Life As It Happens

DDG Derby! U

2012-02-14T18:27:00.001-05:00

Yes, I know, I have been awful at writing and just as awful about getting active lately. I have been working a lot of overtime and I know it shouldn't be an excuse, but I tend to be a bit lazier the later it gets.

With that being said, I received the worse beat down over the weekend that I have ever experienced in my life!

As I may have mentioned previously, I have started roller skating occasionally. Honestly, I am not looking to become a derby girl any time soon, or ever for that matter, but I would like to at least take advantage of the encouragement and advise that my amazing league of girls (and guys) have to offer.

With that being said, I finally saved up the cash and bought myself a new pair of skates. I got them in the mail about a week and a half ago and got to try them out on the rink for the first time last Wednesday. I went to the open skate at Riverside arena before practice so that I would have some Derby friends there to help show me some more beginner steps to take. I have to admit my feet sure did hurt, and my legs were screaming after about an hour. But I smeared on some Tiger Balm and kept on going.

By the end of the night, a friend and fellow Stat Army member convinced me to do DDG's Derby! U the upcoming weekend. Why not? Worse that can happen is that I learn what else I need to work on and make a fool out of myself in the process.

Thursday night left me running around town looking to get knee & elbow pads as well as a helmet. Thank goodness I had randomly decided to buy a mouth guard previously so I didn't end up with a big bulky one! Friday I got to bed nice and early, and by Saturday morning I was up and running around like a fool. I got a good breakfast of yogurt and bran with some craisens, got my water bottle filled and all of my gear packed, while Mikey graciously scrapped all of the ice from my car windows.

Upon arriving to the Masonic Temple in the frigid weather, I found my fellow Stat Army friends and settled in for the unknown. There was a brief introduction and then it was into gear and onto skates. We skated around and warmed up, were shown some brief stretches and then it was on to the basic skills. It was very encouraging to know that many of the people in attendance were just as new to skating as I was. Unfortunately, one of the participants managed to get tripped up and had to take a trip to the hospital in an ambulance. Just another good reminder why its important to learn the basic skills and wear the proper safety equipment.

The girls with the DDG are fantastic at offering up tips and advise as we were skating around learning our new skills. If there was ever anything I was having trouble with (T-Stops, Plow Stops, stops in general) one of the girls would skate up, watch me, and then offer their own personal advise on how I could correct what I doing wrong, and if it didn't quite click the first time, another girl would be there soon to offer something else.

Just about the time that I thought my thighs were going to give out, we were finally out of our skates and eating lunch. After lunch came two sessions, one on Health, and one on Skate Equipment & Maintenance. Both workshops were very informative. And that was day one. I could only imagine what would be in store for us on day two.

Sunday I was up, and not quite as well organized as the day prior. I got to the Masonic and found out we'd be doing off-skates exercises first. And boy was I unprepared! It has been a few months since I had been dedicated (in the most relax sense of the word) in going to the gym. I have to say, the exercises that they led us in that morning, made me doubt I was going to be able to skate at all. After the rigorous (my words) workout, had an overview on what the skills test involves, and then we got back on our skates to work on what we had learned previously.

I do have to admit that when they started going over more advanced skills, I snuck out of the pack to get cleaned up. Those that participated in Derby U were welcomed to stay and watch some of the DDG girls have a scrimmage, and I was already signed up to work the penalty box. Lunch was again very welcomed and very tasty. And I have another awesome shirt added to my collection.

By Sunday night I could feel my muscles screaming out, and I tried to ice my sore knee a bit. What really surprised me however, was how bad my abs hurt come Monday morning. I could barely move! If anything this was definitely the kick in the butt that I needed to get myself back in gear and working on losing some of this excess weight, I have been fighting with for so long.

Thank you Detroit Derby Girls for the wonderful opportunity, I look forward to doing it again in June and seeing how I have come along on my skating.

Zombies!

2012-01-12T00:32:00.001-05:00

One of my other favorite things is life are zombies... Which I guess makes it my favorite undead thing. I'm not really sure how I got into zombies as much as I have. I have always liked movie monsters, even as a kid. I think my resurgence into zombie came when I first found out about The Zombie Survival Guide. A friend of mine had it on her shelf and from there I just fell in love all over again.

Since then, we've tried to write our own zombie movies, even had parts as extras in a zombie flick that never saw the light of day, and pretty much spent too many hours to count thinking of the zombie apocalypse and what to do in the event of. I have joked with my boyfriend time and time again about "when the zombies rise..." So much so, that at Christmas time when he was looking online at different things, he actually considered buying me a box of Hornady's Zombe Max 12 ga. shells for my new shotgun. I know, pure love right? The only reason he didn't is because of the cost of shipping one box of ammo.

And talking about ammunition for zombie slaying makes me think of one of Mikey's new interests. 3-Gun competitions. It's basically a modern take on the old Cowboy Shootouts, only this competition uses rifles, shotguns, and handguns. The object of the competition is to travel along a course and shoot targets with the specified weapon, scoring more points for accuracy and fastest time. It just so turns out that one of the rangers here in Michigan that offer such a thing, is the Blue Water Sportsman Association. And what makes his new interest even more interesting to me? They have an annual zombie shootout! That is just about cool enough to make me want to start practicing! I am an okay shot with all three weapons but I know I could be a lot better.

Most of you probably don't share in my enthusiasm for actually taking shots at pictures of zombies. Here are two more fun things related to zombies!

I recently purchased and will own in about 3 days, this cute and adorable, dismember-able plush zombie. I have seen him on the ThinkGeek website for a while now, and thought that it could be cute to own him some day. I was looking at my car the other day as I was cleaning it up a bit and thought, hmm, it would be really cute to have some sort of cool something to ride along on that flat surface ya know near the rear window. (And yes that incomplete, incomprehensible thought is mine, all mine). And then it hit me, I want a cute zombie to ride along with me. I checked out a few stores in the area, but soon realized that I would have to just buy the one at thinkgeek.com and be done with it. And so I did, and it turns out he was on sale.

The other fun thing is this! The New Way Bar in Ferndale is having a Zombie Prom! March 31st, 2012 Featuring, "The Graveyard Whores" w/ Nuke & The Hellriders, HI-Fi Hellcats, Murder Party, The Aquanetts and The Loving Dead. Also including performances from "SIN CITY DOLLS" burlesque girls from Las Vegas Nevada. And a art show from "Jerry Shirts"! Best dressed Zombie King and Queen contest with prizes! $8.00 at the door - 18 & up welcome - doors at 8:30pm. I have no affiliations with this, so I am not necessarily plugging them (btw, what kind of a business lists their only website as a MySpace page?), but a few of us may be going and if you have any interest in any of the above mentioned things, maybe you would like to go too!

Well, that's about all I have as far as fun zombie related things. They just seem to be on my mind a lot lately. I guess I am going through withdrawals waiting for The Walking Dead to come back on television. And also, if you are not watching that show you are so missing out! The zombies are coming you know, and you must be prepared! Oh! And I am also waiting for the 3rd installment of the Newsflesh series to come out! Feed and Deadline are probably the best zombie fiction books out there! Mira Grant is amazing, and if you haven't read either of these books do yourself a favor and pick them up! The 3rd book will be out some time this spring. I stopped paying attention to the actual date after I pre-ordered it for my nook.

Happy Hunting!

Resolutions

2012-01-05T19:42:00.001-05:00

So as I mentioned earlier this week, I had an idea to make a board in my room and post my 2012 goals. I wanted to have a variety of goals that would not only be serious, but also fun. And they would be small enough that they would actually be accomplished. There are a few bigger plans on the board, but I think I was able to break them into increments so it wont be too overwhelming.

Here's what I did.

I went on Amazon and found a magnetic white board, some chart tape, and some printable magnetic 8x10 sheets. I got on Word over the past few days while I was awaiting the arrival of the supplies and started jotting down some goals. Picked a nice font (ok, its comic sans but it was the cutest, yet readable and bold enough to choose from), Lined them up in 3 columns, adjusted the margins and what not. As the week went on I added more and more little ideas and finally came up with a list I found deserving of my time.

Today, all of my goodies arrived in those cute little smiling boxes and I set out to get the board made.

Goals: Typed and Cut Up, Magnetic Board, Magnet Sheets

I printed out my goals, and used my slide cutter (excuse me, my sisters, slide cutter) to cut them all down to size. Some of the goals were bigger, some had additional pieces. For instance, I would like to lose weight, so there are goals in 10 lb increments, I would also like to do things like "Go to the gym every (week) day" but I know I can't do that so they are in rewarding increments like "For a week," "For a month," and "For 3 Months" and so on.

Originally, I wanted to have a side that was for "Need to Do" and a side for "Completed" (thus why I bought the chart tape. Yes, I am a nerd and I didn't just want to draw one. And it was only $2.) But once I got every thing on, there wasn't exactly enough room. I didn't count them, but there are a lot!

My Goals Board: Complete with all my goals

And I of course hung it in my room where I could see it.

I know, I have some strange things on my walls

So, now you are probably wondering what kinds of goals I set for myself. Well here's the list, in it's entirety:

Lose 10 lbs.
Lose 20 lbs.
Lose 30 lbs.
Lose 40 lbs.
Lose 50 lbs.
Lose 60 lbs.
Lose 70 lbs.
Lose 80 lbs.
Save $100
Save $500
Save $1,000
Save $2,500
Save $5,000
Save $7,500
Save $10,000
Visit the Zoo
Go to a Tigers Game
Go to a Concert
Go to a Pistons Game
Go to a Lions Game
Go to a Red Wings Game
Go to Boston
Go to the UP
Climb a tree with Mikey
Go Fishing
Go Hunting
Learn to Skate
Go Camping
Bike the CRT:
From Adams to Roch
From Opdyke to Rochester
Bike the PCT:
From Roch to LO
Go Swimming
Eat Better
Pack A Lunch Every Day:
For a Week
For a Month
For 3 Months
For 6 Months
For 9 Months
For a Year
Go to the Gym Every Day:
For a Week
For a Month
For 3 Months
For 6 Months
For 9 Months
For a Year
Take Diesel for Walks
Babysit the Clark Kids
Go to a Fair
Go to Cedar Point
Ride a Rollercoaster
Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride
Go to the Dentist
Drink More Water
Drink Less Pop
Write Every Day
Read More Books
Learn to Drive my Motorcycle
Drive my Motorcycle to Work
Line-Up Track
Penalty Track
Penalty Time
Box Official
Score Keep
Head NSO
Go Skydiving
Finish Molding in:
Bathroom
Bedrooms
Living Room
Kitchen
Replace Storm Door
Put in Sidewalk
Install Metal Roof
Insulate Attic
Promote Blog around Town
Visit Mackinac Island
Visit Greenfield Village
Visit Henry Ford Museum
Visit Motown Museum
Visit DIA
Drive Motorcycle to Cooks Dairy Farm
Pick Strawberries
Go Boating on Lake Saint Clair
See a Shipwreck
Visit Hartwick Pines
Donate to a Charity
Complete a Charity Walk
Go Bowling
See a Movie
See a Play
Get Carpets Cleaned
Paint Doors
Install Doorknobs
Plant Flowers

I think one of these goals should also include learning how to make columns or some sort of table in HTML.

So there it is. My Goals for 2012. I will try to come back and cross things off as I get them accomplished. As for my board, I will just be removing them and putting them some where. I think a lot of them can be used for years to come. Some of them will get done sooner than others and I am sure at the end of the year I might look back and say damn, I missed getting that one. But I am not going to be sore about it. I am just going to keep trying to clear them as best as I can.

Good luck to anyone else that has resolutions this year. Feel free to share with me some of your ideas as well!

Last Day of Vacation

2012-01-02T15:14:00.000-05:00

Today is my last day of my vacation from work. I know that most of you feel the same way I do about work and are dreading heading back into the office/field/shop or what have you. I for one, love the company I work for, love the people I work with (for the most part), enjoy getting out of the house daily, and most certainly love getting paid. But I am sure you would agree that its hard to find the meaning behind it all. Sure, in my job I take checks from customers and apply the payments to the proper invoices, for the service they acquired, for the business that makes something or provides a service to someone else and thus employing others along the way and in the end we all get a paycheck. But I suppose its only human to want to see some kind of greater good come out of the 2080+ hours we spend each year typing away at a keyboard, pushing a mouse, and shuffling papers.

One of the things I have done recently to fight this feeling of monotony was to become involved in my local roller derby team. I mentioned earlier in this blog that I had started attending the Ref U! course taught by the Detroit Derby Girls. I have since completed the course and am now an actual staff member of the league. I have started working a few bouts, doing NSO positions like Outside Whiteboard, Penalty Box Timer, and Scorekeeper. It has been fun and exciting so far. I have met a lot of new people and have been building new friendships all along the way. It's honestly amazing just how busy derby will keep a person. I am just a volunteer staff person, without the obligations of mandatory practices, however, in order to make sure I know how to do my job well, I have to practice, obviously. But its even more than that, its the social events, and the ever changing and evolving business of the DDG. I came into this thinking that I would get to understand the game better, and that I would get to help out. For anyone that is out there and looking to get into NSOing, make sure you have the time and the ability to travel.

Now knowing what is exactly required of me, I now have some decisions to make. How much do I want to dive into this? Am I happy just wading in the kiddie pool, or would I like to be come certified and eventually work my way up to being a lifeguard? (My apologies for the weird swimming metaphor). Derby to me right now is still overwhelming. It seems that any time I have a break from the madness, I start doubting if I want to get back into it again. But as soon as I show up to practice, the fun floods back and and I am totally geeked all over again!

I am missing my first, and hopefully only, bout this weekend, and I am sad. Sad that I will miss watching some of my friends play their first game of the season, and sad that I wont be there for any silliness that goes down or to help Stat Army win the after-party. But part of me knows that if I want to be in control of my own life, and not feel like I am being overwhelmed or giving too much of myself to this crazy sport, I have to say no every once in a while. I know, you are probably wondering how I could feel overwhelmed when I haven't been around derby much in the past few weeks. And honestly its more because I have heard the stories of other staff members being burnt out and that is one thing I want to prevent from happening from the get go. I want to take this at my own pace, and provide as much of myself as I can, but under my own terms and conditions. Its volunteer work. I will do what I can to meet the requirements of my league, but it will be up to me how much more I give.

Sounds crazy right? I mean how have I gone from super fan to cautious volunteer in just a matter of months... Trust that things happen on a derby league just as fast as they do on the track. Am I happy I got involved? Absolutely! But I am taking it one day at a time, one practice at a time, one bout at a time, and one season at a time. There is no sense in making this fun job as painful to go back to as my real job.

A New Year, A New Start

2012-01-01T12:42:00.001-05:00

I know resolutions are only ever set so they can just be broken, and I'm probably not the first person to say this, but this year feels different. Maybe it's because this could be the last year before the zombie apocalypse/end of the Mayan calendar. Whatever it is, I want to take advantage of this feeling and really get some things done this time.

One thing I would really like to do is write more. And I'm thinking I really don't have any excuses to not write at least once a day. For instance, right now I am writing from the passenger seat of my car as Mikey, Diesel & I are on our way home from up state. Smart phones really are changing the way we live.

While we're on the topic of smart phones, I should really start using my Noom app again. I need to really focus this year on eating better, exercising, giving up soda, and losing weight.

Another thing I want to do is post a board in my room with things I want to do this year, one side for things to do and the other for completed items. Simple things like go to the zoo, household chores like finally finishing the molding, and more serious stuff like losing 10 lbs. And fun things like go to the UP, and to Boston to visit my aunts. Saving some money will also be a nice goal to set too.

So many things to do, and why not have some fun doing it. I hope everyone has a great 2012. Be safe, have fun, be yourself, better yourself. :)

Where Do I Begin...

2011-08-02T19:43:00.000-04:00

You are probably used to me saying this by now, but its been too long since I last wrote on this blog. I have been keeping myself quite busy lately with another blog, Diesel Stomping, where I write about walks that Diesel and I have been going on. It's been a lot of fun and its getting some good reception. I have also been attending the Detroit Derby Girls Ref! U course and trying to volunteer my time with them as much as possible. And last but not least, I am trying to get back into shape again. Something you can read about in my other blog, Back to Little.

So what's this about the Detroit Derby Girls, you ask? Well, about two years ago, a co-worker of mine hung a poster for the DDG in her cubical. We started talking about it, and that led to Gabby and I heading up to Flint one day to check out the Flint City Derby Girls. That piqued my interest in derby, I had to learn more! A few months later, Gabby and I headed down to the historic Masonic Temple in Detroit and that's where I fell in love with the sport.

Masonic Temple Detroit

When you first walk into the 85 year old building, its like you are taking a step back in history. Through the revolving doors, into the magnificent main lobby, and onto the ancient elevators up to the 4th floor. From there you hand off your ticket, go down a corridor, have your hand stamped and walk through the doorway that opens up to the uniquely designed Drill Hall. The Drill Hall was constructed with a "floating floor" so that the drill marches would not disturb the rest of the temple, and also give relief to the feet of the marchers.

There is not a lot of room in the drill hall, unfortunately, but seating is available if you get there early, or you can brave it and sit on the floor in the "suicide seats." Feeling the rush of the skaters as they skate pass, and hearing the crowd go crazy at every grand slam, is completely worth the experience. You feel like you are participating in some underground activity like Fight Club or something. The skaters all have fun aliases and they wear fun uniforms that show of their unique personalities. And even though they are playing against one another, you can still feel the comradery between them.

The next season I went ahead and purchased two season tickets. They were so popular with the fans the season before, that nearly every bout would sell out. I had to be sure I was going to get tickets! Of course, that was the season that the DDG moved to Cobo Arena. They had many more seats available, and I was able to get some pretty good size groups to come with me to many of the bouts. I was geeked to even start making some friends within the teams and I prided myself on getting "the wave" started at a few of them as well!

Once the season came to an end, I knew what I had to do. The first opportunity that came along for me to sign up and be a volunteer, I did so! Would I love to play the game? Sure, but I need to get in shape, and besides that I am a bit of a dork, so why not add my mad number skills to the Stat Army.

I have been taking the course for a few weeks now, and I am really starting to learn so much more about the game. And let me tell you, watching the game from the inside of the track is amazing! And on top of that, I am also making new friends. I am hoping that once I am officially part of the team I can start traveling with them and making some of their appearances as well. This might just be the chance I get to see this great country before I'm too old to enjoy it!

As I get more involved in the DDG, I will be sure to check back and let you all know how its going. :)

Getting Creative

2011-02-08T22:14:00.000-05:00

It has been quite a while since I last posted on my blog, which seems to be the norm. I had signed myself up to make something homemade this year for a few lucky Facebook friends, and just remembered that I have to get on that as well. I have all this time now that I am not at school, yet I can't seem to get motivated. Although, I did convince myself to buy a new printer the other day, maybe I can start making some buttons again. And really, I should get back to making my hemp necklaces and stuffs. The one thing I do really want to get done is a fan shirt for my derby gal, Joy Stixxx. I have to get started on that design. Speaking of design? Anyone know any good graphic design programs? I usually make my buttons with MS Paint, but I am starting to have some limitations that I can't seem to get around. Well, just thought I would get some thoughts out of my head... Thanks for listening. Follow me! www.littlepitz.blogspot.com

Wintertime

2011-02-06T23:38:00.001-05:00

Wintertime.
And the snow is bright.
Seeping through my blinds at night.
Keeping my eyes closed but knowing,
On the other side of my eyelids
Is light so blind.
Wintertime.

posted from Bloggeroid

I Heart My Sarcastic Boyfriend

2010-11-11T20:37:00.003-05:00

As some of you may know, I have quite a guy. Every now and again, he will respond with a cute little quip that just serves as a reminder as to why I love him so.

So today, I had to have Mikey replace the breaks on my car, again. Seems to happen too often. Later on this evening, we're watching TV and one of those gushy Kay Jewelers commercials comes on. I chimed in with an "Aw, isn't that cute!" to which my my ever loving boyfriends says under his breath, "So are cars that stop."

Homeward Bound

2010-06-07T22:43:00.002-04:00

It was a pretty nice day out today, cooler than it has been, so I figured it was a good time to grab the leash and take Diesel for a walk. I threw on a light weight sweatshirt and queued up some Jack Johnson on the iPod and hit the trail.

About an hour into our walk as we were on the last leg home, Diesel and I came across a scared, wet, little dog just trotting along the side walk. I stopped and checked the poor things tags and was baffled to find out she was from Bloomfield Hills, she was a bit far from home. I called the number on the tag, but got an answering machine. Soon as I had left my number, wouldn't you know the battery on my cell went dead. Not knowing what to do with our new friend Lillie, I hooked her to Diesel's leash and started heading towards home.

I came across a woman mowing her lawn so I stopped to ask if she recognized the dog. Being a dog lover herself she came over and immediately started to help. She called the number on Lillie's tag too, and left a new message. She went inside to get a bowl of water and figured it would help to do a reverse look-up on the phone number and maybe see if she could find an address. Sure enough, there was an address listed in Bloomfield. She got the MapQuest directions and tried calling again.

After considering it for a bit, my new friend Dawn and I decided to take a drive over to the house to see if we could deliver Lillie back to her owners or at least to a neighbor. So, Dawn, her daughter and I dropped Diesel off home and we headed all the way to 16 and Lahser. And across Woodward!

When we got to Lillie's home, there was no one there. Dawn went across the street and the couple who lived there informed us that Lillie's owner was a single, elderly lady, who was in poor health. The fact that we had found little Lillie so far from home and so late at night really concerned them. The nice gentleman from across the street came by with a flash light to see if the lady was home and had maybe fallen or become ill. Meanwhile, his wife called the police.

The police came and they couldn't find any signs that she was at home, but they new the resident to be elderly and of ill health so they were concerned as well. Somehow or another the neighbor got a hold of the lady's nephew and he advised us that she had been out looking for the dog earlier in the evening. She had taken Lillie to the groomer and she had gotten away.

The police thanked us for returning Lillie, and they took possession of her until the nephew could come over or until he could reach his aunt.

In the end, I made a new friend, Lillie found her way home, and it sounded like the elderly lady was okay after all. It was definitely more of an adventure than I thought I'd have.

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Army of Ants

2010-06-03T11:52:00.005-04:00

As it began to warm up in Michigan, Mikey and I started to notice a few unwelcome house guests. Carpenter ants. Mikey, who is now in the arborist business, knew exactly what that meant. The ants were being attracted to a few trees in our yard that were showing some signs of rot. As plant life dies, it releases pheromones that attract natures little helpers to assist in a speedy break down of nutrients.

One night as I was preparing the coffee maker for the next morning, there were quite a few ants in the trashcan. I disposed of a few of them, but little did I know, one brave little ant set out on a suicide mission right up my leg and bit me! What a site it had to be. A chubby, pale girl throwing off her pants, jumping around yelling, "He bit me! That little bastard bit me!"

From the living room I hear my oh so sarcastic boyfriend comment, "You know, ants are one of the most venomous creatures on Earth. That is if you are bit by a thousand of them." Not helping dear!

Mikey then set out with a vengeance on a well deceased cherry tree in the back, and on the poorly pruned crab apple tree out front. Sure enough, that crab apple tree was just filled from the inside out with ants. Mikey quickly sealed it up and rushed it off to the brush dump. No more ants, or so we thought...

About a week later we noticed the ants here and there in the kitchen again, so Mikey went out and bought some of that granular ant poison and secured the perimeter. No more ants.

Until the other night that is. As I was diligently packing my lunch for the next day, I pull the garbage can out from under the sink and from it a brigade of ants come marching out and aligning them for another attack! I promptly ran the entire bag out to the trash! "Mikey! Their back!"

And then again last night, as I am making my lunch. Ants all over the place, and I am chasing them down with one of Mikey's shoes trying to kill them all before again, rushing the 100% biodegradable white trash bag out to the curb, cursing at their little snowman shaped silhouette!

And after squirming around trying to sleep with the thought of those little creeps, I am officially declaring war!

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Bell's Amber Ale

2010-06-01T17:17:00.003-04:00

Ian gifted to me a six-pack of Bell's Amber Ale for my graduation. As I had already begun to get quite wasted that night, I decided to wait for a better opportunity to share them. The beer was great, it was unfortunate though, the events that brought Ian and I together for the tasting.

Otherwise in a delightful mood, I managed to upset one of my bestest friends. Things were said that probably shouldn't have been and my loaded tongue got the best of me. To quote The Secret Language of Birthdays, "It is crucial that they recognize how influential and powerful they can be, since many operate almost entirely on an unconscious level, unaware of how they are impacting on others." It is with this that I do tend to get myself into trouble more often than I ever try to. I don't know why I feel such an overwhelming need to help my friends, but I do. And if that wasn't the worst of it, I also managed to get pwned by my own Real Detroit Weekly horoscope. More often than not, that horoscope is freakishly dead on.

Any how, back to the beer. After such a rotten ending to the work day, I got the most pleasant invite to come over for beers the following night. That little invite made me smile when I really did need it the most. The following day, Ian and I enjoyed those beers, while playing washers and enjoying the hot summer sun. I managed to get more of a buzz than I really wanted too that night, but it was nice to get my mind off things for a while.

As for what I am going to do about said friend, I still do not know. I have spent the last week going over in my head what I am going to say, but it just doesn't seem like the right words are out there. It'll work out I am sure.

Remaining Beers on the To Drink List:
Bell's Brewery Inc.: Cherry Stout and Two-Hearted Ale
Founder's Brewing Co.: Breakfast Stout
Jolly Pumpkin Artisin Ales: Bam Biere, La Roja and Oro de Calabaza
New Holland Brewing Co: Mad Hatter and The Poet

Star Wars

2010-05-12T20:40:00.004-04:00

I have never seen a Star Wars film in its entirety.

There I said it, and I know my excuses don't stand up very well, "I was too young to appreciate it," "It was 10 AM and I was drunk." Whatever the cause, I know there is no excuse. I am not worthy of the titles geek, dork, dweeb, or nerd, and in my defence, I have always admitted my short-comings.

Now, before you start passing judgements, I do have a general understanding of how the plot unfolds. I have - and I will give you a moment to ensure you're sitting and not consuming a food or beverage - I have seen Space Balls, Family Guy and listened to Weird Al songs, to have a vague idea of the story line, but I know all to well, that its just not the same.

Well, the time has come. I have made it a goal to see all six Star Wars films before September. Now I just pose two questions to you all:

Do I start with the original trilogy, and end with the newer three? Or do I watch them as the story should unfold?
Do I go balls out and watch all six films in one night? Or should I take my time, and fully grasp each movie in its entirety before moving on to the next?

I need your honest opinions. And I will take all of the criticism you would like to dole out as well. I am ashamed, and this has been eating at my dorky soul for quite some time, so it is only appropriate I get this done as soon as possible.

Celis White - Michigan Brewing Co.

2010-04-25T21:48:00.004-04:00

So this will probably not be quite the review you would have expected. I really don't know a lot about beer. I just know what I like and what I don't like.

About a month ago a friends offered me her six tickets to see the Detroit Derby Girls play their Grudge Match, she had accidentally bought the wrong ones. I invited Gabby & Matt, Beaver, Jerri & Alex to join me. And since Gabby, Matt, Beaver and I had enjoyed Slow's so much the last time we'd gone, we decided to go again.

The day started off a bit rough due to a lack of planning and communication, but once that slow cooked meat was placed in front of us, it was all done and behind us. I had a pint of Celis White with my Big 3 entree; pulled pork, pulled chicken, and brisket. Paired with mac n cheese and waffle fries.

The food was good, and the Derby even better! The Detroit Pistoffs played a great game against The Pistolwhippers. The Pistolwhippers played hard, but Effin Money and Cookie Rumble were unstoppable! The Pistoffs won it, 131-63.

Good times with friends new and old. Food was great. Beer was good too, I would drink it again. Derby, my new love!

It's been a while...

2010-04-22T18:17:00.003-04:00

I haven't written in a while, and I suppose its because I really haven't had a lot going on. I did reconnect with a dear friend these past few weeks. He's really one of the only people (besides Mikey of course) that I can spend an entire weekend with and not be frustrated with them at the end. It was actually kind of sad to see him go. Things are going to be good this year, besides the fact that he now gets to spend so much more time with his baby girl, it gives us the chance to appreciate one another much more. I'm not sure how we did it, but I think we listened to close to six hours of Jack Johnson the other day. We're going to the concert this summer and I apparently needed to be "schooled."

Speaking of schooled, I have my graduation coming up in a few weeks. I'm going to go up to CMU and walk the stage, then come home and have a nice bonfire with some good friends. Hopefully it will be a good time, its definitely worth it.

And speaking of good friends, I am very excited to be going to see the Detroit Derby Girls this weekend with some of my bestest friends and my sister. We're planning on going to Slow's BBQ first, which not only tastes great, but eating there just makes me feel good. They use meat from humane ranches, most of the building is made from recycled materials, and they try to recycle as much as they can. Good food with good karma... and good beer!

Ha ha! I can see where this one is going. My friend posted a list of Michigan Beers that were included in the '1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die' book. My goal this summer is to try each of them. And they are:

Bell's Brewery Inc.: Amber Ale, Cherry Stout, and Two-Hearted Ale
Founders Brewing Co.: Breakfast Stout
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales: Bam Biere, La Roja and Oro de Calabaza
Michigan Brewing Co.: Celis White
New Holland Brewing Co.: Mad Hatter and The Poet

As I drink each of them, I will be sure to let you know!

Well, I guess that's all for now. Mikey's got burgers cooking and I should check on the waffle fries. Yum! :)

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Politics No Longer Welcome

2010-03-31T22:12:00.003-04:00

My neighbor is a passionate man. Foolish at times, but at least he stands by what he believes. I am usually one that will speak my political views if asked, but I try not to argue if I can help it. As Mikey knows, I can get pretty worked up over things too.

With the recent passage of the Health Care Reform Bill, my neighbor has been especially angry and exceptionally more vocal about it. Usually I shrug it off, but there was something different about it recently, and I think I figured it out. My neighbor doesn't know shit. Well, I am sure he has a good idea of what he's talking about, but one night, as he was talking to Mikey about Global Warming, of all subjects, he started quoting facts that I just couldn't believe. So, while he chatted in the kitchen, I sat in the living room with the laptop and started some searches, and some Snoping, and kept finding that a lot of what he was quoting as fact, were in fact, wrong. Again, I have no problem with him believing what he wants to believe and voting the way he does, but I really lost some respect for him when he couldn't get his stuff right.

And then I noticed something worse. The keywords. If you watch The Daily Show like I do, (I will admit it), Jon Stewart has a pretty comical way of breaking news stories down to the keywords, and I'll be damned if my neighbor wasn't using all the words that Fox News uses to scare its viewers. Now, I don't know what he watches on TV, or listens to on the radio, and by all means he has the right to listen all he wants, and whatever he wants, but this to, made me a little more perturbed with the man.

The poor guy had to feel my wrath, not once but twice in the same week, and though its not an excuse, I had been suffering with yet another sinus infection. Mikey and I have since decided to ban political talk with friends. Honestly, I know what I believe in, and I know I am not going to change anyone, if I can have a civil conversation, I'm down. But in most cases, people just get emotional and angry. And, since my main goal for this year is to just be happy, there is no need to go and drag people into conversations that no one will be comfortable in.

Change of subject!

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New Shoes

2010-03-04T21:48:00.008-05:00

Well, today was a good day. Today, I got new shoes. Actually, I got two pairs of new shoes, and thanks to Kohl's sale, I got two for the price of one! However, with every new pair, an old pair must go. Today, I retired my Classic Black Hi-top Chucks.

My Chucks have seen their fair share of life. They have explored new trails and traveled roads near and far. There was even that one day we realized that they weren't the best shoes to wear for an 8 hour shift at a register. And they weren't the best grip at indoor paintball, but we've had a few successful rounds at Stoneycreek. They've been to indoor concerts and outdoor shows, and a multitude of bars across southeastern Michigan. There was even the zombie massacre where I discovered that All-Stars were the official footwear of zombies.

My Chucks will be missed, but there will be many more adventures to be had in my new blue, low-top All-Stars. :)

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Skate World

2010-02-19T20:58:00.003-05:00

As anyone who knows me best will tell you, I tend to get addicted to ideas. For instance, after Gabby showed me 'Shock and Awe' by Henry Rollins for the first time, I couldn't get enough of him. I tend to spend too many nights googleing and wiki'ing my way through topics, anything from zombies to organic food, from disc golf to Zoe Bell, once I get a topic on my mind its hard to get it out for a while.

My latest obsession, Roller Derby. It started with a poster in a co-workers cubical, led to a bout by the Flint City Derby Girls, and eventually to a Detroit Derby Girls bout, to now where I have laced up skates once again just to see if I could even skate any more.

On Wednesday, I headed up to Gemini Skate & Sport, which is formerly known as the Rochester Skate Rink. From 3-5 PM, Monday-Friday, open skate is just $3. I have to admit I had to wonder if they still had those old brown and orange skates from when I was going there back in middle school, to my surprise, they did.

Skating around the old building, despite its renovations over the years, brought back a lot of memories. It made me think about all those nights that they would host parties for Avondale kids, and about how we'd all head up there to skate and hang out with our friends.

I remember my mom driving Mike, Rhonda, Jamie, Crystal and myself up to that old building in our minivan. Specifically one night after I had bought a bottle of cologne for Mike for Christmas and he used so much my mom had to crack a window.

I remember standing in line at the front doors with all the other kids from school. Holding the five or ten dollars our parents had given us for the night in our sweaty nervous hands. Its kinda gross but I can still smell all that sweaty money. Why were we nervous? I know there were a few times my teenage mind was racing with the thought of skating with that boy I had my eye on, or if that girl friend I had a fight with earlier was going to be there.

Once we'd paid our admission, I can visualise walking through those doors into that loud, dark rink. Orange/brown carpeting covering what seemed to be every surface of the building. Walking to the back of the rink to get our skate rentals, and lacing up those brown and orange skates. One of us would front the change for a locker and we'd cram all of our coats inside and make someone in charge of the key. Once that was all set there was no stopping us.

The music was always loud, playing the current top songs from the radio and not to mention a few oldies but goodies. Certain songs stick out in my mind: "Girls" and "Brass Monkey" by the Beastie Boys, "December 1963" by the Four Seasons, and "Undone - The Sweater Song" by Weezer. Don't ask me why those songs in particular, but they always make me think of those nights when I hear them. The lights would flash and the reflections of the disco ball could be seen on the floor as we skated around and around.

Of course, another common sound was that of any love song by Brian Adams. The lights would go dark and the spotlight would come on and sometimes I'd be skating along with my boyfriend at the time, or maybe I would be gaging at the thought and running up the stairs to join my friends in the snack shop area.

Speaking of stairs. Whomever decided that a two-story building was appropriate for a skating rink is nuts. But I could run up and down those stairs in my skates without even thinking about it. Not to mention the bathroom was downstairs too!

Those were the good ole days. Spending a few hours each month with many of my classmates. Singing, laughing, playing, skating, and sometimes even crying, but I really remember the kissing! Oh to be young and in love! Those days don't last forever, but they helped us grow into what we are today.

Its good to reminisce sometimes. I know I enjoyed it. :)

http://littlepitz.blogspot.com

iCry = iChoose

2010-01-20T23:26:00.002-05:00

It finally happened. While adding new albums to my iPod tonight, iTunes had to regretfully inform me that my iPod was full. It tried to work with me by suggesting to remove photos and videos to make room, then it even suggested choosing an array of songs that I might like. I had to decline both offers and do the task that I had been putting off for so long. Everyone knows that even on shuffle, you still can sit there skipping through songs until you finally find one you want to listen to. And if you are like me, you have such a variety of songs to begin with, that you have to be in the mood for certain things. So, I meticulously went song by song and had to judge its worth. Of all the White Stripes, which ones get the axe to make room for the Black Keys? And I am still listening to Matisyahu can I really slice up that album already? It was a long and daunting task, but it had to be done. So long songs, maybe I'll hear you play your sweet tunes on shuffle again some day...

http://littlepitz.blogspot.com

Resolutionist

2010-01-12T18:30:00.004-05:00

As part of my goals for 2010, I want to get back to a healthier lifestyle. That means going to the gym more than just sporadically throughout the month. I'd like to make it a habit. I am doing better with packing lunches, the cold outside makes that easier. I am also cutting down on my soda drinking, I know that had to be a big chunk of my weight loss before. So today, I did hit the gym and did some good cardio for about 45 mins. I would have done some weights too, but I was really not feeling it today. I know lame excuse right? I am trying to get back into the swing of things! Last year I had said I wanted to bike Paint Creek Trail, and I never did it. Its not going to be an official goal for this year, but I would like to get out on my bike more this year. And for Diesle's sake I should probably take him for walks as often as possible! Let's see how these ideas hold up...

http://littlepitz.blogspot.com

Scaredy Cat

2010-01-04T21:12:00.005-05:00

So in an effort to start writing more...

This past weekend, Mikey, the dog and I headed up to Camp Grief to celebrate the new year. New Years Eve day, Mikey and Diesel went out for a walk, but as Mikey got part of the way down the first trail, he heard deer run into the woods. He didn't want Diesel to chase after them, so he brought him back to the cabin. A little while later as I looked out the kitchen window, I could see Mikey walking back up the trail to our cabin. Knowing how badly Diesel wanted to be outside, I opened the door, "go get Daddy" I told him excitedly. Of course Diesel didn't know that Mikey was on his way back, so he just stood around taking in the sweet smells of the north. Mikey sees him and decides it would be a fun time to test out his winter camouflage. Mikey crouched down and hid behind his white sheet, whistled and called the dog. Diesel, hearing the echo off the trees, ran behind the cabin. No, no silly dog! The other way! Mikey crept further, and called again, Diesel came running back to the cabin, but still couldn't find Mikey any where. Mikey came even closer, and still Diesel would look right at him without any kind of recognition. Mikey came within 30 feet of him and still nothing! So Mikey calls him again and this time Diesel senses something, and starts walking towards the noise. Just as Diesel gets close, Mikey jumps up and yells "Blah!" The dogs ears went down, tail between his legs and darted in the other direction. What a little scaredy cat! Diesel did realize it was Mikey and come running back, but oh what a site to see!

A New Year!

2010-01-04T16:08:00.008-05:00

Even though I had a pretty good year compared to many others, there were still a lot of ups and downs that I would like to avoid this year. There are also many things that I would like to accomplish now that I have some new freedoms. By freedoms, I mean the open schedule not held down by taking college courses, and financial freedom from not having to pay on an expensive mortgage (or on that tuition!).

Yes, in the year 2009 I managed to complete a few of life's goals. I finished my Bachelors degree, and moved-in with my boyfriend of 13 years. I also did a lot of soul searching, that has made me realize that I need to chill out and relax more.

2009 started off in a really odd way, I started using Facebook and transitioned away from MySpace and started rediscovering a lot of old friends, but also started to notice a trend. Many of the friends I hadn't seen in quite a few years were ending their long-term relationships. Even friends that I thought were in happy marriages, were breaking up and divorcing left and right. It really made me wonder what was going on. This really messed with my head.

At one point I even sent an (unanswered) letter to 'Dear Abby' asking her if she thought my generation was doomed with failed relationships. Almost everyone I knew had parents that were divorced and I was starting to think that my generation was doomed to the same because divorce had become such a common outcome. And I am not going to lie, it made me look at my own relationship with Mikey in a different way.

Thankfully to Mikey's saving grace, he bought us a new house. And even though I was worried about what kind of housewife I would be, after moving in things just began to click together.

I also had a dose of reality when I realized that just because someone says they'll be your friend for life, doesn't mean it will really happen. Some people are just never going to be happy. I tried to help a friend that was down-on-his-luck or so I thought, and in the end he decided he no longer wanted to be my friend. It was then that I was thankful to have all of the friends and family that I do have and I couldn't waste my time and energy on his problems anymore anyhow.

My friends and family have shared with me their lives and for that I am so thankful. The lessons that I learn, the shoulders to cry on the, the moments to laugh about are so very important to me. And so to them I am forever grateful.

Without further ado, here is my "resolutions" for 2010:

Continue sharing in the joys of life with Mikey

Spend as much time with my friends as I possibly can

Spend more time with my sisters

Spend less time talking about traveling, and more time doing so

Remember to take pictures of all the good times

Spend a little less time on Facebook

Write on my blog more often, some of life stories need to be preserved!

Continue to tie hemp thingers, make buttons and other crafty things to challenge my creative side

Ride a roller coaster, sky-dive, take a hot air balloon or just be more adventurous!

Continue to learn new things; including visit new places, see new things and just observe life

Eat healthier, exercise more and find a peaceful weight

Sleep in with my boys whenever I can, wake with the dawn to get up and out, be happy with the times I can just be alone, and spend time with new friends!

I know that last one is a bit of an impossibility all at once, but my overall goal for 2010 is to just be happy.

http://littlepitz.blogspot.com

Home Sweet Home

2009-08-23T22:22:00.003-04:00

The house is staring to come along very nicely. Its actually feeling more like home everyday. Here is a quick run down room by room:

Living room - We have couches and a recliner, end tables, a lamp and no more watching the TV while its sitting on the floor, we have an entertainment center! I am starting to get pictures together, soon they will be on the walls. Oh! And I even have candles!

Kitchen - Counter tops installed, we finally got our last back splashes after they came in chipped. Appliances are all hooked up, just need a new door wall and we can finish the molding. Oh, and people keep telling me that a table and chairs would be nice. :o)

Bathroom - Fully functioning! Needs some molding, and could use another towel bar. Needs a sill around the window in the shower. Ansel Adams prints ordered, they will look great on the grey walls!

Spare Rooms - They need sills and window treatments, closet doors would be nice too! Mike's is fully organized of course, and mine is a disaster!

Master Bedroom - Needs a closet door and some blinds but other than that, its all good!

There are other little projects that are needed throughout, but nothing that can't wait till the winter boredom sets in. I do find myself to be a bit more of a homebody again. But that's not a bad thing. Having guests over is fun, but I do find myself secretly hoping everything looks great... LOL. I am very happy at home. It's peaceful. I also find myself daydreaming about how the decorations will look come Halloween and Christmas. Well, that's enough for now, I will post pictures once I am not so lazy!

A Walk To Remember

2009-08-07T18:24:00.004-04:00

Months ago Gabby and I discussed going camping, just the two of us, some random full moonlit night in the summer. She had gone up to Metamora-Hadley years ago and said that it was far away from everything, yet not to long of a drive, and that there was an amazing meadow that you could walk to. Well, when we started planning this trip it ultimately turned into something entirely different, and it ended up being Ian and I spending a weekend at my cabin. Totally different.

Thanks to an unfortunate event, I have been in a very blue mood. I had previously requested to take Friday as a vacation day for a different trip that was cancelled a while ago. And as the week started to progress I didn't know if I would rather stay at home all weekend feeling sorry for myself, or if I wanted to distract myself with friends and family.

One of the things I thought about doing was going to see a cheesy movie at the Main Art Theater, so when I reminded Gabby of the movie times Thursday morning, she came up with an off the wall suggestion to go camping. She also had Friday off. Hmm... camping. What the hell!

So, Thursday I got out of work, packed a quick bag and we headed off down the road. One quick stop at Meijer for some snacks and beer and we were camping. We got there with enough time to put the tent up, and get a fire started. It was a nice night, just the right temp, fire lies, booze, campfire and good conversation.

At about midnight, Gabby gets this idea to walk up the trail a little ways, maybe we could find that meadow she talked about. Why the heck not? We had a flashlight. We head off down the trail, which was fairly clear and well marked. Not to many bugs out that late, and the moon was nice and bright. We found one trail map posted and it looked like the trail was a big loop, not to bad, we could make it all the way around in a short while maybe. Lets just say, we somehow missed a trail marker, ended up in the meadow, and it took us until about 2 am to get back to our site. We went on one heck of a walk, but it was very memorable, beautiful, and relaxing.

Messages From Dead Friends

2009-06-17T12:09:00.004-04:00

So its been about 3 years since a friend of mine, Vanessa, was tragically killed by her husband in a murder/suicide. In the past 3 years, she's probably popped into my mind maybe a half dozen times. However in the past 6 months, Vanessa has been on my mind a lot.

Vanessa grew up in a neighborhood just across from the one I live in currently. I have friends that live just a few roads over, and unfortunately they have been having marriage problems, and have recently filed for divorce. At times, the tension can be quite thick, and I reached out to Google to find an article on Vanessa so that I could share her story with my friends. I think it really meant a lot, put things in a perspective that they hadn't considered. I thanked Vanessa for popping into my mind at just the right time.

Vanessa and I drifted apart through high school, but our paths crossed a few times after graduation. One of the fondest memories I have of her, is from a birthday party at a friends house where we watched the movie 'Clueless' and listened to Bone Thugs 'n' Harmony's "Crossroads". It was a hot song at the time and someone had brought the cassette single and we listened to it over and over. That was way back in like 1994 or something. I know it was before Mikey and I ever met.

That song came on the radio one day and I smiled and looked up to the heavens and told Vanessa hello, and didn't think much of it. Apparently I was missing the message. In the weeks following that, I continued to hear the song randomly. I thought it was quite odd that I would be hearing such and old song so often. But then the randomness of it, wasn't so random any more. I heard the song literally as I was turning into her old hood on Sunday. Ok, "Hi Vanessa!" and I even drove past her old place, it was just to convenient.

I've had a lot on my mind lately and been having trouble dealing with an issue of importance. As I drove home on Monday, I was thinking of my dilemma and was trying to figure out my next move, and wouldn't you know it, "Crossroads" came on the radio. I think I finally figured out the meaning of her message. I had a hard time interpreting it before, but I think she's been looking out for me.

I kinda feel like I had to do all the Jennifer Love Hewitt leg work myself. But in the end it was worth it. Thanks Vanessa!