Always Casual Friday

Thankful Thursday: Lunchdates and Listening Ears

2011-08-18T16:11:00.000-04:00

My brain is so frazzled lately that I can't even attempt to have an original blogging idea. But I need to blog. I need to express. I need to discuss. So today, I'm sticking with the Thankful Thursday topic idea that Tabitha and I use when we don't have a fresh idea.

Today, as the title implies, I am thankful for Lunch dates, and friends who always have an open listening ear. I have been dealing with a lot of stress lately, most of it centered around my job. I'm torn between responsibility to the students I have grown to love, and a responsibility to myself to make sure that I am the best possible me that I can be. I am stressed about finances, stressed about the future, and most of all, I am stressed about still not knowing what I want to be when I grow up.

That's right kids! Contrary to popular idealized belief, you will NOT necessarily know exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life once you walk across that stage, diploma in hand. Guess what? You probably won't know within the first 2-3 years after you graduate. I still have my idealized fantasies about what I want to do. I still know exactly what I would be doing if money were no object and healthcare costs were lower. But that's not always an option. Not right away anyway. Right now, I recognize the difference between want and need, and most of all I recognize that sometimes you just have to suck it up and do what you have to do in the interim to survive. It doesn't mean I have to let go of my dreams, though. On the contrary, I should hold on to them tighter than ever as a reminder of all that I am working to achieve.

Today I had lunch with two of my good friends from work, one who no longer works here, and one who does. It was such a stress relief to be able to talk about everything that I've been dealing with, and to openly discuss it with people who know. I love my boyfriend, and I love my family, and they are a fantastic support system, and really great listeners--but they're not here. They don't truly understand the day to day.

So we sat around the chips and salsa, eating our enchiladas and rice and beans and whatever else, and I just got to let it all out. It is amazing the support you can really feel when you open up to the right people about the right things. Not that it is ever wrong for other friends to be there for me, and not that I don't appreciate it. It's just that the commiseration and real deep understanding, people who aren't just telling you what you want to hear, or people who don't fully understand the gravity of the problem just never really get it.

Talking to these ladies over lunch was so helpful. The same pain was in all of our eyes. Because we've all been there. Some of us still are there. They understand the daily struggle on more than just a conceptual level. So today I am thankful for my Jessica's, for being there for me, for stuffing their faces with Mexican food with me, and for letting me scream and yell and cry and just breathe. As much as I'm still struggling with things, I still feel better somehow, and I'm walking into tomorrow with a confidence that I didn't have yesterday.

Wordless Wednesday: Absence Report

2011-08-17T10:39:00.000-04:00

So usually my vacations from the Blog-o-sphere are followed up by a post begging forgiveness and whining about all of the things that have made me too busy to post. But today, since it's Wordless Wednesday, I figured I'd spare you the whining and show you what's been taking up my time lately. Obviously this is not all that I've been doing, but this has definitely contributed, and I think they're some pretty good excuses if you ask me (which, you probably won't!)

Rubiks Cube Cake as part of Tara's Birthday Cake Trio (Photo Credit: Greg Teets)

Ms. Pacman Cake, also part of Tara's Birthday Trio (Photo Credit: Greg Teets)


Shades of patriotism...4th of July themed cupcakes for Zachary's 1st birthday			(Photo Credit: Tabitha Davidson)

Flag/Superhero design by Tabitha, for Zachary's 1st Birthday (Photo Credit: Tabitha Davidson)

Delicious Pina Colada cupcakes with a coconut rum buttercream, pineapple reduction, toasted coconuts and maraschino cherries! (Photo Credit: My crappy cell phone)

Dr. Suess Cake for Jack's 1st Birthday (Bottom tier: one fish, two fish; Middle teir: Green eggs and ham; Top tier: Cat in the Hat, and the hat doubled as a smash cake)

Naughty cake that I can't post on my regular website! Hope you enjoy the sneak preview ;-)

I don't have time and I don't care!

2011-07-29T08:47:00.000-04:00

What am I supposed to be doing? Baking.
What am I doing? Blogging.

And I...

Don't...

CARE!

I have no had time or energy to blog in way too long. Work has been CRAZY!

And life outside of work...hectic, too.

But it's times like these that really make me realize how lucky and blessed and fortunate I am. It's easy to forget in the good times, just how good you have it. Things are going great, everyone is happy, there is little want for anything. Laughter, and camaraderie, and fellowship...they just are.

But when things get rough, that's when you really APPRECIATE those things.

So today, in the midst of this crazy month of mine, I'm going to share some things that I'm thankful for with you.

1. I have 2 parents who have stopped at nothing to provide for me since they were just teenagers. Unlike many teen parents, especially some of those currently being glorified on MTV, my parents got jobs, saved their money and made a home for me. They had help, sure, but they have worked every single day as long as I can remember to make sure that I had a roof over my head, a bed to crawl into at night, hot food in my stomach, clothes to wear, and the support that I needed to get through school and extra curricular activities and my first job and college, etc. etc.
2. I have these amazing friends. Not let's party friends. Not let's grab drinks once a month friends. These crazy weird slightly invasive "you're not going to have a bad day and get away with it while I'm around" type of friends. Real prying bitches they are, too. They make me get into my own head and own up to my own shit and constantly improve myself. And, the bonus? They are fun as hell!
3. Income. As easy as it is for all of us to complain about our jobs, I have one! I have a job that allows me to provide for myself and my partner, and to make sure that we have a roof, and food, and bed, and clothing. I am also proud to say that I own and operate my own business on the side that provides supplemental income as well. Not only that, but blessings abound: after 11 months of unemployment, Alex has been happily working again for almost a month now!

It's easy for me to get bogged down when things get busy and feel overwhelmed but today? Today I'm stepping back from it, and just trying my best to appreciate the things that are going right. Hope everybody has a fabulous casual Friday, and a wonderful weekend. Who knows, you may just see me back in a couple of days for Sunday Stream of Consciousness!

Scrambled [with cheese?]

2011-07-14T09:07:00.000-04:00

Lately, I've been feeling all jumbled up. Scrambled, if you will. There are so many things going on, both at work, at my own business, online, in person, with my family, with my friends...I feel like I never have time to breathe. Not even analyzing the two plus weeks prior to this post, only looking to the future--things don't get better for a while!

Out of the next 29 days I have to work, or work on cakes, or obligations to help people with something or other for all but 3 of them. As much as I love my family and my friends (and it's really nobody's fault by my own, so please don't take offense) it's difficult for me when everybody expects me to always be able to be there.

People get annoyed with me because I'm the girl at the party that likes to leave by 11:00. I am constantly berated with arguments of "just a few more minutes!" or "you never hang out!" But it's not that easy. I don't get home from work until between 7:30 and 8pm most nights, and by the time I change, cook and eat dinner, and finally settle down...it doesn't leave a whole lot of room for "me" time before I'm ready to crash and start all over again.

Work/Life balance is non-existent in my life right now, and I don't know how to remedy. I know a lot of my readers are Mommy Bloggers who balance life and so much more...how do you do it? How do you stay organized, and on top of everything? How to you get time for you? Can somebody please help me out here, because I feel like I'm swimming with one arm tied behind my back, tiring out in circles, ready to just sink!

I need a vacation, stat.

Eggplant: A Call to Arms

2011-07-11T18:57:00.000-04:00

I hate eggplant.

Don't lecture me about eating my veggies, I eat plenty of veggies. And I've even tried eggplant. Several times. As a matter of fact, I pretty much try eggplant every single chance I get because it is such a big, beautiful purple veggie, and I hate that I hate it. I want so badly to like it.

So far I have tried it fried as an alternative to french fries, prepared as a substitute for chicken Parmesan, cooked but served cold with a vinaigrette and other veggies in a salad, and thinly sliced but raw. So far, no dice.

I kind of went through the same plight with spinach several years ago, and I finally developed a taste for it. Spinach is now one of my favorite veggies! So, I'm issuing a call to arms. I need your help, fellow inhabitants of the blogosphere! I need some delicious eggplant ideas and recipes that I can try, preferably not terribly overlapping of what I have already tried, but even that is okay if you have a killer recipe!

How do you prefer to cook it? (Grilled, roasted, etc.) What foods to you pair it with? When is the best time to buy eggplant? I need help!

e-mail me Ashlee@alwayscasualfriday.com, or post your answer in the comments! I would love to love eggplant, so I hope you guys can help!

Thankful Thursday: Being a Strong Swimmer

2011-07-07T05:44:00.000-04:00

NaBloPoMo's blog prompt for today is "Are you a strong swimmer?" Whether because of my experiences thus far in life or just a general enjoyment of metaphors, my first thought was not literally how strong of a swimmer I am inside of a pool, but how strong of a swimmer I am in life. How well do I navigate through waters when they're calm? How about when they get choppy?

Sometimes when the waters are rough, all I want to do is throw in the towel and get out of the pool altogether. It would be so much easier to simply walk away from problems, especially the big ones. It's what I would have done 3+ years ago, afterall. But something that I am incredibly thankful for today and everyday is the fortitude that has been instilled within me by my family and friends through the years. Do you guys all have your own personal cheerleaders, too? I swear, sometimes I really do feel like my family and friends follow me around cheering me on wherever I go. I have such a strong support network both here in Georgia and back in my hometown in New York that I never feel too alone.

I am thankful for always having someone even stronger than me to hold on to when the water gets rough, and just as importantly I am thankful for always having someone to float along with and enjoy the good times, too. It's not always about being a strong swimmer; sometimes it's about just treading water and enjoying the experience. Save your energy and fight for when times get tough again (because they will, it just happens) instead of wearing yourself out swimming frantically through the drama when it is really time to enjoy and be thankful for the many blessings in your life.

I feel like this all got a little wishy-washy and metaphorical, but that's what happens when you wake up at 5:30am unable to sleep and you decide to blog, I guess. Have a great day everybody, and enjoy your Thankful Thursday! (Tomorrow we get to be thankful it's finally FRIDAY!)

Way-Back Wednesday: 9 Reasons I Don't Miss Retail

2011-07-07T00:02:00.000-04:00

Girls clothing table during a mid-day zone. (Photo credit: Tabitha Davidson)

Boys clothing table, mid-day zone (Photo Credit: Tabitha Davidson)

Women's Tank table, closing zone (Photo: me)

Shoes after closing, after being zoned for 30 minutes. (Photo: me)

Reshop at the fitting room after closing. (Photo: me)

It doesn't all fit on the rack.

And not everything goes on hangers...

And, it often overflows out of the fitting room, too.

Current Events: Casey Anthony and the State of Georgia's Public Schools

2011-07-05T18:54:00.000-04:00

There are two things that have me hot today, and not hot like the sexy-time.

Casey Anthony, acquitted.

Seriously? I am not, unlike many people, angry with the jurors. In my opinion, the jurors have done the right thing. Their only job is to pass a verdict of guilty, or not guilty. In order to pass the verdict of guilty, the prosecution has to have proven their case completely, without a reasonable doubt. Clearly, they didn't do that. My question now is, why did they bring forward the charges and bring this case to court when there were still questions out there that could not be answered or explained? Justice for a beautiful, innocent little life was lost today because of a over-sensationalized and under-prepared case.

There are those who believe that Anthony is, in fact, not guilty. Some believe that Caylee's death truly was an accidental drowning. There are some who believe that because Casey was abused as a child, she does not know how to completely handle her emotions (thus, making her the selfish, lying nut job we have watched for weeks). To those people, I say this:

If your child accidentally drowned, what would you do? If the answer is cover it up and lie your way out of it, perhaps you need to seek help immediately. I know that even without having children of my own yet, my answer is absolutely not that I would run around partying, worrying about boys, and getting tattoos. My first reaction would be to call the police, the paramedics, 911, anyone who may be able to help my baby.

As for the abuse argument, I'm sorry, but I don't buy it. I know plenty of people who have suffered varying degrees of physical, mental, sexual and emotional abuse in various stages of their lives. These people all still manage to hold down a somewhat normal concept of right from wrong, even if they don't always execute things properly. If the abuse that someone faced makes them unable to see the wrong in murdering their own child, or in covering up the accidental death of their own child (whatever actually happened), then they need far more help than a normal life can give them.

What do you think? What was your opinion of the verdict? Friendly debate here, people. Keep it Casual!

My second source of frustration today: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/28449391/detail.html

That article outlines the issues that Georgia is having with cheating on the CRCT test. Here is a brief run down on the stats for you:

44/56 schools that were screened for cheating were confirmed.
172 Principals and teachers have been suspected of cheating on the CRCT, 82 have admitted to their indiscretions.

Here is my CRCT/standardized testing soap box:

I was an education major for a long time in college. I eventually opted to go down another path, but that does not mean I am not knowledgeable about education in the US, nor does it mean that I don't know a thing or two about evaluating student performance. I have been a lifelong advocate of learning, not testing. Standardized testing has gotten to a point in America where a majority of the instructional time spent in schools is spent making sure students know how to do well on the CRCT, not how to learn the material that is important to their success. These students are taught exactly what they need to pass an exam, and how to give their "best guess" if they are not certain of an answer. They're taught which answers are most likely to be correct, statistically, and how important it is to use the right pencil and bubble exactly inside of the lines. These students are not being taught to love and enjoy learning, they're being taught to fear mediocrity.

When is it going to be time to close the door in the face of standardized tests and trust our teachers to do their jobs? Who can blame these teachers for cheating (not saying that it is right, nor am I saying that I condone it) when poor test scores can result in a loss of wages, a loss of job, and, ultimately, a loss of accreditation for the school? I wanted to be a teacher because I had delusions of grandeur and touching students' lives. These ideas faded in college, but it's not because these teachers don't exist. They do exist, and they are great at what they do--when they're allowed to do it.

What do you think about standardized testing? What good are test scores when are students aren't actually learning and retaining the information? Why is America's education system falling so far behind, and what can we actually do to remedy the problem?

Stream of Consciousness Sunday: Summer Fun

2011-07-04T22:02:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer: For once, this post was actually written on time. However, when I attempted to post it, Comcast vomited on my brain and stopped working. We had no cable or internet in our neighborhood again until this morning. By the time I sat down to post it this morning, it was out again. Forgive me for once again being late with my SOCS.

***

Tonya and I started the tradition of Fall Fun a few years ago. We commemorated the occasion with fun fall activities, such as a haunted corn maze, a trip to Helen and lots of fun times with friends throughout the season. I have come to enjoy Fall Fun immensely, and look forward to it every year. This year, though, I have to say...Summer fun is kicking butt.

I love swimming. This summer with my parents having a pool right in the backyard, I get to do that pretty much anytime I want. Long day at work? No problem, I'll just jump in the pool for an hour or so after work. Nothing to do on the weekends? Spending the whole day in the pool sounds good to me. I'm tanner than I've ever been, even with wearing more sunscreen this summer than I ever do, and I am much happier more consistently than ever!

Not only do my summer days and nights by the pool keep me happy, but this summer has been a wealth of festivities. I've gotten to have a lot of realy fun times with some of my favorite people. Tabitha and Zachary came swimming, followed by Z-man's first birthday party the next day, Alex and I went camping, which was my first time going in years, and we've had several barbecues and cook-outs that have brought many friends and family members around much more often.

Speaking of barbecues, that's probably my second favorite thing about summer: the FOOD. I have enjoyed so many helpings of pasta salad and delicious flame-broiled burgers/dogs/and chicken it's almost sinful. My favorite new way to cook chicken is to use a Weber seasoning packet (Tequila Lime flavor) and leave the chicken marinating all day before throwing it on a piping hot grill.

Is everyone else having as good of a summer as I am? As hectic and stressful as things can get sometimes, I can honestly say this has been one of the best summers I have had in a very long time.

Swimming: Night Fever

2011-07-02T01:41:00.000-04:00

A definite favorite on my summer to-do list each year is night swimming. This is something that Alex and I didn't really get to enjoy last summer using the apartment pool because they had pretty strict hours and rules that prevented people from using the pool pretty much any time after dark. This year, though, my parents have their own pool, conveniently located just across the street from our house! It comes complete with privacy fence and an underwater light, and when you combine that with Squid, our light-up jelly fish, it makes for a great evening.

Tonight Stephanie came over to celebrate her LSAT victory (99th percentile!) and after hanging out and chatting for a while, we decided to go across the street for a night swim. The pool was a warm 82 after the sun went down, and walking into felt like a bath. It was so relaxing and tranquil...I even started dozing off in my tube at one point. It's not like we're Olympic swimmers or something, I mean, we basically just do the same thing we'd do at home (sit and talk,) but there's just something about floating around a pool, almost completely submerged in water that really makes for a pleasant evening.

While we're on the subject of swimming favorites, my absolute favorite pool time activity: spinning in the tube. When the pool first opened this year Alex and I had a field day in the pool aisle at Target, and we picked up a super cheap blow up tube. Nothing makes me happier or laugh harder than floating out to the middle of the pool in the tube and swinging my legs around and around, launching myself in circles all over the pool.

In case you can't tell, I could not be more pleased that the July NaBloPoMo theme is swimming. I've pretty much been a fish since I came out of the womb, and nothing brightens my day more than getting to spend it floating around a cool, refreshing pool in the hot Georgia sun.

Are you a floater, or a swimmer? Tanorexic, or SPF 50? What do you love most about summer time?

A bonus post, a combination of things

2011-07-01T08:12:00.001-04:00

As you may already know, I've skimped on the blogging this week. I missed my Wordless Wednesday and Tabitha's suggested Thankful Thursday. I already technically posted for today with my first July NaBloPoMo post, but I wanted to cover some other things that have been on my mind this week. Since I missed my alliterative posts, I'm combining the two here:

This week something that has been on my mind is the journey of struggle and the empowerment of overcoming obstacles. The end of my college career definitely was not easy for me, as my family and friends will definitely attest to. I took some time off from school, and struggled a lot with who I was and who I wanted to be, as well as where I was and where I was going. Without those people above by my side, I truly don't know if I would have found the strength within myself to finish.

So, In honor of Way Back Wednesday and Thankful Thursday, I celebrate my biggest accomplishment to date: my graduation from the Women's College of Brenau University with my Bachelor of Science degree in English.

I am thankful for my parents, because even when they were angry and frustrated and confused and feeling helpless, they never once let me go. They stood by my side, they fought for me so that I could see the potential I forgot that I had.

I am thankful for my grandparents (not pictured) for never doubting me, and always being there, even when it meant planning an extra spur of the moment trip just 3 weeks before they already planned to come all the way to Georgia from New York for my brother's graduation.

I am thankful for my friends (Amber and Tonya, pictured above) who stood by my side through all of my adversity, and who refused to let me go even when I tried to resist them. My friends who never doubted me, even when I doubted myself. My friends who truly are never more than a phone call away, and who have supported me mentally, physically, emotionally and even financially if I ever needed them. (And they did it with no questions asked. How lucky am I?)

Finally, I am thankful for Alex. Although Alex and I knew each other in high school, we really met and reconnected at the tumultuous time in my life when I first left Brenau. He never doubted me for a minute, and in every sense of the word, I can truly say that he saved my life. He has always been my number one fan, cheering me on and reassuring me when I was ready to give up, giving me hugs and love through the struggles, and celebrating each and every victory with me along the way, no matter how small.

I read an article the other day about luck. It was said that people only say that you're lucky when they don't believe you deserve the things you have. I don't necessarily know if that is true or not, but whether it be luck, blessings, karma or sheer happenstance, I know that I wouldn't be where I am today without these truly awe-inspiring people that I have in my life.

So, thanks, guys. Without you, I wouldn't be me.

Cheating, kind of...

2011-07-01T01:46:00.000-04:00

So I haven't blogged in a few days, and I really want to...but I'm in one of those phases where I can't sort out all of the thoughts/emotions/ideas in my head well enough to formulate it into anything remotely understandable (see: PMS.) In the interest of not allowing myself to fall completely off the radar again, I'm borrowing a writing prompt from NaBloPoMo for July 1st: Where would you love to go swimming?

The first thing that excited me about this prompt was the swimming. I am a swimmer. No, not a skull-cap wearing, arm-shaving swimmer (no offense to any swimmers who fit that description,) but a get in the pool and never get out kind of swimmer. It is absolutely my favorite summer activity, and I pretty much crave the pool anytime I'm not in it. It's kind of a problem.

I'm mainly a pool girl, although I have been known to swim in a lake or an ocean when necessary. My fear of fish and other sea creatures is roughly equal to my fear of bugs/insects/flying creatures, though, so pools are definitely my preference. There is one place that I would completely shake these fears for, though:


Devil's Swimming Pool, Victoria Falls, Zambia


Devil's Swimming Pool

For those of you wondering the the heck this is, this is Devil's Swimming Pool which is situated on top of Victoria Falls in Zambia. It is a natural rock formation that has allowed a swimming pool to form during the months when the water flow is just right, usually anywhere between September and December. The rock formation allows swimmers to swim without fear of going over the edge, and also allows them to approach as close the the edge as possible without going over the falls.

I can just imagine how exhilarating it would be to lounge in a pool with the rushing thunder of a waterfall below you. So, if I could swim anywhere, it would definitely be in this natural wonder atop the Victoria Falls.

Stream of Consciousness Sunday: Extreme Couponing

2011-06-27T12:35:00.000-04:00

Alex and I went grocery shopping tonight. It was our first time really trying with couponing. Usually, we'll see a coupon for something we buy anyway and completely forget to take it along and snarl over our misfortune the whole way home from the store. But this week? This week we were PREPARED!

We spent hours this weekend pouring over the sales ads from the local grocers, and even more time carefully cutting our coupons. When all was said and done I planned on 4 different stores getting pretty much everything that we'll need for about 2 weeks of living (excepting perishable essentials that get used quickly: milk, bread, etc.) and organized my coupons in a little plastic holder. Armed and dangerous we pulled out and began our adventure.

Our first stop was CVS: 12 packs of Charming Ultra Strong for $5.49...That's right, $5.49! I NEVER get a deal on this toilet paper, but I refuse to save money and cheap out. My mom doesn't really care what kind of toilet paper she has as long as it is affordable, so growing up I've had everything from Angel Soft to sandpaper (or what felt like sandpaper). I also got Hellmans mayo (BIG jars) BOGO, WITH an additional coupon! Our total CVS spending was $11.33 and our total CVS savins: $11.24!

We ventured out to Publix, Kroger, and Ingles after that. We purchased a grand total of $276ish dollars of groceries and between sale shopping and coupons we saved $119.90! I was also fortunate enough to find a $100 visa giftcard courtesy of Comcast before we left, so my total out of pocket expense was only $54.

Can you believe it?? Our first time! Are you an extreme couponer? How do you do it? Our next mission is to learn the sales cycles so we can start stocking up and really maximize our savings!

___________________________________________________________________________________

This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

Set a timer and write for 5 minutes only.
Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spell checking. This is writing in the raw.
Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
Link up your post.
Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.

Thirsty Thursday!

2011-06-23T18:56:00.000-04:00

My good friend Tabitha and I have both started attempting some themed posts on a weekly basis, mainly in an effort to make us both post more regularly. We're participating in Stream of Consciousness Sunday over at all.things.fadra (did you know her name is pronounced FAY-dra, not FAH-dra?), and on our own we do Way back Wednesday or Wordless Wednesday, and Tabitha most recently has begun doing Thankful Thursday. I am all for alliteration, but I'm finding it difficult to be thankful on this crazy, hectic, nerve-wrecking Thursday. Instead, in honor of the drink that I so desperately want, I shall dub today Thirsty Thursday!

Most of my friends know that I'm not really a big drinker anymore. I did the typical teenager thing and sneaked alcohol in high school, I did the college thing and bar-hopped and drank, and I did the casual young adult thing of "going for drinks," or having a drink or two with dinner. Occasionally we'll get a pitcher of beer or something when we're out but, for the most part, my house is dry. This tends to upset some of my friends who do still enjoy drinking, as they don't really understand. I have been thinking a lot about this lately, trying ti pin point the last time that I drank. When I finally figured it out, it brought the whole no drinking thing into a whole new light for me.

View of the coast on SSI

Naomi and Justin, tying the knot

Best friends make the best memories

PAR-TAY

This, friends, is the last time that I drank--at my friend and sorority sister Naomi's wedding on Saint Simons Island, GA. It was an intimate and beautiful ceremony, followed by the most fun reception I have been to...pretty much EVER. See, the people providing the alcohol had charged Naomi more than she was originally quoted, and in a fit of wedding panic she informed us that under no circumstances were we to leave leftover alcohol after the reception. Being the kindhearted and considerate friends that we are, we took her instructions to heart, and left no bottle unopened.

To make a long story short, the night ended with me barely able to support myself while sitting, and calling Alex informing him that he didn't take our relationship serious enough, and that he had to propose to me (since I caught to bouquet.) I'll be honest, I'm leaving out a lot of hilarious details, but at the risk of saving myself from the embarrassing events of the evening, I'll stick to this short and sweet version of things.

Since then, I have never had more than one drink in a sitting. I'm not certain if this is because I don't trust myself drinking, or don't enjoy being drunk, or if it is more likely perhaps that I just know anything is going to absolutely pale in comparison to the amount of fun I had that night. At any rate, after a day like today, I'm strongly considering reinstating my old ways and taking a sip in honor of Thirsty Thursday.

Are you a wino? Do you funnel like a champ? Or are you a boring old lady like me, who rarely indulges in spirits?

Way back Wednesday: Happy birthday, baby brother!

2011-06-22T09:48:00.000-04:00

Happy 19th birthday, baby brother! Here's to the next 19...

Caking: It's what I do

2011-06-16T09:51:00.000-04:00

So some of you new readers may not know this about me, but in addition to my full time job as an educational recruiter and my passion for writing/blogging/etc., I am also owner and chief baker/caker/decorator at Ashlee's Cakery Bakery. I have a blogger site for the bakery, and also a Facebook page where you can look and view pictures and pricing and other information on my cakes if you're interested in that sort of thing. (Admittedly, the Facebook page is updated far more often than the blog site!)

Today I want to share two cakes I just posted to Facebook last night. One of them, a 2 tier 50th anniversary cake I just made last night, the other (a corset cake) is from a few weeks ago that I made for a sorority sister's bachelorette party. Last night when I was piping the design on the anniversary cake my friend Tonya said I should be a surgeon because my hands are so ridiculously stead with the piping bag. I laughed and assured her it was only like that with a piping bag in hand, but it got me thinking--do you have skills or talents that make people naturally assume you're also good at something you're not?

I can draw anything on a cake with icing, but give me a pen or pencil and expect me to sketch it out and the results will be almost unrecognizable! Tell me what you're good at, or what you suck at! I'd love to hear your stories!

Corset Cake

Way back Wednesday

2011-06-15T15:45:00.000-04:00

Another post in pictures.

Keeping with last weeks WbW theme post of discussing things that redeem those moments in life that are otherwise easily clouded with regret, this week I'm posting pictures of reasons I am thankful for the life that I lead, regardless of the moments that I fight to not regret. Below are places I have been blessed enough to visit during my lifetime so far, and perhaps another day soon I'll post more of the places I still have yet to go.

Without further ado, and in no particular order:

Sydney Harbour, Sydney Australia (July 1999)

Capri, Italy (well, a boat tour in the surrounding area) (May 2006)

Rome, Italy (May 2006)

London, England (December 2002/January 2003)

Nassau, Bahamas (May 2008)

Silver Bay, Lake George, New York (Spring of 1998 for Nature's Classroom)

Rotarua, New Zealand (July 1999)

Schroon Lake, New York (July 1997)

Where have you been? What are you favorite places and memories? Share them with me! I love to hear of others' wanderlust and travel stories!

Confessions of a Nail Biter

2011-06-14T14:14:00.000-04:00

Let me preface this post by saying germophobes need not continue reading.

I am a nail biter. I have been since I was around 6 years old. I have a very distinctive memory of being at a sleepover with several girlfriends, and my nails accidentally scratched my good friend. I also distinctly remember her mom telling me I needed to trim them down so that they didn't scratch people. I felt so horrible and overwhelmed with guilt, that I took to trimming my nails immediately, and without the use of tools. In that moment I became...a nail biter.

Over the years my parents have tried everything to convince me to stop. I've been told grotesque stories about germs, reminded that my hands are used to touch almost everything I encounter throughout the day, been reminded (grossly) of the proximity of my hands to my lady parts and backside during trips to the bathroom...none of it mattered. I didn't want to bite my nails, or else all of these things probably would have made me change my mind. Rather, nail biting has become something I do without even realizing it.

When Alex and I got together he got me a gift certificate to get my nails done at a local salon. I went in, had acrylic tips put on once, and never got them filled. I groomed my own nails from weak, brittle half-sanded travesties to my own long, strong, beautiful nails. And then, one day, I started biting again. At first it was just to try and even them out. I'd "trim" a nail here and there. And then, once I started biting, I couldn't stop.

I have finally quit nail biting cold turkey. I am keeping polish on them, and trying very hard to keep them away from my mouth. My family and Alex are helping me, of course, and the worst part so far has been realizing that many times when they yell at me to keep my hands out of my mouth, or stop chewing my fingernails, I look down genuinely surprised to find my hands there at all! It has become so engrained within me that it is natural, almost like breathing, the way I bite them. Everyone keep your own well-manicured fingers crossed for me, I'm really hoping I can break the habit for good this time and keep my nails long, healthy and strong.

What kind of habits do you have? Have you ever tried to kick them? What has kept you successful or stopped you in your tracks? Share your stories with me here!

Stream of Consciousness Monday? Better late than never

2011-06-14T01:24:00.000-04:00

So, the overall point of SOCS is to free write, no second thoughts, no judgement, no worries (in my opinion at least) and yet I find myself constantly annoyed when I miss it. Almost ashamed, even. I think deep down the biggest reason is that for all of the people and things that I make time for on a weekly daily hourly basis, I can't even make myself dedicate 5 minutes a week to the freedom of my voice. It's not always that I'm doing things for other people, of course. This past Sunday I spent in complete bliss in the pool all day. I'm not necessarily resentful of other people, but also of myself for the choices and priorities I can sometimes make.

I guess it's all part of the learning process--growing older, wiser, more responsible--I guess it doesn't all happen overnight. I guess I've been feeling a little wasted lately. Not stumbling around, stuttering in a drunken stupid kind of way, but more in a "what am I doing with my life?" way. I spent a lot of time and money in college, earning a degree in English. I chose English not as a soft choice, or a safe choice, but rather an extremely risky one. I chose English because language is something I love. I love to read and write and explore cross cultural commonalities. I love the fact that the same stories have been written across the world for centuries, and yet there are so many unique stories.

I know that I am neither a perfect reader, nor a perfect writer. But I also know I have talents. Talents that I dedicated a lot to honing. I just wish that I would continue to drive myself to improve them rather than allow insignificant things to overshadow them on a daily basis.

***

This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

Set a timer and write for 5 minutes only.
Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.
Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
Link up your post below.
Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.

Camping 101: Don't fart in the tent

2011-06-13T12:51:00.000-04:00

Here are some brief highlights of our camping trip, as well as some important things we learned this weekend.

1. Don't fart in the tent.
2. Tarps are most useful when not covered in holes.
3. Deep Woods OFF is not supposed to be used on or near certain fabrics. Including my bathing suit.
4. There are terrible, blotchy, itchy, stinging consequences when using said bug spray on or near such fabrics.
5. If you pack up the entire campsite and check out early because of a 75% chance of severe thunderstorms your second night of camping, the rain will never come. (Conversely, if you do not do this, it will surely be a 100% chance of severe thunderstorms. Although this second bit cannot be proven since we actually did pack up and go home early...)

Overall we did have a really enjoyable time. Alex and I both have an unhealthy addiction to the smell and taste of match light charcoal so the hotdogs, burgers, and chicken that we cooked during our camp times were completely delicious, and we also made the best skillet potatoes either of us have ever eaten. We got to enjoy the beautiful views of the lake at night, swimming during the day, and we played tons of games and enjoyed each others company immensely!

Our First Campfire

Are awesomely leaky tent

Alex adding the filaments to the lantern

Dirt and spiders and bears, oh my!

2011-06-10T10:06:00.000-04:00

Good morning fellow inhabitants of the blogosphere! Today is my last day in civilization, and since I've been too busy to post for several days now, I figured I'd put one last stamp out there in the interwebs to be remembered by in case I get eaten by a bear (or spider) this weekend! Alex and I are going camping! Just to clarify...

I love to camp.

Like a girl.

See, my camping typically includes running water, a big grill, a screened in porch, a comfy bed, television, and a stone's throw walk to the bathroom and showers. Alex's camping involves 1 electrical outlet, a picnic table, and a slab of concrete where we are apparently supposed to erect our tent (did anyone else just laugh at the word erect? No? Just me? Okay.) and cooking on a little camp grill filled with charcoal and hiking and fishing and biking and otherwise invading the space of millions of little bugs that I really, REALLY don't want to piss off.

Needless to say our visions are a bit different, and since this is Alex's camping trip, I'm quite certain that I could charge admission to watch the spectacle that will be me in the wild this weekend. All of that being said, Alex has taken a number of precautions in an attempt to make sure I have as much fun this weekend as he will. For instance, he has armed with ~~chemical weapons~~ heavy duty bug spray for insects, he is purchasing ~~flame throwers~~ citronella candles today, and he lovingly reminded me to pack ~~bug destroyers~~ tennis shoes *and* socks for the occasion since my typical preference of going barefoot just won't be acceptable.

We've got Scrabble, Skip-Bo, playing cards and bathing suits, and he's going to bring the laptop and some dvd's just in case we can't completely immerse ourselves in the beauty of nature without twitching for some technology. Oh, and we have a radio. This is important to know since when Alex suggested packing it I said "what for? We'll have the laptop, we can just use Pandora!" which of course was the source of many a disbelieving glare from Alex. (Shows how much I go camping...you know, in those wooded places with no internet...) So wish me luck, world! Here's hoping I come back on Sunday unscathed and relatively sane!

Way back Wednesday

2011-05-25T11:35:00.000-04:00

Something I find myself saying more and more as I progress through my twenties is "if I could go back to ______ I would do SO many things differently." While I know that I am far from the only person to ever say this, and even to say it on as regular of a basis as I do, I still dislike that I say this. I realize I may not be exactly where I planned at twenty five, but who is? To get myself out of this funk, I'm going to start using Wednesdays (because I like alliteration, duh) for a new feature, Way back Wednesday. Each week I will be sharing a photo of a memory from way back in the vault. Sometimes it will just be a photo, sometimes I will share the specifics, sometimes I will reflect on today as a result of the memory. Sometimes I'll probably forget all about this feature and write something completely irrelevant. Whatever I do each week, feel free to leave me a comment and tell me about some of your memories of old.


2008 Alpha Class at our last Black Diamond formal

I love these ladies. I do. This picture brings me back to carefree fun, mostly at the beginning of college (even though this picture was taken towards the end.) That is one thing I loved and still love about my Alpha class (pledge class for you non-ADPi's). Despite all of the stress and drama that can come with attending a Women's College (lots of hormones, you see), my Alpha Class sisters were always the people ready to get down and have a good time. If you were having a bad day, these are the people to call. If you want to have a party, these are the people to call. If you have good news to share, these are the people to call.

When I look back at my sorority years and see the other classes, very few have the same closeness that we have continued to maintain over the years. Yes, some of the other groups of close friends come from within the same class, but this is our WHOLE class! There were 11 of us, and I'm still in touch with every single one. I still live with one, hang out with another several times a week, and I talk to all of them as much as possible. Every time we have an opportunity to get together, we make sure to get together before and after the planned event, too. These women are my best friends. The people that I can turn to anytime I need anything.

Many of these women will be in my wedding. Many more will be at my wedding. They will all receive phone calls announcing the birth of my children, and the purchase of my first home. They are the thing that keeps me from saying "If I could do it all over again, I would change everything." Because I wouldn't change them for the world.

Who is in your life that you would never want to imagine a life without?

Recipes galore!

2011-05-23T19:56:00.000-04:00

Not a full post--just wanted to let readers know that there are 3 brand-new recipes up on Always Casual Eats, including the Spaghetti Squash and Potato Soup from this past weekend! Check out all of the recipes and spotlights over on Videojug pages with Always Casual Eats.

A Foodie Weekend

2011-05-23T00:58:00.000-04:00

This past weekend was one of the most fun weekends that I have had in a long while. Since I had to work on Saturday this week I was given Friday off. Alex and I took a trip out to the Buford, GA area to go to K-Mart. There used to be one here in town, but it closed several years ago. The first thing I looked at were bathing suits. Sidenote: I have had the same bathing suit for the better part of a decade. It wasn't completely falling apart or anything, but it was definitely time for a new one.

Anyway, the suit that I had was one that I found at a K-Mart in New York about 7 or so years ago, and because I didn't swim very much during my college years it never really got very much use until the last few years. I've been scoping out some suits on Lane Bryant, but they're all so expensive. I'm all for a cute bathing suit, especially one that flatters my body, but $100+ for a suit is just a little much for me to swallow.

So we walk into the swimwear department and alas--a 40% off sale! I was able to buy a super cute new suit for me, and get a new suit for mom, too. While we were there we also found a "bathroom in a bag" type of set that came with a new shower curtain and curtain rings, a toilet mat for the floor and a regular bathmat for the floor. The whole set was only $14.99, which is just as much as we would pay for the shower curtain alone!

After the K-Mart trip we went grocery shopping! Not a minute too soon, either. Alex was seriously going to kill me if I didn't get some food back into this house, stat. So we shopped a ton of deals, saved almost $50.00 and stocked up on a lot of food! I picked up some Campbell's Condensed Cheddar Cheese soup for an O'Charley's style loaded potato soup as well as a Spaghetti Squash and some fresh veggies for a "Squashta."

Saturday we grilled corn on the cob and steak, and I made baked potatoes, caesar salad and loaded potato soup on the side. It was a fantastic feast (if I may say...) and needless to say, the soup was devoured. It's a super simple recipe which you can find posted in the next few days on my Video Jug channel, Always Casual Eats. Sunday I made Spaghetti Sqash with a vegetable ragout, fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. It was such a light and succulent meal that was still completely filling.

It's been so long since I had time to actually spend time in my kitchen and truly enjoy creating something new there. So often all I do is bake and cook for others, or simply throw together microwave meals and frozen pizza that a chance to get back to one of my passions was completely refreshing.

What did you do this weekend? Tried any good recipes lately?

Stream of Consciousness Sunday

2011-05-22T12:19:00.000-04:00

When I first started blogging I was immediately introduced through the cyber world to Lerner, blogger and bad-ass mommy over at Stay at Home Babe. As I've continued to follow her overtime, she in turn (and unknowingly) has introduced me to another great blogger, Fadra over at all.things.fadra. One feature that these veteran bloggers both use is Fadra's idea for a Sunday Stream of Consciousness post. Rules are posted below, but this is something that I will be employing every Sunday. If you want to add this feature to your blog, visit Fadra and download the sweet patch she has for her SSoC bloggers and get started!

***

When I was in college, I used to write all of the time. Essays, research papers, creative non-fiction, memoirs, poems, short stories...you name it, I wrote it. The thing I used to hate the most was the restriction of some of the assignments. It made no sense to me to have an entire class choose from 3-4 topics. I thought it must be incredibly boring for the professor, reading 20+ 7 page research papers, all about the exact same book and, often, the exact same topic within the same book. As an English major I came to hate these assignments, the way that they "stifled" my creative process. I wanted to write about what I wanted to write about, and I resented the professors for making me write what they wanted me to write about instead.

Since I have left college I've started blogging (sometimes, since, admittedly I'm not very good about remembering to do it daily) in an effort to get my own creative juices flowing, get the thoughts trapped inside out safely on paper somewhere, even if it is "just a blog." Some days I open up my text editor and the words pour from inside me. Other times (and, unfortunately, more often than those first days I spoke of) I struggle and struggle to try to find the "right words." That's why I wanted to do this stream of consciousness thing. Get my juices flowing again. I've gotten to a point where I wish I were back in college. A poiint where I simply crave an "assignment" for my writing. Something to give me focus and restrict me and guide me and stop me from over analyzing, over editing, and scaring myself out of writing altogether.

I wish I knew how to make the words come. There's so much else going on in my life. work, student loans, household bills, household improvements and repairs...I feel like I never have constructive time to myself to just write. Even now, the first time I sat down to start this post.....

***

This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

Set a timer and write for 5 minutes only.
Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.
Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
Link up your post below.
Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.