Wow 3 AM, where did you come from? Time goes by way too fast when I have a weekend off work. Oh well--had a great day with my mom (and dad, before and after the Hawkeye game). Lunch at Olive Garden, some shopping at the mall, and just hanging out at our apartment. Nice low-key afternoon. Crosby was so happy to see my parents, and vice versa. Hard to believe that the next time I see them will probably be Thanksgiving. This year has gone by so fast. I mean really...how is it almost November?!

Speaking of November...I finally have a NaNo idea. It's very vague...but an idea, nonetheless. Kind of excited. It's going to be interesting, trying to spew out five pages every day for thirty days. Definitely not my style. I'm more the "write one paragraph and then rewrite it a thousand times until it's perfect and then call it a day" type. But I think it will be good for me to get out of my comfort zone.

Not quite ready to go to bed yet...sooo survey.

Do you ever get the urge to pinch or squeeze something unbearably cute? Only all the time.
Are you a person that asks a lot of questions? Not really.
Would you ever try a deep-fried Oreo? Absolutely.
Have you ever had to hide a hickey from a parent? Yeah.
Do you watch Dexter? No.
Is The Office boring, or funny? Funny! One of my favorite shows.
Do you bother to recycle? Yeah, some stuff. But for the most part, not really. I know, we're horrible.
The majority of people you know have what hair color? Brown, I guess.
What's your favorite children's book? I had too many favorites.
Do you use scented lotion or body oil after you shower? No.
What do you smell like right now? Pretty much how I always smell. Little winter candy apple scent left on me from my trip to Bath and Body Works today.
Are you excited about this upcoming winter? Some parts of it. Christmas, getting to wear sweaters and my cute coat, the prettiness of snow, the coziness of the season...not so excited about the cold, or hard to drive in weather.
Do you keep your shopping bags? Yeah. We use them as garbage bags for our tiny trashcans.
Do you have highlights? What color(s)? Nope.
Are spaghetti straps tacky? I don't think so...in general, at least.
Had a ladybug ever bitten you? No. They bite? Wow, now I like them even less than before.
Do you have a pillow that is YOUR pillow, of which no one else may use? I have my pillow and Jordan has his. We don't use each others' because we like different style pillows...his is really flat and mine is really puffy.
Is there someone that you text, everyday, without fail? Nope.
Have you ever drawn on someone's face while they were sleeping? I don't think so.
What was the topic on the last essay you were required to write? I believe my last essay was for my European Lit class, on the french novel Germinal. But I'm not positive.
What kind of face wash do you use? Neutrogena.
Where'd the best burger you've ever had come from? Applebee's quesadilla burger is really good. And I really enjoy my Dad's burgers.
Have you ever constructed jewelry out of paperclips whilst bored in class? Yes to the constructing jewelry out of paperclips part, but I never did it while in a class.
Was South Park's impression of Snooki perfect? No idea.
Do you still own any VHS tapes? Not here--at my parents' house, yes. I've been meaning to steal all their Disney tapes, too.
Have you ever written something in the sand at a beach? Pretty sure I have.
Have you ever fallen in love with a best friend? Not exactly. Jordan didn't become my best friend until after we fell in love. I did date some of my closest friends in high school, though.
How much money do you spend on non-essential items every week? It varies. It also depends on what you consider essential.
Do you remember the first true horror movie you ever watched? Yeah. It's a weirdly good memory...it was at a church teen Halloween party when I was fourteen or fifteen, and it was one of the first times that Brandon held my hand. And that was SUCH a big deal to me.
Do you record/journal/write down all of your dreams you remember having? No. I don't think I've ever done that. Like most people, I don't remember my dreams for very long after waking up.
What's your favorite carnival ride? I've never been to a carnival, so I don't have one.
Ever watch cartoons? King of the Hill and Family Guy. That's about it.
Do you know who Jonathon Adler is? No.
Anyone specific make you ridiculously anxious when they ask for 'a favor'? Not really.
Do you have a signature on your cell-phone for texting? Nope.
If I gave you $250,000, what would you do with it? Pay off my student loans...put the rest in a savings account.
What's the last thing you asked for help with? Cleaning the house.
Have you ever seen a UFO? No.
Have you ever cut the crease in your ankle, shaving your legs? Yeah.
^ annoying, isn't it? Mmhmm.
Does your home have a fireplace? My parents' house does. One of my favorite things about being there in winter. So cozy.
Could you start a fire without a match/lighter? Probably not.
Ever been shocked by an electric fence? No.
Do you celebrate any holidays that the majority of people don't? No, not really. I'd say I celebrate fewer holidays than the majority of people.

BRRR

Okay, I am so not ready for winter. I can't believe how cold 40 degrees feels!! I'm still shivering from the walk to my car after work. This pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks sure is helping, though! If you like cinnamon fall-ish flavors, you should try one. I don't even like pumpkin pie that much, and I love this stuff. Hmm, how do I always end up blogging about food/drinks?

Well, not a whole lot has been happening lately. Target is raising their starting pay, so I get a slight pay increase, along with 70 other team members. Good stuff. Jordan's new job is going well. He only gets one or two shifts a week right now, since the hardcore holiday shopping won't start for another month or so.

My parents are coming to visit on Saturday...I'm super excited, even though I just saw them two weeks ago. And I get a three day weekend! :) Hard to believe that I got Halloween off without even asking for it. I, of course, have no plans. Maybe I'll sneak into the hotel and hang out with Jordan.

No survey (for once) because I have a headache. Off to flop on the couch and watch Food Network.

Ignore this post...

Because it's just a survey.

Would you rather deal with all your emotions at once, or none at all? I don't know...both would be quite unpleasant. But I think I would rather feel everything than nothing.
Do you like to climb trees? I loved to when I was little. It's been a few years since I've been in a tree, though.
Name your three closest friends. Not counting the husband--Carissa, Katie, my mom.
In order to fall asleep, do you need the conditions to be perfect? It doesn't really matter. Perfect or not, it always takes me a long time to fall asleep...unless I'm sleep deprived or exhausted...or on some kind of medication.
Do you get excited or annoyed when the phone rings? When I hear it ring, I'm just curious. Once I see who's calling, then I start to feel excited or annoyed, depending on the caller.
What was your last argument with your parents about? I don't know. We haven't had any argument for years.
When was the last time you cried and why? Last week, when I was watching the movie Step Mom on TV.
Do you prefer writing poems or stories? Whatever comes out. Usually stories.
Do you have a Tumblr account? (If so, what is the URL?) I don't even know what Tumblr is.
Were you ever in Boy/Girl Scouts? Nope.
What is the best kind of Girl Scout cookie? Samoas and Thin Mints are my favorites.
What's the best thing about Halloween? The candy.
Are you in love? Yeah, I am. :)
Have you ever questioned your own intentions? Sure.
What was the last dream you had about? Jordan and I were supposed to get married in some other state, but I couldn't get to the wedding. I was stuck at some airport with Crosby and no one would tell me what flight I was supposed to take.
What's the appropriate age to have sex? Personally, I felt it was right to wait til I was an adult, ie eighteen or older. But I'm not going to say that that's right for everyone.
What type of movies can't you stand? Gory horror movies.
Do people choose to be gay or are they born that way? I'm not gay, so I don't feel like I can really answer that. I imagine that it varies from person to person.
What city do you feel you belong in? I'm not sure. Burlington still feels like home...but I really love parts of Iowa City.
What were your grades like in high school? Good. Always above 3.5.
Is pornography evil or are you neutral about it? I'm more neutral about it.
Do you prefer to be monogamous, or are you more a casual dater or swinger? Yes, monogamous.
What illicit drugs have you done? None.
Are you a friendly person? Yes.
Have you ever had a crush on more than one person at once? Do you now? Yes, in high school/right after high school. No, not now.
What's the best thing about teenage relationships? I don't know. Maybe the carefree-ness? No pressure about getting married/investing in the future/etc.
What's the worst? The boys are so sex-crazed.
Have you ever played the Tomb Raider games? No.
Are you a happy person? Yes, generally.
Do you like it or hate it when your partner is clingy? Since Jordan is rarely clingy, it's kind of nice when he is. If he was clingy all the time, it would annoy me.
Describe your hair. Medium brown, bit past my shoulders. Thin, soft, mostly straight. Really needs to be trimmed.
Do you want to have a huge platinum wedding or a small one? Ours was more small than "platinum" and we were perfectly happy with it.
Which is worse: breaking up with somebody, or being dumped? Breaking up with somebody.
Are you a healthy eater? Not really...though I've been trying to be better, lately.
Would you kiss a smoker? If I really liked him, yeah.
Beatles or Rolling Stones? I'd say Beatles, but only because I know more songs by them.
How bad is your temper? It's pretty mild.
Who is your favorite relative? I'm closest to my mom, but I wouldn't call her my "favorite."

Mmm, nutella

So...Jordan and I ended up NOT going to that wedding. He had a rough night at work the night before, had a migraine...so we just skipped it. I was mildly disappointed--I always get excited when I have a reason to dress up. I even bought new shoes. Oh well. We had a nice relaxing night at home.

Sunday and Monday, I was in Burlington. Had a wonderful time with my parents, as always. Went shopping, had sushi for lunch, relaxed. I love being in my parents' house. They bought me a bookshelf! I've been dying to have a nice full sized bookshelf...I hate having my books have been scattered in half a dozen different locations throughout our apartment. It's six feet tall and two feet wide..."espresso" brown. It took forever to build, but it's done and it looks great!

Nutella+toast+good coffee=best breakfast ever.

Work soon.../sigh. But tomorrow's my day off! :) Survey.


What do your friends call you? Amy, Ames.
Are you using your real name on MySpace? Yes.
Would you be fired if your boss saw your MySpace page? No.
Have you slept with over 25 people? No.
Do you have a college degree? Yes.
Has your degree helped your career? Not really. Though if I wanted to go for a promotion at work, it would help.
How many times have you been married? Once.
How many children do you have? None.
Do you own a house? Nope.
What's your largest bill? Electic, gas, phone, etc. Pretty sure it's our cable/internet.
Do you like your job? Meh. It's okay. I don't hate it.
If you won the lottery what would you do first? Probably quit my job, lol. Pay my parents and Jordan's parents back for all the financial help they've given us in the past. Start looking for houses.
Would you share the winnings with anyone? If so, who? Jordan, of course.
Would you ever be willing to take a lie detector test? Sure.
What's your middle name? Renee.
Are you white collar or blue collar? I don't know. I guess blue collar, since I get paid by the hour and my job doesn't require a degree.
What is your dream job? Freelance writer.
Describe your dream house. Pretty much my parents' house. But with one more bedroom and a nicer kitchen.
What is your favorite color? Green.
What color are your eyes? Blue/green.
What is your shoe size? 6. Sometimes 6 1/2...depends on the style.
Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi.
Are you introverted or extroverted? More introverted.
What is your worst fear? People I love dying.
What website do you visit the most? Facebook.
Do you own an iPod? Which model? Yeah, a nano.
Do you own a vehicle? What is it? Yes. 99 Mercury Mystique. We also have a Mercury Sable. Don't know what year, and it's technically my Dad's car.
How many times have you lied today? I don't believe I've lied at all.
If you're married and your spouse cheated on you, would you forgive them? Yes.
Have you ever been arrested? Nope.
What is your favorite drink? Coffee.
What is the best pickup line (date) you've heard? I've never heard any good ones, really.
What do you find sexy? When a guy is confident, good with kids, has a nice sense of humor...and on the physical side of this question, has a cute smile, nice abs, soft hair, muscles.
What turns you off?
Democrat or Republican? I like to call myself a moderate because I don't completely identify with either party, but I'm more Republican than Democrat.
Pro-Choice or Pro-Life? Pro-life.
What do you do for a living? I work at Target. Whoo.
Name one fun thing you did today. I had nutella on toast for breakfast! Not exactly fun, but good.
What or who do you care about the most? Jordan, Crosby, my best friends, my immediate family.
Have you ever gone to your high school reunion? We haven't had ours yet, and when we do, I'm not going.
What college did you go to? SCC, then U of I.
Describe your perfect mate. Jordan.
Why is your best friend the best?
What is your favorite book and why? Ha, too hard to pick.
If you could look like a movie star, who would it be? Anne Hathaway.
How old do you want to live to? I don't have a specific age in mind. Into my 80s or 90s, if I could stay in good health, mentally and physically. That would be ideal.
What is the best way you could die (in sleep, etc.)? Yes, in my sleep.
Who knows the real you the most? Jordan.
Have you had sex in the last 4 days? Nope.
Is your sex life good? It's okay. Our schedules don't exactly line up, so we don't get to have sex very often. Such is life.
Are you happy with your life? Yes.
What is your biggest accomplishment? Maybe graduating college. Or managing to find and marry the right person.

Good Day.

I am in love with Yoplait light key lime pie flavored yogurt. SO tasty. It's fat-free...only 100 calories...and has all kinds of other healthy stuff going on. :) You should also try the triple berry torte...YUM.

Today has been lovely. To start with, it's a gorgeous day. Too hot for October, but oh well. Still gorgeous. When I woke up, Jordan asked me if I like it when he's spontaneous (I said yes) and he said we should go see The Social Network at 1:30. It's extremely rare for him to make or agree to spur of the moment plans, so that was fun. We had Panera Bread for lunch right before (split our favorite sandwich--sierra turkey without the onions). The movie wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it was good. Jordan collapsed into bed as soon as we got home (he hadn't gone to bed yet after getting home from work this morning), and I've been relaxing with Crosby. Good day. I'm sad that the sun is already starting to set...it's not even 6:00! It's so hard to get used to the shorter days. I'm dreading the end of daylight savings time next month...

Little update: Jordan got the job at GameStop. Yay! He goes in tomorrow to fill out paperwork and possibly start training. I'm excited for him to finally be working with something he's passionate about. He's excited, too, so hopefully the job lives up to our expectations.

Well, this week is going to be interesting for me. Rather than my regular Tuesday-Thursday, Saturday-Sunday schedule, I'm working Monday-Friday. I'm cashiering on Monday and Friday, my usual days off (boo). But it will all be worth it--three day weekend coming up! Saturday is Jordan's cousin's wedding. I got Sunday off, too, in case we decided to spend the night in Cedar Rapids and have brunch with the family in the morning...(turns out we aren't because Jordan couldn't get Saturday night off) and then I still have my usual day off on Monday. Three days! It's going to be fabulous. Might make a trip down to Burlington to see my parents.

Now I'm going to fill out an annoying survey because I like to do that when I'm listening to music.

How many hours has it been since you woke up? Six.
What are you sitting on right now? Desk chair.
Are you listening to anything? Yes. Grooveshark is on shuffle...right now, an instrumental of Be Still, My Soul is playing.
Has anyone ever sprayed you fully clothed with a hose? Yeah.
Do you own an umbrella? Yes. Somewhere. I think it's in our backseat.
What all do you have in your pockets right now? Nothing. No pockets in these pants.
Who was the last female you hung out with? Carissa.
What is the surname of the last person you called? Locke.
How many keys are on your keychain? Four on our keychain for the Mercury, five on our keychain for the Sable.
What do they go to? Cars, mailbox, my parents' house, Carissa and Brian's place, lockbox.
Are you wearing a shirt that has a sports team logo on it? Nope. I was this morning, though. Go Hawks.
Or a band tee? No.
Or a tee with your school's name on it? No.
What color is the floor of the room you're in? Beige.
Have you parents ever hated one of your boyfriends/girlfriends? Not "hated"...but they've definitely disapproved.
How old are the last three people you kissed? Well, Jordan's 23. Thinking back to four years ago...Joey is now 22. And Justin from teen camp, lol, would be...20 now, I think.
How old were you in 1995? Seven, for most of the year.
How old will you be in 2027? 39, for most of the year. Wow, the thought of being 39 is kind of depressing.
What brand of shampoo do you use? Herbal Essences.
Do you like when people call you things like "baby", "sweetie","hun", etc? I like when Jordan does. Other people, meh. I don't really care. Though it kinda creeps me out when strange men call me darlin' or honey...which has happened quite a lot, at my various jobs.
Who was the last person to give you money? Target, in the form of my paycheck.
Have you ever dreamt of someone you barely know? Yeah.
When was the last time you went to the ocean? When I was seven.
Have you ever been to Miami? So, never been that far south into Florida.
Dallas? Yeah. Just the airport.
Phoenix? Mmm, don't think so. I've been to Arizona, but I don't know what town we were near. I was only 11.
Minneapolis? Pretty sure that's a no.
What were you doing the last time 7pm rolled around? Taking my last 15-minute break at work.
Do you know how to give CPR? Kinda. I've read a poster with the instructions many times at work because it's posted above the sink at Food Avenue.
Do you have a blood donor's card? No.
Have you ever taken a pregnancy test? Yeah. At least ten of them since Jordan and I have been married. Not being on birth control makes me paranoid.
Has anyone seen you naked in the last week? Yeah.
How about the last month? Yeah.
What kind of doctor did you go to the last time you went? Dermatologist.
Are you Jewish? No.
Have you ever wished your eyes were a different color? Yeah. I like my blue/green eyes...but I wish I had Matt's eye color. Given our parents' eye color, I don't know how he ended up with hazel, but they're gorgeous and I'm jealous.
How many times does "n" occur in your full name? Once.
What are you initials? ARL.
Does your ex still think about you? I doubt it.
What is something that always makes you feel pretty? Jordan telling me I look pretty.
How many songs are on your mp3/ipod? Dunno. 300 or something. I haven't used it since we moved because I keep forgetting to charge it.
Do you like coffee? Yes.
Have you ever flashed someone, accidentally or intentionally? Yeah.
Where was the last place you went? The mall.
Have you spent any money today? Yes.
What will you be doing in three hours? I don't know. Something around the apartment.
Do you have any big plans for the weekend? Yes, as mentioned above.

Yay, Monday

Enjoying my customary day-off latte...no calls from Target so far! :) Speaking of Target, yesterday was pretty terrible. Most Sundays, in general, are terrible. Since I close at 8:00 instead of 9:00, I lose an hour of cleaning time...and the afternoon is always so busy that there's no way to start cleaning earlier than usual. It sucks. And because the mall closes at 6, large amounts of Target employees come to Food Avenue on their evening lunch breaks. Which means I have to make more sandwiches, salads, and cookies when I should be starting the closing process. Ugh. However, yesterday's awfulness was overshadowed by the fact that I found someone to cover my cashiering shift on the 16th! That means I can go to Jordan's cousin's wedding. I've never met this cousin or spent much time at all with that side of Jordan's family, so he was really disappointed when I told him I wasn't able to get the day off. But now all is well. I just have to decide what to wear to the wedding...

Well, I have the usual day-off plans lined up. Clean the apartment. Write. Go shopping. But first...

Have you ever followed someone you cared about into a disastrous situation? Mm...maybe? I can't think of a specific situation, though.
Someone's talking sh!t about you. How do you handle this? I've never been in this situation, so I'm not sure. My first instinct would be to ignore the problem. I'm not sure what I would do if it got out of hand...I'd like to think that I would confront the person, eventually.
Do you prefer escalators or elevators? Elevators.
If you had a time machine, when would you go? I'd probably take a gander at every past century, assuming that I could use the time machine as much as I wanted.
What helps a hangover? I've never had one.
Do you know how to bake? Yes.
You're getting a custom-made hat. What do you want it to look like? A stocking cap with a chunky homey looking knit and a crocheted flower on one side. In a neutral color that would go well with my different coats.
Has your house ever been broken into? No, thankfully.
Who is the last person to call you 'Sweetheart'? I don't remember. Probably my Dad.
Do you think that iPods are dangerous? My great gma does... How so? If you mean dangerous as in people kill themselves because they're distracted with their ipods while driving, yeah. But the same is true of any distraction in the car. If there's other reasons to feel that ipods are dangerous, it's news to me.
Sunny or thundery? Depends on my mood.
What's the 5th message in your inbox from? Dunno. Don't feel like looking.
Are your eyebrows thick/thin/or basically nonexistent? Pretty normal, I guess.
How many hours of sleep do you usually get a night? It varies wildly. Between 6 and 12.
The old, or the new Alice in Wonderland? I like both. LOVED the new one with Johnny Depp, but it didn't make me appreciate the classic cartoon version any less.
Your regrets: are they mostly thing you HAVE done, or haven't? I don't have many regrets and I try not to dwell on the ones that I do have.
What's the time? 1:11.
What's in your pocket(s)? Nothing.
What would you like on your taco? Cheese, lettuce, sour cream. Maybe a little hot sauce.
How big is your cosmetics bag? About the size of a small purse.
Could you explain Scientology to me, without making it sound ridiculous? No.
Where's the 'rich neighborhood' around where you live? I dunno, the heights, I guess.
Do you live there? No.
Have you ever seen The Wizard of Oz? Yes.
What's your mother's favorite movie? Her favorite movies are classics from the early twentieth century. Stuff with Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, etc. I'm not sure what her favorite is.
Favorite Vitamin Water flavor? Dunno, I've never tried it.
Cookie, ice-cream cone, or a taco? Right now, I could go for an ice cream cone. That's what I would usually pick, unless I was legitimately hungry. Then I'd go for the taco.
What's the best way to calm you down when you're pissed off? Give me some space.
Can you ride a bike with no handlebars? Doubt it.
Why are dumb things like mustaches and bacon becoming trends? Hah, I didn't really mustaches and bacon had become trendy.
Who's on your list? What list?
^ list for what? I don't have a list...
Can you do the splits? No.
Are you SLOUCHING? Yes.
You're sending a message in a bottle off to sea. What do you write in it? Some quote. I dunno. It would take me a while to decide.
Hazelnut, nutmeg, caramel, or vanilla? Depends on what form they're in. Are we talking just the flavors, like in creamer or syrup for coffee, or the actual things...like a whole hazelnut and a vanilla bean? You must be more specific, survey writer.
What's your favorite color(s) for nail-polish? I don't like any on my nails. For my toes, I like pink or red.
Do you try to stand out? Not really.
What do you put on your toast? Margarine and strawberry jam. Sometimes margarine and cinnamon and sugar.
The last time you had brefagust, what'd you have? If that's supposed to say "breakfast," that's a horrible typo. I can't believe you didn't notice. And I had a blueberry muffin and a caramel latte.
Get anything in the mail today? Haven't checked yet. I hope the book I ordered came/comes, though!
Have you ever done something with a condom, other than have sex? No.
If you had to be handcuffed to someone for a WEEK, who would it be? Jordan, obviously.
What's your town/city/state known for? Corn. My hometown is known for Snake Alley.
Do you ever feel like you're just running in circles? (figuratively) Yeah.
Do you know how to use a compass? Yeah.
Tie a tie? Not the real way...but I can mess with one long enough that it almost looks right.
Were you afraid of monsters, ghosts, or witches, as a child? When I was 1-2, I was scared of monsters. According to my parents. I remember being scared of burglars and murderers breaking into the house when I was a kid.
Cardigan or hoodie? Cardigan.
What's something you're really, REALLY good at? Writing...or I like to think so, at least.
Have you ever been afraid of giving head 'cause you thought you'd...
urm... 'bite' him, accidentally? Um, no.
True or false. ANYONE could play the drums. Depends on what you mean by play.
Explain. ^
Are you better at ping pong or air hockey? Probably a little less bad at air hockey.
You want your pancakes _____ shaped. I don't care. Just make them taste good.
Do you know how to stitch or knit? No. I know the very basics of crocheting, but that's about it.
Would you rather own a yacht or a submarine? A yacht, I guess.
Do you wanna go home, too? I am home.
You want a ____ flavored cake in the shape of: What's with these questions about the shape of food? As for the flavor, I could go for a carrot or spice cake right now.
Favorite bagel & cream cheese??? I hardly ever have bagels, so I don't really have a favorite. But a long time ago, when the ever-changing bagel shop (which is now a weird office building or something) in West Burlington was Big Apple Bagels, I would go there with my mom and get an apple cinnamon bagel with cinnamon sugar cream cheese. Toasted, of course. SO GOOD.