He Said She Said STL

WOW

2007-08-23T21:57:00.000-05:00

She said: Yes I know I haven't posted in forever....sorry. I actually have a new "baby" to worry about in my life and I'm trying to balance all of them!

YES! I am signing the lease for the space for the jewelry store in the next few weeks. I have an actual logo. I have 10 artists booked with orders to put in next week. I have made final selections on the furniture and feel of the boutique. Can this really be happening?

Every time I work on something for the boutique I am instantly happy. I can't help but smile and think, I am actually doing something I want to do. I know it is a risk, but with husband being so supportive (and basically giving me all the money) why shouldn't I try?

As soon as things are totally final (lease, logo, etc) I will start to post details. Even if there is no one who reads this now, who knows what it will bring?

Things are looking good!

2007-08-01T20:47:00.001-05:00

She said: So things are falling in place with my new jewelry boutique. I think I've found a place. I have money to start. I have 8 to 10 artists wanting to show their work in the store. I've picked out some furniture. I'm meeting with a marketing guru tomorrow. WOW! This could actually happen.

So, I'm not sleeping much but that is because my head swarms with ideas. It just never stops any more. I am very excited but a bit overwhelmed by all of this. It is crazy how many forms, papers, etc needs to be filled out to start a business. I am preparing a budget (with the help of husband) and am actually looking forward to sticking to it.

I will post more when I get the place nailed down. After that things should move pretty quickly. Looking at an October opening? That would be GREAT!

Graffiti....what's the point?

2007-07-29T16:38:00.000-05:00

She said: So we were driving West on 40 today to go to Sam's in Maplewood. Being city dwellers, there aren't too many times I need to venture on 40 since most of the places/stores we frequent are all accessible through back roads. God I love living in the city! As we came up to the Tamm overpass I commented to husband how great it looks. I can't believe they have that much done of the reconstruction already!

Then I noticed the HUGE amount of Graffiti on both sides of the inside of the bridge. WHY does someone do this? It looks awful and besides that we as taxpayers end up paying for it to be covered.

I also asked husband how do people get away with doing that right on 40? That highway is always busy all times of the day and night. He said people probably don't see it happening because it is taking place in the middle of the night. I think I would notice it, but maybe not. The whole scene just angered me.

Decision Time

2007-07-27T16:44:00.000-05:00

She said: So here is the update on the jewelry boutique/teaching job. I know you all have been sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for me to write.

After the meeting downtown, I was very excited about my plan. The people in the know loved the idea and I even went to scout a few places out for the store. Wow! What an amazing feeling it was to leave that meeting knowing that I was not insane thinking this would take off.

I did go to my interview at the school for a 5th grade Special Education job later that same day. Needless to say I didn't want to be there at that point. I was too hyped up on ideas for the boutique and definitely not thinking about how I individualize plans for students struggling in the classroom. I did well in the interview and was invited back the next day for a 3rd interview.

So here is the decision: I called the school and declined the 3rd interview. I am actively writing, with the help of husband, my business plan and have already received application for business loans.

Now I know I am officially insane. Instead of taking an 8:00-3:30 job paying me 40,000 a year and having summers, two week vacations, and 10 days of anytime vacation, I have decided to take a 40,000 loan and make no money for 2-3 years and work my ass off. What the hell am I doing???

Very important advice

2007-07-27T13:26:00.000-05:00

He said: Every Monday, I pick up a large ("Venti" is not in my vocabulary) coffee from Starbucks on my way to the train. For those of you who also frequent these types of places, I am sure you have experienced the dribble cup effect when you take that first drink and a few drops land on your shirt/pants/skirt/dress/cardigan sweater/etc. Ladies and gentlemen, dribble no more.

The key to dribble freedom is that after you add your sugar, Splenda, or other preferred sugar substitute along with the dairy of your choice, you put the lid back on so that the drink hole is at the opposite side of the seam on the cup. While I can not take credit for coming up with this nugget of wisdom, I do practice it regularly. Enjoy your coffee.

Take a look at the picture. See the seam? WRONG!

Dream

2007-07-23T08:54:00.000-05:00

She said: So tomorrow I'm going to see if there is any possibility to make one of my big, grand ideas come through. I have always dreamed of owning my own store. I started this idea about 6 years ago when husband and I lived downtown STL. We were some of the first to move into a loft downtown and I quickly became involved in the neighborhood. I loved the vibe, rawness, and possibilities so much that I started thinking about opening a boutique downtown.

Needless to say that didn't happpen. I had toddler and we moved to South City. I miss downtown and I still have this longing to open a store. So tomorrow I am meeting with some in the know people downtown to get the lowdown and what is going on and how stores are doing downtown. I am really excited and my head has been working overtime with ideas, lists, etc. Hopefully everything will be positive and maybe I can really make this happen!

Just in case I have an awful meeting, I also have an interview at a charter school to teach Special Education. This is my background and what I studied in college. I do enjoy teaching, but I get bored with it after a while. We'll see what happens.

A Tale from the Tarmac

2007-07-22T06:11:00.000-05:00

He Said: Suprisingly, my flight out of Chicago got out relatively on time this week. Typically, if there is a spot shower in Boise, all flights at ORD are immediately delayed 3 hours. This week, they kept on flying despite all the rain in STL. When I got to my seat, the seat next to me was already occupied and this guy made it perfectly clear that there was to be no armrest battle on this flight. He had every available inch of that thing covered. Fair enough.

The flight was no big deal but we landed in the middle of a thunderstorm. In the case of lightning, all of the grounds crew has to go inside which meant we had to hang out on the runway for about 30 minutes or so. Normally this isn't that bad. I pulled out my laptop and killed some time. Less than a minute later, however, a woman across the aisle decided this was the appropriate time to make the loudest phone call of all time. For the rest of our time on the plane, everyone from row 5 to row 30 got to hear how this woman is a big deal and how she obviously makes all the big decisions for what certainly is a major corporation.

Based on this experience, the thought of it someday being possible for everyone to use cell phones during a flight makes me want to barf.

Special Cereal

2007-07-19T15:37:00.000-05:00

She said: So toddler has been in a big girl bed since the age of 22 months. She was getting close to jumping out of her crib, so husband and I put her in a twin bed early. She did amazing! She loved it and was so proud of herself when she slept in a bed like mommy and daddy.

Until a few months ago things were great, but she has now learned how to get out of the bed (climb around the safety rail) and has proceded to get out up to 10 times a night before she falls asleep for good. This is one thing I hate! I always loved when she went down at 7:30 or 8:00 and I knew I had 2-3 peaceful hours to myself with a great glass (or bottle) of wine.

So to help her stay in bed, I came up with "Special Cereal". Now, most of you are going to tell me I'm bribing my child, and I say hell yes. It works and it makes bed time much easier. If toddler doesn't get out of bed or yell for a million things (potty, bandaid, more animals, etc) then she gets to pick a small box of cereal to have in the morning. This has been a godsend for the last week! Out of 7 nights she has gone straight to bed 5 of the nights. I will keep special cereal around forever (even if she is 18 and still getting out of bed!)

Wedding....Black Tie???

2007-07-18T08:53:00.000-05:00

She said: So we are invited to a wedding in the middle of August. We have known we were invited for a while and were actually really excited to go. (You might think this is harsh, but we have been to a gazillion weddings in the last 5-10 years and we are both kind of tired of going.) But this one is in Chicago (one of my favorite places to go) and it is at the Peninsula Hotel. Since Husband works in Chicago he knew this was a VERY expensive hotel, so of course his eyes were huge thinking of the open bar that they would have there.

So we got the invitation about a week ago. Nice formal invitation. BUT on the bottom of the reception card it says, "Black Tie welcome".

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? Like I have said before, we have been to many great, formal weddings, but none have said to wear black tie! Come on! I really hate when the parents of the bride and groom make those crazy decisions.

So husband may wear black tie. I'll let him tell you his thoughts on what he should wear.

Have Tacos, Will Travel

2007-07-17T18:02:00.001-05:00

He said: So in Chicago, they do not have Jack in the Box restaurants and the delicious tacos that they have to offer. I have several co-workers with some sort of tie to STL and every month or so, I make a stop at the Jack on Hampton on the way to the airport. I have found that if you call about 10 minutes before and tell them to get 20 of those bad boys going, they are ready by the time I hit the drive through. For quality control purposes, I of course must sample 2 of the tacos, which are surprisingly good at 4:30 on a Monday morning. Throw them in a cooler bag and off to the airport. The good thing is that the heat from the tacos continues to steam them in the bag, so by the time I'm in the office at 8:30, they are still a bit warm if soggy. Nobody cares. A little extra hot sauce makes it all better.

Seriously?

2007-07-17T12:07:00.001-05:00

She said: So yesterday I was talking to my neighbor across the street. We both have toddlers so we are outside in the afternoons all the time. She informed me that over 16 garages in our neighborhood were vandalized last night. The downspouts were torn off of all of them. We do not have a garage, but this still makes me so mad. Why are people so stupid, rude and overall mean?

I thought, well I guess they are doing it to get money, but why not do something else, like work? What a great idea, right?

Here's what makes me even more mad. I live in the city and I LOVE the city. Husband and I are committed to bringing up our toddler in the city because all it has to offer. I know the comments that I will get from people (friends and family) after they hear what happened to the garages in the neighborhood: Well of course that happened, you live in the city. That comment will make me even more mad. You know what, this kind of thing happens everywhere, so screw you and your non-city life.

Sorry to vent....

Sleep

2007-07-17T11:46:00.001-05:00

She said: Toddler slept until 6:30 today...I was in heaven. Went to see when my braces are coming off - yes I'm 30 and yes I have braces - Dr. said he wasn't sure. What the hell does that mean? Come ON! I've had them on for close to 1 1/2 years and he isn't sure when???

Needless to say that put me in a pretty bad mood this morning. Work is slow too so that's no fun. The only way I make money is if I'm busy, so hopefully it will pick up soon.

Mondays make me sad

2007-07-16T06:58:00.000-05:00

She said: So it's Monday which means husband is gone for four days. It happens every week and has been happening every week since we've been married (almost 7 years) but I still am sad every Monday when I wake up. I know if he worked here in town he would be gone to work too, but at least I would be able to see him at night! Oh well...

Now is the big decision...what do toddler and I do today? I hate when the weather is either 0 degrees out or 95 degrees out (like today will be). It seems to limit our choices.

Me: What should we do today?

Toddler: Watch cartoons.

Me: Don't you want to go somewhere like the zoo or the science center?

Toddler: No my stay here.

There you have it. If I gave her the choice we would be inside all day and we would be watching cartoons. Hate to break it to her - NOT happening.

Last Night

2007-07-15T08:51:00.000-05:00

She said: So where did this crazy idea for a joint husband/wife blog come from you ask? Well, after an evening filled with mussels, Schlafly beer, Bailey's Ice Cream Martinis, and then great wine from 33, I started talking. This is pretty common. I seem to have grand ideas after I'm well on my way to intoxication. I kind of pride myself on it, but then the next morning I'll realize how stupid I am. Not this time....

I told husband that I wanted to start a blog and I already knew of something I could blog about. I didn't want to take on the world of mommy, even though I'm sure I will write about that world, because there are WAY to many mommy bloggers and how many times does someone need to hear how great being a mom is? So I said I want to focus on service in the STL. Many times when we are out for dinner, or taking care of an errand, I either receive great, mediocre, or just awful service. I thought I could blog about these types of services I received and sort of rate them.

Then husband and I kept talking. I suggested we do a joint blog. Knowing he has a great sense of humor and knowing that I have a great sense of reality I figured it might be a good read. You be the judge. Hopefully this blog will give you a perspective from two 30 something year olds in St. Louis. We are husband and wife, and also parents to a wonderful toddler. It will either be very interesting or very boring, but we'll put out our experiences to share.

My dog sucks

2007-07-15T08:27:00.000-05:00

He said: So my alarm clock this morning was my dog puking in the bed. Not cool. Wanted to sleep for another hour. Note to self: after 5 hours of beer, don't switch to wine.

Welcome

2007-07-15T01:00:00.000-05:00

She said: Do you want me to type because you are a retard?
He said: No. I'm just drunk.