Holiday Wrap Up

So, I guess I missed posting about my big Amurcan Holiday Season this year.  Suffice it to say, we were very busy running around visiting family and ringing in Thanksgiving, Christmas AND New Year's all over the country!  A few highlights in photo form:

 

Spent Thanksgiving at the Correnti household, where Matt was immediately put to work hanging Christmas lights.  

 

Later, we went to Oregon to check up on Ruby's.  Matt felt the need to show off his skills, so we spent several hours hanging these Christmas lights, only to have none of them work because we got them from the thrift shop.  Imagine that.  

 

After that, we returned to Chicago and visited the German Christmas Market downtown. It was pretty authentic, as far as Christmas Markets go, except it was small and as you can see, there were about 10,000 too many people there.  

 

Then we decorated our apartment, for the first time since 2007!

 

For Christmas, we drove to Arkansas with a pit stop in Missouri to collect our gifts (lots of camo) and stir  up some excitement.  

 

Mason methodically tracked Santa's route with a map and an Iphone. 

 

These kids cleaned up! (As in, they got a lot of toys.  They didn't actually clean anything up.)

That's about it.  I don't actually have pictures to prove I rang in the New Year with the Correnti family, but I did.  It was similar to my 2011 New Year's Eve, filled with drinking and game-playing, only a lot more awesome.  

Now we're finally back home, and I'm ringing in this Friday the 13th stuck inside in the middle of a massive snow storm!  Okay, it was only 6 inches, and it actually snowed yesterday, not today, but still.  Six inches of snow and 20 degree weather deters me from venturing outside.

A word about the New Year:  Last year, I completed at least one of my resolutions for 2011 - I ran 10 kilometers continuously!  Actually, it was more like 12K because I was trying to run 11K to mark 11-11-11, but I got confused.  Still, I can check that one off the last.  I don't really know about the rest of my resolutions because they are a little harder to quantify... except that song from Stepbrothers.  I didn't learn that.  Oops.  This year, in the spirit of fulfilling a resolution (because it feels so damn good!) I resolve to run at least 10 miles continuously.  Also, I will find a job and decide what I want to be when I grow up (those are in no particular order).  Bring it on 2012.

As you may have guessed, I still have no job.  Surprised?  Me either.  Never fear, my diligent followers, for I am making the best of this dismal situation.  As I believe I've previously mentioned, I'm making lemonade out of the rotten, putrid, stinking lemons I've been given, and I'm taking this time off to try my hand at cooking and baking.  As a tribute to Rachael (who, along with 80% of the blogosphere, is always listing her cooking adventures... and who is a far more accomplished cook than I), I will now list a few of my greatest achievements:  fancy gumbo (only fancy because I had to stir the roux for 25 minutes continuously until it turned "the color of chocolate"), ravioli from scratch (Katie and I went on a friend date to a ravioli-making class, which was only slightly awkward, due to the fact that everyone else in class was on a romantic date), gooey raspberry granola bars (those didn't actually turn out, but they sound good), and (as of last night) my very own homemade granola with cranberries and sunflower seeds!  Also, I bought a muffin pan two or three months ago, and have yet to use it. Boom.  Chef.

Shameless

There are a few reasons I'm shameless today.  The first, and arguably most damning is this:  I have spent approximately one hour researching velvet camo blazers online trying to find a photo of the one Brad Paisley wore last night at the 45th annual CMA Awards.  I am ashamed to admit that I couldn't find a picture of the exact one, but I think this one comes close.  Brad's was velvet, therefore inherently better, but I'm pleased to note that I could indeed buy a camouflage blazer if I wanted.  Also, in my vast research, I came across an amazing Christmas gift that I would like to receive, should anyone like to get it for me:

 

This is from a website called Camo Formal. The sash comes in several different colors, including Hunter's Orange.  I am partial to the red because I think it's more Christmassy.  

Being a true Arkansawyer, I know my fair share of people who have gotten married in camouflage dresses, and needless to say, if I had a do-over for my own wedding, I would surely jump on that bandwagon.  As it stands, I will wait until someone gifts this little ditty to me, and then I'll wear the hell out of it.  That is a promise.  

My second round of shamelessness is actually not my doing, but that of my friend from high school.  She is launching her very own print magazine and without an ounce of shame in her very being, asked me if I'd like to blog about it.  While I fully support everything she is doing, and am beyond proud of her accomplishments, I am simultaneously falling down into a pit of despair as I compare her life to my own and see all the ways in which I do not measure up.  However, I'm not one to let a little despair, or the fact that no one in roughly 100 miles of her area reads my blog (with the possible exception of my father), come between me and helping out my homies, so here you go:  

DEITRA Magazine, everyone's favorite community-supporting, video-sharing, local-artist-sponsoring online journal, is hosting a launch party for their first ever print edition.  Music lovers everywhere, as well as those fond of reading while holding tangible objects, can finally delve into the heart of magazine magic as they flip open the glossy cover of DEITRA to find pages jam-packed with news articles, CD reviews and interviews with a diverse group of local artists.  Hipsters nationwide will shake their heads with disbelief as their previously hidden gems of the music scene are suddenly thrust into the spotlight, thanks to DEITRA's steadfast support of undiscovered bands.   

DEITRA Magazine invites everyone - in every time zone, and every country - to come share in this momentous occasion on Thursday, December 8th, at 9:00 p.m. in the Outland Ballroom in Springfield, Missouri.  Come early to pick up your FREE print copy of the magazine, and secure your spot in the front row to hear popular Springfield-based bands such as Assembly Line Gods, VideoVamp, Ewag3, SPiNRaD (featuring Yellville musical legend David Styer), and many more.  There is a $5 cover.  Ain't nothing in this world worth doing is free anymore.  "There is an incredible population of artists in local communities, including musicians, writers, photographers, actors, comedians and more," says the magazine's editor,  "and DEITRA magazine wants to bring those talented people out from the underground and put them into the spotlight." Those not in the area should check out DEITRA Magazine online.  It's the very least you could do.  

Lastly, I'm shameless because I've had this song stuck in my head for the last four hours.  Something about the CMA's always brings out the Garth Brooks in me. 

   

This is Halloween!

 

First pumpkins in at least four years!  Mine's the gruesome evil one. Matt's is the jolly snowman face one.  

We finally got to go all out dressing up for Halloween this year, and in true She's Gone Rogue style, we chose to go the comedic route rather than horror or slutty (although slutty was a close second for Matt.  I had to reign him in).  Anyway, for our re-entrance into American Halloween culture, we worked diligently for days on our costumes, making sure every detail was perfect.  And then we scrapped it the night before when we came up with something better:  Allstate Mayhem Commercial Guy.  I'll attach links to the youtube clips so you get the idea, but even if you don't, I'm confident you'll still find our costumes rock so much harder than most.  Matt was the "hot babe out jogging":

 

 He's out making sure this a ten.  Click here for his commercial.

Pretty close, right?

Katie was the toddler:  

 

Click here for her commercial.

And I was the "raccoon hiding in your attic":

 

"I'm the smartest raccoon I know."  Click here for my commercial.  (It's de best one.)  

In any case, we were all very excited to dress up better than we have in previous years.  Case in point:

 

Halloween 2009 Dushanzi:  Matt is the character Apache played by the late Patrick Swayze.  So sad.  I am Brett Michaels of Poison fame.  

 

Halloween 2010 Baroda:  An Asian couple in love.  Maybe not the most politically correct costume, but we had nothing else.  

Halloween 2011 Chicago:  Allstate Mayhem.  A vast improvement.  

In other news, I signed up with a staffing agency today in hopes they'll be more successful at finding me a job.  I went to their office downtown today and spent about three hours taking tests and filling out papers.  I felt very urban and professional by the time I was finished.  Then I went to the restroom in McDonald's and immediately dropped my phone in the toilet.  A public toilet.  In McDonald's.  I was tempted to just leave it, but then I thought better of it, as I have no car and my phone is about the only thing that connects me with the outside world.  So I dove in there and plucked it from within the recesses of the septic system.  Not really.  It was just in the toilet bowl.  Still, it was pretty gross.  

Boom. Traveling.

Matt learned last night he had to go back to Texas City for the loading on Wednesday.  As in tomorrow.  Not excited about the prospect of facing another week plus alone in Evanston, we decided I'll just go with him!  I figure I've got to check Houston out at some point, considering we might choose to live there some day.  (Keep in mind, almost every city in America - with the obvious exception of Dumas, TX - is on our "we might choose to live there" list.)

In other news, I have not yet found a job, and my spirit just might be broken.  Not quite as broken as it was in India, but bending toward a breaking point, nonetheless.  Case in point:  the other day I was walking outside and I saw probably four or five piles of dog poop on the sidewalk, and my immediate reaction was "Oh this is a metaphor for my life."  Boom.  Defeated.  However, I will rise above this.  In the meantime, I will go to Texas.  Everything is better in Texas - isn't that how the saying goes?

Anyway, I don't really know anything about Texas City, except that it's in Texas.
Click here for a map.  Looks to be close to Galveston.  I don't know anything about Galveston either, but it is probably awesome.  Better take my cowboy boots.

That's about all I've got for the day, and probably the month of October.  Maybe I'll have something else to share in the next few days, as I'll be traveling once again!  Even if this job is the worst, at least I'll get to visit my favorite place, O'Hare International Airport, two more times.

Sublime August

I'm turning into a regular Crafty Cathy over here in Amurca these days.  Who knew?  I finally finished my picture wall project that I've been somewhat listlessly working on for the past, eh, three years.  Why did it take so long, you ask?  Well, firstly, I had to take some pictures.  Then, I had to wait to have a wall on which to hang my pictures.  Next, I had to collect all manner of vintage picture frames.  After that, I had to buy Command Strips and hang said pictures in picture frames.  And later, I had to watch as they all fell off the wall and tumbled down up on the mantle, cracking a few frames and shattering lots of glass.  Finally, I had to double the Command Strips and place the frames ever so gently on the ancient and crumbling space above my fireplace.  Now, it is done, and I think you'll agree, the effect is glorious.

 

Boom.  Glorious.  

 

Actually, it didn't turn out at all like I was anticipating, but I've made my peace with it, and it's nice to finally have something to fill that yawning expanse of wall.  

Also, August was Cardinal Month for us here at She's Gone Rogue, and we decided that it was high time we get busy livin' or get busy dyin'.  It was in this spirit that we attended three St. Louis Cardinal games in a three week span.  Here are some highlights:

 

Garland weekend.  

 View from the box.  They call us "Big Deal Streetts".  

 

Second weekend at Wrigley.  Slightly less impressive, but still fun.  

 

Boom. Tony La Russa.  

 

Boom.  Rally caps.  

 

Correnti weekend.  (Notice their complete lack of Cardinal's attire.  Is nothing sacred anymore?)

 

Boom.  Representing.  

 

Our seats were high, but the view wasn't too shabby.  

I wish I could tell you the Cardinal's fought the good fight and won every game.  I wish I could tell you that, but baseball ain't no fairy tale world.  They lost two of the three games I saw, but still.  Sublime August.  Also, Matt's leaving me for Texas City... again.  Visitors?  My door is always open.  Especially because he'll probably leave me again at the end of the month.  

Domestic Goddess

You know you've settled down when you get a membership to Sam's Club.  I don't really need to shop in bulk, but does anyone?  Plus, you've gotta support Arkansas' economy when you can. This is why I didn't go with Costco.  (Also, because Uncle John put me on his business account.  I've got mad connections.)  Also, I not sure there's a greater high than buying 36 double rolls of toilet paper, four sticks of deodorant, two giant bottles of coffee creamer, and double family pack of Honey Bunches of Oats (with Almonds!) at the same time.

In other news, I still don't have a job, nor have I even been seriously considered for one to the best of my knowledge.  On the contrary, I was rejected by a university in Chicago (I decline to name the specific university to protect my reputation - but the initials are U of C) in a record two hours and 45 minutes.  It took me three hours just to fill out the application and write myself up.  Boom.  Humbled.  Some people might be ashamed to admit that, but not me.  I look on the bright side.  I grab life by the horns and wrestle it into submission.  I take nasty, rotten, putrid lemons and turn them into sage-infused vodka lemonade.  On a related note, I am now proficient in both cover letter- and resume-writing, and more than proficient in researching for jobs.   Stick that in your careerbuilder pipe and smoke it.  

DIY

Matt left me earlier this week to go to Houston for work.  Certain that I would fall apart without his  benevolent presence to guide me through the days, he worried his way through his meetings, anxious to get home and coddle me into a peaceful state once more.  Little did he know, I had bigger and better plans in the form of my very own DIY project.  Because now I'm domesticated, and I can buy things and make them into better things.

Saturday, before Matt left, we traipsed over to my new favorite haunt, the Village Treasure House, where we found a used nightstand for $25.  Only $25!  Do you know how much those things cost these days?  Upwards of $100, at least!  No way I'm spending that much on a little dinky cabinet to hold my mouthguard (I now have a teeth clenching problem, courtesy of India) and glass of water.  I would much rather stick my water and guard on something we already have... like the small safe Nick and Jen got us for our wedding.  (So many uses for a safe!)

Anyway, this nightstand needed a little coddling of its own, so we sanded it down (by hand, which I don't recommend), and then I lovingly and painstakingly painted it, a task which kept me busy for most of the 48 hours Matt was away.  Seriously, these things take time.  We had decided we wanted something chic and exciting, a la this little number from Crate & Barrel:

FYI, if anyone feels that I should have this exact cabinet in my home, I agree with you, and I'd gladly accept it as a gift and token of your love and affection.  It costs $900.  A steal!  

So we went to Lowe's and bought a paint and primer combo called "Enchanted Navy".  So chic.  So exciting.  I didn't have a paintbrush, so we bought one of those, too.  And sandpaper, for the sanding.  We spent about $30.  Then I had to go buy new drawer knobs for it.  $5.  New nightstand total:  $60.  Hmm.  I'm new at this DIY stuff, but I'm not sure your refurbishing supplies should exceed the cost of the actual product.  Unless it was free.  Ah, well, such is life.  

Many, many hours and four very thin coats of paint later, the deed was done.  Add in what Matt should pay me for my backbreaking labor (roughly $40/hour), and the final total came up to:  $1660.  Not quite a bargain, per se, but still better than something you might buy at, ahem, Macy's.  

Before  (But after the sanding.  I forgot to take a true before picture):

 

And After!

 

Ehhhh.  

And the finished product:  

 

I am fully aware that it looks like a face with book teeth, and I'm okay with that.  

Soooo, it isn't quite the chic and exciting finished product I was envisioning, but it isn't terrible.  Somehow the color came out much lighter and brighter and more primary-color-wheel-esque than I had anticipated.  That's okay.  I am consoling myself with the fact that after we have kids, we can stick this little guy in the kid's room and the bright and cheerful blue color will brighten his/her days forever.  Hell, I might even stencil some trains on it.  Or teddy bears.  Or creepy old-fashioned dolls with glass eyes. Eventually.  (I'm not pregnant, I promise.  I'm just thinking ahead. Waaay ahead.)  

Anyway, Matt came home and was just about as impressed as I was.  Which isn't saying much.  However, we are both pleased to have a new nightstand for our sundries.  Plus, now I have a whole can of bright, primary blue paint to do with as I please.  Stay tuned for my next DIY project:  Blue Dresser, followed by Blue Mantle, Blue Mirror, and probably Blue Faux Leather Chairs.  

Oh, also, in light of recent DIY events, Matt has elected to skip his Seoul trip in August to babysit me.  Any and all who were invited to visit are still invited, but things might be a touch more unpleasant with him around.  I joke, I joke.