strollin' down memory lane.

so, after an evening of (very enjoyable) drinking, playing cranium, and being subjected to chris & aaron's high school yearbooks and videos, i made chris watch my english lit video and senior slideshow from high school... which sent me spinning into a trip down memory lane.

i was actually really surprised at how many people i couldn't really remember. it also started a whole process of wondering where people are, wondering what they're up to and really wishing i'd made it out for the five year reunion last summer. there are moments when i realize how much i miss everyone that i haven't seen in years (even people i didn't really like - as crazy as that is) not to mention how much i miss home. i haven't been home in WAY too long. and the last time i was home, let alone under good/happy circumstances.

beyond that i'd love to make it home and actually have time to meet up with everyone i've been missing. it seems like every time i make it home, it's either when no one else is around, or i'm so tied up with family i never make it away from my parents or grandparents houses... chris and i are trying to make it home next weekend, but i already know that catching up with anyone will be near impossible. which is sad.

anyway, i suppose this ramble is just to say that i miss everyone (hs, college, beyond) so terribly much and can't wait to get the chance to catch up. hope life's treating you well and that you're happy with where you are and what you're doing. :)

unknown numbers

you know what i hate?

people who call multiple times but don't leave a message. actually, i get really peeved when anyone calls and doesn't leave a message. obviously it was important enough to call me about, you should leave a message so that i can call you back.

grrrrr... i had it happen to me 3 times today, at least once on each cell phone. (yes, i'm a snob and i am truly important enough to have two cell phones... plus, i have to keep the us cellular until my contract expires...)

anyway. i started a second job last week. i'm working as a receptionist for a local realty company. so far i really like it. i'm a little tired staying up for all the training every day, but it's way better than being bored. chris has been incredibly busy with 2 part-time jobs, an internship and free-lance production work with a local production company here in madison. he starts his final semester at loras next week. he'll be commuting between dubuque and madison pretty much every day during the week in some capacity, as he has classes mwf and is at his internship on tues. and thurs. then plans to work up here on the weekends. we'll see each other, but it will be hard getting used to the part-time time together again.

other than that we're both pretty boring. we work, we sleep, we're disgustingly cute when we're together. :)

well, i should get back to work... or at least pretending to work.

'streak-free cleaning for wood floors'

so i just saw a commercial for the orange glow hardwood floor kit... and i remember the day a few months ago when i was OBSESSED with buying a kit... now i have it and i've used it all of twice. it doesn't streak but i always end up with my little tiny footprints all over the place.

now, thinking about how little i use my fancy floor product reminds me of how badly my apartment needs a good deep cleaning. ugh. my vacuum makes everything smell like dog hair (from years of use at my folks' house...) and i don't want to clean when chris is home, because i'm a solo-cleaner and he always seems to feel bad when i do a bunch of cleaning and don't ask him to help. it isn't that i don't think he can do what needs done, i'm just so used to doing it myself and it's kind of cathartic for me. i know, i'm weird, i enjoy cleaning and i like doing it on my own... maybe that's what i'll do tomorrow while chris is working...

what i don't like doing by myself (when it comes to dreary, everyday life stuff) is going to the laundromat. which i have to do soon because all of our comforters/light blankets/sheets need washed. pronto...

i'm bored (hence the diatribe on cleaning...) chris is at work. i spent the entire afternoon sleeping (which i am allowed to do- i work nights, folks) and since it's a friday night, there's not much on tv. i should throw in some gilmore girls or a movie or something... i should also move into the living room, but, no. i'm gonna stay right here. that's the thing about having a tv in the bedroom. it makes it entirely too easy for me to stay in bed literally all day, when instead i should be getting up and doing things. like cleaning and laundering and going outside for some sunshine. i now have this gorgeous bike (because chris's parents bought us brand new bikes earlier this month- the bikes are awesome) and instead of riding it, i've been staying inside. booooooring!

i'm watching "what not to wear" and have to admit it's a guilty little pleasure. and i really want to go on the show. not because i think i have bad style and need help, but because i want a new wardrobe. *sigh* to have money to burn... someday... a long time from now...

blah. okay. i'm going to focus on my bad tv...

ode to the gym

so, i've decided i love my gym. which is SO out of character for me. in fact, if i were to repeat that statement to 9 out of 10 people who know me, they'd burst out laughing.

here's why i love my gym: it isn't full of perky, hard-bodied workoutaholics. even the instructors look like normal people. yes, there are a few teensy, perky hard bodies that teach, but all in all, the instructors look like normal people. don't get me wrong- they run a mean workout, they just don't make me feel horrible about not having 0% body fat.

now that i've been to the gym twice this week, i'm glad i'm forcing myself to go more often. in fact, i've even learned a few things. like, spinning is not my thing. and if you're going to attempt a spinning class- you shouldn't take your first class after a leg-focused body sculpting class because you won't be able to walk at the end of the night, let alone for the next two days.

i've also learned that after a three week break, diving in for three classes a day, a little over-confident. thankfully this week there was a holiday and normal classes were re-scheduled. although, i almost went to the gym just for some hot tub/sauna time.

which reminds me of another lesson- i can't breathe in a eucalyptus-steam room. i thought it might help the constant congestion i've developed somewhere along the way, but it really didn't.

well, it's time to grab the laundry from the dryer. woohoo for clean, new workout clothes. :)

boredom...

i'm bored. oh-so-very-bored!

chris is at work and i should go buy cheese for our tacos or lighter fluid so we can make brats, but that requires getting dressed and actually moving... so i'm opting to not do either right now...

my latest obsession has been puppy shopping. even though chris and i don't have the money for a puppy and it just really isn't the right time for a puppy, i keep finding the cutest lil' ones that i would love to, well, love. *sigh*

i've been trying to make it to the gym more often- but i really suck at waking up in time for the classes i want to take. i was hoping that when chris started working i'd get better at waking up, getting up, and going to the gym. so far, that hasn't worked out. i need to have better motivation and i'm not sure where to find it.

okay... "what not to wear" is almost over. i should throw some kind of clothing on and head out...

love of my life.

okay, i'm going to warn you all- this is going to be sappy and sweet and probably make you sick to your stomach or have whateve reaction you have when couples are couple-y.

i am head over heels insanely in love with chris. i can't live without him. i don't want to.

he's the most amazing person and i am so incredibly lucky and blessed to have him in my life. i couldn't ask for a better man to spend my life with.

aside from saying sweet things and making me laugh or smile, he always makes sure i have what i need. he won't be moving up here to madison for another 6 weeks, and already he'll be helping me with a second round of monthly bills. he lets me call and wake him up when i get off of work every morning (bright and early at 7...) when i visit after working all night, he curls up with me for more sleep (even if he's wide awake). he indulges my silly, girly impulses. he supports me 900%. and, he knows when to stop me from being too crazy. he deals with my outbursts when i get angry over little things-and he tries to calm me down the best he can. he thinks about my family members- we were at william-sonoma last weekend and he picked up a catalog for my dad.

there are so many things that i could say about him. he makes me happy in every way with every little thing he does. he is eager to involve me in his life- from meeting and hanging out with his friends and co-workers to asking for my input and involvement in class projects. he's just simply amazing.

i am so lucky. so, so, so lucky. i want to spend every minute with him. every second.

i never knew i would feel this way. i've known people and had friends (mostly male, since i've thought most girls were crazy as long as i can remember) that i've enjoyed spending time with to the point of thinking i could spend the rest of my life with them. what makes this different is that i can't spend the rest of my life without chris. don't misunderstand me- if (heaven forbid) something were to happen and chris somehow wasn't a part of my life anymore, i wouldn't die, i just wouldn't be happy. at all. i would be miserable.

okay, i'll stop gushing about the most amazing man on the planet. i love him. soooooo much.

christopher robert adams- you are the love of my life.

"life moves pretty fast. you don't stop and look around once in awhile you could miss it"

it's funny that i was getting ready to write this post just as matthew broderick was saying that at the end of "ferris bueller's day off." live is moving fast. REAL fast...

so, i've moved to madison! new job, new apartment, new routines, new everything (well, almost). i started my new schedule today and my first morning show went better than expected. last week was my first full week and training was ridiculously easy. i basically spent 8 hours writing and learning to edit every day.

the one major thing in my life that hasn't changed- chris. he's still amazing. he still makes me happier than i probably deserve to be. not only has he supported the job change and the move, but he's also started chipping in with stuff. i honestly can't believe how insanely lucky i am to have him in my life. he's amazing in every way.

oh, so i should probably explain the whole job change! i'm now the morning news producer for the abc affiliate in madison, wisconsin, which means i have my weekends back and all day to sleep/do whatever i want. working overnight kind of sucks. but the crew is great and i'm very excited about the job and the new station.

so far i haven't done much exploring in madison- last week i was working until 9:30 every night, so it didn't give me a lot of time to wander around. hopefully this week i'll get more of a chance to see what the town has to offer.

let's see... any other updates in the craziness that i call life... the movie is still in editing. we wrapped filming in november. my assumption is that it'll be done sometime this spring or summer. but i honestly have no idea. you can check out the trailer at prescribedfilms.com the title is "through the night." it's going to be great!!!

alright, well i should start unpacking more & cleaning up a little bit.

now that i've got cable and internet i'll hopefully be better at updating this. ;)