old...er

i was recently reminiscing about one of my college summers. i spent every day with my best friend, and some boys we were dating. fun boys, laid back boys, boys that we were never too serious about but who provided adorable distractions. we worked enough so that we could go out after work. we stayed out 'til all hours, escaping the ire of parents who mercifully understood, i think, that while we might have been being bad for a couple of months, we weren't Bad. we came up with excuses to stay out overnight, we went to parties and flirted with boys and went to the same bar every night and loved the bartender and played darts. we listened to music and sang along and played the jukebox and ate late-night chinese food. we got pulled over and laughed about it, and went on long road trips looking for that place we stopped that time.

the two months of that summer were probably the best time of my life. sometimes, i think about it in terms of my (almost) 29-year-old self--i wish after work drinks would lead to a ping pong tournament in someone's backyard and delicious english muffin pizzas prepared by a random 16-year-old kid who lives next door. then i remember that we're old, and that stuff doesn't happen anymore. not because we didn't enjoy it, not because it wouldn't be fun... but circumstances are different now. there are kids to raise, marriages to tend to, mortgages to pay and jobs to work. priorities are different.

i know it isn't like that for everyone. but for me, the process of getting older has been a slow change of focus from what could be to what has been. even at (almost) 29, my dearest wish is to recapture 19, god, 23! in moments like tonight, remembering that what was can't be again brings a melancholy and a wistfulness that stop me in my tracks.

i'm going to be 29 in a few weeks. i know 29 isn't Old (approximately half of my friends will testify in court to that fact), but it does feel pretty old. i do subscribe to the idea that you're only as old as you feel and that age is nothing, really, but a number... but i can't help but be occasionally struck by the fact that life is, indeed, passing by every day.

that sounds sort of grim, i know. i don't mean it to. all i mean to say is that i think it's easy to forget that life is currently happening. plans, hopes, dreams, aspirations are good and necessary, but, as they say, life is what happens when you're making other plans. time passes and all of a sudden you realize... that was *it*.

danielle and todd wedding toast

given by the maid of honor (me) in may of 2008 at danielle and todd's wedding in aruba:

I just want to say: I’m kind of a crybaby, so please excuse me if I get a little emotional –Danielle said I could cry, and after all, it's not every day that your best friend gets married. It's only been, what, twice this week? [The bride and groom got married in a civil ceremony early in the week and this speech was made at the beach wedding three days later.]

Danielle and Todd have been together for almost four years now, and unfortunately in that time I’ve only had a handful of opportunities to hang out with Todd, but his spirit and his personality have made a lasting impression on me... and my entire extended family. We were graced with Todd's presence at our family Thanksgiving a few years ago, where he spent hours entertaining everyone by poking fun at our Boston accents and his own Southern twang. My aunts and cousins still ask if "rawreggs" is coming to dinner, and I them he's “fittin' to go to the thee-eighter.” Todd's sense of humor is only one of many reasons I like him so much, I can say today that I am overjoyed to know that my best friend has found love with him.

I’ve known Danielle for sixteen years, and especially since college, we’ve become very close, though we are very rarely even in the same state. Despite our physical distance from each other over the past few years, we’ve stayed in almost constant contact and we get together as often as possible. I was going to reminisce about some of our exploits, but then I realized that the best times we’ve had have been throwing darts and playing the jukebox in an empty bar on a random night. It’s not an exciting story, but it’s why I love you… you just get me, and we just have fun together. What more can you ask for in a friend? I am lucky to have three little brothers in my life, but I always kind of wished for a sister. Danielle, in a lot of ways I feel like you’ve been a sister to me, in all the best ways—like having someone to give me make-up tips or remind me to smile, a built-in career counselor, relationship expert, and voice of reason… having someone who knows me better than anyone else and still likes me, someone who is always there to listen, and someone who is patient, generous and loyal in a way usually reserved for family. I believe that a friendship as close and as lasting as ours is rare and precious, and our relationship is one of the most important things in my life. I love you, and I am SO happy for you today!!

The toasting glasses that you're drinking your champagne from are a gift from me. One is personalized with your names and the date. The other says, "...because I know no other way." This sentiment is a phrase from a Pablo Neruda poem that says, "I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride; so I love you because I know no other way than this: where I does not exist, nor you, so close that your hand on my chest is my hand, so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep." I think these beautiful words speak to a deep, true love, one where the cliché of 'two lives becoming one' is a reality. Your love for each other is a way of life, because it is entirely a part of who you are. I wish that love for you today and all the days of your life. I thank you both for including me in this beautiful day, and I love you very much. Congratulations!!!

i know this is stupid long but danielle is my woman and no one cared, so get over it.

advice queen 2

so i decided to go against 95% of danielle's advice last time, but like a true friend, she keeps dishing it out (i will keep this in mind next time i give anne shit for not listening to me):

"...really, truly, i promise that is what you should do here."
~danibell

let's see if i can manage this time.

i know that this is an annoyingly vague thing for me to post, but isn't it adorable how positive she is? <3

advice queen

maybe someday i will write a book about all the great ways in which danielle has advised me. i always think she's giving GREAT advice but i can't remember if i've ever taken it? so keep an eye on me this time, danibell.

"listen to me on this one. i'm right."
~danielle

trivia night

Jim and I went to trivia alone tonight after the rest of the regular team bailed, and we came in a very respectable third (tied for), especially amid alleged blackberry-users. Going into the final round we were a miserable sixth out of 10-12 teams, but the trivia gods delivered up some made-for-Amanda questions which I will now pose to you and give you a day or so to answer via comments: i think most of these are answered by now... so:

- Literature and Musicals - This 1910 novel featured protagonist Christine Daae and spawned movies and a musical. phantom of the opera

- Books and Movies - In the 1973 novel and 1987 movie The Princess Bride, what did R.O.U.S. stand for? rodents of unusual size

We got them both right, adding 20 points to our not-quite victorious but closer than ever 116 point final score.

Some other questions:

- Science - Animals that have a trait called hematophagy have a habit of eating what? blood

- Broadcasting - What radio host was up for the Monday Night Football hosting spot that eventually went to Dennis Miller? rush limbaugh. we consered stern but guessed imus.

- TV - Charlaine Harris wrote a series of books featuring main character Sookie
Stackhouse that is now a cable television series called what? true blood

- US Geography - What now state was purchased in 1867 at the urging of then-Secretary of State William Seward, in a move that was then called Seward's Folly? alaska

- TV - Comedienne Kathy Griffin, star of Bravo's My Life on the D-List, got her start on what television sitcom that ran from 1996-2000? suddenly susan

- TV - What was the last name of the couple played by Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser on Mad About You? buchman... we didn't even guess, neither of us watched it.

- Movies - What Irish actor, born in 1952, is slated to play Abraham Lincoln in a Steve Speilberg biopic? liam neeson. there were more clues on this, about him making his debut in darkman...

- Movies - Tom Hanks has been nominated for five Best Actor Oscar Awards. He won for Forrest Gump and Philadelphia. What three films was he nominated for but did not win? big, private ryan, castaway. we guessed s.p.r. and apollo 13.

For some reason, mostly the ones we got wrong are sticking in my head...

On a side note, Mark, the owner/bartender over at Cagney's, served us up a sample shot of Dr. McGillicuddy's Lemon Drop. Shoot it, love it, thank me. I'ma buy a bottle for the house this weekend, so stop by for a sample. Seriously, did you ever wonder what a liquid Spree tasted like? Mmmm. Danielle and Alexis, do you remember when we had that recipe for a Sweet Tart shot? It's like that. But better, and you don't have to hand the bartender a post-it with the ingredients on it when you order it.

2008 in Review

1) Was 2008 a good year for you?
It was pretty dece.

2) What was your favorite moment of the year?
Moving to Quincy, visiting Philly, Trinity reunion, Pat being discharged from the Army, Jamie's 30th birthday party, Laurie's scavenger hunt was good, Danielle, Courtney and Laurie's weddings et al, Evan and John Ralphie getting borned, turning 27 on the 27th, work golf tournament, vacation on the cape.

3) What was your least favorite moment of the year?
Steve's ACL injury, missing Maroon 5, Nana getting sick, Grandpa getting hurt.

4) Where were you when 2008 began?
At Emily and Grace and Tom's place in Marshfield, randomly. :)

5) Who were you with?
Emily, Grace, Tom, Kelly, Anne, Christina and a few others.

6) Where will you be when 2008 ends?
Possibly at Erin & Dux's, possibly at Foxwoods if Danielle missed her flight, possibly at home watching a moooovie.

7) Who will be there?
Dunno, depends. Will definitely have dinner with the fams at some point.

8) Did you keep your new years resolution of 2008?
No. I didn't really make one.

9) Do you have a new years resolution for 2009?
I'm giving up bagels and saving more money.

10) Did you fall in love in 2008?
11) If yes, with who?
12) If yes, do they know?
13) Are you still in love with them?
14) You regret it?
15) Did you breakup with anyone in 2008?
No.

16) Did you make any new friends in 2008?
The new rooms and the new neighbors, some peeps at work, Caryl, KTP's Philly phriends.

17) Who are your favorite new friends?
The rooms is a sweetie. <3

18) What was your favorite month of 2008?
I guess May: Danielle and Court got married, and I was in Arubs.

19) Did you travel outside of the US in 2008?
Yes.

20) How many different states did you travel to in 2005?
Hmm, not counting airports flown through? Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, I think I went to a game of Steve's in Connecticut.

21) Did you lose anybody close to you in 2008?
I don't think so? That's a crap one to be wrong about.

22) Did you miss anybody in the past year?
Yeah, everyone who's not here!

23) What was your favorite movie that you saw in 2008?
Hmmm... I just saw TransSiberian (sp?) but I really liked it. The Orphanage was great. I can't think of any others?

24) What was your favorite song from 2008?
25) What was your favorite record from 2008?
I don't know... I listened to a lot of Armerding and comedy albums. I didn't get my iTunes back until August!

26) How many concerts did you see in 2008?

27) Did you have a favorite concert in 2008?
I think just one? Widespread Panic?


28) Did you drink A LOT of alcohol in 2008?
29) Did you do A LOT of drugs in 2008?
31) Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
33) What was the worst lie someone told you in 2008?
Yes, No, Probably, I don't know.

35) Did somebody treat you badly in 2008?
Eh. My bizzoss kinda sucks but that's about it.

36) How much money did you spend in 2008?
Since I keep a meticulous budget, I could tell you, but I'm not going to. Probs a lot.

37) What was your proudest moment of 2008?
I was proud when my apartment came together, and to pay off some credit cards. I was really excited at how the scavenger hunt came out and that we won! I did some good stuff at work? Nothing really leaps out.

38) What was your most embarrassing moment of 2008?
I am boring at this survey but I can't think of anything.

39) If you could go back in time to any moment in 2008 would you change something?
I wish I had saved more money, as always. I really, really should have relaxed at Danielle's wedding.

40) What are your plans for 2009?
TRAVEL, hopefully to Florida, New Orleans and LVNV. Get healthy, read, watch less tv, get promoed.

xox

thanks

this is a little late but just because thanksgiving is over doesn't mean i'm not thankful still.

i give thanks for:

• mom, dad, patrick, steven, and kevin
• team sheehan
• team lydo
• john ralph
• croix
• bhs girls
• trinity girls (mine)
• the qcapt
• cheese
• halloween
• hoodies
• gossip girl
• bcbg heels
• bargainist.com
• weddings
• henry cavill
• the beach
• blockbuster online
• medium iced with skim and two equals
• oriental rugs
• the hills
• stationary
• my camera and feet pictures
• my bookcase
• dancing
• good jeans
• pinot grigio
• party dresses
• vacation
• beauty tubes mascara. CHECK ITT.

maybe shallow but i don't care. it's what i lurve right now. xoxo

wedding

congratulations, laurie and jeremy.

the rest of the pics are on flickr.

so old

how crazy is it, that 16 years after first meeting all my braintree girls at east middle school, danielle is the first one to go? and by "go," i mean, "get married." it's pretty crazy. like, intensely crazy!! and courtney lee's the runner-up with about 23.5 hours of un-marriedness left to go. enjoy those 23.5 hours, court! and happy one-week-iversary, danielle and todd.

aruuuuubs

that is all.

for now.

tricksy

me. erin, what are you doing on monday, around 1:30?
erin. uh, i'll be at school.
me. oh, right.
erin. why, what are you doing?
me. i'll be in aruuuuuuuuuuba!
erin. ah. funny.

a-rube preview

i am going to aruba, where they have things like this:

and this:

and this:

and, of course, this:

the last one's the one i'm most looking forward to!!!

cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze

danielle is mean

because she went to vegas and spent her bachelorette party alone! and evilly sent me pictures:

view from her hotel

where she went... without me...

blogless

it's hard to come up with something to post when i don't really feel right posting about work specifics and work is all i do. sometimes i feel like i should start an anonymous hr blog so i can tell you all the crazy stories and about the insane politics and even a little resume tip here or there. but when i can barely keep up with this one blog, what's the point really?

so there are a few things worth mentioning here that just aren't all that exciting on a daily basis that i am gonna tell your asses about.

1. providence lax has started. finally! my brother steven (so handsome!!) is a freshman this year playing on the team. um, "playing." you know how it goes. steve tore his acl in one of his last high school games, so he has been really lucky to be able to keep up in practice at all, so i think he's taking the whole little-to-no playing time as a freshman thing in relative stride. right now they're 0-2 but there's a whole season left to go. most of the games are local-ish so i see many spring roadtrips in my future. you should come with me to one. the games are fun to watch, and really, what else are you doing every saturday in april?

2. i am about to spend approximately $100 billion on: danielle's wedding + trip, laurie's wedding + accoutrements (bachelorette party, shower, etc.), courtney's wedding + shower, matt and kelly's baby, meg and john's baby, caping it, various other summer activities. don't get me wrong--i am absolutely thrilled and pumped for all of the above, but i am scared about all the spendiferousness. don't anyone else plan anything for 2009... i'm sitting home eating ramen without the heat on for the whole year.

3. did you hear that pmft is probably ruined? relatedly, lubes should be a writer. "not just for hipsters anymore?" i kept looking for that headline in the story until finally i was like, laurie made that shit up. ;)

4. holy shizz, LOST. holy. shizz.

5. are you watching american idol? david cook's "what america might not know about me" (that he loves crossword puzzles) is totally what i would have said, and cowell basically called him a douchebag for it. ouch.

that is all.

once

i don't think i'm telling you anything you haven't heard before: go and rent once. or buy it, like i did, because it is awesome. or you can borrow it from me. also buy the album. it is the sweetest movie i've seen in a while, but at the same time about as realistic as any romance i've seen onscreen. that's quite an accomplishment considering the movie's a musical, kind of. there's not much to say--it's a simple, simple, simple movie that looks like it was filmed for about $100, but the people in it are so pure and honest and sweet (i know i already said that one). and the music is moving and... good? i don't know. i'm not making any sense, so how about this? take meanrachel and danielle's advice and see it. uh, two caveats: 1. ignore the first song the guy sings. it's screechy and wierd and i promise it gets better. 2. closed captioning is your friend.

and while you're at it, take danielle's advice and see eastern promises. five words: viggo mortensen, naked knife fight. two more: fantastic movie.

xox

thanks

sooooo sad to be back at work this morning. so sad. i drank a lot of soda yesterday during the day after avoiding my beloved DC for a while and i could NOT fall asleep for shizz last night. i saw three a.m., wide awake. bummah.

other than my late night sunday, lots of goings-on this long holiday weekend. wednesday danielle came home and after The Great Baking of 2007 (more on that later) we went to rock bottom, which is the new jimbo's since we are now 85 years old. lots of buddies came out, including michelle, jim, kelly, matt, laurie and mrhe. there were also some old buddies that i hadn't seen in quite a while.

on turkey day i packed up all my baked goods (apple spice cake and a third and final pumpkin cheesecake) as well as my carmelized onion dip with white cheddar cheese and trooped it to b-tree. dinner was delicious, as per usual. we had turkey, of course, as well as bread and potato stuffings, butternut squash, twice baked potatoes, broccoli with cheese sauce, green beans, biscuits and gravy. mmmmmmm. after dinner with the immediates minus patrick plus gramps, mom's side of the extended family arrived for dessert. apple spice cake was almost as popular as auntie mary's chocolate truffle. i won at scrabble (wouldn't be the last time in the weekend), steve and i jammed on guitar hero for a while, and steve's gf brigid was very confused by my cell phone. after chizzatting for a while, the gallaghers minus megs plus me went to the china, where a sweet elderly gentleman gave me his phone number. ok, that's mean, but 40s? come on. ;)

friday night danielle's college buddy kellie came to the quinz for dinner, and we ended up at finian's, my fave. i got baked stuffed shrizzimp that upset my tum tum a little bit but i battled through. then douglas called and we went to meet him for a drink. hi, doug! after we had to take kelly home a touch early, i crashed the stoughton high class of 1997 ten year reunion at martini's... excellent. everyone there was shizzattered except my roomie, who learned a valuable lesson with me last weekend and now we are not drinking anymore. ever. mostly.

saturday i read the pact by jodi picoult (blah). that night danielle and i (god, aren't i sick of her yet?) met with some oooooold school buddies at the commonwealth (formerly pat flanagan's, and now sans light-up dance floor, which i am happy about, but it's bittersweet) which was really, really fun. we hadn't seen a lot of these people in over 5 years, and there was a lot of, "hey, isn't that..." and it was. some peeps were exactly the same, some were totally different, but everyone was cool as ever. meeting up with these guys made me veeery nostalgic--god, i even drove a stick shift for the first time in like 4 years, and THAT was kinda emotional. crazy. i just wish that my kelly had been there. and pcvktp, someone asked about you!!! ;)

sunday i woke up at 1 pm!!!! gross. erin and i loafed, ordered pizza and watched a string of middling-to-crap movies: evan almighty (crap), the invisible (a load of crap) and blades of glory (middling). then we played scrabble (win #2 of the holiday weekend) and watched the amazing race. after all that (non-)physical exersion and 2 liters of diet coke, i can't imagine why i was unable to get to sleep last night. hmmmm.

ANYWAY, good times. saw lots of buddies, managed to not quite break the bank, didn't punch anyone in the jaw, drove a jeep, got two phone numbers, hung with dani! and now back to the grind in my icebox of a cubical. boo!

xoxa

are you ready?

when i used to go to cardio kickboxing class regularly (back in march), i attended three classes per week. monday and thursday was "hard" class with petra: an intense 40 minute cardio workout followed by 10 minutes of weight training and 10 minutes of ab work. wednesday was "easy" class with michelle: a slower, less intense 50 minute cardio workout and 10 minutes of ab work. so, easing back into things, i figured i'd go to a wednesday class first... unfortunately, michelle was nowhere to be found. instead, we got jimmy and his class, "cardio kickbox!" yeah, the ! is included. jimmy leads a very fast-paced, scary-trance-music-soundtracked, high-impact, crazy kickboxing class (which he incongruously follows up with "yoga beginnings" but whatever). since i currently have a gross runny nose and can only breathe through my mouth, the whole thing got kinda icky. i came really close to vomiting two or three times. like, really close. my face got rashy, my hair got frizzy, and there was a lot of snot involved. i don't even wanna talk about how achy i'm going to be tomorrow. worst of all, throughout the whole thing, jimmy kept screaming, "are you ready? are you ready?" for the next jumping up-and-down challenge, and i had to use precious oxygen either to gasp, "no!" or to laugh at the rediculousness every time.

danielle and laurie, i blame you bitches. see what i have to do to look hizzot at your weddings? mwah!

p.s. is there a difference between the words "incongruously" and "incongruently"?

ffr

note:

write about music.

talking to danielle about kelly clarkson
singing with the gallagher girls
megan's wedding song list
listening to dispatch with patrick in las vegas
road trip music
knowing the lyrics
playing the jukebox

Fourth of July Weekend

IMG_1391
Originally uploaded by phenchurch.

come peep it... danielle and todd come home!

click hrrrrr for album.

my wedding date

a little glimpse into dani girl's life...


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