I’ve been tagged for a few surveys (meme is the stupidest word ever) in the past few months but suck at keeping up with them. I wasn’t even tagged for this one but I felt it was kinda interesting so I’m doing it instead!

A. Attached or single? Boyfriend-ed

B. Best friend? William.

C. Cake or pie? I’m not really a fan of either. Cake, I guess but it all depends on the frosting. Most is far too sweet for me.

D. Day of choice? Sundays. They are usually pretty relaxing and lazy days.

E. Essential item? Only one? Dude, come on. Okay, rosebud salve. My Blackberry too. I get two essential items, don’t tell me what to do!

F. Favorite color? Burgundy. No, it’s not pink. I’m sure you are all surprised! But like I said before, I don’t really wear bright colors, I’m much more of a deep color kind of gal.

G. Gummy bears or worms? Eww. Neither. I’m not a fan of gummy candy.

H. Hometown? South side of Chicago! No, not the South Loop or by Comiskey. There is more of Chicago past 35th street. I’ll punch the next person who asks me one of those places when I say South Side.

I. Favorite indulgence? Buttery soft leather handbags. Mmmm. Also, spoiling my puppy rotten.

J. January or July? I’m not a fan of winter or summer but I’ll go with summer so July.

K. Kids? Oh god no. The ones (1 and 3) I nanny for are perfectly fine for now and they are the best birth control I could ever ask for. Thanks.

L. Life isn’t complete without? Puppy kisses, good books and great conversation.

M. Marriage date? I’d like a fall wedding if I get married. Late September or early October.

N. Number of brothers and sisters? One brother and one sister. My sister, Sara, has a blog. She is in school for special effects makeup in PA. That’s a link to her twitter as my mom reads her blog, I don’t want any trackbacks. Her blog link is in her twitter profile though. She posts some crazy shit. Go check it out.

O. Oranges or apples? Apples. With peanut butter! Oooh or apple sauce. Yum.

P. Phobias? Spiders, bees, being alone forever.

Q. Quotes? “Imperfection is beauty; madness is genius. And it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” - Marilyn Monroe

“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” - Coco Chanel

R. Reasons to smile? Being greeted by my excited puppy when I come home. Silly text messages. Getting mail…real mail! Cuddles and having my hair played with. Picking up a familiar and worn book. Good hair days.

S. Season of choice? Fall. Always fall. I’m a big fan of the cool weather, not too cold or too hot. I love the clothing choices. Boots and scarves, lots of layering. Unfortunately, fall only lasts about two weeks here in Chicago before we get hit with the freezing winds and blizzards.

T. Tag 5 people. Tag! You’re it.

U. Unknown fact about me? My favorite book in 4th grade was Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I was obsessed with that book. I was quite the reader.

V. Vegetable? Potato! I’m a fan of mashed potatoes. I use to work at this restaurant in high school and they had the most amazing garlic mashed potatoes EVER.

W. Worst habit? Besides doing lots of blow, I bite my nails. Okay, I lied. I don’t really do blow, I just bite my nails.

X. X-ray or ultrasound? Um…x-ray? I guess. Just as long as I have no broken bones. I’ve never broken any bones. *knocks on wood* I hope I don’t fall and break something now that I jinxed myself!

Y. Your favorite food? penne noodles with pesto sauce and chicken. I am a carb addict which is quite evident, in my opinion.

Z. Zodiac sign? Aries. Some traits you ask? Sure. Likes: Action, Coming in first, Challenges and Spontaneity. Dislikes: Waiting around, Admitting Failure, No opposition, Tyranny, Other peoples advice. Yeah, I’d say it’s pretty spot on.

Lately, I really haven’t felt like writing much. I guess it is kind of obvious, I haven’t been posting as often as I use to. There is more pictures, more plugs for my other blog and other stuff. I’ve been commenting less, clicking “mark all as read” a little more often.

It seems blog world has slowed down a bit. I remember I would be at 300+ entries in my reader a day. Maybe now that summer is coming to a close everyone will be back to their computers instead of lazing in the sun and rushing off to some fantastic location or another.

I think I need(ed) a little break. Not to say I’m going to stop blogging. I don’t think I could do that ever.

But there isn’t “quality content” up all the time. There isn’t much WRITING. I’m all about the fluff every now and then. I’m all about the silly articles, celebrity gossip, more puppy pictures than you can handle because you just might explode from cute if you see Edie’s big ears again. I don’t need to be moving people to tears, thought provoking and bring the hilarity every word I write.

I’m not going to force it.

Because that is not me and that isn’t what this blog is about.

Most people can tell when people try to hard.

I still love blogging and will continue to do so. Not all of us need to be A+ writing superstars and I probably will never be. That’s not why I started this thing, it’s all just in fun.

So it is what is. Take it or leave. Love or hate it. Blah, blah, blah.

Fluff and all.

ETA: I too love the fluff or I wouldn’t be posting it!

If someone met me in person after reading my blog, what are some things they would be surprised about IRL Me, compared to Blog Me.

• I don’t wear any pink. My clothing is mainly black, grey and white. The colors I wear are mainly like burgundies, purples, sometimes teals and blues but you get the idea. I think the only pink items I own and still wear are probably some of my little collection of Nikes. This blog lets my inner pink out!
• My hair really is just as pretty as I say it is.
• I’m really not that vain about my hair.
• No wait, I AM. It’s the only thing I am like that about about so shut your face.
• I really don’t like dogs.
• HAH. Lied. You know I love them. How could I not love this face?

Okay, this may be the most ridiculous entry I have ever written. Obviously, there is not much different between Blog Jamie and IRL Jamie.

Your turn.

Anything different between Blog You and IRL You?

Dear Steve,

I know most people call you Mr. Jobs or something along those lines, as you co-founded only the best company ever, Apple, but I like to think I can call you Steve. Being a loyal Apple customer, I was so psyched about getting the iPhone. An iPhone for $200?! Seriously, it’s pretty much all I have been talking about since the keynote last month. I was ready to throw my Blackberry Pearl out of my moving SUV on I-94 and throw myself on my knees at the shiny, pretty Apple store on Friday in front of some freaked out sales associate and beg that they had one left for me after I got out of work.

You have deceived me though. I guess if you want to get technical, I was trying to deceive you by jailbreaking my new iPhone and run it with my Tmobile SIM card and Blackberry plan instead of paying up the ass by canceling my current plan, moving over to AT&T and then paying their ridiculous amounts for iPhone plans, but those are just details.

Minor details.

I’ve been thwarted and my plan ruined.

This whole activation in store shit really messed me up. Yeah, I guess AT&T is picking up some of the cost which is why it’s going to be so cheap now but c’mon, man, I thought we were friends.

No, now I am stuck with this stupid, busted ass Blackberry Pearl. I’ve had this phone for almost 2 years. This is OLD technology! I’m suppose to be on time of my game here and you, Mr. Jobs, along with AT&T are making it hard for me. Why not open service plans up other companies? You would make so much more money. Isn’t that what this is all about? Money?

So today, I gave up and gave in.

I called up Tmobile and am having them send me a replacement Pearl (that cost me $120! $80 more and I could be living the Apple life to the fullest!). One with a moving trackball and working menu key because I won’t be partaking in the iPhone excitement tomorrow with all the other cool kids.

I bet the iPhone’s menu key always works. You don’t even need a trackball because it’s touch screen. I won’t even get a little taste of that.

Nope, not Jamie.

Maybe I’ll be able to find one on craigslist or ebay or maybe some kind soul who is upgrading will sell me their old one. You know, the older generation iPhone.

For now though, Steve, I think we need to take some time apart. I can’t deny I’m hurt by this.

I hope you understand.

Sincerely,

Jamie of Oh! How Lovely!

Picture this.

Nanny Jamie is playing with the almost one year old in the living room. 2 year old was in his room doing his business, he normally goes off and tells me when he is ready to change.

Then, it got quiet. Too quiet. I burst into his room.

What do I see?

A two year old with both legs in one of the leg holes on his Pull Up. Poopy diaper on the floor and a big brown spot where he plopped ass down on the cream carpet.

Later we see a disheveled nanny scrubbing the carpet with everything under the kitchen sick trying to get shit off the carpet.

That was only part of my day.

Yesterday was rough.

After a week of magic, fairy dust and no worries, I was back home. Back to reality.

Nannying is burning me out, the 12 hour days running around after kids who aren’t even mine. Don’t get me wrong, I love the kids to death. They are my babies, but I’ve been doing this long enough to know, how a kid acts with their parents and how they act with a sitter or nanny are on opposite ends of the behavior spectrum. The kids have more good days than not so good days. I really can’t complain, I get paid very well for what I do and I am practically part of the family. It’s just wearing me down.

I have money issues like no tomorrow. BlogHer is coming up, tuition, gas, and now vet bills. Turns out this dog my cousin gave me, doesn’t have any shots and must be neutered. All that is coming out of my pocket. I feel like I’m drowning and will never catch up.

My parents are officially divorced now, it happened last month. Unfortunately, they are both still living here so it’s like nothing has changed. House repairs, big and small, must be done before the house can be sold. I’m betting we will be stuck in this shitty situation until at the very least fall, I wouldn’t be surprised if we were here longer.

Meaningless little stuff that on a normal day wouldn’t bother me, yesterday had me absolutely reeling. I came home, the internet was being a bitch and it just pushed me over the edge. Everything bubbled up and over and I was done. Tears were officially flowing and I let it all out.

I sent boyfriend a text that I was going to bed at about 9:30 because I just needed the day to be over. He knows me too well and called. He talked and calmed me. He reminded me that yeah, things might suck now but I do have a lot to be happy for.

And I am.

Right then I was just feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. It finally all caught up with me and came out.

I’m happy I have someone to bring me back down and remind me of these things when needed.

I love him.

I have pretty hair. It’s long, down to the middle of my back and when I blow it out, it’s shiny and super straight. People tell me all the time how pretty it is and they like to touch it, even if they don’t know me. That kind of freaks me out. Anyway, one of my favorite things is to go to the salon because I always get told how gorgeous it is. Confidence booster! I also hate going to the salon because I’m always afraid it will get butchered! I rarely go get haircuts because of that reason, plus as a nanny, my long hair is always up in a bun. Babies and long, styled hair, don’t mix. I was incredibly overdue though, my last cut was in December.

Yesterday I made my trek after work to Urban Lift here in Chicago and $60 later (tip included), Mary hooked me up. She cleaned up my layers, took about two inches off and gave me some bangs. She was lovely and I highly recommend her if you are in need of some hair therapy! She also said if I need anything to call and email her and she would gladly talk me through any hair disasters that might sneak attack me. Plus, PLUS, free bang trims whenever I need them. I think I’ve found my hair guru here, people. She is that good.

I know I just wrote a whole entry about my hair but whatever, I can have one thing I’m vain about! So yes, love my hair.

Since some of you asked via twitter, I’m adding a picture. I should have taken it yesterday when my hair was blown out by Mary because I will never get it to look as good! I’m at work and it’s been up in a bun since I got out the shower so sorry for the messy waves, but you can see my bangs. Also, I don’t have time to pose and take 500 pictures until I get a incredibly flattering one, haha, so take it or leave it!

(more…)

I’ve played softball since forever. When I was probably 7 or 8, all my friends on my block played Tball. I was horribly jealous. Finally one summer my mom signed me up. I was thrilled! I remember I made a sign out of a piece of paper and wrote the name of my new team and proudly displayed it in the front window of my house. I was a T-Rose. Me. Now everyone could see. My friends on the block were on the T-iaras and the T-Spoons. Cute, huh? I spent one or two years playing Tball until I finally moved up into the Junior league.

In the Junior League, I was a Dove. Our colors were maroon and gold, how that was dove-ish, I don’t know. And for some reason, all the junior league was named after birds. Anyway, I was shuffled around from short stop and second base, occasionally third base because I had a good arm. Then one day my coach decided to try people out for pitcher. I had found my calling and I was good. I was really good. The coach’s daughter was also a pitcher. We were a good team but if for some reason I pitched a game and we lost, it was always my fault. He would berate me, make me cry, tell everyone we lost the game because of me. Yeah, it was pretty awful. My mother and him got into it a few times because he was such an asshole. He pushed me and pushed me and even when I cried, it just made me stronger. I was only in grade school, but he had me work out with the local high school’s team. As a result, I became fiercely competitive.

Finally growing out of the park district, I stopped for awhile. I always picked up my glove to throw the ball around but it wasn’t the same.  Even though it had been a few years, freshman year I decided I was going to try out for the high school team. I impressed varsity, who wanted me, but they already had 3 pitchers so it wasn’t likely I’d get any play time and the JV coach fought for me to be on his team. Whatever, as long as I got to play at all, I was happy.

The thing about public schools, well mine at least, was they took more of a lackadaisical approach to the game. It was just for fun for everyone. Not for me though. It was fun but I wanted to win. I needed that W. I started seeing a pitching coach three times a week outside of school, along with regular practice. I worked up speed, accuracy and had mastered quite a few different pitches. I trained my catchers. I ran the team more than the coach did. I never listened to him when he tried to tell me what to do. He didn’t know anything. I was this team. This was my team, they listened to me before him. No one could talk to me when I was on the mound because I was so zoned in on what I was doing. I was stubborn, bossy and hot headed. No one ever questioned me or tried to set me in my place either. I took competitive to a new level.

I remember one day we played the local Catholic school. Who was on the team? Asshole coach and his daughter. I swear if looks could kill, we both would have been dead and buried - one at the mound and one at the plate. It went on like this all game. We tried to one up each other every time the other was at bat. I paced the dugout. No one understood why this game meant so much to me. They were there to just have fun and I wanted to pull my hair out. I did my best, but one person can’t hold up a team on their own. We ended up losing, but not without a fight - at least on my part. It was one of the best games I ever played.

Junior year, I hurt the tendons in my shoulder really bad. I haven’t been the same since then, even with physical therapy. Needless to say, this brought my softball game to a screeching halt. Stopped scholarships. Stopped travel teams. Stopped it all. If only I hadn’t pushed myself so hard…

Every year, once spring rolls around I pull out my glove. It doesn’t get as much use anymore. There is a boys’ ball field a few blocks down from me and I always hear the clink of the ball on the bat from my window.

It takes me back, back to when I was on top. Back to the only time I really felt like I was good at something. Really good.

I’ve been pretty much maintaining the same weight, give or take a few pounds, since December when I went to Vegas. While the number was far from ideal, I wasn’t really mad at it. I don’t like it and still think it is too high, but it could have been worse. The past two weeks, I have really been indulging myself and telling myself it was okay because my birthday was coming up. Today I got on the scale and saw a number I was definitely not okay with, only a few pounds up but still, not good.

Starting today, I’m now back in lose weight mode. I have a trip to Florida in June and I would like to look acceptable in a swimsuit. So I’m back to watching my intake, daily weigh ins and elliptical every day I can fit it in. Also, now that the weather is actually starting to feel like spring and getting warmer, Edie and I will be taking a long walk once a day. I’m cutting out pop (soda, for your weird people!) completely and drinking tons of water. More protein, less carbs. All the little things like that will make a big difference.

So time to get in to shape. No bullshit. No excuses. Let’s do this - the right way.

…but I don’t care because it is my birthday!!!

Honestly, I’m not really ever too psyched on birthdays. I really don’t want to get older. Really though, this year so far has been a pretty big bummer with all that is going on, but I’m determined to make today a new start. I have lots of incredibly awesome things planned for the rest of the year, so this is kind of the start of it all.

I’m super excited about all that is in store for my three day birthday extravaganza!

Today
First off, today I have to stop by the travel agency to confirm the fabulous trip Jenn and I are going on in July. San Francisco and BlogHer, watch out! Maybe grab lunch or dinner with the boyfriend. I’m kind of feeling like some pasta! Leona’s? YES. Oh and maybe go buy Enchanted! Wrap it all up at boyfriend’s for some cake. Then tv catch up and cuddles with boyfriend.

Friday
21 comes out tomorrow so William and I are going to see that. Vegas! A movie is the closest I will get to Vegas until October, but that is okay. Then get myself all dolled up for a night on the town with friends in my little black dress that went unused in Vegas because I was sick. We got a table and bottle service at my most favorite night time spot in Chicago and a bunch of friends will come out. Hopefully. They better or I will punch them. In the eye. If you are in Chicago and want to come out, I might just tell you where, only if you have a cupcake in hand when you greet me! haha. I also won’t punch you in the eye.

Saturday
First, Edie and I will have puppy class at 11, which will definitely be hard to get to after Friday night. But we will persevere! Then an adventure with Jenn, since our first adventure went smashingly. This time a movie and mini food. Another day of fierceness all around.

And of course, even though it was a few weeks early, my favorite birthday present (to myself) was my little Corgi fluffy pup, Edie. She brightens every day for me and was the best thing I have ever got for myself.

Thank you all for the birthday wishes so far. You all are fabulous and I love you to pieces!

Turning 24 21 doesn’t seem so bad today

If you ever had a conversation with me, in person or even in IM, you know there are words I say ALL THE TIME. Hell, even in this blog here when I write.

- seriously
- obviously
- ridiculous
- awesome
- fabulous
- pupperoo (shut up, that is what I call my puppy)
- I know, right? (usually sounds like iknowright)
- dude (how can I forget that one!?)

Other puppy nicknames include:
- pup
- fluff
- Edie butt
- mamas
- my angel

I know there are tons more but for some reason I can’t think of them off the top of my head. I’ll edit this as they come to me!

Words or phrases you say all the time.

Go.