I should probably stick to my day job...

Yesterday's Blogtember prompt was interesting: Write about a time you screwed up - a mistake you made. I read a smattering of posts from bloggers participating in the challenge, and I started to notice (what I felt was) an interesting theme. Most of the posts went something like this:

• Blurb about how everyone makes mistakes
• Blurb about how I (blogger) make mistakes
• Blurb about how what is important is learning from mistakes
• Optional: blurb about how God loves us anyway and thinks we are perfect no matter what

See the trend? Now, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this kind of post - open-ended, non-committal, generalizations... I just found it really, really intriguing that, of the majority of posts that I read that went along with this prompt, none of the bloggers were willing to actually throw out a concrete example of a mistake that they've made. It's like no one wants to burst that bubble and admit to doing something wrong. The Sociologist in me found this fascinating. Anyone else notice a similar trend??

Anyway. I know I'm a day late with this, but I figured I'd go ahead and answer the prompt anyway - I'm more than willing to share a mistake, and I know there are about a million I could write about. (As someone with a horrible sense of direction, I could get lost trying to get out of a paper bag, and therefore have lots of wrong turn / missed exit / make a U-turn kind of stories...) The one I decided to go with is one that I still get shit for to this day... and it's probably well deserved!

Best I can do, because there is no photo proof that this occurred...

When C and I had just started dating, maybe 6ish months in, we were in college and he used to cut his own hair. It wasn't a big deal - he just took the clippers to it once a month or so and trimmed it all down. Once he decided he could trust me, he started asking me to do the back and clean up his neck for him... pretty simple. So, one fine day, he's cutting his hair, and yells for me to come into the bathroom. In I go, and he hands me the clippers and turns around. I notice that, on the back of his head, there are several patches where he missed chunks of hair because he couldn't see the back, so I think to myself, "self, you should go over those spots first and clean them up." What I fail to notice is that C has handed me the clippers with no guard on whatsoever, with the intention of doing his neck first... and (I see this in slow motion in my head now) I swipe those clippers straight up the back of his head, up from the hairline for about 4", before his reflexes (and mine) kick in and he jerks away, cursing. The damage is done, though....... I have created a giant bald spot right up the back of my sweet boyfriend's head. Ohhhhh jeez, he was mad. So mad! And so bald in that spot. There was absolutely no fixing it. I had removed all the hair from that section! There was no way to cover it up. In the end, he went to the barber, and had them cut all the rest of his hair suuuuper short, like as short as they could go without just shaving his head, and he wore a baseball hat for about a month while it grew back out. Lots of jokes were made on my and his behalf. Whoops!!!

More than five years later, I still hear about that one. (he kept me around, though, and married me in the end, so I think we're all good!)

Lessons learned from this mistake? 1) Check the guard on the clippers before I do anything. 2) C is now very, very clear with the instructions when he asks me to help with his hair (or he just goes to the barber!)

Anyone else want to 'fess up to a mistake? :)

Forced relaxation: time well spent

Today's Blogtember prompt: Review a book, place, or product.

When we moved, C and I added a good bit of time to our commute. We are getting settled into our new routine, and one of the things that both of us are actually liking is the extra time on the train in the afternoon. We have both been rediscovering our love of reading - me via free books from the library on my nook, and him via a few iTunes gift cards we found laying around, which he's using to buy books (for now).

We are taking advantage of the "forced relaxation" that the train ride provides, and I've been flying through books that have been on my reading list for (truly) years - which is partly embarrassing, because I haven't been reading, but partly exciting, because I finally am!

Here's what's been on my nook lately:

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

5 stars

This book was recommended to me by a dear friend, and I'm so glad I followed through and read it. It was such a touching story, and the author was able to create a deep connection for me with the characters. I'll admit - I found myself laying in bed in the middle of the night, tears running down my face, unable to put the book down until I finished it. There was so much awkwardness in this story, and it made me uncomfortable to read, but in the best kind of way. (Does that make sense?) It was the kind of writing that just sucked me in.

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

3.5 stars

This is the book that has probably been on my "To Read" list the longest, and I was really excited to find it in the library. It was a very different take on World War II, which is my favorite historical-fiction subject, and I really liked the direction that Sarah Blake took the story. The writing was good, but I just didn't love the book like I wanted to. Mostly, I think the ending didn't do anything for me. I kept expecting something... else... to happen, and it just never did. Still a good read, though!

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

2 stars

I wanted to love this book. I really, really wanted to. I had such high hopes for it... but it fell flat for me. The premise of the story is awesome: a little girl can taste feelings in food; she can taste whatever the cook was feeling, or didn't know they were feeling. Sounds great, right?! And yet... it was awkward. The story got weird in the middle, the characters were hard to relate to, and there was just too much going on. I felt awkward while reading it. I was happy when it was over. 

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

4 stars

This book was recommended to me by several different people over the past year or so, and I finally got around to reading it. It was wonderful! An intense story, beautifully written, with incredible imagery and word choice. I truly enjoyed the writing in the book. As far as the story itself, it was a little hard to follow, as it jumps around in time a lot, but the characters were well-developed, and the plot moved along with a good pace. My only real issue with the book was that it went on just a little too long for me - there was a little too much "wrapping up" in the end, whereas I felt that it could have ended a few chapters sooner and left some mystery for the reader.

Have you read any of these books? What are you currently reading? Any recommendations for me? I've got lots of free time these days!

I can't make this stuff up

I can't really believe this, but it's already the 3rd Thursday of September (mind = blown) and therefore, it's time for this month's installment of the Boys Behind the Blog link-up! I emailed the questions to C this morning, and had my responses before too long... I'll be honest, I considered giving them a little teensy edit, but then I reconsidered. After all, I do claim that this blog is a representation of who I really am, and, in turn, it's who C really is, too - and his answers this month are about as real as he gets. So... enjoy! Hope you get a giggle out of them like I did :)

Hello, handsome! (also, sneak peek at our basement!)

1. If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

An eagle. Because 'Murica. Also, talons. And flying. Can you imagine how freaking awesome that would be? I wouldn't have a lot of non-eagle friends, either. I'd be all like, "Come over to my house and watch the game." And my non-eagle boys would cry because my bitchin' nest would be hundreds of feet above theirs. They'd be pissy because they live in nest-apartments and I get the nest-penthouse.

(I was cracking up at my desk while I read this.... but it's probably completely true!)

2. What is your favorite meal?

Red meat.

(This one I don't believe... pretty sure it's lasagna or something. Though he does love a good steak...)

3. Do you use any forms of Social Media? What is your favorite?

Twitter and Facebook, yes, but I don't actively participate in either. I like Twitter because I can follow famous people and judge them on their grammar and nonsensical approach to us underlings. I also like sports. Twitter is great for that.

(I can vouch for the fact that, when it comes to social media, we are complete opposites. He reads Twitter all the time for sports-related things, but never tweets, and I'm pretty sure the last time he was on Facebook was to change his relationship status to 'married.' C'est la vie!)

4. Beer, wine, liquor, other, or none of the above?

Not wine. I like my beverages to be greater than 100 degrees or less than 40. Wine always settles somewhere in the middle. Liquor? Meh. Liquor has it's place, but it's for when I want to get drunk RIGHT NOW. Like, if I was 5 hours late to a rager, then I'd probably grab the biggest bottle of hooch (hahaha hooch) and chug it like the sickest bro at the brofest. Gotta play catch-up. Really though, it's beer for me. I like the fancy beers, but in moderation. I buy those "this shit's about to expire, mix it up BITCH" 6 packs from Wegmans. Those are sweet.

(Bud Light is pretty much water for C & his buddies - and he's a liar, because he drinks wine with me. Regularly. But it's true, beer is definitely his go-to.)

5. Complete the sentence: "Never have I ever..."

Nope. This is my wife's blog. A thousand nopes.

(Probably for the best.)

 

In the frame

Blogtember prompt for Friday, September 13: A self portrait

Instagram (and the iPhone, and whatever other technology, I suppose) has made the "selfie" a thing. It exists - and I don't hate it. While some may see it as gratuitous or self-indulgent, I do believe there is a deeper meaning behind the "selfie." It is a snapshot of the here-and-now, the moments where we are confident, happy, lazy, sad, whatever. It is a moment we are capturing, saying "here is me. I am here." And maybe that's a good thing. Maybe there is an element of capturing ourselves that never existed before. Generally, the person taking the photo is never IN the photo - I remember always hearing my mom say, "there are no pictures of me! I'm the one taking the picture!" The picture-taker was always invisible, behind the scenes, capturing the moments of others. Now, technology has allowed us to change that. Now, we have the "selfie." The picture-taker is always in the picture.

When the decision is easy

When I was a sophomore in high school, my mom and I started going on college visits. We spent spring break and several parts of summer break going from school to school, touring campuses, trying dining halls, and exploring book stores. I didn’t know a thing about college, other than that it was expected I would go. I didn’t have an older sibling to tell me about what I’d experience, no older friends to give me a feel for what it was really like to move away for four years. My parents didn’t go to college in the traditional sense – they both got their Bachelor’s and Master’s after being in the military for several years, and did it while working full-time and eventually raising kids. They didn’t have the “four-year” on-campus experience, so they didn’t have much wisdom to share with me in that respect. I was on my own to find the one that fit. Virginia has a ton of colleges and universities, and it was pretty much set that I would go in-state, and so my mom and I went from place to place, trying to determine where I would apply.

I slowly made a list of the places where I felt comfortable – for a long time (read: a few months), I was determined to go to William & Mary, and then I changed my mind and decided I’d go to UVA. Those schools felt alright with me; on the campus tours, the grounds didn’t seem too confusing, and every school seemed to generally offer the same amenities. I looked at the college students with my high-school eyes, and tried to picture myself among them. I could, mostly, and so I assumed that I’d just go to one of those schools I’d toured and eventually it would all be fine.

Everything changed one day in July, the summer after my junior year of high school. That was when I first stepped foot on the campus of Virginia Tech. I took the tour, and it felt right. I stood in the dorms, and pictured myself living there. I saw the students, and felt like I fit in. And then I stood on the edge of the Drill Field, and suddenly I felt like I was home. This was it.

I went back home and filled out my application. I was determined to apply Early Decision – and it was the kind where, if accepted, you were required to go to school there. I was good with that. Much to my parents’ chagrin, I refused to apply anywhere else. I was going to Virginia Tech. I had to. I would not apply to a single other college until I knew about VT.

Early Decisions announcements came out in December. My parents had gone out, and I was at home, sitting by the computer, anxiously refreshing the internet, waiting for my answers. I felt a little nauseous, but mostly just certain. Tech was where I needed to go. I would get in. There was no other school that felt so undoubtedly like home.

As luck would have it, I did get accepted, and I didn’t have to fill out any other college applications. I never regretted my choice for a single second – there was never a time when I didn’t feel like VT was where I was supposed to end up. Obviously, my choice of college shaped the entire rest of my life: I wouldn’t have met some of my best friends, wouldn’t have lived through April 16, wouldn’t have met my husband (or maybe I would have, but that’s another topic), wouldn’t have learned from the professors that I did… That decision to be a Hokie turned me down a path that dictated the course of the rest of my life.

Standing there on the Drill Field on that hot July day in Blacksburg, I stood at a crossroads of life – as cliché as it is. I had a choice to make, but I truly feel like fate made it for me. That very first time on campus, the decision was clear, and I never looked back. I’m pretty sure I will never forget that distinct moment, where I stood (literally) on the edge of everything, and felt like I was right exactly where I belonged.

Today's Blogtember prompt: Describe a distinct moment when your life took a turn.

Allll of the emotions! Now it makes sense...

Today’s Blogtember prompt: Take this short personality test and respond to your results.

And so I did. In fact, I took the test two times – because I’m like that – just to see if I would get the same results twice. I took it once this morning and once tonight, and, as a matter of fact, I did get the same results. Interesting. So what am I?

I S F J

Introverted

Sensing

Feeling

Judging

I then read this write up of the ISFJ personality type, and was surprised to find that I generally agreed with the whole thing. I went on to read several other descriptions of ISFJs, and found that, while there were bits and pieces that I thought to be completely inaccurate, for the most part, I found that the ISFJ stereotypes fit me.

Here are some things that stuck out to me about ISFJs:

• primary mode of living is focused internally; takes things in via five senses in a literal, concrete fashion 
• live in a world that is concrete and kind 
• want to believe the best of people 
• value harmony and cooperation 
• have a very clear idea of the way things should be (and strive to attain that) 
• value security and kindness, and respect traditions and laws 
• tend to believe that existing systems are there because they work 
• learn best by doing, rather than by reading about something in a book, or applying theory 
• are extremely aware of their own internal feelings 
• has a difficult time saying "no" when asked to do something, and may become over-burdened 
• need positive feedback from others. 
• in the absence of positive feedback, or in the face of criticism, the ISFJ gets discouraged, and may even become depressed 
• when down on themselves or under great stress, begins to imagine all of the things that might go critically wrong in their life 
• have strong feelings of inadequacy, and become convinced that "everything is all wrong," or "I can't do anything right"

As I said, I do think that these descriptions fit me to a T. I don’t always believe in things like this, but the more I read about this personality type, the more startlingly accurate I found it to be. I also thought that the commentary on potential careers for ISFJs was interesting – clerical / managerial / communications work is generally a good fit, so I’m right in a good place for myself. However, several careers that I’ve always wondered if I should have pursued (i.e., teaching, nursing, counseling) are also highly recommended for this type of person. Maybe that’s why I’ve always had those things in the back of my head. I’m comfortable and happy doing what I do, but it’s nice to know that my personality type backs up some other ideas I’ve tossed around, too.

I think I’ll try to convince C to take this test and do some psych-analysis on him… wish me luck!

Have you ever taken a personality test like this? Do you agree or disagree with the results?

This 'n that

Five for Friday: This, this, this.

1. This game

I downloaded "Dots" earlier in the week, and it's safe to say it's quickly becoming a fave. It's so easy & mind-numbing for moments when I just have a few minutes to kill. I don't even think I've played Candy Crush one time this week... that's saying a lot! #firstworldproblems

2. This card

Got this card in the mail from my favorite uncle with a sweet note inside saying "there's no place like home!" - truer words never spoken. I feel more and more like this house is home with every day that passes.

3.  This picture

I Instagram'd this yesterday, but I'm still loving it. A great memory (or non-memory...) of tailgating with some of my favorite people several years ago (2007, yikes!). This was the annual Orange Effect game, and also the weekend that my sorority grand-big / dear friend got engaged! I got to play a role in the engagement set-up, and it was such a fun weekend. I miss college!

4. This method

I bought approximately 734 lbs of meat "club pack"-style from Wegmans on Sunday, and C and I spent a little while dividing it all up into freezer bags to store. It is dirt-cheap to buy meat (ground beef, ground turkey, Italian sausage...) in bulk, and all it takes is a little effort to split it into the right sizes of portions (usually 1 lb / baggie so we can make dinner + leftovers). Highly recommend this budget-saver!

5. This wall art

I ordered canvas prints of several Instagram pictures from CanvasPop to use in our master bathroom, and I am in LOVE with how they turned out. Two pics from OBX and two from the lake house - I think they are perfect with the gray walls and the sunlight that comes in. I am so pleased with how they turned out & the quality of the canvases - will definitely order from CanvasPop again! (No compensation here, just love the products!)

BONUS #6. This post

The Blogtember prompt for today is to write about a time when you were afraid... well, let's see, based off of the list in this post, I'd say... ohhh.... my entire childhood. It's fine. #fraidycat

Lucky number 9

Remember when I (tried to) participated in Blog Every Day in May? Well, I've just learned that Jenni is hosting another month of blogging prompts & link-ups, this time called Blogtember. I had such a good time with the prompts (that I kept up with) last time, that I've decided to jump on the wagon again. Yes, I'm already a few days late (typical - remember the name of this here blog??), but I'm diving right in and going to do my best to keep up! Off we go :)

Thursday, September 5: Pass on some useful advice or information you learned and always remembered. 

I tossed around many "deep" lessons I've learned and pieces of advice for having a rich, wonderful life... and then I threw that out the window and decided to go with something actually useful.

I have always been bad at math. It's a fact. For me, numbers just do not make sense. I've accepted it, and I've learned that there are lots of tricks out there to help with some of the basics. These have been key to my math success (right up until I failed Calculus in 12th grade.... whoops. Actually, they let me drop after the drop date so that I didn't have a big ol' red F on my beautiful report card... sigh of relief!). Anyway.

Here's a trick I learned in 2nd grade, and literally still use to this day: How to multiply by 9.

Example: 9 x 5 = ???

When multiplying by 9, take whatever number you want to multiply (5) and subtract one (now it's 4). That's the first digit in your answer.

Example: 9 x 5 = 4___???

The second digit in your answer is whatever number adds to the first number to make 9 (that would be a 5).

Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom, there's your answer!

9 x 5 = 45!

We win!

This really does work. Look:

• 9 x 8 = 72 (7+2 = 9)
• 9 x 6 = 54 (5+4 = 9)
• 9 x 2 = 18 (1+8 = 9)

Granted, this only works when multiplying single digits, but it's still very useful. Amiright?! All you lovely blog readers will now always know how to multiply by 9s. You're welcome.

Do you have any useful advice or information to pass along? Is it deep, or something handy?