old skool

The Things I Miss

Don't get me wrong--I'm very glad to be back in Kentucky. Closer to family, closer to some friends, etc. But some times, there are things I miss about "my old life" in Connecticut. Because I'm feeling a little nostalgic, here they are, in no particular order...

1. My friends--Priya, Lauren, Dana, Michelle, Elizabeth, Alicia, etc etc etc.

2. Paul's Pasta--This was one of my favorite restaurants in Connecticut. All the ingredients were made from scratch daily. We would get take out a lot because it was really close to my house. We would eat there, in the restaurant, sometimes...but as my co-workers and I found...the waitresses really weren't that nice! They always seemed like they were "doing us a favor" or something, which really put me off. Oh well. I still miss the delicious food.

3. Rob Rivers Salon & Spa--You want the best eyebrow wax ever? You go here, to Rob Rivers Salon & Spa in Mystic, Connecticut, and you get the hook up with Danielle or Katie. I have yet to have a comparable eyebrow wax. Talk about spoiling me. I might have left there with two red stripes across my face, but there was nary a stray eyebrow. Here? I've yet to receive the same level of service, but perhaps I've yet to find my Danielle or Katie.

4. Valentino's Restaurant in Ledyard, CT--The best pizza, hands down. My co-workers and I went here ALL the time because it was just 5 minutes from our office. They knew my order like they knew their own name. I took my family here once and they LOVED it. In fact, they still talk about it. Mmm, I could go for a slice of Valentino's right about now!

5. A 35-hour work week and a supervisor who really didn't care if I left early on Friday. Need I say more?

Okay that's about it for now. I've got to finish up some schoolwork and call it a night. 

July 11th--I can't think of a witty title...

Good morning! I'm feeling good right now! I am proud of myself because 1, I woke up before 9 am on a Saturday; 2, I folded a load of laundry right away; and 3, I went for a short run/walk (which nearly killed me) and then got my dogs and walked them!

Here it is, only 10:00 and I feel like I've accomplished a lot! I know I shouldn't be so "proud" for doing a short run/walk, but I am not a runner. I wish I were. I've noticed people who lose a ton of weight and/or look slim and slender either have ridiculously high metabolism or cholesterol (as is the case of my 5'9 115 lb friend on Lipitor), OR are runners. I do not want to lose a ton of weight. However, earlier in the week I went out looking for some new jeans and became incredibly frustrated. Yesterday, I tried on a bathing suit (that I bought 2 years ago--it fit fine back then) and felt like I needed a "wide load" sign across my behind. More of my a$$ was out of the suit than was in. While this might be a good look for the Victoria's Secret model in the catalog, who convinced me I need the suit...it is not a good look for me at this point in time. Also? I just figure I needed to do some exercise. If I run again tomorrow I will consider it an astronomical accomplishment.

Onto something else...you might be wondering what happened to Fashion Friday these past 2 weeks. While Fashion Friday is not gone completely, it is taking a short hiatus. As you'll infer above--where I reference the bathing suit that now looks like a piece of fabric over my behind whereas it once looked like a bikini bottom--I apparently don't have a ton of self control. This ties into Fashion Friday because...I've shopped wayyyy too much lately. I find cute items online for FF, then somehow they make it into my online shopping cart and before you know it, I've got an email in my inbox thanking me for my order!

I decided I'd put myself on a shopping ban. Well, it has not worked so well. For one, I've found a way around it by using gift cards that I received as, well, gifts. So see, it wasn't like cash money I could use to pay a bill. Two, I have not used gift cards. I've just gone against myself. NOT GOOD PEOPLE--not good at all.

Oh self-control, where art thou?!

However I am selling some stuff. Here's why--the jacket is too big. Only worn twice, no stains, nothing. Excellent Used Condition. Skirt--in the closet for 3 months, haven't worn it. Blouse--also too big, purchased on Final Sale and cannot return it. More details below.

For Sale: J. Crew by jill.barnett featuring J Crew

All J. Crew Items:
-EUC, Crocodile Cocktail Jacket Sz 4, only worn twice--$75 inc. shipping
-NWT, Stretch Sateen Pencil Skirt, Sz 6--$40 inc. shipping
-NWT, Ivory Silk Meringue-Sleeve Blouse, Sz 4--$20 inc. shipping
 
Interested? Email me or leave me a comment here! We'll do the transactions via Paypal for security purposes.

For now friends, I gotta run. Gotta shower and all that jazz. I'm meeting my friend Lauren for lunch and I don't want to smell as though I just went on a run/walk. I doubt she'd appreciate that. Happy Saturday!

sending good thoughts...

The purpose of this morning's post is sending good thoughts, good vibes, good prayers out to people I care about.

Number one, my husband is in NYC today, taking an exam. It is a 6-hour test. It has a very low pass rate, but he has been studying hard for months and I have a lot of faith in him. I'm hoping he feels confident and gets through the exam...and of course that he passes. It is a certification test specific to his industry. Been thinking of him all morning, sending good vibes out to the universe and a prayer that he does well.

Number two, today I'm thinking of some friends. One of my close girlfriends' & her boyfriend, as well as his whole family and race team. His mother passed away three months ago and today is his first race of the season. She was one of his biggest cheerleaders. Though I only met her a few times, I know she was a special person. I said a prayer for them this morning...I know it will be hard for all of them, being at the track without her, but I know God will be there for them, and I know she will be there with them, too.

I don't talk about God and religion a lot here, I know, but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking about Him, and it doesn't mean He isn't present in my life, because he is. I know I disappoint him every day with my potty mouth and the fact that I don't go to him more...but it is nice to know He is always there...

wayyy back wednesday: vol. 2

Welcome to Way Back Wednesdays, Volume 2! Woohoo!

Jill (L) and Danielle (R)

This picture was taken my senior year of high school, before a basketball game. Specifically, it was our homecoming game, and while I was in uniform I did not cheer. My cheerleading "career" basically ended after football season, due to my car accident and rather extended hospital stay, but that is neither here nor there!

Danielle was a grade behind me, so we met when I was in 8th grade and she was in 7th. That was the first time we ever cheered together. She was really funny and I always thought she had the most beautiful eyes!

Anyway, this particular year (2001) our squad went to nationals in Orlando, FL. Again, I wasn't cheering but I went anyway. After all, I competed in the competition that earned us the bid to get there. On one of our "off" days or nights, the team went to Magic Kingdom. We were allowed to split up and go off in our own groups, but we were supposed to meet back at Cinderella's Castle that night for the parade. Danielle and I were together, and a couple others I think. We got "turned around" in the park, amongst the crazy swarm of people for the parade, and we could not find our coach and the rest of our team.

We tried to find them for what seemed like forever. We even went to the bus/tram stops and just sat there, thinking we'd see them, but we never did. We knew we'd be in hot water if we took the bus back to the hotel on our own, so we just sat and waited. We knew our coach would come back for us.

And ohhhh, did she.

I do not think I had ever witnessed my coach so angry. I also don't think she believed that we had truly tried to find them! You know that feeling you get when you are disappointed, because you know you've let someone down? That is how I felt. But at the same time, I was aggravated because she thought I was being dishonest. Together, Danielle and I alternated between being hurt and being mad. But whatevs. That was a "moment."

Another thing "moment" I'll never forget was the time Danielle checked by blood sugar. Danielle had diabetes and pricking her finger, checking her blood, it was no big deal. She did it all the time. Once, before a game, I felt super light-headed and shaky. She said that is how she felt when her blood sugar was low, so she said, "give me your finger!" Ever the obedient little one, I did.

POP!

OWWWW

I felt like I had just got an ear piercing in my index finger! Thankfully the pain was short-lived. I remember thinking, "how does she do this multiple times each day?!" At any rate, I was fine. I probably just needed to eat.

Eat...something besides a Little Debbie cake and Mountain Dew. Which I pretty much ate multiple times, every day, yet still managing to weigh about 110 pounds. Remember this scenario is when I was in HIGH SCHOOL.

I'm pretty sure if I ate like that now...I'd be in the HIGH weight category, HIGH blood sugar category, HIGH number on the scale and size of my pants category. Omg man.

I miss eating Little Debbie Brownies for breakfast.

Sigh. The good ol' days...

wayyy back wednesday

I think I'm going to start a weekly series called Way Back Wednesdays (hopefully I can keep it up!). Each Wednesday I will post an old-er picture, and give ya some commentary to go along with it. What do you think? Shall we give it a go?

Circa spring 2002...Audrey (L) and Jill (R)

Audrey and I were roommates second semester of my freshman year of college. My first semester, I lived somewhere else. When I moved to the dorms after Christmas, I was originally assigned a room by myself. It was completely empty, so it was just me. Audrey lived on the floor, but with another girl. She and the other girl didn't get along that great...the other girl had some questionable extracurriculars, we'll see. So, Audrey moved in with me. We lived in room 1414.

For the most part, Audrey and I were okay. I think we both judged each other a little too much. We each did things that pissed the other off. We had our disagreements, and as first year college students living away from home, we made bad choices. Our relationship wasn't great. When we moved out at the end of the semester, I don't know that we even said anything to one another (I can't remember).

In 2006, I joined facebook, we friend'ed one another, etc. As it turned out, Audrey was getting married that summer! I just happened to be in Kentucky for a month or so around that time, so her sister invited me to a wedding shower. Then I went to Audrey's wedding. Luckily, we have both matured as we've gotten older!

Now, Audrey and her husband live about a mile from my husband's parents, so I got to see her over the holidays. She has a little baby girl who is just precious and adorable. I am SO GLAD we were able to re-connect in these past few years. In all honesty, I think we are probably more alike than we ever would have admitted "back in the day," which could have contributed to our disagreements and petty arguments!

I feel lucky to count her as a friend :)

2009: NYE photos

Two posts in two days? it must be a record, people! :)

I just thought I'd share some photos from our NYE (actually I have very few). It was a good, low-key evening shared with our friends Steve & Alicia. Steve & the TeeJ became friends, compliments of the United States Navy, but in mid-2005 Steve got sent in a different direction from us. The USN brought him back this way recently, so we're pretty happy. Plus I love Alicia--I've known her for a short time but it doesn't feel that way at all. Anyway.

For NYE we went to their new townhouse, which I must say, inspires jealousy in me because of the ample cabinet and closet space. They made delicious salmon, and I tried couscous--the food so nice they named it twice!--for the first time ever, and I liked it! Hope to make the salmon myself one day soon! I'll quit rambling--here are the pics!

TJ & I just before the ball dropped...

Alicia & Steve before countin' em down and toasting to 2009!

Having a late breakfast with Alicia tomorrow! yum! That's all I've got for now...hope 2009 has started out great for everyone!

ps--I'll post some pictures soon from our "Christmas in Kentucky" trip. ya know, spice it up, keep things interesting...:)

my week in pictures

I have had a BUSY week!!

I mentioned in my last post that I was going to have an Extreme day. Well...monday...Extreme Home Makeover in Voluntown! I was a volunteer in the VIP/Media tent, got a blue shirt, all that jazz. It was neat to see all the work completed during the short time I was there. You can read more about it here: www.extremehomebybruno.com. Here are a few photos...the span of these 3 photos was about 20 minutes!



Tuesday, well I don't even remember what I did on Tuesday, and I certainly don't have any photos, but I did have some fun on Wednesday. I had some girlfriends over for a Yankee Swap Christmas party and made some tasty food and enjoyed the company of my friends. a couple photos of our shennanigans...
Priya got my gift and I think she really liked it! haha!

below, Lauren, doing her best QVC impersonation...hehe

Thursday was our employee holiday luncheon. Of course, a few pix....first, Michelle and I at steak loft

now, Dana and I :)

Thursday was also our 4-year wedding anniversary for the TeeJ and I. I got to open my gifts that evening. He had already gotten his gift, thanks to Amazon ruining it by shipping a 22" flat-screen TV to our house in the ORIGINAL packaging...but I don't think he was complaining too much. Here I am with my pressies:

tivo, where have you been all my life?! 

no pics from Friday. boohoo.

Saturday, I volunteered in the morning at a Christmas party for underpriviledged kids. I painted faces for 2 hours. It was the longest 2 hours of my life. I was tempted to start passing out Ritalin (well, if I'd had any). Here I am after it is over, with a co-worker and Santa, and I'm so freakin happy! excuse the blurry photo :)
 

afterwards, I did something pretty unadvisable. I went to the mall. I thought I was going to kill myself before the day was over. let me just say, the clerks at Macy's are REALLY in the holiday spirit (insert sarcasm where you feel appropriate). I was buying some goodies for my friend's bridal shower. after that, though, I further inflicted the pain upon myself. I went to buy some skinny jeans at forever 21 so I could fit them in my boots ($12.50!). the customers in THAT store got on my nerves, because like, oh my god, it was totally hot in there and everyone was like, totally completely talking like, oh my god. anyway, here I am with my friend Brooke at her shower.

 

here she is with panties to last her next 30 years...hehe. it was a cute game, similar to this one.

 

Today, TJ and I went to Texas Roadhouse (my fav) to celebrate our anniversary. We also went to see Four Christmases which was pretty funny and hit kinda close to home! Ha! :)

That's it for today!

just a couple of weekend pics!

just a couple pictures from saturday...elizabeth came to town! She took "the T" (that is the Boston version of the subway/metro/whatever) down for Thanksgiving to see her fam, but luckily we stole some of her time Saturday night. one of my co-workers, Sharon, had us over to her house. check out her enormous tree in the background!

a pic of Elizabeth and I

elizabeth doesn't really like having her picture taken, because she says she never "has one of those glamour shots looking pictures." I took that as an invitation to be silly.

now, here is her glamour shot. I offered to photoshop on a prom dress or pink feather boa, but she politely declined. I can't imagine why!

that's all for now!

busy busy bee

as you might guess, I have been busy with school. the semester is winding down! I registered for my spring classes this past monday--I'll be taking Marketing Administration and Managerial Economics. I'm not looking forward to the econ class, because (1) I don't like econ, and (2) I've had this professor before. on the bright side, I'll have several people in the class that I've come to "know," so perhaps we'll have our own online study group via Skype and webcam? we'll see I guess.

anyway, I thought I would post some pictures that are now quite old. a few days before halloween, my friend Priya and I carved some pumpkins. this was after we were up in the gym, workin' on our fitness...but then we went to subway and had some $5 footlongs.

the face I planned to carve....

it was not going so well, as you can see...priya had never carved a pumpkin before, but she was doing ok!lilly was wondering what was going on!our finished products

in addition, here are some more photos from TJ's promotion. these were taken by the guy using a camera that was so old, I'm pretty sure it saved to a floppy disk. it was giant!!

in this next picture...one side of my hair looks way longer than the other. what the crap?!in other news, we made our travel arrangements for the holidays. we will be arriving 12/23 and leaving 12/28. so far, we have not determined where we will be and when we will be there. sigh. so stressful. I have several people, besides family, that I would like to see...but who knows...argh.

I'm still in the land of the living

despite what my blog may indicate...I'm still alive!! this update compliments of the prodding of several people...

so, now for the excuses, aka why I have not posted. I have been working a lot, and at sometimes ridiculous times, therefore not much fun has been had. In addition, school is sucking every ounce of energy from me as well as almost every ounce of joy! I commiserate with a few of my classmates, make up songs, and play with Lilly and TJ to add some happiness! oh, and go out to lunch way too many times with my co-workers, where we complain about people with work with. we're a good bunch ;)

the good news is, I bring pictures! :) and some stories!

2 weeks ago today, there was a water main break in front of my house, in the middle of the night. like RIGHT in front of my house, and I have been unable to park in my driveway because it has not been repaired. I do not park there for fear that in the morning, my car will be halfway underground. for visual purposes, let's take a look at the sidewalk at the corner of my house, then and now.

 
now, I don't know about you...but I'm exceptionally pleased with the progress!! and for those of you who know me, you'll know I'm a big fat liar! anyway, as of thursday (friday?) it is supposed to be finished within 4 to 5 days. that is coming from a "big man on campus" (aka, Command Master Chief, Subase New London). what can I say? if nothing else, my job affords me the opportunity of knowing some important people! ;)

speaking of my job...about a week ago, we had our kick-off event at the UConn Avery Point campus. It is beautiful there. however...at said event, we announced a goal of $9.1 million dollars to the community! if anyone would like to send me a big fat check, please email me for my address. otherwise, I have NO idea how we are going to do it. we are all working hard, but seriously. people are losing their jobs left and right at our companies. anyway...here are a couple pictures from that event.

my co-worker/friend Dana and myself...excuse the blur. blame shane, dana's boyfriend.



dana and I again, plus michelle. isn't the sunset beautiful?! aren't we beautiful?! :P

hmm...in other news...I have actually had some fun this week. wednesday night I had a Lia Sophia jewelry party. I was able to order $612 worth of jewelry for only $93!! how freakin awesome is that?! it was nice having some people over, I don't do that very often. my super friend lauren made some cupcakes and took care of the sweets for me! I also made some delicious meatballs in the crock-pot using a grape jelly & ketchup concoction...yum-o! TJ snuck downstairs a couple times to get some :) maybe I'll make him some soon and he'll have something to munch on while he watches football. then, last night was my friend Erin's 26th birthday party. I didn't take any pics, but she did, so maybe I'll rip some of those off for blog purposes soon, ha :P she had a henna artist come to her house! it was very cool!! I got a pixie/fairy type thing, kind of on my tummy/hip. several people got the henna on their feet, but I didn't really want it to be visible. Erin seemed to have a fun night though, and I particularly loved her NKOTB "happy birthday" rendition at the end of her party :) She's going to an NKOTB concert pretty soon and is {obviously} really excited.

anyway, my fun this week has hindered my homework progress. I have some work to do today :( I'll close this blog with some pictures of my baby... :)