On the flip side

 I spent the evening at an enlightening workshop at the Autism Society of Minnesota about Video Modeling to use to teach kids skills. It was pretty cool to learn to do the editing and how to “cheat” in order to paint a picture for a child of how to complete certain tasks.


Needless to say, I now want a Flip more than ever. I’m having delusions of all of the travel video I could so easily compile into my video library, creating beautiful seamless creations with my lovable Mac. Then again, I argued with myself that I could also use my trusty powershot to take video. Or man-go-round’s Evo. Or I could get a lovely smartphone with all sorts of video features myself. Or rely on man-go-round’s real video camera. Or capture a quick picture with my cell phone camera. Gee Willikers…


My point is- these days we are inundated with digital equipment that we can use to capture our memories (travel or otherwise) just the way we want them. In the end, I usually go for whatever I can throw in my pocket, so that I can just go. Sometimes, though, it’s fun to use the really fancy stuff.


I can’t leave you without a picture today, so I’m going to leave you with one of my favorite pics that I took during my time living in the Arguelles neighborhood of Madrid. It is in a big park on the outskirts of the city, overlooking the Palacio Real and a funicular. It’s called the Temple de Debod and it was given to the Spaniards by the Egyptians after some Aswan related assistance provided to them in the past century sometime. Look it up if you’d like more information about it’s history, I simply love how serenely beautiful and oddly placed it seems in this park. I used to sit on a bench near here and hang around until someone else showed up, then I’d quickly dart off like some sort of hermit crab…

Taken with my old digital- Fuji Finepix in 2006

What do you all prefer to use to capture your traveling or your everyday journeys?

Posted in photography | Tagged , , | 23 Comments

The Rain in Spain falls south of the Plain!

Let me just start this off by assuring you this has a happy ending. Things may sound a bit bleak for a minute there, but I promise it gets better…


Rewind to a Thursday evening in Madrid circa February of 2006. I’m in my neighborhood Irish pub, drinking my daily Guinness or Heineken and killing time with my roommate and some friends until our bus  leaves the city around 9:00 p.m. We decompress from the week of school, polish off a second or probably third beer, and head for the station.


Fast forward to the next morning, as our bus arrives in southern Spain. We expect to be prepared for a wonderful sunny day in Cordoba, and are greeted by rain, hideous headaches that no amount of train station gummy bears can cure, and…

Crrrraaaash!

Ever been in a bus accident sprinkled with Spanish expletives? Good times. Needless to say, we disembarked a few minutes early, and ended up somewhere random in Cordoba. After tracking down a quaint cafe to debrief and regroup, we decided there was nothing to be done but head back out into the pouring, near freezing rain, and see the d&$* place already.


Fueled by cafe con leche (and some bailey’s, probably) to keep us warm, we trudged through the city on foot in search of the crown jewel of Cordoba- the Mezquita-Catedral. Nope, you didn’t mistranslate there, the Mosque-Cathedral. If that is confusing, brush up on your Spanish history and return to this story afterward.


When we arrived, we walked through an orange grove courtyard…



By this time, we were so wet we no longer cared, had noshed on some delicious blue cheese pizza, and were sort of “recovered” from the impromptu bus crash. Things were looking up, that is. I should also mention that February is not exactly high tourist season in this small Andalucian town. We pretty much had the place to ourselves. What we found inside…


…was incredibly breathtaking. Humble and awesome at the same time, it was like being on another planet. Really old buildings with a lot of history tend to make me goose bumpy, and this was no exception. Quietly walking around the damp, cool concrete space, we explored the place in near silence and I was sort of surprised at the many alterations the place had seen over the thousands of years it had been standing. I’ve always loved spaces, whether it’s a mosque, temple, castle, basilica, or other public space. The plaza mayor in Madrid always creeped me out a bit with visions of the Inquisition, but I could never deny that it was a powerful place to stand amidst. This place was like that for me, and I can still feel the echoey central chamber of the cathedral if I try.

I explored church-temples, mosque temples, church-mosque-temples, church-castles, and many more while residing in Spain, but this particular trip stands out, perhaps due to the mood of the day, perhaps because we were so alone in the building, or perhaps it just struck me by it’s simplistic beauty.

So, to recap here, the rain in Spain is almost never in the plains, but I sure did see a lot in the south-
‘Enry ‘Iggins could learn a thing or two!

Have you ever been somewhere that really moved you for one reason or another? Were you able to describe why?

Cheers!
Meri


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Not your "mama"s noodles

The line snakes around the 2 flights of stairs, extending from the cafeteria style basement out to the windy streets of London. The line is filled with students, families, couples, and one group of diners, fresh off the plane to visit my lovely sister who was residing in the city at that time. 


The day had been long but exhilarating for this 12 year old; traipsing around Trafalgar Square harassing the pigeons (which I’m pretty sure has set off the lifetime of traumas I’ve since had with birds…), wandering around the National Gallery and discovering Renoir for the very first time, and riding the tube with the panache of a hedgehog. I think the way  my family arrived could be best described as “taking Britain by storm.”

I loved this one and got a postcard and a print!


At the end of this whirlwind day, my sister wisely recommended the very trendy restaurant Wagamama. At the time, I was unimpressed by new restaurants, new trends, and food in general. As a picky vegetarian, I was likely just wondering what variety of potato I would be dining on for the evening. However, as my nearest in age sister and I paused for just a moment from our (weeklong) Spice Girls Girl Power Singathon, we noticed for the first time that we were in a pretty neat place.


I ordered my unadorned yet fancy ramen style noodles in my big bowl, and chose to go down the “fork” vs. “chopsticks” road. These were not your mama’s ramen noodles from the microwave. Seriously tasty stuff here! 

I kept this postcard all of these years so I wouldn’t forget!



Granted, I was a noodly noodly kid. I liked my ramen first seasoned, then drained, then sprinkled with parmesan cheese. It was a very serious preparation that I had down to a science. But these noodles threw a fork in all of that! They inspired me to go ahead in life to try buckwheat noodles, soba noodles, and most recently, tofu noodles. I’ve tried gluten free pasta, rice noodles, and cellophane noodles. I’ve made homemade potato gnocchi, and tried strange gourmet veggie pasta. 


But the humble noodle soup from that trip will forever remind me of that wonderful trip to London. I haven’t returned to U.K. since, and I’m pretty sure that next time I go I will have to return to Wagamama. Even if there is a line way out the door again.


Have you ever waited a ridiculously long amount of time to eat at a restaurant? Was it worth it?
Have any of you eaten at a Wagamama somewhere around the world?


Until tomorrow- wishing you all noodle wishes and renoir dreams!


Meri (That’s Baby Spice to you…)


***The lovely Sarah from Sarah the Writer has graciously bestowed upon me a second “Stylish Blogger” award. Thank you thank you Sarah! You are too kind, and I am tickled pink!
However, I am thinking that there is no one else who would be “tickled pink” to read 7 things about me for the third time, so I am going to break the rules (yet again) and link back to my previous two posts for whom it may concern 🙂
Seven Things for New Years
and 
Seven Random Things


Thanks again Sarah!


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Up in the air

Happy New Year lovely world!
Up up and away…


The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see. Gilbert K. Chesterton

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it.  George Moore






Up in the air- that’s how I’m feeling about 2011! Today feels fresh, new, and full of possibilities. I’d like to take a moment to introduce the Meri-Go-Round topic for January 2011.


Travel!


Posts for this month shall include the following (plus whatever else I feel like…)
-Travel photos (duh)
-Favorite sights, restaurants, public spaces, and buildings from around the globe
-Memories and short stories
-Some guest input from others! Don’t be surprised if I harass you to share some information about your favorite places on earth




Soooo I’m feeling January may be a bit of whimsy, a bit of nostalgia, and a bit of wonder. I hope you like it!


Bon voyage…
Meri

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Three Cheers for New Years and Cold Beers!

weheartit.com


It’s the end of an era!
Well, it’s the end of another year anyway. I thought I’d better do some sort of obligatory nod to the New Year lest the blog gods smite me for not playing by “the rules.” 


Plus, it’s a good chance to talk about myself (can never get enough), put my intentions in writing so somebody might hold me accountable to them, and organize my thoughts on this lovely, hailstorm Friday. I shall separate into “How the past year has gone” and “Where I am headed in the future.” No goals, no resolutions, “Nooooo Reservations….”


Where I’ve been:


-This year has me taking better care of myself. Finally taking daily multivits, Omega3s, and Calcium regularly. Gummies rule! I’ve also flossed nearly every day for over a year. Last January I started exercising regularly for the first time since high school sports. I feel better than ever and even have tackled tricky/scary doctor appts a few times, which I am very proud of. This will continue in the new year and beyond!


-I’ve been having an incredible time playing and experimenting. Photography continues to enthrall me. I also took a Clay for Couples class (once was enough), sewed my first skirt and pillow cases, took up macrame again, had a TON of fun experimenting in the kitchen, and did many, many miscellaneous craft projects, such as this one:

Jar lids and magnets and hand mirrors, oh my!

– It’s been a good year with man-go-round (again…). We spent July doing a “new thing” together every day, whether it be writing a silly poem, trying a new food or restaurant, meditating, scrabble, making the infamous “dandelion wish” card some of you received. The highlight of this, however, was when we made a fake ad “starring” Mel Gibson, and sort of tore him to shreds. It was cathartic. We also climbed a mountain when visiting my parents in Arizona and took a few smaller trips around here.


-I really, truly, went for the roles I wanted at work this year. In February I started meeting with families to do help them brainstorm and create visual supports for their homes to help with structure and their childrens’ coping and executive functioning. In laymans terms, I get to do art projects for work.
In July, I started coordinating the program I was already doing, meeting with kids one-on-one to do skills training therapy. Both of these jobs I was terrified that I wasn’t qualified for, but went after them with all of my guts and nerve when I realized I wanted them. In the end, it paid off, and I am proud of myself for this.


-In August a new member of my family was born- a teeny tiny gift of a niece! The past year was spent welcoming her and spending a lot of special time with my family. Our fourth of July was pretty incredible, as usual. Evita with the ladies was memorable as well. Katie and Adam’s New Years Eve and Halloween parties were not to be missed. And I’m not forgetting about this:

Lots and lots of birthday parties!

I should also include in this “friends and family” category that I cherish the memories spent with friends this year. Happy hours, May Day Parade, cookie baking days, dinners, walks by the river, and game nights round out another year of feeling incredibly lucky to have such special friends and to continue to meet special people. My very dearest friend moved across the country, but I’m dealing with it one day at a time. Kind of. Okay, move home now!


To quote old blue eyes, it was “A very good year’… and this has been fun to type up and reminisce. 


Buuut…. I better get to the meat of this or I’ll put off thinking about it indefinitely.


Where I’m Going:


The picture at the start of this post was brought to my attention by Lindsay at Scenic Glory, and it describes how I often feel about life and how I want the future to look. It’s silly, pretty, and a little bit otherworldly. On my best days, that’s how I feel. Plus, the masks are crazy reminiscent of the thievery scene in Breakfast at Tiffs, and we ALL know how I feel about that movie!


In my perfect future, I will:


-Really make an honest and true effort to get more sleep. I might take good care of myself in a lot of ways, and I certainly don’t party like I used to, but I sure will do anything to avoid good old fashioned rest. I have a theory that this is genetic (thanks, mom…) and that I have to fight my urges to stay up and do “one more thing” and just get in bed. Okay, sorry mom, it’s not your fault, I need to step up here…


-Do some real and true work thinking about what is next for me. Is it Speech-Language Pathology? Therapy? Professional Spender at the local co-op? (nope, I already have that job…) Is it Information Sciences or childrens’ yoga teacher? I wish I knew… and I have every intention of doing a little more soul searching this year.


-Be a more social friend, daughter, sister, aunt, girlfriend, etc. I can be such a hermit sometimes, and it takes me getting out and planning things sometimes to remember how good it makes me feel to make more plans. 


-I want to make my blog cooler. I’m considering exploring wordpress or blog design. Right now I’m still in the honeymoon phase where I’m so addicted to the output that I don’t spend much time on making da blog look how I want or make it easier for me to say what I want. I also don’t like that I can’t comment on individual comments, which I think is bogus. So times they might be a changin, my friends. Please keep reading and all of the love. This has been such a cool experience so far and I’m so appreciative that anyone ever reads the crap I type out. THANK YOU!


-Continue doing all of the things I love! My mom teases me for trying so many new things all the time, and going through so many “phases,” but I truly feel like I am so lucky to discover new things each day, whether it’s a new craft or hobby, a new person, a new blog, a cool book at the library, or a new vegetable (I can’t believe there are still more out there I haven’t tried…)


In short, this year I want to grab life by the balls (if that’s not already an expression, it sure is now…), dance the “butt dance” every day (that’s for you libs), seize every opportunity to be cheerful, silly, affectionate, and witty, and smile every chance I get at the silly game we call life.


A few more hours left, and then both “celebration” month and 2010 will be over.


What are you all going to try this year? What are you excited for?


Tomorrow I’ll reveal the topic for January! I’m off to enjoy either the Trader Joe’s Sparkling Sake I’ve been eyeing, or one of our three bottles of Cava! 


Arriba!
Abajo!
Al Centro-
Para Dentro!


(Well, if I’m drinking Spanish bubbly, I’m going to toast in Spanish tambien!)


To 2011!
Meri

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It’s a major award!

No, sorry Christmas Story fans… I don’t have a leg lamp sitting in my apartment.


but….. Grace from Loving Life has “graciously” passed on the Stylish Blogger Award to me today. 





Thank you Grace, you sure put a bounce in my step! My first blog award! I’m not entirely sure I know what that means. What I do know is that I’m supposed to share 7 things about myself. However, since I did this via a blog game of tag less than a week ago, I surely am not going to repeat this. 


I will, however, do a “Seven things to do to celebrate the New Year, or any special occasion” post, which then fulfills on my promise from yesterday. ahem. I didn’t even have a speech prepared…

The leaves wear party hats made of snow!




1. Throw a raging party and invite everyone you know (see also the infamous New Years Eve party at my cabin during my senior year of high school… broken step, pink “juice” everywhere, and enough evidence to eventually tip off my parents to the happenings the week before. Sorry mom, sorry dad… it was a great party though)


2. Cook something yummy and stay in with the one you love (boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, roommate, cat, daughter, friend, sister, etc…) (Reference… The homemade pizzas made New Years Eve 2006 or the Thai Peanut soup made on my 22nd birthday)


3. Go on a road trip! (Celebratory birthday trip to Red Wing, MN last year for man-go-round. Runner up is the New Year’s trip to Winnipeg freshman year of college… nine girls in one SUV. One big blizzard. Good Times for sure)


4. Have a dance party. Guests optional but not recommended. I celebrate each day by doing a little dance around the apartment. Bonus points for David Bowie and/or being only in tights and PJ top)


5. Go to a museum, zoo, art gallery opening, sculpture garden, show, or other cultural event. Some of my favorite birthdays have been spent at museums or musicals. The winner for this one though is a lovely Mother’s Day trip to the Como Conservatory a few years ago. Gotta love my momma for not begrudging me spending most of the time crouched over flowers with my point and shoot…


6. Go to a concert! I’m having a flashback to my sister’s birthday celebration at the MIA concert about 3 years ago. All I have to say, to whom it may concern, is “TURN THE OTHER CHEEK!”


7. Go on a moonlight walk. I remember doing this one year ago after everyone had left my birthday party, with mr. man-go-round. A quiet celebration, but a good one!


So, now the game goes that I tag some newly discovered bloggers who I find to be stylish! My, my, my… how can I choose? I’m going to go with some of the lovely and talented ladies who have been showing the love on my little blog lately. It’s so cool to feel understood and heard. I sure love your comments, and love to hear what people think!


sealverland
Jan
The New Adventures of Christine
Jen
Pretty Little Reckless
Petite Hermine
Rebecca
Anna
Rags against the machine


To be honest, that’s not the 15 I was supposed to tag, but I’m hungry and it’s time to make dinner. Sooo. 
Congrats to the next Stylish Bloggers- check them out!


How do you all like to celebrate New Years, Birthdays, Anniversaries, etc?


I’ll catch up with all of you NEXT YEAR! (best joke ever).
Meri

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postcards from the edge: Meri vs. the Mall

***To those who make it to the end of this, there will be a “the more you know” happy ending message.

On the sunny side of the street!

Today, I’m trying to look on the “bright side.” How about a joke?

Is your refrigerator running? (well, you better catch it…)


… (crickets chirping)…


That might be funny again one day, but I’m going to need some more space between Fridge-gate 2010 (part two, that is) and laughing at that. 


To whom it may concern, the fridge/freezer combo do appear to be working again. We tentatively put a few condiments back in, figuring that they have enough preservatives to survive the “spring thaw” over at Chez-go-round. Hooray! I might even go buy some produce soon!


What else did I do today? Why, I thought I’d run some friendly post-holiday errands! How fun! Man-go-round even agreed to help me out. On the agenda:


-new glasses
-new phone (big time credit for being such a loyal Sprint customer!)
-last minute gifts for remaining Christmas celebrations
-liquor for New Years
-shoes


Sooo- this is admittedly a formidable list considering I didn’t get home from work until 6:30. However, I thought we could reasonably achieve at least most of these tasks within a few hours. Here’s what really happened!


6:45 p.m. arrive at liquor store. Cava? Check! Vodka? (Svedka) Check! Icehouse? Check! This is going so welllll!!! I love youuuuu! Yea! Shopping isn’t so bad!!!


7:00 p.m. arrive at mall. Pearl Vision. Wait and wait in line to pick up previously ordered glasses. My patience (and hydration before heading out) are paying off. I smile to myself and try on magenta childrens’ glasses while I wait. 7:15? Done! Ahh, patience is precious. I’m such a good person.

Buy one get one free!





7:15-7:45 Sprint store. I discuss (with increasing sense of doom and gloom) phones, plans, and rebates with velveeta for brains behind the counter. He-who-shall-not-be-named less he hunt me down proceeded to ignore all of my questions while simultaneously trying to get me off of my parents’ plan, which is really quite a good deal. Man-go-round does his best to “reexplain” my questions in idiotspeak for the villain, but to no avail. Finally, he kindly (miraculously) tells the a*& hat that we will “go get a drink and stop back,” and we left.


7:45 p.m. It is best to rehydrate at this point. I bought some animal crackers to cope. 


7:47 Lady Foot Locker- Hey, I can still get some new shoes! Mom and Pop gave me money for new athletic shoes for my birthday. I can cash in before my upcoming trip! So, I beseechingly beg the salesperson for assistance, and she begrudgingly stops accosting the mannequin with hideous knitwear. As excitedly as a child to the dentist, she explains the best shoes for my needs. So, in the interest of getting me and man-go-round home, fed, and bed, I explain that I will try a clearance pair at home and if they don’t work, I will return them. Long story short, I continue to request a pair, ANY pair of shoes. Apparently size 7 is kind of common. 
sigh… no shoes for me tonight.


The message of this story is one that I have been slowly learning and practicing for all of December. Repeat after Mama Meri:
If you don’t do everything on the to-do list, it is going to be okay.


That’s it. If you don’t return every present right away, that’s also okay. Didn’t get to the laundry tonight? Guess what- life goes on. I’m not advocating ignoring daily tasks, but taking a deep breath and taking care of yourself goes a looong way.


So… anyone want to help me out here? When I return to a (different) Sprint store, what should I get? I’m considering an EVO. 


What about shoes? My current ones, purchased at the dawn of time, are New Balance. I like to walk with Mom and Pop when I visit them in Arizona, do some kickboxing/Jillian Michaels style working out, occasionally do some beginner hiking, and that’s about it. Anyone in the know?


For those interested, the remainder of the week/ celebration month shall entail:


Thursday: Ideas for New Years Eve/Day celebrating
Friday: A sort of navel-gazing look at the year in the rearview mirror, and what is to be expected in 2011.


Stay tuned!


Meri

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Going Postal

Hey there! 
Guess what came in the mail today!

A lovely gift from across the sea

I won this brooch through a giveaway recently and today I was pleasantly surprised to find it in the mailbox! As we all know, Meri looooves mail time. I get more excited about mail than anyone I know, even people who claim to get excited about the mail can’t compete with the enthusiasm I reserve for catalogs, holiday cards, thank you notes, invites, the rainbow foods circular…


I love mail time. The primary reason I prefer Saturday to Sunday is that there is mail. I know what time our mail carrier comes. I enjoy collecting it each evening on my way in from work. Obviously the holidays are the best time of year for this, as it includes holiday cards, birthday cards (for me), gifts/ packages ordered, and way more coupons/ free money than any other time of year. However, I enjoy the mail all year round. So, in the spirit of “celebration” for a few more days, I’ll review my favorite types of mail!

1. Absolute favorite? Handwritten notes for no reason at all. I adore letters. Bonus points for pretty stationery or ink pens used in said letters.

2. Party invitations. Bonus points if I didn’t already know the party was happening.

3. Holiday cards/ birthday cards. I like the long winded letters. I like the artsy snapfish collages. I like the old school cards that have “happy holidays” handwritten in them. I even like the corporate cards that come from my dentist or car dealership. A festive card is a festive card! 

4. Packages I ordered in the mail. Bonus points from amazon, I’m not sure why.

5. Thank you notes. Bonus points if they are from my nieces and include drawings/ collages they made for me 🙂

6. Magazine subscriptions (currently Good Housekeeping, in my formative years it has been everything from Seventeen to an Art/ Painting magazine, to USTA magazine, runner’s world, Spin, and Guitar Player. I took a hiatus for all of college and finally got back on the eco not so friendly bandwagon again this year!)

7. Free samples I requested off of the internet. Yesss!

8. Good catalogs (like the ones my parents get from red envelope, Gumps, Harry and David, etc. Not the crappy Delia’s catalog that always keeps up with my many address changes…)

9. The abovementioned Rainbow/Cub Foods circulars. Man-go-round likes to spread it all out and circle things with a sharpie. I just like to look and see what fruit is finally in season!

10. Bills! Hey, at least if nothing else comes in the mail, I know someone is thinking about me! (kidding, mostly…)


So there you have it. Evites are nice, but three layer gauzy confetti birthday party invitations are better! A phone call is fine, but a letter from a pen pal is the best!

Do you get excited about the mail? Do you send mail? (I tend to be good at the card creating part, but usually end up hand delivering and coming up short on the mail “sending”) What kind of mail is your favorite?
this year’s holiday card/ magnets, before I put them in the post!


MAIL IT IN!Meri
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Debbie Downer Does a Disco

Alas, the ultimate rah rah distraction of the holidays has ended. Now it’s time to climb under your new snuggie the covers, drink a bottle of tepid gin, and wait until Spring, right?


WRONG!!

Do you think this kid is going to lay down and die just because it’s below zero, there are 17 feet of snow preventing any travel, and there is nothing to look forward to except bank holidays for the next several months?

Not a chance. I say power through the next week of bleak shopping come ons, office drivel, and depressed relatives, and plan your next holiday/ New Years/ winter party! And what does every good party need? Why, party music of course! In my family you are worthless if you don’t like to get down and boogie with your bad self, and surefire tunes are certainly in order. Here are some to get you started that never let me down.

Meri’s Party Mix: Volume 1

1. Luck Be a Lady- Frank Sinatra (start the party off swanky as your guests are arriving, chatting, pouring a drink)

2. ABC- Jackson 5 (getting people in the mood to start “thinking” about dancing, or in my case, starting the festivities by dancing alone while everyone else drinks more)

3. The Seed- The Roots (I can never, ever, ever seem to get enough of this one)

4. Got to Give it up- Marvin Gaye (everyone will dance to this song)

5. Faith- George Michael (no dance skills necessary for this guy, just jump up and down and flail your arms left and right! Now even Uncle Ted is dancing!)

6. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger- Daft Punk (this is where theme moves come in)

7. Anything by Michael Jackson (I realize I already chose him once, so I should narrow it down to one of his 80s classics such as “Beat it,” “Bad,” “Thriller” or “Billie Jean.”

8. Twist and Shout- The Beatles (this is man-go-round’s choice, I let him pick one!)

9. “Forget” you- Ceelo Green (edited for my mother’s virgin eyes) I love this song. I will never stop liking it, even if Gwyneth sings it on Glee (which was pretty good actually…)

10. Check it out- Beastie Boys (because they form the soundtrack to my formative years, and this song just rocks)

11. Something random by Lady Gaga or Katy Perry or even Britney if you’re old school. By this time hopefully everyone will have shed their cloaks of pretension and will willingly admit to liking these popsicles of songs. There is no shame!

12. Modern Love- David Bowie (this song will eternally signal a waning party to me, finishing off the last drips of champagne with friends, tossing a few bottles in the recycling as a preemptive strike against tomorrow’s cleanup, and sighing with satisfaction with the inner circle who likely remain, at another night enjoyed by all.)

So there you have it! Obviously a party does not last 12 songs, but I’m too lazy to give this any in depth thought. There is always a new song to enter the “party playlist hall of fame” too. What will it be next time?


What are your go-to party playlist songs? What song makes dancing irresistible? What am I missing?

I’d love to hear your additions!

Counting down the days!
Meri
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Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…

Today I’ve got on my mind…a few of my “favorite things”, and just some… things!


A few days ago I was tagged by one of my favorite bloggers, Jan, in her Seven Random Things post. So after a weekend sugar high, I’m about ready to tackle this one and share some arbitrary information about Meri! 

1. I’d love to live in tights and dresses. I own so so so many pairs of tights it is obnoxious. I have knit legging tights, patterned fancy tights, footless tights to wear as long underwear when it’s super chilly, and my favorite pair:
polka dots!
2. The night I met man-go-round at a local watering hole, the reason for our sustained interaction, and inevitable second date, was that he guessed my name. It went something like, 
man-go-round “what’s your name”
meri (bitchy, sarcastically), “I don’t know… what IS my name??”
man-go-round- “you look like a pain in the butt, I bet it’s something like Meredith”
meri (for the rest of the evening) “WHICH of my friends put you up to this. WHO do you know??? WHY do you know my name” (with increasing paranoia)
 
It is now 4 1/2 years later, and he still maintains that it was just a random guess. At this point, I’ve begun to believe him. Pretty big coincidence though!

3. I’ve had about every hair color imaginable. My hair grows incredibly fast, and is incredibly thick, and I have grown to have no attachment as to what it looks like or how it ends up. I used to change the color when I became sort of bored, since I’m not much of a make-up wearer. This gave me the one-time nickname of “clementine” by  my sister, in reference to the character from “eternal sunshine of the spotless mind”

4. I drink cups and cups and cups of tea each day. I drink tea in my sessions with kiddies. I drink tea while blogging. I drink tea while running errands. I drink tea while sitting at my desk working. It’s always herbal tea. Some of my favorites?
-all time fave: Good Earth Caffeine Free Original


-Runners up: Gingerbread Spice, Honey Vanilla Chamomile, Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride, Blueberry, and Ginger Ginseng. 

4. I’ve been a vegetarian since I was a toddler when, after refusing to eat whatever meat was served, I proclaimed something along the lines of, “I won’t eat meat because in a past life, I lived in India and died from the meat because it was wrong. It is too spicy”
I have no idea where I got this from, but my parents acquiesced for the time being (being the youngest of four kids, they had a little bit on their plates…) and then it stuck for life. Similarly shunned for most of my  early life was soda, as I also deemed it too “spicy.” Odd duck, I was…

5. I have certain aesthetic sort of obsessions that lead me to make purchases I maybe can’t afford. These include snowflakes, bows, stripey shirts, red balloons, pastel minty motifs, polka dots, and many gray plaids. For example, these earrings I borrowed from my mom yesterday, which I can’t stop obsessing about:
I love you earrings… I will find a place to purchase you soon!

6. I am an incredibly fast typer. This helps with blogging 🙂 It makes others who witness this very jealous!


7. I’m pretty into pajamas. This evolves through the seasons… summertime usually is my hawaiian shift dress and a sundress with optional leggings depending on temperature. Wintertime is leggings (um, one pair I own has stirrups…), t-shirts or nightdresses. my mukluk slipper boots, and my wrap sweater. Every night. Man-go-round no longer recognizes me in civilian clothes, I think… What can I say? I like to be cozy!
Luckily, for my birthday I received a new PJ item I’m very psyched about. Thanks sis!

Inspired by my childhood parked in front of the Sega!

On that note, I’m off to go get this baby out of the dryer, and put on some PJs. Now you know some more random crap about me!

And who would I like to pass the torch to? Hmmmm… how about…

Cindy from A Sparkle a Day
Bi from Bianca and the B-sides
Jennifer from Peas and Crayons

Check them out!

Peace and Justice to all (or something else I can actually deliver…)
Meri
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