Peppermint Mocha

I know I'm a little behind on this, but I finally got to dive into the holiday spirit with one of my favorite splurges, Starbuck's Peppermint Mocha. Nothing tastes like winter and Christmastime quite like one.
Boyfriend spent the weekend at my house and today we did one of my favorite things- found a cute downtown, wandered around and got coffee. I love a good downtown and always dream of living in one. Somewhere to walk and meet friends for coffee. To be able to walk or ride my bike to the gym. Wander around and do some shopping. Walk to the post office.
Ah, maybe someday.

Photo from here

Florida

I love warm weather. Therefore, I love Florida, and it just so happens that one of my best friends, Kate, lives there. I haven't seen her since January and needed a friend and a tan, so I decided that it was time to visit.

I got down on Friday night and was greeting with warm weather. Ah, flip flops. And loads more drinking than my grownup body is used to. But it was really great to see Kate and have someone to talk to and take me to cool places.

Such as City Place in West Palm Beach, where Christmas was in full swing.
Not the easiest to see, but yes, that is snow in Florida. But it's the only good kind of snow- fake snow! I officially love Christmastime in Florida, even if it was before Thanksgiving.
And the view from Anne's Beach in Islamorada was perfect, as was the entire day. Sunshine, cool breeze, cooler full of beer. Absolutely perfect.
As was this perfect beach bar. Frozen drinks and seafood. Heaven.

And quickly I was welcomed back home with cold weather, snow and a cold. Thanks.

Funny Story: Attack of the Pelicans

Funny stories are one of the things that I don't only have problems telling, but I also have trouble writing. I feel that it's not just me; some people are born great oral storytellers, whereas I have to work hard to tell a story without completely butchering it. Writing a funny story is even more of a talent. As I found through creative writing classes, many stories in my head don't come out right when I write them. They come out even less funny than if I tell them aloud. Well, here's another attempt. If it's not funny, I swear, you had to have been there.

The Attack of the Pelicans Story

While in Florida last week, Kate and I went to Robbie's in Islamorada in the Keys. I had a great time and highly recommend it, but with this one warning: beware of the pelicans. While they look cute in Finding Nemo and from across the water, they're not so cute close up.
Anyways, that was definitely not the pelicans we met. At Robbie's, they have these horrendous looking giant fish called tarpons in the water for visitors to feed. You get a bucket of smelly fish, go out on the dock and feed them.

On the dock is full of these. (Please note, no zoom was used.)Now piece it together. Kate and I with a bucket of fish feeding these ugly fish.
And then they creeped in.
And then we screamed and ran away like the wussy females we are as the manly fishermen had a great laugh at our expense.

And possibly other people, too, as Robbie's has a live webcam on their dock. View it here and hope for more people like us.

My camera ended up on the dock and somehow it didn't fall in and wasn't eaten by those nasty birds that now make seagulls look tame. Luckily, neither were Kate's keys or our wallets, as celebratory drinks were quickly purchased (at about 11 a.m.) in honor of neither of us falling in the water to meet those nasty fish or being bitten by one of those nasty pelicans.

Being Thankful

Finding happiness is easier for some people than it is others. As I try to find moments of happiness in my daily actions, I think that I sometimes forget that maybe I don't always have to go looking for them- maybe happiness is right in front of me everyday. I do have a lot to be thankful for, and maybe if I took more than Thanksgiving or the holiday season to reflect upon the things in my life that I'm thankful for, I can find happiness within that.

Deep, I know.

This Thanksgiving, in my first year of being a grownup, I am most thankful for my job. I'm thankful to have a 9-5(ish) work day to look forward to with great co-workers. I'm thankful that I'm doing something that I went to school for. I'm thankful that when someone asks me what I'm doing, I can say more than that I'm with the rest of my graduating class in the awful job hunt.

I'm thankful for the few family members and friends that I keep close to me. There are only a handful of people, both family and friends, that I let into my life or like, and these few people are very special to me. I'm thankful to have them for their support, their antics, their ridiculousness and the fact that they're the only people who read this.

I'm also thankful for Boyfriend for putting up with me. I would also say buying me flowers, but we all know that doesn't happen.

I'm also thankful that I have a warm-weather friend, who I got to spend the past four days with in Florida. It was nice to take a break from the cold and enjoy a few too many cocktails. More of that to come later. Lots more.

As Thanksgiving passes and the true holiday season is finally upon us, (yay, my Christmas music and movie marathon starts tomorrow!) let's be thankful for friends, family (ha), health, happiness, humor, the House Hunters International Marathon, running into people from home who I never wanted to see again and new engagements that make me cringe.

Sunshine and Warm Weather

One of my small obsessions is the weather. I need to know what it's going to be like outside. I need to know what jacket to bring, what shoes to wear and be warned with how cold I'm going to be. If there's a storm coming, you bet I can tell you how much rain or snow is coming and when it's starting. I almost cross my fingers for the ever-rare Jersey hurricane because I would love to see it and know everything about it. In college, my roommates would ask me before they got dressed in the day how it is outside. It's just one of those few things that I need to know.

So about ten days before a trip, you bet I'm on www.weather.com crossing my fingers for sunshine and warm weather. Last January's trip to Florida brought nothing but rain. South Florida was cold and miserable. The iguanas were literally freezing and dropping out of trees. I went kayaking in Key Largo wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. I didn't get to wear a bikini once. In fact, I bought a tanning package while I was there so I came back tan.

I was the only person wearing flip flops because hell, I was in Florida and it was above freezing, which it wasn't in Jersey at the time. Apparently when the weather is below 60 degrees, South Floridians break out parkas and Uggs.

I'm leaving for Florida tonight and the forecast is looking a bit different.Hello, flip flops, beach days, bikinis and old men! See ya tonight!

Cone Heads

Dear Puppies,

Please hurry up and heal so that these cones can come off your heads. They hurt my ankles and I'm scared that when you try to jump up and kiss me, you're going to break my nose. Also, I'm tired of hearing Mom complain that you're going to ruin her hallway/furniture/door/house/etc.

Things I've Gotten Yelled at For ..

In the past two hours, I've gotten yelled at for the following by Mom for:

• Wanting to do something other than sit home with her on Thanksgiving
• Asking for a ride to the airport Friday after work ("But I would have to leave early." No, Mom, not if you actually went in on time and left on time for a change)
  
• Painting my toe nails
• Marlie peeing on the couch (Clearly I made her to do)
• Not helping with ... (It was muttered)
• Not having enough room in her closet
• The hangers taking up too much room
• Not helping with ...(Again, muted, followed by profanity)
  
• Not having enough time to do her paperwork
  
• Marlie pooping on the floor (Again, I asked her to)

And in about an hour, I'm going to get yelled at for wanting to go to bed at a decent hour because some of us have to leave early in the morning for work.

And she wonders why I'm anxious to move out.

Football

I went to a small college with no football team. Fail, I know.

So over the weekend I went to my first college football game, Rutgers vs. Syracuse. It sucked. Well, Rutgers sucked. And I also almost stepped in vomit.

And this thing sat next to me.
I hate things in costume and I had just finished saying that as this gorilla creeped up next to me.

And that's part smiling, part laughing and part hating my boyfriend for allowing this to happen and taking a photo of it.

Christmas, Part One

I love Christmas. Most people wouldn't expect me to. I hate cold weather, large crowds of people, children, traffic, and things that are totally commercialized, but I love the Christmas season.

But it's November. Before Thanksgiving. I'm just not ready for it yet.

Sure, I can't wait to watch Charlie Brown, Christmas Vacation and my new holiday favorite Four Christmases. I can't wait to start listening to NSYNC and Hanson's Christmas CD's and Country Christmas on Pandora.

I'm just not ready to have traffic built up between Moorestown and Voorhees and Cherry Hill and Medford. Holiday music at the mall. Lines to visit Santa.

Especially not before Thanksgiving. Don't the kids still have soccer games? Aren't there still leaves to rake?

Regardless, I am ready for the holiday spirit. Maybe people will be a little nicer. Not honk at me if I want to let someone in while driving. Hold the door open for me. Not take their screaming, demanding children to the mall. Smile. Enjoy some time with the family.

But probably not.

As Charlie Brown said, "Maybe this year will be different."

Shop. Save. Donate.

Start your Christmas shopping early this weekend. Print this coupon and when you go to a Banana Republic, Gap or Old Navy, you'll save 30%- and 5% of your purchase will be donated to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

A Good Laugh

I'm the kind of person that finds just about everything funny. A college roommate of mine found nothing funny, and for her to say that a movie was funny at the she actually laughed out loud typically meant that I would be hysterical the entire time. Simple humor makes me; stupid humor makes me laugh. (See: America's Funniest Home Videos). Chelsea Handler is my hero and I would happily marry Vince Vaughn.

Hence my birthday present- tickets for the Vince Vaughn and Kevin James Wild West Comedy Roadshow.Hysterical. YouTube some of it if you need a good laugh, especially anything by Steve Byrne.
I just wish Kevin James did some stand up. Or wore his IPS uniform.

Puppies First Hair Cut

Cute until they ate the bows.

Today I Learned ...

... that I can listen to the new Taylor Swift CD three times (skipping the saddest song on the CD...) driving home from work.I wonder what that says about me.