We're Moving!!

So I tried to have it all...I wanted to be an amazing wife, a full-time employee, a stellar Mom-to-be, a super cool cat Mom, and a blogger (who doesn't).   In fact I loved the blogger role so much that I got a little crazy and started 2 of them.  This one, the McGee McBlog, intended to be full of personal updates.  And the Mommy McBlog, intended to be geared towards the Mom audience.

But somethings gotta give, and I just can't be SuperWoman.

Let's be real, my prego bump could never squeeze into this tight spandex outfit

So the McGee McBlog has been merged with Mommy McBlog and I'm moving all my updates and posts there.   The merger is a good thing.  It's the equivalent of Disney merging with Pixar; Wendy's fries meeting with a Frosty; Carol Brady marrying Mike Brady.  (Perhaps I'll go back to 2 blogs someday but for now I need to simplify my life, especially with a Beanette on the way).

Moving Day for McGee McBlog

But please calm down... No panicking or rioting please.  If you haven't tuned into the Mommy McBlog yet, it's not too late...  You can still jump on the bandwagon!!

I promise that I'll still include many pictures, lousy attempts at humor, and random ridiculousness.  In fact, I'm drumming up a corny little post right now about our birth class trilogy and it will include all of the above.  So stay tuned for the post this week on the Mommy McBlog.

So now the question you must all be asking... How do I get to Mommy McBlog?!?!

It's quite simple because Mommy McBlog even has it's very own domain.  It is MommyMcBlog.com.
Yep, it's that easy!!  Just click and go.  If you missed it the first time, its MommyMcBlog.com.

AND, there's more to it (no I won't add in a free snuggie), but you can also Like Mommy McBlog on Facebook and follow more updates and comments there.  Click HERE, Like it, and make my day that much better. 

Hope to see you all soon at Mommy McBlog.  We'll be throwing a blog-warming party shortly complete with tours of the new pad, hots dogs, cold beer and even free balloons for the kiddos. 

Thanks for following and see you soon! 

Much McBlogging love,

Erin

Good-Bye to Hospitality

Today was the day; my final day as a hotel employee! 
Very bittersweet.  I can't leave the last 7 years of my life without a little ode to hospitality and events.  It is where I met some of my best friends and had some of the most fun times.  So without sharing too much incriminating information, here are

My Top 5 Most Memorable Moments of Hospitality

(Drum roll please)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#5 - While working as an events planner for 84 Lumber Company, I was responsible for planning the Annual Ten Year recognition Weekend at Nemacolin Woodlands.  The crazy 4-day affair  in 2006 started with about 25 broken awards, which had to be re-made and re-shipped from Chicago in 48 hours, but the craziest part of the weekend came as I was leaving.  I was finally on my way home after barely sleeping for the four-day affair when I got a call that the 84 Lumber beaver head was missing.  (I can't make this stuff up).  It had been wrapped in a trash bag to be shipped back to the office and it was inadvertently thrown away.  I had the pleasure of digging through the trash for hours but never recovered that darn beaver head.  RIP 84 Lumber Beaver Head! 

#4 - It was very fun to come in contact with famous people while working in hospitality.  I saw Nicole Richie (barely) eating lunch, greeted NHL & NFL teams, booked rooms for Tommy Lee and Motley Crue and watched Keanu Reeves during his morning smoke break. 

#3 - Lots of fun travel!   Over the past seven years I've been able to travel to NYC a few times, Phoenix, Chicago, LA, Boston, San Diego, Dallas, Toronto, Albany, Saratoga Springs and lots of other places.    Saratoga Spring never failed to be the most exciting -- Enjoy Saratoga Springs, Always have Excedrin from the next morning.   

#2 - A highlight reel of my time in hotels would not be complete without a recap of some crazy MOD memories that included:  trying to have a rational conversation with wasted Long Island cops (not on duty fortunately) at 4 AM, dealing with guests that pee their pants in public, calling the cops on abusive husbands and handling a hooker that claimed she was assaulted by "clients"!  And you wonder why people in hospitality tend to drink a lot.

#1 - The A-M-A-Z-I-N-G People!!!!  I had great co-workers that are now my great friends!   It wasn't a day at office without morning bagel breaks, covering co-workers walls with birthing pool ads, turkey bowling, co-workers that wear Shape-ups, and even a bomb threat.  But I think that one of my favorite nights had to be when the Hyatt girls took me out for a "few" drinks before Denny and I tied the know.  Yikes, I'm not sure how 1 drink led to 10+ drinks, but it was a super fun night.com!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cheers to the next chapter in life.  If I meet half the amazing people as I have met in the last seven, I'll be one lucky lady!

Olympic Fever!

I. Love. The Olympics!

I think the Olympics are one of the most exciting times to be an American and get swept up in the competition, the intensity and the passion of the athletes and the countries they represent.  I love hearing their stories of how they made it, and the adversity they overcame to be at the games. 

As kids, Melissa and I used to follow the Olympics like it was our jobs.  I'm sure if you look hard enough at my parents house, you'll find VHS tapes of all the opening ceremonies during the 80's.  When the games started, Melissa and I cut out all the newspaper articles about the Olympics, followed the medal counts each day and even made giant Olympic scrapbooks featuring every magazine article from the entire summer (I can't lie, we were kind of losers). 

We loved all the sports, but especially gymnastics.  I spent many summer afternoons sprinting down the vault runway (aka the dining room into the living room) and then vaulting over the square pink ottoman we had in the living room (the couch was mint colored with pink flowers and the coordinating ottoman was pink -- needless to say, it was the 80's) pretending that I was about to bring home gold. 

When I finished vaulting practice, I spent my free time writing letters to Kim Zmeskal (she was way cooler than Shannon Miller because she didn't wear ugly hair puffs). 

Kim - My childhood hero!

Shannon - Kim's not-as-cool teammate based solely on the hair puff
(although she was clearly 100% cooler than me, the girl vaulting off the ottoman)

When we weren't busy watching the Olympics or writing to the stars, we participated in backyard Olympics at our friend Julie's house!  We had tons of competitions including the cartwheel competition, swimming, broomstick throwing (aka the javelin) and relays.  

During the last time the summer Olympics were taking place, I traded in the vault runway and instead ran down the aisle to marry Denny.  We didn't plan to get married during the Olympic festivities, but it kind of adds to the magic of the games. 

This year I won't be vaulting or running down the aisle but I'll gladly take my seat as a spectator and sport my red & blue.  The opening ceremony kicks off in just a few hours!! 

Go Team USA!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Day in the Life of Beanette

Despite having never met my daughter, I've become very familiar with her daily schedule.  I'll have to confirm this with her when she arrives but here are my thoughts on her daily activities

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5:30 AM 
Beanette wake up call because her big sister Lexi is dancing on my head for her morning Fancy Feast buffet.  Beanette can't wait to meet her sister, kicks me in excitement and sends me to the bathroom.

6:00 AM
I'm pretty sure she is back to bed by this time, she apparently takes after us and likes to sleep late. 

8:30 AM
Wide awake and ready for another Bring your Daughter to Work Day.  She grows brain cells (250 per minute) while I try to make my way through morning e-mails.  I'm not sure where she gets her ambition.

11:00 AM
Beanette kick boxing lessons.  It appears that she is going to have a really strong core by the time she is born.  I make trips #11-25 to the ladies room.

1:00 PM
More napping.   She seems to do this during much of the afternoon gearing up for a fun evening of activities

7:00 PM
Beanette playtime!!  I'm quite certain that this is how my bladder looks to her:

I can't blame her for being excited.  I would want to bounce too!

10:00 PM

She's been jumping and kicking for a few hours now and finally seems to be tuckered out! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sweet Dreams Beanette, can't wait until we really get to tuck you in bed!

Simpler Times!

Who hasn't wished they could move back to a simpler time??

Perhaps a time when the kids didn't spend dinnertime staring at their DS...
Perhaps a time when families spent their Sunday afternoons going for drives in the country, singing songs and enjoying together time...
Or perhaps a time when Mom, Dad and the kiddos all huddled around the TV to watch wholesome family programs on the boob tube...


Who doesn't Love Lucy?  I know I do!

The All-American Family enjoying happy times

___________________

Anxious to rekindle this special time with your kids?   Denny and I have the solution for you...

 Introducing the coolest TV east of the Mississippi. 

• Works (sometimes)
• Flat (ish) screen
• LCD (Large, Cumbersome and Definitely heavy)
• Doubles as a ledge for picture frames and/or table to set your beverages (coasters encouraged)
• Comes with attached cord

Denny and I feel that we have been fortunate enough to spend six years with this beautiful television but we don't want Beanette growing up spoiled so we have decided it is time to share our wealth with others.  Yes, this bad boy is going on the market. 

The TV is currently in our garage waiting to go to its next loving home (please do not spend all night sleeping in the driveway waiting for us to open the door in the morning). 

We are accepting bids starting at -$10.  Yes, we will pay YOU for taking it away!  If interested, please call or stop by.  All interested applicants will be evaluated and a thorough background check will be completed. 

In no time at all you too can be enjoying America's great technological advances with your loved ones!!  But be warned, we will not be held responsible for your kids becoming spoiled by the finer luxuries in life.

Declaration of Bean-Dependence / Constitution of Overprotective Parents-to-be

Happy Birthday America! 

We hope you had a great day, got tons of Happy Bday posts on your Facebook timeline, 

and finished the day feeling full of cake and ice cream! 

In the McGee house we celebrated in a low-key manner.  We slept in, Denny golfed and I spent a little time at the neighbor's pool (nothing shows patriotism quite like watching your pasty skin go from white to red -- if only I had a blue tattoo and I'd be all set!).

Then we ventured down to the Lancaster Festival for some incredibly healthy dinner options.  An elephant ear is a pregnancy super food right? 

But as we enjoyed a great night, we couldn't help but notice the clothing, or lack thereof, that some of the young girls at the festival were wearing.  Turns out that finding out the cost of daycare is NOT the scariest thing for soon-to-be parents...  the scariest thing for a parents-to-be of a daughter is to see tweens showing more skin than Madonna in the 80's.  Yikes, get out the shotgun!! 

So rather than focus much more on fireworks and picnics, I'm switching gears with this post and paying homage to our forefather's Declaration of Independence with a twist...  the Declaration of Bean-dependence.  Yes, this is for you Beanette.  We are sure you will be a great kid and you will always exhibit excellent taste when it comes to choosing your clothes.  But if you get the temptation to buy too-short shorts or wear a shirt that is less than wholesome, you can refer to this friendly declaration, and then recall that if you don't follow these simple rules, we will revoke any future Independence. 

So without further adieu:

The Declaration of Bean-dependence

Preamble
Dear Bean, Your father and I hold these truths to be self-evident, that not all fashion is created equal, that clothes are endowed to you by their Creator (aka your parents) with certain alienable Rights, that among these requirements are full coverage of your back, mid-section and the pursuit of coverage of your legs (all the way to your ankles). 

Indictment
The history of some of the girls in our current culture is a history of repeated fashion offenses and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny and complete fear of your father and me. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world (all of which you will not be permitted to wear)

• Shorts in which exhibit butt cheekage
• Shorts in which the pockets hang out more than 6 inches from the bottom of the shorts
• Shirts that resemble cobwebs in the back
• Shirts that have slits, holes, or slots
• Shirts that are see-through
• Shirts or shorts that cause boys to look at you in any way before you turn 32

Conclusion
We, therefore, the Representatives of you, the Beanette (our sweet baby girl), do, in the Name, and by Authority of the our attempt at being good parents, solemnly publish and declare that we hope you always make good judgements.

We love you so much already, and although you may roll your eyes at us and consider us overprotective, crazy and ridiculous we hope you know it is for good reason. 


Signatures
Denny McGee
Erin McGee
Seymour Turtlenecks
Abraham Fullyclothed
Ben Dover NeverInASkirt

Back that Thang Up!

No, this post is not about 90's music, I'm just trying to remind everyone to back up all their computer files!

Sad but true I'm reminded of it right now while I stare at my (formerly favorite) little 8 GB jump drive.  It has been my partner in crime for the past three years!  I have shared all my pictures, spreadsheets and every last one of my Masters assignments with it.  It lived in my wallet right next to my other inanimate object BFF, my debit card.  But today it decided to be a little punk and change it's formatting so that I can't access anything on it. 

I keep asking myself, "How did we share so much over so many years for it to just turn it's back on me?!?"

When it first happened, Denny (being the rational husband he is) calmed me down and took me to the wizards of all computer woes, The Geek Squad!  Surely those amazingly knowledgeable guys would be able to outsmart a teeny tiny two ounce jump drive. Right?  Wrong!!

The geeks sadly looked at me and said there was nothing they could do.  It was crushing and heartbreaking.  And then I lost it.  Right there in Best Buy.  I was "that pregnant women" crying over all my lost pictures and documents from the past three years. Pa-thetic!  The two geeks behind the counter were clearly cursing at themselves for ever applying for the job and just kept trying to tell me how sorry they were in hopes I would eventually disappear.  Talk about embarrassing.  Who's the geek now?

I know there are millions of things in life that could be worse, way worse.  But this is a major bummer.  Pictures from over thirty weddings, twenty holidays and countless hours of assignments for my Masters.  I honestly feel like part of my MBA is going to be taken away from me because I can't support the fact that I ever wrote a paper. 

So now I'm spending my evening sulking, being cranky and googling answers of how to regain 8 gigs of my life.  Thus far the search has been unsuccessful.  Supposedly there are a few options that can help me restore my files but I won't know for sure if the claims prove to be true without a swipe of my credit card for $45 or $79 dollars.  I might sleep on it so I can make a more logical, less emotional decisions. 

In the meantime, I keep playing a slide show in my head of all the times I saved stuff on my little jump drive while It's so Hard to Say good-bye to Yesterday plays in the background of my brain.

I'm sure I'll wake up tomorrow and feel better, and maybe even find the miraculous download that will help me restore all my memories and hard work.  In the meantime, don't be a Juvenile and lose you documents.  Quit reading this blog and back that thang up!  It's the only way to ensure you won't be cursing the lost pictures in your Semi-Charmed Life.

Journey to the Weekend

Considering Monday morning kicked off with a broken oven and a sick cat, I should have known Friday was going to be equally eventful.  Weekday bookends perhaps.  Today was the yin to Monday's yang; the salt to Monday's pepper, and the Matt Lauer to Monday's Katie Couric (still the best co-hosts on Today's show history, in my opinion).

Talk about chemistry!  I loved them

Maybe I should have been more worried today when my instincts told me to pack water, snacks and flip-flops before I left for Canada.  Or maybe I should have know that my good old Jeep Liberty would eventually need a break... But I didn't.

So off to I went Canada today thinking my Nexus pass would be my ticket to fast border crossings on a day when a hundred thousand people were flocking to the Falls to watch crazy Wallenda walk on a wire. 

It was a Friday and I was feeling good...  I quickly stopped in the offices in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and then hopped in my car to zip over to the hotel and meet my client.  And suddenly, my car would not start.  Hmm, not good.  But being the brilliant woman I am, I figured it had to be a temporary issue.  I would meet with my client for lunch and by then the car would fix itself.  They do that, right? 

Four hours later I was ready to head home.  Computer bag loaded, key in ignition aaaand... nothing. 

Great.                                    Peachy.                            Awesome. 

I was a happy camper.  

Three rounds of unsuccessful jumper cables later did nothing but jump start my fear of being stranded in Canada all weekend.  And then my fear got even more real when I realized that Denny could pick me up IF only he could access his passport locked in our fireproof box..  ya know, the one that I locked with the key on my key chain. 

Tick tick tick.  It was now almost 3 PM.  All the local car places were closing for the weekend in 120 minutes and I had no solution.  Hmm, time for AAA intervention.  And what a worthwhile call!  Turns out towing a car across the border IS possible!  Success. 

So by 4ish, I hopped up in the cab of the CAA truck and off we went.  Matt the driver has 5 kids ages 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 (whoa), and told me all about how to remove Crayola from kid's bedroom walls.  Good to know.  We crossed the bridge and by 5 he was unloading my car from his truck. 


The Little Jeep's visit to Customs!

Turns out Canadian drivers don't drive into the US and US drivers don't pick up in Canada, so I bid farewell to Matt, the baby-makin tow-truck driver, and waited for the tow truck driver from AAA to pick me up and take me on my last leg of the journey.  I waited, and waited, and waited.  Ninety minutes later, Dan arrived and loaded up the Liberty.  It was the victory lap to a long day. 

Dan was quite chatty.  He broke the ice by asking if my pregnancy was a surprise (did he not notice that I practically have gray hair?), and then told me about how I am building character with Beanette by allowing her to ride in a tow truck.  Not exactly my goal, but I guess it was a bonus for the day.  

By the time we pulled into the mechanics lot, tow-truck drive Dan was telling me step-by-step instructions of how to remove a cat's head from a glass jar if it was to get stuck. Yep, more useless knowledge.  I nodded, convinced him to give me a Pregnancy Discount (he agreed!) and said Good Bye to Chatty Dan.  My ordeal was over and my cute hubby was waiting!!  

It took almost five hours to travel home about 50 miles but it was quite the memorable (and comical) end to my week.  I'm finally at home... relaxing.. and enjoying my Friday with Denny, our character-filled Beanette and our cat (whose head is luckily not stuck in a glass jar). 

Happy Friday to all!

May your weekend journeys be full of fun and useless knowledge! 

Oh Monday

..............................

Today was really good at being Monday.

I woke up and thought it was Sunday... bummer, I was wrong. 

I snoozed... too much. 

Then I slept... too late.

Then it turned into more of a Monday.

We realized the oven likely needs replaced.

Lexi got sick.

Lexi got sick again.

And Lexi got sick 2 more times.

It was only 8:18 AM.  Oh Monday.

 ..............................

BUT then...

Work went fast. 

The jeweler called and my rings were cleaned and ready early. 

We got a great coupon on the mail. 

Our doctor's office was actually running ahead of schedule.

AND...

We got to see the Little Beanette!!!

We had her six month sonogram and she looks super healthy & way cute! 

Her heartbeat is perfect and her size is great!!

We are SO lucky!!!!

..............................

As a bonus we got home and Beanette was thrilled to see some of her Signal Drive Aunties.  She put on quite the performance and they got to feel her kick.  So cool! 

Perhaps she will someday live out my childhood dream and be a Radio City Rockette.  I would be one proud Momma to spend my Thanksgiving morning watching our Little Beanette (I promise we will name her by then) kick her way down 6th Avenue. 

My goal in life during much of the 80's and early 90's!

But then again I'll be proud no matter what she does.  I'm learning that I'm pretty darn lucky to have her, and I'll be even luckier if I can make her life even half as amazing as she has made my Monday. 

..............................

A Little Hotel Humor

My favorite joke about working in hotels...


Whenever I have groups that need 2 beds, but phrase it to me that they want a room with "Two Queens," I always have to resist the urge to put this on the contract:

We are pleased to offer your group accommodations with Two (2) Queens

 

~~ Hope everyone has a Super Duper Thursday!! ~~

Fifty Shades of Grey - McGee Style

I'm not sure how the McGee McBlog can capture the attention of all you ladies getting hot and heavy with your bedtime reading trilogy so I figured I had to spice it up a notch to compete. 

Welcome to Fifty Shades of Grey - McGee Style!

In this post I'm inviting you all behind the closed door of our room to share one of the best discoveries Denny and I have ever had in the bedroom.  I'm not sure what what you are all thinking (clearly you need to get your minds out of the gutter), because I'm referring to the Target Home Fresh Scent Memory Foam Mattress Topper.  What an A-MA-ZING purchase.  I've been trying to get used to sleeping on my side so Denny (being the thoughtful husband he is) picked up a mattress topper the other day at Target and it has changed the way I sleep!  I could stay in bed all day because it is so cozy!!  If you need a little boost for a boring mattress, spend the $61 dollars.  You will not regret it!

As a bonus it also smells very minty.  I did not initially realize that the mattress topper came with a fresh aroma so I had a dream on Saturday night that Denny ate a York Peppermint Pattie before he came to bed and didn't share it with me.  Although I didn't get the sensation, I did get a great nights sleep! 

YUM!

On that note, it's past my bedtime and the minty memory foam is calling my name! 

Good night, sleep tight and don't let the boring mattress bedbugs bite

(get a Target mattress topper instead). 



This picture doesn't really do it justice, but this adds a whole new element of comfort to your beauty rest!



The Bachelor

I'm not kidding when I say this.  Working in Hotel Sales is just Like being on The Bachelor!  Today was no exception.  Let me explain the similarities... 

It starts out a simple piece of paper, a request for proposal.  You shyly make eye contact with it, skim over its basic info... 50 rooms on peak, brown eyes, adequate F&B, cute butt.  The infatuation begins.  You eye up the other hotels in competition, and immediately rule them out knowing they will be gone by the end of the first show... too big, too expensive, too needy.  You have the availability and you feel a connection so you immediately respond Yes. 
The first rose is yours!

On the next episode you chat more with the planner/Bachelor and find out all your similarities!  Could it be true love?  You share some more information with the "Bachelor" and feel a connection.  Their conference seems too good to be true.  To improve the relationship you drop off some coffee at their office but unfortunately run into another hotel rep.  Those group dates are never fun, but at the end of the day, the planner announces that they want to come to your hotel to find out more.  
A Hometown date, and another rose!!

The site tour/hometown date arrives and another episode begins.  You wear your best outfit, put on some extra eye make-up, make reservations at a nice restaurant and nervously wait for the suitor to arrive.  They pull up in the front circle.  Awkward at first, but then you show them all the perks of the hotel, being careful to avoid mentioning that recent messy break-up with that other corporate account.  If all goes well, you have time to show off the hot tub (what episode of the Bachelor doesn't involve this scene?), and then the tour leads to meal and maybe some wine. 

While you are breaking bread with the client/Bachelor, you can help but wonder who else they have been seeing.  Did they spend yesterday with that tall blond hotel down the street?  Did they have a connection with that cute suburban hotel?  It is agonizing to imagine, so you focus only on your hopes of another rose, and perhaps a signed contract.  You know the client wants to experience all parts of the hotel, and the inevitable overnight date happen.  The next morning, you get to work and find an e-mail waiting for you.  Your heart races.  "Dear Erin, I had a great visit.  I can envision my group in your hotel.  I'd like to review your contract." 
Wow, well done!   Another rose and another round!

The final episode arrives...  You've put your best foot forward, showed off all your assets, offered up some great concessions, and now you wait.  The quarter is almost up and you haven't yet achieved your quota.  You can envision the Bachelor getting down on one knee and handing you a signed contract, but you don't want to get your heart broken.  

Chris Harrison walks in the room and the most dramatic rose ceremony is about to begin.  You know this is it.  The final rose awaits.  Will you be swept off your feet with a sparkly signed contract??  Or will you be left standing on a mountaintop, completely heartbroken while you try to make sense of it to your boss. 

The music swells, the anticipation rises and you see it.  A new e-mail with an attachment.  Could it be?  YES, it is!  Your eyes fill with happy tears and you immediately hit print.  You sweep it off the printer and hold it close to your heart.  You knew being pregnant during this episode of the bachelor would be extra dramatic, but you didn't realize how emotional you would be.  True happiness at last!  As you countersign the contract, the sunset glistens off the staple and you smile knowing that you received the final rose!

Right now you're not sure if you'll spend the rest of your life waiting for roses.  Let's be real... We can't all be Trista. 

But you are happy knowing you got the rose and you can finally relax.

Until next season...

Let's get political

I'm not the first one to jump into a heated political debate; in fact, I'm probably the last one to do so.  And although I'm a big advocate for voting, I typically keep my political opinions to myself.

However, after spending hours over the last couple days doing laundry and (attempting to) match socks, I'd like to present a new political platform.  Candidates, listen up!

On top of my dryer sits a growing pile of lonely, single socks.  Some have been in this dating pool for months, while others just joined it tonight.  The top of my Maytag looks like an episode of MTV's 90's show, Singled Out, minus Jenny McCarthy.  All types of socks, just trying to find a partner in life (or a least a partner to get them through to the tumble in the dryer). 

Therefore, my idea is simple.  Our government should implement a policy in which all sock-makers must abide by a policy for universal white socks.  No gray toe sections, no fuzzy balls on the back, no black lines across the toe seam... just pure white unisex socks.  Should citizens elect to wear seasonal of non-white socks, that option would still exist but all solid color socks must abide by strict universal regulations.

Think I'm crazy??  Just think of how easy your life would be... husbands might actually be able to participate in sock folding.  Just think of the time savings... on average I would estimate that I spend about 55 minutes per week trying to find partners and fold socks.  With the No Sock Left Behind policy, the 55-minute sock folding frenzy could easily be reduced to 15 minutes per week.  That's an extra 2,080 free minutes per year (aka 34 hours!!).  Over the course of a lifetime, the average female could save up to 2,357 hours or 98 days!! 

I sure don't want to take the focus on Capitol Hill away from finding more jobs for our stagnant economy or from investigating how the members of our Secret Service think that they are Richard Gere in Pretty Woman... but come on, when was the last time Uncle Sam gave you back 98 days of your life without raising your taxes?!?  This is an issue that I would be glad to check Yes!!

Uncle Sam wants YOU to have universal Socks!

Favorite Day of the Week

Thursday is a GREAT day of the week!  It is my weekly version of Christmas Eve... it is the realization that Friday is about to come down the chimney and leave wonderful gifts under the tree: sleeping in, catching up on DVR, seeing friends and just being able to unwind! 

I'm always filled with motivation at both work and at home on Thursday.  Thursday is the final lap of the weekly To Do list.  I pick up the pace knowing that the 5PM Friday finish line is just around the bend.  At home, I always get motivated to do stuff whether it's cleaning for weekend visitors or packing for weekend travels.  

But it hasn't always been that way.  As a child of the 80's my favorite day of the week was Friday, thanks to to four little letters: T-G-I-F.  I'm not talking about the Thank God it's Friday acronym; I'm referring to the awesome TV line-up that kicked off every Friday night at 8:00 sharp. 

Two full hours of goodness: Joey's hilarious humor "Cut It Out", Uncle Jesse's super cool attic apartment, Steve Urkel's awesome dance, Not the Mama, and the blooming love of Corey & Topanga!    Yes, please!

Shortly after DJ Tanner went to college, Steve Urkel became Stephan (what was up with that anyway?), and Corey & Topanga fell in love, Thursday stepped up as my favorite day of the week.   It may have been the added knowledge that I was gaining as I entered the 90's or it could have been the influence of the good old boob tube.  Six Friends and the staff of County General Hospital of Chicago came into my life and I fell madly in love.  I was infatuated with Rachel's hair and I had a huge crush on Dr. John Carter. 

       

As the millenium came and went, Thursday continued to be my favorite day of the week.  During three and a half out of my four years at OU, Thursday was my Friday because I strategically planned no Friday classes.  Absolute brilliance!  Plus Thirsty Thursdays meant fishbowls at the Pub and Quad night at the Junction.  Just writing this post makes me miss the ladies of 15 NC, sigh. 

Now that I'm a bit older and perhaps wiser, Thursday is still my favorite day.  Who doesn't enjoy a weekly trip to Scranton?  

I might not be hanging out with my Friends at Central Perk or hanging out with my friends at The Pigskin anymore, but I love knowing that the weekend is getting here soon.  By tomorrow at this time, everywhere you look there will be a weekend, a heart and a hand to hold onto.  Chity Chi bob botta.

TGIF everyone, have a great weekend!

Decisions, Decisions

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm a sensitive person... I sometimes act on emotion, and I sometimes make decisions in the moment.  When the moment passes, I sometimes wonder, What was I thinking? 

College was full of this:

• I once wore a pot as a hat to a bar
• I once tried to use my "real" ID as my "fake" ID.  The bartender's response, "I can't let you in.  You are only 20 years old, Erin"
• I once signed a receipt for pizza with a smiley face

All harmless decisions but...

What was I thinking?!?

(although more appropriately for this might be What was I Drinking?)

Fast forward a few years, less-than-stellar decisions included:

• Reversing my car into a large hill, filling my tailpipe with mud and shutting down the engine  (Aside from my departure, it was a great visit with Denny's parents)
• Thinking that one night would be enough time to re-paint the entire upstairs when the carpet guys were arriving in the morning
• My (first) wedding dress... oops, talk about acting on emotion!  (But the second one was much more my style and on sale anyway)

What was I thinking?!?



(This photo for effect only; this was NOT my first dress)


And now, today, I did it again.  I acted on emotion....
I needed a huge favor.  I told a client that if she can help me with this favor, I would come to her office on my next visit dressed as an Easter Bunny.  And wow, did she pull through for me.  Now I'm left searching for a fluffy tail, and once again asking myself,

"What the HECK was I thinking?"

If anyone knows of a good place to rent a fluffy bunny suit, please notify me ASAP!  I'll be busy practicing my hop. 

Love and carrots,

Erin Bunny