The Best Is Yet To Come.

A couple of months ago a friend of mine sent me a link for an open position within The Municipal Court for a recently elected Judge.

The Judge, was someone I had met previously while interning with the Ohio Attorney Generals office in College and even played softball with on occasion for The Legal Community Softball League in summers past.

It truly goes without saying that being involved with the community in your field of work can take you places. 

I am experienced, dedicated (most of the time), and smart and yet I was not overly sure of myself with regard to this interview. For crying out loud, I kinda knew the guy! But, still, as any interview is nerve-racking, this particular one was only 15 mins long and with a JUDGE for Pete's sake! 

A good girlfriend of mine who works in a similar position in County Court went way far out of her way (and so did several attorney friends) to help me in this endeavor and for that, there are not enough thank-you's in the world I could give.

 Interview Day in my new Blue Suit!

I went in for my interview and while waiting, was sitting surrounded by 2nd and 3rd year law students (this position was originally set up for them).  I took the advice of my BFF Cakes who told me to "just go in there and talk to him like you're having a beer after work. Be yourself. Be confident. You deserve this job. This is YOUR job."  

So, that's what I did. 

Today, I am happy to say that I have been offered the position. Nothing can ruin this day for me. Today is MY day! 

Snowed In

Over the last 4 days my fine City of Toledo has been  in a deep freeze. It was literally a windchill of -38 on Tuesday. That is insane. It was so cold outside, that it hurt just to open the door. We have about 2 feet of snow on the ground right now, with a little more on the way for today. (Only about an inch but COME ON!) There is so much snow that there is no where for our little driveways to put it all, so getting in and out of my street is miserable. My little car just gets stuck everywhere. I cant remember a time in all my living here that its been this bad. Usually, the roads are cleared up and people are back at work the very next day - no problem. But we have been under some kind of a Snow/Ice Emergency for nearly 4 days.  And the roads today are still no better. Its an ice rink out there. Scary stuff and I have been driving in the snow for a LONG time. 

For the first time in my life I think I experienced what cabin fever feels like.  Do you know how many 80's and 90's movies one can watch while laying around doing nothing for days? I do.  I gave up and just cleaned my house like 3 times. Its spotless. I even washed the curtains... AND re-organized my closet...

Lucas County has said that this storm will raise utility costs by about 13% and cost the county 10's of millions of dollars in lost revenue. I have no idea if my boss will pay me for the full 3 days I had to be off work. 

Silver lining - it was really cool to see every little kid on my street out building snowmen and snow forts and making snow angels and enjoying what a snow like this brings. 

Cheers!

NYE! One of my most favorite nights of the year. Its all about new beginnings. Starting over fresh.

 

There have been some instances in that I have had a few too many drinks on my birthday (the night before) and so I did not enjoy NYE as much.  But, now, my life has changed for the better. Its not about going out and partying anymore. It's about enjoying some time catching up with friends then getting home in time to watch the ball drop snuggled up in a blanket with a cheap bottle of champagne and enjoying the extra day off with Duchess. 

This area is supposed to get a good sized snow storm tomorrow so it will be a good day to lay around, watch the Rose Parade & Rose Bowl and put together her new bouncer. 

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2014 is prosperous and joyous for us all. 

(And the Tigers can go ahead and win the World Series... that'd be cool too.) 

31

Why is it that after a certain point in life we no longer care for birthdays? I used to make it a point to get a new outfit, get my hair done, and have a pedicure. Now, not so much. I am literally in my 30's. Ew. Seriously, I had hoped I would have a lot more things panned out by now. But, we can only do what we can do. Here's hoping my 30's are as good as my 20's were but in different ways.  

WOW! That's a Legit Santa!

OK.  Sooooo, I may have slightly, kinda, sorta... ruined Christmas for a few small children (while waiting in line for the Duchess to meet Santa for the first time) this past Sunday.

I may have explained to my BFF Cakes and her Hubby B11 (they came to wait in line with us), about a story my other BFF Tiff, texted me the day before. Tiff asked my opinion about something her 8 year old son said to her about Christmas and Santa Claus. You see, it is his impression that she just "puts his gifts under the tree every year and eats the cookies he leaves out."

He then went on to say that he "will know this year FOR SURE if Santa is real or not because there is one specific thing he really wants and ONLY Santa knows what it is." Scary right? I have NO idea what I would say to that.  And that is exactly what I told her. We spent like an hour trying to plot via text message how to accidentally get it out of him... and then we realized:  what if it's something completely ridiculous??

I, being a new Mommy, have not yet experienced these predicaments. So, being fascinated with what my future holds, I went on to tell the WHOLE STORY to Cakes and B11 in what Cakes calls my "outside voice." Right there, while waiting in line... to see Santa... surrounded by children... diligently waiting with their adorable handwritten Christmas lists in tow.... 

I am a terrible person... Me and Cakes wanted to DIE. I just wanted to silently grab my things and my kid, get out of line, and get the hell out of that Mall. ASAP.

But, we had already waited nearly an hour and were on the Red Carpet! 

Sorry bunch of people I don't know, we are waiting this one out! 

We tried to re-assure ourselves that most of those kids weren't even listening to us... right?

So, here we are! Finally at the finish line! The Duchess is about to meet Santa Claus for the very first time! 

Let me tell you, this guy was serious about his job. I handed her to him and he placed her on his knee and asked how old she was. I responded "5 months old and (obviously) this is her first Christmas." 

And do you know what he said in true make-me-a-believer, straight-out-of-the-Miracle-on-34th-Street-Macy's-Santa fashion? He said so beautifully, "Well you know, the very first Christmas' are extra special for Santa. It's all the other Christmas' after that, that are special for the children. Merry Christmas, Emerson."  

Umm. At this point, I may cry right  now. Standing here. Talking to the Mall Santa. Then Cakes says, out loud, in her outside voice, "WOW! THAT'S A LEGIT SANTA!!" 

Ps. Duchess didn't even blink an eye. Not one tear. Not scared in the least. Very lady-like, indeed!

12 Shopping Days Left!

With only 12 shopping days left, I am D.O.N.E. Christmas shopping. 

#Boom

AND all without stepping foot one time in a Wally World. Take that Wally World! I have recently stopped shopping at the aforementioned store because:

A. There isn't one very close to my house.  The closest one is on Central Ave. surrounded by some of the WORST traffic nightmares most anytime of day. It could be 2:30 on a Tuesday and you will still sit in stopped traffic on that overpass. But that's not the only reason why...

B. I know several people who work for this Company. Do I need to go on? (There is something about making a 70+ yr old woman work a 12 hour shift on Christmas Eve that just grates my damn nerves. But, I digress.)

C. Every time I step foot in there, I wait in an endless line where there are 27 open lanes but only 3 have a cashier...

I have found that the two Target locations near my home offer just as low prices on the important things I would need from a store of that nature (cleaning supplies, dog food, etc). And with very few traffic nightmares.

This past week I was home for 3 days with a bad cold. Duchess had the sniffles too and sprouted her 2nd tooth, which makes for a rather unhappy little Princess.  So, I found some time to online shop in between naps, bottles, and runs to the microwave to warm up my tea. 

Now, all I can hope for is that the stuff I bought actually makes to my house in time for Christmas... 

#SOML

Last night, for the first time since the late 50's, NBC broadcast a performance of The Sound of Music Live. Carrie Underwood was starring as Maria.  In my opinion, IT WAS GLORIOUS. Finally something on network television that isn't a cartoon! Don't get me wrong, I will forever love A Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and A Wish For Wings That Work <----- A CLASSIC. (If you have not seen this one, you're seriously missing out.) 

But, finally, it was like watching a cultural television event. Ok, ok, Carrie Underwood is a country singer from Oklahoma. And the actor who played Captain Von Trapp is on HBO's True Blood (which is a show about Vampires).  But they were wonderful. If you can get past the slightest of southern accents and just appreciate it for what it was, it was breathtaking. It looked like millions of people were watching it along with us, because my Twitter feed was blowing up with the hash-tag #SOML. 

The entire performance was live. It was like watching a real musical, only on TV! You could sing every word to every song and remember the lines of some of the ones you'd forgotten over the years. 

Even my sister made her kids sit down with her and watch it. It can be tough for a 9 year old and a 3 year old to appreciate a musical. We were texting back and forth through it and she told me that although it started a little slow (as most musicals do), once the Von Trapp children came on screen, they became more into it. 

Duchess and I normally head over to our neighbor's house (and friend) to watch Grey's Anatomy on Thursday nights.  She and her husband are also the god-send, that watch my daughter while I'm at work. While picking up Duchess yesterday, I asked her if she was going to be watching .... and I assumed she thought I was going to say Grey's but instead she finished my sentence with "THE SOUND OF MUSIC?!" It was hilarious! I brought hot chocolate fixings and we made a night out of it.

Its my understanding that NBC is hoping that this production will become a holiday staple and run every year as many holiday staples do, for years and years to come (Frosty, Charlie, Rudolph, A Christmas Story, Nat'l Lampoon's Christmas Vacation).  I hope it does. I want to have this tradition with my daughter, sing those songs, and drink hot chocolate. 

Golf-clap to NBC. Well done!