4for4!

I am going to be so depressed the next time I buy eggs…

I must have picked the super special carton

We’re 3 for 3! 15 more to go…

One of the yolks broke so it looks like a triple, but it’s another double. So cool.

musings on a grey day

The whole “2012 is about Small Yet Meaningful Victories” was originally geared towards the tongue-in-cheek…

…but now I’m not so sure.

I don’t particularly see any huge life changes this year, but I am becoming more and more acutely aware of how important those small successes really are. No matter how nonsensical they may seem.

Like a double set of double yolks.

Once upon a time, I used to be vividly aware of the small things. It just comes standard with a sensitive soul.

But over time even the most sensitive souls grow numb — whether by choice or because that’s just what happens when you get older and become an adult and have to control your whole life and surroundings because no one else cares about you*.

I’ve been numb the last couple of years, not gonna lie. And it hasn’t been all that bad, either. I’ve grown a bit of a backbone. I’ve made some awesome friends that I might never have met. And I’ve grown some perspective.

But I’m tired of being numb. Whether the world likes it or not, it isn’t my native state.

And there are people who know me — I mean know me — who are happy and relieved that I’m no longer that dark cloud of grumpypants.

I think I’m feeling something that I haven’t felt for awhile: hope.

Lemme tell ya, there is no way that Numb wins over Hope. Not even a chance.

So while I slowly come back to my natural idealistic tendencies, I am ignoring those Grandiose Possibilities that often pressure the idealist. Instead, I will focus on the small victories that kindle my wee flame of hope.

That’s probably why you see me here more often, too. Not just the accessibility afforded by the smartphone (although that’s pretty key), but the fact that Writing Something isn’t as intimidating when you’re like “eh, so it ain’t Shakespeare, but it’s a silly little blog so who cares? My parents are just happy to know I’m alive.”

But you have to admit the egg thing is pretty awesome.

*I realize that’s not totally true because of family and friends, but generally speaking there are billions of people in the world who don’t care about you versus the handful of friends and family who do

double double cluck luck

Check it out! TWO sets of double-yolks! I was pretty excited when I saw this so I just had to snap a photo (oh yeah, I’ve gone to the smartphone dark side).

The first egg was exciting, but when the second turned out to have double-yolks, it was about all I could do to keep me from opening the 16 other eggs to see their yolk status.

But instead I scrambled them together to add to this:


Yum! Fried rice! Have a bite:

lazy saturday ftw!

Productive Things I Have Accomplished Today:

1. One load of laundry
2. Washed the dishes that were in the sink
3. Reorganized the kitchen cabinet after discovering I have an overabundance of drinking vessels (five new ones from just last week!)
4. Replaced the Brita water filter
5. Watered the ancestral plant
6. Moved the suitcases from the middle of my kitchen to the bedroom (one room closer to the crawlspace, so yes I am considering that productive)
7. Got caught up on my tv shows
8. Seriously began the plotting of my next adventure

All-in-all, a pretty good day.

more like a breeze-fall

Being the responsible adult that I am (hey! I can see you smirking…), I filed my taxes last night.

I am pleased to report that unlike last year where I actually owed a little extra (a dollar to the Feds and a whopping three dollars to the State), this time I’m getting a little something back.

Not from the Feds. Oh no – we agreed that I evened out this year: they aren’t giving me a refund and I don’t owe anything extra. But I will be expecting a check from the State some time in the next couple of weeks.

Now, I know a lot of people earmark their returns for those big purchases, like furniture and vacations.

I’m thinking my refund will be put towards a trip…

…to Qdoba.

Yes, that’s right! I’m getting a whole $7 back! Whoo-hoo!

At least it appears my payroll deductions are spot-on. I suppose coming out even is what happens when you lead a simple life and don’t qualify for any super special deductions.

Just as long as I don’t have to scrounge around for a stamp, my checkbook, and an envelope, I’m happy.

a quick trek around the World(tm)… and beyond

I have returned from a sunny week in the most magical place on earth. Or so they say.

Not only did I go to a multitude of countries (Canada, UK, France, Morocco, Japan, Italy, China, Norway, Mexico, Germany), but I also spent a lot of time in Africa and Asia. Heck, I even left the Earth behind to navigate my way to Mars.

And who the heck knows on what dimensional plane Hogwarts exists.

so far, so good

Outwitting office supplies has the added bonus of totally improving my mood for the day. Sure; I may have forgotten my badge and keys at home – but at least that three-hole-punch isn’t giving me attitude anymore.

You could say 2012 has gotten off to an inauspicious start.

But instead I’ll just take my mini triumphs as they come.

Honestly, 2012 has sort of slipped in and made itself at home without much to-do. I have no very grandiose hopes and dreams for the year. No resolutions beyond the simple ones that I’ve been working on for awhile now. I wasn’t even able to stay awake to see the clock tick over.

If I had to make any sweeping predictions for this freshly minted year, I would say it us The Year of Small But Meaningful Successes. Not merely victories over office supplies, but also on the first day if the year I was able to find a pair of jeans. That fit well. And were on sale. At the first store I decided to go.

Not only that, I was able to find an identical pair. That never happens. It was like a New Year miracle.

So now I have two new pairs of jeans which is a pretty big deal for me and an awesome way to start the new year.

Small But Meaningful Successes: so far, so good.

ready for a break

Official decree from on-high states that the offices will be closing early today, so I basically leave for lunch and don’t come back until next year. Which I’m really looking forward to, since I’ve been spending more time at work than I usually do.

This also means I will be able to hit the post office when it is open to mail off a package to the ‘rents (remember: I’m a magi. Happy Epiphany and at least it isn’t two years later).

I shall also attempt to brave the mall since I am down to my last pair of jeans and I would like to do laundry no more than once on vacation — which is only 8 days away! Not looking forward to it (the mall, that is. Definitely looking forward to a vacation) — the strong dislike I have for crowds trumps any allure if end-of-year sales. And if there is anything more frustrating than shopping for jeans when you’re a short-legged woman with hips and a sense of modesty, I would much rather be doing that. Seriously, so-called “curvy fit” jeans — I don’t want the world to see the junk in my trunk whenever I sit down. And while a little stretchy fabric is nice for a more flattering hips-to-waist ratio (hips=wide; waist=not-so-wide), it also means at the end of the day I fall victim to the saggy bum curse.

Oh, first world problems. So much fun.

midnight memories

Here is what it looks like inside at midnight:

Due to a crazy schedule, I am making cookies at midnight. I was tempted to pass on the whole thing, but workmates only know me as the person who is always assigned to bring paper products to potlucks, and therefore have no faith in my baking skills. This means that when I told them chocolate chip cookies are my specialty, they were all “oh yeah prove it.”

Tomorrow (today, rather) is my assigned day to bring goodies to share. And I will prove it. They will eat my delicious cookies and then they will know I’m not hopeless in the kitchen after all.

(And yes, what you see above is the sum total of my counter space. Kitchen = tiny)

Now my apartment is toasty from the oven and it smells so delicious that it is unthinkable my dreams won’t be sweet.

Outdoors, however, tells another story:

This is my house. Those are my tracks in the snow. It was over my ankles. Those are my upstairs neighbors’ cars. I am jealous that most of them work from home.

This is my side street where every one is sleeping except for me and a noisy drunk guy from the bar on the other side of the alley. Sound travels very well late at night when it is snowing.

I just love my neighbor’s attempt to brighten things up. I wanted to get closer but it was quickly becoming cold and wet and noisy drunk guy kinda spoiled the mood. But still pretty in the snow:

It finally feels like Christmas. All it took was some cookies, sprinkled with snow and a dash of festive lights. I think I may actually be looking forward to the weekend now…