Frickin’ winter – AGAIN!! What is this?! We had several weeks of sub-zero temps. Then we had several blissful days of 30-40+ weather… and NOW, we have blizzard warnings up here in MKE. It snowed several inches last night and starting around 6 ish, it’s supposed to snow 8-12 inches. BLECH!
Frank was a stud and just finished shoveling the driveway, so I can’t complain too much. THANK YOU FRANK!!!
This is in response to my roommate’s blog on 6/12.
I agree with my roommate that there is pressure for objective individuals to be more in touch with their emotions. But there is also understood pressure for sensitive people to put their emotions aside on a regular basis.
Tests in school aren’t based on emotional intelligence. The reason our check book doesn’t balance isn’t because I am in touch with my sacred inner self (it doesn’t balance because sometimes I forget to include all expenditures – not good). Cleaning the toilets a nd taking out the garbage can be satisfying when they are checked off the list, but do not necessarily lead to spiritual enlightment. Processing billing, negotiating a rate, and using statistical software at work do not require emotional sensitivity. No one has to say, “be more objective and less emotional.” That part is understood.
Not too many people I’ve ever met have been 100% objective – except for this young republican chick I met in college. If you were 100% objective, you would have little concern for other people, unless they could somehow better your cause. If that’s how life was, it would be nice and clean. But life is messy and so are relationships.
But outside of work skills, school skills and basic life survival skills, is the realm of interpersonal relationship skills. Objective people are not usually asked to be more emotionally sensitive when flying a plane. But they are asked to consider compassion, understanding and sensitivity when working with others. Emotional intelligence should be a course in school, right next to algebra and physics.
Maybe the reason that objective people are asked to be more sensitive is because hinting doesn’t work. 🙂
Anyway, what I think I have learned is that good marriages and friendships are messy. And by messy, I mean emotional, raw and, on many levels, somewhat irrational. I agree with Frank that we are each created with special traits (as diametrically opposed as they sometimes are) and that their intermingling can be a bit dirty, but that’s ok. It’s good that I get more accustomed to Frank’s rational view of the universe, and it’s good that he gets acquainted with compassion. Sometimes we need to realize that wild and crazy is ok.
And sometimes we (I) need to remember that there is a time and a place for wild and crazy. Ahem.
Also, I would like to say that I love Frank, even when he doesn’t think I will catch him pouring Hershey’s syrup into his mouth. (Always sanitary, his mouth never touched the bottle.)
Oh the list of things they didn’t cover in premarital counseling is endless.
Frank and I had just the best time together on our little mid-week weekend. We enjoyed the Signature Room & the massages & the park & Blue Man Group… but most of all, we just had a fabulous time together. I miss being around him when he’s not here. He is just my best friend in the whole world!! It has been difficult when he hasn’t been home, but I make it without a whole lot of thought because I”m just so busy. But when I see him, I just don’t want him to ever leave again… and then he does… but ::sigh:: what did I expect when I married a pilot?? 😉
Life as We Know It
So Frank and I went to the apartments we liked and applied. Then two hours later, the chick from the place called & said that the one we applied for was gone, but guess what–they have a smaller one for the same price. Nuh uh. So Frank negotiated until the girl gave in and gave us 1/2 off on parking, free storage and waived the app fee. So now it’s a much cheaper apartment. Woohoo!
Now all we have to do is get approved for the apartment & move in & find me a job. Whew!
I’m so excited!!!
Frank, being the awesome husband that he is, planned an early celebration of our one year anniversary for mid-week this week. I have Thursday & Friday off, and he has planned something every day. Wednesday night we are going to the Signature Room, which is where he proposed, on the 95th floor of the Hancock. I cannot wait! Then we are staying at the same hotel we stayed at on our wedding night, the W. YAY!! Thursday we are getting massages at 11am (just like we did on our honeymoon) and spending the day walking around downtown. After that, we are catching an early dinner and then going up north to see Blue Man Group!! I am sooooooo excited!! Everything we are doing has some sort of significance to our marriage… well, except the blue men. Hm. 🙂 I CANNOT WAIT! It is going to be quite a treat 🙂 😀
I thought I did a decent job of painting my toe nails this morning. I put a base coat, then a coat of paint, a second coat of paint and a top coat on them. All in like 5 minutes. I figured that the 15 minutes i needed to blow dry my hair and put my make up on would allow my toes proper drying time before I put them in socks and put those socked feeties in shoes. Sadly, I just switched to my work shoes and my toes are all smudged. Ugh. Oh well, worse things in life than smudged toenails.
Scary Storms!
I stayed with Frank last night up north and we were totally nailed by the storms. We were in the cottage without air conditioning when at 2 am, I thought, “Geesh, the air conditioner is loud” and then I remembered that we didn’t have one! Over 50 MPH winds were whipping around our small cottage that sits between two lakes (which means we don’t have anything to slow down the wind). Rain was pouring down in sheets so thick, I could barely see our cars parked 20 feet from the front of the house. I thought that we were certainly going to have a tornado, but fortunately the storm died down in less than 20 minutes & we went back to bed.
This morning the sunrise was goregous on the back lake, but it revealed all the mangled trees, park benches, etc, from the night before. A neighbor’s park bench was blown onto the road, a large tree fell on another neighbor’s porch. We thought Frank’s parents’ house, which is just up the road, had been spared, but later we found out that one of Sandy’s (my mother-in-law) willows had fallen on the 2nd pontoon boat (which was out of the water, on blocks at the time) and completely destroyed it. Fortunately only 2/3 of the willow fell. The part that the hamock is tied to is still standing. The other fortunate (sort of) thing is that over the winter, someone had stolen the motor off of both pontoon boats. Frank’s parents own one and then the kids (Kath, Dave, Karen, Frank and I) have the other one (I think that’s how it’s broken out, anyway). Frank’s parents’ replaced their motor, but didn’t put a new motor on the 2nd pontoon, which is good because it would have been too bad if we put a motor on the 2nd boat.
So that’s that. I am sure that Dr. K (Father-in-law) is quite busy cleaning up today and helping out the neighbors. Some of the neighbors had branches fall on power lines, etc. It really hasnt’ been a stellar summer weather-wise, so I guess it’s only appropriate that we go out with a bang 🙂
Other Stuff
I am going to take next Thurs and Fri off to finalize apartment details and job stuff–hopefully Frank and I will be moving in mid-September. Gotta find a job, though… Such exciting times!!! 🙂
It was a solid weekend this weekend. Thursday night I got to see Frank–yay! I drove out to his parents’ house and we stayed in the cottage. Then Friday I had an informational interview at an agency & dropped off my resume at a few more places. Frank’s mom went with me (she’s awesome) and we saw a few apartments as well. I kind of fell in love with one of them–a loft style, beautiful building right in the heart of downtown. It has art work throughout the building, 19 foot ceilings and a very fun, urban atmosphere. Frank is going to see it sometime this week & hopefully he’ll love it too (I’m sure he will) and that’s where we’ll live! It’s a little bit expensive, but you’re only young once, right? And we’ll probably never get to live in the city again, since we would prefer having a family in the suburbs.
Saturday Frank studied until 3pm and then came home. We went to a wine tasting (not as many wines as the weekend before, but a good time all together), then Meg and I shopped around until 7 when we met up with Frank, Anthony, Leah, Todd & Joel for dinner. So much for date night, eh? We went to Rosebuds, which was just tooooo yummy.
Sunday Frank and I got out of bed and didn’t do much. Frank studied from when he got up until when he left. He memorized over 200 note cards for his big test today. I packed up some things in our “office” and then worked out.
So here I am, it’s Monday, Monday. Yay. Frank is back up north and has a big, big test today. GOOD LUCK!! I’m praying for you 🙂
Frank and I went to Angie and Bill’s wedding on Saturday and it was STUNNINGLY beautiful! I haven’t ever seen a wedding reception quite like it. Very tasteful and elegant and perfect. Angie’s dress was just about the prettiest dress she could have had and fit her personality perfectly. It had a princess neckline and waist, a ball gown bottom and just exquisite beading. The reception site was gorgeous. It was at The Glen Club in Glenview. The brick terrace overlooked the golf course that was laid out in such a way that it obscured the surroundings and made you feel that you had plunked down in the middle of nowhere (except when the occasional plane took off from O’Hare). Angie and Bill had special cocktails that included the Wedding Bellini and the Mai Bride. They even had a harpist!
For dinner, we ate the most yummy tomato bisque, followed by a great salad, then fillet and chicken for dinner with asparagus (yum), mashed potatoes (yummier!), and finally, an almond wedding cake with creme brulee & strawberry filling. SOOOO GOOD! I told my mom that this is where my sister needs to get married. Just gotta find her a guy, first.
Showers, showers, everywhere…
The showers were really nice this weekend… from what I saw of them… eek! Too much on my plate. I left Dor’s early to go to Angie & Bill’s wedding. And I was TERRIBLY late for Jennie’s. Due to some miscommunication between my roommate and me, I thought the shower was at 4p, but it was at 12n. Woops. I was soooo embarassed! But this is what happens when you are crazy busy.
Last but not least…
Mom and Dad’s party went off with few hitches and they loved it. I can’t write any more about this because, quite honestly, I’m tired. 🙂
I am going to take this time to do a thorough update on everything that is going on in my life. In no particular order:
Frank’s New Job
Frank is now working in Milwaukee and living 45 minutes south of that with his parents. I am still living in the western ‘burbs, about an hour from Frank. I miss him like crazy, especially when I am home from work and about to go to bed. Very lonely. Fortunately I have had some friends staying with me, and that helps a lot. He has about 2 1/2 weeks left of training, then he goes to NY for 2 more weeks of simulator training.
My Job
It has been okay. Nothing terrible, nothing great. I’m exhausted today because I went to see Nickel Creek with Kelly last night. It was a fabulous show, although it doesn’t technically belong under the heading of “my job.” I have several leads for my potential new job, which helps. My boss, who normally annoys me, hasn’t been too terrible. I think he is happy with our team and has stopped trying to prove to us how great he is. Mostly. Whatever, though. I really can’t care less.
Family
They are okay, too. Mom & Dad turn 50 next week (the 18th and 17th respectively). My sister is in town until the 14th. Right now, she and Mom are flying back from Santa Fe where they vacationed. Andy is doing a big concert with his band at the end of this month. They created a pretty trippy band room in the basement and they call it the Rave Cave. Interesting, eh?
My sister-in-law, Kathryn, is preggers with #2. Father-in-law has named the child Coco. I think that is still up for discussion. Karen, my other sister-in-law just came back from the Czech Republic. Her stories about her trip are fantastic and maybe one day, Frank and I will go there! That would be great 🙂
Moving
We have to move soon… not sure where or when. Our lease is up on 9/30. Hmmm. This could get interesting…
Headache
Since writing this blog, I have developed a headache.
Expectations
Headaches made me think of expectations. Specifically expectations of others around me. With everything on my plate, there are some people that don’t quite understand that I leave the house at 7 am and I get home, if I’m lucky, at 7 pm. I do my very best to spend time with friends as much as possible and attend to everything I can. There are some people that haven’t exactly been entirely understanding of this. I am doing the best I can to honor my commitments, but sometimes you drop a ball when you’re juggling 1,000,000.
Congratulations are in order…
*ANGIE AND BILL ARE GETTING MARRIED ON SATURDAY!!
~Angie and Bill were engaged a month before Frank and I, so Angie and I have shared the whole getting married/marriage process together. I’m so excited for both of them and know they are going to have an excellent wedding and life together. 🙂
*Jennie and Jim will be having their bridal shower on Sunday, the wedding will be on October 7. Yay!
*Dorothy and Erik have their first of three showers this weekend. The wedding is on October 16. Finally! Yay! We’re almost there! 🙂 (They have been engaged since Sept. 2002)
…and last, but not least…
Congratulations to Kater for her new apartment! After everything she’s gone through to move to Cali, she finally has a place to hang her hat… WOOHOO!
This week Frank is training in Milwaukee. Yesterday he was measured for his uniform–yay! What a hottie! He is living with his parents, as I’ve mentioned, and it has been a little bit lonely at home, but I’m doing okay. I will be able to see him tomorrow & that’s not too far away!
I’ve been really busy with trying to find a new job and all that good stuff. We are going to go apartment hunting in Milwaukee on Sunday, so that will be good. I’m excited about the move, for sure.
Tonight I’m driving to Elgin (cuz I’m crazy) to say good-bye to my dearest friend Katy S who is moving to Arizona. From the Orange Hand to Zee Pink Lee-mon-ade, we go way back and I’m going to miss her so much!! I also get to meet her John M–the love interest 🙂
Tomorrow, I’m getting my hair cut and spending quality time with Da Husband. Yeehaw. Saturday, I have to try on my dress for Dor’s wedding and run a few errands before we go to see Dave Matthew’s Band up in Wisconsin. I can’t wait–I love Dave! And, as I mentioned before, apartment shopping on Sunday. Busy busy!
After this weekend, Frank might be using some weekends to do some mandatory flights around the country. He needs to observe the crew in action. The good news is that I might get to go on some of the trips with him, which would be awesome. Yay!
Just another thought…
When walking to work, I pass quite the cast of characters. On Dearborn and State, at about the same time every morning, there is a guy wearing some bizarrely colored (purple, orange, baby blue) suit made out of some interesting fabric (satin, cordouroy (sp?) or velvet). The suit seems to be well made–but for someone either much shorter or much taller. He walks with a slight limp, but is generally clean shaven, clean cut, well-groomed. Very bizarre.
Well, Frank starts work today–yay! But this means for the next 4 weeks he will be living at his parents’ house because it’s considerably closer to Milwaukee. I miss him, though. It’ll be hard to miss him too much, though, because I have so much to do. I have to find a new job, find a new apartment, and then move us. Fortunately, Mom and Dad have offered to help me, which is great!
I haven’t had to look for a job for a while, so this is going to be interesting… HAPPY MONDAY!
emmy kay and co. 