Flip This Bathroom: DAY SIX

TAAAAAAA DAAAAAAA!!!! They finished today and we couldn't be happier. We are definitely going to have to paint and I promise to post pictures after it's all put together. I have to say as our first major home improvement project it went pretty flawlessly. A few minor setbacks and a little over budget but nothing too major. We even got to return some tile and get some money back!

Flip This Bathroom: DAY FIVE

Sooooooo close...they didn't quite finish today. The shower tile was sealed and the floor finished. They also put up the bead board. Tomorrow they're going to seal the floor and paint the bead board. THEN we should be done.

Flip This Bathroom: DAY FOUR

We have floor!!! Tomorrow the beadboard goes up and we're done! :)

Flip This Bathroom: DAY THREE

So the entire shower is tiled! Wohoo! Tomorrow Kahlil will tile the floor and grout both the shower and the floor. Then it's just sealing and putting up the beadboard and we're done!

Flip This Bathroom: DAY TWO

The walls were repaired today. Khalil (our contractor) filled in the holes with insulation and put up new greenboard, which since there was no waterproofing before is a vast improvement.

He also began tiling the back wall. Is that some beautiful tile or is that some beautiful tile!?!?

Flip This Bathroom: DAY ONE
Today was Demolition Day. It went relatively well. There was a lot more water damage then our contractor expected but we actually thought it would be pretty damaged. You can actually see straight through to the brick around the window where most of the water seeped through.







We met our contractor after work and took a trip to the Tile Shop to pick up all our supplies for the rest of the project. Let me just tell you if you like tile this was the place for you. I could have spent hours and I didn't even know I liked tile. Lucky for Nicholas I knew exactly what I wanted or rather had my marching orders from my aunt. ;)





Tomorrow, they start patching all the missing walls and insulating around the showers. They also are going to begin tiling the shower. I can't wait to see it!

Just when I thought I couldn't love Tina Fey anymore

Can NOT stop listening to Alicia Keys "No One"

It's my new theme song.

As if I needed a quiz to tell me this

Take the Quiz
We are both from Kentucky after all!

Random updates

I know I haven't been posting as regularly but I've been real busy running the federal government so I don't have time to just sit around talking to y'all all day. ;) But here are some exciting and less than exciting updates.

* We are about to embark on some major bathroom renovations. We had planned to only replace a couple of tiles but the original tiles couldn't be matched so we decided to do the whole thing, which turned into a "might as well do the floors too" situation. The demolition starts next week and I'll try to at least post picture updates everyday. My amazing aunt Lana picked out some fabulous tiles all the way from Nashville and I can't wait to see what it looks like when we're finished.

* Speaking of renovations, the major renovations throughout our building are finally complete. We replaced our 100 year old steam system with a brand new hot water system. It's working great and everyone seems to be fairly happy. Our living room is basically the same. However, they had to put in new pipes in our bedroom and build out a soffit. Afterwards, my hope chest no longer fit between the air conditioning and the radiator so we had to move it to the storage space. Luckily, we just raised our bed so we had some extra storage under there and my wonderful father volunteered to buy us this beautiful piece of furniture to make up for the rest of the missed storage.

* We signed up for a Community Supported Agriculture project through Bull Run Farm in Virginia. Basically, we pay up front for a share of the harvest and then every week we have fresh vegetables delivered to us. We also signed up for an egg share. I can't wait!

* Work is going great. You want any more details than that you'll have to email me ;)

* Nicholas and I are trying to plan a vacation for the end of March but our running into some road blocks. We had originally planned on Buenos Aires but decided we might want to spend a little less money. So now we're thinking Belize. That however could definitely change.

* We're having an Oscar party. We skipped last year so this should be fun and I'm ready to celebrate that the writers strike is over in anyway possible.

* Nicholas went on his second fishing outing this weekend. He really seems to be enjoying himself, although I secretly wonder if the trips are just to justify buying more fishing stuff.

Happy Valentine's Day

There has been a lot of posting on the intertubes lately of this article. The author basically argues that romance is overrated and that women should "settle."

"It sounds obvious now, but I didn’t fully appreciate back then that what makes for a good marriage isn’t necessarily what makes for a good romantic relationship. Once you’re married, it’s not about whom you want to go on vacation with; it’s about whom you want to run a household with. Marriage isn’t a passion-fest; it’s more like a partnership formed to run a very small, mundane, and often boring nonprofit business. And I mean this in a good way."

Well, this article has inspired me to make a confession about shift from romance to reality...I am a recovering romantic comedy addict.

There I said it.

I watched them all and I've watched them multiple times. I've seen Pretty Woman, Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, and the vastly underappreciated Only You more times than I can count. I was there everytime with kleenex - ready to buy it all hook, line, and sinker.

And while I'm still down for a Sunday viewing of WHMS or an occasional Notebook, I have to tell you "settling" for the real thing who is not romantic, does not understand the value of a grand gesture, and who functions without the benefits of screenwriters is way worth it. Suddenly his everyday (and not made for the big screen) acts of unloading the dishwasher even when it's my turn, forgiving my sometime nasty attitude and nastier comments, or just plain standing by my side and loving me no matter what seem a lot more valuable.

Happy Valentine's Day, Nicholas. I love you.

My face hurts from laughing so hard...

All You Need Is Hate

by Stanley Fish

I have been thinking about writing this column for some time, but I have hesitated because of a fear that it would advance the agenda that is its target. That is the agenda of Hillary Clinton-hating.

Its existence is hardly news — it is routinely referred to by commentators on the present campaign and it has been documented in essays and books — but the details of it can still startle when you encounter them up close. In the January issue of GQ, Jason Horowitz described the world of Hillary haters, many of whom he has interviewed. Horowitz finds that the hostile characterizations of Clinton do not add up to a coherent account of her hatefulness. She is vilified for being a feminist and for not being one, for being an extreme leftist and for being a “warmongering hawk,” for being godless and for being “frighteningly fundamentalist,” for being the victim of her husband’s peccadilloes and for enabling them. “She is,” Horowitz concludes, “an empty vessel into which [her detractors] can pour everything they detest.” (In this she is the counterpart of George W. Bush, who serves much the same function for many liberals.)

This is not to say that there are no rational, well-considered reasons for opposing Clinton’s candidacy. You may dislike her policies (which she has not been reluctant to explain in great detail). You may not be able to get past her vote to authorize the Iraq war. You may think her personality unsuited to the tasks of inspiring and uniting the American people. You may believe that if this is truly a change election, she is not the one to bring about real change.

But the people and groups Horowitz surveys have brought criticism of Clinton to what sportswriters call “the next level,” in this case to the level of personal vituperation unconnected to, and often unconcerned with, the facts. These people are obsessed with things like her hair styles, the “strangeness” of her eyes — “Analysis of Clinton’s eyes is a favorite motif among her most rabid adversaries” — and they retail and recycle items from what Horowitz calls “The Crazy Files”: she’s Osama bin Laden’s candidate; she kills cats; she’s a witch (this is not meant metaphorically).

But this list, however loony-tunes it may be, does not begin to touch the craziness of the hardcore members of this cult. Back in November, I wrote a column on Clinton’s response to a question about giving driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. My reward was to pick up an e-mail pal who has to date sent me 24 lengthy documents culled from what he calls his “Hillary File.” If you take that file on faith, Hillary Clinton is a murderer, a burglar, a destroyer of property, a blackmailer, a psychological rapist, a white-collar criminal, an adulteress, a blasphemer, a liar, the proprietor of a secret police, a predatory lender, a misogynist, a witness tamperer, a street criminal, a criminal intimidator, a harasser and a sociopath. These accusations are “supported” by innuendo, tortured logic, strained conclusions and photographs that are declared to tell their own story, but don’t.

Compared to this, the Swift Boat campaign against John Kerry was a model of objectivity. When the heading of a section of the “Hillary File” reads “Have the Clintons ever murdered anyone?” — and it turns out to be a rhetorical question like “Is the Pope Catholic?” — you know that you’ve entered cuckooland.

Horowitz warns that as the campaign heats up, this “type of discourse will likely not stay on the fringes for long,” and he predicts that some of it will be made use of by Republican operatives. But he is behind the curve, for the spirit informing it has already made its way into mainstream media. Respected political commentators devote precious network time to deep analyses of her laugh. Everyone blames her for what her husband does or for what he doesn’t do. (This is what the compound “Billary” is all about.) If she answers questions aggressively, she is shrill. If she moderates her tone, she’s just play-acting. If she cries, she’s faking. If she doesn’t, she’s too masculine. If she dresses conservatively, she’s dowdy. If she doesn’t, she’s inappropriately provocative.

None of those who say and write these things is an official Hillary Clinton-hater (some profess to like and admire her), but they are surely doing the group’s work.

One almost prefers an up-front hater (although he tells Horowitz that he doesn’t like the word) like Dick Morris, who writes in a recent New York Post op-ed of the Clintons’ “reprehensible politics of personal destruction” (does he think he’s throwing bouquets?), and accuses them of invading the privacy of opponents, of blackmailing and threatening women, and of “whatever slimy tactics they felt they needed.” Morris calls Harold Ickes, a Clinton aide, a “hit man” for the president, and he calls the president “Hillary’s hit man.”

This is exactly the language of the most vicious anti-Hillary Web sites, and here it is baptized by its appearance in a major newspaper.

Horowitz observes that there is an “inexhaustible fertile market of Clinton hostility,” but that “the search for a unifying theory of what drives Hillary’s most fanatical opponents is a futile one.” The reason is that nothing drives it; it is that most sought-after thing, a self-replenishing, perpetual-energy machine.

The closest analogy is to anti-Semitism. But before you hit the comment button, I don’t mean that the two are alike either in their significance or in the damage they do. It’s just that they both feed on air and flourish independently of anything external to their obsessions. Anti-Semitism doesn’t need Jews and anti-Hillaryism doesn’t need Hillary, except as a figment of its collective imagination. However this campaign turns out, Hillary-hating, like rock ‘n’ roll, is here to stay.

Guess who got the baby!?!

King Cake, originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Omnivore's Dilemma

I truly do not even know where to begin with this book, except to say I think it should be required reading for every single person on the planet...too strong? I think not - but I will try to elaborate.

Most of you know that I am very passionate about nutrition and health. Somewhere in college I went from eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted to a vegetarian who exercised regularly and tried to learn as much as possible about nutrition. I think it came from the confluence of two events - my engagement to Nicholas and the death of my beloved grandfather from lung cancer. Suddenly it became abundantly clear that I owed it to those who loved me to take as good care of myself as possible. Because believe me there is no pain like watching someone you love die of a completely preventable disease.

Since that time, I have read a lot about diet and the food industry. I thought Fast Food Nation was brilliant and I haven't eaten at McDonald's since. Supersize Me convinced me to stop drinking soda, which I haven't had in almost 2 years. I've read about organic produce, vitamins and supplement, and I even took Food and Drug Law in school.

However, (and I can't emphasize this enough) nothing I have read has even approached the level of discourse in Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma. He not only addresses each of these topics -food industry, organic food, health, diet- and says something new and interesting about each one but he takes all these topics and advances the discussion to a whole new level. He doesn't just talk about what we eat or what we should eat he talks about WHY we eat, HOW we eat as a society. He explores the repercussions of how we eat on every area of our life - our relationships, our bodies, our economy, our plant.

This is a phenomenal book that is not only important to read as individuals but as a civilization. I can't recommend it strongly enough.

S'mores

S'mores, originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

That's right. S'mores by the fire...you jealous? ;)

My year and a half old niece who can neither read nor write just “tagged” me with a blog meme. Go figure ;) She wants to know 7 random things about me so here it goes:

1. I got pretty much my first nosebleed of my adult life the other night...BIZARRO!
2. I've started watching Andy Griffith since the writer's strike. That shit is STILL funny.
3. I bought the cutest dress in the world on Sunday at Target.
4. I own the entire Volume 2 Wonder Woman comic book collection since 1987.
5. I am currently addicted to Virus Buster.
6. Every time I get the shivers I say "cold chills."
7. I'm 13 films away from seeing all the Best Picture Winners.

Haircut

No seriously....

HAIRCUT!!!!

Too much

So, I've written several times about the health benefits of vegetarianism and how those factors have influenced my decision to stop eating meat. What I haven't talked about is the role of animal welfare in that decision.

However, since reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, I've thought about that more and more. Specifically, I read about a practice involving the industrial farming of pigs that embodies why I do not eat meat.

"Simply put, there are no pigtails in industrial hog production. Farmers "dock," or snip off, the tails at birth, a practice that makes a certain twisted sense if you follow the logic of industrial efficiency on a hog farm. Piglets in these CAFOs are weaned from their mothers ten days after birth (compared with thirteen weeks in nature) because they gain weight faster on their drug-fortified feed than on sow's milk. But this premature weaning leaves the pigs with a lifelong craving to suck and chew, a need they gratify in confinement by biting the tail of the animal in front of them. A normal pig would fight off his molester, but a demoralized pig has stopped caring. "Learned helplessness" is the psychological term, and it's not uncommon in CAFOs, where tens of thousands of hogs spend their entire lives ignorant of earth or straw or sunshine, crowded together beneath a metal roof standing on metal slats suspended over a septic tank. It's not surprising that an animal as intelligent as a pig would et depressed under these circumstances, and a depressed pig will allow his tail to be chewed on to the point of infection. Since treating sick pigs is not economically efficient, these underperforming production units are typically clubbed to death on the spot.

Tail docking is the USDA's recommended solution to the porcine "vice" of tail chewing. Using a pair of pliers and no anesthetic, most-but not quite all-of the tail is snipped off. Why leave the little stump? Because the whole point of the exercise is not to remove the object of tail biting so much as to render it even more sensitive. Now a bite to the tail is so painful that even the most demoralized pig will struggle to resist it."

I feel, on some level, it is disturbing/wrong/unhealthy to consume something that went through that much suffering to get to your plate.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not joining PETA anytime soon. I specifically used the term animal welfare and not animal rights above because I do not really believe animals have an inherent "right" to be treated humanely. I do think it is our responsibility to treat them humanely the second we decide to remove them from the wild and take them under our care - for pets, for food, for labor, for entertainment, whatever.

In addition, I do not believe it is inherently unethical to eat meat. However, Pollan makes a point of stating that someone who eats meat should at least once take some direct responsibility for the killing of the animal. And I know that I am unwilling to do that. I know I could never kill a cow, pig, or even a chicken. Therefore, I do not feel like it would be responsible to eat the meat itself.

Surprise

I read this recently in Atlantic Monthly:
A Spanish researcher found that our preference for engaging in activities earlier or later in the day shapes both our perceptions and our interactions. ... Early risers prefer to gather knowledge from concrete information. They reach conclusions through logic and analysis. Night owls are more imaginative and open to unconventional ideas, preferring the unknown and favoring intuitive leaps on their way to reaching conclusions. Social behavior diverges as well: Morning people are more likely to be self-controlled and exhibit “upstanding” conduct; they respect authority, are more formal, and take greater pains to make a good impression. (Earlier research also suggests that they are less likely to hold radical political opinions.) Evening people, by contrast, are “independent” and “nonconforming,” and more reluctant to listen to authority—which suggests that teachers may have several reasons to prefer those students who wake up in time for class.

Ummmm...Nicholas gets up early. I stay up late. Act surprised. ;)

dooce

Here is why I read dooce, Heather Armstrong's blog. Despite the fact that I disagree with just about every parenting decision she makes, she is freaking hilarious and a damn fine writer.

Weekend Projects

Nicholas and I have been on a bit of a creative streak in the New Year. Last weekend, Nicholas made creme brulée for the first time. He gave me the dishes and torch for Christmas with the promise he would learn to make it. I have to say his first attempt was pretty successful. The creme brulée itself was delicious. He put a bit too much sugar to torch the first time. It was less cracking the top then shattering. However, we ate the other two the next day and he did a much better torching job.





This weekend I made a terrarium. Daily Candy sent out instructions and I'd been wanting to put some type of plant at my desk at work. I got most everything I needed at our local nurseries, along with another plant and a new container for my one houseplant. I've had this plant since we got married four years ago and it has undergone it's fair share of abuse. Needless to say, it was due for some repotting. Anyway, I got everything I needed but a container. However, I found the perfect one at Target. My new terrarium features a rex begonia and baby tears.

Rita Braver

We watch CBS Sunday Morning every week. We're a big fan of the show because they always cover fascinating and varied topics in a very balanced and objective way. I always describe it as NPR for your television.

However, there is one minor exception to this standard of excellence and her name is Rita Braver, one of the journalists on the show. I find her slightly annoying but Nicholas actively hates her. His main complaint being that she asks stupid obvious questions.

This week as the host Charles Osgood was introducing her latest report on an exhibition of art from Napoleon's rule. I told Nicholas, "It's your favorite person - Rita Braver."

He then launches into a his mocking Rita Braver impression, "Was Napoleon really short? Was he a tall guy?"

Then, I'm not kidding you, they cut to the piece and the first words out of her mouth.

"What's the deal on Napoleon's height? Was he a short guy like everyone is always saying?"

So, yeah, I guess the criticism is well-founded.

Hillary Clinton

I really haven't taken space in this blog to explain in detail why I support Hillary Clinton. Actually, I don't really think support is accurate - passionate following into the fires of hell probably is closer.

So, now on the evening of her New Hampshire VICTORY!, let me explain.

1. I believe Hillary Clinton is the best candidate. I worked for Hillary Clinton for almost a year. I spent time with her. I looked her in the eye and listened to her speak. And there was not one single second, not one single flash of anger or ego or anything that ever made me doubt my support for her. In fact, every interaction I had with her only made me love her more. When people say they hate Hillary Clinton, my first response is always, "Have you met her?" Because I have, and Hillary Clinton is amazing. She is insanely intelligent. She is disciplined and pragmatic and capable. She is warm and funny. In her heart of hearts, Hillary Clinton wants nothing more than to help America and she believes she's the person for the job. I couldn't agree with her more.

2. I believe Hillary Clinton can beat the Republicans. Sit for a second, rack your brain, and try to come up with someone who has been more vehemently attacked by the opposing party and come out stronger. She knows how to meet them on the battlefield and end the battle standing. Now, I know some say that the result of these years of attacks is high negatives that could damage her candidacy. Here's how I feel about that: what matters in election is new information. There is nothing negative you can say about Hillary Clinton that hasn't been heard before. Nothing. There's a reason the two big biographies about her barely sold 700,000 copies between them. People don't care. However, there is a lot of positive things you can say about Hillary that people haven't heard. She is persuading people everyday, by looking them in the eye and being honest about who she is and what she believes. And it's working.

3. I believe Hillary Clinton will be an amazing president. Now I'm going to do something you probably won't expect...I'm going to quote George Bush. "Being President is hard." Seriously, I think it is so hard you cannot possibly understand the task until you see it first hand. Hillary Clinton has. She would have no learning curve. She would not have to learn how to work with Congress, while maintaining her priorities. She would not have to learn how to allow the media lead way without letting them takeover. She would not have to even figure out how to get around the West Wing. She's been there. She knows what works. She knows what doesn't. She's ready to start tomorrow.

4. I want a female president. I saved this one until last because it is the most controversial. I think a female president would be transformative for our country. Now, let me be clear, I don't think females are automatically superior politicians or better on women's issues. However, what I do know is that Sandra Day O'Connor was appointed to the Supreme Court the year I was born; therefore, in my mind, the Supreme Court has never been an all male body. It has never been foreclosed to me or women in general. That is important and it is affecting. And, as a woman who wants to run for office one day, being able to say the same about the highest office in the land is something I value above all else.

UPDATE: I wanted to respond something my father-in-law mentioned in the comments section of this post. He stated that one of Hillary's problems is she doesn't come off as a "natural" politician. There is definitely truth to that. While I've seen her flip a switch and become suddenly energized by a crowd, I wouldn't say she is the most charismatic candidate in Democratic Party history. However, I remember a long time ago, when I first became interested in politics, having a real "a ha" moment about charismatic politicians and the kind of presidents they make. Unfortunately, I think the type of personality it takes to be an amazing politician is not always the type of personality it takes to be an amazing president - in fact, sometimes they are diametrically opposed. The list runs long of politicians who were great on the campaign trial but a disappointment once they go to the Oval Office. So, what I'm saying is the parts of her personality that can make her seem stiff or less than passionate on the stump (her incredible discipline, her often mentioned pragmatism) are exactly the things that will make her a fantastic president.

Women Are Never Front-Runners

By GLORIA STEINEM
Published: January 8, 2008

THE woman in question became a lawyer after some years as a community organizer, married a corporate lawyer and is the mother of two little girls, ages 9 and 6. Herself the daughter of a white American mother and a black African father — in this race-conscious country, she is considered black — she served as a state legislator for eight years, and became an inspirational voice for national unity.

Be honest: Do you think this is the biography of someone who could be elected to the United States Senate? After less than one term there, do you believe she could be a viable candidate to head the most powerful nation on earth?

If you answered no to either question, you’re not alone. Gender is probably the most restricting force in American life, whether the question is who must be in the kitchen or who could be in the White House. This country is way down the list of countries electing women and, according to one study, it polarizes gender roles more than the average democracy.

That’s why the Iowa primary was following our historical pattern of making change. Black men were given the vote a half-century before women of any race were allowed to mark a ballot, and generally have ascended to positions of power, from the military to the boardroom, before any women (with the possible exception of obedient family members in the latter).

If the lawyer described above had been just as charismatic but named, say, Achola Obama instead of Barack Obama, her goose would have been cooked long ago. Indeed, neither she nor Hillary Clinton could have used Mr. Obama’s public style — or Bill Clinton’s either — without being considered too emotional by Washington pundits.

So why is the sex barrier not taken as seriously as the racial one? The reasons are as pervasive as the air we breathe: because sexism is still confused with nature as racism once was; because anything that affects males is seen as more serious than anything that affects “only” the female half of the human race; because children are still raised mostly by women (to put it mildly) so men especially tend to feel they are regressing to childhood when dealing with a powerful woman; because racism stereotyped black men as more “masculine” for so long that some white men find their presence to be masculinity-affirming (as long as there aren’t too many of them); and because there is still no “right” way to be a woman in public power without being considered a you-know-what.

I’m not advocating a competition for who has it toughest. The caste systems of sex and race are interdependent and can only be uprooted together. That’s why Senators Clinton and Obama have to be careful not to let a healthy debate turn into the kind of hostility that the news media love. Both will need a coalition of outsiders to win a general election. The abolition and suffrage movements progressed when united and were damaged by division; we should remember that.

I’m supporting Senator Clinton because like Senator Obama she has community organizing experience, but she also has more years in the Senate, an unprecedented eight years of on-the-job training in the White House, no masculinity to prove, the potential to tap a huge reservoir of this country’s talent by her example, and now even the courage to break the no-tears rule. I’m not opposing Mr. Obama; if he’s the nominee, I’ll volunteer. Indeed, if you look at votes during their two-year overlap in the Senate, they were the same more than 90 percent of the time. Besides, to clean up the mess left by President Bush, we may need two terms of President Clinton and two of President Obama.

But what worries me is that he is seen as unifying by his race while she is seen as divisive by her sex.

What worries me is that she is accused of “playing the gender card” when citing the old boys’ club, while he is seen as unifying by citing civil rights confrontations.

What worries me is that male Iowa voters were seen as gender-free when supporting their own, while female voters were seen as biased if they did and disloyal if they didn’t.

What worries me is that reporters ignore Mr. Obama’s dependence on the old — for instance, the frequent campaign comparisons to John F. Kennedy — while not challenging the slander that her progressive policies are part of the Washington status quo.

What worries me is that some women, perhaps especially younger ones, hope to deny or escape the sexual caste system; thus Iowa women over 50 and 60, who disproportionately supported Senator Clinton, proved once again that women are the one group that grows more radical with age.

This country can no longer afford to choose our leaders from a talent pool limited by sex, race, money, powerful fathers and paper degrees. It’s time to take equal pride in breaking all the barriers. We have to be able to say: “I’m supporting her because she’ll be a great president and because she’s a woman.”

This is the woman I know

This is the Hillary I got to know over 11 months on her campaign.

Advice

So, several people asked me what I had published in Real Simple, after reading my post about Hollie Larkey's recent ad in the same magazine.

They had asked readers the best advice they had ever gotten from their mothers and I wrote that my mom always told me, "Men are just desserts." A valuable antidote, especially if you are as boy crazy as I was during my teenage years.

It is not the only great piece of advice I have ever gotten from my mother or from any of the people I love for that matter, and I thought maybe I would put together a little collection of my favorites to help us all through whatever trials or tribulations 2008 has in store.

"You have until your children are 3 to call their bluff. If you don't do it by then, it's all over." - Mom

"Babies don't grow good till you drop them at least once." - My great-grandmother Allen

"You can't love your children too much." - Nanny

"The most important part of being married is learning to fight fair." (Don't remember who told me this but it is true, true, true.)

"Get mad at the man but never get mad at the jewelry." - Mema

"When people show you who they are, believe them." - Maya Angelou

"I take criticism seriously, but I never take it personally." - Hillary Clinton

"Just sit back and watch it like it's a movie." - Mema

"Refusing to forgive is like taking poison and expecting someone else to die." - Oprah

"You are trying to reason with idiots and idiots don't understand reason." - Nicholas

Iowa

The only time since 1976 that a non-incumbent Democrat has won the White House, he skipped Iowa and only got 3% of the vote.

Holiday Remix

Today everyone returned from the holidays, which lead to the inevitable "How were your holidays?" and "What did you get for Christmas?"

It got me thinking about some of my favorite Christmas presents - given or received.

First, let's just be honest. There is Christmas and then there is getting Barbie's Dream House for Christmas. Loosely analogous I'd say to working at Wal-mart versus...being Oprah. Apparently, my poor mother, aunts, uncles, and grandmother stayed up late into the night assembling Barbie's mansion and carefully placing assorted stickers. And can I just say a very belated thank you!

The only childhood Christmas I remember even coming close was the year I got the all the Barbie and the Rockers along with the sing-a-long guitar and microphone...oh and a hamster...and a bike. :) Now I will say I've received presents as an adult that I treasure but nothing really compares to coming around the corner and seeing a room full of toys.

Now, also not surprisingly, giving gifts has been more fun as an adult. Not to brag but I'm a pretty decent gift giver. I really try to listen to what people want or give thoughtful presents. I see it as a challenge.

I think I've definitely met the challenge this year with Nicholas. He kept mentioning that he'd like to take up fishing and we've been talking about him finding a good stress-reducing hobby. I tried to take him on a fishing trip for his birthday but SOMEBODY had to rupture a disc in her spine and have surgery...ahemMaggie! So, for Christmas this year, I bought him a fishing pole, tackle box, and bait. Well, you'd think I bought him Barbie's Dream House. The first day we got back he went to the library to check out books on fishing and he's already walked almost all of Rock Creek Park scoping out good spots. Plus, he keeps walking around the house his new fishing pole and (dear God save me) he's started Tivoing fishing shows. So, yeah, I'd say it's a hit.

One of my other favorite presents I have ever given was to my best guy friends in college Mike and Smith. They were freshmen and their excitement over all the new knowledge was palpable. So, I went to all of their favorite professors and asked what they thought was the most important book for an awakening progressive to own. Then I built a little library for them. Now, I don't know if they enjoyed it but I sure was jealous! ;)

New Favorite Lyric

"You can write but you can't edit."

Happy New Year

Nicholas and I celebrated New Years in style last night at the Four Seasons. We had a huge 7 course dinner and then went to the lounge for some dancing. Despite some lacking service, we had a wonderful time reviewing the trials and triumphs of 2007 (we're skipping June this year btw) and dreaming of what 2008 has in store for us.

One thing is for sure - we wouldn't have made it through 2007 without all of our amazing friends and family. We love you all.

Here's to 2008!
May all your joys be pure joys, and all your pain champagne. :)

Puzzle

Puzzle, originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

This puzzle is exactly as difficult as it looks. Thanks for nothin Kratzsch's!

Famous

My big sister is famous, which means I'm awesome! Everyone follow?

See here is Ms. Hollie Larkey being my big sister in my sorority:

















Here she is being famous in a national print campaign in Real Simple:















Seeing as how I was also published in Real Simple in their "Your Words" section, I think we have to assume it runs in the family.

Christmas in Kentucky 2007

Christmas in Kentucky 2007, originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

We had a very happy holiday. We drove straight through to Kentucky Friday night. Saturday was Allen family Christmas which went swimmingly if you don't count the dog fight and the small fire. ;) We had Skidmore Christmas on Sunday and chilled out on Christmas Eve. Santa was good to us on Christmas morning. I got my face scrubber from Oprah's favorite things list and comfy heels and a non-iron shirt for work (both essentials I assure you). Nicholas got several cookbooks and a new fishing rod he is very excited about. We drove all the way home on Wednesday and got home around 1am.

We had a great visit, yummy food, awesome presents, and safe travel. Can't ask for much more I suppose. :)

Visitin'

Next Day Brunch
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

The thing I miss most about home is visitin'. Luckily, there was lots of visitin' when I was home recently for the wedding tour of Kentucky. Visitin' is when you come over to for a breakfast and stay till 3:30 (like we did at the Staffords) or when you go over to someone's house only to hang out and enjoy their company (like we did with Timily). When I'm home in Paducah, my grandmother often comes over to visit and the visitin' is so good, we end up "playin' all day long" as my mother says.

Of course, some of my best visitin' is always done with my beloved friend Annie and her husband Kyle. When the four of us get together, we have such a blast it is hard to put into words. Now, when it comes right down to it, Kyle and Nicholas are amateurs and Annie and I can stay up talking late into the night. If I had to make a list of my favorite people to visit with, Annie would definitely be in the top 3. :)

Wedding Duty Complete

Erin's Wedding
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

So, my first (and last) foray into wedding planning is now complete. Erin and Seth got married in a beautiful and pretty much mishap free ceremony on Friday night. Then, we celebrated the happy event at Glassworks, where we danced our booties off all night long.

Erin looked absolutely gorgeous and held up admirably despite a pretty strong case of nerves. Everyone else also held up well considering I was bossing anyone within a 6 foot radius to any number of tasks that popped into my head. I was extremely happy with how the reception site turned out and I think all my added touches (snowflake ornaments, adding machine grooms cake, Golden Girls serenade) were a big hit.

The most important thing is one of my best friends in the world married the man she loves and I couldn't be happier for her. :)

One down one to go

Lauren's Wedding
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Last night my maid-of-honor Lauren Johnston wed her longtime boyfriend Clay Wallace. The wedding was really beautiful and the reception was a blast. I think it is an under appreciated joy in life to dance your booty off with your high school friends AND their parents (including your own). ;)

Christmas in New York

We had a fantastic time in New York this weekend. We got in later Friday evening and had a great dinner with our friends Laura and Dan. We were able to stay in my friend Lindsey's apartment, since her and her fiancé recently bought a country home in Connecticut. Her apartment was absolutely adorable and very conveniently located.

On Saturday, we woke up bright and early to go ice skating at Rockefeller Center. The early wake-up was totally worth it because we walked right onto the ice (after a hefty price tag) and skated our hearts away. It was so fun and I couldn't believe I was actually on the famous rink! Afterwards, we walked up Fifth Avenue and checked out all the festive windows while doing a little shopping.

We met my good friend Dave for lunch and then he graciously agreed to go over to Rockefeller with us to help us take our Christmas card picture. We did some more shopping and had delicious pizza for dinner. Then we met back up with Dave to go see an improv show at the Upright Citizens Brigade.


On Sunday, we woke up to SNOW! Y'all I love Christmas in New York. The only thing I love more is snow at Christmas. Combining the two about make my head explode. I kept saying, "I can't believe it snowed!" We went over to Central Park to check it out and went to the Natural History Museum to see their origami tree, which was really beautiful.

Nicholas met some high school friends for dim sum, while I went to my friend Laura's wedding shower at Lady Mendl's. The place was absolutely gorgeous and we had like a six course, completely mind-blowing tea. A wonderful time was had by all.

Nicholas and I met back up later that evening for a lovely dinner at this darling cafe on St. Marks Place. We then took our happy little butts to Penn Station to catch our train home! It really was a completely wonderful weekend.

You decide

That's right! We're off!
We'll be back late Sunday night and promise lots of pictures sometime Monday. :)

No Country for Old Men

Javier Bardem makes me uncomfortable.

I wouldn't say fearful or anxious, just extremely uncomfortable. And that's how I felt throughout this entire film. Extremely uncomfortable. There was not one moment that the Coen brothers allowed you to settle or passively watch. When you thought there was going to be intense confrontation, the moment passed. When you thought everyone was safe for the moment, the moment shattered...usually with the blast of a cattle gun.

So many films have been praised for excellent pacing, the gradual building of suspense that's supposed to drive the viewer crazy. However, I never really understood what people were talking about. I've seen films that were scary all the way through or had intensely suspenseful parts scattered throughout but never one like this. I finally understand what people were talking about. I felt like there was a metronome on my shoulder the entire time.

Javier Bardem was a huge part of this of course, but Tommy Lee Jones, brilliant as usual, really contributed to the intensity. He wasn't rushing back to the crime scene or chasing down the bad guy. His main job seemed to merely ponder the situation. In fact, the only person with a real sense of urgency was Josh Brolin's character, who you follow the entire time only to be absent from his final showdown.

Now, in full disclosure, Nicholas was not as big a fan as me, which is pretty surprising since that usually only happens with romantic comedies. He said he liked the movie but "didn't care about it." Neither of us are really sure what that means. However, with a 95% on RottenTomatos.com and a glowing recommendation from me, I think we can safely assume he's probably a little wrong on this one. :)

O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

I would have put it up sooner but the tree shop wasn't open. In fact, we almost missed it yesterday but I threw myself on the workers mercy and appealed to their Christmas spirit. It worked! :)

Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

We had a wonderful time in Atlanta over the Thanksgiving holiday. We arrived Wednesday morning and filled four days with lots of food and family. As always, my amazing sister-in-law prepared a delicious feast (including a tofurkey for us!) all by herself. We all sat at a long table straight out of a Hallmark card.

It was a special holiday because this year Nicholas's grandparents joined us for the first time in many years. They recently moved into a retirement community in Atlanta from Texas and we were all very glad to have them here with us.

A message from us to you

If this doesn't say Happy Holidays, nothing does.

Thanksgiving at Thanksgiving

I GOT A JOB!!!!!

I can't thank all of you enough for your love and support. It was really hard for me at times and I wouldn't have made it through without all of you. A couple very special send ups go to the following: my loving husband who assured me I could be a stay-at-home wife a la Charlotte York Goldenblatt if I really wanted to; my most encouraging, supportive friend Kirsten whose vision for my potential and future is so crystal clear it scares me a little; and, last but not least, my friend Keri who - HELLO! - sent me the job listing and gave me a ton of Hill job advice and support.

Now, all y'all's congratulations presents can sent directly to our house. Here are some suggestions! ;)

Too Cool

A Confession

I've started listening to my Christmas music.

There. I said it.

It's November 14. A good week before Thanksgiving but I don't care. I usually try to wait but I don't want to. I love Christmas. It's my favorite time of year by about a mile and Christmas music makes me happy.

So there.

Don't judge me.

Starbucks Song of the Day

Starbucks Song of the Day
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

So remember how a couple posts ago I told ya'll about my love of completion - how I love finishing a list (or a bottle of shampoo as the case may be) or collecting all of something. Well, the only thing I might love more than that is free stuff, specifically free samples, corporate give-aways. I mean I don't want free junk. I want the good stuff.

Anyway, imagine my excitement when Starbucks announced it had teamed with iTunes to give away a free iTunes download everyday for a 5 weeks, especially when coupled with those fateful words..."collect them all." Needless to say, I was obsessed and I drove myself and whoever happened to be with me all over South Carolina, Texas, California, and DC making sure I didn't miss any.

One stupid Starbucks gave me the wrong song for one day so when that song showed up as scheduled I was thrown off. However, I think I dealt with it quite well considering I stopped myself from emailing Starbucks to complain. The other major accomplishment was that I went in Starbucks so often without spending a dime. I just got my little card and went.

The best part is they really weren't just passing out crap. I am greatly enjoying my special Song of the Day playlist and have even discovered some new artists I really enjoy. :)

There were only two songs I already had and the codes are posted below to whoever gets there first!
ytw9erel37mm
33p3jyffrlkw

Ok, listen up

I'm going to make this easy. Stop what you are doing. Stop. Right now. Got to nbc.com and watch Friday Night Lights. All of it. The whole season.

Here I'll even provide the link.

It is the sweetest, most affecting show since The West Wing. It's not the hard brilliance of The Sopranos or the political genius of Battlestar Galactica. But I laugh out loud every time and end every episode in tears. I cannot put this too strongly. This show is the most authentic, yet still entertaining portrayal of small town life I have ever seen. If you don't watch this show - you WILL watch this show.

I'll give someone else a try. From Salon, "If only more people knew what a rare and beautiful thing they're missing: a drama that sets the bar much higher than it has to, daring to take on the romance and heartbreak of being a teenager with honesty, compassion and wit. The writers don't take shortcuts with pointless fisticuffs and cliques and ironic asides; they stick to the emotional center of the story at all times. As a result, over the course of its short season (which ends on Wednesday, April 11 -- well before May sweeps, which isn't a good sign for its survival), "Friday Night Lights" has evolved from a strikingly original, lively little story about a football team to an evocative portrayal of life in a small American town, a narrative with so much sweetness and authenticity to it that, once you abandon yourself to its undeniable charms, you'll find it has the power to make you cringe and grit your teeth and laugh and cry each week, without fail."

Or how about The Sports Guy, "If you do give it a shot, let me recommend the impeccable acting, the lively football scenes (although they tend to go overboard on exciting finishes), the risky story lines and especially Coach Taylor's family, the most authentic household in recent TV history. Every nuance is nailed, every hug seems genuine, every fight makes sense, every sarcastic barb and flustered reaction ring true. If there are better TV actors than Kyle Chandler (Coach) and Connie Britton (Mrs. Coach), I haven't TiVoed them. Pay particular attention to the astonishing two-parter in which an older assistant sets off a racial powder keg before a big playoff game. If FNL were Michael Jordan, Lyla Garrity's slam-page episode would be the 63-point game in Boston (the coming-out party), and the two-parter would be the 1991 Finals (the moment considerable potential is realized)."

You don't have to know or like football. Ya'll my hatred of football is well-documented. You don't have to have grown up in a small town either. You just have to have a heart and a brain. And if you don't, you will also need protection because I will hunt each and everyone of you down if this show is canceled.

Ya'll have a great day now!

UPDATE: Oh my God! Yes, Dylan told me about this show and really let's be honest - all that growing up together, going to high school, loving me despite how I acted in high school only gets you so far. Now, NOW, that he has give me Friday Night Lights - well it's just taken our friendship to a whole new level. (And cost a ton in text messages, since about every 5 minutes it's "OMG! I love Buddy Garrity!" or "I want Tami Taylor to adopt me!")

Me and Stacey London need to have a talk

Ok, look. I like patent leather. I have two pairs of patent leather flats right now that I love. However, I am getting really sick of it being passed off as "classic." It's not classic. It is the major trend of the moment and it will go out of style. The last time I bought patent leather was for my high school holiday dance in 1995!!! So, stop. You are not fooling anyone.

New Collar

New Collar
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

We went with the blue and brown diamond. I liked it from the beginning and, when everyone was behind the diamonds, I knew we had a winner. :)

WHAT THEN!

BTW

I am now officially famous.

Sweetest Movie Ever

As many of you know, I have this sort of obsession with completing lists or actually completion in general. I even like finishing a bottle of shampoo. No joke. I don't know where it comes from, but I just love it.

So, ever since I completed the AFI Top 100 list (for the second time), I've been working on Best Picture Winners. I'd already seen pretty much everything past 1970 and most of the 1960s. There are about 20 I haven't seen so I've been slowing watching them mixed in with documentaries and more recent films so my husband doesn't kill me. ;)

Recently, I watched Marty, the Best Picture Winner for 1955. It's the story of an unlucky in love butcher, played by Ernest Borgnine, who lives with his mother. He meets a lonely schoolteacher and everything changes.

Ernest Bornine is really the key to the whole film. I felt such heartbreaking sympathy for him I was pushed to tears several times. He played Marty with such earnestness, such genuine decency that I wanted to reach through the screen and hug him. When he finally meets Clara, played by Betsy Blair, you are rooting for both of them so intensely that I almost couldn't bare it. More than I rooted for Sam and Annie in Sleepless in Seattle and even more than I rooted for (and this is big) Noah and Allie in The Notebook.

The whole movie was so precious and endearing I can't recommend it highly enough.

If you didn't think we'd have the last laugh, then you haven't been paying attention

Poll Time!

Which collar do you like best for Maggie? Keep in mind her spunky cuteness. She's not a particularly girly dog so nothing too cutesy though.

1. Diamond















2. Houndstooth















3. Bandanna

New Favorite Website

Ok, so I'm spending a lot of time at Goodwill's new online auction site. It's SO fun. Not only because I feel like there are a lot of good deals, but also because it's completely fascinating to see what's out there.

Like this.

Or this.

I highly recommend it, unless you start bidding against me. In that case, I know were you people live. Never forget that. ;)

L.A. Weekend

L.A. Weekend
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

We had a fabulous time in L.A. this weekend. We got to visit with my amazing friend Haley Goo and her new fiance Brian. They put us up Friday night and served us some awesome chocolate fondue.

On Saturday, we went on a sort of eating tour of some places I wanted to try. We had donuts at Fritelli's, which were fantastic! I'm a pretty big donut snob. I think nothing compares to Red's from Paducah, but I have to say their glazed buttermilk donut came pretty freaking close.

Then, we had authentic Mexican at Guelaguetza. I had this amazing pizza like dish, which had black bean smeared on a toasted tortilla with all these veggies. It was like nothing else I've ever had at a Mexican restaurant and really great. I also got to have one of my favorite Latin drinks - Horchata, which I haven't had since North Carolina.

That night we ate an amazing meal at Cafe Pinot near the Nokia LIVE Theater where we saw the Chicks and the Eagles. The concert was really fun. The Chicks were as entertaining as ever and I was totally impressed by the Eagles. My dad has been talking about how great they are forever and he was really right on the button. There was nothing like hearing Don Henley sing Hotel California live - I'd rate it right up there with Paul McCartney leading the entire Verizon Center in Hey Jude. :)

On Sunday, we just hung out and did some shopping, after breakfast at the Hollywood institution Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. I didn't partake in the chicken but the waffles were yummy.

My sorority big sister met us for dinner and took us to the airport for our flight home. We had such a great time with her. She is the most amazing person, who is in LA following her dream of becoming an actress. (You Kentuckians might have seen her in a Fazoli's ad recently!) I have always been and continue to be inspired by her passion and I'm just happy for her.

So, despite the jet lag today, the great company and awesome music was totally worth the trip across the country! ;)

Deceptive and actually Delicious

Deceptive and actually Delicious
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

So we gave old Jessica Seinfeld another try and it went MUCH better this time. I made the tofu nuggets and macaroni and cheese for dinner on Thursday night and they were both really good. The nuggets had spinach puree and the mac and cheese had cauliflower puree in it. The mac and cheese, in particular, was really really good.

The next morning I made scrambled eggs also with cauliflower puree and they were delicious. I think the cauliflower puree really adds a nice texture and flavor. Big fan!

Just in case there was any confusion on who the couch actually belongs to...

Couch
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Huh?

Now ya'll know I don't usually criticize Oprah, but I'm a little confused by today's show. The show was titled "How to be a star at work or at home" and featured Cathie Black, the CEO of Hearst Magazines. The first 1/3 of the show featured Cathie's advice on work and life. I was really impressed by her and even put her book on my amazon wishlist (for those of you who forgot to give me a law school graduation gift!) ;)

However, the rest of the show was basically a big old fashion show. At first, I was excited. I like fashion as much as the next girl and I don't think it is necessarily a frivolous topic. How you look makes a difference in work and life. Period. But the fashion just kept going and I started to think, "Wait, is this the only thing women in the work force should worry about? How we look?" I couldn't help but think if Warren Buffett or Jack Welch had been on the show they wouldn't have spent quite so much time on day-to-evening wear transitions.

Towards the end even Cathie Black looked a bit uncomfortable. I can't blame her.

Email Exchange

Me: I just bought Carrie Underwood's new album. Am memorizing the
awesomeness right now. :)

Nicholas: ohmigod

Requested Cooled Brownie Update

Nicholas said they were "better." My friend Dylan liked them. I still could only handle one bite.

I'm still holding out hope for the desserts with purees that make a little more sense - like pumpkin or sweet potato.

Wow

This lady is my hero.

Deceptively Delicious

Deceptively Delicious
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

So this should come as no surprise - what Oprah says I do. Jessica Seinfeld was on a couple of weeks ago promoting her new cookbook. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the premise is to hide vegetables from your kids in foods they enjoy.

While I don't have kids, I decided the concept of including vegetable purees in everyday food was a good one. I've also wanted some healthier baking recipes so I decided to give it a try.

We stocked up on some purees and made the brownie recipe, which includes carrot and spinach puree. Now, she warns you not to eat them until they are completely cool - pretty much impossible right? But man she better be right about the taste of spinach disappearing because so far...yuck!

My favorite conversation with David

David
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Me: Do you know what the White House is?
David: Yeah
Me: What is it?
David: I don't know.
Me: It's where the President lives. Do you know who the President is?
David: Yeah
Me: Who is the President?
David: I don't know.

Back from Texas

Momma and Baby
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

I am now officially home from my many travels (until next weekend when I go to L.A.). I had a wonderful time in Texas with my friend Elizabeth and her two little boys. We hung out and chatted most of the time, went out to eat, and had cake with some of her neighborhood friends. Overall, just enjoyed each other's company. :)

Three words ya'll...

Purse
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Kate.

Spade.

Outlet.

Maybe Texas ain't so bad after all. ;)

Reality Check

To me, this is the ultimate point of the abortion debate. However you feel about abortion, I think we can all agree we want to reduce the number of abortions and the way to do that is not making it illegal.

Some much needed perspective

More and more people think they’re entitled to the right not just to ignore or disapprove, but to veto and banish.

Cupholder

Cupholder
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Maggie enjoying some Muttlicks dog ice cream.

Happy Gotcha Day!

Maggie
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

We got Maggie four years ago. She is still one of the best decisions we've ever made and we couldn't ask for a better dog. :)

Travels

Alright, kiddos, I'm off to South Carolina for the campaign. I won't be back till next Saturday. Then, I leave on Monday for Texas to visit my good friend Elizabeth. So, posting might be sporadic so bear with me. :)

P.S. I got an extra Song of the Day code if anyone wants a Keith Urban song. It's CTLSLCRCRTXR

High Horse

Listen, I don't want to say I told ya'll so but I told ya'll so.
"Flexitarianism
Like vegetarians, "flexitarians" eat a primarily plant-based diet composed of grains, vegetables, and fruits, but they occasionally obtain protein from lean meat, fish, poultry, or dairy. A quarter of Americans fit the description, consuming meatless meals at least four days a week, according to the American Dietetic Association.
Why it's here to stay: Flexitarianism is exactly what dietitians, nutritional researchers, and public health advocates have been recommending for years. "It's about eating a varied diet that's low in saturated fat and high in fiber," says Milton Stokes, M.P.H., R.D., chief dietitian at St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City, and an ADA spokesperson. Because the emphasis is on produce rather than protein, flexitarians are more likely than most Americans to meet the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables and the vitamins and minerals they contain.
What it means for you: Studies show that people who follow this approach to eating generally weigh less and have lower rates of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer. In one large study from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, researchers tracked the eating habits of more than 9,600 people over a 19-year period and found those who consumed fruits and vegetables at least three times daily lowered their risk of stroke by 42 percent, and their risk of cardiovascular disease by 27 percent."

Dove Does It Again

Amazing