Auditory Amusements

After we turn out the lights before bed, Michael and I have a conversation.  The subject matter and duration of the chat varies, but we always talk about something before bed.  It's a ritual, it's relaxing, it's a nice way to end the day.  In typical Jules fashion, I sometimes talk too loud during these times.  I am forever reminded to use my "indoor" or "nighttime" voice.  It's Michael's kind way of saying "Quiet down, you fool.  It's time for bed"  Yesterday was no exception.  I began carrying on at an above-average decibel level....

M (in a whisper): Jules, you're shouting.

J (full voice): So?

M: It's night time.

J: Lots of people shout at night!

M: Yeah, drunks and crazies.

That's What Friends Are For

Back in 2006, when Ash and Jason got married, the trio of Ash, Pannie and Jules decided never to go more than a year without seeing each other.  You see, we met in 2001 at American University and were inseparable.  Then, Ash didn't return to AU for our junior year and we had three years of missing each other.  Truth be told, I missed Pannie a little less because we were roommates part of that time, and then both lived in DC.  But the point is, we missed being a trio.  The Ash wedding reunion was so euphoric that we started a tradition: get together every summer.

Lucky for us, mutual friends Becky and Ryan got married the following summer, and their wedding served as the perfect spot for Reunion 2007.  As is often the case, there were shenanigans galore.

In addition to being frightened of an Oklahoma night club, we went on a search for bison (unsuccessful)

 and continued to act like weirdos at wedding receptions.

There were no weddings in 2008, but that didn't stop us!  We managed to organize a rendez-vous in DC.  The trip was dubbed a "family reunion" because it wasn't just the three of us...  Michael and Jason were there, too.  It was our first extended time period with Jason and we LOVED him!  (we still do)  the timing was interesting because Michael and I had just moved to Florida, but were glad to return to our former home for Labor Day weekend to see Pannie, Ash and Jason.  We managed to get in a day with Becky and Ryan, too.  An excellent weekend for all, complete with "Then & Now" shots in DuPont.

As you all know, September 2009 was another wedding.  It was wonderful; Michael and I got married, and the trio was, once again, reunited.  The photo below could be called Ash, Pannie, and the brown girl.  But that tends to be the case with us....

Flash to the present.  The summer reunion trip was planned out perfectly.  The three of us would reunite in Florida in August.  With the Orlando airport serving as our hub and my Florida house as our homebase, we'd fly to Orlando, drive West to the beaches, enjoy quality time together at a beach house (thanks to Ash's aunt for the lodging) and have our yearly summer social gathering.  But then I realized that a trip to Florida, which would require a plane ticket and time off from my temp job, was not a good idea.  Fiscally irresponsible, but also logistically complex because Ithaca is an hour from a major airport and we only have one car here, and Michael has classes and won't need to be stranded.  I regretfully backed out of the summer plans, wishing A&P well.  That very same week Ash's aunt called with crazy news: Her building partially collapsed and was not structurally sound.  Our beach accommodations were no longer available.  The trip was not meant to be.  

Pannie and Ash decided it wouldn't be a trio reunion without me (true, because two is less than three) and have been coming up with alternative ideas.  After talking to Pannie this afternoon, I got some fantastic news..... in order to accommodate me, they're considering a trip to the FINGER LAKES area!  Isn't that the cutest thing ever?  Since we can't meet up at the beach, and my schedule doesn't allow for many days off for travel, (and the house is not available) they're willing to forgo the beach and come to my neck of the woods and enjoy New York and/or Lake Ontario.  I have the best friends, ever!

Great things to come out of Ohio

For years, my sister has had a 'great things from Ohio' list.  We have added to it over the years, and to my knowledge, it's never been written down.  In honor of our trip to the Buckeye state on Wednesday, and our impending reunion with one of the funniest people in the world (my sister, again!) here is the list.  I'm sure it's incomplete, but it's a start.

• Smuckers
• My sister Alison
• Buckeyes: trees, nuts, candy
• The Wright Brothers
• Thomas Edison
• Bob Evans
• Wendy's
• Stouffer's frozen foods
• American Greetings 
• Longaberger Baskets
• Drug Mart
• Nickles bread and Donut Fair™products
• Great Lakes beer
• The hot dog 
• Cedar Point
• Malley's Chocolates
• Neil Armstrong  
• SEVEN U.S. Presidents!  Can you name them?  I can because I looked them up:  Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William H. Taft, and Warren G. Harding
• Ermal Fraze, who invented the pop-top can in Kettering, Ohio

Oh Beautiful, For Spacious Skies....

Where liberty dwells, there is my country. -Benjamin Franklin

Extreme Makeover: Blog Edition OR Why I should not drink coffee

I logged on to tell you about why I shouldn't drink coffee, but like an animal to a shiny object, I as distracted by blogger's new templates!  I'm not sure if I like this one or not, there is an awful lot of white space here in the middle.  Consider it a trial run for now.  And changing your blog template is not like changing most other things.... virtual changes are erased with the 'undo' button.  Much less of a commitment than, say, cutting your hair, which grows back, but slower than you can change the blog back.

Anyway.  I digress.  I left for the office early today to drop Michael off.  It's like I'm a mom taking my kid to school...  "Bye, honey.  Have fun at school!"  Since I left early, I had time to kill and stopped at the local coffee shop and ordered a large sugar free non-fat vanilla latte.  At Starbucks this is called Grande and it never causes me problems.  I guess the Ithaca shops use crazy espresso or something because HOLY COFFEE, BATMAN!  It was strong.  Tasty, though.  I drank almost the whole thing, after eating a small bowl of cereal.  This does several things.

First, it feels like there is acid eating away at the lining of your stomach.  In fact, it makes the acid in your stomach seem like water.  Or Kool-Aid.  Whatever it was, the liquid had an approximate pH level 2.  And since I had only eaten a small breakfast, and evidently have a small bladder, I had to pee.  A lot.

Now would be a good time to fill you in on the following factoids about the office:
The bathroom is dooooooown the hall.  Down several halls, in fact.  Not nearby.
I spend the majority of time on the phone with people.  Some of them are quite chatty.   This is not good when you have consumed a large cup of a diuretic in a short amount of time.

So this morning, I literally ran back and forth to the bathroom.  I jumped up from my desk, ran down the hall in high heels, and then came back and made a phone call.   And sometimes a 2nd call.  Then, the coffee said hello again.  I think my officemates thought I was crazy.  Or maybe that I was ill.  I don't know, but my reason was totally legit.

Lesson learned: Do not drink coffee on an empty stomach, especially if your office is far from a restroom and/or you are on a car trip.

Wow.  This entry is kind of gross.  Sorry about that.  I'll be back this weekend with something patriotic and wonderful to celebrate our nation's independence.