January 2009 Archives

I have a steadfast rule against baking from boxes. I would much rather put in a little effort and bake from scratch. Mind you, I have NONE of the qualities a baker needs. I am a complete wreck and get flour all over and don't measure properly and have no patience. But things usually turn out fine. I do have one major exception to that rule that is Jiffy muffins. Because Jiffy muffins (blueberry or corn) are both amazingly delicious. Anyways. So I wanted to bake for the Superbowl but don't have a lot of time (or money) so I decided to try out this recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies from Betty Crocker via Bakerella. They looked soooo yummy. And, well, I figure if you combine two different mixes it's kind of equal to baking from scratch...right? (When I got to the store they actually had a one box mix for these exact brownies...so I get bonus points for not just buying that!)

I forgot how easy and quick and clean baking from a box is. I mean, I still screwed everything up by forgetting to soften the butter and then melting it in the microwave and then using it anyways.

I had to make them tonight because I am totally busy the rest of the weekend. Hope they taste good come Sunday! (but you have no idea how much I just wanted to take spoonfuls of it right out of the oven!)

Walter: "So where was everyone when they didn't put a ♥ between my face and "MEN"?"

chapter 1

Ruby drank wine like a kitten, short laps of her tongue so that the liquid absorbed right into her taste buds, bypassing her lips, her gums, her teeth. She had all kinds of theories like that it made her less drunk or that it cut down on cavities or that it was dietary. Really though I knew that she knew that it made her look sexy and innocent and demure all in one sip.

chapter 2

I blame the chicken pox. And my sister for giving me the chicken pox. And my mother for not letting me play with Birch in the second grade when he had the chicken pox. Because if I hadn't gotten them or my sister hadn't given them to me or I had had them long ago, before I even knew Ruby and Mike and Caitlin and had had them in second grade like a normal person and not during sophomore year homecoming none of this would have happened.

- Lovesnow

***

I would like to thank JoeJoe for being a consultant. Because otherwise I don't think I could think of a career that keeps someone travelling so much.

***

As horrendously busy I have been over the last week, let's just be glad I am not in charge of content on the state's website!

***

Reason 5,897,938 I should never go into Target alone:

Gloworm!

Hat!

blah. my last week has been blah-y.
but starting Friday I will be crazy busy with tons of fun stuff for the next week!
Friday: Jen's in Chicago? maybe something?
Saturday: Baby Shower Part 2 and then heading to champaign for Lindsay's party
Sunday: Naperville for a Super Bowl Par-tay
Monday: Hopefully launching the site!
Tuesday: 24 night?
Wednesday: 5-hour opera
Friday: Fantasy of the Opera!
Saturday: Lighting class

Busy bee!

Since I haven't been very fun over the last week, here are some more pics from my birthday that I stole from Emily's facebook page:

1. I have worked 12-14 hour days every single day for the last week. And I don't think I have gone to bed before 1am in a long time. I'm fucking tired so I came home at 5 today and plan to pretty much pass out after Idol. I still have a huge list to do but need a break. Plus looks like launch has been pushed back to Monday, and since I was scrambling to finish everything today, I can probably finish everything else no problem at work tomorrow.

2. Monday I took a semi-break by bringing my laptop to Joelina's to work while watching 24. 24 night is now House/24 night so I guess I now watch House.

3. There were fur protestors outside the opera house yesterday.
My first thought: "Damn, where is the woman in the hat!"
My Second thought: "Hmm,, I am walking right behind two women in fur coats and another is walking towards me."
My third thought: "Wait a minute...I am wearing fur too!"

4. It looks like JoeJoe is pushing back his big rafting trip until next 2010. That pretty much clears my travel schedule for the year. I am contemplating what I should do. I was planning on taking a long weekend out to Seattle to visit Scotty. I might extend that to a week now, becuase I love Scotty but I am sure we don't have similar ideas of fun in Seattle so I would then get more time to visit with him AND explore on my own. Or I was considering driving to Austin. No reason. Or maybe I will go to surf camp in Mexico...but I need to learn to swim before I do that. Or...I dunno. Anyone have any thoughts? Or suggestions? Or anyone want to go anywhere for any amount of time?

1. Saturday I got up early and went to work. I got there by 9am. The Starbucks was closed. I am sure there were a million open but I didn't want to go to a different one. I got a Dunkin Donuts Latte. I then worked until about 4. The best thing about the day was that at least some friends from ticketing were working so I could go bother them a bit. And Ron brought me a Pez dispenser! From the "biblical story" Kung Fu Panda. My desk is beginning to look like his.

2. Saturday night I came home from work and sat at my computer and worked until about 1am. I am really being too anal and nitpicky and spending way too much time on things no one else cares about. But I guess that is what I am paid to do.

3. I have determined that the only way to work from home is to have a movie playing that you have already seen and kind of like but not love. If there is no movie, it is too quiet. If it is a really good movie you pay too much attention. If there is nothing good on you will flip stations uncontrollably for hours. If it is porn you really can't concentrate on work at all.

4. I probably should keep my external hard drive somewhere where I won't constantly drop it.

5. I went in to Starbucks to get some caffeine to keep me working. I ordered a grande espresso truffle. Dude at the counter after making it says "I don't remember if I put an coffee in this. He then gave me two more shots and said "The worst that can happen is you get four shots of espresso." I am very very buzzed right now. Good thing I will need to be up all night working. Because I am definitely not sleeping any time soon.

my week:

Tuesday: went to JoeW and Meredith's to watch 24 and Idol. They made yummy green chili.
Wednesday: Came home and sat in front of my computer and worked from 7pm to 1am.
Thursday: Came home and tried to work from about 7pm to 11pm.
Friday: Am avoiding work now and will probably go to bed early so I can get up to go to work tomorrow.

***

I want to hire a ridiculously expensive (but totally amazing) photographer when I elope in Vegas.

***

When you crave a snickers ice cream bar a regular snickers does not curb it.

***

I shouldn't feel guilty over things I didn't do or things I can't control

***

One of my goals is to cook a whole book. No, not like the time that JoeJoe and Glen and Hood put a book in the oven and turned it on self-clean...

I mean cook every recipe in a book. Nadia gave me a copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking for my birthday, so I have decided to make that my book. Which seemed like a good idea at the time. But stay tuned for my creamed brussel sprouts and duck mousse!

***

I miss photo albums

1. My potential date for Rob's wedding isn't going. Now accepting bets or bribes for who I should hook up with at the wedding!

2. Take a good long look at this baby, because soon you will never see it again.

3. I was thinking the other day that I think I actually did fall asleep during the Hush Sound concert. I don't really remember any of their playing.

4. During the inauguartion, did aretha franklin sing actual words or did she go all american idol on us?

5. Some conversations:

me: they really have to stop asking me to do impossible things
eric: like work?

me: i just flushed the penny that fell out of my underwear
scott: you "flushed" the penny? and you waited this long before removing it? okaaaay
me: it fell out of my underwear into the toilet. what else was i to do?
scott: okay, see if I had a piece of cold metal toughing my nether regions, I would get rid of it fairly quickly apparently you keep it there for hours what does that say about you?
me: haha! i felt around for it earlier but couldn't find it
scott: apparently you werne't looking hard enough :)
me: well, you don't want to feel up your ass too much at your cubicle
scott: see, that's what a bathroom is for and yeah, that might look bad

me: i want a job where i can just take off and go wherever whenever i want...
jeff: that's called unemployed
me: nono, the unemployed can't afford that did you ever see that sean white (amex?) commercial where he just takes off to snowboard wherever the snow was good? Yeah, I want that. but with less cold.
jeff: ahh well what are you better at than everyone?
me: slacking? man. i can't even say i sleep well, because i suck at sleeping
jeff: haha

So, I am old. Honestly 28 is a really hard number to say. But whatever, I still look 16 and will be turning 22 for the rest of my life anyways...

Monday night some very good friends met me for dinner at Cooper's Hawk Restaurant and Winery.

JoeJoe and Alina went skiing over the weekend and they were so wonderful to make sure everyone got back on time so that they could come. And I was really happy that Meredith and Joe were feeling better and that Walter and Nadia came out twice!

They sat us in the barrel room, their little private dining room, so we were surrounded by the barrels of wine as we ate. It was very nice as I didn't request any such thing. I felt so special! It was great because it was not only a great little room we also had our privacy so we could talk and talk and talk.

I had a dessert flight (it's my birthday I can drink four glasses of dessert wine with dinner if I want to). The flight consisted of blackberry, rhubarb, plum, and peach wines. They were all delicious.

we split some lobster potato skins (LOBSTER on a POTATO SKIN!) and chicken lettuce wraps, and I had a delicious pasta with cheesy sauce and spinach and portabellas.

They brought me out some yummy chocolates and everyone sang. And then we ordered a few more desserts to share.

It was a really nice low-key night of great food, better wine, and even better friends.

Thank you so much to everyone who came out on Saturday or Monday, or wished me a happy birthday!

Birthday Photos Here!
Thank you Walter and Meredith for taking the photos of me :-) (I never get photos of me)

p.s. Fun fact: did you know that because of this whole inauguration on January 20 thing I was alive for one day of the Carter administration?

1. After being way pissed off that the train I was just in time for was cancelled and that the next one was 5 and then 10 and then 20 minutes late, a group of young teenagers boarded the crowded train. If you've ever been on a train with teenagers you know they are usually loud, obnoxious, and have no idea of how to act in public. Me, along with several others had a window seat with the seat next to us free so they each took a seat. This girl sat down next to me and said "I'm really sorry, but the train is so crowded." Most adults just sit down and don't even care if my stuff is there or give me time to move it. She then complimented my purse and asked questions about my job and such. And the fact that these kids were so nice and polite and generally happy, it kind of restored my faith in humanity, just a bit.

2. I woke up this morning with no nose ring and a really bloody nose. I am scared.

3. Nadia gave me Julia Child's French Cooking book for my birthday. I decided that I would make that the book I would cook every recipe from. The first recipe I turned to was duck mousse...

4. I guess sometimes someone tries so hard to get you to not like them that you end up really hating them.

5.
Sunday I was supposed to work but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I ended up watching ABC Family all day: Princess Diaries, Mean Girls, Cinderella Story, Another Cinderella Story...

6.

My almost birthday part in ten items or less...

1. The night involved heading to Wilde's, an "upscale Irish pub" for dinner and then heading to Guthrie's to play board games. The fish and chips was yummy.

2. We didn't invite random dude to the bar. Although he was the most decisive person ever. He wouldn't have fit in the cab anyways.

3. My hands turned blue. Which either made me a zombie or the face of syphilis or meant that I had frostbite. Really it just meant my jeans were new and I always keep my hands between my legs and "why should I wash them before I even wear them when I don't even wash my clothes after I wear them. I mean, they are never going to look that good again."

4. Scattegories is way easier to play when you know the rules and don't try to come up with 12 answers to one category. Scratch that. It is no easier.

5. Wilde has a sink that we all thought was awesome. We all went to the bathroom a lot just to use it.

6. I don't cheat at Candy Land. I don't fake orgasms.

7. One word: Tappaw

8. Telling bartenders that you just want something pink and fruity works well. Waitresses don't understand the concept. I tried to explain to her that it wasn't a specific drink and she kept insisting it was a cosmo.

9. Would you Rather in board game addition is not very fun. A game called dirty minds should be more dirty.

10. It took me like 20 minutes to find my ID to show the guy at the door who looked about 12.

Photos here!

And...some videos!!

Chelsa demonstrates the sink of awesomeness...

Walter tries to come up with a word...

1. Someone sang a Tally Hall song as an American Idol audition. I believe the judge's reaction was "What kind of song was that?"

2. Yes, I am watching American Idol.

3. The new official portrait of Obama was shot with the same camera I just bought. What is good enough for the president is good enough for me.

4. Wednesday Chelsa and I went to the Blackhawks game. It was awesome because we totally dominated. And 'cause there was some good fighting. I totally failed at remembering the "name of the guy with the awesome name" from the hockey team at U of I. Two of the three people I texted remembered. How can you forget a name like Superfine? I don't know, but I totally did. JenP looked him up and he is apparently married now! :-( Anyways, here are pictures...

5. Thursday I went to see The Hold Steady at House of Blues. I met up with Walter and we got taco bell. It apparently isn't gross that I eat melted cheese ground beef with my fingers. It is apparently not gross that i will put a cinnamon twist in my mouth and then take it out (I didn't want to talk with my mouth full). But I apparently am bad for not pointing out the lady with the ridiculously large tall fur hat. Then we almost died from cold walking to HOB.

Jeff and Lindsay and James and Emily and Sean and Jeff's brother all came. Yay.

The first band was a guy from some band who played the guitar and sang. I agreed with Lindsay's assessment that all his songs sounded like something else. Mainly I agree with that as I felt like I knew most of the songs but obviously I had never heard them before.

Before I go on I should explain the two rules of Val concert going:
1. I can (and do) dance to anything.
2. I pretend to know the lyrics to every song even though I don't know the lyrics to any song.

And three subpoints on how to accomplish part 2:
a. After you hear the chorus once you can easily repeat it.
b. Most songs rhyme and aren't really clever enough to not be able to figure out.
c. When all else fails just repeat watermelon over and over.

The second band was The Hold Steady. Who hadn't heard of either. But Jeff had said I should come so I did. They were good though. But I was way tired after working a 10 hour day and not really sleeping much for weeks.

Afterwards everyone else drove Walter to the same place I was going. And I had to walk the 20 minute walk there. After midnight. In downtown Chicago. In negative degree weather. All alone. I ran into Walter when I got there.

I started a segment on my blog once before called "random things you don't know about Val." I haven't updated the list in almost 2 years, so I thought I would start today...

21. I chew on everything.
Last night I asked Walter and Emily for some gum or a mint. Walter said he had none but offered me an ear plug to chew on, probably thoroughly expecting me to be grossed out. I took it and popped it in my mouth. I honestly will chew on just about anything put in front of me (insert inappropriate joke here). It's usually not even something I do consciously. I would say the top three things I chew on include...
1. Towels. After a shower the towel goes directly over my shoulders and the end of it goes directly into my mouth. This is why every towel I have is frayed at the ends.
2. Cotton Balls. Usually when I do my nails I take out too many cotton balls and instead of putting them back in the bag I just chew on a few.
3. Magazine slips. Usually when I am reading a magazine I will find myself chewing on something and not know what. Then I realize I am chewing on one of those subscription slips that has fallen out of the magazine.

Other popular favs are my nails, hoodie strings, and packing peanuts. You have to be careful with packing peanuts. One brand forms into a nice flat disk when chewed, another just crumbles and falls apart. I also used to chew on my hair when I was younger. I don't do that anymore.

For the record the stages of an earplug when chewed are first it kind of puffs out and expands and then it becomes a crumbly mess.

Also for the record, I really hate gum and will rarely chew it.

Also for the record, while I chew on things I don't swallow them (insert another inappropriate joke here), expect gum. I swallow my gum.

Sunday we threw a baby shower for my sister. I really shouldn't be allowed to throw a baby shower as I refused to do anything babyish. We had bagels and I made some killer hot chocolate in a crock pot. Yum. My mom didn't do her only job of watching the dog so he ate some of the cheese plate.

Nat made game to match the celebrity baby name with the parent and a quiz game about Jen and Dale. I came up with a name that tune game of all songs that have baby in the title...
Baby, Baby - Amy Grant
Baby Love - The Supremes
Baby Elephant Walk - Henry Mancini
Hey! Baby - Bruce Channel
Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner - Fall Out Boy
Baby GOt Back - Sir Mix a Lot
Don't Worry Baby - The Beach Boys
...Baby One More Time - Britney Spears
Always Be My Baby - Mariah Carey
Baby Boy - Beyonce

Well...at least I think that Baby Got Back is a perfectly appropriate song for a shower.

I gave Jen a blanket and a stuffed Jackalope (Flopsy's brother). Her thank you card said "I'm sure Dylan won't be confused or frightened of it." My job is done.

Baby Shower Photos Here

1.
I really should actually book my flight to DC instead of just putting the itinerary on hold every day.

2.
Apparently Jeff would rather sleep with Lindsay than me and James would rather sleep with a dude. :-( I

3.
Do not let one random act of kindness blind you.

4.
American Idol starts tonight. I don't want to watch it but I don't want to not watch it.

5.
I always think I like the movie Butterfly Effect but then I watch it and it makes me feel queasy.

6.
I think I am going to start a segment on my blog in which I rate Lean Cuisines. The Sweet and Sour chicken is very tasty.

7.
Saturday afternoon I met up with Joe and Alina and JoeW and Meredith for a second shot at seeign Slumdog Millionaire. We all managed to get tickets this time. The movie was great. Usually I think movies based on (semi) current popular culture phenomenons tend to be horrible. But maybe since this was foreign it was able to do it better? I dunno. But it was really good. Afterwards we went to California Pizza Kitchen for lunch (or as Alina says "California Pizza Chicken"). The mushroom pizza on honey wheat is delicious.

8.
Sunday night I went over to Joe and Alina's for 24 night! Joe had said that we would "eat what Jack Bauer eats and drink what Jack Bauer drinks." I assumed that was a clever way of saying "we are not feeding you" because Jack never eats. He did make sausages, but I don't really eat sausages, so this is what my plate looked like:

The cat tried to eat it.
Speaking of the cat, here are a few pics of Remy and Kahlua.

And one of JoeJoe eating a margarita with a spoon.

9.
Monday the weather warnings said there was a blizzard and that you should only go outside for emergencies...the second night of the 24 premiere is an emergency, right? So I braved the snow and went back to Joe and Alina's and we watched two more hours of 24. Chloe is back! She was really the only one I cared about. Unless of course Edgar came back from the grave.

I love that you sing at the top of your lungs to every song that plays in the car.
I love that you can pick up and go to another country for a week on your own.
I love that you take photos of everything.
I love that your nose crinkles when you smile.
I love that you are a die-hard fan of competitive eating.
I love that you appreciate the little things.
I love that you can throw a killer party.
I love that you are creative with anything that comes your way.
I love that you can do anything you put your mind to (but your mind to things more often).
I love that you are a great baker even though you have none of the skills baking requires.
I love that you can decorate cakes.
I love that you make amazing hot chocolate.
I love that you'd rather drink wine than beer.
I love that you like bad horror films and horrible reality tv.
I love that the previews at movies always make you cry.
I love that you have never thrown away a flower that someone has given to you.
I love that you can (and do) dance to any song.
I love that you have conquered some of your fears and are becoming a much braver person.
I love that you eat hot dogs and hamburgers doused in so much ketchup that it drips all over you.
I love that you'd rather just cuddle with someone on a couch than go to a nightclub.
I love that you can live in your sneakers and are most comfortable in a hoodie.
I love that when you are so into a book you have to stay up all night to finish it.
I love that your sneezes are really loud.
I love that you want to make a difference in the world.

Sometimes you spend $75 on ingredients for a cake only to taste the batter and think "huh, tastes just like the stuff from a box." And sometimes I really think people overestimate my artistic ability.

In any case, I spent the last two days baking. And my hands are currently three different colors. But I guess it came out OK.

one.
A couple of photos I took around the office with my new camera:

two.
I bought the most adorable dress off of ebay (it was a new sample sale dress) to wear to Rob and Christine's wedding. I was really worried about the quality because from the picture it looked like it could go either way. But it is the most Val dress ever (seriously, everyone I showed a picture said "that's such a val dress"). I got it today though and it is even prettier in person...but it is way too short, and i don't want to be showing my ass all night. :-(
At least I can wear it out with pants or something.

three.
I went to lunch with Walter today. I get to be an interesting thing! Unless, of course, he forgets about me. We went to a sandwich place and I had to explain to him my disdain for lettuce. He didn't remember that we had had that exact same conversation last time we got lunch. But it was over a year ago, so I guess he can be forgiven. He was impressed with me getting diet Pepsi...until I only filled it halfway and filled the rest up with regular. Sometimes you just have to compromise.

four.
I went to dinner with Nadia. We got stir crazy. It's always fun catching up with Nadia. She has resolved to plan New Years by April 1. We have some plans. Then we went to Borders. I wanted to pick up a copy of "Rock Your Stars: Your Astrological Guide to Getting it All." It was written by Holiday Mathis. I read her horoscopes daily (both Capricorn and Aquarius) and she is pretty spot on. I totally am going to rock my stars. Since I can't go to a store without making an impulse purchase I also bought a sweet lunchbox. Because who doesn't want to carry around their lunch in a sweet lunchbox?

five.
Have you seen the trailer for "The Unborn"? It pisses me off. If this kid died in the womb he should not be terrorizing her as a toddler. He should either be her age or a fetus.

1. It seems that the expresso truffle has survived past Christmas and has made it to the regular menu board at Starbucks. Score (for my taste buds...not for my wallet or waistline).

2. Jeff said he would hire me to strip for Rob's bachelor party for $22. I don't think he trusts me to be any good since I told him the last time I did my Carmen Electra Lap Dance workout video I fell off the bed. I did tell Rob a long long time ago that I would prove to him that you could strip to Ozma. It would be my last chance...

3. Since my financial panther changed around my account I have steadily gained some money back (SOME, not a lot). He's still an ass.

4. My friend Walter posted yesterday in his blog about doing something interesting each day. Not only will I steal his idea, I will also steal his first interesting thing: today I walked to House of Blues and bought a ticket to The Hold Steady concert. I got lost at the House of Blues and couldn't figure out where the box office was. I don't even know who Hold Steady is but Jeff asked if I wanted to come so I said OK.

5. I'm just gonna post this because I think I did a pretty good decent job of getting people out of there...I still think the couch just looks like a big black blob. And that the before picture is much more amusing. I usually try not to edit things out of my photos. A lot of photographers say certain things are "distracting" and should be edited out. I think they are "reality" and so I don't see the point. But Andy asked me to do this. And his bill for $100 is in the mail...

Before

After

So apparently Barack Obama was on Check, Please!.

To those in Chicagoland, the full episode will air on WTTW twice on January 16th, again on the 18th and once more on January 20th, the day of Obama's inauguration.

***

I do not remember under what circumstances I left this on Sid's answering machine. But I did. Maybe 7 or so years ago... Why he still had this, the world may never know.

one.
I guess this is a spoiler if you don't watch the office. But I don't watch the office and I already knew what happened so it probably doesn't matter. And also I think I am the only one who doesn't watch the office anyways...

So I've maybe seen 2 episodes of the office. I know I know it's a good show but in general I just don't watch much primetime tv because it becomes too hard to keep up. So anyways, I made the mistake of tuning into one episode the other night and it was the one where Jim tells Pam he loves her. And then I proceeded to cry for the entire night.

two.
I think I am going to start a segment here on my blog called "things that make val cry but no one else." The above story does not count as I am sure many others cried. Today we will discuss the song "Teenage Dirtbag." Val cries at the song "Teenage Dirtbag" because she thinks the story in the song is sweet.

three.
I don't know why I bothered putting RSVP info on the invites to my sister's baby shower as I gave up on keeping track of who RSVPd.

four.
I went to Drury Lane with my family today to see Miss Saigon. You know you are in trouble when on your way there your dad (who bought the tickets because he says he always wanted to see it) says "You know what I found out yesterday? This is a musical." Yeah. he didn't know. And he pretty much hated it. I thought it was not great, but I like some of the music a lot.

We had a package where we got lunch there and then the show. Here is what I ate...

Escarole, White Bean, and Sausage Soup

Turtle Sundae

(the diet starts tomorrow)

OH.
MY.
GOD.
So finally on Friday I got what I've been waiting for for a long long time...
It's sleek, sexy, powerful and works well in the dark ;-)

Meet my new camera! It is awe to the some. Just think of how amazing my competitive eating photos will be now...oh, and yeah, those pesky weddings ;-) OHOH and my FOOD!

So maybe I am crazy for buying it because it really is a professional professional camera. But I was in the market for a new one just when it was coming out...and I love it so that is all that matters. :-)

***

Thursday I went over to Joe and Alina's to meet their new kitty Remy. He is cute and friendly, except for when he bites me.

Joe spent most of the time trying to put together a treadmill...and dropping it on his foot. The rest of the time was spent making us dinner of Greek shrimp pasta. We watched Last of the Mohicans but I paid more attention to the treadmilling.

***

Friday I met up with Joe and Alina and JoeW and Meredith and Maureen and Kiyoshi to get dinner and then go see Slumdog Millionaire. We went to Rock Bottom for dinner. My chicken was really good but they almost forgot to give Alina her food and they didn't put any shrimp in Meredith's dinner. The dessert of a pint glass of sundae we shared was delicious.

So from there we headed over to the movie theatre. Four of them got their tickets with no problems. Joe and Alina had trouble with the machines and I got through to the point of swiping my card but then the machine gave me an error. A couple of machines later we finally figured out that between the first for and the last three getting their tickets, the show sold out. So after some discussion we decided to just have whoever got tickets return them and go rent a movie and head to Joe and Meredith's.

We ended up watching the Orphanage, which no one seemed to know was foreign and which I think I was the only one who really liked it. But I mostly really liked it because I watch a LOT of horror and scary movies and it is really hard nowadays to find a movie that can be suspenseful and not predictable. And I thought it did a very good job at both.

Afterwards we played some Guitar Hero World tour. I think it will take me forever to get used to their drum set. And I definitely need to wear my glasses when I sing or else I can't read all the words.

I took some pictures. These are all taken at ISO 1600, which would have been way way way grainyer on my last camera. But I think they look pretty damn awesome.

I hope Heather doesn't hate me for this one...

So I've decided to go this year without a 100 list. For the last two years I carefully crafted a list of things I wanted to do during the upcoming 12 months and tried desperately to accomplish them. This year I've decided to try and go without the list for a couple of reasons:

1. The fact that at the end of the year my list of more than half incomplete forces me to focus on my failures instead of my successes.

2. I'm hoping that I don't really need it.

I started the list as a way to kind of force me to do things. It's funny now when people tell me that I have a great life, because I never really think I do. But I used to do nothing and now I do things. And yes, that is great. I needed the list two years ago to force me into planning things and force me to actually go out and do the things I wanted and not just sit home alone all the time. But I'm hoping that I don't need that anymore. I'm hoping that I can just continue to do it.

What I am working on is a list of ONE THOUSAND things to do in my life. It's not done. And I suspect that it will not be complete for a very long time. But I will continually update that and hopefully continually cross things off. This list will focus on the big things I want to see and experience and accomplish. (Right now it is mostly travel with some things I want to learn and some foodie things thrown in). Here it is, about 50 things so far. I'll keep it (and you) updated.

I do have a couple of things that are on my list of things to do for the year. I have about 17 goals that I want to finish or work towards this year. I'm not publishing them all here, but if you want to know send me an email and I will probably tell you.

I am also apparently in a race with Walter over three of them: move, find a significant other, and gain (him)/lose (me) weight. It's on Walter. It's ON.

I hope everyone has a great 2009 and a Happy New Year! What do you want to accomplish this year?

(and sorry Heather, this means no more monthly updates for you.)

To begin this I just want to say that I love all my friends to death. but this is going to be a very bitter post. and i am really tired because i don't sleep anymore. so it won't make sense.

Happy New Year, eh?
I've just felt really off and crappy lately about everything and over the last two months I've felt like I crumbled. I just hoped that something on New Years would go on to help me step away from that, but I knew that wasn't going to happen. Actually the whole night went 100% of how I predicted it would go. To the t. (except the whole wheel chair thing, that's an added bonus) I didn't really want to do anything.

So I met up with Jen and Adam at 6:30 for our 6:30 reservation at some restaurant out in Arlington Heights. The place was packed. With many old people. Nad called and her dog got into chocolate so she had to take him to the ER and wouldn't make dinner. And while waiting I was run over by a wheelchair. Seriously I have a big purple bruise on my leg. It still hurts.

Anyways.

Over an hour after our reservation they finally seated us. The food was OK but nothing spectacular.

We don't get out of there until a little after 9.

We were then heading out to some bar in Mt Prospect to watch a Bon Jovi cover band. We got there maybe 9:30/9:45ish. They were supposed to start at 9 but hadn't gone on yet.

Did I mention that this was all about 45 minutes from where I live? And I had to drive, so I couldn't even drink.

We met Nadia at the bar which turned out to be this sports bar like place with all these highboy tables.

So I love Jen and Nad to death and I am happy we have our traditional New Years celebrations together and I couldn't ask for better best friends. But it gets incresingly hard. Because they are both so very married and I am so very not. And I love hanging out with them and I love seeing them but when we end up in a situation where its just me sitting at a table with 2 married couples and no interaction with others it can get kind of lonely. Especially on something like new years.

Fake Bon Jovi went on at maybe 10:15. There were these girls at another table who I swear thought it was the real Bon Jovi. Nadia called them woo girls. Did you see that episode of How I Met Your Mother? Exactly.

So anyways. I stayed for two songs I didn't really know and then decided to leave. So at around 10:30 I left the bar and drive 45 minutes to MK's house in Bolingbrook for his party. i got there around 11:15. He said hi when I came in. He said bye when i left. he didn't say a word to me the whole rest of the night. maybe i was wrong when i said i love all my friends. I told you though that i was 100% correct in my predictions. I knew that would happen. so whatever.

Anyways. it was fun hanging out with Alina and JoeJoe and Scotty and Andy et al. And Joejoe is OK with taking me and Heather on as second wives. and he ever gave me a kiss after midnight (well, on the cheek). and i got pink champagne.

And I think Russell called me. Or someone using Russell's phone.

And I called back and left a message that said "oh baby baby. oh baby."

And he called back and said:
Guy: Who is this?
Me: Val, who is this?
Guy: Who is this?
Me: Val, you called me first. Who are YOU?
Guy: Who is this?

That was fun.

I dunno it's not like i didn't have fun, i just really didn't feel like being anywhere.

But as I told Andy earlier, the way i figure it, i have pretty ok new years in the past and my years have sucked...so if i have a really sucky new years my year has to be great...right?

i took pictures.

I sort of have this love/hate relationship with New Years. Like part of me actually thinks something can possibly change between December 31 and January 1 and the slate be wiped clean. Like a new date can mean a new life. Like I can just be this whole new person. (of course, I fucked up that new life by 12:01 anyways, but I digress)

I think the Game of Life was the appropriate theme for my year. I seemed to have extreme ups and extreme downs and not very much in between. And I guess so is life.

But enough about 2008. Fuck 2008. I'm not going to write a big ole' recap this year. And forget the damn list of one hundred (and fifty) things I wanted to do in 2008 and forget that I didn't even make it through a third of what I had hoped to. And I am going to totally forget the half of my year that was boring and sad and sometimes miserable and instead focus on the fact that the rest of my year was pretty damned awesome.

From a week in Amsterdam, to New York, Coney Island for the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, to driving 20 hours in 26 hours for an 8-minute hamburger eating contest, to driving to Mount Rushmore and back, to spending more time in Champaign than I have in the last four years combined, to good friends getting married, to staying up all night watching horror films, to hanging out with new friends and old, to all the times in between...

(I'll post by recap of New Years and my plans for 2009 later...stay tuned)