Lacy & Gabe to NYC!

Lacy and Gabe are driving to New York today! They'll be back quite a bit this summer, so it's not a real goodbye yet, but I came across this and it made me think of them:

true friends

Best of luck, you two! I love you both more than you know and I am so excited for your new adventure! 

They're driving in Lacy's car with her two kittehs (Yadi & Meeko) along for the ride. They look like they're really loving life right about now, no?

"So help me God, if we ever get out of this car Meeko, you and I are getting our own place in the city away from these people."

Rod Stewart Said It!

"You made a first class fool out of me, and I'm as blind as a fool can be. You stole my heart but I love you anyway." Maggie Mae

Oh yeah, oh yeah.

It's a short week, the sun is shining, there will be a Baby Mangus in the world within the next few days... Oh yeah, life is pret-tay good right now.

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26

Today I turned 26 years old. Not a very fascinating number as far as ages go, but the number 26 itself does have some interesting facts about it:

- the number of letters in the English alphabet

- the number of red cards and the number of black cards in a deck

- the number of bones in the normal human foot and ankle

- a Rubik's cube can always be solved in 26 moves or less

Yeah those facts aren't that interesting. I think this means I should work extra hard at making 26 the most interesting year of all, don't you? So one day, when another strange, curly-haired gal looks up the significance of the number 26, she'll be able to see that some girl named Alli had the most fascinating year ever...

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26

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Hump Day Snack

Woody Says...

Can't remember who I was trying to quote this to the other day (Nikki, was it you?) but here's the actual line:

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Hello-phant

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Set Ups & Let Downs

There are only a few things more uncomfortable than going on a date with someone you've been "set up" with:

1. stubbing your toe

2. calling someone the wrong name

3. gynecological exams

Aside from those instances, these dates take the awkward cake.

But I can't be mad that my friends and family want to set me up with guys... they're genuinely trying to do a nice thing. But I fear they don't understand that they're setting me up to stub my toe. 

Do we meet for a "group hang"? Do we do a one-on-one dinner where we tell each other a little about ourselves and we have until the bill comes to decide if we see this going anywhere? Cuz I can usually tell by the time the drink menus come out. Does he pay? Am I obligated to have a second date no matter what since he's a friend of a friend? And what if we don't "hit it off"? One or both of us has to explain to the mutual friend that they had a horrible idea and that they should be institutionalized. That's always a fun conversation. No hurt or offended feelings there. 

I only bring this up because in the last 24 hours, I've had 3 people tell me they have a guy they want me to meet. 

How I respond: "That's so nice, thank you, but I don't know if I'm ready".

Ready to set myself on fire, that is. 

I fear that some people (ahem, my sister, who is 1 of the 3 most recent offenders) may read this as me being ungrateful or snotty. I don't mean to come off that way - like I said, I do appreciate the thought. You just want to see me happy in a good relationship. I just believe in fate and destiny and all that good crap. Timing and "coincidences" mean a lot to me. There was a time that I thought all this stuff was hooey - but recently I realized it's what I want to believe in. Maybe it's because two of my best friends met their matches in very unscheduled, happenstance situations. Maybe it's because I've seen too many romantic movies (I have definitely seen too many romantic movies). I guess I just don't want to give up on the idea that love can find me someday when I'm least expecting it. Not at a scheduled time, at a scheduled place with a scheduled person. Blair Waldorf says "Destiny is for losers. It's just a stupid reason to wait for things to happen instead of making them happen". True, but I can't make a connection appear with someone. I can control my fate and destiny in that I can get myself off the couch and in social situations. Destiny isn't going to bring the perfect man to my door. I get that.

I've got a lot more to learn before I can be in a serious relationship anyway. I'm 25 (26 on Friday - in case you've forgotten) and I have only JUST realized that it's okay to be myself. I'm obviously a late bloomer maturity-wise. So I believe that whenever I'm ready, love will find me.

And if not, there's always cats.

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Is It Almost...?

Is it almost Caturday?

oui

Lesson

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I'm as guilty of this as anyone I know. I want, I want, I want but I don't realize how much I already have.

This weekend try to take ego and desire out of your thoughts and focus on what's left. 

I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Treat Yo Self

Treat yo self 2012 y'all.......

Parks & Rec

So I have. With these:

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Mm-hmm. Mmmmm-hmm.

Day-Maker

"Hungry Eyes" from Dirty Dancing on the radio = a day-maker.

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A Guest Post...

Here's a post from my dad about a great story that happened to him while he was fishing last weekend, but first it's important to know a few things: 


1. My mom (Jane), her two sisters and their parents would go down to Lake Ozark almost every weekend to stay at the lake house that her parents (John & June) shared with several of their friends (Don, Jim, Jack, and several other awesome names from that era) 
2. My mom's mom (June) passed away last summer
3. June's house was adorned with butterflies at every corner - on her bedspread, on her throw blankets and pillows, on her walls, as magnets, wherever you turned, there was a butterfly 
4. My dad always has the worst luck on fishing trips - either it rains, or he catches no fish, he drops a fish and kills it, or he's sick as a bastard

So get a load of this little diddy as told by my old man... 

(I have edited out the goofy Kenn-isms) :

"So it's my bi-annual trek to Lake Ozark, MO with the boys for fishing - Bill's mom retired down there and has a place right across the mouth of the cove from where Jane's mom and dad shared a summer home with friends. 

So right outta the gate, this seems to be my weekend. Someone always winds up being the big fish guy, and the hope is nobody gets shut out (on fish). This was my first catch of several on Friday night alone. 

Right across from Don's old dock (an old, very close family friend of ours) with a great view of Jane's parents' place!

Sadly, Saturday morning I saw the "For Sale" signs at the end of the property's point. I called on it for grins and the realty guy said it was just one portion of it - not the entire area. I guess someone had purchased that property and couldn't pay it off.

Bill, my brother David and I chatted up old times there, and all at once a monster butterfly flew out from behind this "For Sale" sign.

Looked like a Monarch, except it was yellow. I told Bill and David right away that if it wasn't my weekend already, it surely was now - as Grandma June (Jane's mom) had an affinity for butterflies, and many times we teased that she would come back as one.

Well this damned butterfly was nuts for us - kept darting in and out of the boat - Dave and I held our hands out and tried to get it to land - but it would have none of that... We floated further down the cove, across from Uncle Jim's new place, and got the lines back in the water. 

Unbelievably, from Jim's dock this little rascal appeared once more, and decided to ride with me for awhile.

Not sure who or what that was all about (yes I am), but three grown up hung-over adults were blown away with the possibilities. 

No Photoshop - Just fact."

Grandma June was at the lake with my old man this weekend, and sure enough, they found her where she always preferred to be... at their old lake house. Here's a few pictures of our family enjoying Lake Ozark:

Thanks for saying "hi" Grandma 

It's Up to You, New York

My best friend Lacy is moving to New York. 

Her boyfriend's job is transferring him to Poughkeepsie and she's making the move up there with him. When I first heard her boyfriend (Gabe) was being transferred, I jokingly said, "You better not try to take my Lacy Face with you". It never occurred to me that she might actually go! She and I sat down to actually talk about it one night and she said, "So I'm really considering going...". Inside I kept saying "No, no, no, no, no, no, no", but out loud I said, "I think that's an amazing idea", and here's the weirdest part: I really do think it's an amazing idea. Of course I'm sad (the saddest) that she won't be here for Imo's pig-out fests and spur of the moment road trips to Columbia to see our Butsy. I'll miss driving to her adorable apartment and playing with her kitties (well, the one who would tolerate me). I'll miss going out with her on a Friday or Saturday night and dancing to live bands or singing along to a Beatles song. One Bud Light and one Bud Select, please! I'll miss cheering on the Cardinals, and going to concerts, and learning about new music from her. Too many more things to list without getting weepy.

But really, when I think about it, she has to go. It's NEW YORK. It's a one hour train ride away from the most exciting city on earth! The lease on her aforementioned adorable apartment is up, she's done with her student-teaching on May 25th... it's absolutely perfect timing. There are some drawbacks: her sister is having a baby this fall, and she's in her friend's wedding in July, but Lacy has always been the best person I know about making every hour in the day matter. She always makes time for everyone and everything that matters to her (something about not napping for 4 hours a day - I personally don't get it).

She and Gabe went to Poughkeepsie this past weekend to look at some places and they found the perfect apartment - complete with a loft for her kitties to live in. She's really doing it, and I'm really happy for her. She keeps telling me how much she wants all of us to visit as often as possible and I think I might just take her up on that (sorry I'm not sorry Gabe!). 

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iheartny

So it's up to you, New York, to take good care of my Lacy Face. Make sure she eats lots of pizza and gets to see lots of puppy dogs as often as possible. And make sure to make every single one of her dreams come true. Cuz if anyone deserves it... it sure as hell is her. 

I love you Lacy Lacy - and I'm so happy excited hopeful for you!

Aallliiiiiiiiiiiii

Ugh. It's only Thursday.

ugh. again.

Is That Rain?

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Once Again...

Once again, Carrie Bradshaw manages to nail it right on the head. 

"And it only gets harder as we get older because we're not dating these wildly inappropriate people anymore. You know, there's no 'Whew! Glad that's over!' After every breakup I tell myself I'm not doing this again. It's too hard. I mean, how many of these things can one person survive? You know, they should institute a helmet law for relationships."

Carrie & Berger

Some refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies

The thing to keep in mind though, is that no matter how hurt and confused you are when it ends, that pain always subsides. It always does. As the saying goes, every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end. 

So here's to looking forward to my new beginning.

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And in the spirit of Ms. Bradshaw, I just might treat myself to some beautiful new shoes in the meantime.

The Good & the Horrible of the 1990s

I've always been proud to have come of age in the 1990s. I was 4 when they started and 14 when they ended - very critical years in a person's development.

I always look back fondly on that decade, because I had so many great experiences throughout it. But this morning on the way to work I heard "Walking on the Sun" by Smashmouth and was immediately disappointed in my favorite decade's music. 

It was an era full of greats: America Online, Friends, the success and demise of Nickelodeon, The Spice Girls, Tamagotchi Pets, Kurt Cobain... the list could go on for days.

But, alas, it was also an era full of crap in hindsight. This was a decade that let Fran  Drescher come into the limelight. Songs like the aforementioned "Walking on the Sun" and several bombs by Sugar Ray dominated the airwaves. We dressed like hobos in grunge for a few years, then later adorned our hair with butterfly clips and glitter. Somebody gave Will Smith a recording contract. Kids (including my brace-faced self) flocked to malls around the country to buy Ty Beanie Babies because we wanted to have the biggest collection out of our friends. 


I know that every generation feels this way about their childhood years at some point or another, saying "What were we thinking???" but I really think the late 80s and 90s were the worst. I'm sure in 10 years I'll look back to today and think "What's with the side braid and the bronzed cheeks?". 


It's just another one of those life's circles I tell ya. There's no stopping 'em.























**All images from Google Images **

So Romantic



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Here's Why

People always ask me why I'm always so tired.

Here's why:

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Lyla thinks it's cute to be a real a-hole all day long, and then to be an affectionate cat while I'm trying to sleep. If I ever have babies, I'll be already used to waking up several times a night. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to just pick up the baby and throw her off the bed like I do with Lyla. 

Poh-tay-toe, poh-tah-toe.

Split Personalities

How I usually am with friends and family:

happy

How I am at work these days:

bad attitude

Can't help it. I need to work harder at this.