Done, done and done!

Now, I get to waste my brainpower on pointless TV and video games.  Vacation, how I love thee!

What College Graduates Do

Congratulations, Babe!  I'm so proud of you for finishing your Bachelor's Degree.

I should be studying for Wills

Instead, I am posting Thanksgiving pictures!!!!   This year Joel and I flew to New Hampshire to spend the holiday with my dad, stepmom, and siblings.  This was one of the best Thanksgivings I've ever had and it was definitely Joel's favorite (he's not a big holidays guy...I'm working on it!).

Incidentally, this was Joel's first time on the East Coast and he loved it!  His first day there he turned to me and stated we should move to the EC.  What?!?  Is this really my husband?  During our first few months of dating we almost called the whole thing off several times because of this very issue.  All Joel wanted to do was move to Washington and live next door to his best friend Hutch.  All I wanted to do was move anywhere and everywhere all the time.  Needless to say we couldn't do both - the crossroads.  We eventually worked it out by coming up with a shared desire.  Now Joel is spearheading the 'Let's move to New York, London, New Hampshire!' campaign and I'm kinda liking the settling down idea (gasp!  did I just say that?).  I love his enthusiasm!

Morning of we enjoyed Company Brunch for breakfast.  Dad and Mary recently remodeled the kitchen and it looked great (and was also wonderful to use).

Best Buds

 

Rory has become quite the little musician!  People in the know tell him he's a natural at the flute.  He has always been more artsy than Nick who is a Tae Kwon Do buff (he's currently a black belt!)

Nick

Chris and Nick (two oldest boys).  Nick always preferred Chris and Rory preferred me and Katie.  Now, Nick can't get enough of his sisters. I guess if you ignore them long enough they lose interest.

The island packed with holiday goodness (sorry bout the quality).

Daddy's little turkey helper. I think rusty ended up eating more turkey that all of us combined.  Dad's a sucker for a cute face!

Table Decor

Someone could not wait to get his head into the broccoli cheese casserole dish.  Katie was policing him here, but don't be fooled.  She ate more of it before dinner than he did.   (Koodos to my lovely sister for making almost all of the food including the very delicious turkey)

Thanksgiving feast brought to you by the floating heads.

My plate (and no porker jokes!)

Told ya dad was a sucker for a cute face.  On our way to the parking lot after taking family pictures, dad decided to stop by the pet store.  He immediately pointed out this adorable Bichon Frise and asked to play with her.  My dad is not normally like this (spontaneous yes, but take time to play with a dog, no).  After about ten minutes of playing we were standing at the cash register paying for her.  What just happened?  I think we bought a dog.  

Meet Lily.

She's as hearbreakingly cute in person as she is in pictures.  I have a feeling she will be utterly spoiled.  According to dad he had been thinking about getting Rory a little dog (I guess Rusty is too big for him...poor Rusty!).  Well, he got a good one!  She was actually really good for the two days I was with her.  She loved going outside but because she's so small (under 4 pounds) she would roll down the slight hills in the backyard and could hardly hop over the tall grass.  She was also stepped on a few times by us and Rusty (he may have intentionally stomped on her since he was not getting attention.  But he did get more turkey and other treats!  (sorry about the first picture, I don't know how to rotate)

Well that was fun

Nothing like failing a real estate finance exam to really bring the senses alive.  I am now more than halfway through finals (yea!) but the 3L-itis is really kicking in.  I find myself getting lost on the internet (amazingly I have made it through two whole seasons of America's Next Top Model in the past 5 or so days, and while I watch this stupefying show I find myself saying "why the hell am I watching this crap?" I don't know.) or cleaning the house (the lesser option) or some other task that just doesn't need to be done right now.

My first semester of law school I outlined every night, prepared for class, and studied for exams.  This semester?  Lets just say that Monday night I started studying for my real estate exam when Tyra convinced me that I would be ok to set the books aside and look at my outline the next day.  I told Tyra that the next day was exam day but she reassuringly removed the books from my hands and gently let me know that three hours of studying on exam day was more than enough.  She was wrong.

Now I am in the throes (using the word very loosely) of studying for my Wills exam on Friday.  Lets see.  My day started at noon and by the time I had made it through several episodes of ANTM I realized maybe I should start studying since I took last night off as a reward for all my hard work (ha!).  So I would guestimate a good three hours of studying happened today.  My first year self would have killed this girl.  My response to her?  I roll over and hit snooze a few more dozen times.

On a side note, the grass is definitely greener on THIS side of the fence.  As a way to dodge finals I have been thinking about moving and have successfully talked Joel into the idea (my skills of persuasion have become superb and I am not ashamed to use them to get my way).  Even though my poor husband was extremely sick this weekend and spent HOURS (way more hours than I spent on two papers and two exams) writing a paper, he accompanied me to an apartment I saw on craigslist.  

The apartment was $150 less a month and still in SM so we thought "gold!"  It took all of two minutes for me to realize how incredibly amazing our huge one bedroom that does not smell like cigarette smoke really is.  Lets just say that this apartment was the size of our bedroom and bathroom combined.  Its only redeeming quality was that it had a parking spot.  Joel was trying to be positive by saying how much he like the bathroom (the size of our closet) and the bedroom wasn't that bad (and where would we put our two dressers, bike, laundry basket, and bookcase?) while I was laughing hysterically by how crappy this place was compared to our marvelous (and have I mentioned huge?) apartment.  

The moving talk has now been shelved.

TOMS

As soon as Joel and I have some Holiday Cheer (aka, greenbacks) our feet will be lined with TOMS. Will yours?



*Update - I am currently working on an 18-20 paper and should be done in the next few hours. Yea!

New look for a new season!  This is much easier than getting the Thanksgiving pics off my camera and on to this blog.  Although, I do plan on that one of these days.

Sidenote - I am now in full force, nail-biting finals mode so please excuse me if I don't post for awhile.  I think I may have an anxiety attack between now and next Tuesday (yes, that's right, 6 days to write two papers and take two exams).  However, I promise to post some uber cute pictures and update about our life after the panic subsides.

What a steal!

I used to be one of those that would constantly check my bank account, credit card balances, and checkbook.  I loved knowing how much money I had and when my bills were due.  I relished writing checks to pay off my debts knowing that I was in complete control.  I like to call that period of time "fantasy."  I now live in reality.  Reality looks much different than fantasy mainly because I am now an adult with real responsibilities and really empty bank accounts.  Needless to say, I DO NOT check my bank account, credit cards, and checkbook?  What's that?

Joel and I have been on a strict budget this semester as we realized early on that one person's student loans were not meant to cover two people's living expenses.  Some how we're making it work but we definitely live a leaner life style.  It had been a few weeks since I had monitored our accounts so I thought it about time.  I signed on to Discover expecting a moderately low balance (definitely under $1000) only to find a balance of $2500.  Ok.  Maybe our payment from last month had not gone through (last month was unfortunate.  Vanessa decided to act up and in her rebellion caused us $700 worth of new brakes).  But, alas, it had.  So I checked our recent activity and began to get suspicious when I noticed that I had spent $300 at Macy's in Houston, $300 at Chevron in some other God-forsaken town in Texas and $40 at Fiesta Mart.  But, I knew for certain these were not our charges when I saw the next several charges - Walmart.  What a steal!

In all the hubbub with Discover I failed to act upon the fact that several of our (crucial) monthly  bills were charged to our now closed Discover account.  One of those, internet, would literally cripple us if it were to disappear.  True to form, within a few days I had a friendly reminder email telling me to pay up or chance losing our lifeblood.  I promptly called Verizon to pay our bill vis a vis Mastercard.  While on the phone with the lovely operator from Washington, she mentioned a special deal that I might be interested in (yea right, lady).  I politely informed her that we were already stretched thin and could not afford a more expensive service.  That's when she politely informed me that I'm an idiot and would I just shut up and listen to what she had to offer.  I did.  And, as it turns out what she offered was faster internet at a cheaper price than what we pay now!  What a steal!

311.6

Because I'm just that good.

http://n.ethz.ch/student/mkos/pinguin.swf

Saturday.

This is my favorite day out of the whole week...I know, surprise right?  We generally don't have much planned on Saturday mornings (which is mostly intentional as I do not like to get up early any day of the week but this seems especially heinous to me on Saturdays).  One of my favorite things to do is lay in bed next to Joel and listen to This American Life.  If you have never heard this incredible program, then do yourselves a favor and click on the provided link and listen to one of the archived shows.  I think its my favorite thing on the radio (gasp!  I even like it more than NPR and Morning Becomes Eclectic).

Today, Ira brought us a show about music and it was highly entertaining - you know its good when David Sedaris sings jingles in Billy Holiday's voice.  Joel and I were still attempting to wake up when the radio turned on at 10am.  Even though we were half asleep, every once in awhile one of us would writhe in laughter.

After the show we crawled out of bed and made our Saturday morning breakfast - oatmeal and coffee.  We kept the radio on and listened to Good Food and then transitioned into some great music.  This day would have been perfect if not for this...

Oh how I hate homework.  This red book ruined a perfectly good Saturday morning.  If it weren't for the fact that my first final is two weeks from Monday, my first paper is due a week from Wednesday, another paper is due the first day of finals and we will be in New Hampshire for Thanksgiving...If it wasn't for all this, I would tell this red book to shove it.

What can you do?

Addiction?

I think so.

Turns out I'm not part cat

There happen to be many fires raging around LA (which I knew about) but what I failed to remember is that fire produces smoke, which carries ash, which then scorches throats of those dense enough to run when ash is raining down around them, which then creates a puking Amanda.  

So exercise is not bad for my health - breathing is, and since the two are not mutually exclusive looks like I'll have to take a hiatus (I know, another one!) from my exercise routine until these fires clear themselves.  In the meantime I will gorge myself on lasagna and brownies until I can't see my feet.

Is exercise really good for the health?

Lately I've noticed my thighs rub together more often and my belly fat jiggles like Santa Claus' robust abdomen.  I'm assuming this is not terribly attractive to my poor husband and I can't help but admit that my jeans have been a bit more snug these past few weeks (I like to think this is because Joel dries my jeans in the dryer, but I have a sneaking suspicion its more because of the mass amounts of cookies and ice cream we have been eating lately).

This is no way to live so I emphatically turned to exercising.  By emphatically I mean the first work I ran twice, the second week I ran once and this week, well lets just say that today was my first rendezvous with exercise.  I did my usual half walk half run from Washington to Idaho and from 16th to 20th and then back again.  All in all I would say this is four city blocks.  I know, marathon next week, right?

Well today was particularly eventful.  As I was cruising along Washington - the last leg of my trip - I started getting this really intense itch in my throat.  Actually, it started from the beginning but I thought it was just air passing along my throat.  Turns out it was a bit more than air and as I neared home I started coughing.  The coughing quickly became more intense and as I stepped inside the apartment I noticed breakfast was revisiting me.  I hardly made it to the toilet before I started upchucking my oatmeal and...cat hair?

I'm pretty sure I just had my first hairball.  I know they say people and their pets start to look like one another as time goes by, but hairballs?!?  Is this really necessary?  It took me a good full five minutes to finally stop coughing and wheezing.  If this is what Chachi goes through (and I think it might be since his hacking always ends in throw up) then thank God I am not a cat...because that was a horrible experience.

I'd kill myself if we did this more often

Joel and I were *slightly* obsessed with this year's Presidential election.  Chances were pretty great that if we weren't at school or work we could be found on our computers ravaging the world wide web for anything election.  We got much of our fix from the Huffington Post and would constantly ask each other, "did you see the headline on HuffPo?" or "can you believe she said that?"

Needless to say we were a bit more than thrilled to see November 4 come and go so that we could return to our normal everyday lives.  I made the unfortunate decision to write an article about election reform so looks like I'll be even deeper in this mess for the next several months. 

Though I probably read every article out there, watched all the clips, and listened to all the radio shows, I found this one particular article from Newsweek especially riveting.  Its a long one so I read it over the last week or so but I find myself even more in love with the election now than I was before.  I debated if I should post about the article, but I feel strongly about this topic and thought this article presented a balanced and gritty view of the election.  Maybe its not and I've been eating too many cookies this week, but at the very least I will give you all the opportunity to decide for yourselves.  So here it is...snippets from the seven part series.

Chapter 1:  Barack Obama: How He Did It

In November 2006, Craig sat next to George Stevens, an old friend of the Robert Kennedy clan, at another Obama speech. Stevens leaned over to Craig and said, "What do you think of this guy for president? I haven't heard anybody like this since Bobby Kennedy." Craig instantly replied, "Sign me up." Stevens and Craig approached Obama coming out of the speech and asked, "What are you doing in 2008?" Obama gave them a big grin and said, "Oh, man, it wasn't that good." But before long Craig and Stevens were raising money for Obama's political-action committee, the Hope Fund. Obama was amused by the devotion of the two old Kennedy hands. After a while, every time he saw the two men he would say, "Here come the Kool-Aid boys."

Chapter 2: Back From the Dead

The campaign continued its rickety path through the fall. At one point, Mark McKinnon, a media adviser who had worked for Bush-Cheney '04, described the difference between the Bush campaigns he had worked on and the McCain campaign as the difference between the Royal British Navy and Capt. Jack Sparrow's ship in "Pirates of the Caribbean." McCain loved the comparison. He began making guttural pirate noises, punctuating his jokes and one-liners with "Aaarrgh" and occasionally greeting reporters with this oddly cheerful growl. PIRATES FOR MCCAIN T shirts (complete with skull and crossbones) eventually sprouted on the backs of campaign volunteers and even a few reporters. The Straight Talk Express revived; network producers began napping on the bus and watching TV in McCain's seating area when the candidate was busy.

Chapter 3: The Long Clinton-Obama Siege

She was determined to campaign to the last, hoping against hope that the superdelegates would come around to her argument that Obama was unelectable. This was not an argument that he wanted to get caught up in. From the headquarters of the "No-Drama Obama" campaign the word went out: do not engage, do not inflame, do not say or do anything that might suggest Clinton did not have the right to finish the campaign. On one conference call, someone said, "We've just got to keep biting our lips, biting our lips." Adman Jim Margolis piped up, "OK, but my lip is starting to hurt."

Chapter 4: McCain Camp Retools, Targets Obama

Schmidt resented being called a disciple of Rove by the press. He did not regard himself as a fearmonger or a practitioner of the dark arts, and indeed he had a sweet, playful side. He told funny stories about being scared of snakes at his California home, and he desperately missed his wife, son and daughter, with whom he had memorized the songs from the Disney fairy-tale movie "Enchanted." After he had been portrayed as a calculating political-machine man in the 2004 NEWSWEEK special election issue, a crestfallen Schmidt asked his friend Nicolle Wallace, Bush's communications director, "Is that really how people see me? The big, bald, mean guy?" Schmidt could be mock-tough. "I'm OK with a reign of terror starting now," he sternly told Salter when the campaign's logistical incompetence was becoming all too apparent to the press late in the spring of 2008. Then he turned to a NEWSWEEK reporter and choked up with laughter. But he could also be severe and grimly focused. Whenever McCain had a rough day in the press, or Schmidt was running on a few hours' sleep after a late night at the bar with Salter, he would declare, throughout the day, "Fun Steve is dead."

Chapter 5: Obama Sweats the Clintons, McCain Gambles on Palin

The Palin pick had the feel of a guerrilla raid, a covert operation. Salter, Schmidt and Governor Palin had checked in to the hotel under false names, pretending they were in town for a family reunion. The pirate ship was back! Muzzled and ordered to behave like a regular politician (run negative ads, avoid reporters, just read from the damn teleprompter), McCain had rebelled in his way by picking a fellow subversive—a sassy, shoot-from-the-hip, self-styled hockey mom who had shown those Big Oil boys a thing or two up in Alaska. It was romantic but also a bit impulsive.

Chapter 6: Battling it Out in the Great Debates

As usual with the McCain campaign, Joe the Plumber had more to do with impulse than planning. As Lindsey Graham told the story, he had been awakened at 4:30 on the morning of the final debate. It was McCain on the phone. "I can't sleep," said the candidate. "Well, now neither can I," said a sleepy Graham. He stumbled on down to McCain's hotel room. McCain was vibrating with nervous energy, rehearsing his lines on his least favorite subject, the economy. He was racing through a section on taxes, not really paying attention to the words, and said, "Obama will raise taxes, raise taxes on ordinary folks like Joe the Plumber." Graham perked up, as did Cindy, who was sitting there patiently with her agitated husband. "John, what was that you just said?" Cindy asked. "About the plumber?" Lindsey added. The three spent the rest of the session talking about how to work him into the debate.

Chapter 7: The Final Days

In a sea of Americans in Grant Park in Chicago at midnight, Obama said, "It has been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America." Yes, it has.

Un-Celebration Coffee

Have you ever felt like something that someone told you was a punch in the stomach?  The only response you can muster up is a doubled-over groan in protest?  

This morning as I was happily sipping away at my Celebration coffee (that's the name Whole Foods gave this blend; yesterday I agreed with the name.  Today...), I had such a moment.  Joel and I were listening to our favorite radio station, KCRW, much like we do every morning yet this morning Nic Harcourt announced his resignation.  What?!?  Now who will bring us eclectic music Monday - Friday, 9am-12pm?  Its because of Nic that my music vocab is so broad and ingenious.  

Nic, we're sorry to hear of your resignation and we may even need to schedule a KCRW boycott in protest.  Maybe next Tuesday at 11pm?  I hear the music then isn't very good and we won't be missing the news.  Yes, that sounds like a good time to lodge our disdain at this very upsetting decision.

Yes We Can

Today our country decided...and that decision was for progress, for an end to a racist chapter of history, for a future that embraces all colors and all types.

I have never been more proud to be an American 

than I am today.  Our first African American President.  So many thought they would never see this day - especially because it was only 50 or so years ago that African Americans were allowed in the front of the bus - yet today we are able to celebrate a new chapter in our nation's history.  One where the color of our skin, our gender, nor the place of our birth matters.  

Congratulations, President-Elect Obama.  

A Disneyland-like High

Last weekend my best friend Rachel was in town.  Her husband, Ron, had some business to finish up (they moved to Washington this past July) so Rachel decided to accompany him since flights were so ridiculously cheap.

We had such a great time and it just makes me miss her more and wish they would move back.  Trust me, Wenatchee Washington holds nothing on California.  On Friday we hung out at the apartment and by special request from Rachel we had In-n-Out for lunch.  She's not the first Californian that has requested In-n-Out upon return - I know that I never have and probably never will.  I think their food is good but I'm not goo-goo over it and never have been.  Although they do have good shakes...

On Saturday her sister and sister's boyfriend drove from San Diego to visit with Rachel (and I like to think with me too).  I've known Krista forever and think fondly of her, as I do of Rachel.  We had a wonderful visiting with them mainly because they satiated my huge appetite for games and indulged me in several of my favorites.  We also walked to our local Thai place (Toi Thai on Wilshire) and had an outstanding meal!  I think they are starting to recognize me and Joel cause the waitress (who is my favorite) brought us mango sticky rice....and yes, it was on the house!

On Sunday Rachel and I drove to Riverside (man that is a far drive from SM) to a Chicago Bears bar where we met up with Ron and watched the Bears game (they are a football team for all you non-sporters out there.  Before Ron I had no idea Chicago had a football team.)  Its amazing how excited grown men get over touchdowns.  These guys gather almost every week at the bar to watch the games...they have definitely formed a community and it was a privilege to be a part of this community that Sunday morning.

After the game Rachel and I went for pedicures.  She is getting bigger now (no, not because of the In-n-Out cheeseburgers, but because of a very unfortunate growth in her stomach.  It seems that Rachel is almost 6 months pregnant.  Its definitely a trip seeing your best friend - of God-knows how many years - pregnant!).  We finished off the trip at church and then said our teary goodbyes.  

Now I am completely unmotivated at school and am hoping some burst of inspiration comes my way this weekend.

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Goodbye Legos, Hello Internet!

***UPDATE***

I've been asked what the bad news was...well, it was how much he would be paid at this new dream job.  Lets just say that he would probably be better off at Starbucks or In-n-Out.  However, he has just completed his first week and LOVED it!  The guys he works with have already given him greater responsibility and he comes home beaming on a nightly basis.  I couldn't be happier despite the fact that we may still be on the streets next week - or at least Chachi will be.

****

A few weeks ago I mentioned Joel got a job teaching Legos and how wonderful this was.  Seems this was only wonderful in my book and while I may have wanted to spend my days playing with Legos, Joel certainly did not.  So he continued the job search.

Last Friday he had an interview with a company that posts how-to videos (much like YouTube).  The interview went perfectly and we were on top of the world cause we knew that Joel hands down blew them away.  Everything was perfect - Joel would be working in the marketing division of a venture capitalist techie company; they used macs; Joel would be required to spend mass amounts of time on the internet; he got along great with the guys there; he would work part-time until he finished up school and then they would bring him on full-time; and the place is a few miles from home.  He was told that they would get back to him that night.  We waited.

Each day Joel became a bit more depressed about the situation.  I tried the pep-talk, the well if you don't get this I will still love you talk, the you're perfect for the job and it must just be extraneous circumstances keeping them from calling you.  Everyday I would rush out to my car after class and frantically check my phone to see if Joel had called with the good news.  But everyday my little phone returned nothing.

I gave Joel permission to take the week off from job-hunting so that he could focus on school (and more importantly not focus on jobs).  We prayed and prayed and knew that if this was what God wanted then it would happen.  But surely it was because the job was so perfect!

And then it came.  No, not the text message on my phone.  I came home tonight and decided that if they had called then Joel would tell me.  So I refrained from asking, but I didn't have to because when I got home Joel told me had good news and bad news.  I knew right then - they had called and he had the job.  To say that I screamed and jumped up and down would be a slight understatement.  Periodically I would scream out loud and grab him by the neck in a I can't believe you're doing the job of your dreams kind of way.

He starts next Tuesday and I can't wait to hear how the first day goes.

Microwaves and Toasters

At the age of three I was cooking eggs in the microwave.  I would stare at the rotating bowl and couldn't wait until the eggs boiled up so high that they almost flowed over the bowl's lip.  I remember my mom telling me not to stare into the microwave - that it was bad for my eyes or my brain or something...I can't remember!

I remember loving the microwave so much that if it could fit inside the microwave then I would most certainly use the microwave.  I lived on campus my first year at Pepperdine.  They provided all the furniture for us - except for a microwave.  No microwave!  I mean, was this the 17th centurty?  Was I not at a school where 18 year olds drive ferraris?  One of the first things we did was buy a microwave, because, come-on...you have to have a microwave!

When I moved into our current apartment I was so mesmerized by the size, wooden floors and pink & blue bathroom that I failed to notice the kitchen had only one - ONE - outlet and this outlet was (in)conveniently located by the smallest part of the counter.  Ugh.  This didn't register disaster to me until I thought about my precious microwave.  There was no way I could have that and a toaster and a blender and well, anything that requires electricity.  What was I to do?  We chose the toaster.

And boy am I glad we did!  Very few times have I uttered the words, "I need a MICROWAAAAAVE!"  For the most part we are able to use the stove and the ever so amazing toaster.  I mean, its amazing what you can do with a toaster.  And, when I watch the food cook and bubble over the lip of the baking sheet, I don't get the waves shrinking what's left of my microwaved brain!

Throwing Caution to the Wind

Joel and I have been penny pinching lately since neither of us are gainfully employed (we each have odd jobs...I'm a research assistant for one of my all time favorite law professors and Joel is a lego instructor).  We've been eating in and shopping less.  We even make fewer trips to Orange.  I think we've morphed into old people since we tend to say things like "Man it's getting late" when really its only 9:30.  Our computers have become appendages and we envision how to conquer our favorite video games when we should be sleeping.

But sometimes - like tonight - we throw caution to the wind, extricate ourselves from our faithful Macs, and wind up in some store or some bar.  Tonight we drove the 1.2 miles to 3rd street promenade and enjoyed some guilt free shopping at the Gap (I have $100 in gift certificates as a 'thank you' for spending money on my credit cards) and then some drinks and mini sliders at Yankee Doodles.  It was such a wonderful night.  Everytime we do something like this we remark about how necessary a date night is and how much we enjoy it.  But then we find ourselves holed up in the apartment with Chachi as our only outlet until we go stir crazy (much like tonight) and wander back out into the real world where three dimensional people have fun and don't say things like "I powned that video game!"