Today's the day

I'm going to see The Muppets.  This is a day years in the making.

I've been obsessively reading everything I could about this movie since I heard Jason Segal was writing the script.  I'm losing it with excitement.  LOSING IT.

Amanda says that in my life I've minored in Muppet studies.  My high school yearbook quote was from Jim Henson.  I made TWO tiles in the high school devoted to Muppets.  I've scoured ebay for Christmas Eve on Sesame Street.  This moment was built for me.  Gaaaaahhhhhhh

I will also probably cry with joy and an overwhelming feeling.  Enjoy that visual.

In the meantime, listen to this Fresh Air interview with the writers of the movie, along with this classic Muppet moment.

2010's best pics: #1 (it's a tie! Part 2)

Aaaand here's the other #1. See? It's hard to pick a favorite, since one compositionally turned out nicely, but the other is a big event and perhaps my most favorite moment and memory from 2010.

#1 part 2: Amanda's Wedding. Rockport, MA.
2010 brought a lot of people getting engaged and getting married. A lot. I went to two weddings, and at least eight friends getting engaged (there could be more... but I'm having a hard time counting in my head). Lots of huge life changes in my circle of friends.

But the wedding that is the most meaningful of 2010 was that my best friend Amanda, who I have known since preschool (PRESCHOOL) got married to her college sweetheart, Dan. I was in the wedding, and it was a great day. I spent basically a weekend with one of my closest and dearest friends and her wonderful family, and then for the reception was there with my parents and all of my best high school buds dancing and partying well into the night.

While there are a lot of nice reception and ceremony photos, this is my favorite. I feel it sums up Amanda's wedding best. Jess and Amanda are dancing together, and clearly fully committing to it. I love their hair in it, and joked that it was like a shampoo commercial, since it was so glossy and flowy. I love that they're both pretty flushed from so much dancing, that they're so into dancing and having a good time. I also like that no one's looking at me, they're that into dancing.

It's great not technically (like the apple picture) but more for the moment and memory.



And that's it! All my favorite pictures from 2010. This was a nice way to remember the year and gear up for more photos and more events in the year to come.

2010's best pics: #6

It's a snow day, and Ricky's home sick trying to sleep off feeling lousy, but that doesn't mean that I'm not posting a picture!

This one is more to embody a weekend and an experience, and not really for the talent of the picture itself:

#6 Ricky's parent's pool at St. Peter's Fiesta. Gloucester, MA.
When you grew up in Gloucester, St. Peter's Fiesta is kind of like a second Christmas. A second, drunker, and more friend-oriented Christmas. Local Italian Catholics focus on the family and religious aspects of the holiday, but Ricky and his friends use it as an opportunity to embrace their roots and spend a lot of quality time together that they may not have the opportunity to at other holidays.

So this was the first year I was dating Ricky during Fiesta and as a good girlfriend, I embraced it whole-heartedly. I watched the Greasy Pole running on the beach and cheered when the winner was brought to the shore. I cheered at the boat races. I ate fried dough. I walked around with friends and yelled "Viva Saint Pedro". And when we weren't at the beach, we were at his house lounging by his parents' pool.

While there are better pictures of the aforementioned events, this one is my favorite of the weekend. All of Ricky's old roommates from Philly came up for the event, along with his friend Sean (in the front) and Jon (in the back) from New York and Philly, respectively. I had just gotten back from hosting Amanda's bridal shower when I saw Sean sitting in a tiny chair while still wearing a bathing suit, and Jon lounging on an outdoor couch directly behind him. It was very much a "if we were cool movie makers or musicians in a magazine" image, so I captured it.

I liked that the are itself seemed a little chaotic with random pieces of furniture, flowers, plates, towels, and fencing, and yet Sean has focus in the middle of this. I also liked that these two hipsters are embracing something so small town and from their roots and childhood. They may be two of the coolest people I know, but they'll never be too cool for Fiesta.

2010, a revue:

I'm preparing to be busy with the theatre peeps for NYE, so I'm doing my year in review now.

2010 was, I'd say for most people, about 40% good and 60% bad. I feel like I saw so many people having rough times. While a lot of good happened in 2010, so much bad happened, too. A recap:

The Good!
--Ricky and I moved in together, and had a great full calendar year together.
--Two of my good friends had babies! Awesome!
--My cousins got a great little puppy named Murray.
--Coco and Nicky.
--New job continuing to be good.
--Amanda got married!
--Countless friends got engaged.
--Rachel got married.
--I got Alva the fish.

The Bad!
--Midnight died.
--Maggie the dog died.
--Pat died. (too upsetting for me to write about)
--Ricky had some job woes and it was stressful.
--A rat moved into my apartment and wreaked havoc.
--Shitty neighbors.
--Three friends had issues with fertility (I won't mention who for their privacy).
--Buying my car was a dog and pony show.
--Leo switched to being in a wheelchair full time.
--Dramas with my grandparents.
--Too much family crap to write about in one blog between me and Ricky.
--Numerous friends have had job woes.
--Dramas with all dads.

But I know a lot of people have had issues in 2010. So I'm actually kind of glad to be putting this year to bed and move onto 2011. I have strong hopes for next year. A lot of weddings, some babies, two years with Ricky, probably more engagements, and other good things.

Peace out 2010, and bring on 2011!!

Things I'm thankful for

Dear friends
Family
My pets
Ricky and the wonderful year we've shared together
My health and the health of my family/friends
My job
My apartment
Sandwiches
Apartment ponies
Yarn
Warm socks
Flannels
Crate and Barrel
Being friends enough to be in a wedding
Two kids who consider me their aunt
Bocce
Scarves
Long walks around town
Muffins
Things that taste like buffalo
Tea
Mix CDs
Pandas
Fresh sheets out of the dryer
YMCAs
Marimekko
Noro Yarn
Slim cut jeans
Egg sandwiches
Pie
My fish

Maine!

This is what you get when you google "Retro Maine". It is exactly the image I was hoping for.

I know I'm trying to do NaBloPoMo this month, but unfortunately I'll have to just post twice today, none tomorrow, and call it good. If you're reading this and want the full effect. Only read one post today, and one tomorrow, and it'll be just like I posted all weekend. S'okay?

I'm going to Maine with many of my best pals from high school for "Girl Weekend". It'll be a weekend of hanging out, taking long walks around Maine, shopping the outlets, and delicious food. Despite what Ricky thinks, it will not involve pillow fights.

I'm always very happy the best pals I had in high school (namely Jess and Amanda) are still my best pals today. I've been friends with Jess since 1993. That's 17 years!! I'm sure there'll be stories when I return.

Facebook Friend Mashup is awesome

It's not called that, but it might as well be.

I noticed last week a new feature on FB which is where you can compare two friends of yours and see their friendship: the posts they commented on each others walls, the events you've attended, the shared interests, and the photos they're both tagged in.

What makes it awesome/addictive for me is that they show a photo of the two people. Ricky and I have been paring friends to see what Facebook has deemed THE photo of the friendship. Ricky and I are a photo of my Mad Men Meme, which is funny. Our friend Jon and Megin are the two of them with their daughter, which I found fitting. Me and Erin is one of my fridge where I tagged the two of us as a fridge magnet for when we went to Cleveland, which is odd. Me and Tim are a photo of us in Worcester one summer at a Moe's, which I actually have framed in my house. But my favorite is the photo of my two best friends from high school, Amanda and Jess:


If there was ever a photo that summed up their awesomeness, it'd be this. Happy while dancing at Amanda's wedding, full of joy. Hair a-flowing. It's just so perfect.