Isn't it Pinteresting?

Is anyone as obsessed with Pinterest as I am? I jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon rather late and now pretty much all my free time is spent on the site. I can't get enough! What am I doing Monday night at 6? Oh, just planning the future rooms of my future, imaginary home. Wednesday at 7am? Sipping my homemade latte and pinning inspirational quotes to my board. It's hit borderline obsessive levels.

Here is one of my favorites finds. We all could use something pretty to look at right? This just makes me happy.

Source: blogs.babble.com via Amy on Pinterest

PRK Update

Well, it's Wednesday and as it turns out, I didn't need to stress about having to choose between being blind and being deaf. I know you've all been waiting with bated breath for an update on my surgery. So here it is: I think the best adjective for this procedure is “surreal.” You lay on a table, fully awake, and watch them touch your eyes without being able to feel any of it. To keep from boring you all with surgery details, here are some highlights:

THE WORST PART (If you're thinking of getting this procedure done, you might not want to read this.)

There was the burning smell (ew.), there was the fear that froze my muscles so tense even the best of masseurs couldn’t have helped, there was the awful sensation of having my eyes taped open so I couldn’t blink, there was the taking out the protective lenses a few days after which I can only describe as “ripping off a bandage”, but the absolute worst part of the entire process was the ice cold water they poured on my eyes after the surgery was over. I now know what they mean by “water torture.” Since my eyes were numb, I couldn’t feel any of the other touching or brushing going on, but my lids were not numb, so when they poured ICE cold water over my eyes for a good 20 seconds each, I wanted to scream for mercy. I know it doesn’t sound bad, but believe me when I say it was the worst part. At that point, my eye was still taped open so I couldn’t blink or close my eye, which was the ONLY thing I wanted to do. It went on for so long that I almost begged them to stop.

CONSTANT TWILIGHT

I spent all of 6 days inside with the lights off, wearing sunglasses and listening to the TV. Oh. And I ate 2 entire boxes of girl scout cookies. By myself. Among other things.

THE WAITING GAME

It’s almost a week later and my vision is still blurry. Driving to work today was a harrowing experience and I’m sure it wasn’t much better for all the drivers sharing the road with me. Nighttime driving still to come. For the good of everyone on the road, I’m putting that off for as long as possible

NEW BEDROOM ATTIRE

For the next week, I have to wear goggles to bed so that I don’t rub my eyes in my sleep. Yes, I said goggles. So sexy, I know.

THE BEST PART

The 20/20 vision that I’m told will come soon.

In all seriousness, for anyone thinking of getting this procedure, it has already been worth it. The procedure isn’t bad (other than the ice cold water), the recovery was more about comfort level than pain, and my vision is already better. I'm doing fine and adjusting to life without glasses and contacts and according to my calculations, PRK will have paid for itself in 3 years. Not bad considering I'll probably get about 20 years of 20/20 vision before needing reading glasses. For all of you wondering whether or not I was crazy to buy laser eye surgery through Groupon, I can assure you my eyesight has not suffered from my miserly ways. Not yet at least.

Would You Rather...?

This is sort of a morbid post I guess, but bear with me (and please, to anyone who may be blind or deaf and is reading or hearing this blogpost, I mean no disrespect by this post in any way). At 3pm today, I’m having PRK Surgery which I mentioned before here (similar to Lasik). I’m excited, but very nervous. And of course reading through the bevy of risks on the consent form doesn't help.


It got me thinking. Do you remember those “would you rather” questions you used to play as a kid? Ones like “Would you rather only eat brussel sprouts for the rest of your life or have no taste buds?” I hated those questions. Since neither choice is appealing, I’d spend way too long weighing the pros and cons of each, stressing myself over a simple hypothetical. 


In anticipation of my surgery, I've been thinking about one of these questions in particular: “Would you rather be blind or deaf?” Now, I can see pros and cons to each, but I really think what you choose says a lot about what you value in everyday life. Are you musically inclined or artistically so? Are you happier seeing waves crashing on the shore, or hearing their gentle rhythm? Last night, I read for awhile, cooked myself dinner, watched a few shows from my DVR and played with the kitten. As I did all this, I reminded myself to enjoy each of these activities, you know, just in case. It got me thinking about the blind or deaf hypothetical. I, the person who loves to read, who skims decorating blogs, is addicted to Pinterest, loves photography and pretty things, if I absolutely had to choose, would choose to be deaf. Prior to yesterday, this question had me stumped, but when faced with the reality and the risks of eye surgery, when thinking of all the things I wouldn’t see again if I were to go blind, the choice became easy. A scary choice for someone about to undergo laser eye surgery that apparently has more risks than a tiger has stripes, but there it is. I would rather be deaf than blind. I would assume the majority would agree with me, but who knows. So here's my question to you Internet: Would you rather be deaf or blind? And why?

Following the flock

Every year, like everyone else on the planet, I make New Years resolutions with the intent to keep them. I try not to make big, sweeping New Year's resolutions for the simple fact that I'll never ever keep them, but of course, there are a few of those, along with a couple simple resolutions that I'll actually keep. So, without further ado, here are my goals for 2012:

Stop spending money on Tall Caramel Macchiatos. I am a coffee snob. It’s not something I’m proud of and I will be gracious and drink regular brewed coffee, and like it, but I prefer espresso drinks. I learned to enjoy drinking coffee while studying in Italy. And it completely ruined me. Sure, I drank coffee in college, but I saw coffee as more of a means to an end; a way of getting caffeine into my tired body. In Italy, drinking coffee is a pasttime, one I learned to appreciate. So, when we got married, the one present I REALLY wanted from our registry was an espresso machine, so I could make my own espresso. We got the machine and it sits brightly shining in our kitchen, yet I still found myself at Starbucks almost every morning, doling out $4 for a macchiato. Since the New Year, I’ve been making my own each morning. I spend 10 minutes each morning sitting at my computer, checking email, doing the daily crossword, and relaxing before heading to work. Those 10 minutes were the ones previously spent getting off the highway, driving to Starbucks, and waiting for them to make me a drink. Now, I’m not only saving us money, I’m gaining a little time to myself each morning. What could be better?

Get a hubcap. I have a 2006 VW Jetta. It was my college graduation present to myself; a present I’ve been slowly buying myself for the past 5 years (yea, maybe not the best decision as a poor college graduate, but oh well). About 3 years ago, I lost a hubcap when I hit a pothole on the drive back from the beach. And I’ve never replaced it. That’s right. For 3 years, I’ve been driving without a hubcap. I know hubcaps don’t actually have any practical function, they’re there to just look pretty, so I’ve put off getting a new one. Yet every time I look at my car, I cringe at its ghetto-ness. It’s time to restore my car’s dignity and replace it.

Buy a pair of Frye Boots. Kurt and I have a joint checking account as well separate accounts. The sole purpose of the separate accounts is to be able to buy things (mainly expensive shoes) without having to answer questions. We put a small amount each month into our separate accounts. It’s actually a great lesson in restraint. If I find something I want that’s a little expensive, I have to wait until I’ve saved enough money. And the one purchase I’m dying for is a pair of Frye boots. I’ve coveted a pair of these for years, but the large price tag kept me from buying them. Recently, I’ve spoken to a few friends who own Frye boots and they spoke of their high quality. “An investment piece,” they said. To that end, I have been trying to cut down my wardrobe and buy higher quality staple items slowly. For the past few months, I’ve saved my money and I’m almost there. I can’t wait to buy them. In the days of credit cards and low interest rates, I’d forgotten how good it feels to work hard and save for something you really want. You become much more discretionary with your money. At least I do.

Use coupons. Is anyone else terrible at remembering to use coupons? In my purse, right now, I have no less than 20 coupons for various stores and restaurants I frequent. I guarantee only one will get used before they expire. Maybe. I just never remember I have them. I get coupons in the mail constantly. My purse is cluttered with them. But I never remember I have them. For some reason, I’m better at remembering to use ones for clothing stores or beauty stores, but only because getting the coupon encourages me to shop at the store. It’s a problem. I’m not the sort of person who sits clipping coupons. If you are, I envy you in a way. If I’m shopping at a clothing store, I’ll check online for deals, or printable coupons, but when it comes to grocery shopping and the like, we end up paying full price, simply because we forget to use that coupon for $1 off the cereal we eat EVERY DAY. We’ll even go into the store fully meaning to use the coupon, but once we get to the register, that tiny little money saver is forgotten and forlorn, in the bottom of my purse. We’ll get in the car, be halfway home, and realize our stupidity. For the past month, each week I’ve been going through our coupons, taking a mental inventory of what we could save on. It makes me a little more mindful of the coupons we have and so far, has been helping. 

What are your resolutions for the new year?

A Few of My Favorite Things

I realized a few days ago that I've neglected to share with you my most recent favorite books. So, if you're looking for a new book, or even if you're not, here is a (fairly) quick listing of the books I've read as well as a couple songs I'm totally obsessed with at the moment. (Quick disclaimer: I do not fancy myself a musical genius, nor do a I have alternative tastes. The songs I like are typically mainstream, but that doesn't mean they aren't awesome.) But before we get to that (I'm sorry. I know you're waiting with bated breath), a few publishing friends of mine share this video on Facebook and I absolutely love it. I think it perfectly captures the imagination, beauty, and magic of a bookstore. Long live real books and real bookstores.

Previously on My Nightstand:

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling: I cannot express to you how much I loved this book. I got this book for Christmas, started it the next day, and finished it four days later. I used every minute of free time I had to read this book. Mindy Kaling writes and produces for The Office, and most of you would recognize her as Kelly Kapoor. In this book, she is unabashedly honest, sweetly self-deprecating and all-out hilarious. It's not often I find a book that makes me laugh out loud and this one had me in stitches.

I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley: This is the fourth book of the Flavia DeLuce Mysteries, which begin withs The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, a book I've mentioned before. I love love love these books. They're all murder mysteries from the point of a view of a precocious eleven year old in 1950's England. I find Bradley's style of writing refreshing. It's fun and dark and somtimes silly. He somehow makes a murder, told from the point of view of a child, a fun read. Genius.

Situations Matter by Sam Sommers: This book is similar to Freakonomics or any Malcolm Gladwell book in that its subject matter is that of a text book, but it reads more like a fascinating, albeit nonfiction, novel. I picked it up precisely because it is written by one of my college professors (one who used clips from Seinfeld episodes to illustrate social psychological phenomena and who once brought a large traffic stoplight to time an in-class debate). Even if you hated Psych 101 in college, you will love this book. Sommers offers example after example of how situations influence how we see and respond to others. If nothing else, it will at least make you stop and reevaluate yourself the next time you yell less than appropriate words at a fellow driver, and help you to more successfully navigate challenging situations in your life.

On Repeat in My Car:

Run the World (Girls) cover, by Glee: Ok, yes. This is not a new or original song. It's not alternative or a great find. It's Glee. And I love Glee. This song and the one I'm about to mention (also from Glee) is on repeat in my car whenever I'm in it. Whenever I find a song I love, I play it over and over and over until I grow tired of it (aren't you glad we don't commute together?), but I'm not growing tired of this one anytime soon. It's a great girl-power song that makes me want to get some Master's degrees, maybe a PhD or two, and take over the world with an army of intelligent women.

Adele Medley by Glee: This medley is just perfect. I love Adele and as I've mentioned once or twice, I love Glee. This is the perfect marriage.

Set Fire to the Rain by Adele: See aforementioned declaration of love for Adele. 

We Owned the Night by Lady Antebellum: So far, I have loved every single song that this country band has put out and this one is no exception. Their voices are so beautiful, but it's their simple and sweet lyrics that get me.

How to Look Completely Ridiculous While Helpless

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you know you’re being ridiculous, but can’t seem to help it? You envision people seeing you in your state of ridiculousness and cringe, but go on being ridiculous anyway? That’s how I felt last night. Our apartment is no stranger to bugs. In the past two and a half years, we’ve seen 112 sprickets (no exaggeration, that’s what our death count says currently), one enormous spider we named Wilfredo who miraculously escaped death and is probably feasting on sprickets in the basement, countless small spiders, mosquitoes, house flies and stink bugs. Last night, a stink bug must have shimmied its way into the house through one of our drafty windows and began flying around the living room, hitting itself against the light on the ceiling, recovering, and flying around again.

I hate any bug that flies or is above my head. It freaks me out knowing they could land on me somehow without me knowing it. It makes me feel very vulnerable. I usually end up running from the general direction of the insect in question with my hands flailing about to prevent it from landing on me. If you’ve ever seen a stink bug fly, it’s a little unsettling. At least it's unsettling to me. When a stink bug flies, it’s clumsy, haphazard, and totally unpredictable. Plus, they’re sticky and gross, so I really don’t want one on me. Upon seeing the stink bug, I ran into the dining room, armed myself with a fly swatter (we have one hanging in every room in preparation for spricket attacks), and set about finding a way to kill this thing. To no avail. It stayed near the light fixture on the ceiling, so I couldn’t reach it. Every time I went into the living room, it started to fly again, so I ran back out.* On one of these expeditions, I managed to grab my phone from the table. For about 10 minutes, I basically stood in the dining room, fly swatter in hand, watching the thing. I had no idea what to do. I texted Kurt, who was asleep in our bedroom, “If you’re awake, please come kill this bug. I’m trapped.” No answer.

Duke, meanwhile, was beside himself. He wanted to kill this bug in the worst way. He spent this whole time walking around the room, staring at it, meowing, jumping on the coffee table and pawing at it, jumping off the coffee table and walking around again. Over and over and over. He was very distraught. Probably because I told him he wasn’t allowed to eat until he killed it. As a sidenote, I think it’s time to train him to leap 8 feet in the air for next time.

Finally, I ran across the living room to the bedroom, keeping the bug in sight to make sure it didn’t land on me, and woke Kurt, much to his dismay. He was not happy. But he came to my rescue and killed it like a loving husband.

Needless to say, I felt like a complete idiot. If Kurt hadn’t been home, what would I have done? Slept in the dining room? There was no way I could’ve reached it myself. Kurt is 6’5” and had to stand on the couch to reach it. And there was no way I could just leave it there and go on with my life.

I could imagine people seeing me crouched in the dining room with a fly swatter, staring into the living room and thinking I was completely crazy. At one point, I even resorted to trying to spray it with the spray bottle we use to train Duke not to scratch. The water had no effect whatsoever on the bug. It didn’t even budge. But seriously, what did I think the bug was going to do to me? Why do I have this irrational fear of flying insects? I consider myself to be a rather intelligent, independent, capable woman, yet this little stink bug rendered me completely helpless.

I know stink bugs are completely harmless and I have no issues killing them when they’re not flying or perched far above my head. I’ve even managed to kill a few sprickets when Kurt wasn’t home and came out unscathed (normally, I bring spiders outside. I don’t like to kill them, or any bug, but sometimes you have no choice). This experience made me realize I need to learn to get over this fear so I can take care of myself when Kurt’s not around. Maybe killing bugs is not really something you’d classify as “taking care of yourself”, but other than lifting really heavy things, it’s really the only thing I feel I can’t do by myself in my own home. My fear of sprickets even keeps me from going into our dungeon of a basement, which could be a problem if a fuse is ever blown while Kurt’s away. So I guess this is going under my 2012 Resolutions heading. Check back in 2013 to see how far I’ve come.

 *This is not the first time this has happened to me. Last year, I was trapped in the kitchen for about 15 minutes when a stink bug started flying in huge circles around the light fixture in the dining room. To be fair, when they fly, they sound like a bee or wasp, so that’s what I thought it was at first. It finally hit itself so hard on the light that it flew away and died. I never found the body.

Reflecting Back and Looking Forward

2011 was a pretty good year, I’d say. I got married to my love of 9 years. I celebrated with friends and family at the weddings of loved ones. I joined a flag football team. Ran a half marathon. Ran the Broad St. Run. Made new friends. Was asked to be a Godmother (unfortunately, not the fairy kind). Bought a kitten. Watched my baby sister graduate from college. Went salsa dancing.

And then life sent some harder experiences just to keep me on my feet. Hurricane Irene happened and we were “homeless” for 2.5 weeks. A friend was diagnosed with cancer. Good friends moved halfway across the world.

I think no matter what happens, no matter your lot in life, life is what you make of it. Those good experiences at the top? They happened because we make them happen, not because we’re lucky. As for the harder ones underneath? What can I say: life happens. Those are the things that make you stop and take a look at your life. They’re the things that make you want to experience the good, to do more with your life, to make time for the important people in your life.

If you look at those experiences in that way, good can always come out of bad. Adjust your lens and see them differently. Focus on anything other the bad, then give yourself something good to look forward to.

2011 was pretty great, but I’m looking forward to more time with friends and family, more life goals achieved, and even more happiness and love in 2012.