Random Musings...
Monday, July 31, 2006
·KFC·
- Wow. I just watched this ridiculous KFC commercial and halfway through, it hit me..."HEY!! THAT'S ED!!" Yes, a former costar of mine is on a national commercial. He made more money from the Colonel for that spot than Andrew and I will make all year combined.
This is the best picture I could find of the two of us from a show we did our senior year.
Yes, I have a ridiculous face. I was playing a neurotic, paranoid housewife.
Hmm...
But yes, anyway, look for good old Ed as the idiot at the desk that gets ambushed by his coworkers for his bucket of fiery boneless chicken wings.
Posted at 5:32 PM
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Posted by: 2:29 PM
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Sunday, July 30, 2006
·Anna's First Game!·
- We're getting our Anna started young. She went to her first sporting event last night, a minor league baseball game. The team is based just five minutes away from us. She had a great time.
Posted at 10:11 AM
Comments... Post a CommentYou have an outstanding good and well structured site. I enjoyed browsing through it » » »
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Saturday, July 29, 2006
·More of Anna·
- I've been going through a rough patch lately. More on that later. In the meantime, here are a couple new Anna pictures.
Posted at 11:12 PM
Comments... Post a CommentOh my goodness I love her cherry outfit!
Cherries are in this fall!
I hope you are feeling better soon!
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Monday, July 24, 2006
·One Week Anniversary·
- With the sun rising above our quiet apartment, a marvelous milestone was reached. One full week of Anna sleeping through the night! Wow! She goes to bed sometime between 9:30 and 10:00pm and wakes up between 6:30 and 7:00am! Woohoo! I'm so glad the strategies we tried with her worked. We had our little one sleeping through the night consistently before she even turned 3 months old!
She's 12 weeks old today! Depending on your definition, she may now be considered three months. Yesterday she started laughing. She's been smiling really big for a while now, but yesterday she started squeaking so adorably with each smile. We caught it on video and everything. What a sweetheart!
Posted at 9:19 AM
Comments... Good for you! I remember the first time Colby Grace slept through the night. Mike and I woke up at 7:30 am and I shouted "oh my gosh she didn't wake up something is wrong!"
We both ran to her room 1/2 naked and tripping over each other. When we got there she was just fine in her crib. She was a little over 12 weeks.
Post a CommentI'm so excited for you and the little one! I love reading all of your little updates :o) Congrats mommy!
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Friday, July 21, 2006
·Act Calm, Act Calm·
- Today has been a day of overcoming some anxieties.
First off, I took Anna for a preview class at Gymboree. She had a great time. She was fascinated to be looking at other babies for the first time, and she loved the songs and games we played. The downside was that it doesn't seem like it will be quite the social outlet I was hoping it'd be. There were only two other babies there. They were adorable five month old boys. They were brought there by one daddy and one mommy. The mom seemed really nice and close to my age. This was also her first baby. Only thing is I don't know is are we going to really hit it off or not. It sounds silly, but I'm really friend shopping right now. The classes are fairly expensive, and I want to make sure I get what I was hoping to get out of it.
But anyway, I was only mildly anxious. Of course, I felt out of place because I didn't know any of the songs or games. They had to keep stopping to show me what I was supposed to do. I felt like a fish out of water, especially since there is a big, freakish clown looking puppet that the teacher uses and we all had to sing stupid songs. I practically break out into a rash when I have to sing Happy Birthday, so I had to really force myself to look normal when I had to learn a new song about Happy Friends or something in front of everyone. (I won't even get started on my feelings on clowns!!) Good thing is Anna always likes my singing, no matter how bad it sounds. She gave me just the encouragement I needed not to feel totally out of my mind. She couldn't stop smiling.
Anna usually hates tummy time. For those of you who don't have babies, tummy time is a relatively new concept. They found that babies who sleep on their backs rather than face down have a much lower incidence of SIDS. Only problem was when all the parents started leaving their babies on their backs all day, the back of their heads got flat and they never gained the neck, back, and arm strength needed to crawl, etc. So now they tell you to make sure to give your babies tummy time while they're awake to encourage them to gain those skills as well. ANYWAY, Anna has very little tolerance for tummy time. She struggles for a little bit to try to pull her head back, but then she gives up and starts crying into the blanket to pathetically.
Well, I was a little nervous at Gymboree when they started the tummy time, because I just knew mine would be the kid who would start wailing. She did start crying, of course, but only after a while. They put a mirror underneath her face, which she just loved. They started rolling balls all over the mirror, and it was totally fascinating. The two boys were coordinated enough not only to lift themselves up very nicely, but also to bat at the balls. They watched them roll around, and Anna watched them play for a while. It was the best she had done at tummy time! I was proud!
So that was Gymboree. It was lots of fun for the two of us, but I was disappointed in the turnout. I have another preview class scheduled for August 3rd at a different location. Hopefully that place has a bigger crowd.
The other thing I finally got up the guts to do was to call some local gift shops to try and set up an appointment for them to see my products. I'm realizing that things run a little differently here than in little Gainesville. Providence isn't a tremendously huge city, but it is a pretty urban city. The shop owners don't have the same "Sure, stop on by!" protocol that I got used to from a small town. I have to submit a packet with images, samples, quotes, etc. I have to get working on creating a professional looking portfolio, it seems. So far, the response has been a little more tepid than I had hoped. I certainly have much more competition up here than I did in Florida. I'm going to have to get in gear.
My mom is coming to visit on Monday. I'll leave her watching Anna, and I'll really get to work creating something nice and professional. Hopefully I won't choke when/if I give my presentation after all this effort to try not to look like a small-time, nervous little girl!
Posted at 4:39 PM
Comments... Post a CommentTry and look for a mommy's group in the area instead of Gymboree. They seem to have them all over just look on google for some in your neighborhood. They are organized and really cheap. My sister did that when she was looking for friends with kids her own kids age.
Good luck with the business proposals.
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Thursday, July 20, 2006
·Break Out the Kleenex·
Create your own video at One True Media
Posted at 7:30 PM
Comments... That was so adorable!! I love the picture with her and your grandmother.
I love that website!! Now, I'm sitting at work making a montage for the Rehersal Dinner and I'm going to give copies to our parents as gifts!! Thanks :o)
Posted by
Post a CommentOMG that was SO cute! I love it! She really is growing so fast. You can see more of Andrew in her now. She's so adorable & is a great mix of the 2 of you. :)
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·What the?·
- So I move from Florida to New England, and now I have a tropical storm heading my way?? Huh??
Posted at 12:03 PM
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Wednesday, July 19, 2006
·Taking My First Steps·
- Given my slight case of social anxiety and having moved to a new state where I had never been before, it's not difficult to guess that I have no friends. For the past several weeks, I've only been out once without Andrew. To the grocery store! So my days are spent here in our 1100 sq ft apartment.
Well, I took my first step to getting a life. I called Gymboree and scheduled a preview class for this Friday. Gymboree is a place that has classes for babies and children where the parents interact as well. I signed up for the 0-6 month class. I don't doubt that Anna will get something out of leaving the house too, but it's mostly for my own sanity. My cousin Jennifer did this when she moved to Texas, and that is how she has met all of her friends. I'm looking forward to meeting moms of other babies. I just hope I'm able to force myself out of my shell enough to make friends. If nothing else, they'll teach me new games to play with Anna so that I'm not going "Oooooo" all day long!
Posted at 11:44 AM
Comments... Way to go Rosalie! Remember when you went to the gym but had a hard time talking to those in your class. This will not be like that. You have a baby now, a great way to start conversation is to compliment someone on their child "I love that out fit, or what a cutie he is!!" Babies and kids really are the best way to break the ice.
p.s. I love the pictures. You are looking great too! But that kid of yours steals the show!
Post a CommentI still revel at the fact that you have social anxiety... and, really, I am not sure why. Maybe because of teh acting, seems to me anyone that can act would feel comfortable in any situation. In any case, I think that is a wonderful idea for you and little Anna to get out and interact and meet people. You may just be on the brink of lifelong freindships.. both of you!! Good luck Honey!! ANDDDDDDDDDDDDDD... that baby girl is just gorgeous. She looks so very plesant. Hugs to Anna!
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Tuesday, July 18, 2006
·Weather Freaks·
- I'm realizing that no matter where you live, people freak out about the weather one way or another. Andrew always laughed at the local news in Florida because everyone would flip out when it got the least bit cool outside. And it's true, they would lose all sense of reality. No joke, I remember one newscast last winter where there was a missing girl and there was a whole organized search underway. It was probably in the 50's out, and the news anchor (I SWEAR this is true!!) said, "Rescuers braved the cold in hopes of finding her." BRAVED the 50 degree weather to save someone's life?!?! Oh the heroism!! I mean, I bet even the girl's parents were like, "55 degrees? Forget about it. We'll look for her later."
So that's Florida, land of the wusses. Here in New England, they're a heartier bunch, right? I mean, 50's and they're still sunbathing, probably. Well, hate to break it to Northern weather snobs, but Northerns are just as wussy.
It's in the mid-90's out right now. Pretty much typical Florida weather May through September. The local news just said, "The heat reaches dangerous levels." There are heat advisories out. Huh? I don't ever recall a heat advisory in my nearly 20 years as a Floridian. You know why? Because it's always in the 90's in the summer. Who cares? I don't think millions of Floridians are putting their lives on the line day after day for months at a time.
On another weather note, I'll give New Englanders a pass on their opinion of what constitutes a thunderstorm. At first, I laughed, but then I reminded myself that Central Florida is the lightning capital of the world. So really, no other place can match what my vision of a thunderstorm is. Apparently, we've had three thunderstorms since I've moved here, and we are expecting another one tonight. I have not noticed said thunderstorms yet. I've heard a handful of rumbles, but no strobelight-like series of flashes, no house shaking crashes, and there was actually just silence for several minutes between each rumble, rather than the constant waves of sound. I could definitely get used to this version of a thunderstorm.
One thing that will be harder for me to get used to is the cloudiness. Coming from the Sunshine State, I realized I was spoiled with the sunniness. I didn't know that even during the summer that it would be overcast 50% of the time. Winter is definitely going to be rough on this Florida wuss for many, many reasons!
Posted at 12:06 PM
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Thursday, July 13, 2006
·Blame it on the Media·
- The news stations here are a bit different than what I'm used to. I'm used to slick, ego-driven newscasters who love the sound of their "journalist" voices. They're small time celebrities who love to engage in plastic banter at the end of their broadcasts.
Here is a different story, though.
One station here is decidedly frumpy. The weatherman is an awkward, grandfatherly figure. He seems out of place pointing out things in front of the blue screen. Sometimes he's a bit mumbly and you have to listen a bit hard to understand him. He would have never made it in Florida news, I can tell you that. The only thing we can figure is that maybe he's been the weatherman for 40 years here and everyone grew up with him. They're too sad to admit to themselves that he has no business getting up there every day muttering to himself about the humidity.
The other one I usually end up watching has this Mafia looking anchor with the weirdest accent. I thought all journalists had that same voice that they all rehearse and perfect so self-consciously. Not this guy. He gives you the news with attitude, Italian style. The only thing missing are the hand gestures. He even adds little quips like, "Who knew?" So very, very stereotypical.
Well, every time I watch, I always wonder who hired him and thought to themselves that he's the perfect lead anchor. I just noticed something today, though. Every single man on that channel has an Italian last name and have the same funky accent. It hit me. Maybe in this state, the local news is one of the "family businesses." Here I've been getting my news from a bunch of rough, Italian men in fancy suits! Now I'm beginning to wonder if I'm being influenced by some larger agenda when they keep covering how the Massachusetts transportation director should resign. If he gets gunned down, I have a feeling that Channel 10 is going to have a whole lotta exclusives on the story, know whatta mean?
Posted at 4:28 PM
Comments... Too bad there aren't web clips of the anchors they sound unique. Very unique!
How's the humidity compared to FL? I'm going 2 Orlando next week for a conference. I'll look at the gators and think fondly of you!!!
Posted by
Post a CommentThats so funny. I am sure it's a odd for you to be in such a different environment. When I travel with my job I am always surprised by the places we go
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·Happy Baby!·
- I've got such a happy baby! She cracks me up all day long with her silliness.
Posted at 12:16 PM
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Saturday, July 08, 2006
·Damn It!·
- I love that Lucky's cue to come running to my side is not me calling his name. It's not me whistling for him. It's me swearing in the kitchen. Nothing gets him there faster because he just KNOWS it means that I just dropped food all over the floor.
It's ok, though. It's a mutually beneficial relationship. I drop food on the floor and swear, but thanks to him, I don't have to bother to clean it up. I didn't realize it until he was gone once, and I cooked in the kitchen by myself for the first time. At the end of the meal, I was shocked to see how messy the floor was! I guess Lucky earns his keep after all.
Posted at 10:51 PM
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Friday, July 07, 2006
·5 Years·
- Today is our five year anniversary. We still haven't made plans! The little one certainly distracts us from being able to do anything big.
It's amazing to think back to the series of events that led up to Anna. To think that she only existed in my imagination when I married Andrew. I wondered what our child would be like, and now here she is. I used to think that nothing could top the emotion of my wedding day. It was true up until this year, that's for sure. I remember when we walked back down the aisle together having just been pronounced husband and wife, we went back to a room at the front of the church. We hugged each other so tightly and started crying. "We did it!" It was the happiest day of my life. Of course, the day Anna was born was even more incredible (giving birth really does live up to all of the hype!), but it's neat to think that one had to follow the other. Here we are, five years later, happier than ever.
Posted at 5:44 PM
Comments... Post a Comment5 years! I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate your anniversary then with you new daughter. You guys have come a long way!!!!
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Thursday, July 06, 2006
·Welcome to Rhode Island·
Well, here we are in Rhode Island! I've been here for about a week now, and I'm still trying to get used to things. I'm experiencing major culture shock, almost as if I had moved to another country. Everything is so different here. I was warned that things are quirky here, and they sure are!
First of all, the roads here are crazy. Not only are they extremely bumpy and full of potholes, but there is no rhyme or reason to them. They split, fork, change names, suddenly turn into one-ways, wind around, just everything! The first few times I asked people for directions here, I wondered why the hell they couldn't just give me clear, turn-by-turn directions. For example, if I were to give someone directions from my old house to my old office, I would say, "Turn left onto 43rd St, Right onto 20th Ave, Left onto 34th St, Right onto Radio Rd, Left onto Museum Rd." Well, here, EVERY TIME, it goes more like, "You go up this way, kind of keep going straight, but it's more like left, go two stop signs, veer right, you're going to kind of go around, make the second right, you're going to see that big building, keep going, then turn left." NO ONE gives street names, and those "kind of go this way" things drive me insane. One thing I will say, though, is after driving around a little bit, I can see why people don't use street names. The names change every mile, it seems! No joke. Half the time there are no signs anyway. I've never seen anything like it. And the parts where it's "Go straight, but really right," well, it's because there seem to be no right angles around here. Not even in downtown Providence! It's total craziness. I'm sorry, but I will definitely miss Florida's straight roads, wide lanes, and clear signs.
The other thing, the accents here are CRAZY! I think it has to be the ugliest English-speaking accent there is. Everything sounds so harsh and even the most polite of people sound like they're giving you attiude. Water=Wata. Park=Pack. Car=Caa. River=Riva. You get the idea (=idear).
Everything here is old, which is really different. Old in Florida is 1980's. Here, it's 1780's. The average home around us appears to be about 100 years old. Some parts are pretty junky, but downtown Providence as well as several surrounding neighborhoods are just gorgeous. It has been neat to walk down streets lined with houses that are older than this country.
It's very picturesque here too. There is water everywhere. Every now and then, there will be a rolling hill that gives you an beautiful view. Most surprising were the frasier firs in the park next door to us that, to me, are Christmas trees. I was amazed to find Christmas trees just growing on their own next to my house, and Andrew just scratched his head. Mmm...they even smell like Christmas.
The restaurants here are amazing. We've been told that people drive here from Boston for dinner. We've gotten great seafood and great Italian that has definitely lived up to the hype. I can't wait to keep exploring more.
Ok, this post has taken me several days to write, and I'm just going to go ahead and post it to get it up there so I can start putting regular posts. In the meantime, Anna hopes you all had a wonderful Fourth of July holiday...
Posted at 9:22 AM
Comments... Hoorah, glad to see you back! So it seems as if you and little Anna have some adjusting to do. Hope you will soon have it feeling like home.
jennifer
p.s. She is SUCH A CUTIE!!!!!!!! Wow, a darling little girl.
The pictures of the town you posted look beautiful! It must be so exciting to be experiencing something so different and new.
Posted by
Post a CommentOh I am glad you made it to RI safely!
You will come to love RI it is beautiful!
Anna is getting so big!
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