Saturday, May 29, 2010

Cruisin'

Say Hello to the most recent addition to my life. 

This is a 1973 Schwinn Hollywood cruiser bike. It is also my new project.  And I love it.
And I love Craigslist for leading me to it.  And I love that I paid $10 for a fun bike that is 12 years older than I am.

Oh by the way, I have no idea how to restore a 1973 Schwinn Hollywood cruiser, but I will find out.  And I will you keep you updated. 

And I might put streamers on it.  To be determined....
Thursday, May 27, 2010

Barf.

I don't know if you have seen or heard of a little book called "This is Why You're Fat: Where Dreams Become Heart Attacks" 

It exists. I promise, and it will make you seriously question eating fried things again.  At the very least it will make you think twice about what you're eating.

Why do I bring this up?  

Because I can't watch the commercial for IHOP's latest big seller (see below) without thinking that it belongs in that book.  Pancake + Cheesecake + Extra Pancake + Fake Sugar Fruit Topping + Whipped Cream.  Yeesh.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Culture shock moment #18,848 (but who's counting)

You can pick your friends. You can pick your nose.
But can you pick out a brand of mouthwash in less than 20 minutes?


In the United States, US Americans are surrounded by options.  A lot of them.

One of my recent culture shock adventures has been finding myself on a number of occasions staring at the (too many) options ahead of me.

It's pretty bad with restaurant menus.  In Peru, your menu was written on a chalkboard.  You normally had about 2 or 3 options to choose from.  Normally you pick a restaurant based on walking distance and/or the menu for the day.  In the United States, you might have 55 (or more) choices at any given restaurant.  And how many restaurants might there be within a short driving distance?"  A lot.  That's how many.

Yesterday, I found myself overwhelmed with all the options for mouthwash.  Would I like Antiseptic or Whitening? Spring mint or Ice mint?  Name brand or generic?  And I literally stood for 15 minutes at King Soopers with a partially opened mouth I'm sure, just trying to decide, and feeling utterly lost about making the best decision for my oral care. 

And do you know what?   There are even more options for deodorant than there are for mouthwash.

I miss bodegas.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Oh hello there, Contessa.


My how you haven't changed.

So as you know, or will know now, I am once again employed by the fantastic office furniture dealership and design firm known as Citron workspaces.

Do you know what one of the nicest things is about working for a design company and showroom that sells really nice office furniture?

I sit on really nice chairs.  

Like the Contessa...Teknion's feature desk chair. 

So comfortable...so well made.

So much more money than I will ever be able to pay for a chair.

But hey, it's the perks of the job.  Would you like to buy one?  I can sell you one and design your entire office while I'm at it.   
Sunday, May 16, 2010

Have you been to the farm?

Located in Colorado is something famously known around these here parts as White Fence Farm.

Hmm...how do I describe White Fence Farm?  Well...first start with a farm.  That's right a real farm, with a horse and carriage and sheep, goats, pigs, roosters, etc.  Then throw in 4 or 5 barns and country stores that sell all sorts of handmade goods, jellies, homemade fudge, etc. 

Then throw in a restaurant and all the delicious family-style food you can eat.  They make some delicious fried chicken, delicious mashed potatoes, delicious corn fritters, delicious...well you get the idea.  

And that, my friend, is White Fence Farm. 

Anyway, the reason why I bring this is up is because today is my mom's birthday (Happy Birthday Mom) and for her birthday lunch we went there.  I hadn't been there in years, even though we went alot when I was a kid.  It was nice, and I just wanted to pass along the information of this unique place...should you ever find yourself in Denver, and itching to visit an old-timey farm. 
Friday, May 14, 2010

I don't really know what made me think of this...

Ok wait.  Actually, I do know. 

I read The Pioneer Woman's blog from time to time and today she has a contest where you leave a comment answering a question and you could win a nice Le Creuset French Oven.  The question was

"What has been your favorite vacation ever?"

For those of you know who know me, the "What's your favorite?" question has always made me a little uneasy.  From favorite colors, to movies, to seasons, to music you name the category, and I probably won't name just one favorite.  I don't like favorites...why must you pick just one?  What if there isn't just one? Why do you have to name superlatives and make all the others feel bad?  Why Ok???  

Ok sorry.  I just don't like picking favorites.

Anyway, the point is, my "favorite"  up-there-in-the-list-of-really-awesome-vacations has been a trip I took to the jungle with 15 of my closest Peruvian and US friends.   I can't even tell you all the adventures we had.  Well, I suppose I could, but it would get lengthy.  One night, we camped out on top of this mountain called Morro.  And I saw the most amazing night sky I've ever seen. 

I saw 18 shooting stars in the span of just a few hours.  EIGHTEEN! 

I guess I could just use a few of those to wish on now. That's all.
Thursday, May 13, 2010

cue up angelic music...

Ok So it's been forever since I've blogged.

Does that have to do with the fact that:

a) I've been away for 3 of the 4 weeks that I've actually lived in the States?
b) I have been reluctant to blog because of the rough transition back in the US?
c) I haven't had anything to blog about because of no job?
d) I was busy in these last 3 days getting a job?
e) All of the above

The correct answer is e.
But let's take a moment and focus on d.

Yes that's right folks! I no longer have to check the "unemployed" box on surveys, applications, and other assorted documents.   As of about 10 o clock this morning, you can count me as a full-time employee of Citron Workspaces.

But Gillian...that office sound familiar! 

Oh yes my friends, that's because you may remember Citron Workspaces from my previous US life.  I worked there for awhile doing an internship while I was still in college.  I called them up about 2 weeks ago to meet up with my old bosses to catch up and to see if they knew anybody was hiring and if they could give me a recommendation.  Well, imagine my surprise (and elation) when I found out that they were excited to hear from me because they had an open position.  They let me know that they were very hopeful that I would be interested in taking it, and I let them know that I was very hopeful that they would give it to me.  Yada yada yada, cut to two weeks later. BAM. I'm employed.

So you know, if the spirit moves you, you can start singing the Doxology now.  And if not, maybe you can just be silently happy that I can start to afford things now.   I know I am.

P.s.  Here's a fun fact.  I can work 2 days at Citron and make just as much money as is needed to live comfortably for one month in Peru.  No, it's not that I make that much at Citron...it's just that the cost of living is so cheap in Peru.
Sunday, May 2, 2010

Consider my mouth agape...

I just can't pass this up. It's too much.

I haven't been able to wrap my head around this since it happened.

I have to blog this.

I just returned from visiting my brother, sister-in-law and new niece in Ft. Wayne, Indiana (again) and it just so happened that the same weekend we were there, Vera Bradley summoned her legions to the same city for her annual outlet sale.

Friends, I cannot tell you how crazed some women will get over the promise of 40-75% savings on these products. I myself don't really understand it. Maybe there's something that I'm not seeing in these paisley paroxysms; a hidden message within the quilting perhaps?

Well, in any case, the point is that 65,000 women drove from different states...even different countries (ok fine, probably just Canada) to camp out overnight in order to get into this sale where they will then have to wait in a check-out line for FOUR HOURS. I heard on the news that the spending limit per person is $2,500; but some lady got together a group of people and bought Fifteen THOUSAND dollars worth of Vera Bradley products.

So you know I just got back from Peru, and this is one of my culture shock moments.  I'm trying my best not to make too many comparisons between Peru and the US, but good grief!

Just to know that someone will put that much effort into one day of shopping for products from one designer. In Peru, $15,000 could buy a family of 6 adults 937.5 days worth of generously sized restaurant meals (3 meals a day). That's food for a family of 6 for like...2 and a half years! YEARS!!!!!!

Ok...even blogging about it doesn't help me understand it any better. I think I'm just going to have to let this one go...