My Bad Blogger Excuses

Hey Y'all. 

I've been a bad blogger.  But, what else is new, I guess? Another lovely blogger informed me that I need to update my blog.  So, I guess she at least reads this. Sorryboucha.

1. There's been some nasty weather around these parts.  Oklahoma and Granbury absolutely broke my heart.  It's hard to work up some motivation while also being glued to the TV and Twitter for updates on scary weather - including continuously updating the local radar to watch out for myself and my pup.

2.  My computer is wicked slow.  I think she's on her last leg.  Makes for some very long nights, and very little motivation to include links, pictures, or even pretend to be computer-savvy. 

3.  I'm trying very hard to lose weight. Sitting at a computer doesn't exactly inspire the metabolism.  Plus, I absolutey refuse to give up my favorite things in life - wine, beer, pasta, cheese. So, as you can tell, it's going really well.

4.  Work is busy, so blog reading time is restricted to after work.  And by the time I'm done reading my list, I'm exhausted and I can't focus on one particular topic.  

5.  My new iPad is killing me.  Between Candy Crush and beating the boy in Angry Birds Friends (seriously, it's the worst addiction - except for Candy Crush. ) It's the best vicious cycle ever. 

6. I started a puzzle.  Yes, I'm a nerd that still does jigsaw puzzles. And, well, it takes up the entire dining table until I finish.  So, there's not much space to do other things. So, it sits.  As it has for the past 3 weeks. I swear I'll finish it. 

7. It's the end of the TV seasons.  So, naturally, I'm starting up new TV shows on Hulu Plus - and doing massive marathons one right after another.  My days are taken up.  Sorry I'm not sorry.  Actually, I am sorry that I am not Olivia Pope.  Scandal is the best thing that's happened in a long time. I'm so mad there's only been 2 seasons.  Like, legitimately upset.  

This is just to name a few, anyways.  So, I'll do a very list-happy post, and tell you the things that have happened in my life in the past two-ish weeks! 

1. I ran a 5k! Well, more than I thought I would.  Seeing as it is my New Years Resolution to run a whole one, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and run with my running/walking group.  (Plus, the 5k offered free beer after...so, other incentives, obviously).  I finished 2 minutes under my goal.  Which, may not be saying much, but I really was very proud of myself (which I haven't been in awhile).  So, somehow I'm running/walking another one in 2 weeks.  I'm actually pretty jazzed, and it was my idea to run another one so soon.  Who knew!?

2.  My best friend had a baby.  I'm not a kid person, but when your not-by-blood sister has their first baby, something changes you.  I was so sad I couldn't be with her, and so sad I haven't met the sweet peanut yet, but I am so proud of her and her husband.  What an amazing feat! Sweet little Quinn was born 30 minutes before midnight last Monday (she seems stubborn - and I like it!).  And all I've done since then is try to figure out ways to hitchike to Philadelphia and back within a weekend to see my bestest and Quinny-the-Pooh.  Sadly no such plan has been hatched.  I'll keep you updated. 

3. The Office finale rocked my socks off.  I went there.  I promise you, I've never laughed so hard and ugly-cried at the exact same time.  It was ridiculous. Hysterics of both spectrums.  I'm not even mad. 

Sadly, that's really been the big things in the past two weeks.  The rest just fills in this ridiculous little life - and I'm very satisfied with that! 

Oh -  in anticipation of today's potential storms, a few of us acquired some glasses at work to help us out (yes, there are wipers on the glasses) (I work for a ridiculous company)

Tomorrow my department gets to take a half day and spend the afternoon at the Ballpark watching the Rangers take on Oakland.  It's dollar hot dog day and supposed to be beautiful.  I also have some pretty great co-workers, so I am pretty excited for this upcoming short week! WOOP!

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As Always,

AJ

Rangers Home Opener

Hey Y'all!

This is for my good friend Helene.  She's wonderful. And awesome. And absolutely ridiculous.  I think the latter is my favorite part about her. Seeing as I've known her for about 2.5 years, I can tell you that her blog is absolutely spot on with who she is.  Friendly, Random, and beyond hilarious. It's a great read, I laugh every day.  I'll participate more in her Travel Tuesdays link up (since traveling is my absolute favorite!) when I find time to recap my favorite adventures... in the meantime...

As promised - a recap of my superfun Friday. 

I love baseball.  It's probably my favorite sport to watch - live anyways.  That atmosphere is something else.  The smells, the people, and the baseball players in their little baseball pants!

So, sure enough, I got up at the break of freaking dawn. Granted it was a half hour later than I would normally be at work, but it's all for the cause, right? Good thing it was in the forties and I was wearing shorts. After being called numerous names (like crazy, and absolutely out of my mind),  we were on our merry way! 

Hellooooooo Baseball! 

(Yes, that is the sun still rising...)

Enjoying our day off

We weren't the only ones

We were prepared.

 But still managed to forget a flipper for the burgers on the grill, and put the grill plate on upside down.  Plastic forks work surprisingly well! (I think, I wasn't in charge of the grilling!)

 Having some fun in my sunglasses.  Maybe a little to much fun..

We had to stop on the way into the game and buy Mumford and Sons tickets.

  

 We may have created a traffic jam trying to get the full wifi signal...

We weren't the only ones at the game, apparently

Enjoyin' the show

Jack Ingram singing to 'merica

Pomp and Circumstance

The BEST thing about the ballpark - Garlic Fries!!

Opening Day #2 (We have this exact same picture from last year)

The whole group!

It was a long exhausting day, and I fell asleep, no joke, 30 seconds after I got home.  Forgot to let the dog out and everything (She was not happy).  But, was so much fun, wouldn't change it for anything.  It's ok to be jealous. I would be.

Actually, the only regret I have is that my hair is out of control.  According to these pictures, I need a cut and color baaaaaaaad. 

Exhaustion

Hey Y'all. 

It's been a rowdy weekend. It's going to be an even rowdier (roll with it) week ahead.  

I took a 3 day weekend and went to the Texas Ranger's Home Opener this Friday, enjoyed the sunny 80 degree weather on Saturday, and made not one, but two trips to Ikea today (Sunday).  I'm absolutely wiped, and can't even begin to wrap my words into single sentences. 

On top of all of this, it's BIRTHDAY WEEK! I have a week full of activities, apparently, so I'm using tonight to rest, relax, and enjoy my glass of wine.  Tomorrow will be a better day, and will have more pictures uploaded so you can see the fun. 

There's no better day than this.  80 degrees, sunny, baseball, beer, good friends, and no work?  Come on now..

Have a WONDERFUL Monday!

Conversation Starters!!

I am a shy girl.  The real me has a tendency to come out, after I get to know someone for awhile, and that's when people really start to fall in love with me ;).

However, it's a hard thing for many people (including myself!) to start a conversation with a random person at a get together!  When you don't know someone, conversations generally start with your surroundings, or the old stand-by, the weather.  Now, in Minnesota and Wisconsin, the weather was a perfectly acceptable conversation piece.  Weather in those parts, has PMS.  One day it's hot and sticky, the next day it's rainy and cold. It snowstorms in May and September and has sunshine and blue skies in January.

I've found that in Texas, the weather does not change, for the most part.  In the six weeks I've been here, we've only been out of the 90's for about 7-8 days total.  And out of those days, it's been in the 100's for about 5-6.  Nothing to extravagant there.  Because the weather is so mundane, I've had to resort to the other tactic - by using my surroundings to strike up a conversation.

For a social event to be successful, you want your guests to mingle and socialize (hence the name...) with everybody else at the party.  Conversation starters are always welcome, even by the most outgoing guests! One way to do this, is to create a board with the past 5-10 years  on it, and whip up some cute name cards of all of your friends.  They can then post these name cards onto this "year board" as to the year they met you.  This can create conversations between your guests as they look to create a common bond - which obviously is you!

Most people can generally think up this common bond tactic themselves, but it can be a decorative piece for your event and reminds perhaps, those who may not be thinking of it!

I've found an example on Martha Stewart Weddings. Have fun!