take me out to the ball game

When I was a kid, I was pretty hot stuff on the softball field. The summer after sixth grade was my last year on the team, but I was a superstar pitcher with a mean underhand. There will always be a softspot in my heart for America's Favorite Pasttime, and if the opportunity arises for me to play in a cheesy adult league at some point in my life, I will probably jump at the chance. In the meantime, I'll have to content myself with attending Mountaineers games and flouncing around the bases of little league fields in the off-hours of the early AM.

Because I was so awesome, I rarely sat in the dugout during softball games. My dugout activities were limited to reading contraband Seventeen magazines at recess and dreaming up exclusive clubs with other catty kindergarteners. The trouble with exclusive clubs in elementary school is that your membership can be revoked without notice at any time--this happened to me twice in my young life.

First, I was elected vice-president of the Babysitter's Club in third grade, but then I started hanging around with the "bad girls" (shooting dice during silent reading, flipping the bird at teachers when their backs were turned, throwing icicles at obnoxious boys) and when I tried to hang out in the sandbox with the rest of the club they informed me that my position had been passed to the next-in-line. I was crushed. And my time on the dark side was short-lived.

The second club I joined was the Pet-Sitter's Club (notice a theme?). My friends R, S & I were hanging out after school one day (the one thing I remember especially about R's house was that we got to play the Carmen Sandiego video game, which was awesome) and, for financial reasons, we decided to create the club. I was elected vice-president (again) by R (the president), which basically just meant she and I were best friends and S was etc. It all came tumbling down about an hour later, when I took a bathroom break and returned to our HQ (R's room) to discover that R & S had been plotting against me--I was booted from my position as VP, and my friendship with R never recovered.

Incidentally, R was the only other person from my elementary school who played on my softball team (it was regional).

I feel kind of like a forties-style pinup in these high-waisted shorts, stripes and hair bow... perhaps I could star in an advertisement for the ladies league that started up when all of the men went off to war?

Also, if our outfits had been this cute, I might have played the game beyond sixth grade:

(Yeah! Everybody loves Madonna and A League of Their Own!)

And, while I'm running the bases, a list of the best baseball movies of all time!

1. A League of Their Own

2. Field of Dreams

3. The Sandlot

4. Bull Durham

5. Fever Pitch

6. For the Love of the Game

7. The Rookie

8. The Fan (creepy!)

And the worst baseball movie ever made:

Summer Catch

Seriously, this movie is so bad. Maybe even the worst movie that Freddie Prinze Jr. ever made--and it's hard to trump that movie about the models and the murder mystery. She's All That should have been that for him, and the only reason that movie was even tolerable was that it was part of the late-nineties teen movie phenomenon that took place right when I hit my teen peak.

brains

I was reading this article in the New York Times this morning about the way our brains have adapted (or tried to adapt) to the new technologies in our lives, and it was disheartening. I despise technology--there, I said it. I despise social networking sites, I despise all-in-one gadgets, I despise video games, and I have a very love/hate relationship with my easy access to information. I don't hate the fact that I can read the NYT online, but it turns me into a clicking machine and I don't absorb as much as I might if I were interacting with a physical newspaper over a cup of coffee in the morning. This is probably because I am usually multi-tasking: work on one screen, news on the other. I use it as a kind of brain exercise to keep my mind intellectually engaged while I perform monotonous tasks for the sake of a paycheck. And I can't help but think, This is not the life I want. This is not the world I want to live in.

It's difficult to find a balance. But more and more I'm discovering that I don't want to balance. I just don't even care anymore. I want to bend my mind around information the old-fashioned way--by reading books (with actual pages) and having discussions with real people, face-to-face (instead of through g chat or text messaging). My life was so much more full when I lived in the world, when I trained my eyes on my environment, rather than some sort of screen. I honestly believe that my parents are still happy after twenty-five years of marriage because they only have dial-up internet, a land-line phone, and (ok, now, satellite TV--but they didn't until I was in middle school!).

And, more and more, as I am subjected to the constant stream of information and inspiration and the side-effects (anxiety, envy, insufficiency) of that over-stimulation, I just want to escape the world of technology so that I can experience and appreciate the world of reality. My dream life: take a trip around the world, then settle in a remote location by the ocean (or a lake, if I must) and just live. I know I won't be able to settle down until I see as much as it is possible for me to see in the world, so this is my plan:

1. Pay off debt.

2. Save money.

3. Save more money.

4. GO!

It may take a few years, but I am going to make it happen--mark my words! Can that possibly be too much to ask? I don't need to make millions of dollars, I don't need to have piles of stuff, I don't even need to buy fancy designer shoes! All I want is to see the world and live a naturally-stimulating life, surrounded by people I love. The experiences we have and the people we share them with are all that matter in this life--I don't see how two people (who supposedly love each other) can even have a relationship when they spend all of their time tapping away at individual ipads over breakfast or texting their friends during a dinner date (if you want to talk to someone other than who you're with--do it! Stop passive-aggressively nancying around on your cell phone!). I know I don't want that. But maybe that's just me.

story of a saturday

On Saturday, we got stood up by the "huge thunderstorm" that threatened the New England area. There was even a tornado warning! We cancelled our plans to drive up to Montreal and opted for some VT adventures instead. After the drizzly morning, the clouds started to clear, and by late afternoon we even saw blue skies! I was actually kind of mad about it.

K was nice enough to take these photos of my rainy-day-grey outfit:

The first stop of the day was at Jo-Ann fabrics. Actually, the first stop was at a thrift store in Williston that I always drive by but have never stopped at--it was specifically for babies and mothers. Needless to say, we didn't stay long, as I am neither. The second stop was at Rags and Riches, a huge fabric store that never seems to be open. We didn't stay there for long, either--it was for upholstery. So, technically, Jo-Ann was our third stop of the day, but that's just if you want to get technical. Poor K, we were in there for over two hours.

I've been meaning to bust out the sewing machine that my mother gifted me for Christmas, but this was my first attempt at actually stocking up on supplies. I have never really sewn anything in my life (other than a hem), so I was kind of running around like a chicken with my head cut off--looking at patterns, picking out fabric, finding cool fabric that wouldn't work with my patterns, finding new patterns, picking out zippers and thread... hoo boy. It took forever, and I thought I might die when my purchases totaled $60. Sixty dollars! Sewing is not the answer.

(Funny story: this scarf is actually just a huge piece of fabric I bought at Jo-Ann's last Halloween for an owl costume that never saw the light of day)

I then purchased six new movies from Blockbuster (An Education, Crazy Heart, Up in the Air, Knocked Up, Couple's Retreat and The September Issue) and K and I went home to drown our spending sorrows (me, for spending money, he, for spending that much time waiting for me to spend it already) in this:

We make these nachos practically every week (and we eat them all).

1 bag corn chips

2 8-oz bags Cabot cheese

(1 sharp cheddar, 1 fancy blend)

1 can spicy fat-free refried beans

jalepenos

Green Mountain Gringo salsa (hot!)

Guacamole:

4 avocadoes, mashed

salsa to taste

lemon juice to taste

My friend S taught me to make guacamole in college (for all of those late-night post-party binges), and it's so simple and delicious! I never use mayonnaise, so it's a lot healthier (but still pretty unhealthy in this quantity--especially on top of all of that cheese! Who am I kidding?). Try it!

When I eat nachos, all is right in the world. Sadly, our blender broke a couple of weeks ago mid-dacquiri blending, so we were going to buy a new one on Saturday. Then I called my mom and discovered that I still had my old blender in storage from my Boston years! So, no dacquiris on Saturday, but it certainly saved me from more unnecessary spending!

(dress: Goodwill; scarf: Jo-Ann's fabric; socks: TJMaxx; shoes: GoJane.com; sunglasses: UO; belt: Bargain Boutique)

won't you take me to funkytown?

Friday was a beaaaauty! I decided to take this summer-picnic scarf for a spin in honor of the glorious weather. I picked it up at Bargain Boutique on Thursday, along with some other lovely loot (I see a theme...):

I wanted to wear it to the first Farmer's Market, because in my head I imagined K and I snacking on delicious produce, cheese and freshly baked bread while tapping our toes to the musical stylings of Tammy Fletcher and her bluesy band.

It didn't really work out that way...

As it turned out, the FM was a major flop (for us, anyway). It was mostly crafts and pre-made foods (which would have been more appreciated had I not already planned on finishing up my sandwich vegetables for dinner), so I'm hoping that as the weeks progress we start seeing some more local fruits and veggies (and cheese! I was hoping for cheese!)

Anyway, the night only improved from there. We went to On the Rise to see Ms. L Cannon play her trumpet with the funk band The Real Deal:

(Laura!)

The band was awesome! We danced like madwomen all night (K even joined in) and we're definitely planning to see them play again before the summer is through! They were so much fun--I like weirdo synthesizers and emo-poetic lyrics as much as the next girl, but sometimes you just need a break for some good old-fashioned funk!

I wish this was my life...

K, want to run away?

sandwich style: balsamic veggies and goat cheese panini

Since I've been seriously slacking on getting dressed this week, I thought I'd shift focus for a minute to what I wear inside my stomach. I've mentioned this delicious sandwich that I can't get enough of a couple of times before, but it's only getting better and better as we hit the summer vegetable season.

Also, because I was unable to eat the meaty version of the red onion-carmelized pear-brie sandwich at the Poutine restaurant this weekend, it inspired me to branch out and experiment with sandwich ingredients, so this may be the last time I make this particular panini for a while (although I'm very likely to relapse right away).

I start by sauteeing the onions. I like them to be nice and soft, so I let them cook the longest. Next, because I don't have a real grill, I grill my eggplant on my lean mean fat-reducing grilling machine (Mr. Foreman and I have become very close...).

In the meantime, I add the red peppers and summer squash to the frying pan, and spread herbed goat cheese on both slices of bread:

When the veggies are soft and supple, I load them on the bread in layers and drizzle my favorite fat-free balsamic vinaigrette (Olde Cape Cod!) over the top before slapping the whole thing on the grill and toasting it up. Tonight's side: Garden Salsa Sun Chips (my other favorite).

And just for the sake of comparison, K's dinner that same night:

Sometimes it's hard having a boyfriend who likes to eat small (and large) animals, but in this case I say... more for me! The veggies last 3-4 days in the fridge so I can eat deliciousness every day of the week! And if he wants to eat dill-y tomatoes and tuna fish with french fries, he is free to do so.

Today and tomorrow are all about the food--tonight we feast at Claire's, a local restaurant that practically single-handedly revitalized the town where I went to high school by drawing attention to the organic and slow food movement in the area (in honor of Brother #1's birthday--happy 22!) and tomorrow is Day 1 of the Richmond Farmer's Market, so we'll definitely be there (fresh produce and live music? Yes please!).

I promise I'll be back with outfit photos tomorrow! Cheers :)

memorializing montreal

Went for a run in the pouring rain this morning... it was actually kind of nice. For once I welcomed the downpour, because it helped to wash away the smoke from the Quebecois wildfires that hung heavy in the air yesterday. When I woke up in the morning I attributed the smoky smell to the multitude of BBQs that were undoubtably firing up in force in preparation for Memorial Day festivities... but no! K and I had planned to go for a bike ride around the Champlain Islands, but the smoke and haze discouraged us and our plans fell to pieces. Oh well, some other time!

This weekend K and I took a lovely little day trip up to Montreal for some shopping and sightseeing. We walked down St. Catherine and I bought a delightful little dress from H&M (very bad behavior for someone as broke as I am), and then we walked down to the vieux ville for some lunch and looking around. We were being kind of wishy-washy about where we wanted to eat, so when a kind gentleman suckered us into looking at the courtyard terrace of his restaurant we decided to stay (we always get suckered in... the same thing happened when we were aimlessly wandering around the Old North End in Boston last year). It was a good choice:

(my view of the corner, behind K's head)

(image courtesy of MP website)

The restaurant was called Montreal Poutine, so it was only appropriate that we try the famous poutine of Montreal (which I've never had, even living so close to the border for my whole life!). It is deliciously, heart-stoppingly unhealthy, but so worth it--french fries, vegetarian gravy and cheese curds, oh my!

(image stolen from MP website)

It was divine, but next time we have poutine we're definitely getting the kind with peppers and onions on top... it looked so good. The food itself was also good, but a little pricey. We probably wouldn't have been satisfied with the small portions if we hadn't also had the poutine. I wanted the roast chicken, brie, red onion and caramelized pears (sans chicken) but the sandwiches were apparently made in advance and couldn't be altered, so I opted for the three cheese (brie, blue cheese, chevre) sandwich. It was good, but small. K got the smoked meat and mustard sandwich on rye bread and it was adorably miniature but had enough meat on it to feed a hungry alligator (or boyfriend).

We walked around some more, but failed at finding a nice place to sit and have a couple of cocktails. Any Montreal-ites out there? I'd love some recommendations for places to go next time we visit... any excellent live music venues or cocktail lounges? Delicious places to eat with vegetarian options?

All-in-all it was a good day. When we were getting ready to leave we realized we probably should have listened more carefully to the parking garage attendant, because the whole place was completely closed down and locked up. We circled the block several times trying to bust in before realizing that we could, in fact, go in the way we came out... if we pushed the little doorbell-style button by the door to be buzzed in. We can be such idiots sometimes. I blame the fact that we couldn't find a bottle of water in the entire city. How do those Canadians stay hydrated???

Anyway, back to the present/outfit: whenever I wear flats (usually only for the sake of "mixing it up") I immediately regret it and wish I had worn heels.

You know? Just sayin'.

(slip dress: UO; shorts/belt: Bargain Boutique; cardigan: Old Navy; moccasins: Minnetonka; scarf: F21; bracelet: gift from K)

Oh! Also--forgot to mention: K and I went to see SATC2 on Sunday evening and I loved it, of course. He even chuckled a few times. That evening was kind of foiled as well because we went to Monty's Brick Tavern to hear some of the live jazz they advertise as happening on Sunday (4:30-8 pm)... and it was silent in there! Not a sax or a drum set in sight! I was incredibly disappointed, mostly because it just felt wrong to go see the SATC movie without having a cosmopolitan at some point within the same 24 hours. I'm going to have to figure out what went wrong there... because I feel like I've been duped by some seriously false advertising.

Also, not twenty minutes into the movie a crazed looney of a man (I sensed extremely pent-up frustration of some sort) aggressively turned around and told the guy laughing loudly behind him to "Shut the f*ck up!" and stop ruining the movie for everyone. Needless to say, this was not that sort of crowd, and everybody jumped to the defense of the laughing-man, which only angered the looney more. He just kept yelling at the relatively unresponsive laughing-man until his date (that poor, poor woman... I pray they were not seriously involved) got up and dragged him out... but not before he leapt on the laughing man and attempted to punch him in the face.

...

Needless to say, I was horrified, and thanked my lucky stars for my wonderfully obliging boyfriend. I cannot believe some of the people who walk this planet.