A Special Memory

When I first heard that we were going to surprise my Grandpa on his 80th birthday by showing up at Catholic Mass with him I expressed my strong disliking of the idea. I did not understand how we were going to surprise him and I thought he probably wouldn't get it either. You can not show up to a Catholic Mass and shout surprise at him! Isn't that the point of the surprise party? It turns out I couldn't have been more wrong. Most of the time, we are all too stubborn and close minded to put our own beliefs and understandings to the side and allow someone else to share theirs. I didn't think how special it was for my Grandpa to have all 9 of his children and his multitude of grandchildren at mass with him. Today, most of us don't have the spiritual up bringing or connection that so many of our Grandparents do. I think that for many mass or any spiritual ceremony can have an image of boring, conservative and cultish. However, for those of us lucky enough to have true faith and deep spirituality we find mass as a perfect place to connect with those who mean the most to us. Whether or not you believe in all the same things, by going to mass you are both sharing in a want and need to have trust in the world and the hope to live peacefully. After mass we headed to a family gathering back at my uncle's house and during our off tune rendition of "Happy Birthday" I saw my Grandpa trying to avoid showing us he was crying. I know he wasn't crying from the song (at least not tears of joy) and I don't believe he was crying from the party. I think my Grandfather was crying because of the immense amount of faith he has and the beautiful life he has lived for 80 years because of it. I think that what might have meant the most to him that day was all of us going to mass and living in his faith with him. My Grandfather lives his life through his faith and while so many might find it "dated" you have to wonder what the world would be like if more of my generation were to live a life of faith.

Reveling in the Rebel

After much searching, discussion and a numerous amount 0f advice I have purchased my first camera. When my Canon Rebel showed up I was ecstatic however my enjoyment quickly turned to frustration and anger when I noticed that every picture I took showed up blurry on the LCD screen. I immediately thought I had a defective camera and knew I was going to have to send it back! I decided to head over to Best Buy to purchase a must have memory card to see if that would fix the problem and to hopefully have a hottie from the "geek squad" help me out or ask me out, I wasn't picky about the order. After a 12 year old employee couldn't figure out why my pictures were blurry he went to get the "expert" on the Rebel camera to come take a look. When the "expert" showed up it took a quick two seconds for him to realize that I hadn't actual put my lens on all the way and that was why my pictures were turning out blurry. Ah the adventures of my camera and I begin!

First shots with my new camera.

. My parent's gorg christmas tree. You can't see it but my mom has a gigantic sign on the front that says "BELIEVE." Inspirational.

My dog hate my new camera. Every time I take it out she runs away. Great.

Vegetable People

While eating the most delicious apple today I thought to myself, fruit is so good! Look at how gorgeous it is! After my apple I then switched to a bag of carrots and I thought to myself, blah.

I personally see no competition between the two. Fruit is a hands down winner. When presented with steamed green beans or a juicy piece of pineapple who actually reaches for the beans? There are people in the world who think that vegetables are better then fruits. I know this because I use to date one of them and now I realize that should have been my first clue. There has to be something wrong with you if you choose vegetables over fruits. Of course there are delicious vegetables. Asparagus is always great, corn on the cob can hit the spot and potatoes are always a win. However, has anyone ever noticed that vegetables are really only good when you change them by adding something else to make them have a little flava. You rarely eat vegetables raw like you do fruit (keep in mind I said rarely, not never). Fruit always keeps it natural and real much like my gorgeous head of hair (woo woo).

Dog People

There are a number of people who claim they are not "dog people." In fact, I use to be one of them. Growing up my family had a miniature schnauzer but she passed away a long time ago. However, Corky was much more like a cat then a dog. She slept all day in the sun and never wanted to be by anyone. When I would walk into someone's house and their dog would run up and jump and drool and get hair all over my legs I always thought, what is wrong with these people. Then, when I went to college, my family got Darby.

Now I realize that people who claim that they aren't "dog people" don't really know what they are saying. Dogs are able to be forgiven for eating a whole bowl of salsa and end up sick the whole day, eating a pair of underwear and end up sick the whole day, running away, ruining a major project by sitting on it or eating it, stealing you favorite slipper and running away with it and whole bunch of other things by simply titling their head and staring at you. You can say all you want to someone about how much you love your own dog and why your dog is the best, which most of us do, but unless you have your own dog you will never understand how great it is to be woken up by this.

The Sushi Lie

I have one amazing friend who enjoys food nearly as much as I do. I must clarify what I mean by enjoy. To me food is not something you eat to get rid of your hunger but to satisfy your inner soul. I know it sounds dramatic but unless you have truly seen the wonder in both Taco Bell and a fulfilling beef tenderloin then you probably have no idea what I am talking about. However I know that C completely understands what I am feeling. So when I say what I am about say I can rest easy knowing that one person totally agrees with me. Sushi is no substitute for a real meal. I enjoy a spicy tuna roll just as much as the next person but it never really hits the spot. For those of you who claim it is your favorite food, you lie. It is no ones favorite food. It doesn't compare to a good deep dish pizza, a juicy cheeseburger or even a home cooked mostaccioli dinner. Sushi is good for a trendy dish, a meal that won't go to your hips, and a cheap dinner (If you find the right spot!). While both C and I truly enjoy a good roll once in a while we both conclude that it is still, and always will be, raw fish.

Blessings

This morning my cousin's cousin was killed in a car accident. He was a college student and the youngest of all his brothers. After my sister told me this terrible news she followed it with the statement, "we are so blessed." Being the Christmas season I think it is the most appropriate time of year to, as they say, count my blessings.

I am blessed with a wonderful family

Dad with his five kidsMom and Dad

I am blessed with Darby

I am blessed with great friends (woo woo)

Some of my favorite Marquette girls with my favorite Natalie

Me and C having a wine and sweet break in NYC

Meg and Lisa at Nat's 21st bday Nick and Christina in NYC

I am blessed with wonderful Grandparents

My Grandparents in the kitchen a couple years back

Only a couple years later

I am blessed with a wonderful home

I am blessed with good health

I am blessed with so much more then all of this

Never hesitate to sit down and count your blessings and when you do be truly grateful for what you have. We should all spend time this holiday season to appreciate the good people that are continuously blessing our lives.

Barbara Walters-Weak Pickings

Last night Barbara Walters interviewed her 10 most fascinating people of 2009 and I have to say.....weak. Lady Gaga was a major win and Jenny Sanford was juicy. However, some picks were a little odd and really boring. Michael Jackson's kid simply confused most of us which, to be honest, is not surprising. But the lamest shocker of the whole program was naming Michelle Obama as the most fascinating person of year. Come on Barbara, real original. Who else saw that coming? Lame.

Dr. Drew and Intervention=Amazzzzzzzing

After watching the season premiere of Intervention and loving it, I thought if Dr. Drew and Intervention teamed up it would create maybe the best show. Don't deny it, celebrity rehab...winner. Dr. Drew is so awesome and if he was one of the therapist on the show one can only imagine the impact of the actual Intervention. Who wouldn't go to treatment if Dr. Drew was telling you to go? EMMY WINNER

Through a number of different sources I have come across the whispers of the Apple Tablet. Im a tech dork. I love this kind of thing and the thought of Apple coming out with a new product really gets me. Most of the reason I am so excited is because there is absolutely no Apple source confirming this. It is only assumed through carefully dissecting what others have said and reading between the lines of what Steve Jobs said "People Don't Read Anymore." Through secret sources there have been glimpse and unveilings of the secret tablet. No one can confirm what it will be used for, or if you can even download books on it. Its a sweet mystery that most people simple do not care about, at all. Its gonna be $2000 (or so they say) of awesome......