tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46715975180987073492026-04-07T10:11:14.411-07:00From Julie's NogginJulie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.comBlogger334125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-30880853971447123582023-03-22T10:47:00.004-07:002023-04-05T07:04:08.810-07:00

Alrighty, since my last post garnered way more sympathy texts than laughs, I thought I should disclose that:1) I am OK, we are OK and 2) I am trying to be funny. PLEASE LAUGH (even if you also want to cry). And if you do cry, please lie to me and tell me you laughed!I also want to reiterate that the story about everyone puking was from a few months ago.  We had been healthy for at

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-66958882501261590782023-02-04T19:41:00.020-08:002023-02-04T19:44:44.857-08:00

"How are you doing?"Me? Well, I am tired.I am too tired to think of how I am doing... Someone once followed up to my response with "Oh so you didn't sleep well last night?"Yes.  I did not sleep well last night.... Or the night before that, or the night before that, or the week before that, or the month before that, or the year before that... But it is not that I just do not sleep

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-80505750741610270302019-08-18T21:37:00.000-07:002019-08-18T21:37:33.784-07:00

I don't remember much about being pregnant.  I worked part time. I came home. I laid on the couch. I watched a ton of TV. I looked at facebook. I read pregnancy books. I skimmed every what-to-expect blog. People told me I should blog about funny pregnancy things.  But nothing was funny. I was so miserable. I honestly remember telling Trevor I was worried that I wasn't funny anymore,

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-11663394868189608392019-08-13T20:45:00.000-07:002019-08-13T20:45:08.380-07:00

If there is ever a time when a woman deserves your sympathy, it is after the birth of their child.  Sure congratulations are in order... Congratulations, 41 weeks of a miserable pregnancy are over!! Congratulations, you did not DIE in childbirth!! Congratulations, now that you are totally bloody and beaten up, here's a squishy little alien that needs your attention 24/7, good luck keeping

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-2698203233832330502019-08-11T09:28:00.000-07:002019-08-12T20:22:05.146-07:00

I was looking for some fun wall decals to spice up the toddler room when I came across this product: This made me think... “What kind of mother gets paid to allow her son to be pictured taking a dump on a toilet?" "How much money did she get paid for this?” "What is her life like?" "How much money would I be willing to accept for this?" "What kind of marketing professional decides, '

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-84110465778828558092018-03-05T09:57:00.002-08:002018-03-05T09:57:35.666-08:00

We had a nice little Nor'easter storm this weekend which knocked down trees and took out power lines and left most of our county with no electricity.  We were lucky enough to have partial power for most of the weekend, so some of our lights worked dimly but we had to shut of the major appliance that require full power like the well water pump and the water heater. So we did not have any heat

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-88853044972154432042017-03-09T10:17:00.001-08:002017-03-09T10:17:31.388-08:00

Since taking a break from working, I started to get into meditation and podcasts.  I had to give the meditation a break after a three day series of attempted meditation that lead to unexpected 4 hour + naps...  So podcasts it is!!   One of my favorite podcasts is "Mystery Show' where this lady, Starlee Kine, goes around trying to solve everyday mysteries, like how  how

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-18406810385665931442017-03-07T13:28:00.001-08:002017-03-07T13:28:20.909-08:00

I am starting the transition away from a work from home environment... eventually I am planning to have a work at work environment, but for now I am focusing on just getting out of the house regularly and having a more well-balanced life. This New Yorker article about working from home is sadly true... When you work from home, you turn into a mush of a person... I could not keep track of

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-34532352828411889052016-12-07T20:42:00.003-08:002016-12-07T21:41:10.948-08:00

Brought to you by one year of non-blogging by way of focusing on writing this one single speech... here it is, my matron of honor toast from my sister, Colleen's wedding.... Enjoy!.... and then, enjoy again! The Baby Bride, Colleen a.k.a. "Weener"  Hi everyone....(nervous).... I'm scared of heights but not as much as I am scared of public speaking. So I thought by convincing Greg

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-21650722733719646432016-02-01T21:39:00.000-08:002016-02-01T21:39:01.075-08:00

This past summer we were in Philly for a weekend trip to attend a wedding and to look at houses to buy when my sister offered to give us my mom's old car which she had previously inherited and subsequently used up the majority of its functioning life. But, hey, it is a free car.  She might have a couple solid years left in her.  And we are car-less... And after we sign up for this

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-3371138933430717382016-01-28T22:22:00.005-08:002016-01-28T22:29:40.092-08:00

I have been lazy and out of shape lately, but I finally convinced myself to stop taking pictures of animal tracks in the snow and start working out.  Instead of the hard kind of working out like using the treadmill or weights in the wonderful basement gym that was included in the house purchase, I opted for a beginner yoga video on youtube in the spacious equipment-free loft. Yoga is so

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-41242606198651425522015-09-24T21:41:00.002-07:002015-09-24T21:41:50.628-07:00

After nearly a month which started with hopping around from family's homes.. "Tibical" cookie decorating session  ...to a beautifully glamorous wedding in Santa Barbara for one of my best home girls.... ...to a less-than-pleasant week long stay with the dead beats at the Red Roof Inn on Route 1 in Lawrence, NJ.. eye....won't...stop...twitching...  ...to a

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-30925773044994387392015-08-05T21:22:00.001-07:002015-08-05T21:22:19.720-07:00

Oftentimes when planning a trip (and in this case an inter-state move followed by a brief period of homelessness) I seek out the wisdom of Spaceballs... ...PACK ONLY WHAT YOU NEED TO SURVIVE... In this case not an industrial strength blow dryer but, A ceramic horse head, A bucket of old yarn, Random wooden masks, Wiffle ball bats, Glow in the dark frisbee, Glow in the dark

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-53638480774383087512015-07-27T21:05:00.000-07:002015-07-27T21:05:00.527-07:00

I have become a fairly seasoned traveler if I may toot my own horn for a bit.  I am not really trying to brag about traveling, as it is not as glamorous as it has once seemed, all the packing and unpacking, missed connections, and forgetting chargers; rather, I want to highlight my pride in controlling my traveler's anxiety.  I used to despise flying alone and I have finally begun to

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-82343613084474594802015-02-09T16:53:00.002-08:002015-02-09T16:53:27.421-08:00

I floss my teeth religiously.... about twice a year around the holidays.  I kid, I kid.  I only floss them twice a year around my dentist appointment time.  Usually my dentist appointments go something like this: 1.  I forget about flossing my teeth for the 6 months ahead of the appointment. 2.  I remember the night before that I should floss my teeth so I don't

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-83859334069385083852015-02-03T18:05:00.000-08:002015-02-03T18:05:54.265-08:00

For most city residents living in a first floor apartment the view out the window is oftentimes a wall, a dumpster, or a view into your neighbor's bathroom.  We lucked out with our apartment.  Our windows look out onto a church and its parking lot.  The church is old, so it makes for a pretty view, and the church also seconds as a dance studio, which makes for good people watching.

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-84633224424497348112015-01-21T18:47:00.002-08:002015-01-21T22:08:47.876-08:00

"Today my greatest accomplishment was removing a splinter from Trevor's foot.  It felt pretty good... for the both of us." "Today I almost ate chocolate out of the garbage can.  Keyword: almost." "Today I mistook the blood blister on my hand for chocolate and tried to lick it off.  I was equally terrified by 1). the surprise of licking my hand and finding out my chocolate meal

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-8313356730216067732015-01-15T16:02:00.000-08:002015-01-15T18:55:18.990-08:00

Cambridge, like many big cities, is full of people on the streets trying to sell you something or asking for money.  Let me first say, that I have no idea what is the ethically correct way to handle homeless people.  Should we give them money to buy food or whatever they need?  Or should we not give them money assuming the donation would just fund their meth habits?  I have no

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-84054139978274707472015-01-14T14:14:00.003-08:002015-01-14T14:14:52.134-08:00

I recently signed up for a google voice number so I can call people for free over the internet (you should do it too, and google should pay me for saying that).  Google voice has a great feature where if someone leaves you a voicemail, google will write down what it thinks the person is saying and send it you you in an e-mail.  This is about how well it works... Trevor's voicemail:"If&

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-64966383255370237452015-01-13T17:27:00.001-08:002015-01-13T19:59:08.721-08:00

I did it again.  I arrive at the airport.  Print out my bag tag and bring my suitcase over to the bag drop area.  The lady behind the counter politely asks to see my ID and questions me "And what is your final destination today, Mrs. O'Grady?"  I freeze.  Where the hell am I going?!  What month is it?   If I could figure out the time of year, then I could

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-31216003327942788822015-01-06T14:54:00.002-08:002015-01-06T14:58:09.284-08:00

1. Per the suggestion of a fellow Harvard affiliate's wife, I joined the Harvard Wives' Club.  It is actually a spouse club, but it is full of women.   The first meeting I attended was right before Easter.  It was a two hour meeting from 4-6pm.  Everyone, except me, was from another country.  We painted Easter eggs the whole time.  There was no

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-38824587808947770042015-01-04T17:45:00.000-08:002015-01-04T17:45:05.406-08:00

My husband (who I will from here on refer to as Mr. T for identity protection reasons) is trying to find a real grown up, professional job. The other day he had his "job market talk" where he presented his favorite research paper in front of his whole department.   Mr. T has been up late all week in preparation for this presentation.  He has been staying at work past midnight, he has

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-12080340348556975532014-12-02T19:16:00.001-08:002014-12-02T19:18:26.838-08:00

Last winter during the long, dark, cold Northeastern winter that is about to rear its ugly head yet again,  I remember making myself leave the house to venture off into the frostbitten air to walk down the street and grab a cup of coffee, some fresh air, and humanly interactions with the fine folks at my favorite coffee joint.  On my way to Dunkin Donuts a homeless man says to me "

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-34110409173604465112014-12-01T18:59:00.003-08:002014-12-01T19:27:43.732-08:00

Last spring, I decided to take a violin class called "The ABCs of Violin for the Absolute Beginner" because why the heck not?  I have a violin.  And I would consider myself an absolute beginner, as I have absolutely no idea how to play the darn thing. The adult education center down the street offered a relatively affordable class, so I signed up.  Unfortunately the day I

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671597518098707349.post-86375828158423497922014-05-08T18:11:00.001-07:002014-05-08T18:11:03.445-07:00

A few days ago Trevor and I had a last minute date night.  After a couple has been together for nearly a decade, date nights go something like this: 9:45pm on a random Tuesday evening: Partner #1 (enters the apartment, stressed after a long day at work):  "Sorry I am really late getting home from work." Partner #2 (is in the same position on the couch since 11am): "I don't really

Julie Ericksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07394831200694664406noreply@blogger.com1