Life – Page 52 – Not Content to Crawl

Mr Pink Eyes

Posted onMay 8, 2004July 12, 20082 Comments

After much aggravation and running between stores, we were able to go on our first bike ride of the season this afternoon. Our air pump wasn’t working, so we went to Sears Hardware, but they didn’t carry any. So we ran to Walmart and got one there. I also bought a couple of flowers to plant. I’m doing all purple this year.

Joe’s asleep on the couch now, so I’m not sure if I’m gonna be able to drag him back outside for a jog around the park. I’m surprised how sluggish we’re both feeling after getting so much sleep last night. Maybe we got too much. We typically stay up until midnight on Fridays, but last night we were in bed by 9:30. I think all that shivering at the Cubs game must have worn us out!

We slept until 8 this morning and then went to a 10:15 showing of Van Helsing. While the ending was cheesy and predictable, I still enjoyed it. Afterwards we ran to Target, then came home and had lunch.

I think tonight will be a perfect night to try out our new patio lounge chairs. It’s pretty warm right now, but should start cooling off soon. We borrowed pretty much all the house buying guides the library had on the shelves, so those should keep me busy for a few hours.

The grass isn’t greener

Posted onApril 20, 2004July 12, 20082 Comments

We looked at a condo for rent today and oh boy, did it suck. And honestly, it wasn’t that bad, but compared to our place, it looked terrible. The bathroom tile was that ugly small tile with the nastiest color (off white and green), and the kitchen appliances were old as dirt, plus the cabinets were this ugly white. Size-wise, the place was nice. It was 1100 sq feet, which is 310 more sq feet than our current place, for only $10 more a month in rent (although we would have to pay for the central air in the summer which is currently free). There was a nice walk-in closet in the master bedroom. But it wasn’t worth it. I wasn’t terribly fond of the area, especially since the place was right off a very busy street without a traffic light, and I’d have to be turning left out of the lot to get to work every morning. Now, I’m the kind of driver who takes the “path of least resistance”. I will always go a bit out of my way to a traffic light as opposed to turning left against oncoming traffic, particularly on a busy street. So that alone was a huge turn off.

The place gave us a profound appreciation for our apartment. I wanted to come home and kiss our carpeting. Sure, we pay a bit more for a small one bedroom, but all the kitchen appliances are brand new, the tile floors are immaculate, and the bathroom is very attractive, not to mention quite large. If only we could get rid of the cigarette smell, we’d stay here until we found a house. But I guess we’ll just keep looking and hope we can find a nice place like this without all the issues.

It’s just amazing to me how other people live. You should have seen the condition of the carpeting and walls in this condo. The carpet was matted and dirty and the walls were scratched all over and also dirty. How do people live like that? We’ve never had our walls or carpeting cleaned in the two years we’ve been here and they look fabulous. Our maintenance guy has commented more than once on how clean and nice our place is in comparison to other apartments he’s been in. I just don’t get why people would live in such filth. It makes me uncomfortable just being around it. I guess people are just disgusting.

So long

Posted onApril 19, 2004July 12, 2008

Today marks two years of living in our apartment. Sadly, we also came to the decision today to start looking for somewhere else to live. I haven’t written about it lately, but things have just escalated to the point where we are inconvenienced on a daily basis by our neighbors.
Read More …

Annoyances & Lovelies

Posted onApril 15, 2004July 12, 2008

Don’t you hate it …

when you feel like chatting, but no one is online?
that you feel like you are overrun with clutter, mostly of the paper nature?
when your own credit card company sends you junk mail encouraging you to sign up for their platinum card, which is the one you already have?
that working out takes up the majority of your free time after work?
when you can’t find the one baseball cap you own, and have never actually worn?
when you have to pay a $2.50 mailing fee for Cubs tickets, that aren’t mailed to you for a month, and the postage stamp shows 37¢?
when you’re trying to watch your weight and someone at work has chinese food at their desk and you start drooling?
when you buy a three-pack of underwear and one pair is sewn all funky (thank-you, Hanes Her Way)?
when your boyfriend yells “Goddamit!” and throws down his PS2 controller in frustration over a stupid game (no less than 10 times in four hours)?
that your upstairs neighbor slams the toilet lid every time they flush, sometimes at 3:25 am so that you are jolted awake?

Don’t you love it …

when a friend (thanks Brian!) shows you how to do something in Word and with that knowledge you redesign a form your company uses and your boss and the Director like it so much they immediately send it out as a replacement for the older, crappier form?
when it finally warms up outside and you can open the patio door and get a cool breeze at night that has that spring-like scent to it?
that your co-workers and friends think you’re such a good photographer that they constantly hound you to make a career out of it?
that your creative boyfriend comes up with a catchy title for your digital print-selling site? (currently in development)
that there are a million interesting books out there to read, and it doesn’t have to cost you a cent?
when you have a big vacation to plan and look forward to?
when you have anything at all, big or small, to look forward to?
when you eat like a pig and still lose weight? (this happens rarely, unfortunately)
that your boyfriend is ultra-sexy, not to mention the nicest man you’ve ever been with?
that life is good, even with annoyances? =)

Bookworm

Posted onApril 15, 2004July 12, 20081 Comment

Today there was a book fair at work. I went with some coworkers to browse, but was the only person who didn’t purchase anything. When one of the girls said, “I feel bad … Nicole didn’t get anything”, I replied, “Don’t worry about me. I’m just gonna get the books I was interested in at the library.” And that’s just what I did when I got home. I also picked up another book I had on hold. I am obsessed with books, people. I have been going to the library on a daily basis. Joe was looking around for a book and couldn’t decide and during those few minutes I picked up another four books. Now I just need to find the time to read these things. I usually read at lunch, but I’ve had lunch plans the past few days and I’m feeling the withdrawal kick in. I’ll probably get some good reading time in later tonight, as well as this weekend since I have to be off the computer by 8 pm so the kids can go to bed.

But for now I must work out and watch 100 Greatest Standups of All Time on Comedy Central.