To be pleased with one's limits is a wretched state.

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Your true value depends entirely on what you are compared with.

I was debating what quote to put up in the subject line this morning because I also enjoyed this one:
The truth is always a compound of two half- truths, and you never reach it, because there is always something more to say.
But the first one won, because it made me laugh a little. And really, if you make me laugh, you are in.

We are currently still in remodel mode. It’s driving me crazy bananas. Seth is talking about rearranging the upstairs furniture, which makes me nervous since our furniture looks exactly like and is arranged exactly as the people who lived there before us had it. Seth seems to think the couch needs to be on the banister of the stairs and I think it will make the room feel smaller and closed off, and I like open concept.
We started watching the channel here in Omaha that just shows houses for sale. I have a love/hate relationship with that channel, which makes it very entertaining. You can only watch it every once in a while though because they never changed those houses. I think they run on a two week schedule. Anyway, I love it because I love seeing all the different decorating styles and love laughing at what the wording people use to describe crap. But I hate it because when we get into the houses I’ll never be able to afford, I get jealous and hateful towards my house. Especially since it doesn’t have a claw foot jacuzzi tub overlooking my 10 acres. Or my totally remodeled kitchen. Man I would love to have a fancy state of the art kitchen, I would have dinner parties everyday and grow my own veggies and herbs and shop at the farmer’s market and bake fresh bread twice a week. In my head, if I had the time, cooking would be so my thing. That and internet stalking.
So I’ve been thinking about our garden, because I’ve been thinking about cooking with fresh veggies and about our July 4th extravaganza this year (it’s on a Saturday! Hooray!) and cooking for that. I know we will have to start that sometime this month, hopefully the weather stays warm so I can start planting that. They’ve already put all the seeds and gardening stuff out at Walmart, so I’m itching to start that. Although I guarantee I will be over it all about a week into it.
Okay well I’m boring today. So I’m going to stop here!
Hope everyone is having a great day!
Love (to be at home in bed sleeping),Carrie

No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.

This week will not end people. I woke up happy it was Thursday because it kind of snuck up on me, but now this day is feeling incredulously long. Arg.
Many thanks to Karie who helped me figure out the Howie Day concert on 98.5. I hope I get to get in because it’s free Qudoba, but it’s only for like 50 people, and I’m sure they won’t let me bring Seth. Did I mention Qudoba? I used to eat that with Annie at TEKsystems all the time, and I’m feeling serious withdrawls. Mmmm…Howie Day and 4 cheese nachos. I’m digging it.
Basically I’ll eat black beans and cheese on anything. Heck I’ll eat pinto beans and cheese on anything. I’m pro bean.
And now I’m rambling. It’s been a while since we’ve had a list here at Carrie-on Baggage. Let’s do that. Yay!

Things I’m excited for this weekend:

Sleeping in
Getting the house painting finished (minus the hallway and possibly entryway, it depends how many people show up)
Seth taking a day off on Friday (although this is iffy now because he his having an uber bad day at work…)
Getting my hair done!! I have no idea what I’m going to do, but that is usually how it goes, I totally freeball it, I just hope I get a good cool hip hair college student who doesn’t look like she’s about to have a baby or is going to stab me with the scissors. *a digression* I started going to hair colleges about a bajillon years ago and I love mine here in town (I have horror stories about other out of town ones I have been to-like the time I got a spiral perm with hair down to my butt and it took 3 girls and about 8 hours). I like the young innovative kids who if you tell them, I need something new-they don’t give you the Rachel with bangs or just give you layers. I like that they are open when I say, “I want mahogany stripes in my hair” and because I have the mental capacity of a 12 year old, I like when they snark with me about random things. Plus! Bonus! It usually only costs me that of a real salon. And I know everyone is like, yeah but how can you trust them? Their instructors are standing there the hole time and frequently come over and check on their progress to ensure you aren’t going to have your hair fall out. The only drawback is with my hair, a trip to the salon is usually a four hour adventure (I have a lot of it) and it’s a personality crapshoot on the type of girl you are going to get. But it’s worth it because I would say, at least for the first month or so, my hair is pretty awesome (then I neglect to go back for 6 months, but that is a different digression I won’t take you on…) *end digression*
Eating pizza!
Not having to drive to work!
Wearing sweatpants for at least 55% of the weekend!
Watching DVR shows

Okay I’m done…
Jesus Mary and Joseph! I just checked our bank account and almost crapped myself. Earlier this morning my bank was having issues and was telling me I had no accounts, but apparently the US government depositing our federal refund caused a complete meltdown of my bank and me, because I was like WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE NO ACTIVE ACCOUNTS!??! How can there be too many calls to take my call? I’ll sit here on hold, that’s fine, because apparently I have NOTHING BETTER TO DO SINCE I HAVE NO MONEY. It’s all fine now, but thank you federal government-WHEW. I’m sad that all of that money is going to other accounts so it can make more money. But for right now I’m thinking of buying a jet and going to Italy for the rest of the winter-anyone want to join me?

I’m tentatively thinking about my Vegas extravaganza. I’m not sure when the best time of year to go is (read: cheapest). But that’s when I would want to go. And I want to stay on the strip, and I want it just to be a quick weekend thing. Like Fri-Sun or something. Anyway, pipe dream, I know.

Alright well I’m out of witty things to write, I’m hoping this afternoon goes by faster than the morning did, but that’s not looking good as my email seems to have died, Seth is having a bad day, and my trainer just left me with a big audit. Boo.

Love (the federal government tax return and pizza!),
Carrie

Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery.

Happy Friday everyone!
I hope it’s a happy Friday for you! And you have a great weekend ahead planned!
So I lied-today is not my 6 month wedding anniversary-there were numbers involved people, I got flustered, it is actually my 5 month a versary. But we are still going to celebrate. I’m currently trying to find something fantastic to cook for dinner. I know I want asparagus, and a fantastic potato dish. Also I want to use my new immersion blender to make a great soup. Maybe cheesy cauliflower? And to cap it off I am going to make cinnamon rolls with a disgusting amount frosting.
Also this week Seth will be dining on pulled pork a la this recipie from my favorite cooking blog: http://ashleescooking.blogspot.com/2009/02/pulled-pork-and-lowfat-no-mayo-coleslaw.html
But the BIG thing this weekend will be the arrival of the NEW TV!! Hooray!! And also the painting-but yesterday I quit the painting team, but I think I might come back tonite after I get the cooking out of my system.
Today is Dad’s surgery, in fact it could be happening now, I’m not sure, but either way I’m in a very quiet place right now radiating happy thoughts.
I ordered more pictures last night (thanks “X number of free digital prints” w ebsites!) for my cube, and it took forever to decided what I wanted, we have TONS of pictures. Like an obscene amount. I need to get the digital photo frame Cody got me for Christmas set up, or at least I need to get Seth to do it.
I’m secretly planning that trip to Vegas in my head. So far my bridesmaids are there and their husbands, except their husbands do boring things like gamble and watch sports and hang out and we do fun things like go dancing and party it up and try to figure out if wearing the cute high heels that match our dresses and WALKING (because you walk everywhere in Vegas-its just what you do) and DANCING all night in them is a good idea. In my head it is a VERY fun trip where there are lots of magical moments pictures that we always look back on fondly and smile. I secretly think it is because I’m rapidly approaching 30. YIKES. Let’s not talk about that, let’s talk about other things like Grey’s last night.
It was pretty good. I thoroughly enjoyed it myself. That fight scene was pretty great and I am still fawning over Own Hunt. The writer’s blog today had me up in arms because they threw out all these stupid teasers about Meredith and Derek and Izzie and Bailey, but I’m ignoring them. Did anyone else watch?
I officially closed the door on “Trust Me” this week. I just couldn’t get into it. The characters were terrible and not easy to like and the pacing was TOO SLOW, the storyline wasn’t developing at all. And I kept comparing it to “Mad Men” in my head. Dude when is THAT show coming back? What a great show. I should see how much they are on DVD…anyway so “Trust Me” is out, but “Lie to Me” is still in. That show is getting better and better. I love learning about all the microemotions that people have. And I spend a lot of time now staring directly at people when they talk. Yay TV where you learn things!
Speaking of TV-I’m obsessed with watching the house hunting shows on HGTV, like House Hunters and Property Virgins. And I don’t know WHY I watch them, because I usually HATE the people buying the house because they are OH SO STUPID and think things like the color of the paint is a reason NOT to buy a house. Or the dude who is trying to act like he knows stuff and in EVERY ROOM has to ask the Realtor what said cabinet, floor, beam, door, or tile is made out of. And as if to cement his awesomeness he has to throw in a suggestion of what it COULD be which is usually WAY off base, like “Gary, what kind of cabinetry is this? Is it fruitwood?” and Gary’s like “Uh no, that is MDF, but it’s so realistic it COULD be fruitwood, couldn’t it??” And usually Gary is using the most car salesmen like approach to selling a house. Maybe we just had a bad agent or something but our sales lady could have given a flying hoot if we cared about the house or not, she was just there to unlock the door. In retrospect, our sales lady sucked. When we buy again, we won’t be going back to her. I’m going to like NP Dodge or something where they are JACKALS. But anyway the guy last night, they were in Hawaii-first off was flamboyantly gay-which I’m fine with, but he kept using inappropriate words to describe things in the house. Like he kept saying “Isn’t this bathroom delicious you all? It’s just DELISH!” Ick-can you tell me what exactly in a bathroom is delicious? I don’t normally find myself in a bathroom wanting to EAT anything.
The ones I hate most of all though are the people who are buying retirement/vacation homes in other countries like Mexico or Jamaica or something. I hate those people, mostly out of jealousy. I want to have a summer home on the beach. Also, the furniture is always included in these homes, which I’m not sure I’m okay with. I know people who get drunk and pee on their couches. How many rich dudes passed out on that couch and peed? No thanks, you can take your pee couch with you. The furniture is mostly old balls anyway. It probably smells like old people and salt. But they have these beautiful open concept houses with like 3000 square feet and when they do the “Three Months Later” part of the show, they are like eating fresh fruit and veggies they got from the market down the street and drinking fantastic drinks and they look younger and happier and I hate them for it, purely out of jealousy. It’s plain as day green jealousy for sure and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I’m secretly starting a campaign to make my parents want to get a summer house in Mexico so that I can come visit and pretend I live that life.
My FAVORITE one of these was this couple from Oklahoma who built houses and decided to move to Nicaragua forever. So they start the interview and they keep pronouncing it NIGGER-agua. Over and over. It is almost like the producers are rubbing it in your face that not only do you not have this kind of money, but they have SO much money they can offensively pronounce the name of the country and get away with it. Because the real estate agent is just like 10% commission on a million dollar house? Lips Zipped. I couldn’t believe it, but THEN, but THEN the old guy starts ribbing the lady about how it was SUCH a big house she wouldn’t be able to clean it and she goes-I kid you not- “Well I’ll just get one of them NIGGER-auguans to clean it for me, they are cheap out here”. And then I fell over and died. My brain exploded I could not take it. Seth and I were like did she SERIOUSLY just say that!?!? House Hunters! *sigh* I love you. I could spend DAYS telling you about the House Hunters that was in FRANCE…
Alright I’ve rambled enough for today. I hope you all have a super fantastic weekend and lots of good things happen for you.
Thanks to everyone for keeping my Pops in your thoughts and prayers.
Love (my life),
Carrie

A Hump Day blog

Happy Hump Day everyone!
Thanks to everyone who emailed or commented about that stupid tax law. I’ve come to the conclusion that we are being railroaded, but what can you expect, someone has to pay, right? Guess it will be the Hellbusch’s.
So let’s talk about American Idol. We have finally moved into the rounds where people start caring about people. So what did Idol producers do? They went and screwed with the format! What is up with that?? There are some people there that deserve a second chance and there were some people that stood out hard. (Danny Gokey) But this new format makes NO sense. People have off nights, they are nervous, that’s why the format is you vote for the worst two and pick off the scab slowly. They need to be able to take the advice of the judges and use it. And by the way, I’m sure it’s pretty nerve wracking to sing live for the first time. So “Dear Idol Producers, go back, this sucks”. Because you know what? That crazy loon Tatiana is going to get thru and then I’m going to have to pull my hair out and stuff it in my ears, and I won’t look good bald and I’ll be that angry bald girl with hair in her ears. No one wants that. By the way, who gave Tatiana downers? Not that I miss the crazy, but I hate the fake “no really, I’m not crazy, *whispers* a psychic told me I would win wheee!” that she’s putting out right now. Ugh, Idol *spits* why do I watch this show?? Just give it to Danny Gokey so I can get back to my crime dramas and not feel like I’ve wasted years of my life willing people to be better and listening to them destroy perfectly good songs.
I think next year they should have an Idol off where they bring back all the like top 2 idols from every year and make them sing so we can crown David Cook the most awesomest of all. The end.
So what else? Oh, I need tips for painting a small wall dark red. My test swatches are coming out streaky and requiring like 400 coats of paint. Not that I don’t have the paint since I have a gallon and it’s a small wall, but I don’t have the patience to keep painting that wall without getting mad. I’ve tried a brush, a roller with ½ nap and a roller with 3/8 inch nap. We are using Behr latex paint in eggshell. So anyone that has worked with red paint before and knows some secrets, I would LOVE to hear your suggestions before my red wall becomes a Jackson Pollack.
We are going to try and paint the accent walls and bathroom this weekend so we don’t have to get 50 different trays and brushes for people who show up to help on the 28th. I haven’t heard if anyone is stopping by, so let me know if you are. We are just going to do the pecan on the 28th. Plus I’m going to be getting my hair done from like 10:30 to 1 so don’t show up until later if you don’t really want to work or if you want to see me! But if you really want to help Seth, you can show up anytime from 10:30 to 1. Hahaha.
I haven’t forgotten about the Cooking with Bob blog, but I’m waiting to get the pictures from my mom. Just in case you thought I forgot about ya’ll.
I just found myself wishing my desk had a secret door where I could hide and take a nap. That was weird.
That’s how bored I am today-for real.
Earlier I found myself wishing I could keep driving to Vegas and meet all my fun friends there and go dancing at a club all night and crash early in the morning and wake up and eat at a lunch buffet looking like I had the time of my life the night before-maybe in the same clothes.
You guys are so excited to read my random thoughts aren’t you?
In case any of you have ever wondered, I have a series book problem. I just got 10 books for Valentine’s Day (BEST HUSBAND EVER-be jealous, you totally should be, he does math and taxes and bills and lets me stare at him blankly and sing rhyming songs in my head when he tries to explain it to me. Last night he finally gave up and told me he’s going to write my parents a letter explaining how and why he is doing things so that if he dies and I refuse to get out of bed and hold the cats hostage with me, someone will know how to pay the bills and where all of our secret money is. He’s so smart.) and I had a stack of about 6 books waiting to be read, plus 2 my grandma gave me before I got the 10 books. So I have books to read, for sure. But I about CROWED with happiness when my dear friend L’ara (baggage blogger!) emailed me today to tell me she was going to stop by and lend me some books we have been talking about. Which because I am the BEST book borrower ever, I will put them at the top of my pile and return them to her promptly, because I am not a book hostage holder and I will tell her what I think of them in grand detail, because in my head, that’s how book lending works. I’m trying to get Seth to build me a long bookshelf for along the staircase in our living room, but I’m having trouble getting the image out of my head for him and on to paper, I’ve spent countless hours trying to tell him what I want. Because really I want like 20 things. I can’t decided if I want it open in the back, how deep I want the shelves, if I want little doors on the shelves (probably not, I’m a notorious book bragger-look at all my shiny pretty books!!) So I am at a loss. I seriously just want a whole room of built ins around a window with a little ladder that I can ride around the room, but I don’t think that will work in our house *sigh* dreams…PS I’ve decided that building furniture is about the sexiest thing a guy could do. Now I just need Seth to prove that he can do it, instead of trying to get me to draw him a plan…
Alright I’ve rambled sufficiently for today!
Hope you all have a happy hump day!
Love (for this week to be over already)
Carrie