Tales in Wedding Drama Part 3: You "Do" But I Don't- The End

If you missed the other parts, this is Part One and this is Part Two.

Where we left off, I had sent a text to S2, the girl/bride-to-be. It was very simple. It said, "Hi! It's me. Please give me a call when you get a chance. Thanks." 5 days later, at 7:20AM, she texts me back.

I'm sorry, but WTH are you texting me back, at a time when I am pretty much non-functional and don't want to speak to anyone, when I very specifically said CALL me?!? Like, asked her to call me 5 times!!!

And her excuses for being "MIA" was a total and complete lie. She said she was helping with a mutual friend's bachelorette party, but I had already talked to the planner (because she knows how to receive/make calls/has basic communication skills) and S2 wasn't helping, which was part of the problem. And the only reason she got back to me at all was to find out if I was going to the bachelorette party. Lame.

So I didn't respond right away. I'm not a morning person.

When I got home from work, I gave her a call. Expecting to conntinue my now-intimate relatiosnhip with her voicemail, I didn't bring out the script I had written. She picked up. For once!!! I was so surprised I was momentarily speechless. But I quickly recovered. After gettingt hrough the pleasantries, I was just kinda like "Sooo....I received your invitation. It has a one written in. But I'm in a serious, committed relationship. So can I bring him as my guest?" It was not as fluid as I wanted it to be. But oh well.

She said yeah. That they were trying to keep the wedding small, ya know, for an Indian wedding, but it was fine and I could bring him. I still let her know that I was hoping it was a mistake and didn't want to decline over a mistake, or cancel out the one and put in a two without speaking to her.

I figured she should know.

So we're going. But I wonder if it's bad that I'm happy I can't make it to her bridal shower because I have another wedding that day?!??

In The Headlines: Stupid Celebrities Edition

Kanye is so flippin dumb. Apparently he thinks an abortion cost $50k- $100k?! Umm unless celebs and other rich people have "luxury" abortions, I'm gonna say no... here

Joan & Melissa/ Joan Knows Best? Is this seriously a show?
If you don't have time for the whole preview, just go straight to 1:33. This is what is wrong with Hollywood.



The Beibs gets political here. Of course he can't say he believes in abstinence until marriage- he's probably not a virgin. And his views on abortion just made me like him even less than I did before. But whatever, he's a 16 year old kid. And he's a rock star, so if he believes what Kanye's saying, at least he'll be able to afford it if it happens to him.

So I was watching a really old episode of Conan that was on my DVR, and saw Rashida Jones. She's funny on her shows, but not so much on Conan. Maybe she was having an off day. Anyway, she mentioned how thrilled she was to be working with "the original McDreamy" Rob Lowe. And I also saw a fellow blogger who hosts "Shirtless Fridays" with him as the feature. Who IS this guy???

Oh wait...is that #2 from Austin Powers?!??

Also on an old episode of Conan was Keyshia Cole. I always liked her music. I haven't seen this girl in awhile, but I thought she was bigger (not in a bad way, just in general). Anyway, she looks bangin. And I'm kinda liking her new song. Check it out:

25 Ways to Save: A List

Sometimes all you need is a goal. I have two.

One, get out of debt. And two, go to India this fall.

"Getting out of debt" is a somewhat lofty goal. And it's hard to make any visible progress (especially when you're in as deep as I am). So far, I've been doing ok. Not anything major, but ok. Funding a trip to India is much easier to measure. And finding ways to cut back and save money has definitely become a new hobby of mine. And once you see how much I can save, it encourages me to do more. Recently, I have made some (although minor) cutbacks:

• I called my cell phone company and switched to their lowest plan, because I don't talk a whole lot on the phone. For me, as long as I have a large text plan, I'm good.
• I cut our Netflix to a smaller plan and changed my commute a little which I wrote about here.
• I also called our cable company and got rid of one of our (3) premium movie channels and the sports channel. I would have liked to cut back even more in this department, but C is home more than I am, and he likes his TV. Baby steps.

And I follow money saving blogs and email lists. One blog I found today was Howisavemoney.net. She posted her 25 ways she saves money. So, I colored the ones I do, just as an exercise to see how well I'm doing vs. how well I think I'm doing!
Here we go:

1. Do not buy things from vending machines
2. Buy in bulk (I tried this, but found it was not worth it for a 2-person household with absolutely no storage space!)
3. Use Compact Fluorescent bulbs
4. Use natural light
5. Open the windows (when it's not freezing out, yes)
6. Order free samples online
7. Use candles (we use candles for the nice smell. I thinks he was talking about using candles as an inexpensive light source)
8. Turn off unused appliances
9.  Make my lunch (to be fair, C makes my lunch! Thanks hunnie!)
10. Pick up pennies
11. Automatic savings plan
12. Pay bills online (apparently this saves in stamp and envelope prices. i was just doing it to be more green, and because it's done faster than mailing!)
13. Reduce interest rates (on what?)
14. Take the bus, walk, or carpool
15. Cook for multiple days (We're lucky if we cook 3x a week!)
16. Use coupons (I don't go anywhere without using coupons. I even search for coupons before buying anything online, and use cashback sites! See the side panel if you want to as well!)
17. Buy generic
18. Keep extra money in high yield savings instead of checking (I am going to open one March 1. For rel this time!)
19. Use the library (I don't use the library because I have a Nook. But I was using it before.)
20. Wash dishes by hand
21. Re-use plastic shopping bags as trash bags
22. Use a water filter (like Brita? We have one of those pitchers...)
23. No cable (HA. No.)
24. Use paypal for purchases (Why?) 
25. Make lists…and stick to them (I'm assuming grocery and shopping lists; we do that)

It also had a few tips that I do (and should do) in the comments section:
Wash and reuse zip top baggies
Make it a concrete rule to put 20% of each paycheck into a savings account (I will start doing this with my next paycheck)

ALWAYS search for online coupon/discount codes when shopping online
Use an online budgeting tool, such as mint.com (I started this, but I need to update it because right now it's not being very useful)
Use group discount websites, such as livingsocial, groupon, yippit, buywithme (I can't even begin to explain how much I LOVE these sites!)
Cut back on eating out (we are working on this...)In what ways do you save? Or what tips and tricks have you learned along the way? I would love your feedback!

Tales in Wedding Drama Part 2: You "Do" But I Don't

Now that you have some background info, let's move on to the actual problem with all of this (as if the last post wasn't enough- ha!).

Last Thursday, I received the wedding invite. It was beautiful. As I was admiring the artistry and "prettiness", C was, as usual, looking at the details.

"Well, have a nice time at the wedding!" he said, handing the RSVP card back to me.

"What???" I said, thinking that he was kidding about not coming to the wedding with me.

"The RSVP says 'Number of persons attending: 1' "

I took the card back and examined it. He was right.

"Well it must be a mistake. I mean, they know I'm with you, you even came with me to their engagement party!"

I called my bff and asked her what her RSVP card said... it said 2. I told her why I was asking, and her response was "Oooh...that's weird. That sucks." It sure did. I told a few other friends, wondering how I should respond. I didn't want to send the card back declining- maybe it was an honest mistake (though I don't know why anyone would send an invite and not have +1 or and guest ...usually people try to bring a date to these sort of functions if they can, and I'm in a long-term, committed relationship! WTF!); I didn't want to write over the 1 with a 2, because that seems rude. If they were low on funds or something, I could almost understand better, like maybe they were trying to keep costs down, but that's definitely not the case. S is AVP of a major consulting firm in NYC. And (he recently put on FB) they are going to Bora Bora, Tahiti, and 2 other places I can't even pronounce/haven't even heard of for their 2+week honeymoon!!! (Plus, I asked one of my friends, who also happens to be a bridesmaid, who also said that it must be a mistake and they are doing a very elaborate, expensive wedding, so cutting one person out for cost purposes seemed more than unlikely). But then WHYYYYYY????

My friends' responses were all the same. Shock. Followed by a "you just need to talk to them."

That turned out to be easier said than done. Like I said, I got the invite on Thursday a week and a half ago. I called both S's on Sunday, and left voicemail. I waited. No response. On the following Thursday I called them both again, and left 2 more voicemails. "Hey, I just have a quick question, please call me back when you get this." Nothing.

The lack of response is adding to my uneasiness and awkwardness. The longer time in between receiving the invite and not being able to get in touch with them is also just making me more pissed off. Today I got a tip off that they are not very good at listening to voicemails. One friend said text S1, another friend said to text S2...since I am better friends with S2, I sent a text.

Let's see how this plays out...

Tunery Tuesday- When I Was 15

It's the last edition of Flashback February for Tunery Tuesdays! It's been fun! Here are the top songs from the year I was 15. Unlike last time where I bolded the ones I knew and underlined the ones I knew and liked, I knew (and liked) just about all of these. So I just put a few comments in parentheses. Enjoy!



1. Too Close, Next
2. The Boy Is Mine, Brandy and Monica
3. You're Still the One, Shania Twain
4. Truly Madly Deeply, Savage Garden
5. How Do I Live, LeAnn Rimes
6. Together Again, Janet
7. All My Life, K-Ci and JoJo
8. Candle in the Wind, Elton John (Princess Diana -sad face-)
9. Nice & Slow, Usher
10. I Don't Want to Wait, Paula Cole (oooh, Dawson's Creek!)
11. How's It Going to Be, Third Eye Blind
12. No, No, No, Destiny's Child (this was my fave "Destiny's Child" group)
13. My Heart Will Go On, Celine Dion
14. Gettin' Jiggy Wit It, Will Smith
15. You Make Me Wanna..., Usher
16. My Way, Usher
17. My All, Mariah Carey (still one of my absolute fave songs)
18. The First Night, Monica
19. Been Around the World, Puff Daddy and The Family
20. Adia, Sarah McLachlan
21. Crush, Jennifer Paige
22. Everybody (Backstreet's Back), Backstreet Boys
23. I Don't Want to Miss a Thing, Aerosmith
24. Body Bumpin Yippie-Yi-Yo, Public Announcement
25. This Kiss, Faith Hill
26. I Don't Ever Want to See You Again, Uncle Sam
27. Let's Ride, Montell Jordan
28. Sex and Candy, Marcy Playground
29. Show Me Love, Robyn
30. A Song for Mama, Boyz II Men
31. What You Want , Mase
32. Frozen, Madonna
33. Gone Till November, Wyclef Jean
34. My Body, Lsg
35. Tubthumping, Chumbawamba
36. Deja Vu (Uptown Baby), Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz
37. I Want You Back, 'N Sync
38. When the Lights Go Out, 5ive
39. They Don't Know, Jon B.
40. Make Em Say Uhh, Master P
41. Make It Hot, Nicole Featuring Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott and Mocha
42. Never Ever, All Saints
43. I Get Lonely, Janet
44. Feel So Good, Mase
45. Say It, Voices Of Theory
46. Kiss the Rain, Billie Myers
47. Come With Me, Puff Daddy
48. Romeo And Juliet, Sylk-E Fyne
49. It's All About Me, Mya and Sisqo
50. I Will Come to You, Hanson
51. One Week, Barenaked Ladies

Annnnd a few others worth mentioning:
55. Daydreamin', Tatyana Ali (Ashley Banks!)
57. Semi-Charmed Life, Third Eye Blind
62. Quit Playing Games (With My Heart), Backstreet Boys
64. Time After Time, Inoj
66. Cruel Summer, Ace Of Base
69. Too Much, Spice Girls
70. Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are), Pras Feat. Ol' Dirty Bastard and Mya
74. I'll Be, Edwin McCain
77. Touch It, Monifah (I did a dance for a dance troupe for this in high school)
79. Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Verve (Cruel Intentions!)
81. Spice Up Your Life, Spice Girls
84. All Cried Out, Allure Featuring 112
85. Still Not a Player, Big Punisher Featuring Joe (I'm not a playa...I just crush a lot...)
86. The One I Gave My Heart To, Aaliyah
87. Foolish Games/You Were Meant for Me, Jewel
99. Nobody's Supposed to Be Here, Deborah Cox (love the techno remix)


Scary (before she was Eddie Murphy's baby daddy), Sporty, Baby (my fave), Ginger (before she went solo), and Posh (before she was just known as David Beckham's wifey...and fashion designer. In all their platform and crazy costume glamour!

Tales in Wedding Drama Part 1: You "Do" But I Don't

This has been bothering me for a little over a week now, and I need it off of my mind. If only the "powers that be" (and 2 people) would work with me!

So 8 of me and C's nearest and dearest friends are getting married this year.

You read that correctly. We are going to 8 weddings.

So far, we have had no problems with 6 of these weddings. But one of them is in India, so we're just trying to save as much as we can so we can go. Because we both really REALLY want to go- it would be totally awesome. Plus it's both of our bffs getting married (and the two who got me and C together!), so we really want to be a part of their big day. Just gotta figure out the dollas.

The other one is where I am having a huge problem. I mean, if we literally can't afford to go to a wedding, that's one thing. But the problem with this other one is much more personal. Let me set up the scenario first:

Two of my friends from college, S+S (cute), are getting married. They are high school sweethearts, and have been together for over 8 years. I've known them both since my freshman year of college (they were both a year ahead of me). They are getting married Memorial Day Weekend. But not the Friday, Saturday, or even Sunday of the weekend...oh no, they are getting married that Monday. Ya know, when everyone has work the next day. And in Long Island...ya know, so everyone will be driving back from the Long Island beach spots that weekend, at the same time that their wedding ends.

In addition, they want their guests to try to come to all the pre-wedding events. They want us to join for drinks in Manhattan on Saturday night, the reception dinner in Queens on Sunday, and then both wedding ceremonies (one Catholic, one Hindu) and the reception on Monday. THAT IS 3 DIFFERENT CITIES (I would've said boroughs, but Long Island isn't even a borough).

Then they took it one step further: they want all of their college friends to choreograph and perform a group dance at their wedding. Now, this isn't so weird- it's a very normal Indian tradition for the friends to do a dance for the couple on their wedding day, and all of us were in an Indian dance troupe together. But we live all over the Northeast- it would be impossible to get together except for the day before the wedding.

But not to worry- they got a block of rooms at a hotel near the wedding venue. They didn't pay for the rooms, but they blocked them off. That alone is $110/night. Hooray.

To be continued....

Why You're Not Married- An Article

Not written by me. It is written by Tracy McMillan, and was published on Huffington Post. But I think it's good, and fear that if I just post a link, you may not read it. So here is the link, followed by the actual article. Enjoy!!

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You want to get married. It's taken a while to admit it. Saying it out loud -- even in your mind -- feels kind of desperate, kind of unfeminist, kind of definitely not you, or at least not any you that you recognize. Because you're hardly like those girls on TLC saying yes to the dress and you would never compete for a man like those poor actress-wannabes on The Bachelor.

You've never dreamt of an aqua-blue ring box.

Then, something happened. Another birthday, maybe. A breakup. Your brother's wedding. His wife-elect asked you to be a bridesmaid, and suddenly there you were, wondering how in hell you came to be 36-years-old, walking down the aisle wearing something halfway decent from J. Crew that you could totally repurpose with a cute pair of boots and a jean jacket. You started to hate the bride -- she was so effing happy -- and for the first time ever you began to have feelings about the fact that you're not married. You never really cared that much before. But suddenly (it was so sudden) you found yourself wondering... Deep, deep breath... Why you're not married.

Well, I know why.

How? It basically comes down to this: I've been married three times. Yes, three. To a very nice MBA at 19; a very nice minister's son at 32 (and pregnant); and at 40, to a very nice liar and cheater who was just like my dad, if my dad had gone to Harvard instead of doing multiple stints in federal prison.

I was, for some reason, born knowing how to get married. Growing up in foster care is a big part of it. The need for security made me look for very specific traits in the men I dated -- traits it turns out lead to marriage a surprisingly high percentage of the time. Without really trying to, I've become a sort of jailhouse lawyer of relationships -- someone who's had to do so much work on her own case that I can now help you with yours.

But I won't lie. The problem is not men, it's you. Sure, there are lame men out there, but they're not really standing in your way. Because the fact is -- if whatever you're doing right now was going to get you married, you'd already have a ring on it. So without further ado, let's look at the top six reasons why you're not married.

1. You're a Bitch.

Here's what I mean by bitch. I mean you're angry. You probably don't think you're angry. You think you're super smart, or if you've been to a lot of therapy, that you're setting boundaries. But the truth is you're pissed. At your mom. At the military-industrial complex. At Sarah Palin. And it's scaring men off.

The deal is: most men just want to marry someone who is nice to them. I am the mother of a 13-year-old boy, which is like living with the single-cell protozoa version of a husband. Here's what my son wants out of life: macaroni and cheese, a video game, and Kim Kardashian. Have you ever seen Kim Kardashian angry? I didn't think so. You've seen Kim Kardashian smile, wiggle, and make a sex tape. Female anger terrifies men. I know it seems unfair that you have to work around a man's fear and insecurity in order to get married -- but actually, it's perfect, since working around a man's fear and insecurity is big part of what you'll be doing as a wife.



2. You're Shallow.

When it comes to choosing a husband, only one thing really, truly matters: character. So it stands to reason that a man's character should be at the top of the list of things you are looking for, right? But if you're not married, I already know it isn't. Because if you were looking for a man of character, you would have found one by now. Men of character are, by definition, willing to commit.

Instead, you are looking for someone tall. Or rich. Or someone who knows what an Eames chair is. Unfortunately, this is not the thinking of a wife. This is the thinking of a teenaged girl. And men of character do not want to marry teenaged girls. Because teenage girls are never happy. And they never feel like cooking, either.



3. You're a Slut.

Hooking up with some guy in a hot tub on a rooftop is fine for the ladies of Jersey Shore -- but they're not trying to get married. You are. Which means, unfortunately, that if you're having sex outside committed relationships, you will have to stop. Why? Because past a certain age, casual sex is like recreational heroin -- it doesn't stay recreational for long.

That's due in part to this thing called oxytocin -- a bonding hormone that is released when a woman a) nurses her baby and b) has an orgasm -- that will totally mess up your casual-sex game. It's why you can be f**k-buddying with some dude who isn't even all that great and the next thing you know, you're totally strung out on him. And you have no idea how it happened. Oxytocin, that's how it happened. And since nature can't discriminate between marriage material and Charlie Sheen, you're going to have to start being way more selective than you are right now.

4. You're a Liar.

It usually goes something like this: you meet a guy who is cute and likes you, but he's not really available for a relationship. He has some condition that absolutely precludes his availability, like he's married, or he gets around town on a skateboard. Or maybe he just comes right out and says something cryptic and open to interpretation like, "I'm not really available for a relationship right now."

You know if you tell him the truth -- that you're ready for marriage -- he will stop calling. Usually that day. And you don't want that. So you just tell him how perfect this is because you only want to have sex for fun! You love having fun sex! And you don't want to get in a relationship at all! You swear!

About ten minutes later, the oxytocin kicks in. You start wanting more. But you don't tell him that. That's your secret -- just between you and 22,000 of your closest girlfriends. Instead, you hang around, having sex with him, waiting for him to figure out that he can't live without you. I have news: he will never "figure" this out. He already knows he can live without you just fine. And so do you. Or you wouldn't be lying to him in the first place.

5. You're Selfish.

If you're not married, chances are you think a lot about you. You think about your thighs, your outfits, your naso-labial folds. You think about your career, or if you don't have one, you think about doing yoga teacher training. Sometimes you think about how marrying a wealthy guy -- or at least a guy with a really, really good job -- would solve all your problems.



Howevs, a good wife, even a halfway decent one, does not spend most of her day thinking about herself. She has too much s**t to do, especially after having kids. This is why you see a lot of celebrity women getting husbands after they adopt. The kids put the woman on notice: Bitch, hello! It's not all about you anymore! After a year or two of thinking about someone other than herself, suddenly, Brad Pitt or Harrison Ford comes along and decides to significantly other her. Which is also to say -- if what you really want is a baby, go get you one. Your husband will be along shortly. Motherhood has a way of weeding out the lotharios.

6. You're Not Good Enough.

Oh, I don't think that. You do. I can tell because you're not looking for a partner who is your equal. No, you want someone better than you are: better looking, better family, better job.

Here is what you need to know: You are enough right this minute. Period. Not understanding this is a major obstacle to getting married, since women who don't know their own worth make terrible wives. Why? You can fake it for a while, but ultimately you won't love your spouse any better than you love yourself. Smart men know this.

I see this at my son's artsy, progressive school. Of 183 kids, maybe six have moms who are as cute as you're trying to be. They're attractive, sure. They're just not objects. Their husbands (wisely) chose them for their character, not their cup size.



Alright, so that's the bad news. The good news is that I believe every woman who wants to can find a great partner. You're just going to need to get rid of the idea that marriage will make you happy. It won't. Once the initial high wears off, you'll just be you, except with twice as much laundry.

Because ultimately, marriage is not about getting something -- it's about giving it. Strangely, men understand this more than we do. Probably because for them marriage involves sacrificing their most treasured possession -- a free-agent penis -- and for us, it's the culmination of a princess fantasy so universal, it built Disneyland.

The bottom line is that marriage is just a long-term opportunity to practice loving someone even when they don't deserve it. Because most of the time, your messy, farting, macaroni-and-cheese eating man will not be doing what you want him to. But as you give him love anyway -- because you have made up your mind to transform yourself into a person who is practicing being kind, deep, virtuous, truthful, giving, and most of all, accepting of your own dear self -- you will find that you will experience the very thing you wanted all along:

Love.

The Mall is my Frenemy

Want It Wednesday is cancelled today because I have an announcement:

** I have a love/hate relationship with the mall. **

I love it, because it has most of my favorite stores (Ann Taylor Loft, The Limited, Express, Forever 21, Old Navy,...but no H&M- boo), and I love shopping. But I hate it- or actually my wallet hates it- because browsing usually turns to shopping...even if it's just little things.

This is not my mall. There are no decent pics of mine, sorry.

Online shopping is great because once you're done "shopping" you can just close the window. No damage to your wallet! Plus, you can check several different stores in about 2 minutes for the same product to score the best price. And, there are lots of different discounts and coupon codes you can use for products.

The downside of course is shipping costs (though a lot of places now have free or discounted shipping), and not being able to try on the product before you buy, and then you have to pay for the return shipping.

I have lived down the street from the mall for a year and a half, and I haven't gone on a true shopping trip the entire time. I'm not saying I haven't been to the mall- of course I go, with C, to stop in and get whatever we need, much like grocery shopping. But C doesn't particularly like shopping (what man does?), and after a while once I start browsing, he gets antsy and that's not fun.

So this past weekend I went to this mall alone for the first time. I told C to pick me up in 2 hours- he could nap at home while I shopped. (He was very appreciative of this plan!) And shop I did.

Those flats I was eye-ing (at 25% off w/ coupon)

Dark Denim long jeans (I needed them, my darks are not dark enough, and on clearance for $10 because they were an online only size...sweet!)
a black cable cord sweater (It's still cold out, and it was only $10)
a couple of tanks (at $2.50 a pop, I got several)
some socks
bunch of cards
C's V-Day present aka Victoria's Secret stuffs.
I walked out with a ton of bags, but definitely shopped wisely. It was one of my most successful shopping trips ever. And having a happy bf after a great shopping trip just because he didn't have to come makes it that much better!!

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Also just wanted to say THANKS for the comments guys! Love them all!! And thanks for reading!

Tunery Tuesday- When I Was 10

I'm still sick. Gah. Today I stayed home. I have a doctor's appointment scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. The problem is that I feel fine when I'm on Dayquil, but not when I'm not or in the mornings. Actually, I'm still a bit stuffy even when I'm on it. But I hate going to the doctor's.

Anyway. These are the Top Hits from the year I was 10. It's another 2fer (you'll see why once you scroll). Unlike last time where I bolded the ones I knew and underlined the ones I knew and liked, I knew just about all of these. So I just bold/underlined all the ones I liked.

First up, A Classic:


1. I Will Always Love You, Whitney Houston (this is my mom's favorite song ever)
2. Bring It On, Tag Team
3. (I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You, UB40
4. That's the Way Love Goes, Janet Jackson
5. Freak Me, Silk
6. Weak, SWV
7. If I Ever Fall In Love, Shai
8. Dreamlover, Mariah Carey
9. Rump Shaker, Wreckx-N-Effect
10. Informer, Snow
11. Nuthin' but a "G" Thang, Dr. Dre
12. In the Still of the Night, Boyz II Men
13. Don't Walk Away, Jade
14. Knockin' Da Boots, H-Town
15. Lately, Jodeci
16. Dazzey Duks, Duice
17. Show Me Love, Robin S.
18. A Whole New World, Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle (Aladdin?)
19. If, Janet Jackson (I watched this video more times than I care to admit because me and my friends were trying to learn the dance...in college! Just FYI- we succeeded!!)
20. I'm So Into You, SWV
21. Love Is, Vanessa Willlams and Brian Mcknight
22. Runaway Train, Soul Asylum
23. I'll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me, Expose
24. Ditty, Paperboy
25. Rhythm Is a Dancer, Snap
26. The River of Dreams, Billy Joel
27. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles), Proclaimers (I remember jumping on my bed to this song)
28. Two Princes, Spin Doctors
29. Right Here (Human Nature)-Downtown, SWV
30. I Have Nothing, Whitney Houston
31. Mr Wendal, Arrested Development
32. Have I Told You Lately, Rod Stewart
33. Saving Forever For You, Shanice
34. Ordinary World, Duran Duran
35. If I Had No Loot, Tony! Toni! Tone!
36. I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That), Meat Loaf
37. Slam, Onyx
38. Looking Through Patient Eyes, P.M. Dawn
39. I'm Every Woman, Whitney Houston
40. Baby I'm Yours, Shai
41. Come Undone, Duran Duran
42. I Don't Wanna Fight, Tina Turner
43. I'd Die Without You, P.M. Dawn
44. Whoot, There It Is, 95 South
45. Hip Hop Hooray, Naughty By Nature
46. Another Sad Love Song, Toni Braxton
47. Will You Be There, Michael Jackson
48. Comforter, Shai
49. Good Enough, Bobby Brown
50. What's Up?, 4 Non Blondes

And a few from the top 100 that I also found noteworthy:
51. All That She Wants, Ace Of Base
55. Just Kickin' It, Xscape
58. Real Love, Mary J. Blige
60. Cryin', Aerosmith
65. Insane In the Brain, Cypress Hill (I saw these guys in concert in October. Everyone flipped when they did this one!)
69. Bad Boys, Inner Circle
74. Again, Janet Jackson
88. Ooh Child, Dino
92. Nothin' My Love Can't Fix, Joey Lawrence

Hold the phone. Joey Lawrence had a SONG??!! Mr. "Whoa!" from Blossom actually sang? Oh it's true....check it out:

95. Hey Jealousy, Gin Blossoms
97. Anniversary, Tony! Toni! Tone! (The ultimate anniversary song)

Love Sick

No, not the sexy kind.

The actual kind.

Being in love and being sick do not go together.
Especially not on Valentine's Day.
Especially not when he gives you an awesome present in the morning...
and you spend all day hoping/praying/drinking fluids/taking Dayquil...
because your present to your sweetie pie love muffin is yourself  in Victoria's Secret lingerie.

No, it does not work at all.
Because then dinner conversations go like this:

moi: You know what I like?
C: No honey, what do you like?
moi: Breathing.
C: Breathing's overrated.
moi: Not when you can't breathe...

Sexy.

He wound up getting a card with a heart-shaped coupon for a sexy massage when I'm not sick. In Vickie's wear. Lucky for me, he didn't have time for a  massage tonight anyway, because he had a bunch of tests to grade for his students. So our V-Day is on a temporary hold until I'm no longer a sneezing coughing mess.

Hope everyone else had a great (and non-sick) Valentine's Day!

Netflix? And Saving Money

I do not like it when people comment about how much they *hate* Netflix because they chose to order stupid crappy movies. Uhhmm...hello? you can choose  what movies you get. If you chose a stupid crappy movie, it's no one's fault but your own, so stop blaming Netflix! They give you options they think you like, but no one is forcing you to order them. Sheesh.

I love Netflix. You don't have to go to any stores, there are no return fees, you can get whatever movies you want, delivered right to your door!

However, I just downgraded our Netflix service in a quest to save money. I was spending $15 on the 2-movie-unlimited- monthly plan. But how many movies can you really watch in a month? Well, I don't know about you, but here there are so many movies online, or on TV (I don't really mind commercials, especially if I record them and then ff through them!), or in the theater (yes, sometimes we still make it to the theater!), that 2 (plus unlimited online) was a bit much. (Plus, they had recently raised the price.) So it was an easy decision to switch to the 1-per-month (and no online) plan. It saved $10! Which may not seem like much, but when you save $10 here, and $20 there, it adds up.

I was also able to save money on my commute by transferring at a different point. It makes my commute longer, and had to slightly alter my work schedule, but I was able to save $115. Umm...cha-ching! I decided to try it this month since it's the shortest. We'll see if I'm able to keep it up!

Tuesday Tunery- When I was 5

1988 was a very busy year! Back for "Flash Back February" ....another 2-Fer (because sometimes you can't just choose one)! Patrick Swayze, Taylor Dayne, and RICK ASTLEY!?! All 80's icons! It was really hard to pick just two this time (It almost hurt not to include the Red Red Wine or Kokomo video!) And how can you NOT love the majorly big hair?!...Enjoy!



1. Faith, George Michael
2. Need You Tonight, INXS
3. Got My Mind Set On You, George Harrison
4. Never Gonna Give You Up, Rick Astley
5. Sweet Child O' Mine, Guns N' Roses
6. So Emotional, Whitney Houston
7. Heaven Is a Place On Earth, Belinda Carlisle
8. Could've Been, Tiffany
9. Hands to Heaven, Breathe
10. Roll With It, Steve Winwood
11. One More Try, George Michael
12. Wishing Well, Terence Trent d'Arby
13. Anything for You, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine
14. The Flame, Cheap Trick
15. Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car, Billy Ocean
16. Seasons Change, Expose
17. Is This Love, Whitesnake
18. Wild, Wild West, Escape Club
19. Pour Some Sugar On Me, Def Leppard
20. I'll Always Love You, Taylor Dayne
21. Man In the Mirror, Michael Jackson
22. Shake Your Love, Debbie Gibson
23. Simply Irresistible, Robert Palmer
24. Hold On to the Nights, Richard Marx
25. Hungry Eyes, Eric Carmen
26. Shattered Dreams, Johnny Hates Jazz
27. Father Figure, George Michael
28. Naughty Girls (Need Love Too), Samantha Fox
29. A Groovy Kind of Love, Phil Collins
30. Love Bites, Def Leppard
31. Endless Summer Nights, Richard Marx
32. Foolish Beat, Debbie Gibson
33. Where Do Broken Hearts Go, Whitney Houston
34. Angel, Aerosmith
35. Hazy Shade of Winter, Bangles
36. The Way You Make Me Feel, Michael Jackson
37. Don't Worry, Be Happy, Bobby McFerrin
38. Make Me Lose Control, Eric Carmen
39. Red Red Wine, UB40
40. She's Like the Wind, Patric Swayze
41. Bad Medicine, Bon Jovi
42. Kokomo, Beach Boys
43. I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That, Elton John
44. Together Forever, Rick Astley
45. Monkey, George Michael
46. Devil Inside, INXS
47. Should've Known Better, Richard Marx
48. I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love, Chicago
49. The Loco-Motion, Kylie Minogue
50. What Have I Done to Deserve This?, Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield

and one more by Taylor Dayne....
53. Tell It to My Heart, Taylor Dayne

Even I couldn't say no to this classic...a ginger in an all-denim outfit! (especially with those hot dance movies around 2:45) Don't worry,... I'll never say say goodbye!

BEP?

For reasons unknown to me, there is a Black Eyed Peas montage on Fuse right now. Seriously, I've been listening to these videos for over a half an hour now.

What I wanna know is WHYYYY?!?!?

I mean, c'mon, anyone who saw yesterday's shitty burning-your-eyes-while-making-your-ears-bleed halftime Superbowl show would know fersure that they suck. Like, HARDCORE. (No, but seriously, wtf was that?!)

And why were they chosen? (I mean, did those picking people evern ever listen to them live? Or did they just really not care?) In fact, how are any Superbowl halftime performers chosen?

Just sayin'.

Want it Wednesday: Back! at least for a minute...

This will probably (not) be the last Want It Wednesday for awhile, as I'm trying to save my dollas for a major trip this fall. However, I just couldn't resist some of this cuteness...

Ann Taylor Loft Gold Foil Printed Skirt

$30 (+40% off!)

I know, this is a darker skirt and more perfect for fall, but it's pretty. Too bad they don't have my size! Argh!

I really wish I had an H&M closer to where I live. Actually, no I don't, I would go broke just about every month! But how cute is that romper? And I'm not even a fan of rompers at all!!

Oh tweed, how I love thee. Just. Love.



Faux Snakeskin flats from Old Navy that go with absolutely everything? Yes, please!! Oh, and I think they are way cuter than the overpriced Tory Burch version...

Just sayin.

And matching belt (with 2 others?) for only $10 from Charlotte Russe?! Why suuuure, thanks!

Things I'm Thankful For- Snow Day (#3!) Version

Today we have our THIRD snow day of the year! So instead of posting a "Want It Wednesday" post, I would like to take this moment to be thankful for what I already have.

1. having a job that gives snow days!
2. being off from work. I have to say people in my position (college administration) probably are luckiest in terms of snow days. We can't really work from home, and unlike teachers and students, having a snow day doesn't affect our work schedule, in terms of having to work longer into the summer or have our spring break shortened, becase we don't have a "spring break" and we work all year round anyway!
3. a warm, cozy (though slightly overpriced) apartment
4. sleeping in (until 11:30!)
5. rolling around in bed for another half hour with my boo, who took off from work today!
6. a nice, hot, strong cup of coffee, made by C
7. having a washer/dryer in my apartment! (Yessss, no more trips to the laundromat, at least for the time being!)
8. lots of clean clothes...though still unfolded for the time being (gotta do that today!)
9. a pantry full of food
10. modern technology- like this laptop, internets, cable/DVR, cell phones, my NookColor, and my iPod, too name a few
11. being healthy (knock on wood!)
12. friends & family

Did you have a snow day? If so, what did you do? If not, what would you do if you had a snow day?

Tunery Tuesday- 2Fer February!

Hello lovlies!

It's been a little while, but I'm back! With a new month, I decided to do "Flash Back February"...not that far back, but a little bit. But today, because I jsut discovered a new song about one song that talks about a town that bring back maaaaany memories, you get two! The first song is "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden. This is actually the first music video I ever saw (I didn't have cable -I saw this at a friend's house)! It's actually pretty disturbing...I;m surprised I didn't swear off MTV forever after seeing it...



This second song I found while looking for songs thatt came out the year I was born. (yes, I was trying to go way, waaaay back!) But look at all the hits that came out in the same year:

1. Every Breath You Take, Police
2. Billie Jean, Michael Jackson
3. Flashdance...What A Feeling, Irene Cara
4. Down Under, Men At Work
5. Beat It, Michael Jackson
6. Total Eclipse of the Heart, Bonnie Tyler
7. Maneater, Daryl Hall and John Oates (I didn't even know this was a song before Nelly Furtado!)
8. Baby, Come to Me, Patti Austin and James Ingram
9. Maniac, Michael Sembello
10. Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), Eurythmics
11. Do You Really Want to Hurt Me, Culture Club
12. You and I, Eddie Rabbitt and Crystal Gayle
13. Come On Eileen, Dexy's Midnight Runners
14. Shame On The Moon, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
15. She Works Hard for the Money, Donna Summer
16. Never Gonna Let You Go, Sergio Mendes
17. Hungry Like the Wolf, Duran Duran
18. Let's Dance, David Bowie
19. Twilight Zone, Golden Earring
20. I Know There's Something Going On, Frida
21. Jeopardy, Greg Kihn Band
22. Electric Avenue, Eddy Grant
23. She Blinded Me With Science, Thomas Dolby
24. Africa, Toto
25. Little Red Corvette, Prince
26. Back On the Chain Gang, Pretenders
27. Up Where We Belong, Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
28. Mr. Roboto, Styx
29. You Are, Lionel Richie
30. Der Kommissar, After The Fire
31. Puttin' On the Ritz, Taco
32. Sexual Healing, Marvin Gaye
33. (Keep Feeling) Fascination, Human League
34. Time (Clock of the Heart), Culture Club
35. The Safety Dance, Men Without Hats
36. Be Stiff, Toni Basil
37. You Can't Hurry Love, Phil Collins
38. Separate Ways, Journey
39. One On One, Daryl Hall and John Oates
40. We've Got Tonight, Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton
41. 1999, Prince
42. Stray Cat Strut, Stray Cats
43. Allentown, Billy Joel
44. Stand Back, Stevie Nicks
45. Tell Her About It, Billy Joel
46. Always Something There to Remind Me, Naked Eyes
47. Truly, Lionel Richie
48. Dirty Laundry, Don Henley
49. The Girl Is Mine, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney (I thought just The Boy was mine!)
50. Too Shy, Kajagoogoo

Anyway, this is some Billy Joel goodness that talks about one of my fave college (close enough!) towns! Enjoy!



Well we're living here in Allentown
And they're closing all the factories down
Out in Bethlehem they're killing time
Filling out forms
Standing in line.

Well our fathers fought the Second World War
Spent their weekends on the Jersey Shore
Met our mothers at the USO
Asked them to dance
Danced with them slow
And we're living here in Allentown.

But the restlessness was handed down
And it's getting very hard to staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
aaaaaaah aaahhhhh ooooooooh ooooooh ohhhhhhh.

Well we're waiting here in Allentown
For the Pennsylvania we never found
For the promises our teachers gave
If we worked hard
If we behaved.

So the graduations hang on the wall
But they never really helped us at all
No they never taught us what was real
Iron or coke,
Chromium steel.

And we're waiting here in Allentown.
But they've taken all the coal from the ground
And the union people crawled awaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaah.

Every child had a pretty good shot
To get at least as far as their old man got.
If something happened on the way to that place
They threw an American flag in our face, oh oh oh.

Well I'm living here in Allentown
And it's hard to keep a good man down.
But I won't be getting up todaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy
aaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaaaaah aaaaaaaaah.

GUITAR SOLO

aaaaaaah aaaaaaah aaaaaaah oh oh oh.

And it's getting very hard to staaaaaaaaaaaaaay.
And we're living here in Allentown.