• Craving an egg mcmuffin. Too bad we are out of English muffins (a staple for us). And too bad McDonalds doesn't start serving breakfast til 6 (or 6:30?). Come on, they're open now! Why does it have to be a burger?
• Weird to have facebook recommend friends when it's someone I thought I was already friends with. Defriended! This is actually the 2nd time this girl has defriended me. I guess I'll let it stick this time.
  
• Pregnancy insomnia sucks. Well, so does any insomnia.
• Who is supposed to throw you a baby shower? Is it like bridal showers where the family of the bride is not supposed to do that? Or is the family of the mom to be "expected" to do that?
• I keep thinking about the color combination of turquoise and red. Seemed strange to me at first, but when I saw it, it looked great!
• I am so thankful for summer break! The kids have been stepping things up to a whole new level of challenging, and my patience is dwindling. I gotta keep reminding myself just three weeks to go.
• How is it our summer calendar already seems to be filling up fast??
• I wish I knew now if we are having a boy or a girl. I can't stop thinking about names! Once we know, we can at least eliminate about half of the choices!
• Oh man, I am seriously hungry! Would it be wrong to make popcorn at this hour?
• Maybe I should try going back to bed.
  

I was up late last night, and I'm having a hard time functioning today. I wanted to eat a banana for breakfast, but I couldn't open it. Grrr!

Yesterday was Fat Tuesday, and the big local thing is to get paczkis (pronounced "pooch-key"), basically a glorified jelly filled donut - except for the Strawberries & Cream version; that is much better and totally worth it. I have only tried a paczki once - 1 or 2 years ago when some magically appeared in our office. I'm kinda regretting not getting one yesterday. Oh well, there's always next year!

So, that was yesterday. Then there's today. The beginning of Lent. The practice of giving something up for Lent has never been a part of my religious traditions, but the last couple years I keep thinking more and more about it. I'm certain there are plenty of things I should be giving up anyways! Are any of you giving something up for Lent?

What would you like to hear about? Or what would you like to see?

Feedback appreciated - anonymous or not.

i have written almost 500 blogs here.

and lately i question my purpose of the blogs.

since elementary school i have journaled. i have years and years of my thoughts written in various books. in the last couple years that has dwindled off so far that i am at the point where i can't even find my journal.

that makes me sad.

i feel like i've lost those 2 years. and very vital years they were.

does what i put out here replace what i would have written in my journal?

not quite.

i'm much more careful and guarded with what i write here. i censor myself. wisely i'd say. but none-the-less, it is not comparable to what i would be journaling.

i had a great day. i had a great yesterday. i had a great weekend away. i started typing up the details and got pretty far into it. and then just started wondering if anybody really cares to know about my days.

i know some of you out there read for your entertainment when boredom strikes during the day. or perhaps you are trying to learn more about me (sidenote: good luck; so am i!).

but why? what does it do for you? why do you want me to share my life with you? why are you here? what keeps you coming back? basically - what's in it for you?

anonymous (or identified) comments appreciated as i ponder where to go from here.

1. Death
2. Taxes

I don't know who first said it. But it's now a common phrase. And I'm experiencing both right now as I adjust back to life in the Midwest.

1. Death

A couple weeks ago at work we started receiving daily updates about the poor health our IT guy at Headquarters was in suddenly. He was fine. Then the emails started...

emergency surgery
ICU
respirator
unconscious
infection
multiple strokes
etc.

When I returned to work today I found emails now talking about his memorial service.

Wow. The guy was only 40.

I read his obit. Left behind a dad, a sister, and her family. It talked about the many schools he went to and where he worked, and how he spent the last decade with our organizatioin.. In place of flowers, his family is asking for donations to our organization. Our headquarters is handling the post service reception. His family has given us right of first refusal on some of his belongings.

I just don't get it. My life is not my job. My job is not my life. It's hard for me to relate to those whose lives revolve around their job. I've never had that much of a tight relationship with the place that pays me to do work.

It got me thinking. What's my obituary gonna say? Where I worked? Where I went to school? My hobbies?

What really matters when it's all said and done? When I am no more - what do I leave behind?

2. Taxes

The day I returned from Vegas I picked up the mail. A letter to me from the Indiana Department of Revenue. Gulp.

They're telling me I did my taxes incorrectly. Crap.

I find my copies (good thing I still had them) and pore over them, trying to figure out what I did incorrectly. I can't find anything wrong. I have my mom double-check; she can't find anything wrong. She has her tax professional friend double-check as well; again, nothing wrong.

Conclusion: I did nothing wrong. I made no mistake. The State did when they said I was wrong.

So, now I have to fight this. Provide documentation and proof that they screwed up. And then wait 8-12 weeks for it to be re-processed. Oh boy. What a mess. You'd think they would do some double-checking of their own when they find what they think is an error...

So, death & taxes. Two things that will happen. But two things that I don't have to fear if I have The One in my life.

Question for you blog readers:

I'd like to know how many (if any) of you read my blog on a regular basis, but are not facebook friends with me or do not look at my facebook page on a regular basis.

For example, if I post a video on facebook, do I need to also paste it on my blog?

Or, on the other hand, if I post a video on my blog, do I need to also put it on my facebook?

??

Please weigh in! Thanks!

Is 7:30 too early to go to bed?

What about 7:45?

By the time I get ready it will be 8:00.

Does 8 work?

Why am I SOOOO tired?!?

Since when does "Could I have a few ketchup packets and one salt?" equal four ketchup packets and SIX salts?!?

I'm getting my hair done Tuesday right after work. Planning on a chin length bob cut. But still debating color.

Your two choices are:

• blonde highlights &
• dark brown all over

I've added a poll on the left side of my blog. Place your vote now! Thanks!

It's Spring Break for everybody and their mother this week. Spring Break?? When was the last time I had a Spring Break??

It conjures up so many thoughts, so many memories. I do love traveling, and I've spent many Spring Breaks traveling.

• 2 or 3 times to Florida - Fort Myers Beach to see my aunt and Orlando with Gracies
• LA with Kate - before I lived there! My comment afterward: "It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there." Fast forward 2 years, and I'm heading west!
• Austin, TX
• London & Oxford and places in between

I'm heading to Chicago for the day Friday. I guess that will have to count as my Spring Break. Even though it's just a day trip, I'm certain it will be fun and memorable because of who I'm spending the day with! I'll give you a hint: starts with J, rhymes with "gosh"...

Are you on Spring Break this week? Are you traveling? Do you have a favorite Spring Break destination?

A question for you, dear blog readers:

How would you feel if I were to make my blog private? IE, readers must be invited by me in order to be able to see my blog.

I guess this would affect any readers who I don't know actually read my blog - those of you who lurk and stalk without ever leaving a comment.

Who's out there? And would you still want to lurk and follow my blog by invitation?

1. Do you ever just reach a certain point where you have done all you can and you can do no more?

2. Do you ever wonder when you first started losing respect for a person and why?

3. Do you ever wonder how certain people were raised to turn out so clueless?

4. Do you ever crave tomato soup?

5. Do you ever long to return to normal?

6. Do you ever feel so surrounded by clutter that even Christmas decor is annoying?

7. Do you ever return to work from a vacation to discover 150 new email messages?

8. Do you ever get a headache so severe you feel it moving all over your head and face?

9. Do you ever long for Friday on a Sunday night?

10. Do you ever carry a dollar's worth of change in your pocket around all day for a cup of coffee you never get?


I do.

Monday is our big work event, the Holiday Open House, that I always dress up for.

Help me pick out a dress. I have a black sweater shrug (seen in pic 3) that I would wear with any sleeveless dress.

Without further adieu:

Dress #1

Dress #2 (even though you don't see much of it)

Dress #3

Dress #4

Let me know your thoughts!

In 2007 I lost 80 pounds. In 2008 I gained 20. In 2009 I would like to lose 50, or at least be on my way to getting there.

Comparatively, the first part was the easiest. Then it just sorta plateaued. I'm kicking it back into gear now by rejoining the gym. Today was 2.2 miles on the treadmill. I'm focusing on just the treadmill for the first couple weeks. Then implementing some other things into it like an elliptical for a few weeks. Then a combination of cardio & weights.

Here's where you come in. I don't know if you've ever noticed the little tags or labels at the bottom of each post. For example, "Around the Bend" or "family" or "coffee" or "working out", etc. I need a new label for this specific goal. I need a name for this like "Jennifer Version 2.0" or "New Jennifer". But not those, because those are lame.

I plan on blogging about this because it helps me be more accountable, so I want to have the appropriate label for it. So, let me know your thoughts! Go!

Went to a new Girls Night tonight. They were all wearing sweats. It was kind of weird. Had I known it was a sweatpants wearing sort of group, I probably would have joined in with the popular attire. I have 3 great sweatsuits to wear, and now is the time. 16 degrees, feels like 1. That's actually higher than most of the day has been. Today was a very frigid, painfully cold day.

Side note: all of the girls in this group are married. Do you think that has anything to do with the sweats?

Ok, seriously! It is 12:56 as I begin this. I'm all ready for bed, but I am wide awake.

I just realized what a great week this is gonna be!

• Monday - breakfast at Paul's - FUN!, frantic hard work in the office the rest of the morning, and then a meeting out of the office ALL afternoon! It will, no doubt, get out early, so I'll get to go home early and do fun things like dishes and laundry, weeeee! Then I'm going to this church volunteering thing that I'm really looking forward to.

• Tuesday - normal day at work (yawn) and then I'm going out for CAKE!!!

• Wednesday - hopefully early dismissal at work, then visiting with Renee and seeing Patrick!

• Thursday/Thanksgiving - most likely going to Chicago for a big family dinner with Jen's family

• Friday/Black Friday - for the last 10 years or so I have purposely avoided going out on this day. However, this year, I'm really in a Christmasy, shopping and saving mood, so I thought it would be appropriate. I can guarantee you, though, that I won't be feeling so great about it when I have to get up at like 5 AM! Later, going to my parents' for a big Thanksgiving dinner there. Oh, and at some point I need to make sweet yams and/or dessert for that. I forget.

• Saturday - I will watch ND get killed by one of the teams I most despise. And pretty much that's all on the agenda for now!

What are YOU excited about? What are YOU looking forward to?

1:05 - fortunately I'm starting to get sleepy. Goodnight!

Thoughts during the American Music Awards

• You go, Christina Aguilera!
  
• Joey & Jordan are still the hotties in New Kids
• Watching NKOTB sing is weird and kinda creepy
• Oh, The Right Stuff - suddenly this is awesome!
• I really like listening to music!
• What?!? Scrubs is moving to ABC??
  
• What is Jimmy Kimmel talking about??
  
• Kanye West is weird.
• I'm really in the mood for banana bread!
  
• Aww, Queen Latifah! Love her!
• Hey, didn't I say I was gonna put up the Christmas tree tonight?
• ...And drink decaf coffee?
• My "breakfast for dinner" didn't fill me up so well - 1/2 egg, 1/2 piece of ham, 1 piece of toast, and 2 pieces of cantaloupe...
• I can't believe I'm listening to Myley Cyrus.
• I want to go to Chicago. I'm getting ansy. As much as I hate the winter, Chicago in the winter is pretty awesome!
• I see Jamie Fox and think of "Collateral"; I see Terrence Howard, and I think of Crash. What do either of those have to do with music?? I guess Terrance also did that "Hard for a Pimp" singing movie...
• Wow, Mariah Carey does have an amazing voice!!
  
• Go, Fray! or Go, The Fray!
• Kanye West again?
• These ladies have thighs! I don't even know who they are, but I love it! "If you like it then you should've put a ring on it" NICE!
• Ok, time to put away clothes.
• I might have to do some ironing. Ick.
• Cranberry oatmeal cookies and peppermint mocha decaf coffee? OK!
• Ooh, Justin Timberlake - I wish he was singing and dancing, not just presenting an award.
• Annie Lennox weirds me out, and her music annoys me.
• Oh dear, WHY is Rhianna wearing an eye patch???
• Wow, the first thank you that Daughtry proclaimed was to their WIVES back at home. That's awesome!
• Aww, Sarah Mclachlan!!
• Is Queen Latifah singing an ode to Obama??
• I'M a Super Woman! Girl Power! What a great way to close the show, wow!!
  
• Shoot, I did not do my "homework" this weekend!
• And I just remembered I'm starting the day with brunch at my co-worker's house. Is it really "brunch" when it's at 8:30 am?...
  

1. Am I the only one who hasn't gotten the digital transformer thing yet for my TV?


2. This morning as I was snuggled up under all my blankets, the radio DJ said it was 15 degrees. 15 degrees!!! That's too cold.


3. I was also shocked to already be hearing school delays - apparently Northern Indiana's snow made national news.


4. Have you ever been given as assignment/task by a supervisor or authority figure that you ethically disagree with? This is my struggle.


5. I'm still trying to find the right venue for my 30th birthday bash. Any local suggestions??


6. How often do you replace the baking soda boxes in your fridge and freezer? Do you know how often they recommend doing it?

7. How much fun will it be going out with friends tonight when all I can order is water???


8. I plan to take my car in for some repairs. Do I go all out hog wild and get everything fixed? Battery, "check engine" light, airbag light, seat belt clip thingy, door handle, brake lights. That's a lot of things to be fixed. What can I afford? Shoot, she also needs an oil change and a deep clean.


9. I think gift cards are the greatest!


10. When I excel in a particular area (IE planning events), it's really really really hard for me to wait and allow someone else to step up and do it. Waiting, waiting, waiting...

So, for those of you who care, here's what has been going on lately...

• looking at airplane flights to SoCal and Texas
• changing my diet
• breaking my "Vomit Free Since 2003" streak
• college homecoming and 5 year reunion
• seeing Tess (in from Cali)
• seeing Jac (in from Texas) and meeting her college roomies - what fun!
• spending time with my brother and sister-in-law
• celebrating Dan's bday
• celebrating mom's bday
• live trivia with J-La
• voting in a historical election
• soaking up the last few days of nice weather
• learning about the lunch bar at Martin's
• and all sorts of other fun stuff!

I'm trying to decide where to take my blog in the future. Tomorrow marks my 3 year anniversary of blogging. First on MySpace, then Facebook, and now on Blogspot.

What sort of stuff are you interested in reading about? My random thoughts? How I spend my time? Updates of events going on in the area? Pictures from my life? All of the above? Hmmmm, maybe I'll take this question and turn it into a poll. Please participate. I want to know what you are interested in!

Thanks!