Winter Sucks

I hate winter so much that I may consider not blogging again until Spring. Winter saps my energy to blog. So you want me to blog? You do something about the weather. Then we'll talk. Enough said.

Ramblin'

Ok, I'm going to preface this blog by saying that I am sick right now. My ears hurt, my sinuses hurt, my throat hurts (God I hate winter). Subsequently, I may not be capable of writing a coherent blog. But I feel as though I have been slacking off in the blog arena, and certainly have phoned it in when I actually have written.

So I guess I'm saying that I'm phoning it in.

The only really good part of being sick is the ability to read all day, something that I often spend a spare second or two wishing, hoping, praying for. Ever since I was a little girl, I've always read more than one book at a time. Now I seem to have quite over done myself. I'm in the midst of 3 books, plus 2 research books -- none of which I have managed to really sink into. Plus, I really am craving something more along the lines of a Jane Austen (perhaps, Persuasion?)

But I digress because I was going to discuss my other lazy day occupation, rewatching really cheesy but wonderful movies. I have never had the hatred of repeats that other people have. Rob can't stand to watch something twice and rarely rereads a book. Not me! I've got a whole library of VHS movies to prove it. That's right VHS. And ever since we actually bought a VHS player, I've been able to watch classics like Sarah Plain and Tall (this morning).

This has to be one of my favorite Saturday morning past times. It reminds me of college when we used to get up on Saturdays and make omelettes and cinnamon rolls (from a can) and watch movies like Sliding Doors and the English Patient. Well, tonight I was flipping through the channels and found a gem. A real jewel, I tell ya.

French Kiss. I love this movie. I love it so much, that it inspired my love of the Cote d'Azur and may potentially have had something to do with my deciding to study in Cannes (I sometimes make decisions based on very strange things). Ah, but really, it's Meg Ryan at her best, and lord knows, I love Kevin Kline in this movie too. And then of course there's the beautiful French countryside and the mocking of the French. And this is what I have been thinking of the most. In the '90's I was convinced that the styles and fashion fads were timeless, and would never stand out in any way shape or form. Yeah, not so much. Not so much at all.

Good times, though.

Confession

I'm a news junkie! I've realized this over the past month or so. I can't wait for lunch each day so that I can check out CNN or even settle for the headlines that pop up when I look at my AOL account. The democratic primaries have really inspired me to kick it up a notch. I see 2 article titles that I can pretty much tell will be the same AP story, but I still read them both just in case.

Then I get home from work and watch the news with Rob and I get sooo emotionally involved that he has to pause the tivo so that I can comment on various news stories, fact check them or question their validity or value. Well most people watch the national news in 30 minutes it takes us 45.

The thing that is shocking about this, that would throw my Mom and brother into a tizzy, is that I always hated the news. Hated it! I use to feel utterly sick when the news was on. I would run in the other direction at 6:30 each night. And really, the comics and the wedding section is all that ever got any pageturning when I was near the paper.

I write this post today, only because I've suddenly realized today that it's true, grown-ups watch the news. And I am officially a grown-up.

Change and Resolve

Every year (as in last year and this year) I make a large number of New Year's Resolutions. How large? This year, 108. Last year? 107. This idea was given to me by one of my best and most favorite friends, Kate, who ritually tries to connect her number of resolutions to the year. Obviously 2008 a little bit much. But I think she does 208, and I of course had shortened it down to 108.

See, already that number sounds a little bit scary right? Most people have trouble with just 1 or 2 resolutions. In fact just yesterday Rob told me he can't even remember what he resolved to do. That is actually the magic of this plan! When you have 108 resolutions, you know you can't remember them. So you write them down and reread them regularly. AND then you are constantly aware of how many things you still need to do. That list becomes a whole lot more doable, more like a to do list.

That doesn’t mean my 108 resolutions are easy. They're a nice balance. Some are easy, but some are pretty hard to do. So require simply getting up off my ass. Some involve me making a serious change to my way of life. The nice thing is that when you check off one that's a little easier or one that can be done quickly, you get a little thrill. And a little motivation.

I suppose you want a few examples, huh? Fine, I'll let you take a quick peak into my resolutions. If you were to flip through my book of lists, you might notice:

1. Eat more fruits and veggies.
2. Save money for movers.
3. Blog regularly:)
4. Read at least 5 non-fiction books.
5. Go to church more often (my Mom's favorite, doubtless)

Anyway, the point of my blog today was not the above explanation, but rather to discuss how this year. I'm not doing so well this year. Last year I completed about 90% of my resolutions. This year, I started off really, really well. And then about half way through January I completely dropped off. I'm blaming Bikram yoga. I took that one class and so damn traumatized, that I have felt completely unmotivated. Or is it just the winter doldrums? Is anyone else having this problem? Anyone?

It's a Two-fer kind day

Well, I know I already blogged once today, but I have another issue to address. I've avoided being political in this here blog, mainly because I already know how most of my friends, family members and acquaintances are voting. Those who feel as I do, don't need any convincing. And those who don't, have already made up their minds and dug in their heels (we Koglers are a stubborn group.)

However, this evening, I fought with my Mother because she told me that Obama voters couldn't identify what change Obama could or would provide. Despite my passionate arguments and change mentioned (or tried to mention), she is not to be persuaded. But then tonight this fell into my lap: http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2008/02/obama-actually.html

Really that is only about 1/8 of the reason that I am voting for him. I'm happy to discuss further, but it could take hours. And well, I've already blogged twice today.

8 Years Ago Tomorrow!

Tomorrow marks Rob and my 8 year anniversary, not of when we first met or of our marriage but of our very first date. I've always liked this anniversary immensely, snuggled as it is so close to Valentine's day, and so completely distant from all other holidays and birthdays. It's also immediately adjacent to quite a few friends' and family members' birthdays, which makes this time of year seem a little more special to me.

But most of all, I have just always been absolutely awestruck at the kind of fate that stepped in and decided that against all odds, Rob and I should actually date, marry and love each other forever.

We met about four or five months earlier -- that date has always somewhat eluded us, despite it's magnificent impact. I was hosting a training session for our Resident Hall Assoc. in the meeting room next to the Rue de la Course where he worked. And since I wasn't incredibly prepared, I had to keep boring things from Rue. Rob very clearly remembers me doing so, and though I remember seeing him, I don't remember it nearly as much. Because the Rue people had been so nice and generous, I invited them to our Semolina's buffet (mmmmm, Semolina's) and as I was heading through the line chatting with my friend David, I heard the most wonderful voice ever inserting a smart-ass comment into our conversation.

Not only was it love at first sound, but I remember very certainly thinking, "Some day we'll tell our grandkids this story."

And then 4 months went by. Four months of us flirting and me coyly hanging out at Rue, developing a serious (but not expensive!) coffee habit just so I could see him. Random conversations, joking around, staring at each other across a noisy room. And no actual progress.

The day before I left for Christmas break I had taken 3 history finals in one day, filling 7 blue books (God, remember those?!?) in mindnumbing essays and I had just about decided to give up. I was too tired to go to Rue, and I was feeling like nothing would ever happen, it was clear Rob wasnt going to ask me out. Since I had always been the asker-out-er, I didn't want to do that again. I was refusing this time. So I was not going to go to Rue. End of story.

And then David called me, and said "Alex, get down here right now." When I said no, that I was staying in, he said, "I just asked Rob why he's not asked you out yet, and he said he's waiting for you to ask him."

So I did go down there, and I did flirt away. But I didn't ask him out. I was going away for 3 weeks, what was a girl supposed to do? When I left that night, I told him, "I've got big plans for you, Mister," and then I walked out (leaving my wallet behind and having to go back, but still it was a good moment.)

But when I came back to New Orleans in January, he was no where to be found. For 3 weeks. I checked all the Rues, no sign. And then one day in early February, there he was again. It turns out his Mom had passed away. Here I was all worried about whether he would ask me out, and it suddenly all seemed so unimportant. That night, we stood out on the patio of Rue while his coworkers covered for him, and mutually asked each other out.

I, as a typical Martha Stewart type, invited him over to our flat and cooked him dinner (steak and potatoes, see I had marriage in mind!) And we watched some Casablanca-esque movie. And he asked me to be his Valentine. And that was the beginning of the best thing that has ever happened to me.

I swear I will not only blog about cat-husband relationships...

I just have to say, I was shocked to also see this the other day...

Lovely Sunday Morning

I thought I would take this lovely morning to introduce you to some special someones in my life. This is how they typically spend their day:

Something New...

I got the idea a little while ago to start a recipe blog. It seems to me that people are always commenting on the fact that I make home cooked meals (Ashley!) And really I don't do anything fancy. So I thought I would try to teach people how easy it really is.

I'm a little afraid -- after all sometimes, even I can't think of a single thing to cook. But, I'm going ahead with it... So check out my second blog: http://fussfreedinner.blogspot.com/ Enjoy!