Weebles wobble but they don't fall down!

So maybe we fell down quite a bit, but my snowboarding/romantic vacation last weekend was AWESOME. Definitely blog and photo worthy. I've been feeling in a bit of a rut lately, so my boyfriend and I literally googled "cheap new england excursions" and it worked! When does that happen? We found a link through the New England Inn Crowd (I highly suggest signing up for discounts) that allowed us any room in the 1785 Inn for $69!?!?! So we got an amazing suite with a tub and gorgeous view. It was a sweet room - exactly what you wanted for a B&B. Breakfast both mornings was amazing. There was a great common room with games and movies (who kicked butt at Scrabble first time ever playing - THIS GIRL). I would definitely recommend the Inn even at full prices.

The 1785 Inn, our lovely home away from home.

We arrived Friday afternoon and checked in. The staff was great and let us switch rooms so we could have a tub - when you live in an downtown apt, this is a MUST on vacation. Hung out for a bit and settled in before heading over to Moat Mountain, a local brewery and BBQ suggested by a friend of mine. There was a solid beer sampler (nothing amazing, but good beers for sure). Then we foolishly decided to order the FULL rack of ribs. Now these ribs admittedly weren't the best I've ever had, but the meat was tender, the rack was HUGE, mashed potatoes were amazing and it came with toast! I was super happy to say the least. Even the two of us combined and hungry couldn't finish it, but it was a great snack later.

Mmmmmmmmm, ribs.

Finally we decided to top off Friday night with some late night tubing at Cranmore. Neither of us had any idea what to expect, but were glad we ended up being wimps and wearing our snow pants. It was cold flying down that hill! We did the last hour discount package and that was perfect. Not too many people there and we could pretty much continuously go up the carpet and down the hill. Nothing like giggling like school girls together with your significant other. It was definitely worthwhile.

Saturday morning was the big shabang - snowboarding at Wildcat Mountain. I've taken a lesson at Mt. Sunapee once earlier this year but haven't gone since then and TJ hadn't done it since he was maybe 8, but had skateboarded. So we decided to do the beginner lesson package - lift ticket, rental and 2.5 hours lesson for $65. Seemed like a great deal to me for people still trying to learn. TJ had a little trouble on the bunny hill but as soon as we moved to the slope, he went flying. I was super impressed. I got much more comfortable with my heel edge and tried to push myself on that toe edge as much as I could. The lesson was pretty hard work with a good instructor, but after we were done we just kind of took it easy and had fun. We were both beat and wanted to have fun. Hopefully next time I'll keep pushing myself to try to get my skills even better. I've learned I have a "strong falling leaf" and that I can avoid wacking my head even when I fall off the chair lift. So yay me! No injuries and much fun had by all.

Not exactly flattering but us on the chair lift!

After snowboaring, we were both beat so it was relaxation time. That meant a nice bath and a movie. Then it was "fancy dinner time." There was a great restaurant downstairs so we just went with that. We shared awesome elk sausage for an appetizer and I had duck for dinner. I definitely mentally blocked out that section of the menu that said "Rabbit Prepared Two Ways." Finally we topped the meal off with an amazing bananas foster prepared table side of course! AWESOME. Dinner was excellent overall and I would definitely recommend it for someone looking for a nice night out.

And that was about it. Sunday we did a little exploring around town. Went into the Penguin Gallery to look at the beautiful gifts. We also went into Zeb's General Store and got some "Northern Comfort" to thank my lovely friends for bun-sitting for me! I got some wonderful candy for the ride home and just generally explored. Cute little store. Reminded me of going on vacation to Cape May, NJ. And of course we had to spend a few minutes at the infamous Settlers Green Outlets. Didn't really do too much shopping, but couldn't resist some Yanke Candles, which I'm burning now of course!


At last, it was time for the ride home. It was an amazing weekend and perfect timing. We had a really fun time tubing, snowboarding was a blast and it was nice to throw in some romantic dinner. Fortunately, this was the only moose we saw! Can't wait to go again!

Moose crossings everywhere scaring the crap outta me constantly!

M.A.S.H.

I've been feeling fairly uninspired lately. Not too much has been going on that I've felt the overwhelming urge to blog about, but I have felt the urge to blog. So today I was thinking of embarassing things I could share with the public, and what's more embarassing than a list of those sexy men I've crushed on throughout the ages? So here were go. Sad but true.... my real life MASH hopefuls.

1. Keanu Reeves - I mean, seriously, who didn't? "Shoot the hostage." Dead sexy. When my sister and I were kids, we had a craft table of sorts. We used to write our crushes' names on the bottom of it.  There are many an interesting spelling of Mr. Reeves' name, surounded in giant hearts of course.

Eddie on "La Vitesse"

2. Devin Sawa - Oh man of man, he was a total teen hunk in middle school. Now and Then when he kissed Christina Ricci?? Ow Ow!!! You couldn't help but swoon. I'm pretty sure I still have a picture of him somewhere in one of my memory boxes. Oh you can't forget Casper while we're at it. (They said "bitch" in that movie!!! Ohhhhhhhhhhh).

Awwwww. Teen love.

3. Colin Firth - Love Actually, Pride & Prejudice, or Bridget Jone's. Name your movie, he's a sexy beast. Now, then and always. Who cares if he's old enough to be my Dad? Every time I see that man dive into Netherfield Pond... damn!

4. Will Wheaton - Time to get embarassing. I was born and raised on good ol' Star Trek: The Next Generation. I had to have the hots for one of them. Wesley and his rainbow striped uniform and sexy physics skills was the obvious choice. Who cares about Stand by Me anyways?

Oh Mr. Crusher!

5. Gavin Rossdale - Like most teenage girls of the 90's, this lead singer of Bush swallowed my heart and there was no coming down form it (yes, those are horrible references. sorry). Even more reason to hate Gwen Stefani (who annoys me to no end...except when singing about bananas).

6. Ewan McGregor - Anyone that knows me knows my love of this man. Be still my heart. He might just be my #1. Big Fish, Moulin Rouge, Down With Love, A Life Less Ordinary and of course, my favorite - Trainspotting. Doesn't matter to me if he's all clean and proper or "heroin chic." Oh and the voice, the voice!!! Take me now Renton....errr... I mean Ewan...

I don't understand how anyone could resist....

7. James Bond Jnr. - Last but not least, I couldn't end this list without including my first love. The one, the only. Bond. James Bond. Junior. This prep school student spends his free time fighting for the safety of the free world with the use of crazy gadgets and mad science. And he does it all while being dead sexy, at least to a sex year old. For those that haven't been enlightened, hold on to your horses and enjoy the show.

So that's that. My sexy 7 of the evening. Amazing. Embarassing. and True.

Adventures in Singledom

Ah so embarassing blog post time!!! Yayyyy! I have no in fact been single for several months now (geeze, maybe close to a year...eek!). And as to be expected, in the meantime there have been many "adventures" to put it nicely. I've done the convenient dating, wishful thinking, horrible drunkenness, friday-night loser... I've never really had to real world date (did a little in college but was mostly long term relationships), and so far it's not so fun really. So I figured it was time to "treat myself" and join one of these dating sites. And thus the adventure/review begins.

So a while back I had done some of those free weekends on eharmony. But man! They asked wayyyyyy to many questions. I was exhausted by the time I got through making a profile - I can't imagine that any of the guys i would be attracted to would really sit through that. So I knew that wasn't the one, and that really only just about leaves match from the ones I knew of. But a hundred something $ ??? Too rich for my blood. Cue the bargain shopper genes to the rescue! Found it for 50% off through the Bank of America add it up program. Much more reasonble. Ten bucks a month or so I can handle. So I give in and sign up.

Now the consipracy theory. I'm convinced that they put us 50% offers together into some reject group. Either that or the dudes just suck. More likely the second though... at least from what I've talked to others about. It just seems like they're all either your steretypical boring DMB loving guys or the weirdos. Needless to say, not my type of men. Oh and fyi, I judge by your pictures. But not if you're good looking or not - I like to see what you're doing, who you're doing it with and where, and if you seem fun. I dont want to see lots of pics of you sitting around smiling. I want to see you in action being fun, because those are the kind of people I like.  Apparently match guys dont do that.....

see more Funny Graphs

Need not apply.

Of course, I've paid so I'll be keeping up with it anyways cause you never know. There have been one or two that piqued my interest - but it's so damn awkward! What do you do? Horrible messaging? Winking? I've been going with the latter for the most part, but I'm sending messages here and there too on the rare occasion that there is someone i *might* like a little.

So step 2 in the adventures of singledom... speed dating. Oh yeah baby. An old neighbor of mine was going and invited me. How could I possibly resist the wonderful potential horrendousness. I thoroughly believe that some things you just HAVE to do for the story. Unfortunately, the turnout for this particular event was small (I guess they usually have 8 or 10, but we had 6... huge chances there). We still managed to get all the stereotypes - the foreingner, the totally awkard guy, the laborer, the i think i know everything about music and am young and hip but am really kinda lame guy. Then there was one normalish dude, but he lived way outside the city (boooooo - i'm too lazy for that) and one guy who I could see maybe going on a few dates with, but not dating really (so what do you do with that??). Overall, fairly lame, but I'm still glad I did it. It was an adventure indeedie. Would i do it again, why the heck not?  Kinda funny afterstory... we went back and looked on the site of this particular group, and even in their promotional video the people reviewing it were kinda wishy washy. 

Not a totally terrible idea....

So that brings me to the finally step. Okcupid. I knew a friend of mine using this one (several apparently), but had totally forgotten about it! We'll have to see if anything actually pans out, but at least I'm getting somewhat normal people messaging me and there are actually itneresting people for once. I've found my stomach soulmate apparently (steak and cinnamont toast crunch - not together, just both amazing) and possibly someone who lives in my old apartment building. I can't lie... i'm super addicted to the quickmatch thing (and maybe am a little too liberal with who I give out 4 stars too - but hey, you miss all the shots you don't take, right?). And I think the awards idea is hysterical (can you really just send that to someone random though???). Again, you get stuck with the question of what the heck is online dating etiquette? I certaintly have no idea and I'm sure no one else does either.

So I'm just winging it from here.  Who knows what the heck will come out of ANY of it, but like i said - some things you gotta do for the story. At a minimum I hopefully end up with some entertaining stories, maybe some new friends and anything past that is would just be dandy too. But i'm certainly not holding my breath.

Well this didn't turn out nearly as exciting or embarassing as I thought it would, but between the massive amounts of work I've been doing lately, this has been the randomness that is my love life. With any luck there WILL be some good follow up stories :) In the meantime, that's my $.02.

TIME OUT! for a tribute to my man.

Sooooooo.... I'm sitting around last night trying to just have a nice relaxing evening.  I read some Bridget Jones (working on that reading list baby), took a lil nap, had some dinner, made some more roasted chick peas, played the piano for a bit, did the dishes and then settled down to do some more reading.  I decided, why not turn to TV on. BJD is easy enough to read that something fun in the background wouldn't be awful.  So I turn it on...scrolling channels....not much on.... maybe I'll watch the Sing-Off.  So I turn it on, look up....AND TIME the F*CK OUT ZACK MORRIS!!!!!

 

 On the TV in front of me is my one, my only, my idol, Benjamin Scott Folds. Apparently he's one of the judges (with a girl from the Pussycat dolls and a guy from Boys2Men) on the show.

!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!??!!

How in the world did I not know this? And how all of my friends fail to inform me of this.  A little history... as much as I would love to say I was there from the start, I got hooked back in the day in 7th grade with Brick, just like everyone else. But from there it was instant love.

I dragged my Uncle and my cousin up to upstate bumblefuck NY (Buffalo i think) to go see him and picked up my sis on the way. He played with the Flaming Lips and Train, and he was them (Ben Folds Five) then.  It was just love, pure love. I was hooked (like I hadn't been before).

Since then... I've seen him, oh, I don't know... every chance I get?

• NYC Ben Folds and a Piano (release tour of first solo album) with my sister
• Worcester with my college friends
• Lupos in RI with my sister
• Bank of America Pavilion in Boston on the Odd Man Out Tour (with Rufus Wainwright and Guster) with my ex James
• Orpheum in Boston with my ex Steve for the release of Way to Normal
• TD Bank North (ugh, opening for John Mayer) with the ex - Steve
• With the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the BSO with my friend Danielle (cause ex-steve f*ed up bigtime) - FRONT ROW CENTER, maybe 5 feet away - I have amazing video.
• With the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the BSO with random Craigslist girl- probably the BEST performance of his I've ever seen. TRIPLE encore
• With the Providence Performing Arts Symphony at PPAC with a bunch of co-workers

And I know there's at least one or two more times that I'm brain farting on right now.... so that's a minimum of 10 times either way.  If you couldn't tell by now, I kinda like him just a bit. Especially back in the day when he was adorable freaking Ben.

And especially before he had 5 million wives and left them all one by one... Kind of hard to love his love songs as much after quite so many failures, but that's ok. I love him anyways, and The Luckiest will still most definitely be played at my wedding at some point.

So what's new in the works for Mr Folds besides this random judging shtick you ask?  Well actually, his next album coming out will be with auther Nick Hornsby.  Hornsby is writing the lyrics and Folds is putting them to music and performing them.  Between the PPAC show and the last BSO show, I got to see three of these demos performed live. And let me tell you, this album is going to be FANTASTIC.  First, a really sad but incredibly moving song called Picture Window (this is my favorite - total ben folds emotional style - chokes me up every time). A hilarious song about a washed up musician singing his one-hit-wonder about his ex-wife, Belinda (this is the actual performance I saw btw). And finally, an absolutely freaking hysterical song about Palin's daughter's baby-daddy, Levi Johnston and his tough tough life, called, The Levi Johnston Blues.

Alrighty, now that I've gotten that all out there and paid my respects, I feel loads better. Time-in.

teeeeheeeeee. some motivation :)

Woah dude has it been a crazy two weeks.  WTF. I had thanksgiving food stress, got sexually harassed (yes, literally), found out my ex's father is having brain surgery, actually spoke with the ex for the first time in weeks, and am going to a party where both the ex and harasser might be there.  FML. I have a million reasons to be stressed right now. And one big one not to.

A CRUSH!!!

A crush, a crush, a wonderful crush.  It's amazing how much relief one of those can bring to life.  Is anything realistically going to happen? Nah - doubtfully.  But a girl can daydream, no? And reviving an oldie, well that's the bestest.

I suddenly have a newfound sense of motivation but there are a TON of temptations in the weeks to come.  I'm thinking I might go on what some friends and I call a "no-booze-cruise" for a bit.  It's really just so bad for you when you're trying to lose weight, and I'm seeing at least 6 or 7 opportunities for heavy boozing in the next few weeks. I do have some good excuses not to, so I think I might cash in on those. 

I'm ready to make some more damn progress motherfucker!! So you better watch out :)

I...win?

I win?

Lean or Loveless? A rant.

Sometimes, I just can't deal with men.