You Can Do It

I tried to go shopping today, but I was sent out to get "Twilight things." It was painful. I bought nothing. Claire's didn't have anything left in stock, but directed me across the mall to FYE. They had a small section of Twilight-themed accessories, including $14.99 lip gloss. For this price, I could purchase two very small unmarked tubes of  lip gloss in a cardboard package with the Twilight logo on it. Once the package is opened and tossed it becomes regular old ordinary lip gloss. It frustrates me that parents and tweens with allowances are wasting money on this stuff. I know that I was equally as enticed by worthless crap when I was younger but besides American Girl accessories, I don't remember being obsessed with a particular brand or theme of junk.  I would normally never consider buying movie-themed paraphernalia, but I need to shop for my soon-to-be 12 year old niece and feel as though I should make at least a half-hearted attempt to comply with the instructions that were emailed to me:


Dear Ali,

For my b day what r u getting me? If u dont know then u should get me twilight things for an idea.

From,

Rebecca


Doesn't this child realize, after almost 12 years of experience with me for an aunt, that if she asked me to spend $132 on a pair of J Girl by J Brand skinny jeans that Crewcuts just started carrying, I would! Clothes, shoes, accesories--these I can't resist! Especially for children! But no, she wants "Twilight things" for her birthday.

It is fortunate that I find children so entertaining. They provide me with endless joy and amusement, so I will provide them with "Twilight things" when requested.

Today at the ice rink I got called "Teacher Ali" and "Mrs. Ali" and "Um, what's your name again, again?" I'd buy these children overpriced themed gifts too if they asked. Luckily, they just want to know the names of the beanie babies they get to throw across the ice.

My favorite conversation of the weekend:


Katherine: I can't march.


Me: Yes, you can. I know you can because you did it last week. Just lift your feet and take little steps over to me.


Katherine: No, I can't do it.


Me: Yes, you can. Hey Ava, do you think Katherine can march?


Ava (marching by): Yes!


Me: Eric, do you think Katherine can march?


Eric (laying on the ice): Yup, I think she can.


Me: See Katherine, we all think you can do it! 


Ava: So, why won't she march?


Matthew (shouting from across the ice): She just doesn't believe in herself! We believe in you, Katherine!


Little voices: We believe in you! You can do it, Katherine!



A motivational seminar conducted by 4-year-olds in ice skates.

First Day of Spring!

After spending four hours in a cold, fluorescent-lit ice rink, followed by a Metro journey that was uncomfortably hot and unnecessarily long, I finally got to enjoy the first day of spring! It feels like it has been a long time coming after this winter. I spent the afternoon with some friends at Great Falls in Maryland. We went to hike the Billy Goat Trail, but it was closed due to flooding. While I would like to go back and try to hike it another time, I can't say I am sorry that my afternoon required slightly less exertion than originally planned. Great Falls is an area between Maryland and Virginia where the Potomac River drops about 60 feet in a series of waterfalls because of the ice age and the flowing water and maybe some silt and possibly plate shifting. Okay, I didn't really read any of the signs, but I took pictures!

Blue Skies

Rocks to Climb

Trees Turning Green

Raging River

Crazy Rapids

 Closed Trails

Cold Water

Lightroom

I downloaded a 30-day free trial in January. I miss it! Now I am thinking of getting the free trial of Photoshop, but I am afraid that it will make me want to shell out the big bucks for both! Not good! I have so many other things to save for but how can I spend money on exciting trips and fun parties and fancy clothes if I can't take pictures and edit them effectively? That is what I thought!

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

Time for Spring Cleaning!

So last night I hosted my first swap party! Not knowing what to expect, I limited the invitations to my close friends and provided lots of food and drink to temper any potential chaos or confusion. Usually I don't send out invitations and just spread the word by text or email, but this theme required some more details. I sent out the invite below as my best attempt at a succinct explanation of what I had in mind for the evening:


When: Saturday, March 13 @ 7:00pm (ish)
Where: My Apt
What: Swap Party!
Why: Oh, Please!

Okay, let me tell you why...If you are anything like me, you have drawers and shelves and closets filled with clothes and accessories. Some are your favorites, some are for work, some are for special occasions, some are "fat-day" items and some really just sit there taking up space. You give things to Goodwill after you have gotten use out of them (or the minute they come out of the box from your Nana?!), but still you have things that get neglected day after day.

I definitely have this problem! Honestly, I think I have items that still have tags and as perverse as it sounds I feel bad giving perfectly good things to Goodwill. I keep telling myself I just might wear it one day or I should hold on to it longer because it was a gift. But, alas, no more! Think of this like adoption day at the pound, except I am giving away purebreds! I want my stuff to have good homes and I want my friends to partake in the giving and the sharing!

What to Bring: You can bring 20 items or 2. Bring whatever you decide is taking up space and deserves to be adopted by someone who will love it more than you. It doesn't have to be brand new or never worn, but you want people to take it home, not pick it up with two fingers and move it to the side. Think: Jackets, Jeans, Sweaters, Shirts, Skirts, Hats, Belts, Shoes, Bags, Jewelry... Bonus points for creative sharing! Whatever people don't take you can bring back home or leave with me and I will do a Goodwill run.

What you Get: New stuff for free! (You might be heading home with a fabulous "new" clutch or the perfect shirt for Date Night.) Also, the joy of seeing your stuff make another girl happy!  And just as important: wine, snacks, good conversation and the chance to mock the amount of argyle I own!


So I provided the wine and brownie bites, bruschetta, popcorn and candy. Then I laid out a nice selection of neglected clothes from my wardrobe. Most of the things I put out found themselves a new home, which is what I needed since I have reached my limit on closet space! Okay, I also snagged a few cute items for myself from other people's closets, but not nearly as much as I gave away. The one thing I didn't predict was the vast amount of clothes and accessories that would be left over after the party. I thought it would be more of an even trade, but everyone seemed to go home happy with things they will love and wear! I guess I will be heading over to Goodwill this week!

Choices and Beliefs

I was raised Catholic in a way that is perhaps unique only to Catholics, meaning that it was more of an identity than a belief. I almost never went to church as a child. I only dressed up and made an appearance for First Communions and Christenings and occasionally on Easter. I was, however, forced to go to CCD for ten years. I was sent to learn about my religion and to receive the sacraments--Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. In my ninth year of CCD I announced that I was done and had no desire to finish and be confirmed. I did not want to be Catholic. My mom laughed and told me I was crazy and couldn't choose not to be Catholic. "You are Catholic", she said, "saying you don't want to be Catholic is like saying you don't want to be Irish. You can't change it. You were born that way." And so I was confirmed.

I took the name Elizabeth in honor of my new patron saint--who must have been very important and done some very important things--and promised to live my life as a good Catholic.

Although my dad's family has always been religious, he was not. He agreed to be married in the Catholic Church and to have us raised as Catholics and even went as far as attending our rites. His own beliefs were never shared, however, and I am not sure if that was because he didn't give it much thought or he knowingly kept them to himself to prevent conflict. As a result, my mother was the biggest religious influence in my childhood. My mom always shared her belief in God and the importance of prayer, but never pushed attending church as a means of getting closer to God. She doesn't question his existence and has no doubts that one day we will all be together in Heaven. She taught me that the bible probably isn't entirely true, but that it was divinely inspired. She compared biblical stories to fables, in that they were both written to teach us a lesson about how people should behave and treat one another. To this day, both types of stories provide me with more confusion than guidance. Don't trust talking serpents? Leave something better than trails of breadcrumbs when walking through the forest with your brother Hansel?

As an adult, can I simply choose?
Last fall I attended a Catholic wedding, and for the first time ever I made the choice not to get up and receive communion. I may be stuck being Catholic, but I will no longer act on it.

I believe in God. Not because I want to, but because I do. It just feels right. I don't necessarily believe that humans were made in his image, but maybe. I don't believe the bible has anything to do with anything. I don't know if I believe in Heaven, but I once did and I desperately wish I could just choose to believe again because I find solace in the idea. I don't believe in prayer. I believe that God, in whatever form he takes, truly does know all and that there is no need for me to get down on my knees and beg for the health or life of a loved one. He knows what I want. He can see it in my soul, but he will let life take its course whether I like it or not, whether I ask for it or not.

I do, however, stop to tell him I am sorry. To make it clear when I have done something wrong and learned my lesson. I fear punishment if I willingly do wrong, but I have no expectation of reward if I pray. Is that illogical? This all happens in my head. I don't go to church or talk about it with others. Sometimes I think maybe these discussions really are just between me and my moral compass and that there is no God. I think I would be okay with that too. It's personal and it should be.

IRELAND!

I have finally booked my much anticipated trip to Ireland! I have been dreaming of going for years and actively trying to plan this trip for over a year. Now I will be spending ten days in the country where my great-grandparents emigrated from a century ago! Traveling with a good friend from college, we plan to spend a few days in Dublin and then rent a car and drive through as much of the southern part of the country as possible. Flights were booked today! Now comes the fun part of making a list of sites and cities and castles and B&Bs to visit. Slainte!

Ireland
May 21-31, 2010

(Borrowed picture--hopefully I will have some great ones to post upon return!!)

Choosing a Doctor

Lately I have been thinking about my expectations: for other people, myself, situations, life. I have been known to have strong opinions and a tendency to pass judgment, but I would like to think that I keep an open-mind and put my best judgment to use in critical situations. One group of people that I consistently hold to a high standard are doctors. I expect them to ask good questions. I expect them to answer mine clearly and honestly. I expect them to do a basic, yet complete medical exam when I take the time to make an appointment and shell out a co-payment. I don't have to like them on a personal level. They don't have to remember any personal details about me, if they are capable of reading it off my chart.

It's Personal....
Going to a doctor means talking about your personal history, your health, your pain, your eating, exercising, and sexual habits. It is like writing a blog, only instead of sharing selective details with virtual friends you have to share all your details face-to-face with a virtual stranger. Going to a doctor also means being touched, prodded and poked. And if these things happen while blogging you are probably doing something wrong :)

Lightheartedness aside, I find it incredibly nerve-wracking to choose a new doctor. I moved to DC a little over two years ago and received new insurance through my job. It took me more than 8 months of researching and calling hospitals and clinics to settle on a primary doctor. I wanted a female practicing general internal medicine, but between my HMO's restrictions and not having a car, I could only find a male located at a small medical practice at the far end of a bus line. I went to him for a baseline appointment that lasted barely 15 minutes. He asked very few questions about my personal history, did no physical exam (other than listening to my heart) and generally did not seem to understand why I would come to see him if I wasn't sick. Frankly, it was a bizarre experience.

Shortly after that appointment I found a gynecologist, whom I love, through a referral from a friend. I decided I didn't really need to love my primary because I just wouldn't go back unless I felt sick. Fast forward a year and I got a concussion as motivation to go back to that doctor. But I didn't go. I self-medicated and waited it out rather than go back to see him. I just disliked my experience so much that I had no desire to go through a 30-minute bus ride to see a doctor I didn't trust. Once my head healed I realized that it was time to find a new primary.

The second search for a doctor took just as much patience and just as many calls, but I finally found a female doctor at a local hospital who was accepting new patients with my insurance. I waited two months for an appointment only to have it canceled by Snowmageddon (see my prior post) and then had to wait another month to get rescheduled. I finally met her today. I love my new doctor!

I had to wait twenty minutes in the exam room before meeting her (experience has told me this is pretty standard), but once she arrived she spent over 40 minutes with me. A complete medical history was taken and my concerns over the cost of prescriptions were resolved by her writing several scripts for me to hand over at CVS and ask them to give me the cheapest option. I was given a referral to a dermatologist and a positive recommendation for a specific doctor. I was then given a complete physical exam, a tetanus booster and sent to the outpatient lab to have some baseline blood work done. Over two hours after I arrived, I left with a sore arm but a good feeling about the quality of medical care I had received.

It makes me wonder: which experience was more unique? The doctor that barely fulfilled the basic medical requirements of an office visit or the one that spent the better part of an hour giving me the kind of attention and medical care I could only hope for from a primary?