Out of the dog house

I felt so guilty while Pagosa was staying with me because I didn't have time to do anything fun with her. She was so bored. So at the end of her vacation with me I made sure we did something great so that's how she'll remember me. She loves me now. Yes, I need validation from a dog apparently.

Sign My Petition

I have a very good relationship with my parents and always have. The only thing I remember arguing with my parents about in high school was practicing piano. I hated it. So I'm pretty sure they were surprised when I wanted a keyboard for Christmas. Of course, I figured they owed it to me since they made me play and now I enjoy it. But thank you anyway parents for your continuing obligation. Although, my mom took a little bit of the fun out of my great new present when she asked, "have you practiced today?" She has been instructed to not ask that question anymore. Post traumatic stress.

So now that Christmas is done and over, I might as well admit that I think the 26th is one of the saddest days of the year. There's nothing to look forward to for a few months other than a long winter ahead. Snow and winter make part of that Christmas feeling, and the lights look great against the white, but after Christmas, it's just snow and misery. It goes from fun festivities to just plain cold. Nothing fun to anticipate, no fun songs like "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" and "Let it Snow" to ease the pain of the cold dreary winter. I petition that we should move Christmas to early February so that after Christmas we only have a little more to endure before spring. Maybe we could make it Feb 14 and just get rid of Valentines Day altogether. Plus, then I won't have to take my tree down yet.

Petition to move Christmas:

1. Kristen

Good News, I saw a dog today

I'm dogsitting for the week. It's been pretty fun, but also a little taste of responsibility. Those with kids will just laugh, but let's be honest, I'm not too used to adjusting my schedule to make sure someone else had eaten or gone to the bathroom. I even told a date that I needed to get home to feed the dog. He may have thought I was brushing him off.

She's a very good dog but we're having a few alpha issues. I've lost the battle of her not coming upstairs. It's just not worth it, plus it's nice having the company. I hope I won't be such a push over with my own kids. I do tell her to sit a lot because it's the only command she consistently obeys and it makes me feel like I'm still in control.

It has been pretty fun taking her with me pretty much everywhere I go, she keeps my car seat warm, I just wish she would move faster when it's snowing outside and I want to get in. We played in the snow with Landon (I made my first snowman EVER!) but I'm pretty sure she's not getting the amount of exercise she's used to. She's a very active dog, and usually goes hiking once a week and walks to the dog park every day. Let's be honest, it's been too cold for me to venture there, so being with me is more like a relaxing beach vacation.

I'll be sad when she leaves, but like babysitting any kid, they're great for a week and then it's so nice to give them back. Plus, I'm looking forward to the house cleaning Brian promised as payment for dogsitting.
Bonus points if you know the movie the Title came from...and double bonus points for another quote from it as it's one of my favorite movies

I never learned the 'don't play with your food' rule

Man: "She made me what I am."
Woman: "I need to get a new recipe."

Be-Fra-Lux....Yes, I made that up

Working night shift you would think jet lag would not be an issue. I'm used to sleeping when it's not natural to sleep and I'm used to not getting a lot of sleep. I do great when I'm on vacation, but coming home for some reason really messes me up. And regardless how little I've slept in the last 48 hours, I still have to come to work. To pay for said vacation. So it really brightened my not so bright day at work when I walked in and was asked how my trip was. And then simultaneously several people mentioned different locales that I have traveled to in the last 3-4 months. Not one of them being the trip I'm recovering from. Apparently no one knew I went on this trip and had just gotten home. But I didn't tell them about it then either. I just said they were great. I thought it would be rude to mention that I had been on yet another trip. Despite my blog, I rarely tell people that I travel. I think it's conceited, plus, do other people go around blabbing about their addictions? So since I didn't get the pleasure out of telling anyone about my latest adventures...

Advice/things people don't tell you:

It's really cold at the top of the Eiffel Tower. So cold that I ran in place for 30 minutes to warm up. I finally warmed up, at the expense of looking like an idiot.
When all the locals are waiting for the elevator at the metro station, go ahead and wait with them. They probably know that there are 200 steps just around the corner.
The metro during afternoon commute is not the best time to travel with all of your luggage. We may have made a lot of French enemies while trying to get off with our packs.
6 layers may not necessarily keep you warm when it's snowing in Belgium
Tights like this will never be in fashion. And don't do fur. I'm not even an animal right's activist. It's just not attractive

Two twin beds pushed together is just not the same as an actual king bed. And it does not feel good sleeping on the crack between
It does not matter what country you are in--Angela will still need to take everything out of her bag to find something.
Churros in Luxembourg are just as good as churros in South America. And way better than Costco.


Okay, the rest of the pictures are just for fun. I tried not to add too many pictures...

This is a famous statue of a boy peeing. They like to dress him up, and the day we were there he was dressed as a doctor. The scrubs say "European Associate of Urology"
This was one of the trip highlights: The US Military Cemetery in Luxembourg. This is the grave of Alex Penkala. Which is of interest to anyone who watches Band of Brothers which is one of my favorite movies.


The Louvre was the sleeper of the trip. I'm not really into art and wasn't expecting much, but it was surprisingly cool. I still don't understand the big deal of the Mona Lisa, but we saw it nonetheless.

If You Need a Reason

Things Logan has given me: Better taste in music. And more appreciation for music (okay Logan, it might count. A little. Not too much).

Concerts I had attended pre-Logan era:

Coldplay

Willie Nelson (Deana Carter, Shooter Jennings)

Dashboard Confessional (I'm embarassed to put this on if any of Logan's people read this)

New Found Glory (Finch, Something Corporate)

Jack Johnson (x2) (ALO)

Matt Costa (Okay, he opened for Jack, but he's worth naming)

Ben Harper
The Ataris

Concerts I have atteneded in the last 6 months since dating (dat) Logan:

James Taylor

Josh Ritter

Three Dog Night

Republic Tigers

Mason Jennings (Most recent)

Zach Gill (also worth naming)

In the last 6 months I've been to almost as many concerts as I had ever been to. And as long as I'm talking about this, you should check out his music blog, Whale In a Cubicle, especially the ones written by logg. It's where I learn what's cool so I can still sound young and hip. But don't bother entering their contests. They're rigged.

Why my managers grateful for me...

Because I'm pretty sure I'm the only employee who they can schedule for EVERY holiday and I won't complain. You might think I'm exaggerating. I'm not.

Thanksgiving

Day after Thanksgiving

Christmas Eve

Christmas

Day after Christmas

New Year's Eve

And why won't I complain? My reasons are 2-fold. I like the holiday pay, and I like being reminded that I might as well work because I'm single and don't live by my family.

In spite of these reminders I do have lots to be grateful for. Namely that I can eat this year! Happy Thanksgiving.