Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Open Mic

You may remember a post not too long ago about me being a Chicken. Well, I am no longer a chicken!

Last week, Joel and I had another guitar lesson. I'm learing so much and it's really quite cool. After the lesson, I picked up Courtney and we headed over to Mulligans Sport's Bar and Grille for another round of $1 burgers and open mic goodness. Joel rocked out as usual. I know he's my teacher and everything, but he's one of those guys who really is very, very talented. He plays great and has a great voice as well. So, he asked me to play again and I was ready this time. Well, sort of. I wasn't exactly sure which songs I was going to do so I had to think on the fly. I picked 3 songs that I thought would be fun and that I wouldn't screw up too bad. Here was the set list:




Now, I didn't sound nearly as good as any of the above videos, but I did OK. I was very nervous, so I messed up a couple of times on guitar and I missed a few notes while singing, but now that's all out of the way. Next time I'll be eveb better. I've been working on more songs and getting better art the ones I've already done. (You've got to have a couple of go-to songs in your bag)

Sadly, Pittsburgh is covered in ice and snow, so there will be no performance this week, but here's a picture from last week to get you excited for more posts and to help you feel like you were there.

Listen to one of the videos and stare at this picture...You'll totally think you were there!

This has been a dream of mine for some time and I'm really happy that I'm finally taking advantage of it. I'm not saying I'm awesome or anything, but I think it's rare that you get to try something you've always wanted to try. Is there anything ou've always wanted to do but haven't because of fear or lack of opportunity?

BTW - That's the longest my hair has been since I was in 4th grade. I've always wanted long hair so I'm trying to grow it out. We'll see how it goes!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Done and done. Sorta.

Well, now that I’m squarely in the 25 and up bracket, it looks like it’s time to face the music. Some updates were given at the halfway(ish) point, here’s how the balance of the list worked out.

24 Things to Do Before I'm 25

1. Go on a date with Dustin. Yep! We went here.
2. Email a friend I don’t talk to often enough. Kind of an ongoing process, but I have been making more of an effort.
3. Use the video camera. We’ve broadened our video horizons to include holiday footage. What’s next? Everyday action? Bowden Music Videos? Hmmmmm.... In the meantime, check out a little bit of one of our latest masterpieces. It's a highlight reel of our recent holidays (and yes, my birthday counts as a Holiday, so much so that it somehow managed to overpower Christmas in this video.)




Holiday Redux from Courtney Bowden on Vimeo.


4. Treat myself to a simple pleasure….Ummmm, I didn’t really buy anything that 100% qualifies for this, but I spend so much money with so little regard sometimes that I think we should just call it even.
5. Go to Zumba. I signed up for a class at work. I managed to take one class and then forgot my shoes the next week. We’re getting there...
6. Try at least three new recipes. Check, check, check. New favorite: homemade oreos. Unreasonably good. And this beauty from the February issue of Martha Stewart Living is on deck....
7. Throw a party! 80’s party was AWESOME! A couple of highlights (in the form of a RAD slideshow, set to a FRESH track)


Bodacious Bday Bash from Courtney Bowden on Vimeo.

8. Organize my sheets. Not so much. But I did find a great article on how to do it....we should count that as half right?
9. Exercise twice a week, (even if one of those times is just parking on the third floor of the garage). I thought we were headed for epic failure on this one, as I continued to avoid even the SECOND floor of the garage for the first month and a half of the “list challenge”. BUT- it a cliché move, I made a New Year’s resolution to work out and eat right (it was actually more of a bet with Dustin than it was a resolution....I guess I’m better with extrinsic motivation) and I’m actually doing quite well. Since the holidays, I’ve been working out a few times a week, rotating between sessions of 30 Day Shred (available free through our cable OnDemand), sessions on the elliptical (following a modified version of the Couch to 5K plan)
10. Discover Dustin’s “love language” and learn to speak it. We’ll classify this one a work in progress. I’ve identified it. Now I just have to spend the rest of my life “speaking” it!
11. Go salsa dancing! Nope. Something about snow and salsa aren’t mixing for me. Perhaps we’ll reschedule this one for warmer weather.
12. Finally organize all my paperwork piles. The hallway was half of the issue at least (it’s where all of my thousands of magazine clippings end up), but thanks to some beautiful new folders, it is done! Now it’s on to the office. Dun, dun, DUN!
13. Pray before bed. Can’t say I’ve been able to do this every single night (does it count if you fall asleep in the middle?), but I’m working on starting a prayer journal- I figure if I challenge my campaigner kids to do it, I should probably “walk the walk” too. And- as a part of our marriage group, we got a new devotional called Never Alone that I’m hoping to get moving on too. (on the first day we read, the lesson was “Love your wife again”. Needless to say, I am a fan.)

14. Go on a walk around the neighborhood. Heck no. It’s freezing. Who’s crazy idea was this one?
15. Decorate the guest bedroom. We’re getting there! Paint is 95% done, bed is ready. Now it’s just the “decorating” part, which I’m sure will be a long evolving process.
16. Learn to play “Apologize” on the keyboard. No, and this is the one that really bums me out. I moved the keyboard into my “dressing room” while we finished the third bedroom. I like the vibe in there a bit better for music creation (and no, I can’t explain why...), so perhaps I’ll be more successful in the new environment. Plus, Dustin is training for his international tour and I don’t want to be left behind! So, I think I’ll keep this goal for the next list. (is there such a thing?)
17. Write our Christmas letter, without taking all the fun out of it by stressing about it. This one is sort of a mixed bag. It turns out the only way I could do it without taking the fun out of it, was actually to not do it at all. I had themes, ideas, inspiration, list of recipients. I planned a letter, then a card, then a video, then a email message and by then I realized it was the middle of January, and no one cares anymore. But just to make it official: Merry Christmas! Oh, and bonus slide show!


Merry Christmas from Courtney Bowden on Vimeo.

18. Use all those fancy frames I bought for my fancy dressing room. Unfortunately not. Looks like we’ve got another contender for The List 2.0.
19. Do a craft. Yep! And I’ve got lots of ideas for homemade art for a “gallery” either in our hallway or the guest room. Maybe both! I’d love to plan an “Art Day”- get all the supplies together and just start creating. Maybe that could be followed by a big Framing Day. And a Hanging Day. We could finish up with an Admiring Day. Yes, this is shaping up nicely.
20. Book all the trips I’ve been meaning to take. We are Florida bound! We had an awesome time visiting Dustin’s parents a couple years ago (they live in The Villages, which would be called “The Happiest Place on Earth” if Disney didn’t already take that title.) So we’ve decided to go again! We’ve got a week of vacation, so in addition to hitting up the shuffle board, and the happy hours I’m hoping to get out for an excursion or two. Maybe swimming with dolphins? And if all that wasn’t enough- this weekend I plan to book the long talked about, seldom acted upon trip to California. I’m taking a weekend to visit one of my best friends, with one of my other best friends! It should be well worth all of the planning strife.
21. Get my license plates renewed. Done! One day late! (well, a year and one day late, but who’s counting?)
22. Build a snow sculpture. See number 14.
23. Take a photo I love enough to frame. I think so? I guess we’ll have to see once Framing Day rolls around.
24. Call my Grandma. I called her a few times, but this isn’t exactly one of those tasks that you can do once and wash your hands of it. Whenever I hear her sweet little old lady voice, I realize I should probably call her four times as much as I do. After all, I’ll be old someday (hopefully?) and I can only fill so much of the day by blogging!


      So, the grand tally, once you factor in partial points, good intentions and bad ideas is....drumroll...

      Approximately 17.5 Things Accomplished*

      It feels good! It was a useful exercise for me, and definitely something I’d like to repeat. I’m trying to think of ways to transition this into a regular exercise. I think having it as a year long goal will be too broad for my brain to comprehend, but the idea of having another thing on my weekly to do list just makes my eyes twitch with stress. I’ll try to find the middle ground somewhere to keep the meaning without ruining the fun. Stay tuned for the next installment! (and for those of you who haven’t joined the movement yet, should I recommend it again?)

      *totals are totally and utterly non-scientific.

      Tuesday, January 20, 2009

      A Banner Day.

      Big day. Big day, everybody!


      I was so excited to watch the inauguration. I love big traditional ceremonies like that. I just really get into the pomp and circumstance of it all. My office mates and I all crowded into a conference room to watch it via the Internet, a solid plan until the bandwidth gave way to the trillion people trying to access the same feed. We ended up with limited visual, but full audio, which for me was just fine (I considered it like a fireside chat- so retro!) I was remarking during the broadcast that even the sound of the marine core band tugged at my heart strings (I choose not to comment on the song stylings- or HAT- of Aretha Franklin.) As for the speech itself, I fully expected to be wow-ed (like him or not, you have to admit he’s an inspiring speaker). But when he started I thought we were headed for the most depressing speech ever at an inauguration:

      That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many, and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.

      But I respected his honesty and willingness to acknowledge the situation. Sure, an entire day of parades, smiling faces, fancy outfits and an evening of elaborate parties are a bit in congruent with our current economic situation. But his words reflected both sides of the times. Yes, we're facing problems as a nation, but we can't (or in my opinion shouldn't) stop living or expressing joy. In true Obama style, he didn't dwell in negativity or hopelessness, choosing to quickly spin our troubles into opportunity for growth.
      Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met.
      And though much of the speech was inevitably going to be nothing more than historical sound bytes, or political rhetoric, I thought he did a good job of summing up his view for the presidency (even if it was spoken of in somewhat impractically broad terms...that's fine- for now).
      The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's knowledge will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
      So after all was said and done (and said, and said, and said in some of the pundits' cases) I feel it was a monumental day. I have a cautious, sometimes cynical view of the future, but I can't shake the feeling that I witnessed greatness today. It was stirring to see how many people were emphatically supportive of today's events, especially in the wake of years of division and doubt of our system as a whole. I know that only time will tell, but on this day I am proud to be aboard the Obama bandwagon.
      But let's take a moment to focus on the truly important aspects of the day. Beyond all the inspiring words, and the lofty goals, there was something really uplifting: Fashion!
      Everyone is already scrutinizing what Michelle and her girls wore, and the spotlight will only get brighter as the balls and galas begin in the coming days. For what its worth: I loved Barack's scarf (the bold color was gorgeous!), I'm indifferent to Michelle's ensemble (the color was brilliant, the fabric and construction weren't as impressive), and the girls looked like living American Girl Dolls (absolutely precious!) But I think more pressing than the First Family's choices were the correspondents' get-ups. Witness:


      What exactly is going on with this CNN anchor? Did she rush back to the news desk from her part time position at a renaissance fair? Is she trying to inject a little dominatrix style into democracy? Just wrong.

      But perhaps even more alarming than that was this atrocity (forgive the quality of the photo, turns out style mistakes of this magnitude are difficult to capture on film):

      Take note: Hearing that "black folk" are coming to town does not give your yuppie self the excuse to don a church lady hat. And was there a sale on hot pink and black apparel? Apparently admittance into the CNN society is based not on experience or education, but on your ability to coordinate your ensemble to Avril Lavigne's MySpace page.
      So, there are my thoughts- which pretty much run the gamut between surreal, and all too real. But I suppose that is about right. What about you, did you watch? Were you inspired? Skeptical? Hopeful? Discuss...

      Monday, January 19, 2009

      2. 5.

      I can’t believe I’m twenty-five. A quarter century. As always with birthdays, it seems like a big deal to the individual, whereas anyone that has past the milestone already will view it totally differently. I lament that I’m getting old....SO OLD.....which seems crazy to people who have managed to double, or triple my age tally. And though I’m aware of that perspective, I can’t grasp it any better than a 5 year old can imagine having a retirement fund. I know that someday my face will be lined with wrinkles, and my brain will be slowed by age, and I’ll look back on twenty-five as being a wee baby with a lifetime to go.

      But for me, right now, I don’t see it from that angle. My only perspective is that of former years, in which this age seemed impossibly far away. Early in life, it seemed like a goal, a pinnacle of life: young enough to be beautiful and exciting, but old enough to not have to have a bedtime (one of the many things “holding me down” as a kid apparently). I remember playing Barbies as a little girl, and my characters were always in their mid-twenties, which seemed like such a glamorous age at the time. They were also always named Jennifer for some reason- I think that was an “older girl” name during a time in my life when “being older” automatically equaled “being cooler”. Having two older sisters gave me some idea of what to look forward to, but my Barbies represented a dream world all my own. Jennifer and her best friend (and roommate) Jenny lead an amazing life. They talked and laughed and took joyrides in their light pink Corvette. They changed outfits ten times a day with everything leading up to fancy dinner dates with dashing young men (often identical twins, so they could eventually have dual weddings and live in houses with a shared pool in the backyard....but I digress). The Jennifers had it made. Of course, they weren’t saddled with real world responsibilities like rent, or health insurance; the fabulousness of their life was represented by their freedom. They lived in eternal happiness. A young, fun, irresponsible, silly, spontaneous brand of happiness that I desperately wanted to experience when I grew up.

      Later in life (you know, by the ripe old age of fifteen or so), my sense of reality had grown, and I now realized that there was more to life than pink dresses and handsome men. In my view, college was a necessity, as was having a career. My new dream was an updated version of my Barbie days. I plan was to go to school in Chicago (big city living!), study abroad (Italy!), have a high powered fashion career and eventually marry (by thirty?). I saw the twenty-something years as a non-stop journey of fun and adventure, not too different from my childhood view.

      Now that I have actually reached the epic milestone that is twenty-five, my dreams for the future have caught up to my present. Looking back on the planned path of my life I see that some parts were pretty accurate, and some turned out wildly different than I had imagined. Did I see myself living in Pittsburgh? Absolutely not. Married at 21? Nope. Mortgage payments? Huh-uh. But leading Young Life? Sure. Traveling and living in different cities? Yes! Parts of my actual experience blow my plans out of the water. I love love love being married to Dustin (even if that came well before the 30 year mark) and I’ve had trips, jobs, apartments, and experiences that my five or even fifteen year mind couldn’t have conceived. But part of me is wistful about some of the plans I haven’t followed through on (beyond just the giant pool fantasy). It is not to say that I am regretful about any of my past, rather, it reminds me of Langtson Hughes’ ideas of a dream deferred. What happened to my childhood wishes? Are my unrealized dreams rotting? Drying out? Growing sweeter with time? Exploding?!

      I suppose now is a natural time to take stock of my life, and plot out new dreams, fresh goals. I’m sure my dreams for my fiftieth year will eventually look as simplistic and naïve as my current hindsight, but isn’t that what life is about? Looking forward with an optimistic eye, full of hope and excitement for the future? What I don’t want to do is to buy into pre-conceived notions of where I “should” be by now. To be honest, I am proud and thankful for where I am now. I have accomplished a lot in my first quarter century, so I don’t feel pressure to achieve (that is, pressure beyond the constant ambitious drive that is as much a part of me as my eye color). What I am more worried about is avoiding fulfilling the “all downhill from here” prophesy. Are my young days over? Is it not “age appropriate” to be a little wild, a little reckless? In some ways I’ve been a grown up since I was little. Always full of my own ideas, taking on responsibility, shooting past preset milestones. But in my ever reaching quest for more, did I miss some sweet spots along the way? The “should” I’m concerned about is past tense: where should I have been already?

      I don’t know the names of many bars in my college town. I often chose to rent a movie rather than meet up with friends on Friday nights. I’ve never backpacked in Europe. Did I miss out on what could have been my wild years of story making? Should I have spent less time studying and more time painting my face for basketball games? Should I have ducked out after graduation to tour the coast of South America? Would that have fulfilled my desires for a decade of revelry? And if so, is it too late?

      But just as quickly as I say all this, I realize that there is another side to the story. I lived in New York City (twice). I’ve stayed out until four, and danced (and drank) until I could barely walk. I got engaged after a three month courtship. I’ve cried over a bad haircut. Suffice it to say, I’ve been silly, irresponsible...fun. And probably still am. Though I may question it at times, I am confident that my life is going according to God’s plan (though I am known to give him a suggestion or two along the way!) He has protected me in my foolish days, and blessed me beyond my wildest dreams. I know that His ideas for me do not stop because of my age, my mistakes, or my insecurities.

      I am thankful for the past, I am hopeful for the future. I am twenty-five. Whatever that means.

      “It might be a quarter life crisis
      or just the stirring in my soul.
      Either way, I wonder sometimes
      about the outcome
      of a still verdictless life
      Am I living it right?”

      -John Mayer

      Sunday, January 18, 2009

      Steel City of Brotherly Love

      While it is my birthday, and a pretty momentous one at that, even I can admit that today is about something much, much bigger: Football.

      You see, the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers are each playing in their conferences' championship game. Which means the only things between us and an All Pennsylvania Superbowl are a couple of birds. (these specifically).

      I've never really experienced football fever to this degree (And I'm from Columbus!). The excitement here in Pittsburgh is crazy. We've got a terrible tree (a bizarre translation of an already bizarre tradition), and a local shopping district hosted a "Bird Bash" where you could smash a purple car for charity. (yeah, I'm not sure I understand it either, but Dustin took a whack at it anyway). Our mayor even changed his last name from Ravenstahl, to "Steelerstahl"! I imagine the folks in Philly are just as pumped up. Even the PA governor is getting into the act- forming some elaborate bet that centers around (of course) the two cities' signature sandwiches.

      I'm not sure what will happen in the Bowden household if both teams manage to make it to the BIG game (my allegiance to either team isn't exactly solidified.) But I'd like to find out! So, Here We Go Steelers, and Fly Eagles Fly! We're all routing for you....both!

      Saturday, January 17, 2009

      Tonight We're Gonna Party Like it’s 1984

      Number 7 on the infamous list is to throw a costume party. We’re getting down to the wire on the “before I’m 25” part of the deal, so luckily my adoring husband has stepped in to help make my dreams come true. Tonight we’ll ring in the big 2-5 with a totally tubular, 80's extravaganza. I wish you could all be here to party hardy, but I want to at least share some of the spirit of the decade of decadence with you.

      First of all, although I have a great outfit prepared, I wish I could say I’ll be dressed like one of the Robert Palmer video vixens:

      That’s been my dream Halloween costume for years, unfortunately I just haven’t found 3 other girls that want to slick their hair back, pout, and rock back and forth all night. I remember loving some Robert Palmer back in the day. “Simply Irresistible” came out in 1988 though...so it’s a bit scary to think that my four year old self was rockin’ out to that. Another classic: “Addicted to Love” was released in 1986...which is even worse! I didn’t have MTV back then (I know...tough life!) so I got my fill of 80’s hotness when I went to the gym with my dad.In fact, much of my 80’s pop culture appreciate comes from my father. I credit (or blame?) him for the fact that my favorite songs as a kid were “Funky Cold Medina” and “Wild Thing” by Tone Loc. Hey- my dad was single and had a Camaro. Picture me in one of these babies...


      (Please note that the original source of this photo described it as “bitchin”)


      Now, I assure you my 80's memories don't all revolve around mini skirts, sweet rides, or age-inappropriate lyrics. I was a connoisseur of 80's toys as well, I loved My Little Ponies, Lite Brite, Popples, I even had a Teddy Ruxpin! I may have missed the first few years of the 80's but made up for it with all the excess-loving-enthusiasm a pre-kindergartener could muster.

      So, while I don’t anticipate rocking the keyboard, or rolling shotgun in a t-top wonder, I think tonight is going to be totally awesome. Like, fer sure.

      Those of you missing out on the rad festivities, you can at least get your jam on to this:



      Monday, January 12, 2009

      Must See

      I don't necessarily recommend following my suggestions when it comes to TV viewing. I mean, in the last two days I've taken in four solid hours of The Bachelor (it's like, season #82 and I still can't quit...) and my DVR is typically filled with more than one episode of some form of The Real Housewives.

      BUT.....I actually have a good recommendation this time: Discovery Channel's Planet Earth. If you haven't seen this show yet, you have to watch it! It came out a few years ago, so I'm probably one of the last people on planet earth (get it? get IT?!) to see it, but we caught part of a TV marathon last night, and it is unreal.The footage is truly amazing. Like, almost make me want to get an HDTV type amazing footage. Almost...

      There are eleven episodes, and each one is about a different habitat of the world. We watched "Caves", and half of "Great Plains" (at that point Sigourney Weaver's sweet narration lulled us to sleep), and have a few more episodes saved to watch later. I'm a total documentary geek, but even if you're not, I think the show would still be fascinating. I would tell you more, but it pretty much defies explanation. Truly "must see" tv.

      Thursday, January 8, 2009

      Chicken

      Last night I made Courtney go with me to Mulligan's Sports Bar in West Mifflin. It's your typical sports bar. They have TV's galore and sports memoribilia, but last night they had this:


      The guy on the left is Joel Lindsey. He's a profesional musician here in Pittsburgh. He also happens to be my guitar teacher. That's right... my guitar teacher.

      You might be saying to yourself, "Dustin, you've been playing guitar for like 10 years, why are you taking lessons now?"

      I've always wanted to get better at guitar but I've felt like I got as far as I could on my own. I've never had any lessons before. Everything I know I've picked up along the way of playing on Worship team and playing at Club for Young Life. I can play a tune and sing a little, but I want more. It's a dream of mine to be on a stage, just me and my guitar, rocking out. I did an open mic once and played one song. It was cool, but I only did one song because I didn't feel like I had more in the bank that I could do well.

      So back to last night... Joel sees us and he comes over to greet Courtney and me. He then says that I can play a few songs if I want to. What do I do? I get nervous and say, "I don't know... maybe."

      Chicken.

      I spent the rest of the night listening to Joel and other's play. It was awesome, but all the while I was hoping he would aske me to play again. I wouldn't chicken out a second time.

      No such luck. We left after one of Joel's sets when Court was too tired to stay anymore. She was so great. She was ready to leave way earlier than me but stayed at least another 45 minutes. Thanks babe!

      Moral of the story... don't be a chicken! Carpe Diem! Go for broke! All those cliche sayings. I was so mad at myself on the way home that I couldn't really think about anything except that I'm a huge loser and a coward. I eventually gave up that line of thought and went to bed. It was still a fun time no matter what. On Wednesday's Mulligan's has $1 burgers. So the night was not a total wash.

      The open mic happens every Wednesday. Maybe I'll have a new post next week with an adventurous story. I'm already thinking about what songs I would play. Stay Tuned...

      Go together like a horse and carriage...

      Normally I would save a post like this for an anniversary or some sort of important marriage milestone (like, uh...an anniversary?) but I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about my marriage, and just marriage in general lately, and feel that it’s an important enough topic to warrant a regular everyday-type mention. My mom sent me an article a few months ago (maybe even a year...I save some stuff you wouldn’t believe) and I thought it was really interesting, though slightly depressing in it’s realism. (Check out “The 8 Things No One Tells You About Marriage” here.)

      We’ve only been at this whole marriage thing for three years, but I have already learned a few of these lessons the hard way. (And I’m still learning the one about not getting your way...I’ll be lucky if I grasp that before I’m 80!) The thing I think really resonated with me is that it all takes work, and like the commitment, “The effort is a forever thing”. So as part of our forever effort, we’re starting marriage group with a few of our friends. The founding member (whose occasional online thoughts can be read here). attended a “marriage weekend” with his wife and they learned a ton about communication and strengthening your relationship.

      Tonight we hope to soak up some of that knowledge! If you’re lucky...I’ll pass on some of the secrets to you!

      Friday, January 2, 2009

      Worst in Show

      My sister-in-law and I were discussing today how we just can't stand people who are good at everything. You know the ones...smart, good looking, and every time they try something new they are inexplicably instantly talented. She suggested that I might be one of those dreadful people! (flattering yes, but woefully untrue in my eyes). Sure, there may be a lot of things I am good at, (not bragging!) but there are also things I am really, really bad at. One of them is- being brief. I am a talker (I'd like to point out that I come by it honestly...ahem...Stegmayer genes!) and I love to story tell, and relate, but I'm not so good at keeping things short and sweet (unless I am cranky on the phone, which my mother would surely attest to). This translates into my blogging attempts as well. I always sit down to write a short simple post and end up expounding into a novel. Sure, it could be seen as a sign of my passion and endless ideas (uh, I guess...), but sometimes it'd be nice to be able to bang out an entry in less than forty-five minutes. So, in an attempt at being succinct, I present to you Other Things I Am Bad At:
      • Science (mainly biology, chemistry and physics...oh, and geology...and probably the rest of them, but I digress)
      • Mario Kart for Wii
      • Pretending I like things if I don't
      • Pretending I like people if I don't
      • Organization Theory (took the course in college, still don't even know what it is, let alone remembering anything else about it)
      • Regulating my body temperature
      • Baseball
      • Waking up early
      • Being quiet
      I'm sure there are more, but perhaps my worst talent is identifying my weaknesses. Wouldn't that be ironic?! So, any areas of skill deficiency you guys want to cop to?

      Thursday, January 1, 2009

      We'll take a cup of kindness yet...

      ...for auld lang syne.

      Happy New Year! Hope your "cup of kindness"
      (or at least champagne!) overflows in 2009!

      Photo courtesy of ori2uru's flickr

      P.S. Holiday recap and special online Christmas "card" are still to come....we've had the Pittsburgh celebration, and just wrapped up the Ohio festivities. Philly fun starts tomorrow!