Sometimes I cannot believe how fast time flies by. A year ago today my doggie Muffin died. She had been with me for almost 16 years - 16 years!! That is longer than most people stay in your life.
I know some people don't understand the concept of a pet being like a family member but Muffin was. She was with our family for almost 16 years and I cannot believe a year has passed since she died. I remember being at work at the Home Depot, I worked the early shift - meaning I got in at 5:45am. My mom called to tell me that they had to put Muffin to sleep. When she called I burst into tears, uncontrollably sobbing. I couldn't believe Muffin was gone. That little smiling face, wagging her tail at me every time I came home. Sometimes snubbing me when I came home because I had been gone for too long. It is crazy how attached you can become to animal and how you love them just like your family members.
My dad bought my mom a new puppy this past weekend for her bday - I think in some ways to fulfill that void of Muffin being gone. Gracie is cute, but to me she is not Muffin.
Thinking of Muffin's death makes me realize where I was a year ago compared to where I am now. WOW. My life has changed. A year ago I was living in Massachusetts, working full-time at the Home Depot as a Head Cashier, living with my brother and Katie, and I was absolutely miserable. I was just going through the motions. Now I am here living in NYC, I have an apartment in Manhattan, I am working as a lawyer, I just took a week vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and I am happier than ever.
I really listened to the lyrics to this song last night and something in me clicked. I am done...finally done... (or I am really going to try to be - no more half-assing being done and letting you sneak back in). No more.
Your subtleties They strangle me I can’t explain myself at all. And all that wants And all that needs All I don’t want to need at all.
The walls start breathing My minds unweaving Maybe it’s best you leave me alone. A weight is lifted On this evening I give the final blow.
When darkness turns to light, It ends tonight It ends tonight.
A falling star Least I fall alone. I can’t explain what you can’t explain. Your finding things that you didn’t know I look at you with such disdain
The walls start breathing My minds unweaving Maybe it’s best you leave me alone. A weight is lifted On this evening I give the final blow.
[Chorus] When darkness turns to light It ends tonight, It ends tonight. Just a little insight will make this right It’s too late to fight It ends tonight, It ends tonight.
Now I’m on my own side It’s better than being on your side It’s my fault when your blind It’s better that I see it through your eyes
All these thoughts locked inside Now you’re the first to know
There is an ad campaign throughout the subways and subway cars - Cheat on New York - and the posters of are of different locations throughout the world. Some tropical beaches taking you to the Caribbean, some wooden shoes taking you to Holland, some vats of German beer taking you to Germany, some Sun and beach taking you to Mexico...
Well that is what I am doing in 3 days - I will be cheating on New York with Mexico for 7 days. I will soon by laying on the beach in Cabo San Lucas with my girl Tina. I may blog again before I leave and I may not...but I definitely will probably not blog while I am gone, so there will be a blogging hiatus until March.
I am not much of a cheater, don't believe in cheating in any aspect of my life but I think it is a wonderful ad campaign. Especially for New Yorkers - a lot of people do not like to leave this small island we call Manhattan and I am finding myself to be one of those people more and more. As in I don't like to leave for little trips, like why go to Massachusetts or upstate when everything is here - why wouldn't people rather come here and visit, instead of me going there. I don't get it!! Hahaha - NYC has so much to offer, I hate leaving the island.
BUT BUT BUT I will leave and CHEAT on NEW YORK for fabulous warm beach vacations.
So its time to Cheat, time to Cheat on New York.
See ya later SUCKAS! I am off to lay on the beach!!!!
Valentine's Day - eh it doesn't really mean much to me. But I found my day more than slightly amusing. At work I share a desk with a guy - he is funny. We have one of those old married couple relationships or a brother/sister relationships - where we either fight fight fight and want to kill each other or laugh hysterically and have a ton of fun.
Well Valentine's Day - I walk in and my desk partner says to me "Where is my Valentine's Present??" I said "Bri, your present is me - I am your Valentine for the day. I am giving you me, you get to spend the WHOLE day with me. You know how many men would kill to spend the whole day with me but yet I choose to spend it with you."
He said "Oh well yes that is a GREAT present - who wouldn't want it and of course the fact that I have to put up with your bullshit all day is fabulous and also that you choosing to 'spend your valentine's day' with me has nothing to do with you also get paid to sit here at work all day and I just happen to sit next to you."
Then later in the day I said "Bri where is my present?'"
He says "well you know i ordered you flowers and they just haven't shown up. I am soooo mad, I can't believe your flowers haven't been delivered....grrr I am mad." This was after Andy had sent Carolyn flowers that NEVER showed up. Bri went on and on about using that same company as Andy and he couldn't believe that they didn't deliver my flowers or Carolyn's.
Anyways - we went on with this charade into Thursday and we were out for Bday Drinks for Dan's Bday and someone asked "How was everyone's Valentine's days?" I jumped right in and said "Oh well my day was PERFECT - Bri was my valentine and I gave him the best gift he could possibly get - sitting next to me ALL DAY LONG!!"
Everyone had a good laugh because everyone knows how much Bri absolutely loves to sit next to me and how much the 2 of us fight. ahhh what a dumb day.
The End of a long ILLINI Tradition - Goodbye Chief
Well today I was going to write about my "fake valentine's day date" - but this is more appropriate as an avid Illini fan - today and Wednesday will be a sad day. For anyone that has experienced the Chief dance - you know it is amazing and an experience you cannot describe, chills run through your body. For anyone that has not been able to experience this - I am sorry that you will never get the opportunity. I have Native American blood in my family, it is pretty far removed, but I am proud of that heritage and for me - I never found the Chief or his dance offensive. Good-bye Chief.
February 16, 2007 (Note to journalists: Please call Office for University Relations at 217-333-6400 to schedule an interview with Chairman Eppley.)
Chief Illiniwek Will No Longer Perform NCAA to lift sanctions on Illini athletics The Chief exits the tunnel of Memorial Stadium at half-time of the last football game of the 2005 season on Nov. 19, 2005 against Northwestern.
URBANA—The University of Illinois today announced that Chief Illiniwek will no longer perform at athletic events on the Urbana-Champaign campus after this season’s last men’s home basketball game in Assembly Hall on February 21.
As a consequence, the University will immediately become eligible to host post-season National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship events.
In a February 15, 2007, letter to the University, the NCAA stated that “[o]nce this action is taken, the university will be immediately removed from the list of institutions subject to the NCAA Executive Committee’s policy regarding Native American mascots, nicknames and imagery at NCAA championship events. Continued removal from the list is conditioned upon the university’s future non-use of ‘Chief Illiniwek’ and the related Native American imagery in connection with university athletics.
“Assuming the announced changes are affected and assuming such use does not reoccur, the university will be in full compliance with the policy,” the letter stated. “Accordingly, the policy will not preclude the university from hosting or participating in NCAA championship events, should the university be otherwise eligible.”
The NCAA letter was signed by Bernard Franklin, senior vice president for governance, membership, education and research services.
U. of I. Board of Trustees Chair Lawrence C. Eppley said today’s announcement marks a critical step toward finishing the work of the consensus process. “This step is in the best interest of the University and is consistent with the Board’s previously stated goal of concluding this year its consensus process regarding Chief Illiniwek. Among our objectives was recognizing the goal of having high integrity athletic programs and student athletes who have the opportunity to compete at the highest levels,” Eppley said.
“We made and met many friends through the consensus process. And while people differed on their opinions of the Chief, the overwhelming majority of those voices put their love for the University ahead of their opinion on the Chief,” Eppley said.
“The Chief Illiniwek tradition inspired and thrilled members of the University of Illinois community for 80 years,” Eppley said. “It was created, carried on, and enjoyed by people with great respect for tradition, and we appreciate their dedication and commitment. It will be important now to ensure the accurate recounting and safekeeping of the tradition as an integral part of the history of the University. We also have the responsibility to work together to capture and put to good use the goodwill created by the tradition and to maintain other great traditions like the Three-In-One for decades to come.”
The Chief Illiniwek tradition began in 1926 in conjunction with the Marching Illini, the nation’s premier marching band. Criticism of the tradition intensified in recent years, although the symbol and iconic halftime performance remained popular among alumni and the public. The Board of Trustees’ consensus process for resolving issues regarding Chief Illiniwek was underway when the NCAA Executive Committee established its policy in August 2005. During two rounds of appeals by the University to the NCAA over its policy, the NCAA rescinded its objection to the names “Illini” and “Fighting Illini” but retained Illinois on its non-compliant list because of the Chief Illiniwek name, logo and the performance. The University exhausted the NCAA appeals process last April and since then has been banned from hosting NCAA championship events on the Urbana campus.
For more information, including a link to the NCAA letter, refer to the following website: www.uillinois.edu/chief
valentine's day... i believe it should be about the people you love, the most important people in your life. If this horrid holiday has to exist - it should be about that - they people in your life that mean the most to you, not just your significant other.
Which leads me to the story of my mom and her cookies. Monday I received a Valentine's day package from my parents in the mail. My mom had sent a tin of her infamous cookies. I, of course not wanting to eat them all, shared them with everyone in the office and headed home with only 3 left - one for the roomie. I wrote my mom an email thanking her and that of course everyone in the office loved them as always (except Peter was extremely disappointed that no homemade gingerbread men were in there). There is nothing like a mom's undying and always faithful love...I love my mom, she is the best mom, the best friend.
Mom's email response to my thank you: "Glad you enjoyed the cookies. I told dad in line at Walgreen’s Friday night (about 7:30 p.m.) I wasn’t going to send valentine’s to the kids this year. But the clerk looked at me funny and got me right thru the heart.
So I went home and made cookies. Got up at 5 a.m. Saturday cleaned and made icing. Let them sit to get somewhat hard and went out to find tins. Dad and I went to factory card outlet, Michael’s and had to go back to Factory card to get tins. Back home to load them up then to Marion post office to mail. It closed at 10 a.m. and now it was 11:30 so we buzzed to the Blairsferry post office and got there in time. Lots of trouble for you three kids. Dad said he just knew I couldn’t hold out.
Last night the snowflakes started to fall, Evan and I walked out of Macy's and I jumped up and down and went OHHHHH SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW...ITS SNOWING!!!!!!! YEAH!! A few people actually looked at me like I was crazy.
Then we walked a few blocks and it was more like ICE hitting our faces - the wind was whipping it so hard that it was just pricking our faces. I was like ughhhhhh...snow not so fun, I only like the big pretty fluffy flakes but it didn't get too me too much I was still on the side of LOVING SNOW!
THEN...
this morning. It was all over. It has turned to complete Hatred. CABO SAN LUCAS in 7 DAYS. is all i can keep thinking and spring will be here in no time.
of all days - Valentine's Day and my love affair with Snow for this year has ENDED. I got up peeped out the crack in my shade saw ok a little bit more snow but that is all i saw. I put on jeans, my hot pink sneakers and socks (yes Peter I WORE SOCKS!). I contemplated the rain boots for a moment then thought nah doesn't look that bad out.
I step outside and there is snow on the side walks...maybe maybe close to 2 inches...but as I trudge along it turns into slush and it is snowing out still but not fun snow this is wet almost rain like snow - sleet and it hurts when the wind kicks up.
I get to the bus stop and tons of people are waiting. I think the bus is going to take FOREVER this morning, I will just walk to the subway station. NOT too bad of a walk - put my scarf, stocking cap and gloves on and trudged forward. Get to the subway and I am not too wet...my feet slightly damp. NOT too bad.
I get off the subway, walk to work, stop at the Coffee Cart get my coffee, cross the street to the office and
BAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM -
why do MY FEET find THE BIGGEST SLUSH PUDDLE IN NYC!!!!!!!!!!
NOW my feet are ICE COLD, DRENCHED, DIRTY, and my pants are WET almost up to the KNEES!
I am shivering, cold, and wet. I am sitting here at my desk with wet jeans on and bare feet. My shoes and socks are chillin off to the side trying to dry.
I HATE SNOW! WE ARE DONE OVER!
P.S. 2 hours later after I originally posted this - I am sitting at my desk with Peter's socks on - a guy in the office - with his extra pair of socks on. I hate feet, this completely skeeves me out...but I was so cold I had no choice. My shoes and socks - still completely soaked.
I forgot how much I love old skool Prince until he played at the Superbowl halftime. First of all I really that he was too much of a Diva to come out and play in that rain but He was out there doin his thing with his head scarf on and then when he pulled out one of my all time favorite songs he whipped that head scarf off and let his curls out into the rain!
ahh i love Prince...I remember when I was in early college and I went to see him play in Ames, Iowa at the arena at Iowa State. Good times...
....is what i found myself saying to my roommate, Jen, as I scrubbed puke off my floor Saturday early evening.
as most of you know I recently bought myself a new camera, a new phone, booked myself a week vacation to CABO SAN LUCAS - 9 days from now - and a week vacation to Miami in April.
I was soooo pumped about all of this - especially my new camera. I have been dying for a new camera for awhile now and just waiting for my bonus check to come to purchase it. I am like the paparazzi - I LOVE to take pics of everything and every event.
Well this weekend was a big weekend. My friend Stephanie was flying in from Chicago Friday night - we hadn't seen each other in like 5 or 6 years. And Jayson (my brother) and his wife Katie were visiting this weekend too.
Friday night, Stephanie was flying in so Jen and I waited around the apartment ordered in food and had a vodka tonic while waiting for her. After many delays, she finally arrived and we headed out to a lounge to meet up with some other friends. Well, we get there and Stephanie realizes she left her ID at my apt, so back we hop in a cab and back to the East side. Well, we don't know why (it definitely was not alcohol induced because I barely had any) but I started to puke my guts out in the cab and me being the considerate person I am - I decide to PUKE IN MY PURSE - so I wouldn't get it all over the cab. Aren't I nice???? Someone said Man, the purse must not have been one of your favorites then? I was like noooo it was - I got it at a flea market in Den Haag, The Netherlands and I have never seen anything like it...I love it (and it is probably ruined forever). BTW - YES you read that CORRECTLY - I PUKED IN MY PURSE!
And I continued to puke all over my room, my floor, my clothes, in some shoes, my sheep skin rug, my jacket, my bed....EVERYWHERE! The problem is 1) I wasn't drunk and 2) no one could have slipped me anything because we had been anywhere (unless I tried to roofie myself as my brother pointed out), so we think I had food poisoning or a flu bug or something. But I have to tell you I don't remember anything after the puking commenced. And this is where another problem lies: MY BRAND NEW CAMERA - MIA! NO where to be found.
My assumption: I thought well I will puke in my purse, took camera out so wouldn't puke on it and left it on the seat in the cab. Therefore GONE forever in the streets of NY. GONE $300 GONE, my week old camera GONE. My new camera for CABO - GONE. sooo depressed over this, but I have basically written it off and trying to find how i can get another one before Cabo. (oh did i mention I leave in 9 DAYS!!)
So there I was Saturday early evening - after spending the day with Stephanie wandering the city, catching up, finding ourselves in backs of "nail salons" in china town, and shopping - scrubbing my room down with Clorox cleanup, orange wipes, febreeze - everything. Sitting on the floor of my room saying to Jen - "Well, at least my life is never Dull...nope never a Dull moment with me around."
I pulled my sick ass together again to spend the evening with Jayson and Katie for a wonderful dinner at One (also with Jen and Rachel). www.onelw12.com It is a great restaurant and a great place to chill on the weekends. Then we headed to La Caverna - for some more drinks, dancing and to meet up with Stephanie and her friend Stefania. Sorry everyone that I was sick and not at my prime, but I am glad everyone had a good weekend!
I spent all day Sunday in bed - only time I got out of bed was when my pancakes arrived via delivery man.
So there you have it - I PUKED IN MY PURSE (and I wasn't even drunk) and I LOST MY NEW CAMERA. I hope things turn around soon...otherwise my trip to Cabo with Christina could be an adventure we didn't plan on.
man was I off my game yesterday. Both Jen and Christina witnessed how off my game I was.... I don't know if it was my cold or my cold medicine making me fuzzy and loopy but I am usually the Queen of Witty or Flirty or Cute comebacks for almost any situation and yesterday - yesterday - I HAD NOTHING. My game was off....totally off.
A guy wrote me an email and it seriously took me almost 4 hours of contemplation to come up with something even remotely witty and flirtatious. Christina was just like gurlll come on usually you can just spit these things out without even thinking. I was like I know, I know, I don't know whats wrong with me.
Then Jen was asking for advice on something witty to reply to a guy and I was like I have Nothing. NOTHING. Nothing. I am of no help to you. I couldn't come up with crap. My game was so far gone it was not even funny. Jen was just staring at me like I was another human being and like I was not Karin sitting in front of her.
I really hope it is just my cold medicine because I don't think I can handle not being on my game.
