Will you be mine?

Let’s be honest. Even if Valentine’s Day is a totally ridiculous holiday that forces up the prices of pretty things that girls like and doesn’t focus on guys much, if at all, it’s still nice to get something for Valentine’s Day. A couple of years ago, one of my college friends who had just started her masters/doctorate program out in LA sent me a really sweet valentine. In fact, it’s still proudly displayed in my cube at work. This year, however, E totally stepped up to the plate. :)

Confession: He told me a couple weeks before V-Day that he had no idea what to do to be romantic. So I took it upon myself to write him a note listing acceptable gifts. I don’t remember exactly what I said, but it was something like

1. A single rose
2. Dove chocolates
3. Something pretty (scarf, necklace, etc.)

Selfish? Probably. But you’ll also notice that I kept everything inexpensive. Not a dozen roses. Not some super expensive food item (Seriously, though. Is there anything better than those little foil-wrapped chocolates? No.).

The result?

A cute little vase filled with yellow carnations and sweet little purple flowers that I’m sure someone could name. A small teddy bear hugging the vase (he called that the “something pretty”). And a WHOLE BAG of Dove milk chocolates. *sigh* What a guy.

He decided to skip class take the night off so we could spend time together. Since Valentine’s Day was on a Tuesday, we decided to go to one of our favorite local restaurants, The Tavern Grill. Yeah, it was packed and, even though they don't take reservations, the hostess asked if we had them and then informed us that they were "booked solid until 9". Evidently “Tuesday” didn’t matter. Also, who eats at 9? (I've done it... crap.) So we went to a local sandwich shop instead and spent our meal with 6 other couples that seemed to all have infants in car seats. I suspect it was so they could make a quick get-away should Baby decide that they were done eating and needed to pay attention to Baby instead of their subs. Either way, it was one of the best Valentine’s Day celebrations I’ve ever had.

25 by 26

I’ve realized that I don’t live a particularly interesting life. I look at the people I know (through the stalker-feed on Facebook, let’s be honest here) and they all do stuff that sounds really cool and fun. I want to be one of those people! In an effort to do so, I came up with a list of 25 things I want to do while I’m 25. Some of them are one-time things and some of them are things I want to focus on throughout the year. I tried to get a good mix of “fun” and “chore” type stuff. As I go, hopefully I’ll find the time to write about each one and keep myself accountable.

So here’s the list!

1.      Start grad school
This is kind of cheating since technically I applied and was accepted into the grad program before I was 25. But my first class was on January 11, so it counts!

2.      Finish the desk
Oh, the desk. I got this free desk in 2009 and I’ve been working on it ever since. The end is in sight, but I’m at the sanding process, which is not nearly as much fun as imagining it when it’s done.

3.      Plan a trip
Vegas? Chicago? Wisconsin? Florida? London? Doesn’t matter. Just go SOMEWHERE that isn’t here. :) Mostly because I had so much fun with the trip I took with E last summer to Montana.

4.      Get a new phone
Again, kind of cheating because I already knew I was going to do this, but at least I can talk about the long and ridiculous process I take to make any decision ever.

5.      Get rid of all unpacked boxes in the house.
Yep, 2 years and still unpacked boxes. It’s pathetic.

6.      Go through old toys/kid stuff at Mom and Dad’s
This is not a time to be sentimental. My kids will get their own toys. Just get rid of them!

7.      Finish Mom’s sweater in time for her birthday
Her birthday is today…. Erm….. How about by the weekend after?

8.      Begin working on the quilt blanket for me
I’ve had the yarn for ages. Now it’s time to put aside other projects and get cracking!

9.      Visit the Walker Art Center
I’m not a particularly huge art fan, but I’ve always wanted to visit and this is the year! On this note, I need to find other cool stuff to do in The Cities. I haven’t spent much time there and I’m sure there are quite a few great places. I’ll keep looking for ideas.

10.   Read 4 non-fiction books (textbooks don’t count)
I’ll have to make a list of books. They can’t be ones I’ve already started and haven’t finished. What? You never do that? I’m the only one who gets bored when I only have one or two chapters left? Crap.

11.   Organize the laundry/utility area
Mostly I want to get rid of the old, slightly moldy, missing several shelves, particle board monstrosity that’s left over from the former owners. It will make it easier to move around in there and, well, won’t be a hazard to my health.

12.   Work out 2x/week for ½ hour each
Technically this isn’t a New Year’s Resolution since I’m making it after the new year. I’ll call it a “personal focus for 2012” instead. I’m planning to join a gym, hopefully. Mostly because that will make me actually do it rather than saying “I’ll do it tomorrow” or “After this next show”.

13.   Spend at least a day in Duluth
I’m not sure if I’ll let myself count this for “plan a trip” or not. I guess it depends on how long I stay there.

14.   Tour a local winery/do a tasting
This is not something I’ll be doing alone, thank you very much. I’m thinking at least Winehaven, but possibly some of the ones in southern MN. I think there’s a tour you can do that hits several of them, but I wouldn’t be comfortable driving if I was going to do more than one/day. Hey! Maybe I could make a trip out of it and go into Wisconsin! Hmmm….

15.   Plan meals each week (and try to make at least two of them)
Hopefully I’ll write them down rather than just think about them. And take pictures of the ones that are really good (and the ones that I totally botch because that’s just funny).

16.   Organize library and craft closet
I actually started on this! And it isn’t too bad as long as the cats don’t try to help.

17.   Put things on the walls in all the main rooms
Amazingly, I already have things in frames for most of the rooms. It’s just a matter of picking up the hammer at this point. And probably buying a level.

18.   Write one Jack and Oliver story
We’ll see how that goes…

19.   Make a cheesecake
I can’t tell you how excited I am about this one! Perhaps for Valentine’s Day.

20.   Start a blog
Check!

21.   Help Grandpa with his Secret Project
I’d tell you more, but he was very serious when he told me that I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone about it. I’m not sure how blogging about this one will go. Perhaps just checking in every once in awhile to prove that I’m doing it.

22.   Host at least one movie night each month, even if it’s just me and one other person
I’m not sure if I should make this an official thing with invites and everything or just make sure that I’m spending time with people other than E.

23.   Keep up with Doctor Who
Tragically, this can’t start until later in the year. Boo.

24.   Take a day off “just because”
I’m terrible at this. I usually take days off because I have an appointment or I made plans. I need to take a day off because I want to take a day off, not because of any other reason. And then I can make plans or just stay in my PJs all day.

25.   Plant a vegetable garden (even just pots with a few plants in them)
I’m actually excited about this one! Not because I particularly like vegetables, but I think it sounds like fun to have a garden. That and it will get me outside more than just to mow the lawn. And maybe I can learn how to do canning.

So there you go! That's what I'll be working on in the next year (hopefully). And it only took me a month after my birthday to actually post this list. Way to go, number 20!

Not Quite 1/4 Century

I know, I know. My blog title is relevant for what? A year.  Well, we're going for it. And besides... I'm not quite 1/4 century yet!

That said, I have NO THEME for my blog. Which is a problem because most blogs seem to have a theme: people moving to another country and blogging to keep up with their family; people buying a house, gutting it, and documenting their progress for the world to ooo and ahhhh at; people getting married/starting families/being parents/being amazing cooks.... Yeah, I'm not any of that. :)

I like to cook when I have the time. I don't really like to bake, even though I do kind of often. I like to knit and crochet when I have the time (which hasn't been a lot lately because E and I just got kittens. And by "just", I mean almost 2 months ago). I like to read. I hate vacuuming. I think it's because of the noise. Blocks out one of my senses and I'm just positive there's someone sneaking into my house to kill me while I'm distracted. I like pasta. I hate mushrooms (they're fungus. Why would anyone want to eat fungus?).

Let's see... What are some exciting things happening in my life?

1. My best friend and her husband left on Tuesday for two years in Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast - its on the bottom of that bump in western Africa). I haven't decided how to feel about this yet. Happily, I haven't cried. Sadly, I still miss her, even though we've gone longer than this without talking.
2. On October 8, E and I adopted two perfectly adorable kittens. They were born in mid-July-ish and are little rascals. At the shelter, their names were Brutis and Benny. Who names a kitten Brutis? Seriously. Anyway, now their names are Basil and Mr. Buttons and I spoil them something fierce. 



Mr. Buttons (L) and Basil (R)

3. I'm starting grad school in January. I'm going for a masters in technical communication. I loved school, but after being done for 3.5 years (wow...), I'm a little nervous about the whole going-to-class, doing-loads-of-homework thing. 

I think that's about it for now. Eventually I'll figure out what I'm going to talk about here. But they always say the first step is the hardest. I'm not sure who "they" is, but setting up a blog is surprisingly easy. Of course, I just went with one of the regular templates, but hey, I'm no graphic designer. :)