About Me

My photo
Just putting my point of view out there for everyone to learn about me and love me. About me I'm 30-something, living in Raleigh with friends. Just wanted a blog not about Weddings, Babies and Pets, about the other stuff in life, like Reality TV! Hope you enjoy.

Wednesday, November 30

Planksgiving

Anyone ever fell like walking the plank with they have to be around their family for too long.  PLANKSGIVING!!!  Just kidding I love my family and love being around them.  I was watching this show where the town had an old folk tale of how a hurricane washed away the town and the people had no crops/food or anything for Thanksgiving.  Some pirates came to shore and shared their riches with the townspeople and since they had a tradition every year PLANKSGIVING.  Everyone dresses up in pirate gear, they gather at the town commons and have a big meal all together.  It looked like so much fun.  So I was wondering if there are other town or family traditions out there.  With my family, we go to my Nannie's (dad's mom) for lunch every year since I was born.  Eats the traditionals, turkey, stuffing etc.  It's great to always sit around her antique table with all the old family photos, hand made napkins and table clothes.  Real silver that was polished, eating off china and always interesting fruit filled center piece, with the Pilgrims peeking in!  Then head to Mt Olive, for dinner with Grandma and Papa (mom's parents) with aunts, uncles and cousin and a new edition Evie (will be 3 in Jan).  She is the pure entertainment.  See on both sides the youngest grandchild is 24 years old and the great grandchild is 3yrs old.  So we basically sit around for hours just watching that child.  It's so great, because we don't get to see her that much.  We always have for dinner venison(deer meat) that my granddad usually killed and grilled for us, chicken salad, veggies, ham biscuits and pickles.  It would not be the same if anything changed.  But this year for lunch the next day we went to WILBUR'S BBQ...yummmmmmmmm.  It is great BBQ, we went family style with our order and it was well worth it.  So 3 huge meals, with huge family and huge FUN!!
So hope you had more of a THANKSGIVING, than a PLANKSGIVING and learn to enjoy time with family, because they won't always be there.  And remember some people don't have any family to spend time with, SO ENJOY that you do!
Happy Holidays!

Sunday, November 20

Old enough to know better, too young to care!

Anyone every heard the song by Blake Shelton "Some Beach"..... some beach somewhere.  Yeah right now that is where I wish I was.  Actually a lot of times I wish I was there.
So yesterday was a great football game, CLEMSON vs NCSU, #7 CLEMSON got beat by unranked NCSU... I had a blast, one of the best games I have been to.  My friend who had just moved was home unpacking and decorating and I got to sit with her husband, father and friends in the game.  They are great seats and I have always loved when I've gotten to sit with them in past.  Her little 3rd grade cousin was there and sitting in front of me and we kept high five-ing on all the good plays.  It was me and "the guys" and just had a blast watching the game, sitting with people who wanted to watch the game and were excited about the game.  Tailgating was great, went with 5 friends had a great spread of food, drinks, without fail jello shots showed up too!  And I have a red finger this am to prove that I did partake.
But then someone mentioned going out...out out, like out on the town, out to bars, shots, drinks and dancing.  Of course I was up for it, the JELLO SHOTS made me do it.  We had a blast, dancing bar hopping, singing, life chats, sitting in a planter, drunk texting..etc. You know how this goes.  This is where the too old to know better too young to care comes in.  Ok I'm too old to go drinking all day at football game, rally through and stay out til 1am.  I'm too old to take several jello shots at the football game. I'm too old to say 'Yes sir" when friends dad says take a swig of this, too old to say 'yes sir' twice to swigging moonshine at football game.  Too old to take shots at the bar, too old to go bar hopping, too old to be sitting in a planter at 1am waiting for a cab, too old to sleep in.  I'm too young to care about how ALL OF THE ABOVE MAKES ME FEEL IN THE AM!!!! aggggggg.  So still try and act like I'm so young I can do all of the above and still function on Sunday. I don't wanna be old and go home after the game and sleep, I still wanna be young and go out with my friends and get crazy sometimes.
See I think family and kids keeps you from doing all this, so please someone give me some family and kids and keep this old lady under CONTROL!!!!

I need to be benched, NOT MVP

Thursday, November 17

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

Hey people does anyone know we are in a RECESSION?  I mean I know everyone wants gifts and it's nice to get presents, but if you didn't already know I'm poor.  And pretty much the last thing I want to do is go spend my hard earned money on YOU when I can barely pay MY OWN bills.  So this Christmas everyone should be encouraged to just do nice stuff for other people.  I mean donate money, donate time, donate items you don't need any more.  Everyday and I do mean EVERYDAY when I'm complaining about being poor and not having money to do anything, I think REALLY HOLDEN REALLY??????  I mean even though I struggle in my life to get it where I wish it could be, there are tons people who have it a lot worse than me.  Some who made themselves that way, some who did not.  So next time you are thinking about the designer purse you want so bad or that brand name clothing, think about the people who just want a coat or a pair of shoes or food for their kids and maybe give a little. 
For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required.  Luke 12:48.   --I did know the verse, but did not the exact location in Luke.  But the point is still it is something that resonates with me and so should with all of you.

Stop thinking about all the North Face, Prada, Gucci, David Yurman you are adding to your Christmas list and try and remember if just for a moment the meaning of Christmas.  And how maybe at this time of year if not throughout the year, try and think of helping someone else.

Here are some of my fav groups to donate/volunteer for.  Check them out if I inspired you, if you are interested in donating this season.  I'm sure your parents would be much more appreciative of a donation in their name, than something you bought them that they don't need.
Happy Holidays as they begin!

Cystic Fibrosis- my sister lost her best friend Tracey Peel to this disease
http://www.cff.org/Chapters/carolinas/

Eastern NC- Multiple Sclerosis-- My friend Lee Laughinghouse who passed away in 2004, mother has MS.
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/NCT/index.aspx

The Miracle League of Triangle-- I love to volunteer here, because I want every kid to know the enjoyment of sports and team activities, something I was blessed with that many are not.
http://www.miracleleagueofthetriangle.com/


Food Banks at local Churches.  Many people use churches for resources, not just homeless and poor, but new people in town, people trying to get back on their feet.  Just buy a couple of extra cans at the grocery and drop them off on your way home.

Local Health Clinics need simple supplies at OTC meds!!!  Something easy and cheap that we take for granted just being able to throw down $10 when we have a headache.

And if think you have it bad, read about this family.  I have no idea who they are, but were inspired by their story and their son's disease.  I have never seen anything like it.  People are donating ornaments for this family's tree.
http://randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com/

Saturday, November 12

Perception is the key

Sometimes as we get older maybe we realize we are the ones that need to change, change our stubborn ways, change the way people perceive us.  So maybe I think I'm this awesome fun girl, with great stories, always up for a laugh and new adventure.  But have you to really examine if that is how other people also see you. 

I think as I get older I want to be more conservative, go out less, drink less, be more conscious of what I'm eating, stop exhausting myself to be a part of everything.  See when the weekend used to come around you would chat with your friends about upcoming weekend plans.... they would go something like this.  Work/School/Unemployment..grab some dinner somewhere, maybe have a drink, go home get ready, go to friends house, have lots or free drinks, cab, bar, more drinks, maybe late night stop for food on the way home, more free drinks, sleeeeeeppppppppp til like noon.  Get up more food, buy more booze, nap/watch tv/minimal activity, eat again, get ready, someone else's house, have lots of free drinks, cab, bar, more drinks, wander home, more drinks and sleep.  Pretty much the routine every weekend, as you notice lots of drinks and food.  Now that I'm old and my body can't take all that, barely stay up til 9pm on Friday night after a long work week, maybe up at work on Saturday morn or some sort of project, then maybe dinner and drinks with friends.  Sunday relax, clean, do laundry and just catch up on things to begin another work week.
So in the fall lots of weekends consist of football.  Early rising to prepare food and specialty drinks for a day of great weather (hopefully) gathering with friends, and a little football.  Old days, it was jello shots, keg stands, shot gun beers and Bojangles tailgate special.  Now it's homemade dips, pigs in a blanket on real platters, bourbon, mimosas and not beast beer.
So if you are at the homemade dips/pigs in a blanket tailgate and you are shot gunning beers, slamming jello shots, you might want to think of perception.  This dawned on me this past weekend at the UNC/NCSU game....blending some new traditions and old traditions.  We made some food, but also brought along jello shots and we were at the mature tailgate, lots of married folks and couples (boooooo).  SO even though my friend Kim and I were having a great time and handing out jello shots, trying to spice up this party, plus walking around with a tray of jello shots is always a great way to start a conversation with cute dudes.  I wonder what the perception here was, were we the girls stuck in the past, the party girls, the forever going out girls..... because surely I am not.  I was in bed early the night before and def napped after the game.  But maybe there was some single guy there at the tailgate that thought, wow those girls are cute, but they may be a little wild slammin jello shots at 11am????  Pass.  So maybe I'm trying to change my ways and drink less, but it hits you faster, you have to be aware 2 strong bourbon drinks when you are 21 have a lot different effect on your 29 year old body. 

See I want people to see the real me.  The fun outgoing girl, who likes to go out and have fun, but not til 3am (except special occasions), just likes to hang with her friends, go out to dinner, watch movies, hang on the couch with her roomies, working herself out of debt, working hard at her job, but still makes time for the fun things in life.  So in the future if I'm looking to settle down and get away from the party girl image I have to be careful how I'm perceived.  And so should everyone else out there.  You think your married/coupled friends are going to set you up with one of their great guy friends if you are a serial dater, hating on dudes all the time, party hardy, doing drugs, sleeping with everyone in town, go to church on Sunday girl to repent your weekend.... that's a BIG NOPE!  So be yourself and if you want to go home at 9pm and only have one beer, well I say do it!!!!

*Pic's below are not me, but I'm sure I can say it could have been and probably most of my friends!!!



Thursday, November 3

Free Food= Fatness

So I've been pondering over the years why I just keep gaining and gaining weight, as I am sure many of us do.  But I have figured out (for me anyway) why this occurs.  Something about delicious doughnuts, free Halloween candy, samples at Sam's or FREE LUNCH (and I don't mean like the poor kid kind in school)!  I mean the delicious, scrumptious lunches that we get everyday from reps at our office.  I will not specify my job (medical field) and I will not specify who brings us lunch (people who have things, that people in the medical field prescribe to people) but it is AWESOME.... I think about all the money I save at the grocery, I only go like once a month, I don't have to use gas to go out to lunch, I don't waste time in my kitchen wondering what to fix for the next day.  It's all there, prepared for me and just waiting for me to DIVE IN!!!  And boy do I and so do lots of people at work, refer to previous blog 'NOT OK'!  The problem is also waiting for me is the desserts, the garlic bread, the endless helpings...ugggg, somebody stop me.  Oh and especially when someone bring BBQ LODGE, forget it I'm as good as WORTHLESS the rest of the day.  So I'm working on a little thing called self-control, as of now it's a work in progress and I'm losing big time (and not in the weight department).

Then there are the dinners, which are at restaurants that I would not take myself to on a regular basis...EXPENSIVE.  I love a good night out and treating myself to dinner but $80 at Second Empire, I DON'T THINK SO.  But on someone else's tab it's a total different story, I'll try some appetizers, some martinis, splurge for the SURF n TURF and even get dessert.  Now you know good and well after eating all that food I sure as hell don't need dessert.  I always try and tell myself I'm going to take it home to my roommates to share, but let's be real I usually eat it.

So my goal from now on IS..... Try to cut back on all this good delicious FREE FOOD and just try and remember if it wasn't free would I still be eating this???
Maybe a thinner me will appear in the near FUTURE....only if I win the lottery and don't have to pay for my own food, would I give up free food.  So for now I'm a HAPPY FAT, FREE FOOD EATER!!!!!  Join the club, memberships available at www.i'mafatkid.com