Bring it Back

Five Things Tara and I Would Like to See Back:

1. Six-pack: I loved the six-pack of soda. Who carries it anymore? Now all they have is the 12-case, the 24-case or the refrigerator-friendly case thingy. Even better was the 8-pack 12-oz glass bottles. Soda (and beer) always taste better in a glass bottle. Back in the day, you could bring those back to Krakow IGA and get a refund. Sweet.

2. The Busy Signal: Call Waiting, schmaiting! I don't like call waiting. I don't really like putting people on call waiting, and I don't like being put on call waiting. And when is the proper time to hang up when the person doesn't come back? 30 seconds? 1 minute? 2 minutes? When I still had my land line, I didn't have any features on it, including call waiting. I had the good ole'fashioned busy signal! The crazy thing is, I don't even mind it when I hear a busy signal. You know what I do when I hear a busy signal? I hang up, wait 15 minutes, and call back. And if I hear it again? I wait again and call back. I love that annoying little beep that doesn't stop. I don't think we always need to be available 24-7. The busy signal is a polite way of signifying, "You know what, I'm BUSY talking to someone else. Call me again when I'm not."

3. Traditional bar: We love traditional bar. Tara and I can go to a bar and sit in the same two spots for hours. We watch people come and go. In this day and age of booths, tables, posh couches, being wallflowers, etc., nothing beats sitting right at the bar. Not only do you usually get the better service, but it's where all the action is. It's also a great way to meet men. Men like drinks, and the one thing between them and their drinks is....YOU. Hmmmm...

4. Layaway: This is more of a Tara thing. I've never actually done layaway, but apparently it was very well-received in her family. She said Shopko doesn't even do it anymore. According to her, layaway worked like this: If you're at Shopko and want to put a bike on layaway, you put down a deposit, and they keep it for you until you pay it off. I said to her, "what about credit cards, or payment plans? With those things at least you get what you want right away." She said, "I don't want it right away, and I don't want the big interest rates. I just want it held for me behind the counter until I can pay for it." Ok...Apparently this is a dying trend now with credit card use, payment options and gift cards.

5. Gas Station Attendants: When it's this bitter cold outside, I'd pay $5 extra just for someone to fill the gas tank. I'd pay $8 if they wash my windshield, too. Heck, $10 to run inside and bring me some hot coffee.

Moments

Sometimes timing is everything.

Like everyone else, I was complaining about the cold this morning (a whopping 5 degrees). I wasn't happy that I didn't sleep well last night, or that when I woke up my house felt a little drafty. I was mad that I forgot to make and program my coffee to start dripping at approximately 6:15 am, like it always does. It irked me that I had to take my car to the service station, because I wasn't getting enough heat in it yesterday. I was angry that I wore my shorter, corduroy jacket instead of my wool coat that is knee-length. And why the heck did I wear a sweater with small holes in it (it's supposed to be this way) on such a cold day? It didn't help when I got to work to discover that the heater in my office still isn't working due to a valve that is on back order. It's 8:45, and I have to go to a meeting. I'm cold, tired and irritated that I never got my coffee.

Our offices are housed in the Brown County Library. The library is really the only public institution downtown that is still open. We have access to the back door, that is not open to the public. When I was leaving for my meeting to my co-workers' car, I saw a homeless gentleman perched along the wall of the building. Growing up in the country is not exactly a place where you see a lot of people who are homeless, but it's not like I haven't seen them before. This just hit me differently. He was tall and thin, with shaggy brown hair and a beard. He had a few belongings. He had on blue jeans. I don't remember if he had a winter coat on. I looked at him, but he didn't look at me. I felt a lump in my throat and kept walking. He never looked at me, yet I looked away quickly, but not because I was repulsed by him. I was ashamed at myself.

Gosh, it was cold this morning, but at least I have a roof over my head. And as tired as I was, at least I have a comfy bed to sleep in. I actually have my choice of three beds to sleep in. It's nice that I also have my choice of a few winter jackets every day. I guess the next time I wake up and there isn't coffee ready or I have to take my cold car to the shop or if I wear a sweater with holes in my chilly office, I won't complain. I'll actually feel pretty blessed. Maybe I needed to see this guy. Maybe it was somebody's way of saying, you're pretty darn lucky. Maybe I really do need to donate more food, money or time for people who need it. Maybe the next time I get asked for $.50 on the street, I just need to give it. I know some people would say it might be a waste, but so what? It might, or it might not. Chances are it will do more good than just sitting in my pocket.

Most of us have everything we need to survive. We have more than enough. I do. Most of us don't give as much as we can or should. I don't. I do here and there, but not enough. I know I can do more. I wish it didn't take seeing a person who has way less than I do to realize it.

Chocolate - a Woman's Best Friend

I'm sure my female friends can relate to this. Is it just me, or are there certain days of the month where you crave chocolate a lot more than others?? But you don't just crave it, you like, NEED it. You want to drink it. Bathe in it. Dream about it. Wake up in a river of it. And you need it NOW. Badly. Or someone will get hurt. It might even only last only a day or two, but when it hits, look out!

Last night this was happening, and as I was watching Grey's Anatomy, I ate chocolate chips leftover from Christmas cookie-baking. It also didn't help that when flipping channels, I saw an ad for the "LG Chocolate" phone by Verizon Wireless. Even that looked pretty edible. Then I toyed with baking a chocolate cake out of the blue, but that would've interfered with my favorite TV show, and I couldn't miss that. At that point making some hot chocolate wasn't going to be enough. Luckily, I got tired, and I fell asleep during "Men in Trees."

But the need hasn't stopped today. There were a few leftover Hershey Kisses in the breakroom, but that didn't suffice. I rummaged through my work drawer today to only find some expired popcorn and some cup of soup. Um...yeah. Nothing chocolate-y about those things at all! The banana on my desk looks pretty good, but would look even better smothered in cacao-covered beans. So I broke down and ventured downstairs to purchase some overpriced Junior Mints in the machine. The box was gone within 10 minutes. The crazy thing is that I should feel ill, horribly sick to my stomach, but I don't. It was almost like my body needed this. My butt and hips sure don't need it, but I did. It's amazing the things we will consider doing for chocolate.

12

At Christmastime with the fam, my brother and sister-in-law announced they are expecting! Their twins (Elle and Jack, at left) will be 1 in March, so they will only be 16 months apart from the new baby. Whoa!

The number 12 is two-fold. I'm guessing by now they are about 12 weeks along, or maybe a little more than that. This will also be my 12th niece or nephew, just in my family! My friend jokingly asked if our family plans to start our own zip code. Maybe we will! Hahahaha....

Recipe Sharing

Recently, I tried two new recipes in my slow cooker, that I got from That's My Home. Both involve pork, the "other" white meat.

One is called Teriyaki Pork Roast (consisting of brown sugar, apple juice, soy sauce, among other things). I even cut up a few slices of apple to put in the cooker. The other is Pepsi Pork Roast, containing a whole can of pepsi! I know, crazy! I wasn't sure how these would turn out when I read about the ingredients, but they are simply fabulous.

Check 'em out!

Why am I Still Single? - No Rummage Sales

As soon as females are of marriageable age, they are constantly asked, "why are you still single?" "How come you don't have a serious boyfriend?" "Why aren't you with anybody?"

Grrrrrr....

So, why am I still single? I remember something my friend Tara told me several months ago.

It's a typical single gal's story...I was pining after some guy who was wrong for me for many reasons, only I was too blind to see it. He was one of these guys who didn't really want to be with me, but also couldn't totally let me go. I'm not claiming to be perfect, and I never will be. He did have a little baggage at the time, but I looked past it. I had a hard time understanding why he didn't think the same way I did. Why didn't he like me? Why wouldn't he want to date me? What did I do to him that was SO awful that he wouldn't consider ME? Yes, woe was ME!

I was lamenting over this to Tara on the phone one evening, of course, with the phone in one hand and a spoon dipped in the Haagen Dazs with the other. When I was on my tangent, of "Why didn't he,....why wouldn't he,....why couldn't he....." she blurted, "He won't date you, because YOU'RE not a rummage-sale girl!

Huh? What's wrong with rummage sales?

Tara said, "Jamie, you're not the 25-cent shoes people find at rummage sales - you're the $100 Saks Fifth Avenue shoes. You're not used goods. He won't have to work very hard to get the 25-cent shoes, but he'll have to work a lot harder for the $100 shoes. Hence, you are not a rummage-sale girl."

Hmmm...For once, Tara was pretty on to something. She's right. I am not a rummage-sale girl. I haven't always made the best choices, but when it comes down to it, I won't be the 25-cent shoe, worn and tethered. The 25-cent shoe begging for someone to take it, even though once purchased, might end up tossed in the back of the closet. I know so many people who are in great relationships, who are treated like the $100 shoe, and I feel I deserve the same.

And the guy? Once I finally started acting more like the $100 shoe, he sensed it, and communication naturally tailed off. I know it sounds corny, but what happened was meant to be.

The next time someone asks, "Why are you still single?" I will simply say, "because I'm not a rummage-sale girl." Knowing my luck, they will probably think I'm a snob, and take it as though I'm too good for rummage sales. I'm not too good to shop at rummage sales. I just don't want to be featured at one.

Vital to My Health

I decided for the month of January I am not going to purchase anything house related unless it is absolutely vital and important to my health and safety. I've been pretty good about keeping my spending in check, but I'm to a point where I have everything I need right now to successfully function.

Last night I did buy a carbon monoxide detector. I had no idea those were like....$30!! At first it seemed a little stiff, but when I thought about it, it seemed like a small price to pay when it's a matter of life and death.

I also purchased a middle-of-the-line humidifier, with "warm mist." My house gets dry and some mornings I wake up with a scratchy throat, so I declared this was also vital and important to my health. There were some that have "cool mist," which I frowned upon. My house is "cool" enough as it is. If I'm going to have any mist lurking around, it's going to be warm!

Now, if I can find a way to justify getting highlights, I will be all set....

Happy New Year!!

Welcome 2007!
Is it just me, or is anyone else REALLY glad it's a new year??

It's not that I did not like 2006, because a lot of great things happened in 2006. I have a different job, I took a trip to Europe and got to see my Polish ancestors (not really), I went to Atlanta for the first time, I took a break from playing volleyball, met some interesting people, turned 30 and bought a house. So, what did I not like about 2006? I have a different job, took a trip when I was switching jobs, went to Atlanta before buying a house, took a break from playing volleyball, met some interesting people and turned 30.

Hmmmm.

It was a good year, but I'm ready to start anew. Like it says in the lyrics of "Auld Lang Syne" Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? It's not that I want to forget about 2006, but I don't want to keep living in it, either.
Out with the old, in with the new!!