Don’t let it hit you
January 1st, 2009 @ 9:56 pm | Comments (5)
Filed: My glamourous life | Tags:
“There’s the door, leave your letters,” was a common refrain from one of my bitchiest sorority sisters when drama stirred in the house. If you didn’t see things her way, she wouldn’t miss you.
Well, 2008, there’s the door. You were a tough one, weren’t you? While I’m grateful that I’m still gainfully employed and have some money in the bank, there were low moments which overshadowed any high points.
The Good
- I continued to lose weight, and until the recent Christmas eating binge, I’ve lost almost 70 pounds since I started my healthier lifestyle in February 2006.
- I have the cutest, sweetest nephew.
- I’m going to be an aunt again in 2009, twice.
- My sister got a really cute puppy.
- I went on a couple of trips to fun new cities: San Antonio in January, Portland, Maine, in June. And a few return trips to Chicago.
- Awesome new friends made through this little space on the Internet. Thank you for your support and kindness.
The Bad
- The downward spiral that is my sister’s life. From leaving her husband to getting pregnant days later, I’ve let the drama consume my thoughts. But it won’t in 2009. It can’t.
- My sister’s brother-in-law died in a car accident. I spent a lot of time with his family over the holidays and they’re hurting so much. I think it’s because he lived several hours away and wasn’t home much that it doesn’t feel like he’s really gone. I look at pictures - of him in his new Mustang, at the wedding, at a Penn State game - and can’t believe that he’s not going to be in pictures in April when our niece or nephew is born.
- I’ve had to reevaluate a few friendships. It’s damn hard to feel and see yourself growing apart from your best friends.
As we start off on the journey through 2009 I wish you and yours all the best for a happy, healthy, prosperous year. May all the right doors remain open for you.
Recipe for bland
December 8th, 2008 @ 9:26 pm | Comments (3)
Filed: Uncategorized | Tags: recipe
I just spent HOURS scouring the Internet and pouring through cookbooks to come up with the perfect recipes for a potluck I’m going to tomorrow night. What am I going to make? Chocolate cream pie and a pasta bake. I? Am boring and indecisive and afraid of trying new things.
I’m also supposed to make cookies to donate to a local children’s home. My contribution is going to be peanut blossoms.
Tell me, what is your favorite potluck recipe? Christmas cookie? Dessert?
Perspective
December 6th, 2008 @ 1:26 pm | Comments (2)
Filed: Uncategorized | Tags:
After telling my sister she was stupid, I went to the movies with my other sister, Bim, and her mother-in-law. On the way, we talked about what I said and sibling relationships. Joan told us stories about how she used tears to manipulate her sons to make up after a fight because life is too short to be mad at your sibling. Her mother and brother died in separate car accidents and that changed her perspective.
Bim and I were supposed to meet this morning to drive to a wedding in western Pennsylvania. Because bad weather was forecast, she was supposed to call me before 7 a.m. to let me know if the trip was still on. Her in-laws and husband were afraid the roads would be too bad. She didn’t call and I tried calling her for more than an hour. My paranoid mind leaped to a problem with her pregnancy, but as I was about to give up, she answered - our plans were still on. As Shazaam’s boyfriend and I were about to merge onto the Turnpike, Bim called sobbing.
Her brother-in-law was killed in a car accident early this morning in Pittsburgh. Details about the accident are still sketchy, but someone is in custody in connection with the crash.
I didn’t know Adam that well. I first met him before Bim started dating his brother, at my soon-to-be ex-brother-in-law’s 21st birthday party. I thought he was soooo cute. There was the time we went snowmobiling at their family’s mountain house. And of course the wedding, in which he was the best man. His toast was a hit, but his self-consciousness made him seek out reassurance that it was good. (And then when he helped my cousin push her car from the mud, I’m pretty sure they hooked up in the back seat.) And just last weekend, I sat beside him when we saw Four Christmases.
Adam was the miracle child. He’s six years younger than my BIL and they were all fiercely protective of him.
Please keep my sister’s family in your thoughts and prayers. And tell your siblings how much you love them.
Milk’s Haute
December 5th, 2008 @ 3:29 pm | Comments (0)
Filed: Celebrities, Cows | Tags:
It’s random, I know, but this is all I have right now. It’s probably the best milk mustache ad yet. Enjoy and have a great weekend.
(Image courtesy of whymilk.com.)
Thanksgiving Wrap
December 2nd, 2008 @ 10:08 pm | Comments (2)
Filed: My glamourous life | Tags: Dylan
After many, many lectures about what I was and was not allowed to say to my sister (I may have told her getting pregnant was stupid last time I saw her), Thanksgiving went remarkably well. That sister refused to join us for lunch, citing her fear of what I would say as her excuse. But she brought my nephew over for an hour later in the afternoon so we got to spend a little time with him and learned the boy loves to dance. Put on some music and the kid gets down.
Before the whole fiasco unfolded, I was really involved in Dylan’s life. My sister invited me to the ultrasound when they found out the baby was going to be a he. I spent many, many hours in her hospital room. I went home most weekends to spend time with him and my name was one of the first words he said. Now he barely recognizes me.
My respect for both professional photographers and the people at the mall photo studios grew over the long holiday weekend. My mom wanted to get Christmas photos taken of Dylan but trying to get an appointment on the day that all schools in our county were closed for deer hunting was a huge fail. She called to see if I would play photographer and let me say, wrangling a toddler, lights and a camera is harder than milking a bull.
Honored
November 25th, 2008 @ 10:46 pm | Comments (2)
Filed: My glamourous life, Philly | Tags: sorority
Moving to a new town by yourself is hard. Unlike college, there’s not a built-in group of people in the exact same situation as you to befriend. People are wrapped up in their own lives and I’ve struggled to forge new friendships. One of my saving social graces has been my sorority’s local alumnae chapter. With monthly happy hours, meetings and sisterhoods, it’s been a great outlet to meet awesome friends. I’ve had some amazing experiences with these women - from tailgates to baby showers to a World Series win, it’s the sisterhood that keeps on giving.
I feel like I’ve already gotten so much from the alumnae chapter and I’ve given relatively little in return. That’s why I was so shocked to win a prestigeous award last weekend at our Founders’ Day celebration. Work’s been kind of rough lately, my family is falling apart, and my car’s about to die. When my name was called, all the negative things floated away and I suddenly felt loved, accepted and useful. I need to find a way to pay it forward because it feels really, really good to actually hear the positive things people think about you. I don’t think as a society we praise each other enough and I want to do my part to change that.
As if the award wasn’t enough, I went to the casino on the next floor up and won $40 playing Texas Tea. Something tells me I should donate that money to my sorority.
I swear I had an awesome title, but now it escapes me
November 17th, 2008 @ 8:23 pm | Comments (1)
Filed: My glamourous life | Tags:
Well. That sure was depressing. I thank you all so, so, so, so much for your kind comments and commisseration. I’ve taken the days since I found out to reflect on the situation and realize that I need to be part of the solution. I need to reach out to my sister and make her feel like she’s not alone. And if she doesn’t answer? I’ll call back. I’ll keep calling until we finally talk. Because life is short and I’m flying tomorrow, which always makes me want to get my affairs in order.
On a lighter note, before the wall came crashing down in my melodramatic world, I started my first blog post for NaBloPoMo. That effort was derailed before it left the station in part because of the sister drama but also because I am the most forgetful person ever. I had a meeting 3 hours away from Philadelphia last week and I had to call the office from Enterprise to have a coworker fax me a form. The next day she pointed out that I always forget something. The real downfall of my NaBloPoMo lameness? I left my laptop power cord in Maryland and the guy who promised to mail it back to me took two weeks to send it.
So, here’s what would have been my first post:
As I was eating my salad at one of the best buffets in the world, my father said, “Hey! I discovered a new salad dressing.”
“Oh really? What is it?” I asked, shocked that my father ventured out of his comfort zone. From the pride in his voice, I expected something unique or exotic.
“Ranch,” he replied.
And then I fell out of my chair from laughing so hard.
