer but we don't have Netflix! I think we are the only people left in the world who don't. Might have to bite the bullet and get it just so we can watch!
ReplyDeleteAhhhhh 12 days!!! I can't believe how quickly your trip came up, and can't wait to insta-stalk you. LOL at MFD turning off the water *a tad too early*, and I'm almost (finally) done with Orange is the New Black and then I'll get started on Making a Murderer.
ReplyDeleteI think that Scott might need the key device. Fascinating.
ReplyDeleteOh the injustices in the system. It really makes me sick. Brendan reminds me of dozens of kids I've met over the years. He never had a chance. (My co-workers and I have been yelling about this show in the lounge...because we can all picture a kid this could happen to.)
#5 is something so many people are afraid to say out loud. Even as a person highly sensitive to the needs and wants of others, I know this to be true. No one cares about your own happiness or relies on it more than you, so why should you be afraid to put it first? Only by being honest and true to yourself can you be of any benefit to someone else anyway. Thanks for sharing this reminder this week.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard anything about this Mummer stuff, but I'm sorry you're having to hear that kind of screeching. You're so right, there are bad apples in every bunch but that doesn't mean anything about the whole of the group.
#10, thanks so much for sharing that. I'll be donating as soon as I can, and I think you are amazing for the commitment you're making.
I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU LEAVE SO SOON!!!! GAH! That snuck up on me!! I feel like the last time we talked about that it was 40+ days away!! There cannot be ending of Mummers. People need to forget about stupidity... just like they do every other time one person ruins it for the rest of us. I love the pug pictures... they're one of my favorite things about your blog... besides you being on a soap box with me. :) I'm in for Show Us Your Books next week... yay 2016!
ReplyDeleteAhhh shots! I had to do all that when I went to India too, but I did 2 in one day and felt like shit for a week. Bad call on my part. As for the flight, I bought sudoku/crossword/word finder books at the dollar store, had several books on my e-reader, a fully-loaded iPod (separate unit, to save battery), extra batteries, and a neck pillow. And then I slept for more than half the time, so it wasn't too terrible lol. Heading over to donate now-- that is awesome that you are doing it!
ReplyDeleteSteven Avery has it easy if you ask me. You put gasoline on a cat and light it on fire, you deserved to have your head cut off. Death penalty for that fucking scum of the earth.
ReplyDeleteSorry I have no flight tips! I did fly from here to Germany, Germany to India and back but... we all know I just drank a lot.
Twelve days till Africa?! Or well, I guess eleven now. How awesome! I can't imagine a 14-hour flight. No layovers? I took a 9-hour to London and we both took NyQuil and got about four hours of sleep. Otherwise, bring lots of movies, get the wi-fi, and if your plane is big enough, take a few walks. Oh! My new favorite old lady thing? Compression socks!! I'm terrified of blood clots and my feet and ankles always swell after flights. They are amazing.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you about Making a Murder, and as someone who was born and raised (and still lives some of the year) in Wisconsin I can tell you it's caused quite an uproar. I have read some reports saying that the film makers left out some very key aspects about Avery being guilt of the murder. my opinion is that I'm truly not sure if he's guilty or innocent, but I think it's obvious there are some terrible holes in our justice system and that to me is tragic.
ReplyDelete