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What is your favorite new movie from 2007?

It’s kind of selfish of me to ask this. I am curious to know what your favorite movie from 2007 is, but I also have this theory that a lot of the new movies are total crap, so it makes me wonder if I missed some really good movie and just don’t realize it!

I am embarrassed to say my favorite 2007 movie is Transformers. I’m embarrassed because it is an action movie… about robots from outer space… directed by Michael Bay. I think what was important to me about this movie is that it kept me entertained. A lot of time I am watching movies and I get so bored, I just space out and don’t pay attention.

Even though this movie didn’t have the most compelling story, I liked the jokes, action, actors, and general story line.

But come on, Transformers?! Seriously, there must be a more “adult” film that I missed?

It’s no secret that I have been in a foul mood this week. You can see it in my posts. And you can probably identify the source.

Let’s just say this feels like the longest week ever, as I am sure it does for a lot of you as well.

So, I was feeling like my now-normal crappy self last night, when I pulled up to our house, and saw two packages at the door. Then I went to the mailbox, and we had a package there too! Getting packages is so much fun - especially when three come on the same day!

Two were Christmas gifts from Gina and Courtney, and the other was a Steven’s birthday/random gift from my parents.

It’s cheesy (and materialistic?) but receiving those packages just made me feel good, like “wow, people must like me if they care enough to send a package.” Even though it is pretty obvious when people like you, and whether or not they are your friend, a package just makes you feel special! And it totally pulled me out of my slump, so Steven didn’t have to deal with my cranky ass when he got home (although he did have to listen to me pester him to open the birthday package 3 days early).

So, thank you. It sounds like there is still hope for me to capture the “Christmas spirit” yet!

You know that feeling, when you try to make a joke, and no one laughs or even acknowledges you said something?

That is what I feel like everyday at work.

My job is killing any confidence I used to have - both regarding my personality and my intelligence.

I think I may have inadvertently insulted my husband’s manhood the other day.

I went outside on Sunday to begin the 20-minute long process of cleaning ALL the snow off of my car. I decided to go above and beyond, by opening my hood and brushing off all the hard-to-get-to snow from around the windshield wipers.

In the process, I noticed my engine coolant tank was low. I went into the house and asked Steven if I could borrow his phone.

“Sure,” he replied. “Who are you calling?”

“My dad.”

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“No. I just noticed the antifreeze is low in my car. So I am going to call my dad and ask him what to do.”

He hesitated before speaking. “Why didn’t you just ask me for help?”

“Because my dad’s a mechanic!”

Ouch.

Of course, my dad told me to do the exact same thing that Steven would have, if I had given him the chance.

But I did ask Steven to put the antifreeze in my car - that must count for something!

The truthful reason I couldn’t sleep Saturday night is not because I was so excited about seeing the Star Wars exhibit (although it was a lot of fun!), but because I am so, so stressed out about the amount of work I have to do.

I avoided the “thinking about work at home” thing for a long time. On purpose. I still wanted to enjoy my life when I got home, no matter how late that be.

But I woke up at 4:00 am on Sunday morning because I was stressed out about completing a cost estimate before the end of the week. So I got up and worked on it for a couple of hours before going back to bed.

I hope this doesn’t become habitual.

It’s happened.

I’ve become so accustomed to traveling to Chicago each day that I have lost appreciation for the beauty of the city.

I noticed this last week when I left my office during the day to deliver a proposal to a client. I wandered through the Federal Plaza (you know, the one with this big orange thing?) on my way. Federal Plaza is a large open space in the Loop, next to a small (one-story) post office and the large 45-story Mies van der Rohe Federal Building. This spatial relationship creates an incredibly powerful void in the cityscape there - when you are walking in the plaza and look up, you have this wonderful feeling of being surrounded by tall, beautiful buildings.

It’s sad that I work one block away from the plaza and rarely see it, and experience that excitement of being in such a “big” city! I rarely leave a two-block radius around my office, except to walk to the train station.

But why I am talking about this on a Sunday? Because Steven and I are going to the city today to do something fun. We will leisurely ride the train down to the city; I will have time to meander without worrying about getting to work on time. We will enjoy of the beauty of being downtown.

And… we are finally finally seeing Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination at the Museum of Science and Industry. I am so excited about seeing the Star Wars models, I couldn’t slept through the night. It was such a hassle to buy these tickets, I hope it turns out to be as much fun as I imagine it will (regardless of the annoying crowds that are always in museums, dawdling at each exhibit).

At this time last year I was exercising every day of the week to prepare myself for a 5K on January 1st.

And what I am doing now? Eating chiles rellenos at least once, if not twice a week.

Quite a change. Quite a change.

I think the chiles rellenos is fast becoming my favorite mexican dish. Can you get any better with something that is fried and full of cheese?

I usually can’t tolerate spicy spicy foods, but it is luck of the draw with the chile relleno. The poblano pepper can be tame or really hot. It’s a risk I must take. Tonight.

No “Friday Question” today because it’s Blog Crush Day! Every blogger has the chance to reveal their “secret adoration” for another blogger! Check out the other participating bloggers on sizzle’s site…

I bet you can guess who my blog crush is… because I have linked to her nearly a thousand times! It’s Bobbi from bobbiandmike.com!

Bobbi was our wedding photographer, but I was following her blog well before she took our photos. Most of her blog entries are photos with a little story about the photos - whether they were from a wedding, portrait session, or just her hanging out with her family.

What I love Love LOVE about her blog is that she is able to tell stories with (her AMAZING) photos and only a few words. I don’t think that discredits her as a blogger, because by reading her blog I feel like I can connect with the raw emotions of people I have never even met!

And since I have met Bobbi in person, I know what a blast of fun she is! I doubt there is ever a dull moment when that that girl is around! I only wish she didn’t live all the way over in Indiana…

I look forward to seeing her photos and reading her touching stories each day. How lucky she is to share in with so many people’s joyous moments! Her stories and passion for her work inspire me.

Hearts to you Bobbi!

(P.S. Diane is my other crush… but we don’t link to Diane… wink wink. You know I think you rock, girl!)

Last night, during dinner at a restaurant with Steven, I said, “I hope my parents get me that Apples to Apples game for Christmas!”

Lo and behold, when I got home, there was an amazon box on our porch, with Apples to Apples inside! What a coincidence! Maybe tomorrow night during dinner I should say, “I hope my parents get me a Corvette Stingray for Christmas”? (With my luck, I would come home to a box with a Corvette Hot Wheels toy in it.)

We first played Apples to Apples on Thanksgiving when we had a bunch of friends over. We had so much fun playing it that I added it to my “wish list” the next day. I think I like the game so much because it is one of those “get-to-know-each” other games, and because it doesn’t take much talent! Ha ha ha.

I am wondering why my parents sent it to me so early though. Or rather, why they sent it to me at all. I won’t be seeing them until January, so maybe they wanted me to be able to play it in December?

It is really really weird that I won’t be seeing my family for Christmas until January this year. That means I don’t have to buy any gifts for them until after Christmas. I have only bought one Christmas gift, and that was for Steven’s brother, who we will be seeing on Christmas day (along with Steven’s parents).

Maybe that is why I am having such a hard time “feeling” the holiday vibe this year - because I am not out shopping with all the crazies at the mall!

Fellow bloggers, how often do you find yourself wishing your blog was completely anonymous so you could just write whatever the heck you wanted? No worries about people reading and misinterpreting, or just the wrong people reading…

Ugh. More and more lately I am typing up posts only to delete them. It’s pointless to tell stories that are missing all the details. Like the story about an annoying “friend” who is constantly telling lies to some friends and truths to the others. So even though you didn’t tell the lie yourself, you are caught in continuing the lie for them around the people who don’t know the truth.

Ugh.

And there is no way of even knowing who reads your blog! Only later do you find out that your coworkers, family members, friends from college, and people you have never met are reading what you write.

Ugh.

But of course, that is the challenge and fun of having a blog. And I wouldn’t trade that in for anonymity. I just like to complain about it!