Revisiting Day 8 - Because Apparently Someone Forgot

                Soooo…remember when I specifically said, first and foremost, before getting eaten by sharks or using a supermarket pen, I AM AFRAID OF HEIGHTS.  You do?  Thank you for paying attention.  Apparently Boyfriend needs to print out my blog posts. Or. Start listening when I say things. And I say a lot of things. I’ll accept either.

                Just in case he chooses the former I may even buy him a nice highlighter set for his stocking this Christmas so he can note the extra important things.

                We leave for Las Vegas on Thursday night. (yaaaay.)  I am pumped for 85 degrees, pools, winning a million dollars, the Bellagio Fountains, and meeting Bradley Cooper and the rest of the Hangover gang.  What? They’re not always there? 

                Now, like I said,Boyfriend has been there at least a million times visiting his fam.  So he is playing tour guide.  And he sends me this link yesterday.  http://www.stratospherehotel.com/Tower/Rides  He then says “we’re doing all three rides.”

                I open it and read the tagline: “Vegas without a net.”

Me: …  

Me: No.

Him: Yes we are. I have the whole thing planned out.

Me: Not going to happen…pal.

Him: It’s a must-do for tourists.

Me(Reading more of the site that says “Are you a thrill seeker or a bystander"):  I’m a bystander.

Him: You’ll be a different person after.

Me: The kind of person who needs Xanax to cross the street for the rest of her life?

Him: There’s a bar up there. You’ll be fine.

Me: I hope I throw up in your face.

Me: If you’re sleeping in the parking garage no one is going to feel bad for you – it will be your own fault.

Him: We’re doing all three.

                After further review. I can. not. for the life of me, figure out how someone, anyone, let alone the man who knows me best, would open that particular link and thinks “Oh Rach is going to LOVE this!” 

               I seriously have sweaty palms and my heart is pounding just telling you about the thought of being dragged up that high.  Also, if. IF. I was to agree to this, against my better judgement, and only after writing an updated will, I got on ONE of those rides.  What are the odds I get on TWO more?  One co-worker reviewed his recent experience on them as “the most scared he’s been in his whole entire life.” Then proceeded to tell me “You have to do it.” 

….

SHOOTMEINTHEFACE.

Have you guys been on it?  Will I live to talk about it?  Can you think of a million other things I should do with my time and money that do not involve me leaving the ground.  You know.  High aversion to risk and all.  Please let me know.  Like before I leave Thursday – I will need alternative suggestions, ideally nowhere near this tower of terror.

PS. If I do manage to  make it home alive.  My bestie gave me a camera.  And I’ve never owned one before.  And Boyfriend hates pictures.  So I told him we’re only taking pictures of our faces. And kissing.  And he is not happy about it.  But I will have pictures.  For you.  That is, if I live.  Send me your ideaaaaas. Or your Xanax. Thanks.

Oh hey look - the opposite of FUN.

Source: stratospherehotel.com via Nyssa on Pinterest

30 Day Challenge - Day 14

Day 14 – Favorite Places to Eat

                Turns out eating like you’re training for a half-marathon but not running like you’re training for one is not the best combination when you may or may not have a pool chair waiting for you in Las Vegas in less than a week.  That being said, I love to eat.   I like to cook for us.  But I like to eat out too.

Fave middle of the week, haven’t gone shopping yet, place to grab dinner quick:

Sophie’s Pita and Grill

Tiny, little mom and pop Greek place right in Niagara Falls.  They gyros are to. die. for.  I don’t even have to tell them what to make when I walk in there.  Probably means we get food there too often. (If that’s even possible.)  Seriously.  So yummy. 

Fave Friday night dinner place:

Waterstreet Landing

Scenic Lewiston, NY.  Right on the Niagara River.  Five dollar fish fry the size of my head.  Everybody wins.  Especially me.  One time we tried to switch up the Friday routine and go to the new Olive Garden.  Big mistake.  Huge. Don’t mess with a good thing.  Stick to the fish fry.

New fave drive down into Buffalo for a nicer dinner during restaurant week or when I find a Groupon place:

Encore

We don’t often drive all the way to Buffalo just for dinner.  But last time we went, we drove here.  And it was worth it.  Fried duck wings for an appetizer followed up by crab stuffed fish for me and some chicken thing for him.  Could not have been happier.  I like it there.  A lot.

Western NY has so many delicious places to eat.  And since most of you don’t live here I will taunt you no longer with what could have been.  All I’m saying is.  I better get a fish fry tonight.  Because that’s definitely going to help my bathing suit situation.

Happy Weekend.

Except I prefer mashed potatoes. 

30 Day Challenge - Day 13

Day 13 - Something I'm Looking Forward To

    Well.  Now that the half marathon is over I find myself void of purpose.  Seriously.  I feel empty.  For all the dread and worry and trepidation I had for those 13.1 miles I'm sad it's over.  Wait. What?

     I couldn't be more pleasantly surprised by how well I feel I did.  My goal was between 10 and (please God don't let me be that slow) 11 min miles.  But I didn't train as consistently as - perhaps my sister did and I wanted to set an attainable goal. 10:07 spilts people. Two hours and 12 mins of running.  And.  And.  Those B-words.  Miles 11-12 was straight up hill.  I was cursing everything sacred as each turn revealed yet another hill.  Fortunately, the course nearly redeemed itself with a downhill final mile.  When I saw the group of people and started to kick it in I had two thoughts 1.) No Rach, if you are crying when you finish someone will think you're injured so cut the crap. 2.) That better actually be the finish line and not the food tent because I've got nothing left.  It was.  I was emotional.  Sister was the first person I saw and I could not be happier we did it.

   So now what.  We choose a different one?  We def do not train for a marathon.  This girl has a sensible appreciation for all things mediocre.  Why strive for glory when I feel accomplished half way there?  Just saying.

   Back to the original question.  I am looking forward to vacation.

   We are going to Las Vegas next month.  I have never in my whole entire life been west of the Mississippi River.  I am thrilled to be going now.  With Him.

Boyfriend: "Are we going to high five when we cross the Mississippi?"

Me: "Yea I guess. If I'm awake.  You know I like sleeping on planes."

    We have yet to determine where we are going to sleep though.  And that is starting to give me anxiety.  I wrote up a whole spreadsheet of options.  Now *someone* just needs to make a decision.  You see, he's been there like a hundred times as he has family there.  So I don't feel quite qualified to be making executive decisions.

Boyfriend: "Pick a place you like."

Me: "It all looks magical."

Boyfriend: "Please don't go all Hangover on me and ask the desk if the "real Caesar lived here?" or "Is this hotel pager friendly?"

Me: "I'm not making any promises."

    I'm so very much looking forward to this trip also because this whole year we have been unable to coordinate vacation days.  If I take a day he has to work, if he takes some days I have to work, if we both take some days he has things to do.  We are finally taking some days, together, to be together.  

And to be honest.  We wouldn't have to go anywhere west of the Mississippi River to make me happy.  I'm just excited to enjoy some time being with just him.

Source: plazatravel.com via Kari on Pinterest

30 Day Challenge - Day 12

Day 12 - My Dream House

    

    As you may or may not recall, I watch a borderline excessive amount of HGTV.  The home buying shows are some of my faves.  Property Virgins, House Hunters - any show that's going to provide me with a variety of houses to look at and long after is good with me.  Boyfriend had already gone through the home buying process long before I met him so I won't have the opportunity to have a dream home for a few more years.  I do, however, have my list of non-negotiables.

• On suite bathroom with two sinks. And I'm not talking those trendy spa looking bucket sinks.  I want two sinks with counter space.  And if there happened to be a rain drop shower head in there I would not stand opposed.
• Two - car garage.  Currently we have one.  I don't get to use that.  Sometimes my car gets started for me in the winter.  Sometimes it doesn't.  So we need space for mine too.
• Counter space.  I have approximately three feet now - total.  This doesn't work for me.
• Outdoor space.  Living in a region where one must make the most of nice weather we certainly do so.

  I like the open floor plan and the hardwood floors, in theory - turns out you hear dog's nails reeeeally well on that particular surface and that generally makes me irritable.  I'm fine with a giant closet because I happen to have more than two dresses and 'too many' shoes. (Like that's possible.)  We have to have a fenced in yard because apparently there will always be a dog in my life.  We don't need entertaining space - because "we're not hosts."

  

  So I told Boyfriend when we're on House Hunters looking for our next house...and he interrupts me with "never in my life am I going to be on tv with you."  Apparently he thinks that I'm going to fall in love with every house I see and then blow up his spot on the negotiation front with some comment like "I love it. Where do we sign?" Or "SOLD."  Whatever.  

  Anyway - via Pinterest here are some homes that I'd pay the asking price for.  If I ever win the lottery or something.

Source: twopeasandtheirpod.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Source: designsponge.com via Laura on Pinterest

Source: roomzaar.com via Connie on Pinterest

    A girl can dream can't she?

   PS.  Today is my baby blog's first birthday.  So obviously the discussion when I announced this to Boyfriend last night went something like this:

"Guess what."

"....what."

"Tomorrow is my blog's first birthday."

"Oh.  Blogs have birthdays?"

"Well actually - they are technically called 'blogiversaries.'"

"Please never say that word again in real life."

"I'll trade you 'blogiversary' for 'uber.'  See? This is why I said 'blog birthday' I knew you'd hate the real word."

"Whatever."

 

  Happy Birthday baby blog.  You may just even get a face lift as a present.

  

30 Day Challenge - Day 11

Day 11 - A Bible Verse

     Originally I had a whole post planned out in my head for the Bible verse post about watching my words.  And then yesterday I learned another lesson. 

                I go to grad class twice a week after work, in downtown Buffalo.  This semester, my professors love being professors and therefore keep the class right through the allotted time.  As I leave at 8:45pm it’s quite dark and this week, mostly rainy.  I also have been struggling, as of late, to establish my eating schedule while attending class.  Boyfriend and I generally don’t eat till after 7pm sometimes as late as 9pm – we’re snackers.  Chips (Salt & Vinegar) are a staple on the grocery list.  So we snack when we get home from work and we don’t eat till later.   However, when class starts at 6 I’d either have to eat at 5:30 or 9:30.  Both options are horrible.  As a result I chose, yesterday, to wait till after - and part of me is hoping that is why yesterday happened?  Anyway.

                Yesterday.

                Yesterday, was the day after I had run another eight miles.  Yesterday, I wore an outfit, while not one for a magazine, I felt quite confident in.  Yesterday, I wore my fave J. Simpson pumps.  Yesterday, was cool slash rainy enough to wear my fave White House Black Market trench coat.  Therein lies my problem.   Now, when I wear this particular coat I feel hottt.  (Yes. With extra “t’s” )  I know that’s totally silly.  Who feels hottt in a coat?  Me.  And I felt good leaving class.  Nailed the first quiz.  My coat on.  Cute shoes.  My freakishly long hair blowing behind me in the wind. (I think there was wind. But. It might have been in my head.) Anyway I felt awesome walking to my car in the parking garage in the dark on Main St. in downtown Buffalo.  And that's when I fell off the curb. And almost onto my face.  And I bruised my pinky on my left hand.  And the girl walking two steps in front of me pretended not to notice.

                Needless to say, my Bible verse for today is this:

                Proverbs 16:18 (NIV): Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

                Note. ed.

                And I totally should have expected this.  I just started reading 1000 Gifts on my Kindle and it’s definitely speaking to my heart.   Ridiculous of me to give myself so much credit.  Anyway.  I think I’ve learned my lesson.  Pride doesn’t pay.  And a thankful heart leads to ultimate joy.

That's my coat.  I'm not one for dark lipstick though.  Or any lipstick.  I like gloss.

Read and Respond. Please and Thanks.

                We interrupt your regularly scheduled mostly unpredictable 30 Day Challenge because I need your help to prove me right. 

                Last night we were talking about some of our more compulsive behaviors - or as I like to call mine, endearing qualities.  Mine is this:

                Balances that I control must end in Zero or Five.  Like pumping gas.  Doesn’t matter if it’s 13 degrees out I’ll stand there till I get it right.  Or making a credit card or a school loan payment.  I pay the difference in pennies to make the residual balance a zero or a five.  Boyfriend says I inherited some kind of crazy gene and I say I don’t like the numbers one through four and six through nine so whatever.

                But we got to my crazies because we were talking about his crazies.  His are two-fold:

                He checks the thermostat like 35 million times before he leaves the house.  But whatever.  If it makes him feel better – carry on.

                More importantly, he will not use a shower towel more than once to dry himself.  Never.  Will not happen.  I say towels can be used and hung to dry to be re-used again before they need to be washed.  I think a two time minimum is normal. Erroneous – so he says.    Thank God he does his own laundry.  He also gets super anxiety when the towel drawer is not full to the top with clean towels.  He gets all “where are you hiding the towels?”  “Why are you a towel hoarder?”   What? There are like seven clean towels in the drawer how is this a crisis?  And he’s all “because I don’t want to have to use paper towels to dry myself next time I shower.”   So that’s when I stare at him like he just told me he bought me a pet monkey.

Our conversation circled back to how if he used towels two times then we would not run out so quickly.  And he’s all “I don’t care what you say towels are single use only and you should do your laundry more often.” And then I’m all “Why?  I have enough clothes to not do laundry for like a whole quarter of a year so you should consider yourself lucky I do it every other week.”  Man do I hate folding laundry.  However, I do have to admit I’m on the single use towel plan now too – but that’s because if I hang up my towel in the bathroom it’s gone and in the laundry with his the next day anyway.

And since we were disagreeing already I asked him why the toothpaste looked like he put it on the floor and tap danced on it before placing it back in the cabinet?  That's how mangled it was and it's more than half full tube.  Blows my mind.  He called me a judger and told me to go to sleep.

                Anyway, here’s why I need your help. I need you to tell me who wins the crazies competition.  And also if you agree with him or me about single use bath towels.  Actually, if you do agree with him don’t tell me.  But feel free to share your compulsive tendencies to make me and my zeros and fives feel better about ourselves.

Source: imdb.com via Ana on Pinterest

30 Day Challenge - Day 10

Day 10 - Something I Don't Leave the House Without 

  Easy. Blackberry. Next Question.

  I grew up only knowing life with mobile phones, now my first one ever was one of those plastic toy looking ones that was for emergencies only after I got my license.  But I got my first 'real' phone as a freshman in college and my first smart phone three years ago and I can't imagine life without.  I ask Boyfriend all the time to enlighten me because, well, being a tiny bit older than me, he grew up before cell phones.  

Me: Um.  How did you find where to meet people?

Him: You picked a spot and met them there.

Me: Impossible.

Me: You went on spring break in Panama City, FL with like eight guys? How did everyone make it home?

Him: It's not hard to find a group of guys on a beach.

Me: Lies.

Me (at the park up in Sherkston where all the children drive golf carts around unsupervised): Um what if your kid didn't come home when you told them to?

Him: You had to go find them - there's only so many places they could be.

Me: Sounds like a lot of walking.

Him (some random story from college): So then I had to run around the corner to the pay phone and call my Gram.

Me:  HAHA - what's a pay phone?

  Anyway - I can't function without mine.  Like super anxiety.  When we go to Canada for the day I have to text my sister way in advance to let her know I'LL HAVE NO PHONE ALL DAY LONG.  And then I forget and try to look at Facebook and Verizon is all - that will cost you $17.00.  So I could leave the house less a purse. I just can't ever leave without my phone, even if I'm spending the day in Canada and it will be off.  At least you know how to get a hold of me now.

Source: curiosityshoppeonline.com via Rachel on Pinterest