Friday, October 28, 2011

BLACK

Attention shoppers: Black Friday is officially FOUR WEEKS away. My sister and I somehow went from the could not care less about Black Friday types, to the looking at circulars in advance, mapping out deals, camping out, strategic fools. Don't worry. We know better than to hit the malls. That’s how you get trampled.
It started in 2005 when we saw that Motorola RAZR phones were two for $80 or something like that at Comp USA, which opened at midnight on Black Friday. We grabbed some friends who must have been easily entertained (or incredibly bored) and headed up there to get each other a new phone for Christmas. It was a LONG night.
I didn’t have my license, which was required to activate/renew the contract, and T-Mobile or whoever we were with in 2005 was so logjammed from the midnight Black Friday sales that it took hours for the phone to get activated. We decided to leave the phones in the activation queue and come back and get them later. We went home to change into warmer clothes and headed to Best Buy to try to buy my mom a new computer for Christmas.
We were so far back in the line that we did not even get the stinking computer. So we went back to Comp USA and got our snappy little phones and admitted defeat. It was crucial that we stop at Chick Fil A on the way home, where we took a slow moment in the drivethru to pose with our loot. I think we swore up and down one hundred that we would never. do. it. again.
So we didn’t. In 2006 anyway. But in 2007 we were back at it, only for small wares. I had my eye on a Justin Timberlake DVD (shocking) and my sister was after the entire box set of Sex and the City. We rolled out of bed at 4:30 and were back asleep by 6.

We opted out of the madness again in 2008 and 2009. We came close last year but decided it wasn’t worth the bitter DC cold to wake up that early for things we didn't really need. I rode with my sister to take my mom to the airport that morning only slightly less early than Black Friday sales began, so on the way home we did swing by Target for some deals ($5 and $3 movies and a portable DVD player).

This year, however, we are BACK! We both have our eye on big ticket items. She wants to hit the Babies R Us sales to get some furniture for l'petit chéri. Aunt Nin, on the other hand, plans to hit the Best Buy sales to get herself a new iPod!

I can hear your eyes rolling with the anticipation of even more iPod drama. Like clock work every year, I know. But here’s the deal: my iPod works just fine... with one small asterisk. I have run out of usable space on it. When I bought it in 2005, I distinctly remember thinking “I will never use 30 gigs of memory!” Well, five years later, I have used that and some change. In July, I took every single Christmas song off of it so I could make room for the new fun summer jams I was buying. But what am I supposed to do when Christmas rolls around? I have to have my holiday music!

So, thanks to a little elbow grease, I have figured out how to do this cheaply and efficiently. Step one. Rewards. I have rewards accumulated on my credit card and checking account that will get me $100 in Best Buy gift cards. Step two: I am also planning to use the $50 card that my sweet friends gave me for helping out with the class reunion. Step three: I got on BestBuy.com and found out that I can trade my current iPod in (tear, sniff) for a $35 gift card. That’s a total of $185 and I haven’t spent a dime yet! So, I am watching for Best Buy to release their Black Friday deals which will determine if I’m gonna go for the iPod Touch or stick to my current model but with quite a bit more (4x more to be exact) memory. You have more room on the classic and for less money. But the Touch has the Nike Technology that I know I would use when I run. I don’t think I would use all the other features (email, Facebook, etc) since I have my phone, at least not enough to make me lean toward the Touch without further question.

All of that to say: first, who will be up at the crack of dawn (or before) with us, and what will you be after? Second, which kind of iPod would you get?

Thursday, October 27, 2011

PUNCHED

So I have another really funny story for you. This may be even funnier than the story from yesterday.

A friend of mine was at a concert and met a cute guy. She gave him her business card. Sounds pretty normal, right?

Later in the evening, he approached her again, confused. Turns out, she had given him her SWEET CECE'S PUNCH CARD, not her business card. He thought she had wanted to go get yogurt!

How embarrassing! And how hilarious! That totally sounds like something I would do. Or maybe something I should do. After all, he did come back and talk to her again, right?

And don't worry, she got her Sweet Cece's punch card back.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

GROSSED OUT

Last night I was at work setting up for an event and I had to put votive candles in the bathrooms. I did NOT want to go into the men's room on our floor because I know too many of the men that use said restroom. Oy vey. Didn't want more knowledge than I needed. But I couldn't find a man to take the candles in for me so I had to do what I had to do.

After making sure it was all clear, I stepped in, set the candles down and made sure housekeeping had left everything nice and tidy. As I'm exiting, a male coworker who was working late I guess enters the restroom. You'd think it would be really awkward that I was in the men's room and I was. But sadly, that was not the most awkward part. He was holding a giant slice of chocolate cake!

Can one of you men please explain this to me? Is this a new thing? Eating while... you know? I've heard of multitasking but this (pardon the pun) truly takes the cake!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

COMMERCIAL

Do you love chocolate?
Are you trying to lose weight?
Have I got the SNACK for you!


Am I the dead last to board the VitaTrain? Why have none of you ambushed me and shoved one of these snacks in my mouth yet? FREAKING DELCIOUS, I tell you. Being the chocoholic that I am, I went straight for the kill and bought the Deep Chocolate VitaTops. I brought one to work today and just ate it ten minutes ago and that sound you all just heard was my head exploding with amazement. It tasted like a very yummy and decadent chocolate cake! Really, this thing is only 100 calories? Okay. Let’s discuss it at my ocean-front property in Arizona!

Pick these bad boys up in the freezer aisle, kids. Unless you wanna be like me and order them by the 24-pack carton....

Friday, October 21, 2011

CONFIDENT





Clay Dudley was the only one who thought we were going to beat Florida in 2001. I thought he was crazy.

Call me crazy but I have a good feeling about the comeback kids. Don't count us out yet. Win or lose, I think we'll have a great game this weekend. KEEP SWINGING!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

PLAINSED



On Saturday, I found myself once again on the Plains for my third Auburn game this season. The last time I went to three Auburn games was my senior year. Crazy! All is right in the world again.

As I promised I would, I went rampant in the bookstore, snapping up the cutest, tiniest Auburn gear for my precious angel baby nephew whom I love and adore. Parents buy furniture, grandmas buy toys, aunts buy Auburn stuff. And lots of it. Okay I didn't buy all of that. His mom did buy the things she is holding.
You'll notice we bought two onesies, two tigers, two pair of socks... do not judge. There were plenty of additional onesies, tigers and socks (oh my) that we put back! I really could have bought at least twenty more things. It's all so tiny and all so Auburn, and that's not the best of both worlds, I don't know what is.

All five of us, heading into the game! And what a beautiful game it was!
So much has changed since the last time the Gators left Jordan-Hare empty-handed (2006)...
...but all for the better, I would say.

War Eagle!

Sunday, October 09, 2011

SAVED

Thanks for the sweet comments and e-mails in response to the post below. Words of encouragement are so appreciated!

Despite my iffy mood, I managed to have a great weekend. Friday after work, I met up with my friend Jay, who even though we live less than one mile from one another, I had not seen since June! We decided to check out a new Jackalope Brewery and Taproom in between our apartments. I had no idea what to expect. Was it a brewery tour? Was it a restaurant? It was actually neither. The beer on tap was delicious and once we each had a glass in hand, we grabbed some complimentary (spicy!) snack mix and found a game room in the back where I kicked somebody's tail in checkers. There was a food truck outside, so after the slaughter game was over, we got some nachos and found a table to hang out at until the place closed around 8:30. Not quite ready to call it a night, we made Jay's inaugural trip to Corner Pub midtown for some... CHEESE BEANS.

If you've never been to Nashville or Corner Pub then you may not understand what a rite of passage these things are. Basically, it's little cubes of cheddar and pepperjack cheese, fried. Sounds like another order of your run of the mill cheese sticks, but trust me when I say it's not!

Saturday, I got to sleep in a little bit, hit the gym and watched a little TV before heading into work. Sadly, the Tigers and I did not continue our tradition of them going undefeated while I am at work. (What was supposed to be) my last Saturday event went off without a hitch and in between checking on a happy bride and groom, I was able to watch a little of the second quarter, and most of the third and fourth.

Today is my sweet friend Kate's birthday so Evan and I treated her to breakfast to get the day started off right. Well, that was the plan anyway. The restaurant ended up treating Kate to breakfast, and Evan and I to a discount, because they were SO SLOW. I am all about supporting small businesses like this one over a big chain. But 90 minutes for variations on eggs, biscuits and bacon? Unacceptable. There was more than one table that arrived after us, got their food, ate, paid and left before we had seen the first piece of toast. It made for a funny story though and we all left full and happy.

After a nap on the couch, I decided to test the waters and try a run since it was such a nice day outside. Y'ALL. I think I managed to do something tonight I didn't even do while I was training for the half. I ran 3 miles and a really long time without stopping to walk once! Again, this was my first run in ages. I have no idea what came over me, but I sure do like it. Maybe I have lately finally found the motivation I needed. I have been saying I want to get back into running for years, but after thoroughly impressing myself tonight, I may finally be there.

Bottom line: I managed to turn the week around and have a pretty good weekend to boot. Hope each of you did as well!

Friday, October 07, 2011

DOWN

"Humility is perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or vexed, or irritable. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed and despised."

I have really been pondering this quote lately. Despite all the happy, exciting things going on in life like babies and exfoliants, I've been so... down.

Finding quietness of heart when the chips don't fall your way at work is hard. Finding quietness of heart when yet another boy doesn't like you back is hard. Finding quietness of heart when you are 28 and wondering what in the heck you are doing with your life is hard. Finding quietness of heart when you don't feel good enough, pretty enough, thin enough, successful enough or social enough for your own standards or someone else's is hard.

I've said it before and then bulldozed right past it, but this has been one of those weeks where due to a lot of different things happening (and not happening), I feel really behind.

Everyone has these moments, and I'll snap out of mine. It's just been a long, discouraging week. Don't mind me - enjoy your weekend!

Thursday, October 06, 2011

CARED

A few weeks ago, I saw several posts about what's in people's makeup bags and medicine cabinets. I won't bore you with the details of every single product I use, but I will tell you about some products I picked up recently that are changing my life, one swipe at a time.

I really had to dig deep in my heart to pay close to $8 for deodorant but I'll admit it: I'm a sweater. I sweat bad and I sweat often. Walking to work everyday during the hottest summer in the history of mankind, I hit my limit. I finally bit the bullet and bought some of that clinical strength deodorant they make now a days, Degree to be exact, and I LOVE it. It really does work. My armpits are infinitely more dry than they ever were before. WHO KNEW?!

Secondly, I have started realizing in my "old age" I need to do more for my face besides wash it. Wrinkles aren't going to prevent themselves, you know. So I swung by the Sephora and had them give me a sample of God's gift to eyes everywhere: Clinique All About Eyes: RICH! My dark circles have disappeared in a week, ladies! I am addicted to this product and really can tell a difference.

I also had Marni, my friendly Sephora representative, prepare me some samples of a highly-recommended Peter Thomas Roth mask and a Fresh exfoliant, both of which I like but need to find a cheaper alternative.

It's skincare boot camp up in here!

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

PARTIED

At halftime of the Auburn game on Saturday, I hopped in the shower so I could get ready for my reunion. I spent the entire second half of the game running back and forth between the mirror and the TV to see what had happened. It felt like every other down there was an interception or something. My nerves were shot by the time the game ended!

As soon as the clock hit zero (hold your comments on THAT, please), I was out the door and racing up 280 for the event to begin. I hadn't made it to the cookout and game on Friday (had a good excuse) or to the Saturday afternoon, kid-friendly picnic, so I was excited about finally seeing everyone!
From what I could see (and from what I was told repeatedly) everyone really enjoyed themselves. It was fun to see former classmates and meet their significant others. Add to that merriment a delicious spread of dips, yummy finger sandwiches, pasta and my personal favorite, a fabulous dessert sampler! The food was a hit for sure. As if old friends and yummy food wasn't enough, we also had a rockin' playlist put together by DJ LJ (me), a cash bar and an enormous TV showing the Bama-Florida game! You'd just about think it was a party!

Also, on a recent trip home, I unearthed my senior yearbook, as well as our senior class prophecies. Folks had a great time flipping through the yearbook and re-reading (and in some cases, explainging) the prophecies. Get this: mine said I would move to Nashville! Isn't that crazy? It also said I was going to marry my high school sweetheart's younger brother and get discovered by Kenny Rogers and well, clearly, neither of those things have happened. YET.

In a completely unsuspected and generous move, the class officers gave me a gift card for helping to pull the event together. I was so touched and already have my eye on several things to spend it on!
I won't speak for everyone, but I know I had a blast and wouldn't have done a thing differently. The venue was the perfect size for our crowd and everyone seemed to mingle really well together. Here's to another 10 great years!

Monday, October 03, 2011

STILL THRILLED

Well THAT was what I call a good weekend: Auburn wins, I'm getting a nephew, and the class reunion was a smashing success. Thanks to everyone Corrie for being excited about my nephew! Hope the rest of you were just curbing your enthusiasm, because that certainly won't be the last you hear of him!

Maybe some of this unbelievable, equally once-in-a-lifetime good news will illicit a comment?

I was so excited on Friday morning that I could not sleep. Proof? I got up and went to the gym before work... to which I was an hour EARLY! Leaf, turned. I am addicted to the endorphins I felt all day long. I'm sure some of that had something to do with the fact I was mere hours from finding out baby G's gender, but maybe not entirely, because guess what? I DID IT AGAIN TODAY! I think I can keep this up.

But maybe not, because also this weekend, I found some new sheets that are exactly what I wanted and my bed is more comfy than ever. Ever since May, I have been sheet-hunting up a storm. Would it be redneck of me to admit that I had burrowed a giant hole into my fitted sheet? Holey sheet! It's funny (especially said like that), but not very grown-up of me. So I found some new sheets that were the kind of cotton I wanted, the kind of weave I wanted, and a decent thread count. Did you know thread count is not the end-all, be-all of sheets? I have researched the stew out of sheets. Weave, composition, single or double strand... all of these things matter just as much as thread count!

Last but not least, it was announced today that the Auburn/Florida game (my next trip to the Plains) is a NIGHT GAME! I love a night game! That gives me plenty of time to hit up the bookstore and buy them out of tiny jerseys for who? what? huh? Oh that's right, MY NEPHEW!

More on the reunion coming soon...MOM.

Sunday, October 02, 2011

REVEALED

After weeks and weeks of waiting, we FINALLY learned the gender of little precious lamb angel baby G!

I love him so much already! No other man will ever come close! And no woman will ever love him or spoil him like his Aunt Nin.

And of course I immediately (the next day) went out and started buying tiny, adorable things for him: a sweet little fuzzy hat with bear ears, and his first orange and blue outfit! Next up, trucks!

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