I don’t want to talk about boobs for a minute, and since there’s not much else going on in my life, I thought I’d show off some of recent crafty work. I like to do this once in awhile because I’m glad I have at least one talent, and come on, don’t you guys want to buy this crap from me? My Etsy shop went defunct long ago because nobody seems to care about hand-stitched custom embroidery. Although, maybe I’m just not a good saleswoman because other people are apparently making BANK with this talent!

These kind of hand-embroidered numbers are going for $35!

I love stitching. It soothes me, and it’s one of the few things I can do for hours without getting bored. I often can’t sit through a 2 hour movie without getting antsy, but put an embroidery project in my hands and I’m captivated.

I just bought 25 of these blank baby bibs (at a nice discounted price!) because I like to make custom gifts for the new babies in my life. A friend had a baby on Wednesday, and over the weekend I made him this:

Want one for a baby in your life? I’ll make you one! (Here are a few more baby bibs I’ve done.)

When I started my job two and a half years ago, it was with the mindset that it would get me through my Master’s program, and then I’d be on to bigger and better things. But then the economy fell out from under us, and I found myself living in the state with the highest unemployment rate in the nation. When I finished my degree in August, I began to make new plans: I’d stay at my job until the Giraffe was done with school, then we’d open up our job search beyond this city, beyond this state, beyond this country even. There were no job openings around here, and I didn’t want to move away months before our wedding, so I was stuck until he could come with me. It was discouraging and disheartening to know I’d have to stay at a job that was far from where I wanted to be in my career, especially since I just spent two years and too much money on a degree that was supposed to move me forward.

Although I was resigned to my situation, I did still keep my eyes open for local job opportunities, only applying for those I’d be truly interested in accepting. But my hopes remained low when rejection after rejection rolled in. Then, suddenly, last month I found myself at an interview, and then a second interview, and then I was on the phone accepting a new position. It has its downsides, but the job is at a nonprofit (which is what I went to school for) and it’s in a field I’m really excited about. Just when I had accepted that I’d be in a holding pattern until at least June, this incredible opportunity was given to me, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

The biggest downside is that it’s not quite local. It’s in a city a little over an hour away from home. The Giraffe and I tossed around several ideas, but in the end we decided I’d commute to work until he finished school in the spring, then we’d reassess. So just as winter is setting in, I’ll be driving to and from work, an hour each way, every day. I’m not looking forward to it, but for such a good opportunity, it’s worth it.

The strange thing about getting a job right now is that along with feelings of elation and relief, I feel very guilty. I know so many people who have been laid off, are underemployed, or are stuck in jobs they loathe because they can’t find anything better. I often feel like I want to apologize for my good fortune. It’s a strange internal conflict between joy and guilt. I know I worked hard for this position – two years of school, making connections, etc. But so did many other people who aren’t being rewarded in the same way. I’m having a really hard time reconciling it with myself.

I won a chicken! Valerie at FogCity Dweller held a contest to give away Mr. Bokbok, a wooden chicken she couldn’t bare to see go anywhere but to a loving home. And I won!

Mr. Bokbok came in the mail last week, and we found him a nice home on top of one of our bookcases:

I entered the contest to win Mr. Bokbok because I already have a collection of wooden animals that I inherited from my step-mom when she was getting rid of them. I have a whale, a turtle, a swordfish and an owl scattered around our apartment.

I thought the chicken would make a good addition. I didn’t realize it, but I guess I have a thing for wooden animals…

P.S. Valerie also just gave away some Spanish embroidered pillowcases. She seems to be of a generous nature, so you should probably keep an eye on her blog.

Right now, I have to admit, I’m most thankful for a four-day weekend and the fact that I got to sleep in until 10 this morning. Family, friends, food, shelter, health, wealth… definitely appreciate that stuff too. I try to never take it for granted. I know I’m blessed in so many ways, and as I head off to a Thanksgiving celebration with my whole family, I’m reminded of that.

But this morning I can’t help but say a big THANK YOU for feeling rested and for the long weekend ahead of me.

My friend Erica just uploaded a bunch of scanned photos from when we were in high school. I haven’t yet dug up my old photo albums, so you’ve never seen the younger me. But don’t worry, I stole a bunch of Erica’s to share. Ready to see me in high school?

This is me at my junior prom:

I loved that purple shimmery dress so much. I didn’t have a date that year, but I had more fun than I did at senior prom, to which I went with my then boyfriend. Boys are lame.

This one is from our Super Bowl party:

Some friends and I got together one year on Super Bowl Sunday and pretended like we cared. We smoked fake cigars (beef sticks), drank fake beer (soda), played fake poker (Go Fish, I’m sure) and had the game on in the background. Or maybe we just watched a movie, I can’t remember. My shirt says “I Heart Aerobics.” Ha!

My friends and I also had a thing about the Spice Girls. We weren’t necessarily huge fans, but we loved imitating them. We were the Spice Girls for Halloween, for fun photo shoots, and even for skits at band camp. Oh yes, band camp. That’s where this particular Spice Girls shot came from:

If you’re curious, I started out as Ginger Spice, but senior year I cut my hair short and so moved into the Posh Spice role. (Sorry I didn’t get permission to put the other girls on this site, hence the stars. But me as Posh doesn’t have quite the same affect without the full photo, so I couldn’t crop of course.)

And last, this is me and Erica in our marching band uniforms:

I played the flute from 6th to 12th grade, both marching and concert band. All my friends were in band, so I actually really enjoyed it. Erica and I met in 6th grade when she moved to our school and sat next to me in band. We’ve been friends ever since.

I promise you I was seriously dorky earlier in life, so I’ll have to dig those out someday.

We’re having trouble generating conversation and feedback at our wedding blog. And it’s frustrating. I can see that people are reading, but I guess they don’t have much to say. We really do want to hear from other people, which is why we often ask for feedback or comments or ideas, but we don’t actually get very many.

Maybe it’s vain of me to think that people care enough about our silly wedding to take the time to comment, or maybe our blog is just boring and we’re oblivious because it’s so damn interesting to us (it’s our wedding, so duh). Yet people are reading. The stats tell me so. When we write a new Shan & Mike post, and especially when I link to one on facebook or twitter or here, I can see that people are going there and spending enough time to read. Yet the comments are few and far between.

It’s hard to write in a vacuum, which is why I’m so thankful for the little internet support group I’ve accumulated through this blog. And I know that Shan & Mike is new and it’s a very narrow topic, but we’re tackling more than just the details of wedding flowers and favors. We hit on some pretty meaty topics yo! Like marriage equality and patriarchal traditions.

While, yes, I’m hoping this will inspire you to take pity on us and visit our site and leave comments, mostly I’m just ranting.

You know what, let’s just cut the bullshit here. What I really want to know is… how come nobody wants to play with me? Do I smell? Am I wearing the wrong clothes? Did you hear rumors that I like to eat worms? What? What is it!

A few people have asked, and the answer is no. I didn’t get the tattoo.

Yet.

For two reasons. 1) I’m terrible at making decisions, and with something this permanent and non-reversable, I had to be sure I was 100% confident in what I was getting and where. But I just wasn’t. I overwhelmed myself with the choices, and suddenly Tattoo Day was here, and I wasn’t sure what I wanted. 2) I’m pretty sure I want the tattoo on my foot, and after hearing all your advice, I realized I might be smart to wait until spring when I can sport flip flops while it heals. The tattoo artist confirmed this for me and said it’s a good idea to wait.

So I just went as moral support for my friend who got her tattoos. The guy did a good job and I think I’ll go see him when I’m ready. For now, I’ve bought myself a little time to figure out what exactly I want. Before I decide, you know I’ll be asking your opinion again. I can’t make decisions without you people!

Last night before my book club meeting, I met my friend Robin for dinner. We found a Pizza Hut on Google Maps and decided to meet there, but upon arrival we realized it was takeout only. So I hopped in her car and we drove down the road to a different restaurant. After dinner we drove together to the book club location, and she took me to my car afterward.

As we approached the parking lot in front of the Pizza Hut, we realized my car was not where I left it. My heart stopped for a minute, but then Robin goes, “Is that your car over there?” Sure enough, there it was at the back of the lot with the rear tires on top of the curb.

What. The. Hell?

I always (ALWAYS!) park in first, so there was no reason that my car would roll. We were dumbfounded. But when we looked inside, turns out I had left it in neutral. Oops! When Robin pulled up earlier that night, I was waiting with my car idling in neutral, and when I got out to ride with her, I guess I didn’t put it in first like I normally would.

However, the parking lot was completely flat. Why would my car start rolling? Did someone bump into it or even push it somehow? And also, even if it did start to roll on its own, there’s no way it would pick up enough momentum to hop the curb like that. It didn’t roll far enough to pick up that much speed. It would have rolled into the curb and stopped. So I really can’t figure out what happened.

I’m glad there wasn’t another vehicle behind it to run into, but my car was on a curb! In the bushes! There was no damage, but man, how disconcerting.

Back to the tattoo thing. I still need help. There are a few issues I’m running into. While I really like the design I showed last week, I wanted to consider some other options. For instance, my friend Angie drew this for me, which is basically the other design turned upside down:

Still too L-like? My friend Lindsay found this, a cursive Z, which I also really like:

I don’t sign my name with a cursive Z, but I’ve always really liked their shape.

The other issue is the foot placement. A few people pointed out that I might not want to show my tattoo on certain occasions, but I’ve actually considered that. I think the foot is a pretty subtle and respectable place for a tattoo (I could be wrong here). Even if my tattoo isn’t hidden by shoes at a job interview, I don’t think a “Z” tattoo on the foot spells DANGER! BAD EMPLOYEE! And if it does, maybe I don’t want to work there anyway…

However, a couple people suggested that the foot can be a tricky place for a tattoo — it can heal funky and fine lines can run or blur. So maybe something as detailed as the top one would be a bad idea? Is the cursive design too fine for the foot?

OR! What about something like this:

OR! I could go super simple and get one of these (not the whole alphabet, of course, but look at the Z’s):

I’ve had years to figure this out, but I suddenly realize how many options there are. So let’s recap: What kind of Z should I get? Should I nix the foot idea because it might heal wrong or be blurry? If so, where else should I get it? If not, what design would work best on the foot?

This is a permanent decision you guys. On my body! I need your help. Please.

The plan is for me to get a tattoo on November 5. My friend is celebrating her birthday with one, and I said I’d go with her and finally get my Z tattoo. Have I told you about my Z tattoo? Seems like I have, but I can’t find it in my archives.

My last name starts with a Z, and a long time ago my sisters and I decided we’d all get the initial tattooed somewhere on our bodies because no matter what, we’d always be the Z[last name] Girls. Well a few years ago, the three of them went off and got their tattoos together. They said they didn’t think I’d ever go through with it, so they didn’t bother waiting for me. And I guess I don’t blame them because it’s several years later, and I still haven’t gotten my tattoo.

For me it’s a matter of placement. Every spot I think of has one of two problems:

1) I don’t like that part of my body and don’t want to draw attention to it.
2) I like that part of my body and don’t want to taint it with ink.

See the dilemma? After much contemplation, I think I’ve settled on my left foot. I’m neutral about my feet – I like them, but I think a tattoo might enhance rather than taint them. Exact placement is undetermined, but I feel pretty good about the foot decision. Has anyone had a tattoo on their foot that they regret? Do you feel compelled to talk me out of it?

My three sisters have matching Z’s – just standard serif block letters. But I want something different, something artistic, something interesting. I’m considering something like this:

Only smaller. I like that it’s not clearly a Z at first glance, but if someone were to ask the story of my tattoo and I were to say “it’s a Z for my last name” they’d get it. Do you think they’d get it? It also looks a lot like an L, which is my middle initial.

But what do you think? Is it too abstract? Too un-Z-like? Any artists out there who want to sketch me something better – something in this same line of thinking but different? I’m very open for suggestions. I have just under three weeks to figure this out.

Have you heard of mint.com? Trying to save for a wedding has really opened my eyes to my money situation. I’ve managed to skate by every month, but sometimes barely, so trying to save a certain amount of money in a set amount of time has posed a major challenge, and it was a big wake up call.

For a long time the Giraffe has been suggesting we set a budget, or at least get a better idea of where our money goes. I’m pretty frugal, but I’m not good at sticking to a budget. Life is too messy and unpredictable for that. But it did make sense to get a better idea of how I spend my money.

Enter my friend Robin (of recent weddinghood), who told me about mint.com. It connects to all your loans, accounts, credit cards, etc. and keeps track of your spending, your savings and your financial goals.

When you get started, you tell mint where your stuff is (accounts, loans, all that), it connects to that site, asks for your login/account info, and pulls in all your information. Once all your stuff is gathered, you can set up a budget and financial goals.

Then there’s all kinds of fun graphs and charts and stuff that help you visual your spending. So when you charge $10 at McDonald’s, mint.com recognizes that you just spent $10 in the “Fast Food” category. And you can change the categories as needed. If you spend $50 at Target, mint might categorize that under “Personal Care” but you know you actually bought a gift for a friend’s wedding shower, so you change it to “Gifts” next time you log in.

You can also set goals. Like, say, for instance you want to save $2,000 for a wedding by June. Tell mint and it’ll help you figure out how and keep track of how well you’re doing. I haven’t figured out if you can merge two accounts though. Since the Giraffe and I are saving for the wedding together, it’d be nice to look at all of our accounts and savings as a whole. Anyone know if it’s possible?

If you want a better picture of your financial situation, you should check it out. It’s all free, the website is easy to use and pretty to look at, and I think it’s pretty safe and secure.

[I'm not getting paid in any way to promote this site, I just thought it might be useful to others.]

[Also posted at Shan & Mike.]

One of my very best friends in the world (Robin) got married this past Saturday. You should check it out. And even if you don’t care about their wedding, there’s a bonus picture of me rocking out to “It Must Have Been Love” that’ll make your click worth it.

Big weekend coming up. My dear friend Robin is getting married on Saturday, and it’s a whole wedding weekend extravaganza. Mike and I are Master and Mistress (I’m a Mistress!) of Ceremonies, so we have a lot of responsibilities. Starting tomorrow morning it’s full-on wedding mode.

This is the girl who, at many points, truly believed she might be alone forever. She did have a pretty rough romantic road, but Jason, her almost-husband, is pretty frickin’ awesome. They are very lucky to have each other. In January Robin and I moved out of the apartment we shared, and she moved far far away (about an hour) from me to be with Jason. Oh how I miss her. But also, oh happy I am for her!

And did I mention that I’m giving a toast? Yeah. So that’ll be fun nerve-wracking. Wish me luck! And also them!

I’m sorry but I have GOT to talk about the damn Tomato Wars again. Seriously, this is getting out of control. They’re everywhere! EV-UH-REE-WHERE.

Case in Point (1):
At the dinner segment of a bachelorette party last weekend and my friend scoured the menu for something that did not require any omissions. She didn’t want to have to do the whole “Can I have the Blah Blah with no yadda” thing, so she ordered a sandwich whose description did not include any offenders. Sandwich comes – big giant slices of tomato all over it. That she had to pick off. And that were not on the menu’s description of the sandwich. Offender!!

Case in Point (2):
At lunch with a different friend. I ordered a gourmet grilled cheese that boasted three kinds of cheese and chopped basil on ciabatta. Yum. Sandwich comes and it is slathered in diced tomatoes. I’m talking someone took two ice cream scoops full of diced tomatoes and plopped one on each half of the grilled cheese. It took me half my lunch just to scrape them all off and out of the many ciabatta crevasses. Offender!

Since when are tomatoes a garnish you don’t have to mention? I’ve used the “I’m allergic” excuse before to get someone to remake something for me, but usually I just scrape and grumble. But what if I really was allergic? What about those people who are? Can they not count on menu descriptions anymore? Must they ask about tomatoes on every dish they order?

Tuna salad: Does it have tomatoes?
Fried chicken: No tomatoes right?
Belgian waffles: Are you sure it doesn’t come with tomatoes?
Creme Bruleé: No tomatoes please.

If I ever open a restaurant, I’m going to make it a Tomato Free Zone. Tomato byproducts are ok—gotta have my ketchup. But tomatoes diced, sliced, chopped or whole? Those offenders are BANNED!

This month I have a bachelorette party or wedding every Saturday. Every single one. I told you this was the year of the wedding, but this month it’s wedding overload.

On August 1, I attended a bachelorette slash lingerie party for one of my best friends, Erica. We went to her sister’s house, ate and drank, pored over her newly acquired copy of the kama sutra,  made her model  some of her new frilly garb, and played silly games. We had a good time.

A week later, it was time to celebrate my sister’s impending marriage. She’s with child, as they say, so we had planned a spa day complete with pedicures and massages, but at the last minute (read: two days before) we scrapped that idea and started to plan a day in the sun. And then it poured rain all day. So that was fun. We made the best of it though. Met for coffee bright and early, then had fun trying on our bridesmaid dresses at the tailor. We also went to Michael’s and figured out creative ways to make hairpieces and jewelry. Then we went to my dad’s (who took the kids elsewhere), made piles of food, mixed some drinks, embarrassed Andrea and hung out all day sans sun.

This Saturday is Erica’s wedding, and next Saturday is my sister’s wedding – I’m going up to the location Thursday after work and staying until Sunday evening. And on the 29th I’m going to the wedding of a coworker/friend.

But oh no, we’re not done after that. My other best friend, Robin, has a shower (that I have to miss) and a bachelorette party in September. And her wedding is in October. I’m the Mistress of her Ceremony and also in charge of a toast.

And by the way, my little sister, my baby sister (not the 8-year old though) recently proposed to her boyfriend. She’s getting married in July.

Holy shit matrimony!