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30 December 2009

Peace out 2009 and hello 2010

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: BlogHer, Chicago, Friends, Random, Wisconsin, celebrity, family, travel, work

So tomorrow is New Years Eve, which means I’m taking a look back at 2009 and looking ahead to 2010 by making a list of resolutions.

Or as I like to call them “things I try to achieve when I’m not lazy.”

But before I go out tomorrow night, drink loads of champagne, possibly force a guy to make out with me and spend the first day of 2010 hungover on my couch, I want to highlight a few 2009 highlights (in no particular order):

All in all, 2009 was a pretty good year, lots going on but a lot of positive things too. So as I continuously try to become a better person, let’s look at how I plan to do that starting Friday. Oh and this is separate from the yearly pledge to lose more weight.

2010 resolutions:

  • Sign up for dance classes (real ones at a real dance studio)
  • Run a 5k (and start the Couch to 5k program)
  • Be a better friend and daughter
  • Start a knitting project (other than a scarf) and FINISH it
  • Make one new recipe a month
  • Be more active in blogging communities in addition to my blog

Well that’s my 2009 wrap up and 2010 sneak peek for now. I hope 2010 will be as exciting and good to me as well as for all of you. I think 2010 could be the year of me!

I’ll be back this weekend with more but in the meantime, I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year! My New Years Day plans involve my couch, a pizza and lots of water and Naked Juice. Let’s party.

What was your 2009 highlight (blog or otherwise) or what’s your big 2010 resolution?

New movie review is up! You can read my full review of the musical Nine, get those jazz hands ready!

What I’m wearing: Sunday, I put up a picture of me wearing the below outfit over the holidays and then I didn’t share what stores I got everything from! I’m sorry! Details on my comfortable, “trendy” look are below.

Outfit breakout:

Shirt: Old Navy

Long vest: Banana Republic

Leggings: Hue, purchased at Nordstrom

Necklace: Banana Republic outlet

Boots: Banana Republic

Bracelets: Old Navy (black jet beaded ones) and David Yurman

As many of you know, I’m a huge Gap/Banana/Old Navy fan. Minus the Yurman bracelets, the most expensive item from this ensemble was the boots, which were $100 on super-end-of-season sale. Everything else individually was $40 or below.

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28 December 2009

I hate passive aggressive behavior

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: family

I can admit that I’m a double standard when it comes to acting passive aggressive. I hate when others do it, but I’m guilty of it too.

When I lived in Germany, people joked that I had a passive aggressive monkey that stayed caged until I let her out to play and wreck havoc. Then, it was hilarious, but as I’ve matured, being passive aggressive is a pain in the a**.

I used to be passive aggressive because I was mortally afraid of confrontation. I had trouble expressing how I felt when people upset me, so I would bottle it up and wait to unleash it. This means I may teach you a lesson by hiding cassette tapes or when I would fight with people, stuff would start coming out like, “six months ago you didn’t call me back and I was mad.”

I’m still not great with confrontation or harsh criticism but I like to think that I do better at talking to people about it and working through it so it’s “resolved.”

I’m also clear with people I’m friends and work with that I want them to be honest with me and tell me if I do something to piss them off. Believe it or not, I’m not a mindreader (if I was, I would be making SO MUCH more money). I don’t always know if I’ve done something that has upset someone or if they have misinterpreted something I said. The popularity of texting, IM and email makes it difficult to determine what’s sarcasm or just mean.

Today, I had a bad run in with the passive aggressive gorilla living in my parents house, which resulted in a big fight and me in tears all day (literally) and en route back to Chicago early. And when this person and I had this blowout I said, in a stunned voice, “why didn’t you tell me you were upset earlier?”

I got no response but realized through this awful situation that I need to be better about talking out my issues and problems with friends and family before it’s too late and it explodes in a tirade.

So what about you? Do you talk to friends or family when they’ve done something to upset you? Or do you have a tendency to be a little passive aggressive at times? Or do you hate when others are passive aggressive to you or others?

Movie review reminder: Just a reminder that my review of The Young Victoria is over on the review blog! My first one ever!

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27 December 2009

Weekend recap: Holiday recap

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Fashion, Food, Movies, Wisconsin, family

Happy Sunday everyone!! I hope you all had a really great holiday and that Santa was extra good to each and every one of you. I had a nice few days off and am now slowly trying to remember what day it is.

Honestly, I had to write down that today is Sunday because I totally forgot. That’s what happens when you’re off for several days in a row.

Santa definitely visited my house this year and it was clear that dad told him I was a very good girl :) I’ve had some past issues of dad not following my Christmas list (which he always requests), but after a heart-to-heart about the difference between what I want/need and what he wants to give me, this year went much better.

Santa managed to fit in his sleigh for me several fun/practical things like a Wii, Wii Fit Plus, Huntress boots, yoga mat/bag, Glee seasons 1-2 CDs, JCrew/iTunes gift cards and a crock pot. Seriously, I was really excited about that crock pot. I cannot wait to bust that out!

And of course we had insane amounts of food in our house. I swear, any healthy food was replaced with M&Ms, fudge and cookies. My stepmom made a fruit salad and I devoured the entire thing because I FORGOT how good fruit tastes. Sad.

Festive ice cream cake, nummy

So all of this food meant I had to constantly wear comfortable clothing (to avoid another uncomfortable pants hissy fit) and I ended up wearing variations of this outfit anytime I went out in public. At least I was trendy.

A few other highlights of the last few days include: the first time having fondue with my work/WI buddy Lizz, seeing a few movies and not washing my hair for a few days. God, that was liberating.

Oh and I had to share a picture of my mom’s new ornament, can you guess the classic movie this appeared in? :)

How was everyone else’s holiday? What was your favorite present?

Review blog update: I’m staying strong on my no shopping pledge, but that means I’m behind in having things to review, so I’ve added movies! And my inaugural movie review is one of the best movies I’ve seen in recent memory (minus New Moon): The Young Victoria.

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21 December 2009

The preference between hot and cold

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Fashion, Wisconsin, apartment, family

I’m very fussy when it comes to household temperatures. Why? Because right now, I’m in a constant state of being cold in my parents house. They leave the “heat” on at 60 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night.

It feels like Antarctica all the time.

I’m constantly cold with teeth chattering and trying to stay warm while wrapped in my big fuzzy robe and slippers. I don’t want to TMI on here, but having your nips constantly at full mast is super irritating. Those things could cut glass.

Basically, I hate being cold.

My Chicago apartment, where I don’t pay for heat, is a balmy, heavenly 75 degrees in the winter. I love it, especially when I come home to a warm apartment when it’s cold outside. I’m sure when the free heat days are over, I’ll be a 60-degree girl too but for now, welcome to tropical paradise!

Dad and I constantly argue about the thermostat temp. He tells me to put on (another) sweater or just dress warmer but once I get cold, I cannot warm up. Thank goodness for my heated mattress pad. I cannot live without it in winter and I never want to leave my nice warm bed.

So this time when I came home, I decided to plan ahead and bring cute, coordinated pj pants from Gap and Old Navy. If I’m going to struggle to stay warm, why not try to look cute doing it?

Yeah, it still doesn’t work and I’m still wrapped in the fetal position in my bathrobe trying to stay warm. Classy.

What about you? Do you prefer to be warm or cool in your home/apartment or when you sleep?

Bloggy birthday: Thank you everyone for the kind blog birthday wishes. My blog and I appreciate them :) I also owe a big thank you to Teena in Toronto for reminding me about the big day!

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30 November 2009

Goodbye sweet cake, goodbye

By: Jessica B.
Tagged: Food, Wisconsin, family

That’s right, this entire post is about a cake. A very special cake, so buckle up those tastebuds.

This week, I’m mourning a very sad loss. The loss of the BEST CAKE EVER. That’s right, I said, EVER.

It’s sour cream chocolate with vanilla buttercream frosting and it’s like taking a bite of heaven and digesting clouds of sunshine and moonbeams.

I’ve mentioned it on here a few times because I have at birthdays and well, it’s just that fabulous. And I’ve had this as my birthday cake since I was a kid. And considering I just turned 30, that is, well a long time and a lot of cakes.

So why am I mourning it’s loss? Because last weekend, my brother texted to tell me that the bakery is closing due to the economy and ownership change. And that it was closing on Thanksgiving.

No joke, I nearly started to cry.

This cake was going to be my wedding cake and be a tradition I carry on for a family I may have one day. And now, the thought of it not being there for my next birthday breaks my heart.

What? Breaks my heart? A cake?

Yes, it’s dramatic and overblown but it’s more than that. It’s the symbolism that a long-time tradition is now gone.

And last week, my mom and dad surprised me at work by emailing to say they’re getting one more cake for us to enjoy at our separate Thanksgivings as a way to say goodbye. Bittersweet.

So now, I pour some malt liquor on the sidewalk to honor that bakery and say goodbye. I even play a little Peter Gabriel, clutching a branded napkin in it’s honor.

Goodbye Shaker Baker and thank you for being there with us for so long.

So questions for the evening! Do you have a favorite cake that you can’t live without? Or what is a longstanding food tradition in your family, for holidays or birthdays?

And here’s some cake porn to take us out tonight:

I’ll miss you :(

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