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10 November 2010

Random non-weekend, pre-trip thoughts

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: apartment, music, Random, sports, television, travel

I love to travel but I get so wound up before I leave that I work myself into a total tizzy, much like I’m doing right now. URGH I hate when I do that!

Anyhow, to help clear my cluttered mind of random stuff I’m thinking about, I put together a lovely bulleted list of things on my mind, some more random than others.

  • How long will it take once I arrive in Mexico to be on the beach with drink in hand? My guess? One hour (at the most)
  • Is it possible to wear leggings as pants all the time and not look silly? I’m willing to try
  • I’m totally obsessed with Boo the dog on Facebook. Seriously, I would steal that dog. I want one just like him (kidding?) The video of his “typical day” makes me scream with cuteness
  • This week’s episode of Glee was so amazing. I’m letting myself download three (or four) songs…or maybe just all of them :)
  • Daylight savings time is bringing me down. I love getting another hour of sleep, but dark at 5 p.m.? Really?
  • Arielle asked me this weekend if everyone in the Midwest is obsessed with football. After seeing the crowds at the bar Sunday, I think she’s right
  • Why is picking paint colors so difficult? I’m so indecisive with what colors to select for my living room/bedroom. I’m thinking off white and light gray but I cannot commit. Blerg
  • I’m pretty much also stalking photos from the Breaking Dawn set in Brazil. I’ve got Twilight fever yet again!
  • I need to get back in for a mani/pedi stat. I did my own last night and it was…well embarrassing
  • I’m dying to try Temptu’s Under Eye Concealer. I have serious under eye circles

Also, THANK YOU everyone for the feedback on the dresses to wear to the wedding. Holy cow, I was truly blown away by the response it got!

The dresses I packed tonight are the Banana Republic purple/black dress, floral dress and pink NY & Co. one. The final pick will be a gametime decision, but I feel good about all of them thanks to you guys! I even laid out jewelry, purses and shoes. I will be glammed up in any of those dresses!

What’s on your mind lately?

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30 September 2010

Random Thursday thoughts

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: apartment, Random, television

Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday because this week has been a long one. I’ll blame the start of the new month…yeah that’s it.

Either way, woo for Friday!

As I’m easing back into a blogging groove again, I realized there are a few loose ends I wanted to revisit based on some recent blog posts.

Roomba

First up, Roomba. I tweeted last week that I haven’t run my beloved Roomba in almost a week. I think she fears that I’m mad at her or don’t love her any more. That could not be further from the truth. Mama J has just been busy! But I’m sure there is plenty of hair for her to pick up this weekend :)

In fact, I wanted to share a quick video I made a few weeks ago of my babies Roomba and Bubbles. I grabbed a photo of them together in my apartment and now I have physical proof of their interaction while Roomba cleans my apartment.

Yeah apparently they do NOT get a long. Roomba is one tough b*tch.

Glasses

So my contacts situation has not improved and lately, I’ve been wearing my glasses more. Sure, I’m still nervous about wearing them in public, but due to horrible eye itching and discomfort, I’ve had to get over that more and more. And, to my surprise, people come up and compliment me on them. Again, they may just be acting nice but it is helping the anxiety ease up :)

And to further help me get over my dislike of wearing my glasses in public, here is a slightly bad photo of me in them.

Cash Cab

Okay this isn’t in a previous post but I am obsessed with this show. I watch it at the gym sometimes and I cannot get enough. When I was in New York during BlogHer, I hoped every single cab I got in was Cash Cab. Tonight, Cash Cab did a bit on 30 Rock and it made me laugh and feel jealous that Tracy was “on” that show. I don’t want to brag but I think I would be awesome on it, especially if there are mostly movie/pop culture questions. Is anyone else obsessed with this show?

Anything random on your mind? Or do you have big plans for this weekend?

Movie Review: Sneak peek at Hillary Swank’s new movie Conviction. Is it that arresting? (bad pun)

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07 September 2010

My Roomba is a teenager

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: apartment, Random

This weekend I fired up the Roomba and found out that I have more maternal instincts than I originally thought! I also learned that my Roomba has characteristics of a teenage girl. So by default, I’m the mom of a sullen, fickle teenage girl. Awesome.

Yes, while I watched the Wisconsin Badger game Saturday night, I decided to get Roomba plugged in, charged and put to work cleaning my floors. You don’t live for free in my house.

Turns out, I was a nervous wreck the entire time she was cleaning, causing me to stir and hmm and haw on the couch, even putting the game on mute for awhile so I could make sure she was still running and sucking up all the hair on my floor. Seriously, she picked up so much hair, it’s amazing I’m not bald.

I watched her putter around the dining room and kitchen before coming into the living room and doing some “serious” damage. Even though I picked up the floors, she got her hooks into a phone cord and pulled the phone off the table before spinning around and going into the living room, leaving me to pick up after her. Then, I ran in to the living room to see her dry humping my Wii Fit. So, I guess she’s a little self conscious, we all are.

Finally, while watching the game, I saw her staring down my Apple wireless modem and that’s when the real fear ran through me. The thought of her taking out that wireless modem freaked me out because I have no idea if I can get it up and running again.

And in the heat of the moment, I tweeted this:

My neighbors think I am totally sane, yelling at my iRobot…that’s healthy.

Fortunately, Sunday when I ran her again (to get more hair, I know), I tried to take a video of her, because she’s beautiful, and she hid under a side table for 20 minutes. She’s camera shy, I get it.

So today, while she was charging, I got Bubbles out and got a photo of my babies.

Both are well behaved now but videos will be happening!

So the relationship with Roomba is off to a good start and she did a pretty good job cleaning up too. I can’t wait to run her again this week.

Also, it’s pretty much official now that I need a boyfriend. Badly.

What would you like to have a machine automatically clean in your place? Or does anyone else shed as much as I seem to? Please!

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26 August 2010

Case of the uglies

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: apartment, CTA, Food, Random

Tonight on the bus home, a woman stood to exit at the stop and when the driver hit the breaks, she took an bad fall. Like fell flat on her face.

People helped her up but I felt bad and heard the guy next to me whisper to someone on the phone, “god this woman just took an ugly fall.”

So I got to thinking about what I call, “the uglies.”

Ugly fall – See example above. When a person bites it hard on the concrete.

Ugly cry – Full out sob fest, accompanied by red eyes and nose, snot running down your face and shaking from the sobs that wrack your body. Examples: Terms of Endearment, Up and Time Traveler’s Wife

Ugly eat - When the simple task of eating becomes more of an episode of Animal Planet, causing you to own it and not hide in shame while eating in public, or causing you to hide at your desk to enjoy your ugly eat in private. Examples: Ribs, Cheetos and cupcakes

Ugly shame – Your single or “home alone” activity that you embrace but do behind closed doors, blinds or rooms. Examples: eating food that falls on your boob or cleavage

I am guilty of ALL OF THESE, sometimes doing more than one in a single day.

The only one I’m actually embarrassed by is the ugly fall. I am very self conscious in public (sometimes) and I hate, more than anything, when I fall or trip over my feet in public. I feel people staring at me, laughing and pointing, or thinking “that poor girl” as they help me off the floor of the bus.

Maybe it’s because I like being independent and not relying on someone to help me all the time, so the thought of someone having to help me up is frustrating and socially crushing, but then again, when I bite it and do it well, someone better help me up.

What about you? Which case of the uglies do you find happens the most?

Review blog update: Hey! I’m updating this again after way too long of a delay. Today I’m talking about a facial cleanser/make up remover I love from Neutrogena.

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26 July 2010

Moving dilemma

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: apartment, Chicago

Hey-o blogworld, I’m asking for some advice today. I have a little dilemma and I don’t know how to resolve it so I am turning to you for advice because, well you guys are pretty smart.

The topic: moving. I hate moving. I hate it more than having my root canal done, more than my annual Pap and more than jeans/swimsuit shopping.

Moving is time consuming, expensive and stressful, especially when you work full-time on top of packing and searching for a new place.

But moving can be cathartic and a good reason to purge all the sh*t you hoard in your apartment and then forget about.

Anyhow, there is a 50/50 chance I have to move in September and I have no idea what to do.

Right now, I rent a condo from an owner who relocated and couldn’t sell the unit (yay housing crisis!) He told me yesterday that he’s willing to renew the lease but, after two years of living here, part of me is itching for a change.

That and I would like to decrease my rent payment. Rent in Chicago is manageable (compared to LA or NY) but it can still be expensive. One bedroom rents range from $900-$1200/month or more and although I’m in range, the thought of decreasing my rent $50-$100/month is really tempting. I know I could find something cheaper, but am I sacrificing a great place in the process?

Here are my current apartment pros and cons:

Pro:

  • It’s huge (1,100 sq feet) and more than enough room for one person
  • Equal size living, dining, bedroom and kitchen area (most apartments here have one small room)
  • Open floor plan
  • Close to express bus to work, bank and two grocery stores (trifecta!)

Con:

  • Very thin walls, yes, I’ve written about this before
  • Communal washer/dryer (the former of which was ruined by some d-bag that washed a rug. A**hat)
  • Window AC unit only in the living room (aka, hotter than h*ll sometimes in the bedroom in summer)
  • Nosy neighbors (sadly, Hot Neighbor has left)

Yeah, looking at this list, it’s pretty balanced right now.

I’m not UNHAPPY with where I live, but part of me wants to try something new. I would like to have better AC capabilities and, of course, maybe in-unit washer/dryer. I would give up one of my boobs to have that.

One part of my brain says, if the landlord won’t raise your rent and it’s ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But the other part says, cutting your rent by $100, saving $1,200/year is REALLY tempting.

So interwebs help me out, what would you do? Ask for a rent decrease? Move? Do you also hate moving?

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