Living & Loving in Tampa

Neglect

2010-10-14T19:47:00.001-04:00

My poor blog is so lonely and sad because I haven't updated in a million years. I promise I shall return once I have a moment to breathe. Life is good though. :-)

The Problem With a Quick Getaway

2010-06-23T07:47:00.002-04:00

Last week, Phil and I took off to Atlanta for the Rays vs. Braves series at Turner Field! For the most part, we had a great time. We even came home via Magic Kingdom and Epcot so that we could extend our fun time.

The only problem with a quick getaway like that? We stayed up late and woke up early, so we didn't really relax. In fact, I feel like I'm still trying to catch up on my sleep now, after we've been back for 4 days! And since I don't feel relaxed, I come back to work and immediately feel stressed out and worried about the looming deadline for the end of my job/contract.

But I mustn't forget the fun that we had... Besides watching all 3 games, we also toured CNN Studios (and Rays starting pitcher Wade Davis' mom was on our tour - she was so sweet!), the World of Coca-Cola, and the Georgia Aquarium. We took the tour at Turner Field, and we had field passes for batting practice before Thursday's game. I will post my awesome photos soon; don't worry. :-)

Now...back to life. A mixture of excitement and fear. Much more, very soon...

The Worst Part of This Whole Thing

2010-06-11T07:02:00.004-04:00

No, it's not the [unfounded and deep, dark] fear that I'll be destitute and living on the streets.

Nor is it the fleeting thought that I will be an unproductive member of society (heck, half my pay goes down the drain at the Federal level anyway).

And it's not even the fear that I will get stuck in a job I hate just for the sake of bringing home a paycheck.

The worst part of all this was having to tell two of my people that they are being cut as well. That, while our company will do everything it can to find other employment for them, their futures are up in the air after November.

Because when my boss told me this, at least I was able to hide my emotion - from both her and myself, to a huge extent. But when I spoke to my folks, I started hearing bits and pieces of their lives about which I had no previous knowledge. Things that make me worry about their futures even more so than mine.

I have a huge issue with empathy, and stressing on behalf of other people. Reason #523 why I don't believe management is the place for me to be.

Lacking Concentration

2010-06-10T07:52:00.003-04:00

So as it turns out, it's rather difficult to concentrate on your current job when you know that you need to find a new one.

It's also difficult to focus the search for a new one when you're not so sure what you actually want to do.

And with this whole event scoring way up there on the "stress scale," I'm having a hard time focusing on anything else, basically.

To the point that, had I not booked a non-refundable rate for our hotel next week, I would have canceled our trip to Atlanta all together. But maybe that was meant to be; hopefully I'll have fun for a few days and forget what ails me!

And thanks to you all for the comments to yesterday's post! I appreciate the support more than you know, and I thrive on the optimism of others...especially when it's hard for me to find my own! :-) xoxoxo

Changes on the Horizon

2010-06-09T07:38:00.003-04:00

Well, I was hoping that when I returned to blogging, it would be on a positive note. And while there is potential for good things to happen, the motivation that has brought me back is fear.

Yesterday, I was informed that my job will essentially be eliminated in approximately five months. In November. Ironically, my ten year anniversary with my company is in August.

A huge part of me is scared. The job market in Tampa is horrendous. Any change in this department is going to affect my lifestyle significantly.

Another part of me is secretly excited for the opportunity to finally find something that I love. Except for the problem that lies in the fact that I have no idea what it is that I would love. And that lingering issue of a craptastic job market.

::sigh::

Anyway, this is why I've finally returned to blogging: to document the countdown to a dramatic change in my employment situation.

Tips, suggestions, words of wisdom? All will be gladly accepted!

xoxoxo

Spring Cleaning Craziness

2010-05-18T20:33:00.003-04:00

Those of you who follow my tweets might have noticed that I was doing a bit of Spring cleaning this weekend and yesterday. I completely cleared out our office, painted it, and then tackled the last of the boxes from our move {ahem...2 years ago} that we discovered in the closet {sad...didn't know they were there!}.

Anyway, I thought I might entertain you all with a run-down of some of the things that I found in said boxes. Go ahead and judge; I would! ;-)

a tequila bottle {Jose Cuervo 1800, if you must know} completely filled with pennies
2 Cisco routers {Phil's}
a fiber optic cable cleaning kit {Phil's}
my fugly high school varsity jacket {pic below...horrid...and now on its way to the dump}
a journal of mine from 1997 {which will provide future blog entertainment, for sure}
all the poems I wrote in high school and college {I am published, believe it or not}
a Halloween costume from when I was maybe 3 years old
filters {I think?} for Phil's cigar humidor, which I'm pretty sure he no longer owns
a bunch of framed and autographed comic book covers {obviously Phil's}

Ah. So many laughs. Which, in the end, makes it all totally worth it. Along with the streamlined office. :-)

My God-awful high school varsity jacket. Vomitous colors!!

Monday Mantra: May 17, 2010

2010-05-17T07:51:00.002-04:00

This week is going to be my first full 5-day work week in a while. Boo. {Insert whining here}

I believe that I am pretty darn handy for a girly-girl.

I'm addicted to candlelit bubble baths & perfumed French soap.

I wish that my office would magically put itself back together after yesterday's deep cleaning and painting adventure.

I'm envious of the way very young children can be so carefree about how they are perceived.

Soundtrack/Mantra for the week: "Can miles truly separate you from friends.... If you want to be with someone you love, aren't you already there?" ~ Richard Bach

Ridiculously Behind {in All Aspects of Life}

2010-05-04T17:00:00.000-04:00

How did this happen? I am so far behind with everything lately. Work, 1/2 marathon training, working with my tax accountant, blogging, responding to personal emails, etc. About the only thing that I have stayed somewhat up to date on is my volunteer stuff.

Speaking of which, this evening I officially "graduate" and become an Active member of the Junior League of Tampa! I am so excited for the Annual Dinner tonight! :-) I've also been working on a tiling project for JLT and Mary Lee's House that I should finish tomorrow. And then I can finally, finally post some photos of what has consumed a great deal of my life over the past few months. :-)

Anyway, I just wanted to pop in here so y'all know that I haven't completely dropped off the blogosphere. I hope to do a little blogging this weekend ~ we'll be in Ponte Vedra, enjoying The Players Championship at Sawgrass (not so excited about seeing Tiger this year), a little relaxation, and Phil's cousin's college graduation!

More soon! Love to you all! I really do miss communicating via this mechanism & will get back to it!

Monday Mantra: April 26, 2010

2010-04-26T17:00:00.001-04:00

This week simply must be better than my weekend was. I can't take any more bad for a while.

I believe that I still have a lot of emotional growth and healing to do in my life.

I'm addicted to searching for inspiration.

I wish that I was really looking forward to something right now.

I'm jealous of people who can do things that I can't. Real specific, eh?

Soundtrack/Mantra for the week : “If you only do what you know you can do, you never do very much.” ~ Tom Krause

Get Down With the Sickness

2010-04-20T07:48:00.005-04:00

Ugh. I don't get full-on, knocked-down sick very often. But when I do? Whatever I get inevitably lingers and doesn't want to let go. And that is what I've been struggling with for the past week, unfortunately. :( I still don't even know exactly what's "wrong" with me, but I'm finally on day 2 of antibiotics. Because the experiment with decongestants and allergy meds (we've been experiencing record pollen levels) didn't really do much to help.

So today I have decided to embark on a detox of fresh juices, herbal teas and raw salads. There are other elements, such as a mineral bath and dry brushing, but I won't go into all the details. No caffeine will be the toughest part, but it's only one day so I will live! I also plan to run and do Bikram tonight in an effort to sweat out whatever toxins are hanging on inside my body. Hopefully all this will help me feel better ASAP!

Despite not feeling great, I did make it to Jacksonville over the weekend and got to hang with my mom and my nephew. Little B is getting so big, and now he can actually smile of his own accord. Which is highly entertaining, and caused me to spend the entire weekend making him smile that cute little smile of his. What fun! Here are a few photos from our time together...

Monday Mantra: April 12, 2010

2010-04-12T17:00:00.001-04:00

This week is going to be busy as usual! Lots of working out, Junior League on Wednesday, heading to Jacksonville for a couple days with my mom and nephew on Thursday... Whew!

I believe that the Rays are the real deal. Despite our 2 losses to the Yankees this weekend.

I'm addicted to watching the replay of Steven Stamkos' 51st goal of the season last night.

I wish that I loved my job.

I'm jealous of people who do love their jobs.

Soundtrack/Mantra for the week : “Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.” ~ Drew Carey

The Day I've Been Waiting For: Rays Home Opener!!

2010-04-06T07:48:00.002-04:00

It's here! It's finally, finally HERE! Opening Day for the Rays: the day I've been counting down for the past 6 months! :-)

In honor of this fantastic-ness, I will share with you Evan Longoria's New Era commercial, which premiered on Sunday evening during the Red Sox-Yankees game. Please note that it was filmed in Tampa, which makes it even cooler. Quite possibly one of the best baseball-related commercials ever, if you ask me! :-)

Monday Mantra: April 5, 2010

2010-04-05T17:00:00.001-04:00

This week is going to be amazing! How could it not? Tomorrow is Opening Day at the Trop, for crying out loud!! Baseball is back, baby!
I believe that good things are coming.
I'm addicted to the sunshine.
I wish that my friends and family never had to deal with pain. (wishful thinking indeed!)
I'm jealous of my dogs sometimes; they live the good life. :-)
Soundtrack/Mantra for the week : “People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." ~ Rogers Hornsby

My Smoothie Brings All the Boys to the Yard

2010-03-31T07:47:00.003-04:00

Since I love you all so much, I'm going to share a secret with you! :-)

Almost every morning, I have the most delicious smoothie for breakfast. It's yummy, healthy, and cost effective, as I make it myself.

Wait. Did I mention healthy? Hee. I am all about the health, which is what has inspired me to share. Now granted, most people will wrinkle their noses when they see the ingredient list...but I promise it really is good! And if you think I am just crazy? Well, then I refer you to the tag line that Dawn has bestowed upon me: "Awesome, but lovably insane." :-)

Brandi's Amazing Smoothie

1 cup frozen mixed berries
1/2 banana
1/3 cup vanilla soy yogurt (you can use regular! I also use peach Kefir at times)
1 Tbsp wheatgrass powder
1 Tbsp aloe vera juice
1 Tbsp flax oil
Bee pollen (as much or little as you'd like)
Water (to desired consistency)

Blend all this together (I prefer an immersion blender...easier to control and less mess). And voila! You have an amazing, healthy breakfast or snack!

Just because I love you all, dear readers! Happy Hump Day!

Random Tuesday

2010-03-30T19:03:00.003-04:00

Wow - only my second week for "Monday Mantra," and I already missed it. Well, that pretty much sums up my blogging commitment so far this year, doesn't it? Oh well, life goes on. :-)

So my bloggy friend Chele76 just informed me that Netflix streaming is going to be available for the Wii sometime this Spring! I am beyond excited! And now I am motivated to upgrade our Internet access to 40 Mbps! Cannot. Wait.

I went down to Port Charlotte with my pal Ingrid on Sunday to cheer the Rays on against the Pirates. We had a great time, and even went over to the bullpen to say hi to my favorite relieving pitcher, Dan Wheeler. And I think he remembered me. We chatted back and forth a couple times and I have to admit that I was enjoying the looks from people that seemed to say, "You KNOW him?" Phil's text to me in response to all that: "That's how you ROLL!" :-)

After the game, we decided to hone our stalking skills by going to the bar-restaurant where we thought the players were going to be hanging. While we were unsuccessful at finding any players, we did end up having a conversation with an elderly gentleman who obviously wanted to talk. And what did he want to talk about? Magic mushrooms?!? I kid you not. He asked me, completely out of the blue, if I'd ever done them. After almost snorting my beer, I then became very self conscious about the first impressions I give off. I mean, I can't really look like someone who would have tried 'shrooms?! Oh well, I guess he was elderly and probably just looking for someone to talk to... He did teach me a great new saying, though: "Don't panic, it's organic!" Ha ha!

On Friday, Phil and I are driving up to Raleigh-Durham, NC! We're going to watch the Rays vs Durham Bulls exhibition game on Saturday. I can't wait! We get to see my friend Stephanie again, and hopefully grab some more player autographs. Beside that, I love the Raleigh area and it will be fun to visit again, even for just a day. And on the way home, we're going to visit Jackie and Scott so Phil can finally meet Little B! Yay!

Hmmmm. What else? Oh, yes. I feel the need to take out some aggression on some golf balls in a bad way. I feel a driving range visit coming up soon! I may even try the batting cages; that sounds like fun. :-)

I am also very irritated that the Lightning game is not on TV tonight. I mean, come on! The season is almost over, we're not going to the playoffs...and I am in need of a hockey fix! Grrrr.

Finally, I am currently sipping a 2007 Kuleto Syrah that is rocking my world. I thought I was going to be opening it way too early, but I was wrong. It is absolutely divine. I love, love, love Kuleto wines. Which reminds me that I STILL need to sit down and type up a summary of our Napa Valley tour from September... ::sheepish grin:: Anyway, Kuleto is one of 3 wine clubs we joined, and we did not make a mistake!

I Amaze Even Myself

2010-03-27T16:56:00.008-04:00

I think I mentioned recently that I had done something completely insane and signed up for four hours of spinning for charity! I have to admit that even I was doubting my ability to make it through yesterday. MOI, one of the most competitive people I know...and I was actually wondering if I'd be able to make it through?

Well, guess what I learned yesterday, folks? I am capable of anything that I put my mind to. I believe we all are.

Not only did I technically spin for more than four hours... I did it without a single break!! I even came out of the saddle every.single.time the instructors did! Granted, I paced myself. If the instructor said we should be at an 8 (out of 10 on the effort scale), I hung around a 6. I'm no idiot; I knew I couldn't kill myself for 4 hours straight! But according to my heart rate monitor, I burned 2675 calories! Holy metabolism boost, Batman!!

Anyway, I did this event last year (for only an hour back then), and it's a lot of fun. The money goes toward the Building Strong Kids campaign; essentially, it is used to send underprivileged children to YMCA camps during the summer to keep them active and off the streets. It's a great cause! They switch spin instructors every 30 minutes (so there is absolutely no slacking), and the bikes go outside near the pool with the music cranking and group singing participation encouraged. Volunteers bring around water, bananas, smoothies, etc. They even had a massage therapist available for 10 minute sessions during the ride (tempting, but I'm too hardcore to take a break - ha!).

So if anyone is wondering how on Earth it feels to make it through 4 hours of spinning, here's a breakdown of how I was feeling as the ride progressed:

30 minutes in: Piece of cake. A little hot outside and I was sweating, but felt like I could go forever.

1 hour in: Awesome. Sun was beating on my right side whenever we did standing climbs, but still felt like I could go forever.

2 hours in: OK, I still felt like I could handle it. My quads started complaining just a little, but I felt good.

2 hours and 45 minutes in: NOW I started to feel some pain. My hamstrings and calves had started complaining, and I literally felt like I could feel every individual muscle fiber in my quads.

3 hours and 30 minutes in: Only 30 minutes left, so I knew I could do it, but it dawned on me that I would be doing good to just be able to walk when I was finished.

{Note: the very last instructor was the most hardcore of all of them - oh joy!!}

At the end, after over 4 hours of nonstop riding: My legs were on FIRE!! When I dismounted, I felt so wobbly and sore that I wasn't sure I would be able to walk at all! Phil showed up with 2 bananas and Gatorade for me (what a sweetie!), and he was concerned about how I looked.

But I still had a smile on my face! Proof (sorry - iPhone photo, not great quality):

And here's a photo that Phil took when there were about 15 minutes left in the ride:

I am happy to report that about 30 minutes after finishing the ride last night, my legs felt perfectly fine, as though I hadn't just put them through major trauma! When I woke up this morning, they were a little sore. It didn't keep me from walking the dogs, however. And then I went and got an awesome massage at my Aveda salon, before coming home and helping Phil clean up the lanai and the pool. Now my legs feel absolutely fine again.

So I say to you all: Challenge yourself! Go outside your comfort zone often! This is the only way to live. :-)

Thoughtful Thursday: Personal Worth Edition

2010-03-25T19:28:00.002-04:00

This will be short, but something has been bugging me and has me wondering... Why do strong, independent people (including myself) let others determine our feelings of personal worth? Meanwhile, the other person may or may not have a flipping clue that they have this sort of power. It's all brought about by ourselves, our feelings of inadequacy and our desire to be loved... We focus these feelings on a person (or multiple people) and we put them on a pedestal as the judge(s) of our worth.

Why, oh why, do intelligent people do this? And how do we overcome this?

All this internal thought and turmoil has led to a decision on my part to purge myself of toxic relationships. Even if they're only toxic because of my own fault. Don't worry, there's no major revelation coming...I just have a few relationships that need to end because of these reasons.

Life is so complicated!

Monday Mantra: March 22, 2010

2010-03-22T07:41:00.003-04:00

OK, I am shamelessly copying Valerie and Rachel, among others, and starting the week off with a Monday Mantra post. I figure that I need to set positive intentions for myself each week; might as well do it here! ;-)

So here we go:

This week will be a good one, but the "busy" theme will continue. Thankfully, it's another 4 day work week for me!
I believe that I will be able to survive the four hours of spinning that I will be subjecting my body to on Friday! ;-)
I'm addicted to running!
I wish we had a big vacation coming up...
I'm jealous of people who seriously believe that our government officials have our best interests in mind. I think that I'd be much better able to handle the current political environment if I could only believe that.
Soundtrack/Mantra for the week: "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." ~ Thomas Jefferson

Disclaimer: I rarely discuss politics in this blog, and that's not going to change. But since there are some things fresh in my mind, I thought it appropriate to incorporate some of my thoughts here. Don't worry, I'm not going all tea party on y'all. :-)

Swamped!

2010-03-18T07:28:00.005-04:00

Oh my! I had such great intentions of blogging every other day this week, but it looks like that venture has become a FAIL. Oh well!

Here's a quick update on what's been going on:

~ On Saturday, I went to work at Mary Lee's House in the culmination of the big project I've been leading at the Junior League of Tampa! I'm happy to report that all went extremely well! I had the perfect number of volunteers (including my awesome husband!), and we made quick work of the task at hand. We replaced dead plants in their landscaping, added mulch, replaced dead potted plants, added some new potted peace lilies, 2 new gorgeous benches, 8 brand new rocking chairs, and 2 lovely bronze hose pots. In fact, I will post some before and after pictures as soon as I have a chance! I still have a bit more work to do there by the end of April, but it's all downhill from here. ;-)

~ On Sunday, Phil and I ran a Shamrock 5K! I am so proud of Phil for doing this less than a month after his surgery! He jogged the first 3/4 mile with me, then hung back while I took off. I've never run a 5K race before, so I wasn't sure what kind of time I'd get. I ended up coming in just under 33 minutes, and I'm pleased with that starting point. (Having a starting time is motivational - I went to the gym and ran 3 miles in 30 minutes yesterday, just to prove I could.)

~ THEN we went to Lakeland to watch the Rays play the Tigers (spring training still) at "Tigertown." Evan Longoria put on quite the show during pregame stretching, and Phil was kind enough to catch some of it on camera for li'l ol' me. ;-) Unfortunately, we lost - but we're still leading the Grapefruit league by a game and a half! Woot!

~ THEN we came back to Tampa to watch the Lightning take on the Penguins. It was a good game, but unfortunately we lost yet again. (Side note: playoff chances? Last I checked, around 5%. Bye-bye, post-season!)

(Sunday was a LONG day and we were EXHAUSTED by the time we got home!)

~ On Monday evening, Phil was nice enough to accompany me to my very first Project Management Institute (PMI) dinner meeting. The speaker was Andy Crowe, who talked about Alpha Managers. Very interesting discussion.

~ On Tuesday evening, I had a mandatory Junior League meeting - our Placement Fair for next year! It was pretty fun, kind of like a job fair but instead we listened to the different committees give their spiels. I enjoyed learning about all the committees, but lucky for me I was pre-selected for a specific placement next year and didn't have to worry about choosing my favorite committees. Next year, my first Active year, I will be the Electronic Communications Editor - sending out the weekly League updates via email. I'm excited about this; it's a perfect fit for me! And so very honored that I was selected as a Provisional for a specific position. ;-) After the Fair, a bunch of us girls went out to Timpanos for ladies night and had a blast.

~ Yesterday we actually relaxed somewhat, going to dinner and then picking up some groceries and Thank You cards (which I started writing last night - see first bullet). Funny how I can work out for hours each day, but writing a few Thank You cards makes my forearm sore!

~ Tonight we're off to the Lightning game again.

~ Tomorrow were heading down to stay on Gasparilla Island and watch the Rays take on the Yankees in Port Charlotte.

~ Saturday, we'll watch the Rays face the Twins at Port Charlotte, then head back to Tampa for the Lightning game (yes, we're truly insane).

~ Sunday, we're heading over to Kissimmee to see the Braves play the Cardinals!

Any questions? :-)

Weekend Wrap-Up

2010-03-08T07:57:00.003-05:00

I have been such a blogging slacker lately! The reason for that? Not pure laziness, I assure you! Just a lot going on, because it seems that no matter how much I pack into my life, I need to add more constantly (the classic struggle of the ego, according to the Deepak Chopra book I'm reading right now).

So here's what went on last weekend in the world of Brandi (and my sidekick, Phil, of course):

~ I had a chiropractor appointment in St. Petersburg Saturday morning, so I dragged Phil with me and we found a new breakfast spot across the pond.

~ Then we ran lots of errands (grocery shopping, etc.).

~ Then Phil took a nap while I went to the gym and ran.

~ Then it was time for the Lightning hockey game! We got there early and got to see the Stanley Cup from 2004. While we were getting in line for that, we were picked to compete against each other in the trivia game during the 1st period (I swear I attract attention)! So we sat up in the club level while we waited to get on camera. It's funny - the production crew remembered us from the last time we were on camera. ;-) Technically, I won the trivia game, but we both knew the answers to all 3 questions. We were told that we were the best duo ever. ;-) We won tickets to an XFC fighting event, which I have to admit we're not overly thrilled about...but maybe we'll check it out. Who knows?

~ On Sunday I met up with Dawn and we were off to Walt Disney World to cheer on K13 in her first 1/2 marathon!! It was freezing cold and so early, but we managed to catch her at the 4 and 8 mile markers, as well as the finish line. We were so proud of her for not only finishing, but under her goal time as well!

~ Then we went off to Epcot and had a grand time. It was my very first time at the Disney World complex, and I ended up getting an annual pass just to keep myself going back - and I'm so glad I did because there is so much to explore just at Epcot alone! Not to mention Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios! Can't wait to go back!

And actually, watching the Disney Princess 1/2 marathon inspired me so much that I have signed up for a couple 5Ks and my first 1/2 marathon ever!! I will be running the Disney inaugural Wine & Dine Half Marathon at the beginning of October. EEK! I'm already nervous! ;-)

Lots more fun stuff on tap this week/weekend, too! Stay tuned, I'll be better about blogging, I swear!

Thoughtful Thursday: Purpose Edition

2010-03-04T07:20:00.006-05:00

I'm going to try to make this post thought-provoking, rather than have it be a complete vent (which is what I truly need). Let's see if I'm successful...

Throughout my life, I've been promoted and/or encouraged to take on leadership positions. This constantly surprises me because (a) I used to be painfully shy, and (b) I don't have the highest level of self-confidence (sadly). But I suppose some of it comes from my genes, as my father is a natural born leader and truly one of the best I know. And that's not just my bias talking...everyone and their dog thinks my dad is the best leader ever. True story.

Anyway, so I've felt kind of "pushed" into leadership positions from an early age. For instance, I was elected class president in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades if I remember correctly. I don't even remember what I did as class president that early on, but I do remember feeling pressured at that tender age. The trend has only continued through my school/college years (who was always picked to lead team projects? moi) and then even early in my career.

And I have to admit that, despite extreme discomfort in many situations, over the past year I feel like I've finally started to come into my own - a little bit - as a leader. But it's taken me so long to feel this way, and I know there is so much more that I need to learn...so much more growing that I need to do. I'm mediocre at best. I am not the spitting image of my father. And I'm still not completely convinced that leading is what I am meant to do - my purpose, so to say.

So to me, that begs some questions... Specifically, if I were living my purpose, or even getting closer to it, would I know it? Wouldn't I be able to get beyond any shadow of a doubt about this? Wouldn't there be some sort of voice to guide me, one that is strong enough to be heard over the ruckus of my daily distractions?

I wish I knew the answers, I really do. Anyone have words of advice for me? Has anyone out there found their purpose? And if so, how did you know?

Disclaimer: I've been up since 1:30 this morning. Just in case this makes absolutely no sense. And though the publish time will appear to be around 7:00 AM, it is actually 8:30 PM right now. :-)

Fashionista Friday: Spring Fever Edition

2010-02-27T20:12:00.004-05:00

I know this is late, but I must post it now because this crappy weather is driving me crazy! When will Spring finally arrive? When it does, I want to wear this:

Dreaming of Spring by southernmojo featuring Tory Burch shoes

Items in this set:
Oversized tank, $20
CROCHET SKIRT, $27
Tory Burch 'Miller' Logo Thong, $195
AURELIE BIDERMANN - SILVER STAR BRACELET, 175 EUR
Rebecca Minkoff Double Wrap Pyramid Stud Leather Bracelet, $78

ThoughtLESS Thursday

2010-02-25T07:25:00.005-05:00

Wow, my brain is pretty much fried, and I feel like I have nothing thoughtful to share on this cold Thursday! :(

So instead, let me catch you up on matters that require minimal brain function on my part. :-)

~ Phil's surgery was Tuesday last week and it went remarkably well! He only had to stay in the hospital one night, and then I had him home sometime around 1:00 PM on Wednesday, after a stop for lunch at Panera. He pretty much had his energy back by Saturday (more on this below). And he even returned to work on Monday! He's reported basically no discomfort and he feels well. Thank you, God, for miracles like these! ;-)

~ On Saturday, we went to Rays Fan Fest (clicky for some awesome photos)!! We met my friend Ingrid, her husband, and our new friend Stephanie for breakfast at Dome Grill in St. Pete before heading over. Ingrid and I had been talking to Stephanie on Twitter and via email for many months, but this was our first time meeting her - and we had a blast! It was also tons of fun to meet Ingrid's hubby as well - especially since we have seats next to them at the Rays game this season (we have a partial season plan). :-)

~ On Sunday, all of us (minus Ingrid's hubby) embarked upon a road trip to Port Charlotte to watch the Rays spring training workout! --> awesome photos here <-- So much fun! And we got lots of great workout tips for ourselves. ;-) Between both Rays events last weekend, I managed to get 13 autographs on my new baby blue jersey so far! ~ Yesterday, a colleague and friend whom I admire very much gave me the greatest honor of my career: she interviewed me about leadership skills and tips! I was simply blown away and very humbled by this. To think that someone believes I embody any semblance of a good leader...that is both inspiring and motivational for me!

~ Tonight, Phil and I are going to a Lightning Unplugged event, where 3 Lightning players will be speaking and answering questions from the audience, as well as signing autographs. And it takes place at an establishment I've been wanting to visit - Tilted Kilt. So with any luck, I'll have 6 autographs on my white Lightning jersey tonight, and maybe some good photos as well. ;-)

~ More fun plans in the works for the weekend - especially going to Lowry Park Zoo with Dawn! Hopefully we will have some awesome photos of rhino and giraffe feeding to share next week! ;-)

~ There was a PYGMY RATTLESNAKE on our lanai last night, apparently! And Chelsie tried to play with it! I found this out as I came home from Bikram last night. Phil {who is deathly afraid of snakes} had just killed the thing when I walked in. I don't have a problem with snakes - except when they're of the poisonous variety, they're threatening my dogs, and they're practically in my house!!!

OK, that's all I've got for today, folks. My brain's about to explode!

In Lieu of an Actual Post

2010-02-24T07:57:00.005-05:00

Yeah, yeah...I really need to blog, because I have a lot to say! I've just been so darn busy.

So until I have a chance to write a proper post (hopefully tonight or tomorrow morning), I shall leave you with this...

I got to meet Victor Hedman again last night! And from the looks of it, he was hopefully entertained and/or amused by my babbling. :-) Not only did I get his autograph on my actual #77 Hedman jersey, but I also had a puck autographed for Little B (who, as we all know, is the world's 2nd biggest Hedman fan at nearly 3 months of age). :-)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-13T21:06:00.002-05:00

To all my friends and lovies out there, Happy Valentine's Day!

Yes, I agree that it's a "Hallmark holiday." And Phil and I have long abandoned giving each other gifts on this day (shoot - I can't even find a card that I don't think is lame, never mind the gift).

But I do think it's nice to have a day when we remember to tell our loved ones (and I'm NOT talking solely about significant others here) what they mean to us. We should do that constantly, but hey - if it takes a Hallmark holiday to remind us, then I'll take it.

What are Phil and I doing today? We have dinner reservations at a restaurant we've never visited before - 717 South. So we'll enjoy a nice, romantic, relaxing dinner together before Phil's surgery on Tuesday.

So I hope everyone takes a moment today just to tell friends & family how much they mean to us. And if you're reading this, then I wish YOU a very happy Valentine's Day, I and thank you for being a part of my life!

Winter Olympics

2010-02-13T09:51:00.004-05:00

I have to admit, I'm not really a big fan of the Winter Olympics. I mean, I hate cold weather, so I've never been big into winter sports myself. Additionally, the Olympics cause a two-week break in the NHL season (I'm whining again). But on that note, I suppose that I will try to catch some of the hockey games. Go Team USA ~ and Lightning Olympian Ryan Malone! :-)

That said, I actually did sit and watch most of the Opening Ceremonies last night. My reaction? Wow!! Lots of cool stuff, from the gigantic lit polar bear, to the 3-D CGI whales, and the enormous Avatar-like glowing tree. We got a little too much of the indigenous/aboriginal theme (there are other people in Canada, right?) and I definitely could have gone without the less-than-awesome Nelly Furtado-Bryan Adams duet. But overall, super impressive! My only true critique: Uzbekistan totally got the shaft; their delegation came between Team USA and Team Canada, and they weren't even shown on camera. That's a shame.

Also, I'd vote for the media to not show slow-mo repeats of the luging accident in which the Georgian athlete died. Please. It's one thing if the video was playing live during the accident, but quite another to show repeat after repeat of it after the fact, knowing the outcome. Morbid.

Anyway, I don't have much else to talk about. I was in St. Louis on business most of this week and had no time for blogging.

I did fail to mention here that I officially finished my Bikram Challenge last week, however! Go me! ;-) I rewarded myself with a Key Lime cupcake from Sweetie's Delights, and I will be purchasing for myself a six month unlimited yoga package as my "big" reward for finishing. I'll need to post a photo of my t-shirt when I receive it as well. Yeah!!

Oh! One more thing ~ I am so proud of Phil this morning! He went off to volunteer with some painting at the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay! My do-good influence must be rubbing off on him. ;-)

Complete and Utter Fabulosity

2010-02-09T06:30:00.007-05:00

The past 3 days have been amazing. Completely and utterly amazing!

Why, you ask?

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you:

With Evan Longoria, the phenomenal third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays! 2008 American League Rookie of the Year, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, and MLB 2K10 cover athlete! And my favorite baseball player. :-)
AND...

On the left, Mattias Ohlund ~ Assistant Captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning, member of the 2010 Swedish Olympic team, and mentor to... Victor Hedman (right) ~ star rookie defenseman for the Lightning, and my favorite hockey player!!
Unbelievably, we ran into Evan at the hockey game on Saturday night, after 1st period. He was behind us in the beer line, and got carded just like the rest of us! :-) He was extremely friendly - didn't even hesitate when Phil asked if he'd pose for a photo with me. I was a little bit star-struck, so unfortunately the first time I was photographed with him I could think of absolutely nothing intelligent to say. It took all my willpower not to pass out, in fact! The second time I was photographed with him (after 2nd period), I came up with a few intelligent words, luckily. But how lucky am I??

And yesterday, Ohlund and Hedman were at The Shops at Wiregrass doing a free signing. Since Victor is my favorite (along with my beloved Martin St. Louis), you know I was all over this. I got a new white/away jersey just to start collecting autographs, and Phil got a white hat. They basically limited it to 2 people at the table at a time, so I immediately started chatting the players up (I was much less freaked out than when I met Evan - probably because it was actually expected this time!). I congratulated Mattias on making the Olympic team and wished him luck. And I told Victor I am his biggest fan. To which he and Mattias laughed over the fact that another girl had just said the same thing. I said she was lying. :-) They didn't hesitate when Phil asked if they'd pose for a photo with me; they were both so very nice. Victor asked if I wanted to be in the middle and I said, "Suuuuure...highlight how short I am!" Ha! Then I congratulated Victor on his stellar season before floating right out the front door with Phil. YEAH!

So, like I said...the past 3 days have proven to be nothing but complete and utter fabulosity!! :-)

Oh - and FYI, here are the players' heights (I'm obsessed with height)...

Longoria - 6'2"
Ohlund - 6'4"
Hedman - 6'6"!!

I just knew 2010 was going to be amazing! :-)

Oh, for the record: my blue Bolts jersey (which is a Hedman jersey, by the way) shall forever be recognized as my "lucky" jersey. And it shall never be washed again! Hehehe

Super Bowl XLIV ~ Where Our Loyalties Lie

2010-02-07T08:16:00.002-05:00

We in the O household are Colts fans through and through, sooo...

GO COLTS!!

Fashionista Friday: Business Trip Edition

2010-02-07T07:33:00.006-05:00

Well, I'm late with my Friday post. I actually attempted to be on time, but I was having technical difficulties locating the photos that I had planned to use.

You see, on Friday I took the day off and actually went shopping! In addition to 2 Bikram classes and lunch at the always-fabulous Grape. But my main goal was shopping at International Plaza for a couple work-worthy outfits for my business trip to St. Louis next week.

Though it may seem that I am on the road for business quite often and that I should have plenty of appropriate attire, I assure you that is not the case. Seriously - working from home about 90% of the time wreaks havoc on the balance of business attire in one's closet. My closet literally consists of a 3-way balance among workout clothes, little summer dresses, and sports jerseys. I kid you not. Hence, the necessity of my shopping trip!

I did have success at Victoria's Secret (this qualifies!!) and Ann Taylor Loft. In fact, at Loft I got a great pair of gray pin-striped pants and the most adorable white button-down shirt with corsage detailing on it. {And I may or may not have picked up a cute little summer dress as well...D'oh!} The only issue? I couldn't find any darn pictures to post here!

So instead, you get photos of some items that I just got from my beloved J. Crew, which will also be accompanying me on this trip. Because nothing says stylish business attire like J. Crew! Also, their clothes are easy to layer - an essential requirement for travel to frigid St. Louis! So tell me what you think:

The Frances Cami

Bling button sweater

A perfect pencil skirt

LOVE this sash belt with flower details!

Thoughtful Thursday: Lifted Truck Edition

2010-02-04T07:16:00.003-05:00

OK, this won't be a long-winded post by any means.

I just have a couple questions that maybe someone can help me answer:

1. What is the deal with lifted trucks in southern Florida??

2. Is it really necessary to roll down the highway in what looks like a monster truck? Is it some sort of fail-safe in case of massive flooding?

3. How do they not tip over when some of their idiot drivers fly around turns?

4. Would driving a lifted truck make me cooler?? More attractive? More popular? ;-P

Let's try this on for size...maybe I could lift my Trailblazer so it looks like this:

OK, maybe not! Ha ha!

And with that, I will leave you with my favorite Bud Light commercial. Which, by the way, is just so apropos for southern Florida!

The Bad & The Good: Some Updates

2010-02-03T07:45:00.007-05:00

A few quick updates, as I've had basically no time for blogging recently...

~ I did not get to go to Gasparilla this weekend. Instead, I was stuck doing work, cramming to meet a deadline...

~ ...and yet I did not meet that deadline because other people are apparently unable to hold up their end of a bargain...

~ To make matters worse, "someone" managed yesterday to un-do about half the work that I did over the weekend.

~ I'm traveling to St. Louis on business next week.

~ I need a vacation.

~ I need sleep.

~ I need an assistant.

But on to the good:

~ Yesterday I completed class #27 of my Bikram challenge! I actually hope to complete 32 classes by Friday, which would put me at 32 classes in 35 days. Yeah!

~ Superbowl Sunday is fast approaching!! Let's Go Colts!!

~ Evan Longoria, who you know is my favorite baseball player, re-tweeted me again yesterday -- actually twice. Which brings me to a grand total of 3 "exchanges" with him. We're practically BFF. :-)

~ Somehow, despite my ridiculously packed schedule, I've managed to keep up with cooking nutritious meals for Phil and myself. And thank goodness he helps me with the housework, or we'd be lost amidst clutter!

~ There is a meet & greet with two of my favorite Lightning players, Victor Hedman (!!!) and Mattias Ohlund, on Monday night and I am totally going!

Thoughtful Thursday: Gasparilla Edition

2010-01-28T21:30:00.005-05:00

For those of you who aren't near Tampa, you may or may not have heard of Gasparilla. Basically, it's a Pirate festival that includes various events over the course of about a month. The most famous (or infamous) of which is the Pirate Invasion and Parade.

The invasion and parade take place on Saturday this year. And though I'm slightly worried about how bad I've heard it has been in recent years, I want to go and experience it!

Luckily, a friend of a friend lives near the parade route, and the plan is to get the party started early with brunch at her house. Then we can all walk to the parade route and see what's going on. Hopefully without losing any limbs or articles of clothing. :-)

But this does beg the question: What causes people - many whom I assume, like me, are relatively even-keeled during everyday life - to just go wild and let all guards down? I think there are definitely various levels of this. I mean, some people just don't care at all how they act when they're letting loose. I, on the other hand, still care what people think so although I'll definitely have some fun...I still hold back to a certain extent.

I suppose the pressures of everyday life just build up inside of us until we need some sort of outlet. Not necessarily a constructive one, either. For me, I need to let loose a few times per year. Often this happens on vacation, just not in Gasparilla grand style. But obviously, Phil and I had our fun in Vegas and Napa last year. Just having the opportunity to do things you don't have time for in your professional, everyday life is, I suppose, an opportunity to cut loose. Whether it be drinking an extra glass (or bottle) of wine, or lying on a beach to the point of sloth. {I may or may not do these types of things}

How do you let loose? Drinking, dancing, skydiving, vacation...something else? Inspire me! :-)

Overbooked

2010-01-26T07:58:00.003-05:00

And I'm not talking about that situation we all seem to face when waiting to board a flight!

I'm talking about me! This week is seriously insane. Here's what's glaring at me from my calendar:

Monday ~ Spinning, Bikram, work, Emerge Tampa Bay meeting, dinner w/Dad and friends at Cafe Dufrain

Tuesday ~ strength training, work, Bikram, annual Homeowners Association meeting, grocery shopping

Wednesday ~ cardio at gym, work, Junior League committee meeting, Lightning game

Thursday ~ spinning, work, Bikram, dinner w/Dad and Grandfather

Friday ~ Bikram, strength training, possible 1/2 day work, lunch w/Dad, Lightning game

And while much of this is good, fun stuff...I'm still counting down to the weekend. Because I seriously have committed myself to a wee bit too much this week! Anybody else??

Fashionista Friday: Beach Edition

2010-01-23T10:31:00.002-05:00

I'm a wee bit late with this, though I've had my Polyvore set ready for this post for a few days already!

Anyway, Phil and I have been discussing where to take our "big" vacation this year. We always like to go somewhere tropical, and that is even more true this year since we went to Vegas and Napa Valley last year. It's time for some fruity drinks on a beach! I'm currently honing in on Dominican Republic, but have to do a little more investigation into Costa Rica as well. We haven't been to either country yet, and this fits my desire to go someplace new. :-)

All this thought of vacation and tropical beaches has me in a very beachy mood!! So with that in mind, here is what I would be wearing if I were in the tropics right this very minute!

Feeling Beachy by southernmojo featuring O'Neill

Items in this set:
O'neill Dresses - Womens - Red Sea Maxi Dress, $55
Victoria's Secret - Beach Sexy® Swim, $22
Embellished Leather Flip Flops, $35
bamboo large wooden tote, $33
Mannequin Square Frame in Red, $195

Thoughtful Thursday: Body Image Edition

2010-01-21T07:28:00.003-05:00

One of my good friends mentioned to me that, following the Golden Globes, the NY Times had made some less-than-flattering remarks about some absolutely stunning celebrities. In particular, Jennifer Aniston. Whom, for the record, I believe is one of the most beautiful women in the world.

I had absolutely no interest in the Golden Globes and completely tuned out, so I was surprised to hear about all this and had to do some investigating. I found this article, was corroborates the rumor and links to this blurb by the NY Times writer/blogger in question.

While I didn't find the write-up over-the-top offensive, I am disturbed by a couple things. First of all, the writer is a female! And any female is keenly aware of how sensitive we all are to comments about weight. And though I seriously doubt Jennifer Aniston, or any of the other actresses targeted, will spiral into a depression over her words...I still feel that as females we should band together to eliminate the conditions that can lead to eating disorders and the like.

Second of all, what is the point of her so-called observation?? Not only is it ridiculous - even if the writer believes these females are "curvy," the fact remains that they are much thinner than average. But it also promotes the insane scrutiny of women. I mean, seriously...we're now going to start comparing photos of a person's upper arms over the course of time?

If so, I'd like to take a look at photos of the author, because I'd be willing to bet she has no room to criticize these beautiful females. But then again, I want to break this cycle for all of us. So how about this? No more comparisons, no more insensitive words. Let's judge ourselves by how we feel, and each other by what's on the inside. How about it?

Mini Rant: Confrontation During Fine Dining

2010-01-17T10:24:00.005-05:00

Good morning!

Something has been bugging me since last night, so I just had to jump on here and blog before I leave for Bikram!

Yesterday I mentioned that I was taking Phil to Mise en Place. Well, for the most part, dinner was fabulous. The food was excellent, and service was wonderful until...

Our waiter brought out our third course, and it dawned on me that he had never brought out the bottle of wine that I ordered. So as he set down our plates, I asked, "Was our wine going to come out with this?" And anyone who knows me knows that I asked this in a very polite, courteous manner. In fact, in the past I might have just not brought this up at all. However, I've decided that I'm tired of being a complete doormat, and I really did want my wine.

How I thought our waiter would respond was much different from how he actually responded. I imagined he would say, "Oh, I'm so sorry - did you order a bottle of wine? Let me check on that." Or something to that effect, anyway.

Here is how the exchange went (I'm quoting as closely as I can remember)...

Waiter: "Did you order a bottle with {other table server}?"

Me: "No, I ordered it with you when you took our dinner orders."

Waiter: "Oh, no. I asked you if I could bring more cocktails and you said 'not right now.'"

Me: "Actually -"

Waiter (interrupting me now): "No, remember? I asked if you wanted anything and you said no." Blah, blah, blah...he kept repeating this and basically calling me a liar.

Me (finally getting a word in): "I ordered a bottle of Petite Sirah."

He said something about checking - never with an apology - and walked off to the bar. Phil and I just looked at each other in amazement and I mumbled something about how awkward the situation had just become, and how I felt like I had to defend myself from the freaking waiter, of all people.

Our waiter came back a couple minutes later with the bottle of wine that I had, in fact, ordered. He did then apologize for the mix-up and for "basically calling me a liar." So I appreciated that. And they did not charge us for the bottle of wine. Which is also appreciated.

However - and maybe I'm making a bigger deal out of this than I should - I am still a little aggravated about the whole exchange. I mean, why would our waiter automatically assume that I was lying to him?! And also - he misquoted me repeatedly last night...I didn't say a flat-out "no" when he asked if we wanted more cocktails. What I actually said was "I think we will wait for our wine." So he failed all around.

One thing I do know: if we ever go back to Mise en Place, I will request a different server.

Exercise and Food

2010-01-16T18:09:00.004-05:00

Two of my favorite things comprise the subject of this post! :-)

First, a quick update on my Bikram challenge: Today I completed class 12 (of 30)! I can't believe I'm nearing the 50% mark, actually - I feel like I just started. I also wondered, as I began this challenge, if the classes would start to get boring. But they are not. Things are different at each and every class, whether it be my balance, flexibility, the temperature or humidity in the room... All the variances mean that the challenge is different each and every day.

I've also noticed that my flexibility has increased dramatically just in this short amount of time. But the most dramatic change so far? I slept flat on my back last night -- it's the first time I've been able to do that pain-free in years! This means I am significantly strengthening my lower back. Yay!!

And now for the "food" part of this post. Wednesday was Phil's birthday! But he was on a business trip in the D.C. area, so we haven't had a chance to celebrate yet. So tonight we are finally going out for his birthday dinner, and we're going to a restaurant we haven't tried yet: Mise en Place. I'm quite excited, as the menu looks phenomenal (and I figure I've earned a good meal with all the exercise I've been getting). And because it gives me an excuse to wear my new, sparkly gold shoes. :-)

Fashionista Friday

2010-01-15T07:47:00.005-05:00

As you can see, I'm just full of ideas right now. I'm trying so hard not to be completely random 100% of the time, and not to continually resort to popular memes floating about. So I'm inventing my own. :) If they work, cool. If not, no biggie. We'll see if I can stick with it!

So anyway, I've certainly discussed my love of clothes, shoes and accessories many, many times in this blog over the years. And I'm quite fond of "window shopping" online {unfortunately, sometimes my fingers don't get the "window" part of that equation...}. Add in my new obsession with playing on Polyvore, and by golly ~ Fashionista Friday is born!

For today's very first installment, I'm inspired by a very ethereal mood. Light colors, chiffon, candles, a light breeze with a faint musky scent... All of this I can picture in my mind's eye right now. So if money were absolutely no object {I never claimed to be in touch with reality, folks}, this is what my ensemble would look like right at this very second:

Feeling Ethereal by southernmojo featuring Forever21

Items in this set:
Oscar de la Renta, 8.102 EUR
Crochet Cardigan W/ Sash, $35
FENDI - WRAP LYCRA AND PLEXI PLATFORM SANDALS, 895 EUR
Victoria Metallic Leather Tote, $1,550
MARQUIS & CAMUS COLLECTION BY SARAH KANG | NEW YORK, $465

Aren't the shoes and dress the very epitome of fabulosity? Ahhhh. A girl can dream, right? :-)

Thoughtful Thursday

2010-01-14T21:28:00.008-05:00

So one of my self-observations that I made as I reflected on the old year and set intentions for the new is this: I don't ask enough questions.

Why? I'm not sure. It may be rooted in the fact that I have a deep-seated respect for authority that was instilled in me as a child (my father was a career military man, you know). I knew better than to question him (until I was a bratty teenager - ha!). I was taught to respect my elders in general, so I grew up with a {very false} assumption that they were right 100% of the time - teachers, family members, bus drivers, coaches, etc., etc. My poor mom is probably the only adult that I questioned on a regular basis.

Anyway, I digress.

The point of this observation - and the title of this post (and surely more to come) - is that I've set an intention to use Thursday blogging to begin asking all those pressing questions in life. The ones I've never vocalized, for whatever reason. And I invite you all to participate and help me answer these mysteries of life. :)

And thus, "Thoughtful Thursday" is born!!

Today's topic: Idiot Drivers

(why do i have a feeling this topic will come up often?)

So today I was driving on the Expressway into downtown Tampa. The speed limit is 65 mph for a stretch, and as you get closer to the city center it goes down to 55 mph. Makes sense, right?

But what doesn't make sense is being stuck behind someone who is driving 60 mph all through the 65 mph zone...only to speed up to 70 immediately upon entering the 55 zone.

(found here)
Seriously. WTF {excuse my French}, people?

Why why WHY do drivers do this?? Can they not read speed limit signs? Are they distracted? Are they messing with me? Have their brains been consumed by cerebral cortex-sucking zombies?

Or am I just hyper-observant and do I need to calm the heck down?

Somebody, please help me out. I has massive confuzzlement. :-)

I'm Tumbln'

2010-01-12T20:41:00.006-05:00

So, I don't know how many of you have heard of Tumblr, but I've been curious about it for a while.

And then I noticed that Dawn jumped on the bandwagon the other day.

And so, {drumroll, please} I unveil for you: "Brilliant. Resilient." Um, yeah. I used Rihanna lyrics for the title of my Tumblr page. Whatever. ;-) You'll notice that I added a handy-dandy link to my link bar at the top of the page as well!

So what is "Brilliant. Resilient?" It's a place for my thoughts that by no means warrant a full blog post, but really cannot spread their wings and fly when limited by Twitter. Yeah, so I'm still working on a true justification for needing yet another social media outlet. Again, I say "whatever." ;-)

So Unfair (Yes, I am Whining)

2010-01-12T20:30:00.006-05:00

This is going on very close to my house tomorrow night:

Konpoka is the biggest fighter on the Lightning squad, and Stamkos is the phenomenal second-year player who currently has 24 goals under his belt this season alone!

I sooooooooo want to meet them!!

So why can't I? Well, the reason doesn't matter. Just suffice it to say I considered skipping something required, but I would feel too guilty. And so I will go and stop whining now. :-)

In other news, Phil is in DC on a business trip. And I am awfully tired from all my workouts and work-related tomfoolery. Oh well, c'est la vie.

Cold Snap

2010-01-10T20:10:00.006-05:00

Tampa has a deep freeze warning tonight, y'all! Can you believe it?

It has been so very cold this past week. I mean, ridiculously so. To the point that Governor Crist declared a State of Emergency. Which I realize probably makes everyone up north die laughing.

This whole situation is so crazy, that even weather.com has this to say about the current conditions:

I mean - seriously - how is the Pacific Northwest and southern Montana warmer that Tampa right now??

In any event, the silver lining is that I look that much more forward to every Bikram class, in which the room is heated to somewhere between 102-105 degrees. It feels so nice to practice in such a warm room!

Speaking of which, I completed class 6 of 30 today! I'm 20% there! I am so going to rock this challenge! :-) In fact, I am considering going to 2 classes tomorrow. Just for the fun of it. Wheeeeeeee! Is that the yoga high talking? :-)

Looking Back: 2009 in Review

2010-01-08T22:05:00.003-05:00

Yeah, so I already did a wrap-up of 2009. But I saw this on Dawn's and K13's blogs and decided to shamelessly "borrow" the idea. So here we go...

1. What did you do in 2009 that you have never done before?
Rode in a helicopter! Ran a virtual conference. Went to Vegas and Napa Valley. I guess it was kind of exciting. :-)

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for 2010?
I agree with Dawn's answer 100%: "i don't make resolutions. i have a list of various goals i want to achieve but it's a fluid list & not associated with the new year. i crossed some items off in 2009, added some new ones, and hope to keep making progress."

3. Did anyone close to you give birth in 2009?
Obviously! My sister! :-)

4. Did anyone close to you die in 2009?
No. Thank goodness.

5. What countries did you visit this year?
Wow...we actually did NOT leave the U.S. this year! What a concept. :-)

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Phil's complete and total health...no more health scares.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
October 21, 2009 - the day Phil had his stroke, while I was on business in St. Louis. And December 3, 2009 - the day my nephew was born, while I was on business in Norfolk. ::sigh::

8. What was your biggest struggle in 2009?
The struggle to find peace with my job situation, and to find a balance between work and personal life.

9. Did you suffer any illness or injury in 2009?
Ummm, nothing huge. A couple Lyme Disease flares. But I did deal with intestinal parasites. Because THAT'S awesome. {And you thought you came here for polite conversation? Ha ha, joke's on you! ;-)}

10. What was the best thing you bought this year?
Our 5th anniversary vacation to Vegas and Napa Valley. :-)

11. Whose behavior merited celebration?
All my friends and family who showed how much they care every time I was down. I love them all!

12. Whose behavior disappointed you?
Oh man, I can't even say here. Suffice it to say "people who caused conflicts for others."

13. Where did most of your money go?
The IRS! Seriously.

14. What did you get really really excited about this year?
Being accepted to the Junior League of Tampa as a Provisional. The helicopter ride. The trip to Vegas and Napa Valley. Meeting Dawn and Ingrid. Every single Rays, Buccaneers and Lightning game. Finding out I was going to be an aunt.

15. What song will always remind you of 2009?
I have no idea. Maybe something by Taylor Swift, since she seemed to be *everywhere* this year? (Note: I'm not claiming to be a fan.)

16. Compared to this time last year, are you: much happier, much nicer or richer?
I hope that I am much nicer. But then again, I feel like I've been so focused on what's going on in my life that I unfortunately may have been neglecting my friends and family. :(

17. What do you wish you had done more of?
I liked Dawn's answer - take more photos!

18. What do you wish you had done less of?
Complaining.

19. Did you fall in love in 2009?
I did fall in love! When I visited my little nephew for the first time. :-)

20. What was your favorite TV Program in 2009?
Same as the last few years - The Office. The only show that I watch unfailingly. Everything else is sports!

21. What was the best book you read this year?
The Art of Racing in the Rain. Love it. It's written from the perspective of a dog. And obviously I love dogs.

22. What was your greatest musical discovery this past year?
Just allowing myself to listen to whatever makes me happy.

23. What did you want and get?
For Phil to be OK when I found out he was hospitalized.

24. What was the best movie you saw this year?
Slumdog Millionaire

25. What did you do on your birthday and how old did you turn?
I turned 32. We spent the day at home because Phil had just been released from the hospital, but we did have breakfast at The Brunchery with his mom before she left for Jacksonville.

26. What one thing would have made your year more satisfying?
For Phil to have not had to deal with his health scare.

27. How would you describe your personal fashion statement this year?
A balance between prim and proper (90% of the time) and representing my sports teams with Rays, Bucs and Bolts jerseys. :-)

28. What kept you sane this year?
BuSpar, and my friends and family!

29. What celebrity did you fancy the most?
Duh. Evan Longoria! :-)

30. Who did you miss this past year?
My friends in Germany. I was lucky enough to visit my friends in Illinois and my family pretty often!

31. Who were the best new people you met this year?
Dawn, Ingrid, my Junior League girls, and Jen.

32. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned this year.
Don't ever forget to express to your loved ones how important they are to you. Life may be much shorter than you think. You will regret not saying these things if something bad happens.

A Bikram Challenge to Kick Off Twenty Ten

2010-01-07T07:39:00.002-05:00

Yes, folks, I am starting Twenty Ten off with a bang! I have started a Bikram Challenge at the beloved Yogani in Tampa!

So what does the challenge entail? 30 classes in 35 days. That's it. Straightforward and simple, right? :-)

So far, I've completed two classes. Today will be class #3, after a break yesterday. I've been out of my yoga routine for a while, but still I was surprised by how sore I have been the past two days! Geez.

And, because I am really a glutton for punishment, I've been doing other workouts as well! Mostly just cardio at this point, but it's about time to bring weights back into the rotation as well.

But in case you're wondering whether this is a New Year's resolution type thing, wonder no more: I don't do New Year's resolutions. I'll talk about that later.

Have a great day! :-)

Last Week's Sports Awesomeness

2010-01-03T20:22:00.005-05:00

Last week was a great week for sports in the life of Brandi! Wanna know why? Read on...

~ Of the two fantasy football leagues I participated in this year, I made playoffs in both...and I WON one of them! That's right, folks. Little Miss "I Hate Fantasy Football" became a bonafide fantasy football champion on Monday!!

~ We got to see lots of great Lightning hockey this week, including wins against the Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins (which offset our loss against the Montreal Canadiens)!

~ At the Wednesday Lightning game vs. the Canadiens, I was selected to be the Fan of the Game!! This was actually the second time they've asked me to do it, but the first time I've accepted (long story). Anyway, it was so much fun! I got to scream and dance around on the Plaza outside the Forum with Phil and some of the Bolt Brigade while being video'd. During the third period, they played the video and I got to go crazy live on the jumbotron, and then I was presented with an autographed puck! My puck was signed by #13, left wing Alex Tanguay. Yay! :-)

~ On New Year's Eve, I got the coolest surprise of all. My fabulous "baseball boyfriend," the Rays' own Evan Longoria, acknowledged me on Twitter!!! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you are reading the blog of someone who was the recipient of a so-called "celebritweet!" You see, on Christmas, Phil gave me a present that said "To Brandi, From Longo" on the packaging. I thought this was so funny that I took a picture, shared it on Twitter, and mentioned Mr. Longoria in the tweet. He then logged on and "re-tweeted" it to the world, saying it was funny. And that is exactly how I became a Twitter superstar! See for yourself:

So you see, this week in sports has been so fantastic, that it doesn't even matter that we completely froze our tushes at our last Bucs game of the season today (which we happened to lose, of course). The good news there is the fact that we get the 3rd draft pick next year. Woo-hoo! :-)

So now I will leave you with a shot of Mr. Phil (aka "Gangsta P") trying to stay warm at the game today.

Celebrating 4 Years of Bloggy Goodness

2010-01-02T10:28:00.004-05:00

Four years ago today, I decided to start this blog. Originally, it was just going to be my way to chronicle our life as expats in Germany. I planned to write about our travels and post photos so our family back in the States could feel as "in touch" with us as possible.

Over the years - especially this last year - this humble little blog has morphed into so much more than that. It's become a tool for self-reflection. It's become a way for me to reach out and meet some fantastic people, near and far. And it's become a vital part of my personal support system.

Plenty of people don't understand this, thinking that bloggers must be exceptionally egotistical to believe that anyone else would like to read this stuff. And that's fine. But for me, blogging is about so much more.

So I just want to say "Thank You" to anyone who stumbles upon this blog. Thanks for letting me into your world for a few seconds, minutes, or even months and years as the case may be.

And to those of you with whom I've connected outside the confines of this blog: Thank You for taking the time to get to "know" me and interact with me. Thank You for caring. Thank You for enriching my life!

With that, I thought I'd leave you with a list of the countries/areas from which this blog received visits over the past year. Gotta love Google Analytics! :-)

1. USA (duh)
2. Canada
3. Germany
4. Brazil
5. Phillipines
6. United Kingdom
7. Pakistan
8. Israel
9. Greece
10. Finland

And just one of my new mantras for Twenty Ten:

Welcome, 2010!

2010-01-01T00:00:00.005-05:00

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and days o'auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Reflecting on 2009

2009-12-31T13:42:00.007-05:00

Yes, it's that time. 2009 is drawing to a close. And though I've had a lot of negative things to say about the year as of late, I do not want to close out this year on a down note.

Sure, Phil's had plenty of health scares recently. I had my own share of health issues. I traveled frequently for work, resulting in the inevitable woes of living out of a suitcase. I faced scary Florida insect issues while Phil was on one of his many work trips. The IRS burst our bubble earlier in the year. We dealt with the infamous Redneck Neighbors. And we struggled with personal matters that I don't discuss openly in this blog.

Yeah, that's a whole lot of crap. But amazingly, 2009 really wasn't all that bad. In fact, when I really sat and reflected on it (in the bathtub, amidst a sea of honey-scented bubbles, just moments ago!), I realized that there have been so many positives in my life this year. Such as:

~ Our family was blessed with a new addition!

~ Phil and I were lucky enough to celebrate our 5th anniversary in Las Vegas and Napa Valley!

~ I joined the Junior League of Tampa and have been making some great friends as a result. Additionally, I've been given the privilege and honor of being selected for a leadership position amongst our provisional class!

~ The frequent work travel allowed me to see my friends and family in St. Louis quite frequently!

~ I received all kinds of support and made all kinds of friends through this blog, and even through Twitter! I even had the joy and privilege of meeting several people from these mediums "in real life:" Dawn, Ingrid, and Charise! And I hope to meet many more of you very soon. :-)

~ I accomplished quite a bit around the house!

~ We watched lots of our beloved Tampa sports!

~ I discovered medication that helps me control my stress.

~ I got back into a regular yoga practice for part of the year...though I eventually fell out of it, I'm starting again next month. :-)

And there is sooooo much more, but the point of this post wasn't to get into all of the nitty-gritty details. Instead, I wanted to remind myself that - despite the fact that I've openly threatened to "kick 2009 in the groin" - this year was much better than I've managed to remember.

So may 2010 be even better than 2009 for all of us. May we all be healthy and prosperous, both physically and in our souls. And for me, personally, my goal is to keep the good times in mind and the bad times far from the forefront.

Happy New Year, everyone! :-)

Introducing "Little B"

2009-12-19T07:50:00.009-05:00

I know I've been gone a while, but this definitely warrants a post (albeit a little late).

First of all, I'd like to announce that my nephew Bennett was born at 4:49 AM on December 3, 2009.

He came a couple weeks early, but I totally called it - I knew he'd be born while I was on a business trip in Norfolk and couldn't rush over to Jacksonville. Because obviously, the world revolves around me. :) But I am glad that he was born a few weeks before Christmas, instead of a few short days as his due date would have indicated!

Anyhow, I did not have a chance to come meet "Little B" (yes, this is the ingenious nickname I coined yesterday...hehehe) right away due to the business trip and then Phil's subsequent angiogram & recovery (more on that soon). But this weekend finally presented a short window of opportunity for me to come visit! So after a morning volunteer session at Boys and Girls Club yesterday, I hit the road in icky, rainy Florida weather to gt to Jacksonville. Four hours and five traffic jams later, I made it to Jackie & Scott's with a fresh Starbucks latte in hand.

My big goal last night was to babysit solo so that Jackie & Scott could have their first "adult" night since Little B's birth - at Scott's work Christmas party. So I had a couple hours to learn from Jackie how to hold him, change his diaper, make his bottle and feed him, use his swing, etc.

Have I ever mentioned the fact that I've never spent time around babies before? Nor had I changed a diaper. Strangely, I didn't feel nervous.

Anyway, I declare the evening a success! Not only did I manage to soothe little man when he acted upset, but I also managed to eat, change my own clothes, give the dogs attention, AND catch a Victor Hedman assist during the Lightning-Blues game. ;-) By the way, Little B is now both a Lightning and a Hedman fan!

So now that I've had a chance to gloat about my little personal accomplishment here, I will leave you with some photos (taken from my iPhone...so not the best quality) from last night's festivities. Enjoy!

First time holding Bennett! Still had my JLT shirt on from morning volunteer shift...ha ha!

First picture that I texted to his Mommy after she & Daddy had left for their party - proof that he was knocked out after his bottle!

Then he woke back up...but seemed quite content with his pacifier for a little while....

Eventually I had to fix him a new bottle, which resulted in one of two wardrobe changes after he was nice and hydrated...

And then it was off to La-la Land again for Little B - but only after he saw Victor Hedman's assist in a Lightning win! :-)

Finally: The Story of What Happened With Phil

2009-11-22T18:28:00.005-05:00

OK, I know that I've made a smattering of updates across Twitter, Facebook, and this blog...but I've yet to lay out the full story of what happened to Phil. So here goes...

2 days before my birthday, on October 21, I was in St. Louis on a business trip. Around 4:00 PM Central, I was on a *very* long conference call and I noticed that Phil tried to call my cell phone. That's when I knew something was wrong - we never call each other during the work day. That might be strange to some people, but it's just how we operate. Anyway, I was stuck in my call so I couldn't answer.

When I checked the voicemail he left me, he said he "wasn't feeling well" and was headed to the ER. I tried calling back multiple times, but it was going straight to voicemail. So I waited. I met a friend for a drink and just continued to wait for an update.

Just before getting ready to meet my mom for my "birthday dinner," I received an email from Phil. It was a picture of him in the ER, with oxygen tubes in his nose, and he said there was no signal (which is why I couldn't reach him). He did have WIFI, so we communicated by email.

Turns out he'd had a flu shot while at a routine doctor's appointment, and within two hours he began having severe chest pains, felt disoriented, lost feeling in the left side of his body, and was slurring his speech. He drove himself to the ER, and they decided to admit him for stroke-like symptoms and heart attack symptoms. When I emailed with him, they were in the process of checking out his heart and giving him CT scans. By the time I got to talk to him on the phone, I could only understand about 50% of what he was saying because his speech was indeed slurred.

And so we come to the part that I feel incredibly guilty about: I wasn't sure what to do, as I knew that I couldn't get a flight out of St. Louis that night. And I was already on the only direct flight to Tampa the following day, albeit I wouldn't land until about 7:00 PM.

So I called Phil's mom and asked her to drive over from Jacksonville. Which she did, of course, without a second thought. I went to work the next morning until it was time to leave for the airport, and meanwhile everyone was surprised that I hadn't tried to find a quicker way home. Which made me second-guess my decision to just stick with my travel plans. Maybe I should have done everything in my power to just get home as fast as I could. I don't know. I was under an incredible amount of stress at work, from several sources, so maybe I wasn't thinking clearly. But regardless, there's nothing I can do to change that now.

By the time I landed on Thursday evening, they had recently released Phil from the hospital and he and his mom were home when I got here. There were no answers, other than the ER doctors didn't believe he'd had a stroke or a heart attack. Phil's speech was still not right, he was exhausted and still had chest pain, but they released him.

Over the next few weeks (up until now, really), he saw a slew of specialists and had a million tests. The neurologist determined that Phil indeed had a stroke, but wasn't 100% sure why. His cholesterol is high, so that was a thought. Phil tried going back to work after a week of rest, but almost passed out. So he was put back on short term disability through last week.

On Thursday last week, he went in for a TEE or transesophageal echocardiogram. Basically, they looked behind his heart. And they found that he has a hole in his heart. Which actually isn't uncommon. For most people with this condition, there are no symptoms. For a select few, however, this can cause strokes. Basically, people normally have small clots that are easily dissolved in our lungs. But when the conditions are just right in a person with a hole, a clot can pass through the heart and go straight to your brain, causing a stroke. Severe migraines - which Phil also suffers from - are unfortunately an indicator for increased risk of repeated strokes once this has happened.

Soooooooo...right now the plan is for Phil to get an angiogram to try to determine if there is any blockage in the arteries of his heart - since he's still having unexplained chest pain. If they find anything, they'll clear it. If not, they'll go ahead and schedule a separate procedure with a world renowned specialist who will close the hole. The hope would be that this would eliminate the risk of repeated stroke. As a bonus, there's a good chance that closing the hole would also relieve his migraines as well.

So let's hope that all goes well & Phil won't have to suffer from repeated strokes!

Also, please think about how precious and short life is! Phil is only 33. I would never have guessed in a million years that he'd have a stroke. We're lucky that the permanent damage seems to have been minimized for him. I'm so thankful that he's still here with me. Please hug the ones you love and tell them how much they mean to you, because there's no guarantee that they will be there tomorrow.

In Love

2009-11-18T21:13:00.001-05:00

I just bought these shoes. It was love at first sight. :-)

A Tiny Update

2009-11-17T07:47:00.002-05:00

Today is Day 6 of my new, stronger antibiotics to handle the sinus infection that sprung up during my battle with Strep. I am beginning to feel a little bit better. I do have my voice back, which is a major improvement. However, if someone finds my energy, please let me know. I'm willing to exchange a hefty reward for the return of my precious energy. :-\ I seriously need to get some cardio in, but it's difficult just to keep my eyes open nowadays.

In other news, I have to take Phil to day surgery on Thursday morning. They're going to send a camera down his throat and look behind his heart. That should be interesting.

Work is driving me insane, but there's nothing new there.

Jackie was put on strict bed rest at 33 weeks, but was allowed to return to work two weeks later. Apparently she wiped out in front of a fire fighter at work yesterday and blamed the baby for stealing her center of gravity. She wasn't hurt, so this story gave me innumerable giggles last night.

I baked two gingerbread cakes (with fresh orange glaze, no less) and did not get a single piece! Why not? I baked them for Mary Lee's House ~ an appreciation luncheon for the staff there. As part of my Junior League duties (though I volunteered for this). The bonus? Our house smelled amazing for a day and a half, thanks to those gingerbread cakes! ;-)

All right, I guess I need to get moving. If for no other reason than to relieve the aching in my head!

The House of Sickness

2009-11-07T16:20:00.002-05:00

That would be us. Besides all of Phil's issues, now I have Strep and/or an oncoming ear infection. And I hate to be a whiner, but I am *miserable* and living in complete fear of another sinus surgery. (Note: I fear anything even remotely sinus-related because most of my life has been made miserable thanks to faulty, chronically infected sinuses).

ANYWAY. More soon, once I feel better. I have much to fill you in on, including what happened to Phil, our Napa Valley wrap-up (I'm way late), and my fabulous Junior League party on Thursday! ;-)

New Artwork

2009-11-02T18:43:00.004-05:00

I have new artwork for my office!! Although, if you ask Phil, it's actually going in our yet-to-be-created "sports memorabilia room." But he's wrong; its going in my office.

Wanna know what sort of one-of-a-kind beauty this artwork is??

Why, it's my very own framed, autographed photo of none other than Mr. Evan Longoria at the 2008 World Series. He's on his knees, making this awesome throw. Phil convinced me that Evan "is on his knees for me!" Ha ha!

But seriously, I was not going to buy this photo. Really, I wasn't. Phil convinced me. The proceeds went to charity - the Lightning Foundation.

Soooo...good cause, and now I have my baseball boyfriend ready to be hung up in my office for prime time viewing. Not a bad deal, right? ;-)

When Blogging Doesn't Help

2009-10-28T21:00:00.002-04:00

Do you ever get so stressed, so unbelievably overcome by what's going on in your life, that you don't even want to talk about it? That's kinda where I am right now. And though blogging is one of my most favorite-ist (yes, I'm being cutesy) things in the world, right now I don't think it would help to "blog out" my feelings.

Which is why I haven't been in a huge rush to post, despite all the craziness going on. Sure, I have things to talk about. But do I want to talk about them? Eh. Maybe not so much.

But as I stated yesterday, I'll be back with plenty to share. :)

Tonight I was just wondering: does this happen to my fellow bloggers? Do you ever get so stressed or in a funk that you just don't feel like writing?

I Really Am Here

2009-10-27T19:22:00.002-04:00

...and I owe an explanation on what the heck happened to Phil, how he ended up in the hospital, etc. It's coming soon, I promise. In fact, I meant to write up a post tonight.

However, I had a bump [hopefully nothing] removed from my back this evening, and it's really starting to hurt. So I am self-medicating with wine. And we know what happens when Brandi drinks wine and attempts to construct meaningful sentences. Yeah, not so much a winner.

So I bid you adieu for the evening. Know that Phil is slowly improving. I will take him to the endocrinologist in the morning, and hopefully we'll be on the road to getting some answers.

More soon!

I am Tired

2009-10-17T16:41:00.002-04:00

So very, very tired.

Why, you ask? Maybe because I went out with some fellow Junior Leaguers on Wednesday night, then again Thursday night? We had a meeting/orientation at Mary Lee's House (a safe house for victims of child abuse) on Wednesday, then a few of us ventured over to Ceviche for sangria. Which was fun, of course, but then I didn't sleep well and didn't feel great on Thursday.

But despite that, Phil and I joined 7 other people for Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens on Thursday night. We had a blast! First of all, you must understand that they sell beer by the yard at Busch Gardens. Second, you must know that I am normally very nervous about going through haunted houses. And we ventured through seven of them. Now imagine all of, going through these haunted houses, and making multiple beer stops through the night... All I'll say is that I became very bold as the night went on. In fact, by the end of the night, I was chasing the chainsaw people!!! How's that for a funny mental picture?

This morning I woke up early to go volunteer at Mary Lee's House. Our group assembled about 2,000 newborn packets for the Healthy Start Coalition for Hillsborough County. We rocked it, and finished in only an hour and a half (they were expecting it would take us 3 hours). Afterward, I did some very essential shopping at International Plaza. :)

Unfortunately, I tried on several dresses for my holiday soiree, and I still haven't found "the one." I currently have a lovely ruffled black one shoulder dress on hold at Neimann Marcus, but it is rather outrageously priced for something I'd wear twice, tops. Back to the drawing board, I guess.... Blah.

Anyway, let's hope I can keep myself awake for 45 minutes more so we can make it to Saturday night church service (since we'll be at the Bucs-Packers game tomorrow. Go Bucs! Please post a "W" for me? Thanks in advance!

I am 31 Going on...15?

2009-10-11T09:06:00.003-04:00

I just have to rant for a minute here. About what, you ask? About my skin!

I have no idea what's going on, but my skin has suddenly decided that I am 15 years old. I am breaking out like CRAZY. So bad, in fact, that I broke down and went to the dermatologist.

His conclusion? "You have teenage acne." Gee, thanks a lot. You know I am turning 32 this month, right??

Anyway. So I've been on several acne medications for a few weeks, and I have yet to see an improvement. He said I would have to give them 6 weeks to see a 10-15% improvement. That's not what an impatient person likes to hear, but what alternative do I have?

I'd just like to know how this is even fair. I've already been through puberty once...why must I endure this torture yet again?!

Crash [Into Me]

2009-10-07T06:12:00.007-04:00

Crash is one of my favorite movies. I seriously need to watch it again, and soon. "Crash Into Me" by Dave Matthews Band is one of my favorite songs. I'm starting to detect a trend here.

Anyway, some things have been going on in my life that reminded me of how people's lives become intertwined - both intentionally and unintentionally.

It's amazing who you can meet while flying for a business trip, for example. On a recent trip, I sat next to an unaccompanied child and at the start of the flight I dreaded having to keep him entertained. By the time we landed in Dallas, I realized I'd been talking to a nine year-old for nearly two hours straight, and I was so thrilled to see that people really are still raising kids "right."

It's amazing when you think you know someone really well, only to find out there's another facet to them - one that's been hidden from just about everyone. And for some reason, they decide to reveal this to you.

It's amazing when you are able to overcome a poor first impression to realize that you hold an incredible bond with someone, thereby becoming good friends.

It's amazing when you realize that you hold the keys to help save someone whom you viewed as invincible, someone who would surely never require saving.

Ah, I am far too reflective this Wednesday morning. I haven't been sleeping well. This always happens when I don't sleep well. So bear with me as I explore my philosophical side over the next few weeks. I promise to keep things as warm and fluffy as I can. :)

See what happens when baseball season ends?? OK, OK, I guess it isn't actually over for everyone. With my Rays out for 2009 (::sob::), I am now rooting for my St. Louis Cardinals. I hope they go all the way, that would be lovely for St. Louis!!

Grueling

2009-09-30T23:21:00.004-04:00

Hi, everyone! ::waves to the crowd, Miss America style::

I'm in the St. Louis area on business this week. If you follow me on Twitter, you know I haven't been experiencing the best time ever.

The travel woes included: a missed connection, an hour on the tarmac awaiting fuel, temporarily missing luggage, temporarily missing rental car, and a missed teleconference.

The hotel woes include a "neighbor" in the next room who snores loudly enough to wake me up in the middle of the night...after I've downed a couple melatonin tablets. Ugh.

The work woes...well, I won't even go into those, because the list would never end and I'd probably end up crying myself to sleep.

But on the positive side, I get to see my parents, my good friends, and I get to watch a few episodes of Greys Anatomy on DVD. And do some shopping for my sister's baby shower next weekend with my mom - an important thing in and of itself!

Anyway, I just wanted to drop in and announce my presence. Mission accomplished. More soon. :-)

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

2009-09-27T20:42:00.003-04:00

Let's start with the Good:

~ I met Dawn yesterday! She is every bit as witty and thoughtful in person as I felt she was based upon her blog posts and our online conversations! We had a lovely lunch at Macaroni Grill, and then we watched Love Happens. Which, ironically enough, tied right into much of lunchtime conversation. Perhaps that's because it's a chick flick, and we happen to be chicks. :-) And you can tell that great minds think alike by our color coordinated outfits, which I swear we did not discuss with one another in advance!

~ The Rays managed to pull off a come-from-behind win against the Rangers in Texas today, avoiding a series sweep.

~ We received our robes from our B&B in Napa Valley! As part of our package, we got spa robes and they're the comfiest, plushest things ever - and embroidered with the name of our new favorite B&B!

~ I've had an awesome week for the most part, seeing the Rays win at home on Wednesday, then partying my little rear end off with my fellow Junior Leaguers on Thursday, and being amazingly productive on Friday.

And now for the Bad:

~ I leave for a week in St. Louis tomorrow morning, and there is way more work to be done than I can possibly accomplish without working some crazy [uncompensated] overtime hours.

~ I will only be home for a week and a half before I have to leave for another week and a half on business.

~ I am sick and tired of being away from home and/or being away from Phil.

And the Ugly:

~ We made it to our first Bucs game of the season today. We played the Giants. We lost horribly. In fact, we were on the verge of witnessing history (worst offense EVER) until our starting quarterback (Leftwich) was finally pulled in the fourth quarter. Johnson replaced him, and within the course of a few minutes he combined more yards than had been gained by the Bucs for the entire game - for both passing and rushing! Craziness. This team needs to get better quickly. We are 0-3. Embarrassing.

Safe and Sound!

2009-09-25T21:49:00.005-04:00

Phil is home from Qatar! He's here without luggage (thank you, Dulles Airport, for sucking), but he's here safe and sound! And that's all that matters. :-)

So now I am dragging him to dinner at Chili's because I am starving, it's 10:00 PM, and we can watch the Rays game there. Hee hee!

More very soon! Including tomorrow's fun when I meet Dawn for lunch and a movie - I can't wait!

Help Me Pick My 2009 Holiday Dress

2009-09-22T22:00:00.009-04:00

Ladies, I need some help. I can't decide which dress to buy for a holiday soiree, and I can't buy all of them. :-) So please vote:

Option A (this one is not easy to find in my size, could be a challenge):

Option B (I like that this would cover my shoulder tat for the night):

Option C (just think this is pretty):

Click for Option D (I like that this has just the right amount of bling).

Thanks in advance for your help! :)

Very Random Tuesday

2009-09-22T07:44:00.006-04:00

~ Yesterday was an epic, horrid work day for me. I was on the phone for six straight hours! I used all the battery juice on two phones. And the calls resulted in even more work for me. Joy.

~ I am jealous of Chelsie. After I walked both dogs this morning, she promptly jumped back into bed an resumed snoozing. Why, oh why, can't I be a dog?

~ I have a very busy week in Phil's absence! For example:
** Work and dermatologist appointment today.
** Tonight I have a Junior League Board of Directors meeting to attend (no, I'm not on the Board...as a Provisional, I must observe).
** Work and exterminator appointment tomorrow.
** Tomorrow night I will likely attend my last Rays game of the season - unless I can convince Phil we should go to the very last game on Oct. 4.
** Work and acupuncture appointment on Thursday.
** On Thursday evening I will meet up with my fellow Leaguers for drinks before attending a Mixer at another club on Davis Islands. (Remind me to tell you later about my status as Socialite...)

~ I am attempting to take Friday off because: (1) I will be exhausted after this week; (2) I am traveling back to St. Louis on business all next week; and (3) I totally deserve it.

~ After completely stinking at Fantasy Football last week (I lost in both of my leagues), I at least managed to win one of my two games this week! And the one that I won...I even messed up and started a very good player who was out with an injury! And the one that I lost...I lost by less than .3 points! Not too shabby. :-)

~ I really would like to go to Tampa Bay Fashion Week. I suppose I could go on Friday night if I really wanted. Phil would be flying in right around the time it would end. Hmmmm.

Happy Tuesday!

Girls' Weekend and an Uninvited Guest

2009-09-21T19:29:00.004-04:00

So this weekend I had my "girls weekend" with my mother-in-law, Renee (who just happens to be the most awesome mother-in-law in the world). She got in on Saturday afternoon and we had plenty of time to chat and play with the dogs before heading out for an early dinner and the Rays game! :-) She even brought some new toys for her [extremely spoiled] grand-dogs!

We grabbed yummy Grouper sandwiches at a local spot, then hit the road for St. Pete and amazingly, I timed in wonderfully. I pulled into a parking spot that just happened to be less than 2 minutes to the gate that coincided with our section at the Trop. And we got there right in time to see the trainer stretching out Evan Longoria! ::evil grin:: I couldn't have planned it better if I tried! And to make everything even more fun, I got to meet another Rays fan that I've "talked" to on Twitter, and the Rays WON!! And we were sitting almost as close as you can to third base and Mr. Longoria. What a fun, fun night!

Now I know you're dying for photos, but I'm having an issue with a setting on my camera and can't exactly collect my photos from the memory card at the moment. I'm a little terrified by this. Please cross your fingers for me! :-)

On Sunday morning, Renee and I drove around Tampa so she could see everything that has changed since they lived here back in the day! We drove around Davis Islands, Bayshore Blvd., Channelside, and Hyde Park - where we may or may not have stopped for a bit of shopping at Downtown Dogs and Anthropologie.

Oh - and we had a lovely, quiet, and delicious brunch at Rock N Pineapple! Yummy! Also, they have the best coffee, which they told us is simply Nescafe! I couldn't believe how good it was!

Now, for the uninvited guest part. After finding a silverfish on my pillow (!!!!) before going to bed on Friday night, I had another unexpected guest pop up in the kitchen when I least expected it. I heard a rustling sound from my living room and went into the kitchen to inspect. The next thing I saw was truly something out of a horror movie: a ginormous antenna and two prickly arms reaching out from behind an electric socket wall plate near my coffee maker!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

I sprayed the beast with Windex (the natural version, which is probably harmless), and hoped that it had died when it stopped moving. So I decided to open the wall plate, have the running vacuum in hand, and suck the thing up. Until I loosened the plate and the thing started thrashing about voraciously!!

At that point, I was too freaked out to do anything (well, besides scream, drop the vacuum attachment, and run across the house flailing my arms in panic). I left a message for the exterminator (who's coming on Wednesday). I uploaded photos to Twitter and asked people to help me figure out what the thing was. I got all kinds of suggestions, from roach to camel spider (ha ha)! Some people offered interesting solutions, such as a taser, or super gluing the legs to the wall so the thing couldn't move when I opened the wall plate! One thing's for sure: I was thoroughly entertained in my horror!

So I gave up on my quest to kill the beast. I named him Herman and decided he'd be sticking around until the exterminator got here. I even gave Renee a proper introduction to him, as she poked at his legs with a screwdriver and proposed that he might be a banana spider.

Herman is no longer moving, and even if he's still alive, he'll be leaving me on Monday. So I thought I should upload a photo of him (what can be seen of him, anyway), so everyone can bask in his glory. Enjoy!

Why I Will be Shopping at Anthropologie Saturday Morning

2009-09-17T19:20:00.006-04:00

Yes, I am waffling on my Napa Valley post. I just don't have the brain cells for it tonight. It's been a tough week.

So Phil left for overseas this afternoon, but "forgot" to mow the lawn before he left. He doesn't know it yet, but he's compensating me with a shopping spree at Anthropologie! :) It's been far too long since I've purchased something there! And here are some of the lovely things I'm considering:

Aren't these delicious? Hyde Park, here I come!!

Sickness and Blah

2009-09-13T20:20:00.001-04:00

Well, I really need to start writing up my Napa Valley wrap-up before I forget everything I wanted to say...but I have so much to type, and honestly I'm just feeling too lazy tonight.

I say "blah," but don't get me wrong -- I'm in a good mood overall. Despite the fact that Phil leaves for an overseas business trip on Thursday, then comes home 2 days before I leave for a week away on business. Can you say "vacation came at the perfect time?" Sheesh. And I won't even go into the fact that I'll only be home for a week and a half before leaving for another week and a half. OK, I lied: I did go into that fact, didn't I? :)

But really, I have much to be thankful for:

~ Phil has finally recovered after practically being on his death bed for a week! He was so sick, in fact, that we actually missed the Bucs' home opener yesterday. But Phil's health is most important!

~ My Rays are REALLY making an attempt to end their losing streak (ahem, 11 games) right now!

~ We received the half case of wine that we ordered at Jarvis Winery last week. And our first shipment from the Cakebread Club will be here Wednesday. :)

~ We get to have dinner with my Dad tomorrow night! He's here on business for a few days, so we get dinner with him tomorrow and maybe lunch on Thursday before he heads back.

~ My mother-in-law is visiting me this weekend, and even going to the Rays game with my on Saturday! We're going to have a blast! And she didn't even have a problem when I "warned" her that I'd be taking lots of pictures of Mr. Evan Longoria. Whew! :) We will be siting right near the visitors' (Toronto Blue Jays) dugout, in front of third base. And if you follow Rays baseball, then that location makes perfect sense to you based on proximity to Evan. :)

~ I've been thoroughly enjoying Junior League so far! I'm all signed up for several volunteer stints, and I'm having a blast with some of the girls in my small Provisional group. It's refreshing to finally be getting out and meeting people in this area; I feel like I've been so cooped up with all this working from home business.

~ Girls Night Out with my favorite ladies in St. Louis when I'm up there on business in a few weeks! I haven't had a GNO is a LONG time!

~ I may not be winning in Fantasy Football quite yet, but I sure am learning a lot - and having fun doing it!

~ I get to meet a good blog friend, Dawn, in person very soon! We haven't met yet, but she's been such a great friend already - I feel like I've known her for years! Anyway, we're pretty close in proximity, so we're going to meet up and I can't wait. :)

Wow...I just realized that I wrote quite a bit. I probably could have gone through quite a bit of Napa Valley by now, but I think I needed to get all this out. And in retrospect, the title of this post probably should have been something more upbeat, considering how much fun stuff I have going on. Yippee!!

OK, I promise ~ Napa Valley very soon. By Thursday night, I promise!

Vegas Wrap-Up, Part Two

2009-09-12T18:54:00.003-04:00

OK, where was I? Oh yes, Cirque du Soleil Zumanity. This is probably the most "adult" I would ever get in Vegas. It was definitely different from a typical Cirque show - obviously. There were some of the familiar acrobatics, though. Not quite as impressive as the other shows we've seen, but that's because other things are the, er, draw here. We were sitting right up front and I know Phil was nervous that we might get pulled onstage, but luckily we were spared. One girl who was pulled onstage seemed downright frightened, but she pretty much played along. All in all, a good show to see once if you want to see something a bit risque while maintaining a sense of class about it.

The other show that we saw - on Sunday night - was Carrot Top. And if you know who Carrot Top is, you're probably wondering why on Earth we'd see him in Vegas. Actually, the reviews were really good, so I thought why not? And I have to say, his show is hysterical! Phil was laughing so hard that he literally went into a coughing fit. It was truly an entertaining show, and I'm glad we went.

Other than these main events, we spent the rest of our time walking through other casinos on the Strip. Out of all the ones we visited, I'd definitely rank the Venetian, Caesar's Palace, and Bellagio as the nicest. We also walked through Mandalay Bay, but not through the actual casino - more of the conference and restaurant areas, as we were heading to the Shark Reef. We weren't impressed with the Luxor and we were shocked by Excalibur. Not in a good way.

We also spent part of our day on Sunday by one of the many pools at the Bellagio, which was beautiful of course. And we give props to the cafes in the Bellagio and Venetian for serving Illy coffee - yum! And of course we did a little obligatory gambling. But when I say little, I kid you not. We mostly hung out at the nickel slots, with only minor forays into the quarter and dollar slots. We're not big on gambling, obviously. I had grand illusions of trying roulette, but the tables intimidate me. And I also hate losing money. So we hung out at the nickels, got some free drinks, and essentially doubled our money I think. Woo-hoo, big spenders! ;-)

So, that's about it for Vegas. All in all, lots of fun but I don't think we'll be in a huge rush to go back. Maybe for our 10th anniversary. I would like to do the Elvis vow renewal in the pink Caddy through the Little White Wedding Chapel's drive-thru tunnel. ;-)

Vegas Wrap-Up, Part One...and Elvis Pictures!!

2009-09-10T19:39:00.009-04:00

First of all, I must reply to the demand for Elvis photos! So if you're ready for a laugh, click here and enter the username "Graceland" and password "PBOTT." ;-) I especially enjoy the black and white "artistic" ones at the end - ha ha ha!

Anyway. The short synopsis of our Vegas leg of the trip is this:

~ Vegas is extremely expensive. Even for someone who is not miserly. I was shocked at how much certain things cost, really. Napa actually seemed reasonable in comparison. Maybe it's because we stayed at the Bellagio? I don't know. It's not like we were out comparison shopping, so maybe my view was skewed.

~ Best people watching EVAH! Seriously, just watching the people in the Bellagio was a hoot. First of all, we saw Bill Mahr on our very first night, eating at Noodles in the Bellagio a little after midnight (we were dining as well). And the girls who walked around the Bellagio - wearing everything from what looked like prom dresses to "working girl" dresses! So entertaining! But even better than watching folks in the Bellagio? The people at New York New York and Excalibur were exceedingly interesting. Maybe not in the most flattering way.

~ When people say that hotels on the Strip look a lot closer than they actually are...they're telling the truth!

~ A dry heat is no better than a humid heat! 108 in Vegas pretty much felt like 108 here. No better.

~ I couldn't bring myself to purchase a "yard" drink (as pictured below). Though it looked like fun, I felt a little too old for that!
Photo credit: bigislandparty.com

So anyway, you already know what we did in Vegas. So how about some reviews/commentary?

First of all, the Bellagio. I definitely made the right choice on the hotel. It is beautiful. I spent a tad more on our room so that we had a view of the fountains, and I think that was totally worth it. The other side of the hotel looked out over the highway. And who wants that? Service was fantastic - except for check-in, which took forever even at 10:30 PM. Other than that, no complaints. Also? While definitely not the cheapest, the Bellagio Buffet serves a fantastic champagne brunch on the weekends! Yummy!

Next up, Graceland Chapel. We just went with the very basic wedding/renewal package. Except the fact the we "upgraded" to actually have Elvis perform the ceremony, in addition to singing and escorting me down the aisle. ;-) The chapel was very efficient, and they even sent a limo to pick us up and drop us off. In fact, the limo dropped us off at our next location... Anyway, no issues here. The ceremony was a lot of fun, and Elvis had us cracking up. In fact, apparently we got the "good" Elvis - not "rehab" Elvis. Ha ha ha! And the best part - we decided to wear our Rays jerseys for the momentous occasion. Because we love our Rays!

So after our little ceremony, we had the limo drop us off at Hofbrauhaus so we could drink some 1 liter beers and reminisce in German style. It was actually pretty authentic, as far as how they decorated and the food they served. Heck, even the waiters and waitresses wore pretty authentic attire. That was fun!

So later than night we got all gussied up and went out for our romantic dinner at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant at the Paris hotel. That was pretty cool because they sat us right at the window for a beautiful and different view of the Bellagio fountains across the street. I had the halibut, and we believe that Phil had the filet mignon, though we can't completely remember! ;-) The food was great. We got a souffle for dessert, and they even brought out a beautiful little extra dessert with the plate all decorated with "Happy Anniversary" and what-not. It certainly wasn't a cheap meal, but we enjoyed it very much!

The following night, we met up with a friend from Germany and his wife and ate at Texas de Brazil. And if you know me, you know I don't eat meat - so this might surprise you. Well, believe it or not, they had a great salad bar that more than satisfied me. And meanwhile, Phil and the others got to indulge in endless arrays of meat. ;-) It was a win-win for everyone! After dinner, we watched the pirate show at Treasure Island before our friends dropped us off at New York New York for our Cirque du Soleil show.

Which brings me to my stopping point for tonight. Because boy, this post sure is getting long! Sheesh! I'll wrap up Vegas tomorrow, and then move on to what we did in Napa.

Back to Life, Back to Reality

2009-09-08T19:00:00.003-04:00

Somehow, reality doesn't quite hold a candle to the fantasy world experienced while on vacation. Especially when you come home and start feeling under the weather after flying across the country. Blah.

As we were checking in for our flight to leave Sacramento, I almost had a mini panic attack! I swiped my card at the United kiosk to check in, and the terminal bluntly displayed the following on its screen: "Your flight has already departed. Please see an attendant for assistance."

Say what???

We were supposed to be on an 11:30 flight to Denver. The flight was still scheduled. I asked the attendant what was going on. She said that United had rescheduled us on a 6:00 AM flight to Denver. She claimed that they called us, but funny thing - we had no voicemail messages on any phone. Interesting.

Luckily, they were able to get us on a flight to Chicago, and we eventually got in to Tampa around 11:00 PM on Sunday night. They did "upgrade" us to exit rows due to the miscommunication (gee, thanks). We fell asleep sometime around 1:30 AM, then got up [late!] and got to have lunch with Jackie and Scott before they left for Jacksonville.

And then the sore throat and sniffles commenced. For me, anyway. Phil actually started getting sick (again!!) on Saturday night. :(

We had planned on making it to our first Life Group (aka Bible study) meeting tonight, but no such luck. Now I have to hope that I'm feeling good tomorrow night for Junior League. Oh well.

But this I do promise: more photos, including a link to Elvis vow renewal photos, and reviews of all the places we hit up on our vacation. Very soon!

Now it's time to sit and watch the Rays game ~ and they desperately need a win!! I'm wearing my Evan Longoria Biscuits shirt. ;-) Guess I should switch to a Rays jersey, but I'm too darn tired to get up.

Napa: Day 6

2009-09-05T06:00:00.004-04:00

Today is the culmination of the entire vacation, the precipice if you will. Today, ladies and gentlemen, is our 5th wedding anniversary! We're both sort of in disbelief ~ it seems as though we just had our wedding. These five years have certainly flown by!

So with this in mind, I've saved the very best for today!

Our morning tour and tasting will take place at Jarvis Winery, with a jaunt through their underground facility.

After lunch, we will experience the awesomeness that is the candlelit cave tour at Del Dotto Vineyards. This tour and tasting is exceptional in that we get to taste right out of the barrels! Which I understand is a very rare experience!

For the record, I'm pretty sure we won't be buying any bottles of wine at these vineyards! It's all about the experience of the tour and tasting!

Finally, a romantic dinner shall be had at the Michelin two star rated Meadowood in St. Helena. I don't believe that I have ever dined at a Michelin rated restaurant, so this is sure to be quite the experience!

But amidst all the indulgences of this day, the most important thing is the fact that we're together and happy, celebrating five fabulous years of marriage!

Tomorrow morning, we'll be making our way back to Sacramento for the flight home. We'll certainly be leaving with some great new memories, hearts filled with love and blessings, an enormous collection of photos, and - hopefully - some great wines! ;-)

Napa: Day 5

2009-09-04T06:00:00.001-04:00

Ahhhhh, relaxation!

As part of our B&B package, we booked a couple's massage for late this morning. Surely this, mixed with the wine and fresh California air, will induce a state of relaxation that has been long forgotten in our hectic world!

I've made no tour or tasting reservations for today; this will be a "wherever the wind takes us" kind of day.

Maybe we'll just drive around, or maybe we'll take the suggestion of friends from church who said that the view from Sterling Vineyards is unbeatable. Perhaps we'll make our way south and experience lunch at the Culinary Institute of America? No matter what we choose, we'll certainly have a blast!

Dinner tonight goes upscale at Auberge du Soleil. Another fine recommendation from our B&B for a romantic dinner!

Napa: Day 4

2009-09-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

Today, we visit a different area of the Valley and begin our day with a tour and tasting at Kuleto Estate. My fellow blogger (who obviously has great taste) suggested this vineyard for the outstanding views of the rest of the Valley, and I'm sure that we won't be disappointed!

After lunch, our afternoon tour and tasting is at Terra Valentine, which looks like a lovely Tuscan estate based on the photos I've seen!

Finally, we will dine at Market in St. Helena. I believe the great reviews on Tripadvisor led me to find this marvelous looking restaurant!

Checking in from Napa Valley!!

2009-09-02T21:49:00.003-04:00

Howdy, people! Since I'm obsessing insanely over the score of the Rays game, I thought I should distract myself for a bit by posting some photos from our trip [so far]!

Take a peek by clicking here.

Also? In case you haven't seen my tweets on Twitter, or my facebook updates... Two full days in Napa apparently equates to joining two wine clubs, in my book! We have joined both Schramsberg (bubbly!!!) and Cakebread. And I'm very excited about both! ;-)

More soon, my lovelies!

Napa: Day 3

2009-09-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

So today, I am very excited about our first tour and tasting. Why? Because we are going to Cakebread Cellars!!! And I've proclaimed my love for their wines on many occasions in the past. Love, love, love their chardonnay and sauvignon blanc! And I'm so looking forward to trying their reds!

Lunch will be at Bistro Jeanty in Yountville. I've heard so many good things about this place, so I didn't want to pass it up!

Our afternoon tour and tasting is scheduled at Paraduxx Winery, which was suggested by a fellow blogger ~ and I'm so glad, because this winery isn't even on the Napa map that I printed!! I feel like we have special insider information on this one, so I'm pretty excited. ;-)

Finally, dinner will be enjoyed at Brannan's Grill in Calistoga. Man, I am getting hungry just looking at all these great menus! ;-)

Napa: Day 2

2009-09-01T06:00:00.002-04:00

After indulging in the three-course brunch at our B&B, we'll be fully recharged and ready to tackle the Napa wine tastings full force!

This morning, our first tasting is at Von Strasser Winery, a boutique winery where our B&B has set up a special cave tour and tasting for us.

In the late afternoon, we'll be visiting Schramsberg for a tour and tasting. Because I love me some sparkling wines! ;-)

Finally, we'll wrap up the evening with dinner at JoLe in Calistoga. Yum!

Napa: Day 1

2009-08-31T06:00:00.001-04:00

So this morning we'll be packing to leave Vegas and fly to Sacramento, where we'll pick up our car and drive to beautiful Calistoga, California to stay in our [still secret] bed and breakfast.

Surely, we must be tired from all the fun we've had in Vegas at this point! ;-)

Though we'll get to Napa plenty early to sneak in some wine tasting if we so desire, we may just crash by the pool and relax for a bit.

Dinner will be had at the Calistoga Inn and Brewery. Where I'm certain some good wine and/or beer will be consumed!

Tonight, we'll recharge and prepare for the days of wine tasting to come...

Vegas: Day 3

2009-08-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

Now I have a feeling we'll be sleeping in late today, considering the fact that we saw the 10:30 PM showing of Zumanity last night!! Since it's Sunday, I'm thinking brunch at the Bellagio will be in order.

After that, we'll likely do some more exploring...unless we decide to indulge in spa services instead. ;-)

Again, no dinner reservations...yet. We may try out Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill for lunch, but no commitments at this time.

Tonight, we'll be watching Carrot Top at the Luxor. And before you die laughing, you should know that his show is rated very highly. ;-) Should be a blast!

Vegas: Day 2

2009-08-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

I have a feeling that we'll be sleeping in again today, especially since our dinner reservations were so late last night (9:00 PM arrival time). I know, I know ~ bedtimes go out the window in Vegas, right? ;-)

Today, we might go check out the roller coaster at the top of the Stratosphere, or we might check out the Minus 5 Ice Bar. Either way, it will be a blast, I'm sure!

I refrained from making dinner reservations tonight, as we have friends who live in Vegas and another who will be visiting...so we just might meet up with people tonight. Who knows?

As for entertainment, tonight we will see Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity. Yes, the adult themed show. And yes, we'll let you know how it is. ;-)

And perhaps we'll make an attempt at roulette tonight or early tomorrow morning. Wherever the wind takes us...

Vegas: Day 1

2009-08-28T06:00:00.003-04:00

Today, Phil and I will undoubtedly be sleeping in at the fabulous Bellagio. Maybe we'll indulge in mimosas by the pool? Or maybe we'll take off exploring the Strip?

Either way, today will be a fun day because we've chosen to renew our vows at The Graceland Chapel, with Elvis performing multiple duties: escorting me down the aisle, officiating and singing! What fun!

After the ceremony, we're heading to the Hofbrauhaus to pretend we're in Germany for a bit. ;-)

And finally, we'll wind the night down by dining at the Eiffel Tower restaurant. Which will certainly call for some bubbly!

And maybe, just maybe, we'll try our hand at some of the slots back at the Bellagio. We're not gamblers at all, so we'll stick to the small games.

Vegas-bound, Baby!

2009-08-27T04:59:00.006-04:00

Today's the big day: the day that we [finally] leave for our 5th anniversary vacation extravaganza! Vegas and Napa Valley, here we come!

So in honor of our trip and in the hope of keeping myself off the Interwebs while I'm gone, I've decided to set up a little treat for everyone: I'm scheduling a small blog post each day so you can see what our daily vacation plans are. ;-) So, tune in each day to see what in the world Brandi and Phil are doing!

Also? I installed the Drync Wine Pro app on my iPhone, so I plan to tweet about what wines we're drinking as we make our way through Napa Valley. ;-)

In other news, we had our first Provisional meeting for Junior League last night, and I loved meeting all the girls in my new Provisional group. It was a fun night! And thank goodness everything went well with my travel home from St. Louis, because I had to drive straight from the Airport to Junior League HQ. Timing couldn't have been more perfect, quite honestly!

The Rays lost it in the 8th inning last night, unfortunately. That wasn't exactly the note I wanted to start vacation on, but I suppose it makes no difference ~ I'll be frantically checking the baseball scores while we're on vacation anyway! ;-)

All right, peeps. I've got so much to do before we take off this afternoon, so I'd better get cracking. Check back every day to see what we're doing on vacation, and hopefully that will serve as a virtual getaway for those of you who have told me that you're in major need of a vacation as well!

Never Say Never

2009-08-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

I used to be pretty vocal about fantasy sports leagues. In fact, I may or may not have had a mantra that went something like this: "People who play in fantasy sports leagues have no life." :-\

Anyway. So, are there any guesses as to what I might be occupying my time with this fall ~ besides going to all the Bucs and Lightning games? Keep in mind this is the girl who wears pink every single day and cannot stand to be clad in anything besides skirts and dresses.

You guessed it: fantasy football. And not only that, but I'm playing on two different leagues!!

Commence with the Brandi-bashing in 3....2.....1..... ;-)

Got Stress?

2009-08-25T06:27:00.005-04:00

Well, here I am in the greater St. Louis area (or The Lou, as I affectionately call it). Sitting in my hotel room, up at 4:45 to do a little work...but discovering that my brain isn't fully functioning yet. And who can blame it? After all, I sleep so little on business trips. Not that I go out partying or anything; I just have a hard time sleeping when I've got a lot on my mind ~ which tends to happen on these trips!

For the record, I'm one of those people who carries around a mental to-do list, and my mind won't just be quiet until everything is marked "complete." So yeah, I'm guessing I won't be getting much rest in this lifetime!

So, anyway. Thankfully, today will just be spent wrapping up the loose ends before I leave for vacation, mostly. And the loose ends really aren't that bad, thank goodness. After work this afternoon, we have a "party" to celebrate something that happened a few months ago. Spouses and significant others are invited. (Insert side-eye here.) Yeah...I'm thinking my spouse isn't going to make it, but thanks. Maybe I'll just take my BFF as my "spouse." ;-)

Tomorrow morning I head back to beautiful Tampa by way of some other crowded airport ~ where I hope I easily make my connection (because I just barely made it in Dallas Sunday on my way up). I'll be in a rush once I touch down at home because I have to run to my first Junior League meeting for Provisional members. And not only are we having our meeting, but we're having professional head shots taken (hello, stress ~ I'm sure I'll be looking fantabulous after sitting in two germ-infested planes), and we're going out for martinis afterward!

So, I imagine I'll be getting home sometime well after my bedtime tomorrow. Only to turn around and leave for vacation on Thursday! Now luckily, we don't depart until the afternoon. However, I have acupuncture in the morning, must conduct a teleconference at noon, have to drop the dogs off at the kennel, AND have to pack for both Vegas and Napa Valley (including dinner at a couple fancy schmancy places).

All this...and I continue to ask myself why on God's green Earth is my skin freaking out on me? Maybe ~ just maybe ~ it has something to do with my little friend called stress? You think?

But the silver lining: not only did all my awesome Rays peeps on Twitter keep me updated on the game last night ~ but the Rays also captured a decisive (12-7) win over the Blue Jays, and someone posted some great photos from some of last week's games! I need more Rays wins to beat this stress! ;-)

Shoot

2009-08-20T22:52:00.004-04:00

I'd been holding out on a blog post tonight, waiting in eager anticipation for a Rays sweep of the Orioles...

Yeah, didn't happen. But, they played with some very big heart, closing the gap on two big leads that the Orioles posted.

My consolation prize for tonight:

Hello, Evan Longoria! I forgive you for striking out swinging to end the game tonight. ;-)

Tomorrow's a new day and a new series. Go Rays!

Kitchen and Breakfast Nook Renovation In Progress

2009-08-18T20:54:00.016-04:00

Well, since I've been talking about it so much, and due to popular demand, I am posting photos of what I've done in these two rooms since Phil has been out of town.

First, some "before" photos from the day we closed on the house:

Looking toward the breakfast nook and kitchen from the living room

The breakfast nook. Please note the horrible window treatments that look like they belong to a 70 year old granny. And the light fixture with that awful molding around it. ::shudder::

Looking at the kitchen from the breakfast nook

And another of the kitchen

And now, what I have accomplished over the course of a week...

The breakfast nook. Note new, beachy blinds, warm orange color, and coordinating decor. Goodbye, granny window treatments. Yes, the terrible light fixture is still there. We're looking for something that matches our new pendant lighting in the kitchen (see below).

Another shot. Just imagine that light fixture is gone. ::gag::

Look at the great decor items I got at Target, of all places!

LOVE these "candles." They're LED, battery operated! All the ambience without the fire hazard. ;-) Also? They smell good!

OK, here you can see the paint in the kitchen, along with the new pendant lighting. What's up next: tile backsplash, new stainless appliances, staining the cabinets a dark brown, and new counter tops! Woot!

And one more shot for good measure! You might notice that I painted the kitchen island a warm tan color...that's one of the colors I've been using in the living room. Using that color was a way for me to mark the confines of the living room, and it prevented overuse of the orange color. An orange island would have been overkill!

So, what do you think???

A Date with Myself: Decorating and Wii Fit

2009-08-17T21:09:00.003-04:00

So I know I started to tell you about how productive I've been since Phil's been out of town (reminder: painted most of living room, breakfast nook). But let me continue with the updates.

Right before my Rays game yesterday afternoon, I decided that I should hang our new blinds. Blinds. You realize that this required the use of a level AND power tools, right? But I did it!! And I didn't stop there.

After the game, I painted the entire kitchen. And, lest you forget, painting the kitchen requires moving BIG appliances. And cleaning lots of nooks and crannies that likely haven't been cleaned in years.

And did I mention that we have cathedral ceilings in this house?

I'm pretty amazed with myself!!

And, as if that wasn't enough: I also managed to lock myself out of the house during all of this activity! Ugh. That was embarrassing. Thank goodness the neighbor was able to, er, break in for me. Now I need to fix that situation. Goodness. At least I wasn't locked out very long. I really need to get the neighbors a gift certificate to a restaurant or something. I'm very appreciative!

So, my idiocy aside, it turned out to be a very good day. Because, not only did I accomplish all of that, but the Rays also WON! Woo-hoo!

Poor Jackie didn't have nearly as nice a drive back home, I fear. She blew out a tire and had all kinds of issues getting home. I don't think she (and her husband) ended up getting home until 11 PM. :( That makes me feel badly, even though I realize it wasn't my fault.

ANYWAY. So this evening I went and bought some new decor for the beautiful breakfast nook. I will post a photo or two of my in-progress improvements soon. ;-)

Then, I came home and played Wii Fit for the first time ever. I was feeling badly for having not worked out lately, so I thought I'd give this a try. I honestly thought it would be totally lame - especially the yoga, as I am fairly good at yoga. Boy, was I wrong! I love that the balance board measures your center of balance and you have to monitor it during poses and strength activities. Also, you have to do the movements slowly enough that you actually work your muscles. Not only are you forced to use good posture, but it's a ton of fun! And it tracks your progress for you. So, I'm officially on the Wii Fit bandwagon. ;-) Oh, and I will be hitting the gym in the morning, too. Gotta get some cardio in. You know, work my wine-drinking muscles in preparation for Napa Valley. ;-)

Life is Good

2009-08-16T10:47:00.006-04:00

My Rays won last night, 8 - 3 over the Jays!

Jackie got in on Saturday night and we've been having fun! Yesterday we hit The Brunchery, browsed at IKEA, did some other shopping, lounged by the pool, cooked up some fantastic garlic-lemon scallops, and then baked chocolate chip cookies while watching the game.

We're going to run to Acropolis for an early lunch before she leaves for home.

Then I'll be back to watch the Rays again at 1:00.

And speaking of the Rays, please become a fan of "Twittering the #Rays" if you're on facebook. I just became an admin and I'm helping to post content. It's a great group of folks over there! For your convenience, I've posted a facebook badge/link on the right!

Life is good. :)

Down and Out

2009-08-14T22:23:00.003-04:00

Yes, I'm talking about the Tampa Bay Rays. How'd you guess?

5 losses in a row. Ouch.

But, I can't hate them. I can't be mad at them. I simply can't. In fact, I love them even more.

I can relate to the Rays. They are a team after my own heart. I've been there before: the point where everything is almost too good to be true (the pinnacle of your career, if you will), followed by the extraordinarily high expectations of an insanely young team, and then the heartbreak when things begin to unravel.

Oh yes, I've been there. Which gives me a healthy respect for this team. Like I said, I love them!

And I'm sure the fact that Evan Longoria is on the team has nothing to do with it. ;-)

Baseball Withdrawals

2009-08-13T18:30:00.006-04:00

I have them - bad!

What's really sad about this statement? The Rays just finished playing 6 days in a row on the West Coast - yesterday. The West Coast, people! That means I've been staying up until approximately 1:00 AM most mornings (and waking up @ 4:30 to feed our spoiled dogs).

But that's not even the worst part about my jonesing for more Rays games. What's truly crazy about this statement is the fact that they went 1-5 during that nightmare of a trip. 1 - 5?!?!? This is definitely not the same team we were watching last year.

HOWEVER. I still love 'em, and I still want to see them play. As my good blog friend Dawn put it, it's amazing how invested we can become in our teams. When they're doing great, we feel fantastic. And when they're - er - sucking, we feel down and out. But you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way. The emotional roller coaster makes me love baseball even more. And even though it looks like hopes for the playoffs might be slowly slipping away (but I am NOT giving up hope yet), I will still watch the games until the end of the season.

And tomorrow we start a nice stretch of a homestand, so LET'S GO RAYS!

All this, coming from a girl who used to despise watching team sports. See how far I've come? :)

And though I will miss baseball dearly when the season comes to a close, I'm glad to report that football and hockey will pose as acceptable substitutes in the meantime.

God bless America, and God bless American pastimes! (Well, some of them, anyway.)

And One More Thing...

2009-08-12T20:34:00.002-04:00

I cannot believe the outpouring of support that I got from my blog and Twitter friends when I was going through my depression a few weeks ago. You girls are so amazing. I can't believe how blessed I am sometimes. To think that people who haven't even met me gave two hoots about what I was going through...I am truly humbled by this. Really, I hope you all know how much your comments and support mean to me!

Updates Galore!

2009-08-12T20:03:00.009-04:00

OK, so who else can't believe that it's nearly the middle of August already? It feels like this year is just flying by while I'm standing still. Wow. I need to get with it!

So let me go through some updates about what we've been up to since 4th of July...

~ We dined at Roy's, which was amazingly good for a chain! Their theme is Hawaiian fusion, so it's pretty unique as far as chains go. Love the edamame they bring to the table before appetizers, and I love the martinis. :) Also had some excellent halibut, which is my personal favorite.

~ I spent two very long weeks in the St. Louis area on business, working 55-60 hours a week. :( During that time, I:

** ...managed to get some sort of food poisoning/issues after eating sashimi at a new restaurant

** ...shot firearms for the first time ever! The first time, I shot a .22 revolver. The second, my mom's 9 mm Ruger semi-automatic. Whoa! Let me tell you, I was scared out of my mind to pull the trigger the first time with each gun, but turns out that I am a very good shot! VERY good, like hitting the bullseye on my first few tries good. Yippee! So much fun. I think I have a new hobby. ;-)

** ...got to hang out with my friends and family quite a bit, so that made up for all the other junk. :)

~ I had my spa day, which you saw in my last post. ;-)

~ We went to two Rays games, and we won both! The first was a game against the Kansas City Royals and we got to see Daughtry in concert afterwards. We went with a bunch of folks from church, and had a blast. The second game was against the Red Sox, and we sat in Club seats. That's always fun. I might have had a little too much fun, in fact. But I got lots of photos and even got to see none other than Mr. Evan Longoria come into the seats to throw a ball to a kid. Nice!! I took over 100 photos as well!

~ Last weekend, we spent a night in Sarasota at a very nice hotel, and then we cashed in on an awesome anniversary present from last year - a helicopter ride over the coast! It. Was. Awesome. We saw a dolphin, tons of rays, a sea turtle, a manatee, some huge tarpon...and Phil says he saw a shark! I sat shotgun and had such an amazing time. In fact, I'm posting a couple photos now and will post more on the web site tomorrow.

~ The day after the chopper ride, Phil left for a two week business trip in DC. :( After dropping him off at the airport at 4AM, I spent the entire day painting our living room and breakfast nook. I am hardcore, I tell you. And I deserve Wife of the Century. As I've clearly explained before. ;-)

That's about it for the highlights. I still have much to write, but I want to pace myself so I don't burn out! And...has anyone taken a gander at my vacation countdown on the right? I am SO excited that our Vegas and Napa Valley adventure is coming up soon...I can't even begin to explain.

So with that, I will post a couple photos and wish everyone a beautiful night!

Beautiful scenery over Sarasota

Our chariot

PS ~ MANY thanks to my parents, who gave us this amazing anniversary gift last year. So unique, so much fun!

Spa Day

2009-07-31T15:33:00.003-04:00

I know I've been MIA lately, but I thought I should pop in to assure everyone that I am over my depression for the most part. I've just been extremely busy, between business travel and working 55-60 hours every week!!!

Anyway, some of you might remember that I won a spa package from my Aveda salon about three months ago. I took today off (for the most part) and thoroughly enjoyed using my package! I got a massage, facial, mani and pedi. It was absolutely divine.

In fact, the only hitch in my plan came after my services were finished. I had planned on coming home and laying by the pool with a book, but it was pouring rain. Oh well.

So, being relegated to the indoors, I decided to pop on here and say hi. And sip a glass of Pinot Grigio. :)

This weekend is packed: work, hair appointment, Rays-Royals game, and the beginning stages of kitchen remodeling, possibly. So I probably won't be back on this weekend. However, I WILL return soon, I promise! I have much to share with everyone about my adventures in St. Louis, as well as some upcoming adventures and a plan to regroup on my 101 Things.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend from rainy Tampa!

Nephew in Da House!

2009-07-22T21:18:00.002-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a nephew!! Well, we'll have an "outside" nephew in December, that is. Jackie and Scott have been blessed with a little boy, due right around Christmas time! And so Phil and I anxiously await the arrival of our nephew. :)

And now, I must think of some awesome names so I can place my vote...and my bet! :)

This Link Deserves Its Own Post

2009-07-18T09:11:00.003-04:00

This one is really for the ladies - and the Tampa Bay Rays fans. Click here to view some fantastic paparazzi photos of my "baseball boyfriend," Evan Longoria! Warning: Yumminess inside! :P

Blessings Amidst the Storm

2009-07-16T23:27:00.003-04:00

Even though I feel like much of my life* completely and utterly sucks right now, I recognize the fact that I truly am blessed.

This evening, I suddenly realized that I am fortunate enough to be close to three of the most amazing men on this planet: my husband, my father, and my father-in-law! I could go into the virtues of each of them, but it's really unnecessary; if you were to meet them, any explanation that I could give would be vastly undermined. Because honestly, they are the most virtuous, unpretentious, and encouraging men that anyone could ever encounter.

There are many, many reasons that I am blessed. This just happens to be one of those reasons. And though I often complain about the situations I face in life, I hope that these three men know that their excellence is not lost on me!

*Despite my whining and complaining, I hope everyone knows that I am beyond happy with a MAJOR component of my life -- my marriage! Phil is the most amazing man. No matter what I am going through, he can find the positive in any situation. He also manages to encourage me when I feel that all hope is lost. Without Phil, I would honestly be nothing! And how he puts up with me? I will never fully understand. He is, and always will be, my undisputed soulmate.

"When the stars have all gone out, you'll still be burning so bright." ~ Sarah McLachlan

Taking a Small Break

2009-07-09T07:30:00.005-04:00

First of all, everything is fine with Phil, myself, and the dogs. We're all healthy and doing well.

However, we received some relatively bad news this week, and I need some time to digest it. We must choose a path to follow, and I need to spend some quality time on this decision.

Supposedly "everything happens for a reason," but honestly? I'm getting a little tired of hearing this.

Anyway. I won't be gone too long. I have several weeks' worth of updates to post as far as my 101 Things. I also have some fabulous photos from 4th of July at Amelia Island that I want to share. I will try to find some time to post these things while I am on my business trip for the next 2 weeks.

I am wishing everyone love, happiness and good health!

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-04T18:21:00.005-04:00

(found here)

I hope everyone is having a beautiful holiday! We've been at Amelia Island most of the day, enjoying lots of sunshine, salt water, and maybe a few refreshing adult beverages. :) We were just taking a short break to feed Jackie and Scott's dogs and freshen up; we'll be heading back to the beach momentarily! :)

Today, let's thank our Troops, both veterans and active duty, for playing such a sacrificial - and often unpopular - role in protecting our freedom. God bless the USA!

In Jacksonville for the 4th

2009-07-02T23:04:00.003-04:00

Yep, we're over on the other coast right now, at my sister (Jackie) and brother-in-law's (Scott) house! We all took the nephews to the Jacksonville Suns - Montgomery Biscuits (the Rays' farm team) minor league baseball game tonight. Unfortunately, we had quite the rain delay and the kids started getting bored. Phil and I stayed a bit longer after everyone else left, but things were getting rowdy as it was "Throwdown Thursday" (read: $1 beers). So we left in the 5th or 6th inning and headed to the house. Now it's time for sleep!

Tomorrow we'll hang out with Phil's parents. Then on the 4th we'll be on the beach at Amelia Island. And on Sunday we're celebrating Scott's birthday a bit early, and dividing our time between those festivities and hanging out with Phil's mom again. So we'll be all over the place! :)

More soon, and I'm wishing everyone a very happy and safe 4th of July weekend!

PS - a follow up on the California tax situation: our company has been through this with other employees, and they had a form ready for Phil to fill out and submit. The situation *should* be cleared up shortly.

Epic Fail: Brandi's Participation in Photo Hunt

2009-06-30T20:45:00.011-04:00

Blah. Next time I need to manage my time better, that's all. At least I took some photos that I otherwise would not have bothered to take. :) So here are my results (these are the photos I took out of the original 25):

1. A View from Above (looking down)

Lame, but this is one of the two enormous frogs that has taken up residence in our back yard.

2. A Macro Shot

This little guy was on the side of my house a couple weeks ago.

4. Relaxation

Chelsie cracks me up! She is definitely the queen of relaxation!

5. A Celebration

A celebration of the inordinate amount of rain we had today, I suppose! :)

7. Sun/Lens Flare

Morning, as viewed from our front yard.

15. A Summer Treat

Homemade ice cream morphed into a banana split. Yummy!

I guess I should also mention that I had ZERO time to do any photo editing. So these are all just the boring original images. Oh well. Here's wishing everyone a wonderful Tuesday night and an easy Wednesday at work!

Not a Fan of California

2009-06-29T20:36:00.003-04:00

Tonight, I am not a fan of California at all. Or perhaps it's my company with whom I should be upset.

Why the animosity, you ask?

I knew there was no good to be had within the envelope that I found in my mailbox today that had "California Franchise Tax Board" written on it. There was just no way that something like that could be good news. And boy, was I right: a letter claiming that we owe $14,000 in income tax greeted me when I tore open the envelope.

Only issue? We've never lived in California. Or, should I say, not since I was in elementary school. And though I'm sure the near-bankrupt state is desperate, I don't think they can back-tax someone who was in elementary school and had no income 20 years ago!

But seriously, I know what this is about - sort of. It happened to other coworkers who were in Germany with us. You see, our company is officially headquartered in California, which causes interesting issues for folks who work overseas. Somehow, I think our company coded something incorrectly and this gave the state an erroneous green light to tax us.

The thing that's really sad if this were in fact legit: they're claiming we owe from 4 years ago, yet we've never seen a notice previously. And the "original" bill has grown nearly 100% in penalties and fees at this point.

California FAIL.

Don't tick me off. I might change our vacation plans for September. I could easily find another wine area to visit, you know. Want my tourist money? You'd better behave. Because my tax money already gets mismanaged by the federal government - and 4 years ago, by the corrupt state of Illinois. Thank you very much.