Weekend in Review

We had a great weekend up at Deep Creek this past weekend, and it was tough to go back to work today. We headed up Friday, ate dinner with my parents and a bunch of their friends (thanks for letting us crash your party!), then spent the rest of the weekend swimming, relaxing and talking long walks. It was so enjoyable that we stayed late and didn't get home until about 9:30 p.m. yesterday.

Saturday night, we got pizza at Ledo's and then saw The Dark Knight. It was creepy, for sure. I'm not a big Batman fan so I didn't really know if there was a back story I was missing out on, but I enjoyed it. Heath Ledger did a maniacal, bizarre Joker. Much different than the Jack Nicholson Joker from a few years ago.

The bad news on the home front is that my treadmill has a stuck key and I need to have the keypad replaced, which means it's out of commission for a week or so until the part arrives. That means I'm huffin' it outside in 99 degree heat and terrible humidity. Ugh. It was so bad I treated myself to a scoop of vanilla ice cream when I got home. :)

Back to my hotel search for a possible long weekend at the beach...

Leaping Sharks?

This is my worst nightmare, although I wonder if these photos are really true. Have you seen this story?



Blacktip shark snapped in photo of surfer off New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Tuesday Top 10

Another week has passed and it's time for the weekly top 10. Here are 10 things that I am thankful for this week:

1. A fun weekend - hosting a small dinner party on Saturday and our first Washington Nationals baseball game on Sunday afternoon. It was HOT!
2. Our new appliances that fit and work fabulously, thanks to Rob's handiwork and patience.
3. Knowing that I'll see my best girlfriend next week! She's heading up from Texas and we'll get to catch up.
4. A trip to Target with Rob tonight after work. We picked up the essentials and walked the aisles.
5. A great sermon series "Got Burnout...Get Balance" at our church. It's really hit home.
6. A very decisive meeting at work today where we made some good decisions and moved on. Way better than having to sit in another meeting about the meeting we just had - which unfortunately has happened before.
7. Tons of new friends popping up on Facebook. Are you on there? Everyone you've ever met already is too!
8. Getting my kitchen in order. In addition to the appliances, we've added a new snack/bread box, inside cabinet hooks for potholders and the convection microwave racks, etc. I crave organization.
9. Reading friends' funny blogs and catching up on their days.
10. Saltines and Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese!

Have a good week!

A Test

On Saturday night, we had some friends over for dinner. During the course of the conversation, we got into discussing situations that my friend's wife called "God Tests" -- situations where you have the opportunity to take the easy way out or get something for free, even though you know it's not the "right" thing to do.

A good case would be my elusive black cardigan sweater story, which is still up in the air, thanks to an unreturned phone call to the store.

Anywho, I saw this story in the Washington Post and it really made me think. You can read it for yourself, but long story short, a couple found a 3.02 carat diamond ring in a parking garage, and then went on a mission to find its rightful owner. The couple really put a lot of work into it, as did the jeweler who sold the ring (it had the company's name etched in the band). I have a feeling people like this are hard to find.

What's the most unique "God Test" situation you've ever been in?

It All Fits on Paper

Good news: our new appliances all arrived yesterday!

Bad news: nothing fits.

Actually, that's not the complete story and everything is in its place now, but it sure was an adventure getting it all there!

All three items (stove, microwave, fridge) were scheduled for yesterday, but of course they all couldn't come at once! So the microwave installation guy showed up at 8:30 a.m., plopped it right up there, tested it out and headed on his way. Easy-peasy.

The stove and refrigerator were to arrive between 3-5:45 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. - when we'd seen neither hide nor hair of the delivery truck - I called and was informed that they were running late. No problem... we waited and waited and they finally showed up.

Here's where it got fun! The fridge measured right (and trust me, we'd measured it 101 times), but wouldn't fit in the space. Measure the fridge- check. Measure the space- check. It fit on paper, but not in real life. In the end, we figured out that our hardwood floors are a little uneven and that was making it not slide in on one side.

Let's move on to the stove. The delivery guy attempted to slide it into place... nope. There's some sort of power box screwed into the floors that happened to be in the exact 6-inch area where the stove wouldn't go back, so the whole thing stuck out from the wall 4 inches. Bothersome, but fixable in the next few days, we thought, until I realized that the dishwasher wouldn't open all of the way with the stove sticking out.

ACK!

At 7 p.m., I was tired and hungry and very irritated. The delivery man just shrugged his shoulders, asked me to sign that it all had, in fact, been delivered, and left us with a big refrigerator in the middle of the kitchen and stove that was blocking the dishwasher. Not a happy camper was I.

I informed Rob that I was going to pick up some carry out for dinner, and that I wanted that refrigerator in place when I got back. I have to give him a special shout out - he got out his Dremel tool and sanded the cabinet trim until it finally slid into place. Hallelujiah.

After dinner, he tackled the electric outlet behind the stove (shutting off the power so he didn't zap himself!), unscrewed/un-nailed it, moved it down 6 inches and reattached the whole thing. The stove slid in perfectly!

In the end, it's all where it needs to be and I'm very pleased. It was just a rocky two hours last night.

Tuesday Top 10

Tuesday Top 10 time again - the weeks just fly! Here's a peek at what I'm thankful for this week...

1. Survival of a day full of meetings. Maybe tomorrow I'll actually get some work done!
2. A very relaxing long weekend with Rob at the lake, spending time with both of our families, finishing a good book and daily walks in the mountain air. I couldn't ask for more.
3. Rob's new position within his company - he's happy, and so am I!
4. Listening to sermons online. Our church posts our minister's lessons online, and since we travel so much in the summer, I really like to download and listen during the week.
5. A good dinner tonight - peanut cilantro chicken breasts and snap peas - compliments of Let's Dish. Easy and delicious.
6. A job I really enjoy. I complain about an over-abundance of meetings, but I'm fortunate to do what I love.
7. Knocking out 1.5 miles on the treadmill and clearing my head while I walked.
8. Our repaired room ceiling at the lake cottage. May the third time be the charm! (Rob, his dad and brother-in-law put up some extra supports on the tiles.)
9. The extra 20 minutes I'm getting to sleep in the mornings. Rob's new position is about 10 miles closer to home, so he leaves later in the morning. That means I get to snooze a few minutes longer!
10. Trader Joe's low fat strawberry granola!

Have a good week!

A Loooooong Weekend

I hope everyone had a good 4th of July! We spent Thursday-Monday at the lake and really had a relaxing time. I slept in every morning! :)

Friday was a total washout, as it rained steadily all day. Rob's mom and I finally were stir crazy and ventured out for a walk, all decked out in our rain gear. It eventually stopped raining late in the evening, just in time for neighbors down the lake to set off a very elaborate fireworks display, complete with booming patriotic music. It was quite a show!

Saturday night, we met my parents for dinner at the Hen House, which is always good.

We arrived home today to find Rob's Xbox entering the red ring of death. I don't really know what that means, but he keeps talking about it. All I know is that he called Microsoft and they are sending him the materials to return it. He'll be Xbox free for two-to-three weeks. Boo hoo.

Tomorrow we head back to work!

Tuesday Top 10

It's Tuesday again - I can't believe how fast the weeks go! Here is my top 10 for the week -

1. A short work week and a long weekend to celebrate July 4. Can't wait for the day off!
2. New appliances! Our refrigerator - specifically, the ice maker - has been an issue, so we decided to take the plunge and replace it. While we are at it, we're going for a new stove and microwave too, and hopefully I'll get a new dishwasher sooner rather than later. Could it be that they'll all finally match?! We opted for the french door refrigerator with the pull-out drawer freezer. Hope we like it all!
3. Lower humidity that allowed for a walk outside tonight, rather than on the treadmill.
4. Clean and ironed clothes, with nothing hanging in the laundry room awaiting my attention. This is rare!
5. Band-aids. More blisters on my feet. I don't know what my problem is.
6. Knowing we'll see both my family and Rob's family this weekend. Always fun!
7. Finding gas for $4.03/gallon - a bargain! Isn't that absurd?
8. Sweet kitty A.J., whose sitting next to me. She always brings me joy!
9. Super progress on a couple of projects at work. I feel like the last few weeks have been super busy, but very productive.
10. Rice crispy treats!

Have a happy fourth of July!

Let's Dish!

We went to Let's Dish earlier this week and whipped up a freezer full of meals to enjoy for the next few weeks. This is the fourth or fifth time I've been there, I think, and I'm rarely disappointed in the meals.

Plus, the full meal serves six (ex., six chicken breasts), so we either split it or divide it into thirds to get more bang for our buck. Besides, when on earth would I cook six pieces of chicken for the two of us? Thirds doesn't always work, especially for the more casserole-type dishes or pork loins. In that case, we'll just have leftovers!

Here's what we prepared:

• Sizzling chicken and veggie fajitas, with tortillas and cheese = 2 meals
  
• Bourbon glazed steaks = 3 meals
  
• Peanut cilantro chicken with snap peas = 3 meals
  
• BBQ pork tenderloin = 2 meals
  
• Black angus burgers with oat buns, blue cheese and blackened veggies = 3 meals
  
• Bourbon glazed chicken breasts = 3 meals
  
• Shrimp scampi with linguine= 2 meals
  
• Honey glazed pork chops = 3 meals
  

So in total, we came home with 21 meals. The cost is around $180 (but they ALWAYS have a coupon). I think we paid $160 this time, and that equals out to $7.62 per meal.

My secret to Let's Dish is that I rarely do one of the pasta-based or veggie meals, since I don't know that they are worth the $. Steaks or chicken breasts, on the other hand, are worth it. And some of the meals are complete (like the shrimp scampi with linguine), and others need side dishes added at home.

Overall, I recommend it. It's fun to put the meals together, and it really helps knowing that the meal thawing in my refrigerator can be cooked and on the table fairly easily!

Has anyone out there tried Let's Dish or one of the similar food prep places?

Tuesday Top 10

Blogger was being difficult last night, so I didn't complete my Tuesday Top 10 until this morning. Here goes - this week, I am thankful for...

1. A very fun trip to New York with Rob's parents. I'm lucky to have such great in-laws!
2. No cavities for me, per the dentist yesterday.
3. Good news for Rob on the job front. Long story, but it looks like most of the stress is coming to an end soon. Hallelujah!
4. Seeing a bunch of Rob's family at his cousin's high school graduation last week. It's always fun to be around them all.
5. Fresh summertime fruits and veggies that make for delicious meals and snacks.
6. Accomplishing the task of cleaning out three drawers of mine in our dresser, weeding out the stuff for Goodwill and organizing the rest. The bad news is that I have five more drawers to go, and then I tackle the other half of the closet. :(
7. Clothes that fit just a little too loose. That means I'm moving in the right direction. :)
8. Good friends who e-mail, blog and call. Thank you!
9. Safety and flood-freeness for friends who live in the midwest. I'm thinking of you!
10. Delicious nectarines!

Hope you have a great week!

I (Heart) NYC

We are back from spending a long weekend in Manhattan with Rob's parents and had a great time! We left early Friday morning and took the new Bolt Bus, which was awesome. Terrific seats, easy ride and way cheaper than the train (and much, much easier than driving and paying to park!).

We spent the afternoon walking around Times Square, Rockefeller Center, etc. Friday night, Rob's parents went to see 39 Steps, and Rob and I went to see Young Frankenstein. The show was absolutely fantastic! It stars Roger Bart (he played the creepy pharmacist on Desperate Housewives) and Megan Mullally (from Will & Grace). I recommend it!

Saturday, we headed down to Battery Park and spent a very, very long time waiting in line to get to Ellis Island, which is always interesting. Then we walked up into Chinatown and Rob's mom and I did some purse shopping. I got great knock off D&G and Gucci bags. Rob's mom got a Coach. I love good bags! That evening, we headed down to Little Italy's Mulberry Street and had dinner at a delicious Italian eatery.

Sunday morning, we picked up some bagels, coffee and fruit at Cafe Europa and walked into Central Park for breakfast and about a two-hour exploration. After checking out of the hotel, we spent about two hours at the MoMA - what a terrific collection! I think Rob and I could have spent half the day there!



Thanks to Rob's parents for a terrific trip!

A Dilemma

So... I have a problem. This is kind of an ethical dilemma, and although I think I know what I should do, I'm interested in your opinion!

A few weeks ago, I ordered a cardigan sweater from a clothes store. This is a big-name, national clothing store with a pretty good reputation (I'd rather not say who they are in case they are scanning blogs - ha!).

Anyway, the store didn't have the item I wanted, so the sales gal searched other stores and informed me that they had one at a store in D.C., and they could ship it to me. Perfect, right? Keep reading.

The next day, I get an e-mail confirmation that the store did indeed have the item and was shipping. One week later, no sweater. Two weeks later, no sweater.

On Sunday, I decided to check the confirmation e-mail again, and noticed that my address was wrong. Our street name is two words, and the sales gal only put in our house number and one of the words. In a big area like this, the mailman isn't going to realize that the package was for me and seek me out.

So, I sent an e-mail to their customer service group, explained the error and asked what could be done. No reply.

Oh - and I realize that my credit card has already been charged for the item and shipping cost.

Yesterday, I called customer service. The first operator was clueless, so I asked to be connected to her manager. The manager had no idea what had happened, so she got the store on the line, and here's what they said: "We never had the item. We haven't shipped the item. We don't know why you were charged $48, since we never had the item." Over and over. And by the way, the item is no longer available anywhere.

I was steamed. What if I'd never called? Would I have been out $48 with no sweater? I informed them that my card better be credited that very day. I was a little on the rude side, but that was ridiculous.

Yesterday when I got home, Rob informed me I had a package. Guess what?? It was the sweater! The sweater they "never had and never shipped." The address had been corrected by someone, somewhere, with a big pink sticker.

I also had a phone message that they'd located the item at another store and would ship it to me overnight. If I wanted it, I should call them.

So now I have a sweater and a supposed credit on my card (although it's not showing up on my online statement yet). And today I get another e-mail from the store that they've shipped yet another sweater. Same item, same size, same color.

Here's the quandary: I was all prepared to call them today and let them know that I actually did receive the item that they "never had and never shipped," and that they should re-charge my card. But the second supposed sweater ticked me off. I never said I wanted it (in fact, on the call yesterday, I told the girl to just forget about it), and I'll be hot if they've charged my card without authorization (can they do that?!).

So do I keep sweater #1 and call them? Do I keep sweater #1 and never call? If sweater #2 shows up, what on earth do I do with that, especially if they don't charge me? If they have charged me without permission, what then?

I'm stumped. And amazed that a store this well-known is so disorganized.

Whew! If you've read this far, I'm impressed. I'd also love your opinion on what I should do.

Tuesday Top 10

It's been another week, so here goes my top 10. Is it just me or do the weeks simply fly by??

1. Since this weekend was Father's Day, I am very thankful this week for my great Dad! He's always been there for me, and I appreciate him. A special shout-out to Rob's Dad, too.
2. A clean house, thanks to my hubby who pitched in dusting, vacuuming and picking up, in preparation for a visit by his family this weekend.
3. Cooler temperatures that allowed for a nice walk outside tonight.
4. Dinner last night with a girlfriend who I haven't seen since right before Xmas. We sat and gabbed in the restaurant for 3 hours! I'm sure the waiter wanted us to move on out, but he was great about refilling our water glasses and not rushing us. If you have a Coastal Flats near you, I recommend it!
5. The outpouring of good thoughts and memories of Tim Russert. I've loved watching the clips on NBC and the packages about his life, work and family. He was an amazing person.
6. A great day at work where I checked off many "to do" items. I love getting a job complete... or at least one step closer to completion.
7. Improved stick shift driving! Rob is a good teacher - very patient. I drove this weekend on actual roads... although we were up at the lake and there wasn't another car in sight for miles. :) On the way home, I drove a little while on the interstate. Scary, but successful!
8. Fresh laundry tumbling in the dryer as I type.
9. Time with Rob. I can never have enough! Tonight we were able to walk together, clean up together and eat dinner together. Now we are sitting together, watching "The Mole."
10. Jell-O Dark Chocolate Sugar Free Pudding!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Remembering Tim Russert

I am so saddened by the death of Tim Russert. As a journalist, he was top-notch, always fair and extremely thorough. As a father, husband and son, he was passionate and proud. As a friend - as told by his colleagues at NBC and competitors across the networks - he was gregarious and thoughtful.



I met Tim in 2000 when he spoke at an event at the Chamber of Commerce where I worked. It was in the weeks after the Bush/Gore election, when Florida was still under re-count and no president had yet been named. He brought along his famous white board and gave an excellent speech on American politics, what was predicted to happen as the election was decided, why we should care and how we should behave after a winner was announced. I remember his remarks and his kindness as he spoke to people after the breakfast and posed for a photo with the chamber staff. I'm glad to say I still have my copy.

Tim was admirable for a variety of reasons... a political giant, a loving father and a caring son. I will miss his insight and personality.

A few things I'm tired of...

Is this the antithesis to the Tuesday Top 10 list? (Just kidding!) There are just a few things that I'm tired of hearing about/dealing with/seeing everywhere, so bear with me.

What am I tired of?
1. Humidity (not good, since it's only the beginning of summer)
2. $4/gallon gas
3. Our ice maker leaking and making one giant piece of ice
4. Katherine Heigel
5. Dusting rooms we never go in
6. Groceries going up, up, up
7. Cell phones ringing - loudly - all over our office
8. Pollen
9. Bad TV shows about rich teenagers
10. Blisters on my feet

Whew! It feels good to get that out. :)

Stick Shifts and Safety Belts

Rob is teaching me to drive stick shift. My first lesson was tonight, and all in all, I didn't do too bad! Only stalled twice and didn't hit a thing. :)

We went to our church parking lot, which is about a mile from our house. Our church is letting a nearby hospital's employees park in the lot during the day (and we overflow to their lots on Sunday). We waited until about 7 p.m., when we figured most of the cars would be gone.

After Rob thoroughly explained every in, out and about of the clutch and gear shifter, he finally let me take the wheel. We'd spotted a lot security guard on the other side of the lot, and as we rounded the corner, she waved us over and asked what we were doing. Rob explained it and noted that we attended church there, and she asked if I had a driver's permit. Did she think I was 16?!?

Anywho, she let us keep driving and I looped and shifted for about 20 minutes. Our preacher even came out of the building and spotted us, then laughed that an old girlfriend taught him to drive stick and they ended up breaking up. He gave kudos to Rob for his bravery and patience!

Why am I learning to drive stick? I drive a CRV SUV, and Rob has a Civic. With gas $4+ a gallon, we need to use his car more for weekend road trips, and goodness knows he's not doing all of the driving!

Why have I never learned before? To be honest, I don't want to think about clutch-shift-neutral-clutch-shift-blah-blah-blah when I'm driving. I'd rather pay attention to the song on the radio or gab on the (wireless headset!) phone. Isn't that crazy?

So, I'll practice some more and maybe venture out on to a real road this weekend. All of the traffic around here makes me so nervous. Pray I don't crash!

Tuesday Top 10

I have to be honest - I'm in a moment of a pretty bad attitude. So, I thought it would be a good time to do this list and hopefully get over it. Wish me luck!

My Tuesday Top 10:

1. I have to be most thankful for air-conditioning this week. Did Virgina accidentally slide into Texas? It's so hot and humid that I think it might have! The 99-degree temps are supposed to cool down to the 80s for the rest of the week. Hallelujah!
2. A good book I'm reading - My Sister's Keeper by Jodie Picoult. A friend recommended it and I can't put it down.
3. A clean, organized family room downstairs. I got into some weird cleaning spurt on Sunday night and whipped that sad room into shape. It had become a giant pile of miscellaneous stuff, covered in an embarrassingly-thick layer of dust. No more! Now it looks good, and I'm headed to tackle our office next.
4. My mom. Of course I'm always thankful for her, but she and I had a good conversation last night on the phone about an emotional decision she is making (nothing bad - just a leap of faith). I'm glad she's my mom. :)
5. Catching up with old friends and meeting new ones at Rob's reunion. What fun we had! I'm hoping to attend my 10-year college reunion (YIKES!) this fall at Harding. Let me know if you'll be there!
6. Good things happening for Rob at work. Long story that's been a little stressful for us both, but I have confidence in the future, and more importantly, in him.
7. New sandals that I love. Sounds trivial, but I needed some nice sandals that I could wear to work on super hot days, and I found some good ones by Clarks on clearance. They were such a good deal that I bought both black and brown.
8. Yummy shrimp for dinner tonight. Easy and delicious!
9. Good friends who will read my Top 10, even if it's written with an ulterior motive -- to help me get over myself and cross attitude.
10. Cinnamon dried apple rings from Trader Joe's!

Hopefully that has helped turn my attitude around and will send me off for the rest of the day with a more pleasant demeanor. Trust me, I need it!

Have a good one!

Rob's Reunion

We are back from Rob's reunion, and we had a great time! The turnout was lower than expected, but the guy who planned it did a knock-out job and everyone who was there had such fun. I'm glad we went!

We headed west Friday afternoon and arrived at Rob's parents' in the early evening. I decided to get in a walk, even though it was 95 degrees. I nearly passed out! But I'm glad I did because I ate a lot of junk this weekend. :)


Anyway, there was an ice breaker that night at a local bar, where we'd never been. It was an interesting place.... flippin' hot inside and way too loud. We pulled up outside at the same time as two of Rob's friends and their wives (they don't live too far from us and we see them often), so that was good. We got inside, we signed in, got nametags and started talking to people. There was pretty good attendance there -- and some crazy dancing we did not participate in! -- and Rob and I stayed until a little after midnight.

The picnic Saturday was at 11 a.m., so we got up that morning, walked and then I made a pasta salad to take. The temperatures were to be in the mid-90s again, but it didn't seem that bad out! There was a good number of people at the picnic, and the guy who planned it did games for kids, rented a cotton candy machine (yum!) and had it all set up nicely. We hung out for about five hours, played baggo/corn hole, talked to friends and had fun.

Saturday night, we did dinner with the aforementioned friends and wives at Giuseppe's, a favorite of ours. Then we spent some time at a new local restaurant/bar in Frostburg, owned by my parents' neighbors.

This morning, we got up, walked, ate breakfast and headed back home. Overall, it was a great weekend and a fun reunion.

A Reunion

We are going this weekend to Rob's 15th high school reunion. I'd laugh and say he's old, but the truth is that I'm not far behind. :)

Anyway, I guess I'm kind of nervous about it for some reason. Maybe it's because I don't think I'll know many people (there will be four people I know for sure)... maybe it's because I wonder what people will think of the girl Rob married... maybe it's because I know Rob won't remember anyone's names!

So, wish me luck. I'll post about it after the weekend -

Tornado?

A tornado supposedly just went through the town where my office is located. Some co-workers saw it out the window (I was in a meeting in our windowless library - a blessing?). Trees are down everywhere, including one blocking one of the roads to my building.

I popped out of the meeting for a quick second to shut down my computer, and it was pitch black outside with rain pouring down. Now, almost 45 minutes later, it's still really dark, although the winds have died down and I can see some brighter light on the horizon.

Rob was driving home during all of the madness, but he made it home safely. Hope my drive home isn't bad either!

Tuesday Top 10

It's Tuesday, which means it's time for my top 10. Here goes:

1. My corny husband, who is forcing me to watch "Micro Cosmos" - the dumbest insect show ever - as I'm writing this blog. Seriously.
2. Warm weather that has made me want to escape my office at lunch for some time outside. I'm glad the rainy days are passing.
3. Lunch yesterday with a co-worker and good friend who helps me talk through situations and provides good thoughts. Invaluable!
4. Freshly folded piles of clean clothes, a la Rob.
5. Early Fridays! The head of my office announced today that our summer hours begin this Friday, which means we get to leave work two hours early. I love it!
6. No bills in today's mail! Just catalogs and junk mail. I'll take that any day. :)
7. Catching up with an old college roommate I haven't talked to in 10 years. I ran across her blog and am so happy to be in touch again!
8. Sweet A.J., who is curled up next to me on the couch. She always makes me smile.
9. My mom and dad, who I grow to appreciate more every day. My mom e-mailed me this morning that they have less than one week left of school - I'm jealous!
10. Fresh pineapple!

Hope you have a great week!

I Will Never...

I've seen this on a couple of friends' blogs, so I'm giving it a whirl.

20 Things I Will Never Do:
1. Be perfect... or graceful, for that matter.
2. Stop missing my grandmother.
3. Quit wishing I would wake up in a villa in Florence, Italy.
4. Tire of going to the lake.
5. Want a tattoo.
6. Learn to love tomatoes, beans or mayonnaise.
7. Stop worrying about the future.
8. Want to stop traveling.
9. Fully appreciate the generosity, faith and love of my parents.
10. Advanced math.
11. Regret going to Harding or spending a semester at HUF.
12. Think smoking is attractive.
13. Weigh my "ideal" weight.
14. Convince Rob to do all of the driving.
15. Learn all of the rules to football.
16. Keep a plant alive for an entire season.
17. Cancel my subscription to People magazine.
18. Have another kitty as sweet and funny as A.J.
19. Have a beautifully organized house.
20. Love anyone as much as I do Rob.

What are 20 things you'll never do?

Good Morning, Baltimore!

I always sing the opening song from Hairspray when I'm in Baltimore, much to my own chagrin. :)

Got home tonight after two days at a marketing conference. Some good sessions... some not so good, but I think I got a few tips out of it that will come in handy. The last session I attended on social media was worth the price of admission, so at least it ended on a good note.

Two of my co-workers also went, so we enjoyed a ridiculously good dinner last night in Little Italy at Sabatino's. It was too delicious! Most of the restaurants in this 12-block area are in old houses, so the atmosphere is quaint too. Our waitress was delighted to be serving a table of girls (she mentioned it a couple of times!) and recommended some great dishes. I had the best lasagna I've ever eaten!

We got back to the hotel around 8 p.m., and I was so stuffed that I forced myself to put on my sneakers and head out for a fast-paced walk before it got dark. One co-worker told me she went to the gym and walked on the treadmill for 90 minutes... I only walked for 30, but it made me feel better!

And confession time: Rob and I agreed to DVR the Lost finale and watch it together tonight, but I couldn't help myself and watched it at the hotel last night. Good thing I did! Rob called this morning to say that the DVR only recorded the first hour. WHAT?!? I'm glad I was sneaky and watched it, but I'm sorry Rob won't see it! I'm sure ABC will air it again, or he can just watch it online.

We are in town for a rare Saturday tomorrow, so we plan to hit some yard sales in the morning (a favorite way of spending time together and finding great treasures!), and then head downtown DC in the afternoon for a picnic on the mall and a couple of museums. Fingers crossed for no rain!

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday Top 10

I had completely forgotten it was Tuesday until I saw another friend had already posted her "Top 10." The long weekend has thrown me off! Here goes my own top 10 for today...

1. A bonus weekend day that stretched out the opening weekend of summer! We headed to the lake and spent time with both of our families either on the way up or during the weekend. The weather was great and we enjoyed it.
2. A long chat on Sunday with my best girlfriend, who is up visiting from Texas. She shared some good news with me (top secret!) that I'm very excited about. Stay tuned.
3. The fact that my passenger side headlight does not need replaced! I had asked the place that changes my oil to replace the bulb last week since it was dim, and they said the whole thing needed replaced to the tune of $500. Um - no thanks? I took it to the dealer today and they said it was a-okay and fixed the bulb. Crazy!
4. My sweet kitty who was so happy to see us after a long weekend on her own. She barely did any damage while we were gone! :)
5. An very short week at work, since we were off Monday and I'm offsite Thursday-Friday. But, that does leave me an awful lot to squeeze in to two days.
6. An upcoming trip to NY with Rob's family. I booked the hotel last night, and we are excited about spending some time in the big city.
7. Beautiful spring weather! It finally warmed up and it's so nice outside. Now that I've jinxed myself, I'm sure we are in for a freak snow storm in late May. :)
8. Reading friend's blogs. A couple of friends have done the run-down of their blog-rolls lately, and it's fun to see everyone's connections.
9. My brother is home from Iraq safely. He got home late last week, and we hope to see him and his wife soon.
10. 100-calorie pack Oreo candy bites!

Have a great week!

Ready for the Long Weekend!

Today was "Friday" for Rob and me, as we both decided to take off tomorrow (the actual Friday) and extend the long weekend. Whoo hoo!

Our new Friday night tradition is to walk to the shopping center that's about 1.5 miles from our house, eat dinner at one of the many restaurant choices, and then walk home. Somehow that makes me feel better about getting a burger at Five Guys or a burrito at Baja Fresh. :)

Anywhoo, we decided to do it last night too. I had some pants to drop off at the cleaners in the same center, so off we went. About halfway there, it started to rain. I'd taken a windbreaker, but smarty-pants Rob had his fancy Gortex rain jacket. He kept reminding me that it was "impervious" as I continued to get wet. No fair! Luckily, by the time we'd dropped off the cleaning and eaten, the rain stopped and we had an enjoyable walk home.

On to American Idol... I'm so glad that David Cook won! After the performances, I thought for sure that Archuleta was the winner. I just like Cook's style better. I look forward to hearing his music!

Oh, and it's more and more Mario Cart for Rob and me. I think we might need an intervention. I finally beat Rob on a race tonight! (This NEVER happens!)

Enough random thoughts from me. More later!

Tuesday Top 10

I haven't had much to blog about for the past week. Before I knew it, it was time for the Top 10 again. Here goes...

1. A short week! I'm taking off on Friday, plus it's a long weekend. Can't wait to just relax and be home!
2. Busy work. This week's been nuts, but I'd rather be busy than be bored. Lots of empty check boxes on my "to do" list.
3. Sunny skies. I feel like I moved to Seattle, it's been raining so much! It was pouring when we left for work, but sunny when we got home. We managed to do our walk outside tonight, which I wasn't hopeful for this morning.
4. An easy dinner of leftover lasagna. I wasn't in the mood to cook, and we had some yummy leftovers from the lasagnas I made last week. Wah-lah! Dinner in a jiffy.
5. Knowing I'm going to see a great girlfriend this weekend. She's up from Texas and I can't wait to catch up!
6. Wii Mario Cart. We got this game last week and have been playing non-stop. We used to just play each other, but now we race people from around the world online. It's so fun and a great stress reliever.
7. The Zoe Group CDs I listed to at work today. Uplifting!
8. Spending time with Rob. It's never boring! :)
9. My glasses. I used to be so self-conscious about wearing them and would never be caught dead in them in public. No more - contacts 24/7 are killing me. Maybe I'm getting old?!
10. FiberOne oatmeal/caramel bars!

Have a great week!

Tuesday Top 10

Tuesday Top 10 time! Here goes...

1. Freshly vacuumed floors, by Rob.
2. A new recipe from the Today Show that we tried tonight - boneless buffalo chicken tenders. Yum.
3. New contact lenses that don't dry out my eyes.
4. A great team at work who all work well together, are pleasant to get along with and crank out some great work. Trust me - this is a rare blessing!
5. Planning a vacation or two... I'm trying to figure out where we should head this summer. Suggestions welcome!
6. Talking to one of my closest friends from home as I drove home from work today. I've known Kelly since I was 3 and we've always been great friends. I was glad to catch up for a few minutes.
7. A nice walk outside tonight and a heart-to-heart with my hubby as we walked. We needed it.
8. Wrapping the birthday present I'm sending to my friend's little girl for her second birthday. I love selecting the perfect gift, wrapping it with a big bow and giving it away!
9. Knowing I only have two days of work left this week. I'm taking off on Friday and can't wait.
10. Strawberries and light Cool Whip!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Country Roads

We spent the weekend in Morgantown, W.V., visiting Rob's sister Carrie and her husband Matt. We had a great time!

We left Virginia in the early afternoon and stopped on the way up to see my parents, share England gifts and give Mother's Day attention. Morgantown is about an hour past that, and we arrived there around 7:30 p.m. We were all hungry, so we headed to a local Mexican food place that was great. Lots of WVU college kids are still in town, and we saw some dressed for a party of some nature - I don't know if it was 80s or 90s, but one guy was dressed like Axel Rose (complete with navel-baring tee, boots and bandanna), and he was making the rounds in the restaurant, posing for photos and whooping it up. He was a riot!

Matt and Carrie have Mario Cart for their Wii, so we spent a good chunk of Friday night playing that. I'm terrible at it, but it is a lot of fun!

Saturday we headed for a mini-hike at foggy Cooper's Rock, then just tooled around town. More games on the Wii, then dinner downtown at Black Bear. So good! Carrie and I both had the special: The Chicken Wang (chicken, wing sauce, blue cheese, etc.).

A local, blue-grassy duo called The Weedhawks was playing, and they were great! Seemed like they wrote their songs about their real-life experiences, and they'd give us a little synopsis before each song. One of my favorites was written about getting woken up early... the chorus was all about "the landlord's got hill-billies working on the house." Very good music.

After dinner, we walked into the downtown area and got yummy gelati, then kept walking up to WVU's main campus. It's a good school and the old buildings are beautiful. After watching the movie "The Kingdom" and a few more games on the Wii, we hit the sack.

Sunday, we went to church and then headed back east. We stopped at Rob's parents for a quick lunch and Mother's Day wishes, and we arrived back home mid-afternoon.

Thanks, Carrie and Matt, for your great hospitality! Hope to visit again soon!

Puddles Everywhere

Rain, rain
Go Away
Come Again
Another Day

It's been raining non-stop today!

33 Things I Love About Rob

Today is Rob's 33rd birthday! In honor of him, here are 33 things I love about my #1:

1. He is funny and has a good time in life. He makes silly jokes and sings in the shower and generally is a happy person. He's helped me lighten up.
2. The boy is a genius and understands things I never will. I hope our kids inherit his smarts!
3. He's close to his family. Its fun to watch Rob play with his younger cousins or tease his Mom and Dad. His family is great and it's fun to be with them.
4. He doesn't ever shut me out -- sometimes I tell him that he talks too much!
5. He's a leader. Rob makes a decision and sticks with it. When we met with our minister before getting married, I cited this as my #1 reason for loving him. It's still true.
6. Rob is thoughtful and checks in on me often. I love getting little e-mails from him during the day.
7. He wants to sit with me on the couch. This might seem silly, but otherwise he'd be sitting in his chair and me in mine. It makes me feel closer to him!
8. He drives (almost!) half of the time, although he can be a grouch about traffic.
9. He's fit and gets us out on walks, on our bikes, etc.
10. He doesn't mind hearing stories about my college days or times before I knew him. Those were some fun memories and I like sharing them with him.
11. He spends time with my family.
12. He has a couple of good friends who, although they don't work together any longer and don't see each other often, he keeps up with via e-mail and the occasional event. Rare for a guy!
13. He wouldn't be praised by Simon Cowell for his vocal abilities, but I love hearing him belt out the hymns on Sunday mornings.
14. Rob's a little predictable. I can almost tell you how he'll react to news, what he'll order at a restaurant, etc.
15. He loves to travel.
16. He's good with money, investments, etc., and has planned for our future (very lucky for Miss Spend It!).
17. He'll help around the house. It may never occur to him to pick up a pile, but he'll pitch in when I ask.
18. He's good at his job and is respected by his co-workers.
19. He carries the laundry basket up and down two flights for me.
20. Grill-master extraordinare.
21. He'll hang out with my friends and effortlessly fits in.
22. Rob's a good cook! He'll take over dinner duty when I'm swamped at work or not feeling well, or sometimes just for no reason at all.
23. He likes spending time together, whether it's a walk, or sitting by the lake in the summer, or going to the grocery store.
24. He's competitive. Good or bad? He's a terrible loser at games, but it's almost funny to me. He definitely plays to win!
25. He'll run upstairs or downstairs to get something for me when I ask... and I do. :)
26. He's the king of vacuuming the steps in our house.
27. He'll figure out the remote controls for me. There are too many and I can't ever figure out how to use the DVD player or switch to or from the Wii.
28. Rob chases around our kitty and is silly when he talks to her. It's so funny to me.
29. Rob is a breakfast food-fiend. He'd have us eating pancakes or waffles or eggs for every meal. It takes work to talk him out of it!
30. Rob puts up with my crazy moods and my sometimes bad attitude.
31. Rob is cautious. He thinks about things before he does them and he considers the outcome before taking action.
32. We are a team. Rain or shine, good days or bad.
33. Rob loves me for me. And I couldn't be happier.

Happy birthday, Rob. I hope we celebrate at least 33 more May 7ths together!

Tuesday Top Ten

I missed last week's top 10 since I was in NYC for work. Today I'm home sick, so I have plenty of time to do it! Here are 10 little things I'm grateful for today...

1. Since tomorrow is Rob's birthday, today I'm most thankful for my in-laws, who are responsible for his wacky self!
2. Tomorrow is also my brother's birthday, which reminds me to be thankful for my own family.
3. Sinus medication. I've been taking my fill since yesterday, but I'm wondering now if it's allergies acting up. We went out for a walk and I could barely breath. When did I get allergies???
4. Rachael Ray magazine, Paula Deen magazine, Wegman's magazine... I caught up on all of my recipes today since I was home.
5. Rob making our dinner tonight and cleaning up. I was sacked out on the couch. :)
6. The Wicked soundtrack. It came yesterday and I love it.
7. As always, my crazy kitty. She will sit on anything new that appears. If I laid a tissue on the floor, she'd go sit on it. She's currently sitting on the USPS box with Rob's b-day present in it, from my parents. She claimed it as her spot as soon as I set it down. She's a nut.
8. Band-aids. I cut my finger slicing potatoes on Sunday and I have a whopper of a blister on my heel. Band-aids are the only things holding me together.
9. New baby! My friend Heather had their second baby last week and I'm hoping to visit them soon. I'm thankful for a healthy baby for their growing family.
10. Sugar-free fruit popsicles!

Hope you have a great week!

I Swallowed a Frog

Saturday afternoon, my throat started to feel scratchy. By the time we got up for church yesterday, it was flat-out sore and my voice was on its way out. This morning = no voice.

I headed to work anyway, since I really didn't feel that bad. All day long I sounded either like I'd been smoking for 20 years or something was stuck in my throat. I could barely eek out a word. By about 2 p.m., I started to feel as bad as I sounded and was ready to head home, but needed to wrap up a quick meeting before I left. I finally headed home around 4:30 p.m.

Rob and I have been walking every night after work, and I still managed to do our 1.25 miles, although I think my pace was a little off.

I've been pumping myself full of sinus and throat medication, so here's to hoping that I wake up tomorrow feeling better!

Back from NYC

I spent Tuesday-Friday last week in New York City for a conference my company hosted. I always love the city, and although being there for work meant less free time, I still managed to squeeze in some fun!

Tuesday evening, a co-worker and I walked to check out the site of a dinner that night (we weren't going but wanted to make sure the set-up was okay) at The Modern, a very swanky restaurant in the MoMA. What an awesome place. We had a drink at the bar (a yummy ginger ale for me!), and were treated by the bar tender. We saw the actor Eric Stoltz there.

I didn't have anything on Wednesday until a meeting at noon, so I spent a big chunk of the morning walking through Central Park, about six blocks from our hotel. It was cool out, but good for walking.

Wednesday night, the same co-worker and I were walking back to the hotel after an excellent meal at Del Frisco's (get the lemon cake if you go), and we ran across a crowd behind the Roseland Ballroom. Turns out that Madonna's concert had ended about an hour before and she was on her way out. We stuck around, talked to a few paparazzi and saw Madonna! She came out of the club and got into an SUV. We also saw Justin Timberlake's mom (which we didn't realize until someone else in the crowd told us who she was).

Thursday night, I went to see "A Chorus Line" with another co-worker and a friend. Mario Lopez (aka A.C. Slater from Saved by the Bell) was in the lead. He was very good!

I took a train back to DC on Friday afternoon and have spent this weekend doing laundry and trying to get over my sore throat. I hope that we get back up to NYC this summer!

One Word Answers

I have a couple of friends doing this on their blogs, so I thought it would be a fun challenge. Here goes:

1. Where is your cell phone? kitchen
2. Your significant other? funny
3. Your hair? boring
4. Your mother? giving
5. Your father? wise
6. Your favorite thing? kitty
7. Your dream last night? work
8. Your favorite drink? tea
9. Your goal or dream? family
10. The room you're in? living
11. Your kids? future
12. Your fear? terror
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? content
14. Where were you last night? meeting
15. What you're not? mathematician
16. Muffins? warm
17. One of your wish list items? appliances
18. Where you grew up? "'burg"
19. The last thing you did? mulch
20. What are you wearing? cozies
21. Your TV? enormous
22. Your pets? mischievous
23. Your computer? laptop
24. Your life? busy!
25. Your mood? tired
26. Missing someone? yes
27. Your car? CRV
28. Something you're not wearing? watch
29. Favorite Store? Williams-Sonoma
30. Your summer? lake
31. Like someone? many
32. Your favorite color? red
33. When is the last time you laughed? walking
34. Last time you cried? London
35. The person who sent this to you? myself
36. Who will/would resend this? unimportant
37. A good book? cookbook
38. A good movie? Capote
39. A good song? Songbird
40. One word to share? grace

This is not a "tag," but if you would like to copy and paste, then add your own one-word answers, I'd LOVE to read yours!

A few of my London thoughts

(by Rob)

We embarked for London with only some US dollars, our credit card, and an ATM card in our wallet for money. Once we got there we bought a pass for the tube with our credit card and after alighting at the station nearest out hotel stopped at an ATM along the way for our first handful of pound sterling. I called our bank and credit card companies to let them know we'd be in England (so they'd hopefully not auto-deny all of our purchases) and it ended up working great.

One pound sterling is worth nearly two USD currently (plus London is a pretty expensive city anyway) so everything was just really expensive.

There are pubs everywhere. And said pubs all have an extended sill along their outside windows for the purpose of standing around outside while you suck down a few pints. It was awesome. But thanks to the food poisoning I didn't feel much like having a pint from Tuesday on. Oh well. Also I never did find a place that served "Old Speckled Hen" on tap. We even made it to a pub that our guide book specifically mentioned as having that but the bartender said it wasn't on that day. I was expecting room temp beer everywhere (which would have been fine with me I think) but most every place had most of their kegs cold (Guinness, Fosters, Strongbow, etc) and 4 or 5 kegs with fancier pulls kept at a cool temp. At least that seemed to be the system to me. We'd end up hitting one (maybe two) pubs a day and I'd have a pint or a half pint.

Spamalot is awesome.

Definitely got a taste of the British wit all over the city. At one pub a gentleman's seat gave way and he crashed to the ground -- we were sitting outside. It was a little scary in the moment, but later he and his friends were laughing about it and I called over that I was terribly impressed he hadn't spilled a single drop of beer when he fell. To which one of his buddies replied (without missing a beat) "He will later."

Most of the museums are free, but they make up for it by charging an arm and a leg on admission to most of the other things. :-)

The plane trip out didn't seem very long at all. The plane trip back seemed looooong. We had bulk head seating both ways (blessed leg room) and the flight out left around 9:30PM EST. I took a sleep pill after dinner and ended up sleeping a good 5-6 hours of the 8 hour flight. The flight back left about Noon London time (7AM EST) so I didn't really want to sleep very much as I wanted to get back to EST as quickly as possible. So with no sleep to pass the hours it just dragged.

We had a great time in London, can't wait to get back to Europe. So many places to see. I just wish the USD would flex a bit of muscle.

Random Things About Me

Carrie tagged me to list seven random things about me, so here goes!

1. I don’t mind housework, but I hate cleaning up cat messes. I leave that fun job to Rob!
2. I’m pretty sentimental about stuff that belonged to my grandmother. We were really close and I have all sorts of things that were hers that I cherish. Not expensive stuff, but little items like the hand mirror she used everyday when fixing her hair, little salt and pepper shakers that sat in her china cabinet (now my china cabinet), and some round playing cards with which she played endless games of solitaire.
3. I have a knack for winning radio contests. I’ve won concert tickets, comedy show tickets, ice skating tickets, etc. Today I won dinner for two at a swanky new organic restaurant in Bethesda and some dancing lessons at a local studio. Whoo hoo!
4. My eyes are as blue as they look. People sometimes think I have colored contacts, but I don’t! I have my mom to thank for the blue.
5. I love to try new recipes, especially when we have company. Rob thinks I’m nuts, but it doesn’t make sense to try a full recipe out on just the two of us, so I wait for more people to feed. Then, we can enjoy the leftovers!
6. I’ve changed my driver’s license, social security and passport, but haven’t updated my name (almost two years later) on anything else. Credit cards, house and car titles, utilities, etc., are all still waiting to be changed to my married name. It’s so much hassle to change everything!
7. I remember meeting Rob long before we “officially” met and thinking he was kind of aloof. We were at the mall, and my mom and I bumped into his sister and mom (we already knew each other). We chatted for a few minutes, and Rob stood there with his arms crossed, looking bored. I remember telling my mom that he seemed kind of rude! HA! Little did I know….

Thanks to Carrie for helping me – I’m tagging anyone who hasn’t done this list!

Tuesday Top 10

It's Tuesday! I missed last week's list since we were traveling. I missed doing it! Here goes for this week:

1. Today's walk outside. It's been raining here for the past few days, so I've had to walk inside on the treadmill. It was nice to get outside today for my daily walk and enjoy the fresh air!
2. NyQuil syrup that helped my sick hubby sleep better last night (which made it easier for me to sleep soundly too!). He's stayed home today and sounds better, but still is sickly.
3. The Office. This show is hilarious. Rob and I are watching last week's episode on the Tivo as I type! I have a friend who doesn't like the show, and I'm convinced it's because he's a teacher and doesn't work in an office. If he did, I think he's appreciate it more!
4. My sweet kitty, who is back home with us after a 2-week visit to my parents'. They were nice enough to keep her for us while we were gone, and I'm glad to be back with her. Always entertaining!
5. A nice home to live in. I've been seeing so much on the news about people losing their homes, upside-down mortgages, etc. I'm thankful that our townhouse is just perfect for us today, with room to grow.
6. London photos! I love looking at what we were doing 6,000 miles from home, just last week. Somehow it all seems like a million years ago.
7. Almost finalizing a big contract at work. I feel like I've been working on this for two years (not literally!) and I'm glad that we are almost, almost ready to move forward. Then the real work begins!
8. Having a few minutes each day to check in with friends on their blogs and find out what's happening with their lives. I'm thankful to have caught up with so many friends of the past.
9. Kraft "Food and Family" magazine. If you don't get this FREE magazine full of recipes and tips, go to the Kraft Web site and sign up for it now.
10. Cadbury Flake chocolate bars from London!

A few London photos...

Back from London!

Rob and I just spent a week in London! We left last Thursday and returned home today (Friday). What a great vacation! I'll add some photos later, but wanted to jot down a few things while they are still on my mind. Here goes:

Some of my favorite London memories:
1. London Walks Tours - we went on two of these great "walks", which were basically groups of people who all met at a tube station and spent two hours diving into a specific London topic. I loved the "Shakespeare's London" walk, where we went to the new Globe Theater, saw the site of the old and walked in Shakespeare's footsteps. We also did the "Jack the Ripper" walk, which was very interesting. Both of our guides were excellent and very entertaining. If you go to London, definitely go on a "London Walks" walk.
2. Visiting Stonehenge. I'd been before, but really enjoyed it this time and liked the audio guide (didn't have that 12 years ago!) that explained the history and mysteries.
3. Schweppes' lemonade. Seriously, I drank this everywhere! It's kind of like a lemony Sprite (that's how I ended up with it to begin with - I actually ordered a Sprite and got this instead). So yummy. Too bad I don't think they sell it in the US. :(
4. Rob yakking in front of Buckingham Palace. Yep, you read correctly. He ate something funky (we suspect it was a pork bun he got from a street cart in Chinatown) and ended up with food poisoning. He thought he felt okay to go to the changing of the guard, but ended up puking in the middle of it -- and in the middle of the crowd. Lovely. He'd already been trying to make his way out of the crowd when he puked (I was staying for the rest of the changing and was meeting him back at the hotel). Next thing I knew, a cop was pulling me out of the crowd and recommending that we leave. It was kind of scary! I felt horrible for him, and he spent the day sleeping. While he rested, I took a walk, went to Harrods and saw my new favorite musical...
5. WICKED! I love, love, love this show. I've been dying to see it for ages, and I walked down to the theater about 15 minutes before it started (Rob asked me to go so he could get some rest and I'd quit banging around in the dark room), and I ended up with a second row ticket for only 15 pounds. Excellent! Who cares that it was the very last seat on the row - I could see perfectly and really loved the whole thing. Walking back the 10 blocks to our hotel in the rain and dark kind of wigged me out, but it was worth it.

What I'm glad to leave behind:
1. People. Smoking. Everywhere.
2. Crowds, crowds, crowds. These weren't really in the sight-seeing areas, but on the tube and in the train stations. Chaos!
3. Rain. Sun for two hours, rain for 15 minutes. Repeat. It was so strange, but at least it stopped after about Tuesday, and we had a sunny (but still cold!) rest of the week.

More memories -- and photos -- to come!

Back in a Few...

I'll be out of pocket for the next few days - catch up with you soon!

Tuesday Top 10

Time for the weekly top 10... here goes!

1. Health of friends and family. I've seen too many stories lately of children with illnesses, mothers with cancer, and so on. I'm thankful for health today, and hope that it continues.
2. My parents. I've talked with them every day this week, it seems. They are taking care of our kitty while we escape for vacation soon, so they deserve extra kudos, since she's a hand-full!
3. Check, check, check. I love checking off big projects from my list at work, and today I was able to complete a few that had be lingering.
4. A delicious strawberry/spinach salad recipe shared with me by Rob's Aunt Janet. She had it at Easter and it was AWESOME. Can't wait to make it!
5. Reading blog friends' "Tuesday Top 10" lists. So inspirational, and I love catching up on each others' lives.
6. A good job. I saw the report last night that 80,000 jobs were eliminated in March, due to recession fears. I'm grateful for full-filling (and sometimes even fun!) job.
7. New khaki pants. Sounds trivial, but I live in these on the weekends and have been searching for a new comfy pair. Finally found some in the Lands End section at Sears.
8. Pink Lady apples. Yum yum yum.
9. The sunshine. It's been gray here for the past few days, but the sun peaked out this afternoon.
10. Chick-fil-A! Our church is doing a fundraiser there tomorrow night, raising money for an upcoming mission trip. Gives us a good excuse to go!

Have a great week!

The Powell Family

I've been following the sad story of Ethan Powell, a sweet 18-month old who was diagnosed with leukemia at his three-month check-up (I believe). Ethan is the son of Ben and Becky Powell, who were at Harding after me.

Despite the best efforts of the doctors at St. Jude's, Ethan lost his battle this weekend. My prayers are with this heartbroken family. You can learn more about Ethan's story on his Web site: www.ethanpowell.com.

Catching Up

I remember when I was growing up, my parents would claim to "sleep in", but they'd be up at 7:30 a.m. I thought they were crazy. That wasn't sleeping in! Now, I get it. If I can sleep until 7:30 a.m., I feel like I've hit the jackpot. :)

I spent two days last week in New Jersey. Blech. I was in the Meadowlands, so I could see Manhattan just eight looooong miles away. I'd rather be in the city! Regardless, it was a great two days of meetings. And, a couple of co-workers and I enjoyed a dinner at a great local Italian place, Barelli's. It was straight out of "The Sopranos." Great food and interesting ambiance.

Today (Saturday) has been productive. We ran about two hours of errands this morning, I've been for my daily walk, and the laundry is laundry-ing. Now I'm ready for my nap!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Tuesday Top Ten

It's Tuesday night after dinner, which means it's time for my weekly "Tuesday Top Ten." Here goes...

1. A beautiful walk outside today. It was 75 degrees when I got home, so Rob and I suited up and headed out for a long walk in the sunshine.
2. The book "Eat, Pray, Love" -- Rob's parents gave it to me for Christmas and I've just finally started reading it. It's excellent and I am looking forward to my train trip (for a business meeting) to New Jersey tomorrow, so I'll have time to keep reading!
3. A pretty blue, monogrammed toiletry bag that came today from LL Bean, in preparation for an upcoming trip. It's perfect!
4. Having some time today to catch up on a few blogs and find out what's happening with friends.
5. The show Medium. It's freaky and weird and I really like it. I always Tevo it and watch it during the week. Recommend!
6. Pretty new blue sweater that I picked up yesterday.
7. Green tea. I drink a mug of it every morning and didn't realize how much I appreciate it until my work's hot water heater stopped working and there was no hot tea - I'm glad it's fixed!
8. Reconnecting with an old high school friend on Facebook and catching up. We haven't seen in each other in eons, so it's nice to be back in touch.
9. Eating dinner every night with my sweet husband. I know a lot of couples who do their own thing at night. I love our dinners together and time set aside to catch up and just talk.
10. For Leann, warm buttermilk biscuits with Nutella!

Enjoy your week!

Breakfast for Dinner!

Tonight I made Rob' favorite - breakfast for dinner! This is one of my fast meals that's an easy fall-back when I'm too tired and too unprepared to fix anything else. We always have the ingredients on-hand, and it's something a little different than normal.

Rob was so happy to see eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast when he came in the kitchen as I was fixing dinner! And that made me happy. :)

An Interesting Dinner

Rob and I decided go try out American Flatbread tonight. We've heard good things about it and have wanted to try it out, so we made the 25 minute journey to Ashburn for dinner.

The place has a cool set-up — tables are scattered around and almost everyone has a good view of the pizza oven, which is built up in kind of an adobe style. It wasn't too crowded yet when we arrived.

We hit our first bump in the road when the ice tea I'd ordered came with an extra something lovely floating in the glass. Ice tea #2 arrived, but without the straw I'd requested. When our waitress remembered, she compensated by bringing me two!

Rob and I split a nice salad with Boston bibb lettuce, bacon, tomatoes and ranch, topped with a slice of seasoned flatbread. Very good.

Next bump in the road... one of the plates delivered to our table for our pizza (they call it flatbread, but it's a pizza!) was dirty. Sending it back for a clean one...

Here's where it got interesting. We were seated at a table with a great view of the oven and the counter where the pizza-guy placed the pies for cutting and sliding onto trays for serving. Our waitress sliced our pizza and proceeded to nearly fold it in half as she slid it onto the tray. One piece actually fell off onto the counter, and she and a co-worker were man-handling the thing (bare-handed) to try to save it. Nice!

Finally, a manager comes walking over to see what was going on. She immediately sent the mangled pie to the back and came over to our table to explain that they were making a new one for us, which came about 10 minutes later.

I have to say that, despite the bumps, the pizza was good! Rob and I shared a "New Virginia Sausage" pie, which had local homemade sausage, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms and caramelized onions. All of the pizza ingredients at American Flatbread are locally grown and organic. We both had our fill and brought home 1/3 of the pizza as leftovers.

Overall verdict: we'd go back, but hope that we have a smoother visit next time!

The 16 Worst Places to Stash Your Stuff

Turns out, how you organize your environment — from where you stand in fitness class to the place you choose to store your meds — has a surprising effect on everything from your weight to your chances of staying well. In other words, when it comes to how you feel, it's not just what you do, it's where you do it. Here, surprisingly bad locales for your health — and the best places to optimize it.

(Note from Kathryn: I just read this online and some of them are grossing me out. Some of them are common sense. You be the judge.)

The worst place for your toothbrush: on the bathroom sink
There's nothing wrong with the sink itself — but it's awfully chummy with the toilet. There are 3.2 million microbes per square inch in the average toilet bowl, and when you flush, aerosolized toilet funk is propelled as far as six feet, settling on the floor, the sink, and your toothbrush. Ewww.

The worst place to set your handbag: the kitchen counter
Your fancy handbag is a major tote for microbes: germ swabs showed up to 10,000 bacteria per square inch on purse bottoms — and a third of the bags tested positive for fecal bacteria! A woman's carryall gets parked in some nasty spots: on the floor of the bus, beneath the restaurant table — even on the floor of a public bathroom. Put your bag in a drawer or on a chair — anywhere except where food is prepared or eaten.

The worst place for your sneakers and flip-flops: in the bedroom closet
Walking through your house in shoes you wear outside is a great way to track in allergens and contaminants.

The worst place to cool leftovers: in the refrigerator
Placing a big pot of hot edibles directly into the fridge is a recipe for uneven cooling and possibly food poisoning. The reason: It can take a long time for the temperature in the middle of a big container to drop, creating a cozy environment for bacteria. You can safely leave food to cool on the counter for up to an hour after cooking, or divvy up hot food into smaller containers and then refrigerate — it'll cool faster.

The worst stall to pick in a public restroom: the one in the middle
The center stall has more bacteria than those on either end.

The worst place for a nighttime reading light: overhead
These fixtures put out relatively bright light — enough to significantly delay the body's secretion of melatonin. That can wreck your night, since rising melatonin levels are a major cue for your body to prepare for sleep. A low-power light clipped to your novel will let you read but leave the room dark enough for your brain to transition into sleep mode.

The worst place to keep medicine: the medicine cabinet
It's not uncommon for the temp in a steamy bathroom to reach 100°F — well above the recommended storage temperatures for many common drugs. To stay out of the red zone, store your meds in a cool, dry place, such as the pantry.

The worst place to set fruit before washing it: the kitchen sink
Of all the household germ depots, the kitchen sink sees the most bacterial traffic — even more than the toilet. If the perfect berry drops while you're washing it, pop it in the trash — not your mouth.

The worst place for your coffee: the refrigerator or freezer
Think that you're preserving freshness by stashing it in the fridge? Think again. Every time you take it out of the fridge or freezer, you expose it to fluctuating temperatures, which produces condensation. The best spot to store beans or grounds: in an opaque, airtight container kept on the counter or in the pantry.

The worst place for your TV: wherever you dine
Studies show that distraction is your waistline's enemy — it can keep you from noticing how much you're eating. In a 2006 study, volunteers ate faster when watching TV than while listening to music — consuming 71 percent more macaroni and cheese when watching a show.

Tuesday Top Ten

It's Tuesday, and that means it's time for my top 10. If you aren't familiar with this, visit the link under "Friends and Recommended Links" and check it out for yourself.

Here goes..
1. The lovely meal of roasted red potatoes and leftover Easter ham, prepared by Rob since I'm not feeling great.
2. The Easter candy we'll be snacking on for the next few days. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for our fun Easter basket! :)
3. Signing off on a blueline proof today and knowing a needed piece will be printed soon.
4. Tylenol Cold and Flu... I popped two a few minutes ago and will have two more before going to bed.
5. Daylight Savings Time and the longer hours of sunshine. It's a little after 6:30 p.m., and it's still light out!
6. People magazine. I love it and look forward to it every Friday. Since we were gone during the weekend, I'm just reading it now.
7. Chatting quickly with my Mom on the phone tonight. Always a good pick-me-up!
8. Seeing the results of Dancing with the Stars tonight (not one of the shows I'm cutting out!).
9. My crazy kitty who just decided she would hop up on the kitchen counter (she knows full well that she's not allowed!) and looking around sweetly like it's the most natural thing in the world.
10. Hostess 100-calorie mini-coffee cakes!

Sick?

My throat has been sore all day. I keep thinking it will go away, but not yet.

Ugh. Like many of you, I don't have time to be sick!

Too Much TV

I think I've been watching too much TV. For the past week or so, I've almost felt overwhelmed by the number of shows I think I have to keep up on, and all of the good shows (like The Office, Criminal Minds, etc.) aren't even back from the strike yet!

Confession: Rob and I watch a lot of reality TV. We don't watch the ones that are super-seedy, but we do love Survivor and American Idol and Dancing with the Stars. Do you realize how much these shows are on each week? AI and Dancing are on twice and Survivor is once.. and the worst one we watch: Big Brother is on three times a week.

I've felt extra tired lately and don't think I'm getting enough sleep at night. Maybe that's because I'm watching TV until 10 p.m.

So, I'm making a change. I told Rob tonight that I'm going to just stop watching a few of them (primarily reality TV) and try to get to bed earlier or spend more time reading in the evenings. I think I'll sleep better, and that can't hurt!

(P.S. - We do have Tevo and record stuff so we can skip through the commercials. Although it is lots faster, I don't think it technically means I'm watching less TV!)

Wish me luck!

Pineapple Coconut Bars

I'm a big Paula Deen fan, and this is a recipe of hers that I'm making for dessert at my in-laws on Easter Sunday. Thought some of you may enjoy it too!

Pineapple Coconut Bars
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, divided
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 (20ounce)can crushed pineapple, drained
toasted flaked coconut, garnish

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking pan. In large bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups flour, coconut, brown sugar, and baking soda. Using a pastry blender, cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture for topping. Press remaining crumb mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. In medium bowl, beat remaining 1/2 cup butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in remaining 1 cup flour. Stir in pineapple. Spread mixture evenly over baked layer. Sprinkle evenly with reserved crumb mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Garnish with toasted flaked coconut, if desired.

M&Ms vs. Football Field

I just read that you have to walk an entire football field to walk off the calories in one M&M. Ack.

Tuesday Top Ten

It's Tuesday, so that means it's time for my Tuesday Top 10. Here goes...

1. Wrapping up a graphics project at work today and moving it down the editing chain. I'll be glad to get it off my desk!
2. A trip to Target at lunch. I love to walk the aisles and check out all of the goodies. I picked up a few things we need around the house -- nothing too special!
3. Signing up for a March Madness pool on Dr. Mark Elrod's Lame-O-Weblog (which I read daily!). Rob picked us a funny team name of the "Fighting Amish."
4. Finally winning against Rob in "Smarty Pants", our new trivia game on the Wii.
5. Fresh sheets on my bed! I love the first night on clean sheets. If I had all the time in the world (and the inclination), I may consider putting on fresh sheets every day. That's crazy, but true!
6. Reading a few friends' blogs today and catching up on what's happening with friends.
7. Rejoicing with my friend Nicole today and her planned trip to Ireland. Have fun!
8. Media interest and hits on a big pitch I worked on last week. Keep 'em coming...
9. Watching "Dancing with the Stars" with the guys dancing last night, and the ladies dancing tonight.
10. 100-calorie Hostess mini-chocolate cupcakes!

Hope you are having a great week!

You Can Live in a Flying Saucer

My grandparents used to live on Signal Mountain, near Chattanooga, Tennessee. The windy road that went up the mountain was perched close to the edge, and there is one house on it that I always loved -- the flying saucer house.

This morning, I received a link from my brother that the flying saucer house is for sale and up for auction! Awesome. It will be sold to the highest bidder Saturday.

According to the article, the circular house -- ultramodern when it was built in 1970 -- is ringed with small square windows and directional lights and perched on six "landing gear" legs. It has multiple levels, three bedrooms, two baths and an entrance staircase that retracts with the push of a button.

The current owner has it listed on eBay, and bids are already up to $100,000. I'd love to bid and own the flying saucer house that I remember loving to drive by when we were little.

Back from Phoenix

Last week, I was in Phoenix from Tuesday through Saturday for my work. We had a conference on sustainable development, which was great. I was able to get to a few of the sessions (which is rare), and I really enjoyed it.

A couple of co-workers and I enjoyed a dinner one evening at Tarbell's, a great restaurant in Scottsdale. The food was excellent (I had a wedge salad and hand-cut pasta with bolognese). No wonder since the chef was a winner on the Food Network's Iron Chef.

Friday morning I headed back east on a cramped flight (the guy in front of me instantly reclined his seat and kept bouncing, trying to push it back more -- annoying). I am glad to be home!

Not much happening... our friends N&J came over last night for a fun time of pizza and Wii. We got a new game (recommended by J!) called "Smarty Pants" -- it's a trivia game and rather fun. Rob and N killed J and me on tennis, and the boys definitely outplayed the girls in Smarty Pants. Regardless, it was a great time!

Tuesday Top Ten (one day early)

I'm going to be out of pocket for the next few days, so I'm doing my Tuesday Top Ten one day early. In case you aren't familiar, here's the gist: every Tuesday, write down the top 10 things that you are thankful for that have already happened that day. You'll recognize and be thankful for the small things in life.

Here goes this week's Tuesday Top Ten...

1. Playing the Wii with my husband. We just got it two weeks ago, and we finally picked up a second remote. Tonight we've played baseball and tennis, and now Rob is working up some "Mii" to enter in a contest. We've had a lot of fun with it!
2. Resolving a nagging problem at work today and feeling good about a new plan.
3. Buying a cute red purse on sale during lunch at Kohl's.
4. Fun catalogs full of pretty spring clothes - a good mail day!
5. Sharing a yummy and easy dinner with Rob, thanks to Let's Dish.
6. Watching my crazy kitty AJ try to walk behind me on the treadmill. She's fearless!
7. Chatting with my Mom again on the phone tonight and sharing the woes of each other's days.
8. Hearing from an old friend on blogger today and participating in her new online Bible study, which is great.
9. Remembering seeing Baby Cameron on Saturday - so sweet!
10. A peanut butter bliss bar. :)

What are your top 10?

Good Weekend!

It's Sunday night and Rob and I are wrapping up a nice and relaxing weekend. We just enjoyed a delicious meal of pan-seared scallops (by Rob), roasted sweet potatoes (by me) and baby mixed greens (by Wegmans). I'm full and curled up on the couch, surfing the Web and writing this blog.

Friday night I headed to the mall after work with the goal of getting a few needed things: new pair of black trousers, one pair of jeans, one pair of khakis and some make-up. I should have known better than to go shopping for specific things... I found nothing! Actually, I did get a pair of khakis and a shirt for 50% off of the marked-down price (Lands End corner in Sears), which means I got them both for $18. Excellent. And the make-up was a no brainer... it's the only thing I didn't have to try on!

Rob headed over to the mall later and we used a Chick-Fil-A coupon to get some dinner. My salad dressing took a while for them to hunt down, so we actually got two more coupons for the wait. Nice! More free sandwiches for us.

Saturday we headed up to Maryland to see friends Jeff and Nita and their sweet 8-week-old, Cameron. He is just adorable and it was fun to catch up with friends. We are looking forward to watching Cameron grow! Saturday night we watched the movie Zodiac, about the murderer in California back in the 1960s. Creepy.

Today was church and laundry and a nice nap for me. Plus, I gabbed on the phone to my parents and then to my best girlfriend (who lives in Texas), so I'm all caught up on everything I need to know. :)

Rob's watching the men's Maryland basketball game, and I'm getting ready to go through a magazine of recipes and pull out any I want to try. Hope you had a great weekend, too!

Tuesday Top 10

I saw this great idea on another friend's blog - the Tuesday Top 10.

Here's the idea: every Tuesday, write down the top 10 things that you are thankful for that have already happened that day. You'll recognize and be thankful for the small things in life.

So, without further adieu...

My Tuesday Top 10
1. Lunch out with a co-worker (and friend!) who gives me honest feedback and good laughs.
2. Lots of projects and follow-up stuff completed today at work - and checkmarks on my "to do" list!
3. Three loads of clean laundry, washed and folded by my husband (since I was late getting home from work).
4. A sweet and silly kitty cat who is trying to eat my popsicle while I type this blog. :)
5. Completing a good 40-minute workout on the treadmill, and feeling the stress knot in my back slowly unkink itself.
6. A completed graphics project at work that arrived from the printer today - one day early and looking great!
7. My husband's laugh as he's watching American Idol - he has a big, jolly laugh when he finds something really funny. I love it!
8. The last item from my Longaberger order that finally showed up today.
9. Reading blogs and catching up on friends' lives on Facebook.
10. Latte ice cream bars!

I invite you to join me on the Tuesday Top 10 — I'm going to try to do it every week!

TGIF!

Oh, how I love Friday! For some reason, it's easier to get up in the morning and the day moves faster, knowing that in a few short hours it will be the weekend!

We are seeing my in-laws (Rob's parents) and family this weekend, so we are excited. We haven't seen them since Christmas!

My father-in-law picked us up a Wii this week (and one for himself too!), since he happened to be at Wal-Mart when the stockroom guy was putting them out. I wasn't 100% sure I wanted one when I thought I had to go out and search for it at different stores, but now that it's actually available... I've changed my mind! I like playing the golf and bowling, and it's a lot of fun to play when friends are visiting.

So here's to Friday... to lunch out with a co-worker, two days ahead of weekend and a night when I don't have to set my alarm to get up the next day. Happy weekend!

UMD Game!

A contact I know through work sent me an e-mail today and asked if I would like box seats for an upcoming University of Maryland men's basketball game. YES!

Rob and I are big MD fans, and basketball is a favorite of his. Plus, Rob said that MD needs to win their next three games in order to do something or another (make the tournament?). We are excited!

The game is televised, so look for us on the big screen! Thanks to my contact for offering us the tickets!

Blah

Today I am feeling blah. Blah about getting up this morning... blah about work (when there is much to do!)... blah about cooking and eating dinner with my husband.

Blah about writing this blog.

Maybe it's from staying up too late the Oscars. Maybe it's not having a nap on Sunday afternoon. Maybe it's just me.

But I'm blah.

Happy Birthday to my Mom!

Today is my Mom's birthday! We celebrated last night with a ridiculous meal at Maggianno's, and today we are going out for lunch after church. I won't need to eat again for a week. ;)

I appreciate my Mom so much and am happy that she is here celebrating her birthday with us!

Yesterday, Mom and I went to Let's Dish and prepared about 16 meals each (we did the 8-meal package and split them into two meals each). Now our freezers are stocked with a variety of meals that we can easily fix. I love having the option of pulling these out in the morning and having an easy dinner at night.

My parents are leaving after church and lunch today to head back home. It's laundry time for me....

An Icy Friday?

We are supposed to get a couple of inches of snow tonight, followed by a 1/2 inch of ice. Yuck.

My parents are coming down this weekend, and have decided to come own down tonight instead of waiting until tomorrow afternoon. The guestroom is made and Rob helped me clean up the rest of our house, so we are good to go. I'd rather they be safe!

I stopped at the market on the way home, and I think I was ahead of the rush. I was able to get everything we needed and didn't have to wait in line much at all. I'm making a new recipe tomorrow night (pork carnitas), so we'll see how that goes. Rob is always amazed that I'll try new things out on guests instead of just us. :)

Sunday is my Mom's birthday! I hope her present arrives (it was shipped and should arrive tomorrow... with the ice). Let's hope UPS can slide up the hill to our house.

A Day Off!

I am excited that I have tomorrow of to recognize President's Day. The only bummer is that Rob doesn't get the day off. When his company was purchased by another about two years ago, they lost a few holidays, including this one. So I'll be up early with him anyway - no sleeping in for me! ;)

Since I have the day to myself, I've scheduled a pedicure and plan to just do some things around the house. My parents are coming to visit next weekend, so I need to make the guest bedroom up and take care of a few things.

Last night we got together with about 12 friends, and we had a great time! Our friends Jeremy and Nicole hosted the get-together, and Nicole whipped up a delicious meal of ziti, roasted peppers and sausage, salad and bread. We had a terrific time just hanging out in their adorable townhouse in Alexandria. I love that neighborhood.

Better wrap this up - we are watching the finale to American Gladiator and Rob is cheering at the TV!

Yes We Can

As a follow-up to my Barak Obama sighting, I'm sharing this video. Not getting political or trying to make a statement, but I think this is a powerful message done very well.

Obama

Earlier this week, I was in D.C. for a conference hosted by my company. Since we work long hours and need to be there early, we stay at the hotel too. This year, the conference was at the lovely Mayflower Hotel on Connecticut Avenue.

Late Monday night, my cell phone rang. News from my co-worker: Barak Obama is in the hotel. He had been campaigning in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. (which he won all handily) and was bunking at the Mayflower. As he was coming into the hotel, the Secret Service had moved some people out of the entrance area, including two of my co-workers.

My plan: stake out the back elevator bank in the morning. I needed to be downstairs to set up for the breakfast at 6:45 a.m., but I headed down around 6:20 a.m. As expected, the SS showed up early and here came Obama. He is much taller than I expected!

On a separate note, we had an event at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in D.C. Totally creepy.

Bill Belichick = Poor Loser

I couldn't have said it better myself. From Yahoo Sports:

If he's going to lose, Bill Belichick would rather be elsewhere
Sunday, Feb 3, 2008 11:12 pm EST

On more than one occasion this year, Bill Belichick and the Patriots have run up the score on an overmatched opponent, and forced an opposing coach to sit there and watch his beaten team go through the motions while their heineys were being handed to them.

But when the shoe's on the other foot, and Bill Belichick's team has been beaten, he can't sit there and take the pain for a few seconds.

With :01 left on the clock, and his team just having failed on a last chance 4th down effort, Bill Belichick ran onto the field for a quick handshake, and then bolted for the locker room. Belichick's an important guy and everything, but I wasn't aware that the league had given him the authority to decide when games end.

There's time left on the clock, his team's been humbled, outplayed, and lost their chance at history ... and Bill Belichick doesn't have the stomach to sit there and absorb the pain until the clock read 0:00.

That's unsportsmanlike at best, disrespectful at least, and at worst, it makes him a big sissy.

Because Bill Belichick wanted to go hide when he lost, the field ended up being flooded with people, and the officials had to clear the area before the Giants could take their final snap and make it official. When you lose, you take your loss. You don't leave early because it makes you feel sad inside. Your opponent deserves more respect than that.

Anyone remember in 2004 when Randy Moss left the sidelines with two seconds left in a Vikings vs. Redskins game? Moss was selfish, a baby, a quitter, didn't respect his teammates, and didn't respect the game. Belichick just did the same thing, but did it on the biggest possible stage, and did it from the position of a leader of men.

Maybe there's something to be said for the inability to lose well ... most great winners don't lose well, and a sore loser is still a loser.

But still, if you're an adult, you finish out the game, and you give your opponents the stage and the respect they deserve.