Class in a Glass

Since we lived in Ithaca, Michael has gotten very into wines.   He reads about them, keeps notes, goes to a huge wine shop for a great selection and what he tells me are great deals.    I just drink it and know if I like it or not.  He recently purchased Mumm Napa champagne- excuse me SPARKLING WINE because it's not from France- that we have been saving for a special occasion because, well, it's champagne.  (I am calling it champagne, folks.   Deal.)   And you should drink bubbly in one sitting once it's opened.  We tried to get Carmen and Tony to share the bottle when they were here, but the declined.   Side note:  Seriously, who declines champagne?!

So on Sunday we decided to hell with it, we're opening the bottle.   We had also that weekend purchased a champagne saver topper which somehow keeps the bubbles in.   This newfangled device allows us to drink only part of a bottle at once.   It's super fancy.  Don't ask me how it works.  As I said, I only know if I like wine or not.  

In typical fashion, before opening the bottle, Michael did research on the champagne and food pairings.   It turns out that champagne goes with a variety of foods including french fries and apple pie.  Two of my favorites.   We had neither in the house Sunday so Michael decided he would 'get some apple pie.'   We live across the street from Publix, so this seemed to be an easy feat.   But Michael did not go to Publix for the pie.   I'm so glad.

 

Best Website Ever?

So I have heard of Pinterest.   I had no idea what it was, and it seemed a bit like a typo for someone like me who types too darn fast.  But then, Holly, at NBB, wrote about it.   I love Holly and her projects and her writing style in general.  I am not a dangerous stalker, I promise.    So once I saw she had written about it, I knew it was worth more investigation.   Then I read her post, and whoa.  You Guys!

I think this is my mecca.   Are you familiar?  I'm not really sure how to describe it.   It's sort of a.... virtual bulletin board?   For photos of amazingly awesome and often unrelated things.    At least that is how I am treating it.   It's a place where you can keep everything wonderful idea you saw online in one, wonderfully well organized, space.   Amazon has a wish list, which I use and love.   But what if you are looking for headboards and you don't like the ones on amazon that much, but there is one at Hayneedle, and one at CB2 and another one that was featured in the pages of Martha Stewart but who knows where it's from?    Well, my friends.   That's where you pin.    Log in to Pinterest and you can pin all the headboards you love.   So when you're ready to actually buy one they are all together.   And once you start pinning, you will probably see that other crazy people have also pinned headboards and you fall down the proverbial rabbit hole and have looked at photos of headboards for more than 2 hours.   At this point, the Indians game will have ended, your teacup will be empty, and your husband will be upstairs brushing his teeth.   And you have still not purchased a headboard.*

My current obsessions are: finding a headboard for our bed.  We have been married nearly 2 years, it's time to have one.    Related to the marriage thing, I am also pondering 2nd anniversary gifts.   Traditional gift: cotton.   As I do not want or need any more bedsheets, I am considering other options.   Pinterest is not disappointing!   I might have found just what I am looking for.   Finally, in true Jules fashion, I am pinning organized homes and closets and pantries and the like.    I am not a slob, but there is always room for improvement, especially with this crazy website undoubtedly patrolled by other OCD folks.

I honestly think the one thing that has kept me from totally losing it is that I am not crafty.    There are lots of cool ideas on the site but once you click you can opt to pin, and see where to buy it or how to make it.   Y'all, I do not make much.    Well, that's not totally true.    I make some tasty desserts, I make wonderful nostalgic photo gifts and montages and videos (aka family historian), and I make the bed every day.   I do not do crafty or woodshop type projects.   Silver lining: it helps me keep pinning in check.

Finally, you can follow people on Pinterest!    I read that small type in passing as I hastily requested an invite early Friday morning, only to quickly have my request GRANTED before lunch.   I dove in yesterday after dinner and less than an hour into it, I saw a familiar face: Hannah's sister Gretchen.  She has what I consider to be good taste so I am following her and she, me.   If you Pin, holler!  We can be thumbtack buddies, or whatever they're called.  

*True story, happened last night.

NKOTBSB(IIMen)

Months ago- we were still in Ithaca- I found out that New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys were planning a joint tour in the summer of 2011.  Needless to say I was pumped and declared immediately that I had to go.  The only problem....  where would we be in the summer?   I was sad to not be able to buy tickets, but once we moved back to Florida in June, I figured it would be safe to buy tickets for a late July show.

Michael graciously agreed to go with me, and we bought pretty decent seats.  Friday was the big night and it did not disappoint.   Matthew Morrison opened for them, and he was a little boring when he was just singing.   Definitely needs to keep the dancing as a focal point in the live shows.

But we were really all there for the main event....  NKOTBSB.   They performed for about 2 1/2 hours a lovely mixture of NKOTB and BSB trading off, changing outfits, etc.  I sang along at the top of my lungs along with the other women in the crowd aged late 20s to early 40s.   (Needless to say the lines for the lady's restrooms were UNREAL)

Both bands made a point of reminding us that BSB got their start in Orlando so they were in their hometowns.   At the end of the show, NKOTB said the [big] group decided they wanted to do something special for the homecoming show.   Everything was quiet, and the audience just kind of hung out, waiting for an announcement.

Then, all of a sudden, I heard a chord and the familiar 10,9,8,7...  indicating that Motown Philly was starting.   And that means one thing......
BOYZ II MEN WERE THERE!
Anyone who knows me knows that I live for Boyz II Men.  Own all their albums, have seen them live several times, etc. etc.  As soon as I heard the '10' I turned to Michael and shouted at the top of my lungs NO! FREAKING! WAY!  I was pretty pumped to see New Kids and BSB performing live after all these years, but to see BIIM performing to a sold out arena was pretty damn awesome.

**ADDENDUM**
Pannie sent this article on the NY Post complete with a VIDEO in case you are crazy and want to see it. I found another video from a decent angle where you can see them all singing together.  Very cute.

Had NSYNC or Zack Morris been there, it would have been the ultimate 90s time capsule.


Side note: BoyzIIMen will be at EPCOT in November.  Yes I am going.

Highs and Lows

No, I'm not taking about the temperature.  In Florida, it's all highs in July anyway!

I work in sales.  This is a mixed blessing in that the months you are good, you are GOOD.  Super good.  Amazingly wonderfully good and you impress your entire team, and most importantly, your boss.   June was one of those months.   I sold more than $100,000 worth of programs, and was second on my team of 10.  Not bad for someone who has been selling for less than 6 months.  It was really fun and actually pretty awesome to need to work that many hours.

But the months that are slow?  They are torturous.   I am in one of those months right now.  My usually packed 10-hour days that whiz by are dragging on slower than a hog in quicksand.   

The good news?  This is normal for my programs in July.  

The bad news?   I still have to deal with it.

One of my colleagues is so optimistic, I love her.  I have been a bit panicky and annoyed about the situation, and she offered this sentiment: This month is really giving us a chance to get creative.

This week has offered us that opportunity for sure.   Hopefully by the end of next week the work will have paid off and I will have made a bunch of sales to close the month.  Fingers crossed!

My Sister the Comic

Al and I often communicate via gchat rather than phone.   We're cutting edge like that.   Our conversations provide great amusement to me.  Today's chat was no exception.


Alison: I had library books due on Thursday.  I figured I'd shove them in a drop box after work (libraries here are 10-5). Library 1- NO DROP BOX  Library 2: NO DROP BOX!  Library 3: drop box!  for the LOVE OF GOD    So I can barely check books out, and now you are making them difficult to return?!  It's a scheme to get fines just like the evil USPS in cahoots.

Alison: I want the Netflix equivalent of the library, please.  No due dates

me: They have that.  You pay for it like Netflix tho- libraries are free.   I mean, via taxes

Alison: Oh puh lease my taxes are SO HIGH.  I should be having books wrapped in gold leaf and picked up by a trained shiba inu with a saddlebag and a cap that says NYPL

Ivy League Graduate

After a year in Ithaca, NY I am pleased to announce that we survived student housing and Michael earned his Master's Degree from Cornell!  YAY!

Now we are back in our nice house in Florida and I am working from home.  My office is currently set up on a folding table from Target, which works surprisingly well.   It looks very temporary, so I am now on a quest for a not ginormous desk to put in our 3rd bedroom.  I welcome suggestions!  

Other than working, we have been enjoying our spacious house, visited Disney World (to ride the new Star Wars attraction) and today, I took a long dip in the pool.   Life is good.

When are you going to start dancing to Time After Time?*

Ten years ago this month I attended senior prom with Michael and also prepared to graduate from Lake Ridge Academy.   I spent 13 years at LRA where I made many friends and participated in more activities than I can count.  I recently volunteered to be a class agent and serve on the alumni council, which means I had to also attend the 10-year class reunion this weekend.

Our class had 39 graduates, and 10 of us showed up; not a bad percentage.  The front row includes me and 2 members of our quartet.  Jane was a year younger so it's no wonder she wasn't there.  I've known some of these guys since 2nd grade, and it's very cool that I had a chance to see them again this weekend.

Highlights include seeing everyone, working with Blake (former Student Council ally) to move tables together for dinner, beer on campus, and more specifically, beer during the "2001 kids take a campus tour" segment.  I didn't even want a beer but I grabbed a Sam Adams so we could all hold them in the classrooms.

Elena and I first watched Romy & Michelle's High School reunion when we were sophormores (I think) and the moment had finally come:  We didn't order the business woman's special or have a crush on Billy Christensen or dance to Time After Time, but we did do this.   It was probably the highlight of the night for me.... especially when she showed me how to hold my arms.  Love you, Lenie-Pie!

            

*Lakshman actually asked us this