Going on a trip.

Tomorrow I am flying to Wisconsin to surprise my dad for his birthday. This plan was hatched about 5 days ago. Short notice, I know, but when someone else is footing the bill... My family isn't really known for being the planning type. Which could perhaps explain my Type A personality.

Since my sister lives near my parents, I will get to see my niece and nephew. I haven't seen my niece since she was about a month old, and she'll be 1 years old at the end of April, so I'm very excited to see her!

I don't think I'll be able to post until I get back on Wednesday night, but just to keep you coming back for more, I might. There's your carrot. I'm not sure how what kind of withdrawal symptoms I'll have from not being able to check all the websites I visit daily, but this is probably a good weaning period for when I start working and behaving like an adult.

Oh, look who went and got herself a job

I just found out about an hour ago...I GOT A JOB!!!

It's not the non-legal job I interviewed for earlier this week. And it is legal. So I guess I won't be running away from law just yet.

I'm so excited to be a productive member of society again!

When will I learn?!?

My apartment complex has a nice perk: in addition to having a workout room, there's free tanning.

Yes, you probably know where this story is going.

I decided after my workout today that a nice little tanning session would be just the thing. Now, I have very mixed feelings about tanning. On the one hand, I love the feeling of being in a nice, warm cocoon. On the other hand, I always feel like I'm frying not only my skin but my innards.

Take today's tanning session for example: the first few minutes the tanning bed was creaking and I kept wondering what would happen if the glass broke and I fell onto the bulbs themselves. And then I started thinking that if they suggest covering your eyes, shouldn't you cover your vital organs? And what about my uterus? Shouldn't I have some sort of x-ray blanket over it? Then I got to a nice warm point and was finally relaxing and it was over.

Yes, I realize I'm ruining my skin. I know, no lectures necessary. It's not so much about getting a great tan but instead about the warmth and heat. And today was chilly here...which I know is a rationalization.

But here's the thing: this was by no means my first foray into tanning. During lawschool back in the Midwest, I went here and there. So why did I think it would be smart to start with 7 minutes? I DON'T KNOW. I'm an idiot, I realize this. And now my skin has that lovely slightly itchy/tingly feeling. Grrr. Maybe someday I'll learn. *Sigh*

A new addiction, producing a rabid fan.

I'm not yet ready to talk about the finale of Project Runway. I need to process what I consider to be a very anticlimactic end.

Since I dabble in baking (NOT COOKING), I stayed tuned for the first episode of Top Chef. OMG. I'm completely addicted. I know some people will say this is a knock-off of the PBS cooking show (that I cannot, for the life of me, remember the name of), but I never saw that one (1/2 of one episode doesn't count).

And I totally just zoned out for like 20 minutes. I think it's time to go to bed.

Do I smell a job in my future???

Friday I sucked up the rest of my ego and went to a legal temp agency, where I was plied into submission with tales of the many jobs and good hourly wages to come. Of course all of these things remain to be seen. And now I have to get up every morning on the off chance I'll get called in for a job. Which totally sucks, because who wants to get up early and just wait around for the phone to ring? Alas, this is now what I've been reduced to.

I do have an interview tomorrow, and it's NOT through the temp agency (HA!). I'm really excited about it. It's not a legal job, but it's something I'm very interested in and really enjoy and would love to do instead of law. Yes, I said it...INSTEAD OF LAW. I'm usually great in interviews, but I'm a little nervous about tomorrow because I'm so excited.

So wish me luck that I get this job. I don't think Direct Loans will accept homemade baked goods as payment on my law school loans.

I got a haircut today. It was beyond time, and I figured I should look good for tomorrow. I have a terrible track record with getting really bad haircuts, but today's cut was AWESOME! It was more expensive than I normally go for, but totally worth it. Now I will have to go back to the girl who cut my hair today...which I guess means now I have, uh, a stylist? This is impressive, especially for someone who has always gone to cheap-o places because I'm THRIFTY. (No, I'm not calling myself a cheapskate.)

Ok, now I feel like I have to discuss the Oscars. I don't really understand all the Jon Stewart backlash. I thought he was funny. But can I just ponder: since when did MTV invade the Kodak Theater? Or was that just me?

Funny tidbit of the day

Husband & I just saw a promo for the new TV show The Unit.

Husband: Isn't that a gay porn movie?

Me: hardy har har

The name game.

This summer, Husband & I will have been married for 3 years. I haven't ever changed my last name. Initially, it was because I couldn't have my last name different from what I'd already put on my loan application. Then I applied for the bar exam and didn't want to deal with the paperwork. And then I decided I liked my last name and didn't want to change it.

Well this morning Husband & I went to the DMV. I discovered that to change my last name, all I needed was my marriage license and voila! I went home to get my marriage license and got a massive case of anxiety. Although I absolutely consider myself a feminist, I am by no means rabid about it, so I wasn't trying to make any statements. Before getting married I didn't think twice about changing my name.

I never anticipated having so much anxiety and, well, putting on the brakes when it came down to actually changing it. I mean, what's in a name? It's not like my last name is my whole and complete identity. It's just a name, right?

The entire way back to the DMV, I thought about it. Husband & I talked about it, and he said that he would support whatever I wanted to do. I ended up playing the hyphenation game. Yes, now I'm one of those women. Brother. But honestly, it felt right. It didn't really feel right to continue to not change it, and I really wasn't okay with dropping my name entirely, or even just adding it as a middle name.

So now I get to adjust to to a whole new, hyphenated signature.

They sure know how to pick 'em, don't they?

Tonight I ran across the first episode of the next Real World. I think I just may have to tune in to see just how this season's drama unfolds.

My initial thoughts after this first episode:

*MAN, do I feel old!!!
*The anorexic chick needs some intensive inpatient therapy...and meds.
*The obligatory hot, fiery chick (who happens to be "Russian Mafia") is currently with boyfriend, but you all know how that's going to turn out.
*The token gay boy is SO CUTE!
*There are 2 jocks who are just typical.
*The other guy and girl are sort of nondescript for me.

Last night I watched The Amazing Race and it was awesome! I already know who I want to win, but am not ready to commit it to blogging history because I'll probably change my mind. The frontrunners are: "the frosties", those crazy kids from San Fran, and the nerdy couple.

Big spender, that's me.

I watched Dead Poet's Society again this afternoon. That ending always gets to me and makes me cry. But it's such a great film! Sigh.

Husband & I are adjusting to live here in the Seattle area quite nicely. He's working and I'm still...looking. I'm starting to get a little frustrated. Now that the Olympics are over (yes, I'm having withdrawal, thank you for asking) I'm spending literally hours everyday looking for jobs and applying. And so far, I've come up with squat. Yay for progress, ha. Any ideas?

I've also been working on getting our taxes done. The deadline was today, but I think it's quite obvious that's not going to happen. I also started looking up bar review courses (yes, I'm taking the bar exam in July) and they all seem a little whacked out expensive. And I don't know what course to take - do I take Bar/Bri? Do I do Rigos? Do I do something else entirely? Do I just try to find recent books on ebay or Craigslist? I mean, do I really want to drop $2,000 on a course when all I really want are the books? Will doing an entire course make me write essays better when I'm already a good essay writer? Ugh. Help.

Curiosity killed the cat

So curiosity has finally gotten the better of me...I just wanna know what you guys think I'm really like. So go here and tell me what you think.

File this under: Effective Weight Loss Strategies

Last night Husband & I decided to dine at the Cheesecake Factory. I should preface this story by saying that since I'm essentially vegan, I typically have 1-2 options per restaurant. Well, at the Cheesecake Factory, they have this Chinese Chicken Salad, that I really enjoy (of course sans the poultry). I got a craving for the salad, so we decided to go there. Being vegan, I also do not eat cheesecake, so I really was going just for this salad.

I order the salad such: "I'd like the Chinese Chicken Salad WITHOUT CHICKEN." He repeats back the 'sans chicken' part of my order, and I think everything will be great. I continue sipping my wine, excited about the impending yumminess awaiting me.

WELL. My salad comes, and I'm happily eating the first 2 bites. Then I suddenly realize on the 3rd bite that I'm biting into something that is definitely NOT lettuce. I should insert here that I've never eaten meat - not fowl, poultry, or anything that ever had parents, swam, or walked. Now that we have that clear, you'll understand that my brain suddenly stopped working and I went into panic mode when I realized that what I was chewing on was tasteless, rubbery, slightly stringy texture.

WELL WELL WELL. I have never lost my appetite so suddenly. It was instantaneous. The server felt terrible, and immediately took the offending plate away and said that he'd put in an order for a chicken-free salad, but the thought of eating anything else was just unbearable. So instead, I had another glass of wine.

I know some of you may question how the hell I missed that there was chicken in my salad. Well, it was sliced very thin and in the sneaky dinner-time lighting of the restaurant, it looked like a piece of lettuce. And I wasn't paying that close of attention because I figured my salad was sans meat. And for the rest of you that may not think this was a big deal or that I'm overreacting, I'M NOT. Remember, this was my first introduction to chicken.


In other news, I made these fantastic peanut butter, chocolate-chip, oatmeal cookies (from Matha Stewart, of course). They are so yummy. However, I ended up burning the side of my arm on one of my cookie sheets. It's quite the sizeable burn, and it hurts like a b*tch. Husband wanted to know why I burned myself, and I said "because I like pain, of course".

Fashion police, now issuing tickets.

THIS needs to be banned from all things figure skating.

'Nuff said.

Putting those rubber gloves to good use.

What's worse than not having a dishwasher?

Having a dishwasher that does NOT work.

Not only do I have a sink full of dirty dishes, now I have a sinkful of dirty dishes and a dishwasher full of still dirty dishes. *Sigh*

Dick Button is pleased as punch, and so am I.

I'm watching primetime Olympic coverage of Ice Dancing. Of all the winter Olympic sports, Ice Dancing is my favorite. I love everything about it...well, almost everything - those costumes are pretty terrible! But I still love it. I don't think it would be the same without the terrible costumes. I've also gotten quite addicted to curling, thanks to CNBC's serious coverage of it.

On a completely different note: GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU TAKING THE BAR EXAM THIS WEEK! You're all superstars!

The cat is testing out that whole "9 Lives" theory.

The cat has just tonight discovered he can jump up behind the TV and flip the power switch. While I am watching the Olympics. In the span of the last 6 minutes, he did it twice. He is now sitting in solitary confinement. NOBODY messes with mamma's Olympics.

And don't you say this serves me right for watching 75 hours of Olympic coverage everyday.

Ha ha ha

Husband told me this joke tonight, and I'm still cracking up over it (like I am about Heather's pirate joke):

Two potatoes are standing on a street corner. How do you know which one is the prostitute?

The one that says: "Idaho".

HA! Ha ha!


Yes, I am still watching 75 hours a day of Olympic coverage. It's fabulous. I finally have my phone hooked up so I can dissect the games with my sister. And NO, I do NOT want to talk about Bode Miller, our men's hockey team, or the scoring debacle that was the men's figure skating long program. Don't even get me started on that last one.

A big shout-out to the MIDWEST!

This is just because I'm from the midwest. And yes, I know where Muncie, Indiana is. I've even been there. So there.

Emotional investment gone awry.

*Sigh*

Oh, Johnny Weir. What could have, might have, should have been.

I'm more sad for what could have been, how you should have been at the end of your free skate. You should have been holding your head high, smiling ear to ear. You should have been proud of yourself.

The snowboard cross is F-U-N! It makes me want to invest in a snowboard and go hit the slopes tomorrow. Of course, the men's hockey USA v. Latvia also made me want to pick up hockey. Our phone gets set up tomorrow, and I'm going to be calling the ice rink just down the road to see if there's a free skate. Yes, I've been skating forever, although never any lessons. My parents were too interested in music lessons. And now we're getting a little revealing.

Ok, back to the CSI. Yes, I know - shocking! I'm watching non-Olympic TV!!! Go ME!

Well now I'm playin' with the big kids.

Tonight I finally decided to sign up for a site meter. I had been on the fence about this because do I really want to know how many people look at my site? If I know how many people are reading, will I then feel pressure to have to perform? I guess my curiosity won out. So no more hiding, lurkers. And I guess this means I have to accept the fact that when I'm unemployed, I am obsessive about checking the blogs on my list. Which I suppose could make me look like a stalker. Hmmmm.

I'm gonna' need an activity intervention when this is over.

I have figured out something that, were it not for the subject matter, would be downright embarrasing. Ok, even with the subject matter, it's still embarrasing. I figured out that I am watching somewhere in the vicinity of 10 hours a day of Olympics. My friend says I am in the throes of an OVERDOSE. I'm not arguing. I just can't help myself.

Good timing to be laid up with a pulled muscle in my back, huh?

I just finished watching the MOST exciting men's hockey game EVER - USA vs. Latvia. Phew - I thought I was going to hyperventilate by the time it was over. I won't do any spoilers in case there's anyone out there who wants to see it and hasn't, but suffice it to say: in the hockey game of Life, I want THIS MAN as my goalie.

I realize that is probably one of the worst and cheeziest analogies ever. I think all this Olympic-induced TV watching is truly rotting my brain. I may just need to read something super cerebral after the games are over. Any suggestions?