Nice little Sunday

Today is laundry day at the Laborde house. I know - exciting.

This has been such a great day, really relaxing and just what I needed. I watched Law and Order episodes and ate spaghetti o's. Then I entered all of my contacts into my new iPhone that I have because I'm very fancy now. And yes I had to manually enter them because my old phone is such a piece I couldn't transfer them the easy way. It was fine though because I feel cool holding it and basically don't know how to use it yet otherwise, so it was very enjoyable. Then I watched the Jersey Shore and it warmed my heart to see Sammi and JWoww make up. Now I'm just biding my time, waiting for Joey to fall asleep watching his obscure movie so I can get the remote back and watch Lifetime. Any minute now...

Alrighty then

This week is officially dragging. Drraaaggginnnng. Weekend please.This is the line where I usually pretend I hate to complain, but I don't, and well, I don't have the energy for charades.
This weekend will probably feel slow too, since Monday is Match Day, when the magic hat decides my future. Gooo magic hat! I am seriously excited though. I love planning and knowing like, major life things, like where we'll live... so I can plan on where we'll live. Surprisingly, I didn't feel that crazed after all of my interviews. I knew that it would be a long wait until January 31st, so, it would just be best for everyone if I sat tight. I didn't even feel that antsy after the rank lists were due two weeks ago. Until of course, the morning afterwards, when I was obsessed with the possibility I may have entered something wrong or not clicked a critical clicky thing on the screen. Well, I'm past all of that patience now. And in an unrelated note, I'm totally eating donuts for lunch.
Is it Monday yet?
UPDATE: I had donuts for lunch. I am now regretting it. I would say never again, but it will probably just be awhile.

Animal Talk

This video is hilarious. I love the monkey dentist.

Sorry Natalie, and other rambly ramblings

Soo, I was sort of saying not nice things about Natalie Portman the other day. A lot of this has to do with the fact that I used to think that we were leading parallel lives but hers was the more glamorous one.
We both went to college in the Boston area: I went to Wellesley, she went to Harvard... etc.  AND back then people used to tell me I looked like her a lot, which rubbed salt in the wound.
I should have been Queen Amidala.
ANYway, I don't think that anymore because I'm married to Joey... so I definitely got the better track in life. Well, I guess Black Swan made me a little jealous because I always wanted to be a ballerina. Plus I mean, Darren Aronofsky is the bomb and apparently they like, talk on the phone.
Alright, anyway again... I saw her on CBS Sunday Morning yesterday, and she said that she feels that a big part of where is she today is due to luck, and she's very focused and hard-working because its the least she can do because of the amount of luck she's had.
And I was like, high-five sister.
I am where I am in my life because I work hard, and I'm focused, but I had a lot of opportunities in my life because of luck. I was born into a family with college educated parents who pushed me academically, and who wouldn't let me give up. And I mean, I wanted to give up. Lots.
In 2001 I was all: "Mom, I want to come home from my expensive college I insisted I go to." cue exorbitant sobs.
And she was all: "You have to stay for the semester, we already paid."
And so on. My poor mother.
I don't know if I would have made it like my grandfather did... basically propelling himself out of poverty through college and law school. I don't know if I'm that extraordinary of a person. But I mean, I can at least get some work done.
I don't really have a point... just that I'm grateful to my parents a lot, and to my grandma and granddaddy who carved out this path in my life. Can I get an amen?

Monday morning wish

This morning its just too cold. That's all there is to it. But well, the world keeps turning and we all have to go to work, and luckily for me, the T came within a few minutes after I got to the stop, so I really shouldn't complain. Except its TWENTY TWO DEGREES BELOW FREEZING. Yes, that's with the windchill, but do we care about how cold it is or how cold it feels?
ANYway, my Monday morning wish is for the boots I compulsively ordered to come very soon, and to fit, since they only had 5.5 and not 6. But I mean, they Hunter Summit boots and they were FIFTY PERCENT OFF. Helloooo, I'm going to make them work.

I hope all of your Monday morning wishes come true, too.

Bits of our Sunday

This morning started off kind of slow...

This is a cat with a "CAUTION" label on his chart at the vet.

I was feeling under the weather and in an even worse mood, but I didn't want to waste the day, especially since I hadn't seen Joey all week. There's nothing like the fear of regret to propel me forward, so we headed out to Lexington, Massachusetts to check out this farm where you can buy groceries. 

It was more grocery store than farm, but it was an alright field trip. I do appreciate a nice cheese corner.

Then we ambled out to Natick where...

Joey's dream of having a Nespresso machine has finally come to fruition! Hallelujah, and thanks Aunt Nancy!

After a little trip to B to the 3 to pick up some keurig cups for my office coffee habit, we went over to the AMC to see True Grit.

I love the movies.

Then Joey had to make a mad dash inside because it was freeeezing.

There's nothing like a Coen brothers film (and a diet coke) to cheer me up. Their dark tales bring peace to my heart. Oh, except poor Little Blackie. Sigh.

And thusly we were inspired to make steak and eggs for dinner, which we imagine Ruben and Maddie would've enjoyed.

Match day is one week from tomorrow. Each day I get more and more excited about the prospect of specializing in an area that I love so much. AND, if we move back to Texas, Joey is going to get a truck, and I'm going to put my (Haifa's) daughters in pageants! Yeehaw!

Saturday's morning of dramz

Leon had to go to the vet today.  Last time he went, Joey took him, and reported some wild behavior that necessitated a large woman to be called in to throw a towel over him and hold him down. At the time I found this hard to believe, and if only I had been there, his behavior surely wouldn't have gotten so out of control. I mean, we're talking about this cat, right?

Joey's at work, so it was up to me to take him this morning.

It started out alright enough. I got out the carrier and he more or less got in on his own.

and we ventured over. The vet is across the street... and while it is pretty cold outside and we had to cross a busy road, I think it was less terrible for him than his second most dreaded thing: the car.

We arrived safely, with a lot of pathetic meowing, and waited in our exam room.

I pulled him out of the carrier against his will, and placed him on the exam table.

note the agitated ear positioning.

This is the last picture because after the vet came in, well, lets just say my beloved creature did not exhibit ideal behavior. You know how some moms tell you their kids' stats after doctors appointments? Well, here are ours:

Weight: 11 lbs, 3 oz. I don't know this percentile, but its "OK, we don't want him any bigger."

Heart: seems alright, no weird facial expressions were made

Lungs: hard to tell with the growling and hissing

Temperment: full on crazy feral cat

The vet was incredibly nice, (aren't they all?) and at first he was the best behaved he'd ever been. Then it was time for his vaccinations. The first one was sort of alright. There was extreme hissing, but, well, that happens. Then it was time for the second one, and my animal just went ahead and opened up a can of crazy. There was hissing, prolonged meow screams, and swats before they had to "take him in the back" to finish up. I could faintly hear another meow scream as I waited in the exam room, and I started tearing up a little bit... vacillating between horror at his behavior and feeling so sorry for him. I was hoping they could trim his nails too, but I mean, at this point, we were all ready for the Labordes to head out the door. At least we set the bar low for any other animal behavior that day.

We had to wait a few minutes for them to get some medicine for him, and I waited in the waiting room and talked to a really nice lady about her greyhound. Leon waited in silent anger in his carrier. When we crossed the street to go back home there was more pathetic meowing, and I contemplated if 10:30 am was too early for wine. Surely white wine is OK, right? Mimosas are acceptable at brunch, its sort-of the same. Once he was home he got right out the carrier, and shook his right hind leg a few times... and he was fine.

 

I however, unscrewed a bottle of pinot grigio and added some club soda to make it socially acceptable, and ate an entire Paul Newman thin crust frozen pizza.

Well... Joey's turn next time!

Finally

Someone feels the same way I do about Natalie Portman.

Click here to listen to Film Week's review of Black Swan. Totally do it, even though you have to click something and listen to something. Its worth it.

Does anyone else in America feel like Black Swan was a let-down after the Wrestler? Ugh, and when Natalie Portman accepted the GG it was as if she was the only actor to whom Darren Aronofsky said "now do this one for yourself?" And like, it seems like they might have some kind of like, long-time professional relationship/almost friendship?! Noooooooooooo (echos.)

I wish I knew this Peter Rainer and like, even though he's kind of mean he would still like me, and we could make witty and scathing remarks about people over cocktails.

On my mind this Friday morning

* Is it out of the question to expect another snow day at this point?
* Oh, I guess so, says our snow-cancelling-work hotline.
* I should probably blow-dry my hair then.

********elapsed time*******************

* I like making a to-do list at the beginning of each day.
* I think its important to include things you've already done, you know, just to get started.
* snow snow snow snow snooooooowwwwwww.
* I am so glad I don't have to shovel.
* and I'm also very glad Joey is home. I was missin' him something awful.
* whelp, seems as though my patients are taking snow days.
* I would too, I don't blame them.
* I'm super tired, and I look super tired.
* but I went to bed at 10 pm!
* well really, like 10:30, but still.
* this patient is coming in that I'm the most worried about, but I'm so glad it will be over with.
* T to the GIF.

Reunited

and it feels so good.

Wonderful Wednesday

Not yet, Leon, tomorrow. Lord have mercy, its going to be like that cat won the lottery when Joey walks through that door.

Today was a great day. I always post and complain about my office and my anxiety, and not really when things are going well. Honestly, I think its easier for anger or anxiety to fuel my posts.

Today, all of my patients came early. All. of. them. That is really nice, especially when most of them haven't been to the dentist before and they're really trying to take care of themselves. As dentists we're always most focused on the procedure in front of us, but we're also thinking about the schedule the whole time. When patients come late it throws off the schedule, and I can only speak for me, but it makes me crazy. I am so proud of my patients today. Goooo patients in Dorchester! At the end of the day I had the sweetest little boy who was only 6, and he was such a champ for his x-rays and his cleaning. His poor mom  had to wait for about an hour and half while their state insurance was verified, (something that is done without much efficiency in our office,) and she didn't complain about the wait and was so happy and appreciative that we saw him and that he had a good experience. AND he didn't have any cavities and his mom was obviously really careful about his diet and hygiene. She felt good, I felt good... I mean, hi-five everybody... today is one of the days I feel so proud to do what I do.

Lonely hearts club

Here's our sad cat with his crazy eyes, waiting for Joey to come home.

Is it Thursday yet?

We're watching Teen Mom 2 together, and as if that isn't depressing enough, everytime a door opens on the TV Leon jerks his head up. I don't know that he did this while I was out of town... but I'll take the extra cuddling for now.

Hunnnngry

This is exacty how I feel about 11am everyday. I hear you cat.

A long post about bed sheets

Yesterday I dropped Joey off at the airport, and then afterwards I did what any other woman does when her husband goes out of town and she has some free time to herself: initiated a McDonald's fueled bargain hunt for new home goods. Oh... is that not normal?
Anyway, I saw these sheets at TJMaxx in December, and they were really pretty, vintagey floral 300 thread count sheets... for only $39.99!  At the time I was doing a lot of Christmas shopping and I didn't think we really needed them. Flashforward to two days ago and Joey complaining about the "rough" pillowcase upon which he grazed his poor cheek when he "accidentally scooted over" to my side of the bed. We have this bedding from IKEA with these cute raised stripes, which Joey super hates. Thus, we don't really use them anymore and just sort of use similar looking other white sheets we have. We have white pillowcases, and somehow there aren't enough of one kind of exclude at least one of these IKEA ones... which goes on my side since it doesn't really bother me, unless it bothers Joey.  Our bedroom is kelly green, (which our landlords love and painstakingly selected,) and thusly we have white to offset the horridness of the wall color. And well, I like white things, because I am a glutton for punishment. Joey has been known to fall asleep reading his perio literature with pens in his hand, and then pen gets on everything. Poor Joey, one time he called me in a panic and said "you are going to KILL me," after it happened another time... he can't help that he has so much to read. 
ANYway! I dropped Joey off and I thought I'd just pick up these sheets, because, they are smooth and not white, and go with the green walls, and I like them. I went back to the TJMaxx near my office, and they weren't there anymore. Naturally, that was when I decided I really wanted them. I went home to sporadically dust my house and think things over, and I decided not to give up.  I'm not a quitter! So, I went to the TJMaxx in Brookline. They weren't there either, although they did have it in twin size, which only renewed my hope that somewhere, in some TJMaxx, my sheets were waiting for me. So then I went to the one in Framingham. They didn't have them either. Although I will say, that TJMaxx was significantly nicer than the other ones. To reward that TJMaxx for its niceness and me for my endeavor, I got a cute underbed storage thing. Fabulous! At this point I was saddened and downtrodden, and thought about trying a Ross. But then I couldn't. Then, just because I was all the way out there I went to WalMart. I don't know why. Sometimes they make me nostalgic for Texas, and here there aren't very many. But they are very terrible. I regretted it the second I walked in. It was dingy and depressing, and like, had three people in it. I bought a People magazine (new Travolta baby!) and left. After that the stores were closing up, so I went home, and fell asleep on the couch watching the Real Housewives of Atlanta.

I woke up this morning and realized I may have I missed my critical bargain hunt window... and consoled myself with some self-beautification projects. I went to Nordstrom to use my giftcard from my parents to buy makeup. I was reallllly excited about this. (Its totally okay that you gave Joey 2x as many giftcards as me, Mom and Dad, by the way,) and yes I just made sure that I used my own giftcard.I looked up different kinds online and even made and APPOINTMENT to have the lady apply it to my face.  AND almost the best part, besides getting makeup which I love love love because I am vain, was that without even trying I spent $0.12 less than the max on the giftcard. I felt like a winner on the Price is Right! And honestly, I felt so beautiful with my new makeup. It felt great.

                                    

My thumb on the total is intentional... I don't want my mom and grandma to be gravely disappointed with how much I spent on makeup today... even though my mom knows since she bought the gift card for me, and she probably had to stifle a gasp but then realized I get this from her, and should make peace with it. Thanks for the makeup, Mom!

So I afterwards I went to yet another TJMaxx, sort of super out of the way and psycholike, just to see if they were there. At that point, I was buying sheets, any sheets. I resigned myself to liking another set... and then as I walked up to the checkout line, to what did my wondering eyes did appear, but some vintage inspired floral sheets from Ralph Lauren himself! And some lunch sized glass-lock containers for $12.99! Bo-nus! I felt so happy I even put back the other sheets where I got them, which seems optional there.

Alright, well, I should point out that before this weekend I think I'd been a TJMaxx three times in my life... and I should say that I learned a lot about TJMaxx's, like, just go to the one in Framingham after going to the Natick mall. 
Anyway, Leon loves them.

See what I mean about the walls? And can you see the threatening pen on the nightstand on the right?

Now I'm blogging and watching the Young and the Restless rerun on the soap opera channel, while eating moo shu pork.

All in all, its been a good weekend, but I can't wait for Joey to come home. Like really. Its lonely without him here...and I'm eating bad food. For some reason I don't do that when I'm with him. I'm definitely missing my better half, and I wish he'd been there to hear the songs I made up about sheet shopping.

Casa Romero

Last night Joey and I ventured over to Casa Romero for dinner, and now its easily one of my favorite restaurants in Boston. Joey works on Newbury St., after he was done for the day we headed a block away from his office to the corner of Newbury and Gloucester, and down the public alley to the restaurant's entrance.

Did you ever watch "What You Get for the Money" on HGTV?

These parking spots in Back Bay are worth ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND dollars.

Anyway, I digress. Boston isn't known for its great Mexican restaurants, and this one is like a hidden gem. Hidden, but not secret, because its always packed.

They had the three things that matter most to me: great margaritas without any help from some cheater-cheater-pumpkin-eater sugar filled mix, delicious guacamole, and killer chicken fajitas.

I got the classic margarita, and Joey got the perfect margarita, and they actually did taste different. I'd get the perfect one next time.

 Plus the decor is beautiful. I'd recommend it any day of the week.

We called it an early night because Joey headed out to Houston today for a meeting.

I miss him already. Fortunately Leon ended up not going, so now we're watching Lifetime movies together... so it ain't so bad.

I know last Monday's post was a downer, but I'm trying to be more open on this blog, which may mean some downer days. All in all I had a pretty craptastic week, but I'm at peace with it. Sometimes you have crappy days and weeks, but I did the best I could and that is just going to have to be good enough.

My match list was due on Friday, and its just 3 weeks until we find out where we're going next year. I can't wait.

I hope everyone has a great long weekend.

Snow days

Well, as you know we've had a bit of wintry weather up here in Boston.... which is normal, since its winter in Boston. The unusual thing is that we've had two snow days in the past few weeks due to some big blizzards. Snow days mean different things to different people. I thought just for fun, I'd compare what snow days mean for me, and what they mean to my little cat, Leon.

                                                                  Snow day for me:

The T lets us all off because traffic is too bad, walking home in the snow.

Snow day for Leon:

 Sunny nap.

Snow day for me:

 

Gridlocked traffic, people in Boston forget they're from Boston and that they do, in fact know how to drive in the snow.

Snow day for Leon:

hmm...

windowseat is ever so slightly too cold for sleeping.

Snow day for me:

Grocery store line begins at the back of the frozen foods section.

Snow day for Leon:

Sleeping directly on the heater is better.

And ultimately snow day for me:

Admittedly, in the end, isn't that different.

But I did have to use the warmer blue blanket instead of my leopard snuggie that you can see tossed off to the side.

Wordless Wednesday - WEATHERBOMB!

I mean, I don't know if the term "weatherbomb" was really warranted (Sam Champion,) but a snow day is a snow day!

Semi-Wordless Wednesday

Leon loves to stretch it out.

That's right, all I talk about are my workout videos.

McFatty Monday - Tuesday Edition

We are workout machines! OK, not really. We actually had to step it down a notch from P90X to plain P90, but trust me, its still hard.

I thought they would be a LOT easier since its only 30 minutes, but as per usual, I underestimated Tony Horton.
Here's Joey doing what seems like an innocuous leg raise and arm raise move. It somehow gets really hard halfway through. Or maybe more like beginning way through.  Its blurry because I was taking the picture and kind of still doing the moves. Way to go Joe Joe!

Anyway, I have not seen immediate results, (sigh,) but maybe something will happen soon. I went all out and took all of the body measurements with the measuring body thing that came in the kit, and I recorded it on this postcard with the body on it that Tony sent me. Joey declined to do the same, which surprised me, but nonetheless, I won't question his committment to our workout challenge. I even took a before picture. God forbid that ever gets out.

In somewhat related news, I got my yellow anthropologie dress in the mail. I was so happy to get it, I beamed all the way up in the elevator. I was a little bit worried because I ordered a size up just in case they ran small, I figured I could always take it in. Wellllll, I took it out of the box and with one look I had a feeling there was no way that thing would go on my body. If that dress was really the size I ordered I'm in big trouble. It had a tag from anthropologie, but it was pretty sketchy. It looked like it had been added after the fact, and it was handwritten with the bottom part of the tag with the original information cut off, like, ghetto style at an angle. Then the size was handwritten on it with pen. I couldn't get it on, let alone zip it up.I think it might be two sizes down, at least. That's what I'm telling myself anyway.Sad. Maybe this will finally make me learn my lesson about internet shopping, but probably not. Oh well, it was an appropriate end to one of my more frustrating Mondays I've had in awhile.

 The silver lining is that I contacted the ebay seller, and she was so nice about it and agreed to take it back and refund my money... so thats good. I wanted to wear it for my birthday (reminder, this Thursday,) but I'll settle for painting my nails a bold "Eiffel for this color" and wearing that to work, in conjunction with appropriate work clothes, obvi.

Alright then, happy Tuesday everyone!

Hello 2011

Good tidings and happy new year to all.

If you're as lucky as I am, you used up all your bad karma from 2010 at approximately 10:13 pm by falling head first down the steps at the South Station T Terminal. Whew, glad I got that out of the way. No, I was not inebriated. Not enough anyway. Fortunately my rough and tumble strength skinny jeans and boots protected me from most of the damage, and now I have this photo which can also serve to document my injuries and serve as a "before" picture for my workout pictures!

Here we are at Drink beforehand:

It was fun. Anyway, I'm pulling the cart before the horse here.  We started out our evening with an early-bird special dinner at Sportello in South Boston at 5:30 pm. Per the waiter's recommendation we had the roasted cauliflower appetizer which was fantastic, followed by somewhat lackluster tagliatelle and lamb entrees.  It was alright, but I'm not eager to go back. It was sort of one of those places where I didn't feel cool enough to be there, and well, I don't like that feeling when I'm paying $22 for pasta.

In any event, the early hour made it a cinch to secure seats at the bar at Drink shortly thereafter, and we enjoyed an assortment of spirits, our favorites were the mamie taylor and the french 75. Delicious! Joey had some kind of scotch drink that smelled just like anatomy lab. His hand even smelled like formaldehyde from holding the glass. It was incredible, and brought back many memories of the basement at BCD from approx 2004. Anywho, we made some friends with the people sitting next to us and they took the above picture. They were from Spain. Gracias amigos nuevos!

We reached the point where I felt more alcohol would be regrettable, and thus we left to attend the First Night festivities on the Boston Common, and upon embarking on the next leg of our journey into 2011, I promptly fell down the stairs, bruising my thighs, shins, and ego. I probably should have had just one more drink. Joey yelled "OH MY GOD ELIZABETH!" As I reached the bottom of the steps, and some woman ran up to me and tried to help me up, and said "YOUR PURSE, DON'T FORGET IT!" really loud, because I think she thought I was wasted. I must reiterate, I was not. I was however, in full on nervous uncontrollable laughter mode, which didn't help my case. I imagine I looked like a sled without a child on it sliding down the concrete. Fortunately I'd had just enough alcohol to allow for me to pop back up and think it was funny, that is, before the horror of humilitation set in.

We arrived at First Night, and milled around aimlessly with the rest of the public. I don't know... did I miss the part that is supposed to make it worth it? Was there some kind of attraction? I just saw a lot of people walking around in the dark with light-up swords.  Yes, I did see the band... from a distance, right before we left because at that point I decided the rest of the night would best be spent from the safety of our own couch.

We rung in the New Year with Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest, and I woke up Joey so we could clink our champagne glasses as the clock struck midnight. All in all, it was a memorable  (and perhaps last) New Year's Eve in Boston.

Happy New Year everyone!