A New Sense of Accomplishment

I just finished putting together two new nightstands from The Christmas Tree Shop (an awesome place I just discovered - super cheap and convenient and a total misnomer as they only have a few Christmas things). It took forever and my hand is sore from the screwdriver, but the directions were easy to follow and polite. Yes, polite. The directions actually said "please" and "kindly". I've never seen anything like it. Doing something like this always fills me with a sense of accomplishment and purpose, which I've been lacking lately. I have had writer's block for about a month now, but after putting those nightstands together all by myself, I feel inspired.

For the past week, I've had off from work and I have to say that I'm completely restless. I can't relax. I think I'm so used to constantly working or running errands that I don't know what to do with free time anymore! Yesterday, I went to the gym and took a spin class (and as a result am in a lot of pain right now), cleaned a little, tried to write, watched Confessions of a Shopaholic and met up with friends for coffee and dinner. All day, instead of relaxing, all I could think about was how to fill my time. Maybe I need to practice relaxing more often.

This week, the week after Christmas, is always a little sad for me. Christmas came and went too quickly as it has for the past few years and now I'm a little sad. We'll soon take our tree down and the magic will be over. How depressing. I'd actually compare it to a sort of postpartum depression, without the hormones and baby. I try to focus on the memories from Christmas and look forward to the next few days off. At least I won't have to go to Walmart every day for a week like I did before Christmas.

I loathe Walmart. I loathe everything about it: the lighting, the sparse, disorganized shelves, the angry salespeople, the angrier customers intent on ramming my cart with theirs. I walk into Walmart and am instantly anxious. All I can think about is leaving. I've come to realize that Target offers better quality things at almost the same prices without all the anxiety and stress. I could live at Target with all its organization and color coordination. I want to buy everything because it all looks so pretty. I read an article a few weeks ago about Target and how the new marketing strategy is to emphasize the low costs instead of the high quality. In other words, they are taking a cue from Walmart. Personally, I think Walmart should take a cue from Target. Give me some organization and pretty colors and you've got me for life.

On my *new* nightstand:

I'm reading Jodi Picoult's Change of Heart for my book club. Honestly, I think the cover is lacking. I would never have picked it up had it not been the book club pick of the month. The book itself, however, is amazing. It's about the murder of a young girl and her stepfather and is told from the point of view of various people affected by that murder: the wife and mother of the victims, a juror from the trial, a man from the murderer's neighboring jail cell, the murderer's lawyer. It is extremely well done. The differing voices are distinct and each tell a different side of the murder and murderer, so you're never sure what to think. I'm about halfway through and it's hard to put down. Do yourself a favor and pick it up.

Christmas Happenings

Decorating for Christmas is always the highlight of the season for me. I love trimming the tree while watching a holiday movie or listening to Christmas music. This year was especially special as it is the first Christmas that Kurt and I live together. We decided to get our tree last Sunday at Keris Tree Farm, which I totally recommend. We didn't really want to cut down our own tree, so I double-checked online that they had fresh-cut trees. We went about 45 minutes before closing and just our luck, they were out of fresh-cut trees. Which means we had to trudge through the fields in ankle deep mud as it was a balmy 50 degrees. Let me just say that we were not prepared for this. Kurt was wearing white sneakers and I had suede moccasins on - not the best mud-wading shoes. After finding the "perfect" tree, we cut it down using the flimsy saw they gave us (and by "we", I of course mean Kurt. He made me try to cut it down and I couldn't do it). About 15 minutes later, we had the tree strapped to the top of Buick and were driving back home praying it wouldn't fly off. Our tree is huge. As Kurt cut the strings wrapped around it, I was reminded of Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation. It resulted in almost the exact same scene with the two of us covered in sap and pine needles. A great new holiday memory.

Yesterday, we met up with three of Kurt's friends from college and their wives in New York City. We went to ESPN Zone for lunch where the guys instantly turned into twelve-year-olds upon sight of the arcade upstairs and Kurt's friend set a record for spotting someone he knew (about 5 minutes into getting into the city). The food was decent, but the arcade was by far the best part. Especially for the guys. Then, we went to see the tree at Rockefeller Center. We had originally planned to ice skate, but the line was way too long, so we settled on taking pictures in front of the tree. We walked to the rink in Central Park to look at the line there. It really wasn't long at all, but it was getting ridiculously cold, so we sat above the rink watching the ice-skaters, living vicariously through them and drinking hot chocolate. Perfect. For dinner we went to Ruby Foo's. The restaurant itself was cramped (typical of NYC) despite the large space (not so typical), but the food was great. It's a Pan-Asian restaurant, so they have Thai, Chinese, and Japanese food. In my opinion, the best thing we tried were the Chicken Lettuce Wraps. The whole day was a blast. We haven't seen these friends in years and getting to catch up with them was really great. Next time though, we'll make sure to do it on a much warmer day.

On my nightstand:

I just finished reading Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella. She is the author of the Shopaholic series, which I love. I really like her style of writing, though I usually find her main characters to be a bit annoying. This book was really cute. The main character's great-aunt dies and begins to haunt her and coerces her into looking for her stolen necklace. It's a cute story about family, friendship, and ultimately discovering the truth about who you are. It's a light read, good for beach-reading, or as a Christmas present for the avid reader in your life - just a suggestion.

The Value of Retail Therapy

Given my successful shopping trip on Black Friday, it's only normal that I wear at least one new piece of clothing each day since. And I have. Today I wore a fitted, black sheath dress from H&M with a gray button-less cardigan. Inevitably and as new clothes always do, my outfit made me happy. I actually looked forward to getting out of bed so I could wear something new. So I wondered, what is this joy that new clothes bring? I wouldn't consider myself an overly-materialistic person, no more than the average person at least. So how do I explain the sheer joy that comes from new clothes? I like having nice things, of course, but I wouldn't say I need them. Then again, new clothes give me this feeling of confidence that nothing else can. After a particularly eventful shopping spree, I will wear my new clothes somewhat obsessively until that time comes when they magically transform into old, ill-fitting, and completely untrendy.

Hosts of style makeover shows spout the theory that dressing better will make you feel better. While I don't believe new clothes can change a person's outlook completely, I can't help but acknowledge some truth in that belief. Who hasn't had a new dress that somehow seems to pull their shoulders back, hide a tummy pooch, and put a spring in their step? I admit that this joy is not deep-rooted and really only exists on the surface. It will not change your life or cure depression, but it is something, right? I am at the point in my life where I am fairly content with myself. I've come to appreciate who I am and what I look like. I've even learned to accept my many flaws. I'm not obsessed with botox or cosmetic surgery. In fact, I kind of like my gray hairs and the beginnings of wrinkles on my face and I fully admit that I would wear my favorite pair of sweats or running shorts every single day if it was socially acceptable. So I don't think that little confidence boost, that small dosage of happiness I get from wearing new clothes has anything to do with superficiality or materialism. Instead, maybe it simply means I really need new clothes.

Black Friday Fun

Every year, for about the past ten years, my aunt, my sister, and I go shopping on Black Friday. I know it sounds crazy, but it's not as bad as people think. We normally get to the stores around 10:00, when everyone is leaving. The crowds are never that bad and the sales are phenomenal. This year, my cousins' wives joined us and we went to Cherry Hill Mall. I have to say, the absolute worst part of Black Friday is trying to park. I really think malls would make a KILLING if they had valet parking. I would definitely do it. It would be worth not having to deal with maniacal drivers whose only goal is to beat you to every open spot. I swear, the normal rules of parking lot etiquette go right out the window on Black Friday, and really, the rules are few to begin with: if someone has their turn signal on while another is pulling out of a spot, they have the right to that spot, etc. Parking lots on Black Friday are a complete free for all. I think next year, I'm starting a valet parking company just for Black Friday. Let me know if you want in.

This year, the deals were even better than those in the past. I'm assuming companies are desperate to get themselves out of the red by the end of the year, and just want people in the stores and buying. The five of us trekked through the mall, heavily laden with our many purchases, and by the end of the day, were utterly exhausted. The absolute best part of the day was not getting 40% off at Ann Taylor, or my sister getting 40% off on her scratch-off ticket at Steve Madden. It actually had nothing to do with a purchase at all. While at H&M, my cousin's wife was trying on sweaters in front of the mirror. The line for the changing rooms was long and she was wearing a tank top under her shirt, so thinking nothing of it, she took off her top shirt and placed it on the rack next to her in order to try on the clothes she had. Five minutes later, she calls me over, "Have you seen my shirt??" Someone had taken her shirt off the rack! We spent the next 10 minutes searching for that shirt on other racks, in people's arms in line for the dressing rooms, in line to buy. I even yelled to everyone in line to check their items for a striped shirt from Old Navy. They just looked at me like I was crazy and checked nothing. Finally, I saw a girl in line for the register with the "stolen" shirt. I went over to her. "Excuse me, but is that shirt from Old Navy?" Naturally, being at H&M, she gave me a strange look and said, "Um, no." I took it from her and looked at the tag. Sure enough, it said Old Navy and I explained the situation. She apologized and gave it back, still looking completely confused. I would have loved to have seen her face when she got up to the register and was told it was not an H&M shirt! The moral of the story is to always keep your stuff with you. If you're trying on things throughout the store, put your shirt in your bag, so no one mistakes it as merchandise.

I'm still reading The Geography of Love. Haven't gotten too far since I've been crazy busy for the past five days, but I do have another recommendation. Last night, I went to see The Nutcracker with some friends from work. One of the hostesses at the restaurant was in it (she was amazing, by the way) and the owners bought us tickets. I haven't been to the ballet since I was a little girl and I was so excited to go. It definitely lived up to my expectations and got me in the Christmas spirit. It is absolutely amazing to me the way these people can dance and move their bodies. The time and dedication that goes into something like that is incredible. So this holiday season, get in the Christmas spirit and go out and support the arts.

Love

"God never promised life would be fair or even that life would be pleasant - only that you do not have to go it alone."

- The Geography of Love, Glenda Burgess

I'm reading The Geography of Love right now. This sentence made me stop and think. People look to religion for answers, concrete responses, physical things, problems to be solved. I thought, what if God is only there to provide love? That might not seem enough from religions that boast an omnipotent being who rewards humans for good behavior, but to those who are unloved, it might mean everything. All this time, for centuries, people have looked to God for solutions, angry He could not provide more. But what's more than love? Love, hope, is more powerful than we choose to believe. I believe it's life-saving, not just life-making. Even Harlow's monkeys were distraught and depressed without mothers, without love. All it took was the illusion of love, the hope that their mothers were there, in the form of a fur-covered tin, to bring happiness and comfort. Even if God is someone invented by religion, the illusion of the love and hope he offers could be enough to give comfort.

People often speak to the power of prayer and hope performing miracles, prayers answered. But I think the prayers themselves are the answer. Hope, love, optimism can do wonders, even perform miracles. I think the strength of love should never be underestimated. And if that's all God provides, maybe that's enough.

On my nightstand:

Since my last post, I've read The Story Sisters and am now onto The Geography of Love. The Story Sisters was good, though I wouldn't say great. The main protagonist acted out, was manipulative, even mean. She wasn't a strong and I found I really couldn't relate to her. She frustrated me and angered me. Although I guess that could be considered a great book since it evoked a strong emotion, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I have other books. I enjoyed the beginning and the end, the middle just frustrated me.

The Geography of Love, on the other hand, is great. It's a memoir by Glenda Burgess, no one I had ever heard of. It's sweet, real, and touching. It was lent to me by a friend, who told me it made her cry, which is why I haven't picked it up until now. I'm tired of being the crazy crying girl on the train. But I had finished my book the other day and the train station stopped selling magazines, so I needed something to read and that book was in my car. And now I can't stop even though I know it'll make me cry pretty soon. It's amazing. Don't be afraid like me, and pick it up.

New advice

On my way home from work last night, I got a text from Kurt about the new recommendations from the government about breast cancer screening. A federal task force is telling women not to get mammograms starting at age 40, that they should wait until age 50. Furthermore, a mammogram isn't needed every year, but every two years. Check it out here if you haven't heard about it: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33974452/

When I got home and read about the new advice, I was appalled, but I tried to be objective. I read the facts. Beginning yearly mammograms at age 40 costs money, saves only one life in thousands, and leads to countless "scares" and unnecessary biopsies. I get it. I'm a practical person. I understand the financial issues with this. But I am also a woman, and a woman who has lost her mother to Breast Cancer. I think I'd rather have a "scare" than wait ten years and find out I have cancer and that's it's too late. What's wrong with being a little liberal when it comes to Breast Cancer screenings? Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in women. I think that's reason enough there. The thing that really got me upset was when the task force said that self exams do no good, that they are worthless. I have to disagree wholeheartedly on that one. I am not a doctor, but come on, anything we can do to catch it early should be done.

My mother was 48 when she was first diagnosed with Breast Cancer. While she only survived another 5 years before a second bout killed her, if she had waited until she was 50 to get a mammogram, she might not have had those extra years. Before her, my family had no history of Breast Cancer whatsoever, but the doctors said they thought her cancer was genetic. So how can they say that women without risk factors shouldn't be tested? We don't even know what all of the risk factors are. We know so little about cancer and what causes it that I'm not sure how they can be so sure of themselves. I know they did extensive testing and research, so I'm trying to see the "business" side of it, the scientific side. Saving one person out of thousands is not enough to support expensive testing. But what if that one person was me, or you, or your mother or sister? Why is that one life considered less important because it's only one?

I think it's important to listen to your body and to trust your doctor. If you disagree with your doctor or think something is wrong, get a second opinion. And please continue to do self-exams and get mammograms. I know it took a lot of guts for these scientists to come out and say what they did and I'm sure they believe it, but I don't. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

I am a Samoa-addict

Hello, my name is Amy Ricci, and I am a Girl Scout Cookie addict. I have a problem. I LOVE Girl Scout cookies, specifically Samoas. When I say love, I don’t mean the sweet, innocent, exciting love, I mean the all-consuming, addicting, needy type of love. Today was Girl Scout cookie day at Random House. They put up flyers last week advertising this momentous day and I’ve been anxiously awaiting the arrival of those green clad, patch-covered girls. During a meeting today that was running late, I worried that I might miss out on the “good” boxes. Once the torturous meeting ended, I raced down to the cafeteria to get in line. After throwing some elbows and getting myself a spot at the front of the line, I happily walked away, my wallet lighter, but my bag heavier. I was overjoyed. At Hale & Hearty, after suffering through my tasteless salad, I opened the first box. Oh, the joy of the first bite of the year. That’s where this pleasant little story turns ugly. It’s barely an hour later and I’ve already made it through half a box. I feel sick, as though if I eat another, I might explode. But still I want more. I can’t stop. I put the box away, out of sight, but I can hear it calling me, taunting me, mocking me. I hope to make it home before I overdose.


On my nightstand:
I'm almost finished with Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah. It's a beautiful, touching story about the friendship between two girls. It is incredibly well-written and real. Every ordeal, every fight or shared secret, reminds me of my life and my friendships. It's definitely a tear-jerker though. For a week and a half I've had to hide my face while blubbering like an idiot on the train, trying to sniff as quietly as possible. (And when I cry, I can't hide it, it shows in my face. My nose gets red and my eyes get puffy almost instantly. It's these days when I wish I was one of those people who look serene and beautiful when they cry. I am definitely not one of them). I'm sure half of my fellow-commuters think of me as "that crazy crying girl" now. But it's worth it. I couldn't put it down. I love love love when a book so thoroughly captures my attention that I miss the stops on the train. Almost every day since I've been reading, I look up when we've reached my destination, confused because I don't remember stopping at the other stops. The relationships in this story are so real, the emotions so raw. It really is incredible. Full of love, jealousy, friendship, and life, this is definitely a book worth reading, even if it means crying on the train.

What I think about on the train after I've finished a book and have nothing else to read

Everyday on the train, the conductor passes by, glances at my ticket, and punches two holes in a strip of paper that he places on the seat in front of me. Proof that he has seen my ticket. I always assumed the punches were random as there seemed to be no rhyme or reason for the placement of the holes. But, I've been observing. I finished my book today and having nothing else to read, I began paying attention to the conductor's activities. It now seems to me that the conductor can tell passenger origin and destination from these seemingly random holes. I wonder, what else can he tell? Gender? Age? Frequency of rider? I'm intrigued. How can two little holes, and sometimes a tear mean so much? Does the length of the tear signify distance? Does one hole mean something different than two? So many things to ponder. If someone reading this knows train ticket language, please, enlighten me.

Slumlords

I'm one of those people who needs the change in seasons. I could never be happy living in a place where it never snows, or never reaches 90 degrees. By the end of one season, I'm almost always ready for the next. So I'm happy that the weather is getting colder. It means breaking out my cozy sweaters and snuggling on the couch under a blanket. It means crunching leaves and smelling fireplaces. And because apparently everyone in Allentown has a fireplace and actually uses them, the town smells like winter for months on end. It's wonderful. But the change in season also means turning on the heat, always interesting in a centuries old house.

I'm pretty sure our radiators are original and our thermostat is much older than me. On Monday, our landlord came to replace the antiquated thermostat with a new, digital one. I came home from work yesterday to a bright, shiny new thermostat. I could hardly contain my excitement. Our landlord had left a note for us. He had programmed it for us. Now, we have an interesting situation. Since our apartment and the one above us used to be a one family house, there is only one thermostat for both apartments, and we control that thermostat. It's a lot of power, frankly, and I'm very uncomfortable with it. On the one hand, I don't want to waste heat and money (we pay our landlord a flat fee each month for heat), but on the other hand, I don't want to come off as the evil slumlord who won't crank up the heat. Apparently, we are the latter. In response to a note to our neighbor (let us know if it's ever too hot or cold!), we received the note (crank it up!). Fair enough. The problem? Kurt and I like it cooler. But whatever, I've been fighting Kurt on it and sneaking over to the thermostat to turn it up while he opens the windows. So I was very hopeful when we got our pretty, new, programmable thermostat. No more slumlords! On Tuesday morning though, I woke up freezing. I went over to the thermostat immediately. It was set at 62 degrees. 62 degrees?? Seriously? Of course, that meant our poor neighbor was probably freezing too without any control over it whatsoever. Needless to say, I felt awful. Also needless to say, we will be reprogramming the pretty, new thermostat.

We watched Land of the Lost last night. I've decided Will Ferrell should rule the world. How much better would the world be if he was in charge? The only problem I foresee would be worldwide stomach cramps from laughter.

(Random) Houses of Horror

Halloween is a time for celebration. An excuse to tell spooky stories, wear silly (and sometimes slutty) costumes, and throw parties. At my company, Halloween is the most important part of the year. Every year, we throw a huge Halloween party in the cafeteria, complete with an employee graveyard, jello shots, and of course, a costume competition. Now, this contest is extremely competitive. Departments begin planning their costumes sometimes up to a year in advance, it's that important. This year, every single person in our department participated in our little skit. During our staff meetings for the past month, the last item on the agenda was "Halloween Party". We were interrupted numerous times by our President, who walked in expecting to hear some brilliant marketing ideas being tossed around, and was instead greeted by stony silence. When he asked what our costume was, he was told, "You'll see." The costumes are kept a secret until the party. This is serious business. What was our costume you ask? We were the next hot thing in paranormal romance: ghosts. Now, if you're not in publishing, it's not really all that funny or even clever. But we are in publishing, so our skit was, thankfully, met with laughs and cheers. We "re-designed" our competitors covers (The Host became The Ghost) and presented them while wearing white plastic tablecloths. Our VP presented each of the new covers while dressed as a Ghostbuster. I have to say, it was a lot of fun to get into the Halloween spirit and dress up, even though I was sure I was going to suffocate under the plastic tablecloth. The party was a success (our Fun Committee did an amazing job). And to top it all off, R.L. Stine, the king of scary stories, was our guest judge. What better way is there to celebrate?

Tonight, Kurt and I, along with my friend and her boyfriend and mom, went on the annual Ghost Tour of Allentown. The money from the tickets went to support the public library and we figured it would be nice to contribute while learning more about our town and finding out if our apartments are haunted. Logic would tell you that if we haven't experienced ghosts in our apartments yet, that we should assume they are not haunted. But as most people know, fear isn't always logical. Thankfully, it appears that we're safe from spectral visitors, at least as far as the library knows. I loved hearing about the hauntings at the salon (a Revolutionary War soldier plays music), the pet store (each morning, the owner finds bags of cat food on the floor), and one of the local houses (strange noises and haunted dolls). I have to say, the haunted doll freaks me out the most. I used to have nightmares about my dolls being possessed when I was little.

I don't know about any of you, but I believe in ghosts. I believe that our spirits either choose to move on to the next adventure, or linger to haunt the living. I myself have never experienced a haunting, and while I know I would be scared shitless, as Kurt would say, if I ever saw a ghost, and I would never be able to fall asleep or be alone ever again, part of me is curious. For now though, ghost tours and documentaries on Discovery satisfy that curiosity, because at least those ghosts are haunting other people, and not me.

Fall Foliage

On Friday, my sister, Kurt and I took my dad to see Jeff Dunham's show for his birthday. If you've never heard of or seen Jeff Dunham perform, please click on the link below. He's a ventriloquist stand-up comedian and he is hilarious. I can't decide which character is my favorite. It has to be either Walter or Achmed. The best part of the show was during Achmed's part where Dunham couldn't stop laughing. I love when comedians crack themselves up. For about ten minutes, he couldn't get anything out because he would laugh every time he tried to speak. The funny thing is, I don't think I laughed as hard during the scripted parts than I did during what would be bloopers in a sitcom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtMqgJQQWvE

This weekend, I realized something that left me very depressed. As I was driving, I noticed that the leaves are changing colors. This is one of my favorite times of the year for this very reason. What left me depressed is the fact that I just noticed this. Presumably, the leaves have been changing for awhile. I've just been oblivious. In the morning when I leave for work, it's dark, so I see no colors. When I come home from work, it's also dark, so still, I see no colors. And I work in a city, so I see no green during the day. My goal has been to slow down and notice the beauty in the world. This just proves that I still need to learn to open my eyes.

To e-read or not to e-read

Barnes and Noble has a new e-reader. The Nook. It's beautiful. Full-color screen, wireless connection, holds over 1,500 ebooks, and it's smart. It knows when you walk into a Barnes and Noble store with it and automatically downloads book excerpts for you to read. Since e-readers have debuted on the market, I've debated whether or not I think they're a good thing and whether or not I want one. While I think it makes sense for some people, like those of us who work in publishing and tend to read a lot of manuscripts, I can't help but wonder, is this just a fad, some new obsession with what technology can offer that will only provide an additional way to read, or is this the future of reading. Does this mean the tactile experience of curling up with a good book will soon be no more? I don't think so.

At work, we read a lot of manuscripts, all printed on the same paper, in the same font, held together with the same binder clips. The experience is always the same for everyone: the stories all seem to run together. No one can fully retain a manuscript the way they can a finished book. It seems that having something concrete, printed, bound, with a great cover actually helps a person retain the story. I think it's because a printed book with a cover helps to differentiate a book from all the others. Without that image, there's no way to visually tell one book from another, and I think we need that association. Reading a manuscript is a lot like reading an ebook, and I wonder if this means consumers are buying ebooks, reading them, and then forgetting them. For this reason, I believe printed books will never go away. The tactile sensation of holding a book is not only comforting, but memorable.

Then I got to thinking. Is this just something that affects older generations? Those of us who grew up writing instead of typing. Even though I can type much faster than I can write, I've always preferred writing longhand to typing when it comes to something creative. For some reason my thoughts flow more easily through a pen than on a keyboard. But maybe that's only because that is how I was taught. We didn't have a computer until I was at least 9 and my first typing class was in 4th grade. But what about the new generation that learns to use a computer before they even step foot in school? My three-year old cousin could navigate his father's computer just as well as I could. Will our children's brains work differently than ours because they learn to type and read on-screen before they even learn to write? Will they retain ebooks or manuscripts better than we do? I guess we'll have to wait and see. If that's the case, I just hope printed books stay around. There's something about being in a library or bookstore and being surrounded by beautiful books with beautiful covers that could never be replicated with manuscripts or ebooks.

On a completely different topic, Kurt and I went to dinner last Friday night for a date. It was possibly the worst dinner we've ever had. The food wasn't bad. It was decent, actually. The rest of the experience, however, was lacking. We went to DiMattia's in Allentown. In my three years of living in this town, I've never been there. La Piazza just always seemed a better choice for some reason. Now I know WHY La Piazza seemed like a better choice. It IS the better choice. After sitting down at our table for about 5 minutes, with one menu for the two of us, our waitress came over and said "It's going to be awhile." No explanation, no apologies, nothing. We hadn't even ordered! It was the first thing she said to us. We asked if they were closing, she said, "No, he's just really backed up in there." The restaurant was practically empty. I ordered an iced tea and a cheeseburger, Kurt ordered a coke, caesar salad, and a chicken parm sub. Ten minutes later, we both got cokes. I decided to drink my coke and not say anything for fear I would never get my drink. Another ten minutes went by. Our waitress came back. They were out of hamburger. Three minutes later I got a menu to make another choice: a cheesesteak. What seemed like forever went by before Kurt got his caesar salad. Then, an hour and ten minutes after we sat down, we finally got our food. By that time, I was no longer hungry. Now, please understand that Kurt and I are VERY sympathetic when it comes to servers and restaurants. We've both worked in restaurants for years, so we're understanding and very patient. But this was ridiculous. Throughout this whole ordeal, we debated whether or not to leave without ever getting our food. We just laughed at ourselves for picking this place, and decided to stay, vowing that this would be our last time at DiMattia's. After eating half of our meals, we asked for the check and got out of there as fast as possible. With the time it took to get our food and the horrible service it really makes me wonder how this place stays in business, especially with a place like La Piazza 50 yards away.

On my nightstand:

I just started Pulitzer-prize winner, Olive Kitteridge. I'm not too far into it, but I love it already. As far as I can tell, it's just a story about a woman and the people in her life. The writing is fantastic. It draws you in. By the end of the first page, you're already fully invested in their lives. I can't wait to continue.

Pink Cadillacs, New Enemies, and Fallen Angels

For those of you who haven't heard yet, after 7 years of dating, Kurt and I are now engaged. He surprised me on Friday after work with the most beautiful ring ever, dinner and a hotel room in New York. It was absolutely perfect. I am extremely impressed with his ring-choosing skills. I've known him for a very long time and I never would have thought he could pick something this breathtaking. Dinner was at a place called Sosa Borella - a small Argentinian restaurant on 8th Ave. It was amazing - romantic atmosphere, great service, incredible food. I had ceviche with sea scallops and branzino for my entree. They were both perfect. The branzino was buttery and melted in my mouth. Kurt's steak was well cooked, but the mashed potatoes were the star of his plate. I highly, highly recommend this place.

As for the wedding, we've started planning a little already, drawn up a preliminary guest list, looked at venues, and I've saved some dresses to my theknot.com page. We're looking at a June, 2011 wedding. I've been stressing a little about the budget - why weddings are so ridiculously expensive? I want to do something simple and somewhat casual - outdoor, but even that seems to be out of our budget. My goal is to do it for around $15,000, hopefully less. We're both starting to save and I'm going to open a wedding account on ING Direct to help us. I plan to do a lot myself and find ways of making our little money go far. Updates will come as we begin to make concrete decisions.

Last night, my friend and I had a Mary Kay beauty consultation and by the end of the night, I found myself signing up to be a consultant myself. I have no idea how it happened. We had mini-facials and makeovers and the products were actually amazing. I loved them, frankly. And I figure this could be a great way to make some extra money for the wedding. So, if anyone is interested, I now have my own personal website. Check it out if you want. The skincare line and foundation are particularly good. My mom was an Avon Rep so I do feel like I'm the enemy and have gone to the dark side, but who knows, maybe I'll make some extra money for the wedding, or maybe I'll even make enough to earn that pink Cadillac. www.marykay.com/amy.ricci

Not-so-little-known fact: I hate bugs. All of them. Cockroaches, mustache bugs, stink bugs, spiders, ants. But I have a new enemy: Sprickets, also known as Cave Crickets. These are by far the worst. They look like a cross between a large spider and a cricket (see the picture below). A few weeks back, one jumped out of the kitchen sink at Kurt, practically attacking him. Then, last week, while I was turning on the water for a shower (I always seem to find huge insects while I'm getting ready to shower, naked and completely vulnerable), and I thought I saw something on the shower curtain, but when I looked again it was gone. When I backed up, it was on the wall right next to me. The biggest spricket ever. Naturally I screamed bloody murder and Kurt came running in to save me. The thing jumped at him again and again until he killed it. We looked it up on wikipedia and amazingly it came up when Kurt typed in "spider and cricket". These God awful things live in dark, dank caves without light, which pretty much ensures that I'm NEVER going into our cave of a basement ever again. The only way to get rid of them is to get rid of dark, dank places where they dwell. Right. Because that's possible in a 200 year old house with a root cellar next to a lake. They're harmless, sure, but here's my favorite part. Because they can't see well, their defense mechanism is to LAUNCH themselves at any perceived threat. Let me tell you, it's extremely effective on me. I'm now afraid to shower, go near the kitchen sink, and go into the basement. I just keep envisioning hundreds of these things launching themselves at me as I walk down the basement steps. Well, no more. I will never go down there again, no matter what.

On my nightstand:

I just finished Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. All I have to say is Oh. My. God. It was incredible. It's been awhile since I've finished a book and been utterly depressed just because it was over. I was depressed today after reading the last word. It's a paranormal romance about a fallen angel. The guy, unlike Edward in Twilight and the boys in other books I've read, is bad, really bad, and complicated. The girl is stronger than other heroines I've read which is refreshing and the story is interesting, although slightly reminiscent of other books in its genre. The last word in the book is "More." It's the perfect ending because it's all I want from this story, more. I can't wait for the sequel. It can't come soon enough.

Swaying in the wind

I work in a skyscraper. On days like today, when the wind is near hurricane levels, working in a skyscraper can be a very scary thing. All day long today, I could hear the building creaking as it swayed back and forth in the wind. I am fully aware that skyscrapers are meant to sway in the wind (if there was no give at all, the stress would be too much and the building would collapse), but that does not make the creaking any less upsetting. On days like today, you can FEEL the building swaying. Not comforting when you’re 10 stories up and pretty much don’t stand a chance if the building collapses. Needless to say, I hate windy days at work.

On a lighter note, last week I stayed at a friend’s apartment in Brooklyn. We went to Candle 79, a vegan restaurant on the upper east side (79^thand Lexington) to visit another friend who works there. Being born into an Italian family, I am somewhat apprehensive when it comes to vegan foods. Crunchy granola, flavorless soy beans, and unshowered, hippie women with hairy armpits come to mind when I think of vegan food. But I will try anything once. Well, almost anything. I draw the line at certain organs: heart, liver, tongue, brain, eyeballs. I don't think my life will be incomplete if I never taste any of these. But I digress. Candle 79 was incredible. If I hadn’t known it was vegan, I never would have guessed. The decor was upscale and beautiful and the food was great (and not just for a vegan place, for any place). The food was tasty and well executed, the staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere was relaxing. I was highly impressed. It’s amazing to me that chocolate and peanut butter mousse, nachos with cheese, and butternut squash cream soup could all be done without dairy and eggs. And I couldn’t even tell the difference. It was definitely a little expensive for my budget, but it was worth it to have my eyes opened to the world of veganism. Don't get me wrong, I have no plans to convert. Mind you, I don’t need meat with every meal and really only eat it every so often, but I could never give it up. While I could never become a vegan, or even a vegetarian, I have a new found respect for vegan food. If you go, please make sure to get the nachos (ask for it without the meat substitute) and the homemade ginger ale.

I saw this article on MSN.com today: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23713175/ns/today-today_weddings?GT1=43001 I'd heard of "trashing the dress" before, where brides get pictures taken doing something that ruins their wedding dress, after the wedding day of course. I'd always thought that I would never want to do this, that my wedding dress will be too meaningful, not to mention expensive, to ruin. But then I looked at the slideshow in this article. Please click on it. The pictures are beautiful and striking. I might change my mind. Knowing what these brides are doing makes the photos that much more powerful.

I've decided to end this post with something that will, without a doubt, make everyone smile. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33205603/ns/today-today_pets/?GT1=43001 Take a look at the slideshow in this article. These are teacup pigs. I have wanted one ever since I saw them on The Today Show. I mean really, you can't help falling in love with them. They're so cute my heart actually aches to look at them. I need one.

Read a Banned Book this Week

This week is Banned Books Week. In honor of that, this post is dedicated to the First Amendment.

As a child, I remember my classmates and peers citing the First Amendment when they were punished or given detention for saying something bad. “What about freedom of speech!?” They’d yell as they were dragged to the principal’s office. While I don’t think this legislation was written to save foul-mouthed children from detention, they do have a point. It makes me sad that during this day and age, the 21^st century, when we should be enlightened and accepting, people are still pushing to have books banned. Some of the best books of our time are censored: Doctor Zhivago, The Giver, Sophie’s Choice, Slaughterhouse Five, The Bluest Eye, even Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

What is it about these books that people find so offensive that they would rather see them burned than read? Personally, I think it’s fear. Fear that these books will open the minds of children, that these books will inspire them, make them think. There is nothing more powerful than an open and accepting mind. When people learn new things and new ideas, the old ones are challenged. I think it’s this people fear more than anything: that their ideas, their laws, their beliefs will be challenged and proven to be wrong. These people miss the point. The point of these books, at least most of them, is to rock the boat, not capsize it. The point is to think, hope, dream, and create.

I think the saddest thing is that so many of these banned books are some of the most interesting I have ever read. Imagine if all controversial books were banned? How boring would life be? In Salman Rushdie’s The Enchantress of Florence, all books are to be censored before being brought before the emperor. I think this quote says it all, “According to the old ways, any book that reached the imperial presence had to be read by three different commentators and pronounced free of sedition, obscenity, and lies. ‘In other words,’ the young king had said on ascending the throne, ‘we are only to read the most boring books ever written. Well, that won’t do at all.’” The Enchantress of Florence, by Salman Rushdie

New Ban at Tufts

This weekend, I had my friend's 25th birthday party in Manhattan. We went to Lil' Frankie's near the nexus of the universe (1st and 1st for you non-Seinfeld watchers). Dinner was amazing. We had burrata with tomatoes and fried calamari for appetizers. I have a new appreciation for olives and the risotto with pancetta was incredible (Kurt thought it tasted like Campbell's chicken noodle soup, but I respectfully disagree). It was perfect. The restaurant was charming and warm and like almost all restaurants in Manhattan, incredibly small. It didn't bother me at all as a customer, but all I could think while we were eating was, God it would suck to work here. Teresa Caffe, where I work on Saturdays, is small enough, but this place would give me claustrophobia! Regardless of the size, the food was amazing.

Later that night, we went to a club - Sin Sin. This place was as disappointing as Lil' Frankie's was amazing. The music was awful - gangster rap (how are you supposed to dance to that?), it was crowded, narrow, and the dance floor was in the middle of a long room so that people had to walk through the throng of people dancing in order to get to the other side. The DJ was terrible - he actually played two, count them, TWO Will Smith songs in a row and added his own personal touch to the mix: "Yea! Yea!" "Don't forget to tip the bartenders!" "Sin Sin Saturday night!". He yelled these during every song.

Thanks to a fellow Jumbo, I saw this article on Facebook today: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20090929tufts_university_bans_nookie_if_roomie_is_present/srvc=home&position=0

Please check it out. It's hilarious. Tufts has now banned sex in the dorms while the other roommate is in the room. Seriously? Isn't that common sense? Or at least common courtesy? I mean, if these students are the types of people who would have sex with their roommate in the room, are they really the types of people who would listen to a school rule? I found myself laughing hysterically while reading this. Since when does banning sex for any reason work? Oh, the naivete of Tufts administrators, of all administrators really. It's sweet that they try, but what they should do is recommend students do what Amber recommends they do at the end of this article - respect their fellow classmates, leave a scarf tied on the door or send a courteous text to their otherwise unsuspecting roommate and maybe, just maybe, refrain from having sex with other people in the room!

On my nightstand:

I've had to put down The Lost Symbol for awhile. It's not because I don't like it, because I was LOVING it. It's because I have a very important book discussion on Thursday and had not picked up the book yet. Salman Rushdie is coming to our book discussion at work on Thursday. I am beside myself. We're reading (so I'm reading now) The Enchantress of Florence. It is incredible. Honestly, I was afraid it would be dense and heady and difficult to read. I've found it's the complete opposite. It is incredibly well written, as should be expected of a book by Salman Rushdie, but it's funny too and light with philosophical questions to ponder. I highly highly recommend it. It is wonderful and fittingly, enchanting.

I should have been a symbologist

I started Dan Brown's new book, The Lost Symbol, today on my way home from work. I'm 46 pages in and already I can't put it down. I'm hooked. Brown's writing is so captivating and the subject matter is interesting and mysterious. Reading this novel, I think I should have been a symbologist. I love love love this stuff - Freemasons, symbology, alternative science, religion, ancient rituals, history. I can't get enough.

I'm sure you're thinking Wow, this girl is a serious nerd. Yup, I am. But if you're reading this, you probably know me, and should have figured that out by now. And that's why I love Brown's books so much - I feel like I'm learning something, even though the story is fiction. His books make you think and I love that. My favorite books growing up were the ones that make you think - Nancy Drew, The Giver, even The Giving Tree. Sure, I love a good chick-lit book or a good guilty pleasure, but I find the ones that challenge me to think differently or open my mind the most fulfilling.

There's a relatively new band in the world of country music that I've fallen in love with: Lady Antebellum. So far, every song I've heard by them, I've loved. Check them out, even if you don't love country. They're worth it.

I am full of glee

About a week ago, I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of Kurt trying to put together a TV stand. I went out into the living room and he informed me that one of the boxes had scratched our new leather couch. I was still too asleep to answer this properly. All I could manage was a loud sigh and a “we JUST got it”. “I promise I’ll fix it! I’ll figure something out!” he told me. Well, fix it he did. He used brown shoe polish and you really can’t even tell there’s a scratch there. Yesterday, we had friends over for football. Kurt’s brother and his girlfriend were there (his girlfriend had given us the leather couch). This is the conversation between Kurt's brother's girlfriend and Kurt.

Kurt’s brother’s girlfriend

Looking at the couch, “How did you fix that scratch!?”

Me (in my head)

How the hell does she know about that scratch??

Kurt

“I used shoe polish”

Kurt’s brother’s girlfriend

“It had been there since I got it and didn’t know how to fix it. That’s amazing!”

At that, Kurt just looked at me and we both started laughing. “See? It wasn’t even ME and you hated me for it!” I responded – “I didn’t HATE you for it!” “No, you just said (SIGH) ‘we JUST got it!’” So I felt bad – I blamed him for something he didn’t even do. But in my defense, HE hadn’t noticed it before either. I can’t imagine how neither of us noticed a big scratch on the front of the couch before that incident! Incredible. So, mea culpa. I’m sorry honey. I will never assume you're to blame ever again ;-)

Did I mention he broke our iron this morning? Yea, there's a gaping hole in it. But I'll never assume he's to blame from now on. Right.

So I know you're all dying to hear about the bachelorette party. It was a blast. The stripper was good – he came dressed as a cop and the bride-to-be actually thought he was a real cop, which just added to the hilarity. He sparked many interesting discussions such as, but not limited to, Does he stuff? How does he not get turned on? Is he gay? You know, really intelligent topics of conversation. We took tons of pictures, but I won’t be gracing this page with pictures of an almost naked man – sorry! The maid of honor and I stood in the corner, laughing and taking pictures while the rest of the girls had fun with the guest of honor. The bride-to-be had fun which was all the mattered to me. Between the stripper and what he inspired - (everyone (except me and a few others) dancing around in their underwear (after he left of course)), we had a lot of fun. I have to say I thought for a second I walked into every man's dream when I came downstairs and saw everyone dancing on the couches with no clothes on. At the end of the night, the Italian mother came out in me and I made two Digiorno pizzas for everyone as “sustenance” - apparently I kept repeating this over and over - so they wouldn’t be hungover the next morning. I was slightly - ok somewhat more than slightly inebriated, yet miraculously, I managed not to burn the pizzas AND to turn off the oven when I was done. Well done, Amy, well done.

No books to report on right now – I’m busy reading manuscripts, but we DID just get the new Dan Brown book in our mailboxes last week, so I can’t wait to start! And I'm completely obsessed with Glee. I informed Kurt last night that I want to be in glee club - let's forget for the moment that I'm not in high school and can't sing or dance. Kurt's response? "You should! You're so full of glee!" I am full of glee. And that's the most important thing. I could be the 25-year old high school senior wannabe, attempting to dance and singing off-key, but at least I'm full of glee. :-)

I am losing a battle to Mallomars

Lately, I've been on a junk food kick. And it's not good. I love healthy food - fruits, vegetables, whole wheats, but I want none of it right now. Instead, I'm craving Mallomars, Oreos, ice cream, cheeseburgers. Maybe it's the change in weather or maybe it's the stress that comes from no sleep and lots of work. I don't know. All I know is it is not good. Every winter, I gain about 10 pounds. This winter I vowed to myself that I would NOT to gain 10 pounds. Clearly, I'm doing great. What's more, I have no motivation whatsoever to run. Like healthy food, I normally love to run. I just can't bring myself to do it when I get home from work. I don't know what's wrong with me. I just need to get out of this rut soon.

Kurt's brother's girlfriend is walking in the 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer and I donated last night. Looking through the website got me thinking. (warning: this gets a little personal, so feel free to skip to the next paragraph) My mom died from breast cancer when I was 14 and my sister was 9. No one else in the family has had it, which gives us hope that we'll be spared, but given that it was our mother who had it, we've been tested regularly since we were 16. I started thinking this morning about the breast cancer gene. I'm honestly not even sure I would want the test as horrible as that sounds. Something about not living in fear, and ignorance is bliss, and all that. But I do think about it a lot. It's always a topic of "what if" conversations. What if you found out you had the gene? What would you do? Would you get your breasts removed if it meant saving your life? I'm both ashamed and sorry to say that it's a difficult decision for me. Giving up my breasts to save my life. It's sounds like a pretty easy trade-off. You'd think it would be a no-brainer, right? I don't think of myself as a vain person, and it's not all about vanity - I want the experience of nursing my children. Sure, I'm worried about feeling like less of a woman and the thought of implants just grosses me out, frankly, but I realized this morning in the shower (where I have had many moments of brilliance), that it doesn't matter, that I would do it to save my life in honor of all the women who didn't have the chance to make that choice themselves. I just hope we'll find a cure so that I and every other woman will never have to make this decision.

To lighten the mood a little, here's a little update on the stripper for the bachelorette party: the stripper is officially booked. I booked him for a half hour, because let's face it, an hour is REALLY long for something like that. What could he possibly do in an hour?? It should be interesting at the very least - I'll let you know how he is after Saturday night.

On my nightstand:

I finished All We Ever Wanted Was Everything. It did get better and I did enjoy it, in the way I enjoy trashy reality TV - I want to look away, I want to hate it, but I can't and I don't. It was also about a world I really can't relate to. It's about drugs and money and sex. I've never really been into the instant gratification. In fact, this book made me realize that I really wouldn't like taking drugs. I've never done a drug in my life and have no desire to - especially after the descriptions in the book. The mother starts taking meth and says how she loves the cloudy feeling it gives her. I would HATE that cloudy feeling. Hate it. Regardless, the book is a guilty pleasure. I'm reading a manuscript now, so I can't recommend it even though I really really would. But I will recommend watching Glee. Please, please go and watch it. It's wonderful. If I thought it was possible for a person to fall in love with a TV show, I would say that I am head over heels. The singing and dancing and exaggerated plot lines make me smile the ENTIRE time I'm watching it. Please tune in on Wednesday nights. If nothing else, it'll make you smile.

Work-Life Balance

I just read this article on MSN.com: http://www.good.is/post/tgithursday/?gt1=48001 It's about Utah's new 4-day work week. Last year, Utah's governor decided to give the majority of the state employees a 4-day work week. Essentially, these employees would work 10 hour days for 4 days a week, Monday through Thursday. This was done to cost-save - if the buildings could shut down on Fridays, that's a lot of energy the state doesn't have to pay for (not to mention the fact that's it lower Utah's carbon footprint). Furthermore, it saved the employees money - they had to pay for 4 days of childcare instead of 5 and no commute = no gas/tolls/tickets for an extra 52 days a year. That adds up! Many skeptics thought a 10 hour/day, 4 day/week schedule would burn out the employees. Instead, productivity increased, complaints lessened, and absenteeism and stress decreased. People were HAPPIER with this schedule. Personally, I think it's remarkable that skeptics ever thought otherwise. Having an extra day off makes a huge difference. The state of Utah has marked this a success and will continue this schedule.

It makes me wonder how many other companies will try this. Sure, this is a result of our struggling economy - everyone needs to cut costs, but I've noted that my generation - 20 somethings - want everything: a job we love, a short commute, free-time, no stress, lots of money - and we believe we can have that. And why not, frankly? I'm interested to see how things change as we enter and eventually take over the job market. More innovation = decreased stress and increased efficiency - what a remarkable idea! I've heard of companies allowing 20 minute nap times after lunch. These nap times have actually INCREASED productivity. Counter intuitive, yes, but if you really think about it, it makes sense. Everyone has experienced that drop in energy after lunch when your body aches for a nap, but instead of getting a rest and rejuvenating, you're forced to work through it - and many do so slowly. But if you had the opportunity to take a quick catnap, to recharge, you'd be ready to face the end of the workday. I think these changes and innovations are long-overdue. It's incredible to me that they are the result of cost-saving efforts and attempts at greater efficiency and while they are actually working, they're also giving people better lives. Work-life balance achieved.

Beauty is Pain

Moving in together has certainly been a learning experience - especially for Kurt who now gets to witness all the steps it takes for a woman to get ready. Every once in awhile he'll watch me and make comments. Like Friday for instance, when I was painting my nails and he stated, "I'm going to die if we don't open a window." Not too dramatic. Today, though, was the best. I was curling my eyelashes and, when he saw what I was doing, asked me to do his. I'm aware that most men, including Kurt, regard eyelash curlers as torture devices. But I didn't expect his reaction. Before I even got near him, he backed up and said "Ow!" When I responded that I didn't even do anything yet, he said "It's scary!" I have to wonder if this is why men don't preen as much as women do. Maybe they just don't handle "torture" as well as we do.

We went to a friend's wedding this weekend at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ. It's an outdoor sculpture garden in the middle of a large corporate park. It's the last place on Earth you'd expect to find something so beautiful and cultured. I think that's part of the appeal. The ceremony itself was breathtaking. It took place in a little garden with statues all around. It was sweet and unique - they released butterflies before saying their vows while Japanese tourists peered in and snapped photos. At the reception, there was a photo booth which I LOVED. I love the cheesy, goofy pictures that come out of those things. There really should be more of them in public places. I think they bring out the best in people.

Right now, as I'm typing, Kurt is watching Whale Wars. I have to say, this show makes me very angry. It's about a boat of people that go around terrorizing whaling ships. First of all, terrorists are terrorists in my book, no matter the cause. It's just not the way things should be done. They disgust me, frankly. Second of all, these whalers are hunting whales LEGALLY! These anti-whalers are so self-righteous that they don't seem to realize that THEY are the ones who are in the wrong. I understand their point - that hunting whales is sad, and it definitely should be regulated. But the thing is - it IS regulated, by international law. These whalers are hunting whales for food, just like the people who catch crabs or fish. It would be different if they were hunting endangered whales, or poaching. But they're not. The people on this ship throw chemical "bombs" onto the whaling ships, plant their people onto the whaling ships and claim the whalers are holding them hostage. Then proceed to call the press and make them seem like the bad guys. People like this really get me fired up. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the regulation of hunting and guns and I believe we should work to conserve wildlife and the environment, but this is going too far. There are ways to get things done, ways to change laws and people. This is just not it. There are also so many other things in this world we should be focused on - legal whale hunting is not one of them.

On my nightstand:

I finished The Secret Life of Bees and it was amazing. I can't wait for my book club discussion! Please go read it if you haven't already.

I'm now on All We Ever Wanted Was Everything. I have to say I'm not impressed so far. The cover is awesome. I love it, but so far, that's about all I love. It's taking me awhile to get into it and I'm just not that patient anymore. I'll stick it out and maybe it'll surprise me. I'll let you know. But I've realized that since I started working at Random House and because I now read so many books (at least one a week), I'm much more critical than I ever was. I can count on one hand the number of books I've put down without finishing. I HATE not finishing a book. I always think it'll get better. Maybe the next page will hook me. Or the next. Most of the time, my hopes are dashed when I get to the last page and am still disappointed. But since starting at RH, I have developed a more critical eye. I guess it's to be expected. Here's hoping All We Ever Wanted Was Everything is everything I want - a good book. I'll update when I finish.