Nothing burns a hole in my pocket quite like Christmas money. Since it’s a gift I can't pay bills with it or do anything responsible like take the dogs to the vet to get their shots. Nope this money is to be blown as quickly and irresponsibly as possible. Normally a large percentage of my x-mas cash gets spent on new years eve bar and travel expenses but since it seems I will be spending my first ever new years in Rochester (I have lived here 5yrs) and since its a three paycheck month I have more disposable cash than I'm ever used to having.
Seeing as I'm not a save it for a rainy day kinda gal I got to thinking. I could either buy half a computer and put the rest on a credit card OR I could buy a wii. The wii won since the computer is going to be tuition reimbursement with no tuition to turn around and pay gift to myself.
Now I am not a video game person. I didn't have Nintendo as a kid and I've never beat any of the super Mario brothers although I did play them at my friends house. I had been quite happy with the status quo until a bit over a year ago I met my pal guitar hero. I freakin love guitar hero. I have played it for up to 6hrs in a single sitting.
When I realized the perfect gift to myself I had to have it and I wanted it now. So after work I went to Wal-Mart...sold out, target...sold out, other Wal-Mart and other target...sold out...both best buys...you guessed it sold out.
Sigh. I was disappointed. All the running around had made me loose my oomph and I hate...SIMPLY hate calling around to stores to see if something is in stock. Alice however sweet beloved kind Alice took on my mission. Located a wii in her area purchased it for me and will deliver it tomorrow. She even got the extra controller with some game that came with it. To anyone and everyone who will enjoy my wii in the future you have Alice to thank for it.
Rejuvenated in my excitement I set out to researching games. Guitar hero was a given (that was basically the reason I wanted the damn thing in the first place) but a brief late night encounter at Wal-Mart with Alice, Curious and Bag lead me to realize that guitar hero world tour band edition is the game that really brings people together (cue cheesy music and a group hug).
Not that I have parties often....okay ever. But occasionally I have 2 people over which is enough for a band and everyone can play at once without having to take turns (I hate sharing). Once I learned you can play one player on any of the options (guitar, drums or mic) I had to have it. My conveniently located (and open at 11:30pm) Wal-Mart had one in stock. I bought it. Then proceeded to unpack it, assemble it, and place it neatly next to my TV.
It taunts me sitting there. Looking so fun yet I can not yet unleashing its magically joyful addictive qualities. Tomorrow my pretty we will make beautiful music together.
P.S. Its past 3am and I have to be at work at 9am...why is it whenever I have to have my tushy at work in the morning I go to sleep even later than on a regular night?
I'm starting to think my kind face is actual reality. This is quite benificial since I don't like paying speeding tickets and enjoy free stuff. I was on the train today and forgot to buy my ticket at the station. This is midly annoying because if you buy it on the train they charge some kind of lame convience fee.
Anyway so I'm sitting there and digging in my purse when the conductor comes by and asks for my ticket. I look up and tell him I forgot to buy one and asked him the price. He smiles back at me.
"don't worry he says" winks and walks away.
Sure he was probably my dads age but older men have connections...like free trips to Chicago proper.
Considering the circumstances I had a very good christmas. So let's get to the good stuff the gifts.
I really didn't get very much presentwise. Some flute music, makeup and nail stuff wine glasses from my parents and some money leftover from thief budget alotment for me. Bushia, money. Grandparents, money. Grab bag, money.
Now I don't mean to complain. As per usual my family was more than generous. The thing is when I get money I don't really buy myself gifts. I make an extra payment or put it in savings. Boring.
I haven't decided what to do with my gifts maybe get started on some laser hair removal. I'm so cool.
I made it home. It took me 6hrs where it usually only takes 4.5 but I made it I'm here. Christmas tradition isn't exactly going as usual this year. My Bushia is sick so my parents had traditional perogie dinner complete with wapauteck (I have no idea how to spell it).
Since Bushia is skipping out I got to have a Xmas eve dinner of deep dish spinach pizza which is pretty much something I can only get here. We are also skipping midnight mass and instead spent the entire evening in front of the tv. We watched a Christmas story, saint Olaf choir, and now midnight mass from the vatacin.
Wait let me take away that we. I'm blogging through it and both of my parents are now sleeping in thier respective recliners. This is the way to do church right!
Whenever I come home I am so surprised at the amount of talking that is required when cohabitating with family. Maybe it's just because they don't see me often but really I don't think my family are over talkers.
I for all intents and purposes live alone, I go hours he'll I've gone days without speaking a word and I don't mind it one bit. It's kinds nice they are asleep now I can rest my vocal chords.
Tomorrow it's the extended family which is never complete without asking about my love life and lesbian accusations from my cousin.
My father is quite possibly the cutest dad alive. This morning I received multiple phone calls (4) and emails (2) to not drive home tonight after work. My dad who had the day off took it upon himself to drive to Wisconsin this morning to test the roads for me. He stopped in Kenosha to open his little plastic bag which contains his cell phone and call my mother to put out the no-travel decree.
So the plan is tomorrow I will see how the roads are and make the call to come home for Christmas or spend my holiday sitting at home with no tree and no presents. Depressing.
Of course on the upside if I do get snowed out I can take a long weekend for new years, hang with Cobie and the family on the weekend so actually that would benefit everyone but still its just not the same.
My date this weekend did not go as planned. Thanks to a lovely mn winter Joe Six Pack (JSP) couldn't get here. He decided to go out and try again to make the trip since the plows had been called out but I told him I would go there since my car is way better for winter driving (4wheel drive ahghaghagh) I packed some necessities since I doubted that the roads would magically clear by that night.
The weekend has left me...well confused. He was a perfect gentleman. I mean really perfect. Like I slept in the guest bedroom with clean sheets gentleman. Weird. I've never been snowed in and temporarily shacked up with a man who hasn't blatantly tried to take full advantage of the situation. There had been a few shortish making out kisses but really I've seen more action in disney movies.
So by the time I left tonight I was very very "ugh" about the whole thing. Perhaps mr.smitten was not so smitten after all. He requested I give a call when I got home and I did call him shortly after arriving home safely. And that's when true to my own unique style I refused to let well enough alone and I jokingly brought up the topic and apparently I'm the queen of mixed signals (allthough he said it very nicely).
This is not new for me. When I really like a guy I tend to give off the don't touch me vibe. Maybe its nerves maybe its my demanding nature of expecting every guy to know the back of the neck light finger rub is my green light. Perhaps I take my desire to be pursued to the extreme and think i shouldn't have to put myself out there at all. We chatted about it a bit and I think it was good and who knows maybe next time I'll actually attempt to flirt. It's bound to be a train wreck however I do get my highest blog hits from embarrassing romantic disasters so it cant be all bad.
I think it will be okay though. When I did talk to JSP he very much reiterated his smitten-ness and admitted his nerves probably got the best of him too so I guess we are in the same dysfunctional boat which is nice place to be.
This Saturday I was soaking in the tub and opening up my January issue of Glamour. When I came across this article: When Should You Sleep With Him? I linked it for your viewing pleasure. Seeing as I may be in the market to do some sleeping I read the article in its entirety. Sorry to burst your bubble but it wasn't very helpful, it basically just said not to soon. Maybe its my analytical side but that's just a little vague for me. If we exclude the first boyfriend all other partners have been admittedly too soon. I would hardly consider myself skanky at least in comparison to my group of friends I'm on the chaste side of average.
I have slept with people for all sorts of stupid girl reasons. Wanting to feel attractive, keep him interested, just plain because I wanted some action. All these are just rather crappy reasons mostly because it all seems harmless beforehand but I must face the facts. I am just not a casual sex kinda gal. Regardless of the status of the relationship after sleeping with someone I feel they should somehow worship the ground I walk upon, even if I still don't particularly care for them. Of course that never really happens so it inevitably doesn't work out.
I was talking with Alice the other night about aformentioned article when I realized what was different about JSP. I don't feel rushed. We are taking the time to get to know each other...to enjoy the courtship period. I think he's going to be around for awhile a distinct difference from any relationship I've ever had. So I feel like I have all the time in the world to get to that next step, and I want to have fun at each one. Sure being 27 while dating a guy for a month with the pinnacle of the sexual relationship being one little closed mouth kiss may not be the norm but I really really like it. It's fun, its suspenseful and it makes me excited. I haven't had so much anticipation since I was 16 and its something I never really expected to get again.
Lets back track for just a second. I forgot to tell you about date #3. It was my first trip to Albert Lea to visit him. Being a Sunday in small town Minnesota while it was slightly snowing there wasn't much going on. So we had a quiet date of lunch out followed by a tour of his town including the house he grew up in and the parking lot that used to be his high school. Although a little on the cheesy side I totally love that kinda of crap. Then we went back to his place, held hands on the couch while watching the house wives of orange county and played sequence. It was nice we relaxed and enjoyed each others company.
Date #4 is my turn and I think I may be going a bit over the top but that's kinda my style. I figured I'd give him a tour of Rochester. But being that its a boring town and I don't have very much history here to point out to make it tolerable I had to add a bit of pizazz. Well that's when I got in my email an advertisement for plane rides over Rochester where you actually get to fly the plane and you can go pretty much wherever, and the best part was is they must be slow before Christmas because they were offering it for about half price! BONUS! After that we will go to a late lunch and if its not super cold we will go to peace plaza for the winter bizarre for coco and random Christmas crap, if its blustery a movie. Then I'm thinking wine and cheese for a light dinner followed by Saturday night live and hopefully making out during commercial breaks.
As for the chastity belt I think I'm going to keep it for awhile, besides it too freaking cold to bother with shaving my legs.
Growing up in the burbs one is taught to fear the city.Especially when half of the parental duo grew up in said city, and in not the nicest part…Of course time has passed and after countless trips the “downtown” area my fears have been alleviated although I have never gone alone.The L maps confuse me, I have no sense of direction and my iPhone map application always seems to loose its ability to connect at the most inopportune times (thank you AT&T) so my venture to the concert did have some nerves associated with it.
My anxieties were completely unfounded.I browsed around the loop went to the historic Marshall Fields (which I suppose I should admit is Macy’s but refuse) so many clothing options…so many cashmere sweaters even in my size…frango mints and well just more of everything.I took a cab to my hotel chatted with people in the lobby none of which uttered the phrase “you betcha” or talked about hunting, 4-wheeling, camping or getting their ice shanties ready to put on some god forsaken frozen lake.
The hotel was wonderful in was right smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood filled with three flats and low rise apartments/condos.I walked the block and a half to Jewel and bought overpriced food and wine, stopped to browse at available condos adds in the window of the real estate office and popped in at a bar for a pre-dinner drink.
Home is a funny concept.When I have a bad day…or year I find myself saying I just want to go home, but in my years away from where I grew up the concept has gotten fuzzy.Since my parents have moved to no-where’s Illinois being with them isn’t quite home and Rochester well my stubborn streak never even gave it half a chance. Maybe it was because I was happy about being on vacation or excited to go to my concert but walking through the neighborhood, shopping at Jewel and not saying hi to people as I pass them on the street suited me just fine.I was in a place where my evening entertainment was a cab ride away, any store or restaurant I could ever want to go was here.I was happy, I was by myself but I was where I wanted to be.
On a sleeting Wednesday night in December I was standing on a Wrigleyville street corner hailing a cab and I knew...I knew I was home.
I know, I've been a total non-blogger lately but I have been very busy trying to do a month and a half's worth of homework in 2weeks...I suck at life. Also my wireless internet has decided to stop working which requires me to be sitting in front of an old tv and on an old couch while on the computer which I can only tolerate for about 20minutes...life is so hard sometimes. Anywhoo so I don't forget these are the posts that are milling about in my mind and I will write later.
1. Urban vs. Suburban...an Ava can make it in the city alone
2. Amanda Palmer in Minneapolis
3. Top 25 songs of the year...new favorites or old flashbacks these tunes rocked my ipod in '08
4. Date Three with JSP and what to plan for date 4
5. Unlikely duo: The curious case of the Fry pan and the laundry soap
Hi friends, I know I have a bit lacking in the blog posting department but I was oh so busy over vacation and now that I'm home again I am overwhelmed with christmas shopping, errands and of course school. I have 10 days until the end of the semester and and 7 tests to take...this should be interesting. I am so grounded.
Yesterday was the day all my dreams came true (what, to melodramatic for you?). The evening started in my hotel room with a bottle of warm asti that I had to drink with ice just to make it drinkable. I got through only two glasses before it was time to go. I slammed a third glass before heading downstairs to catch a cab (note to self warm sparkling wine is barley palatable.)
I arrived and wandered into line 45minutes early. I looked a tad out of place in my cream coat and coach purse but amanda's crowd is a welcoming people and chatted and accepted me even though I was way to preppy for the occasion. I guess they rightfully figured I cant be a complete drone if I want to go to this concert enough that I was willing to stand alone in the cold snow. So many people were dressed up I don't think I have ever seen so much eyeliner or fishnets in my life (and I've been to many a drag shows and Halloween parties). I think I'll dress up for Minneapolis.
After a brief memorial service for the late great AFP (Amanda Fucking Palmer) the doors opened and I made a mad dash to grab a drink and establish myself in the front row to the left of the stage for my wait to continue. Problem...I needed to go to the bathroom. The venue was still relatively empty I could have gone and still gotten pretty close to the front...but I just wasn't willing to give up my primo location, and I didn't have anyone to hold my spot so I figured I would solder on.
Act 1: The Builders and the Butchers My knowledge of them was their name and a mention to check them out on AFP's website...I had not done so. I'm usually not one for opening bands I pretty much want to get on with the show that I came to see. Even with my poor attitude these guys managed to rope me in and I really enjoyed myself. When vacation is over and I return back to my normal computer I have every intention of looking them up on iTunes and sending some monetary love their way. Look I even added a video for you to check out...
Act 2: Pony something er' another I don't remember the name.
I local Chicago acting troupe did a surprise performance. It was one of those theater performance that is supposed to make you feel a bit uncomfortable with a reward of making you think and coming to some great realization. I got the weird uncomfortable part but the message was lost on me, I just didn't get it. That being said the performance was still entertaining it definitely held my interest and curiosity, but at the end I was left saying...huh? What just happened here? I wanted to see if something was on you tube to share so maybe someone can enlighten me, but for the life of me I can't remember the whole name except for that it has pony in the title.
Act 3: Zoe Keating
In one word amazing. She is a "non-traditional" cellist who real time builds about what she is playing using her mac which is within reach as her stage partner. It was beautiful, dramatic and very very neat. Words can't really do it justice so watch a video...
The Main Event: Amanda Palmer and the Danger Ensemble
Well as you may have guessed it was amazing! I even became one of those crazy people that screamed and sang along with all the songs. The song selection was excellent including songs from her album and a couple ones that I do not yet have in my itunes collection. She choose two Dresden dolls songs: Coin Operated Boy, which was the song that introduced me to the dolls and Half-Jack one my favorite dolls songs. The evening ended with an encore with two very hilariously wonderful covers.
The danger ensemble did mini-performance pieces during many of the songs and there was always something to watch. Amanda was of course the energy of the night ever exciting and passionate...and even with a sense of humor to boot the whole night was a joy. I added a video of the first act which has admittedly horrible quality but quite frankly I was happy to find anything at all since security guards were steeping on my feet all evening to tackle the folks with video cameras..
The aftermath...my the end of the finale my slammed drinks was turning into a major bladder emergency. I got into the merchandise and signing line but after learning the nearest bathroom was in the balcony and I had run out of "hold it" as an option I regretfully left the line to head to the bar next door where I peed for I swear to go 2 straight minutes.
Fortunately I have a do-over and can wait in line after the show tonight. Tonight I will abstain from over consumption...or any consumption of beverages, have a fully charged camera battery (mine died halfway through), and wear cutsey tights. Here are some photos I did get.
Vacation has been progressing nicely. I got to Milwaukee in time for us to make it to the french bistro for dinner. Of course what I ordered wasn't exactly my taste but the creme brule was to die for!
Sunday was spent with my family visiting my grandma, grandpa, two aunts and my little cousins. Kinda sad (because my grandfather is quite ill) but he was having a good day and it was just good to have a visit with everyone. On the way home we got trapped in a snow storm on country road which was not at all fun but then again I didn't have to drive so whatever.
Monday was shopping day with mom, we went to woodfield which was pretty much a bust but then moved on to old navy, nordstrom rack, filens basement, marshalls, tjmaxx and of course beloved ikea and had much more success.
I found the most perfect tv stand at ikea. Its technically a small shelf with glass doors but it will so work. I cant take it home on the train and didn't want to pay shipping so Alice and Rory will be forced to track down furniture parts at ikea with me...well at least it will be fun for me.
Today was a lazy day. My mom and I went out for lunch and are spending the afternoon putting up the christmas tree and other fun christmas decorations. So there is your mini-update.
