Female Ritual Explained

Today I will explain to you why women change their outfits 5 times before leaving for work.  There's more that goes on there than you may realize...

Let me explain all the factors at play here.  Topics carefully considered (and often in this order): 

1) What is the weather supposed to be like today?
2) What color/accessory/shirt/pair of pants/shoes do I definitely want to wear?  I will then build my outfit around that.
3) How cute, thin or not-so-thin am I feeling today?  The female body varies on a daily basis so consequentially clothing can fit differently day to day.
4) What am I supposed to be doing that day? Meetings, lunches, and other personal interactions that must happen may effect the outfit.
5) Can I locate all items of the outfit I need for my outfit?  Are they all clean?  This includes the right color bra, panties and socks.
6) How much time do I need to get ready? How much time do I have to get ready?

Once the above items are considered and the selected outfit is on my body, often times it just does not come together as I had envisioned.  Especially if it a new ensemble, meaning I have never worn that top with that skirt, or that belt with that dress, sometimes it just doesn't look right.  Also sometimes it just doesn't feel right.  Being comfortable in my clothes has always been important for me and if I feel uncomfortable in what I am wearing, I better think I look damn hot or else I am not going to wear it!

Wanted: A School Psych Position

I am anxiously waiting to hear from my school district as to whether or not they are going to be able to "create" a full time (aka PAID) position for me next year.  I suppose there are 2 parts to that statement.  First a position needs to materialize and second, I have to be offered said position.  It is a stressful place to be in... I have made a choice to stay in the Northern California area for now which severely limits which of the 900 school districts in California I can apply to.  Oh and let's not forget the districts need to have a position open.  And again I need to be offered said position. 

My fears..... that I will get hired at a district where I do not jive with the Special Ed Team.  That I will be making the same or even less than I was at my last job before I had my masters.  And will therefore continue to live in dire financial straits and will be forced to continue working part time at Borders just to make my student loan payments.  That I will be commuting a ridiculously long and trafficy distance in essence cancelling out the cushy education schedule I have been so excited about.  And leaving me little to no time for going to the gym and preparing healthy meals.

Hopefully none of these fears will materialize.  I am trying to remain positive.  I search for School Psychologist job postings daily.  I have secured teachers and supervisors to write letters of recommendation.  I am working on updating my resume.  I am also hoping that just maybe my district will be able to keep me on and I will not have to worry about looking for another job.

I'll keep you posted.

I'm having an affair

Confession time: I am in love with my slow cooker.  I was unaware of just how awesome they are until a year ago when I received one as a Christmas gift.  Slow cookers are great for lazy (read: busy) chefs who prefer preparing large quantities of healthy food with minimal effort.  Some of my favorite things I have made:

Split Pea Soup
Ham and Lentil Stew
BBQ Pulled Pork
Beef Tamale Filling
Veggie Barley Stew
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Bolognese Sauce
Chili
Chicken Posole

Preparing meals in a slow cooker is incredibly cheap when you take into account how many servings you can get out of one dish...I can usually get at least 10 tupperwares full.  I highly recommend splitting up the leftovers in individual servings (cause there's always leftovers with slow cooked meals) and then freezing them.  It's almost like homemade Stouffers except waaay less calories and salt.  I also recommend letting the dishes sit in the fridge for a few days before freezing.  I've found that the flavors really seem to develop on days 2 and 3.  Other highlights include: as the name suggests, slow cookers take awhile so the entire time they are simmering, the house is filled with tantalizing aromas of the meal to come.  Also, when I said that slow cookers were made for lazy chefs, I wasn't joking.  It is recommended to lift the lid as little as possible as it lets a bunch of heat out.  No stirring needed.  Feel free to leave them unattended.  The slow cooker keeps meat moist and it negates the need for using any cooking oil.  One other tip, another friend of mine turned me on to using Reynold's Slow Cooker liners.  Highly recommended for any dishes challenged folks.


I am sure you are now thinking, "Why don't I have a slow cooker?"

Now go get one.  You can thank me later.

Babies, Babies Everywhere

Anyone who knows anything about me probably knows about my obsession with pregnancy, babies and being a mom.  A blog post on this topic was inevitable, as this is something I think about on a daily basis.  I have fantasized about pregnancy and babies for at least a decade, realistically probably longer than that.  Some women dream about their weddings; I dream about my future family.  Every time I get the news that another friend or acquaintance of mine is expecting, I get this twinge of sadness.  Yes of course I am happy for them.  Yes I know parenting is the hardest job there is and arguably the most unglamorous.  A parent is solely responsible for another human life for the better part of 2 decades. 

What I cannot wait for and what I fantasize about is:

trying to conceive
those anxious days of knowing I could be pregnant 
the day I find out I am finally pregnant 
sharing the exciting baby news with my husband
my growing pregnant belly
feeling my baby move inside me
my husband feeling my baby inside me
painting and decorating my baby's nursery
wearing cute clothes that show off my belly
giving birth to another human life
breastfeeding
the first smiles
the first laughs
the way my baby will sound when he or she says "mama" and "dada".
a diapered baby butt crawling fiercy across the floor
those first wobbly steps
the discovery of my world all over again through my baby's eyes

And then... I snap out of it.

I force myself to rationalize and quit being selfish.  Now is not the time for me.  I have to think about my future child and the life I want for that child.  I want to give them the best life possible and that includes a mom with a stable career... house... oh and most importantly husband... One step at a time.

ps. One last fantasy...I cannot wait to look like this...

2010: A Year In Reflection

As tradition has it, New Years is a time of making resolutions for the coming year.  I think that before we can make plans for the future, it is important to look back at our successes and challenges from the previous year.  Having an clear understanding of where we have been often gives us a much clearer picture of where we are going. 

So without further adieu...

In 2010:

1. What did I learn? 

In my past I've tended to pay so much attention to what other people think of me and to their opinions of what is going on in my life that I sometime lose myself.  I really feel like I am finally learning to listen to myself first.  My own opinion is now the one that matters most to me. 

2. What did I accomplish? 

I accepted an internship offer with a great school district and was able to get a great part time job in a horrible economy.

3. What would I have done differently? Why?

I would have finished all of my Deloitte work and my research project for my Master's Program about 6 months ago!  I also wish I would've saved more money when I was actually making money so I would not have to be working part time now.

4. What were the most significant events of the year past? List the top three.

Getting my internship, my relationship with Brent, and my family offering to help me financially.

5. What do I feel especially good about? 
I am proud that I have been working my ass off at my 2 jobs and that I was easily able to transition from a job where I was twiddling my thumbs all the time to 2 jobs where I never stop moving.  I finally feel useful and accomplished at work again.  Yes, even at Borders!

Every year I feel more confident in who I am and I have accepted that I will never have a Victoria Secret model body, I will never have naturally blond hair, and that its ok that I have not gotten married or had children yet.  This year especially I felt myself rise into a comfortable place of self acceptance and love.  I have accepted my own apology for life not going exactly as I had it mapped out.  And you know what? My life is pretty fabulous regardless of prior plans.

6. What were the fun things I did?

Turning 30 was fun.  I was happy to say goodbye to my 20s.  I had a fantastic time on my trip to Maui and all of our trips to Tahoe. 

7. What were my biggest challenges?
Living on a tight budget after living the easy life for a few years has been a challenge.  The break up with Brent was devastating and temporarily debilitating.  I was a wreak for over a month.  But I was glad that I stuck to my guns.  I knew that our relationship as it had been was broken and would never survive on the course it was on.  Also, it has not been fun working so many hours at 2 jobs that are both exhausting.  But, repeat after me  ~it will all be worth it in the end~

8. How am I different this year than last?
I am much more sure of who I am, what I like, what I do not like, what I stand for and what is important to me.  I have realized it is better to be single than to be in a relationship where any of those things are compromised.  I have also made the choice to let some of my toxic relationships go, as they were only bringing me down and causing me pain.  Quality over quantity is a new concept to me when it comes to friendships.

9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
My dearest girlfriends, who are like my family.  They are the strongest women I know and they inspire me in so many ways. Jenny, Laura, Jodi, Brooke, Beth, Becca, Kim, Traci and Mary - my favs!!

Also my Grandma.  I have a very special relationship with her and I an constantly inspired by her wit, wisdom and women-pride!


And last but not least, Brent.  He has been amazingly supportive and caring since I began this roller-coaster of interning and book-selling and I cannot thank him enough for that. 

10. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?
Easy. The Fucking Facebook.  

11. What was the best way you used your time this past year?
Being alone in this apartment as a 30 year old and being 100% ok with it.  

12. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2010 for you.
I am going to use a quote I just heard for the first time and instantly loved:

Don't compromise yourself. You're all you've got. 

~Janis Joplin

The power of love

Anyone recognize whose lap I am sitting on in this pic?

If you guessed Huey Lewis, you are right! 

After the signing, his drummer Bill (the other old guy sitting at the table) hit on me: "You're gorgeous, how do you feel about older men?"

Ah, the perks of working at Borders.

It's Serious Time

Brent and I have agreed to have some serious conversations this weekend.  I found an article in my latest Glamour magazine with important topics for couples to discuss to answer the question...

ARE YOU READY TO GET MARRIED?

Here are the questions:

1. How important to you is spending time with family?
2. Money is best used for _________________________.
3. What's our financial goal for the next 3 years? Five?
4. Who should handle the finances?
5. Do we have a budget that will help us achieve our financial plans?
6. Do we know how much we owe and to whom?

The rest are agree/disagree statements:

1. I am comfortable discussing our financial affairs with my partner.
2. I can live within my income.
3. We have discussed whether we will have separate bank accounts.
4. I am feeling some pressure to get married.
5. We have discussed our feelings about having children, and about how to plan our family.
6. Sex is extremely important to me.
7. Sex is necessary for happiness.
8. Sex is a good sign of a couple's love.
9. I am afraid of being sexually unsatisfying to my future spouse.
10. I am satisfied with the amount of romance in our relationship.
11. I will feel comfortable letting my spouse know that I am in the mood for lovemaking.
12. I have the right to say no to having sex.
13. I will feel comfortable initiating lovemaking.
14. Our sex life will cool off as we grow older.

It will be interesting to see how these conversations go.  I agree that these are some valuable (albeit potentially challenging) topics to discuss.  I have my own guesses as to what Brent's answers will be, but maybe he will surprise me.  He's been know to in the past.

Thank you Jiminy Cricket

If one chooses to consume Weight Watchers Smart Ones microwaveable meals,

 

not only are they assured to be 2 servings of warm, satisfying, delicious and "fork-free" food, you get a guilty conscious reminder right in the instructions just in case your conscious is not always your food guide. 

Wise tip for the Budget Conscious

When shopping at the money pit of all money pits (aka Target*) NEVER make the mistake of allowing yourself to stroll the aisles with the aid of an entire shopping cart.  Instead, take only a shopping basket.  If you are feeling exceptionally frugal and graceful that day, challenge yourself to use nothing but your own 2 hands.  Instant guaranteed savings of at least $20. Enjoy.



*Damn you Target and your $5 DVDs and your fantastic smelling candles and your holiday section and your incessant sale prices on all semi-necessary necessities. 

Idealism at it's finest

As the holidays are approaching, I have been thinking alot about traditions.  This is a word that brings up many strong emotions for me... my family used to have many traditions and I found great comfort and enjoyment in them and their predictability.  Unfortunately my family has virtually no traditions anymore.  Through the years I have conceptualized hypothetical traditions that I hope to do with my own family once I have my own family.  I want my children to have stable and predictable yearly events that they can expect and look forward to with anticipation.  A few of the ideas I have:

Seasonal decorations -- decorating the house for upcoming seasons or holidays.  This would include (but not limited to: Christmas Tree and other Christmas decor, Valentines Day, Easter, Summer, 4th of July, Halloween and Thanksgiving and fall in general.  I do not picture lots of cheap gaudy items.  One nice thing can be enough.  Such as a heart shaped bowl of red and pink candy or flowers for Valentines Day on the coffee table or kitchen counter.  A beautiful American flag flying in front of the house for the 4th.  Fall would include pumpkins and cinnamon-y potpourri. Wreaths are a given year-round.

Birthday Celebrations -- I want to celebrate every birthday in the house with whatever the birthday boy or girl wants to do.  This would not have to include a big party every year, but could instead be a fun family outing chosen by the birthday person or a meal specially prepared and chosen by the birthday boy/girl.  I think birthdays are a big deal and should be treated like a big deal.

Family Vacations -- Ideally these would happen each summer and could be as simple as camping for a weekend or as extravagent as traveling to another state or country.  Being active during these vacations would be ideal, as well as exploring the area we are visiting.  Traveling to visit faraway family and friends will also hopefully be a regular family event. 

Supporting my family through their extra-curricular activities -- this means attending plays, musicals, sporting events, games, tournaments, recitals or shows.  Any enriching experiences my family find themselves inspired to do in their free time, I plan on supporting it as best I can.

Smells -- This topic may sound a bit odd.. but I want to ensure my house always smells good.  I want to have good smelling candles throughout the house with scents that compliment the season.  The smell of dinner will often be the flavor of the day.  I am really in tune with the impact that memory for scents can have. I plan to use the same brand of laundry detergent and dryer sheets for as long as possible. 

Meals and Food -- I plan to have some kind of a meal prepared each evening for my family.  I want to be able to provide healthy and satisfying food for them.  Growing bodies need to be nourished with substantial food.  I also plan to make lunches for each family member, my husband included for them to take to school and work.  My hope is that I will inspire my children to eventually participate in the family food preparation. 

Extended Family and Friends -- I want to have a comfortable guest room (hopefully with an attached bathroom) always ready and available for any family or friends who are visiting from out of town.  Or if someone imbibes a bit too much at one of our parties.  Which leads me to:

Parties -- I want to regularly have family and friends come to visit and/or stay.  And I want to provide a household where they WANT to do that.

As you can see, many of these things are centered around seasons or holidays and all are meant to bring my family and our close friends together with the goal of creating enduring bonds.  One of my greatest hopes is that my family and our house overflows with love and I believe traditions are one way to cultivate that. 

Laura's Famous Guacamole Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 perfectly ripe avocados, halved and peeled (see footnotes)
• 1/2 small white or yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
• a few dashes of hot sauce
• Tortilla chips

Directions

1. Combine ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
2. Taste and add more of whatever is needed.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with tortilla chips or cover and chill up to 24 hours. 
4. ENJOY!!

Footnotes

• Choosing the right avocados is 99% of making awesome guacamole.  The avocado is perfectly ripe when you can gently press in on the wide end of the fruit.  Too soft is no good.  Too hard is also no good... if there's no give at all, it's not ready! 

• For smoother guacamole, mash avocados and/or use a food processor to combine all ingredients. For chunkier guacamole, chop avocados into 1/2 inch pieces and combine all ingredients gently by hand.

Whatever happened to...

...the courtesy wave whilst driving?  In case you have forgotten what this is, it's when one car waves first to allow the other to know they see them and that it is safe to go and the second car waves back as if to say "thanks! Have a splendid day." This simple act of kindness could occur as someone allows you to merge, turn first, proceed through an intersection first or as someone stops for you to turn out of a parking lot and into traffic. 

I seem to remember the courtesy wave being an almost everyday occurrence when my parents drove me around as a child.  Have we all gotten so busy and rushed in our lives that the wave is now lost?  Perhaps we are all now such crappy drivers that we have nothing to wave about.  I for one have deiced to do my part in bringing back the courtesy wave.  I think its the least I can do to bring a little love back to the lives of the drivers I share the road with, as well as my own.

Oh and I have also noticed that there are other states in the US where people still do the courtesy wave.  What's up with that Cali?  Not cool.  I hate that we fit into the stereotypes that are already in place about this state.  Time to dust off the 'ol wave and get to shaking it!

What would you do

Tonight as I was driving home, I called 9-1-1 to report the following incident. 

I was cruising down Highway 50 westbound in the fast lane and I saw up ahead there was a smaller sedan at a dead stand still in the slow lane.  This portion of the freeway is currently under construction so there is a cement barricade blocking the right shoulder.  There is no break down lane.  And for some reason, there were no hazard lights flashing on this stopped car. I immediately thought, "Oh man, that is not good." And as I got closer, I saw that the driver of the vehicle was out of their car standing in front of it in the bright headlights frantically motioning for drivers to move over to the left lane.  I should also add that it was dark, and it rained all day today so the roads were wet.  As I passed the vehicle and driver, I watched in my rear view mirror and saw a car approaching the stalled vehicle, and was luckily able to slow down and move over in time to avoid a collision.

About 30 seconds later, I called 9-1-1.

I can't help but think - what IS the best practice if my car brakes down in an area that has no shoulder and I have no hazard lights?  I certainly do not think I would get out of the vehicle and try to wave speeding cars around me, especially in the dark.  Do I hop over the cement barricade and hope for the best??  Sit in the car and press on and off the brakes so at least the lights are flashing??  Maybe start with the simple stuff - 1) always making sure I have enough gas in the vehicle and 2) knowing precisely where the button is located for my hazard lights.

The Big "O"

Interesting study (link here) I read today...  Shocklingly (sarcasm), there appears to be some discrepancies between the number of orgasms men report to be giving to their sexual partners and the numbers of orgasms women are claiming to actually experience.  I love that someone took the time to study this because it is something I have thought about.  How can we account for this (rather huge) difference?

Women fake it. Some of them often.  Some of them all the time. As in, every time.  And men have no freaking clue.  When asked, it seems most men will proudly report, "No woman has ever faked it with me."  I hate to break the news to you but look at the stats, Buddy.  The chances are high that at least one of those Os was a fibber.  Now whose fault is this?

As much as it pains me to admit this, us women really cannot blame the men here.  We are not doing ourselves any favors here with the faking it.  It is only reinforcing the (insert ineffective-and-sometimes-painful-sexual-technique here).  Rest assured he will be doing the same thing at the same speed in the same position next time.  Ladies -- it's time to step up to the plate and get some honest communication on the table when it comes to what you want need in the bedroom if your goal is to achieve the O.

Technology is probably also to blame.  The porn industry has put some ridiculously high expectations in both the female and male minds when it comes to sex and it is a sexual experience that is readily available 24 hours a day.  Unlike living breathing sexual partners.  I could go off on this topic but I will save that for another post.  Let's just leave it with this - everyone achieves an O in porn escapades.  Often this occurs multiple times within one encounter.  And how convenient that it happens to happen within a limited time-frame.  Porn is not reality.  (Thank God.)

The porn talk leads me to this: I get that men put a LOT of pressure on themselves to perform.  But they often put even more pressure on the women.  "Did you have an O?"*  If the answer is not a positive one, you have simply ruined his world.  Talk about pressure. 

Many women do not take responsibility for their own Os and instead leave it all to men expecting that it's his job to please her.  Let's back this up a step and ask the most important question of all - does she know how to please herself?  Because if this answer is no, my guess is that it's gonna be next to impossible for him to figure you out.

If you fall into the category of a female faker or the category of a man who still truly believes no woman has faked it with him..... please take a look at this study.  Bon Appetit!


*If you really have to ask, the answer is most likely no.

An Animal Lover's Exception

This morning around 2am while me and my kitties were happily tucked into my bed, I am dreaming.  Possibly about chicken pox.  They are itchy.  They are really itchy.  They get worse.  And even worse.  And I finally wake myself up by scratching multiple horribly itchy spots on my arms and pinky finger.  I get out of bed and blind myself turning on the bathroom light and yes, sure enough there are matching brand new swollen bug bites, one on each arm and one huge one on my pinky.  I am in serious need of my mosquito assassin and seriously consider calling him.  I sit on my bed with the lights on determined not to try to sleep until I find the illegal immigrant and send him on to his next life.  I last approximately 15 seconds, and instead resort to putting on a long sleeve top and burying myself in my sheets.  This is not my preferred way of sleeping.  I cannot stand to inhale hot regurgitated previously used air and I now feel like there are mosquitoes crawling on me every 5 seconds in random places all over my body.  My anxiety level is through the roof.  Despite all this somehow I eventually I manage to calm myself down and finally start to drift off back into sleep.....



and then........



"bzzzzzzzzz!!"  RIGHT IN MY EAR. 

I slept like shit last night.


p.s. I am generally an animal lover, however mosquitoes are pretty close to the top of my list of living beings whose populations I feel no remorse whatsoever about personally thinning out.

My Dream Came True

Over the summer I had a dream that I was working at a Borders bookstore.

The next day I applied online.

I had an interview 2 week ago.  I thought it went well.  To be frank, I am way overqualified for a sales position (I was a retail store manager for 3 years) but my bank account could use the help, as I just started an internship. But, I digress.

I heard last week that my references were contacted.  Apparently Borders takes their minimum wage job hiring very seriously.

Today I get the following message on my cell phone:

"Hello Laura this Christine from Borders. I just was calling to let you know that we do have some other candidates who appear to have the experience that more closely matches the expectations of the position.  I do want to thank you for taking the time to come in and speak with me.  I wish you the best of luck with your job search in the future.  Thank you, buh-bye."

WHAT THE FUCK... I'm in disbelief.  I'm pissed.  I have told everyone and their mom that I am going to be working at Borders.  How is it possible to get hired as a graduate student intern but not as a seasonal sales girl at a huge chain bookstore that has got to have 100 employees on their fucking payroll?  I'm beyond pissed.  I start firing off text messages saying just that.  I decide this awesome news warrants a rice crispy treat and I stop at Starbucks.  While I am inside, I receive the following voicemail: 


"Ummmm......Helll-oo.....Laura this is Christine from Borders. I believe that I juuuust left a message on your phone and that was incorrect.  I had another Laura who applied......um so that-- I'm so sorry-- that message was for her.  We actually would LOVE to have you come and join us here at our store.  Sorry for that first message....that was for another Laura.  Orientation is next week.... if you're still interested, give me a call back........"

You're looking at your newest Borders team member.

Inspirational Quote of the Day

"May today there be peace within.

May you trust that you are exactly

where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities

that are born of faith in yourself and others.

May you use the gifts that you have received,

and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content with yourself

just the way you are.

Let this knowledge settle into your bones,

and allow your soul the freedom

to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us."

♥♥♥

 

-Mother Theresa

Fabulous Friend Fridays

As the title of this post suggests, I have absolutely fabulous friends.  These are women that I look to for laughter, support, love and concern, and they are truly some of the most honest and loyal people I have ever met.  I chose my friends carefully and for good reason.  In honor of these women I have decided I will dedicate a post each Friday to one of them. 

First up is my Big Sis.

When you join a sorority or fraternity, you are given a big sister or brother to act as a mentor and friend.  They are supposed to be older and wiser than you and they help you navigate the college years with a bit more mature direction.  Truthfully, very few of these relationships end up being exactly like this.  Many fall apart quickly after college, and many more never really seem to even get off the ground.  This was not the way of me and my Big.

My Big is a woman who I have admired and looked up to since the day I met her. She is classy, feminine and beautiful in everything she does. Simply gorgeous inside and out. She is also hands down one of the strongest women I have ever met.  She is never afraid to speak her mind and if you deserve it, she will put you in your place before you ever realize what is happening.  In the 11 years I have known her, I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen her cry.  When we met, I was in desperate need of a strong female role model in my life and My Big fit that bill perfectly.  I can honestly say I do not know if I would be alive today if it were not for her.  Since the day we became Big and Little, she has protected me and supported me through some of the hardest times of my life.  She is good at tough love when I need it, and I often need it. 

Her thoughts are always of others before herself. She is one of the few people who still sends handwritten cards in the mail.  When these sweet packages are delivered (which happens often) the penmanship on the envelope resembles the work of a hired calligrapher on a wedding invitation. But this is her normal handwriting. She also has been known to tuck little gifts into my suitcases which I do not find until I get home.  She adores jewelry, I would say this borders on an obsession, albeit a healthy one.  (Come on, what woman doesn't love sparkly jewels?)  She also loves mani/pedis; her nails always have polish on them. She is the kind of girl who keeps her shoes in their shoe boxes and she has alot of them. 

Being a guest at her house feels like you are staying at the best bed and breakfast ever. It always smells good and she loves burning yummy smelling candles. When I stayed with her for my birthday weekend, she hung up a happy birthday sign in the guest room. She's the kind of friend who puts a huge water in front of me when I pass out because she knows that when I wake up the first thing I will want is a huge glass of water. After a night on the town, she would never order a pizza or drive through a Taco Bell drive thru.  Intead, when we get home she'll cut up gourmet cheese and crackers and an apple and open a bottle of wine.  She is a bit OCD about keeping her house clean which is always more comfortable than going to a house where it's scary to sit for fear of what you might sit on.  She is detail oriented and it shows.  A card I recently sent to her said "Anyone who says there's no place like home has never stayed with you."  There could not be a truer statement.

My Big's deep love of being a wife and her marriage in general have become huge sources of inspiration for me.  This woman simply adores her husband and adores being his wife.  This fact oozes from every aspect of her being.  He is her #1 priority and she is his.  They take such good care of each other; they look out for one another and they treat each other like gold.  He is her protector, she is his rock.  I love being around the two of them and I love knowing that I will get to grow old with both of them and continue to watch their love grow.  These are going to be two of the best parents ever.

As I stand here on the cusp of my 30s, I am eternally grateful for my friendship with My Big.  I am so thankful that I was lucky enough to get a Big Sis who takes such good care of me.  Navigating my 20s was tough and she was right there beside me every step of the way cheering me on.  Looking forward to my 30s and what is to come, I have so much more confidence and deep rooted knowledge in myself now than I did 10 years ago.  A large part of that is due to My Big.

As we used to say in college...

Laura ♥'s her Big Sis!!
♥YLS

Scary Book Share

My latest read was Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders, by Vincent Bugliosi.

Warning: This book is not for the faint-of-heart!  

I can guarantee you that this book will scare the hell out of you.  

This is the #1 best selling true crime story of all time and for good reason.  This book gives the reader an inside view into the mind of one of the most frightening serial killers ever.  Charles Manson is a name known by many, however the details of his terrifying activities are not as well known.  The author of this book was the prosecuting district attorney when Charles Manson and his followers were on trial in the early 1970s.  Bugliosi tells the tale so vividly that nothing is left to the imagination.  Perhaps the scariest part of this book is that the murders described were so random that it makes you feel as though any minute someone could come into your house and brutally murder you.  Simply a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Terrifying!!

One reason I find this book intriguing is the cult-like behavior that took place.  People who chose to go into or are born into lifestyles where they are entranced by someone else are really interesting.  I don't like to be told what to do by anyone so it's truly amazing to me how much power one person can have over so many others.  For example, how does one get to the point of being able to order others to kill for him?  All that and more is explained in this book.

I also enjoyed reading this book because it is a true story.  I like picturing what life was like in the early 70s and how terrifying it must have been for the people of LA knowing a killer was on the loose.  The people whose lives were taken happened to be wealthy younger white people and the Family's (the given name for the Manson followers) activities left the rich and famous scared for their lives.

Much to the chagrin of the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, it took quite awhile for even a single suspect to be charged.  There are some very interesting points made regarding the lack of cooperation between the LAPD and LASD.  Makes you wonder what else is being missed simply due to a communication breakdown between departments.  The second portion of the book outlines the lengthy trial.  (Spoiler alert!!!) This book makes me eternally grateful for the justice system of the US that these monsters, although still alive, are behind bars.

This book will keep you up at night whether you live alone or not.  If you don't like being scared, don't read it!

Theory On Pringles

Back in my younger years I spent a great deal of time contemplating why things are the way they are.  I came up with my own personal theories on many things, most of which are useless but nonetheless may have some merit.  One such phenomenon that I have patented is my Theory On Pringles.  You know, the chips made by Procter & Gamble that come in a can:

Maybe this theory would be more appropriately named "I Think I Have The Procter & Gamble Marketing Team's Secret Plans Nailed".  Or, "Why One Likes Pringles More Than Doritos Even Though You Only Get  50 Chips In A Can". 

Let us begin with the container these chips are packaged in.  From Procter & Gamble's perspective, this is a brilliant plan due to the pretty obvious reason that there are way less chips in a Pringles canister than there is in a regular bag of potato chips.  Although the canister packaging is probably more expensive to make than your normal plastic Doritos bag, there is less product inside, so cost is slightly adjusted.

Along with the canister, the appealing lid that comes on the can creates a seal, in theory allowing the chips to last much longer than an opened bag of chips forgotten at the back of the cupboard for a month or so = stale city. (Funny enough, a can of Pringles never seems to last long enough for that to happen.  Have you ever had a stale Pringle?)

Also in regards to the canister, whose hands have ever been small enough to fit inside one?  Unless you are a child, one must pour out the chips in order to get to them.  Pouring means they come out faster.  And once a Pringle is out of the canister, it seems sacrilege to put it back in.  Into your mouth it goes. Eating faster = buying faster.

Now to the chips themselves.  Everyone seems to agree that the unique shape of these chips means they only really fit in your mouth one way. If you try eating one upside down it just doesn't feel quite right in your mouth and tends to make a huge mess.  I believe that within the special shape of the chip lies the biggest secret of all about why the Pringle is so damn good.  Upon close examination of a Pringle, you will notice that there is seasoning on only ONE side of the chip.  And interestingly, it happens to be on the side that does NOT touch your tongue.  Therefore you do not taste the true flavor of the chip until you crunch into it.  First you have the physiological sensation of biting into something lite and crunchy and almost instantly after the crunch, the flavor falls onto your tongue.  Why does this matter?  Because you will never OD on the light flavor of a Pringle.  Think about it, after a few (43) Doritos, my mouth cannot take anymore orange Dorito cheese.  It is cheese overload.  It's too much.  But the Pringle never has this problem.  They leave you wanting more.  And maybe just one more.  Ok fine ONE more.  And then what do you know?  The whole can is empty.