Category: Life as I know it

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Hooray beer!

Happy Leap Day! I’m not really sure what the proper way to honor a day that comes only once every 4 years is, but how about with some beer? Sounds good to me – come on in!

Last Saturday we went to Bockfest at Capital Brewery in Middleton, WI, just on the west side of Madison. This was our 2nd year in a row, and it’s so much fun.

We go with our great friends E & C, and they’ve gone a number of years now. 4 I think? We got over there early (this year we met up at their house around 8:30am), head to a local bar just a few blocks from the brewery called the Hody, then mosey into the fest at 11.

Ticket holders are granted entry at 11, general public is allowed in at noon if there is any space available, taps close at 4, and everyone is kicked out by 5. It’s always held the last Saturday of February, so you’re guaranteed to be cold in Wisconsin at that time, and it has become our annual beginning of the beerfest/pub crawl season.

I drove us home again this year so didn’t indulge quite as much as everyone else, but I still had plenty of fun. R took his usual plethora of pictures, so here is a nice rundown of the day, photo style…

The line is always long, even for ticket holders. Fortunately it moves quickly once they open the gates.

That doesn’t put a damper on our good times, though!

Once everyone is in and ready to go, they hold the traditional running of the blondes – it’s a 1k jog around the block. Very taxing. I’ll have to remember my blonde wig next time. It’s also a little play on words, since their Blonde is the featured brew at Bockfest – highly delicious, highly potent, and you only get half a mug full. And everyone only gets 1.

You always see a multitude of crazy costumes and hats at Bockfest, and R found the banana guy again this year. Turns out he’s one of E’s little brother’s friends. Small beer world.

Workers of the brewery and their family/friends throw stuff off the roof of the place all day long. Why? Who knows. But if you toss anything into a crowd of drunk people they’re guaranteed to go nuts.

This time they threw beads, little plush dinosaurs (a new addition this year, but they matched the green brontosaurus statue that resides permanently on the brewery roof. r caught one for d!), and smoked chub. Yes, those are fish, and it is totally disgusting. I made sure I was far inside this year before the chub came out – if I got hit with one of those nasty things I was ready to punch someone.

By the time they kicked us out of the place we were more than ready to head downtown for some delicious grub on our way out of town, but not before we stopped off for a few quick shots in the oversized tailgating chairs.

And that makes another successful Bockfest in the books. I think I like this tradition. Cheers!

 

 

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Lil ol’ me, a Hall of Famer!

D and I got back from Tucson last night, so a full recap post will be coming soon. Stay tuned for that excellence.

But in other news, I had a surprising, yet decidedly awesome, letter waiting for me when we got home. R told me I had received a piece of mail from my high school, and I thought big deal, wonder what that’s all about? A reunion or the alumni association looking for pledges?

Neither. It was something much, much better.

They’re inducting me into the Peoria High School Athletic Hall of Fame!!

Me? Seriously?? I’m going to be in a Hall of Fame! Wahoo!!

They are announcing my selection for the Hall of Fame at a luncheon in October, so all of you in the Peoria area please feel free to swing by and hoot and holler when they call my name. You can even make signs if you want. Lots of glitter, as long as it doesn’t get anywhere near me.

I’m so excited, and honestly couldn’t be more proud. For as little as I really keep in contact with anyone/anything having to do with my high school years, an induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame is a huge honor. I always saw those plaques hanging in the walls and thought what a cool feeling that would be, but I never in a million years thought it would actually happen to me.

Now I’ll just have to make sure they spell my name right, since the envelope was addressed to “Joselyn”. Um, that would be J-o-c-e-l-y-n, thank you very much.

 

 

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Happy Hearts Day

As an adult, Valentine’s Day has never been one of my favorites.

To me, it’s much more of a made-up “Hallmark holiday”, created mainly to inflate prices of roses, candy, and paper goods.

Plus I never had a boyfriend over Valentine’s Day until I met R, so I usually didn’t have a reason to make it a big deal.

Sure I enjoy getting a card or an extra “I love you” every February 14, but I don’t really hold it in high regard or eagerly anticipate it each year.

It was great as a kid, though. Who doesn’t love a mug covered in pictures of candy hearts and brimming with said sugary confection waiting for you on the kitchen table first thing in the morning?

But as an adult, I can pretty much take it or leave it. Plus we had to send valentines to daycare for D’s party today.

Dumb.

I mean, it’s cute that they’re having a party, but dumb that parents send a dozen valentines for a group of 18-24 month olds who have zero idea the meaning of the day. Ah well, I guess it’s a small sacrifice for a classroom of cuties.

However, I am quite excited for our heart-shaped pizza from Papa Murphy’s that R’s mom gets us each Valentine’s Day. It has become our Valentine’s Day dinner tradition, usually paired with our favorite tv show at the time. A few years ago it was Lost. Tonight we might check out the new show The River, since I’ve heard it’s very Lost-esque. Anyone catch its debut last week?

We usually see R’s family each year the weekend before Valentine’s Day for one of our nephew’s birthday party, and that is how we always get the heart-shaped pizzas. Some may laugh, but I love it!

Plus, look at this adorable shot of D playing in a bounce house with her cousins at the party this past weekend. That’s my little valentine!

So Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone, however you like to celebrate (or not)!

 

 

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Friday Funk – 11 things edition

So I’ve been tagged to do an “11 random things about you” post. When I saw that I immediately groaned and thought, “Ugh, I hate these things.” They always remind me of chain letters. Yuck.

But then I realized I’ve never really done an “about me” post. I mean, I have an About Me page up there that you can go check out, but I’ve never actually been prompted to break much down for you out here. Especially with totally random questions. So I guess you’re now in for a treat!

The rules of this tagging involved me reposting said rules and then tagging others, but I’m skipping that part. ‘Cause I can.

So I present to you “11 Random Things About ScooterMarie”:

1: Wine…Red or White? 

Hmm. I like most all wine, but I’m actually gonna have to go white here. And sweeter white at that. (i can hear all you red wine lovers shrieking and shattering your wine glasses from here) Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Prosecco, and most especially ice wine. I am hugely partial to champagne, too, but I guess that’s not technically a wine? Whatever.

2: What is your favorite wine or libation? 

Oops, I guess I just listed a bunch of wines in #1, but one in particular I love is Door Peninsula Winery’s Summer Splash. Oh yes – white, sweet, fruity, cold, delicious. Perfect summer wine for me. And I am a huge fan of good microbrews as well. Not too picky there, and I’m becoming more and more fond of stouts and porters when I used to loathe dark beers.

3: Have you been to any wineries or wine tasting? 

I have. I’ve been to a couple wineries in Door County, WI, which are actually quite excellent. You can find a list of some here. Have I been wine tasting? Does Saturday night at my house count? 😉

4: Favorite pair of shoes? 

Right now it’s my Blowfish Brille booties. These things are awesome. I’ve wanted them for a couple years since I saw a similar pair one of my sisters has, and she got them for me this past Christmas. Score! They are really quite comfortable, and the wedge heel makes my size 11 feet look TINY!

 

5: What is your morning drink? 

Well it used to be an iced chai latte, since I’ve always hated coffee. But then I discovered pumpkin spice creamer and that all changed. (i still don’t like the taste of coffee, just the creamer) I’ve been trying to lessen my caffeine addiction though, so right now it’s a homemade Dunkin’ Donuts decaf latte with pumpkin spice creamer, until it runs out. Then I might cry.

6: Tattoos, body piercings, or both…and where? 

Both. I have 3 tattoos (dolphin on back of right hip, Kokopelli on front of left hip, University of Wisconsin motion W with a wave underneath it on inside of left ankle) and 4 piercings (2 in each ear, 1 ear has 1 low and 1 high). I almost pierced my eyebrow in college, but the shop was closed the day I went. Maybe that was a sign…

7: Favorite dessert? 

Umm, you’re making me choose? Yeah right. Oh, actually, I’ve got it – birthday cake from Trefzger’s, a bakery in Peoria, IL.

8: What is your dream vacation…money is no object! 

Full tour of Italy, on my own schedule.

9: If you won the lottery… 

I’d pay off our house, sock away a bunch for future college payments, then never go to work again!!

10: Do you talk to yourself?  If so, do you answer yourself too? 

In my head, yes. It’s usually conversations/arguments I’d have with someone in real life, so there isn’t much answering of myself needed. I’m always right in those.

11: Would you ever sneak a giant metal rooster into your house?

Nope!

 

So what’d ya think? Fun stuff, eh? That was actually much less painful than I expected. Yes, I am a pretty random (yet highly entertaining!) individual. Have a great weekend!

p.s. this list of random came to you courtesy of the lovely Suzanne over at The Wine{a}be.

 

 

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Oh well, I got a story

I’m not sure what it is about me and R, but it seems like bizarre things always happen to us. Always. It’s as if our lives are governed by Murphy’s Law of Whiskey.Tango.Foxtrot?!

And never do things go “just right” or “as planned”. Never. There are always wrenches flying into our spokes, causing us to go veering off in some wild direction and usually crashing. Or at least ending up at our destination with a nasty scratch.

Fortunately this story I’m about to tell falls more into the weird stuff category than the painful crash category, but it made me laugh and think “yeah, that’s about right” when I heard it nonetheless.

Hopefully you will too. Laugh, that is. Not shake your head at the oddity that is our existence. Ahem.

This conversation transpired one afternoon last week over IM. R had been looking to buy a juicer for a little while and finally found the one he wanted that morning. He had just returned from making his purchase when the following was relayed:

R:  pretty sure I just bought a stolen juicer

Me:  wha? uh-oh

R:  dude was sketchy as shit

Me:  yikes

as long as they don’t track you down

R:  showed up in a beat down mini van

smoking a swisher

very “eccentric”

definitely not someone who “has two and is selling one for his fiance”

Me:  ha!

is that what he said?

R:  yea

Me:  dang. yep, totally stolen

R:  I overpaid knowing that

oh well, I got a story

 

Now let’s hope we don’t get a knock on our door from the cops looking for that hot juicer.

 

 

 

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I want to run

The changes are big, bigger than I even expected.

I’m left alone, and it makes me nervous.

Feeling crushingly overwhelmed, actually.

I don’t know this feeling, and I don’t particularly like it.

It’s not my friend. It doesn’t suit me.

I wear confidence and happiness much, much better.

It makes me want to run, straight into the arms of something to which I’m better suited and truly enjoy.

But if I ran, would I make it?

Could life as we know it survive, be ok, and even grow?

Or would we stumble, fall, and ultimately fail?

Do I have the courage to risk it?

I don’t think so. No, not yet.

Do I want to? Absolutely.

Someday.

But perhaps not now.

Perhaps now isn’t the time, but it’s out there.

Waiting for me someday. Someday hopefully soon.

Not hopefully – it will be. Soon.

I will make it so.

But not yet.

I want to run, but I must be smart.

Know what I have and be thankful I have it. For now.

An opportunity? I can’t see it as that yet, but maybe.

Don’t run.

But I still want to…

 

 

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Resolutions? What resolutions?

So in all the catch-up blog reading I’ve been doing since getting back from Hawaii, I’ve noticed a resounding theme from this past week. What? No, I didn’t read any blogs while I was on vacation. Why would I do that? There were way too many hours to be spent lounging by the pool and sun rays to be caught. Duh.

But as I was saying… It seems the thing to do this time of year is post either a year-in-review recap or a list of resolutions for the year ahead. Or both. For the overachievers out there.

As I read more and more of these posts, I keep thinking maybe I should do the same. But the more I think about it, the more it just doesn’t sound right for me. I mean, I just started this blog last spring, so I don’t have much of anything to recap there. Just a bunch of my random thoughts spilling onto this screen with a few site redesigns thrown in to keep you guessing.

In my non-blogging life nothing too exciting or noteworthy happened either. You’ve heard about most of my days here, and to be perfectly honest, I really can’t thing of anything magnificent that stands out to relive. 2011 was a decent year – some good trips, one of my sisters got married (which was awesome), and we are all healthy, so I’m thankful for that. But other than that – eh, not a whole lot to report. Just another year in the time books.

And as for resolutions, I’ve never been one to make them. I don’t really see the point of resolving to do something for the entire year on the very first day of it, when you really have absolutely no idea what’s going to come your way during said year. I mean maybe it’s kind of nice to have a general guideline in mind for yourself if you have certain areas of your life you really want to work on, but I kind of like myself as I am. I’m happy with most things in my life right now and don’t really feel the need to change much.

So call me a party pooper, but New Year’s resolutions aren’t my bag. And maybe it’s my over-inflated ego talking when I say I don’t have much I want to change, but it’s the truth. Sure some things could be tweaked a little to really make me ecstatically happy, but I’m not crying and whining without them.

I will say, however, that I think 2012 has a much nicer ring to it than 2011, so maybe that’s a sign of good things to come. Either way, a belated Happy New Year to you all!

The last sunset of 2011 that we saw (pardon the iPhone blur)