Jury Duty: Part 2

Note to self: don't order chocolate malts at Dairy Queen. I ate a quiznos sub for lunch but couldn't shake a sweet craving. So I got a chocolate malt at DQ. After the first sip, I knew it tasted weird, but couldn't place the flavor. A couple sips later, my sophisticated dessert palette decided it was a cross between a chocolate shake and beer. mmm, too bad it's not a real beer. JD should come with a couple drink tickets.

Excited about produce

I realize what I am about to say will be inexcusably yuppie, but here goes: I am so psyched that they have a really great selection of heirloom pumpkins at Whole Foods! I just got the October Martha Stewart and there was an awesome spread about all different pumpkins. I love the white ones, but figured they'd be hard to find or overpriced. Nope! They're the same price as the garden variety orange. Wonder what white pumpkin pie tastes like :)

It's the little things, eh?

Jury Duty: Part 1

It's 8:10. I have been at jury duty for 10 minutes. There is already a woman I want to, at the very least, pinch really hard. She has been through jury duty 4 times and has never been picked. She told her husband, Ralph (seriously), that she has had it and she is moving out of Fulton County. She is now talking above the din of 200 other Fulton County residents on her cell phone. She likes to use clichés, like "things have a way of working themselves out." "He's a numbers guy." "I'm over it." "He's top man on the totem poll." We all have a thing we repeat when we can't think of a word; her's is blah blah blah. She thinks it would be a good idea to stop voting so she won't get picked anymore for jury duty. Great attitude. I hope she and her ugly Vera Bradley purse are excused very soon.

Oh, and now she's talking about her colonoscopy, her husband's colonoscopy, and all their friends' colonoscopies. Lovely.

Warning: Running may be hazardous to your ego.

Katie visited me last week and I picked her brain about a few burning running / marathon questions. One of which centered around underwear. I won't go into too much detail, but after the conversation, I decided to just stick with what I've been wearing. Suffice it to say, I wear underwear under running tights. Okay, now that we're established that...

I decided to save some gas this morning by using my long run as my mode of transportation to work (yes, sadly on Saturday) since we have no gas in Atlanta. I am at mile 14 or so, running along a road that has sidewalks the whole way, but a little part was under construction. So I just went around it. Until I got caught. By rebar. You know, those half inch metal rods that are normally really jagged and rusty and a hazard to humans in general? I snagged my pants on a piece that was askew and it snapped me back before I could take another step, and in the process, pulled my pants half way down my thigh, a thrilling show for any passing motorist, I'm sure. Thank god I wear underwear! So I yanked those suckers back up, in the process noticing the two huge holes that now offer extra ventilation on my right hip. Oh, and of course these were my expensive Under Armour tights, not the cheapy Target pair I often wear. But I am happy to report that I only suffered a small scratch on my leg, and I know the whole thing could have turned out very badly. I'm lucky like that I guess.

So the moral of the story is, please always wear panties while running. The town of Sandy Springs, Georgia will thank you.

hmmm...

mommy designs the garbage

I work with several other designers, one of whom has a 10 year old daughter, Taylor. She asked my friend exactly what her job is, so Lauren told her that she designs packaging. Taylor's like, "You mean the part we throw away?" Right. So now when someone asks her what her mom does, "She designs the garbage." So I guess I too design the garbage. And I'm still paying off college loans.

On a happier, less what-the-hell-am-I-doing-with-my-life note, Brett asked me out on a date tonight so we are going out for a fancy dinner, screw the economy. Now you might think that after a fancy dinner, it would be nice to talk a romantic walk or see a movie. Not with my BF. Nope, we are coming straight home to watch the debate! Awwww, I know, you're jealous.

blogging rocks

Thanks to everyone, (C, D, K & A especially) who gave me the best boost this week when I needed it. Isn't it funny how something we slam as being impersonal and artificial (I speak of the internet) can actually act to strengthen relationships instead? Not to be too sappy, but I am constantly amazed by people I meet day to day or have known for years. That is one (of many) of the nice things about getting older. OK, don't want to draw this out too long because I am so not a philosopher, but thanks again, peeps!

Oh, and I discovered last night during a run in 70° weather (thank you, Ike) that Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas" is the most motivational running song ever.

Musical side note: When the ladies and I were on the swim team in HS, I think our favorite psych up song was Right Now by VanHalen. And that was in the days before iTunes, so I actually bought this freaking expensive VanHalen double CD at Northern Music just for that one song. I still remember the smell in there... ANYWAY, did anyone else notice that during the RNC it was the theme song for Cindy McCain's introductory video? Ewww! I was grossed out. Bet VanHalen was, too. Almost as sacriligeous as the peppy remix of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" they played during my pilates class last week. Again, I'm getting old.

Depressed Type A seeks advice

I am depressed. About running. Ever since I started training for this dumb marathon, I've been getting slower and slower. Yesterday, my long run took almost four hours, and I still would have had 5 miles to go if it were the real deal. I have been thinking a lot about this lately. Why we do things, I mean. We try to do things we're good at and enjoy, right? I am a designer because I enoy it and am fairly competent. If I wanted to be depressed about my job, I'd be a high school math teacher. But, I also know myself and I know I sometimes do things just to prove to myself that I can (like the time I got a job at the Gap and quit the next day) not because I really want to. Is this one those cases? I didn't think so at first, but now am not so sure. I wish I could say I just want to finish and be happy with that. Stupid goals, stupid inner drive!

So, any thoughts on learning to just go with the flow and stop competing with yourself?

High school football in Atlanta...

is quite different than it was in Potsdam circa 1995. A few examples:

Tickets are $7.00
Pep band played the Fresh Prince theme song
Over 60 players on the team
Stadium vs. metal bleachers in a field
Actual announcer with box and hi tech P.A. system
Stars in the night sky are obscured from view by stadium lights
Police presence
Metal detector (Strangely they only wanded Brett, even though I had a huge bag. He IS rather thuggish...)
9 uniformed refs
Coaches wear headsets
Bling instead of varsity jackets
Crowd sported designer jeans, purses, iphones, etc.
Multiple concession stands vs snack shack
SEXY cheerleaders and dance team... actually a little uncomfortable to watch!
City traffic whizzing by outside the stadium
Chain link fences

The aforementioned cheerleaders did do the B-E-A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E cheer though, so safe to say that some things do endure. And the home team creamed 'em! Go Grady Knights!

peanut butter heaven

I had a craving to bake Saturday night (my god, I'm boring) and Brett requested something with peanut butter and chocolate. This recipe from the divine Ms. M (no, the other one) looked perfect, so we tried it.
They were SO good. Totally worth the effort of making cookies, not mention the calories. Highly recommend it! By the way, I think they are also good frozen. Not that I snuck any out of the bag in the freezer...
just a hunch :)

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling dough
36 mini peanut butter cups, chilled and unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream peanut butter and butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add brown sugar; beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until incorporated.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture in two batches.
Scoop off dough by the tablespoon; roll into balls. Place granulated sugar on a plate; roll balls in sugar, coating completely. Place 2 inches apart on a nonstick insulated baking sheet.
Bake until cookies begin to puff up slightly, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Press one peanut butter cup in center of each cookie. Return to oven; continue baking until cookies are golden brown and chocolate has begun to melt, about 6 minutes more. Let cool at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring cookies to rack to cool completely.

Jonathan Orange Adler

I had sort of taken a break from decorating while I figured out my real estate future, but since a chat with mom a few weeks ago, I've decided to stay put for a while and continue to rent. I have a fantastic 1000 square foot 1920's apartment in a great part of Atlanta, so what's not to love?

So anyway, I'll be doing some more painting in the coming weeks, (eye for an eye, Katie) and I've been all 'round the internet looking for some new stuff. Thought I'd give a shout out to one of my favorite home decor gurus, Jonathan Adler. There really is nothing in his collection after which I'm not pining. Plus his marketing really is too cute. The phrase Tongue in Cheek Chicness comes to mind. Anyway, check it out. I want it all. Especially the orange stuff, natch.

http://www.jonathanadler.com/shop/index.php

Is it legal

to try to sell someone human growth hormone over the phone? Cuz it happened to me this week. Gross.