Summer Bucket List

21 days left.  3 weeks!

We've been so busy with packing, working, and fitting in last minute fun.  In the last month or so we've been to the Miami Symphony Orchestra (Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98 and Piano Concert No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15 with Eduardo Marturet as the conductor and Philippe Entremont on the piano), A La Folie, Fox's Sherron Inn, the arcade, an Italian Greyhound meet-up in Broward County, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden with Emmy, Lan Pan Asian Cafe, dim sum at South Garden (twice), Bahama Breeze dinner with my office mates, lunch with some professors at Peru Criollo, and some drinks with my friends on Miracle Mile -first at John Martin's for Happy Hour and finishing the night at 100 Montaditos to soak up some of that liquor, but they had good sangria too! ;)  J and I have also managed to sneak in a last meal at Ms. Cheezious a couple of weeks ago. 

Farewell to my favorite Miami Food Truck!

Close-up of a Rainbow Eucalyptus from FTBG

The Cannonball Tree at FTGB is in bloom this month!

You can see where it gets it's name from...

Ending our evening out at 100 Montaditos

During that time I've still be volunteering, reading towards my goal of 85 books in 2013, and making a lot of crafts.  I made a project for J's friends that I cannot wait to show you, but for now it needs to stay a secret!  I also made little glass ornaments that were almost like cards for my office-mates.  On the front it showed their initial and on the back was a small saying of appreciation.  I embellished with dangling beads and keys that said Memory, Love, and Heart.  I didn't get a picture of them, but I plan on making one for my Craft Night friend.  I also finished my secret project for my future sister-in-law.  I've been busy! :)

We have some plans for what we want to fit in while we are still here.  We're hoping to get some good pictures of the graffiti at Wynnwood, some of the trees in Coral Gables, FIU campus, pictures off of the Rickenbocker, maybe of the Venetian Pool from the inside, the Country Club Prado promenade, us by my favorite pink snail sculpture, and picture/video of our Coral Way drive home.  I want to take a picture walk and get some of the smaller details too: the awesome tile at the library, a close-up of Miami oolite rock, the lions at the nearby bank, and more.  Right now J takes almost all of the pictures for this blog and has to e-mail them to me.  I wish I had an iPhone to take pictures of those small moments from my daily life that make me smile... maybe this summer.

Which brings me to the main point of this post: Our Summer Bucket List.  We will have less than 30 days in Wisconsin to see all the special folks, visit the places we love, and eat the food we've missed.  While talking to J, I ticked off on my fingers all of the people we're making plans with, events to attend, things to do, and mini-excursions to plan and it was more than one thing a day.  We'll be busy.  Here is -some- of our Summer Bucket List:

1. Join this century and get an iPhone
2. Visit Greenfield News and Hobby with Dad
3. Madison (definitely going out, definitely eating some yummy food, definitely seeing friends, definitely visiting the arboretum, probably hitting up State Street, the Chazen, and MoMA)
4. Make a trek up to MN to see a very special friend and her very adorable baby
5. Check out the Rusty Quarters arcade (J and I love arcades!) while in MN
6. Visit with J's high school buddy and his lovely girlfriend in MN
7. Go to my family's cabin
8. Tailgate at a Brewer's Game (for J)
9. Go back to my old sanctuary: The Milwaukee Art Museum
10. Comet Cafe for Old Fashioneds and oh-so-bad-for-you-but-oh-so-good food
11. Brewery Tour
12. Red Raspberry Frozen Custard at Kopp's
13. American Science and Surplus to see if we can get some funny stuff for our new apartment
14. Date at Alterra and Discovery World
15. The Dentist! (I love my dentist.)
16. Girl Day with my future sister-in-law
17. Treat our newlywed friends to dinner (we are leaving Miami the day they get married!)
18. Meet up with an old friend from middle school
19. Bake a Rhubarb and Raspberry pie with my grandma
20. Special Dinner with the 'rents
21. Enjoy time with my new puppy-sister
22. Barbeque with the Z's
23. Makin' stuff with Mom
24. Visitors! Emmy and her boyfriend might come to WI to see where we're from
25. Dream Items: karaoke, paintball, and/or laser tag!

Of course, there are more items that are more personal and specific to special peeps in our lives, but you get the general idea.

I have missed some Wisconsin things and Wisconsin people, but I have realized there are people and things that I will miss down here in Miami (despite still not being too too fond of the place).  I found a little family here that I will miss terribly.  Everyone in my office is on to bigger and better things, but we've all expressed the sentiment that we're going to miss our team and the well-oiled machine that we've become.  These people made me feel loved and cared for here.  I didn't make a lot of friends, but I think the friends I've made are quality friends and I hope they come to visit me and my new life in Seattle.

Now I'm off to clean the bathroom and maybe try my hand at a new recipe.  Catch you later.

Things I'll Miss and Things I Won't...

We have been in Miami now since August 2010.  We're leaving at the end of June 2013.  We're just two months shy of three years.  Don't worry, I'm not wishing to spend any additional time here!  The impending departure has both J and I waxing poetic on some things... and saying, "Oh my God, I won't miss this!" on other things.  So, I thought I'd do a quick catalog of what I will miss and what I won't miss.

I'll Will Miss You...

• No snow.  I hated getting up early to brush my car off.  I hated driving in snow.  I had a couple of close calls thanks to a car that lacks ABS breaks.  I didn't like driving in fog, either.  
• MY CAR! We're not taking it with us to Seattle.  I'm really mourning this loss.  To me a car represents freedom.  And I own it fair and square.  It is mine, and soon it won't be.  I have to learn stick-shift in order to be able to drive in Seattle because J's car is manual.  I hate riding the bus (I get terrible car sickness and the smell of buses makes me woozy) but I'm going to have to take it in to campus for work three days a week, so I'll have to get used to it.
•  Free time.  I won't have time to tinker or read when I'm struggling to keep up in school work.  I did a good job of making the most of my free time in Miami.  I read oodles and oodles.  I also volunteered almost three hours every week.  I'll be happy to get some time to watch my favorite shows when I'm not doing school work, work work, or sight seeing!
• Craft Night.  I enjoyed having people to craft with.  We didn't do it every week, but we did it fairly regularly and I liked feeling like a part of a family, even if it was for two hours on a Tuesday.  Crafting, for me, is enhanced by chatting while my hands are working.
• Living 7 blocks from the library.  In Miami I learned how to request books and I utilized the service to the fullest.  It saved me a lot of money to borrow books.  Reading copious amounts helped ease my loneliness here.  In the last year and a half, I've kept myself so busy with reading and volunteering that I don't feel lonely anymore.
• Living in Coral Gables.  It really is "City Beautiful."  The trees are gorgeous and I felt at ease living under their green canopy.  I don't know that I'll ever get to live in such a tree-filled neighborhood again.  The buildings are gorgeous and I'll miss gawking at them too.
• Bougainvilleas.  Always colorful, no matter the time of the year.  Seeing as I don't plan on living in such a hot, humid place again, I will really miss them.
• My 2 bedroom apartment.  We're downsizing and yet our fur-family grew.  While we strove to be minimalists, we still acquired stuff.  We're selling as much as possible, but sometimes I feel bogged down.  Where will this junk go in our new place?  This was also our first place as a married couple.  We made it home and all of the furniture matched and was new (thanks to wedding money and the reasonably priced IKEA). 
• Croquetas.  It took me awhile to fall in love with them, but now I look forward to mornings when I have time to stop by Bustelo or even Publix for the $0.69 breakfast treats.  
• LAN Pan Asian Cafe.  J and I go here on the regular and we've taken several people to it.  Yummy Asian Nachos.  Yummier sushi platters.  Great service.  Reasonable portions for a reasonable price.  It started to feel like "our place."
• FIU Friends/Family.  The ladies in my office feel like my family away from MKE.  I've celebrated holidays and birthdays with them.  They've been there for me and laughed with me.  We've disagreed and we've made up.  They made me feel welcome in this hard city.  I'll miss some of the students I work with, too.  They were the closest to me, age-wise, so I always enjoyed chatting with a few of them.  I'll also miss some of the teachers.  Many of them did things to make us feel appreciated.  Many of them made me laugh.  I learned a lot during my two years in the real-world working.

Goodbye and Good Riddance to...

• Rude Peeps.  This city is known for being really rude.  I'm not going to miss all of those people that acted like butt-munches.
• Healthcare.  J and I received some really horrible service regarding healthcare down here (both of us, multiple times each).  My dogs get better care from our vet than we got from some doctors.  I do have two good specialists I see, but it took me a long while to find one of them.
• Identity Theft.  South Florida is notorious for it and between J and I we've had our Credit Card/Debit Card information stolen/compromised five times.  So frustrating.  I hate the bozos who do that kind of stuff.
• Dumb Drivers.  Okay, we don't have the worst traffic in the country, but I think we have some of the cruddiest drivers.  They pull fast and dangerous moves.  They are always on their phones or having animated discussions with others in the car.  I see a fender bender (or more than one) almost every day!  ..and I only drive to work and back and while keeping errands to a minimum.  The month I worked that terrible job in Fort Lauderdale frayed my nerves with the commute alone.
• The Heat (temperature, not the basketball team... but I could care less about them too.) Oh. My. Word.  I am a sweaty individual.  My dad and brothers have the gene too.  But I'm a girl.  I'm not supposed to be this disheveled looking!  I avoided the outdoors so much that I'm really pale now.  The lightest colored Too Faced BB Cream is called Snow Glow and it is too dark for my pasty skin.  But I don't worry too much because it doesn't stay on me long since I'M SO DAMN SWEATY ALL THE TIME.  Ugh.  
• Mold/Mildew.  It's humid and we live in an old apartment with cruddy A/Cs and no fan in our bathroom.  A neat-freak like me finds this to be a nightmare.  I know Seattle will have it's fair share of mold/mildew (everything is covered in moss there), but we're moving into a newer place that will have fans and less build up gunk.
• DUST.  A/Cs seem to kick up a lot of dust.  My work desk is dusty and my house is dustier.  I now know that I cannot own dark furniture without going crazy.  It shows every speck of dust and cat hair.  We eventually shaved Tashi to cut down on her tufts of hair flying around and because she is hot too- she's sitting in front of the A/C as it is on full-blast as I type this.  In our next place I am planning on lighter furniture.  Hopefully there will be less dust.
• Lizards.  They're fast and they make me nervous.  But their not fast enough that I don't see their little corpses once in awhile.  It totally skeeves me out when they get in the apartment.  Give me spiders and snakes any day.  Yuck.  Enough said.
• Six months of summer.  I could file this away with The Heat, but I miss the change of the seasons.  Right, I know I said I don't miss snow.  But I miss colorful Fall and pretty Spring.  
• Lack of Comfort Food Restaurants.  There will be too many of these in Seattle.  I'm going to have to practice self-discipline.
• Lack of Quality Craft Supply Stores.  But, I won't have time for this stuff in Seattle, so, oh well.
• Crummy Target Stores.  I don't know how corporate Target doesn't shut these locations down and start again from scratch, but I certainly hope Target is better in Seattle.  
• Crummy Shopping, in general.  I have the damnedest time finding clothing that I like down here.  Here's to hoping I won't struggle as much in Seattle.  Also, shopping is the Miami past time, so no matter when you go you can count on the malls/stores being frustratingly full and you might have to pay for parking just to buy your junk.

So, there you go.  Things I'll Miss and Things I Won't... I'm sure I'll have more to add as the next month and couple of days progress, but that's how I feel for now.  :)

2013

2012 has been a full year.  In March I had my 1 year anniversary at work.  I feel like I just started yesterday, then again, there are other days that make me feel like I've been there forever.  In August, just after starting our second year in Miami, J and I added little Lily to our family.  She has been absolutely wonderful.  Ruby and Lily fight like sisters, but snuggle like best buds when they are worn out.  They care for each other and we are so lucky to have such wonderful creatures in our lives.  Joe's family came to visit us in the spring and a college friend of mine came to visit in the summer.  This year I created my Etsy store and made a couple of sales (thank you to all of you who supported me in that endeavor!).  I continued volunteering and taking classes at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens.  I clocked over 100 hours of volunteering in the last year.  I also took an online writing class.  I have been struggling the entire year with sinus problems and I have been in and out of the ENT's office with no results.  I did find out that I am allergy-free, go figure.  I challenged myself to watch classic movies, something I had never really done before.  I am also proud to say that I have completed my goal of reading 75 books in a year.  We hosted our first (small) Thanksgiving and in December we traveled to San Fransisco.  I also started doing free-lance work for a local start-up.  Our holidays were very low-key, which is fine by me.  For Christmas we went out for Chinese food and for New Year's Eve we stayed home and I finished my 75th book.  We celebrated 12:00 am New Year's Day with some sparkling white wine cuddled up with our puppies.  Today J is watching the Rose Bowl (Go Badgers!) and I am trying to tick things off of my to-do list.  Today is also a special day because it marks our seven year anniversary of being a couple.  We went on our first date (mini-golf) on January 1st, 2006.  We're going out to dinner tomorrow.

2013 should be a year of change for us.  We've been taking steps to challenge ourselves in our careers.  J is applying to jobs and Ph.D. programs.  I have been applying to Master's programs in Library and Information Sciences.  We'll see where the year takes us.  We won't be adding another animal to our menagerie.  We have our hands and arms (lovingly) full with our four fur-balls.  But we inevitably end up hosting creatures of all kinds (to babysit for friends, to foster until permanent homes are found).  A move should be in our future, but we don't know where to.  It is hard for life to be so up in the air, but it is, so we just truck on with the daily stuff until then.  I have challenged myself to read 85 books in 2013.  I might have to adjust that number if I get into graduate school.  I'm going to take a short break from Etsy to continue my free-lance work.  Hopefully I can also fit in some volunteer work at a library in addition to Fairchild.  I want to learn how to drive stick-shift.  I've been meaning to learn since we got here and I just need to buckle down and do it.  J's car is stick-shift and it is silly that I don't know how to drive it.  One of my biggest goals is to finish one of the various stories that I have started in 2012.  If it is short enough, I will try publishing it as a Kindle single.

I have been meaning to write about San Fransisco, but I need to edit pictures to go with the post and I was busy with commissions, free-lancing, and finishing my own holiday gifts.  I've been able to recharge my batteries the last two weeks by taking a step back.  In the meantime, here are just a couple of pictures from our trip.

On our first day of the trip, J and I woke up early and walked around Fisherman's Warf.  That is the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, you can't really tell though.

Who parked my truck here?  This is my dream vehicle (okay, aside from a sweet blue Prius).

Everyone who reads this blog knows what a soft spot I have for The Addams Family.  I was really happy to see this game when we went to the penny arcade.  I spent my best $5 of the trip there.

Me in front of Lombard Street, the world's crookedist street.  What a beast to walk up.  This is only two thirds of the way up the hill.  We had walked another horrible hill the previous day and the day after this will always be remembered as the day I almost died on a hike up a hill in Muir Woods.  Brutal.

The worst $0.25 I spent on my trip.  This thing was creepy.  It just belly laughed in the most horrible way possible.

This one is for my mom.  She kept texting, "Did you go to the bridge yet?"  I went to the bridge.  But it was after the horrible hike, so I decided not to walk across the whole thing.

Guest Post: Joe's Miami P.O.V.

It has been a very busy month since Thanksgiving!  We've been to San Fransisco and back.  I've been swamped at work with helping students register and scheduling for Summer and Fall of 2013.  I also had two friends purchase from my Etsy store (thanks E and A!) so I was working on their orders and shipping those out.  I was able to do a little freelance work  to help out a local woman start up a very cool business (which I will tell you more about later).  On top of all of that, I was scrambling to make/buy/send gifts for our families back home.  J and I have also been taking some very serious steps to get ourselves out of Miami and on to our new adventure.  I will write more about San Fransisco when I get a chance, but for now, I asked J to write a guest post to give you his take on life in Miami:

This is Joe, Becca's husband (I think I am referred to as "J" in this blog even though I don't care if she uses my name). Becca asked me to do a blog post about Miami from my perspective, hopefully I don't repeat anything:

My view of Miami is different than Becca's because I came down here with a distinct purpose: my grad school appointment was already set and I literally began classes the day that we arrived. It's much different arriving at a new place with a built-in network of people sharing similar interests (i.e. grad students who can bond by telling stories of long hours of studying and research). In addition, our grad school (like any other) is made up of people form all over the place, so most of us share the same general beliefs about Miami (that is, we don't really like it). There is of course a stronger Florida and Caribbean influence than other places, but even most of the Floridians are from other places (often Ft. Lauderdale) which are entirely different than Miami. As they say, "The best part about Miami is how close it is to the United States!"

Now, saying we don't really like Miami might seem wrong to you, especially since I am writing this with the windows open on Christmas day and nice 75 degree breeze blowing in and you are probably freezing your butt off somewhere up north for the next 4 months. So I might say to you, come down and visit us, and I'll prove to you what this place is really like. However, you will probably end up liking it because Miami knows how to treat its tourists and you will have a great time seeing all the cool things that Becca has posted pictures of in this blog. It can be a little awkward to be a local going to some of these tourist traps, but our pale white skin and (still persistent) northern accents blend right in. For instance, we went to Fairchild botanic garden yesterday and didn't hear a single word of Spanish for like 3 hours. That is probably a record. Although sometimes the Spanish speakers are tourists also, usually from South America, so they probably feel right at home here. Miami Beach is very culturally diverse, it is popular with both European and South American tourists, and of course also as a spot for wandering 20-somethings to live for a few years.

The day to day experience is much different outside of the beach area. First of all, we have to deal with the traffic, which is definitely the #1 complaint that I hear about Miami. The traffic volume isn't necessarily that bad here, many other big cities are worse and they have made an effort to improve the highways in Florida. The issue is that people drive very poorly. I think there are a number of causes for that--too many BMWs and Mercedes on the road, people chatting with abuela in Cuba on the way to work, and maybe just that Miami tends to wake up late (service economy) and everyone rushes to work around 9:00. Rush hour peaks about 60-90 minutes later here than the Midwest, if you are on the road at 7:30-8 you will have no problems. Other people we have talked to don't like how much Spanish is used here, but it isn't really a big deal to me. I'm a blonde boy so I don't look like I can speak Spanish and almost everyone can speak English even if they don't want to at first.  (Becca is often mistaken for Cuban, go figure.)  Rudeness is definitely a major problem, again that is something that you will rarely see in tourist heavy areas we encounter it all the time in places like Target. Running errands is never a pleasant experience here. At the beginning it was especially bad, now we generally know which places to go to and which to avoid (voicing our opinion with the almighty dollar). It seems like the average person doesn't care, otherwise some of the notoriously bad places wouldn't be in business. Much of the reason they are in business comes down to perspective, if we grew up in Cuba instead of squeaky-clean Milwaukee suburbs, we probably would just be happy to be here too.

As for other interesting observations, I can give you this:

1. In Florida, the farther north you go, the more "Southern" it gets.

2. Florida might be full of old people, but most of them don't live in Miami. This is a very young city, there are lots of people in their 20s and 30s with kids. You have to go west to Naples or north to Palm Beach to find the retirees. Fun fact: Sunrise, FL used to be named "Sunset" but the chamber of commerce must have decided they didn't like the connotation.

3. When the temperature drops below 60 degrees, people dress like there is a blizzard coming. We've lost some of our acclimation to the cold, but not nearly as badly as some people. Usually I wear my sweaters not because I'm cold, but because it's the only time that I can.

4. As a culture, people are very obsessed with image and material things, especially plastic surgery and Mercedes-Benz. The people driving these cars live in the Miami equivalent of West Allis. We have spent way too much time trying to figure out what goes through the mind of some of these people. It clearly does not make them happy if you are wondering, Miami is often ranked as one of the unhappiest cities in the US (and also the least-educated).

So that's a quick review of Miami for you. I hope you don't get a bad impression of the place or think that I can't stand it. I just wanted to give an honest opinion. I do many fun things here in my spare time which Becca has asked me to share in future posts.

Since September...

I haven't posted since September... yeesh.  In my defense, J has been working diligently on his thesis and I have been trying to help around the apartment in little ways (planning meals, cooking dinners, cleaning, keeping a watchful eye on animals). He's finally done with writing and he'll be defending his thesis in the beginning of November.  I'm incredibly proud of him.  Aside from working like crazy for school, he is an excellent puppy parent, an avid runner, and he's been working on side projects like his blog: http://www.wxnotes.com/blog/

Our animals have been keeping us busy.  We've been taking the dogs to a new dog park that was recommended to us by a fellow UW-Madison graduate.  Sometimes we meet up with her there on the weekends.  We've started Lily in Puppy Classes with the same trainer that worked with Ruby.  We keep them busy because happy dogs are tired dogs... but that also makes for tired dog owners who'd rather relax than blog.  Guilty. 

I haven't been lazy though!  I have been working hard on my goal of reading 75 books in 2012.  I am currently reading two books (60 and 61).  If you want to keep up with what I am reading, you can check out my Shelfari account.  (http://www.shelfari.com/beccaf)  There is no doubt in my mind that I will meet my goal, but despite my fast reading pace, it still takes a lot of time to read that much.

I also was able to go home for a week in late October.  My mom and dad paid for my ticket to come home so that I could celebrate my second cousin's wedding.  It was really beautiful.  She and her mom did some cool things for me when I was planning my wedding so I would have been disappointed to miss hers.  Aside from the wedding, I was able to spend good time with my family.  My mom and I hit up a Wisconsin farm-stand and I bought goodies for the girls at work.  I also indulged in New Glarus Raspberry Ale and cheese curds.  I was able to get all of my favorite food stops in: Kopp's for Red Raspberry frozen custard, Bluephie's for Ooey Gooey Pasta (with two of my best buds), Noodles, and The Comet Cafe.  It was a really good trip.  I was dying to get as far away from Miami as possible for the last couple of months.  I needed a reality check: somewhere where people are nice and there are a few of them who care about me.  Sometimes it is hard living so far from family and friends- even if it is an adventure.

Going back to Wisconsin helped also get me back into my creative groove.  One day my mom and I made a pumpkin still life that was inspired by some of her home decorating magazines.  I miss having a crafting buddy.  I always did my scrap-booking and card-making with her.  I hate doing those things alone- so I haven't done them in years.  We made a lot of elements for my wedding together and making those pumpkins was a fun activity.  When I came back to Miami (after I was sicker than a dog for two days) I pulled out my crafting supplies and started on some new projects.  I'll add some pictures below.  You can see more at my Etsy site.  And speaking of Etsy- I made my first "outside" (as in someone I don't know) sale two days before my trip!!  Someone in Nova Scotia bought some magnets.  I jumped for joy!

Current projects I've been working on:

The first altered Moleskine journal I made.

Another altered journal.

Another.  I'm sort of addicted.  I have to wait and see if these sell before I buy more journals to alter.  I don't want to end up with too many sitting around like some of my other crafts. *See footnote*

A Fairy Ornament that I decided to try.  The idea came to me when I was trying to sleep and after I thought of it I couldn't actually fall asleep because I was so excited to try it out.  It finally gave me an idea of what to do with all of the bits I've collected/found over the years.  This one is sea-themed.

This one is Halloween-themed.  I wanted to do one in colors that reminded me of the holiday.  Please don't judge my photo styling.  I'm not a photographer and I was trying to get the pictures taken while there was still some natural light outside.

Where my ornaments are currently residing: on the wine bottles that we don't drink. :)

On Monday I go back to work.  I know I'll have a lot on my desk.  I was supposed to go in to work the two days after I got back, but I was sick on Thursday and worse on Friday.  I got up and took a shower at 7:00 AM both days.  On Thursday I was exhausted from traveling and had a headache/sore throat, so I didn't even bother getting dressed.  On Friday I woke up feeling even worse, but I figured I really had to go in since it would only be me and one other office member.  I pulled on my clothes, told Joe that I might be home early, drove about a mile, and then pulled into a gas station so I could get sick all over myself.  I called my co-workers and explained that I would not be in, I needed a shower and different clothes, and then I went home and got sick three more times.  It was, by far, one of the worst days of being sick/having a migraine in my life.  I couldn't keep anything down: water, saltines, Sprite, or medicine.  I just iced my head in bed until 1 AM when I finally fell asleep.  On Saturday I still had a bit of a headache, so I took it slow in the morning, but by Saturday night I finally felt better.

I should go get ready for my first day back at work since the 17th.  Besides the work I have to get a campus parking pass and schedule an allergy test- a tale for another day- so I'm sure tomorrow will be crazy.  But I kind of don't want to get up to make my lunch right now.  I have two tuckered puppies cuddling my feet and I don't want to disturb them.  They look so angelic... then they wake up.  :)

 - - -

* I went a little crazy with the magnets I was making.  I liked repurposing magazine pages and it was so easy to put the magnets together that I made more than I needed.  I personally like the painted ones best, but I can't make too many at a time without getting a headache from the fumes.  When I was meeting with another Etsy crafter (http://artzazzle.blogspot.com/) she mentioned that it would be cool to leave crafts like geo-caches.   I used to geo-cache with my mom and I loved the idea.  I'll save the geo-cache idea for when I live in another city, but I decided to leave some gift bags around town of some surplus magnets, my business card, and a note that reads, "Surprise!  A gift for you or someone you love.  Just a little way to brighten your day."  I hope people find them and enjoy the fun that is finding a little secret. Who knows?  Someone will probably find it, hate it, send me an e-mail telling me what a jerk I am for some inane reason, and then instead of making their day better they'll ruin mine.  (I've been living in Miami too long; I expect the worst of people.) *

I Remember...

In my writing class our teacher suggests different free-writing prompts.  We are supposed to pause our lesson, do the prompt, post it to the discussion board if we want, and resume the lesson.  Considering I'm usually jamming lessons in at work or between household chores and volunteering, I usually stick to the assignments and not the suggested activities.  I know, bad pupil. 

I try to practice my writing on this blog and though I may write in a conversational tone, I reread each post out loud at least once and try to polish it up a bit before hitting the "publish" button.  Practice makes perfect, but practice doesn't have to be perfect... so I am going to publicly attempt a writing prompt on my blog.  I figure people who know me would appreciate some of these things more than my numerous classmates (over 100) who remain faceless and I only know them by discussion board names like ABC or Trapper. 

* I am not editing this portion of the post.  I will correct my grammar, even though I'm not supposed to... but I'm not going to change my overall thoughts... here goes nothing. *

I remember when I was in fourth grade and I decided that I would let people other than my family call me Becca.

I remember when my brother wrote me a note telling me he was running away because he was mad at me but that he still loved me.  He slid it under my bedroom door.

I remember when we both convinced our youngest brother that he was invisible.  It took us a long time to convince him that he actually wasn't after that.

I remember when I was convinced that aliens were behind acid rain.

I remember the tree house in my backyard.  I remember how sad I was when that tree had to be taken down.

I remember going to my first concert.  It was John Mayer, but I liked the opening band, Guster more.  I am listening to them right now.

I remember my first dance in 6th grade.  I didn't go to another until 8th grade because I was slightly anti-social even back then.

I remember the first time someone used the nickname Bee for me.  I called that friend Mango.  That was a simpler time.

I remember when my science teacher used to toss us candy for getting questions right. 

I remember having a daily quota that I couldn't go over when answering questions in high school history classes. 

I remember hearing my grandfather sing my name from various corners of the house.  I sang his name from the Empire State Building.  I asked him later if he heard me.

I remember my grandfather dancing in front of the television to get my attention. 

I remember zero-depth entry kiddie pools and frilly swimsuits.

I remember when my dad bought me a Winnie-the-Pooh t-shirt in 5th grade for getting an A+ on my Revolutionary War History Test.  I still have that shirt packed away at my parent's house.  I'll never get rid of it.

I remember that I hated the smell of popcorn for six months after starting to work at the movie theatre.


***

This was harder than I thought- especially since it is supposed to be no more than a five minute exercise.  I didn't write all the "I remembers..." that walked through my head.  I paused to think quite a bit.  Some of these brought tears to my eyes.  I probably should do this more often if I expect to continue creative non-fiction.  It reminds me of my idea of writing an essay about my paternal grandparents and calling it The Adventures of the Cowboy, Geeze Louise, and Lady Jane.  The title is a bit long, but it paints a funny picture. 

For my writing class I decided to work on a fiction fantasy story that I've had in mind.  J has had the pleasure of having the first three chapters read aloud twice now.  I accidentally spoiled the plot twist for him tonight and he was disappointed.  I have other stories in mind and this current one isn't my favorite, but it is the farthest along.  I'm also scared to share what I consider my best idea.  My classmates seem very supportive,  but most are much older than me and I don't think they would understand the point I'm trying to make with that story.

Right now, my biggest hurdle for writing is just making the time to write. 

Work today was brutal, I am turning in after I finish this post.  My jaw and throat hurt from talking so much.  I told J that I felt like a doll with a string in it's back, "Becca the Secretary! She comes with 20 distinct phrases!"  Unlike other days, I helped the most patient and understanding folks in the world.  Their positive attitude and graciousness make all the difference in a long day.  Instead of feeling weary, I feel like I made a difference- even the tiniest one- in someone's day.

A Balancing Act

I don't know how I do it, but I manage to keep myself busy!  I always have.  In high school, after a freshman year that was exceedingly dull, I was busy seeing friends and causing a polite ruckus.  I didn't do anything illegal, I just did some things that were silly and stupid (like walking across the waterfall at Whitnall Park and riding in shopping carts).  In college, I just got busier.

Despite having moved cross country with no friends my age down here, I haven't slowed down.  (Well, there was the time I was unemployed and looking for jobs like mad!)  I volunteered last week Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and again tonight and will again on Thursday.  I am taking my writing class and trying to figure out where to go with blogging in the future. 

I realized last night that I have piled a little too much on my plate.  Work is essential, volunteering feeds my soul, my writing class will hopefully help me grow, and I need to have time to work on my hobbies.  All of this plus making time for the husband and the fur babies (now three, soon to be four).  I was getting a little anxious and feeling overwhelmed. 

I dropped my Coursera class because it made sense, but I still feel like a bit of a failure.  I hate quitting.  When I drop a class or bow down from a position I feel like there is a rock in my gut, even if I knew I wasn't going to do my best in the class or even if I absolutely hated the job.  It's my Midwestern work ethic.  I aim to please.  I am my harshest critic.  Anything anyone has ever accused me of is nothing in comparison to the monologue running through my brain.  I'm really bummed about the class because it seemed like it would be interesting, but the minimum 8 hour a week commitment was too much. 

I think I'm struggling with this in particular today because I had a rough couple of days at work.  I've been trying to streamline processes and help students to the best of my abilities because I want to see the department and students succeed, but I am met with resistance nearly every step of the way.  The other thing that sets my teeth on edge is that in my work environment, communication is not merely talking... it's loud and frantic talking.  I am a person who likes to find the underlying problem, brainstorm solutions, and find the best one without raising my voice and while using professional vocabulary.  Even if both parties desire the same end goal, we cannot seem to agree in how to get there despite our best efforts to compromise. 

I approach life as a teacher, even though I am not teaching right now.  I cannot shut off five years of preparation for that career.  I'm aware that people learn and communicate differently.  It's hard to understand one another and meet in the middle.  I also take almost everything personally.  I try very hard to keep things light for the rest of the day when I have had a situation like I did this morning, but in my stomach I still feel that rock weighing me down and I get shaky (literally) and unsure.

I need time to step back from Miami life.  I want to recharge my batteries.  If I had the money and the time off of work I'd be on a plane to a new and exciting location in a heartbeat.  I also need to learn to let things go.  Does this mean I will have to step back from some things?  Yes.  Does this mean that if I don't do 100% on every task at work it will be okay?  Yes.  Does this mean that sometimes people might not be pleased with me?  Probably. 

I am only human.  I can only do so much.  And I wasn't getting college credit for that class anyways. ;)

Moment in March

For the last month, work has been reasonable. (The co-workers are another story...) I was able to meet deadlines with ease in February, but things are picking up again. I wrote all of my deadlines on my calendar for April and it is going to be a doozy of a month. On top of the work itself, registration will begin on the 2nd, and it will be back to desperate students scrambling to get into their classes. J's family will be visiting right in the thick of it, so I won't get to take any time off of work. I'll have the evenings to spend with them, though.

School for J has picked up considerably as well. I would say he's in the final stretch, but his final stretch is less of a sprint and more of an intense marathon. He's a runner, so I'm sure he appreciates this analogy. I honestly do not know how he does it. He still tries to make time for me and Ruby, he finds time to work out, he completes his school work, and he does a lot to build his resume.

Despite not having friends to hang out with, I'm still plenty busy. I took three baby steps towards selling crafts. I ordered my business cards, purchased a domain name for a website, and I laid out the Etsy page. I hope to list a couple of items tomorrow. If I do, I'll let people know. I've scaled back a bit with volunteering. It is hard to do it every week (J needs me home for the furry baby), but I'm still doing that and my craft night. I've hit a crafting plateau... There are things I like to do, but don't have the money for. There are things I have the supplies to do, but don't have the patience for. And there are things that I've tried to do, but I don't really enjoy. Having something to work towards- like gifts- helps my motivation, but sometimes I just need a break.

I have been using my usual crafting time for reading. I finished five books in March. I don't know if I'll start another right away. I caved and read The Hunger Games trilogy. I finished the three books in 48 hours. I read them quickly because I just wanted to be done with them. I thought they were good. I didn't love them and I found the story line exceedingly disturbing, but at least the violence wasn't as detailed as I thought it would be. That said, it still gave me nightmares. I appreciate the message that the author tried to convey and I thought the social commentary was scathingly brutal, yet truthful. It was also good to be able to discuss books with J. We rarely read the same things. He is much more cerebral in his free reading choices, where I tend to read books for entertainment. I still read plenty of non-fiction, but you won't find me reading history books about hurricanes. :) I also read the book because J kept bringing up seeing the movie. He doesn't usually get to pick what we see (well- we barely go to movies), and since he kept talking about it, I figured I'd see what all of the hullabaloo was about.

The only other notable thing that has happened in the last couple of weeks is that we found a great dessert place. It is called Atelier Monnier and they serve traditional French desserts that are presented in a more modern way. The individual serving desserts run about $5, but you will NOT be hungry when you leave. The first time we went I had a berry tart. It was excellent. The second time we went I tried their eclair. It was very beautiful and even had a small gold leaf detail. I was expecting a regular cream filling, but it was chocolate cream. It was good, but a little rich for my taste. I'm one of the few women who doesn't go gaga over chocolate. I prefer fruity, tart flavors. Still, the eclair was good. J had sorbet both times and it was amazing. They have macaroons. I've never had one and I'm looking forward to trying. They also make bread and sell wine. It's a pretty cool shop. We'll be back.

Well, I figured I'd take this moment to post, because I know things will get busy in April. Here's hoping I have the energy to keep up!

Art and Life Goals

It has been a very busy holiday season. And the holidays have barely started. Work has been incredibly busy, tedious, and complicated. I worked really hard to finish the schedule that is due next. Fall of 2012. I had just finished Summer 2012. With finals, helping students and instructors, and scheduling, it was a crazy couple of weeks. However, we did throw a nice holiday party for our staff and we were treated to a lot of great food. We have a diverse group of people, so they all brought dishes they specialize in: real fried rice, pot stickers, dumplings, jerk chicken, Polish cheesecake, and more. There was so much food! So much. I made the only dish that I can make with confidence: rhubarb raspberry pi pie. The people I worked with thought it was funny. And tasty. They thanked us for all of our hard work, and it was very nice to be recognized, even though I get shy at those moments.

One of the instructors invited me and J to Art Walk Miami. We have been trying to coordinate this for a few months now, but it has rained, or she or I have been sick. We finally were able to go and I am so glad we did. It happens on 2nd Avenue in the Wynwood Art District. It is an event where shops, restaurants, and the artists' studios are open to the public. It was one of the first times I felt like I belonged down here.

I may not dress like it, but I have the soul of a blue haired, artsy, hipster. The day I don't need a 9 to 5 job is the day I do something fun with my hair... I might be sixty when this happens, but it will happen. Seeing all of those artistic people made me feel like part of a community. They enjoy and appreciate something other than spray tans. I see them and I feel okay for being me in a city full of superficial men and women. I saw this one guy, he was a tall African American with beautiful skin, a crazy mohawk, and the fiercest jacket I've ever seen. Lady Gaga would have wanted it. He had to walk down the street sideways so he didn't poke someone in the eye. My first thought was, "Oh my gosh. He is so cool." And my second thought was, "How considerate! He is nicer than all of the jerks who bump into me at the mall."

The people watching was worth the trip alone. But the art was the reason we went. It was definitely interesting. We saw the Time and Place gallery show by Susy Igligki. It was interesting commentary on life in third world Latin America and the disparity between the rich and the poor. It can be argued that there are similarities to Miami. In the same gallery I also enjoyed the Titans show by Magaly Barnola-Otaola. Her work was kinetic drawings of man and machinery. It has a sketchy, draftsman style that I found intriguing. We stopped in at EVL World owned by Erni Vales. The work was street style and juxtaposed sweet and dark. I liked some of the paintings, and I liked that the artist provided a thought-process blurb next to his pieces. He is currently working on a project of 13 paintings a month for 13 months. He was near Kawaii Universe, a sticker shop that was cute and very kawaii (Japanese style- think Hello Kitty). I like some of the stickers, and I might buy some from their Etsy shop in the future. Another really cool shop was Plant the Future by Paloma Teppa featuring some pieces by Chu Teppa. It was a store filled with terrariums, orchids, desert gardens, bonsai, airplants, and cacti. J and I really liked that store. The style was more modern than we are usually drawn to, but we both appreciated living art. The best art, to me, though, was the graffiti on the Wynwood Walls. I nearly hyperventilated when I saw the Space Invader piece. SPACE INVADER. And Shepard Fairey! (He did the famous Obama poster.) These are some of the most famous living artists of our generation! I would have fainted if there was a Banksy piece. I have some qualms about street art, even though I appreciate the art form a lot, I still feel badly about people being inconvenienced and their property being vandalized. So I particularly enjoyed the graffiti on the Wynwood Walls because it was commissioned.

We stopped in more studios and saw a lot of interesting things, but I'll spare you all of the details. We also enjoyed some yummy food. You know me- not a blog post goes by where I don't describe something wonderful that I enjoyed. The food trucks were at the Art Walk and we were particularly excited because we haven't gone in months. The friend we went with had never had Ms.Cheezious before. J and I believe so highly in the power of grilled cheese that we've taken all of our visitors to Ms.Cheezious. And unless our friends and family have been lying to us- they have had life changing experiences with grilled cheese. I stand by the prosciutto goat cheese number with french fries. The cheese fries in particular are also yummy. After partaking in silence inducing food (so good you just shut up and eat) we stopped at the Coolhaus truck for the best ice cream sandwich I've ever had. J and I shared a chocolate chip cookie and Oreo coffee ice cream sandwich. The paper they give you is edible and for a good reason- you'll end up eating it they give you so much ice cream. The cookies were perfect: soft and chewy. That is the right vehicle for ice cream. Crunchy cookies simply don't work. It was one of my best food nights in a long time.

It was also one of the best nights in general. I love art. I have always said, "If I die and go to heaven, I hope it is either an art museum or a library." I have had some life changing moments in both places. They also symbolize the things I love to do most: create, enjoy the creation of others, write, and read. I have been struggling for a long time now with the quarter-life crisis question: WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH MY LIFE? I have had to put a lot on hold to move here. But when we leave, I am ready to dive, head first, into my calling. I kept going back and forth: do I do what I would be good at, that could make me money, but that would be less enjoyable? Or do I do what I love and live a more simple life? I've tossed around Human Resources, Adult Education, Law, Psychology, Child Life Specialist, Art Therapist, and a few more. I can say, quite honestly- and maybe I'm being full of myself, that I think I would do well at any of those fields. Each of those careers builds off of one of my strengths.

But after months of being unhappy with Miami and unhappy with what I do for 40 hours a week, I have come to the conclusion that I have to really like (if not totally love) what I do. Maybe I will fail, but I have to at least try, right? And I'm very lucky to have J. He supports me and wants me to be happy in whatever I do. So, I asked myself some questions and I asked J to help me (and an article in O Magazine helped a lot). I want to honor my talents. I think I can have a positive impact on the world. And I think doing what I am meant to do will bring more joy to my life than a sizable income ever could.

• When I was a kid, I dreamed of: stories, adventure, and art.

• I can't pass up a book or movie about: fantasy, humor, or quirky characters.

• If I played hooky from work for a week, I'd spend the time: making stuff, sightseeing, and writing about it all.

• Most people don't know this about me, but I really enjoy: writing and experiencing the outdoors.

• I am the go-to person when my friends need help with: organization, advice, and crafts.

• If I could star in my own how-to TV show, it would be about: organizing, crafts, or advice.

• If I were to make a homemade gift, it would involve: ANYTHING! (Paint, yarn, glitter, pencils, wood, paper, recycled and found material, cloth...)

• I've tried only once or twice, but I really enjoy: rock climbing and skiing.

• The closest I came to a runner's high is when I'm: performing on stage or making art.

• If I won first prize in a talent show, it would be for: art or public speaking.

I listed my top 5 passions as:
1. making art
2. writing
3. being in nature
4. performing/speaking publicly
5. organizing

I asked J to name three of my strengths and he said that I was organized, creative, and empathetic. I also asked him to tell me a story about my passion. He said that I have a clean, organized art studio where I do drawings or paintings and I donate some of my profits to charity. I liked where he was headed with that story. It exemplifies a lot of the things that are important to me. We went back and forth with the story and tweaked it so that I also run a small, online business and I write full-time and do art/crafts part time. We agreed that where I am currently with my art/crafts I could start an online business in the near future, but that the writing would require some further training/polishing. It scares me to consider a possibility where I do not have a steady income with reliable benefits. Organization and preparedness is huge for me. I'm the biggest worrier I know, so letting go and taking care of things on my own is terrifying. The article included a quiz that determined what I am motivated by. I am mostly motivated by Enlightenment (hence, the desire to be happy over the desire to be rich). I am also motivated by Security (the fear of not meeting the needs of my family) and Accomplishment. Interestingly enough, I am least motivated by my Connection to others. I run hot and cold with people and I find I'm only consistent in wanting to be with J and Ruby. :) If I pursued this, it would allow us to live anywhere (unlike Art Therapy) which would benefit J's career and passion. I have spent a lot of time thinking about what it is that will make me feel "whole." The Art Walk was the reminder I needed: this is who I am. This is where I feel great. This is where I feel appropriately challenged. I want my life to have meaning.

I have a lot working against me: I lack training, I fear an unstable income, I'm not good at selling myself or my work, it is not a good time to be making poor financial decisions, and I lack a good "creative space." I do know that I have a lot of people who would support me in this endeavor. And some who would question me. But I want to give it a try. I know I won't succeed at the first go around. But this is what I love doing: I'm sitting up late to write this out. I've sat up late and got up at 5:45 in the morning to make scarves for people, or to finish my homemade gifts that I am excited to give out on the 25th.

I think it is possible to bring a little of my "dream heaven" into my world. These are the things in life that bring life to me.

November's Nearly Done

It is official. Holiday season is upon us. I'm a slight scrooge, so I do not acknowledge the upcoming holidays until the Thanksgiving meal has started digesting. (To me, Christmas music anytime before the week of Christmas is just annoying.) This year I'm slightly more festive than last. Last Thanksgiving, J and I had Chinese food and went to the beach. I was unemployed and less than thrilled about my current city. This year, things have changed: I'm employed. :) We were invited to a traditional dinner hosted by my co-worker's mom. (We do crafts together once a week.) I love Chinese food and I had a great Thanksgiving with J last year, but I love Thanksgiving food even more. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so it was nice to spend it in a more traditional way this year. It was also nice to be around a family, even if it wasn't mine.

The food was amazing, and I wouldn't expect any less from my crafting guru. She makes awesome brownies, but even better stuffing and mashed potatoes. The turkey was good and the gravy was made from scratch. There were croissants and green beans and baked ziti. (Ziti is their family tradition, but I held off in order to maximize the space in my stomach for stuffing and potatoes. Starch, starch, carbs- I love starches and carbs!!!) Dessert was pumpkin pie and brownies. J and I were happy campers.

After dinner, J and I kept our tradition by going to the beach. We looked for shells and enjoyed the cooler weather. Once we got home, we did a big clean up and then set about decorating. J and I had purchased some ornaments from Target for a couple of bucks (literally, these things were twenty five cents) last year, so up they went. Instead of a tree, we did a garland. The cats and Ruby would have had too much fun with a tree and since we will be home for the holidays, we didn't want to bother. The theme this year was snowflakes, navy, and silver. J and I don't agree on much, but we agree that we hate red and green. Getting the garland up was actually pretty tricky. We admired our handiwork with beer and hard lemonade.

Also keeping us busy is our adorable four legged baby. (That conjures up a funny image.) Ruby is everything we could have hoped for and more. We are simply mad about her and I understand now why people get so obsessed with their dogs. She's my Best Thing Ever. She knows to be calm when I'm upset/sad about something. She knows the sound of my car and when I come home later than J, she is anxious to greet me at the door. She's happy to see me in the morning- and in the middle of the afternoon when I've been home for hours. Ruby's smart... and a little stubborn. We're still diligently working on potty training (the dog attack and broken leg were huge set backs for us). She can be a little sneaky sometimes and she likes to eat fuzz. But she's great at her tricks and commands: sit, stay, wait, come, paw, high five, spin, twirl, drop it, leave it, and lie down. The only one in her repertoire that she is really missing is: "POTTY. Now, please?" She just got fixed last week. She was miserable the first day. She couldn't sit, so she'd just lean on me. And she was drugged, so her puppy eyes were especially sad. But the next morning she was already full of her signature joie de vivire. She's my bounce-back kid. I love her tenacious, precocious, sweet mannerisms. She gets car sick, just like me. And although she's not very vocal, she's got a fierce little growl when playing tug and she makes the funniest whimpers and grunts in protest of having to ride in the car.

Ruby's been spoiled with the company of a friend for the last week. We're puppy sitting for a friend's dog. It's a toy poodle that J and I have sat for before. This dog is such a sweetie. She's so well mannered and loving. The only problem is that she's a couple of years old, so she can find Ruby to be annoying. It is sort of like sisters, except one is a "too-cool" teenager and the other is a sticky-fingered two year old. They still play nicely, and once in awhile J and I can get them to both calm down and rest on the couch at the same time. We will all be sad when her owner comes to pick her up. (It has helped with the potty training a bit. J and I are consistent with the older dog- and it's a good model for Ruby, even though there still have been accidents...)

Work has been surprisingly difficult. I thought it would calm down. Even though the pace is not as frantic, the work seems to multiply and I find every minute of every day occupied with helping students, helping co-workers, answering e-mails, fixing the copier, unjamming the printer, getting more paper for the copier or the printer, etc etc. I have a hard time just making it to the bathroom. And the scary thing is: there are now four of us in the office who are doing this ALL DAY LONG. I'm looking forward to December because after the second week the semester ends. So, aside from being a puppy parent and working hard, I've also been working towards the holidays. Just because I'm a scrooge doesn't mean I hate Christmas. My favorite part of the holiday is giving gifts. I have a "token of appreciation" problem. I like to give people stuff. Mostly small stuff. Sometimes hand-made stuff. But I'm a stuff-giver. So Christmas is a great time for a stuff-giver. And even though the holidays don't start for me until after Thanksgiving, I still anticipate gift giving long before hand. When purchasing gifts, I start in September. This year I had a goal of making 50% of my gifts, so I started in July. I upped the goal to making 90% of my gifts. I will only buy things for J, since he does not want beaded jewelry or dyed silk scarves. :) I'm still making him little things though. It is a challenge to think of what people could possibly appreciate- and I have a feeling my brother(s) would rather have something spiffy, like an xBox Kinect- but I'm on a budget, people- and a mission to fight corporate America. Even if I am one person. So I've been a good little elf- toiling away at my kitchen table/workbench, trying to beat the clock.

And there is a homecoming to prepare for. My dog is basically naked (if you want a dog that doesn't shed, get an Italian Greyhound). But she's a wimp when it comes to anything below fifty degrees. She already has a sweater (its a black and white striped number with a skull and crossbones) and she actually likes wearing it. I know, I know. I sound like one of those crazy ladies with the monkey for a pet, "He likes dressing up. Don't you? See, he's chewing my face with his teeth, that means he likes it." But when I say, "Sweater?" She runs immediately to me and practically barrels her head in the neck hole. She also has a hard time parting with it. I don't blame her- it's nice to be warm, and to be warm and stylish. But a wimpy sweater that only covers her chest and back isn't going to cut it in a Wisconsin winter. So we ordered her fleece, hand-made dog jammies (from Etsy). They have little monsters on them. Because she's my monster- nothing too girly for my baby girl. (If my dog was named Lola, she'd be decked in pink, but Ruby's signature color is red, and she's too rough and tumble for tutus.) ;) She also has long skinny legs, so we got her booties. And a hat for her thin ears. She's going to be more layered than me! I'll have to get a picture of her in full Wisconsin weather regalia. (The hat she hates- so that might not last. But I'd rather have a warm dog than a frozen one.)

Whew- this post was far longer than I intended. I'm just so excited about going home. And for my family to meet the apple of my eye. I'm looking forward to family, friends, and food. (Speaking of food, J and I went back twice to Rancho Grande- their burritos are the best I've had down here. We also tried Taco Rico- service was super fast but food was so-so. The price for the portion is great, but I'd rather have Rancho Grande.) I don't know if I'll carve out the time to post before home, but if I don't:

HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES!! Stay warm, my Sconnies, and travel safe.

Mmmmm Miami

It is now “Fall” in Miami. By “Fall” I mean that it is no longer blazing hot and the threat of hurricanes have subsided. I still don’t consider it to be truly Fall because the leaves don’t change colors and any décor of Halloween or Thanksgiving looks simply ridiculous down here when it reaches 80 degrees on a regular basis. One of the things I liked most about the changing seasons back home is the pseudo hibernation you go into- layer on thick knits and eat massive amounts of yummy food. I hear it has been snowing back home. =)

I’ve been keeping busy with work. At the end of the summer we had to gear up for the upcoming season. I’ve had some technical and slightly difficult tasks added to my job description. This doesn’t bode well for a perfectionist like myself because I constantly stress. There are a lot of people relying on me to do the data entry correctly. It could have major consequences for them if I don’t. When I was in college, I worked well under pressure, because I was the person applying the pressure. I don’t work well under pressure when a whole department or organization has high expectations. It gives me knots in my shoulders and searing pain behind my eyes.

Therefore, I’ve been laying low on the evenings. I read, I craft, I watch television- I avoid being on the computer as much as possible at home since I’m on it all day at work. I’ve also started volunteering at a local botanical garden that I’ve been taking some crafting classes at. I’ll be volunteering more this weekend for an Art Fair. I was asked to submit some crafts for the Art Fair since I took some of their classes. I worked pretty hard on dying about a dozen silk scarves and I submitted a couple pieces of jewelry. We’ll see if anyone wants what I make! If so, I might consider quitting my day job and open a crafting business. I’m only half kidding.

The biggest reason I work is to have money to enjoy myself (second to paying bills of course). So I’ve been exploring more of the dining options down here. I know I’m a very picky eater. I’m probably worse than a toddler. But, for all of my pickiness, I love food and I enjoy going out to dine and try things I like prepared in different ways. (I still will never like cooked veggies or avocado.)

The first restaurant I tried was actually a whim. I love buffalo sauce, but I hate eating wings off of the bone. I had been at a Halloween party with some acquaintances and I was really hungry after I left (first one to go, I’m so boring, I know). I had been dying for wings and BW3s boneless wings have not been cutting it. I had gone to the party as a hipster. No one got it. It was meta-hipster. Part of the costume was Pabst Blue Ribbon. To stay in character, I had a couple, and when I drink- even the slightest amount- I get super hungry. So, I was hungry and craving buffalo sauce. I decided now was the time to try real wings at a local place that I’ve been hearing of called The Sports Bar. It’s an original name, I know. I ordered wings, and cheese fries. It was the best decision I’ve made in awhile. The wings were amazing! The perfect amount of spicy for the slight burn you feel in your mouth that only blue cheese can cool. The fries were seasoned really well and they came with two cups of nacho cheese. It was a truly gluttonous experience.

I’ve never eaten a large amount of wings off of the bone (I’ve tried one here and there), and it was good I had a couple of beers in me because I basked in the glow of the flavor with wing sauce giving me a “Joker” smile. Why so serious? For those of you who know me well- mostly my dad- you know this is a huge step for me because I’m not that crazy about chicken, and I’m even less crazy about bones. For the entire time I lived at home, I daintily cut my meat and handed my dad the bones (with plenty of meat still on them, and YES- I know, the best flavored meat) but I cannot help it. I don’t do caveman well.

Shortly before that, I was given an amazing empanada at work. I’ve never had one before, and from what I understand, they are usually fried, but this one was baked. It’s like a mini-calzone without sauce. Something with a bready covering? Yes. I’m there. Cheese? Hells yeah, I’m double there. You don’t even have to ask. Melted cheese runs sluggishly through my veins. I had half of one of those babies and I was addicted. I held my colleague up to the wall by the lapels of his shirt and demanded where he got such goods. (Actually, I asked him nicely and he gave me a business card for the restaurant.) It was an Argentinian place called Puerto Maedero. And the next day I went. I’m so very glad I did. The interior was very cute and it was a bakery, a butcher shop, a deli, and a restaurant all rolled into one. There wasn’t a lot of seating and the tables were a little close, but I didn’t care, I was staring directly at a case of the most delicious looking tarts, pastries, and cakes. I went with the daily special- tiny potatoes in a cream sauce complete with bits of bacon and the most delicious filet mignon. For $15!!! I started the meal with an empanada, of course, for around $1.50. I left the restaurant a very happy camper. When my dad called to see if I was still alive- he hadn’t heard from me in awhile, I gushed about the meal. My dad and I have a lot in common, but one of the big things is a love of red meat. I cannot wait to get back to this restaurant!

On my way in to the Argentinian place, I noticed a Mexican restaurant. In Milwaukee, these are a dime a dozen. Down here, Cuban cuisine reigns supreme. (I stole that line from Iron Chef, I know.) So, my interest was piqued. The next week, I went to El Rancho Grande. It was, again, amazing. I felt lucky to have found three great restaurants in a month. I ordered the flautas. There were three and they came with refried beans, rice, and sour cream –hold the guacamole- picky eater over here. The servers were very sweet and attentive. The food was to die for, but the horchata was probably the best discovery of the night. I’ve never had it before. I’m a chai junkie, so it was a nice find.

Last weekend, I tried the Yard House. I’ve been told it has an amazing selection of beer. Contrary to what you might believe, given my Wisconsin heritage and previous mentions of PBR, I am not a big drinker- and not a big beer drinker at that. But, when I hear beer, I think of burgers, fries, and comfort food in general. The Yard House was the closest restaurant to my apartment of the four, and in the most “fancy schmancy” locale. Unfortunately, it broke my winning streak. It was crowded and noisy. I’ve been having some hearing problems lately, and it really bothered me that I couldn’t hear my waiter or my companion above the din. I was also frustrated at the amount of TVs. I’m here to eat, not to watch CSPAN. After a lot of deliberating, we got the spinach artichoke dip to start. It was lack-luster. I ordered the menu item that spoke to me the most- macaroni and cheese with bacon bits and sautéed mushrooms. I love mushrooms! I love cheese! I love bacon! So I ordered and what got delivered to me made no sense. I’m not a pasta expert, but it seems to me that mac’n’cheese should be made with tubular pasta that will hold the sauce. This one was made with flat, twisted noodles. Most of the sauce was left on the plate. I did not see any of the bacon that they advertised. I also learned an important lesson: mushrooms and mac’n’cheese don’t go together. The portion was decent, but the price- $15 for only pasta- was ridiculous. I left a bunch of it on my plate and stared despondently at NASCAR blaring on the fifteen televisions- unable to communicate how much this whole experience sucked. The Yard House is actually a chain, which disappointed me, because I like to find “gems.”

It was living in Madison that made me a foodie. (I probably cannot call myself that if I refuse to eat half of the things on the menu.) The few times I went out with a group of girl friends, we usually dined at a chain restaurant like, Chili’s or Olive Garden because that is what a whole bunch of broke college kids can agree on. Those times were about the friends, not the food. But when it was my chance to dine with family I usually picked Bluephies for their Ooey Gooey Pasta and Sweet-Tarts Tini. Or if it was a date I would beg to go to Harvest, L’Etoile, The Old Fashioned, or Dotty Dumplings Dowry- just to name a few. There were amazing dining options, and most of them were at really reasonable prices. If you asked for pizza, I could give you several options for the East Side, Downtown, and the West Side. Same goes for Italian, Burgers, or Chinese Food.

There is a plethora of dining in Miami. The problem is that it is often so damn expensive! If I could afford to drive to, park on, and dine at South Beach, there area whole load of options. But I can barely afford to eat a couple of blocks from my apartment. If I do, I should probably walk, because there is no free parking unless you are in the suburbs. So that’s where I’ve been looking for food. A lot of these places are tiny and hidden, but they are the “gems” I seek. Now, I just need to move to Portland, so I can dine at a great restaurant with my little Ruby. THAT would be the life.

Home Is Where the Heart Is

Once again, I've been bad about updating. But other than being surprisingly busy, I have a legitimate excuse this time. (Seriously, you guys.) My laptop is down for the count. Permanently. I've been using J's computer for brief moments, but he needs it for school. Thus, my computer usage has been mostly relegated to the few moments I can spare at work. Last time I wrote I told you all about the new dog and I promised posts on my trip home and my friend's visit. I'm going to roll those two together and title this post, "Home is Where the Heart Is" because I had a wonderful time at home, and I got to share my new home with my good friend E (and she made life here just that much better for the few days she was visiting).

I went home towards the end of July, and let me tell you, I sorely needed a reality check. Living in Miami is my current reality, but I'm used to a slower paced life, where I don't fear for my safety every time I get in a car, and where people hold open the door for you instead of cursing you out for some inane reason. I've never been told-off so much in my life. It's can be really grating to be here, and I was desperate to get back to Wisconsin to recharge my batteries. That three hour plane ride could not go fast enough. And as soon as I got off the plane, I was happy to see that I was back with my "people." You know, chubby, pale people who enjoy cheese without torturing themselves? Those people. I cried immediately upon seeing my dad and littlest brother. I was just so happy to be back. I went straight to my grandma's house to surprise her. There we got Cousins Subs, ate Popsicles, and picked raspberries like the old days: me, my dad, and my brothers. Of course it is not the old days and I still miss my grandfather, who would have been outside, picking berries with us, but it brought back wonderful memories. I took some of my grandma's rhubarb home (so hard to find it in Miami) and promised my family a rhubarb-raspberry pie. This is my only baking specialty and they seemed to like it, even though I forgot to tent the pie crust with tin foil and the edges got a wee bit burnt. That night I got to have dinner with one of my closest college friends. I'll call her Abe. (Because that's what I call her sometimes.) It was so nice to catch up and laugh. Abe is hilarious and J and I have shared many memorable moments throughout the years with her. I miss having good friends in Miami and I especially miss the good girl friends I had in Madison. Abe might come to visit next year. I cannot wait. I know hilarity will ensue.

The next day my mom hosted a party for her mom's 75th birthday. It was so nice to see my extended family. And eat lots of food. LOTS of food. (I have an aunt who calls me "Peaches" that makes amazing party food. I crave the stuff. Crab spread. Taco dip. Fruit Pizza. Veggie Pizza. Ohmygosh. Just thinking of it makes me hungry.) I hadn't seen many of my family members since Christmas, so it was an especially meaningful reunion. The next day my parents, my littlest brother, and I escaped to our family cabin in the beautiful region of Southwestern Wisconsin. It's the "driftless" region. Glaciers didn't make it there and it is a sight to be seen in autumn. Sometimes I daydream about spending a summer up there to read, write, devote to art, and commune with nature. Or maybe September and October when it's not so hot? (We don't have running water, so if it was summer and I was sweaty I'd be stinky and unfit to come back to civilization.) I tend to do a lot of reading out there. And sleeping. I fixed up the fire pit that I had made years and years ago. I wish I could have gone for a hike, but it had just rained and the ravine can be a bit treacherous. I will have to go hunting for geode rocks next time. We roasted marshmallows and made s'mores. Then my parents treated me to a play at American Players Theatre. We have a tradition of going to see a Shakespearean play once a summer and I'm glad that I was able to see one this year. Back in Milwaukee I had to run errands at my local bank, get my teeth cleaned (this is seriously one of my favorite things to do, as I love my dentist), and ship stuff to Miami. I also got a double scoop of my favorite red raspberry custard at Kopp's with my family and my Aunt R and we ran into my second cousin, which was a wonderful surprise. The day I was supposed to leave, I ended up missing my flight by two minutes (the plane still hadn't taxied away from the terminal). Long story short, I left the next morning. But let this be a lesson to all of those flying out of MKE... the airport security, God bless them, move like slugs there. Get there early!!

I SO did not want to go back to Miami. Of course I missed my husband, but I was having fun with my family and I was enjoying Wisconsin. I will tell you that it was hotter in WI than it was in Miami that weekend, and that stunk. I am feeling more and more "okay" with living in Miami, but it just doesn't hold the same comfort of HOME for me. And "home" to me is not just the house I grew up in. "Home" is a combination of family, friends, food, smells, memories, and places. My "home" could extend from the beach of Lake Michigan through Milwaukee, snake down the highway to Madison, take time to stop for a drink at the Weary Traveler, extend through the isthmus, and continue on to the rolling hills of the Kickapoo River Valley. I feel at home when I talk to my friends on the phone and visualize the stories they tell me, laughing and interjecting with "Oh heck no" all the way through the conversation. But I also knew that it was time to be "home" with J. He is truly the person who understands my idiosyncrasies better than anyone else. He knows me as the late-teen and adult whereas my parents knew me best as the child. (I will say that I am most carefree and childlike in the safety of my childhood home, in the company of my parents. That is a wonderful gift they gave me.) But, like I said, it was time to go back to J, who holds my heart, to pick up my adult life, and to return to Miami, my current home. Besides, a couple of days after my return home, my friend E came to visit!!

My friend E is the one who helped me do the huge move immediately after my wedding. In the course of a few days she came to Milwaukee, did my rehearsal and dinner with me, stayed the night, helped me with the last minute details for the wedding, stayed for the wedding, drove back to Madison, came back the next evening, and at five am the next morning we moved me, my car, and my stuff to Miami. It was a 22 hour drive. We stayed for a night in Chattanooga, and on the ride down the next day, we got really mad at the state of Florida for putting a turnpike through the boooooring Everglades. And THEN she stayed with me for a week to help me unpack, organize, and explore. Oh, I forgot, she also helped me move OUT of my apartment in Madison less than two weeks before that. To say she did me a favor is a HUGE understatement. I have told her I owe her moving out, moving in, a cross-country trip, and a wedding. :) I had not seen her since that move. 11 months is a long time to go without seeing a friend.

I was so excited to pick her up from the airport, and for her to meet Ruby. In four short days we hit up three different beaches, went shopping, went to the botanical gardens, experienced the greatness that is Mz.Cheezious, and dealt with a minor crisis. Even though we only got two hours of sleep the night before she had to leave, and even though we were a bit worried, it was E who I would want with me for any hairy situation. She's like a calm, collected parent who knows her way around a smart phone and GPS. The only thing E cannot do is drive stick, but neither can I. She knows how to bake, pack knives for moving, jam a car full of stuff, MAKE jam, find a good deal, knows when you are down and you need a message/card the most, and much, much more. Driving around the better part of Southern Florida with her brought back memories of us, in Madison, accidentally driving through a mental institute, finding any excuse to go to Octopus Car Wash, and grabbing copious amounts of Starbucks, Panera, and/or Noodles and Co. It felt like home.

Shortly after her visit, things got super crazy at work. Like lines of 10+ people for most of the day, three phone lines ringing off the hook, countless e-mails, countless complaints, countless angry "customers." It was a nightmare. To put it in perspective, between Thursday afternoon and a Tuesday morning my phone missed 1016 calls. No, that does not count how many I actually picked up. And one night I stayed at work until past 6 with my co-workers to return 46 voice messages. For the record, we were getting voice mail throughout the day as well and trying our best to return those phone calls. I was exhausted, and cranky, and ready for another vacation. I wanted, so badly, to be laughing at the silliest stuff with my parents. Or to be in the ocean, chatting with E, watching J swim around like a tall, skinny fish.

Things have slightly calmed down. I'm still busy at work. I'm still depressingly poor. (J paid for my flight to WI and will most likely have to pay for my new computer- whenever that happens.) I'm still looking disheveled and slightly sweaty. (Although, E surprised me with a haircut and color, so now my hair is darker and shorter. A slightly more chic way to do the sweaty Midwesterner in Miami.) But things will soon be looking up. J was awarded a grant for this year from NASA (my smarty pants), and soon it will ease some of the financial tension. I have been taking crafting classes at the local botanical garden. We have been doing puppy classes for Ruby (well, really they are for us, let's not lie). And I have once again kicked up the "career" search. I've been asking myself questions about what I want out of life and what I want in a career. Right now I have a job. It's not something I see myself doing for the long term. The other day I was talking to my mom on the phone about living in Miami. I've been thinking back to some people I went to high school with because my littlest brother just started. I may not always like living in Miami, I told her, but at least I'm living in a large, metropolitan area that gets name-checked in rap songs, mentioned in books, and "hosts" some television shows. (They are obviously filmed mostly in LA. I'm no dummy.) As I think back to some of the kids that were not so nice to me, I realize that many are living with their parents. They've been living an extended version of high school for years. I have friends who have lived in France, Wales, NYC, moved to MN, CA, and are in various stages of life. I'm happy to be on the adventure I am and ultimately that means I am happy to be where I am. I look forward to experiencing new places with J. I like my apartment and the little space we've created for ourselves. Home is where the heart is: in the memories, the houses from my childhood, the experiences, the food. I know I can and will find "home" anywhere and with those I love.