Creative Juices

Sabrina, Fair, Sabrina, Dear

I recently got caught up with an old friend of mine, Sam. He's a graduate from Amherst College in Massachusetts. He's also an excellent photographer and has landed himself a good job taking pretty pictures. As I was browsing his gallery, I came across a picture titled "TheSabrina" Unfortunately, it was a little mysterious, because the picture only showed a few men with a cloth over something (presumably, The Sabrina). I inquired and he told me about a famous statue at Amherst, The Sabrina.
Check it out. (the page might be slow to load, go get a coffee and come back for it).
So, I spent the rest of my afternoon learning all there is to know about Sabrina, Goddess of Amherst. Its pretty amazing. The statue has been the source of pranks forever and ever. Not only that, but they used to hold banquets in her name (or my name, if you will)(which I'm thinking of bringing back as a tradition). Most importantly, though, there's a song.

"We may sing of our glorious college,
Of the old chapel steps and the bell,
Of the class-rooms just filled full of knowledge,
Which all Amherst men love so well.

But to-night as we're gather'd together,
Let us raise a strain loudly and strong
To her from whom naught can us sever,
To her who keeps watch o'er our throng.

Sabrina, fair, Sabrina, dear,
We raise to thee our hearty cheer,
Come fellows, all, and give a toast
To her we love, and love the most."

That's right. I've always wanted a song.

Why Can't You Learn?

I'm having a hard time finding a mail service that meets my needs. Mailing packages is something that occurs at least 12 times a year for me. I need someone I can trust.
USPS blew it a long time ago. We already know how I feel about needing to buy insurance for the packages you send. Between long lines and packages not getting to their destination when they say they should, forget about it.
So, then I tried a place called UMail. They were much too pricey.
Last night, I took several packages to FedExKinkos. The pricing was fine, considering I was sending a few things priority so it would make it on time, stupid holiday weekends. But, the woman packaging my mail was noooot very good at her job. Maybe I should have prefaced my requests for packaging with "Hi, I'm Sabrina and I'm incredibly anal." As she would tape a box, she would just smack the tape on... not flatten it nicely. It would get all wrinkled and hang off the edges all stuck together on itself. Does she not know she has the nifty tape dispenser to make things easier? And then she'd smack the labels on the box, totally off center and crinkled. It kiiiilled me. I was trying to hold back, but every once in awhile my hand reached out to fix some tape or smooth out the edge of a label.
Is it so much to ask that the outside of my packages be as neat as the nicely wrapped presents on the inside?
I realize my ultimate solution would be to package the boxes myself. Normally I would. I was just in so much of a rush to get these out on time and I didnt have any empty boxes at home, or the time to buy some elsewhere and assemble them myself. Boy have I learned my lesson.
Or maybe I should just open my own national mail service. Sabrina's Anal Timely Cheap Deliveries. Dont worry about insurance, we're anal.

And a New Sewing Machine

Since a   post is better than no   post, here's a survey I've borrowed from Angela's blog. Quit your whinin and enjoy.

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY (technically I only go by one, but lazy people have made shorter versions)
1. Sabrina
2. Bri
3. Sabby

THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD
1. poohcarr
2. pooh102601
3. purplesabrina

THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF
1. my eyes
2. my patience
3. my level of commitment to things

THREE THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF (hmm, much easier to come up with than what I do   like.)
1. when I over commit
2. when I worry
3. my body

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE (Heritage: Something that is passed down from preceding generations; a tradition.)
1. Eating corned beef cabbage on St. Patrick's Day
2. My love for New York City
3. Being passive agressive

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU
1. bees and their friends
2. the dentist
3. time travel

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS
1. food
2. tv
3. birth control

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW
1. jean jacket
2. black skirt
3. wedding ring

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS OR MUSICAL ARTISTS (this is currently)
1. Michael Buble
2. Jimmy Eat World
3. WAM on a good Sunday

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS (at the moment)
1. Kissing a Fool - Michael Buble
2. If You Dont, Dont - Jimmy Eat World
3. Lord, Let Your Glory Fall - as played by WAM with Simpson on drums

NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS
1. pilates
2. baking panna cotta
3. painting pottery

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP (with who?)
1. Love
2. Excitement
3. Trust

TWO TRUTHS AND A HALF-LIE (in no particular order) (comment and guess which one's a lie) (whats a half-lie?)
1. I like eggplant
2. I havent worn a bathing suit this year
3. I have another outdoor wedding this year

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX THAT APPEAL TO YOU
1. nice arms
2. nice smile
3. a good wink

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES
1. tv
2. baking
3. scrapbooking

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW
1. Eat cake
2. watch tv
3. go to the beach

THREE CAREERS YOU'RE CONSIDERING (career? no. job possibilities, yes)
1. home maker
2. teacher
3. Creative Memories consultant

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION
1. A cruise
2. Las Vegas
3. Hawaii

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE
1. Go on a cruise
2. Snorkle with the sea turtles
3. Adopt a child

THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A CHICK
1. The words I use
2. I like wearing heels
3. Bugs gross me out

THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A DUDE
1. I dont prefer to cuddle
2. I can put down a good steak
3. I like my music loud

THREE CELEB CRUSHES (today I'll go with...)
1. Ewan McGregor
2. Matt Czuchry (Logan from Gilmore Girls)
3. Charlize Theron

Can You Still Feel The Butterflies?

Again.



Another outdoor wedding. Another evening with my feet in the grass and bugs plotting their revenge. But I braved it for the sake of the lovely bride and groom, Angie and Preston.



Being there with Rachel made it easier too.


Speaking of Rachel, she got offered a free week stay at a fancy schmancy beach house in OBX. And she invited me to join her and The Girls. Unfortunately, its looking like my over-committed self will not be able to rearrange my schedule enough to spend a few days there. But it would have been awesome.

It's A Hard-Knock Life

I'm finding myself a little bit obsessed with this movie. I was under the impression that the movie released this weekend, but I just found out it only releases this weekend in LA and NY. I have to wait until July 22 for it to release in good ol' Raleigh/Durham. In the meantime, I'll just be watching the trailer, daily. Forget about Batman, it's all about the penguins. (except the Danny Devito penguin, he was messed up).

I'm Trying Not To Lose My Head

Saw Batman Begins yesterday. It was VERY good. You should see it too. That is all.

Marry Me, Bill!

It's wedding season, again. It feels like every other weekend, I have a wedding to attend. I really do enjoy weddings and all their extravaganceness. Seems like I'll even drive miles and miles for them.
As most of you know, The Steve and I did not have a wedding. Not the big fancy put you in debt kind, at least. We had a lovely ceremony, harp and all, in Dr. Troxel's living room. It was perfect. And five years later, I'm still glad we did it that way. That day was all about us, which is the way I think the start of a marriage should be.
That doesnt mean I dont get a little... jealous... over people and their beautiful weddings. I had big fancy plans. A whole purple binder full of them. That I still cant bear to throw away.
Here are just a few things I've been particularly jealous of lately:
1. The wedding dress. It still amazes me how putting on a fancy white dress can make any girl look stunningly beautiful. But there's more to it than that for me. I had designed my wedding dress and even went through the process of having it made for me. Its a one of a kind, original. Design by Sabrina, sewn by Susan Brent. I wore it for a total of ten minutes during my final fitting. And now, because marriage = weight gain, it doesnt fit me anymore. Yet, I cant bring myself to get rid of it. Like my kitchen stripes, its a vision complete.
2. Flowers. Oh how I love flowers. Particularly pansies. And my wedding was going to be full of pansies... and it would have been beautiful.
3. Pictures. I love the idea of beautiful, artistic, blank and white photos capturing the love and life of a couple. Even now, I would give anything to have candid photos of me and The Steve taken to encapsulate us at this time in our lives.
4. The Honeymoon. Okay, so I just have general vacation envy. Even if people are going to places I would never even think of going to, I'm jealous. "Oh, you're going to the swampy marshlands of Mississippi for a whole week? Wow! That'd be awesome!"
Tis the season.

Some Girls Try Too Hard

Lets see. This past weekend The Steve and I drove up to DC to visit my good friend Emily and her husband Michael. Friday night we went to see "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." Chick flick at its finest, I think. I have seen such a touching film about the coming of age since "Now and Then." Unfortunately for Amber Tamblyn and Alex Bledel (otherwise known on TV as Joan and Rory) their roles didnt exactly stretch them as budding actresses.
On Saturday we did some shopping, followed by a trip to the county fair. I got some cotton candy (never miss an opportunity for that). Shortly after that, I spotted the Tilt-a-whirl. As a child, this was my very favorite ride. I was even discussing it with my dad when I saw him in NY. We were reminising about Nelly Bly, this lovely little amusement park in Brooklyn. He used to take me there all the time. And I loved to ride the Tilt-a-whirl. Back then, the ride was red, white and blue. I was very excited when I spotted it and noticed it was not updated purple! Well, purple, green, white and pink. But I'm sure the purple was in honor of me. I had to ride it! Whats crazy, is how I had forgotten why I loved the ride so much. It was awesome. (doesnt take much to thrill me, I guess). See:

I'm Drowning in I

Alright, I've been working very hard on this list. Angela did it on her blog. Its 101 goals to complete in 1001 days. Roughly to be completed before April 5, 2008. I'll be 29 years old.

1. Buy a (new to me) car.
2. Go on a vacation (to a place I've never been before).
3. Shop at a mall I've never been to before.
4. Film, edit and webcast the first episode of my cooking show (yet to be named).
5. Launch purplesabrina.com
6. Buy some webspace.
7. Call my brother once a week every week.
8. Go to a Jazz bar.
9. Bake one dessert from one of my Martha Stewart recipe books. (successfully).
10. Paint our guest bedroom.
11. Paint all the bathrooms.
12. Hang the black curtains.
13. Eat one piece of fruit a day.
14. Cut down to one bagel a week.
15. Find something I enjoy eating for lunch that's considered "healthy"
16. Be on time for everything in one week.
17. Go to the gym 3 times a week for an entire month (including that really busy week).
18. Feel better about myself.
19. Write a short story.
20. Finish a short story.
21. Let other people read it.
22. Go through all my VHS tapes and figure out what to do with them.
23. Volunteer for something with my brother.
24. Do not commit to anything else at church.
25. Buy The Steve an iPod.
26. Resist the temptation to name it Bluevester.
27. Dye my hair very red.
28. Try three new meals.
29. Read CS Lewis' "The Great Divorce."
30. Learn CSS.
31. Get a full body massage.
32. Wear a bathing suit five times in one summer.
33. Take someone to NY that has never been.
34. Stay in NYC without relying on family or friends.
35. See 2 Broadway plays I've never seen.
36. Go to three concerts of bands/singers I love.
37. Bring a bag lunch to work for three days each week for three months straight.
38. Go see Sabrina the Lemur.
39. Take The Girls to see VeggieTales Live!
40. Get a bikini wax.
41. Drink more water regularly.
42. Listen to an audio book on Sylvester.
43. Go through my childhood memorabilia and throw out a box worth.
44. Go through Christmas decorations and throw out what I havent used in two years.
45. Get through these 1001 days without having to take one of my cats to the vet for an emergency.
46. Pay off at least half our debt.
47. Turn a profit with my Creative Memories business. (and by profit, I mean money in the bank, I'm making money, but I keep spending it on inventory).
48. Help out with newhope's Homes of Hope.
49. Watch the first season of Scrubs.
50. Recruit three more newhope couples to live in our subdivision.
51. Replant my cyclamen and have her not die.
52. Do not gain anymore weight for 1001 days. (unless I get pregnant or something).
53. Design an ottoman and have it built for me.
54. Find the perfect fabric for MyVeryOwnBag(3).
55. Rewrite my job description.
56. Get a promotion.
57. Arrive at work on time everyday for one week.
58. Be in the audience of Ellen.
59. Win something worth $100 or more.
60. Learn how to play the piano again.
61. Get another houseplant and have it survive.
62. Plant bulbs in the fall.
63. Decide to have a child.
64. Do whatever needs to be done to have/get said child.
65. Help organize a newhope's Red Tent Ministries retreat.
66. Give a successful toast at JJ & Angela's wedding.
67. Take a cooking class.
68. Eat everything I make.
69. Prepare BBQ ribs that everyone enjoys (including myself).
70. Read Blue Like Jazz.
71. Don't lose touch with Beth Ann.
72. Take a pilates class.
73. Plant pansies and have them live through a season.
74. Go to my 10 year high school reunion.
75. Take a nap with The Steve.
76. Find vitamins I can swallow and take one a day for 60 days.
77. Start recycling.
78. Find a recipe for my favorite cookies.
79. Get my engagement ring reset with a matching wedding band.
80. Try my hand at coordinating a wedding.
81. Buy a new Pampered Chef skillet and dont damage it.
82. Dont lose my new purple umbrella.
83. Write Leah Mirabile a letter.
84. And mail it to her.
85. See Operatika live.
86. Get a physical. (blood tests included).
87. Stop carrying credit cards in my wallet.
88. Be more affectionate towards my husband.
89. Improve my posture.
90. Host another Murder Mystery Party.
91. Go to a Durham Bulls game.
92. Get new sunglasses.
93. Get someone hooked on "Grey's Anatomy"
94. Make my own print iPod advertisement.
95. Buy quality lingerie from somewhere other than Victoria's Secret.
96. Own all 6 seasons of Dawson's Creek on dvd.
97. Remember to bring a fresh set of batteries with me to an event (so I dont go to take a picture, the batteries die, and there's nothing I can do about it).
98. Take The Steve to get a tattoo.
99. Ride a rollercoaster that goes upside down.
100. Wiggle my toes in Astrolawn.
101. Help my brother obtain his first car.

What Happened to We?

Just when I thought I wouldnt have anything to post for today, my officemate (66 days left) brought over this book and let me have a read. It's pretty funny. I'll give you an excerpt.

Possible Follow-Up Songs for One-Hit Wonders (by John Moe)
1. "How Are We Going to Get These Dogs Back in?"
2. "Bust an Additional Move"
3. "Seriously, Eileen, Come on"
4. "(Wont You Give Me a Ride Home From) Funkytown?"
5. "Remember When You Lit Up My Life? That Was Great"
6. "I Will Now Pass the Dutchie Back to You and Thank You for Passing it to Me Originally Because I Really Enjoyed the Dutchie"
7. "The Morning That the Lights Came Back on in Georgia"
8. "Everybody Was Kung Fu Making Up"
9. "Whoomp! There it Continues to Be"
10. "867-5309, Extention 2"
11. "We Never Took it and Persist in Our Refusal to Take it"

The Way You Tip Your Hat

I'll be a better poster this week, I promise. It's only Monday and I'm already posting pictures from my weekend.
Saturday was a day of celebrating the institution of marriage. It started off with Angela's Bridal Shower. As the MOH, I had a lot of planning to do. Jamie, one of the bridesmaids, was a huge huge help. Probably couldnt have pulled it off (and lived to tell the tale) without her. Here's me and the lovely bride after a successful shower.



After that, Steve and I drove up to Burlington for our across-the-street neighbor's wedding (also known as Josh and Brianne). It was outside. We all know how I feel about that. But, I'm trying to be a trooper these days. Its all about sacrificing for others, right? These wedding planners were very thoughtful, as they provided each guest with a program that also doubled as a fan (or bug swatter, however you want to look at it).



And just to prove it, here are my toes, incredibly close to grass.



I bought Steve a new tie for the occassion (and a few other upcoming nuptuals). Here he is, totally stylin.



And lets not forget about the beautiful bride. Lovely dress, I must say.



So, I guess we shouldnt leave out the groom then, either.



The evening ended shortly after we were standing in the grass watching them cut the cake, and I felt a bug on my foot. I lifted my foot up to ask Steve to get it, he flicked it off and I asked "What was it?" and he said "You dont want to know." End Scene.
After that, all I could think about was going home and scrubbing my feet.

I'm So Busy, Oh So Busy

Dont worry, I'm back from NY. You can breath a sigh of relief now. Sorry it's taken me so long to post... most people would think me leaving my job for a few days wouldnt cause any major calamities, but I've been insanely busy catching up. Today, however, as been slow as... something really slow, as slow as a 56k modem.
So, NY. Not only did I get to post from the road, through the wonders that are TWC, I also got to see my very greatest friend Slava and my very, uh, crazy family. The circumstances for seeing the fam werent the greatest, and kinda weird considering that all my other trips to NY for family related events have been weddings, or Christenings, or holidays... funerals suck. But it was nice to see everyone, including the two newest additions to the family, my second cousins Anthony and Alivia. And now that all my cousins have had kids, the only question we heard all weekend was "And what about you two?" Luckily, my dad came to the rescue. He's been 39 years old for as long as I can remember (and still cant explain how I'm catching up to him in age) and he said that I dont need to have a child till he turns 40. Deal.
And I still love New York City. We definitely didnt spend enough time enjoying it. But we did get to attend our first Russian ballet with Slava and Yura. And I did get to walk around at a street fair. And I did get to have zepplies. And Mr Softie. And I did get to walk around Central Park. All, very lovely. And here are some pictures from the weekend to prove it.


This picture is inspired by Christin. I title it "Sabrina in DC Traffic (inspired by Christin)"


Steve driving The Galant at super warp speed


Mmmm cake! Look at all those berries! This was Slava's birthday celebration cake.


Say hello to the Verazanno Bridge. This is the bridge that takes you from Staten Island to Brooklyn.


Also say hello to the Washington bridge (foreground) and the Manhattan bridge (background). Here's a little New York factoid lesson for ya... there are three bridges that connect the East side of Manhattan to Brooklyn and the Bronx. They are, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge and the Washington Bridge. Most easily remembered by their acronym, BMW. My cousin Jen taught me that.


My dad and his wife, Rose, own the most cutest little dog EVER. Her name is Sugar (and she has a neighbor dog named Spice). She's five years old, and only weighs three pounds. The best part about her is that you can hold her close to the floor and her legs start moving super fast, put her down on the ground and watch her go!




Here's a view of Central Park from Aunt Debbie's old hotel, Le Parker Meridien.


Oh, Mr Softie! How I love my vanilla cup of soft serve with colored sprinkles. See Rose carrying Sugar? Yeah, Sugar doesnt walk on anything but grass. She's a spoiled little puppy (but so so cute!)


Me and my Daddy


This summer, they set up an amusement park where Wollman's Skating Rink is during the winter. It was pretty neat to see. But 6 bucks a ride. Only in NY.


We tried to ride one of these, but there was a line. And New Yorkers dont wait on line for something touristy.


After all that walking we went for lunch at The Burger Joint. Dont we look tyerd? The Burger Joint is this awesome dive located inside Le Parker Meridian. Its totally out of place in the super fancy hotel, but so so good. And you can get a whole meal for 8 bucks. In the city, thats a steal! This place sells over 800 burgers a day. Oh, and to the left of me, Jennifer Lopez signed the wall.


One of my favorite parts of Le Parker Meridien is the tvs in each elevator that play cartoons or three stooges or whatever. How cool is that?


Here's Me, Aunt Debbie and my Dad outside Le Parker Meridien.


And one more picture of Steve and Sugar for good measure.

After all the New Yorkness, Steve and I stopped by Ikea in Elizabeth, NJ to enjoy their well advertized 3% sales tax. We purchased a few items for our bedroom, 2 Malm Nightstands in white and the matching MALM dresser as well as the lovely Stollet pendant lamp. For the office, we purchased several Lack shelves in white. We also bought this pretty Mirror that will make it's home at the top of our first flight of stairs.
I Heart Ikea.