Alex told me…

…where we’re going for Valentines Day. Up until this moment it was going to be a surprise, I guess it was just too good to hold in any longer. I saw a write up in Austin Monthly of Olivia a few months ago and tucked the idea of going someday back in my neatly organized brain. It’s neatly organized on most occasions, when I see messes around the house or am late for some reason chaos takes over and I spend a few moments surveying the damages. Anyway, I digress, the place looks RAD!

Rockin’
Awesome
Delicious

It’s a French/Italian fusion cluster-fabulous and I can’t wait ’til the 14th! Reading over the menu makes my mind glaze over and my eyes roll back into my head, kind of like the feeling right before you start peeing when you have to go really bad…THAT feeling!

For your food porn pleasures please read some of my favorite menu option descriptions:

pan-seared prosciutto-wrapped scallops, butternut squash & farm greens risotto, black truffle oil

or

corzetti “coins” pasta, brussel sprouts, toasted pecans, currants, citrus brown butter

Dear Sweet Jesus, I would like to meet the Saint who came up with citrus brown butter. Thank you.

Who else does this?

Do you argue just to argue sometimes? You and your significant other…or close friend perhaps? Alex and I have started to more frequently now. I don’t know what this is a sign of.

And don’t get me wrong…when I say “argue,” I mean debate. Try to outdo one another with facts and statistics. And point out when the other contradicts him or herself. It’s getting a little petty I fear…but we both love it! We’re becoming seasoned at it…or at least I am. Alex will tell you that he’s always been good at this activity and gets excited whenever he feels the opportunity approaching him.

Last night we “debated” for a good 10 minutes on whether or not “Lost” is more Sci-Fi than “Star Trek.” C’mon people…I think we all know the answer to this one! How could he argue that “Lost” is just as Science Fiction-y as “Star Trek.” Hmmmph! If you know him personally please tell him he’s sooo wrong. And Oh, please back up such declaration with facts and confidence!

Petty right…debating about shows and scifi….we need to get out more! Which brings me to tomorrow night. We’re going out for a friend’s birthday party to this place. I’ll write about the grub at a later date!

Google Reader…how I love thee!

Ever since switching from Blogger to WordPress I’ve had problems. Problems like having to check each of the 1,839,593 blogs I like to read individually! I know! Ya see…Blogger offered its users a nice RSS feed option where they could subscribe to their fav blogs and be told when each blog was updated (I know you all already know about this…)! WordPress however, only offers this feature for other WordPress blogs…I read approx. 5 other WP blogs so it was of no help.

Last week I saw the light…well actually I was helped to see the light by Kevin. Thank you thank you. Google Reader has made my blogging life so much easier now…I just read all my blogs there and know when each one has been updated, it’s glorious. And I know how behind the times I am with this post…it’s embarrassing actually!

Now can someone help me with bringing all my old Blogger posts to my new WP site? I don’t want to lose the 2 years that I spent over there and would love to have a bulkier archive section…any ideas?

Swimming Stronger

I kind of had a breakthrough this week…as far as swimming goes. The first two weeks were brutal. I was battling with finishing sets and making intervals, leg cramps, shoulder pain, etc. However, this past Monday I finally caught my stride…for now at least! I had the “fresh” feeling that I would feel occasionally while swimming in High School. The “I’ve been working hard in the water, but am recuperating nicely” feeling. Hard to explain I guess…my strokes just felt smooth (finally), and even though I was still challenged by the work out…I just felt strong. Tuesday’s practice followed through with the same feelings…and so did last night’s. Now it’s time to start challenging myself a bit more…not going to get too comfortable. I still like the feeling of barely being able to lift myself out of the pool because I worked hard in the water.

So there’s that…I’m also still flying high since the inauguration on Tuesday. WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT YO! I love hearing him being referred to as the president…in the past those words evoked feelings of frustration and distrust…now they conjure up feelings of hope and prosperity! We’re in good hands once again, worthy hands!

On the house front we’re slowly but surely still making small improvements in the more neglected rooms (i.e. the office and garage). Yes, the garage, since before even moving in Alex has had grand visions of painting the garage a bold color and putting up wall graphics…we did the same to the office last night. We’re both excited with the outcome of the office walls and now need to purchase two new (very streamlined) desks. Thank God for IKEA…we’ve already picked them out! Pictures to come soon!

Too Great for Words…

Alec sent me this last week….since then I’ve been cuddling and spooning with the below image! Dear Jeebus it’s so fantastic, I love those guys…

Sweeeeeet!

I’m rolling around in Republican tears today…the speech, the crowds, the whole lot was amazing and so inspiring! Here’s to the next four years…that we surely won’t be ashamed of!

Typography find.

I was researching type at work today and came across this. Too cool I thought to not share! Maybe someday I’ll grow a pair and attempt a project like this…

A little bit of this and that

Alex and I recently signed up for Netflix and are lovin’ it! I don’t know the specifics about the deal we have, but it’s through our Xbox 360 that we get the service and it’s only $8.95 a month. We’re able to download over 17,000 movies instantly from the computer and immediately be able to queue them up on our Xbox and watch them! A lot of them are in HD too! Then…for newer and more popular movies we simply put them on our queue and get them in the mail a few days later! I’m more excited about the instant part of the deal, because the a lot of the 17,000 movies we have access to are independent and foreign films…basically right up my alley!

This past Sunday I watched “The Other Boleyn Girl.” It starred three of my favorite actors, Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, and Eric Bana. The story was craazzzyyyy, I knew Henry the IIIV was a jerk, but dang! I wasn’t expecting a lot of the twists and turns that ensued. For those of you who enjoy period pieces…go check out this flick!

Another great flick we watched was “Two Days in Paris.” I have an obsession lately with Parisian settings…basically all things Paris. I don’t quite know what it is…but you’ll even see me being captivated by “Ratatoulle,” a Disney CARTOON set in Paris. So besides having my setting of choice the movie starred two adorable actors, Julie Delpy and Adam Goldberg (who I LOVE).

Tagline: He knew Paris was for lovers. He just didn’t think they were all hers.

Plot: Marion and Jack try to rekindle their relationship with a visit to Paris, home of Marion’s parents — and several of her ex-boyfriends.

Needless to say, Alex and I were rolling during some of the scenes and I would love to re-watch it! Check it! You won’t be disappointed!

I’m also still in the process of getting over whatever I fell victim to over a week ago. I’m able to function fine, even go to swim practices, I’m really just an orifice of snot. And come night, I love to cough cough cough. So much so that I’ve reverted to sleeping in our guest room for the past few nights…quite sad really, but I hate to keep Alex up!

Also on the swimming front…last night the cramps returned. I know. Thankfully it was at the end of practice during an easy set. I was able to make it through our taxing distance set relatively cramp free…with the exception of my toes misbehaving…seriously! Bad Toes! And bad calves…now that I’ve incorporated a ton of potassium into my diet I’m blaming it on not having enough sodium in my system. I could possibly be drinking too much water while at work (not surprising, I drink it all damn day) and flushing all the sodium out of my system!

Lickable Design…

I found this site while surfing the other day. After exploring it extensively I had to post the following pictures from their ceramic tile area. It’s allll soooo beautiful. I don’t know if most of you are aware of my obsession with glass and ceramic tiles…but yes, I love them!

I fell ill…

…for the second time in two months. ugh. I pride myself on having a super duper immune system. I guess it wasn’t enough for these sicky time months to ward off icky germs!

Wednesday I had to work from home and had to skip swimming that night because I wasn’t up for it. That pissed me off to no end. I was telling people lately, that when I get sick…I get mad. How dare you [illness] keep me from going about my everyday life. Keep me from going into work and screwing up the first week of my new year’s resolution!!!!

I turn into a vigilante and in spite [of the infection/virus having its way with me] will do these things anyway. Which is why last night (Thursday) I went to swim practice. I really felt fine the entire way through except for the, what I’ve dubbed, Satan cramps. Yes that’s right…cramps straight from Satan himself! They first started Monday during my first practice, I got a calf crap unlike any I’d ever experienced before while swimming freestyle. I had to stop and stretch it out in the middle of the pool…since then my calf has been sore!

Last night was a totally different ballgame. They first started in my feet…lovely, I would get these all the time in highschool while swimming. Something to do with always flexing and pointing my toes while kicking and not enough potassium in my diet. Ok, foot cramps, I’ve dealt with you before, I know how to handle this…however, they started working their way up both legs…crapbags! And finally, got to the point where I had to pull myself out of the pool and the coach had to rub them out of my legs. Looking down at my leg I saw muscles I’d never seen before slightly protruding in my calf…no bueno! And no matter what I did for the next 15 minutes they just wouldn’t quit!

So here’s the plan…eat my bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, and avocados! Also, sip a sports drink (preferably gatorade) before practices….and STRETCH even more than I have been! I definitely don’t want those cramps to make a third appearance!