He said, she said…

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I have a tendency to find songs that I get addicted to–listening to on repeat incessantly, walking around with its lyrics in my head all day. One of the most recent examples of this has been Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” (linked below for your convenience.)

As this song keeps finding its way back on my playlist, I started to wonder what it was that made me love the song, and even the video, so much. I realized that the raw and honest emotion that it conveyed between two people parting ways really rung true to me. And although the metaphor portrayed in the video of his lover removing herself from the tapestry of his life might be too dramatic for some, I really thought the two did an excellent job of emphasizing the emotion of the lyrics without taking away from the sincerity of the song.

And although there are plenty of songs about broken hearts and break ups, I think what sets this song aside from the others is the fact that you’re not just hearing one point of view about this lost love–you have the rare chance to hear from both parties. Without Kimbra’s accompaniment, this song would still stand on its own, one I would probably still deem worthy of the “replay” button, but I think by providing the additional point of view, the emotions resonate a little deeper with me. Continue reading →

Week 1

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Well, Christmas is officially over and the new year has been rung in, which means it’s time for us to all begrudgingly get back into the swing of normal.

Going back to “normal” has been especially difficult because this holiday season was an especially good one, filled with lots of good times with friends, family, and coworkers. But, I’ve also been looking forward to the “fresh start” that I’m hoping 2012 will bring and I made a lot of resolutions to help make this year count.

One of those was posting at least once a week, and another was trying to complete a project a week, whether it be a cooking thing or something else…

I’m happy to say I’ve managed to keep both resolutions so far. Below is a collection of photos of my projects (mainly all food-related…). It’s been a good start so far! Here’s to the next 51 weeks! Continue reading →

I’m starting with the (wo)man in the mirror…

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It’s that time–2011 is gasping its final breaths and everyone is itching to make the changes we’ve been putting off the last few months in anticipation of the New Year.

And I have to admit, I have been looking forward to this demise of year about 6 months into it. Don’t get me wrong– a lot of really wonderful things happened this year–I enjoyed my first full year at my new company, working with people I love; I was able to enjoy some wonderful travel experiences with very dear friends; and I have had the opportunity to experience new things and meet new people who have helped give me many memorable and fun experiences to add in the “good” category for 2011.

However, the amount of hardship and pain that was felt this year, especially by some of the people I love most, is difficult to ignore. There have been so many adversities– from lost jobs to lost loved ones–and every blow just seemed the hang heavier on our collective hearts. I stopped saying, and even thinking, “It can’t get any worse…” because it usually did, even up to 12 hours ago when I learned of the passing of a former schoolmate’s sister is a car accident last night.

Due to these circumstances, and my own life “growing pains,” this year has caused a lot of self-reflection and inaction–ie, letting life live me. There have been so many things that I have felt out of control of and so essentially, I chose to not really make any major decisions because the whole process was overwhelming. And in some ways, this was in fact a good “lesson learned”– I finally was able to realize that it is actually OK to not always have an answer, sometimes you just have to let life happen (waayyyy easier said than done though, for sure), but, I also think I’ve hit a point where I’m ready to start being a bit proactive with myself and my quest for happiness, and to that end, I’ve been keeping notes on all the things I want to accomplish in 2012. Continue reading →

And all your future lies beneath your hat.

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I haven’t posted in awhile, and I’m tired of always posting about the heavy stuff, so I thought I’d share this moment from the conversation I had with my best friend tonight, which is still managing to make me laugh…

With a couple time zones between us and the various work/life responsibilities getting in the way, it’s been some time since I last caught up with my best friend. Today we finally had a chance to reconnect and see what’s been going on in each others’ lives, which we both could agree wasn’t as exciting as either of us would have hoped to report.

While sharing the things that were currently entertaining us/distracting us, I was overviewing the current fashion/makeover show I was watching, where some Long Island princess was being stripped of her sequins and neon attire in order to make way for a more sophisticated, polished look.

“Ugh–I hate neon,” Parr responded, “Then again, I probably shouldn’t judge–I’m currently wearing a neon hat shaped like a pig. But it’s lime green, not neon, so it’s really not the same…”

I sat speechless for a moment, which I indicated to her.

“I’m speechless,” I said.

“It’s from Angry Birds,” she explained. “It was for my Halloween costume, but I ended up really liking it so I just wear it around now. I get some weird looks, but a surprising amount of compliments…”

I sat for another moment.

“I don’t believe this is true,” I finally responded. “You are wearing the head of your Halloween costume around…two days before Thanksgiving…in public? Not just around your apartment, which, admittedly, is already a little odd, but you’re interacting with other people with this on?”

I then requested a picture of the hat.

Parr is clearly excited about her "Angry Birds" hat...

By this point, we were both in hysterics, which piqued the interest of her husband, who was sitting nearby:

“I just asked Ian if he thought my hat was stupid and he said, ‘No — it makes you happy!’
“And I said, ‘If you just randomly saw me on the street would you think my hat was stupid?’ and he said, ‘No! I’d think you’re quirky!”
“And I said, ‘That is NOT a compliment… the only other time a man has called me quirky was when I had Bell’s palsy and was trying to get backstage at a BB Mac concert.”

“Well,” I responded, “It’s a West Coast compliment — ‘Quirky’ runs companies on the West Coast. On the East Coast, it gets dragged behind pickup trucks.”

never stare up the stairs, just step up the steps…

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When I was in second grade, I was enrolled in CCD at our church. The point was to instill me with a more fundamental knowledge of our faith — to help me realize more fully what it meant to believe in God, and what it meant to be Catholic. There was a textbook, with pastel paintings of Jesus and his disciples, helping the sick and feeding the poor. There were tests — memorizing the Commandments and reciting the Our Father. I needed to learn these things to make my first Holy Communion, to advance in my faith. The weight of the spiritual world was essentially resting on my shoulders, being this was the first rite of Christian passage that I actively was participating in.

But none of that mattered. The fear and anxiety of the tests and the practicing and the ultimatums (“If you don’t learn this, you won’t be able to get Communion,” which loosely translated into “You won’t be able to wear a pretty white dress and have your own special party”) completely paled in comparison to my true source of anxiety every Sunday: the open staircase that led to our classroom. Continue reading →

5 (+1) things.

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Sometimes it’s hard for me to come up with shit to write in here. Granted, once I start writing, I’m good, but finding the topic/inspiration to open WordPress to begin with can be trying.

So, I’m going to pick up something I tried before–both in this blog and back when I was a kid: Gratitude postings. Basically, I note 3-5 things from that day that were good/I was grateful for. It’s a good way to help shift perspective, and a good way to take the time to acknowledge some of the “little things” that otherwise might pass you by…

  1. It was a beautiful day. Seriously, pitch-perfect fall weather. I was in the office for most of the day, but I took a couple breaks and was able to step outside for a few moments each time and just freaking love the hell out of feeling the muted sunshine on my jacketed shoulders and watch the stark white clouds sail across a bright blue sky.
  2. My co-workers are hilarious. Now that I’ve been with my new job for almost a year, I sometimes forget how fortunate I am to work in a place where I like everyone I work with. Beyond that, they are hilarious. The past couple of days have included numerous e-mail chains with YouTube link one-upmanships, Photoshop/MS Paint fun, and various entertaining/clever exchanges that make daily office drudgery less drudge-y.

    In my next life, I will be an artist who exclusively works in MS Paint...

  3. Breaking bread. Dinner wasn’t anything particularly fancy tonight (although I did enjoy the Illiano’s yumminess), but it was nice to actually sit around the table and have a conversation with my family. Especially considering so many of our meals end up on the couch/in front of the TV, it’s just nice to exercise some of those good ol’ fashion nuclear family values every once again awhile.
  4. Rediscovering a favorite song. I’m still trying to figure out my new ride, but one of the big benefits (beyond 40 mph on the highway to the gallon) is the fact I can sync my iTunes to the radio. This morning as I was driving in, I was skimming the music I had on there and came across a song that was one of my obsessive jams from last winter:I really enjoyed listening to this about 10 times on the drive in, volume blaring, while I sing along. It was like catching up with an old friend after a long absence.

  5. A silver lining. This doesn’t really fall under “happy” news, but my friend called this morning to tell me her beloved bunny, Alejandro, passed away. She and her 2 sons were absolutely devastated by his passing and hearing the news made my heart sink, too. But there was some positive to the sad news: so many people expressed genuine remorse for their loss throughout the day via FB, which I thought was not only nice for my friend and her kids to see, but it also shows how people really are connected to their pets. Whenever someone apologizes to me for their emotional response when their pet is sick or has passed, I make sure they know no judgment is being passed their way and that I understand completely the love one feels for their anipals.Beyond that, I’m proud of Heather for really going above and beyond to help her kids process Alejandro’s death and to make sure they understand that it’s OK to be sad and OK to grieve. I admire the loving, intelligent way Heather handles her boys–letting them fully be children, but also taking their feelings, thoughts, and concerns seriously and always speaking to them like people whose opinion/thoughts deserve to be heard. Her FYI later in the day that there may be a memorial service for Alej, and it may be open to the public, only further proves the sweet, quirky, and brilliant lengths she goes to make sure she does right by her children.
  6. Light at the End of the Expressway. Super bonus that I almost forgot until just now: For the first part of my commute, I was followed by a full rainbow for a several miles of my morning commute:

    Not the best picture ever, but you take what you can get at 70 mph...

     

Choosing Happiness.

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Holy shit. Apparently, summer is over.

And as most of you have noticed (and some of you have nagged me about), the blog has laid rather dormant during the past few months, although I assure you it’s not for lack of trying.

In fact, I just went through and browsed the many drafts that had been started, left unfinished, trying to get an idea for what’s been going on/what my mindset’s been when I write this prodigal son blog after months of silence. And it seems all these drafts seem to center around a common theme, or at least a common emotion: melancholy. Continue reading →

An open letter to Ian Sherr, on the eve of your marriage to my best friend.

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Hello, Ian.

I guess we knew this day was coming for a while now—although the two of you have been engaged for less than a year, it was pretty clear from the first conversation I had with Laura after her date with “the opera singer” that you’d be sticking around. And perhaps your knowledge of me did not come as soon as that first date, but now, after years and years of visits, and phone calls, and Facebook bantering, well, I’m sure you’ve resolved I’m probably here for the long haul, too.

So here we are. Continue reading →

You take the good, you take the bad, you take ‘em both and there you have…

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So today wasn’t my most stellar day, between showing up to my doctor’s appointment on the wrong day and running out of gas on the side of the road. But some good things happened, too. I was reminded there are friends in my life willing to buy a can to get me gas, people willing to write the script I need ’til my next appointment, friends willing to help me learn how to properly take hits in derby, and a husband willing to make dumplings at 11 pm when my tired ass finally comes home. So maybe it was a good day after all :)