tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2674887616610990012024-03-13T20:17:15.505-05:00I'm just here for the food...and the fabulous conversation.Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-2128616142339438042009-09-12T08:23:00.000-05:002009-09-12T09:18:33.532-05:00What makes me happy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQz9Nj55AzzqFlWm0-kJynKMbRIGSVwi6sbKvOifb5XCArcQ2lAGEe6MTUDMe32FLS5Dq528M1Wwu5YvabtjkGlJlneSPtr0ZXWWtnh3U9C883rBUhtW8hS38Jt-h023j-y5g48PUgDm5/s1600-h/On+a+Stick.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQz9Nj55AzzqFlWm0-kJynKMbRIGSVwi6sbKvOifb5XCArcQ2lAGEe6MTUDMe32FLS5Dq528M1Wwu5YvabtjkGlJlneSPtr0ZXWWtnh3U9C883rBUhtW8hS38Jt-h023j-y5g48PUgDm5/s320/On+a+Stick.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380585093740781410" border="0" /></a><br />I decided to finally be honest with myself the other day and come to terms with the fact that I love food. Certainly not the most earth-shattering statement, but I think it has more meaning in the context of where I currently am in life. When I was little I wanted to be a chef. And then a doctor or a paramedic. Which I think is how I ended up as a dietitian - I tried to combine the two. Help solve people's problems one bite at a time. It took me 4 years to realize that in the dietitian/patient relationship, I was the only one who loved food. And that made me sad.<br /><br />So, I went off to become a captain of (the healthcare) industry, and get my business degree. But when it came time to find a healthcare job, I couldn't find anything I was passionate about, or really wanted to do. I interviewed with food manufacturing companies, who wouldn't touch me with a 10-ft pole because I was a dietitian (or 'food nazi', which I think was the preferred term). I ended up taking a job in marketing, figuring I'd learn how to be sucessful in business and then marry it back up with my love of food at some point. That was 3 years ago. I'm still figuring it out.<br /><br />Now, I genuinely enjoy what I do for a living - but if you were to ask me what the one thing is that I am passionate about, what really floats my boat, I'd have to say food. It's always been food. I take cooking classes whenever I get the chance. Vacations are largely centered around what we're going to eat when we are there. Going out to try new restaurants is a hobby, not some occasional thing. I have a kitchen full of gadgets, and cook as often as I can. Collecting recipes fron magazines and the web is almost a fetish (I get that whole hoarding thing from my mom). And lately, I've been reading food blogs on a daily basis - I have 20 or so bookmarked that I visit often for inspiration.<br /><br />Where am I going with all this? Well, dear reader, I have decided that it's time for me to start food blogging, too. I need somewhere to be creative and follow my passion - all for the good of my fellow man! I had another blog for a while where I was doing local restaurant reviews, but it seems to be lost to the ether of Blogspot, and I'm not sure I'll ever get it back (too bad, it was a good URL). So, it only makes sense to turn this blog into a food blog. I know some of you will be sad not to read about my dating escapades (which is where the name for this blog originated) and the rest of my personal life, but I think this change is for the better.<br /><br />So, come back soon. It's going to take me some time to get up to speed, and make this a good site that you'll want to return to. But I'm ready to succumb to my passion, for all to see. In the infamous words of the AA oath - "My name is Adrienne, and I am a foodaholic". Enjoy.Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-68046743572945896532009-08-06T22:17:00.000-05:002009-08-06T22:53:23.366-05:00New BeginningsI've recently begun an all-out assault on the health problems that have been belaboring me for the past 7 months (daily nausea and headaches that are seemingly unexplainable), and a strange thought occurred to me yesterday: I have always assumed that if I can get treatment to end the headaches, I will become the more cheery, positive version of myself that has ceased to exist these days. But what if the real Adrienne is actually just a bitch? What if the chiropractor, the rolfing appointments and the myriad medical tests rid me of not only my symptoms, but also my niceness? Could it be possible that curing my pain will not be a panacea to an idyllic life, as I had thought, but instead leave me more time to dwell on the negative? It's anyone's guess. Kind of makes you wonder, though.<br /><br />So I am off to the chiropractor tomorrow for my first adjustment. Hopefully all goes well and I will live to see another day of witty prose for the blog. If not, and he snaps my neck like a twig, I do NOT recommend going to Dr. Hilpisch in Lake Elmo, MN. Ha ha... In all seriousness, I think this is going to be really good for me, so fingers crossed.<br /><br />I'll leave you with my other deep thought of the week - Wild Cherry Pepsi tastes like Pepsi with Cough Syrup in it. I only realized this a few days ago, and wondered how I never realized it before. Yuk.Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-47829310060397418432009-02-24T12:32:00.000-06:002009-02-24T13:03:41.568-06:00Live like you mean itI found out this morning that the head of the studio where I have my photo shoots done for work died yesterday, at the age of 59. Quite a shame - Terry was a really nice guy, and widely respected among the art community in Minneapolis. He will be missed.<br /><br />It got me to thinking about how much time any one of us actually has left (my dad is convinced he is 'leaving the planet' at 84...), and what you choose to spend your time doing until that day comes. For me, I think that means taking a harder look at my job, and figuring out what it is I <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> want to be doing. It is making sure to let my friends and family know on a daily basis that they are loved, and that I value having them in my life. And it is being proactive about things in my personal life that cause me stress or unhappiness, and getting them sorted out. No more going through the motions - it's time to be selfish, be bold, and start <span style="font-style: italic;">living</span> again.<br /><br />What I was going to write about, before I heard this news, was that I was weak over the weekend, and went on a little shopping spree. But the majority of my purchases were in preparation for the dogsledding trip I am going on this weekend - necessities for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Where I was feeling a little guilty before, I now view it as a means to an end (isn't that all earning money really is anyway?). So, while I will continue to be conscious of my frivolous spending behavior, I think if spending supports the enjoyment of life, then what's bad about that?Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-28573121532613435102009-02-20T10:44:00.000-06:002009-02-20T11:01:47.025-06:00Happiness under $20I remember getting a handout in college that listed things that made people happy that were free. I don't know if that was supposed to inspire us as poor college students, or if it was some sort of mental health exercise. But I took it to heart, thinking that there were plenty of things under $10 (let's be realistic, $ is essential to survive) that made me happy at the time.<br /><br />Now that I'm older (and make a little more money), the same holds true - which is why for my experiment this month, I decided to limit non-essential purchases to under $20 per occasion. Case in point would be what I spent on Wednesday, when I wasn't feeling well and just needed to veg out - $11 for organic milk and 2 boxes of cereal (one good-for-you and one kind of good-for-you), and $4.27 for 2 DVD's out of RedBox (yes, I returned them a day late...). Happiness!<br /><br />Here are some other things that fall into that category:<br />- Movie tickets for 2<br />- Bottle of wine<br />- Chinese takeout on a Friday night watching 'What Not to Wear'<br />- A new pair of earrings<br />- Class at our local Co-op<br />- 3 pitchers of beer after curling<br />- Tickets to the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra<br />- Book for Book Club (only if it's a good one)<br />- Couple of games of bowling plus shoe rental<br />- Dessert and Coffee for 2 at Cafe Latte<br />- 5-6 drinks on Karaoke night at the Uptown VFW (don't even need that much alcohol - it's the karaoke that makes the night! And yes, their drinks really are that cheap...)<br /><br />So, I'd challenge you, in this economic cesspool, to redefine what happiness means to you, and how much $ it takes you to achieve it. You might be surprised what you find out.Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-2814493672072982432009-02-18T18:01:00.000-06:002009-02-18T18:14:48.395-06:00Catch upOops - how did a whole week go by without a post? Last week was was fairly uneventful, I guess. Couple of lunches out, that was about it. We went to a curling tournament in northern MN for the weekend, so the end of the week was spent getting things together for the trip. Some were a little frivolous ($40 for car snacks - for 4 people, mind you. And there was some healthy stuff in there...), but others were well worth it ($10 for toe warmers to curl in - my feet get horribly cold on the ice). And the weekend was pretty cheap over all, only bought a few meals and didn't drink a ton.<br /><br />The piece-de-resistance is that I got double-billed for the hotel room, so I called Orbitz to refund my $, and ended up spending $35 less than I thought it would be. Actually, I made about $20, bec our traveling companions had already paid me for the room. I'll buy them beer the next time we are at the club :)<br /><br />Overall, still not a lot of unnecessary spending going on. Last night I found a meter on the street downtown, and saved $5 parking to go to dinner (also free). I spent $19.47 (under $20!) downloading Motown songs from iTunes to make a valentine's double-CD for Andy (well worth it to listen to good music, imo). Otherwise, just gas and groceries. And $4 today for some drugs - if it cures my supposed job-induced ulcer, that will be the best $ I've spent all month!Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-2131417478590096242009-02-10T13:52:00.001-06:002009-02-10T14:12:51.276-06:00That's more like itSo, as expected, last week was a bit of an anomaly. But I still think I'm doing well. Recap of the weekend:<br /><ul><li>Friday night - Movie and snacks at the movie because I was running late and didn't get to grab something beforehand ($8.50 for a not-so-soft pretzel and a hot dog? Please...)</li><li>Saturday - Car wash (free, bec I bought a book of 5 last month), filled up on gas, groceries for dinner. I think that was it. I spent the rest of the day cleaning and putting the Xmas decorations back down in the storage unit. I felt really productive :)</li><li>Sunday - $0, I think. Only had a few free hours, spent most of the day curling, and we lost both games so the beer was free (that is one of the best rules in curling or any other sport!). </li></ul>Yesterday I bought lunch on the way to the photo shoot that wouldn't end (hopefully soon), which I ate too fast and made me sick - this morning I had to go buy an assortment of antacids (I really think I have an ulcer, but want to be able to cover indigestion off with the nurse when she accuses me of being a hypochondriac and tells me to go chug some pepto). And I bought soup for lunch today, which I was able to keep down. Small wins.<br /><br />Overall, I feel like I have kept the unnecessary spending to a minimum. No clothes so far this month (yay!). I do, unfortunately, have to pay for 3 separate vacation-type things in February, due to timing - 1) the bonspiel (curling tournament) that we are going to this weekend in Detroit Lakes; 2) the dogsledding weekend at the end of the month; and 3) plane tix for the Vancouver Olympics next Feb (want to buy them as soon as they go on sale to get a good deal). But I think restricting the clothes shopping and other unnecessary expenses will go a long way towards covering some of the travel stuff. And I have been really good about paying with cash for meals, movie tickets, etc. I've only used my credit card for groceries and gas in the past week and a half. Now I just need to bring my lunch the rest of the week, and I'm halfway there!Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-23251135722091035152009-02-06T13:26:00.000-06:002009-02-06T13:53:45.027-06:00Frugal Farce? (End of week 1)So, I've been pretty good the rest of this week. Wednesday saw only a quick bite at Wendy's on the way to curling. Yesterday, I paid $5 to park at target on Nicollet so I could go to an alumni thing (free), and then parked (free - after 6 parking meter) and met Andy and his brother for some drinks and apps (free - gift card) afterwards at Town Hall Brewery.<br /><br />Today the only expenses I am envisioning are possibly some groceries for dinner, if I feel like cooking, and I will treat myself to a movie ticket to 'He's Just Not That Into You' (it's the only decent thing playing and Andy is in Rochester tonight) - And no, the movie title has no bearing on our relationship :)<br /><br />All that being said, I think this was kind of an unusual week to start this experiment. I was at a photo shoot all week, where lunch and snacks are always provided. Having said that, though, I am burning through twice as much gas as usual driving 70 miles a day to Edina and back, so filling up my car tonight probably will probably cancel out this savings. And I am stocked up on most necessities (toiletries, breakfast food, etc), so I haven't had to buy those. But overall, I am proud of myself for resisting the temptation to buy. When opportunities presented themselves, I said no. Times were that I used to pop into Target just to see what was new, or go to the mall to kill a few hours. So, at least I have some willpower in that department :)Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-83941626827050805332009-02-03T18:24:00.000-06:002009-02-03T18:37:26.732-06:00Frugality continues (aka: Days 2 and 3)I am spending more, but doing well. My only expenses yesterday were the bottle of wine and chips and salsa that I am taking to wine club this evening (paid with cash, since this is an 'extra'), and two yellow peppers, a box of linguine and a packet of gum for dinner (well, not the gum). I already had the onions and the sausage at home. Today I ended up buying lunch running between cross-town meetings ($5). That's it.<br /><br />I am currently blogging from a Panera while I wait to go to wine club, and I have resisted the urge to buy something (since I always feel guilty about using the wireless if I am not technically a customer, but screw it) - there will be goodies at wine club in an hour, and I have an apple and a leftover cheeseburger in my bag from lunch (it's amazing how well McDonald's cheeseburgers keep... slight paradox in that I am reading 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle' at the Panera, as well...).<br /><br />Today I also resisted the urge to buy a plane ticket to meet Andy in Arizona a few weekends from now (more of a scheduling thing than anything, but still a win!), or kill the past 2 hours at the mall, since I was avoiding traffic and needed to be on this side of town this evening. I so would have gone window shopping in the past. However, I did not resist the chocolate-coffee frosted brownie offered to me at the photo studio. Oops. At least it was free. That's what I'll tell myself when I step on the scale tomorrow morning...<br /><br />And my last thought today is that I just read on CNN that doctors explanted a woman's kidney through her vagina. Cool.Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-62014937138395314832009-02-01T23:17:00.000-06:002009-02-01T23:28:00.568-06:00Frugality, Day 1So, the first full day of my experiment was relatively easy. Andy bought all the food for the SuperBowl party we were attending, all I had to bring over were some cooking utensils. I had intended to go grocery shopping today, but never got around to it (which is really a good thing, since I am working off-site all week, and won't need lunches or many dinners - so I didn't really need any food in the first place. Grocery shopping tends to be a habit, I guess).<br /><br />We spent $20 on bets at the SuperBowl party, of which Andy won $10 for predicting the correct score at halftime, and $50 for a pre-determined bet on the winning team (out of the 12 playoff teams). So, I got my $20 back on the ride home.<br /><br />Day 1 cost: $0. Feeling somewhat in control of my $: Priceless. I don't pretend to think that it will be this easy every day, but kind of a nice way to ease into it. On an unrelated (but fortuitous) note, I learned tonight that Restaurant Week in the Twin Cities is March 1-6. Hooray for the timing on that one, because I will be eating out every night that week, and breaking my $20 rule for 6 consecutive days :)Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-25502487670773191522009-01-31T21:30:00.000-06:002009-01-31T23:57:13.160-06:00Frugal FebruaryGiven the current horrid state of the economy, I've decided to try an experiment. For the entire month of February, I am going to watch what I spend. I've never bothered to keep a budget before - as long as my credit card gets paid off every month, I don't really track my money all that much. Bad Adrienne...<br /><br />So, for the next 28 days, I will be limiting what I spend - which is both an exercise in self-control, as well as prudence (I know more people who have been laid off in the past 4 months than I can count on one hand). I've decided on a few ground rules:<br /><br />1. Must bring lunch to work 3 days per week.<br />2. Non-essential spending is limited to less than $20 per occasion (limiting my costly clothes-shopping habit, hopefully).<br />3. Leave my credit card in the car - small purchases to be made with cash only.<br /><br />So, we'll see how I do. Goal is to cut down on my credit card spending, and start growing my 6 month emergency fund. Much like a corporation, cash is king. Time to get some assets on my balance sheet :) Happy saving to you all!Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-89189612767431601942008-12-01T18:44:00.000-06:002008-12-01T18:56:24.427-06:00ResurrectionThe blog is back. Maybe it's because I need to get some things off my chest. Or maybe it's because I am not a quitter. Or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">maybe</span> it's just something that only happens in the winter when there is nothing else to do (see last post in JUNE).<br /><br />At any rate, the witty <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">repartee is </span>back. Stay tuned...Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-11526076235063649612008-06-30T15:16:00.001-05:002008-06-30T18:47:19.249-05:00Happy Pride!So, my parents were in town this weekend - looking for some entertainment, we took them to the Pride parade in Mpls yesterday morning. What a good time! I learned a lot of things - 1) Most stickers in the world are printed for political campaigns, 2) Al Franken is a short man, 3) You can make almost anything out of a pair of high heels, leather straps and tulle, 4) Cameras seem to stop working at the most inopportune times (like when a white terrier painted like a rainbow flag walks by).<br /><br />However, the thing that struck me the most was how involved the gay community seems to be. There were groups of every description - gay Jews, gay Athiests, gay Catholics (funnily placed right behind the athiests...), a gay hockey team, the Mpls Gay Men's Chorus, the Pride Band, riders from the gay rodeo, lesbian bikers, the list goes on and on. And not only were there lots of gay activists, but lots of people who support the GLBT community - PFLAG, Rainbow Families, Politicians (hopefully genuine), Chipotle (my new favorite restaurant doing good in their local community), myriad corporate clubs promoting diversity (3M was NOT among them). It struck me how proud gays are not only to be out, but to be out doing good in the community, not just for themselves, but for others, too. That a group of people can be proud of a community, which does not necessarily return them the favor, is very humbling indeed.<br /><br />So, Happy Pride to one and all!<br /><br />PS - on a separate note, I hate my job.Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-54412679317797932412008-04-21T10:37:00.000-05:002008-04-21T10:41:52.282-05:00Lovely DaySpring has finally arrived in Minneapolis/St. Paul (it's only a month late...) - yesterday we officially hit 70 degrees, and it was gorgeous. Made my search for a new apt, with a patio so I can BBQ, even more relevant. Spent the afternoon looking at places, then went over to a friend's house for some burgers and stayed late around the fire pit as the stars came out, sipping watermelon screwdrivers. What a perfect end to a lovely day :)Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-43826000640208221382008-04-17T23:07:00.000-05:002008-04-17T23:23:32.294-05:00IronyThe last place one would expect to step in a big pile of shit is in a bathroom. Am I wrong? Seriously - you'd expect to step in shit out on the street somewhere, but not indoors, on a pristine bathroom floor.<br /><br />Well, things can't get any stranger, because this morning, I stepped in a big pile of shit - IN THE LADIES' ROOM AT WORK! Are you fucking kidding me?! I was talking to someone when I went in the stall and didn't even notice until I had stepped smack in the middle of it. Things haven't been swell at work the last few weeks, so this is either a metaphor come to life, or a sign from above. Oh, the irony...<br /><br />I cannot believe that someone would make a mess on the floor, and not attempt to clean it up. I surely hope it was an accident - I can understand if we were in the bathroom at a bus station, or on Bourbon St in New Orleans (yes, human feces on the ground here, too), but in the bathroom of a fortune 500 company?! I never knew women could be so un-hygenic.<br /><br />No way am I going to become a lesbian now!Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-10444352241032755352008-04-11T21:06:00.000-05:002008-04-11T21:43:27.090-05:00Duck, duck... grey duck?It's funny how often you learn something new. I learned quite a few new things this week.<br /><br />1. I learned that I can sing Aretha Franklin at the end of a long night of Karaoke and (almost) pull it off. Set stretch goals, and go out and get them (some beer and a supportive group of friends doesn't hurt, either).<br /><br />2. Work. On the upside, this week I learned that loyalty and trust are two of the most important qualities I value in people. On the downside, I learned that upper management at 3M do not possess either of these qualities.<br /><br />3. By far, the most interesting thing I learned was that in St. Paul, kids don't play duck, duck, goose - they play duck, duck, grey duck. WTF? Minnesotan humor, apparently. You can mess with people this way - "duck, duck, duck, green duck... Gotcha! I said green duck, not grey duck." Kids playing games of semantics? Kind of messed up, if you ask me.Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-62452665591271295332008-03-21T23:49:00.000-05:002008-03-22T00:04:56.020-05:00Ex-Boyfriends and ResolutionsSo, I am once again single. Got me thinking about the good and the bad of recent relationships, and some of the things that have rubbed off on me along the way. From Matt in '07 I picked up drinking organic milk. Tastes sooo much better, I highly recommend it if you have not had the chance. From Adam in '06, I got my cool dining room art installation (ok, really just a bunch of picture frames strategically hung, but I like it). And from my most recent Ex, Scott, I picked up the combination of wine over $10 (come on, we're not in college anymore) and really good dark chocolate. Food is a very personal thing for me, so I guess I choose to remember the good times by the foods my exes leave behind :)<br /><br />...which leads to my resolutions for spring 2008:<br />1) Keep up the gym (see last resolutions post).<br />2) Continue having a life and leaving work at a reasonable hour (ditto).<br />3) Be single. Be celibate. Now, I know this one is likely to cause a stir, the least of which is because I have kept many friends entertained over the years with my dating escapades. It's time for a little break, for me to get back to understanding what I want out of life, and of relationships in general. And I can't do that if I date every Tom, Dick and Harry (or in MN - Lars, Sven and Erik) that comes along. So, if I'm not going to be dating, then I'm not going to be sleeping with people, either. It's time for a karmic cleansing - no boys allowed!Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-88415974122270288792008-01-12T08:17:00.000-06:002008-01-12T08:36:08.854-06:00Romeo and Juliet for the Next GenerationLast night I went to a YPG cocktail party featuring the opera being performed this month, Romeo and Juliet. Met a couple of nice new people to hang out with, got to drink wine and enjoy the eye candy (the guy playing Romeo was there, and he is freaking hot! Good job, casting director...).<br /><br />One of the more interesting things we did was play a party game (hear the excitement in my voice) where we explored how the story of R&J has lasted throughout the ages, and made it into contemporary songs, film, etc. I especially liked when the 60-year old woman leading the game attempted to read some lyrics from a Lil' Bow Wow song... We were charged to write our own version of the famous balcony scene, showing it in a new light. A lot of people modernized it, making Romeo a cat burglar and Juliet wondering how he got past all her security. Another group put R&J in a nursing home to show 'old love' (there was lots of diaper-changing going on, I was a little grossed out). My partner Zach and I decided to use that iconic series of Apple commercials as our inspiration. And here it is (DISCLAIMER: written in 5 minutes. Lots of wine involved.):<br /><br />A: Hi, I'm a MAC.<br />Z: Hi, I'm a PC.<br /> Wow... you're so sleek and creative.<br />A: I'm sorry - I can't understand you. We run on different operating systems.<br />Z: With your electromagnetic field, I am drawn to you.<br />A: If IT sees you they will make you obsolete!<br />Z: I'd rather be traded in for a new model than leave the desk we share.<br />A: But if you're not hooked up to the network, they'll never find you!<br />Z: I would give up anything, even the network, to share files with you...<br />A: Oh no - I'm going into sleep mode! Talk to you later.<br />Z: Wait, don't go! My data exchange is imminent!<br />A: Oh - I'll turn on my telemetry, now that we both run on windows...<br />Z: Oh, MAC<br />A: Oh, PC!<br />THE ENDAdriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-87633416755384873692008-01-01T09:49:00.000-06:002008-12-01T18:40:22.336-06:00ResolutionsHappy 2008 to you all! I like this time of year because it gives one pause to reflect and think about the personal improvements they would like to achieve. Resolving to be a better person - that's pretty cool if you stop to think about it. Jan 1 should be the most optimistic day of the year! For a while now, I have set what I call 'seasonal resolutions', which give you the opportunity to work on something for 3 months, and then reassess the situation. This system has a much higher rate of return than typical NYE resolutions - 1 year is just too long! I think the other key to keeping resolutions is making sure they have measurable outcomes. You can't just say you want to do something more, you need to quantify it.<br /><br />That being said, here are my winter resolutions for 2008:<br /><strong>1. Go to the gym a minimum of 3 days a week.</strong> (Anyone who knows me well knows how much I loathe the gym, although I have belonged to the YWCA across from my house for the last 1 1/2 years. I joined and then didn't set foot inside for 11 months. I considered my monthly membership fee a donation to charity!)<br /><strong>2. Experience culinary tourism one weekday and one weekend day each week. </strong>(One of my passions in life is food, and I made a rule when I moved to MN that I couldn't repeat a restaurant within 3 months, so I would force myself to get out and try new things. I still have that rule, but I have fallen off the exploring wagon of late, and need to get back on or I'll go crazy!)<br /><strong>3. Twice a week I will leave work at 5:00 and NOT bring my computer home. </strong>(Hello, my name is Adrienne and I am a workaholic. Some days I wish I was married simply for the fact that married people at work seem to only work 8-5 - how is it that us singletons get stuck there until the wee hours? In the last 3 months there hasn't been a single day or weekend that I haven't brought my laptop home, which is after already being the last person in the office. I need to regain control of my personal life. We'll see how I do - of the 3, this will be the most challenging for me.)<br /><br />Something that I think makes resolutions successful is not having too many (3 is plenty), and making sure that you have one that you will almost certainly be able to achieve, and one that will be more of a stretch goal. Resolutions should make you feel good about yourself, but at the same time, help you grow as a person.<br /><br />You may have noticed that my winter resolutions are a bit selfish - damn right. I learned a very important lesson in 7th grade homeroom that you can't take care of the people you care about unless you take care of yourself first (It's just like the oxygen masks on airplanes - put yours on before helping children and senior citizens). Needless to say, I have been neglecting myself lately, and that has to stop before I can be effective in helping for the greater good. But just so you don't think I'm a total asshole, here are some of the other resolutions that I want to work on at some point in the near future. I just can't figure out how to quantify them...<br />- Become a mentor<br />- Volunteer<br />- Be more green, beyond just recycling<br />- Be energy conscious<br />- Eat at restaurants/buy foods that are more organic, sustainable, seasonal and that support local producers<br />- Be more transparent in my personal relationships<br />- Keep in touch with loved ones more<br />- Learn to logroll (I assure you, this is not for me - this is for you, as I will have hilarious stories from this one...)<br /><br />So, there is what to expect of my life in the near future. As for the past, 2007 was a pretty memorable year. I went to my first NASCAR race. I was an on-air personality on Martha Stewart's satellite radio channel. I watched an Italian opera outdoors in a 2,000 year-old Roman amphitheater. I ate my share of things on a stick at the state fair. I karaoke-d Sweet Child of Mine for the first time, and brought down the house. I discovered why you want to finish dental work before you fly, and that airlines carry controlled substances on transatlantic flights. I developed food allergies and migraines, but am slowly figuring out how to manage both. I am learning how to be less judgemental and expand my comfort zone. I have been to numerous weddings and seen the birth of babies, and am in constant awe of the lives my friends lead. My parents are in good health, and my sister has just moved to Minneapolis, which means I will see all of them more often. I am a very lucky person.<br /><br />I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. Do something amazing with it.Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-13082928658564633292007-12-28T15:30:00.000-06:002007-12-28T15:35:06.322-06:00Only in MN (Part 2)I am leaving work in a few hours to go ice fishing for the first time. Holy crap! Ice Fishing?! Yes, that's right. Chances are anything I catch will be tossed back (too small) and not eaten, but I suppose it's more for the experience than anything else. I am really worried I am going to freeze my @$$ off, but then I guess that is what the accompanying liquor is for... :)<br /><br />I would like to tell you all in advance that I love you and will miss you very much, should I fall through the ice and drown. Though I vaguely remember from reading a Jack London novel in high school that freezing to death is one of the more pleasant ways to go - Wish me luck!Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267488761661099001.post-68228187635236860852007-12-18T18:30:00.000-06:002007-12-18T18:36:25.839-06:00Only in MN...I think I have found my true calling! At the winter carnival in St Paul next month, there is going to be a Hotdish Challenge!! Participants are encouraged to send their favorite (only?) hotdish recipe into the contest, and the best 3 will be judged by local radio personalities - with one walking away with the 'Best Hotdish' title. Heady stuff...<br /><br />In other news, I will be going ice fishing for the first time (EVER!) sometime in the next month. I want you all to know I love you and will miss you, should I fall through the ice to a cold death. Poor fish. I'm really just going for an excuse to drink!Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07412826943299612722noreply@blogger.com2